《After the Divorce, I Could Hear the Voice of the Future》


 Chapter 1 - 1: Overnight Desolation

    March 21, Spring Equinox.


    Spring is a season of goodbyes and a perfect time for decluttering.


    Lu Liang got up early to clean the house, finding that very little belonged to him. Most of the items were Lin Wenjing''s.


    Looking at the pile of stuff on the floor, he decided to make a phone call to ask what to do with it: "Hey, I still have some of your stuff here, do you want to..."


    Before he could finish, Lin Wenjing''s tone turned as cold as if she was dealing with a telemarketer: "Lu Liang, we''re already divorced. I hope you won''t make this difficult for me. Let''s just wish each other well, okay?"


    Lu Liang heard a man''s voice nearby, who seemed to have just woken up, asking lazily, "Who''s that?"


    "It''s no one, dear, go back to sleep," she replied sweetly, like a girl infatuated with love.


    "Okay, I understand."


    Lu Liang hung up without a hint of emotion and called the scrap collector to take everything away, leaving nothing behind.


    He knew who that man was; likely a shareholder from the beauty salon where his ex-wife worked, driving a Range Rover.


    They had hooked up only a few days after the divorce, making it easy to guess that his head must have already turned green before they split up.


    But now, what could he do? They were already divorced.


    Getting angry would only reveal his own incompetence and convince her that divorcing was the right decision.


    The best revenge would be to live well, drive the finest cars, and date the most beautiful women.


    By getting rid of all the stuff in the house, and with no trace of that woman left, he felt a bit better.


    At two in the afternoon, it was time to meet the client. He waited at the entrance of the neighborhood.


    Before he could finish his cigarette, a beaming old man got out of a taxi: "Little Lu, sorry to keep you waiting."


    "Uncle Wu, I''ve just come downstairs too," Lu Liang greeted him warmly, inviting the old man up for tea. The old man waved him off: "You''ve got everything ready for me, and I''ve seen it several times. No need to see it again."


    "Shall we go straight to the procedures then?"


    "We''re not going through Green View, right?" the old man asked.


    Although it was Lu Liang himself selling the house, he was also an employee at Green View Real Estate.


    If the transaction went through Green View, he''d have to pay tens of thousands in fees.


    "No need, I''ll take care of it for you," Lu Liang shook his head.


    As a seasoned real estate professional, if he couldn''t handle selling his own house without going through the company, his years in the industry would have been a waste.


    The two arrived at the Housing Bureau, where Lu Liang expertly handled all the necessary paperwork for the transfer of the property.


    A two-bedroom in the suburbs, 76 square meters, sold for a total of 1.12 million, 5% below market value.


    Had Lu Liang not been in urgent need of cash, listing the property for one or two weeks could easily have fetched 1.2 million.


    He was a real estate agent, after all. In his years in the business, he had seen no less than eight thousand properties.


    The wedding home he had picked out was top-notch among similar units and would never have trouble selling.


    Later, he went to the bank to process the mortgage transfer. After deducting various fees, he had a balance of 171,500.


    That evening, Lu Liang, with a few sets of clothes, moved into a bachelor pad, once again becoming part of the drifting population in Modu.


    "Ten years of hard work, all for naught."


    Looking at the cold 175,000 in his bank account, Lu Liang suddenly felt an urge to cry.


    Years ago, he came to Modu with just 2,000 yuan in his pocket and, after ten years of struggle, had his family and career.


    And now it was all gone like smoke. His parents had put forward 150,000 yuan for the wedding home, and he had borrowed 50,000 from friends.


    Ten years of toil, and now 25,000 in debt¡ªit seemed like a mockery of his past self.


    Suddenly, the smartphone on the table rang. It was Manager Wu from the company: "Lu Liang, are you coming to work or not? Mr. Liu said if you don''t show up tomorrow, it''ll be treated as absenteeism."


    "I got it."


    Lu Liang looked at himself in the mirror, his face covered in stubble and grime, the spitting image of a pitiful creature.


    "Fuck it, it''s just starting over."


    Having taken a bath, Lu Liang walked out of the bathroom.


    Looking at the clothes and shoes in his bag, a uniform of white shirts, suit pants, and black leather shoes, there was no room even to change his style.


    Thinking of his ex-wife''s fashion and cosmetics costing thousands while he only wore clothes that cost a mere few dozen yuan.


    The more he looked, the more it upset him; all the years of marriage seemed like he hadn''t lived for himself, ending up with nothing in the end.


    With a burst of ferocity, Lu Liang packed up all his clothes and threw them into the garbage bin downstairs.


    He spent 688 yuan on a hair styling package, which came with a complimentary facial treatment, then went to the mall to buy several sets of clothes and shoes.


    "I''m not actually that old, right?"


    Lu Liang saw his reflection in the mirror, completely transformed.


    Compared to ten years ago, although a bit heavier, his charm remained, adding a touch of mature man''s allure.


    The only downside was the balance in his bank card, which didn''t support another transformation.


    "Handsome, you weren''t old to begin with," the salesgirl complimented as she helped Lu Liang with his clothes. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I like the sound of that, I''ll take all of these."


    In a blink, his bank balance dwindled to 169,000 yuan, but Lu Liang felt an inexplicable sense of exhilaration.


    "It feels damn good to spend money!"


    Back at his apartment, Lu Liang also began to prepare ways to make money; although spending money was joyful, being penniless was painful.


    To avoid that pain, he needed to keep having money to spend.


    "I should be able to borrow quite a bit."


    Lu Liang took out his phone and identification, started talking business with industry tycoons like Old Ma and Qiangzi.


    Since the property transfer would be completed in the afternoon and online information wasn''t updated promptly, he secured 210,000 yuan from three platforms.


    He cashed out another 150,000 yuan from his credit cards, instantly accessing 520,000 yuan in funds.


    But when considering subscribing to new stocks, it was obvious that the more initial capital, the better.


    Lu Liang downloaded every well-known app, eventually raising an astounding 620,000 yuan.


    "Hai Sheng, what have you been busy with lately? There''s something I want to ask you about," Lu Liang contacted a securities broker client.


    He kept just 20,000 yuan for daily expenses and used the remaining 600,000 yuan, paying a 50,000 yuan service fee, for 5000 subscription numbers, to increase his chances of getting new stocks.


    Since his divorce a few days ago, a voice had been echoing in Lu Liang''s head.


    At first, he thought it was auditory hallucination, even suspecting if his feelings for Lin Wenjing were that deep.


    It was just a few meetings, an agreed dowry, then marriage without any emotional foundation.


    Less than two years later, they were divorced with no children, their relationship as insipid as water.


    Until yesterday, the voice became clearer than ever.


    [On March 24th, Baofeng Technology will be listed, 40 days of consecutive trading limit up, the highest price per share will reach 327 yuan.]


    At that moment, Lu Liang looked up Baofeng Technology''s information, learning that the listing date was March 24th, with an initial offering price of 7.14 yuan per share.


    He had never heard of this stock before, so if it were an auditory hallucination, he couldn''t have known the precise listing date.


    After much consideration, Lu Liang decided to take the gamble; after all, one couldn''t lose everything in the A-shares, and it''s even harder to lose money with new stocks.


    If it were true, it would bring about a seismic change to his life.


    New stocks had a 99.99% chance of not losing money, a widely accepted belief. Due to this, the subscription was highly sought after, and getting allocated to buy a stock even once in ten attempts would be extremely lucky.


    Thus, some gray-area services like subscription number allocation arose, increasing chances by increasing the number of subscriptions.


    But few people usually did this, as the cost of allocation was high and without at least seven consecutive limit-ups one was almost certain to lose.

 Chapter 2 - 2: Night Encounter with a Drunk Cat

    Busy until late at night, Lu Liang was ready to go to sleep.


    Suddenly, he heard a faint sound of metal clashing¡ªquiet yet irregular and piercing.


    Living in a low-floor, thin-walled studio apartment had its conveniences, but it couldn''t compare to a regular residential area in terms of sound insulation.


    Moreover, most residents were young people, blasting music and dancing every day; partying until two or three in the morning was the norm.


    Lu Liang initially didn''t want to bother, even burying his head under the pillow, but he couldn''t stand the incessant noise.


    "Who on earth is it?" he grumbled as he got up and opened the door to find a long-haired girl with her back to him.


    It was the end of March and Modu was still in single-digit temperatures. But she wore a short skirt, draped in a woolen coat, with white knee-high socks and a pair of Lolita platform shoes.


    From the knee down, her legs were bare, unprotected against the early spring chill, and she didn''t seem very old.


    The girl was leaning her forehead against the door, repeatedly jabbing the keyhole with a key¡ªthis was the source of the noise.


    Lu Liang sensed a strong scent of alcohol and frowned, "Can you keep it down? Do you think other people don''t need to sleep?" S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The girl turned around, visibly drunk, "Uncle, if alcohol tastes so bad, why do so many people like to drink it?"


    She burped, and suddenly vomited all over the floor, filling the air with the smell of alcohol and a sour stench.


    Lu Liang shouted in shock and quickly moved aside. Seeing the girl sway and about to fall, he hastily supported her.


    No matter how pretty a girl was, seeing her vomit like this, he felt no attraction; his distaste was palpable, "Where''s your phone? Call your friend to come clean this up."


    The girl couldn''t help vomiting again, rummaging through her bag while giggling foolishly, "I remembered now, I forgot to bring it."


    "...Do you remember their number?"


    "I don''t remember~"


    Lu Liang, irritated, didn''t want to deal with this drunk mess.


    He picked up the vomit-covered key from the ground, intending to help her open the door and then leave her in her room.


    But he realized the key was broken inside the lock¡ªno wonder she couldn''t insert it earlier.


    "Yo, how come this key is so short?"


    The girl stared at the key, dazed, and felt her world spinning, gradually leaning more heavily against Lu Liang.


    Lu Liang''s foot slipped, and he sat down on the ground, his palms, elbows, and arms rubbing into the sticky vomit.


    Looking at his palms, he trembled with rage and immediately called the police, asking the officers to take the girl away.


    ...


    It was past six in the morning at Bridge Police Station.


    "Officer, can''t I leave yet?"


    Lu Liang yawned, his face showing his exhaustion.


    The officer thought for a moment, choosing his words carefully, "Lu Liang, you didn''t accidentally touch any inappropriate places, did you?"


    "That girl wouldn''t accuse me of taking advantage of her, would she?" Lu Liang furrowed his brows.


    "Don''t misunderstand, she was too drunk to make sense. We just had to ask routinely," the officer quickly explained.


    After all, these days, there were too many instances of people settling scores after the fact. It was better for Lu Liang if they investigated thoroughly.


    "It''s understandable," Lu Liang sighed in relief.


    He answered whatever the officer asked.


    After about fifteen minutes, he walked out of the interrogation room. The girl was sitting on a nearby chair, giving him a goofy, dry laugh.


    Lu Liang gave her a cold glance but said nothing, waiting until the officer returned with the evidence.


    Next time, he definitely wouldn''t meddle in such messes again.


    Trouble¡ªhe''d thought a simple phone call would resolve everything, not expecting to have to stay at the station for so long.


    Fortunately, the apartment was quite new, and the surveillance footage was very clear.


    "Li Manli, do you have any more doubts?"


    After watching the surveillance multiple times, Li Manli saw that she was the one who had initiated contact with Lu Liang, even soiling half of his body with her spit.


    Her face blushed, not knowing what to say.


    "Apologize properly to him, he was just trying to help and ended up being hassled for most of the night," the police officer beside her reminded.


    "Uncle, I''m really sorry," Li Manli said, bowing in apology upon hearing this.


    "It''s fine, I''ll be leaving now."


    Lu Liang, with a cold expression, wondered, was he that old to be called an uncle?


    The police officer gave a wry smile and sighed, "Lu Liang, thank you for your cooperation with our work."


    "Cooperating with the law is every citizen''s duty," Lu Liang said with a smile as he left the police station.


    Li Manli anxiously asked, "Officer, he lives right across from me, he won''t cause me any trouble, right?"


    "Go buy some fruit and apologize to him properly, he won''t hold a grudge," the older police officer suggested semisolicitly.


    The younger officer also comforted her, "Don''t worry, if there is any issue, feel free to contact us anytime."


    "Thank you," Li Manli hesitated for a long time before deciding to follow the officers'' advice.


    She had just moved in and didn''t want to search for a new apartment again, so she bought a bag of fruit intending to apologize to Lu Liang.


    But she hesitated for a long time, never daring to knock on the door.


    Her mind raced with thoughts, what if he was a bad person, what if he harassed her?


    It wasn''t until she heard some rustling noises from inside that she was scared and just wanted to retreat to her own room.


    Any thoughts of apologizing were instantly forgotten.


    But then, she realized the keyhole was blocked.


    Li Manli was so anxious she was almost in tears.


    Suddenly, the door behind her opened.


    Seeing Lu Liang step out of his room,


    Li Manli forced a smile and waved, "Hello."


    Lu Liang, expressionless, as if he hadn''t seen her, walked straight to the elevator and left.


    Li Manli sighed in relief, but her face showed displeasure as she glared intensely in the direction Lu Liang had left, muttering, "Miser."


    Meanwhile, Lu Liang slowly made his way to the store.


    "Lu, you finally arrived, Mr. Liu is furious," a young girl, still naive in appearance, said with a worried look.


    She had started this job only last year, and during a time when she struggled to meet the minimum targets, Lu had given her a few clients, helping her close her first deal, for which she was very grateful.


    "It''s no big deal," Lu said nonchalantly as he arrived at his workstation, surprised to find his computer locked.


    Zhou Xiaowen whispered, "Mr. Liu came in this morning and had Manager Wu lock your computer."


    A voice from inside the room called out, "Xiaowen, you haven''t closed a deal this month yet, no need to run after them."


    Lu followed the sound, "Mr. Liu, you seem to be looking more and more like a person these days."


    At this, the office erupted into muffled laughter, the comment implying that previously he wasn''t quite like a person.


    Liu Jianchun chastised sternly, "Lu Liang, it is working hours now, and you are no longer part of our company. Please leave."


    Lu poured himself a cup of water, sat back at his desk, crossed his legs and said, "Mr. Liu, according to the rules, three days of absence counts as voluntary resignation. What day is it today? You want to fire me? Are you qualified?"


    "You... you..."


    Liu Jianchun, trembling with anger, strictly speaking, did not have the authority to fire Lu Liang.


    Since Lu Liang was a long-time employee at Green View, had received sales champion awards several times, and was on a basic salary contract, unless he committed a severe infraction, firing him would require compensation according to the N+1 severance policy.

 Chapter 3 - 3: The Onslaught of the Monster Stocks

    "Repeated absence from work, complete disregard for company rules and regulations, I will report your misconduct to headquarters."


    "Mr. Liu, are you serious? Your words are so soft, might as well say nothing. Let''s talk when I get the document to fire me."


    The two stood toe to toe, Lu Liang with all guns blazing, while Liu Jianchun, who had spent too much time in his office, was no match at all, his face turning red with rage and looking like he was about to keel over any second.


    Lu Liang had been annoyed with Liu Jianchun for more than a day or two, a relative from headquarters who knew nothing but officialese.


    In the past, with a family and mortgage to pay, he had no choice but to swallow his anger and endure.


    Now as a lone wolf, he feared nothing.


    Zhou Xiaowen was terrified and couldn''t help but whisper, "Lu, maybe you should say less."


    Lu Liang didn''t respond, while Liu Jianchun, as if his tail had been stepped on, exploded in rage, "What are you standing around for? Not going to chase up deals, waiting for lunchtime?"


    "Oh, okay¡­" Zhou Xiaowen''s face turned pale with fear, she silently returned to her desk, her shoulders shaking involuntarily.


    "What else do you know how to do, Liu Jianchun, besides barking orders?" Lu Liang''s eyes brimmed with malice before turning and flashing a gentle smile, "Xiaowen, I''ll hand a few clients over to you. You should be able to close a few deals on your own."


    "Lu¡­ Lu, are you quitting?" Zhou Xiaowen''s lips trembled pitifully, wrenching the heart.


    "Don''t cry, don''t cry, I''m not quitting. If I quit, Mr. Liu will be happy, won''t he, Mr. Liu."


    After comforting Zhou Xiaowen, Lu Liang walked to the check-in area and scanned his face, "Today counts as late and leaving early, deduct whatever wages you need to. I''ve got things to do, so I''m off."


    "Friends, I wish you all a pleasant day."


    Watching Liu Jianchun''s frustration, Lu Liang felt invigorated with clarity of mind. He waved his hand and left without a cloud in sight.


    "What are you looking at? Doesn''t anyone have work to do?" S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Liu Jianchun, grinding his teeth, stormed back into his office. He couldn''t wait a moment longer; he was set on reporting to headquarters to get Lu Liang fired.


    A loud bang followed as the door slammed shut.


    Yet Liu Jianchun''s warnings did nothing to stop the murmurs among the staff, "Damn, Lu is too cool."


    "He''s cool, but he''s not thinking of the consequences."


    "Lu''s divorced now, no wife, no kids, a sole breadwinner, if worse comes to worst, just lay low for a year and a half, what''s the harm."


    "Tsk, what has marriage really given to a man? Without the chains of marriage, his charm seems to have skyrocketed."


    "Xiaowen, stop gawking and go contact those clients. You''re lucky; Lu left his resources to you."


    "Right, Lu''s resources are pretty great. You owe us a meal if you close a deal. And I''d be more than glad to help."


    "You and your scheming, I can hear it from here. Xiaowen, just ignore them."


    Zhou Xiaowen bit her lip, watching the direction Lu Liang had left in, a hint of worry flashing in her eyes.


    ...


    "Yeah, he probably is quite handsome."


    "But what should I do next?"


    Lu Liang wandered around the mall, the weather outside a bit chilly, but warm inside the mall.


    5000 applications, how many will actually get a slot, have to wait for tomorrow''s lottery to find out.


    If the gossip is accurate, and the stock goes public in two days, there will be 37 limit-up days in 40 days.


    But that also means at least two, maybe two and a half months, he''ll have nothing to do.


    "Seems like I''ve gained some weight."


    Lu Liang, sipping on coffee, looked down at his slightly protruding belly.


    Before marriage, he''d sometimes go hiking, trekking, or play basketball with friends. After getting married, life''s grind just made him want to lie flat.


    Now, seriously out of shape, he could only wear XXL clothes.


    Suddenly, Lu Liang had a plan. He took a taxi straight to the hospital and got a full check-up, inside and out.


    Middle-aged, all sorts of small ailments are creeping up, he''d long thought about getting a health check but just never had the time.


    Eventually, it turned up a slight fatty liver, slightly high blood lipids, and some inflammation in the respiratory tract.


    While all minor issues, who knows if they might turn into something serious from overwork.


    "Since I''ve got two months, might as well start a bit of training."


    Lu Liang planned to take good care of his health, not looking for six-pack abs, but at least to get rid of the belly and lower the blood lipids. Returning to the standard physique of 181cm/75kg.


    Come evening, Lu Liang returned to his apartment.


    Found a bag of fruit hanging on the door with a note attached, "Sorry for what happened last night."


    Lu Liang chuckled, knocking on the door across the hall. Seemingly no one inside, and no one answered for a long time.


    He left the bag of fruit at the neighbor''s door, just as he was about to return to his place, the door behind him opened.


    "Uh, I waited for you for a long time, but you weren''t home all day."


    Li Manli appeared reserved, wearing a new outfit¡ªa white blouse and a black leather skirt, with a black silk ribbon tied around her neck.


    Her makeup was exquisitely applied, not only with eye shadow and blush but also a layer of subtle glitter around her eyes.


    She was very beautiful, young, and knew how to dress well, exuding both youthfulness and sensuality.


    "Is there something you need?" Lu Liang stopped to ask.


    "I''m really thankful for last night." Li Manli mustered her courage, picking up the fruit, "Uh, would you please accept this?"


    "My name is Lu Liang, not ''uh.''" Lu Liang said calmly, having cooled down quite a bit since yesterday.


    "In that case, Liang, would you please accept it?" Li Manli asked again with an embarrassed expression, stubbornly persisting.


    "Drink less next time." Lu Liang took the fruit, feeling completely justified in accepting it.


    "Okay, then bye."


    Li Manli breathed a sigh of relief and hurried off.


    "Which nightclub is she working at?"


    Lu Liang stroked his chin, watching her retreating figure.


    Drinking until two or three in the morning on a weekday, then getting dolled up at night, it wasn''t hard to guess her occupation.


    ...


    The next day, Lu Liang started his fitness routine.


    It began with a leisurely, untimed jog for one kilometer, aiming for a pace of seven minutes per kilometer over a distance of ten kilometers.


    For lunch, he ate high-quality proteins like beef and shrimp, as well as high-fiber foods like corn and sweet potatoes.


    According to the plan, he was to take a thirty-minute walk after lunch to aid digestion, followed by a ninety-minute nap.


    But at one o''clock this afternoon, the results for the Baofeng Technology stock subscription were due, and Lu Liang was too anxious to nap.


    Just after one o''clock, he received a call from his stockbroker Zhao Haisheng; out of 5,000 lottery entries, he had won 68 lots.


    Each lot on the Growth Enterprise Market represented 500 shares, totaling 34,000 shares, with each share costing 7.14 yuan, which required a payment of 242,700 yuan.


    After completing the fund subscription, Lu Liang also consolidated his remaining funds, totaling 307,300 yuan.


    In the following days, he exercised regularly, stuck to a healthy diet, and maintained a disciplined sleep schedule.


    On March 24th, Baofeng Technology was listed as scheduled, and like all new stocks, it hit the daily price limit as soon as the market opened.


    One day, two days...


    One week, two weeks, three weeks...


    With a daily increase of ten percent, it had quietly achieved fifteen consecutive days of hitting the price ceiling.


    The capital ceiling of several hundred thousand shares was tightly in place, and on the fifteenth trading day, the turnover rate was still below 5%.


    The market began to realize something was off.


    There was a peculiarity~


    As of the last trading day, the stock price had reached 29.82 yuan, an increase of 4.16 times compared to its issue price.


    The 34,000 shares Lu Liang held had skyrocketed in value from the initial 242,700 yuan to 1,013,800 yuan.


    "Fifteen consecutive days at the price ceiling, 29.82 yuan, to say now that it will increase tenfold, I''m afraid no one would believe it."


    Lu Liang had played the stock market before,


    but always incurred losses, ultimately forced to cut his losses and exit the market.


    Now armed with knowledge of future outcomes, this was a great learning opportunity for him.


    He watched the flow of funds in and out every day, along with various related news, trying to discern a pattern.


    If he could grasp even a bit of the secret, then even without future insights, Lu Liang could rely on his experience and initial capital to live a wealthy life.


    Lu Liang firmly believed that the financial market was not without patterns, especially in a closed stock market like A-shares.


    It was like the domestic entertainment industry, which, since the introduction of capital, had started mass-producing homogeneous films and television works, along with cookie-cutter leading men and ladies.


    Capital seeks stability, just like hit works and popular stars. In their unbridled growth, they have a value of 50-100.


    But if stable output could be guaranteed, capital would be willing to settle for products and stars with a score of 80, or even 70.


    The financial market is the stronghold of capital; there must be discernible patterns.


    Although Lu Liang wasn''t academically inclined, he always had a keen interest in knowledge outside of textbooks, especially that which could earn money.


    Otherwise, he wouldn''t have managed to leave his rural home with only a diploma, and settle in Modu within just ten years.


    He achieved what many elite graduates could not.

 Chapter 4 - 4: Breaking the Board

    "Hello, Mom, I already had lunch."


    "Wenjing? She''s been quite busy with work lately, I''ll find time to talk to her."


    "I won''t be coming back for May Day, please tell Dad for me, and you both take care too..."


    After a noon walk, Lu Liang got a call from his mother, asking why Lin Wenjing hadn''t been answering the phone.


    He barely managed to fend off the question, when soon after, he received another call from his father.


    "Are you two having a conflict?" Lu Jiancheng''s weathered voice came through from the other end of the line.


    "We got divorced last month."


    Lu Liang hesitated for a moment, then revealed the truth.


    Among all familial relationships, the one between father and son is the most unique and contradictory.


    Admiration in childhood, estrangement in adolescence,


    But as age grew, so did understanding.


    Thus, Lu Liang often told the truth to his father and lied to his mother.


    "It still came to this step." Lu Jiancheng sighed, although he didn''t live with his son and daughter-in-law, he understood through the years what kind of person Lin Wenjing was.


    Their family temple couldn''t accommodate this great Buddha.


    Lu Jiancheng didn''t ask why: "What do you plan to tell your mom?"


    "I''ve been really busy lately, I''ll visit next month-end."


    "Let me know when you''re back."


    After a long silence,


    Lu Liang softly said, "Dad, I have some other things to attend to."


    Speaking the truth didn''t mean they had much to say to each other, Lu Jiancheng said, "Go on then, take care of yourself."


    "You too."


    Ending the call, Lu Liang walked out of the stairwell, just as he ran into Li Manli, who was going out to pick up a delivery.


    She had been standing there for a while, seemingly having heard something, and was startled by the suddenly appearing Lu Liang.


    "Go... good afternoon," Li Manli said, flustered.


    During this period, although they hadn''t been in close contact, living opposite each other, they had gradually figured out the timing of each other''s comings and goings.


    She felt that Lu Liang likely didn''t have a job, as she could always hear him moving around his room in the afternoon.


    Now learning about the divorce, a middle-aged man divorced and jobless, she really didn''t want any involvement.


    Lu Liang glanced at her,


    said nothing, and returned to his room.


    ...¡­


    Time flew, and after another fourteen workdays, Baofeng Technology''s ''Demon God'' had become a sensation across the entire financial market.


    Twenty-nine consecutive neat and extravagant limit-up closings.


    Setting the longest streak of consecutive price limit surges in Big A history, the stock price also broke through to an astonishing 113.26 yuan.


    Lu Liang''s portfolio value had risen to 3.85 million.


    But this, wasn''t enough to satisfy him.


    Taking advantage of the upcoming Saturday and Sunday, Lu Liang paid off all his loans for this month, with 250,000 still in hand.


    He had been holding onto over 300,000 in funds over the past month, waiting for today.


    From his observations, the stock was likely to break from the price limit surge in the next few days, but there was still a tripled profit margin to the peak at 327 yuan.


    He wanted to get rich quick, not taking for granted the boon from above.


    That evening, Lu Liang invited Zhao Haisheng out for a late-night meal.


    Zhao Haisheng was full of emotion, "Liang, congratulations, you''ve made a fortune overnight."


    He had helped Lu Liang with the allocation, knowing he had won 68 bids.


    Many participated in each new share allotment, and many won, but Lu Liang was the one he envied most.


    Because he won the ''Demon King'' allotment, specifically from the Growth Enterprise Market, a smaller market, better suited for speculation.


    As of yesterday, it had surged 15.86 times.


    "Just good luck, there''s no way to win so many lots every time."


    "True, I''ve been in the business for many years, with 5000 applications the most I''ve gotten was 76 lots, usually it''s just over thirty."


    Hai Sheng envied such luck, but ultimately it was because the Growth Enterprise Market had a smaller turnover and a threshold of 300,000.


    Had it been a mainboard stock beginning with 60, getting even 5 lots out of 5000 applications would be a cause for celebration.


    Since there''s almost no subscription threshold for the mainboard market and there are many people participating, the chances of winning are only five in ten thousand.


    "Hai Sheng, I always feel this stock will rise."


    After a few beers, Lu Liang slowly revealed his intention, he wanted to open a margin account.


    Zhao Haisheng was surprised, "Liang, you have that much confidence in Baofeng Technology?"


    Lu Lian smiled and said, "Not much confidence, really, just feeling lucky. Made some money, losing a bit doesn''t matter."


    "That''s something only those who have made money can say." Zhao Haisheng chuckled helplessly, "How much capital do you have?"


    He didn''t try to dissuade Lu Liang from his idea. After all, he relied on this to make money, and their relationship was merely that of a client and an agent.


    It had just reversed from when they were buying a house before; he was the client and Lu Liang was the agent.


    Lu Liang answered, "Not much, only 250,000. How much can you match for me?"


    Zhao Haisheng thought for a bit: "Then I''ll match you two times that, which is 500,000, with the securities account provided by us."


    "Okay."


    Lu Liang initially considered private lending, but decided against it. Illegalities aside, what mattered most was safety.


    After all, Zhao Haisheng was from the regular army of Guotai Securities, though with a low leverage rate, the reliability and safety were preferable.


    On Monday morning, Lu Liang went to a Guotai branch.


    Before nine o''clock, he had completed financing of 500,000, with 750,000 available for use.


    The securities branch was packed, as after eight years, Big A had stabilized again at 4000 points.


    Countless people believed that the bull market had begun,


    and this time it would surge to 5000, 6000, or even 7000 points.


    Lu Liang thought the same.


    He found a seat and quietly waited for the pre-market bidding at 9:15.


    As expected, warnings from the Securities and Futures Commission and a risk notice issued by the company itself had fermented over the weekend.


    Baofeng Technology''s stock broke, and pre-market bidding plummeted from a limit-up to limit-down in just three minutes.


    Every price bid fluctuated over three percent as various institutions took turns on stage, each outshining the others. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Had this been a month and a half earlier, perhaps Lu Liang, not yet familiar with the rules, would have felt anxious with each rise and fall.


    But now, he understood that the first eight minutes of pre-market bidding were just drivel, bearing no reference significance.


    What truly determined the stock''s opening price were the two minutes from 9:24 to 9:25.


    Since pre-market bidding ended at 9:25, every transaction in the last two minutes could potentially close.


    Bidding institutions became more cautious because they weren''t sure if retail investors would maintain their enthusiasm from last week.


    Under many influences, pre-market trading meant nothing for ten minutes, and finally, the market opened at last Friday''s closing price.


    113.26 yuan, last Friday''s closing price and today''s opening price.


    Lu Liang went all in.


    He bought an additional 6600 shares, bringing his position to 99.5%, with just over 3000 remaining in his account.


    6600 shares, minute compared to the tens of thousands typically traded, seemed like a drop in the ocean.


    But it seemed as if the market maker was specifically targeting Lu Liang; no sooner had he transacted than the stock price plunged by 5%.


    Zhao Haisheng received a risk warning from the margin account and hurried over: "Liang, did you go all in?"


    "I was worried about not being able to buy later if it hit the limit, so I went all in at the opening."


    Seeing Lu Liang''s nonchalant attitude, Zhao Haisheng couldn''t help but warn, "Liang, if Baofeng Technology hits the limit-down today, it''s likely to open limit-down tomorrow too."


    A demon stock that had consecutively hit the limit for 29 sessions would definitely not stop falling without at least three to five limit-downs.


    Although a 30% loss is the margin call line, to protect company interests, they often cut losses early.


    "I understand."


    Lu Liang kept his eyes fixed on the hall''s screen, suddenly laughing, "But it seems, there''s no need to worry now."


    While the two were talking, a long bullish candlestick shot up to the sky, as large buy orders swept across the market.

 Chapter 5 - 5: Profiting and Exiting

    Before the blink of an eye,


    the stock price soared to 124.58 yuan, hitting the daily limit.


    The number of buy orders surged,


    as 1.25 million shares lined up waiting to be purchased.


    This figure was reassuring.


    "Hai Sheng, you''re amazing; it was my vision that was too narrow," Zhao Haisheng was dumbfounded and couldn''t help but give a thumbs up.


    Without any surprise, the funds in the financing account they provided to Lu Liang had now ballooned to 830,000.


    "Ah well, to talk like that is just better luck."


    Lu Liang patted Zhao Haisheng on the shoulder, "I''ll get going, don''t want to interrupt your work."


    In the following four trading days, Baofeng Technology firmly established its name as ''Demon God.''


    Although there weren''t any spectacular one-word limits, every day saw a surge of 7-10%.


    Before one knew it, another week had passed, and Baofeng Technology''s stock price reached 224.4 yuan per share.


    "Now is probably when the high-position changeover is happening!"


    Lu Liang, sipping on coffee, recorded the situation every day, observing market trends to learn from the experience.


    Because in three days, only two more daily limits were needed to achieve the feat of 40 days and 37 limits.


    The distance to the highest price of 327 yuan was also closing in.


    On this day, Baofeng Technology pulled another trick, staging a ''Sky Floor.''


    The stock surged 10% to hit the daily limit in the middle of the trading day; half an hour later, it unexpectedly broke the limit before hitting the daily limit again until the close of the market.


    The whole market was filled with voices of doom, either from the internet army or individual investors being led by the nose.


    On forums like Tieba, Hupu, and Weibo on related platforms, posts clamored: "the Demon King has fallen~"


    "Market Makers really know how to play!"


    Lu Liang smiled slightly, unaffected by the rumors.


    Because from the information known, it was clear the next two days would definitely be two daily limits.


    This deduction indicated that today''s ''Sky Floor'' was a ploy to attract short-selling to gather shares, launch a final sprint, and lure individual investors to take the bait.


    According to his research, the number of institutions that had entered Baofeng Technology during this time was as high as 38, the actual number being only more, not less.


    For institutions wishing to lock in profits and exit successfully, they needed to attract a vast number of individual investors to take their place.


    Simply raising the share price would only make individual investors increasingly fearful and hesitant to get involved.


    But it is the regain after loss that truly stirs people''s hearts. The final 30% gain in profit was like offering them a last meal.


    Those who realized this would succeed in fleeing with the money, while those who didn''t would end up as the scapegoats.


    "Time to switch to a different book."


    After finishing "The Fundamentals of Financial Markets and Institutions," Lu Liang didn''t delve further into financial market knowledge.


    No matter how thoroughly financial knowledge was studied, what was the use? The market is ultimately a tool of man, better to study the source directly.


    In the next two days, two predicted daily limits arrived on schedule.


    The stock price soared to 274.52 yuan, only 19% away from 327 yuan.


    May 21st, Thursday,


    Baofeng Technology had three days left before completing its second month on the market.


    This day, the market sentiment was extremely agitated.


    At half-past ten in the morning, one hour after the market opened,


    the turnover rate reached 52%, with the trading volume surpassing 30 billion.


    The market trend was erratic, sometimes rising five or six points, other times falling four or five points, giving an inscrutable feeling.


    But because the ''Sky Floor'' was followed by two more daily limits, individual investors'' confidence was greatly boosted.


    Moreover, Baofeng Technology was an Internet+ trending company, with a current market value of just over 40 billion yuan.


    Various experts proclaimed that this was China''s YouTube, a market value of 100 billion yuan, a stock price of 1,000 yuan was not a dream.


    Besides, with the A-share index breaking through 4500 points, this exuberant trend was just short of explicitly stating blind and mindless rushing in.


    Individual investors were bamboozled to the point of losing their capacity for independent thought, turning into lambs amidst the flock.


    "If I didn''t know what the future holds, would I be the same as them?" Lu Liang pondered this question seriously, his expression gradually turning ugly because the likelihood was high. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Caught in the game, oblivious to being a pawn within it, human greed is endless, wanting more the moment something is gained.


    With this in mind, Lu Liang dared not be too greedy. Around 310 yuan, he began to sell off his 34,000 shares in small batches.


    Once his personal account was completely cleared out, he logged into the brokerage-provided margin account.


    He sold off all 6,600 shares in a single transaction.


    In front of a feverish market, selling 40,000 shares was like tossing a pebble into the great ocean, stirring not even the slightest ripple.


    "Personal account 10.54 million, margin account 2.046 million. After deducting various fees and adding the principal, the net amount is 12.066 million."


    Lu Liang was in a daze. Two months ago, he had sold his house and had only about one hundred thousand in liquid funds. Even if he had put all his credit on the line, it would have amounted to just over six hundred thousand.


    Now, he had become a multimillionaire.


    Lu Liang took a deep breath, suppressing his excitement, and dialed Zhao Haisheng''s number, "Haisheng, help me settle the margin account."


    Zhao Haisheng was astonished, quickly opening the regulatory system, and upon discovering that Lu Liang had cleared his positions, he couldn''t help but remind him, "Liang, even if it''s not a full month, we still charge the full month''s fees."


    Lu Liang said, "No problem, just deduct it directly."


    "Liang, if you''re free this afternoon, come by the sales department, and we''ll sign the settlement contract."


    At two o''clock in the afternoon, Lu Liang once again arrived at the bustling Guotai sales department, still teeming with people opening accounts.


    At ten in the morning, the stock index had broken through 4,500 points, sparking a nationwide stock trading frenzy. The older generation was even hailing it as a return to ''92.


    Trading stocks had truly become a trend.


    Lu Liang was invited to the VIP room and, looking down at the zealous investors below, a strange light flashed in his eyes.


    Lately, he had been trying to think from the perspective of the "Market Maker," and what he saw before him was lush "green onions" ready for harvesting.


    Lu Liang thought, it should be reaching the peak soon, right? Finance isn''t the mainstay industry in China¡ªreal estate is.


    Zhao Haisheng was printing out a contract, smiling as he asked, "Liang, did you hear some insider news?"


    "What news could I possibly hear? It''s just that the market sentiment is too exuberant, and I''m afraid of getting swept up in it," Lu Liang laughed it off.


    "It is indeed time to cool down."


    Zhao Haisheng was very polite and did not press further.


    He couldn''t help but glance at the market chart on the wall; Baofeng Technology''s stock was up 7.55% for the day and was about to hit the "Sky Floor" again.


    As an experienced professional, Zhao Haisheng''s lips curled into an involuntary smile at the sight of such market conditions¡ªhow could he miss out?


    Lu Liang was just being too cautious; the stock market was performing so well right now, poised to charge at 5,000 points.


    It would be difficult for individual stocks to drop.


    But he had already made more than enough, so cashing out now was reasonable.


    "Damn, sold too soon."


    Lu Liang followed the gaze with a look of annoyance.


    Zhao Haisheng consoled, "Liang, it''s good to secure the bag early."


    Lu Liang sighed, "But who would ever complain about having too much money?"


    Zhao Haisheng smiled without a word, presenting the settlement contract, "Please take a look, a balance of 1.536 million."


    Upon verifying that everything was in order, Lu Liang signed his name.


    Zhao Haisheng said, "Liang, the funds will be in your account within two hours, please check then."


    "We recently launched a new mixed fund that has gone up 25% in the past month¡ªwould you be interested in learning more?"


    Zhao Haisheng didn''t know exactly how much money Lu Liang''s 68 score had made, but he conservatively estimated it at no less than six million.


    That meant, Lu Liang now controlled at least 7.5 million in liquid funds. If he invested just one million in the fund, Zhao Haisheng would earn a commission of fifteen thousand.


    "Let''s rest for a while. Lately, my heart races watching the markets every day, keeping me from sleeping well."


    Lu Liang fended off the pitch with a laugh. These so-called funds, they don''t rise as much as stocks, and they fall even harder than stocks.


    Moreover, most funds'' profits aren''t derived from market investments.


    They''re generated from continuous trading, accruing transaction fees to ensure a steady income for themselves, regardless of market conditions.


    As for clients, they''re dismissed with a simple warning: "Investment involves risks."


    If they make money, it''s purely because of good market conditions, nothing to do with their operations.

 Chapter 6 - 6: Peace Restaurant

    "Liang, if you come up with any ideas later on, feel free to contact me whenever," I said.


    "Of course, we''re so familiar with each other now¡ªwho else would I turn to?" Liang replied.


    After a brief exchange, Liang left the sales hall and had just gotten back to his apartment when his phone chimed with a text message alert. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [Last digits 8939, Industrial and Commercial Bank transfer in of 1,530,000.00 yuan, balance 1,531,201.12 yuan.]


    As soon as the funds were in his account, Liang cleared all his credit card debts online, repaying a total of 494,500 yuan, principal and interest included.


    Then, he headed straight for the mall and went on a spending spree, also replacing his old Android with an Apple 6 gold deluxe. He had already planned how to spend the money before it even arrived.


    The money in his personal account was the principal¡ªif in the future he could still hear the voices from the future, he would use it to make money.


    If not, he would treat it as retirement savings, buy a house in a third-tier city, start a small business, and enter retirement early.


    The over one million in the financing account was for living expenses. Liang wanted to experience an extraordinary Modu life.


    Although he had been working in this city for ten years, he was still very unfamiliar with it.


    Previously, through his work opportunities, he had only glimpsed that mysterious corner of it, which still piqued his desire.


    There''s a saying in Modu: arriving in Modu by bus and arriving in Modu by first-class airplane are two completely different experiences of the city.


    Ten years ago, Lu Liang arrived in Modu by bus, and now, he wanted to see what that other world was like.


    The Peace Restaurant was not only a signature high-rise in the Bund skyline but also a "business card" for the city of Modu.


    Upon his arrival, Lu Liang stepped out of the car and immediately sensed an atmosphere completely different from that of the Xinpu suburbs.


    Whether it was guests checking in or tourists taking photos, the men appeared especially gentlemanly, and the women extremely dignified, as if the opulent hotel concealed their true natures.


    When Lu Liang went to the front desk to check in, the cheapest standard room was two thousand per night, while the most expensive Nine Countries Suite averaged eighteen thousand a night.


    A monthly salary of eighteen thousand, even in the super-first-tier city of Modu, was considered a substantial income, yet it only afforded one night''s stay here.


    "Sir, are you looking to stay in the Nine Countries Suite?" The beautiful front-desk clerk thought she had heard wrong; after all, Lu Liang didn''t look wealthy and seemed to have arrived by taxi.


    "Is a reservation required?"


    Lu Liang really hadn''t looked into it; he had just heard about it and wanted to try staying for a few nights.


    "No reservation needed. Currently, suites from the United Kingdom, Germany, and Japan are available. How many guests, and for how many nights?"


    The front-desk clerk maintained her professionalism, not judging by appearances, and smiled faintly.


    "The United Kingdom then, for one person, let''s start with two nights."


    Lu Liang presented his identification and transferred thirty-six thousand yuan.


    A middle-aged man clad in a well-tailored suit with a neatly trimmed mustache exuding British charm approached Lu Liang with a warm smile.


    He placed his right hand on his left shoulder and bowed in a gentlemanly fashion, "Mr. Lu, I will be your butler for the next two days. My name is Tan Tao, and I am at your service for any needs you may have."


    Lu Liang joked with a smile, "If I had checked into the Japan Suite, would you have arranged a kimono-clad female butler for me?"


    Tan Tao smiled, "Mr. Lu, if you wish, we can arrange a change for you right now."


    "I''ll stick with you," Lu Liang shook his head. Noel then asked, "Mr. Lu, where is your luggage?"


    "I don''t have any."


    "Oh, alright then, please follow me."


    Lu Liang followed the butler, who led him smoothly to their destination. There were doormen at every entrance and a lift attendant for the elevator.


    With the exception of eating, which he didn''t need help with, and performing X personally, for all other things, there was no need for him to lift a finger.


    The Nine Countries Suites were located on the fifth, sixth, and seventh floors of the hotel, with three suites per floor, all overlooking the river.


    Lu Liang checked into the Number 2 United Kingdom Suite on the seventh floor.


    The time-worn wooden floors, rose-patterned ceiling carvings,...¡ªall the tones and decorations adhered to the style of British aristocracy from the last century.


    Each suite had its own separate living room and dining room, plus a mini bar. If Lu Liang needed, someone could come over to mix drinks for him.


    "Mr. Lu, I wish you a pleasant stay," said Tan Tao.


    He explained the functions of the room''s phone keys; just by pressing number one, Lu Liang could reach him any time, 24 hours a day.


    Lu Liang walked to the window just as the sun was setting, painting the Bund''s tourist-thronged promenade and the plaza''s golden bull in a faint blush with the evening glow.


    Although not towering, the Peace Restaurant offered the best vantage point to overlook the Bund, also providing a clear view of the International Financial Center and Mingzhu Tower on the opposite bank.


    Lu Liang was mesmerized by the view, and before he knew it, twilight had darkened the sky and the dazzling neon lights of the skyscrapers had gradually lit up.


    His stomach rumbled, making it clear that beauty wasn''t edible, and even the most stunning scenery couldn''t stave off hunger.


    "Finished with work? I''ll send you the address; come over for dinner," Lu Liang said as he picked up his phone to call Liu Mingxuan.


    After fifteen years of studying together, Liu Mingxuan was the only classmate with whom he still kept in touch and had a good relationship.


    It wasn''t that he had lost contact with other classmates¡ªthey still called each other from time to time¡ªbut he rarely bothered them.


    Mainly because, by middle age, everyone has a family and a household, and suddenly reaching out to an old friend or classmate can raise eyebrows.


    The first thought that dashes through a normal person''s mind is either they want to borrow money or they need help with a favor.


    Under the influence of these preconceived notions, conversations tend to become particularly guarded and cautious.


    Gradually, they lost contact altogether.


    Half an hour later, Lu Liang arrived downstairs and waited, soon spotting the disheveled, sandy-haired Liu Mingxuan.


    Although they were the same age¡ªwith everyone racing towards thirty¡ªLiu Mingxuan, who was unmarried and without a girlfriend, dressed very stylishly and looked like he was just over twenty.


    "Did you go to Korea for plastic surgery?" Lu Liang asked, as Liu Mingxuan also looked at him, taking a careful second and third glance.


    The person seemed the same, yet he looked a bit leaner and there was an indefinable sense of youth about him.


    In the past, whenever Liu Mingxuan saw Lu Liang, regardless of his state of mind, there was always an air of inexhaustible fatigue between his brows.


    That sense of weariness, Liu Mingxuan had seen in many married friends.


    It might be due to family or career, you could say it''s having a sense of responsibility, or more harshly, it''s carrying an invisible set of irons.


    But seeing Lu Liang this time, he emanated a freespiritedness from inside out, as if he had been reborn.


    "It seems losing twenty pounds did have some use after all."


    Lu Liang patted his stomach, where his belly had disappeared, and if he tensed it up, he could even feel the distinct six-pack.


    The two months of fitness had paid off; at least now, with a bit of grooming, he didn''t look his middle-aged self.


    "I always told you, marriages that can''t satisfy material needs are unhappy," Liu Mingxuan said, admiring his own foresight.


    If you don''t have money, it''s better to stay single for life. Getting married without money is being irresponsible to oneself, the family, and the next generation.


    Two months post-divorce, Lu Liang had transformed as if he had become a new person, and that was proof enough.


    "Let''s go," said Lu Liang with a smile, leading Liu Mingxuan to apartment 7-2, where a table was already laid with four hot dishes and a soup.


    "Eat something first to fill up, and we''ll go out for a drink later."


    "Did you strike it rich?"


    Liu Mingxuan walked around the room and finally stopped in front of the window, gazing out at the bustling Bund.


    The reputation of the Peace Restaurant was well-known, not just as a five-star hotel but also as an unmissable part of the Bund''s skyline.


    Whether it be tourists or young people new to Modu aiming high, they had all stood gazing up at this building, including them.


    They remembered joking when they first arrived in Modu ten years ago that they would definitely stay here for a few nights someday.


    But later, when they actually had some money, they thought, "Why spend over two-thousand for a night''s stay when that money could be better spent on drinks and karaoke?"


    "Recently, I did make a little extra," admitted Lu Liang, as he picked up his phone to transfer 50,000 yuan to Liu Mingxuan.


    When he bought his house, he had borrowed 50,000 yuan from him, and it had been more than two years.


    Although Liu Mingxuan never asked for it back, the debt had always been a knot in Lu Liang''s heart.


    So the moment he had money, he thought of Liu Mingxuan.


    Partly to repay the debt, but also because having fun required a like-minded comrade-in-arms.


    "Looks like you really did strike it rich, and I can share in the spoils," Liu Mingxuan said, glancing at his phone, then pulled up a chair next to Lu Liang.


    He grinned and teased, "Liangzi, where are you planning to take me for a wild night out?"


    "However you want to enjoy, we will," Liang responded.


    "Is it really true?"


    "Absolutely true."

 Chapter 7 - 7: Be Happy, Have Fun

    After dinner, Lu Liang called Tan Tao and found out that the hotel offered car rental services.


    He chose a Bentley Moshang at eight thousand a day, renting for two days including insurance, deposit, and service fee, for a total of twenty-six thousand.


    "Liangzi, you make me feel like a stranger," Liu Mingxuan said from the passenger seat, feeling an intense sense of unreality.


    Staying in an eighteen-thousand hotel just like that, renting an eight-thousand car just like that, and only after the meal did he find out it cost over five thousand.


    That directly ate up almost half a month of his salary. How much money would one have to make to spend so extravagantly?


    "Stranger? In a bit, I''ll help you find back the joy of our past adventures."


    Lu Liang smiled, pressed the accelerator, and felt the V8 engine''s vigorous power.


    The strong sense of acceleration made him realize that luxury cars weren''t just for showing off, the experience was also this good.


    "Remember our first time going for a foot wash during our sophomore year? Seems it was also just the two of us," Liu Mingxuan recalled.


    The two eighteen or nineteen-year-old boys were full of pride all night but ended up wandering outside the foot massage parlor for more than two hours.


    In the end, it was the massage parlor''s customer manager who, seeing their predicament, took the initiative to ask if they wanted a foot wash or a sauna.


    "Think about how innocent I was back then, and yet you still led me astray."


    "Come off it, who was it that first said they wanted to add more time?"


    "You dare say you didn''t add on?"


    "I just wanted to ask about her younger brother''s school performance."


    "I wanted to inquire if her mother''s illness had improved and if she needed help."


    The two of them exchanged a knowing smile, almost feeling a sense of being in the wrong space, back to that carefree time of their youth.


    Suddenly, his phone rang, and Lu Liang answered the call, "The two of us will be there soon."


    "Who is it?" Liu Mingxuan asked curiously.


    "Don''t ask, you''ll know when we get there."


    Lu Liang drove across the Wusong River and arrived at the Wanli Palace club on Qufu Road.


    A building covered with screens, flashing with flowing and dazzling lights, came into view.


    The streets were filled with luxury sports cars, with fashionably dressed young men and women everywhere.


    It was as if the dazzling and exotic ten miles of yesteryear still existed, and even more so.


    Liu Mingxuan was astonished, "Boss Lu, are you planning to spend a fortune tonight?"


    He had heard about the famous Wanli Palace, one of the top five nightclubs in Modu.


    A regular booth would cost 1888 yuan, and with the company of drinking companions and beverages, it would easily start at ten thousand.


    "Tonight, let''s not talk about money, just fun. As long as we enjoy ourselves, consider it a celebration for a buddy getting back to single life."


    At the entrance, Lu Liang saw a woman in a purple figure-hugging dress with horse-oil silk stockings, fish-mouthed high heels with a black front and red sole, her slender figure and curves exuding a mature and sensual charm.


    He waved and called out, "Qian, over here."


    Zhang Qian was a former client of Lu Liang''s, who at under thirty had bought a three-bedroom apartment worth 3.2 million inside Modu''s third ring road in cash.


    She wasn''t someone kept by a rich man to afford the apartment; instead, she made her money working as a marketing manager at Wanli Palace. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A very hardworking beauty, she advertised all day in her social circles, never fearing harassment. As long as someone inquired, she would share everything she knew without pestering people without a reason.


    Lu Liang had a very good impression of her, so when he thought about going out with Liu Mingxuan for some fun, the first thing that came to mind was to support her event.


    "Liang, long time no see. You can just call me Qianqian, calling me ''sister'' really doesn''t suit me," Zhang Qian said, her smile widening at the sight of the blue Mushang.


    She was also very good at talking. Before, when Lu Liang was the agent and she was the buyer, calling him "brother" was a sign of respect. Now that he was her customer, it would be impolite for her to keep up the charade.


    Hurriedly, she called over the valet at the entrance to park Lu Liang''s car, then greeted the two men with a radiant smile, ushering them into the club warmly.


    Entering the nightclub, they walked through a narrow corridor filled with dazzling, flowing lights, the thumping bass growing clearer with each step.


    "Liang, if you want a lively atmosphere, stay in the main hall. If you prefer something quieter, we can go to the second floor," Zhang Qian suggested, rising on her tiptoes, her tempting red lips almost grazing Lu Liang''s earlobe.


    "Let''s book a private room on the second floor then, and if we want to join in the fun later, we can always come back down," Lu Liang said as the pulsating beats continually assaulted his eardrums. The warm breeze carried a subtle fragrance into his ears, stirring his heart that had settled from working out.


    "Okay, follow me, please watch your step..." Zhang Qian took Lu Liang''s hand, deliberately placing it on her waist.


    With a smile, Lu Liang didn''t act reserved and let his hand slowly slide down, finally resting on her firm buttocks.


    "Liang, how do you like this private room?" Zhang Qian shot him a coquettish glance as she led them to a smaller room on the second floor.


    It could accommodate seven or eight people, and although it was the smallest room, the minimum spend for a night was six thousand five hundred.


    "This is too small, there isn''t even a bathroom in the room. Get a bigger one, you don''t need to save money on my behalf."


    Hearing Lu Liang''s words, Zhang Qian''s smile blossomed like flowers, raising her eyebrows playfully: "What do you need the bathroom for?"


    "Of course, to wash hands," Lu Liang burst into laughter, picking out a medium-sized private room that could accommodate fifteen people.


    The soundproofing of the private room was excellent; once the door was closed, there was no need to whisper.


    "Liang, Xuan, how about calling over a few girls to join us?" Zhang Qian clung to Lu Liang, hugging his arm without letting go.


    "Would the girls know how to have as much fun as you?" Lu Liang asked with a smile, while Liu Mingxuan also showed a teasing grin.


    Both were no strangers to the entertainment scene; playing it straight in public was one thing, but doing the same in the nightlife was simply prudish.


    When you''re out to play, you''ve got to let loose to have a good time.


    "The girls wouldn''t be as fun as me, but they''re younger,"


    Zhang Qian said, giggling till she shook, her bosom heaving as she took a tablet from the waiter and handed it to Lu Liang: "Liang, take a look and see what you''d like to order, shall I go call them over?"


    "Go ahead," Lu Liang said, giving her backside a playful pat and eliciting another eye roll from her.


    He handed the menu to Liu Mingxuan, concerned he might be too shy, and added, "Order whatever you want, there''s a minimum spend of twelve thousand for the room, and they won''t refund it even if we don''t order up to that."


    "You''ve even rented a big Bentley to come out and have fun, do you think I would be polite with you?"


    Though Liu Mingxuan said this, he was quite measured with his orders, only getting a few rounds of beer and some snacks.


    Prices at Wanli Palace were staggeringly high, a round of beer costing a thousand yuan, and snacks a few hundred per plate.


    Outside, these items might not total more than three hundred yuan.


    "Here, you order," Liu Mingxuan said after casually ordering over five thousand worth of items, finding it hard to spend money that wasn''t his.


    As Lu Liang flipped through the menu, he suddenly mumbled to himself, "I don''t think I''ve ever ordered this before. Should I try it?"


    "What is it?" Liu Mingxuan craned his neck and upon seeing the item''s name and price, couldn''t help but bitterly smile, "As long as you''re happy."


    The moment Lu Liang submitted the order, a dry-ice gun outside suddenly sprayed jets of mist, and the concierge''s sparklers went off with a few pops, bursting into a dazzling display of colors in the air, while the entire nightclub''s lights began to flicker furiously.


    Despite the excellent soundproofing, they could hear the DJ downstairs roaring, "Much gratitude to our VIP guests in Room 207 for their support of Wanli Palace... Please wait a moment, our lovely and beautiful Miss Heitao will personally come to express our thanks."


    "Thank you once again... The whole club screams~~~"


    An eight-thousand-eight-hundred-yuan bottle of Black Spade A instantly made Room 207 the center of attention in the entire place.


    Seeing this, Liu Mingxuan''s excitement surged, "With such a perfect showboating opportunity, aren''t you going to show your face?"


    "Go ahead, the opportunity is yours," Lu Liang said with a laugh, just wanting to bask in the thrill of owning the scene.


    "Acting shy at your age?" Liu Mingxuan scoffed as he confidently walked out the door, waving his hand to bask in the cheers of the crowd.


    He stood on an elevated platform, moving his hips to the beat of the exuberant music, the spotlight flashing in time with his dance moves.

 Chapter 8 - 8: Reunion with Li Manli

    "Liang, how could you start with a Black Spade A without waiting for me?"


    Zhang Qian, upon receiving the message, had rushed over, her smile blooming like flowers, her demeanor oozing charm. Behind her, seven or eight girls followed, each with their own style but all equally beautiful.


    The high-end nature of Wanli Palace was on full display at this moment, as none of them seemed to bear tattoos.


    Anyone who frequents these places knows that a pretty face and a good figure don''t reflect the quality of a nightclub.


    To gauge the quality of a nightclub, whether the girls have large tattoos is an important criterion.


    If they''re all sporting full-sleeve tattoos or immense artwork covering their backs, then the nightclub''s quality can''t be all that high, no matter what they claim.


    Because those "psychedelic girls" only attract "psychedelic guys," who are often quite poor.


    Even men with a bit of money prefer clean girls, even if it''s just a cleanliness that''s only skin-deep; it''s more pleasant to the eye.


    "Order a bottle of Black Spade A and get a special performance with it?"


    Lu Liang glanced over the group of girls, picking two with average looks but better personalities.


    Both around twenty years old, they flashed sweet smiles upon seeing him, clearly hardworking good girls.


    Men come out to have fun, but there''s always those who, relying on their beauty, carry a permanent scowl.


    Those, Lu Liang wouldn''t glance at twice, not even if they were angels.


    "Liang, so what kind of special performance would you like?" Zhang Qian said cheerfully, clinging to Lu Liang''s arm, her chest squeezed to deformation.


    Modu is a city for the young, the wealthy, and she was no longer young; staying meant having to give more.


    If Lu Liang was willing to order another bottle of Black Spade A, helping her meet her target for the night, she didn''t mind giving a little extra.


    "I bet you''d look great dancing."


    Without a second thought, Lu Liang ordered another bottle.


    "Then Qianqian will dance for you, Liang. Please don''t be upset if it''s not perfect."


    Zhang Qian''s smile grew wider as she waved the unchosen girls away.


    "Qingqing, could you play a song for me?" She took off her bulky jacket to reveal a strap top underneath.


    Moving to the rhythm of the music, she rotated her entire body and suddenly pulled Lu Liang to his feet from his chair.


    The two danced closely, their bodies pressing together...


    As the song ended,


    Zhang Qian noticed the change in Lu Liang, laughed seductively, and pulled him back to his seat, crossing her legs to cover for him.


    She wrapped his arm, leaning her face against his, her red lips tempting, a breath as sweet as orchid: "Liang, was the dance alright?"


    "The dance was really good." Lu Liang''s hand brushed over her silky stockings, enjoying the soft texture and smooth feel.


    "Well, of course, I''ve practiced," Zhang Qian hummed lightly, trembling slightly, and reacting in turn.


    The two chosen girls also helped pour drinks and fed them snacks, leaving Lu Liang surrounded by joy.


    Suddenly the door to the private room opened, and Liu Mingxuan was already hooking up with two girls outside.


    He had a way with words and a sweet tongue, having been a ladies'' man since his school days.


    "Liangzi, Xuanxuan and the others want to come in and take a picture."


    Liu Mingxuan swaggered, his arms straightened out with a slight twist in his hips, like the childhood game of playing train.


    The games played in nightclubs often seem juvenile, but under the influence of alcohol and music, it''s easy for strangers to become quickly acquainted.


    Following Liu Mingxuan were two girls, one with her arm draped over the other''s shoulder¡ªhim the engine, and the three of them entered the private room.


    "The more, the merrier," Lu Liang said as he gently pushed away Zhang Qian''s legs, because he saw a familiar face behind Liu Mingxuan.


    It wasn''t the two girls he had just picked up but the one called ''Miss Heitao,'' pushing a champagne tower into the room behind them.


    Li Manli pushed the trolley of champagne tower to the private room, but then she froze, her smile gradually stiffening on her face.


    She did not expect the "waste" she thought of would come to Wanli Palace to spend money, opening two bottles of eight thousand eight hundred-dollar Black Spade A.


    She couldn''t help but look toward Liu Mingxuan, then glanced at Zhang Qian; Zhang Qian was the marketing manager, so whoever she was accompanying had to be the main guest.


    Distracted for a moment, Li Manli accidentally knocked over the champagne tower, and the sound of over a dozen glasses shattering filled the room.


    All eyes suddenly turned to her, and Li Manli almost cried in her rush to bow and apologize repeatedly, "I''m sorry..."


    Zhang Qian, Liu Mingxuan, and others all looked at Lu Liang since he was the boss, and no one there had the right to forgive her on his behalf.


    Even if Zhang Qian had the intention to plead for Li Manli, she had to first gauge Lu Liang''s reaction.


    If she wasn''t of help and instead annoyed Lu Liang, the repercussions could be her own downfall.


    "It''s fine, broken glasses mean ''safety''," he said, preventing her from cleaning up to avoid cutting her hands.


    Lu Liang pulled Li Manli back, stopping her apologies and kicked the shattered glasses aside.


    Li Manli was wearing a deep blue and white sailor outfit with a white beret and white stockings over her knees.


    Especially with her eyes brimming with tears from her mistake, she looked so pitiful that one couldn''t help but feel protective of her.


    Liu Mingxuan raised his eyebrows, suddenly shouting angrily, "What kind of service is this? Call your manager here, a bottle of Black Spade A just shattered like that? Do you think money grows on trees for us?"


    He had been close friends with Lu Liang for over a decade, shared a desk, a bed, and even a cigarette, knowing his personality well.


    Lu Liang was easygoing, but he wasn''t completely without temper, and him being so magnanimous now certainly had an ulterior motive.


    Li Manli was particularly beautiful, seemingly Lu Liang''s type, and as an old friend, it was naturally Liu Mingxuan''s role to give things a nudge.


    Even if we take a step back, a champagne tower costing eight thousand eight hundred dollars couldn''t just end with a crash.


    "Calm down, we''re out for fun, everyone makes mistakes now and then."


    Lu Liang glanced at Liu Mingxuan, and their eyes met, the corners of their mouths lifted, and they immediately understood each other''s intentions.


    Of course, he was not opposed.


    Ever since he seemed to hear about his divorce that day and subsequently encountered Li Manli several times in the hallway or elevator,


    her aloof demeanor and the way she kept others at arm''s length seemed to indicate she was afraid of being entangled by Lu Liang.


    Although Lu Liang didn''t mind, it still irked him.


    As if he were some fresh turnip skin.


    If there were no chance to meet, naturally it would have ended there.


    But now that they had met, and he had become her patron, it wouldn''t be so easy to let this slide.


    "Don''t be angry, Xuan," Zhang Qian quickly apologized, filling his cup with drink. She then filled another cup for Li Manli, "Give your thanks to Mr. Liang, it''s only because of Mr. Liang that you are not asked to compensate."


    "Thank you, Mr. Liang," Li Manli said, her eyes full of gratitude. If Lu Liang held her accountable, she could kiss her month''s bonus goodbye.


    Similar incidents had occurred before, with the boss unrelenting, resulting in the general manager having to step in to apologize and comp the charges.


    After all, those who open bottles of Black Spade A aren''t usually short of money; they come out for fun and enjoyment.


    As a part of the nightclub staff, making a mistake wasn''t something that could be settled by equivalent compensation.


    "We ordered two bottles; just open the other one, no need for this one."


    Lu Liang glanced at Li Manli but didn''t pay her any more attention, turning instead to the girls to drink and sing, treating the incident as a minor interference, insignificant and not worth fussing over.


    Li Manli breathed a sigh of relief, but also felt a pang of loss.


    After all, they were neighbors, and although they hadn''t interacted much recently, they didn''t have to be this indifferent, did they?


    At the same time, she was curious how Lu Liang, who had reportedly been unemployed for months since his divorce, could afford to spend at Wanli Palace.


    And his spending wasn''t small: opening two bottles of Black Spade A in the middle-sized private room meant the evening''s expenses would start at at least thirty thousand bucks.


    sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 9 - 9: Seductive, Voice

    "Hey, beautiful, wait a sec, let''s take a photo first."


    The two girls Liu Mingxuan brought were thrilled and ran off to take a keepsake photo with the champagne tower.


    "This doesn''t look good, you should take it like this," Liu Mingxuan went over to help them find the right angle.


    Girls are vain, even just getting likes and comments in their social circle can bring great satisfaction. He was confident he wouldn''t have to spend the night alone.


    Once the photo session was over, Li Manli and a colleague distributed champagne to everyone.


    She wasn''t content and with a smile on her face, she toasted Lu Liang, "Liang, here''s to you."


    "Just go ahead if there''s nothing else," Lu Liang said, taking a sip from his glass.


    "Thank you, Liang, then we''ll be off."


    Li Manli bit her lip, feeling disgruntled, but she could only leave with a smile.


    Passing by the window, she couldn''t help but glance at Lu Liang again. He had already helped her twice, why was he ignoring her?


    After she left, Zhang Qian, with a radiant smile, came over with her glass to Lu Liang''s side, "Liang, you like Lili?"


    She had been in the nightlife scene for seven or eight years and had seen all kinds of men. She knew their little games all too well.


    This tactic was to feign retreat in order to entice, long-line fishing for the Mermaid, it might deceive the naive girls, but not the experienced women.


    "Who''s Lili? I only like Qianqian," Lu Liang held onto Zhang Qian''s waist, feeling her voluptuous and curvy body.


    Zhang Qian didn''t know Li Manli lived across from him, the monk may run away but the temple will not. So, she was not in a rush for this moment.


    A green Apple needs time to ripen, but the peach in front of him only required some bait to be devoured whole.


    "Qianqian likes Liang the best too," Zhang Qian acted surprised, then smiled brightly, intimately embracing his neck and cheek.


    If only two bottles of Black Spade A and a middle-sized package deal could win her over, then she would be far too cheap.


    She was already 30 years old, no longer able to compete with the looks or figure of girls in their early twenties.


    It was time to plan her exit strategy.


    Zhang Qian wanted to know how Lu Liang, in just two months, went from being a real estate agent to a boss driving luxury cars worth millions.


    The two with different thoughts in their heads, intoxicated not by the wine but their own delusions, held each other tight, sharing ''heartfelt'' woes.


    Liu Mingxuan, with a smile on his lips, now that the main character was accompanied, started his own pursuit. He pulled together a group with two girls he had just met and two who were there to drink.


    "Toot toot, let''s get going~" S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The group of five headed for the dance floor downstairs.


    ...


    As the night deepened, men and women exhilarated within the dance floor left Wanli Palace club in pairs or groups.


    Liu Mingxuan, with a young and pretty girl, came to the window of the private room, gently tapping the glass.


    Lu Liang looked over. He gestured that he was leaving, as he had another engagement and had to go first.


    "Qianqian, I''m leaving too."


    Lu Liang had already thrown out the bait, just waiting for Zhang Qian to bite.


    Just now, buoyed by alcohol, he had opened up his Guotai brokerage account, flaunting an eight-figure balance.


    With a mature and shrewd woman, straightforwardness was required; playing coy was just a waste of time for both.


    There are many women working in Modu''s nightlife, but those who save enough to buy property are one in a million.


    Because money comes quickly, they don''t value money, blindly enjoying the glittering lifestyle until they''re past their prime and left with nothing.


    Zhang Qian was a smart woman, always inquiring, subtly or not, about how he got rich.


    Lu Liang also disclosed just enough information, trusting that she''d make the right choice.


    "Liang, you''re drunk, let me take you home."


    Zhang Qian spoke softly, knowing that she wouldn''t get any scoop if she wasn''t willing to risk being deceived, even if it meant being taken for a ride.


    "I''ll call for a ride."


    Lu Liang paid the bill; the night''s expenses came to forty-two thousand.


    Room fees were the main expense, while drinks were secondary. Liang then called Tan Tao to ask him to come over and drive.


    Zhang Qian returned to the resting area, quickly gathered her things, and with Liang''s support, the two waited at the entrance.


    Combos like theirs weren''t in short supply, some men supporting women, others women assisting men, all drifting toward nearby hotels.


    After a while, Tan Tao arrived. He was utterly professional, clad in a black suit and white gloves¡ªclearly a career driver.


    Back at Peace Restaurant, Zhang Qian looked surprised, "Liang, you''re staying here?"


    Liang nodded and led Zhang Qian into a private elevator, rising to the second room on the seventh floor, the United Kingdom Suite.


    Zhang Qian was even more astonished. She''d only heard of Peace Restaurant''s Nine Countries Suite but had never stayed in one.


    Her gaze grew more eager as she lightly traced her fingertips along his neck, sashayed around to his back in a half-circle, and tiptoed to kiss his cheek, whispering, "Liang, I''ll go touch up my makeup first."


    "Go ahead." Liang saw Zhang Qian enter the restroom and lay down on the couch. Suddenly, the corners of his mouth lifted, and he followed her in.


    Zhang Qian was touching up her makeup when a figure flashed behind her. Liang gave a mischievous smile, wrapped his arms around her waist, and his hands began to inch upward.


    Zhang Qian giggled, gazing at Lu Liang in the mirror, "Liang, haste won''t get you hot tofu, you know."


    "You do your thing, I''m going to take a shower." Liang pinched her chin, heedlessly stripping off his clothes.


    "Good figure, huh? You been working out?"


    Zhang Qian leaned against the washbasin, arms crossed over her chest, smirking like a hooligan as she looked over Liang.


    "Just started recently." Liang wasn''t shy, stripping nude right before her eyes.


    Suddenly, he pulled her with him to stand beneath the showerhead, turning on the rainforest shower mode and relishing the warm water pelting his scalp.


    "Ah~~ My clothes are all wet now, and I need to redo my makeup..."


    Complaints echoed from the bathroom, but suddenly, as if her mouth had been stuffed with something, only muffled sounds remained.


    Some rather long yet short time later, Liang emerged from the bathroom in a bathrobe, looking thoroughly satisfied.


    He half-lay on the sofa, ordered some late-night snacks over the phone, and with eyes closed pretended to nap, a smile lingering on his lips.


    Time ticked by, the chime of the early morning marking the start of a new day.


    Liang abruptly opened his eyes, ecstatic, he heard that voice again.


    "June 2nd, Chinese Online, 39.82 yuan."


    He hurried to search for the stock information and found that yesterday''s closing price was 17.85 yuan.


    Which meant, in the next 12 days or eight trading days, this stock would rise by 21.97 yuan.


    Although it didn''t hold a candle to Baofeng Technology, which went from 7.14 yuan to 310 yuan, an increase of 43 times over.


    But Chinese Online wasn''t a new stock, no need for subscription. With money, you could buy in as much as you wanted.


    Liang memorized this information and continued to read related news about the stock, not noticing Zhang Qian approaching from behind.


    "Chinese Online? Is there something special about this stock?"


    She wore the same styled bathrobe as his, with freshly applied elegant makeup, wine-red ear-length hair, still slightly damp at the tips.


    Zhang Qian well understood a man''s mind. Beneath the white bathrobe wasn''t milky skin but fishnet stockings, and she stood in peep-toe high heels.


    Dressed, yet more enticing than undressed.


    "You might want to keep an eye on it lately," said Liang, putting away his phone without elaborating, and patting his thigh for Zhang Qian to sit on.


    "Why did you put on makeup again?" The years hadn''t left much trace on her face, rather adding a touch of charm.


    Zhang Qian kissed Liang''s forehead, teasing with a smile, "I was afraid if you saw my bare face, you''d run away overnight."


    "With such delicate features, you''d look fine even without makeup," Liang responded, casually caressing her calves, occasionally poking through the holes of the fishnet.


    After their encounter in the bathroom, their rapport rapidly warmed up¡ªat least for the moment, they felt like true lovers.


    "A man''s mouth, always full of lies," Zhang Qian hummed, twisting her waist trying to reignite Liang''s desire.


    She hadn''t forgotten that she''d put herself on the line tonight not for romance but to discover how Liang had made his fortune.


    After a while, sensing an indescribable object spring back to life, Zhang Qian bit Liang''s ear and cooed, "Dear brother, just tell me about that stock, will you?"


    Liang smiled, fondling something very soft and very real, "The market looks good, buy if you want, believe it or not."


    Zhang Qian might not be young, but she was alluring and tempting. He wanted to maintain this kind of relationship for a while and didn''t mind revealing a bit of ''insider information.''

 Chapter 10 - 10: Fully Invested Again

    Ding-dong~


    The doorbell suddenly rang.


    "Who is it?" Zhang Qian slipped on a bathrobe, pulling up her fishnet stockings to cover the torn marks.


    "I''m here to check the room," said Lu Liang with a smile, patting Zhang Qian''s thigh and walking over to open the door.


    The late-night snack he had ordered arrived. Having finished a drink and another battle, he was feeling a bit hungry.


    The waiter, experienced as they were, kept their eyes fixed forward, pushing the food cart without being nosy.


    A hot pot of seafood congee and a few delicate side dishes.


    "Mr. Lu, please enjoy your meal."


    After the waiter left, Zhang Qian walked over with her long legs, swaying her posture as she twisted her waist, each frown and smile brimming with charm.


    She sat at the dining table as if she was another dish on offer, spooning herself a small bowl of congee. She picked up a spoonful, gently blew away the steam and said, "Good brother, ah, open your mouth, let me feed you."


    ''The market looks good, might consider buying.''


    This phrase wasn''t weighty enough; she wanted to know more, like at what price to buy and at what price to sell.


    However, she overestimated herself and underestimated Lu Liang.


    Lu Liang, a man who had been married once, was willing to reveal a bit of information only because he wanted to maintain this relationship, but he wasn''t someone who would lose his head and spill everything.


    Until Zhang Qian was ''devoured'' again, she still couldn''t coax any more useful information out of Lu Liang.


    As the night deepened, the battle ended.


    The disheveled bathrobe on the carpet and the fishnet stockings with a ripped hole all spoke of a fierce ordeal.


    "Naughty fellow... How long has your wife not let you ''pay your dues''?" Zhang Qian was drenched in sweat, with strands of hair clinging to her cheeks and a lingering flush still on her face.


    Last year when she was buying a house, she spent over two weeks choosing, looked at a dozen houses before she found the perfect sanctuary.


    During that time, she even had coffee with Lu Liang a few times, chatted with him, and already knew he was a married man.


    But Lu Liang''s performance was too fierce, like a bull, competing with men in their early twenties.


    "I''ve been divorced for a while."


    Lu Liang sat at the edge of the bed, lighting a post-coital cigarette.


    "Really?" Zhang Qian suddenly thought of something and muttered indignantly, "Men are no good."


    People usually think that you get divorced when you have money, not that you have money because you''re divorced.


    "What are you imagining now?"


    Lu Liang pinched out the cigarette and climbed back under the covers, hugging Zhang Qian from behind and feeling their skin press against each other''s warmth.


    Holding her hand, he played with her manicure and said with a sigh, "I''m the one who was left behind."


    Now that he was saying it, it no longer felt the same as at the start; for him, divorce was a relief.


    "How is that possible." Zhang Qian didn''t believe it.


    Lu Liang was rich, good-looking, had a nice personality, and was so vigorous¡ª she thought he possessed all the elements of happiness, so it seemed impossible for him to get divorced.


    "Children without mothers make for long stories."


    "There are kids involved?"


    "It''s a metaphor."


    "The night is long, so tell me about it."


    "It all started during the Spring Festival..."


    "Hey, hey, are you asleep?"


    Zhang Qian waited and then turned to see that Lu Liang was already lying with his eyes closed, seemingly asleep.


    "If you don''t want to talk, then don''t, but why pretend to sleep."


    She muttered to herself, adjusting her position to sleep comfortably, and soon she, too, drifted off.


    Lu Liang cracked a smile, opened his eyes, and laid his palm on the ''female heart protector'' on her chest, then closed his eyes again.


    ...


    At nine in the morning, the urgent ringing of the alarm filled the room.


    Lu Liang rubbed his eyes, and the person beside him had already disappeared, leaving only a few strands of light red hair on the pristine pillow.


    The sound of running water trickled from the bathroom.


    Zhang Qian emerged, changed into her regular clothes, her tight yoga pants highlighting the beautiful curves of her bottom.


    This was a body trained through rigorous practice, otherwise it couldn''t possibly be that firm and lifted.


    How good the touch felt and how much it reduced the impact, Lu Liang had already verified each detail last night.


    He looked over, "Leaving now?"


    "I have a yoga class, and if I don''t head over now, I''ll be late." Zhang Qian came to the bedside, gave Lu Liang a kiss, "Bye-bye."


    "Bye-bye~" Lu Liang did not try to keep her because he knew that Zhang Qian would seek him out again, and that she would become even more proactive.


    Nine-fifteen, another alarm rang.


    Lu Liang turned off the remaining alarms he had set the night before, worried that he might oversleep in the morning.


    Today was Friday, the last trading day of the week, he needed to buy shares of Chinese Online as soon as the market opened.


    "The market trends these past few days have indeed been very strange."


    Lu Liang, wearing his bathrobe and puffing on a cigarette, entered the living room, keeping an eye on the stock market updates at all times.


    He noticed that the fluctuations of Chinese Online eerily resembled a Market Maker accumulating shares at a low position, ready to surge at any moment.


    Lu Liang dared not hesitate, fearing he might miss the right moment, and began making small, frequent purchases as soon as the market opened.


    The opening price was 17.93 yuan, increasing by 0.89% on that day, with one lot equal to 100 shares, totaling 1793 yuan.


    Initially, Lu Liang bought only ten or so lots at a time, concerned that the Market Maker might notice him¡ªthe metaphorical ''rat stealing oil''.


    Latterly, he realized that his concerns were completely unnecessary. Chinese Online had a market capitalization of 12 billion yuan, with 2.42 billion yuan in circulating shares.


    The several million shares he owned weren''t negligible, but they were at most a comparatively large stone.


    Market Makers set a suppression line at 18.00 yuan, creating an illusion in the market of a ceiling that couldn''t be breached.


    Lu Liang set his own buying line at 17.90 yuan, ready to receive a large number of shares whenever there was a failed attempt to break through the ceiling.


    Having read plenty of books recently, he had come to understand the mindset of retail investors well; a failed attempt at breaking through usually led some investors to sell off or hedge, believing that a further surge was hopeless.


    Lu Liang then acted as a willing buyer, capable of taking on their shares without driving up the price, securing them at a relatively normal rate.


    However, being a willing buyer was only his wishful thinking. Holding tens of millions in funds wasn''t enough to be the supporting backbone of a hundred-billion market.


    At nine forty-five, the half-hour after the opening bell and before closing, was the most active trading period of the day.


    Chinese Online''s second attempt to breach 18 yuan failed.


    A large number of shareholders completely lost confidence, unwilling to miss the broader market rally and started selling off in herds.


    Over the last four trading days, the broader market had risen by 395 points, comfortably closing above 4700 points, an astonishing increase of 8.75%, with total market capitalization soaring by 750 billion yuan.


    In contrast, Chinese Online''s increase over the past four days was only 5.52%, with two of those days experiencing losses.


    When even the broader market couldn''t be outperformed, the morale of the retail shareholders holding the stock had long exploded, no longer willing to be tormented.


    "The broader market''s been doing so well lately, why on earth did I buy this trash stock."


    "Even if it can''t measure up to the likes of Demon King Storm, at least keep up with Mei Yan, right?"


    "To think I still had hopes for you, trash, go eat shit."


    "Goodbye, never to meet again..."


    A mass of retail investors cursed as they cashed out and exited the market.


    Almost instantly, Lu Liang''s brokerage account pinged nonstop with notifications of established new trades.


    Within a few breaths, tens of millions in funds were gone, with a holding of 588,800 shares and available funds standing at 480.4 yuan, his position was at 99.9%.


    Lu Liang was fully invested, once again.


    Meanwhile, as Zhang Qian took a taxi home, she too was paying attention to this stock.


    As a go-getter in Shanghai, she had her own brokerage account from early on, and had even opened access to the Hong Kong stock market.


    But she was cautious by nature, normally only buying funds. With the recent half-year market rally, she had also earned more than eighty thousand yuan.


    "Is this reliable? Why are all other stocks so in the red, while this one is just green as grass?"


    Zhang Qian stared blankly, absorbed in the screen with Chinese Online displayed on it.


    Just a moment ago, the constantly teetering 17.9 yuan suddenly lost its supporting funds, causing the stock price to plummet. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    That day, the broader market was up by 1.2%, with a thousand stocks in the green; only 65 stocks were green as grass, with Chinese Online among them.


    The daily drop was -2.2%, with the share price at 17.46 yuan. The stock forum was filled with sorrow, countless people cursing their mothers.


    "I''ll trust you this one time, but if I lose out, next time you''d better sweet talk me into a big feast, and add on five bottles of Black Spade A to compensate me."


    Zhang Qian hesitated for a long time, mainly because of her sacrifice last night. If she didn''t follow the so-called insider information, she felt it would be a total loss.


    She withdrew 580,000 yuan from the funds she had invested, using 80,000 yuan of the profits to buy Chinese Online shares, totaling 4500 shares.


    She was very cautious, not wanting to put all her eggs in one basket. Should both the stock and the fund lose value, it would break her heart.

 Chapter 11 - 11: Strategy for Little Apple

    "The ocean of learning is boundless."


    Liang reviewed the stock market until ten-thirty and couldn''t help but express his emotions.


    Ever since the trend shifted from rising to falling, the activity of Chinese Online drastically declined, lingering around 17.45 yuan.


    17.5 yuan seemed to become a hurdle, with tens of millions of funds stacked above it, further gnawing at market confidence.


    Logically, when the market loses confidence, stock trends should plummet abruptly, but that wasn''t the case¡ªit was a slow decline.


    Liang guessed that the market maker was tightly controlling the situation.


    This tactic wasn''t particularly clever, but it was meticulous, continuously buying without setting up a buying line.


    Because if a buying line were set, retail investors could see the buy and sell orders up to the tenth level in the trade details.


    Once retail investors see that there''s backing capital below, they would start to have expectations, and the market maker wouldn''t be able to acquire chips at a low price.


    The market had taught him another lesson.


    At eleven-thirty during the mid-session break, Liang got up to wash up, having already gone all in.


    The A-share market implements a T+1 trading rule, which means you can only sell the day after you buy, so the day''s market performance didn''t concern him anymore.


    Based on his predictions, this market trend should start on the following Monday because surging the price during trading would cost too much.


    Leaving the hotel at noon, Liang drove his Bentley back to his apartment in Xinpu; he planned to move.


    The apartment''s environment was quite nice¡ªa one-bedroom for only 2,300 yuan per month, fully furnished and ready to move in.


    Apart from the mediocre soundproofing, everything else was quite satisfactory, but now he could afford to live somewhere better.


    Having lived there for just over two months, Liang hadn''t purchased much¡ªhis belongings wouldn''t even fill a suitcase.


    Mainly he thought that those things could be discarded and replaced with new purchases when necessary.


    Liang turned to look across and suddenly thought of Li Manli, a smile appearing at the corner of his mouth¡ªhe had nearly forgotten about her.


    He knocked on the door opposite: "Manli, are you home?"


    Suddenly, hurried footsteps came from inside, and the door cracked open a sliver.


    Li Manli, dressed in cartoon pajamas, peeked out from behind the door, her hair in disarray and a few strands sticking up, looking bewildered, as if she had just woken up.


    "Liang, are you going on a business trip?"


    Seeing Liang with his suitcase, Li Manli quickly put on a hat, hiding all her messy hair underneath.


    Liang shook his head: "I''m planning to move away and thought I''d stop by to say hi since I saw you were home." S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Li Manli gave a sound of realization, wanting to ask Liang where he was moving, but unsure of what grounds she had to inquire.


    Friend? Hardly.


    Neighbor? There was a chance to become good neighbors before, but she had shut him out.


    "Oh, do you have time this afternoon?" Liang suddenly asked.


    After all, Li Manli wasn''t Zhang Qian; at 19 years old, it was unrealistic to expect her to make the first move.


    To woo "Apple," he should be more proactive.


    "I should be free; I don''t start work until eight."


    "Come with me to check out some apartments, for a second opinion."


    Liang didn''t give Li Manli a chance to refuse, smiling as he suggested: "You haven''t eaten yet, right? We''ll go have a meal first."


    "But I just woke up and haven''t washed or put on makeup," Li Manli hesitated.


    On one hand, she truly wanted to get to know Liang, while on the other, she guessed his intentions.


    Although young, working in the nightlife scene meant she was no naive Xiao Bai.


    "No worries, I''ll wait for you."


    Liang went back into his room, waving at her.


    "Oh, okay then, I''ll be quick."


    Li Manli steeled herself and accepted the invitation.


    It was just a meal and helping him look at houses¡ªnothing all that significant.


    Seeing the door close, Liang''s mouth curled into a smile, the most difficult first step had been successful, and the rest would be easier.


    Twenty minutes later, Li Manli walked out of the room in a pink hoodie with a denim hole-pattern, her hair tied in twin ponytails, brimming with youth and vitality.


    "Let''s go." Liang led the way, pulling the suitcase in front.


    He didn''t compliment Li Manli on how pretty her outfit was or how good-looking she was because for a girl who is naturally beautiful, they hear these words too often.


    Liang aimed to play to his strengths and stand out from the other suitors.


    His strength, naturally, was his wealth.


    Arriving downstairs, a blue Bentley was parked at the door.


    The top-of-the-line luxury car, priced at 4.8 million, always attracted the glances of passersby.


    Liang, unfazed by the attention of strangers, opened the passenger door and waved with a smile, "Princess, please get in."


    "Stop it, Liang," Li Manli''s cheeks flushed as she ducked her head and hurried into the car.


    She didn''t know how much the car was worth, but judging by the envious looks of passersby, it mustn''t be cheap.


    The moment Liang opened the car door for her, she felt like the star of the area, greatly satisfied inwardly.


    Liang smiled, opened the trunk, put the suitcase inside and drove away.


    Along the way, at every red light, the blue Bentley always caught the attention of pedestrians, whether intentionally or not, a luxury car always draws a few extra glances.


    Liang noticed Li Manli''s subtle actions and his mouth curled upwards, but he didn''t call her out.


    He liked vanity in girls because he could satisfy their vain desires.


    When they returned to the Peace Restaurant, he parked the car at the entrance.


    Liang handed over the car keys, letting the doorman help with parking.


    Tan Tao bowed respectfully, a smile on his face: "Welcome back, Mr. Lu."


    "Second-floor public restaurant," Liang said.


    Tan Tao led them to the second floor and arranged the best window-side seat for them.


    "Manli, do you have any dietary restrictions?" Liang browsed through the menu.


    "No cilantro, everything else is fine," Li Manli answered absent-mindedly.


    Because outside the window was Modu''s famous Bund, and further away was the glittering, invaluable Lujiazui.


    Coming here from Xinpu gave her the feeling of having arrived in another world¡ªeverything she had seen on the way reinforced the impression that this was the real Shanghai lifestyle.


    By the time Liang finished ordering, Li Manli couldn''t help asking, "Do you come here often, Liang?"


    "From time to time. I''ve been living upstairs recently and have come down a few times. The food tastes quite good."


    Liang spoke calmly, not exaggerating. To Li Manli, however, it sounded modest.


    A meal that cost forty-two hundred later, the two went to the other side of the second floor to rest in the coffee shop.


    Li Manli, out of character, eagerly helped Liang search for a new residence, methodically analyzing the advantages of various complexes.


    What she didn''t realize was that Liang had once been a real estate agent and knew far more than she did about the geographic advantages of each area.


    But Liang was very pleased to witness this scene. He wore a smile, occasionally contributing comments and opinions.


    After a while, Li Manli took a sip of coffee and asked, "How much is your budget, Liang?"


    "Any is fine," Liang said, looking across the river and adding, "Living over there should be pretty nice."


    "Where?" Li Manli followed his gaze; across the river seemed to be all office buildings, with no residential areas in sight.


    "Right next to the Global Center; those four buildings."


    A glint of determination flashed in Liang''s eyes.


    He had long determined his residence; asking Li Manli for advice was just an excuse to ask her out.


    Li Manli checked the information, not quite sure: "Are those buildings called Tangchen Yipin?"


    "That should be the name."


    Without further ado, Liang pulled Li Manli along, "Let''s go have a look over there."

 Chapter 12 - 12: Fishing Requires Baiting the Spot

    Tangchen Yipin was completed in 2009, and as soon as it hit the market, it became the most luxurious high-rise residential building in Modu, and even in the whole country.


    Located next to Binjiang Avenue in the Financial District of Lujiazui, it consists of two 40-story and two 44-story luxury apartments, as well as a high-end riverside clubhouse.


    To the left is the International Financial Center, to the right is the Wealth Center, behind is the Global Building, facing the Pujiang River, there should be no high-rise residential building with a better location in the whole of Modu.


    In recent years, with the real estate market booming, property prices in Tangchen have also soared, reaching up to 240,000 per square meter, with the smallest apartment size being 434 square meters, selling for 110 million yuan.


    A luxury property costing over a hundred million yuan.


    While Lu Liang could not afford to buy, he could rent.


    Tangchen Yipin has four buildings, with buildings A and C for sale, and buildings B and D for rent.


    Lu Liang was very familiar with the place and knew how much the monthly rent was, so he directly took Li Manli to the sales department of building B.


    After learning about the apartment types and styles, the two followed the sales manager to one unit on the 28th floor of building B.


    The elevator doors opened directly into the apartment, one elevator per unit, four bedrooms and two living rooms.


    The furniture and appliances were all top international brands and were very new, showing no signs of use.


    Because this unit was custom-designed by Tangchen Group for rental purposes, no one had yet lived there.


    "Mr. Lu, with a monthly rent of 85,000 including property management and a free parking space, the contract is for two years, with six months'' rent as deposit and payment every three months. Is there anything else you would like to know?"


    The property manager, smiling broadly and forthright because Lu Liang had arrived in a Bentley.


    After all, everyone has two eyes and a mouth, and my wealth isn''t written on my face, but a car is the best tool to display wealth.


    Driving a Bentley at a young age might lose one their inferiority complex, but it earned respect.


    "No problem, let''s sign the contract."


    Lu Liang had taken a tour around and loved the balcony the most, over a hundred meters above the ground with a very open view and the river breeze making one feel relaxed and happy.


    He believed the night view would be even better, so he directly transferred 765,000 to allow the property management to arrange for cleaning, planning to move in the next day.


    "Alright, alright," the manager said with a broad smile, pulling out the rental contract to review with Lu Liang.


    He also took out a map of the neighborhood, introducing the various exits as well as how deliveries and takeouts were handled.


    The property provided door-to-door service, as long as one filled out the floor and apartment number correctly, the delivery staff would bring items to the door.


    Being the top neighborhood in the country, for the safety of the homeowners, they certainly could not allow random people to come and go freely.


    "Monthly rent seventy-eight thousand..." Li Manli was stunned.


    She didn''t understand the value of luxury cars, nor was she greatly moved by them.


    She just felt it was not cheap, otherwise it wouldn''t attract the glances of passersby.


    But a high-end apartment with a monthly rent of seventy-eight thousand truly shocked her.


    Although she earned a good salary working in a club, she didn''t accompany customers for drinks, and her monthly salary was just over nine thousand.


    And the apartment Lu Liang was renting cost as much as nearly half a year of her salary.


    How could Li Manli not be moved? She wandered alone through the various rooms, finding even a normal secondary bedroom more spacious than her own apartment.


    The view from each room was impressive, even if not facing the river; at the very least, there was the lush greenery of a small park below.


    And it was very quiet, without the roar of bustling cars or the annoying loudspeakers from a supermarket downstairs.


    After a while, Lu Liang finished signing the contract and came back to find Li Manli standing on the balcony, gazing into the distance.


    The balcony was very large, about twelve meters long and five meters wide, with a pool table that was almost new placed beside it.


    Lu Liang joined her, pointing to a hotel on the opposite bank, "We just had our meal there."


    "Yes," Li Manli''s mind was filled with countless thoughts, feeling like the afternoon''s experiences were almost surreal.


    Having money seemed really great, being able to eat whatever you want, live wherever you want.


    "I have some things to do later, and you have work tonight. Should I drop you back at your apartment, or should I take you to the office?"


    Lu Liang felt it was about time, he had already shown Li Manli a glimpse of paradise; it was time to bring her back to reality.


    He always thought that "Transformed" was a very malignant show, not to mention its fabrication and star-making, its premise was problematic.


    Rich kids going to the countryside to experience the hardships of life could indeed make them appreciate where their life''s comforts come from, and even if they didn''t fully grasp it, there was no harm done.


    But taking poor kids, whose worldviews were not yet formed, to experience a rich lifestyle for a while, and then sending them back to their rural homes to chop wood and farm...


    The stark disparity was hard enough for adults to accept, let alone a child.


    "Liang, take me back to the apartment first."


    Li Manli was distracted, feeling very conflicted.


    On one hand, she hoped Lu Liang would speak up, even if just to joke with her about reserving a room.


    On the other hand, she wondered if she would agree or not if Lu Liang actually said that.


    It seemed like there were two little people arguing in her mind, yet until they got back to the apartment, Lu Liang had not mentioned it.


    "Liang, I''m going upstairs."


    Li Manli felt lost and waved goodbye to Lu Liang.


    "Manli, wait." Lu Liang stopped her, pulling out a box, "This is for you, thanks for accompanying me to view the house this afternoon."


    A 128GB Apple 6 from China, priced at 7200 yuan, which he had purchased while signing the contract.


    Li Manli was stunned, her lips curling upward as she quickly waved her hand, "That''s too valuable, I can''t accept it."


    "Just keep it, bye."


    Lu Liang smiled, not giving her a chance to refuse, pressed the accelerator, and waved as he drove away.


    Money is to be shown to women, not spent on them, he agreed with this point wholeheartedly.


    But before fishing, one still needs to bait the fish.


    Before long, Lu Liang received a text from Li Manli, "Liang, thank you for the gift."


    Lu Liang read the text but didn''t reply, deciding to leave her hanging for a while; their next meeting should successfully lead to further advances.


    He returned to Peace Hotel, found Tan Tao, and decided not to extend his room. However, he did want to extend the lease on the Bentley for another half a month.


    Having liquid cash was crucial; Lu Liang had no intention of buying cars or houses yet, planning to make a modest goal first before considering those things.


    Tan Tao smiled, signifying no problem, and enthusiastically offered more car models for Lu Liang to choose from.


    Still, Lu Liang chose the Bentley again; he liked the logo with the B and double wings.


    This expenditure cost another 120,000.


    "Having money doesn''t mean you can be reckless. I need to be more cautious for a while."


    Lu Liang reflected, as there was only about fifty thousand left in his account.


    Less than 24 hours, and nearly a million had been spent.


    Although the majority was on the house and car, the expenses were still significant.


    Lu Liang''s desire to make money swelled; he couldn''t allow himself to lose this carefree lifestyle.


    At three o''clock in the afternoon, the trading week ended, with Chinese Online closing at 17.5 yuan, a drop of 1.95%.


    Zhang Qian had been monitoring continuously, but she stayed calm and did not rush to confront Lu Liang. She planned to observe for a few more days.


    After all, if the stock soared next week,


    that would undoubtedly mean a missed fortune, and a wasted effort.


    On Saturday noon, Lu Liang checked out.


    He left the Peace Restaurant and officially moved into Tangchen Yipin.


    Li Manli had been messaging him since last night:


    "Liang, I''m off to work."


    "Liang, what are you up to?"


    "Liang, I just woke up. Have you moved yet?"


    Lu Liang only replied to the messages he was interested in: "Not yet, I''ve been busy. I plan to move later." S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Li Manli sent a proud emoji, "Then, do you need me to help you shop for some things?"


    "It would be great if you could help me; I''ll contact you once I''m free."


    Lu Liang''s lips twitched into a smile, put away his phone, and headed to the gym in the complex to work out; he profoundly understood the benefits of exercise.


    He wanted to be carefree until he was eighty and needed a robust physique.

 Chapter 13 - 13: New Friend, Retail Investors Curse Out Loud

    "Liang, want to grab breakfast together later?"


    For two consecutive days, Lu Liang had been showing up at the community fitness center at the same time, where he had made a new friend.


    His name was Meng Changkun, seven years Lu Liang''s senior, a shareholder in several companies, and a well-known figure in Shanghai''s venture capital circles.


    Close in age, they met in the fitness center''s swimming pool and discovered they had quite a bit in common to talk about.


    "Sure, Mr. Kun, just let me change."


    After showering, Lu Liang changed into fresh clothes and put his workout outfit into a numbered bag to hand over to the staff.


    Having just moved to Tangchen Yipin the day before yesterday, he got himself an annual membership at the Tangchen Clubhouse fitness center and also rented a small private room.


    After exercising, there was no need to go back home all sweaty to change¡ªjust leave it with the management.


    They would wash and dry everything, and by the next day, clothes and toiletries would be neatly placed back in the private room.


    "How''s the figure on that beauty?"


    Sitting down for a meal at a restaurant near the community entrance, Meng Changkun''s eyes were constantly sneaking peeks at the passing beauties.


    The two had met because of a beauty, too.


    A bombshell beauty had appeared at the swimming pool, and they had both watched her with appreciative eyes.


    Then their eyes met, they exchanged a few appropriate comments, shared the same views and opinions, and immediately felt like they were old friends.


    "Forget it, she does have a great figure, but the face has definitely had some work done, at the very least some hyaluronic acid shots."


    Lu Liang followed his gaze to a stunning woman in tight jeans that truly defined peachy buttocks, pert and upright, walking in high heels with straight, slender calves. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But one look at her face¡ªher nose, chin, and even the apple of her cheeks¡ªfelt strangely off, instantly killing his admiration.


    He preferred the all-natural type.


    "You don''t get it. What does it matter if she''s had plastic surgery? It''s not like you''re going to marry her. This kind surely knows how to have fun, and that has a flavor of its own," Meng Changkun shook his head, voicing his disagreement with the air of one who''s been around, offering his many years of expertise in assessing women.


    Suddenly, his conversation took a turn, "Lu, if you''re into the natural type, I do have an opportunity for you.


    There''s a web series producer who came to me recently wanting me to invest. Interested in joining me for a casting call?"


    "The girls coming in for auditions are mostly from art schools, pure and lovely, definitely meeting all your criteria."


    Lu Liang had suddenly popped up, young and living in Tangchen Yipin, cruising around in a Bentley worth millions.


    He had inquired and found no affiliated enterprises under Lu Liang''s name.


    Meng Changkun couldn''t quite figure him out and planned to use this opportunity to test Lu Liang''s depth.


    Lu Liang raised an eyebrow and asked with a smile, "At the audition, will the girls be goldfish or woodfish?"


    Meng Changkun was briefly taken aback, then burst into laughter, "That''ll depend on your skills."


    You can only look at goldfish, but you can touch woodfish.


    With all seriousness, Lu Liang clasped his hands together and said, "Mr. Kun, you must take your little brother along."


    "Absolutely, if we''re choosing the cast in a few days, I''ll give you a call in advance."


    "Waiting for the good news."


    After exchanging glances, they steered clear of this topic.


    Suddenly Meng Changkun''s phone rang; after taking the call, he came back and said, "Brother, I''ve paid the bill. Got something at the company, so I''ll leave first."


    "Okay, see you, take care," Lu Liang said with a smile, waving goodbye as Meng Changkun departed.


    He didn''t just choose to live in Tangchen Yipin for the sake of luxury, he was also looking to expand his social network.


    Even if just renting, the lowest rent per unit per month was seventy-two thousand, a quite high threshold.


    It also meant that even if you used half your monthly income to pay rent, you''d need an annual salary of over 1.8 million.


    You could say, people living here were elites from various industries or influential second and third generations.


    Lu Liang was unclear about where life would take him, but he knew that just having money was not enough.


    "It''s almost nine-thirty; time to head back and keep an eye on the stocks."


    Lu Liang took a sip of soy milk, picked up the half-sandwich left on his plate, and, unconcerned with the stares, ate as he walked home.


    Even during the weekend, he wasn''t idling around; mainly, he was decorating his study, buying a computer worth over ten thousand, and setting up several medium and small screens to better monitor and trade in the stock market.


    Lu Liang felt that the reason Chinese Online''s market hadn''t taken off last Friday had everything to do with him.


    There had been flaws in his approach. He shouldn''t have placed orders but should have learned from the Market Makers, slowly buying in, achieving an effect as undetectable as a spring dream.


    But at that time, because he was operating with a mobile phone, he couldn''t respond in time, which is why he ended up decorating the study.


    A computer, three screens, this would become his personal "battlefield" for the coming period of time.


    At 9:15 AM, pre-market bidding began.


    Initially, the shares of Chinese Online didn''t fluctuate much, making it frustrating to watch, until the last five minutes before the bidding ended.


    Suddenly, like injecting adrenaline, thousands of shares, tens of thousands of shares, each bid higher than the last, until the market opened.


    The opening price was 18.98 yuan,


    an increase of 1.48 yuan, opening high at 8.5%.


    Liang''s cost price was 17.91 yuan, his total assets instantly turned from loss to profit, earning 630,000 yuan.


    The high opening gave small investors holding shares hope, they were looking forward to a surge to the limit-up.


    However, the "Market Maker" would not allow small investors to have their wishes fulfilled; he would wash out those with weaker resolve as much as possible.


    19 yuan seemed to be an insurmountable barrier,


    once, twice, thrice unable to break through upwards.


    Some people began to hesitate, knowing it''s common sense that after a spike comes a fall, and if it couldn''t break through upwards, it was bound to fall.


    Murphy''s Law kicked in once more, small investors feared what would come, and the momentum of buying funds rapidly decreased, causing stock prices to start falling.


    8.5%... 7.8%... 6.6%...


    The gains that were in hand were being eroded bit by bit, like a blunt knife cutting into the flesh.


    A large number of small investors panicked, not willing to let the duck that was almost in their mouths fly away, hurriedly cashing out following the trend, to secure their profits as soon as possible.


    Among them was Zhang Qian, whose cost price was 17.47 yuan, even lower than the opening price of 17.5 yuan today.


    Now there was still a 6.5% gain,


    if she sold now, she could earn 4,900 yuan.


    But she hardly played with stocks and carelessly entered a selling price that was 1 yuan too high.


    She should have sold at 18.55 yuan, but she entered 19.55 yuan, even though the limit up was only 19.25 yuan.


    "Hurry, hurry, if I don''t sell now, it''ll be too late," Zhang Qian was anxious, wanting to cancel the transaction and sell again.


    Suddenly, a huge sum of money poured into the market, sweeping up all the sell orders, with a giant bullish candle piercing the Skyline.


    20,000 shares¡­ 30,000 shares¡­ 50,000 shares,


    In just a few breaths, Chinese Online hit the limit-up.


    The funds used to hit the limit-up reached 145 million yuan.


    Even during the instance of the limit-up, sell orders totaling over thirty million yuan came one after another but couldn''t make a dent.


    It was solid as iron,


    allowing one to finish today''s trading journey with peace of mind.


    "Thank goodness I entered the wrong selling price."


    Watching her assets skyrocket by 8,200 yuan, nearing ninety thousand, Zhang Qian hastily canceled the transaction order.


    Because of such massive funds hitting the limit-up, the stock would at least open high tomorrow if it didn''t continue to surge.


    She thought of Lu Liang and excitedly called him, "Liang, Liang, it really hit limit-up."


    "You didn''t sell too early, did you?"


    Today''s operation by the Market Maker taught Lu Liang another lesson.


    High-level shakeout, that moment of the plunge washed away at least tens of millions in funds.


    "How could I? I always believed in you."


    Zhang Qian''s voice was a little lower, slightly guilt-ridden


    Had she not made the pricing error, she indeed would have sold too early, becoming one of the countless ones beating their chests in regret.


    For stock investors, what they fear the most is not losing money, but being shaken out at high levels, failing before dawn.


    The stock forum was in uproar, filled with cursing posts, wishing Zhuang Sheng''s son didn''t have eczema, and various other insults.


    Most of them were small investors who had held their tickets for a week, or two weeks, or even longer, but all fell before dawn.


    Because from the currently known outcomes and the funds accumulated at the limit-up, it was suggested that there wasn''t just one limit-up.


    The Market Maker had grand ambitions.


    Otherwise, he would not have lurked for such a long time building his position.

 Chapter 14 - 14: Playing with Something Very New

    "I''m glad you didn''t sell, just hold on to it for now."


    Lu Liang did not ask Zhang Qian how much she had bought, anyway it wasn''t much, and it wouldn''t have any impact on the market.


    After all, such a shrewd woman would undoubtedly only try out with a few tens of thousands of yuan and not invest too much.


    Lu Liang looked at the price limit of 19.25 yuan and the 588,800 shares he held in his account.


    He sold 3,800 shares and cashed out 73,100 yuan.


    Although he knew there was still a double increase to come, with the highest point at 39.82 yuan, after finishing his gym membership and buying a high-performance computer, only a few thousand yuan were left in his card.


    If he didn''t cash out some money now,


    he probably wouldn''t even be able to afford gas.


    "Mm-hmm, I''ll listen to you."


    Zhang Qian responded obediently and cautiously asked, "Liang, what have you been busy with lately? You haven''t shown up to support me."


    From Lu Liang''s tone, it seemed like the stock still had room to rise.


    She wanted to know when the market would peak and if she could continue to invest later, as she still had 500,000 yuan in available funds.


    Working in marketing at Wanli Palace, her monthly salary ranged from twenty thousand to eighty thousand, but the money was hard-earned, nowhere near as quick as earning from the stock market.


    She needed to seize any opportunity she could.


    "I''ve been busy moving," Lu Liang responded with a slightly upturned lip, discerning her underlying motive, then invited Zhang Qian over to visit his new home.


    "Sure, I have a few days off, just right to come over and give you some advice, see if you need anything else."


    Zhang Qian got Lu Liang''s new address and realized it was at Tangchen Yipin in the Lujiazui financial district, and couldn''t help but be astonished.


    However, thinking about it, Lu Liang drove a Bentley worth millions, so living in a top-tier luxury residence wasn''t unreasonable.


    After ending the call, Zhang Qian quickly dressed up and drove through Pujiang to Tangchen Yipin.


    But as this was her first visit, she needed the host to lead her in.


    Lu Liang was still observing the market fluctuations when he suddenly received Zhang Qian''s call, "Wait for me, I''ll be right out."


    He glanced at the bottom right of the screen; it was not yet eleven thirty, and the morning session wasn''t over.


    "Money is a good thing," Lu Liang chuckled, wearing slippers and humming a tune, heading to the community''s west gate.


    He remembered where Zhang Qian lived, a car journey of at least forty minutes. Considering the time to get ready and put on makeup, at least an hour.


    From the time their call ended, it was less than one and a half hours, enough to show she hadn''t delayed a minute, very eager.


    Lu Liang arrived at the west gate and saw Zhang Qian, realizing she looked like a completely different person from when she was at work.


    She wore a light green long dress, with a slender waist and elegant posture; her skirt fluttering in the breeze, revealing white high heels, her ten toes painted with light pink nail polish, as delicate and enticing as cardamom. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Wearing a bucket hat and light makeup, a beauty mark added to the corner of her lips, she looked fresh and refined, charming but not overly glamorous.


    Despite not being very young, the years hadn''t left too many traces on her, instead adding a touch of mature charm.


    "You look really beautiful today," Lu Liang sincerely admired; if a nine-tailed fox were to take human form, it would probably look just like this.


    Zhang Qian''s style was too versatile; she could look glamorous, seductive, or dignified just like a lady of status.


    There were a few real ladies of status coming and going at the entrance, but compared to Zhang Qian, they seemed slightly inferior.


    The image of Li Manli came to Lu Liang''s mind; comparing her with Zhang Qian, it seemed Li Manli only had her youth left.


    "Wasn''t I beautiful before?" Zhang Qian covered her mouth and laughed lightly, very proud, her effort in dressing up not wasted.


    She hadn''t systematically studied, but through accumulated experience, she knew what kind of attire was appropriate for which person and occasion.


    Plain when it should be plain, bold when it should be bold.


    "You were beautiful before, but today you''re exceptionally beautiful," Lu Liang said, signing in and getting the guard to let them through.


    Then she got into Zhang Qian''s Volkswagen Beetle and directed her to the public parking spot in the underground garage.


    He had only one parking space, but he parked a Bentley, forcing the two to walk a few more steps to the elevator.


    It was also Zhang Qian''s first time here, and she was visiting what could be considered one of the top residential complexes in the country. Her eyes filled with wonder, but she managed to restrain herself, trying her best not to show any sign of weakness.


    However, as they exited the elevator and walked through a long corridor, Lu Liang opened the door to reveal a stunning river-view balcony.


    Zhang Qian was still taken aback.


    After all, given the location and the type of riverscape, if you weren''t born with it, you''d probably never have the chance in your lifetime.


    Her look towards Lu Liang grew more eager, Lu Liang belonged to the former group; he wasn''t born with it, but now he possessed it.


    The room''s decor was very new and looked luxurious, but a pile of cardboard boxes in the corner detracted from its aesthetic.


    "Liang, your place seems a bit... casual."


    Zhang Qian''s face was full of confusion, and it took her a long time to come up with a suitable adjective.


    "Don''t bother, just pile it over there, and have the cleaning service take care of it in a few days."


    These days, Lu Liang had bought a lot of stuff and was left with many empty cardboard boxes. He was too lazy to take them to the garbage downstairs, so he simply stacked them in the corner.


    After all, he planned to hire a cleaner once a week to maintain the place, and then they could get rid of everything.


    "But that isn''t very aesthetically pleasing." Zhang Qian couldn''t help it and promptly took off the light chiffon shawl from her shoulders, quickly stacking the cardboard boxes in a corner of the balcony.


    She smiled and said, "Just tidying up a little like this is all it needs, not much effort at all."


    "That''s true, having a woman around the house really makes a difference." Lu Liang hugged Zhang Qian''s waist, measuring about two and a half handspans wide.


    He buried his head in her burgundy slightly naturally curly hair and took a deep breath, "Changed perfume? Why does it smell different from last time?"


    "Do you like it?" Zhang Qian placed her hand on the back of Lu Liang''s hand, looking at the lifeless apartment, and an unusual thought crossed her mind.


    Both unmarried, maybe they¡­ But as soon as the thought appeared, she dismissed it.


    Years ago, she had learned her lesson, and now her focus was solely on making money, nothing else.


    "I like this fragrance." Lu Liang whispered gently and gradually lifted her skirt hem.


    Having Zhang Qian lean over the sofa, facing Pujiang and enjoying the breeze, must be quite a sensation.


    "Isn''t it noon already? Shouldn''t we have lunch first?" Zhang Qian giggled, bending her knees like a slippery loach and slipped away.


    Men are all the same; they often don''t cherish what they can easily have.


    Sometimes, rejection is also a kind of enticement, just like a spring, the more it is suppressed, the greater the force when it bursts.


    If she lets Lu Liang have his way anytime and anywhere, he would quickly lose interest, and her advantage would no longer exist.


    "What would you like to eat for lunch?" Lu Liang smiled, exhaled a breath, and temporarily suppressed the lust in his heart.


    "Relax, I''m all yours these next few days." Zhang Qian said tenderly, tiptoed and kissed Lu Liang''s cheek.


    After that, she ran off like a little girl to the semi-open kitchen, which was fully furnished but devoid of any cooking smell.


    Zhang Qian checked around: "Liang, how long has it been since you cooked at home? I''m quite a good cook, maybe give it a try?"


    Lu Liang, a man who had climbed up from the lower ranks and was divorced, would likely be immune to common tactics.


    She planned to take a different approach. She wouldn''t invest emotionally, but she could put on an act, giving Lu Liang a taste of home warmth again.


    "If you''re so confident, then how could I refuse?" Lu Liang slightly curled his lips, touching the cheek she had kissed.


    "I will check, there are lots of ingredients that need to be bought nearby," Zhang Qian ordered through her phone.


    Lu Liang walked to the kitchen, leaning against the wall, squinting slightly at Zhang Qian, noticing she was playing with some modern gadgets.


    Was it also a sort of tactic?


    He didn''t mind but rather looked forward to Zhang Qian''s performance, knowing what she was after, keeping the upper hand always in his grasp.

 Chapter 15 - 15: End-of-Day Market Fluctuations

    A delivery staff brought the order to the door, and forty minutes later, a steaming hot three-dish-one-soup meal was laid out on the dining table.


    Steamed pork ribs with rice flour, braised shrimps in oil, stir-fried vegetables, and oyster soup¡ªvery ordinary home-cooked dishes.


    "You''re so pretty, and the food is so delicious, whoever marries you will be lucky."


    Liang couldn''t stop praising, and it wasn''t just courtesy¡ªhe''d often cooked himself before and could tell that Zhang Qian genuinely had the skill.


    "Liang, stop making fun of me, try this shrimp." Zhang Qian personally peeled one and brought it to his mouth.


    "Delicious," praised Lu Liang.


    But he found it strange, Zhang Qian was from the north, why did the flavors she made tilt towards the south?


    "After all, I''ve been in Modu for so many years, my tastes have been assimilated," Zhang Qian said, a bit startled.


    Then she added, "Liang, you like strong flavors, so next time I''ll make some special dishes from my hometown for you."


    "No need, something lighter is also quite nice."


    After dinner, Lu Liang took Zhang Qian downstairs for a walk along the Riverfront Promenade to help digest the meal.


    The river breeze blew, lifting Zhang Qian''s hair, and a sweet smile appeared on her face, making Lu Liang feel momentarily lost in reverie.


    This scene gave him a sense of home, but not the home of the past, rather the home he imagined in his mind.


    Once upon a time, his wishes were simple.


    Get a wife, start a business, work hard, carefully manage his family, have a child before turning 30, then start striving for the next generation.


    However, ever since getting married and bringing Lin Wenjing from his hometown to Modu, everything changed.


    She became vain, fond of comparing herself with others, always talking about how much money someone made, and how good someone else''s life was...


    "What''s wrong?" Zhang Qian, ever considerate, sensed that Lu Liang wasn''t in a good mood.


    "It''s nothing, let''s go back."


    Lu Liang wrapped his arm around Zhang Qian''s slender waist, and they walked back together.


    Let the past drift away like smoke with the wind, he had already cut ties with it, embarking on a new chapter of life.


    In the following days, Zhang Qian occasionally went out to handle some affairs, but mostly stayed in Tangchen Yipin.


    During the day, she cooked meals for Lu Liang with various recipes, and at night, the bathroom, sofa, balcony, kitchen all became the battlefields where they shed sweat.


    In the meantime, the stock price of Chinese Online kept climbing higher and higher.


    Zhang Qian was extremely excited, because the next day, she had followed suit by investing five hundred thousand, going all in on full margin like Lu Liang.


    The cost price had risen to 20.25 yuan at that time, but now the stock price had already risen to 32.72 yuan per share. She currently held 29,600 shares, now valued at 968,000 yuan, earning her a profit of 387,000 yuan.


    The loving look Zhang Qian gave Lu Liang seemed almost tangible, her passion even more intense, wishing she could merge with him and become one.


    On Thursday, Chinese Online opened high and kept climbing.


    Approaching two o''clock in the afternoon, it hit the daily limit.


    The latest price was 34.85 yuan, with 125 million yuan of limit-up funds, the main investor''s attitude seemed very determined, and small investors were also very optimistic about the future, collectively shouting "the second Baofeng."


    After a long contemplation, Lu Liang stepped out of the study and called over Zhang Qian, who was watching TV in the living room, "Let''s liquidate our positions."


    Zhang Qian glanced at the market, "It hit the limit-up again today, are we selling off too?"


    "Who told you that just because it hits the limit today, it''s guaranteed to rise tomorrow?" Lu Liang asked with a smile.


    Zhang Qian was taken aback, took out her phone to operate it, looked up with a smile, "I''ll listen to you, I''ve sold them all."


    "Alright, I still have some things to take care of, see you later."


    Lu Liang touched her cheek and closed the door of his study.


    Something felt off to him, a voice warning: June 2nd, Chinese Online, 39.82 yuan.


    Today was May 28th, with only six days and four trading days left, there was no reason for the stock price to jump that high.


    Also, the trend of this stock was nearing its end, with the market maker''s attitude on the limit-up, it shouldn''t have been so unsettlingly decisive.


    Lu Liang felt something was amiss and took advantage of the market maker''s aggressive bid to seal the price at 34.85 yuan, where he began to frenziedly offload shares.


    584,500 shares, valued at 20.38 million, had nearly broken the cap that he had just hit, but the subsequent bids from the main force patched it up.


    Apart from this doubt, Lu Liang also wanted to test whether his involvement could affect market fluctuations.


    Over 20 million was already a significant sum of money, which could have allowed him to corner the market in smaller trading volumes.


    "The market maker must be hurting," Lu Liang mused as he sipped lemon tea made by Zhang Qian, suddenly struck by inspiration.


    He thought of Baofeng Technology, which, when the market trend was nearing its end, had experienced a similar incident.


    In the end, a Sky Floor unfolded¡ªthe next day saw the stock open high and climb higher, enticing a large number of retail investors to take over the holdings.


    Having just been hammered with 20 million by Lu Liang, the stock still reached its upper limit; the two events seemed to have a curious parallel.


    If following this train of thought, the 20 million yuan of capital he unloaded should have been the market maker''s doing, flipping shares left to right at the limit-up price, but Lu Liang preempted a portion of it.


    Lu Liang spun in his chair, his gaze fixed on the screen.


    If his deduction was correct, there should be some unusual movements at the close of trading.


    2:40 p.m.,


    The last twenty minutes before the market closed.


    Chinese Online broke the cap.


    The initial 1.25 billion yuan that sealed the cap was suddenly withdrawn¡ªover 90 million gone in an instant, and the remaining 30 million was quickly exchanged in the span of a few breaths.


    10.05%...6.56%...3.15%...


    A massive wave of selling ensued, and the stock price plummeted.


    Because it was limit-up, there were no support funds built below, and the price was smashed down by 13 points in an instant. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The market was dumbfounded, and some retail investors who had bought at high prices were literally crying in the bathrooms.


    Because it had opened today with a 5.6% gain and had risen steadily until the cap was placed at 2 p.m., enduring a three-hour journey to the ceiling during which countless retail investors were lured in.


    Some entered at 6%, some at 8%, and others at the limit-up price.


    Today''s ceiling with so much capital locked in suggested at least a high open tomorrow.


    Zhang Qian''s thoughts also represented the general public''s.


    Many didn''t even get a taste of the success before getting hit by a sudden blow.


    Zhang Qian was also watching the market from the living room.


    Witnessing this scene, her eyes widened, and she couldn''t help but let out an exclamation before quickly covering her mouth, fearful of disturbing Lu Liang''s work.


    "That''s incredible, it''s as if he has magical power¡ªhe just told me to liquidate my position, and now the stock price is crashing."


    Zhang Qian patted her chest, still in shock. If she hadn''t listened to Lu Liang, she would have earned 80,000 yuan less.


    Her capital of 580,000 yuan had grown to 1.02 million, earning her 440,000 yuan from this wave, exceeding her annual salary.


    Humming a tune to herself, Xiao Qu planned to make some snacks to reward Lu Liang for leading her to fortune.


    In the study, Lu Liang sank into deep thought.


    After a few minutes of turbulence, support funds reappeared below, and the stock price lingered around 31 yuan, with a drop of -2.1%.


    Judging from his guesses, there were three possible directions: first, like Baofeng Technology, to execute another Sky Floor play.


    However, that was too risky, as Baofeng Technology had recently fallen, experiencing four consecutive limit-downs.


    It was said that the heads of several institutions had been summoned by the Securities and Futures Commission for an inquiry¡ªno one should dare to break the rules now.


    The second possibility was a lackluster end for today, with continued declines tomorrow and then a pump before unloading next week.


    The third scenario involved luring in more buyers by pushing up the price at the end of trading to attract retail investors to chase the rise, then have a small drop tomorrow followed by a significant increase next week.


    Lu Liang investigated and found at least three institutions involved, each had been hibernating for over 20 days.


    Stepping in might affect the market''s direction, but the impact would undoubtedly not be too significant.

 Chapter 16 - 16: You Support Me?

    "Second, or third?"


    Liang pondered and suddenly laughed.


    He had already cleared his positions, his securities account showing available funds of 20.38 million, with a profit of nearly ten million.


    Regardless of whether the market maker opted for the second or third option, there would certainly be another minor trend coming up.


    This was because the institution still had several hundred million in it, and they wouldn''t crash the market before cashing out.


    Liang''s personal investments were modest, having capitalized fully on a major market trend; he could extricate himself quickly and couldn''t lose either way.


    Realizing this, he no longer hesitated and used half of his positions, about 10 million.


    He bought in again at the price of 30.98 yuan, helping the stock price to break through the 31 yuan barrier once more.


    It was now ten minutes to three o''clock in the afternoon.


    129 Yellow River Road, in the public''s eyes, it was a place, and the location of the Southwest Securities Modu Exchange.


    But in the financial market, it was the name of an institution, controlling several funds and managing over 30 billion in assets.


    "Who the hell is this?"


    "Are they coming in again? Really taking us for stepping stones?"


    The fund manager at Huipu No.3 was furious, along with those at 12 Banquan Road and 24 Wenzheng Road. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The three fund managers joined forces, utilizing over 600 million to create a major trend for Chinese Online.


    Yet, as they were about to reap the fruits of victory, someone dishonorably left the game early.


    Although a few tens of millions wasn''t much, it disrupted their original plans, causing a sudden hike in costs.


    They barely managed to plug the hole and get the plan back on track when the other party struck again.


    "Old Zheng? Or Old Zhou?"


    He suspected an insider; otherwise, the timing of the cash-out was too perfect, as if they had monitored their positions.


    On second thought, an insider seemed unlikely, after all, it was only twenty or thirty million, while their total investment exceeded 600 million.


    If they failed to exit on time and caused market panic resulting in everyone trying to offload their stakes, the 600 million could get entirely trapped.


    They couldn''t possibly not understand this.


    "Damn vultures."


    After eliminating various possibilities, the culprit became clear.


    In the stock market, retail investors with large funds are also referred to as major investors, but generally, the fund managers called them vultures.


    Usually following behind them and picking at leftovers, and now boldly taking the first bite of fresh flesh, yet still not satisfied.


    Meanwhile, he received calls from 12 Banquan Road and 24 Wenzheng Road; their guesses were mostly aligned, and they no longer suspected each other.


    "What do we do?" 12 asked.


    "Start unloading now? Trap him inside?" 24 suggested.


    129, full of rage, could only shake his head, "No, stick to the plan."


    He was furious but helpless; the other party had once unloaded, and this time the buying amount was even less, probably not up to ten million.


    They couldn''t change their plan just because of the other party, they could only raise the stock price later to compensate for this shortfall.


    "Each of us adds another 20 million, push the stock price above 40 yuan..."


    ...


    At exactly three o''clock in the afternoon, the stock market closed. The dramatic reversal at the end that many retail investors hoped for did not occur.


    Chinese Online, closed with a stock price of 31.30 yuan and a decrease of -1.55% for the day.


    "Was it the second scenario?" Liang mused to himself.


    If all went as usual, tomorrow would either open low or continue to drop, followed by a rebound next week, then the trend would end.


    He was slightly disappointed; the institutions involved lacked the boldness of those at Baofeng Technology.


    If they had performed a violent surge at the close or staged a sky floor, it could have become ''Baofeng'' the second.


    Clearly, they lacked the courage, probably fearing a ''chat'' invitation from the Securities and Futures Commission.


    Liang organized his notes, walked out of the study, and smelled the sweet scent of freshly baked bread.


    The dining table was set with several dishes of just-baked pastries.


    "I guessed you were about to come out," Zhang Qian walked to the bar, smiling as she asked, "Tea, coffee, or a drink?"


    "Coffee, please." Liang walked up behind her, embracing her waist and kissing her cheek. "You really are good at everything."


    "Men''s hearts, men''s stomachs, you''ve got to keep one, right?"


    "Why do I feel like you''ve kept both of mine?"


    "If only that were true."


    Zhang Qian said with a smile, handing a coffee to Lu Liang, "My vacation is over, I have to go back to work tonight."


    "That soon? Won''t you stay a few more days?"


    Lu Liang was a bit reluctant. Having been treated so well these past few days, he wasn''t used to suddenly being alone.


    "If I don''t work, will you support me?" Zhang Qian joked.


    "I would support you, it''s not like I can''t afford it."


    Lu Liang was serious; he had actually considered this before. It would only mean spending an extra seventy or eighty thousand a month, and he wasn''t short on money now.


    "Forget it, save those words for the young girls."


    Zhang Qian laughed, a touch of tenderness showing in her eyes.


    She knew her own situation well. If she were a few years younger, she might have agreed, but not now.


    "Younger girls aren''t as enticing as you are." Lu Liang didn''t press the matter further, being long-term Running Buddies wasn''t so bad.


    "What about Lili then?" Zhang Qian said with a playful smile.


    Last night, Lu Liang had accidentally turned on the speakerphone, and she recognized it as Li Manli''s voice. The young girl kept calling him ''Brother,'' her voice sweet.


    "She''s good, and so are you."


    Lu Liang was blunt, offering no further explanation.


    "Men."


    Zhang Qian gave him a glare, shaking her head in exasperation.


    Then suddenly, her phone rang. After she answered, her expression changed drastically, "Liang, I''ve got something to handle, I need to leave."


    Lu Liang''s smile faded, "Need any help?"


    He saw the caller ID: Mr. Lin.


    Spending the last few days together, Lu Liang had learned that Zhang Qian had a daughter who was seven years old and in first grade.


    If she hadn''t told him, Lu Liang would never have guessed Zhang Qian had a seven-year-old daughter.


    Zhang Qian hesitated for a moment, "If you''re not too busy, I might need a favor."


    "Let''s talk while walking." Lu Liang picked up his car keys and followed Zhang Qian out.


    Zhang Qian nodded, "Let''s head to Affiliated Primary first."


    Normally, her mother would help take care of her daughter. She had just received a call from a teacher saying her mother had fallen while picking the girl up from school and had been taken to the hospital.


    It was an emergency, and she couldn''t take care of Zhang Yun, who was still at school.


    The entire drive, Zhang Qian was on the phone, asking about the situation and saying she was on her way.


    Lu Liang stepped on the gas, he might have even run a red light.


    At the gates of Affiliated Primary, a delicate-looking little girl, bearing a resemblance to Zhang Qian, stood timidly next to a teacher.


    As Zhang Qian got out of the car, the girl saw her and immediately rushed to hug her legs, her face streaked with tears, "Mom, is Grandma okay?"


    "Xiaoguai, don''t cry. Grandma is fine; we''re going to the hospital to see her now."


    Zhang Qian thanked the teacher again. She had just spoken with the hospital on the phone and was relieved to find out it was only a fracture.


    The teacher hurriedly waved her off, "No worries, you better hurry to the hospital."


    Zhang Qian took her daughter, Zhang Yun, and got into the car.


    Before she could speak, Lu Liang asked, "Which hospital?"


    "It''s at City Third." Zhang Qian pulled Zhang Yun close, "Xiaoguai, say hello to Uncle Lu."


    "Uncle Lu, hello, my name is Zhang Yun, I''m seven years old, in first grade." Zhang Yun looked obedient.


    "There, don''t cry." Lu Liang gently patted her head and softly said, "I came in such a hurry, I didn''t prepare any gifts for my first meeting with you, how about Uncle buys you something later?"


    The little girl''s big eyes, still misty with tears, widened, "Uncle Lu, are you my mom''s boyfriend?"


    "Xiaoguai," Zhang Qian said sharply.


    "Isn''t he?"


    Lu Liang glanced sharply, then amiably said, "Uncle Lu is indeed your mom''s boyfriend. Next time she scolds you, you can tell Uncle Lu quietly, and Uncle Lu will talk to her."


    "Lu Liang!" Zhang Qian was both embarrassed and angry.


    "Really?" The little girl''s eyes sparkled, clearly wanting to ask more, but Zhang Qian covered her mouth.

 Chapter 17 - 17: Touching Hearts

    Arriving at the hospital and asking the nurse, he learned which ward Zhang Qian''s mother was in.


    The ward had four beds, and in the innermost bed lay an elder with a kind face.


    The police officer asked softly to understand the situation and saw people approaching, "Are you Zhuang Huilan''s family?"


    Zhang Qian hurriedly said, "Zhuang Huilan is my mother. Is she alright?"


    "There should be nothing seriously wrong."


    The police officer then turned to Lu Liang, naturally assuming he was her husband, "Sir, please come out with us for a moment."


    Zhang Qian was about to speak when Lu Liang patted the back of her hand and smiled, "I''ll go and find out what is happening." Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Mrs. Zhuang looked puzzledly at Zhang Qian and then at Lu Liang.


    Zhang Yun held her hand, squatting beside the bed, unable to hold back tears, "Grandma, are you alright?"


    Mrs. Zhuang looked at her lovingly, "Xiaoguai, don''t cry, grandma is fine. Tell grandma, were you well-behaved in school today?"


    Zhang Qian, watching Lu Liang talk to the police outside, gritted her teeth and said, "His name is Lu Liang, he''s my boyfriend."


    "Qianqian, you finally came to your senses, it''s also time you found a boyfriend."


    Mrs. Zhuang was surprised but then smiled¡ªa smile so joyful that she accidentally aggravated her wound, causing her to inhale sharply in pain.


    "Mom, be careful, what did the doctor just say?" Zhang Qian forced a smile, not wanting to discuss this topic.


    Outside, Lu Liang finished talking with the police, returned to the ward, and informed them that it was a hit-and-run case. Although there was surveillance, there were too many people, and it was unclear who was responsible.


    "As long as my mom is alright."


    Zhang Qian was still shaken and had no mind to blame anyone.


    She was about to thank Lu Liang and then find a chance to clarify to her mother that the two of them were just friends.


    Unexpectedly, Lu Liang squatted beside the bed and gently said, "Auntie, hello, my name is Lu Liang."


    Mrs. Zhuang nodded, holding Lu Liang''s hand, visibly excited and sincere, "Little Lu, Qianqian has had a tough life before, I''m entrusting her to you from now on."


    All these years, her daughter had not found another boyfriend, even saying she just wanted to raise her child and didn''t need a man.


    Now that she had finally brought a boyfriend home, she didn''t ask for anything except that he be good to her and her daughter.


    "Mom, why mention this, Xiaoguai is here too." Zhang Qian became anxious, fully aware of her relationship with Lu Liang.


    Lu Liang paused, then smiled and said, "Auntie, don''t worry, I will be good to Qianqian."


    He then patted the little girl''s head, "And of course, Xiaoguai too."


    Zhang Qian was distracted, knowing well that Lu Liang was putting on an act, yet she couldn''t help but feel an expectation¡ªif only it were true.


    At that moment, the nurse came to inform them that the doctor wanted to discuss treatment plans with the family and also make an upfront payment.


    "Qianqian, you go and talk to the doctor. I will go to the entrance to make the payment, Xiaoguai can stay here with grandma."


    Lu Liang organized everything, took the documents, and followed the nurse to the first-floor clinic to make the upfront payment.


    On the nurse''s suggestion, he deposited fifty thousand as an upfront payment and requested a private room.


    After completing all the formalities, Lu Liang then went outside to buy several portions of dinner, finally returning to the ward.


    Zhang Qian was waiting for him at the door, and Lu Liang signaled that they would talk after eating, reasoning that even if she wasn''t hungry, the little girl must be.


    "McDonald''s, thank you, Uncle. Mom never let me eat this before."


    The little girl''s mood was like June weather, knowing her grandma was not seriously hurt, she regained the liveliness typical of her age.


    "It makes me sound like I mistreat you. Kids should eat less greasy food, but it''s okay to indulge occasionally."


    Zhang Qian opened the dinner packaging, a tender look in her eyes.


    Lu Liang was very considerate, not only buying a kid''s meal but also keeping in mind the elder''s health by specifically buying a portion of plain porridge.


    "Xiaoguai, look what Uncle Lu bought for you as a gift, ta-da~"


    Lu Liang, like a magician, pulled out a delicate little box from his pocket¡ªit was a children''s watch phone that had recently been released by BBK.


    "Thank you, Uncle," said the little girl excitedly, unable to put down the watch, likely having seen this model at school.


    "Tomorrow I''ll have your mom get you a secondary card, but you must promise Uncle not to play with it during study time."


    "Okay~" The little girl stole a glance at her mother and then nodded hastily like a pecking chick.


    "Let''s make a pinky promise."


    Liang, full of childlike spirit, hooked the girl''s pinky and they both yelled in unison, "Pinky promise, hang for a hundred years, no changing, whoever changes is a puppy."


    Zhang Qian sighed. It wasn''t that she couldn''t afford it, she just didn''t want her daughter to be exposed to electronic products too early.


    Mrs. Zhuang, with a face full of loving kindness and a smile, said, "Little Lu and Xiaoguai get along so well, you should be reassured now."


    Zhang Qian gave a bitter smile but offered no explanation.


    At night, both Zhang Yun and Mrs. Zhuang had fallen asleep, and the hired hospital caregiver had also arrived.


    Zhang Qian and Lu Liang stepped outside the hospital room. "Liang, thank you. How much was everything? I''ll transfer it to you."


    "Would it really be so rude of me to pretend to be your boyfriend?"


    "That''s not what I meant."


    "Consider it a gesture of goodwill to the elderly, and besides, I quite like Xiaoguai."


    Lu Liang looked at the little girl lying at the edge of the bed, his eyes filled with tenderness.


    If his life plans hadn''t gone astray, he would have had a child about her age.


    Lu Liang continued, "You really should consider changing jobs. The child is getting older and will find out sooner or later. She even quietly asked me what her mom does outside."


    "What did you tell her?" Zhang Qian asked urgently.


    Although she bought a house in Modu, she always stayed in the company dormitory, as she didn''t want her daughter to know what she did.


    "I told her, Uncle is a big boss and your mom is helping me out."


    Lu Liang, recalling the moment, couldn''t help but laugh. "She also said to give you more leave so you could spend quality time with her."


    Zhang Qian fell silent and after a long while said bitterly, "What else can I do?"


    "Don''t sell yourself short. You have great communication skills and high emotional intelligence. I think running a beauty salon would be great."


    "But I don''t know anything about that."


    "You can learn, and it doesn''t have to be in the beauty industry. You could look into other options."


    Lu Liang touched her earlobe, gently squeezing. "When the time comes, we could open a store together. I''ll invest, and you manage."


    "I''ll think about it." Zhang Qian shivered, knowing through their days of interaction what her most sensitive spots were.


    Her cheeks flushed, she protested quietly, "Let go; we''re at the hospital."


    Liang chuckled, "Sorry, it''s a habit."


    "Mama, when are we going home?"


    Just then, the little girl, just awake, rubbing her eyes, came over and looked up, "Mamma, your face is so red. Do you have a cold?"


    "Go to the parking lot with Uncle Lu first, Mama needs to talk to grandma and the caregiver for a minute," Zhang Qian quickly turned her head away, fiercely glaring at Lu Liang.


    "Xiaoguai, grab your backpack. Let''s head out," Lu Liang chuckled, taking the little girl''s hand as they left the hospital.


    As they passed a pediatric clinic, the little girl stealthily watched as other children were carried by their fathers, her eyes filled with envy.


    Noticing this, Lu Liang crouched down and whispered, "Xiaoguai, climb up, Uncle will carry you."


    The little girl, delighted, excitedly clambered onto Lu Liang''s back, whispering, "So broad, not like mom or grandma at all."


    "Hold tight, off we go!" Lu Liang grinned, intentionally quickening his pace to give the little girl the thrill of a roller coaster ride.


    In the dim, quiet underground parking lot, the little girl''s laughter rang out like a bell.


    Upon arriving, Zhang Qian, seeing this scene, suddenly froze. She watched covertly for a long time, her eyes gradually moistening, unable to help whispering, "You rascal."


    Knowing it was impossible,


    why must you always tug at the heartstrings?

 Chapter 18 - 18: Sensible, Deviating from Prediction

    On the way back, Zhang Qian suddenly said to her daughter, "Xiaoguai, Uncle Lu is planning to get Mom a new job so that Mom can spend more time with you from now on."


    Throughout this trip, she had thought a lot. There was some truth in what Lu Liang had said; the child was growing up and would eventually start having doubts.


    If this got out at school, children say the darnedest things, and it could lead to ugly talk that would be detrimental to her daughter''s development.


    And if Lu Liang wanted to maintain a long-term relationship with her, he certainly wouldn''t want her to keep working in the nightlife and forced to put on a happy face.


    "That''s great." The little girl, thrilled, tugged on Lu Liang''s sleeve and smiled sweetly, "Uncle Lu, thank you."


    "Don''t mention it, who could resist our adorable Xiaoguai?" Lu Liang affectionately tousled her hair.


    Zhang Qian lived in Fudou Garden, Changning, Building 16, Unit 2-4, which Lu Liang had helped her find last year.


    A small three-bedroom apartment¡ªnot spacious, but owning a place in Modu put her ahead of most people.


    "Uncle Lu, this is my room, this is my favorite Little Love, and that''s Dou Bao..."


    The little girl excitedly pulled Lu Liang into a pink-themed bedroom, introducing various cartoon plush toys.


    "I recognize this one, it''s Snoopy, right?" Lu Liang smiled as he picked up a white little dog.


    The little girl nodded excitedly, "Yes, yes, yes, it''s Snoopy, my mom doesn''t even recognize it."


    "Time to take a bath and go to sleep, you have school tomorrow." Zhang Qian closed the door and poured Lu Liang a cup of tea.


    She said, "Liang, I''m planning to resign. I''ve spent the past few months taking care of my mom and now I need to think about what I want to do next."


    Lu Liang said, "Once you have some ideas, check out the market on your own. When you''re ready, send me a budget."


    Zhang Qian didn''t want to rely entirely on Lu Liang. She wanted to contribute as well, but it wasn''t the right time to bring it up as nothing was set in stone yet.


    "If there''s nothing else, I should get going. I have to travel for a few days; call me if you need anything."


    This afternoon, Meng Changkun had called him, saying he could go to an actor audition tomorrow and asking if Lu Liang was available.


    Lu Liang, of course, said he was free and had arranged the time. The audition was a minor matter; getting involved in that circle was more significant.


    "Then, Liang, let me see you out." Zhang Qian stood up when suddenly the bedroom door cracked open behind her, and the little girl peered out with wide eyes, "Uncle, are you staying here tonight?"


    Zhang Qian turned around, her face cold as she directly addressed her, "Zhang Yun! Go take a bath and sleep right now."


    The little girl pouted, "I was just asking. Grandma''s in the hospital, and there''s no one to take me to school tomorrow."


    "Uncle has something to do and needs to leave now. I''ll take you to school tomorrow," Zhang Qian said coldly.


    The little girl''s spirits were low, but she forced a smile and waved, "Uncle, bye-bye."


    After saying that, as if venting her feelings, she slammed the door shut with a bang.


    "Zhang Yun!" Zhang Qian''s face darkened; she was really angry now, "Is there no discipline anymore?"


    "Cool down, cool down." Lu Liang practically had to pull Zhang Qian out of the room while holding her.


    He pinched Zhang Qian''s cheek and said with a smile, "I''ve never seen you lose your temper like this before."


    "Such a young child, if not taught properly, what will her character turn into?" Zhang Qian said firmly, struggling to free herself from Lu Liang''s hold.


    "Behave yourself too." Lu Liang held her even tighter and sighed, "Have you never considered there might be another reason?"


    "No reason excuses throwing a tantrum. Who am I working this hard for?" Zhang Qian''s eyes reddened, feeling wronged.


    She could put up with men taking advantage, keep smiling through humiliation, and keep drinking till she threw up just to earn more money, all to give her daughter a better life.


    But now, her daughter daring to give her attitude was something Zhang Qian couldn''t accept.


    "Money is crucial to us as adults, but kids aren''t that materialistic; they crave their parents'' companionship more."


    Lu Liang recounted what had happened in the pediatric clinic; the little girl could only secretly envy others, which was heartbreaking.


    "Your daughter is really sensible and considerate of you, but she''s still a child who can''t always hold back, which is why she''s acting out against you."


    Liang used to work in real estate and had encountered all sorts of people. In the world of adults, everything was about profit, including his relationship with Zhang Qian.


    The innocent gaze of a child suddenly added a touch of color to this gray world.


    That''s why he loved Xiaoguai so much.


    Zhang Qian remained silent, seemingly recalling some memories, and gradually calmed down, "Liang, let go of me."


    Liang released his grip and smiled, "I''ve thought it through. I''ll have a good chat with her later. I''m leaving now."


    "Liang," Zhang Qian suddenly called out, almost pleading, "If possible, please find some time to visit Xiaoguai, even if it''s just to have a meal with her."


    She had thought she could play both the roles of mother and father, but now she realized it was just wishful thinking.


    Xiaoguai craved paternal love, yet she had always overlooked it.


    "No problem," Liang paused, then joked, "Aren''t you afraid that she might call me ''Dad'' after a while?"


    Zhang Qian wiped the corner of her eye and reverted to her savvy, mature self, smiling, "Wouldn''t that be killing two birds with one stone?"


    Having a considerate dad for her daughter, and a wealthy husband for herself indeed would be a double blessing.


    Liang was startled, realizing he might have trapped himself, and waved his hand, "Bye, I''m off."


    "Bye-bye."


    Zhang Qian stuck out her tongue and made a funny face, murmuring softly, "Why so scared, it''s not like you have to take responsibility, at worst I''ll let you freeload..."


    ...


    The next morning, at nine-thirty.


    Liang stared blankly at the computer screen, so much so that he didn''t answer when Meng Changkun called.


    Chinese Online opened at a limit up, the current price at 34.43 Yuan, strongly sealed at the limit, with the sealing capital reaching more than eighty million.


    "How could this happen? It''s limit up today; what will the market be like in the next two working days?"


    Liang had bottom-fished ten million yesterday and had earned a million today, but he was not happy at all.


    On one hand, his prediction was wrong,


    On the other hand, it stemmed from fear.


    [June 2, Chinese Online, 39.82 Yuan.]


    But according to the current trend, this stock was already exuding a demonic flair and had even appeared on the Dragon and Tiger List twice.


    In such a scenario, next week it would either shoot up massively or plunge, and that voice might predict wrongly.


    Liang dared not think about what would happen if that voice predicted wrongly? Would nothing happen? Or would it disappear altogether?


    Liang pondered for a long time until Meng Changkun called again, waking him up: "Lu, are you still not awake?"


    "Mr. Kun, sorry, I''ve been up for a while, I was just busy. Are you downstairs? Okay, I''ll come down right away."


    Liang pondered for a moment, regardless of whether it would affect the market, he directly sold all his 322,200 shares, squaring off his position.


    At that instant, Chinese Online broke the limit, but it was quickly sealed again, with even more capital sealing it at 1.2 billion.


    By now, Liang no longer cared, he just wanted to stay cash and observe for a few days, to avoid losses in case the voice was inaccurate.


    He had to prepare for the worst-case scenario, where an inaccurate prediction led to the disappearance of the voice.


    Currently, his total account funds stood at 21.586 million, of which 21.586 million was available, and 10.256 million could be withdrawn.


    Liang withdrew all 10.256 million to his bank account, then picked up his car keys and left.


    Meanwhile, S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At 129 Yellow River Road, curses were heard:


    "Damn it, again, can''t make money even when it''s right there¡­"

 Chapter 19 - 19: Playing Finance, All Big Shots

    "Mr. Kun, sorry to have kept you waiting."


    "No worries, I''ve just come downstairs myself."


    As Lu Liang arrived downstairs, he ran into Meng Changkun and then planned to head to the parking lot to drive his car.


    "Take my car, it''s right at the door, so you don''t have to worry about finding your way," Meng Changkun suggested. He was dressed in shorts, a T-shirt, and sneakers, standing there with his belly out, chuckling, obviously in a good mood.


    In comparison, Lu Liang seemed a bit preoccupied, his thoughts dominated by the matter of the voice.


    If it were just a one-time opportunity, maybe he wouldn''t be so anxious, considering it a lottery win.


    But having experienced it twice, first becoming a multi-millionaire and then doubling his wealth,


    that kind of feeling was too good to quit; he wasn''t prepared for the thought of the voice disappearing.


    "Lu?" Meng Changkun''s reminder snapped Lu Liang out of his thoughts. "Mr. Kun, your plan sounds good to me."


    Meng Changkun led Lu Liang to the western gate of the complex, where a black Maybach was parked by the road.


    "Little Liu, to the Land King Building." Once seated in the back, Meng Changkun greeted the driver.


    He looked at Lu Liang, "Are you feeling alright? You seem off today."


    "Just thinking about work, but it''s nothing major." Lu Liang exhaled and his smile returned.


    Back when he had nothing, he managed to settle down in Modu; having over twenty million in cash now, he could retire in a small city if need be.


    "Bro, I still don''t know what you do for a living?" Meng Changkun asked curiously.


    "Nothing much recently, just trading some stocks, studying the markets," Lu Liang casually revealed.


    "You''re quite the dark horse, anyone in finance is a big shot," Meng Changkun was surprised.


    He had thought of many industries but never imagined that Lu Liang was a full-time financial speculator.


    In all industries, finance was the pinnacle, directly or indirectly serving or targeting finance.


    Whenever society gets a new trend, the financial markets are always the first to respond.


    But this field is deep and treacherous. Meng Changkun himself had previously invested millions, nearly losing everything.


    Eventually, he stuck with venture capital, investing hundreds of thousands or millions in startups.


    Though many failed, just one success could result in flipping shares for tens or hundreds of millions.


    "Mr. Kun is teasing me, I''m no big shot, just picking up leftovers behind the real players."


    Lu Liang was being realistic; he was at most a large account holder but just a minnow before the true sharks.


    "Don''t sell yourself short, everyone starts small."


    Meng Changkun chuckled, yet kept watchful, steering away from delving too deep into this topic.


    The finance world was complex not only due to intricate play but also due to swindlers that ran rampant.


    Meng Changkun knew of several such real-life examples; a Friend of his met someone claiming to be a financial speculator.


    At first, this person guided his Friend to trade stocks in smaller exchanges, where each stock only had a market cap of a few hundred million, and a few hundred thousand or even tens of thousands could sway the market.


    The manipulators only needed to bait a few ''suckers'' and spend a bit of money to move the market, giving them a taste of success before luring them into offshore financing or private placements.


    Once private placements were involved, profit and loss became nothing but numbers changed at the whim of the manipulator''s fingers.


    Even if you could make a million in a day from ten thousand, if that money can''t be withdrawn, it''s just fake numbers.


    His Friend was conned out of tens of millions, half of it company money, and ended up having to sell his properties and borrow money just to avoid jail.


    The stolen money, of course, was unrecoverable, as the servers and the core group behind these schemes were based abroad.


    "Mr. Kun, what''s the name of the film today?"


    Lu Liang noticed that Meng Changkun was on guard.


    It''s human nature, after all, pies don''t fall from the sky, but pitfalls can appear on the ground at any time.


    If someone introduces a surefire business deal, you should reflect on why they approached you. Do they not have relatives or friends? Why would they leave this money-making opportunity for you?


    Meng Changkun thought for a while, "Seems like I heard Old Wu mention it, it''s called ''Disc Immortal Battle Pen Immortal''. Yeah, that''s the name."


    "..." Lu Liang was speechless, blinked, "Just by hearing the name, you know there will be lots of beautiful women."


    Meng Changkun laughed heartily, "That''s for sure, otherwise, why would we bother going?"


    He added, "But the leading lady, secondary lead actress, and leading man have already been decided. The main auditions are for the third and fourth female roles."


    Lu Liang suddenly asked, "Those who were decided, whose kids are they, or whose lovers?"


    "Cough cough~ Lu, don''t put it so bluntly," Meng Changkun replied with an embarrassed look and a somewhat unnatural smile.


    Lu Liang showed a knowing smile that all men understand, "The leading lady, or the secondary lead actress?"


    Meng Changkun smirked, "The secondary lead actress, graduated from the arts college last year. So young, and what a figure."


    Just by the name of the movie, it was clear it would flop. If it wasn''t for promoting his little lover, he wouldn''t bother investing a penny.


    Lu Liang showed an admiring face, "Brother, you really know how to play the game."


    "When the time comes, I''ll let you pick out a few scripts too. These young girls nowadays are very ''dedicated'' for a chance to appear on the big screen."


    Meng Changkun smirked with an experienced air, "Everyone knows that being a star is great, you''re the center of attention, and the money comes quickly."


    "But with so many art schools all over the country, being beautiful with a good figure is just the basic requirement."


    "If you have no network or connections and are not willing to ''work hard,'' how can you catch our eye?"


    "The key point is, we don''t have to spend our own money."


    Lu Liang was puzzled, "What do you mean by that?"


    Meng Changkun explained, "Investing in movies is a business act; you don''t think I would pay out of my own pocket, do you?"


    "Understood," Lu Liang realized, it''s just like buying cars, houses, and airplanes in the name of the company.


    Enjoying oneself while the company foots the bill.


    At ten in the morning, the two arrived on the 16th floor of the Land King Building, Good Dream Production Co., Ltd.


    Just stepping out of the elevator, they saw a sea of fair-skinned long legs and surging cleavages.


    More than twenty young and beautiful girls with an average age of about twenty gave Lu Liang the impression he had entered a high-end private club.


    "Mr. Wu Tianzheng, the general manager of Good Dream, Lu Liang, my friend." sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Meng Changkun introduced calmly; it was not difficult to see that he was on the more dominant side of the relationship with Wu Tianzheng.


    Wu Tianzheng was all smiles, "Boss Lu, hello, just call me Little Wu."


    He understood Meng Changkun well; he heard that Meng was already a billionaire ten years ago, so his friends must be no ordinary people.


    In the entertainment industry, the more investors you know, the more powerful you are, and Wu Tianzheng was very deferential in his posture.


    "Mr. Wu, hello, I''m just accompanying Mr. Kun to have a look. You can carry on with your work; don''t mind me," Lu Liang said.


    "Old Wu, Lu seems to be a bit interested. Later on, give him a list of movies seeking investment to check out."


    Meng Changkun was intentionally testing Lu Liang''s depth. If he was all show no substance, or the type of swindler he suspected, naturally he wouldn''t invest, nor would he be worth cultivating a deep relationship with.


    "Of course, of course, Boss Lu, please have a seat while I go get the materials," Wu Tianzheng''s old face beamed with joy.


    This is a Daddy Warbucks; he knew it, getting to know more wealthy people indeed had its perks.

 Chapter 20 - 20: Auditioning the Actress

    "Lu, the interview is about to start, let''s go inside and have a look first, we''ll come back for the material later."


    Meng Changkun, along with Wu Tianzheng''s assistant, got two nameplates, bearing his and Lu Liang''s names, the position was producer.


    Meng Changkun, with a sly smile on his face, slung an arm around Lu Liang''s shoulder, imparting wisdom, "This is our identity information, later every girl who comes in for the interview will greet us."


    "If you see someone you fancy, just ask Old Wu for her contact information afterwards, and you''ll know what to do then, I presume."


    "Understood." Lu Liang bowed with hands clasped, his face showing admiration; he certainly learned a lot of new knowledge today.


    This made him think of those actresses who claimed to have no background but also no acting skills, before they embarked on their glittering paths to stardom, they probably all went through this process as well.


    Meng Changkun wore a smile, quite pleased with himself, "This is nothing, I''ll take you to Korea some time to experience it."


    "Here at least the women have to agree, if they don''t, there''s nothing we can do, but over there, the chaebols are like ordering dishes at a restaurant, whoever they call must come, even if it''s a top actress in her prime.


    "In our country, stars are still put too high on a pedestal."


    Old Meng daydreamed wistfully.


    Lu Liang: "..."


    The two, wearing their nameplates, entered a meeting room.


    A director, an assistant director, and a real producer all stood up when they saw them come in.


    They were from the same crew, and if there were two new producers added, they had no reason not to know, so their real identity was clear: they were financiers with the title of producer.


    "Carry on with your business, we''re just here to have a look."


    Meng Changkun, relaxed and natural, pulled over two chairs and sat next to the director, indicating, "You can start the interview now."


    "Alright, starting immediately." The director and producer nodded quickly, calling for the production staff to begin today''s interviews.


    Lu Liang also received a copy of the screenplay outline.


    It was roughly about a group of college students, who planned an adventure to an abandoned school one weekend. While there were some unusual events during the day, overall, it was all safe.


    At night, someone suggested playing the disc fairy game, introducing the theme of "Disc Immortal Battle Pen Immortal," followed by a series of bizarre events where the supporting characters either died or went insane.


    In the end, the story took a turn for the sublime. Speak not of strange forces and chaos, as the so-called disc fairy, Pen Spirit, didn''t exist at all.


    It was just that years before, a group of people had bullied a girl, leading to her accidental fall from a building, yet in the end the blame fell on the Pen Spirit.


    And so, the sister came for revenge...


    "How does it feel?" asked Meng Changkun, seeing Lu Liang reading so intently, with a smile.


    "Click, click... Rich content, clear theme, dramatic plot twists, it''s quite ingenious."


    Lu Liang was no longer able to make sarcastic remarks; originally, the perpetrators all had younger brothers or sisters, and all were from the same school, which was more far-fetched than the odds of a layperson winning the lottery.


    "There''s no such thing as a coincidence." Meng Changkun chuckled, actually thinking the story was quite good; with a group of handsome men and beautiful women, as long as they skirted on the edge of being banned, they might just make a small profit. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lu Liang was startled, slowly being convinced. He was looking at the story structure, its logic, but Meng Changkun was looking at the market.


    Thrillers under the guise of ghosts inherently had low logic, plus with such a name, it wasn''t meant for those obsessed with logic; the main draw was the atmosphere of the viewing experience.


    Young men and women huddled on the couch, watching a not-too-horrifying horror movie, engaging in ambiguous activities.


    "Mr. Meng, Mr. Lu, Director Liang..."


    "Hello, my name is Zhou Xiaoqi, a graduate of Modu Film Art Academy..."


    "I''m here today to audition for the role of Ye Qianwen, please guide me..."


    A girl in her early twenties, entered upon knocking, her long hair flowing, with a graceful figure.


    She wore a loose white blouse, paired with a denim mini-skirt, and on her feet were a pair of Martin boots.


    She was over one meter seventy tall, very statuesque, and had a great personality, warmly greeting everyone as she walked in.


    Lu Liang looked down at the script, Ye Qianwen''s character should be the second female lead, the last supporting character to die.


    He glanced at Meng Changkun, wondering if this was a newbie here for the audition or that little lover.


    Meng Changkun smiled amiably, clearing his throat a few times, "There''s a part here where you need to express terror, perform it for us to see."


    Zhou Xiaoqi took a moment to prepare, then widened her eyes, flared her nostrils, and slightly opened her mouth, "Don''t you come over here~"


    Director Liang nodded with satisfaction, "Not bad, now perform a part that shows relief after a narrow escape..."


    Zhou Xiaoqi acted out another scene, patting her puffed-up chest, "That was close, that was close."


    The three professionals, including Meng Changkun, were all very satisfied.


    Lu Liang understood, this was the predetermined second female lead, also known as Old Meng''s little lover.


    He had a good eye, such a long gun rack, to carry on your shoulder, that sight is too beautiful, he dared not dwell on the thought.


    Auditions with several more candidates continued, and only then did Lu Liang realize just how hard these girls were trying.


    Some bowed so low their buttons popped, others took off their coats as soon as they entered the room, making it almost no different than being undressed.


    There were also those who made sure to shake hands with everyone when leaving the audition, Lu Liang''s palm scratched by their manicured nails.


    Meng Changkun, Director Liang, and the other two remained indifferent, clearly having become used to such occurrences.


    Throughout the day, Lu Liang''s values were repeatedly challenged, confirming the chaos of the showbiz world he had heard of.


    For every willing participant, there was also a reluctant "white lotus," modest and properly dressed, showing no skin. She was one of the few who came to audition in long pants, beautiful with a nice figure, and her acting wasn''t half bad.


    Her name was Bai Xiaoqin, 21 years old, and she had come to audition for the second female lead, not knowing that the role had already been taken.


    Lu Liang, who had been silent up until that point, suddenly stopped Bai Xiaoqin as she was leaving, "Would you like to try for Jiang Xixi''s role?"


    Jiang Xixi was one of the characters in the movie and would be considered the fourth female lead by screen time, even though she died half an hour into the film; at least she was a character actor.


    Actors at the bottom of the industry stack up in four levels: extras who just fill space, group actors who help out when needed, featured actors who deliver a few lines and appear in a few scenes, and character actors who carry a role and move the plot along.


    Stunned and excited, Bai Xiaoqin asked, "Mr. Lu, do you think I can do it?"


    "We''ll discuss it, and if you''re selected, we''ll send you a notice."


    Lu Liang didn''t finish his sentence, since after all, he was just a guest, and the final decision wasn''t in his hands.


    "Alright, Mr. Lu, thank you," Bai Xiaoqin suppressed her excitement, bowed again in gratitude, and then left the audition room.


    "Interested, brother?" Meng Changkun grinned, taking a sip of water and standing up to stretch.


    "A little," Lu Liang admitted frankly, asking how much would need to be invested to give her the fourth female role.


    "Director Liang, how''s the girl''s acting?" Meng Changkun didn''t reply, but instead turned to consult with the other professionals.


    "Very good, she was the best of the morning," Director Liang stated honestly.


    Though he had fallen from grace, he once dreamed of being a renowned director and still possessed a solid level of discernment.


    "Then let''s give her the fourth female role."


    Meng Changkun patted Lu Liang on the shoulder, light-heartedly mentioning that they were like brothers, and funding was not an issue currently.


    He paused, then added, "Just to add, brother Rong mentioned, this girl might not be easy to handle."


    He had attended many casting sessions and knew which girls were easy to get and which weren''t.


    Bai Xiaoqin was among the toughest, a good actress with no bend to the unwritten rules, which could end up being a loss.


    Meng Changkun had a fixed valuation for women, no matter how beautiful, even for Fan Xiaobing, they were worth no more than a million.


    If he couldn''t get his way even after spending a million, he would decisively give up, as it''s not as though beautiful women were extinct.


    Keeping a young, beautiful, and possibly virgin college student cost only a few tens of thousands a month.


    In his mind, that''s all a woman was worth.

 Chapter 21 - 21: Sudden Appearance of Sound

    "If it were easy to get the hang of, then what would be the point?"


    "It seems I lack awareness, you sure know how to play!"


    Meng Changkun picked up the cell phone from the table, deciding to cut today''s interviews short, "Let''s go, Old Wu plans to treat us to dinner."


    Lu Liang nodded and stood up to leave.


    "Mr. Meng, Boss Lu, your private room is ready..."


    A group of several people left the Land King Building by car and arrived at a private restaurant along the banks of Yangpu River.


    Inside the private room, Lu Liang saw Zhou Xiaoqi, whom he had just interviewed, along with several models and artists under the employ of Good Dream Film Company.


    Zhou Xiaoqi greeted Meng Changkun with a big smile, hugging his plump waist, "Darling, how did I do just now?"


    "Mary, Mary, Good!"


    Meng Changkun beamed, giving a thumbs-up in praise. Although he was a bit shorter than Zhou Xiaoqi, it didn''t hinder him from wrapping his arm around her slender waist.


    "This is Mr. Lu, Boss Lu."


    Wu Tianzheng called a girl over to pour wine for Lu Liang and then took out a document, "Boss Lu, here are some films that are currently seeking investment. See if there''s anything you like."


    A stack of documents with twenty project proposals piled up to about half a basketball in height.


    "That many? All initiated by your company?"


    Lu Liang casually wrapped his arm around the young model''s slim waist and casually picked up a few proposals to flip through.


    "Horror Archive Room," "Star''s Summer," "Xia Luo''s Worry," "Disaster of Two-headed Snake"...


    Web movies, web series, cinema films¡ªthe genres varied, and the required capital ranged from one million to tens of millions.


    Lu Liang was surprised; if all these were initiated by Good Dream, then Wu Tianzheng''s capabilities were even more formidable than he had imagined.


    "You must be joking, Boss Lu. Currently, we have only one project, ''disc fairy,'' and we owe a lot to Mr. Meng''s generous support."


    Without changing his expression, Wu Tianzheng smoothly paid a compliment and then explained that these were all film and television projects in urgent need of funds within the industry.


    Their few companies shared resources and helped each other out. If Boss Lu wasn''t interested, he could always bring in a new batch.


    "Okay, then I''ll take these back and have a look. If I''m interested in any project, I''ll give you a call."


    Lu Liang understood the situation well. It was similar to when he used to work as an intermediary. He had clients, but the properties the clients were interested in weren''t in his hands.


    In such a case, one could either refer clients and earn a referral fee or acquire the desired properties and pay a referral fee.


    Wu Tianzheng was playing the role he used to perform.


    "Come on, everyone eat, eat..."


    "Qingqing, don''t just sit there, pour some wine for Mr. Lu. Who knows, if Mr. Lu is pleased, you might be the female lead in the next film."


    Wu Tianzheng was the life of the party. At his prompt, the models around Lu Liang also reacted, vying to be close to him.


    ...


    After three rounds of drinks and a variety of dishes, Meng Changkun ''couldn''t hold his liquor'' and left the private room with his young lover.


    "Mr. Wu, thank you for the hospitality. I''ve also had a bit too much," said Lu Liang, his head spinning, planning to take the opportunity to leave.


    "Boss Lu, let me have someone take you home. Mr. Meng''s driver just left with them."


    Wu Tianzheng called over a young man, his assistant: "Xiao Qu, you can take Boss Lu home first."


    The model called ''Qingqing'' quickly came forward to support Lu Liang, "Boss Lu, let us take you home."


    "Thanks, Mr. Wu." Lu Liang, his face showing signs of inebriation, raised his hands above his head, and bowed in thanks without further refusal.


    As soon as he got into the car, he provided the address and then lay down on Qingqing''s lap, "This alcohol is really no good thing."


    "Men always say one thing and mean another. Drinking is one thing, but what comes after is quite another," said Qingqing with a blooming smile, extending her fair fingers to gently massage Lu Liang''s temples.


    Based on where a person lives, you can gauge their wealth.


    Lu Liang lived in Tangchen Yipin, so even if he wasn''t worth ten billion, he still had three to five hundred million at least.


    It proved that Wu Tianzheng wasn''t bluffing, as long as Qingqing made Lu Liang happy, she was going to be the leading lady in the next movie.


    "Not old, but you sure understand men''s hearts," Lu Liang said with his eyes closed, feigning sleep, as a faint scent of perfume wafted into his nostrils.


    "What do you mean ''not old''?" retorted Qingqing in a petulant tone, not satisfied, she proudly pushed up her cleavage.


    "Indeed, not small," Lu Liang smirked with his eyes open, reached over to pull her closer by her neck, feeling her size.


    "Mr. Lu, you''re so naughty~"


    Qingqing''s playful laugh echoed in the car.


    It was almost dawn when Lu Liang brought the model Qingqing and driver Xiao Qu back home.


    "Boss Lu, I''ve left the documents on the table for you. If there''s nothing else, I''ll be on my way," the driver said.


    "Hmm, be safe on the way back, and say thanks to Mr. Wu for me," Lu Liang walked over to the bar area and made himself a lemon tea as a hangover remedy.


    "Living in such a big house, don''t you get scared at night?"


    Qingqing was amazed and envious, like Granny Liu entering the Grand View Garden for the first time. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She walked through each room and ended up on the balcony, captivated by the unrivalled river view outside the window.


    She had spent hundreds of yuan to take a night cruise on the Pujiang River, a view ordinary people paid to see, but Lu Liang could see it every night, and from an even better angle and a wider perspective.


    "What''s there to be afraid of? If a female ghost were to knock on my door in the middle of the night, I''d be more than pleased," Lu Liang said, joining her on the balcony with his cup of lemon tea.


    As the weather got hotter, he grew fonder of coming to the balcony in the middle of the night, enjoying the river breeze and the Modu nightscape.


    At this moment, his mood was very serene.


    Qingqing acted coquettishly and gently nudged Lu Liang, "Ew~ don''t say such things in the middle of the night, it''s kind of scary."


    "With me here, what''s there to be scared of?"


    Lu Liang wrapped an arm around her slender waist, which was bony rather than plush like Zhang Qian''s, but had a charm of its own.


    His hand gradually slid down, undoing the button at her waist...


    Qingqing moaned softly and grinned as she broke free from his embrace, "I''ll go take a shower first."


    Suddenly Lu Liang stiffened up, distracted, and said, "Go ahead."


    He frowned, turned to look at the wall clock; it had just passed twelve, marking the start of a new day.


    Qingqing sensed something was amiss, thinking she did something wrong, she had barely reached the bathroom before turning back.


    She hugged Lu Liang, running her fingertips along his forearm, then whispered into his ear, "How about we shower together?"


    "You go ahead, I just remembered something," Lu Liang returned to the room to search for the project proposal Wu Tianzheng had brought.


    He found the proposal for "Xia Luo''s Worry," produced by Happy Mahua, with Liu Hongtao as the producer and Yan Fei as the director.


    It was a mainstream movie with a production budget of 20 million, currently short 5 million in funds, and it told the story of a reborn school student turned pop star.


    Lu Liang mumbled to himself, "Is this movie really that great?"


    Just moments ago, he had heard a voice from the future again, not about stocks, but about a movie.


    [On November 30th, "Xia Luo''s Worry," box office 1.441 billion]


    Wu Tianzheng had talked to Lu Liang a lot about investing in film projects during dinner, including the box office revenue splits of movies.


    For a mainstream movie to be profitable, the final box office needed to be at least three times the production cost.


    For a movie with a 20 million production budget, a 60 million box office would break even, with anything above that giving the production company a 35% cut.


    Taking a 1.441 billion box office for example, after deducting the 60 million production cost, there would be 1.381 billion in box office share remaining.


    If Lu Liang took on the 5 million shortfall alone without any further investment, he would get 25% of the 35% box office cut.


    That would be a net profit of about 115 million.

 Chapter 22 - 22: Put on Pants and Deny Acquaintance

    "Mr. Lu, what are you up to?"


    Qingqing followed him inside, only to suddenly exclaim as Lu Liang picked her up around the waist and carried her towards the bathroom.


    After a whirl of intense passion shrouded in darkness, Lu Liang wrapped in a bathrobe, walked out of the bathroom, leaving Qingqing alone to tidy up.


    He lay on the sofa on the balcony, enjoying the river breeze, lighting an after-act cigarette, tapping his fingers on the tabletop, feeling quite pleased.


    The scenario Lu Liang had most feared hadn''t occurred; instead, he''d reaped an unexpected boon.


    He still had a hunch, though, which would need another four days to confirm.


    ...


    The next morning, Lu Liang drove with Qingqing back to Good Dream Film Company.


    After exchanging contact information, he patted her shapely behind, "You go ahead with your tasks, I have something to discuss with your Mr. Wu."


    "Why don''t I get you a cup of tea?" smiled Qingqing, who lived in Tangchen Yipin and drove a Bentley.


    She considered Lu Liang her true destiny''s match and the noble connection on her road to success.


    "Go ahead," Mr. Lu said with a smile, but as soon as she left, his smile quickly faded.


    He took out a project proposal, "Mr. Wu, I''m quite interested in this project, could you please put me in contact with the other party?"


    An investment of just five million could yield 1.2 billion in seven months, a return of 24 times; it was hard for him not to be tempted.


    "Happy Mahua?" Wu Tianzheng frowned, "That''s a start-up company, I''ll look up their information for you."


    "They just established their film department last year, having produced stage plays before, and this movie is an adaptation of one of those plays."


    "Mr. Lu, are you sure you want to get in touch with them?"


    Happy Mahua''s general manager, Zhang Chen, had also approached him a few times to pull strings and draw in investments.


    Wu Tianzheng didn''t have high hopes for this project, since it was the outsiders'' first movie, and it was adapted from a stage play.


    That also meant those who''d seen the play already knew the storyline; there was a lack of freshness and anticipation.


    Happy Mahua''s clout was limited; the movie''s main cast, including the director and writer, were all key creators from their theater.


    It looked like a project decided on a whim.


    Since Lu Liang was Meng Changkun''s friend, Wu Tianzheng couldn''t just watch him jump into a pit.


    "I''ve seen this play; it felt quite good, so I''ll trouble Mr. Wu to contact them for me."


    Lu Liang knew Wu Tianzheng meant well, but he had unwavering faith in the "voice from the future."


    That Wu Tianzheng failed to see the film''s potential box office simply showed his lack of vision.


    In fact, one could say most investors lacked the insight, or else this dark horse wouldn''t be left wandering without backers.


    Lu Liang had found himself an opportune moment.


    "I''ll contact him for you then," sighed Mr. Wu, giving up on persuasion and dialing Zhang Chen''s number.


    "Mr. Zhang is in Yanjing, heard you''re interested in investing; he''s booked a flight for noon. Mr. Lu, when are you available?"


    "Let''s make it three o''clock in the afternoon, help me schedule it, then send me the address, I''ll go directly there."


    "And Qingqing, does she go with you, or should I reach out to Bai Xiaoqin from yesterday?" Wu Tianzheng asked cautiously.


    He figured, Lu Liang must be aiming to promote someone, otherwise why invest in this movie?


    "Never mind Bai Xiaoqin, as for Qingqing, I will trouble Mr. Wu to provide her with some resources in the future."


    A movie that could turn a mere 20 million budget into 1.441 billion at the box office was something Lu Liang didn''t plan to meddle with; best leave it to its natural course.


    If he forced a role that caused the movie to flop, rounding it off, he''d be losing over a billion.


    "Would you like to see any other proposals?" Mr. Wu didn''t inquire further, being well accustomed to such ruthless decisions.


    Moreover, last night Qingqing was asked to accompany drinks, and a promise was already made to tilt resources her way, as well as reward her with a sizable bonus.


    "I won''t check it today, I still have some things to do later."


    Zhao Haisheng of Guotai called, saying that Lu Liang now qualified for the VIP room and needed to take some time recently to complete the relevant procedures.


    The VIP room of Guotai Securities wasn''t just a symbol of identity and status but also came with many practical benefits.


    Previously, Lu Liang had a regular account, with a transaction fee of 0.03%.


    That''s 3000 yuan for 10 million, and it isn''t just a single transaction; each trade incurs such high fees.


    If upgraded to VIP, the transaction fee could drop to 0.012%, and he would also enjoy financial services such as financing and short selling.


    Before long, Lu Liang walked out of the office chatting and laughing with Wu Tianzheng, just in time to meet Bai Xiaoqin, who had come to sign a contract.


    "Mr. Lu, Mr. Wu, hello."


    A glint of joy flashed in Bai Xiaoqin''s eyes. After returning home yesterday, she received an invitation to audition for the fourth female lead.


    She knew all of this was thanks to Lu Liang, to the extent that she was anxious all night, barely able to sleep.


    Bai Xiaoqin had heard of many under-the-table rules, especially for online drama crews with less than ten million in production costs, like "Disc Immortal Battle Pen Immortal."


    For example, a producer inviting a female actor to read the script at a hotel late at night, and if she didn''t agree, she would be subjected to petty annoyances the next day, or scenes she had worked hard on for months could be completely cut.


    Such incidents were not uncommon.


    However, last night, Bai Xiaoqin received no such invitation calls, which gave her a slight good impression of Lu Liang, but only a slight one.


    "Do well in your acting, I''m looking forward to your performance," Lu Liang greeted her, ignoring Qingqing, and left the Good Dream Company.


    "I will definitely work hard," Bai Xiaoqin said excitedly, bowing deeply, watching Lu Liang disappear into the distance.


    Qingqing walked by with a cold face and a sneer: "Ha, so naive. If effort alone were enough, there wouldn''t be so many extras."


    She was very annoyed that Lu Liang had ignored her as he passed by, clearly acting like he didn''t know her once the deed was done.


    "Senior, did I do something wrong?" Bai Xiaoqin was straightforward and didn''t understand why she was being targeted.


    "Xiao Bai, don''t mind her. Once the contract is signed, go report to Director Liang," Wu Tianzheng glared at Qingqing and called her into the office.


    "Next month''s issue of Bazaar magazine has a few fashion sets to showcase. Prepare a bit, and go to Yanjing to assist with the shoot."


    Wu Tianzheng noticed that Qingqing was still unconvinced and said earnestly, "Qingqing, don''t overthink it. Those with money aren''t fools. Actually, Mr. Lu is no different from the previous Mr. Liu and President Zheng."


    He didn''t know what had happened last night or what Lu Liang said to Qingqing.


    But judging from their attitudes today, it was clear that Lu Liang wasn''t taking it seriously, while Qingqing took it to heart.


    Qingqing clenched her teeth, fiddled with her manicure, and finally let out a resigned sigh: "I got it, Mr. Wu."


    "Alright, you can leave now." Wu Tianzheng nodded slightly, showing a satisfied smile.


    Flexible and willing to put in the effort, he believed that Qingqing would make a name for herself sooner or later.


    On the other side, Lu Liang arrived at the Guotai branch.


    Today was Saturday, a non-trading day, and investors coming to open accounts or inquire about stock market conditions were obviously fewer.


    Zhao Haisheng had been waiting at the entrance early on and couldn''t help but be astonished and envious when he saw Lu Liang getting out of a Bentley.


    He remembered that just half a month ago, Lu Liang was a small player who could only manage 250,000 yuan in financing, but in the blink of an eye, he had become a big investor with tens of millions in assets.


    And if not for his "contribution," such a quality customer wouldn''t have fallen into his lap. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Liang, you can park your car here."


    Zhao Haisheng quickly adjusted his mentality, put on a smile, hurried over to remove the bollards, and cleared a parking spot.


    Having been in the industry for seven years, he had seen and heard too much and had long understood what was meant by time, fate, and luck.


    Some people, some things, you just can''t envy; he just needed to do his job well.

 Chapter 23 - 23: Investing in Movies

    "Lu, you really are a god."


    During the procedure, Zhao Haisheng brought up the recent market performance of Baofeng Technology.


    Last Thursday, the day after Lu Liang cleared his inventory, Baofeng Technology became mischievous again, with its stock price performing a Sky Floor during trading.


    That day, the trading volume reached 1.85 billion, with a turnover rate of 65.7%. For a new stock, it was simply incredible.


    It could be said that there was a complete change of ownership, and it attracted even more aggressive players; everyone was expecting the Baofeng legend to continue.


    But on the second day, the third day, it just lay on the floor, hitting five consecutive drop limit boards until just yesterday, when it barely broke the limit.


    The stock price had plummeted from its highest point of 327.15 yuan to a closing price of 191.14 yuan the day before.


    The entire market was a scene of misery; not everyone had bought in at a low price, more had received the baton at the peak.


    Among these people was Zhao Haisheng.


    If it weren''t for the particularly good market this year, with brokerage practitioners earning several times more, he would have felt the pinch for a long time.


    "I never expected that I''d have such foresight," said Lu Liang with a smug look, like an armchair strategist, sharing his experience, "At the time, I had a premonition that what goes up must come down."


    "Of course, my man Lu has got that talent," Haisheng replied with a sycophantic smile on his face, though inside he was silently sneering.


    At first, he had thought that Lu Liang might have had some insider information, but now he had completely dispelled that concern.


    It was purely good luck, after all, in one''s lifetime, everyone is bound to have a few strokes of dumb luck.


    Some grasp it and become rich overnight, others miss it and continue with mediocrity.


    Approaching noon, Lu Liang had his new account set up.


    Each trade''s service fee was reduced to 0.012%, and the account was now open to international trading channels, including stocks in Hong Kong and the US, foreign exchange, and precious metals.


    This account also had an annual conversion limit of 1 million US dollars; there was no need to go to the bank, as conversions could be done autonomously within the account.


    But for a larger US dollar conversion limit, one would need to apply at the bank.


    After all, the domestic management of foreign exchange is quite strict; ordinary people have a yearly limit of only 50,000 US dollars.


    Lastly, there was Lu Liang''s most concerned financial service: by freezing 2 million, he could get a credit line of 10 million.


    However, this money could only be used for investment in the market and could not be cashed out; it was essentially an 8 million loan limit extended to him.


    The daily interest rate was 0.014%, the monthly rate 1.2%, and the annual rate 14.4%, just 1% shy of the legal usury threshold.


    Strictly speaking, the overall annual interest should be over 14.4%, considering the 2 million in frozen funds.


    It''s undeniable that brokerages and banks always find loopholes in the law to maximize their benefits.


    "Lu, if everything looks good, go ahead and sign, and you can start using this account next Monday."


    Lu Liang saw through this but did not object; one was willing to fight, the other to suffer, nothing more to say.


    After that, Zhao Haisheng took Lu Liang to the nearby Bank of China to apply for an international bank card.


    RMB can be withdrawn at any domestic bank, but it''s best to hold a separate card for US dollar funds.


    Only US dollars in an international card are truly yours; if kept in a domestic card, they''re simply a figure.


    Each use would result in changes based on the daily exchange rate since there''s the addition of a domestic bank intermediary.


    But the Bank of China is different; it has an independent international division. To gain international recognition in their expansion abroad, they''ve been given considerable authority.


    Zhao Haisheng made an analogy; if in any domestic branch bank, leaders could easily access your financial details, with Bank of China''s international card, unless there''s an official document, the usual leaders don''t have the authority to do so.


    After all, facing international clients required discussing human rights and privacy, otherwise they were always at risk of being fiercely criticized by the foreign media.


    Busy until two o''clock in the afternoon, Wu Tianzheng called to inform that the Mahua Team had arrived in Modu and were in the Heaven and Water Room at the Linjiang Pavilion.


    Lu Liang''s account and international card had also been nearly finalized, and he said to Zhao Haisheng, "I apologize, but I have something to do later so I won''t be able to take you out for a meal. Next time, definitely next time."


    "Lu, you''re helping me achieve my performance goals, how could I let you treat? Next time, next time I''ll take you out instead."


    Zhao Haisheng burst into a smile; Lu Liang was registered under his name, the more frequent the transactions and the higher the handling fees, the more bonuses he earned.


    "Alright, next time you''re treating then, I have to go now as I still have some things to take care of."


    Lu Liang also didn''t stand on ceremony any longer and drove away.


    After all, he was also a seasoned intermediary and understood that it was a matter of mutual needs, with no place for gratitude.


    Moreover, if they really started to compete, Zhao Haisheng indeed owed Lu a meal and a full-service wash.


    Because Lu Liang was the party with the capital¡ªthe ''A'' party daddy, while Zhao Haisheng was just one of the many ''B'' party service providers.


    After three o''clock in the afternoon, Lu Liang arrived at Linjiang Pavilion, situated in the lower central part of Modu, near Expo Garden.


    He gave his name and followed the restaurant waiter to the Heaven and Water Room on the second floor, where six people were present in the private room.


    "Mr. Lu, you''ve arrived."


    "Let me introduce you, this is Mr. Zhang Chen from Happy Mahua, and this is the director Yan Fei... and this is the famous comedian Mr. Shen Teng, as well as Ms. Mary."


    Seeing Lu Liang enter, Wu Tianzheng''s face beamed with smiles as he introduced each person, who were mainly the creative minds behind Happy Mahua.


    "Mr. Shen, hello, I saw your sketch last year, and it was really well done," Lu Liang said with a smile, shaking hands with everyone, though among this group, he only recognized Shen Teng.


    He suddenly understood why Wu Tianzheng and many investors in the market didn''t have high hopes for this movie.


    Since Benshan had stepped down from the stage, the New Year''s Gala had become increasingly uninspiring each year, its influence dwindling by the year.


    Without the bitter cold of the north prohibiting outings on New Year''s Eve, perhaps even the last fig leaf would be torn away.


    From such a New Year''s Gala arose comedians who, 99% of the time, couldn''t carry a movie''s box office on their own.


    Although there was a 1% chance of becoming a dark horse, investors weren''t gamblers, which was evident from the structure of the movie''s funding.


    The currently prepared 15 million US Dollar budget included 10 million from the Mahua Theater and the remaining 5 million from individual investors, with Shen Teng, Mary, and director Yan Fei all prominently among them.


    When a movie''s actor and director start chipping in funds, it says that investors really aren''t interested.


    The rustling of flipping paper pages filled the private room as Lu Liang reviewed the more detailed script and project proposal.


    Aside from Wu Tianzheng, everyone looked eagerly at him, awaiting the final verdict.


    They were genuinely out of money, otherwise they wouldn''t have come all the way from Yanjing to Modu to dine with Lu Liang.


    A dozen minutes later, Lu Liang closed the file with a calm demeanor, and everyone''s hearts instantly sank to rock bottom.


    These days, they''d seen too many expressions like his and could guess what Lu Liang would say next.


    "We''re missing five million, right? I''m in," Lu Liang said with a slight smile at the corner of his mouth. "I think the story is good; if filmed well, it could blow up big."


    Shen Teng, Mary, and the others were all momentarily stunned, with Shen Teng the most emotionally charged, "Mr. Lu, are you... are you going to invest in our movie?"


    "What? Do you guys choose your investors now?" Lu Liang teased with a smile. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "No... no, not at all, you misunderstand me, I''m just too excited."


    Shen Teng was incoherent. He was a main creator for Mahua, an investor, and the male lead.


    This movie was incredibly important to him, it could even be described as a pivotal moment in his career.


    But since its inception, the film had faced nothing but obstacles, rejected time and again by investors, causing the entire team to doubt themselves¡ªwas their script really that bad?

 Chapter 24 - 24: Love for Movies

    "Mr. Lu, if you have any good suggestions, feel free to mention them. We can also make some adjustments."


    Zhang Chen cautiously inquired, since Lu Liang agreed too readily, it seemed unrealistic, as if he was there just to hand over money.


    Lu Liang''s expression grew colder, and he knocked heavily on the table. "Mr. Zhang, I am investing in this movie not for anything else but because I have faith in the script and your creative team. Keep the crooked practices of the entertainment industry away from this project."


    "If you are making this movie to please investors, then I need to reconsider whether I still want to invest in this film."


    Lu Liang spoke with justified indignation, embodying a sense of righteousness, as if he wouldn''t tolerate any deceit.


    Wu Tianzheng stood by the window, looking at the river view, when his fingers holding the cigarette suddenly trembled.


    He couldn''t help but turn back to look at Lu Liang.


    Well said.


    He almost believed him.


    But who was it last night, cuddling and kissing, who also took that girl home, nearly fooling her into forgetting who she was?


    Wu Tianzheng felt a surge of admiration and continued to focus on the river view while smoking.


    It''s no wonder the guy is rich. His talk is polished and utterly shameless.


    It also reminded him of a coal businessman from years ago who, while hugging a hostess in a KTV lounge, kept insisting his drama was all about positive energy.


    "Mr. Lu, you''ve misunderstood."


    Zhang Chen was both shocked and delighted, and hastily explained.


    In the past few months, trying to secure investments, they had met numerous investors and heard many absurd conditions.


    Stuffing roles, sleeping with female stars, or wanting to act themselves, there was a myriad of bizarre investors.


    They were all so overwrought it nearly gave them post-traumatic stress disorder.


    One shouldn''t suspect a noble person of base motives. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lu Liang was different from them.


    Worried that Zhang Chen might make things worse, Mary picked up a glass of Wuliangye from the table and filled it up, "Mr. Lu, you are different from those people. You truly love cinema, and I respect you for that. Cheers to you."


    "Mr. Lu, we also toast to you."


    Zhang Chen, Shen Teng, and others quickly caught on, each pouring a glass of strong liquor. Their feelings were all in the drink.


    "Drink less, I don''t appreciate that messiness typical of drinking tables here. A symbolic gesture will suffice."


    Lu Liang raised his glass and took a sip, speaking earnestly, "I can see your sincerity. Do your best and don''t forget why you started."


    "The funds will be transferred to your company account by next Friday. If you need more money later, you can contact me."


    Lu Liang did not want to invest as an individual because personal income tax was too high, nearly around 25%.


    He planned to establish an investment company and invest in this movie under that company''s name.


    That way, the income could also be used to buy houses and cars, offsetting the high tax rate.


    "Old Wu, why are you standing by the window in silence? Come over and join the chat."


    Happy Mahua''s main creative team consisted almost entirely of Northerners, each a legendary drinker.


    They were so impressed by Lu Liang''s speech that they kept toasting him in respect.


    Even Mary downed two glasses without a change in her facial expression or heartbeat.


    Lu Liang was alarmed and quickly pulled Old Wu to rescue the situation.


    Wu Tianzheng entered the scene, immediately becoming the new target.


    "Mr. Wu, I toast to you. If it weren''t for you, I wouldn''t have had the chance to meet Mr. Lu." Zhang Chen raised his glass.


    "Mr. Zhang, don''t mention it. We''re all friends here, helping each other is normal," Wu Tianzheng had no reason to refuse.


    Since the contract was finalized, he was also set to earn a handsome referral fee from Zhang Chen. This drink was well-deserved.


    Shen Teng, Mary, and Yan Fei also raised their glasses, unable to contain their enthusiasm.


    Lu Liang was the major financier, and they dared not be too reckless.


    Poor Old Wu became Lu Liang''s shield. Lu Liang stood by, feeling secretly sorry for him for three seconds.


    A meal that started as afternoon tea turned into dinner.


    At dusk, Lu Liang found an excuse to leave early.


    He called a designated driver to take him home.


    He slept until past ten at night, and in the dim bedroom, a faint light suddenly appeared.


    Lu Liang saw a message from Li Manli: "So annoying, the new manager who just came today is so arrogant and annoying, and he keeps touching me."


    Lu Liang''s lips curled into a smile. He felt the fishing line had been cast long enough, and it was time to reel it in, or the fish might slip away.


    However, he still habitually let her hang on for a while, got up, took a bath, and only replied after half an hour, "I''m back."


    "When did that happen?" Li Manli was always staring at her phone, and as soon as Lu Liang sent the message, she immediately replied.


    "Just got off the plane, I''m a bit hungry, I''ll come pick you up, and let''s go out for some late-night snacks," said Lu Liang, cutting right to the chase.


    It was evident that Li Manli was feeling conflicted, as her chat status kept showing that she was typing... intermittently.


    After all, it was past ten, and anyone going out for late-night snacks knew what might happen next.


    She didn''t want to easily give herself away, yet she couldn''t bear to reject Lu Liang.


    After a while, Li Manli replied, "But I''m still at work."


    "I''m almost there," said Lu Liang as he grabbed his car keys and headed out, giving her an ultimatum.


    These past few days at Good Dream Film Company, he had seen far too many hardworking and beautiful girls.


    He could just beckon with his finger, and they would likely follow one after another, all willing to please.


    The threshold had been raised, and his patience had worn thin.


    Old Meng tagged every woman with a fixed price, and he would abandon them once it was exceeded, even if she was a goddess.


    Lu Liang didn''t agree with this philosophy, but Old Meng had a point.


    The world wasn''t short of pretty girls. There was no need to waste time and energy without clear prospects.


    Half an hour later, Lu Liang arrived on Qufu Road and spotted Li Manli standing at the intersection from afar.


    She wore dark green work pants paired with a beige tight-fitting tank top, her fair waist exposed in the air.


    Her long black hair, mixed with strands of blue and purple, added a certain allure to her pure features.


    Lu Liang saw a black BMW stopped in front of her, the owner seemed to be hitting on Li Manli.


    Li Manli stood with her arms crossed, looking around with an indifferent expression.


    "Beautiful, where do you want to go? I''ll take you..."


    The BMW owner didn''t finish his sentence before a deep horn sound came from a no-honking zone.


    He wanted to get angry, but upon seeing the big ''B'' car emblem, he muttered resentfully, "Think you''re something special just because you drive a Bentley."


    Though he said that, he still gently pressed the gas pedal, moved forward a bit, and yielded his spot.


    The BMW owner got out of his car, intending to invite Li Manli again, confident with his youthful success, driving a BMW, and his self-rated 90-point appearance.


    Normally, he was unbeatable at wooing girls, from high school students to mature office ladies, let alone a girl who apparently was just of age¡ªthis was a sure win.


    However, he saw that the horn''s blare had drawn Li Manli''s attention, her previously icy demeanor turning into an erupting volcano.


    That smile, as if all the flowers in the world had bloomed, how could there be such a beautiful girl.


    The BMW owner couldn''t help but smile as well, but the next second, his heart felt as if it were tightly grasped by an invisible hand.


    She got into the passenger seat of that Bentley.


    The young man remained silent, watching the dark Series 3, suddenly feeling a lump in his throat and on pins and needles.


    Without uttering a word, he returned to his car, pressed the accelerator, and drove away.


    Seeing this scene, Lu Liang couldn''t help but laugh, and Li Manli glared at him, "You still dare to laugh."


    Her lips were pouted high, "Didn''t you say you were almost here? I''ve been waiting for over twenty minutes."


    "There was an accident on the elevated road, so I''m a bit late," Lu Liang said with a light laugh, making up an excuse on the spot.


    Li Manli was suspicious but still believed him.


    She sighed, "I had an argument with the manager, I think I''m going to be fired."


    "That''s a good thing, you''ll be free then," Lu Liang just heard her say that Mr. Zhang had resigned and a male manager had taken over.


    "You think I''m like you? If I''m out of a job, I''ll be eating dirt next month," Li Manli grumbled.


    "As long as I''m here, how could I let you eat dirt? I promise you''ll have mountains of delicacies every day until you want to puke."


    "Is that really true?"


    "Absolutely true."


    Li Manli thought about it carefully, then suddenly shouted, "Then I want to eat sushi, the most high-end kind!"


    Lu Liang made a face, "A block of cold rice and a piece of raw meat, what''s so good about that?"


    Li Manli stared at him with big, pitiful eyes, "Didn''t you say you''d take me out for mountains of delicacies? Why can''t I even have sushi?"


    "Stop glaring, or your eyeballs might fall out. Fine, let''s go for sushi then."


    That look, Lu Liang found it hard to resist, so pure yet so longing, made him want to hold her tight and squeeze fiercely.


    "Yay, let''s go," Li Manli exclaimed excitedly, waving her little fists triumphantly.

 Chapter 25 - 25: Not a Vain Woman

    From the Bund to People Road, the heart of Modu''s sleepless city, many shops are open until dawn.


    Lu Liang took Li Manli around and actually found a Japanese restaurant that was open until midnight.


    "Is it delicious?" Lu Liang ordered a bowl of ramen and looked at all the different types of sushi in front of Li Manli.


    Li Manli took a bite of tuna sushi, her face filled with bitterness, "Why isn''t it as good as I imagined?"


    "Have you never tried it before?" Lu Liang asked.


    "No, I just heard people say how delicious it is, so I''ve always wanted to try it."


    Li Manli tried a piece of grilled eel and asked quietly, "Is it my fault? It tastes a bit off."


    The teriyaki sauce was cloyingly sweet, and the rice balls were icy cold, especially the icy cold rice balls, which she always found hard to get used to.


    "It''s not your fault because people who are not used to eating it will naturally find it unpalatable."


    Lu Liang slurped a mouthful of ramen, which had a strong porky smell, making him seriously doubt whether the pork had been properly processed.


    He pulled Li Manli up, "Let''s not eat this, let''s go, I''ll take you to eat something truly delicious."


    Li Manli looked puzzled, "Leave all this food?"


    She hadn''t ordered much, but had just glanced at the menu¡ªthis meal cost over eight hundred.


    "Why eat it if it tastes bad?"


    After paying the bill, Lu Liang asked with a smile, "Or did you want to take it home for a late snack?"


    Li Manli shook her head vigorously, "No."


    Near midnight, the two arrived at Jiangpan Restaurant.


    Lu Liang had ordered takeout from here several times. Their clay pot congee was superb, with very fresh and abundant ingredients.


    They ordered a clay pot congee with blood eels for two, a steamed red snapper, and a plate of stir-fried preserved egg with pea shoots.


    The blood eels were over four hundred per pound, the per capita cost was similar to the Japanese restaurant, but the taste was leagues better.


    Even well-preserved chilled fish couldn''t compare to freshly slaughtered ones.


    "Doesn''t it taste good?"


    Lu Liang liked the stir-fried preserved eggs with pea shoots here, which seemed to be fried with palm oil, giving off a unique scorched aroma.


    "It''s delicious, this and this, all delicious," Li Manli slurped the congee, her belly round and full.


    Suddenly feeling a bit embarrassed, she hurriedly tightened her belly and sat up straight, "I''m full."


    Lu Liang chuckled as his phone on the table rang. Meng Changkun was calling to invite him to play tennis the next morning.


    He happened to have something to discuss with Meng Changkun, so he agreed, and the two arranged a time and place.


    "Tomorrow''s the weekend, do you still have to work?" Li Manli asked quietly, sounding a bit down.


    "It''s not work, just some recreational activity. Do you want to come play tennis too?"


    Hearing Lu Liang''s invitation, Li Manli was delighted but then hesitated, "But I don''t know how."


    "I don''t either, just playing for fun." Lu Liang had figured out Li Manli''s personality.


    Her thoughts were too easy to read. Whenever she said "but," she actually wanted to go, but needed a little more persuasion.


    "What time?" Li Manli asked.


    "Let''s make it nine-thirty."


    "Then I should go home early to sleep, or I won''t wake up in time."


    "Why not stay at my place tonight? There are a few spare rooms, pick any you like."


    Lu Liang said calmly, making it sound like he was simply offering Li Manli a place to stay for the night, nothing more.


    Li Manli nodded quietly, her voice soft as a mosquito''s, "Okay."


    After the late-night meal, Lu Liang took Li Manli for a walk in an all-night shopping mall.


    He bought her several sets of clothes to change into, as well as daily toiletries.


    The shopping spree cost over thirty thousand.


    By the time they got home, it was past one in the morning.


    Li Manli, clutching a pile of shopping bags, rushed into the innermost guest room.


    Although she had only been here once before, her mind often replayed the scenes from that visit.


    Because Tangchen Yipin was the most upscale and luxurious residential area she had ever encountered in her life.


    She was well aware of the layout of each room, knew which was the master bedroom, which was the secondary bedroom, and which was the guest room. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Go to bed early, and wake up early tomorrow."


    Lu Liang gently knocked on the door, not playing any childish games by lingering outside.


    Li Manli agreeing to go out for late-night snacks with him and even agreeing to stay overnight at his place was actually no different from getting undressed.


    Just that being newly adult, she was still quite shy and couldn''t be as direct as Zhang Qian; Lu Liang was willing to spend more time, playing house with her.


    "Okay~"


    Li Manli stood quietly behind the door, her voice trembling a bit because she hadn''t locked the door and was mentally prepared.


    After a long time, when there was no more sound outside, Li Manli carefully opened the door and tiptoed to the master bedroom where Lu Liang was staying.


    Through the door, she heard faint snoring sounds inside and felt a bit disappointed: "Idiot, I even came home with you."


    Quickly, her disappointment was replaced by excitement; she tiptoed in the spacious living room, dancing gracefully, and finally walked to the balcony to enjoy the night view.


    She took out the Apple 6 that Lu Liang had given her and snapped pictures of the Bund on the opposite shore.


    Li Manli was looking for the right angle; she wanted to take a photo that didn''t explicitly say she was staying in Tangchen Yipin, but that others could guess.


    With much effort, she finally found the best angle at the end of the balcony.


    To the far left was the Bund, to the right was Mingzhu Tower, her eyes dreamily gazing into the distance; she captioned it, "The moonlight is so beautiful tonight."


    Li Manli clicked send but deliberately blocked Lu Liang because she didn''t want him to think she was a vain girl.


    Soon, her social media was buzzing with messages, and quickly someone guessed that she was staying in Modu''s Tangchen Yipin.


    With the Bund in the distance, Mingzhu Tower nearby, and staying in a high-rise residence, it was almost giving the answer away.


    Back in her room, Li Manli lay on the soft bed, reveling in her friends'' envious and jealous comments, rolling around excitedly.


    She even video-called a few close girlfriends, showing off the luxurious and spacious room¡­


    The next morning, just after eight o''clock, Lu Liang knocked on her room door, and Li Manli came out with slight dark circles under her eyes.


    He had personally cooked and made two servings of butter toast: "What were you up to last night?"


    "Nothing much, just couldn''t sleep well." Li Manli said guiltily, avoiding eye contact, having chatted with her girlfriends until almost dawn.


    "Why don''t you go back to sleep? I can go by myself and come back in the afternoon to pick you up," Lu Liang said considerately.


    "I''m used to staying up late; see, the dark circles have almost disappeared already."


    Li Manli quickly lifted her bangs; there were faint dark circles when she had just gotten up, but now they were almost gone.


    "Being young is great," Lu Liang couldn''t help but remark, recalling how in the past, a few hours of sleep per night was enough.


    But as he aged, although he could still stay up late, he''d feel terrible the next day.


    "Don''t say that, you''re not that old either." Li Manli took Lu Liang''s hand, becoming more proactive.


    Last night, her friend group had given her many suggestions, most of which were unreliable, but there was one she quite agreed with.


    A girl''s bloom is brief; if an opportunity arises, she should seize it well, perhaps even change her life because of it.


    "Your lips are so sweet, did you put honey on them?"


    Lu Liang was surprised and noticed the change in Li Manli''s mindset, lifted her chin, and kissed her lips: "Tastes like milk."


    "I want it too," Li Manli countered, wrapping her arms around Lu Liang''s neck and kissing him deeply.


    But it was very clumsy, her tongue working messily, teeth clashing.


    "Relax." Lu Liang, acting as a teacher, led her, letting her experience what a real kiss was like.


    It was like two tender snakes intertwining, merging, connecting in an unbreakable bond¡­


    Minutes later, they broke apart.


    Li Manli''s eyes were dreamy, her cheeks blushing with a natural pink.


    Lu Liang pursed his lips; although he wanted to go further, there was no more time: "Go change your clothes, we should leave soon."


    Li Manli nodded, and like a little rabbit, dashed back to her room.


    "Young is truly wonderful," Lu Liang remarked again.


    The first time was envy for the energy of youth, this time for the tender beauty unique to a young girl.


    During a kiss, it''s not just the lips that should be busy; the hands should find something to do too.


    Unlike Zhang Qian, Li Manli''s skin was smooth, her posture soft yet resilient.

 Chapter 26 - 26: Only the Land and the Sun and Moon Coexist

    9:30 A.M., Lu Liang drove to Tangchen Golf.


    Similarly developed by the Tangchen Group, it was a luxurious villa area integrating business, entertainment, and residential facilities.


    There were standalone villas with courtyards, but few were permanently occupied, generally rented out for company team-building events or friend gatherings.


    Passing through the villa area, they arrived at the sports center next to the golf course, where individual cages were set up for basketball, tennis, or beginner''s golf practice areas.


    Lu Liang saw Old Meng sweating it out on the tennis court, his belly jiggling, a spry middle-aged fat man.


    Opposite was Zhou Xiaoqi, dressed in professional women''s tennis attire, with a pair of long, straight legs visible beneath her miniskirt.


    "Let''s go over."


    After parking the car, Lu Liang brought Li Manli into the cage.


    The two of them, one in blue and the other in pink sportswear, wore matching white flat-top hats.


    Li Manli''s eyes kept drifting to Zhou Xiaoqi, enviously saying, "That sister''s legs are so long, so straight."


    Not only men like to look at legs, women do too.


    She was 1.64 meters tall, which wasn''t considered short, but compared to Zhou Xiaoqi, who was over 1.7 meters, she felt somewhat ashamed of herself.


    "You have better proportions than her, and you''re prettier than she is," Lu Liang said comfortingly, as he walked over to greet Meng Changkun.


    "Brother, you''re here, come play a round."


    Meng Changkun glanced at Li Manli, and even though he had seen plenty of beautiful women, he was astounded by the young girl''s appearance.


    Her delicate face was nearly flawless, with a bewildered gaze that sparked a protective instinct.


    But it was just an extra glance, after all, stunning beauties were rare but not unique.


    Especially when it came to a friend''s woman, as ''a friend''s wife must not be coveted,'' which is a basic moral of friendship.


    At his level, he wasn''t lacking women in his life, nor did he harbor any covetous thoughts towards his friend''s woman.


    "Sure, but I''m not very good at it, Mr. Kun, you''ll have to take it easy on me."


    Lu Liang took the racket from Zhou Xiaoqi''s hands; he had never played tennis but felt it would be similar to badminton.


    However, he was being presumptuous; the strength required for tennis was on a completely different level from badminton.


    Luckily, Old Meng could see Lu Liang truly didn''t know how, so he intentionally slowed down the ball speed and fed him easy shots.


    The two of them went back and forth, and Lu Liang gradually got the hang of it, starting to enjoy the sport.


    That thudding hit felt fantastic.


    But before long, Old Meng ran out of steam, repeatedly waving his hands and calling out, "I can''t go on."


    He turned to Li Manli, who was playing with her phone, "Little sister, come on up and play a few rounds with Lu."


    Li Manli blinked her innocent eyes and shook her head hastily, "I''m sorry, I don''t know how to play tennis."


    "Just play around, I didn''t know how at first either, you''ll learn it soon enough," Lu Liang waved her over.


    Meng Changkun, drinking tea, watched the two bumbling around and couldn''t help but laugh.


    Zhou Xiaoqi made tea and commented, "She doesn''t know anything, but it''s strange, Mr. Lu lived in an affordable talent apartment just a few months ago."


    Although young, she had been modeling for years and struggled a lot before ending up by Meng Changkun''s side.


    Compared to her, Li Manli was a pure and innocent flower; after half an hour of conversation, anything Zhou knew was entirely extracted from her.


    Meng Changkun''s eyes widened in surprise, but he quickly whispered, "Stop talking, he''s coming over."


    "I''m done playing, the sun''s getting too strong."


    Lu Liang, drenched in sweat, grabbed an ice towel from the cooler to wipe his face, and handed another one to Li Manli.


    "Have some tea, take a rest," Meng Changkun instructed Zhou Xiaoqi to make room and went to get some snacks.


    Lu Liang also said, "Manli, you go with Miss Zhou too, see if there''s anything you can help with."


    He wasn''t worried about Li Manli being pumped for information because what she knew was limited and inconsequential.


    What the past was like didn''t matter; what was important was the present and what the future would be like. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After the two left, Lu Liang consulted Meng Changkun on the steps to establish a company and mentioned that he had invested in a movie.


    "What movie?"


    Meng Changkun feigned surprise. If he hadn''t known that Lu Liang had invested in a movie, he wouldn''t have invited him out to play tennis today.


    From now on, Lu Liang was his friend and had temporarily shed any suspicion of being a con artist. They could continue their association.


    "It''s a movie adapted from a stage play."


    Lu Liang outlined the story without delving deeper into the topic because he knew Meng Changkun wouldn''t be interested.


    "Commercial investment is indeed better than personal investment," Meng Changkun mused. He genuinely had no interest in the film industry.


    Over the years, the film and television projects he invested in had never made money; his main aim had been just for fun.


    Meng Changkun called over his assistant, a young man named Liu Jun, who was standing in the distance: "Assistant Liu, these next few days will be tough. Help Mr. Lu with the procedures."


    He had been in Modu for nearly twenty years, especially in Xinpu District, and had connections in various departments.


    With his assistant handling it, the paperwork would be processed quickly, and no one would go out of their way to make things difficult.


    "Mr. Kun, have Assistant Liu explain it to me, and I''ll take care of it myself."


    Hearing Lu Liang''s words, Meng Changkun chuckled, "Without this kind of experience, you''ll find the process particularly troublesome. It''s normal for friends to help each other, and who knows, we might have opportunities to cooperate in the future."


    Lu Liang pondered for a moment, then thanked him with a cupped-hand salute and didn''t insist any further.


    Human relations worked like this: you help me, I help you, and out of this mutual assistance relationships gradually deepen.


    Meng Changkun then asked, "Have you decided on the company''s location?"


    "Not yet, I plan to look for it this afternoon."


    "No need to search anymore. I happen to have a few offices available for rent. I''ll take you to see them later."


    "Mr. Kun, your company is quite diverse in its operations." Lu Liang was astonished.


    He just wanted to ask for advice and hadn''t expected Meng Changkun to arrange everything as a one-stop service.


    Meng Changkun smiled and said, "These days, no matter what industry you''re in, as long as you have money, you want to get a foot in the real estate door. How does that saying go, ''Only land can coexist with the sun and the moon.''"


    "And look at Bill Gates, with his high-end tech company, he''s still out there rounding up land to become a landlord."


    "Indeed, real estate is the only irreplaceable pillar." Having been in the real estate industry for nine years, Lu Liang deeply agreed.


    Especially in the last few years, the craze had been manic, reminding him of Tokyo in the late ''80s as recorded in books.


    Countless Neon People boasted about selling off Tokyo to buy the United States, and Modu was no different now.


    If Lu Liang had had enough capital, he would have liked to buy a few properties as a last resort.


    After lunch, Meng Changkun took Lu Liang to Yongfeng Building in Xinpu District.


    The entire 33-story building covered an area of 4,800 square meters, with floors 15-17 belonging to Kunqian Trade.


    Meng Changkun''s company occupied the entire 17th floor, and he had divided floors 15-16 into office spaces ranging from 220 to 480 square meters.


    He rented these spaces to young entrepreneurs, some businesses he supported, mainly engaged in e-commerce, live broadcasting, and new media industries.


    "In fact, I don''t understand much about it, but these new industries that have emerged in recent years are quite interesting. Lu, don''t underestimate these companies; they may be small, with only about a dozen employees, but their target markets are nationwide."


    Throughout the tour, Meng Changkun chatted and laughed with Lu Liang like a king surveying his realm.


    "With the rise of mobile internet, indeed, many new industries have been born, and among them, a unicorn may emerge in the future."


    Lu Liang strongly agreed while also realizing just how vast the gap between him and Meng Changkun was.


    The rumors about ''Billion Meng'' were clearly an understatement.


    Meng Changkun laughed heartily, "I''ll take that as a good omen, Lu."


    A unicorn company, with a minimum threshold of a ten billion US Dollar valuation before going public¡ªshould he hit the mark with one, it might ensure his descendants would never worry about livelihood.


    The group of people visited several currently available offices on the 15th and 16th floors one after another.


    "Lu, do you have any preference? Or any particular requirements for the direction?" Meng Changkun asked.


    Businesspeople are often superstitious about feng shui; he, for instance, favored offices that faced the sun and had shadows at the back.


    An astrologer had told him he was born with the water element and needed to absorb yang energy to balance it in order to attract wealth from all directions.

 Chapter 27 - 27: Sister, Youre the Improper One!

    "Sixteenth floor, the 240 square-meter suite."


    Lu Liang didn''t believe in feng shui, but he also didn''t question it.


    He just thought that the suite was already partitioned, had several office desks, and was ready for immediate occupation.


    For a long time to come, this company would just be a shell company, and anything casual would suffice.


    "Daily rent is 3 yuan per square meter, including property management fees, with a lease term of one year, three months deposit, three months advance, Little Liu, please go get the contract."


    Normally, the rent was 4.5 yuan per square meter, but Meng Changkun talked it over and gave Lu Liang a one-third discount.


    "Mr. Kun, you''ve helped me so much, just charge the normal rent."


    Lu Liang spoke seriously, believing that friendship should be mutually beneficial, not harmful to one party for the benefit of another.


    He could accept Meng Changkun''s help, but he wouldn''t accept such an outright gift.


    Meng Changkun was about to speak, but looking into Lu Liang''s eyes, he suddenly smiled, "Then let''s go with 4.5 yuan."


    He finally understood why he admired Lu Liang so much.


    He knew moderation and when to advance or retreat, and even though there was a large financial disparity between them, he never felt inferior.


    That was especially rare.


    The rent was 135 yuan per square meter per month, totaling 240 square meters, making it 32,400 per month, with three months security and three months advance, Lu Liang paid 194,400 yuan.


    After completing the rental contract, Liu Jun helped Lu Liang fill out the application for the company registration; Lu Liang provided the information, and he handled the procedures.


    "The company name will be Tianxing Investment, with a subscribed capital of six million yuan and paid-up capital of six million yuan."


    Lu Liang thought that the company would keep a million yuan as working capital, which should be enough for the short term.


    Subscribed and paid-up capital actually involved many details, but he wasn''t focused on the company yet, so he simply registered the full amount to avoid having to make additional payments later.


    "Assistant Liu, I''ll leave this to you, Mr. Kun, I''ll be heading out now."


    At five in the afternoon, Lu Liang said goodbye to Meng Changkun and returned home with Li Manli.


    Li Manli, completely lacking decorum, lay on the sofa and let out a long, high-pitched sigh, "Finally back."


    That day, she had only accompanied Lu Liang to play tennis in the morning, and spent the rest of the time just tagging along.


    She couldn''t understand what Lu Liang discussed with Meng Changkun and couldn''t help out, so she just made small talk with Zhou Xiaoqi.


    Lu Liang sat next to her, and Li Manli naturally rested her head on his lap, looking up, "I''m hungry."


    She always ate heartily, but she had restrained herself during lunch with Lu Liang''s friend.


    And the result of holding back was being hungry.


    "What do you want to eat?"


    Lu Liang was browsing through the materials provided by Liu Jun, as well as the considerations for the new company.


    Once the official business documents arrived, he would need to hire at least two people, a finance manager and a receptionist, to ensure the company''s daily operations¡ªessentially opening and closing the doors, paying for utilities and rent, and if diligent, doing some cleaning.


    "I want Hainanese chicken rice." Li Manli scrolled through her phone, too lazy to go out and wanting to order delivery.


    "Order one for me too." Lu Liang picked up his phone and transferred 50,000 yuan to Li Manli.


    Li Manli saw the transfer notification and sat up straight in surprise, "What''s going on?"


    Lu Liang reached around to hug her, "You said your job wasn''t going well, right? I found you a new one."


    "What job?" Li Manli shifted her shoulders, finding a comfortable position to snuggle into Lu Liang''s arms.


    "You see how big this apartment is, what do you think we''re missing?" Lu Liang looked around the spacious living room.


    "Isn''t this too soon?" Li Manli''s eyes widened, not daring to believe the surprise had come so suddenly.


    Before she could speak, Lu Liang tapped her head, "What are you thinking? Don''t we still need a housekeeper?"


    The total area was 434 square meters with four bedrooms and two living rooms, and he always felt it was a bit too empty for one person.


    If Zhang Qian hadn''t stayed for a few days last week, he wouldn''t even know what to eat.


    So he had been thinking about hiring a housekeeper to hire a cook as well, to handle the daily chores.


    Just then, Li Manli had come over.


    She had graduated last June, worked at a factory for half a year, and then at Wanli Palace for two and a half months.


    With only a high school education and no college admission, she clearly wasn''t qualified for an office job.


    Lu Liang also didn''t want to mix personal relationships with company matters, even though it was currently just a shell company.


    After some thought, a housekeeper''s job seemed most suitable for Li Manli.


    "Me, a housekeeper?" Li Manli was disheartened, thinking Lu Liang wanted her to be the lady of the house.


    She was a bit resistant because in her memory, butlers were always middle-aged people around their forties or fifties.


    Lu Liang smiled and said, "Who says butlers can''t be young and beautiful? Look at the movies ''Little Days'' makes, all big beauties."


    Li Manli cocked her head, easily distracted by the change in topic, "The movies you watch, are they serious?"


    "Sister, it''s you who should be serious."


    Lu Liang pinched Li Manli''s chin, looked at her puffy lips, and couldn''t help but feel their softness.


    Li Manli squinted her eyes, her fair arms wrapped around Lu Liang''s neck, also responding in kind.


    As the sun set in the west, its remaining light spilled into the living room, the clothes of the two on the sofa gradually diminished.


    The orange sunlight fell on Li Manli''s pristine back, casting a golden glow. And as time passed, fine beads of sweat emerged on her back, making the glow even more intense.


    Suddenly, the phone rang inappropriately.


    "You... you... your phone... is ringing."


    Li Manli''s eyes were blurred, her speech faltering.


    Lu Liang breathed heavily, glanced at the phone which didn''t show the caller ID, and ignored it.


    The phone rang for 40 seconds each time, and the other party persistently called again every five minutes.


    Until the third ring stopped.


    Lu Liang picked up the sofa blanket that had fallen to the floor, covering Li Manli''s body and his own lower waist.


    He picked up the phone, the number seemed familiar, but he didn''t think much about it and clicked redial.


    As soon as the call connected, an irate woman''s voice thundered through, "When did you sell the house?"


    "When I sold it, I don''t think I need to report to you," Lu Liang''s expression turned cold.


    They hadn''t been in touch for months, but he recognized the voice as his ex-wife, Lin Wenjing.


    "Changed your number, sold the house, quit your job, what exactly are you trying to do?" Lin Wenjing fumed.


    Initially, she dialed Lu Liang''s number, but it was out of service.


    Thus, Lin Wenjing went to Lu Liang''s home and his former workplace, but was met with rebuffs.


    The house had a new owner, but especially the manager at Lu Liang''s company, who initially was courteous towards her.


    But as soon as she mentioned Lu Liang''s name, they reacted explosively and drove her out immediately.


    Later, a young girl came out and told her that Lu Liang had resigned several months ago.


    Before leaving, he had scolded the manager, causing the manager to hold a grudge.


    And she gave her Lu Liang''s new phone number.


    "What does it matter to you?"


    Lin Wenjing clenched her teeth, coldly questioned, "Where are my things?"


    "When I called you, you said you didn''t want them, so I threw them all away." Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lu Liang''s lips curved into a smile, calming down, as he stroked Li Manli''s chin like teasing a cat.


    Li Manli held her breath, eavesdropping on their conversation, realizing the other party was Lu Liang''s ex-wife.


    Suddenly, she mischievously smiled and used an overly sweet baby voice, "Brother~ you are so naughty, insisting on Cum it on my face..."


    Lu Liang was startled, clearly Lin Wenjing also heard it.


    Even through the phone, he could hear Lin Wenjing''s breathing grow heavy.


    "Liang, you can really do it!" she gritted her teeth and hung up directly.


    Lu Liang sighed, recalling several months ago when he called Lin Wenjing and heard a man''s voice.


    Now considered tit for tat, he thought he''d feel elated, but he felt more melancholic.


    After all, when they first married, Lu Liang thought about caring for her for a lifetime, growing old together.


    But now, they had become enemies.


    "Li, I''m sorry, my mistake."


    Li Manli pinched her earlobe, looking pitifully for forgiveness.


    From their conversation, it was clear their relationship was poor, so she wanted to help, but it seemed she had botched it.


    Lu Liang sternly said, "Your mistake is in slandering me, it was clearly on your back, how could it be on your face?"


    Li Manli was dazed, suddenly exclaimed.


    This didn''t seem like a reproach, she bit her lower lip and reached under the blanket, "Shall we... how about doing it again?"

 Chapter 28 - 28: London Gold Market

    A new week began, and Chinese Online welcomed two consecutive daily limit increases, with the share price reaching 41.65 Yuan, setting a new historical high.


    For the third time, it topped the Dragon and Tiger List, becoming the hottest stock in the market since Baofeng Technology earlier that year.


    "Even if predictions are incorrect, the sound won''t disappear," Luo Liang reflected, "but the outcome can deviate due to human factors."


    In the past two days, Luo Liang chose to empty his portfolio and observe, missing out on two daily limit increases but indirectly confirming his speculation.


    The information provided by the sound wasn''t 100% accurate, because its very existence was the biggest uncertainty.


    Having earned 12 million from Luo Liang, the main forces could only force the stock price even higher, otherwise, their funds would be easily trapped inside.


    "The sound will ring at midnight."


    "Could the trigger condition be related to the transaction touched upon?"


    Luo Liang noted his reflections in his notebook, then tore out the page and tossed it into the ashtray.


    He lit a cigarette, took a deep inhale, and exhaled the smoke, watching the flames dance in the ashtray.


    Until the ball of paper burned down to ashes.


    At night, Luo Liang sat alone in his study, browsing financial news, quietly waiting for the midnight chime.


    Today the Shanghai Stock Exchange Index achieved a four-day winning streak, officially breaking through 5100 points¡ªthe entire market was nearly insane.


    Former colleagues in the social circle were also posting photos of long lines at the housing authority. This craze, lasting several weeks, was filled with people either selling homes or mortgage properties to speculate in stocks.


    "Is such prosperity even possible in our country?"


    With these past days of holding an empty portfolio to observe, Luo Liang had ample time to study the market.


    Being a seasoned real estate professional, he was acutely aware of the significance of real estate to the domestic economy.


    One could say, the three major financial boards combined weren''t even a match for a single hair of the real estate market. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A house on the market priced at a million could bring in tax revenues upwards of five hundred thousand or more, with the remainder, after deducting labor costs, belonging to the real estate development group.


    Real estate was linked to too many industries, such as building materials, home furnishings, appliances, and hundreds of others, creating a vast number of job opportunities.


    Now, everyone was selling their homes to invest in stocks or using the money intended for buying homes to speculate. Could this really be what the country wanted to see?


    Probably not.


    "The bull market is likely coming to an end."


    Luo Liang stubbed out his cigarette and took a sip of coffee.


    At midnight, the clock chimed, as if a voice from another world echoed in his mind.


    [June 5th, London Gold, 1517.2500 points]


    Luo Liang was astonished. He had considered many possibilities but hadn''t anticipated international spot gold.


    Because it originated in London, thus named London Gold, it has a history of over 300 years and is the world''s largest spot gold market.


    With daily trading volumes of approximately 20 trillion US dollars, equivalent to 25 times that of Big A, no consortium or institution could manipulate it; the market solely relied on spontaneous regulation.


    "The current price is 1347.1200 points, nearly a 160-point increase." Luo Liang narrowed his eyes, excitement flickering within.


    Gold had always been the most stable primitive currency since ancient times. Unless a major global conflict arose or there was a financial crisis, prompting large funds to seek safe havens, the price of gold would only steadily climb with inflation.


    Because of the small price fluctuations, leverage of at least a hundred times was provided, hence the four decimal places after the point.


    A 160-point increase might seem insignificant, but with proper handling, turning a hundred thousand into a billion wasn''t out of the question.


    This also indirectly confirmed Luo Liang''s guess that the domestic bull market was ending. Large capital was flowing into the gold market for risk aversion.


    The night grew late, but the light in the study remained on.


    Lu Liang smoked continuously and sipped his coffee without pause, acquainting himself with the trading rules and methods of London Gold.


    London Gold trading was different from the trading method of Big A stocks. To be precise, Big A is different from the financial markets of the world.


    Globally, only Big A adopts the T+1 trading system, where you can only sell tomorrow what you buy today and can only go long, not short.


    Except for Big A, all stock markets, funds, foreign exchange, and other financial markets adopt the T+0 trading method, allowing you to buy and sell on the same day, going both long and short.


    This kind of trading method benefits institutions but is not advantageous for individual investors. Although it was initially set up to protect individual investors, it was eventually exploited by institutions continually finding loopholes.


    London Gold differs from domestic stock markets not only in its T+0 trading method but also in its trading hours.


    Trading operates non-stop for 24 hours a day, from Monday evening to Saturday early morning, with the market closing only on weekends.


    Starting at three o''clock in the afternoon, Yanjing time, it is divided into the European session, American Plate, and Asian session, fundamentally following the daylight hours of each continent.


    The most active trading period each day is from 10 pm to 5 am Yanjing time, with these seven hours contributing nearly half of the total trading volume for the entire day.


    This time frame is the afternoon for the European session and the morning for the American Plate, with their combined activity far surpassing that of the Asian session.


    By three-thirty in the morning, Lu Liang had essentially grasped the basics. Although there were still some points he did not understand, he planned to learn through practical operation.


    He logged into his brokerage account to exchange ten thousand US Dollars, using a 400 times leverage, and decisively entered the London Gold market.


    The leverage rate of London Gold is high for two reasons: one is that the fluctuation range is small, and the other is that the entry threshold is very high.


    Each transaction requires a minimum of one lot, where one lot is equal to 100 ounces, and 1 ounce is equal to 31.1035 grams of gold.


    With the current international gold price at 272 RMB per gram, 100 ounces is equal to 3110.35 grams, so one lot requires 846,000 RMB, which is 133,200 US Dollars.


    Lu Liang exchanged ten thousand US Dollars, with five thousand as margin and the other five thousand as his available capital.


    After financing, two million US Dollars could only buy 15 lots.


    Lu Liang didn''t go all-in like he did in the Big A market, but started by buying five lots long to observe the market conditions.


    Each time the market fell by three basis points, he would buy another lot, because if it fell more than five basis points, he would face a margin call.


    If the margin was insufficient, he would continue to add money to the margin account.


    At five in the morning, although this wave of market movement did not start, there were already signs of it, as the gold price trended slowly upward.


    Lu Liang''s total investment reached eighty thousand US Dollars, of which forty thousand was margin, and his holdings amounted to 16.17 million US Dollars.


    14 million was from financing, and only 170 thousand truly belonged to him; subtracting the principal, he had a profit of 130 thousand.


    "At an exchange rate of 6.35, that''s a profit of over 800 thousand?" Lu Liang couldn''t help but be amazed. The money had come too quickly.


    He barely did anything, just adding to his margin when the market dropped and holding on and watching when it rose.


    However, there was one time during the trading session when the market fluctuated wildly, with a sudden drop of four basis points, and he almost faced a margin call.


    Fortunately, he had enough backup funds, and Lu Liang hurriedly added another twenty thousand to the margin to avoid forced liquidation of his positions.


    High leverage is all about excitement,


    Complete focus, not a moment of carelessness is allowed.


    In early June, stepping into summer, and past five o''clock, the sky began to show the first light of dawn.


    The American Plate''s trading time was about to end, and the market activity significantly decreased.


    Lu Liang rubbed his eyes and forced himself to stay awake, as the Asian session was next to take over.


    If his prediction was correct, the daytime Asian session would erupt with activity no less vigorous than that of the European and American sessions.


    Lu Liang exchanged his money in advance, converting 5.84 million RMB into 920 thousand US Dollars, and transferred it all into his London Gold account.


    His account still had more than four million in available capital, but he had no more quota for exchanging US Dollars.


    With all preparations complete, Lu Liang stepped out of his study, planning to take a shower and have breakfast to rejuvenate.


    Now that there was more than 900 thousand in margin in his account, he didn''t need to worry about the mid-session volatility leading to a margin call.

 Chapter 29 - 29: A-shares, The Sky is Falling

    "Locking positions is divided into two forms, profit locking and loss locking."


    "When the market moves contrary to one''s initial position, new positions opposite to the original holdings are created, hence it is also called hedging."


    "The purpose of locking positions is primarily to handle potential reversals during the session, maintaining optimal positions at minimal cost."


    In the kitchen, Lu Liang was making breakfast while delving deeper into the trading rules of London Gold.


    Long and short positions were straightforward to understand, but locking positions was a strategy he had never touched before.


    It seemed like a method to help investors reduce risk and appropriately avoid losses.


    Yet, he felt that locking should be used more as a means of profit rather than a common remedial measure.


    The explanation was too generic; Lu Liang felt he needed a chance to practice it to understand the specific methods.


    Suddenly, the electric curtains slowly opened, and the sound of footsteps echoed from the end of the corridor.


    "Liang, why are you up so early today, didn''t we agree that I would make breakfast from now on?"


    Li Manli, sleepy-eyed, dressed in a pink bear nightgown and bunny fluff cotton shoes, each step curling the rabbit ears.


    Recently, with nothing much to do, she had been browsing a video website and suddenly conceived the idea of becoming a gourmet vlogger.


    Lu Liang was happy to see her with her ideas and directly equipped her with several filming devices, letting her have fun on her own.


    Now, Li Manli was not just the household manager but also a part-time chef, handling all three meals for Lu Liang.


    Although the taste wasn''t great, Lu Liang didn''t want to dampen her creative enthusiasm.


    If she had a talent and became a great internet sensation, Lu Liang would feel very accomplished.


    "Busy until now, just finished work; idle as well."


    After breakfast, Lu Liang walked to the water bar, brewed a strong bitter cup of coffee, trying to maintain a high energy level.


    Who knew when he would be finished? It could be a blitz or a drawn-out battle.


    Anyhow, he needed to stock up on as much energy as possible before the onset of the battle.


    Li Manli expressed her surprise with wide-open mouth, "Did you not rest at all last night?"


    "I won''t need to be called for lunch; I''ll come out if I want something," Lu Liang smiled, pushed her chin up again, then returned to his study.


    Three screens on the desk displayed the Shanghai Stock Exchange, London Gold market, and one dedicated to browsing news.


    At half past nine, the domestic stock market opened, starting up 0.57%, with the Shanghai Stock Exchange Index at 5150.12 points.


    Today was another broad rally, the market mostly sees green except for a very few stocks showing losses.


    Among them was Chinese Online, plummeting 3.55% at the opening, directly trapping yesterday''s high chasers.


    As time passed, a large amount of small capital began to enter the market.


    Representing the retail investors'' strong confidence in the subsequent market, they believed this was the second Baofeng of the year.


    They also believed there would be a sharp increase during the session and if it hit the limit, today''s gain would be 13.55%.


    "The last chance to escape, if you don''t cherish it, don''t fantasize about institutions helping to lift the palanquin."


    Lu Liang sighed and stopped paying attention to this stock.


    Because the London Gold market fluctuated unusually during the quietest period in the Asian session, an abrupt drop of five points.


    If it wasn''t for Lu Liang''s holding of 960,000 US Dollar in margin, he could accept drastic market volatility; otherwise, he might face a margin call.


    "Could it be starting now?" Lu Liang furrowed his brows, staring at the calm Shanghai Stock Exchange Index.


    After a brief hesitation, he reorganized his account.


    Due to the large amount invested this time, Lu Liang revoked the previously set 400x leverage, reducing it to 200x.


    The account now totaled 1.13 million US Dollars, with 630,000 as the margin and the other 500,000 leveraged into 100 million.


    Lu Liang trusted his judgment that the trigger for the surge in Gold would be a crash in the A-shares, with capital moving into the International Gold Market for safe-haven.


    The A-shares market relies on network and precedents; even if insider information was received, one couldn''t reveal knowing it in advance until the official document was issued.


    Like sometimes, some key stocks, one second after the document is released, immediately hit the upper price limit.


    However, London Gold market can operate without any reservations.


    A sudden change was a premonition.


    Lu Liang decided to take a gamble. His funds were not ample enough, he had to take action before everyone else to secure the lowest price chips.


    If he waited until the market action started to react, it would be challenging to get low-priced chips by then.


    Lu Liang entered a position at 1365.2400 per ounce.


    The price per contract was $136,524, with a total of 732 contracts purchased, amounting to $99.918 million, nearly all-in.


    The price was now $1365.2400 per ounce, and with just a one-point increase before the decimal point, he could make $9076.


    With lower leverage, the returns were lower, but the tolerance for error increased, allowing him to handle a sudden drop of 17 points.


    As time ticked by, London Gold moved slowly and steadily up to $1365.7400 per ounce.


    By ten in the morning, Lu Liang had made $4538, but his assets were still showing a loss of $12,962.


    Because of the leverage used, a minimum fee of 3.5% had to be paid; the higher the leverage ratio, the higher the fees.


    Fifteen minutes later, the Shanghai Stock Exchange took a sharp downturn, as if a slow bull market had suddenly been beheaded.


    It opened up 0.57% and rose to 0.95% during trading, but then suddenly plummeted by 1.89%, turning red to green.


    The total market value of A-shares, at 71.25 trillion,


    saw an escape of funds amounting to 1.34 trillion in a matter of seconds.


    And this was just the beginning.


    A piece of news broke from the stock forums and quickly swept across the entire network.


    At ten-fifteen, an official document was issued, and the relevant departments delivered a heavy blow, bringing down 12 illegal private institutions that provided off-market margin trading, urging major brokerages to regulate operations, and introducing ten new securities laws.


    The Shanghai Stock Exchange Index plummeted in response, as private institutions providing off-market margin services were forcibly liquidated, flooding the market with a massive volume of chips.


    "Damn, my account is locked."


    "Run, the stock market crash is coming."


    The stock forums erupted, and financial industry professionals were astounded.


    In just four months, the Shanghai Stock Exchange Index rose from 3000 points to its current high of 5178.


    The total market value of A-shares increased by nearly 20 trillion, thanks largely to the numerous institutions providing off-market margin financing.


    Previously, off-market margin financing was a gray area, technically illegal, but the authorities didn''t delve too deep.


    Now, with a decisive blow, the leading financing institutions have been toppled, brokerages have been urged to regularize operations, and ten new rules have been implemented.


    Undoubtedly, for A-shares, the sky had fallen.


    Institutional liquidations, speculative capital flight, and retail investors following suit.


    The entire market looked as if it were facing an apocalypse. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lu Liang was exceedingly agitated, paying no heed to the further movements of the Shanghai Stock Exchange Index, his attention entirely captivated by the London Gold market.


    Just then, at the very moment the official document was issued, London Gold surged by 21 points, with massive amounts of capital frenziedly flowing in.


    As time progressed, London Gold started to climb rapidly, increasing by nearly one point every second.


    An anomaly occurred in the London Gold Asian session, attracting speculators from across the ocean, further inflating the price of gold.


    By noon Yanjing time,


    the surge in London Gold gradually slowed.


    In 80 minutes, it had jumped by 47.39 points,


    stabilizing the price at $1412.6300 per ounce.


    The international gold price broke through $45 per gram, equivalent to 288 RMB, rising by 10 RMB per gram.


    Clearly, investors betting on gold did not want the rally to end, as news of the surging gold prices spread worldwide.


    Taking domestic public sentiments as an example, various financial experts started to make their presence felt.


    They first expressed support for the state''s regulation of financial markets and lamented over the pitiful state of A-shares.


    Secondly, they analyzed that trillions of funds fleeing would generally head in two directions.


    The first was undoubtedly real estate; with house prices expected to keep rising, it would soon be too late to get on board.


    The second was gold; aside from real estate, only the gold market could accommodate such a volume of capital.


    The pushers of public opinion were clever, understanding what regulating financial markets meant¡ªit was all about directing funds where they were supposed to go.


    Therefore, they primarily talked up the real estate market, encouraging the public to invest in housing, with the international gold price spike just a side note.


    However, considering the cost of houses often reaching millions, which is not a small amount, in contrast, gold could be bought for just a few hundred per gram.


    People who had tasted the sweetness of the stock market, upon receiving the news, felt like they had a new target and began to flock to the gold market.


    Though trading London Gold was complex, buying physical gold was an option.


    Gold''s attributes were too distinct.


    Visible and tangible, you couldn''t lose big or get deceived, and even if the price fell, it wouldn''t go too low¡ªat worst, you could still craft jewelry for yourself or your family members.


    For a while, Shenzhen Shuibei experienced a gold rush like never before.

 Chapter 30 - 30: Achieving Half a Mini Goal

    Two years ago, Chinese housewives snapped up 300 tons of gold, and their feat of successfully hedging against Wall Street giants was still vivid in everyone''s memory, giving birth to the new English word "DAMA."


    Back then, even the underdog groups could blow up Goldman Sachs Group''s position, making them surrender hands up, and now they were with the wind at their backs.


    Gold prices soared, unstoppable.


    The domestic gold price surge drove international gold prices, thus affecting the London Gold market.


    At three o''clock in the afternoon, the domestic stock market closed.


    The index returned to 4823.48 points, a drop of -6.85%.


    Today was destined to go down in history, with 1250 of the 3124 stocks across the three major sectors hitting the limit down, everything in a sea of red, save for a few new stocks still in the green.


    The retail investors who had won lottery allocations were everywhere bragging, while those holding other stocks were full of complaints, with Chinese Online completely floored.


    Three leading institutions were so angry they almost jumped off a building.


    It wasn''t their fault. They had their withdrawal plans ready and were proceeding with them step by step.


    Everything was steadily improving.


    They hadn''t expected an official red-headed document to bury the entire market, leaving them unable to escape.


    Lu Liang hadn''t closed his eyes for 32 hours, but he was still spirited, just with a slight sourness in his eyes and a bit of blur in his vision.


    He watched the London Gold market, where the price had risen to 1475.55 US Dollars per ounce, up 110.31 US Dollars.


    His personal account held 732 contracts, with a total value now reaching 108.01 million US Dollars.


    "This surge should be almost over."


    After long consideration, Lu Liang chose to cash out and exit.


    Over a hundred million dollars in chips was like a grain of sand in the desert to a market with a daily trading volume of 20 trillion dollars.


    His selling didn''t even make a ripple.


    The money that was a hundred times leveraged automatically went back to the broker, minus a transaction fee of 12,900 US Dollars, and deducting the original capital of 500,000 dollars.


    7.4971 million US Dollars


    was the profit from this surge. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Including his margin account, Lu Liang''s funds amounted to 8.6271 million US Dollars, 54.782 million RMB.


    "Half a small target." Lu Liang was in a great mood and decided to withdraw 4.63 million from his domestic broker account.


    He didn''t plan to convert the 8.6271 million US Dollars in the London Gold account to RMB, instead depositing it directly into his international card.


    He had learned from previous losses.


    If it wasn''t for the fact that Lu Liang''s conversion limit was only 1 million, his total assets would have hit nine figures by now.


    US Dollars could be exchanged for RMB without limits, but RMB could not be converted into US Dollars without restrictions.


    Lu Liang planned to keep these US Dollars because the overall London Gold market wasn''t over yet.


    The next two days would see a rise of 41.7 US Dollars.


    If handled correctly, by the end of this big surge, his total assets should bust through one hundred million.


    The international market allowed for going long and short.


    The end of the surge naturally meant a pullback, a pullback meant a decline, a decline meant the opportunity to short, with profits to be made just the same.


    At three-thirty, Lu Liang completed the settlement and stepped out of the study, only to see Li Manli, who was editing videos on the sofa, slightly dazed.


    Black and white Lolita attire, double ponytails, white knee-high stockings paired with black leather shoes.


    Ruffles on the skirt hem, the bow tie on the chest, and elements like lace combined both classic and modern styles.


    A stately but playful dual characteristic, present in one person, was miraculous without being contradictory.


    "Liang, you''ve finally come out. If you hadn''t, I was really about to knock on your door."


    Li Manli excitedly jumped up and trotted over to Lu Liang.


    All day, Lu Liang had only come out to make a few cups of coffee and had neither eaten nor slept, which worried her.


    Lu Liang looked her over a few times and admired, "That outfit looks great."


    "Is it just the outfit that''s nice?"


    Li Manli''s smile blossomed as she twirled around to show off.


    Her little leather shoes squeaked on the tile floor.


    "The clothes are nice, but the person is prettier."


    As the skirt swirled with her movement, a stretch of fair thigh was revealed, with the obviously one-size-too-small white stockings creating a seductive curve at the top of her legs.


    Li Manli, sporting a sweet smile, ran to the dining room and lifted the thermal cover, "Hungry, right? I''ll warm up some food for you."


    Three dishes and a soup were served, meticulously presented and made with care, but Lu Liang knew that when it came to looks, fragrance, and taste, usually only one would prevail.


    It was all about appearances.


    "No need to heat it up, there''s still some warmth left. I''ll eat and then take a nap," said Lu Liang tiredly, with little appetite, planning to just go through the motions of eating before going to sleep.


    "Since you''ve had so much coffee today, how about taking a hot bath first, to relax a bit?" Li Manli suggested.


    "Sounds good."


    "I''ll go run the bath for you."


    Being tired for a long time is just like being hungry for a long time.


    The latter leads to a loss of hunger, while the former could mean lying in bed for a long time before falling asleep.


    Right now, Lu Liang yearned for a toasty warm spring bath and a professional masseur to properly relax his body and mind.


    But he was too lazy to go out.


    Li Manli seemed to read Lu Liang''s mind.


    Just as he settled into the bathtub, she followed right in.


    She tiptoed up behind him and said with a smile, "Liang, let me give you a massage."


    Lu Liang turned his head for a glance and couldn''t help but chuckle, "When did you buy so many ''unique'' outfits?"


    She had changed into another costume, in deep red fabric adorned with camellias, and a wide, blue belt tied around her waist.


    It resembled the attire often seen in Neon animations during summer festivals, like a kimono but not quite a kimono.


    She was braless underneath, and as Li Manli leaned over slightly, Lu Liang caught a generous glimpse of her cleavage.


    "Didn''t you tell me to do thorough market research and observe the audience''s preferences before I started as a video blogger?"


    "So I did just that, and found that most viewers on that site are fans of the second dimension."


    "Dressing in cosplay outfits, compared to ordinary clothes, brings in a completely different level of traffic."


    Li Manli boasted excitedly, "I''ve only posted two videos and already got three thousand followers."


    "Keep it up, and when you reach a hundred thousand followers, I''ll support you as the top fan during a live stream," Lu Liang said, laughing lightly.


    He didn''t see anything wrong with leveraging one''s advantages. Being beautiful was her edge.


    He also enjoyed the different experience. Clearing his throat, he said, "I remember the Pirate Empress being quite famous, isn''t she?"


    "The Han Kuke? Do you like it? I''ll buy that costume next time."


    "It''s nice."


    Lu Liang lay back with his eyes closed, a slight grin on his face.


    He enjoyed Li Manli''s service, even though her massage technique was rough and missed the right spots.


    Lu Liang had to provide her with some guidance.


    Until the warm water slowly turned cool, he stood up and wrapped himself in a bathrobe, "I''m going to take a nap. Don''t wait up for me for dinner."


    The wet allure was tempting, but he was wholly relaxed now, and as tiredness overtook him, he had no other desires.


    A quiet night ensued as he slept through till the early hours.


    After freshening up,


    Lu Liang continued striving towards his goal of becoming a billionaire.


    By four o''clock in the afternoon, the London Gold trading session in Asia had ended and the European and American sessions took over.


    During Lu Liang''s rest, the London Gold had risen by 12 points, but counter trades in the market had brought it down by 17 points at one point.


    By one-thirty in the morning,


    the international price of gold had returned to 1470.25 US Dollars per ounce, 47 points away from the forecasted earnings.


    "Thirty hours for a 47-point increase. Where''s the next catalyst?"


    Lu Liang wasn''t in a rush to open positions, poring over news and information for the spark that could ignite the market movement.


    The London Gold market was so vast that his butterfly effect, earning a few million, would likely not impact the overall outcome.


    There definitely was a minor trend on its way, but short sellers had appeared in the market, believing the trend had peaked and a pullback was due.


    So there must be another catalyst, one that would ignite this minor trend and elevate the gold price to burst the short sellers'' positions.


    Lu Liang was looking for it, but he was disadvantaged by not understanding English, requiring translation software to browse international news.


    "Looks like I need to enroll in a class; it''s all Zheng''s fault for not being supportive," he sighed.


    Although his English grades were not bad back in the day, almost reaching level four certification, not using it for so many years meant it had all been returned to his teachers.

 Chapter 31 - 31: Recruiting Soldiers and Buying Horses

    Screens filled with letters, Lu Liang was so dizzy that he stopped forcing himself and resorted to the clumsy method he had used the night before.


    After all, he was sure that there was another small rally to come, so he started with 1 million and activated 100x leverage to finance 100 million.


    He bought 100 lots to establish a base position, spending 14.7025 million US dollars, and for every 1 point drop, he would buy an additional 10 lots.


    As it neared 4 o''clock and the American Plate was about to close, the catalyst for the market movement hadn''t yet been ignited.


    Lu Liang held 540 contract lots, with an average buying price of 1468.75 US dollars, and the current price was 1459.24 US dollars.


    At present, each lot was losing 951 US dollars, and including the 12,900 dollars in transaction fees, the total loss was 526,300 US dollars.


    As the American Plate closed, market activity decreased significantly, and trading volume plummeted.


    Lu Liang pondered for a moment, then added another 2 million US dollars, also at 100x leverage, securing 200 million US dollars in funds.


    At the price of 1459.24 US dollars, he bought 1000 lots of London Gold, bringing his average cost down to 1462.85 US dollars.


    Currently, the account held a total of 1540 contract lots, pushing the total loss to 595,800 US dollars.


    In the end, Lu Liang chose to hedge his positions, waiting to fight another day, letting the bullets fly for a while longer.


    At 9:30 in the morning, the Shanghai Stock Exchange opened with a significant drop of -2.25%.


    The entire market was like it had gone impotent, its former glory gone.


    Institutions, speculators, and retail investors alike were all inevitably in trouble; everyone was buried in the pit.


    The vitality of the market was no more, and the downward trend was like a dull knife, slowly cutting through the flesh and blood of countless investors.


    ...


    Lu Liang had slept for five hours, and near noon, he received a call from Liu Jun and went to Kunqian Trading Company.


    "Lu, the market hasn''t been doing too well these past few days."


    Meng Changkun made tea, casually probing for information.


    Although he didn''t play the stock market, the major event that happened yesterday in the financial market affected all industries.


    For example, several of their company''s clients had gone missing, allegedly having embezzled company funds to speculate in stocks and fled overseas overnight.


    There was also an incident yesterday near a building where someone attempted to jump off, reportedly due to being involved in off-exchange financing and having his funds frozen, intending to make a statement through death, in hopes the government would return his principal.


    Overall, when stock prices soared, everyone was overjoyed.


    When stock prices plummeted, everyone was in more pain than if they had lost their own parents.


    "Off-exchange financing kills people."


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but sigh, but then he changed the subject with a smile, "However, it hasn''t affected me. I cleared my position last week and have recently been trading International Gold."


    Meng Changkun was surprised and couldn''t help but curse, "I heard that gold went up a lot yesterday." S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "It was okay, it rose about ten yuan per gram. After all, when the stock market crashes, gold is the best safe haven."


    Lu Liang sipped his tea, nonchalantly, and didn''t mind sharing these details with Meng Changkun since it was no longer a secret.


    Last night, the news that gold was hard to come by in Shenzhen Shuibei shot up to the top three hot searches on Weibo and was still hanging there.


    "Impressive."


    Meng Changkun gave a thumbs up, but he was still skeptical. After all, talk was cheap, and for all he knew, Lu Liang could just be boasting to save face.


    Lu Liang just smiled, offering no explanation.


    Before he had even finished a pot of tea, Liu Jun brought over the business registration documents and the business license.


    Lu Liang made small talk with Meng Changkun for a while, then said, "Mr. Kun, I am sorry, but I have things to attend to and must go now."


    "Go ahead, come by for tea when you''re free."


    Meng Changkun laughed understandingly, remembering how when he first started his business, it was common to go days and nights without sleep.


    The company was just starting out, and indeed there were many things to take care of.


    After parting ways with Meng Changkun,


    Lu Liang headed to the International Talent City on Meiyuan Road.


    Currently not in need of management-level talent, he didn''t engage headhunters but simply rented a booth and set up a sign to start recruiting.


    [Modu Tianxing Investment Co., Ltd]


    Recruiting two front desk staffers: Five Insurances and One Fund, working five days with two days off, a trial monthly salary of 5K after regularization 7K, with meal and rent subsidies (fresh graduates preferred)


    Two financial auditors: Monthly salary of 15K+, postgraduate education required, with over three years of industry experience...


    The benefits of registering a company with paid-up capital were immediately apparent, as Tianxing Investment''s information could be found on the national website.


    Before long, a long queue had formed in front of Lu Liang''s booth.


    After all, these days, checking a company''s information is not difficult; in fact, many schools'' first lesson in job-hunting teaches students how to discern whether a company is worth joining or not.


    Tianxing Investment had registered capital of 6 million,


    paid-up capital of 6 million, clearly indicating a strong company.


    And with the business license taking effect yesterday and recruitment starting today, anyone who got in would be the ''Founding Heroes''.


    As time passed, more and more people submitted their resumes, and Lu Liang began to feel overwhelmed, becoming increasingly selective.


    For the front desk position, initially, he was just looking for a college graduate with a good image and presence, but he couldn''t resist the abundance of choices available.


    So, he went from college graduates to third-tier universities, then second-tier, choosing candidates who were more and more attractive and also required a level-four English certificate and experience organizing school events.


    By comparison, there weren''t as many applicants for the financial audit positions, requiring a postgraduate education and three years of work experience, as the salary of 15K+ was just average, not particularly high.


    But still, there were resumes being submitted.


    Lu Liang saw one resume, a basket... from Shangcai University with a PhD, who had worked at Redwood Capital for eight years, possessing extensive industry experience.


    At first, he was shocked. How could such a high-caliber professional come to his modest temple?


    Until he saw the age section: born in ''78, 37 years old this year, and female, clearly someone who''d been ''optimized'' out of the workforce.


    At that age, being female, with a three-year career gap, unless she brought her own resources, most companies wouldn''t hire her.


    "Miss Tang, could you explain why you left Redwood, what you were doing during your three-year career gap?"


    Tang Caide had short hair cut at ear-length, making her look energetic and capable. Without looking at her age, she''d appear in her early thirties at most.


    Not particularly beautiful, but with a great vibe.


    She spoke candidly, "I divorced my ex-husband at that time and had no heart for work, so I quit to open a guesthouse in Cainan. After the guesthouse closed down, I returned to Modu."


    Lu Liang pondered for a moment and smiled, "Miss Tang, welcome to our company."


    He took out another resume and dialed the number on it, "Xiao Chen, are you still at Talent City? Come here now."


    Tang Caide was startled, "Mr. Lu, did I pass the interview?"


    "Yes, if you''re free, I can take you to the company now to process the employment procedures."


    Lu Liang gestured to the young girl rushing over from a distance.


    Tang Caide''s resume was very impressive. If it weren''t for her older age, being female, and a three-year career gap, he wouldn''t have had the chance to pick her up.


    He had no reason to be dissatisfied.


    "Tang Caide in finance, Chen Jinchun at the front desk, from now on you are colleagues. Get to know each other."


    Lu Liang introduced the two women, called over the market administrator, and had all the resumes on the table thrown into the shredder: "Wait for me at the door, I''ll go get the car."


    "Tang, hello, Mr. Lu, are you taking us to join the company now?" Chen Jinchun was bewildered, her eyes revealing pure innocence.


    She thought Lu Liang called her over to discuss something, not expecting to be asked if she had time to proceed with the employment process.


    She was in her senior year and would be graduating next month; she''d been looking for a job for over two months and was bound to say she had time.


    "Maybe Mr. Lu is in a hurry."


    Tang Caide laughed lightly, quickly catching on.


    After all, with nearly ten years of experience, she had seen many people and remained calm in situations.


    Chen Jinchun, as if finding a pillar of strength, whispered, "Could there be any problem?"


    "That''s totally unlikely." Tang Caide looked ahead, where a blue Bentley was parked at the building entrance, and Lu Liang was waving at them.


    Even if the Bentley was rented, the fact that Tianxing Investment currently had 6 million in funds was incontrovertible.


    Besides, knowing one''s own worth, she didn''t think she had anything left to be deceived about.


    "Let''s go." Tang Caide took the front passenger''s seat and let Chen Jinchun sit in the back.


    Although she said Lu Liang wouldn''t likely deceive them, she still remained vigilant.


    Having Chen Jinchun sit in the back was also a protective measure.

 Chapter 32 - 32: This Boss Has Such a Big Heart

    Half an hour later, they arrived at Yongfeng Building.


    "Our company is on the 16th floor of the building, the working environment is still a bit minimalistic right now, but it will gradually be improved."


    Lu Liang had preemptively warned the two of them, the company consisted only of them three, some money, and a piece of property.


    Beyond that, there was nothing else.


    Tang Caide gave a faint smile, obviously anticipating this situation and mentally prepared for it.


    Chen Jinchun''s face was full of shock, her mouth agape, and inside she was already beating a retreat.


    Because the teacher told them that the status of a fresh graduate was very important, if lost, it would be difficult to find a job afterwards.


    The three stepped out of the elevator, and at the end of the corridor the voice of Meng Changkun rang out, "Right, right, that''s it, just a bit more to the side."


    The office area was barely over two hundred square meters, yet a dozen or so people were helping with the decorations at the entrance, some hanging up signs, some laying carpet, and others arranging flower baskets; it all looked quite professional.


    "Mr. Kun, what''s this about?" Lu Liang approached to ask, recognizing the young helpers.


    Some worked on the same floor as him, and others worked downstairs, all from companies invested in by Meng Changkun.


    "Lu, you''re back so soon? I actually wanted to give you a surprise."


    Meng Changkun laughed, "Brother, I wish your business thrives, revenue pours in, growing bigger and stronger to create splendor."


    Lu Liang rented his office from him and was also his friend, so today on the company''s opening, it was only reasonable to express his support.


    Seeing him send flower baskets and personally congratulating him, those companies he invested in also hurried to help out.


    So, the crowd grew larger and larger, and more and more flower baskets were placed at the entrance.


    "Mr. Kun, you are too kind, I really don''t know what to say to express my gratitude."


    "We''re all friends here, it''s too formal to say thanks for such a small favor."


    Lu Liang was not overdone in his appreciation and said to those who came to help, "Thank you very much everyone for the assistance. As today''s preparations are not comprehensive, I will make sure to visit and return the favor in the future."


    "Mr. Lu, you jest. In the future, we''re all neighbors, just let us know if there''s anything we can help with."


    Everyone had a smile on their face, handing out their business cards and hoping to exchange more in the future and find opportunities for cooperation.


    Although they did not know Lu Liang, the fact that he was a friend valued by Meng Changkun was enough for them.


    After exchanging a few words,


    Lu Liang stood at the entrance, watching them leave.


    "Have we met before?" Meng Changkun asked doubtfully, looking at Tang Caide, feeling she looked familiar.


    Tang Caide laughed lightly, "Mr. Meng, four years ago, at Thunder Technologies."


    "Ah, it''s Miss Tang from Redwood, long time no see. Look at my memory, sorry about that."


    Meng Changkun suddenly realized, as he had attended a financing banquet at Thunder Technologies a few years ago and had seen Tang Caide there.


    "Mr. Meng, it''s normal for important people to forget things," Tang Caide said with a smile, helping to explain.


    After seeing everyone off, Lu Liang asked curiously, "Mr. Kun, do you two know each other?"


    "We have met a few times before, Miss Tang used to work at Redwood, which is one of the top venture capitals in the country," Meng Changkun praised, expressing admiration for the sheer power of Redwood Capital rather than for Tang Caide herself.


    "Mr. Meng, that''s all in the past, I left Redwood several years ago," Tang Caide said, knowing that without Redwood, she was at most an experienced financial officer.


    "Fine birds choose fine trees to perch on, Miss Tang, this might be a wise choice," he said.


    With that, Meng Changkun patted Lu Liang on the shoulder, "Bro, I''m going to head out now, come up for a tea when you have time."


    "Mr. Kun, take care." S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The bustle was like a gust of wind; it came quickly and left just as swiftly.


    But Lu Liang wasn''t too concerned from the beginning, so he didn''t feel let down.


    After seeing Meng Changkun off, he led the two into the company. Inside, everything was tidy with a seven-inch Pixiu placed on the table, undoubtedly a gift from Meng Changkun.


    "This is our company."


    The space was just over two hundred square meters, which could be walked around in a few steps.


    Lu Liang took out the business registration documents and a copy of the business license, "Miss Tang, if you''re free today, you can start working. First, take care of your own and Xiao Chen''s onboarding process, buy social insurance if necessary, and the housing provident fund as needed."


    Chen Jinchun''s eyes widened. It was the first time she had seen a newcomer handle their own onboarding process, which made her want to retreat even more.


    Tang Caide noticed her hesitation and lightly touched her palm, then said to Lu Liang, "Alright, Mr. Lu."


    Lu Liang was very pleased with Tang Caide''s attitude and took out a corporate sub-card, "There''s a hundred thousand in here. At the moment, the company still lacks equipment like computers, printers, phones, and networking facilities."


    "Take a look at what''s needed, make a procurement list and send it to me. Then, take Xiao Chen shopping. Claim all expenses like meals and taxi fares, and if the money isn''t enough, just let me know."


    Lu Liang didn''t want to deal with these trivial matters. A PhD from Shangcai was certainly worth a trust of a hundred thousand.


    "Oh yeah, go buy some fruit and tea tomorrow. We need to reciprocate the companies that sent over fruit baskets today."


    While the two were talking, Lu Liang suddenly got a message from an unknown number on his phone.


    "Uncle Lu, is that you? I''m Xiaoguai."


    The message prompted an image of a delicate little girl to pop into Lu Liang''s mind.


    Zhang Qian''s daughter, Zhang Yun, also called Zhang Xiaoguai.


    He replied, "Yes, it''s me. What''s up?"


    "Uncle Lu, do you have time right now? My teacher called mom, but she didn''t answer."


    A hint of a smile appeared at the corner of Lu Liang''s mouth. He walked to the door and made a call, "Xiaoguai, did you get into trouble at school?"


    "Uncle Lu, I didn''t get into any trouble. It was Zhao Jiaqi who bullied me first, that''s why I hit him."


    The background noise on Xiaoguai''s end was loud, with a woman''s cursing voice nearby.


    "Wait for me, I''ll be right there."


    Startled, Lu Liang hastily went back inside to tell the other two, "I''ve got another matter to attend to, I''ll be leaving first. Contact me if you need anything."


    He left as swiftly as the wind, grabbing his car keys and hurrying off, leaving the two looking at each other in bewilderment.


    Despite having seen the world, Tang Caide couldn''t help but smile wryly at the sight of the bank card, "Mr. Lu is really carefree."


    But she quickly got into work mode, taking paper and pen to jot down what needed to be purchased and other tasks to be handled.


    Chen Jinchun was embarrassed and hesitated, "Miss Tang, maybe you could mention to Mr. Lu tomorrow that I won''t be coming."


    The building''s environment and work location were up to expectations; it was just that the company and the boss seemed unreliable.


    "Xiao Chen, you might want to think it over a little more. Our company should have quite a bit of potential for development."


    Tang Caide smiled slightly, understanding Xiao Chen''s feelings. Talking about Meng Changkun, he was quite a big name in Modu''s venture capital circles, with total assets surely no less than three billion.


    Lu Liang was his friend, and from their conversation, it was clear they were equals.


    Not like those young men who came to help, all beaming with forced smiles, not daring to show any other emotions.


    This in itself was proof of Lu Liang''s remarkable capabilities.


    Chen Jinchun was taken aback, not expecting the portly middle-aged man to be so impressive.


    "Miss Tang, thank you."


    Embarrassed, she decided to stay for the time being, at least to stick around for a few days to see how things would go.


    "Let''s not talk about that now. I remember there''s a telecom service center downstairs. Go ask about the cost for setting up a corporate broadband connection."


    Tang Caide smiled warmly. She was kind-hearted, giving Chen Jinchun plenty to do to help her settle in quicker.


    Moreover, she felt that the company was quite good. The boss had strength and it was in the initial stages, so there wouldn''t be too much to keep busy with, which also gave her time to get back to her initial state.

 Chapter 33 - 33: Slapped Down with a Single Palm

    On the other side, Lu Liang arrived at Shida Attached Primary School.


    Waiting at the school gate for a while, he called Zhang Yun''s head teacher to confirm his identity, and finally, the security uncle let him in.


    Zhang Qian was very good to her daughter and very generous, having spent over 3 million on an old, dilapidated apartment for her daughter''s school enrollment eligibility.


    Affiliated Primary School might not be the best elementary school, but it could rank in the top ten in Modu; the campus environment and the quality of teachers were both excellent.


    Walking across the green athletic track, Lu Liang made his way to the administrative office and saw Zhang Yun standing lonely in a corner from afar, her gaze fixed on the tips of her shoes.


    As soon as he entered, he heard over the phone that shrew cursing in the street, "So young, yet so vicious, a child with no upbringing."


    "Auntie, it was Zhao Jiaqi who bullied me first; why don''t you say anything about him?"


    Zhang Yun bit her lip, defiant, not wanting to look as weak as she appeared on the outside.


    "Well, you even dare to talk back. Mr. Lin, when will her parents get here? I''d really like to see what kind of parents can raise such a sharp-tongued brat."


    The woman, fuming with rage, raised her hand to slap Zhang Yun.


    "Just say what you have to say; there''s no need to get physical. Don''t act like a shrew." Lu Liang quickly stepped forward and knocked the woman''s arm aside. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Uncle Lu." Zhang Yun looked up with joy, as if she had found her mainstay, and sprinted to hug Lu Liang''s leg.


    "You must be Lu Liang, Mr. Lu, right? Can you contact Zhang Yun''s mother?" the teacher asked.


    "Her mother asked me to come and handle this..."


    Lu Liang was halfway through speaking when his expression suddenly darkened.


    He saw on Zhang Yun''s right cheek near her ear, there were three bright red finger marks, almost turning blue.


    The size, unlikely to be from a child''s palm.


    Lu Liang asked coldly, "Who hit her?"


    The teacher sensed trouble and quickly tried to explain, "Mr. Lu, please don''t get angry; Ms. Liang was just a bit emotional earlier."


    Lu Liang squatted in front of Zhang Yun, pointed to the woman beside him, and asked softly, "Xiaoguai, did she hit you?"


    Zhang Yun suddenly lost control of her emotions, "It was Zhao Jiaqi... he cursed me first, he pushed me first, I did nothing wrong."


    "Don''t cry, uncle will take care of you."


    Lu Liang felt immense pity and turned his head towards the teacher, "Mr. Lin, the school has surveillance, right? What exactly happened?"


    The woman worried that Lu Liang might seek revenge and cautiously stepped back several steps, but seeing him not laying a hand on her, a hint of contempt flashed in her eyes.


    Suddenly, with fierce vigor: "No matter what the situation is, it''s not right to leave my child''s face scratched like this, look at it, it''s almost disfigured."


    There was a boy nearby with several scratch marks on his face, but they were just shallow imprints, nowhere near as serious as Zhang Yun''s.


    "Mr. Lu, it''s just kids'' horseplay."


    Lin Xiao was very careful with her wording, attempting to downplay the gravity of the incident with the excuse of children''s horseplay.


    As teachers, they naturally hoped to minimize the incident.


    "So you''re saying, my child didn''t do anything wrong, is that it?"


    Lu Liang understood the full story.


    Zhang Yun inherited her mother''s good looks, carved like a dainty doll since she was small, and naturally attracted the adoration of boys.


    The boy liked Zhang Yun and wanted to play with her, but since Zhang Yun didn''t like him, his love turned to hate.


    He messed up her backpack, doodled in her textbooks, deliberately tripped her, trying various ways to get her attention.


    Zhang Yun tolerated it again and again, until she couldn''t anymore.


    And at that age, girls often grow taller than boys, and possess more fighting spirit.


    "Children''s play is quite normal."


    Lu Liang suddenly swung his arm and gave the woman a hard slap across the face, "Why do you, an adult, meddle in this?"


    A sharp sound rang out; the woman was slapped to the ground, seeing stars instantly; everyone in the office was stunned.


    No one expected that Lu Liang, who had been so calm and reasonable, would suddenly lash out in violence.


    The force of a grown man''s slap was tremendous; with a full swing, the woman''s face swelled up like a pig''s head.


    She seemed as though her tear ducts had burst open, crying, "Help! Murder... Call the police quickly."


    The little boy next to them was also too scared to move, his whole body trembling, tears almost crying out.


    The only two male teachers in the office stepped forward to embrace Lu Liang, "Mr. Lu, please calm down."


    "I''m sorry, I got a bit emotional just now, I lost my composure."


    Lu Liang smiled faintly, not engaging in any more extreme behavior, and coldly watched as the woman dialed the police.


    He crouched down, stroking Xiaoguai''s back of the head, "If someone hits you, it''s not your fault, you have to hit back hard."


    The little girl''s eyes were twinkling with tears, and she nodded emphatically.


    Lin Xiao furrowed his brows, "Mr. Lu, the way you are teaching the child is very problematic."


    "And you? You don''t have a problem?"


    Lu Liang retorted angrily, incensed by the thought of the incident, "So many people just watched as she was slapped and did nothing but tell her not to be angry, not to be anxious. It''s not your child, of course you''re not anxious, it''s simply inexcusable for a teacher."


    He sensed that the teachers were somewhat biased towards the woman.


    When Zhang Yun was hit, no one spoke up for her, not even offering to apply any medicine to reduce the swelling.


    In contrast, when the woman was flipped to the ground by his slap, even the head of the teachers came to offer his sympathies.


    Lin Xiao was speechless, his face alternating between shades of green and white.


    As the homeroom teacher, she was aware of the families'' circumstances and tended to choose the lesser of two evils by habit.


    Right beside Affiliated Primary School was the police station; the police were almost immediately dispatched upon receiving the call.


    "Officer, what took you so long, it''s him, arrest him quickly."


    Seeing the police, the woman suddenly felt backed up, her face a grimace of pain as she accused Lu Liang of his misdeeds.


    "Let''s all go to the station and not cause a scene at the school," the officer said with a furrowed brow, but he internally breathed a sigh of relief.


    When they received the call, even the chief was alarmed, as the woman claimed there was a murder, and that too within the school.


    Fortunately, it was just a quarrel between parents; a homicide on school grounds within their jurisdiction would have caused quite a scandal for their police station.


    Lu Liang took Zhang Yun with him to follow the police to the station.


    He also made a call to Meng Changkun, inquiring if he knew of any law firms.


    Meng Changkun quickly asked, "What happened?"


    "A small incident, just a quarrel with someone, I accidentally slapped the other party," Lu Liang informed truthfully.


    "If you need anything, just say the word, I can recommend a law firm for you, they handle civil, criminal, or commercial cases."


    Meng Changkun sent the number for Jin Cheng Law Firm, whom his company consults for many business disputes.


    Lu Liang expressed his thanks and not long after, Zhang Qian''s call came through, rushing over after receiving the news.


    Holding her daughter, she looked at the handprint on her daughter''s face with deep distress and looked up to say, "Liang, thank you."


    She also explained why her call didn''t get through; she was out on errands and her phone died with no place to charge it.


    "It''s not a big deal," Lu Liang said with a gentle smile.


    These days, who doesn''t know a bit of the law, this kind of small matter doesn''t even meet the standard for filing a case, it''s just about spending some money.


    A while later, Ye Wei from Jin Cheng Law Firm arrived at the station.


    He asked Lu Liang, "Mr. Lu, do you want to settle this publicly or privately?"


    "Either is fine, as long as I''ve had the air cleared."


    Lu Liang said with a smile, in front of the woman.


    The woman was furious, pulling at the officer, "Look at him, he''s so arrogant."


    "Miss Liang, please don''t pull and drag."


    The officer tightened his brows and looked at Lu Liang with a cold face, "Mr. Lu, I''d also ask you not to provoke any further."


    Knowing immediately that someone who calls for a lawyer is not easy to handle, and with the woman being relentless, it was giving him a headache.


    "Okok."


    Lu Liang shrugged with a laugh, leaving everything to Ye Wei to handle.


    He picked up his phone and looked at the purchase list sent by Tang Caide; five computers, two printers¡­


    Over twenty kinds of office supplies to be purchased, with each item''s approximate price listed in the table.

 Chapter 34 - 34: Like a Family of Three

    "Go ahead and buy it, just remember to get an invoice."


    Lu Liang sighed, choosing Tang Caide really was the right decision.


    Having an experienced person in the house is like having a treasure, if he had hired a fresh graduate with no experience, he might have had to deal with these trivial matters himself.


    Zhang Qian, holding her daughter, was sitting next to him when she accidentally saw the chat history between the two, "You started a company?"


    "Starting a company also makes things easier." Lu Liang didn''t elaborate further, his lips curving into a slight smile as he watched Ye Wei arguing fiercely.


    With a retainer fee of five thousand, plus additional fees depending on the case''s complexity, most people really would be reluctant to hire such a lawyer.


    But now it seemed that you get what you pay for. Without Lu Liang having to say anything, Ye Wei had already handled the issue perfectly.


    The woman was initially unyielding, having never been treated this way in her life, and was thinking of suing Lu Liang for intentional injury.


    But then her husband arrived, wearing gold-rimmed glasses and dressed in a suit, giving the impression of being a public official.


    Her husband spoke with Lawyer Ye for a moment, understood the circumstances, and ultimately decided to settle privately, without any compensation required.


    Zhao Qiangmin glanced at the injury on Zhang Yun''s face, his expression full of guilt, "Little friend, I''m sorry. On behalf of the aunt and Jiaqi, I apologize to you, will you forgive them?"


    Public officials dread lawsuits the most. They could accuse Lu Liang of intentional injury, but Lu Liang could do the same to them.


    With his ability to hire a professional lawyer immediately, he was definitely capable of fighting them to the end.


    And adults hitting a minor student compared to adults hitting adults was completely different in nature.


    In the end, they would certainly be at a disadvantage.


    The little girl looked unsure and glanced at Lu Liang unconsciously.


    Ever since the moment Lu Liang stood up for her, the blurred figure in her mind had gradually taken on a clear form.


    "Qianqian, what do you think?" Lu Liang was skeptical, that headstrong woman has such a reasonable husband?


    Then, recalling those teachers'' bias towards the woman, he vaguely guessed the man''s job and understood why the other party was willing to back down.


    "I''ll listen to you."


    Zhang Qian''s words were on the tip of her tongue but she swallowed them back.


    She didn''t really want to make a fuss anymore, but she was unsure about Lu Liang''s attitude, so it was better to let him handle it.


    Lu Liang pondered for a moment, also not making it too difficult, "Have your wife come over and apologize, and have your son write a self-criticism, and make a proper apology to our child."


    "That''s only right." Zhao Qiangmin breathed a sigh of relief, Lu Liang was more reasonable than he had anticipated.


    The woman now looked subservient, a far cry from her previous brashness, with her swollen, drooping face, "Little friend, I''m sorry. I was a bit emotional earlier."


    Zhao Jiaqi was standing by, acting spoiled and crying out, "I don''t want to apologize to her at all. Dad, aren''t you the Director of Education? Just fire her!"


    Upon hearing this, everyone was stunned.


    In such situations, the last thing you want is to exert official pressure on the common people. Once someone grabs onto that weakness, it''s easy to lose one''s official cap.


    Lu Liang laughed, "So it''s Director Zhao, no wonder Mr. Zhao has such authority. It''s truly exemplary teaching."


    Zhao Qiangmin''s face darkened, catching the sarcasm in Lu Liang''s words, and slapped Zhao Jiaqi across the face in front of everyone, "Shut up. It''s all your mother''s fault for spoiling you."


    He could only lower his stance even more, "Mr. Lu, Miss Zhang, I apologize for neglecting my child''s education due to my work these past years. I hereby make amends to both of you."


    Zhang Qian tugged at Lu Liang''s sleeve quietly, wary of the director''s position, signaling that it was enough and not to make things too stiff.


    "Director Zhao is dedicated to public duty, thereby neglecting family education, which is commendable."


    Lu Liang smiled, surreptitiously putting another label on Zhao Qiangmin, then crouched down to look at Zhang Yun, "Xiaoguai, shall we forgive Mr. Zhao and the little brother?"


    "Okay~" The little girl didn''t understand the significance of his words, but she had long since let go of any resentment.


    "Little friend, thank you," Zhao Qiangmin said deeply, looking at Lu Liang and naturally understanding his point.


    As a leader in the education department, ignoring family education, and having his son speak of abusing power, could count as knowingly committing a crime. Lu Liang was giving him a warning. This matter should be settled here, but he wouldn''t hesitate to fight it out if there were any follow-ups.


    At seven o''clock in the evening, the two parties left the police station.


    Zhao Qiangmin spoke sincerely, "Mr. Lu, please rest assured, tonight I will certainly supervise him to write a self-criticism. He will apologize to student Zhang Yun in front of the whole school tomorrow."


    "Director Zhao, you are a reasonable person, we believe in you," Lu Liang said with a smile, watching them leave.


    At that moment, Ye Wei approached Lu Liang and whispered, "Mr. Lu, I recorded the entire conversation."


    That was a professional habit of his. Should Lu Liang decide to dig deeper and stir things up, Zhao Qiangmin''s career would be hindered for life.


    Although commoners should not contend with officials, it depends on the rank. Zhao Qiangmin, at 39, is at the department head level¡ªit''s fair to say he''s doing okay.


    "You didn''t make a backup, did you?" Lu Liang inquired.


    Ye Wei shook his head: "This is the only copy."


    "Lawyer Ye, let''s leave it at that for now, and send me the bill later," Lu Liang said as he put away the recording pen.


    "Mr. Lu, here is our firm''s business card. Please feel free to contact us anytime you need," Ye Wei said as he took his leave.


    "You''re not thinking of pursuing this further, are you?" Zhang Qian asked worriedly.


    "It''s better to be safe than sorry, it''s better to have something than nothing."


    Lu Liang didn''t plan to push further, but if the other party planned on settling scores later in the fall, he didn''t mind making a list. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Xiaoguai, are you hungry? What would you like to eat? Uncle Lu will take you there."


    He crouched down, pushed back Zhang Yun''s bangs, wiped the medicinal alcohol on her wound. The swelling had subsided, but a bruise still lingered.


    The little girl''s moods came and went quickly. After stealing a glance at her mom, she said, "Then I want to go to McDonald''s."


    Zhang Qian sighed in resignation and touched her hair: "Alright, let''s go eat."


    "Yay!"


    The little girl hopped and skipped joyfully.


    Because she was holding Lu Liang''s left hand and Zhang Qian''s right hand.


    Zhang Qian also sneaked a peek at Lu Liang, feeling an inexplicable sensation in her heart, as if they were like a family of three.


    She had Lu Liang to thank for today, and it even sparked a thought in her that perhaps things were pretty good as they were.


    How she fared didn''t matter,


    as long as Lu Liang was good to her daughter.


    McDonald''s was just at the intersection ahead,


    Lu Liang didn''t drive, so the trio walked there.


    "Auntie, how have you been lately?"


    After placing their order, Lu Liang carried the tray back to their table, asking about Zhang Qian''s recent circumstances and her mother''s health.


    "My mom is getting old. She probably needs proper rest. I''ve hired two caregivers to take care of her in shifts," she said.


    Zhang Qian paused, then spoke about her visit to the market in the afternoon, where a medium-sized beauty salon was up for transfer.


    "Tell me about it."


    Lu Liang rested his chin on one hand, carefully attending to the little girl: "Eat slowly, no one''s racing you."


    A touch of tenderness flashed in Zhang Qian''s eyes as she softly said, "The beauty salon''s lease still has three and a half years left. The interior decor is about eighty percent new, and it comes fully equipped with all kinds of devices, including a team of beauticians. It just needs a transfer fee of 1.3 million."


    "Can it break even with future earnings?" Lu Liang asked.


    "Don''t underestimate me; I''ve done my research. That beauty salon has a net profit of at least eighty thousand per month."


    Zhang Qian shot him a look. She was once a customer there; the environment was nice, and many wealthy ladies had memberships.


    Lu Liang wondered: "If the monthly net profit is really eighty thousand, that''s one million six hundred thousand in two years. So why transfer it?"


    "Apparently, the owner of the beauty salon diverted funds to speculate on stocks and ended up trapped with no liquidity, to the point where they couldn''t even pay the salaries."


    Zhang Qian said this and couldn''t help but look at Lu Liang.


    It was fortunate that she had heeded his advice last week to liquidate early; although she missed two chances at upper limit price gains, she avoided the stock market crash.


    Furthermore, in preparation for investing in the beauty salon, she had withdrawn all her money, not even purchasing any funds.


    These past few days, the lamentations in her circle of friends had been ample,


    stocks had plummeted sharply, and funds had fallen even harder.

 Chapter 35 - 35: Hardworking Men Are the Most Handsome

    After dinner, Lu Liang drove Zhang Qian and her daughter home.


    Today had been eventful, and Zhang Yun fell into a deep sleep in her mother''s arms on the way back.


    Lu Liang carried her into their home, placed her on the bed, covered her with a blanket, and finally shut the door.


    He said to Zhang Qian, "If you make up your mind, send me a message, and I''ll accompany you to sign the contract."


    The transfer fee was 1.3 million RMB, with a monthly net profit of eighty thousand RMB¡ªit was a decent project.


    Lu Liang had over ten million RMB in cash on hand; it was time he acquired some property for himself.


    "I''ll look into it more these next few days."


    Zhang Qian was cautious and didn''t decide impulsively.


    After hesitating for a moment, she asked, "Liang, if you don''t mind, I''d like to invest a bit too."


    Lu Liang smiled and asked, "How much are you thinking of investing?"


    He discovered the reason he admired Zhang Qian.


    She was very independent, both in character and financially, not wanting to rely entirely on others.


    Perhaps it was also related to her experiences, raising her daughter alone naturally fostered a lack of security.


    Unlike Li Manli, who was nineteen this year, carefree and thoughtless, who ate well herself without worrying if her family did.


    "40%, but 30% would be okay too," Zhang Qian carefully gauged Lu Liang''s expression.


    Lu Liang chuckled, "If you want to invest more, it''s 40%; less, then 30%. Either is fine with me."


    He intended to simply oversee the project and use it to maintain a long-term improper relationship with Zhang Qian.


    The exact share percentage wasn''t very important to him.


    It was nearly 8:10 PM, and Lu Liang planned to leave.


    The American session would start at 9 PM Yanjing time; the daytime Asian session and the afternoon European session had seen no anomalies.


    London Gold was currently priced at $1458.55 per ounce, still $58.7 away from the predicted price.


    Without unexpected events in the American continent, the international gold price would likely see another rise.


    Suddenly, Zhang Qian embraced Lu Liang from behind, whispering close to his ear, "Liang, why don''t you stay at my place tonight?"


    She wasn''t thinking too much now, content to be his lover for life even without a formal title.


    As long as Lu Liang was kind to her daughter.


    "Next time, I really have something tonight."


    Lu Liang turned around, embracing Zhang Qian''s waist.


    Their eyes met, and through their gaze, he saw emotions different from before.


    "The door code is 889912, and the spare key is usually hidden in the top compartment of the fire cabinet by the door."


    Zhang Qian tiptoed, their lips met in a lingering kiss: "You can come over anytime you want, this is your second home."


    "Alright, I''ll come and see you after I''m done with this busy period."


    Lu Liang nodded, eyes are windows to the soul, and right now, Zhang Qian''s eyes were very sincere, no longer as empty as before.


    A thick love, an indelible tenderness, this was the first time he had seen such a look in his life.


    His marriage to his ex-wife had been more of a partnership, and later, she unilaterally breached it.


    "Giggle giggle... teehee."


    Suddenly, a child''s naive voice came from inside the house, catching the two off guard and making them hurriedly part.


    "Go take a shower and do your homework as soon as you wake up," Zhang Qian said blushing, resembling someone caught in a clandestine affair.


    Lu Liang confidently approached and patted the little girl on the head: "Xiaoguai, Uncle has some work at the company, I''ll come to see you next time."


    "When is the next time?" The little girl looked up with innocent, hopeful eyes, wanting a precise date.


    "Hmm¡­ today is Thursday, let''s wait for the weekend."


    "Then let''s pinky swear."


    "Pinky swear."


    Before leaving the house, Lu Liang, like the man of the house, kissed the woman on the cheek in front of the child: "I''m leaving."


    "Bye-bye~" Zhang Qian, full of deep affection, stood at the doorway, watching Lu Liang enter the elevator.


    "Mommy, can I call Uncle Lu ''Daddy'' in the future?" the little girl suddenly asked, her eyes filled with expectation.


    Zhang Qian was silent for a long time, not avoiding the topic like before. Squatting in front of her daughter, she spoke earnestly: "Xiaoguai, do you want him to be your daddy?"


    "Mmm, I like Uncle Lu."


    The little girl, thrilled and excited, recounted how Uncle Lu had shown his mettle at the school office that afternoon.


    From that moment, she had a clear picture of what a father was, based solely on textbook definitions before¡ªlike a towering mountain or an expansive canopying tree.


    "Then you have to be good, and Mommy will ask Uncle Lu next time."


    "I will definitely be good." The little girl nodded vigorously, her smile suddenly radiant.


    On the other side, Lu Liang returned home.


    "Manli, make me a cup of coffee."


    He didn''t stop for a minute but headed straight for the study.


    As time hit nine o''clock, the International Gold Market, which had been quiet for three hours, came alive again.


    At a price point of $1458.55, Lu Liang unwound a loss-locking position.


    The moment he released 1540 contracts, his total account loss instantly hit $653,300.


    His cost was $1462.85, where a fluctuation of one point meant a gain or loss of $154,000.


    With a margin of $5,620,000, Lu Liang could sustain a drop of 27 points without being liquidated.


    This time, he almost went all in, reinvesting everything he had earned last time back into the market.


    The allure of a billion-dollar fortune was too tempting; although not the only chance in his life, it was the best.


    A few minutes later,


    Li Manli entered with a cup of iced Americano and knocked on the door.


    Quite playfully, she sat on Lu Liang''s lap and looked at the colorful screen: "What''s this?"


    "It''s something like stocks."


    Knowing Li Manli didn''t understand, Lu Liang didn''t explain much and casually wrapped his arm around her waist, though his eyes stayed fixed on the screen.


    "What does ''-$730,300'' mean?"


    Li Manli already considered Lu Liang her boyfriend and wanted to understand more about his affairs, his work.


    "Literally, it means a loss of $730,300," Lu Liang smiled, having just dropped another 0.5 points, losing another $77,000.


    "I remember this $ symbol; it''s US dollars, right?" Li Manli stared blankly, her voice suddenly trembling.


    If the -$730,300 in the top left corner was a loss, then the nine-digit number at the bottom must be the account funds.


    Still a nine-digit figure starting with 2, still in US dollars, her head started to spin, unable to make the conversion.


    Lu Liang made a sound of acknowledgement, not explaining specifically that this was funds used with a hundred times leverage.


    Suddenly, Li Manli''s eyes welled up, her gaze almost liquefying: "Dear, can I take a photo?"


    She wanted to boast on her social media.


    Lu Liang''s expression turned stern, but then he smiled and said, "Sure, but don''t capture my face or the positions clearly."


    He remembered that Li Manli was in regular contact with Zhou Xiaoqi, having invited her over a few days ago to try her homemade cuisine.


    The two were good friends; Zhou Xiaoqi was Meng Changkun''s lover¡ªit was time Old Meng knew his investments were valuable.


    Excited, Li Manli ran to Lu Liang''s back to find an angle: "Dear, your profile while drinking coffee is so handsome."


    Clicking away, she sorted through to keep four more representative photos.


    "Let me see them too."


    Lu Liang deleted two, leaving one blurry profile and another showing just a corner of the account, indicating profit and loss without exposing the positions.


    However, this image showed profits rather than losses.


    Current gain: +$3,581,700.


    Just now, the London Gold market had shifted.


    A massive bullish spike shot through the sky, surging by 28 points, unstoppable.


    Lu Liang''s account instantly turned from loss to profit.


    "Is this¡­ is this a profit of over three million? And in US dollars?" Li Manli''s eyes widened, utterly shocked.


    "Get out, and close the door behind you."


    Lu Liang hummed, too busy to deal with Li Manli as he searched for the reason behind the gold''s surge. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Frightened, Li Manli didn''t dare disturb him and even removed her slippers, tiptoeing out of the study.


    She ran barefoot through the living room, ecstatically back to her own room.


    Lying on her bed, chuckling at the photos.


    A matter of millions in mere minutes.


    Li Manli, grinning, couldn''t wait to post on her social media with the caption: "A man who works hard is the most attractive."


    Once posted, it instantly triggered a wave of likes, even hotter than the response to her late-night post last time.


    Last time it was just nighttime views and beautiful photos; people would see them and then forget.


    But this time it was real money,


    over three million dollars, over twenty million RMB.


    With such an amount, one could buy cars, houses, and invest in businesses in any city in the country, living a wealthy life.


    They dared not think deeper¡ª


    how much total assets one must have to make this much money.


    Zhang Qian was the first to like,


    followed closely by Zhou Xiaoqi¡­

 Chapter 36 - 36: The Genuine Billionaire

    At 10 p.m., the Federal Reserve announced a rate cut.


    Starting from June 15, the savings interest rate for all American banks was lowered from the original 3.35% to 3.05%, a decrease of 0.30%.


    In today''s world, there are four main stream currencies, namely the US Dollar, Euro, British Pounds, and the yen.


    The US Dollar constitutes 48.25% of this market, more than the other three major currencies combined, making it an indispensable foreign exchange reserve for countries around the globe.


    From nations to individuals, anyone with the means aspires to hoard more US Dollars to prepare for emergencies.


    This gives rise to dollar hegemony, or in layman''s terms, the ultimate interpretation of the dollar belongs to the Federal Reserve.


    Rate cuts, rate hikes, printing more currency¡ªany action by the Federal Reserve can shake the international financial markets.


    The rate cut announced today is fundamentally aimed to stimulate market consumption and discourage people from saving all their money in the banks.


    Spend more, get the capital circulating.


    However, artificial market interventions


    have their advantages and, naturally, their disadvantages.


    They inevitably lead to inflation.


    Over the past five years, the Federal Reserve announced five rate cuts and two rate hikes, and each time there was a rate cut, the price of gold surged, and vice versa.


    Because gold is the best tool to guard against inflation and is the savings pool for all big capital.


    Before deciding which industry to invest in, buying some gold is always right¡ªyou might not earn, but you definitely won''t lose.


    Having understood the reasons for the surge in gold prices, Lu Liang casually crossed his legs, watching his account assets climb higher and higher.


    For every dollar that London Gold rose per ounce,


    the upper right corner of his account showed an additional profit of $154,000.


    At 11:30 p.m.,


    his total profits reached $7,739,700.


    In the past hour and a half, London Gold made a vigorous attack, surging 52 points, to a current price of $1514.55.


    Only 2 points away from the price predicted by the voice,


    Lu Liang resolutely began to liquidate, selling off all 1540 of his contracts, converting his unrealized gains into actual profits.


    His capital was $8.62 million, of which $5.62 million was margin, and $3 million was operating capital, using a hundred times leverage.


    After deducting the 3.5% leverage fee,


    his total account assets came to $16,254,700.


    The market changes in the blink of an eye, giving Lu Liang no time to celebrate becoming a millionaire.


    At the moment he sold, London Gold rose another 2 points, and market sentiment was extremely heated.


    Lu Liang, almost instinctively, switched from a long to a short position, reinvesting $5 million to establish positions, once again employing a hundred times leverage.


    The five hundred million dollars obtained through short selling garnered a total of 3250 contracts, worth $492 million.


    Next, Lu Liang aggressively sold the 3250 contracts obtained from short selling at a price of $1516.7500.


    As the contracts were all sold off, the dedicated funds in the account turned into $499.85 million, currently showing a loss of $105,000.


    Short selling is similar to going long¡ªit''s all about pocketing the difference.


    Going long is buying low and selling high, which isn''t hard to understand.


    Short selling is relatively more complicated; it involves borrowing stocks ahead of time, selling at a high price, and then buying back at a lower price.


    Soon after, Lu Liang established his short position with a cost price of $1516.7500.


    A total of 3250 contracts were sold off,


    and a 1-point increase or decrease represented a profit or loss of $325,000.


    He had $11,254,700 in his margin account, and if the losses exceeded 70%, it would trigger a forced closure.


    He could tolerate a maximum increase of 24 points.


    "This trend is about to peak," Lu Liang said, without taking his eyes off the screen.


    In this period, whether investing in stocks or in London Gold, he had been completely confident and nonchalant.


    Because he knew that as long as the bet was large enough and his influence small enough, the outcome was predetermined.


    Only this time, shorting London Gold depended solely on his own understanding of the market and judgment of the situation.


    For the voice had only hinted at the peak price and did not indicate how much it would fall afterwards.


    At that moment, Lu Liang''s concentration was unprecedentedly intense.


    He could have stayed in his comfort zone, but he wanted to test the results of his studies over the past few months.


    As seconds ticked away,


    the price of London Gold continued to rise slowly.


    It reached $1517.25.


    It was like encountering a bottleneck, hovering for a long time.


    The price was also predicted to be the highest for today.


    Lu Liang was fully focused, his heart almost stopping.


    He stared at the number until it jumped, becoming $1517.88.


    "Indeed, it changed again."


    Lu Liang muttered to himself, his own butterfly effect once again altering the final outcome.


    In time, when his strength could influence the market, those foreseen predictions might no longer exist.


    Half an hour later, the London Gold price continued to rise, but the increase seemed to be losing steam as if the Federal Reserve''s interest rate cut was nearing its end.


    When the clock struck one in the morning, London Gold market trends took a sharp downturn, the rise abruptly curbed.


    It instantaneously retraced 14 points, the descent ongoing.


    "This severity doesn''t look like a mere retrace."


    Lu Liang''s eyebrows knitted together, as market retracements usually happened gradually, not with such a sudden dive.


    Searching for the reasons of the plunge on information forums, he finally found a specific cause in the gold price volatility report released by Goldman Sachs Group.


    "OPEC announced an increase in oil production for next quarter?"


    Lu Liang realized, understanding why the gold price had plunged.


    OPEC, short for the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, mostly includes the wealthy nations of the Middle East as members.


    Their declaration to increase oil output meant lower oil prices, indicative of an economic boom, which naturally affected gold prices.


    As the proverb goes, antiques in times of prosperity, gold in times of chaos; in an era of economic prosperity, gold prices would plummet.


    "It''s only dampening enthusiasm in the gold market, but it shouldn''t offset the impact of the Federal Reserve''s rate cut."


    Lu Liang pondered for a moment and made a judgment that the Federal Reserve''s influence took precedence over an increase in oil production.


    After all, it was a father-son relationship; no matter how loud the son''s voice, it couldn''t overshadow the father''s authority.


    Although oil prices were controlled by OPEC, behind the scenes, it was still the United States calling the shots.


    This was also why the Middle East had known no peace over the years.


    "If I don''t run now, it might be too late."


    Lu Liang no longer hesitated, choosing to trust his judgment, he swiftly reacted, aggressively repurchasing London Gold.


    Just after one in the morning, he repurchased 3,250 futures contracts, spending a total of four hundred eighty-five million dollars.


    Selling at $1516.17 and buying at 1500 dollars a point, he netted 1675 dollars per contract.


    In just under half an hour, this short sale earned Lu Liang a profit of $5.4437 million.


    After deducting fees, he still had $5.3387 million,


    bringing his total capital to $21.5934 million.


    "I''m smiling so proudly¡« smiling proudly¡«"


    Lu Liang''s lips curled upwards, humming a cheerful tune.


    Not just because his assets had broken through twenty million dollars, making him a bona fide multimillionaire.


    But also because his judgment had been correct¡ªhe had cashed out at the peak and escaped with the funds successfully.


    Right after he liquidated his position, the market also swiftly caught on that the Federal Reserve''s rate cut had a more significant impact than the increase in oil production.


    London Gold surged six points instantaneously, and countless speculative short-sellers who were slow to react were straight up blown out of their positions.


    Lu Liang was in high spirits, although he had built his position based on the news, he had liquidated it based on his own judgment.


    He was gradually becoming a qualified speculator.


    "An hour of a spring night is worth a thousand dollars."


    Lu Liang put away his materials and stepped out of the study, heading to Li Manli''s room. He stood at the door and listened; there were still sounds coming from inside.


    He tried the door and found it unlocked. Opening a crack, he quietly slipped into the room.


    He saw Li Manli lying on the bed scrolling through animations, apparently just after a bath, her hair still slightly damp.


    She wore pink leggings, her snow-white legs moving up and down, her tight buttocks revealing a graceful curve.


    Lu Liang pounced like a hungry tiger; Li Manli exclaimed in surprise, then joyfully said, "Liang, are you done with your work?"


    "For now, yes." Through her loose collar, Lu Liang caught a glimpse of spring, the beauty marks exceptionally tempting.


    "Wait a bit," giggled Li Manli, pushing Lu Liang away before running excitedly to the changing room.


    After a few minutes, she emerged in a purple cheongsam, dressed in an empress cosplay outfit: "How about this?"


    "So-so." Lu Liang was blunt; Li Manli''s cleavage wasn''t grand enough, and she wasn''t tall enough to pull off a purple cheongsam, giving the impression of a child playing dress-up.


    "I''m angry now," Li Manli pouted, rushing back to the changing room, this time coming out in a blue and white Japanese schoolgirl uniform paired with transparent white stockings.


    She asked proudly, "And now?"


    "I''ve been on the computer too much lately, my eyes are a bit blurry, come closer, let me take a good look," said Lu Liang, his lips curving slightly, until Li Manli came closer, at which point he provided practical feedback.


    sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 37 - 37: Lamborghini Urus

    "Wake up and come to the gym with me."


    At eight in the morning, Lu Liang woke up naturally. Since his days and nights had been mixed up lately, he''d also been neglecting his workouts.


    "Is it so early? Can we not go?" Li Manli pulled the blanket over her head and responded in a muffled voice from under the covers.


    Suddenly she stretched out a beautiful leg and waved it up and down, "Look at a body like mine, so perfect. Why do I need to work out?"


    "If you get fat, I won''t want you anymore," Lu Liang slapped her thigh, genuinely a bit envious.


    The biggest difference between youth and age is in the metabolism.


    Li Manli eats no less than him every day, and she especially loves to eat sweets and snacks. Yet, she never gains weight.


    "Ouch~ that really hurts, I''m going to fight you."


    Li Manli inhaled sharply from the pain, flung off the blanket¡ªnever minding the risk of exposing herself¡ªand lunged toward Lu Liang with bared teeth and claws.


    Lu Liang bent down and dodged, heading to the washroom, "Hurry up, I''m only waiting for you for ten minutes."


    By 8:30, the two of them arrived at the neighborhood fitness center.


    Li Manli''s reluctance


    lasted only for the few minutes after waking up.


    When she saw Lu Liang sweating it out on the treadmill, she started jogging alongside him.


    Unlike the women at different gyms, who needed tight yoga pants to shape up,


    Li Manli, even in sport shorts and a tank top, looked no less fit than anyone.


    Her calves, thighs, and buttocks were as firm and upright as her business line, even a bit pinkish.


    Sometimes, Lu Liang wondered if she secretly applied talcum powder, for how could it be so pink and tender otherwise.


    In front of the treadmill was a tablet for people to keep up with the day''s news while exercising.


    The financial sections these past few days had been dominated by news of soaring gold prices, with a total increase of 162 points over three days.


    Gold prices rose by an average of 5.21 US Dollars per gram, and domestic gold prices surged even higher than international rates, breaking through to 320 RMB per gram.


    That was 11 RMB higher per gram compared to the international gold prices, largely thanks to the ''battling power'' of the aunties, and the current stock market crisis.


    At 9:30 this morning, the A-share market opened. The index fell for the third consecutive day, now at 4350 points, with a three-day drop exceeding 800 points, evaporating 820 billion from the market in total.


    Sadness spread throughout the market, with news reports widespread of bosses and financial officers fleeing the scene.


    It''s fortunate it''s the A-share market, which, despite over twenty years of growth, is still in its youth. If it were the Hang Seng, Nikkei, or Dow Jones, with this rate of decline, there would''ve been crowds on the rooftops.


    At ten o''clock in the morning, Lu Liang went back home.


    After breakfast, he headed to the study and opened his London Gold account, withdrawing all 21.5934 million US Dollars.


    If at today''s exchange rate of 6.36, it would be almost 137 million RMB.


    This big market move netted him 20.5934 million US Dollars.


    "Turning ten thousand into a billion is still tough," Lu Liang sighed. He meticulously reviewed the past few days of trading; being unfamiliar had led to many flaws.


    Given another chance, he felt confident he could multiply the returns several times over.


    Stepping out of the study, Lu Liang went to the company. It was Friday, and Mahua''s Zhang Chen was due to come and sign the contract, as agreed last week.


    "Liang, Xiaoqi invited me out to play today," Li Manli suddenly said.


    After posting on her social media last night, Zhou Xiaoqi invited her to go shopping today. It felt a bit strange, but she couldn''t quite pinpoint why.


    Lu Liang smiled and patted Li Manli''s head, "It means she likes you. What''s so strange about that?"


    "Really?" Li Manli was skeptical but added, "Also, I want to get a driver''s license."


    "Go for it. If you''re short on cash, just let me know."


    Leaving the neighborhood, crossing Pujiang, and passing by the convention center,


    Lu Liang suddenly turned and drove into the convention center''s parking lot.


    He saw there was a car show today and remembered that the Bentley he was driving was rented.


    Before, his capital wasn''t sufficient, so he could only rent. Now that he had money, it was time to buy his own car.


    Lu Liang spent 3800 RMB on a ticket to the luxury exhibition hall, and the organizers also provided a personal shopping guide.


    "Mr. Lu, hello, my name is Li Yue. You can call me Little Li."


    Li Yue beamed with a smile as she explained that the car show was divided into three categories of halls: luxury, comfort, and economy.


    The 3800 RMB ticket allowed entry to all types of exhibition halls, and Lu Liang could visit any hall to browse and shop.


    "What brands are housed in the luxury exhibition hall right now?"


    Lu Liang was escorted to the VIP lounge of the car show, presented with coffee and an assortment of exquisite Western desserts.


    Li Yue''s smile grew even brighter, "We have Rolls-Royce, Ferrari, Porsche, Bentley, and eighteen other luxury car brands. Mr. Lu, are you interested in sports cars, sedans, or SUVs?"


    "Let''s skip sports cars, I''ve driven sedans enough to get tired of them. What about the SUVs?" Lu Liang inquired.


    "Do you prefer an off-road vehicle with a more rugged look, or a sleeker one? For rugged off-road vehicles, we have the Mercedes G, AMG, and the Range Rover series, whereas for sleeker off-road vehicles, there are more options to choose from, such as the Porsche Cayenne, Maserati Levante, Lamborghini Urus, and so on."


    Li Yue stood to one side, bowing and bending over to introduce the advantages of each car, her imposing, almost bursting business line nearly touching Lu Liang''s cheeks.


    "Let''s go take a look first." Lu Liang thought of a joke¡ªin each sale of a Porsche, one less beautiful saleswoman remained.


    It seems that Miss Li,


    is also a girl very eager to get ahead.


    Lu Liang followed her to the deepest part of the luxury car exhibition hall.


    The number of visitors in this hall had clearly decreased, but the quality of the car models was very high, each one with long legs over one meter seventy.


    Lu Liang test-drove the Mercedes G series, Range Rover, Porsche Cayenne, Maserati, and Lamborghini in succession.


    The G series and Range Rover were too rugged¡ªboth in appearance and in interior design, all boxy¡ªHe didn''t like it.


    After making a round, Lu Liang asked, "Between the Levante and Urus, which one can I take delivery of right now?"


    Li Yue was taken aback before delight danced upon her brows, "Mr. Lu, please wait a moment, let me ask my superiors."


    A few minutes later, she came back and said, "The exhibition is ending soon, Mr. Lu, you can take delivery of either one."


    "Then let''s go with that yellow Urus." Lu Liang compared the two cars and ultimately chose the Lamborghini.


    The yellow Lamborghini is very classic, and besides, the Urus is also Lamborghini''s first super SUV model.


    Though it''s a sleek off-road vehicle, its body lines are smooth, muscular, and its aggressive visual appeal is no less than that of a rugged off-road vehicle.


    "Mr. Lu, let me then discuss the price discount scheme with you," Li Yue enthused.


    "It''s a display vehicle¡ªI don''t want any freebies. Just think it over and give me your price," Lu Liang replied.


    Although Lu Liang was wealthy, he wasn''t a fool.


    Display vehicles were at least 20% cheaper than new ones; luxury display vehicles might see smaller reductions, but at least there was around 10% off.


    The retail price of a Lamborghini Urus was 2.98 million RMB, with purchase tax at roughly 10% of the vehicle''s price.


    With license fees, insurance, and household registration fees all added up, the new car''s on-the-road price would be about 3.35 million RMB.


    After deducting 10% for a display vehicle''s attributes, Lu Liang''s target price was around 3.05 million RMB.


    Li Yue smiled stiffly, bowing deeply. "Mr. Lu, please wait, let me consult with the leadership again to try and get you the highest discount."


    "Mhm, go ahead," Lu Liang nodded.


    After a while, Li Yue returned, very excited. "Mr. Lu, I''ve negotiated a very substantial discount for you¡ª3.15 million RMB. How do you feel about that?"


    "Give yourself another chance to quote a price."


    Lu Liang spoke calmly; he hadn''t always been just a customer.


    It was highly likely that Li Yue hadn''t even asked her superiors just now, possibly just taking a bathroom break.


    Just like when he sold houses,


    the listed price was 3.5 million, and the average transaction price was 3.3 million.


    The higher the price above the average transaction price, the greater the commission.


    "Mr. Lu, please wait a little longer."


    Li Yue looked hesitant; this time, she was gone longer than before.


    When she came back, wiping nonexistent sweat from her forehead: "Mr. Lu, I believe this price will satisfy you¡ª3.0888 million RMB, triple eights signify ''wealth.''


    Lu Liang''s lips curled into a smile. "Throw in a full vehicle tint, a complete cleaning, and a set of factory floor mats as well."


    Li Yue''s eyes widened, slightly stunned. "Mr. Lu, didn''t you say you didn''t want any gifts?"


    Lu Liang said, "It''s a display vehicle that has been handled daily. Isn''t it necessary to tint the windows, clean, and replace the floor mats?"


    "...Let''s do as you say," Li Yue acquiesced, feeling a bit aggrieved.


    She wanted to say that the auto show had gone on for 13 days and that only a little over 900 visitors had entered the luxury hall.


    There were 125 high-end luxury cars in the hall, which, when broken down, meant each car was handled by roughly 7.36 visitors.


    They weren''t really dirty.


    But she dared not say it.


    Approaching noon,


    Lu Liang signed the contract, paying the full amount of 3.0888 million RMB.


    He didn''t have time to wait here for the vehicle''s registration, transfer, and window tinting.


    "Have everything ready and drive it over."


    Lu Liang left a copy of his ID and an address, then left the convention center and headed for Yongfeng Building.


    He thought he would be thrilled, considering it was the first car of his life, but it felt as though he was just out to buy groceries.


    "Even though I''ve gotten richer, I''ve also lost troubles." S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He couldn''t help but sigh.

 Chapter 38 - 38: Establishing a Private Equity Fund?

    Yongfeng Building, 16th floor, Section E.


    Tang Caide and Chen Jinchun were unpacking boxes, surrounded by piles of cardboard, with brand-new computers and printers on the table.


    Chen Jinchun chattered like a magpie, sharing snippets of life.


    Tang Caide sometimes smiled, sometimes nodded, and they got along very well.


    When they saw Lu Liang coming over, they stopped chatting.


    Lu Liang said with a smile, "Keep talking, relax, it''s just the three of us in the office, no need to be so formal."


    Tang Caide took out a purchase order and invoice, "Mr. Lu, two more computers will be delivered this afternoon."


    Lu Liang nodded slightly and looked at the time, "Have you eaten lunch yet?"


    Chen Jinchun exclaimed, "It''s almost 12:30."


    Lu Liang took out some dishes he had bought on the way, "Let''s eat and rest a bit before we continue working."


    "Thanks for feeding us, Mr. Lu~"


    Chen Jinchun said devoutly, putting her hands together.


    Lu Liang and Tang Caide exchanged glances, both with smiles.


    Indeed, hiring fresh graduates did bring a vibrant atmosphere to the office.


    The three gathered around the office table to eat.


    Lu Liang mentioned investing five million in a movie, "This afternoon, Mr. Zhang from Mahua will come. Tang, prepare a bit beforehand, you''ll handle the handover."


    "Mr. Lu, is there anything particular I need to pay attention to?"


    Tang Caide put down her chopsticks and took out a notepad.


    Chen Jinchun was slightly distracted. Starting a business with a project involving as much as five million.


    Remembering Tang Caide''s reminder from yesterday, their company did seem to have great potential.


    Suddenly, she felt worried because she didn''t want to leave, but it wasn''t up to her to stay.


    She was a recent graduate with a three-month internship, unlike Tang Caide, who was officially employed upon joining.


    "No need, everything''s been detailed. Just make sure the contract is correct, and transfer the funds by 5 pm."


    Lu Liang said, planning to let Tang Caide be named as a producer mainly to monitor the fund''s directions after the contract was finalized.


    Tang Caide nodded. On a twenty-million project where they invested 25%, second only to Mahua, they were entitled to supervise the flow of funds.


    At that moment, the doorbell suddenly rang.


    "I''ll get it."


    Chen Jinchun put down her chopsticks and hurried to the door.


    "Hahaha, it''s not about arriving early, but arriving at the right moment."


    Before he was visible, his laughter arrived first. Meng Changkun carried a food box, "A new marinated food shop just opened nearby. Their lion head goose tastes just like back home, everyone should try it."


    Although he never specified, his standard Chaoshan accent made it clear where he was from.


    There are two famous things from Chaoshan: one is the businessmen, like Superman Li from Xiangjiang, Little Ma from Shenzhen, and many other wealthy businessmen in the nation.


    Second, the cuisine, with lion head goose known as the world''s largest goose breed, with meat that is rich, smooth, flavorful, and not greasy.


    "I had it once before; I must see if it''s authentic," Lu Liang gave Meng Changkun a bowl and chopsticks.


    "Absolutely authentic."


    Meng Changkun was also a gourmet. The best parts of the lion head goose were the neck and liver, and he bought a whole box full.


    Lu Liang took a piece of liver, dipped it in special garlic chili vinegar, which was velvety in texture and rich in flavor.


    The dipping sauce muted the sweetness, adding a refreshing and crisp taste that was addictively delicious.


    Lu Liang exclaimed in admiration, giving a thumbs up, "Mr. Kun, it''s indeed the Chaoshan people who know quality food."


    Meng Changkun laughed heartily, proudly saying, "Otherwise, why would people say that to see the best food in the nation, look to Guangdong, and for the best in Guangdong, look to Yuedong?"


    "Please, everyone, help yourselves."


    After the meal, Meng Changkun invited Lu Liang upstairs for tea.


    "Not holding back anymore, if you have a way to generate wealth, perhaps we could collaborate."


    Meng Changkun cut to the chase. Gold prices had surged these past days, and Lu had made the right prediction again.


    Moreover, he had seen the post on Li Manli''s social media about her making over three million US Dollars.


    Through his interactions with Lu Liang, Meng Changkun believed Lu was a kindred spirit; women were just adornments in life, and when it came to their careers, women had to step aside.


    Meng Changkun suspected that Lu Liang was testing the waters, so he took the bait.


    "Mr. Kun, how do you want to cooperate?"


    Lu Liang took the cigar that Meng Changkun handed to him, placed it under his nose, and savored its distinct aroma.


    He was not accustomed to smoking cigars, but he liked the scent¡ªrich, mellow, with a touch of bitterness and crispness.


    "Have you ever thought about setting up a private equity fund?"


    Meng Changkun said, as he had the network and Lu Liang had the knack for making money. Together, they were a perfect match for private equity.


    Lu Liang lit a cigarette he brought himself, took a deep drag, and exhaled the smoke, "Let''s wait a bit longer."


    "What else do we need to wait for?" Meng Changkun furrowed his brows.


    "Setting up a private fund must have many conditions, right?" Lu Liang said.


    "There are conditions for sure, but as long as we cooperate, we can overcome them," Meng Changkun stressed the word "cooperate".


    "Forget it, I''m the person who least likes to overcome difficulties. Let''s wait until the right time," Lu Liang said with a meaningful smile.


    He had just tried to see things from Meng Changkun''s perspective. If he discovered someone like him, how would he handle it?


    Collaborate and both profit? Or take him in as a subordinate?


    The answer was clear.


    Even if it were a collaboration for mutual benefit, the current Lu Liang was definitely in a weaker position.


    After all, based solely on a diagram, how could one convince others that he could genuinely help investors make money? Wasn''t it all because of Meng Changkun''s influence?


    Lu Liang did not want to become subordinate to Meng Changkun, nor was he willing to be reduced to merely a money-making tool.


    Meng Changkun, without showing any sign of embarrassment from having his thoughts exposed, asked again, "When will the right time be?"


    "I''ve been considering it. But considering the recent stock market crash and the peak of international gold prices, there aren''t many good targets right now."


    Lu Liang laughed it off, though he already had a plan.


    He intended to lease a seat with a brokerage firm to become nationally known and have people line up to offer him money.


    That way, he could hold the initiative in his hands.


    Meng Changkun pondered for a while; his knitted brows gradually relaxed, and a smile reappeared on his face.


    "Lu, buddy, I still have some private funds in my small reserve. Could you help me make some extra money on the side?"


    Meng Changkun added, "About 50 million US Dollars, if we lose it, that''s on me, if we make a profit, we''ll split it fifty-fifty."


    Lu Liang was an ambitious man; he no longer hoped to control Lu Liang but only wished to maintain their current friendship.


    Due to the strong subjectivity in financial talent, there was no way to force Lu Liang to work out his tasks.


    Lu Liang felt surprised, "Mr. Kun, do you really have that much confidence in me? Aren''t you afraid I''ll take the money and run?"


    "To be honest, I was a bit worried at first, but not anymore," Meng Changkun smiled, resembling the Maitreya Buddha.


    Lu Liang cursed inwardly at the crafty old fox and after a long pause, he said, "Let me manage it for half a year first. I''ll also contribute 50 million US Dollars, bringing the total to one hundred million."


    "Anyway, the money is in your hands now. Whatever you want to do with it, I won''t interfere. I''ll wait for the good news in mid-December."


    Meng Changkun wasn''t afraid that Lu Liang would pocket the funds secretly. If Lu Liang wanted to make a name for himself in this industry, integrity was crucial.


    The two went to the Industrial and Commercial Bureau to process the paperwork. Meng Changkun used his own funds to transfer 50 million US Dollars to Lu Liang''s personal account.


    President Liu looked more distressed than if his own father had died; 50 million dollars of savings just gone like that, it pained his heart.


    "President Liu, if I exchange US Dollars for RMB in your bank, could you increase the limit?" Lu Liang suddenly asked.


    He intended to reopen an ICBC account and deposit the entire one hundred million there for easier management of future investments.


    But he was concerned that converting it to RMB might make it difficult to exchange back later, potentially leading to the same insufficient quota issue as before.


    "That''s possible, Mr. Lu. As long as you need it, we can help you exchange it at any time, although it will depend on the daily exchange rate fluctuations."


    President Liu was overjoyed, seeing light at the end of the tunnel, gaining a quality client, and now he had hopes for this quarter''s performance.


    Meng Changkun was stunned, quickly saying, "Lu, buddy, if you had told me earlier that you needed RMB, I could have helped you exchange it."


    The exchange tool was a valuable asset, necessary both personally and for the company.


    After all, RMB could only be used domestically or in remote corners of Africa, while US Dollars are universally accepted.


    President Liu grew anxious, "Mr. Meng, please, Mr. Lu, we''ve already discussed this, and besides, we''re just holding the funds for you, you can exchange them back."


    He hurriedly promised many benefits, such as upgrading Lu Liang''s ICBC account to a six-star platinum card, featuring 24-hour exclusive customer service, discounts at five-star hotels across the nation, free upgrades on flights, and VIP lounges at major high-speed train stations.


    Lu Liang was indeed tempted and could only say to Meng Changkun, "I''m really sorry, Mr. Kun. I did speak to President Liu first. But I still have some left if you need it, just let me know."


    "Actually, it''s not that necessary. We can talk about it next time."


    Meng Changkun sighed.


    Lu Liang had needs, and helping him exchange was mutually beneficial. If Lu Liang didn''t need it, it meant owing a favor.


    Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 39 - 39: Luxury Car and Beautiful Woman

    At three o''clock in the afternoon, President Liu was all smiles, standing at the door to see the two off.


    Today was a good day, his branch had added US $7.86 million in foreign exchange, as well as a high-end client with assets over a hundred million.


    On the way back, Lu Liang received a call from Tang Caide, who said that Zhang Chen had already arrived.


    "I''ll be right back."


    Lu Liang simply parked the car at the entrance and called Tan Tao at the Peace Restaurant to come and drive it away.


    Because he had also received a call from Li Yue earlier, all the transfer and registration procedures were done, and she was planning to drive it over.


    With a new car, there was naturally no need to rent one anymore.


    Inside the elevator, Lu Liang briefly parted ways with Meng Changkun.


    When he returned to the company, he saw Zhang Chen and Shen Teng squatting on the ground, enthusiastically helping Chen Jinchun clean up discarded cardboard boxes.


    Tang Caide smiled bitterly, as if saying she had advised them, but it was no use, Zhang Chen and Shen Teng insisted on helping.


    "Mr. Zhang, Mr. Shen, I am very sorry. The company just opened yesterday, and our hospitality was not thorough; please forgive us," Lu Liang said.


    "Mr. Lu, you are too kind. I just can''t stand doing nothing; when Mr. Zhang saw me helping, he felt bad just standing by."


    Shen Teng, true to his comedian nature, had a comedy talent, spoke with a slight northeastern accent, and brought laughter as soon as he opened his mouth. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Let''s go inside and talk."


    Tianxing Investment, with a space of 240 square meters, had only two partitions, one was Lu Liang''s office, and the other was the meeting room.


    A few people entered the meeting room, Zhang Chen brought out the prepared contract, and Tang Caide was responsible for proofreading the details.


    Half an hour later, Tang Caide conducted the third check and then looked at Lu Liang, "Mr. Lu, the contract is fine, but there is one thing, I don''t know if you have understood it beforehand."


    There was an additional clause: if the movie gets good public praise and box office on its first day of release, the Mahua Team has the right to properly increase the promotion costs with the film distribution company, up to 300% of the production cost.


    They could choose to invest more, or not.


    If they invested more, the shareholding ratio would remain the same; if not, the shareholding ratio would be reduced according to the increase in cost.


    Zhang Chen, afraid that Lu Liang would misunderstand, hurriedly explained, "Mr. Lu, this additional clause exists in all movies."


    Before, movies did not have this additional clause, but ever since "Heartbreak 33 Days" made a whopping 350 million box office with only 5 million in promotion funds, becoming that year''s dark horse and ranking eighth in the annual box office...


    Since then, practitioners started realizing that even if the wine is sweet, it may need a push down the alley¡ªpromotions are as important as the quality of the work.


    "This is good news," Lu Liang smiled. "I''m looking forward to the day when you increase the promotion costs to 60 million."


    Excluding those films made for laundering money, higher subsequent promotion costs indicate greater potential for box office.


    After all, the distributors are not fools.


    "Thank you for your auspicious words, Mr. Lu."


    Seeing Lu Liang signing his name, stamping the official seal, and instructing Tang Caide to run to the bank to transfer the funds later...


    Zhang Chen''s hanging heart finally relaxed, the last bit of funding was also collected, and they could officially start shooting next week.


    He felt an urge to cry.


    These days had been too difficult.


    While chatting, Lu Liang''s phone rang again, Li Yue informed him that she had already arrived at Yongfeng Building.


    "Okay, I''ll come down immediately," Lu Liang replied, and seeing this, Zhang Chen said, "Mr. Lu, you go ahead with your tasks, we''ll leave first."


    "It''s also time for me to go downstairs; let me see you out," Lu Liang went down with Zhang Chen and Shen Teng.


    As they just left the building, they witnessed an extremely glamorous scene.


    A young woman in OL attire, her pure appearance greatly contrasting with her fiery figure.


    She stood tall and chest forward, the tightly stretched buttons at her chest seeming like they could burst open at any moment.


    Below her short skirt were legs no less professional than those of a model, wearing pointed Valentino heels, her calves straight, her stature in heels likely around 173 cm.


    If it were an ordinary day, wherever she went, she would surely attract countless men and women''s eyes.


    But now, she stood next to a Lamborghini, its yellow paint emitting a holy light under the sunlight, its tough lines creating a highly aggressive visual impact.


    A beautiful woman pales in comparison to such an artwork.


    Seeing Lu Liang, Li Yue approached with a full-faced smile, jogging up with documents and car keys in hand.


    Lu Liang slightly nodded, signaling her to wait a moment.


    He bade farewell to Zhang Chen and Shen Teng, "Gentlemen, I have things to handle, so I won''t see you out."


    "Sure, sure, Mr. Lu, you are busy, we''ll leave," Shen Teng said, unable to take his eyes off the car, while Zhang Chen grabbed him, pulling him directly into a taxi.


    Shen Teng lingered, unable to resist turning back for a few more glances, "A Lamborghini Urus, at least 3 million."


    "Don''t be envious, as long as our movie box office crosses 100 million, I''ll personally sponsor you 500,000," Zhang Chen said with a smile.


    "Damn, could the layout be any smaller? I thought you were going to gift me one," Shen Teng said with a look of disdain.


    "Even if the box office hits 100 million, how much do I really make? 500,000 is quite a lot already, buddy," Zhang Chen retorted irritably.


    "Think bigger, set your sights further, like setting a small goal of ten billion in box office revenue," Shen Teng joked.


    "If we actually hit ten billion in box office, not just a Lamborghini, I''d even get you a Rolls-Royce," Zhang Chen replied.


    "I''ll remember you said that."


    "Come to me when it reaches 10 billion."


    The two looked at each other and laughed, neither taking the conversation seriously.


    After all, it was their company''s first produced movie. They just hoped to break even, and making a little profit would be even better.


    ...


    Seeing that Lu Liang was ready to finalize, Li Yue put her palm over the document and playfully blinked, "Mr. Lu, don''t you want to test drive it first to see if there''s anything amiss that needs immediate feedback?"


    Lu Liang sized her up, his gaze finally falling on her long, high heels, revealing a mischievous smile, "Did you come alone?"


    Li Yue shot him a coy glance, with a hint of coquetry in her tone, "Of course, it''s just me alone, who else would there be?"


    "Can you drive with heels that high?" Lu Liang suddenly asked coldly, but a teasing light flickered in his eyes.


    Startled, Li Yue hurriedly opened her purse, revealing a pair of flat sandals.


    In her hurry, she forgot about a box of brand-new chewing gum inside, its blue packaging turning to light purple in the sunlight.


    Lu Liang''s lips slightly curved, he took his seat in the driver''s position and gestured with his hand, "Let''s go for a drive, see how comfy this car is."


    Hearing ''comfort,'' Li Yue glanced at him accusingly, seemingly blaming Lu Liang for scaring her just now, and stepped into the car with her long legs.


    A V8 twin-turbo engine, 3.6 seconds to 100 km/h, and the thrust felt from pressing the pedal was second to none to a supercar.


    Leaving the city and entering the highway, Lu Liang accelerated to feel the powerful surge as they headed east towards the coastline.


    The closer they got to East Sea, the fewer pedestrians and vehicles there were on the road, and the Lamborghini Urus gradually slowed down.


    "Mr. Lu, why are you taking me to such a secluded place?"


    Li Yue''s words sounded worried, but she confidently thrust out her chest, proudly displaying her d¨¦colletage.


    "In the middle of nowhere, just the two of us, what do you think?"


    Lu Liang''s lips curled, eyes fixed on the road ahead, and his other hand rested on the smooth thigh.


    Gradually moving upwards, reached something like a string.


    Further up, touching the tightly stretched buttons on the front of her blouse.


    A little force and the buttons flew off, revealing a glimpse of springtime.


    "Mr. Lu, be careful."


    The car sped up, leaving the main road,


    and entered a rural dirt path.


    The car stopped, raised its suspension,


    and started rocking rhythmically...


    until the sun set, and a crack opened in the sunroof.


    Li Yue turned on her phone''s flashlight, took out a wet wipe to carefully clean up, her nose still covered in a thin layer of sweat.


    "Mr. Lu, this is a new car, you know."


    She glared playfully at him, checked everything again, and finally took off her torn stockings, rolling them up and putting them in her bag.


    "So what?"


    Lu Liang looked up at the star-filled sky.


    One-handedly bouncing a basketball, too big to be held in one hand.


    "It''s strange, but when I see you, I get a very special feeling," Li Yue clung to Lu Liang''s arm.


    "Me too, and upon thinking about it, you look a bit like my ex-girlfriend," Lu Liang replied, smirking as they exchanged acting skills.


    "Really? I felt something like that just now. Do you think this could be us being kindred spirits?"


    "Definitely." Lu Liang embraced Li Yue, and they rested inside the car for a while before setting off on their return journey.


    Upon returning to the city area and reaching Li Yue''s residence, she pulled out the delivery slip, "Mr. Lu, if there''s a follow-up call, remember to give me a good review, okay? And if you have any more car purchasing needs, you can contact me."


    "No problem," Lu Liang said with a smile, always having great respect for ambitious and hard-working girls.

 Chapter 40 - 40: True Demon King

    Under Yongfeng Building, Tan Tao had been waiting for a long time.


    He was there to pick up a car, a Bentley Moshang rented for eight thousand a day. Lu Liang rented it for a total of 23 days, amounting to 184,000.


    At the last renewal, Lu Liang had prepaid 200,000, which, including the deposit, meant 26,000 could still be returned.


    "Mr. Lu, if you need a vehicle next time, please contact us, and we''ll give you a 20 percent discount," Tan Tao said as he saw Lu Liang''s car drive away. He knew the chances of a next time were slim, but he still made the habitual offer.


    Lu Liang nodded slightly, carrying 26,000 in cash as he rode the elevator up to the office.


    Returning to the city center it was already eight o''clock, and having just had dinner, it was approaching nine in the evening.


    Tang Caide and Chen Jinchun had both left work early, and the company was empty.


    Lu Liang closed his eyes to rest, relishing the long-missed solitude.


    Commonly known as¡­ the philosopher''s time.


    After a while, Lu Liang turned on the computer.


    He looked at the calendar on the bottom right corner of the screen; if he remembered correctly, next Wednesday was his father''s 55th birthday.


    "It''s time for a visit back home," Lu Liang said to himself.


    Perhaps ten years, or fifteen, or even longer, he had not celebrated his parents'' birthdays.


    The birthdays of the elderly pair, one in the fifth lunar month, the other in the eleventh. Neither month had any public holidays.


    In past years, Lu Liang had always been working in Modu during their birthdays, simply sending a red packet and making a phone call, but doing nothing else.


    Sometimes, he felt he was an unfilial son.


    Moreover, it was time to be honest about his divorce.


    Lu Liang stayed in the office until the sound of the midnight bells, and as expected, the voice in his head arrived.


    "October 19th, Teli A, 108.25 yuan."


    Lu Liang immediately searched for related news and upon seeing the stock price and ticker symbol, could not help but be astonished: "This is the True Demon King!"


    Teli A, ticker symbol 000025, a mainboard stock listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange, and also the 25th company to be listed on the exchange.


    Unlike the newly minted Baofeng Technology, Teli A had been listed since ''93 and thus had a 22-year history.


    With a current stock price of 9.75 yuan, a market value of 7.1 billion, and a floating stock valuation also at 7.1 billion.


    Lu Liang was no longer an ignorant Xiao Bai. The reason for the exaggerated gains of Baofeng Technology last month had much to do with the unique properties of a new stock.


    The issue market value was only 780 million, the major shareholder had a six-month lock-up period, and the floating stock wouldn''t exceed 15 percent.


    This meant that, even if Baofeng Technology''s stock price soared to 327 yuan, up 46-fold, the total capital needed would only be 4.6 billion.


    Teli A was different; this was an old stock with 7.1 billion in circulating shares out in the open, without any lock-up period for major shareholders.


    To push the current price from 9.75 yuan to 108.25 yuan, an eleven-fold increase, would require the supply of 71 billion real silver.


    "Could it be there was no stock market crash? Just a normal market correction? Is another major bull run on the horizon?"


    At that moment, Lu Liang was plunged into deep self-doubt, at times questioning whether his judgment was incorrect.


    After all, 71 billion only for one stock.


    Let alone so-called financial groups like the Mingzhou Gang, Yongjia Gang, Yu Hang Gang, and Northbound Capital, even Citic wouldn''t likely invest 71 billion in a single stock.


    Lu Liang thought and thought until his tightly furrowed brow gradually relaxed.


    He considered a possibility, and the more he thought about it, the greater it seemed.


    Logically speaking, for a stock to rally eleven-fold, it would need 26 consecutive maximum daily price limit increases, roughly taking about 37 days.


    Today was June 6th, leaving over four months of time.


    This indicated that this stock wasn''t going to peak with one massive rally but would zigzag, fold after fold.


    During that period, perhaps countless institutions would come and go, returning again and again, playing hot potato to forge this True Demon King.


    This could also indirectly validate Lu Liang''s prediction that what was coming was a stock market disaster, a bear market.


    As the old saying goes, chaos begets monsters.


    Even during a stock market disaster, a bear market, financial professionals still need to eat, and individual investors also seek to survive from desperate straits.


    "The bull market''s wonder stocks are just a false Demon King, those that rise against the trend are the true Demon King."


    "Demon, representing the elusive and independent from market influence, abandons the broader market, embarking on a unique trajectory."


    Lu Liang realized this was an excellent opportunity, for the next four months, this stock would become a battleground for institutional infighting.


    If he could stand out, it would be the best publicity.


    ¡­


    In the wee hours past one, Lu Liang returned home.


    The living room was still brightly lit, Li Manli was hugging a plush toy, lying on the sofa. Hearing the door open, she sat up all at once.


    "Liang, where have you been? I called you so many times just now, did you not see them?" Her tone was hurried, seemingly caring but also tinged with blame.


    "I didn''t notice." Lu Liang left a brief reply, then headed to the bathroom to wash up.


    He knew Li Manli had called him, maybe four or five times tonight.


    He wasn''t busy nor had any trouble, but he just didn''t answer.


    Li Manli''s thoughts were not as mature as Zhang Qian''s, younger, and without much sense of boundaries.


    Lu Liang wanted to use this opportunity to make her clearly understand the nature of their relationship.


    The steamy bathroom suddenly cracked open a slit.


    Li Manli poked her head out, timidly asking, "Liang, has something happened today?"


    Lu Liang wrapped himself in a bathrobe, stepped out of the bathroom, his smile somewhat strained: "There was a little issue, but it''s all taken care of now."


    Li Manli brought over a cup of hot milk from the water bar, "If you''re not staying up late for work, try to drink less coffee."


    "Thank you." Lu Liang chuckled lightly, affectionately stroking the back of Li Manli''s head as usual.


    Li Manli breathed a sigh of relief, beaming with joy, trying to cheer Lu Liang up, "I recently learned a piece of house dance, want to watch me dance for you?"


    "Next time, I want to get some rest early tonight." Lu Liang finished the milk, got up and went back to the bedroom, "You should go to bed early too."


    He had just lay down for a moment when sleep gradually overtook him, suddenly rustling undressing noises came from beside the bed.


    Li Manli emerged from under the covers, her naked body exuding grace, her face breaking into a sweet smile, "I read an article that cuddling while sleeping can make one''s mood better, want to try?"


    Without waiting for Lu Liang''s reply, Li Manli took the initiative to free him of his constraints, then curled up in his embrace, whispering softly, "Clear your mind, sweet dreams."


    There was nothing to hinder their closeness,


    they snuggled up together, feeling each other''s heartbeat.


    Lu Liang held her close, replying softly, "Let''s sleep~"


    Before long, steady breathing sounds came to his ears, Li Manli secretly delighted, also contentedly closed her eyes.


    ¡­


    June 6th, Saturday.


    He went to bed early last night, and thus woke up early today.


    As soon as Lu Liang opened his eyes, he saw Li Manli''s smiling face, "Good morning, how did you sleep last night?"


    "I think I''ve grown fond of cuddling," Lu Liang stretched his arms around Li Manli, like embracing a human-shaped hot water bottle, soft and warm.


    Li Manli lifted her chin, her face full of coy grumbling, "You came home with such a dark expression last night, it scared this baby to death."


    Lu Liang laughed, then suggested, "How about we go hit some tennis later?"


    Li Manli quickly burrowed into the covers, her voice muffled, "No, I need to catch up on sleep."


    "Then sleep a little longer."


    Lu Liang felt guilty, so he didn''t insist.


    He got dressed after washing up, meanwhile, he mentioned, "I need to make a trip out tomorrow, probably won''t be back for three to five days."


    Li Manli hurriedly scrambled out of bed again, exposing just her little head, "When are you leaving?"


    With the lessons from last night, she no longer dared to ask Lu Liang where he was going, or for what.


    "Tonight."


    Lu Liang kissed Li Manli goodbye and headed to the gym. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 41 - 41: Institutional Seats

    At 9:30 AM, Lu Liang finished his workout for the day.


    After breakfast, he called Zhao Haisheng to arrange a time to meet later.


    Li Manli also planned to go out to buy some things, so the two of them went to the underground garage together.


    She saw a strange yellow car parked in Lu Liang''s spot and looked around, "Where''s the car?"


    "It''s this one."


    Lu Liang smiled as he opened the door, and suddenly a golden bull projection appeared on the ground.


    "That''s so cool, what car is this bull?"


    Li Manli walked around it, feeling it must be expensive, though she didn''t recognize the logo.


    "Lamborghini."


    "Ah? Is this what a Lamborghini looks like?"


    "You didn''t think they only made supercars, did you?"


    "Isn''t that the case?"


    "¡­"


    Lu Liang sighed, not wanting to explain any further, and lightly patted the back of Li Manli''s head, "Get in."


    After Li Manli got into the car, she couldn''t help but touch and feel everything around, also spotting the purchase receipt in the storage box.


    Her eyes widened in shock, covering her mouth as she exclaimed, "No way, this car costs 3.08 million?"


    Lu Liang responded indifferently, "Where do you want to go?"


    "North gate of International Financial Center."


    Lu Liang set up the navigation and realized it was about two kilometers away, then suddenly remembered, "How do you usually go out?"


    "Bus number 11," Li Manli giggled, then stretched out her legs and swayed them up and down.


    Lu Liang burst into surprised laughter; bus number 11 was basically walking. He asked, "How''s your driving test going?"


    "I''m currently studying for the first subject."


    "Let me know when you pass, and I''ll buy you a car for commuting; it will be more convenient for you to get around."


    Li Manli hadn''t expected the surprise to come so suddenly, her eyes wide with awe, "What kind of car?" S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "We''ll discuss it after you''ve passed."


    "I''m sure to pass."


    Li Manli cooed playfully, "What kind of car exactly?"


    "Do you like sports cars?"


    Lu Liang chuckled softly, recalling the Porsche 718 he saw at the car show yesterday.


    The full payment price should be under 700,000, perfect for someone who has just learned to drive.


    Li Manli was overjoyed, then suddenly felt a little sheepish, "Isn''t a sports car too extravagant?"


    "If you don''t want it, forget it."


    Lu Liang glanced at her, not indulging her further.


    "I do want it."


    While waiting at the traffic light, Li Manli eagerly gave Lu Liang a passionate kiss, "Liang, I love you the most."


    Lu Liang straightaway called Li Yue in front of Li Manli and reserved a red 718.


    The standard full payment price was 670,000, but the information entered was Lu Liang''s, not Li Manli''s.


    This also meant that no matter who drove the car in the future, the ownership would always belong to Lu Liang.


    "It''s bought already?"


    Li Manli was absent-minded; she hadn''t thought that far, only realizing that Lu Liang had already made the reservation, and then she couldn''t stop giggling.


    "Focus on your driving test; if you don''t pass, you''ll just be left staring."


    Lu Liang joked as they reached the International Financial Center, parking the car at the entrance, with Li Manli looking troubled, "Suddenly, I feel so pressured."


    "Pressure is a good thing, let''s go."


    Crossing Pujiang,


    Lu Liang arrived at Guotai''s business hall.


    Zhao Haisheng''s eyes widened, almost dropping his jaw in astonishment.


    In recent days, the stock index had plummeted, and many people contacted him, wanting to apply for higher financing limits to cover their positions.


    He initially thought Liang was like those people, all wanting to apply for financing. It seemed he had underestimated the situation.


    The stock market disaster not only had no negative effect on Liang but had actually allowed him to make a fortune. Otherwise, he wouldn''t have been able to afford a Lamborghini SUV.


    The Urus was very famous among car enthusiasts, and since its launch in 2012, it had been hailed as the strongest SUV on earth.


    None other in the same price range could match it, even raising the bar to five million, it was nearly invincible.


    However, he had heard that the Rolls-Royce Cullinan and the Bentley Bentayga would soon be released, which might impact the status of the Urus.


    Zhao Haisheng''s thoughts drifted until Liang called him back to reality, "Mr. Lu, this way, please."


    The two of them went to the large account room on the second floor. Liang got straight to the point, "What are the conditions needed to lease Guotai''s institutional trading seat?"


    Brokerage accounts are divided into four levels¡ªfirst level, second level, VIP accounts, and institutional seats.


    The first and second levels are common accounts that just include features like short selling. "Large accounts" are VIP accounts, which can access international channels, but they are still a level lower than institutional seats and could be said to be at a lower dimension.


    Normally, institutional seats have the highest priority in trading. Whether buying or selling, they are always prioritized over the other three levels.


    Suppose the ordinary retail investors share one trading channel among fifty people, and the large account holders share one among ten, then the institutions have one each.


    If, at the same time, several transactions at the same price occur, the institution''s transactions will be completed first, followed by large account holders and retail investors.


    Furthermore, institutions have the rights to participate in pre-market and post-market trading, a privilege that distinctly sets them apart from ordinary retail investors.


    In other words, institutions have the authority to determine the opening and closing prices of a stock.


    "Mr. Lu, taking our Guotai as an example, we require an annual channel usage fee of one million and the account''s margin must not be less than twenty million."


    Zhao Haisheng''s brow furrowed. Leasing an institutional seat during a stock market disaster was akin to swimming against the current or lighting a lamp in a bathroom.


    "Is it that simple?" Lu Liang was surprised. He had spent the previous night researching for a long time, and some of the qualification conditions almost overwhelmed him.


    Zhao Haisheng couldn''t help but offer a bitter smile: "Mr. Lu, it''s not exactly simple, right? Twenty-one million is not an amount just anybody can come up with."


    Although there were numerous other procedures and qualifications required, as long as one had the money, none of those were issues.


    Brokers don''t just take the one million for no reason; they will handle everything properly, allowing clients to sit back and reap the benefits.


    Lu Liang understood.


    Twenty-one million was the biggest hurdle, similar to those enterprises with assets over a hundred million who might also struggle to produce such an amount.


    Next, he inquired about how long the procedure would take to process and the various functions of the institutional seat.


    The response was within five business days, but Liang would need to provide proof of his assets and the size of his assets.


    Liang pulled out a platinum card from the Industrial and Commercial Bank, exactly nine digits displayed: "Twenty million for the margin, one million for the channel fee, the remaining seventy-nine million all to be transferred into the institutional account."


    "Mr. Lu, just a proof is enough, you... You can take it back for now, I''ll contact you once the procedure is done."


    Zhao Haisheng was shocked, wiping the non-existent sweat from his forehead.


    He was probably the person who knew best about Liang''s rapid rise. Just a few months ago, Liang was someone who needed financing for just two hundred and fifty thousand.


    In the blink of an eye, he now controlled a cash flow of one hundred million. The speed of a printing press producing money couldn''t match his earnings.


    It also made him relinquish the thought of inquiring; if it were just millions or tens of millions, they might still be on the same level.


    Once it involved over a hundred million,


    Zhao Haisheng was out of his league as a client.


    Zheng WenZhi, the branch manager of the Yellow River Road branch, was supposed to be on leave at home today but hurried over upon hearing the news.


    "Mr. Lu, hello, my name is Zheng WenZhi, the branch manager of the Yellow River Road branch, and I''m pleased to serve you."


    Zheng WenZhi''s face was all smiles, as anyone capable of investing one hundred million undoubtedly had total assets far exceeding that.


    "President Zheng, expedite the leasing procedures, please. I''ve pretty much got the hang of the details."


    Lu Liang paused, then added, "Manager Zhao is a good person and capable too. Let him be in charge of liaising with me from now on."


    Zheng WenZhi was momentarily stunned but didn''t dare to refuse, smiling and saying, "Manager Zhao, from now on, you will specifically handle dealings with Mr. Lu."


    Zhao Haisheng showed gratitude: "Mr. Lu, I am grateful for your trust. I will continue to work hard and will not disappoint you."


    If Lu Liang hadn''t spoken up, Liang would have shifted from being his client to being the client of the trading house.


    This would mean that any future profits brought in by Lu Liang would be attributed to the trading house and Zheng WenZhi, not him.


    But now that Lu Liang had mentioned it, the credit was all Zhao Haisheng''s, and nobody could take that away.


    Lu Liang smiled and nodded, not adding more, as he saw his past self in Zhao Haisheng.


    There was a time when he had met a big client,


    Who wanted to buy eight houses at once. The client sought more discounts, but Liang''s authority was insufficient, so he had to report to his superiors.


    In the end, Liu Jianchun, that bastard, had intercepted the deal, and after being busy for more than a month, he ended up with nothing.

 Chapter 42 - 42: Its All in the Past

    After lunch, Lu Liang returned home.


    He packed a few sets of clothes to change into, planning to set off early.


    "Bye-bye~ be safe on the road."


    Li Manli rose on her tiptoes, tipping her head back, her lips puckered waiting for a kiss.


    Lu Liang bent down to give her a kiss and, touching her cheek, said, "Be good at home these next few days, call me if you need anything."


    After saying that, he pulled his small suitcase and left.


    Lu Liang didn''t head back home but went to buy some fruit at the fresh market before visiting Zhang Qian''s mother in the hospital.


    He had promised Zhang Yun to spend a day with her on the weekend, and since he was returning to his hometown, he needed to bring some gifts back.


    Zhang Qian was rather mature and thorough and should know what gifts would be best to bring for elders and friends.


    Soon after, Lu Liang arrived at the hospitalization department of City Third, vaguely remembering that Zhang Qian''s mother was named Zhuang Huilan.


    Asking a nurse, he learned there were sufficient funds in the medical account to cover Mrs. Zhuang''s discharge, so he carried the fruit basket to her ward.


    Because Lu Liang had previously paid an extra sum of money, Mrs. Zhuang had been upgraded from a multi-bed ward to a private one.


    Mrs. Zhuang had a fractured coccyx and could only lie on her side. When she saw Lu Liang come in, her face revealed a kind smile.


    "Auntie, I''m sorry, I''ve been tied up with company matters and only now found time to visit you."


    Lu Liang walked into the ward with a smile, carrying the fruit basket, and also noticed Zhang Xiaoguai was beside the bed, focused on her homework.


    The little one heard Lu Liang''s voice, her face broke into a joyful smile, and she put her pen down, nearly flying towards him.


    She clung tightly to Lu Liang''s leg, looking up with a radiant smile on her face, "Uncle Lu, Xiaoguai missed you so much."


    The handprint on her face, left by that abusive woman a few days ago, had almost vanished.


    "Where''s your mom?"


    The ward had 24-hour care, and there wasn''t much else Lu Liang needed to help with. Holding Xiaoguai, he chatted idly with Mrs. Zhuang.


    "Qianqian just left not long ago; she usually won''t come until the evening. Xiaoguai does her homework here on the weekends."


    Mrs. Zhuang grasped Lu Liang''s hand, thanking him for his help during this time, as well as for taking care of Zhang Qian and her daughter.


    Lu Liang was puzzled until he found out that Zhang Qian attributed hiring a nurse and the hospital treatment fees all to his credit.


    Xiaoguai also piped up at the right moment, "Mom told grandma about Zhao Tianqi bullying me too."


    "Little Lu, you''ve taken such good care of them, I can die in peace," Mrs. Zhuang said, moved.


    "Auntie, please don''t say that. I''m just doing what I should," Lu Liang could only accept this well-meant burden.


    Suddenly, Mrs. Zhuang said, "Xiaoguai, didn''t you always really want Uncle Lu to take you out to play? Are you done with your homework?"


    Zhang Xiaoguai looked up innocently, eagerly saying, "Uncle Lu, just wait for me, I can finish in half an hour at most."


    "Focus on your homework and don''t be careless; Uncle will check it later."


    Lu Liang chuckled, lightly patting Xiaoguai on the back of her head as she hurried off to work on her assignment.


    He then crouched beside the bed, sensing Mrs. Zhuang wanted her granddaughter out of the way so she could speak privately with him.


    Mrs. Zhuang hesitated for a long time before speaking softly, "Little Lu, do you know what kind of work Qianqian used to do?"


    Lu Liang nodded without hesitation, replying, "Qianqian has always been helping me at the company."


    Mrs. Zhuang gave a wry smile, "I know, I was just worried that you didn''t."


    Lu Liang was taken aback.


    Mrs. Zhuang''s cloudy eyes shimmered with tears, "Qianqian is a good girl, she just had the misfortune of meeting the wrong man."


    Mrs. Zhuang started to talk about Zhang Yun''s biological father, a scoundrel. The two were nearly at the point of discussing marriage when he suddenly disappeared.


    Later, when Zhang Qian found out she was pregnant and tried to find the scoundrel, she couldn''t locate him anywhere and ended up having to give birth and raise her daughter alone.


    Mrs. Zhuang found out about Zhang Qian''s job because the hospital called her late one night for a family member''s signature and authorization.


    That night, Zhang Qian was in urgent need of surgery due to a bleeding stomach. It was then that Mrs. Zhuang learned her daughter''s job involved selling alcohol.


    At the time, Mrs. Zhuang was embarrassed, and mother and daughter had a huge argument about it afterward.


    "She once said something that I still clearly remember. She said she had no skills, no diploma, and a daughter to raise. If she didn''t sell alcohol, was she supposed to sell herself?"


    The more Mrs. Zhuang spoke, the more agitated she became until she couldn''t help but cough, and Lu Liang quickly poured her a cup of warm water.


    "Grandma, what''s wrong?" Xiaoguai, hearing the commotion, came running back with a look of concern.


    Mrs. Zhuang coughed a few times, trying to steady her emotions, and revealed a smile, "I was speaking too fast and choked a bit."


    Xiaoguai, hearing this, moved to the other side of the hospital bed and gently stroked her grandmother''s back, "Grandma, are you feeling better now?"


    Mrs. Zhuang squinted her eyes with a smile, hiding her tears, "Much better. You should go back to your homework now."


    The little guy was smart. He looked at his grandma and then at Uncle Lu, "Grandma, Uncle Lu, are you guys hiding something from me by whispering?"


    Uncle Lu smiled and nodded, openly admitting, "Uncle is discussing with your grandma where to take you for a trip later."


    "Where to?" The little guy''s eyes lit up.


    "We''ll tell you after you finish your homework."


    Lu Liang suddenly realized why Mrs. Zhuang had abruptly talked to him about those things. In the end, she was just worried that he might mind Zhang Qian''s past occupation.


    Once the little guy went back to his homework.


    Lu Liang whispered, "Auntie, I understand what you mean. That''s all in the past."


    Mrs. Zhuang held Lu Liang''s hand tightly, unsure of what exactly to say, "Little Lu, I really appreciate it."


    The old lady then told Lu Liang a lot about Zhang Qian''s past. Lu Liang didn''t know what was true, so he temporarily assumed it was all true and listened.


    After a while, the little guy suddenly raised his arms with excitement, shouting, "I''m done writing!"


    She approached Lu Liang with a beaming face, bouncing up and down, and offered her work, "Uncle Lu, can you check this for me?"


    First-grade questions were still no challenge for Lu Liang. He checked through and found almost everything was correct except for a few characters.


    "The ''an'' in ''install'' doesn''t have the lifting hand, and the ''cai'' in ''timber'' has the wood radical. Take it back and fix them."


    Lu Liang looked at Mrs. Zhuang, who was showing affection and hurriedly waved her hand, "Don''t mind me. You two should go and have fun. Xiaoli is here to take care of me."


    Xiaoli, mentioned by the elderly lady, was a hospital aide, a woman in her forties, and she smiled and nodded at Lu Liang.


    "Uncle Lu, I''ve corrected it."


    Zhang Xiaoguai came over again with her textbook.


    Lu Liang checked it and, satisfied, patted her head, "Say goodbye to grandma, we''re going out to play."


    "And mom?" Xiaoguai suddenly asked.


    "I''ll call her in a bit to see where she is."


    "Goodbye grandma, goodbye Auntie Xiaoli, goodbye Nurse Sister."


    The little one was very polite, smiling sweetly, waving farewell to everyone she knew.


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but show an auntie''s smile; even without Zhang Qian, he would still like this little one.


    So adorable, well-behaved, and polite¡ªhow could anyone not love her?


    Zhang Xiaoguai, carrying her little backpack, held Uncle Lu''s hand and went to the hospital''s parking lot.


    Lu Liang had her sit in the back seat and buckled her seat belt, then called Zhang Qian.


    Learning that she was near Joy City in Hongkou, his eyebrows furrowed.


    He was very familiar with that place.


    "It can''t be that melodramatic."


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but talk to himself, and Xiaoguai asked curiously, "Uncle, what are you talking about?"


    "Nothing, just sit tight. We''re off to meet your mom."


    "Here we go~~"


    On the way, the little one was very excited, chirping about things at school.


    "After Zhao Tianqi apologized to me, he hasn''t come to school anymore. Later, Mr. Lin said he transferred."


    "Really? Has anyone at school been bothering you?"


    "No, but all my classmates say you''re very handsome."


    The little guy''s face showed proud delight; a lot of her classmates had been watching that day.


    Afterwards, many classmates approached her, all saying how handsome Lu Liang was, like a deity descending to earth. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She ended up making a lot more friends.


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but chuckle, although the smile didn''t last too long on his face because they arrived at Joy City, and he made another call to Zhang Qian to get a more precise address.


    Gate number eight, Huaxi Club.


    Lu Liang was indeed very familiar with it¡ªit was Lin Wenjing''s workplace.

 Chapter 43 - 43: Women Alike [Seeking More Reads]

    "Uncle, I saw Mom."


    The little guy quickly rolled down the car window and waved toward Zhang Qian at the roadside, shouting, "Mom, I''m here."


    A few people at the Huaxi Club entrance also noticed the small figure, all giving flattering smiles and compliments, "Qian, your little girl is really cute."


    The female store manager, in her thirties, asked with a smile, "Qian, how should we address your husband later?"


    She recognized that car; she had seen it at the exhibition last week. A Lamborghini Urus, worth no less than three million in the market.


    Zhang Qian was silent for a moment before responding softly, "He''s not my husband, we''re just friends."


    "Sorry, sorry, my bad for misspeaking."


    The female store manager showed an embarrassed look, then her expression shifted subtly.


    That''s because she noticed the little girl getting out of the car, and the man holding her hand seemed more and more familiar.


    She couldn''t help but turn to look at the assistant store manager next to her.


    Lin Wenjing was lost in thought, her face filled with disbelief, "How could it be Lu Liang?"


    "Eh, you know him?" Zhang Qian was surprised.


    "This, this¡­"


    The female store manager was stuttering, unsure where to start.


    "Huiru, Wenjing, long time no see."


    Lu Liang looked indifferent, holding the little one''s hand, approaching the three women, he handed the car keys to Zhang Qian: "You two go back to the car first, I am an old acquaintance of these two."


    "Oh okay." Zhang Qian quickly nodded, sensing the atmosphere was a bit subtle, realizing it wasn''t suitable for her to stay, let alone her daughter.


    "Uncle, be quick, okay? You said you would take me to Joy City," the little guy, sandwiched by Zhang Qian at the waist, still didn''t forget to make a funny face at Lu Liang to say goodbye.


    "Got it." Lu Liang smiled and waved, then looked at Sun Huiru, "Aren''t you going to invite me to sit inside?"


    "Er¡­ sure."


    Sun Huiru''s scalp was tingling. With her intuition as a woman, she knew Lu Liang and Zhang Qian were definitely more than just friends.


    If they were more than friends, then this deal that was almost closed was likely going to fall through.


    When Lin Wenjing divorced Lu Liang, she had played at least half the role in it, and on the night they got the divorce certificate, she had gone out to sing with Lin Wenjing, celebrating her return to the single life, free as a bird from then on.


    Who would have thought, a few months later today, Lu Liang would transform into the owner of a luxury car worth three million.


    And their company had fallen to the point where it was going to change hands,


    The person taking over was Lu Liang''s ''friend''.


    Sun Huiru really wanted to look up,


    and see if there really was some kind of karmic justice.


    Inside Huaxi Club, there were almost all familiar faces. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Because Lu Liang had participated in their gatherings before, he made a round and suddenly asked, "Where''s Meng Juntao?"


    Meng Juntao was a major shareholder of Huaxi Club, and also the one who cuckolded Lu Liang.


    "He took the money and ran." Sun Huiru said through gritted teeth.


    Lin Wenjing, who had been silent all along, suddenly questioned, "Where did that car come from?"


    "Bought it." Lu Liang said.


    "Where did you get the money?" Lin Wenjing''s voice was tense, the words nearly bursting through her teeth.


    "Earned it."


    Lu Liang''s tone remained calm, but in the eyes of those who despised him, it seemed like a provocation.


    "How dare you! What''s your true nature? You wouldn''t happen to be involved in some illegal activities, right?" Lin Wenjing screamed at the top of her lungs.


    Lu Liang sighed, "You''re still the same, getting angry the moment something doesn''t go your way."


    He looked at Sun Huiru: "How much did you discuss with Zhang Qian?"


    Sun Huiru said, "1.2 million including everything."


    Lin Wenjing roared, "He definitely has no money, Huiru, don''t get tricked by him."


    "Xueqing, you take Wenjing to cool down a bit."


    Sun Huiru''s brow was tightly furrowed, she wouldn''t allow anyone to mess up this deal.


    After Lin Wenjing was pulled away,


    Lu Liang asked, "What exactly is going on with her?"


    Although Lin Wenjing used to be emotionally unstable, she had never been like this.


    "Before that bastard Meng Juntao ran off, he borrowed money from a lot of people, Wenjing got swindled the worst, her credit cards maxed out."


    Listening to Sun Huiru''s story, Lu Liang was as calm as still water, chuckling and saying, "I''m afraid you have some credit for this too?"


    "If you want to talk business, Lu Liang, just talk business, don''t involve personal feelings." Sun Huiru''s face darkened.


    The money she was cheated out of wasn''t small either, but she still owned this club, which she could sell and at least not be in debt.


    "Then I''ll ask Zhang Qian about it later." Lu Liang gave a wry smile.


    For there is no pity without resentment,


    he couldn''t muster up a bit of sympathy.


    Lin Wenjing was just foolish, but Sun Huiru was purely bad.


    "So long, I won''t see you out." Sun Huiru said coldly.


    After Lu Liang left, she said to Lin Wenjing, "Wenjing, you guessed right. That guy Lu Liang doesn''t have any money at all. He''s just bluffing, and the car he drives also belongs to Zhang Qian; he''s just clinging to a wealthy woman."


    "It seems this deal is probably going to fall through. He''s always held a grudge against me, so he''ll likely stir up trouble."


    Sun Huiru sighed deeply, casting herself as the heroine, while Lu Liang was a despicable little villain who had found success.


    Lin Wenjing was indignant: "That bastard, how blind I must have been to have fallen for him."


    On the other hand, Lu Liang returned to his car.


    Zhang Qian was holding her daughter, the two of them giggling and playing a finger-capturing game.


    "Uncle, mommy is so silly, she can''t catch me," the little one laughed with joy.


    "You''re asking for it, calling Mommy silly." Zhang Qian feigned anger, tickling the little one''s armpits.


    She refrained from mentioning what had just happened.


    "Let''s go, we''re off to Happy Valley."


    Lu Liang took a deep breath and a smile returned to his face.


    The trio arrived at Happy Valley at the foot of She Mountain.


    Upon entering the park, the little one was like a wild horse that had thrown off its reins.


    Wanting to play on everything she saw, the various areas of the park were filled with her laughter, as well as photos of the three of them together.


    Not until nightfall did they stop; they had only watched half of the fountain show when the little one, exhausted, fell asleep on Lu Liang''s shoulder.


    Finally, Zhang Qian had a chance to speak to Lu Liang, "An hour ago, Sun messaged me. One million for the deal, not including the staff contracts. I can sign anytime I agree."


    Lu Liang pondered for a moment and scoffed, "She probably wants to get rid of everyone and save herself."


    Zhang Qian paused, then added, "I thought about it and decided to drop it. Joy City is too far from the Affiliated Primary School. If I worked there, I wouldn''t have time to take care of Xiaoguai."


    A flash of surprise crossed Lu Liang''s eyes, and he hummed in response, "There''s time. Take it slow, we''ll find something gradually."


    They returned to Zhang Qian''s house, already past nine o''clock.


    Zhang Qian coaxed and persuaded earnestly and finally managed to cajole the little one to take a bath and go to bed.


    She came to the living room and sat next to Lu Liang, embracing his waist affectionately, "You won''t leave tonight, right?"


    "I won''t leave, but I have to go back to my hometown tomorrow," Lu Liang also embraced Zhang Qian, breathing in her scent.


    He hadn''t lied to Mrs. Zhuang; if Zhang Qian was willing, he too was willing to take care of her and her daughter for their whole lives.


    She was considerate and gentle, never demanding anything, and being with her came with no burden at all.


    Zhang Qian asked softly, "Should we buy some gifts to take back for Uncle and Auntie?"


    "Let''s buy them in the morning, have lunch, and then set off."


    Lu Liang pulled out a gold card from his wallet, "Tomorrow morning I''ll stay home and play with Xiaoguai, you help me buy the gifts. Just use the card, it should have a two million credit limit."


    This card was given by Old Liu from the Industrial and Commercial bank; he could only spend without cash withdrawal. He had three of these cards in total.


    It was a special privilege of a platinum card.


    Zhang Qian hesitated for a moment before taking the gold card, "How are Uncle and Auntie doing? Who else do I need to buy gifts for?"


    "My dad should be in good health, it''s just my mom has a bit high blood pressure. I also have a sister, and two nieces, a boy and a girl."


    Listening to Lu Liang''s account, Zhang Qian quickly figured out the gifts, "For Uncle, buy some cordyceps, they help with immunity and fatigue. For Auntie, with high blood pressure, get some codonopsis. For my sister, a set of cosmetics. For the two nieces, smartwatches."


    "Finally, buy some fine tobacco, liquor, and tea; those can be given to just about any elder or family friend."


    Zhang Qian was thorough, taking everything into account, and Lu Liang, mesmerised by her words, admired, "You are really thoughtful."


    "So how do you plan to thank me?" Zhang Qian squinted, biting her lower lip, naturally seductive and full of charm.


    "How about I commit myself to you?" Lu Liang asked with a smile.


    "At least promise over and over."


    "And if the promises are empty?"


    "Then I''ll buy some goji berries to rejuvenate you."

 Chapter 44 - 44: Going Home

    The next day, Lu Liang opened his eyes and heard waves of pleasant piano music coming from next door.


    The other side of the pillow was empty, which reminded him of the previous night. Zhang Qian had silently gone to sleep with their daughter despite how late it was after getting his work done.


    Although she didn''t state her reason, Lu Liang could guess that she probably didn''t want to influence the child''s still-forming values.


    Lu Liang got dressed and walked out of the bedroom to find Zhang Qian busy in the kitchen, having already prepared a sumptuous brunch.


    She was wearing a loose T-shirt and high-waisted jeans, her makeup exquisitely applied as though she''d just returned from going out.


    Zhang Qian pushed back a strand of hair and smiled warmly, "The bathroom is on the left. The toothbrush and towel at the sink are new."


    Meanwhile, the piano music suddenly stopped, and the little one peeked out her head stealthily: "Uncle Lu, you really can sleep."


    In her room, a guzheng was set up, her fingers wrapped with picks that resembled fancy nail art.


    Lu Liang looked puzzled at the clock on the wall and was amazed to find that it was already eleven o''clock, nearly noon.


    "I saw you were sleeping soundly so I didn''t wake you. I''ve bought everything; it''s in the trunk of your car."


    Zhang Qian dried the water off her hands and pulled out a gold card and a long receipt from her bag: "It all cost over sixty thousand."


    "Just keep it for me for now; you might need to help me buy more things next time, you never know."


    Lu Liang stretched and headed to the bathroom.


    Ever since he started working out, apart from those few days trading London Gold, he typically wouldn''t sleep until late in the morning.


    That meant he really did sleep comfortably last night.


    Zhang Qian''s home was small but very warm.


    Zhang Qian silently put away the gold card and looked to her daughter: "Xiaoguai, go wash your hands and get ready for lunch, Uncle Lu has to leave soon so let''s eat earlier."


    Hearing Lu Liang was about to leave, the little one quickly took off her fake nails, ran to the bathroom door: "Uncle Lu, where are you going?"


    "Xiaoguai!" Zhang Qian frowned and admonished her.


    She knew she couldn''t compete with younger women; the least she could do was not to pressure Lu Liang.


    "It''s no trouble."


    Lu Liang smiled and shook his head, scooping up the little one with one arm: "Uncle has to go home for a bit, you have to listen to Mommy''s words, okay?"


    "When will you be back?"


    "In about three to five days."


    "Will you come to see Xiaoguai again?"


    The little one had big eyes like her mother''s, watery and seemingly capable of speaking.


    At that moment, her eyes were filled with anticipation.


    "Of course, I will, and Uncle will bring you a present too."


    Lu Liang teased her cheek with his fresh stubble from last night, making her giggle with delight.


    Seeing this scene, Zhang Qian''s eyes grew even more tender.


    The little one whispered in Lu Liang''s ear: "Uncle Lu, I don''t want a gift, but could you please tell Mommy not to make me play the guzheng? I don''t like it."


    "What do you like then? Tell Uncle," Lu Liang looked at her ten small fingers, several of which were already slightly swollen.


    The little one shook her head: "I don''t know."


    "Then we won''t play the guzheng, but if you find something you like later, you must tell Uncle, okay?"


    Lu Liang looked at Zhang Qian who was firm: "Being good at several skills will make it easier when she moves up to middle school."


    "She''s only in the first grade now, and there are five more years to go. If she can''t make it by then, I will take care of it."


    Lu Liang kindly advised: "After all, she already has plenty of homework. Let her have proper rest during her break."


    Zhang Qian saw the eager look on her daughter''s face and finally sighed in resignation: "Starting now, just one lesson a week, at least she won''t forget it entirely."


    Before Lu Liang could even respond, the little one excitedly kissed him and cheered with raised hands: "Yay~"


    Lu Liang suddenly realized: "Maybe she does like it; it''s just the long practice times that make it a burden."


    Zhang Qian silenced, suddenly finding that she knew her daughter of seven years less well than Lu Liang.


    "Love may lead to chaos."


    Lu Liang comforting her, held the little one in one arm and took Zhang Qian by the hand: "Let''s go eat; I''m starving."


    "I want to eat shrimp; Mommy bought my favorite shrimp this morning. Thank you, Mommy."


    The little one said she liked shrimp, but after peeling them, she first put one into her mother''s bowl.


    Sucking on her fingers, she tilted her head towards Lu Liang: "Uncle Lu, do you like shrimp?"


    "I like the shrimp that Xiaoguai peels."


    Lu Liang joked and gently kicked Zhang Qian''s foot under the table.


    The little one was far more sensible and well-behaved than her peers; Zhang Qian shouldn''t have demanded more from her.


    The little one peeled a shrimp with practiced ease and placed it in Lu Liang''s bowl. "Uncle, this is for you."


    "Thank you, Xiaoguai." Lu Liang stroked her head.


    Zhang Qian''s face broke into a smile again as she affectionately touched her daughter''s head. "Xiaoguai, you''re amazing!"


    She had come to realize that compared to other children her age, her daughter was indeed very understanding and well-behaved.


    The lunch ended in a harmonious atmosphere.


    After a short rest, Lu Liang went to the car park and opened the trunk, which was packed full.


    Zhang Qian was very thoughtful, having attached a note to each item indicating who it was for.


    The tobacco and alcohol purchased were all domestic brands, like soft-center and Moutai, immediately recognizable as expensive.


    After all, the most taboo thing with gift-giving was to offer something expensive that was mistakenly considered cheap due to the recipient''s lack of knowledge.


    "Goodbye."


    Lu Liang bade Zhang Qian and her daughter farewell, set the navigation, and embarked on the journey home.


    The entire trip was over five hundred kilometers, heading south on the Shanghai-Kunming Highway until sunset.


    Departing at noon, by the time he reached a small city at the border between Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces, the sky had gradually darkened. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Exiting the highway, Lu Liang drove for another half hour on the national road to reach his hometown of Yu Town.


    Passing by a small shop, he saw a family of four eating dinner happily together.


    Lu Liang parked in front of the store and tapped on the glass counter. "Boss, I''ll have a bottle of Coke."


    "Three yuan..."


    The woman set down her chopsticks and rushed over, thumping Lu Liang hard on the chest. "When did you get back?"


    Lu Ya, Lu Liang''s older sister by two years, married at 25, and was now already a mother of two.


    Lu Liang inhaled sharply, rubbing his chest in pain. "Couldn''t you have been a little gentler?"


    Lu Ya huffed. "I was holding back."


    Two children also ran over, excitedly hugging Lu Liang''s legs: "Uncle¡­ Uncle, did you bring us any gifts?"


    The older one was a six-year-old boy, and the younger was a four-year-old girl. It was rare that they hadn''t forgotten about Lu Liang after not seeing him for over four months.


    "Of course, I brought you gifts."


    Lu Liang opened the trunk and took out two smart watches, a set of cosmetics, and a carton each of cigarettes and alcohol.


    Brother-in-law Luo Haitong came over, fixated on the silhouette of the Taurus on the ground, lost in thought. "Liangzi, this isn''t a Lamborghini, is it?"


    "A Lamborghini?" Lu Ya was astounded.


    These days, it was normal not to have seen a Lamborghini, but very few people had never heard of one.


    Because it was synonymous with top-tier sports cars.


    Lu Liang simply smiled, as if to confirm.


    After putting the watches on his nephews, he handed the cosmetics to his sister. "This is for you, so you can''t say I''ve never given you a gift."


    "Brother-in-law, this tobacco and alcohol are for you..."


    Seeing the soft-center and the Moutai, Lu Ya finally believed that the car in front of her was indeed the type she thought it was.


    She didn''t accept the cosmetics, her eyebrows furrowed, a worried expression on her face. "What about Wenjing? And where did you get the money?"


    Lu Liang patted the backs of his nephews, ushering them back into the house to eat, and handed his brother-in-law a cigarette as he recounted recent events.


    "You got divorced already? And sold the house in Modu? You''re even running a company now?"


    Three pieces of news, each more explosive than the last. Lu Ya couldn''t help but ask, "Do Mom and Dad know?"


    "Dad, knows a bit; Mom, probably doesn''t."


    Lu Liang put his arm around Lu Ya''s shoulder. "Besides, you guys never liked Lin Wenjing anyway, so the divorce is for the best, right?"


    Lu Ya glared at him. "One thing at a time; you didn''t just dump her because you''ve made money now, did you?"


    "Sister, I''m your own brother, blood is thicker than water, what do you take me for?"


    Lu Liang was indignant, but that didn''t save his arm from another slap.


    After a moment of contemplation, Lu Ya looked at her husband. "Luo, you take care of the kids; I''ll go back to Mom''s with him."


    Lu Liang chuckled and passed her the cosmetics and the alcohol and tobacco.


    In small rural towns, the tolerance for divorce was far less than in big cities. While not considered outright disgraceful, it was still frowned upon.


    He didn''t have much to say to his parents on a daily basis and needed a strong external ally ¨C an older sister was the best candidate.


    "Keep them, no point in refusing a gift."


    Lu Ya fiercely glared at him, knowing her brother well. With one look, she saw right through his scheming.

 Chapter 45 - 45: The Best Foreign Aid

    "Uncle, uncle, we want to ride in the car too."


    When the two nephews saw Lu Liang getting ready to leave, they hurriedly ran out again. With one stern look from Lu Ya, she barked, "Get back!"


    Like mice who''d seen a cat, the two children dashed back into the house without looking back, prompting Lu Liang to clap his hands in admiration, "My sister, as domineering as ever."


    It was rare for Lu Ya not to get angry, and from the depths of her eyes, a long-absent tenderness emerged, "Liang, I feel like you''ve changed a lot lately."


    Her brother had always been a lively boy, but since getting married, he gradually became more silent.


    Although the siblings had each started their own families and in recent years only saw each other once a year, she could feel the huge pressure his wife and family were putting on Lu Liang.


    She couldn''t offer much help, but now that Lu Liang had reverted to that big boy he once was, Lu Ya was very pleased.


    "Sis, please get in the car."


    Lu Liang went around the car, emulating the hotel butler Tan Tao, and opened the passenger door with gentlemanly flair.


    "Show-off," Lu Ya teased with a smile.


    The deep rumble of the engine sprang to life, and the yellow Lamborghini Urus carried the siblings towards their home.


    The nearby neighbors came out to look, and upon seeing Lu Ya getting into the car, someone couldn''t help but ask, "Who''s that? Why is our sister-in-law getting into the car with him?"


    Someone else took over the conversation, "That looks like Lu Ya''s younger brother, right? The one who works in Modu."


    "Isn''t that car a ''wild ox'' SUV? Looks like it''s worth millions. Luo, hasn''t your brother-in-law struck it rich?"


    Luo Haitong, annoyed, said, "If someone else gets rich, that''s their business. Why are all of you fussing over it?"


    "Not true, when one becomes successful, it lifts up their whole family. It looks like you''ve got a share of the good fortune."


    Luo Haitong glared at the speaker and reluctantly handed out cigarettes, then gestured everyone away, "Go on, get back to what you were doing."


    ...


    Elsewhere, Lu Liang was driving back on the country road towards the village.


    Lu Ya asked him how much the car cost; Lu Liang vaguely replied it should be in the hundreds of thousands, then got smacked again.


    Lu Ya picked up her phone, indignantly saying, "Do you think I''m a bumpkin? A car worth over three million, and you tell me it''s just a few hundred thousand?"


    She couldn''t help but worry, having bought such an expensive car in just a few months, could the money have come from a legitimate source?


    Lu Ya asked very seriously, "If something happens one day, and if you can run, then run fast. I''ll take care of mom and dad at home."


    Lu Liang suddenly laughed, "Sis, don''t worry, the money is absolutely legit. Otherwise, how dare I start a company?"


    "Heh, Wu Laoer from the village next door said the same thing once, but when he was caught, people found out he was selling fake alcohol."


    "You think too much; I''d rather not chat with you."


    Lu Liang gave a wry smile, knowing there weren''t many who could completely overbear him. Lu Ya was definitely one of them.


    After all, when they were kids, their parents were busy, and boys often develop later than girls of the same age.


    He owed his successful growth entirely to his sister''s grace of not ''killing'' him.


    Suddenly, Lu Ya looked towards the front and said softly, "Don''t just think of yourself now that you have money. Think of mom and dad too."


    Up ahead was their home village, Luhe Village, and in Jiangsu and Zhejiang, keeping up with the Joneses was common, with every family building three- or four-story Western-style houses.


    Even if they didn''t have the money, they would borrow it just to build, but not far away stood an old, one-and-a-half-story bungalow sandwiched between the Western-style houses, looking very peculiar.


    "I will," Lu Liang nodded emphatically.


    That bungalow was the home of the siblings, now 32 years old.


    In the past, there had been thoughts of demolishing and rebuilding, but Lu Liang stayed in Modu and planned to settle down there.


    The parents supported his decision and helped with the down payment, so naturally, there was no money left to revamp the old house.


    At eight o''clock on a summer evening,


    It was one of the busiest times at the village''s gossip station.


    Not far from their house by the river, the riverside gazebo was one of the main spots for exchanging news.


    A yellow, very expensive-looking SUV sped past, immediately sparking a heated discussion among the villagers.


    "Is that car a Jinbei?"


    "That''s not a hammer-type Jinbei; you can tell a Jinbei just from the name. That emblem is a Taurus."


    "Taurus? How does it compare to a Mercedes or a BMW?"


    "Probably not as good, right?"


    "No way, it looks even pricier than Feng Chun''s 3-series BMW."


    "Nonsense, a BMW 3-series is only in the three hundreds of thousands; this one must be close to 400,000."


    A young man who knew his stuff just couldn''t bear to listen anymore.


    He stared at the car, saliva almost dripping from his mouth.


    A Lamborghini Hurac¨¢n, the dream car of many men.


    "4 million? That''s got to be a bluff."


    "Why is that car parked at the Tiechui''s house?"


    "Holy shit, is that Tiechui''s eldest daughter? And his youngest son?"


    The villagers wanted to take a closer look and gradually gathered around.


    "Third Uncle, Uncle Chun... you''re out enjoying the cooler evening air."


    Lu Liang greeted a few of the elderly he knew, then started handing out cigarettes to everyone regardless of whether he knew them or not.


    "Soft pack? Tiechui has been making good money lately."


    Lu Liang''s father was named Lu Jiancheng, but hardly anyone in the village called him by his full name, referring to him instead as Lu Tiechui.


    This nickname seemed to originate from when he was young and fought people with a hammer, earning his reputation from a single battle, a name that stuck for forty or fifty years.


    Lu Liang, his son, was also called ''Little Tiechui''.


    It wasn''t mockery; it was just that the elders couldn''t remember the young people''s names, only their parents'', so they simply attached ''Little'' to the parent''s nickname.


    "Just doing a little business." Lu Liang opened the trunk and handed out two packs of soft packs to two elderly family acquaintances.


    He then said, "Third Uncle, Uncle Chun, you continue to enjoy the evening, my sister and I will head inside now."


    The two elders, happy with their cigarettes, smiled broadly and told the crowd, "Alright, everyone disperse now."


    Uncle Chun then said to Lu Liang, "Little Tiechui, come over to Uncle Chun''s for tea when you have time."


    "Sure thing."


    Lu Liang and Lu Ya, laden with large and small bags, pushed open the door and went inside.


    In the countryside, as long as someone is at home, doors are generally left unlocked, except at night when people go to sleep.


    Their parents were inside watching TV, so loud that they hadn''t heard any noise from outside.


    Seeing the siblings, their parents froze in surprise, "Why have you both returned?"


    The father reacted first, hurriedly closed the door, not wanting to air out dirty laundry and completely oblivious to the car parked outside.


    The mother was still asking, "Where''s Wenjing?" sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lu Liang paused for a moment, then rehashed the conversation he had with his sister, skipping over the part about selling the house to make a fortune.


    After all, their mother had slightly high blood pressure, and it was best to let her absorb one thing at a time before revealing another.


    Mother''s face turned red with anger, "How could she get divorced without even saying anything, keeping it from me?"


    Seeing the heightened emotions, Lu Ya stepped forward to calm her down, "Mom, didn''t you say that Wenjing has become lazier ever since she went to Modu with brother? It''s probably for the best that Liang and she got divorced."


    Plus, look at my brother, he''s so handsome, he won''t have trouble finding another wife, divorced men are even more desirable now."


    Lu Ya knew how to handle her mom, who was immediately distracted, "Desirable my foot, do you know how much money your brother spent on his wedding? Who would marry him now without any money?"


    Lu Ya smiled and mused, "But have you ever considered that brother might become rich? By then, a whole line of girls will be queuing up to be your daughters-in-law."


    "Don''t just think about getting rich at every turn. I just wish for you all to live in peace and stability," the mother advised earnestly.


    "Looks like it won''t be peaceful for now," Lu Ya said with a teasing and relaxed tone, nodding towards the small security monitor by the TV.


    She laughed and said, "Haven''t you noticed that Liang drove me here in his car?"


    "When did he buy a car?"


    Not just the mother, but the father was taken aback as well, he knew about Lu Liang''s divorce, but had no idea about the car purchase.


    "Come clean and you may be treated leniently, resist and you''ll be dealt with severely."


    Lu Ya, with a stern face, suddenly stood in solidarity with her parents, but still covertly flashed an OK sign to Lu Liang.


    The biggest bombshell had already been diffused by her, now as long as they came clean, they would be handled more leniently.


    After all, the parents reacted so strongly to the divorce, not because they cherished the union, but out of concern their child might end up alone forever.


    But if there''s money, that changes everything.


    "Did you sell your house and start a company?" The parents wore expressions just like Lu Ya''s a moment ago.


    They shared Lu Ya''s concern, worried about the legitimacy of the funds, that any day now they might end up eating "royal grain" (being imprisoned).


    Lu Liang had to explain for a long time and eventually had no choice but to pull up the corporate information, "Look, Tianxing Investment, I''m the legal person, and also the shareholder, and the registered paid-up capital is 6 million."


    "If my money was dirty, how would I dare to openly run a company? That would be like walking straight into a trap."

 Chapter 46 - 46: Siblings

    "That car costs three million?"


    Mom felt like she was going to faint again, and Lu Ya displayed her excellent emergency response skills, "Liang came back from Modu at noon, hasn''t he had dinner yet?"


    Lu Liang quickly nodded, slightly resentful, "I just went to your house; you didn''t even invite me in for a bite."


    Lu Ya glared fiercely, "We''ve finished eating, there''s only some leftovers, do you want them?"


    "Have I not been eating your leftovers since I was little?"


    Playing along, the siblings once again successfully diverted their mom''s attention.


    "It''s past eight o''clock, how come you haven''t had dinner yet?"


    Mom couldn''t care about anything else and hastily went to the kitchen, continuously nagging, "You didn''t even give a heads-up before returning, there''s hardly any food in the fridge, I''ll make you some noodles and fry an egg."


    "That''s fine."


    Lu Liang saw dad taking out some Baisha from his pocket and quickly took out the Softs, "Dad, you should smoke these instead."


    He also opened the gift bag on the ground, which contained five packs of Softs and five bottles of Moutai.


    "This is Cordyceps; you can brew it for tea or cook soup when you''re free. This is Codonopsis Pilosula. Mom''s blood pressure is a bit high, let her have two slices each day."


    Lu Liang introduced the gifts, while dad smoked, habitual in his silence, but the corners of his mouth lifted slightly, betraying his inner joy.


    Every parent says they don''t aspire for their children to be extremely wealthy, just safe and healthy, but who doesn''t wish for their sons to be dragons and their daughters to be phoenixes?


    Finally, Lu Liang took out a bank card, "Here''s some money, find some time to renovate our house."


    "How much?" Dad asked.


    "Three million."


    Dad''s eyes widened, "That much, are you planning to build a palace, and doesn''t your company need money?"


    "The company is the company, I am me, it''s quite complicated throughout, but generally speaking, the two have no direct relationship, and I don''t have anywhere to spend the money right now."


    Lu Liang glanced at Lu Ya, who was helping in the kitchen, "To build a three or four story fully furnished house, it would cost about two million, and with the remaining one million, keep a few hundred thousand for yourselves. If your brother-in-law has any business plans, give him a hand."


    His sister''s marriage was neither good nor bad, her brother-in-law''s family was just average, not too well-off but not destitute either.


    Until now, both were running a small store, but in recent years, with Erbao born and Dabao at the age to attend school, the financial pressure visibly increased.


    Whenever he had free time, the brother-in-law would do freight work, and the sister, while managing the store, would also do some crafts to supplement the family income.


    Now that Lu Liang did well for himself, he wanted to improve their living conditions a bit, but as a younger brother-in-law, it wasn''t easy for him to take the lead.


    Lu Jiancheng was the father-in-law, without such concerns. Traditionally, a father-in-law helping his son-in-law was common.


    This way, the brother-in-law would be more devoted to their family matters, as after all, Lu Liang couldn''t always stay at home.


    "You''ve truly grown up now."


    Dad let out a long sigh, eyes filled with contentment.


    At this moment, Lu Ya brought over a bowl of noodles, "Egg and vegetable noodles, Mom and Dad, you should also keep some staples in the fridge."


    "On ordinary days, it''s just the two of us at home, if we buy too much, we can''t finish it, and it won''t be fresh if it sits too long."


    Lu Jiancheng, pointing at the bank card, didn''t plan to hide it from his daughter, "Your brother took out some money, thinking of tearing down and rebuilding this old house."


    "That''s a good thing; just reserve a room for me."


    Lu Ya suddenly said, "But this time, absolutely do not hire someone we know, hiring acquaintances always ends in getting swindled."


    "Last time when our house was renovated, it was dad who recommended our uncle to help with the plastering, and not many years later, the coating peeled off."


    Dad was stunned, "When did this happen, and why have you never told me?"


    "That''s in the past, what''s the use of talking about it now, and after all, he''s our uncle, you can''t yell at him, nor can he compensate."


    Lu Ya, with her arm around Lu Liang''s shoulder, earnestly spoke, "Liang, this time for building the house, make sure to hire professionals, ideally people we don''t know. That way, if there''s any issue, we can speak out, scold them even, without having to serve them with good cigarettes and tea, as they are getting paid."


    Lu Ya had suffered from hiring so-called acquaintances before and didn''t want Lu Liang to fall into the same trap.


    "Lu Ya, you''ve always been great with budget management, why don''t you take over the arrangements? I''ll be staying for a few more days until Thursday, when I have to go back."


    Upon hearing Lu Liang''s words, Lu Ya hesitated. Being a married daughter, she was worried about what people might say.


    Lu Liang understood her concerns and deliberately provoked her, "Is my sister someone who gets easily influenced by gossip?"


    "Don''t provoke me, hurry up and eat, after we eat, you can drop me off, and I''ll think about it," Lu Ya glared at him.


    Lu Liang quickly finished his noodles, grabbed the car keys, and said, "Mom and Dad, I''ll take sister home first."


    "Be careful on the road, and if you''re going to have drinks with friends later, don''t drive."


    "I know."


    On the way back, Lu Liang said, "Sis, you know how easily persuaded our parents can get. If they were in charge, any random relative could appear out of nowhere to handle the project. It''s not about spending more money, but about spending it without getting the work done properly."


    "So, you want me to be the bad guy."


    Lu Ya showed a helpless expression and sighed, "If you want me to handle the arrangements, the money for building the new house shouldn''t be kept with mom and dad, but with you. I''ll take as much as I need from you."


    She wasn''t afraid of gossip but was worried about their parents being influenced by it and then seeing her through a biased lens.


    Lu Liang was her brother, and she didn''t have these concerns with him. Their sibling bond was much stronger than their bond with their parents.


    "I''ll listen to you, I wasn''t thinking things through," Lu Liang said remorsefully, realizing another layer of complexity.


    He paused before adding, "Before I go back to Modu, I''ll leave some money with mom and dad. If your husband ever wants to start a business, he can go to them."


    Lu Ya''s expression changed slightly, but before she could speak, Lu Liang quickly added, "You''re my only sister, and I''m actually quite wealthy now. Tens or hundreds of thousands aren''t a big deal for me. I want to improve all of our lives.


    Look at Huang Er next door, after he made some money, he also helped his brother-in-law earn too. Both families are living better lives now.


    Even if not for yourself, think about Dabao and Erbao. They are growing up and will have many expenses in the future."


    Lu Ya fell silent upon hearing this.


    After a long while, Lu Liang asked softly, "Sis?"


    Lu Ya smiled relievedly, "You''ve said it all, what more can I say? We''ll see what happens."


    Lu Liang breathed a sigh of relief and smiled, "Dad''s birthday is next Wednesday. I plan to set up a few tables at Zhenhai Building."


    Zhenhai Building was the largest restaurant in town, specializing in large banquets like wedding feasts and birthday celebrations.


    "Dad isn''t that old; let''s just have one table, inviting just our grandparents to have a meal together," Lu Ya suggested as she transferred eight hundred yuan to Lu Liang, "I know you''re rich, but I want to contribute for dad as well."


    "Whatever you say."


    Lu Liang dropped his sister off at her home and wanted to contact his childhood friends to have a late-night snack and a few drinks, reflecting on their youth.


    However, when he called, either they had work the next day, had to take their children to school, or their wives wouldn''t let them out.


    Lu Liang sighed deeply, realizing how difficult it was to get these family men out of their houses.


    He just drove home.


    Once home, Lu Liang briefly described the arrangements for building the new house to his parents.


    He was holding the money, Lu Ya was in charge of the overall coordination, and they would leave one million for the family for emergency needs.


    His mother was overjoyed and cried, "Seeing you siblings still so close even after establishing your own families puts my mind at ease."


    "Fighting side by side with siblings, like father and son going into battle."


    Driving had tired Lu Liang out, and after taking a bath, he immediately went to his room.


    Everything in the old family house was outdated except his room was newer. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A few years ago, when he got married, even though he didn''t live there, he spent several thousand to renovate and bought some new furniture and appliances.


    Now that things had changed, Lu Liang took down the wedding photo from the headboard, shredded the pictures inside it, and shoved the frame under his bed.


    After double-checking everything, ensuring that all the photos together were destroyed, he finally settled into bed feeling secure.

 Chapter 47 - 47: It is Inadvisable to Stay Long at Ones Old Home

    The next morning, Lu Liang was woken up by laughter outside his house.


    Overnight, the news that Lu Tiechui''s son had made a fortune in Modu and even returned driving a four-million luxury car had spread throughout Luhe Village, becoming common knowledge.


    Third Uncle and Uncle Chun together were nearly 150 years old.


    Even if they wanted to work, their descendants wouldn''t dare let them; bored every day, they wandered around the village visiting neighbors.


    With over three hundred households and fewer than two thousand residents, the small, uneventful village rarely saw anything new.


    Old, stale tales had been retold over and over again; finally, a piece of fresh news had surfaced, and like striking soft gold, they couldn''t help but boast about it to anyone they met.


    So from early in the morning, visitors flocked non-stop to the Lu Family, some even taking a detour to see the car worth four million, despite being on their way to work or school.


    "Uncle, Auntie, please take your seats at your leisure."


    Lu Liang saw a few familiar faces, yet didn''t know what to call them.


    He knew the root of the trouble was the car parked outside; after breakfast, he found an excuse to leave the house.


    Not going far, he drove to a newly built residential area not far from Luhe Village.


    It had been on sale for a few years, with a starting price of 5,800 per square meter, but sales were poor since almost every family in his hometown had their own land.


    There existed a belief there that only the poor would buy commercial housing units, while the wealthy built their own houses.


    A commercial housing unit is just that, even if it''s a duplex; upstairs and downstairs, you don''t recognize your neighbors.


    But it''s different with self-built houses; you can design them as you wish, with a couple of Roman pillars at the front or shape it into a European palace if desired.


    Moreover, rural land is almost perpetual, unlike commercial housing that comes with time restrictions and property management fees.


    Lu Liang arrived at the sales office and selected a 120-square-meter flat. With the dismal sales, the total price was only 650,000, including a parking spot.


    The old house needed to be demolished and rebuilt, and his parents, true to their nature, would certainly borrow a place to stay from relatives or friends, unavoidably incurring social obligations.


    There was no need to owe favors for something that could be solved with money. To prevent this kind of situation, Lu Liang went out to find them a house.


    A simple, large three-bedroom flat of 120 square meters, priced at 5,800 per square meter, commanded an annual rent of 30,000.


    Upon hearing the rent, Lu Liang no longer wanted to lease it; he didn''t have much money anyway, so he might as well buy one.


    With his professional eye in real estate, he quickly settled on a low-floor, south-north through unit.


    The house was viewed in the morning, the contract signed at noon, and while the property deed would still take a few days, it was already habitable.


    Lu Liang called his parents to say he wouldn''t be back for lunch and headed to the town in search of childhood memories.


    He ordered a few of his favorite childhood snacks, sat down on a small roadside stool, and checked the stock market situation.


    The trend for Teli A had not yet begun,


    Today was yet another day of decline.


    The current drop was -1.5%, with a stock price of 9.61 RMB.


    The trading volume of the stocks was like a microcosm of the A-share market, continuously shrinking, with capital only flowing out and not in.


    The term "numb" was


    the best expression of the current mood of the market investors.


    Those willing to cut their losses had already done so, those unwilling had emptied their savings to cover their positions time and again.


    A stock market crash was an inevitable trend, and they could only watch their assets shrink over and over again, with no power to reverse the tide.


    "Apart from real estate, what else can be invested in?"


    For a moment, Lu Liang''s thoughts were all over the place.


    Besides the one hundred million he was cooperating with Meng Changkun, he still had 13.9 million US Dollars, which amounts to approximately 88 million RMB.


    With his current asset allocation, he guessed he wouldn''t be able to borrow much from the bank since he lacked fixed assets.


    Stock market assets are illusory; a single crash could halve them repeatedly, and only a solid business could provide peace of mind.


    Lu Liang pondered for a long time, searching through major financial boards for new concepts and themes.


    Finance is the pinnacle of all industries, and even if the state does not wish for finance to grow too strong, it can''t change this fact.


    Investors are like sharks in the sea, sensing even a hint of blood and rushing forward, hyping up the concept.


    Baofeng Technology initially had taken advantage of the new Internet+ concept, and with deliberate promotion, it exploded onto the market upon listing.


    Moreover, in traditional industries, with Lu Liang''s capital volume, even if he had the qualifications to participate, he would likely just be making up the numbers, giving easy points to others.


    To engage in risk investment, he still had to look to the market for new themes, perhaps catching the next big wave.


    Lu Liang found four new-concept themes: new retail, new finance, new energy, and the shared economy.


    New retail stood for online shopping, new finance meant online lending, and as for new energy and the shared economy, he still didn''t quite understand them.


    At this time, the restaurant owner came over with dishes: "All your dishes are ready. Would you like some soup on the house?"


    "Boss, I''ll take it to go," Lu Liang''s head was full of ideas, and now he just wanted to focus on his research.


    Holding snacks in his hand, planning to go home, suddenly someone called out to him from behind: "Lu Liang?"


    "Lu Liang, it really is you." A smiling woman with dark and sallow skin, holding onto a child.


    Lu Liang looked carefully, feeling a sense of familiarity, but he just couldn''t remember. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The woman said with a smile, "Me, Zheng Wanrong."


    "Class monitor!"


    Lu Liang was astonished; it was hard to imagine that the woman before him was the same fair-skinned, always smiling middle school class monitor.


    While it wasn''t a first love, at that young age, he had a bit of a crush on the pretty, smart girls in the class.


    "Is this your child? How old is he?" he asked, looking at the tall boy beside the woman.


    "His name is Ji Bojun, he''s 10 years old this year."


    The woman nudged the child, "Say hello to Uncle Lu."


    The boy, who seemed to have been dragged out shopping reluctantly by his mother, muttered, "Uncle Lu."


    "Such a sensible boy."


    A touch of melancholy flashed in Lu Liang''s eyes as he suddenly remembered a conversation with friends from a few years ago where they talked about middle school, including the woman before him, who seemed to have gotten married at nineteen.


    Time flies; the middle school classmates of the past now looked aged, their children so grown, yet in Modu, Lu Liang felt none of this change.


    He suddenly thought that it wasn''t suitable to stay in his hometown for long; if he continued, it wouldn''t be his appearance but his heart that aged first.


    Lu Liang saw the woman holding several bags: "Where are you headed? Let me give you a lift."


    "No need, I came on a motorcycle," the woman said, pointing to the white Wuyang parked on the roadside.


    "Okay then, I''ve got some things to take care of, so I''ll be leaving first. We''ll catch up another time," Lu Liang said, making an excuse to leave after so many years with little left to say.


    "Goodbye." The woman looked on in surprise as Lu Liang got into the luxury car that almost attracted everyone''s attention.


    Lu Liang didn''t go home because he didn''t want to deal with distant relatives, so he went to his newly purchased apartment instead.


    Eating snacks that looked like those from his childhood but lacked their taste, he received a call from Zhang Chen.


    "Mr. Lu, ''Xia Luo'' is scheduled to start shooting on Friday. Do you want to join the opening ceremony?"


    Lu Liang learned it was in Dalian and immediately lost interest: "I''m quite busy lately, I''ll have Director Tang go instead."


    After a few unenthusiastic bites, which served as his lunch, Lu Liang began to study the future direction of investment.


    Of the four emerging concepts, he first eliminated new finance.


    Although it was the hottest concept in the market at the moment, with several companies preparing to list in the US, Lu Liang was not optimistic.


    He had borrowed from online lending platforms and was well aware of their potential harm; they were rootless and could be upended by a single policy.


    So he could only look for targets within new retail, new energy, and the shared economy.


    Lu Liang thought of Meng Changkun, who had done just that, constantly investing in new industries, and they were now business partners.


    "Mr. Kun, are you busy?"


    Lu Liang called him to ask if there were any investment salons or gatherings lately and if there was a chance to take him along to expand his horizon.


    Although clueless about those industries, he had money to invest initially. If he was optimistic about the future, he would either take control through shares or start from scratch.


    The financial market was his arsenal; he was confident that his vast cash flow could wash away any obstacles ahead.


    Meng Changkun, guessing Lu Liang''s intentions, laughed and said, "Don''t forget what month it is now. There are two events this weekend, but the quality might not be that great. If you''re interested, I can give you my invitation."


    "Sure, thanks a lot."


    June was graduation season, influenced by the legendary tales of Bill Gates and Zuckerberg. In recent years, college entrepreneurship seemed to be very popular.


    This trend also propelled the development of online lending.

 Chapter 48 - 48: Wealthy, Generous, and Unpetty

    "Dad, why are you still going to work."


    Returning home, Lu Liang saw his father riding a motorcycle and still wearing his work clothes as he came back from outside.


    His father worked at a mold factory, and Lu Liang had a deep impression; his whole life, whenever his father came off shift, he was always dirty and greasy, sometimes even having to work the night shift.


    "Recently the factory has a batch of rush orders, I''ll resign after we get through this busy period."


    His father said with a smile as he pushed the motorcycle into the courtyard and picked up the hose on the ground to rinse his head, then used soap to wash his face.


    He had been at this factory for over twenty years, and the boss had always treated him well, so he believed in seeing things through.


    "You two are something else, one off to work, and the other out and about, and neither of you knew how many people came to our house today."


    Although his mother was holding a vegetable basket and seemed to be complaining, the corners of her lips were turned up betraying the joy in her heart.


    Today, the sentence she heard most was "Your son is really capable," which is probably the phrase that parents are most happy to hear.


    "Poor in the bustling city, no one knows you; rich in the remote hills and you have distant relatives." His father suddenly reflected.


    Though he wasn''t home, he had received many calls from relatives far removed from his immediate family.


    Lu Liang was surprised, his dad had this awareness, and it seemed that for friends and relatives who might think of borrowing money in the future it would be more difficult to succeed.


    "Mom, don''t cook, we''ll eat out tonight, and I''ll take you both for a ride."


    Lu Liang hadn''t gone out with his parents in many years, and they also hadn''t ridden in his car.


    Mom was tempted but thought of the already cooked meal: "Let''s wait for next time."


    "When Dad''s birthday is over, I''ll have to return to Modu, and after that, I won''t have much time."


    Lu Liang kept persuading, and finally, his dad made the decision: "Leave the cooked meal for tomorrow''s porridge then."


    Both parents went back to their room to bathe and change, dressing up in new clothes that they seldom wore.


    Lu Liang felt a twinge of heartache; he recognized those clothes, bought only two years ago for his wedding.


    They looked almost new, as if never worn, but having been stored for so long, the white collar had still yellowed a bit.


    Getting into the car, both were very careful, sitting up straight and alert, fearful to touch any buttons and damage the vehicle.


    "Dad, you should drive, just take it for a spin, you''re an experienced driver, don''t you have confidence?"


    Lu Liang let his father drive, taking a seat in the back alongside his mother, introducing her to the car''s features.


    Lu Liang instilled the idea that the car was just a possession, not so fragile after all, and even if it did break, it could be serviced under warranty.


    The family of three headed to the city and had dinner at a restaurant that looked decent from the outside, then went straight to the largest mall in town.


    Lu Liang bought several sets of clothes for his parents, a watch for his dad, a gold bracelet for his mom, and finally, two Apple phones.


    Apple phones might have poor signal, but they were more user-friendly for the elderly, unlike Android phones that might start downloading a mess of apps automatically if a certain webpage was opened.


    Spending over a hundred thousand in just over two hours, the watch and bracelet were the most expensive, but this money was absolutely the most well-spent Lu Liang had ever done.


    On the way back, his dad drove again, now much more at ease and less rigid than before.


    Approaching a fork in the road, turning left would take them to Luhe Village, but Lu Liang suddenly said, "Dad, let''s go to Jinya Garden."


    In the township areas, there were no large housing complexes, only a few buildings put up by developers, named with ''garden'' or ''park''.


    The apartment Lu Liang bought


    was on the fifth floor of building B at Jinya Garden.


    When they heard that Lu Liang had bought an apartment on his outing, both parents were dumbfounded.


    "Do you have too much spare cash with nowhere to spend it?" his mom chided with a stern face.


    "Anyway, it wasn''t expensive."


    Lu Liang chuckled, acting nonchalant, and led them upstairs: "Besides, a new apartment wouldn''t be ready for at least a year. So the next time I come back, where would you have me stay, in a hotel?"


    Dad had a stronger tolerance and was quite understanding: "Now that it''s bought, let''s leave it be. It''s better than splurging unreasonably."


    He couldn''t help but look down at his wristwatch, which was a plain metal timepiece worth forty-eight thousand.


    If they hadn''t stopped him, Lu Liang would have bought the fifty-eight thousand worth watch as a birthday gift for him.


    "My dad has good foresight. People in Modu are all speculating on property, now it''s just over five thousand, who knows if it might go up to over ten thousand in a few years."


    "You''re talking about Modu now; can our little place compare to the big cities?"


    Mom sighed, no longer disputing, after all, the purchase was made, and buying property is better than reckless spending.


    A 120 square meters, three-bedroom apartment,


    with simple ceiling decorations and wall treatments.


    The room contained only a table, a few chairs, and the leftovers from Lu Liang''s noon meal.


    Mom''s muscle memory instantly snapped into action; she picked up a broom and began to clean.


    Dad and Lu Liang were banished to the balcony.


    Suddenly, Dad asked, "Have you ever thought about what you''ll do in the future?"


    "What exactly do you mean?" Lu Liang inquired.


    "Your work," Dad explained, "we don''t understand it, and can''t help you. What we can do is to not add to your troubles, nor let the family add to them. But as for family¡ªyou''re not getting any younger."


    Lu Jiancheng was smoking, still favoring the soft White Sand; he never got used to the medium strength, always feeling it lacked punch.


    Last night, they had almost stayed awake all night: the couple had agreed on not prying into Lu Liang''s career or causing him problems.


    But the matter of family became their lingering worry. Now, not being young anymore, the children of Lu Liang''s childhood friends were nearly school-aged.


    "Let''s just leave it to fate. These things can''t be forced," he resolved.


    Hearing Lu Liang say this, Lu Jiancheng felt guilty and refrained from further persuasion.


    The fact that Lu Liang married Lin Wenjing was in part due to their continuous pressure for marriage.


    Countless trips back home for matchmaking, until one day he probably grew tired and settled for someone verging on suitable.


    As it turned out, a melon forcefully twisted off its vine was not sweet.


    "Dad, if I don''t want to get married, even if you held a knife to my throat, I still wouldn''t marry," Lu Liang asserted with a smile, his face relaxed. He considered the past as nothing more than a failed investment, not a big deal.


    The next morning, Lu Liang took his father''s copy of the driving license and documents to the city''s Volvo dealership.


    He spent 439,000 yuan on an XC60, renowned for having the highest safety factor on earth, as a birthday gift for his father.


    Bringing the receipt home, Mom was about to scold him when Lu Liang presented a perfectly reasonable argument.


    With over five hundred kilometers between the two places, each trip back home required at least six hours of driving.


    If the family had a car, he could take the high-speed train next time. On idle days, Dad could also take Mom out for trips. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Mom was persuaded,


    And Dad had no reason to refuse.


    A man never truly outgrows his youth; he is powerless against the allure of cars.


    Last night, Lu Liang had noticed that Dad kept gently caressing the steering wheel with fondness.


    That look was akin to how Lu Liang gazed at Li Manli in her sailor uniform, not wishing to look away even for a moment.


    Wednesday was Lu Jiancheng''s 55th birthday.


    Lu Liang reserved a private room at Zhenhai Building, and then played the role of chauffeur. He first dropped off his parents and grandparents at the restaurant, and finally went into town to pick up his sister and her family as well.


    Lu Ya''s consideration was not without merit¡ªwhile the grandparents were still alive and his father was not too old, a small gathering was sufficient.


    While the parents and grandparents chatted, the two nephews darted around the table. Lu Liang, Lu Ya, and Luo Haitong conversed.


    "What do you think about the construction, and how many levels should we build?"


    Over the past few days, Lu Ya had been busy visiting various professional construction firms and had gathered a few design templates.


    Although their old house was ramshackle, it occupied a generous plot of land, totaling 255 square meters including the courtyard.


    Lu Liang took a liking to a three-and-a-half-story small western-style house with a front yard: "Let''s build it according to this design."


    He planned to reserve 85 square meters for a front yard, with a lawn on the left and stone pavement on the right, and the main building to the rear.


    The lawn could be used to plant fruits and vegetables, while the stone pavement could serve as a parking space or for sunning things like quilts.


    Lu Ya smiled, "I thought you''d like this kind. The construction cost for this set is 900 yuan per square meter."


    Building the house wasn''t expensive, it''s the refurbishing that costs a fortune.


    A construction area of 170 square meters, built to three and a half stories, would only cost just over 530,000 yuan; but there was no ceiling on the cost of decoration.


    You could spend tens of thousands to have a Syrian style, or millions to make it a palace.


    Transfering 500,000 yuan to Lu Ya upfront, Lu Liang then handed Luo Haitong a cigarette: "Brother-in-law, I''m tied up with work in Modu and can''t get away, so I''ll have to trouble my sister to handle this."


    Luo Haitong, an earnest and simple man, replied with a sincere smile, "No need for such formalities among family."


    Everyone enjoyed the birthday feast immensely.


    Because there was one person who was wealthy, willing to spend money, and unconcerned about nitpicking.


    In a family, just one person like that can ensure a harmonious atmosphere.

 Chapter 49 - 49: 88 Punan Road

    Birthday lunch, Lu Liang didn''t drink, ate and went home for a quick nap before hitting the road back.


    Zhao Haisheng called to say that the rental procedures were all set. All he needed was to sign the authorization tomorrow, and the institutional account would be effective immediately.


    In the past two days, the stock market had also started to recover, with the Shanghai Stock Exchange Index stopping its decline at 4000 points.


    Today was the first time since the stock disaster that it had turned green. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But Teli A continued its intense decline, dripping down by mere cents every day, a true torment.


    Lu Liang had been monitoring the capital movements of individual stocks, keenly noticing that some institutions were building positions at the bottom. He didn''t want to be left behind.


    Approaching ten o''clock, Lu Liang returned to Modu.


    He didn''t go to Zhang Qian''s place, nor did he return to the Tangchen Yipin, but instead, he went to the She Mountain Clubhouse.


    Last week, Meng Changkun had taken him there once; it was a very, very formal gentlemen''s wellness clubhouse.


    Driving half the day, Lu Liang was a bit tired.


    He planned to rest for the night and return to the city in the morning.


    He drove familiarly into the parking lot, spent eight thousand eight hundred yuan, and opted for a full-body therapy package, which included an overnight stay.


    He had a sauna and soaked in a hot spring to relax his body and mind, then was vigorously treated by a robust Thai massage therapist.


    The 120-minute treatment could be summed up in one sentence: painfully soothing. The ancient technique of gripping deep muscle tissue was truly unique and greatly enhanced prostate function.


    After the massage, the therapist also reminded him to maintain vitality for 12 hours, otherwise, it would backfire.


    Because of this ancient technique''s existence, Meng Changkun came here every now and then and even became a long-term member of the place.


    With the treatment concluded, every joint in his body was hot-compressed with a ginger-soaked towel, and in that moment, Lu Liang felt almost transcendent¡­


    ¡­


    The next morning, Lu Liang, full of energy, drove to the Guotai branch on Punan Road.


    Zhao Haisheng was already waiting at the door early in the morning. The two went to the VIP room to handle the rental contract and then to the bank for the transfer.


    The nine-figure amount in his account dropped to zero in an instant; President Liu watched Lu Liang with eagerness, like a forsaken young wife.


    Lu Liang was resolute, like a man who amorously begins but heartlessly ends.


    After completing the large transfer, they returned to the branch.


    "Mr. Lu, congratulations, from now on, 88 Punan Road will be your designated seat name. May you conquer in all directions, enjoy abundant wealth, and see your investments always rise," Zhao Haisheng said, his face alight with excitement, as if Lu Liang''s frequent operations might bring substantial revenue to the branch.


    Next year, he might become deputy director and step out of his worker status to officially join the management.


    "88, that''s a good number."


    Lu Liang''s lips curled upward as he proceeded to his exclusive trading room.


    Five or six years ago, perhaps ten years back, when the internet was not so developed, transactions had to be conducted in this hall.


    Hence, there were rooms for major clients and institutional trading rooms where some teams would stay days, even weeks.


    Although times had changed and now trading could be done outside the stock exchange, the trading room had been preserved.


    Five computers were lined up in a row, and there were also facilities like a bathroom, rest room, and washroom, just like a commercial suite in a hotel.


    "Haisheng, you go out first, I''ll call you if I need anything."


    Lu Liang took out his own computer and logged into the institutional account. It wasn''t that he didn''t trust Guotai, but being cautious never hurt.


    Including the network signal, he used his own portable WiFi instead of connecting to the branch''s WiFi.


    Different from ordinary accounts, the institutional account could participate in pre-market bidding starting at 9:15 AM.


    However, Lu Liang didn''t utilize that feature, but waited till 9:30 AM for the market to officially open.


    From his observations, only 1-2 institutions were building their base in Teli A, and perhaps the two were even in cahoots. If Lu Liang intervened suddenly, it might draw their attention.


    His current strategy was to stay undercover; only by securing enough chips would he earn a seat at the table.


    Unlike his almost brutal trading style in the past.


    This time, Lu Liang was exceedingly cautious. With available funds of 79 million, he played as if he just had 790,000.


    The current stock price was 9.58 yuan, with 100 shares per lot, costing only 958 yuan per lot.


    Lu Liang was very patient, always buying in increments of tens or scores of lots, with no single transaction exceeding fifty thousand yuan.


    This stock wasn''t peaking just after a single market trend; it had several trends over more than four months.


    There was plenty of time for him to learn and gain experience.


    Two hours passed by in a blink.


    Suddenly, it was 11:30 AM, and the market paused for lunch.


    Lu Liang made 58 trades with an average of one every two minutes, holding only 2.32 million and 2,426 shares.


    Although it wasn''t much, he was satisfied, and the several institutions lurking didn''t even notice his presence.


    The stock continued its slow decline...


    Though he lost a few ten-thousands, most of it was commission fees, but Lu Liang didn''t mind at all.


    "Happy times always fly by quickly. Time to eat," he said, patting his stomach.


    "Mr. Lu, I''ve reserved a private room at the Cantonese restaurant at home. Are you free for lunch?" Zhao Haisheng seemed to have been waiting at the door, eagerly inviting him as he appeared.


    "Is it far? If it''s too far, forget it."


    "Not far at all, just a bit over a kilometer."


    "All right, let''s go in my car."


    Lu Liang packed up and drove with Zhao Haisheng.


    Zhao Haisheng had no other intentions; he just wanted to thank Lu Liang for the last favor, which had allowed him to continue serving Lu Liang.


    Lu Liang felt perfectly justified eating this meal.


    And after finishing, he left right away, without any intention of hanging around and chatting with Zhao Haisheng.


    After all, the market would reopen at one, and Lu Liang hadn''t been to the company in recent days; it was time to show his face.


    16th floor, Area E, Yongfeng Building, Tianxing Investment.


    "I''m so sleepy, so bored, so wanting to sleep."


    Chen Jinchun was yawning, head propped on one hand, feeling drowsy all over. The office air conditioner was too cold, and she had even found a blanket to cover her waist, avoiding catching a cold.


    "If you have nothing to do, you should read more books, maybe study for a research degree or an accounting certificate."


    Tang Caide smiled gently, sipping her coffee and browsing the latest commercial tax law.


    A good accountant should know not only how to keep books but also how to plan the company''s finances, including legal tax avoidance.


    Not only was she a management Ph.D. from Shangcai, but she also held a master''s in law from Hua Shi University. Had she not resigned and wasted a few years, by now, she definitely would have been at least a vice president.


    However, Tang Caide had no complaints about her current situation.


    The boss often wasn''t in the office, and there was virtually no work to do, making it even more relaxing than running a guesthouse in Cainan.


    "I''d like to, but ever since I finished my thesis, just looking at a book makes my head hurt."


    Chen Jinchun whined, holding her head.


    Suddenly, she remembered a saying from the internet that suited her perfectly: "I must be one of those who flit intermittently between ambition and long-term idleness."


    After all, if she had any ambition, she wouldn''t have graduated from a second-tier college and taken a receptionist''s job.


    She was drawn by the nine-to-five, weekday-only schedule, a 5k monthly salary during the probation period, and an unexpectedly generous boss.


    600 for meal subsidies, 800 for rent.


    Her total probationary salary was 6,400.


    Chen Jinchun shared her benefits and job description in her class group, and everyone turned green with envy.


    Some classmates worked themselves to death at large companies for just two to three thousand a month during their probationary periods and still worried about getting a permanent position.


    Meanwhile, she was living the retired life early, which was really something to envy.


    "You actually have quite a bit of self-awareness."


    A laugh interrupted her; Chen Jinchun thought it was the boy next door coming over to flirt again and responded indignantly, "What''s it to you..."


    She stopped in mid-sentence when she saw who it was, her speech stumbling, "Mr... Mr. Lu, good afternoon, have you had your lunch?"


    "I''m terribly sorry; I thought it was that boy next door causing trouble again," Chen Jinchun hurriedly explained.


    "Someone has been causing trouble in my absence?"


    Seeing Mr. Lu might misunderstand, Tang Caide said with a smile, "It''s not really trouble, just ''Fair ladies, gallant gentlemen''."


    Mr. Lu realized, and just smiled it off.

 Chapter 50 - 50: Learning English

    "Tang, tomorrow Xia Luo begins shooting in Dalian ¡ª you take a trip there for me."


    Lu Liang assigned Tang Caide some work, then turned to the perplexed-looking Chen Jinchun, "Xiao Chen, you go and recruit someone for me."


    Chen Jinchun widened her eyes, at first thinking she had heard wrong. She was only a recent graduate herself, still within her internship period.


    "Is there a problem?" asked Mr. Lu.


    "N-no problem, what position do you want me to recruit for, Mr. Lu?" Chen Jinchun braved the question.


    "An English tutor, with at least a Level 8 certificate. One lesson every workday, paying the highest market rate."


    Having suffered from his poor English skills before, Lu Liang had resolved to improve his English, aiming for at least effortless reading.


    "Okay, Mr. Lu." Chen Jinchun felt relieved. Thankfully, she just had to find an English tutor.


    After all, having passed Level 4 herself and with the help of the academic credit system, interviewing a candidate with a Level 8 certificate should be no problem.


    But what she thought in her head was one thing; actually doing it was another.


    As soon as she saw Mr. Lu enter his office, Chen Jinchun, looking woeful, tugged at Tang Caide, "Sis, you''ve got to help me."


    She had only ever been the interviewee, never the interviewer. Should she act aloof, or should she be down-to-earth?


    If she put her hair up and wore a black silk OL outfit, would she appear a bit more mature?


    "Don''t stress so much. I guess Mr. Lu probably wants to learn English," Tang Caide said, trying to suppress a chuckle.


    "The way English is taught is important, but so is the teacher-student fit. If you just interview a few and let Mr. Lu choose, he''s bound to find someone satisfying."


    Chen Jinchun then asked, "What if Mr. Lu isn''t satisfied, what do I do with those tutors? Just let them go?"


    Tang Caide nodded, "Usually there''s a trial for half a lesson; if unsatisfied, you keep trying until he''s satisfied."


    Chen Jinchun looked troubled, "Shouldn''t we give them some kind of travel stipend? Otherwise, wouldn''t that seem a bit unfair?"


    Having a half-lesson trial and then just replacing the tutor if unsatisfied made her feel guilty, as if she was exploiting someone''s labor.


    "When you failed an interview, did anyone ever give you a travel stipend? That''s just how society is," said Tang with a shallow smile, patting Chen Jinchun''s head like an elder, "This might be an opportunity for you."


    "Opportunity?" Chen Jinchun blinked, utterly confused.


    Tang Caide looked towards Mr. Lu''s office, "Mr. Lu''s probably missing an assistant by his side; he just hasn''t realized it."


    "Anyone can be a receptionist, but an assistant is different. They become a confidant to Mr. Lu, and the salary and benefits are much higher."


    She saw this clearly, but she didn''t remind Mr. Lu.


    Because it was something Mr. Lu needed to realize himself. If she were to mention it, it might seem she had an ulterior motive.


    "Sis, then why don''t you..."


    Chen Jinchun was puzzled; she might be a bit slow but she wasn''t stupid. If it was such a good opportunity, why wouldn''t Tang Caide take it for herself?


    Tang Caide gave a self-deprecating smile, quite indifferent, "We are not the same. I''m older; I can''t be groomed."


    She was 37 this year, finding a job that matched her skills and paid reasonably well was already quite a feat.


    But Chen Jinchun was different. At 22, fresh out of college, she was at the prime of her life. Although she graduated from a second-tier university, it was enough.


    Having worked for over a decade, Tang Caide knew that education was just a stepping stone, and if it wasn''t a technical position, its importance was even less so.


    Moreover, Chen Jinchun was a fresh graduate, a clean slate at work, the type that bosses preferred to mold themselves.


    "Tang, thank you."


    Chen Jinchun was grateful, beyond words.


    Ever since they met, Tang Caide had always been especially kind to her, constantly teaching her the rules of the workplace.


    "In a bit, start with some online research. English tutors shouldn''t be hard to find. Then schedule some interviews; if you find someone suitable, send them to Mr. Lu."


    Tang Caide smiled and returned to her desk to organize her documents, preparing to pack for her trip to Dalian for Mr. Lu.


    When she was at Redwood, her motivation for gain was very strong. Whatever she did, she had strong intentions behind it.


    And she never made a losing deal, let alone teaching a newcomer for free.


    As a result, her husband spent her money and cheated on her, leaving both her life and work a complete mess.


    After operating a bed and breakfast in Cainan, and taking some time to recuperate for a few years, she had long since lost her previous mercenary attitude.


    Now, her willingness to help Chen Jinchun was simply because she liked her; that was all there was to it.


    ...


    At one o''clock, the stock market opened,


    Lu Liang repeated the steps from the morning.


    Although the trading steps were all the same, there were subtle changes each time, preventing him from feeling bored.


    Because the market is fluid, no matter how meticulously a Market Maker controls the board, there will always be elements of uncertainty.


    It''s like a line from "Stock Market Master''s Memoirs", you must always have a sense of awe towards the market because it is formed by the push and pull of countless investors. Even if Jesus were alive, he couldn''t fathom the thoughts of millions of people.


    This is an autobiographical novel, whose protagonist is named Livermore, once the king of speculation on Wall Street.


    By three o''clock in the afternoon when the stock market closed, Lu Liang''s capital position had reached 4.11 million, holding 4,272 lots of stock.


    Compared to the morning, the amount of bought funds was much less.


    The volume of trades decreased in the afternoon, and the activity wasn''t comparable to the morning session, making it harder for him to make a move, causing him to observe for longer periods.


    Lu Liang closed his eyes to rest, feeling his mouth was a bit dry, he wanted to call someone but then remembered he was at the company, not at home.


    He grabbed his water cup and stepped out of the office, just in time to see Chen Jinchun conversing with someone in the meeting room.


    The other person was a young woman, about twenty-three or twenty-four years old, wearing thick black-rimmed glasses, appearing somewhat restrained.


    It looked like she was here for an interview.


    But Chen Jinchun wasn''t doing much better, her gaze was evasive, her limbs awkward, and she kept repeating questions, giving an unreliable impression.


    Lu Liang suddenly laughed out loud, momentarily unable to distinguish who was the interviewee and who was the interviewer.


    Hearing the noise at the door, Chen Jinchun turned her head to look, her face showing excitement, as if she had found a lifeline.


    She hurriedly took out a resume, "Mr. Lu, this is Miss Su Wanyu, she''s here for an English tutor interview."


    "Mr. Lu, hello."


    Su Wanyu startled, quickly stood up.


    "Shangwai graduate, English Level 8, Japanese N2, French C1..."


    Lu Liang nodded slightly, realizing the candidate was a language prodigy, proficient in four foreign languages, even her German was at a B1 level.


    He went to the water dispenser, poured himself a glass of ice water, then headed to his office, gesturing, "Let''s give it a try first."


    Lu Liang opened the blinds of his office, allowing the outside to clearly see every move inside.


    He genuinely wanted to learn English, to master it.


    Seeing this gesture, Su Wanyu breathed a sigh of relief, nodded to Chen Jinchun, and quickly followed.


    "Mr. Lu, do you have any previous foundations I should know about so I can help you make a learning plan?"


    Speaking about her area of expertise, Su Wanyu''s demeanor was confident, as if she had become a different person.


    "I took the College English Test (CET-4) ten years ago but didn''t pass. I have some basics, but not much."


    "Why don''t I play a segment of English conversation for you, and you can try to understand as much as you can?"


    Su Wanyu was relieved; having some basic knowledge was good, as she dreaded teaching someone older with no foundation.


    A 90-second conversation, probably about where they ate, if they''ve eaten, and suggesting going together¡ªvery down-to-earth.


    Lu Liang guessed his way through and understood about seventy to eighty percent.


    Su Wanyu was surprised, "Mr. Lu, if you can understand this, you should be good enough for everyday conversation."


    Lu Liang smiled and turned his computer screen towards Su Wanyu, "But trying to read some professional articles is still very difficult to understand." sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Su Wanyu felt an immense pressure. To read the Wall Street Journal fluently required not just competence but mastery.


    If the Chinese definition of illiteracy were applied, then over 90% of Americans would be considered illiterate.


    Chinese can be said to be one of the most concise languages in the world, with only about seven thousand commonly used characters. As long as you understand these characters, you can comprehend almost any meaning.


    Even with new words in recent years, like "diving," "slacking off," "watering down", these multi-meaning terms don''t require new words for people to grasp their new meanings.


    English, however, is different. Since entering the age of the internet, the growth rate of new words is about 10,000 per year.


    Some new concepts sometimes require many words to come together to explain their meanings.


    Even professors from Shangwai sometimes encounter words they don''t know and have to consult the latest Oxford dictionary.


    "Mr. Lu, reading an all-English newspaper fluently requires a large vocabulary."


    Su Wanyu advised kindly, a process which was very lengthy, and her rate of 400 yuan per lesson wasn''t cheap.


    "No problem, I''m already prepared."


    Lu Liang didn''t see it as a matter of money; he thought Su Wanyu was worried he wouldn''t persevere.


    "Well then, Mr. Lu, I''ll read a sentence, and you follow with me. After that, I''ll explain the meanings to you..."

 Chapter 51 - 51: Observations

    Lu Liang had a solid foundation, and since he was willing to learn, teaching him wasn''t hard for Su Wanyu.


    One eager to teach, and the other eager to learn, time flew by swiftly.


    Not until Chen Jinchun knocked on the door to remind them that half an hour had passed did she look at Lu Liang, to confirm his decision or to move on to the next candidate.


    Su Wanyu also looked at Lu Liang, her eyes filled with hope; she was studying for her postgraduate entrance exams and really needed this part-time job to cover her daily expenses.


    "Miss Su, you can go back first. Later, I''ll have Xiao Chen notify you if you''re accepted."


    Su Wanyu was very patient and approachable, with a voice gentle and sweet, just like her character, warm and smooth as jade.


    She also bore a striking resemblance to a language teacher Lu Liang had liked back in elementary school; he was quite satisfied with her teaching methods.


    Perhaps it was a man''s nature,


    Lu Liang always felt the next candidate might be better.


    "Mr. Lu, Miss Chen, I''ll take my leave then."


    Su Wanyu forced a smile, a flicker of disappointment in her eyes, but she said nothing more.


    "Xiao Chen, have the next one come in."


    Lu Liang then interviewed several more candidates.


    There were veteran teachers with twenty years of experience and some whose looks made one lose all interest in studying at just one glance.


    Yet, none could last for half an hour; some barely introduced themselves before Lu Liang called for the next.


    Unknowingly, after interviewing five or six people, he had thought the next one would be better, but had not realized that the best had been right at the start.


    Approaching five o''clock and hungry, Lu Liang said, "Let''s go with the first one, book 20 classes. Have her come over tomorrow at four in the afternoon, one to two classes on workdays, and rest on weekends."


    "Okay, Mr. Lu. I''ll place the order."


    The private tutoring was all found by Chen Jinchun on an educational website, which provided a contract that protected both parties'' rights.


    The 20 classes totaled 8,000 yuan.


    Chen Jinchun looked at Lu Liang, hoping for a resolution as Tang Caide wasn''t there, and she had no money to pay.


    "Send me the payment link." Lu Liang chuckled, opened the link, and was directed to the Alipay payment page.


    After placing the order, Chen Jinchun contacted Su Wanyu to schedule the official start of classes for the next day.


    Once five o''clock came around and without much else to do, Lu Liang decided to head off work along with Chen Jinchun.


    "Where do you live, do you need a ride?"


    He casually brought it up inside the elevator.


    Chen Jinchun quickly replied, "Mr. Lu, I live close by in Golden Bridge Community. I can just walk home."


    "That''s fine then."


    Lu Liang hummed in response, didn''t inquire further and when they reached the ground floor, Chen Jinchun stepped out of the elevator, "Mr. Lu, goodbye."


    Lu Liang went down to the parking garage on the second basement level and drove back to Tangchen Yipin.


    As soon as he arrived home, he heard Li Manli''s voice coming from the kitchen, "Babies, today we''re making crab meat tofu."


    She was dressed in a blue and white sailor outfit, standing next to a lighting setup, appearing to be livestreaming a cooking show.


    Lu Liang watched with interest, and suddenly remembered Li Manli''s blogger ID seemed to be Li Xiaomeng.


    He downloaded that unseemly-named app Bilibili.


    If Li Manli hadn''t mentioned it was a hub for anime fans, Lu Liang would have thought it was an adult site like Pornhub or Xvideos.


    He found Li Manli''s livestream and was surprised to see quite a large audience, over five thousand viewers.


    "Honey, I love crab meat tofu the most."


    "Honey, I''ll probably be home around seven tonight."


    "A bunch of shameless guys, obviously Honey is mine."


    "..."


    Judging by the lively comments from the viewers,


    the audience of over five thousand seemed genuine.


    There were over thirty channel admins and even two admirals.


    Understanding the tipping rules, Lu Liang topped up fifty thousand yuan and opened a most expensive governor subscription, costing roughly twenty thousand a month.


    Once the governor was active, the livestream room''s screen was covered with flashy effects, attracting hordes of new viewers.


    However, it was just the beginning; it was followed by over twenty Lucky Small TVs, each valued at 1245 RMB.


    At that moment, Li Xiaomeng''s livestream room became the most eye-catching presence on the entire platform.


    "Thank you, passerby..."


    Li Manli spoke excitedly, then she saw Lu Liang standing at the door, smiling.


    She was surprised and suddenly understood everything. She wanted to turn off the live stream to catch up properly, for not seeing him for a day felt like an eternity.


    Lu Liang smiled softly, shook his head slowly, and made a silent gesture, indicating she should continue the live stream.


    He sat down in the living room, made himself a cup of tea, and watched Li Manli busily working in the kitchen.


    Suddenly, his phone rang,


    someone had sent him a message on the app.


    Devoted to Xiaomeng: "Admiral, would you like to join our fan group? Xiaomeng really has it tough. Next time she has a PK battle, come and support her."


    Lu Liang remembered, she was one of the only two Admirals Li Manli had. He thought for a moment and replied, "Are you her boyfriend?"


    Devoted to Xiaomeng replied: "If only I were."


    "Then why help her like this?"


    "When she''s happy, I''m happy."


    Lu Liang was momentarily speechless.


    At that moment, Li Manli''s crabmeat and tofu dish was ready, and she shut down the live stream.


    She brought the dish to the table with a sweet smile: "Liang, just wait, I''ll go make some soup."


    Lu Liang stepped forward, embraced her slender waist with a laugh, and teased, "What kind of love potion have you given him?"


    The sailor outfit was very well designed, the top was short and couldn''t cover the hem of the skirt, revealing a section of her smooth waist.


    "I didn''t really say anything," Li Manli looked at the screen, worried Lu Liang might misunderstand, and quickly opened their chat history.


    Lu Liang was stunned to see what''s called lowliness¡ªsending messages morning and night, caring about her condition, and constantly more concerned about her live stream stats than she was.


    Sometimes when that Admirer wanted to talk in depth, Li Manli would either take a long time to reply or ignore him entirely.


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but laugh, imagining her impatient expression at the time, which reminded him of the first time he had seen Li Manli.


    That was just the kind of person she was.


    But Lu Liang didn''t care.


    If girls weren''t vain or didn''t admire strength, then what''s the point of having money, and what''s the purpose of working hard to earn it?


    "Go make the soup, I''ll take a shower first."


    Lu Liang''s lips curled slightly as he playfully patted Li Manli''s pert bottom.


    ...


    The next morning, after finishing his workout, Lu Liang arrived at the company just after nine o''clock.


    Today was Friday, the last trading day of the week, and the market activity significantly decreased.


    The index fell below 4,000 points, which was one of the reasons. Institutions didn''t want to hold stocks over the weekend, and retail investors were afraid to invest.


    The whole market was gloomy, but there were always a few stocks that went against the trend and rose.


    Teli A was one of them, with an increase of 3.55% that day, and the latest stock price was 9.80 yuan.


    "They shouldn''t have built much of a position, right?" S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lu Liang frowned. Since Monday, he had been following the capital flows of this stock.


    The lurking institutions probably had no more than 50 million in chips; they shouldn''t be starting a trend now.


    According to his calculations, they would have to wait at least another 2-3 business days, around next Wednesday, before a minor trend would emerge.


    "A probe? Or have they colluded with shareholders?"


    Lu Liang considered two possibilities. One was taking advantage of the dismal Friday market to test the market''s reaction.


    The other was that those institutions had already colluded with the shareholders, acquiring a large number of chips from them, so they didn''t need to accumulate in the secondary market.


    Lu Liang thought for a long time, couldn''t figure it out, and decided not to ponder this problem for the time being.


    Increased market activity was beneficial and harmless to him, suggesting that even if he increased the accumulation of shares, he would not be noticed.


    The increase or decrease at the moment didn''t matter much to him; only having a base position of 40 million would he start to reveal his spot.


    With four hours of trading time all day, Lu Liang increased the amount for buying, with individual transactions rising from within 50,000 to within 100,000.


    By the time the market closed in the afternoon, his account''s holding position reached 16.5%, totaling 13.035 million, holding 13,369 lots.


    Currently at a loss of 278,000,


    he was still 26.965 million short of his target position.


    Lu Liang organized his documents and then rested for a while with his eyes closed.


    Near four o''clock, he walked out of his office to see Su Wanyu waiting in the meeting room.

 Chapter 52 - 52: The Gentle and Modest Gentleman

    Wanyu sat gracefully, clad in a long emerald green dress that naturally fell to reveal only half of her white shoes.


    She was quite tall, likely over 170 centimeters, but her figure was slender, as if a mere breeze could knock her over.


    Lu Liang also saw Wanyu without her glasses, and he couldn''t help but stare. She was as fresh and delicate as the sakura in early spring, exuding a fragile, lovable quality.


    But as soon as she saw him, Wanyu quickly put on her thick black-framed glasses, and her attractiveness suddenly dropped from a nine to a six.


    The lenses were very thick, probably with a high prescription. Her eyes immediately looked much smaller and she acquired a bit more of a bookish quality.


    "Mr. Lu, can we start now?"


    Wanyu''s voice was soft and sweet, soothing to the soul.


    She prepared many teaching tools, like a digital drawing pad and ear return devices for pronunciation practice.


    "Let''s begin."


    The two of them went to the neighboring office, where Lu Liang opened the blinds and windows that had been closed all day to ventilate the room.


    He had a habit when trading stocks; he disliked bright environments, preferring dim settings that helped him concentrate better.


    This action also made Wanyu feel more comfortable.


    She was mostly used to teaching children and wasn''t accustomed to being alone in a room with a strange man.


    Although it seemed that besides Lu Liang, only Chen Jinchun was in the company, the transparent glass was reassuring.


    "Mr. Lu, today we will mainly review phonetic symbols. Proper pronunciation is the foundation of everything."


    Wanyu smiled gently and took out the digital drawing pad, writing down 20 vowels and 28 consonants.


    The last time Lu Liang had studied phonetic symbols was over a decade ago.


    For years of non-use, his accent could not just be called off, it was outright abstract.


    Wanyu was very patient and attentive.


    She had Lu Liang put on the ear returns and prepared two cotton balls to make sure his ears wouldn''t hurt while listening to his own voice.


    For each phonetic symbol, from the shape of the mouth to the positioning of the tongue and how to make the sound, Wanyu corrected Lu Liang''s pronunciation time and again.


    During this, Chen Jinchun knocked on the door to inform them that Liu Jun from upstairs had brought an invitation; he was Meng Changkun''s assistant.


    Meng Changkun was in Yanjing for work, recently not in Modu, but he hadn''t forgotten that Lu Liang was interested in joining the venture capital circle.


    Every June, Finance University held an entrepreneurship expo, inviting celebrities from the venture capital world to connect and collaborate with entrepreneurial students.


    Meng Changkun had invested in two listed companies and was a well-known figure in the Modu venture capital circle. He received invitations every year.


    But he wasn''t available this year, and mainly didn''t want to go, so he decided to transfer the invitation to Lu Liang.


    "Thank you, Assistant Liu."


    Upon receiving the invitation, Lu Liang called Meng Changkun to arrange a fishing trip when he returned.


    Old Meng had a wide range of hobbies including, but not limited to, tennis, golf, fishing, hiking, and so on.


    He was an exemplary figure that every man aspired to emulate, and a great role model for Lu Liang to learn from and catch up to.


    Wanyu watched quietly, curiosity flickering in her eyes.


    Every graduation season, the entrepreneurship expo at Finance University was well-known, perhaps stemming from the confidence of a top-tier institution.


    This expo was open to universities above a certain academic level nationwide, with each school receiving several spots, including Shangwai.


    Wanyu had a classmate who had been preparing for the entrepreneurship expo since the beginning of the year, and she had absorbed quite a bit from his enthusiasm.


    However, she was curious why a small company, just one or two people in size, had received an invitation from Finance University.


    "Mrs. Su, shall we continue?"


    Lu Liang ended the call and continued his laborious study of phonetic symbols.


    Today was Friday, and he had more time, so they had two sessions lasting 120 minutes in total.


    Until his tongue was nearly tied in knots, he finally managed to pronounce all 48 phonetic symbols fluently to Wanyu''s satisfaction, and she no longer needed to correct his pronunciation.


    By five o''clock, it was time for Chen Jinchun to leave, but with her boss still around, she felt uncomfortable asking to go early


    So he used cleaning as a pretext to dilly-dally until six o''clock, waiting for the boss to finish studying before leaving with him.


    "Let''s go, see you next week."


    Lu Liang waved goodbye and took the elevator directly to the parking lot, without giving a thought to driving them home.


    One was just a colleague, the other, although he was somewhat interested, was not yet familiar.


    On Saturday morning, Lu Liang entered the university with an invitation letter and followed the staff''s directions into the Shangcai Auditorium.


    He suddenly understood why, despite being hailed as a top financial institution, Meng Changkun had mentioned its low quality.


    Lu Liang reviewed several business plans, some of which had even achieved certain successes, owning tens of thousands of fans across the internet.


    But they were too assumptive, too idealistic, lacking a clear profit model, a common pitfall for university entrepreneurs.


    Moreover, the biggest difference between campus entrepreneurs and those outside was excessive caution.


    Caution is good, but timing matters, especially when attracting investments, it''s better to aim high.


    "A project can afford not to make money now, but it cannot continue without making money or having a profit target."


    Lu Liang mingled between investors and entrepreneurs. Such gatherings might be low-end for Meng Changkun, but they were just right for him.


    These investors might be tough, but they weren''t foolish; even if the project was clearly flawed, as long as the entrepreneurs could persuade them, they were willing to invest.


    Because persuading them meant they could persuade others; all they needed was to cash out at the right time, not caring about the consequences later.


    Lu Liang, holding a cup of coffee, wandered around different areas of the exhibition and spent a long time without finding a suitable investment project.


    He finally found a quiet, peaceful spot to rest, admiring beautiful female students from across the country.


    Suddenly, he saw Su Wanyu. There was no time to marvel at how small the world was, as her mode of transport caught his attention.


    She was riding a Little Huang,


    and a row of Little Huangs was parked in the distance.


    Lu Liang was suddenly struck by a realization. Since entering the campus, he had seen many Little Huangs but had not paid attention before.


    The bikes bore a brand logo, clearly not privately owned, which reminded him of the shared economy concept he had been researching lately.


    Su Wanyu also noticed Lu Liang, her delicate and handsome face showing surprise.


    She saw Lu Liang smile and nod at her, then hurried off towards the exhibition''s administrative area.


    "What''s wrong?" asked a female classmate nearby.


    "I think I just saw my employer."


    "The one who booked 20 lessons with you at once?"


    Su Wanyu nodded; after deducting the platform''s commission, she still had seven thousand six hundred yuan. If she was economical, it should sustain her through her postgraduate studies. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Her classmate joked with a laugh, "Tell me, did you secretly remove your glasses in front of him and he became so smitten that he followed you all the way here?"


    Su Wanyu glared sharply, "Don''t talk nonsense. Mr. Lu is very decent, takes his studies seriously, and genuinely wants to learn English."


    She mentioned that yesterday, Lu Liang had received an invitation letter, and he was unaware that she would be here today to help.


    Her classmate looked teasingly, "Oh la la¡­ calling him Mr. Lu now. Where is he? Let me see what he looks like."


    Su Wanyu, pretending to be angry, said firmly, "Go distribute flyers with your boyfriend; I''m heading to the library."


    "No, no, no, I was wrong, I''ll stop."


    Out of the many university students starting businesses nationwide, there were over two hundred teams attending the exhibition at Shangcai today alone.


    Investors were scarce, and even fewer were willing to invest, so many teams distributed flyers to increase exposure.


    Her boyfriend was part of the Shangwai entrepreneurship team; naturally, Su Wanyu, as her good friend, was roped in to help.


    Su Wanyu scoffed haughtily, turning her head away in a tsundere manner, unlike her gentle demeanor when with Lu Liang.


    She couldn''t help but look towards the administrative area, a flicker of doubt in her eyes, wondering about Lu Liang''s hurried behavior.


    Su Wanyu still felt favorable towards Lu Liang, who was mature and composed, always mindful of maintaining a proper distance in his teaching, a gentleman of genuine modesty and grace.

 Chapter 53 - 53: ofo Shared Bicycles

    "Mr. Liang, hello, my name is Lu Liang, from Tianxing Investment..."


    Lu Liang arrived at the exhibition management office, introduced himself, and inquired whether the startup team of Little Huang had participated in this exhibition.


    "Little Huang?"


    Liang Juntao followed his gaze and suddenly realized, "Mr. Lu, that''s the team from Beijing University''s ofo shared bike startup. They''re also participating in our university''s startup exhibition, but it''s scheduled for tomorrow."


    The Shangcai entrepreneurial exhibition was originally planned for one day, but this year, due to the large number of teams that registered, it was extended to two days, divided into two sessions.


    Liang Juntao then asked, "Mr. Lu, are you interested in this project? We could introduce you to them."


    The founder of ofo comes from a remarkable family background, and just yesterday, senior leaders called him to pay close attention and, if possible, help introduce some investors.


    Unexpectedly, before he''d even started making introductions, someone took the initiative to ask; if he could facilitate an investment, it would be a no-cost favor gained.


    Tianxing Investment was unfamiliar to Liang Juntao, but the invitation was tiered, and a gold-edged invitation was the highest grade.


    It seemed their capabilities were quite impressive.


    "Then I''ll have to trouble Mr. Meng."


    "Mr. Lu, please wait a moment. Here is their business plan. Have a look at it, and I''ll contact Dai Wei for you."


    Lu Liang was escorted to the lounge, where a part-time female student gently asked, "Sir, what would you like to drink?"


    "Some ice water."


    Lu Liang browsed through the business plan, his mind elsewhere.


    ofo''s entrepreneurial concept revolves around the sharing economy plus smart hardware to solve people''s last-mile travel issues.


    It was founded in December last year with a registered capital of 1 million, and they have 1800 shared bicycles across four campuses of Beijing University and Tsinghua.


    To participate in this college student entrepreneurial exhibition, they started placing 300 shared bicycles at Shangcai last week.


    Their profit model is based on hourly charges, 0.5 yuan per hour, with less than one hour counted as an hour, and a daily maximum charge of no more than 2 yuan.


    They currently have over 20,000 paid users, an average daily usage of roughly 8000, and the company is valued at 5 million, willing to offer 10% of their shares for angel round financing.


    Lu Liang walked to the window, opened it to ventilate, lit a cigarette, and exhaled plumes of smoke, bearing a contemplative expression.


    ofo''s business idea was promising, but its biggest challenge was expanding beyond campuses.


    In the past six months, a total of 1800 shared bicycles had been placed, with a loss rate of only 1.7%.


    The main reason is that operations were confined within campus, particularly at Beijing University and Tsinghua, China''s top educational institutions.


    The students and faculty have high standards, perhaps due to the prestige of their schools, compelling them to maintain high quality.


    If deployed outside the campus, keeping the loss rate below 20% would be considered very fortunate.


    The cost of producing one Little Huang bike is 330 yuan; increasing production or self-use could reduce costs.


    But the damage and loss rates must not be too high, or else the company would eventually collapse due to unsustainable losses.


    Lu Liang continued searching for related information online,


    until he was interrupted by a knock on the door, prompting him to put away his phone.


    "Dai, this is Mr. Lu from Tianxing Investment..."


    Liang Juntao entered with a smile, accompanied by a group of young individuals in their twenties, all ofo co-founders and also classmates from Beijing University.


    Lu Liang smiled, shaking hands with everyone.


    Finally, his gaze rested on Dai Wei, the proponent of the idea and the largest shareholder, owning 70%.


    Lu Liang said, "Dai, I just looked over your business plan, and I''m quite interested in this project. Could you tell me more about it?"


    Dai Wei, a young man in his twenties, was visibly thrilled as he began discussing ofo''s advantages and future market prospects.


    Lu Liang smiled courteously, not interrupting his presentation, occasionally nodding and reflecting.


    Until Dai Wei finished explaining.


    Lu Liang gradually toned down his smile, "Dai, I have a question that I''d like you to help me understand."


    "Mr. Lu, please ask," Dai Wei said with a big smile, joy radiating from being acknowledged.


    Lu Liang asked, "If ofo were to be deployed outside campuses, how would you reduce the loss rate?"


    "Although your current loss rate is only 1.7%, it''s mainly because you are only deployed in the Qingbei campuses." Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "The quality of students and faculty on the campus is high, and they would not commit any dishonest acts, but off campus, it can''t be guaranteed," Mr. Lu said. "You should be aware of this, right?"


    "Clear," Dai Wei replied with a smile that gradually stiffened.


    He answered, "We have seriously considered this and plan to mitigate the risk by collecting a deposit."


    Dai Wei couldn''t help but look at Liang Juntao. Hadn''t they agreed that the investors seemed easy to talk to? Why the sudden change?


    Liang Juntao was silent, his eyes downcast.


    After all, he had seen even the most troublesome investors before, and satisfying them was the only way they would be willing to invest.


    Of course, it could also be a compliance test. Lu Liang wanted to gauge Dai Wei''s tolerance to see how easy future dealings might be.


    But none of those concerned Liang Juntao anymore. His mission was complete, and all he needed to do now was to remain silent.


    Lu Liang nodded slightly, then asked, "How much deposit do you plan to collect?"


    "99 yuan," Dai Wei answered.


    "Less than a third of the total cost of one bike."


    Lu Liang remarked in an indifferent tone, then asked, "What makes you think people will trust you and be willing to deposit 99 yuan?"


    Dai Wei thought for a long time, "We plan to first expand the market and then promote our brand to gain customer trust."


    Suddenly, Lu Liang laughed, "With an estimated value of five million, financing 10%, that''s five hundred thousand yuan in funds. How big can you make the market with that?"


    The cost of one Little Huang bike is 330 yuan. Even without operational costs, 500,000 yuan could only purchase 1515 Little Huang bikes.


    Even if they deployed 300 bikes to a university, they could only target five more institutions and would then face a shortage of funds again.


    Dai Wei and his colleagues exchanged glances, all seeing the bitterness in each other''s eyes.


    They had previously considered this issue, but dare not delve too deeply into it.


    The cost of one Little Huang bike is 330 yuan, charging 0.5 yuan per hour, it''s uncertain when they would break even and start profiting.


    Lu Liang smiled slightly, seeing that the moment was ripe, and approvingly said, "Your thought process isn''t wrong."


    He paused, then added, "But the execution isn''t clear, and you had initial problems with the positioning of this project."


    "Mr. Lu, I''m all ears," Dai Wei, undeterred, was eager to hear Lu Liang''s insights.


    "The concept of shared bicycles dates back to 1965 in Amsterdam with a government-led free bicycle system..."


    Lu Liang had just done his homework; the concept of shared bicycles had existed for a long time, and by now, it should be considered the fourth generation.


    In his view, this project, rather than being an internet + product, would be more aptly described as a financial product.


    Due to the substantial initial investment required, a few investors alone cannot fill this gap.


    But if treated as a derivative financial product, it would offer significant operational flexibility.


    The characteristic of a financial product is that it can leverage, and the leverage multiple depends on how big you can draw the pie.


    "As time passes, when the daily usage nationwide breaks through one hundred million, the net income for that day would be fifty million."


    "Moreover, if there were only your company in the market, the price could be raised to 1 yuan or 2 yuan."


    "One hundred million uses would amount to one hundred million or two hundred million yuan."


    Lu Liang''s pie-drawing ability was robust, and Dai Wei and his colleagues were mesmerized, as if reaching one hundred million uses per day was just within reach.


    They were still envisioning their wonderful future life.


    In the next moment, Lu Liang personally burst their bubble.


    He said coldly, "But your project has a very critical flaw."


    "Mr. Lu, please tell," Dai Wei replied, his expression grave, having already discarded any underestimation.


    "There''s no core technology, and it''s extremely easy to replicate."


    Lu Liang spoke slowly and deliberately, each word hitting Dai Wei like an arrow, which he could hardly refute.


    Because in mid-last month, his friend in Hang City had informed him that Hang University had already seen the emergence of a Red Bike, named Mobike.


    Their development route was exactly the same, and they had already begun deploying in University City, no longer limited to campuses.


    The emergence of a homogeneous competitor in the market made them feel very pressured, as this market has always been winner-takes-all.


    That''s why they were willing to finance 10% of their undervalued assets, in hopes of quickly dominating the market.

 Chapter 54 - 54: Are You Talking to Me About Fairness?

    "Mr. Lu, do you perhaps have a good plan?"


    Dawei''s attitude was sincere, filled with genuine admiration, and his manner of addressing Lu Liang also kept changing.


    "You''re lacking funds, a large amount of funds," Lu Liang said with a smile, as if stating the obvious.


    "Mr. Lu, please give us ten minutes, we need to discuss this."


    Dawei understood what he meant; a 10% financing stake wasn''t enough to move Lu Liang¡ªthey needed to offer more.


    With a faint smile, Lu Liang watched as Dawei whispered to his classmates for a few moments before a few of them went to the reception room door to talk.


    Liang Juntao, with a smile on his face, walked over to Lu Liang and offered him a cigarette: "Mr. Lu, where have you been lately?"


    He had checked Tianxing Investment; it had just been registered last week, with subscribed capital of six million and an investment of five million in a movie. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He had never heard of someone named Lu Liang before and found it strange why he would have a gold-edged invitation.


    "I''m just doing a little business in partnership with Mr. Meng of Kunqian Trade."


    Lu Liang pulled out Old Meng''s name for cover, after all, even if he was wealthy, others might still suspect the legitimacy of his funds.


    "So, you are Mr. Meng''s friend, huh? Mr. Meng and I have been close friends for many years, so now we''re all friends here."


    Enlightenment dawned on Liang Juntao without asking further; if this was a friend of Meng Changkun, then everything made sense.


    He also remembered that Tianxing Investment was registered in Yongfeng Building, in the same building as Kunqian Trade.


    "Mr. Liang, has anyone asked you to take special care of this student Dai?"


    Lu Liang suddenly inquired, noticing Liang Juntao''s attitude toward Dawei, which didn''t seem typical for a teacher''s behavior toward a student from another school.


    Liang Juntao neither confirmed nor denied, simply smiling and saying, "Mr. Lu, you needn''t worry about that; in business, we talk business."


    Lu Liang nodded, and the two of them chatted idly while smoking until Dawei and his partners finished discussing.


    He came over and said, "Mr. Lu, we''re willing to give up 20% of our shares for financing."


    "One million is still not enough."


    Lu Liang''s mouth twitched with a smile, not holding back, and stated his intentions directly.


    He could provide one million in financing funds and a two-year interest-free loan of two million.


    But the two million loan came with conditions.


    "Mr. Lu, please speak," Dawei said, his expression unchanged.


    While they were discussing, someone had come up with a new idea: increasing the share financing was maybe just the beginning.


    According to what Lu Liang said, unless they sold the entire company, they couldn''t raise enough funds.


    So they had anticipated this demand.


    "The average daily active users over the past seven days are 8,000; in two months, I want it to reach 80,000, and in three months, 150,000. That''s my condition for lending you the two million."


    Listening to Lu Liang''s specifications, Dawei understood that this was an additional bet agreement.


    A bet naturally came with winning and losing.


    The two million two-year interest-free loan was the reward for winning, and he wanted to know what the penalty for losing was.


    "If in two months the daily active users haven''t reached 80,000, the one million is yours, and correspondingly, I will obtain another 20% of the shares."


    "If in three months you don''t reach 150,000, the entire two million is yours, and in total, I will have acquired 40% of the shares."


    This progressive gamble agreement...


    If they failed to meet Lu Liang''s targets, when counting the financing he would have 60% of the shares, replacing Dawei as the largest shareholder of ofo.


    After all, in three months, even if ofo pulled ahead, it couldn''t just tread water with a five million valuation.


    Losing didn''t matter to him; it would just mean lending out two million, which wouldn''t bother him a bit.


    "This isn''t fair."


    Someone indignant at the side said they could develop slowly and didn''t need to sign this egregious contract.


    "Yu Xin, Yu''s your name, right?"


    Lu Liang still remembered his name and suddenly laughed: "You lack money, I have money; are you talking to me about fairness?"


    There was never any question of fairness between investors and entrepreneurs; if they wanted the money, they had to pay the price.


    Lu Liang thought he was being quite kind; he only wanted shares, not money.


    Some investors required a full refund if the targets weren''t met, and even demand interest on top.


    That was also why many entrepreneurs found themselves with massive debts as they tried to build their businesses.


    Initially, they had no assets, no steady income, and banks wouldn''t lend to them.


    Yu Xin''s face shifted between shades, wanting to argue but unable to find a rebuttal.


    However, they still had the right to refuse, but turning his head, he discovered Dawei was neither angry nor upset.


    Yu Xin was shocked, his face changing color: "Dawei, you''re not seriously considering agreeing, are you?"


    Dai Wei looked up, his eyes revealing determination, "Mr. Lu, please give me a little more time, I can persuade them."


    Lu Liang nodded, a hint of surprise flickering in his eyes.


    Liang Juntao, all smiles, chimed in again, "Mr. Lu, Dai here is pretty good, don''t you think?"


    "Quite bold," Lu Liang commended.


    To ''discuss'' was actually to agree.


    If anyone disagreed, Dai Wei could completely initiate a vote and force through the decision.


    Because he owned 70% of the shares and was also the general manager.


    This was one of the reasons why Lu Liang was optimistic about this team; there was only one voice internally.


    Like some teams he had just met, no one in the company owned more than 50% of the shares.


    The main creators, three or four people, divided the shares equally among themselves, like playing house.


    An instant flop.


    Ten minutes later, the ofo team concluded their discussion.


    Dai Wei made a reply, agreeing to the supplementary agreement, asking when the contract could be signed and when the funds would be in the account.


    He had compelling reasons to agree, as Mobike''s Hu Weiwei, bolstered by Yiche''s Li Bing, was coming on strong.


    Ofo, born from humble beginnings, lacked the support of big names in the automotive circle and had to bet on themselves to get that development fund of three million.


    "Come to the office to sign the contract on Monday, and the funds will be transferred immediately once the contract takes effect."


    Hearing Lu Liang say this, Liang Juntao hurriedly suggested, "Mr. Lu, why don''t we sign a letter of intent first?"


    As the person in charge of this year''s entrepreneurship expo, he was obliged to safeguard the cooperation rights and interests of both parties.


    Verbal agreements were unreliable; it was best to sign a letter of intent in black and white, and better still, include a penalty for breach of contract.


    "That''s fine," Lu Liang said with a smile, indicating no problem.


    Dai Wei also quickly nodded in agreement.


    "Then you talk for a bit, I''ll go prepare the contract."


    Liang Juntao left the reception room beaming with joy and hurriedly reached out to the faculty of law.


    Shangcai had been organizing the entrepreneurship expo for many years and was well-prepared in every aspect.


    Shortly after, he came back with three copies of the letter of intent, the terms clear even to a layperson.


    If one party breached the contract for the financing agreement and supplementary agreement, they would pay the other party 30% as penalty.


    Both parties kept one copy each, and the institution held on to one. If either party defaulted, Shangcai would testify.


    "Mr. Lu, there''s something I still don''t understand, would you mind clarifying for me?"


    Dai Wei was puzzled about how precisely ofo was to be treated as a financial product.


    "The hallmark of a financial product is leverage."


    Lu Liang spoke softly with a smile, "Borrowing is one kind of leverage, and so is delaying payment to suppliers."


    Once a contract was signed, the two parties would be allies, and he didn''t mind sharing some unique insights with Dai Wei.


    The biggest issue facing the ofo founding team was not knowing how to use their current assets flexibly.


    In his view, such enterprises should not consider applying the brakes once they start growing.


    Find every means to raise money, find every means to grow, keep sprinting without ever stopping.


    As long as you don''t stop, all roads lead to Rome.


    Dai Wei was stunned; listening to him was better than ten years of study, it was like opening the gates to a whole new world.


    But he still couldn''t help asking, "What if it stops?"


    Lu Liang just smiled without answering and turned to look at Liang Juntao, "Mr. Liang, where''s the Shangwai entrepreneurship team? I think I saw a familiar face."


    Getting to Rome, there will be someone to take over.


    If you can''t make it, it''s a wreck.


    "Shangwai is in area B, Mr. Lu, shall I take you there?"


    "Thank you, Mr. Liang."


    "No problem."


    Watching the two leave, Yu Xin couldn''t help saying, "Dawei, you''re trying to negotiate with a tiger for its skin. It''s been half a year and you only have 8,000 daily active users, and you aim to reach 80,000 in two months?"


    When he heard Lu Liang''s words, the capitalist from his textbooks seemed to take on a concrete form.


    "It used to be impossible, but now it''s possible."


    A glint flickered in Dai Wei''s eyes; Lu Liang''s discussion on financial leverage had given him new ideas.


    With the right approach, reaching 80,000 daily active users in two months was not difficult, nor was 150,000 in three months.


    Everything is hard at the start, but with a good beginning, the number of daily active users would grow like a snowball, getting bigger as it rolls.

 Chapter 55 - 55: Given Too Much

    "Mr. Lu, this is Section B."


    Lu Liang followed Liang Juntao to the exhibition area B, and from a distance, he saw Su Wanyu sitting on a bench.


    There were about four or five people at the booth, but it was desolate, with fewer visitors than the members of the main creative team.


    However, this was the norm; the current startup exhibition had invited no more than 50 venture capital firms and independent investors in total, while there were more than 200 startup teams.


    Moreover, most people attended the startup exhibition just to give face to the school; otherwise, they wouldn''t even bother to come.


    Previously, an investment manager said that he would randomly delete 100 startup business plans from his inbox every day.


    Frankly speaking, if you were unlucky, you wouldn''t even have the chance to waste his time.


    After all, they received more than 200 business proposals and had an abundance of projects to choose from.


    Moreover, entrepreneurs from outside the school had been beaten down by society time and again and generally had a very humble attitude toward investors.


    Entrepreneurs from within the school always felt their ideas were extraordinary, believing they were but one round of seed funding away from becoming a unicorn.


    Little did they know that business ideas really aren''t worth much, and the ones that often died the most terrible deaths were the pioneers. Once capital sensed profitability, it was like the "thousand group war" a few years ago.


    In the end, the survivors were Meituan, Dazhong, and Nuomi, but no one knew that the first group buying website was called ''Qi Jia.''


    Bored, Su Wanyu stared at the ground, watching ants carry their load, when suddenly a pair of sneakers caught her eye.


    Looking up, she saw Lu Liang and stood up in surprise, "Mr. Lu, hello."


    "Do you have a stake in this company?"


    Lu Liang smiled as he picked up a promotional brochure from the table.


    It was an online one-on-one foreign language education platform called "Foreign Teacher," offering a choice of 14 languages.


    The app currently had 122 Shangwai students and faculty registered and was hoping to raise 250,000 in concept financing to build the web platform.


    "No, I''m just registered as an online English teacher," Su Wanyu answered truthfully, exuding an unintentional air of ditziness. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lu Liang chuckled lightly and didn''t inquire further, giving a casual greeting before leaving the startup exhibition.


    "Yu, how can you be so silly? You should have just said you have a stake," her best friend said, unable to hide her frustration.


    "Why lie." Su Wanyu didn''t understand.


    Her best friend lamented as if she was disappointed in iron not becoming steel, "If you said you had a stake, perhaps Boss Lu would have invested."


    "Why do you think that my saying so would make him invest? Whether he wants to invest or not is his business," Su Wanyu responded seriously.


    Her best friend dissatisfiedly retorted, "How will you know without trying? Do you realize how much Zheng Qin has put into this team?"


    Su Wanyu''s expression changed slightly, already a bit unhappy, but not wanting to argue with her best friend, she softly said, "Xiaomin, I have other things to do this afternoon, so I''m going to leave."


    Zheng Qin was Xiaomin''s boyfriend, and even if Zheng Qin were her boyfriend, she wouldn''t have done it.


    Because she wasn''t familiar with Lu Liang, and even if she were, she wouldn''t do it anyway because it was a matter of principle.


    Xiaomin was also angry and went silent.


    Su Wanyu sighed and chose not to say anything more.


    Things like this happened all over the exhibition.


    The first hurdle student entrepreneurs often faced was not a lack of funding but a distortion of relationships.


    ...


    Leaving Finance University, and approaching noon,


    Lu Liang called Chen Jinchun to ask if she was free today, as the company was a bit short-staffed and he planned to recruit a few more people.


    Upon hearing this, Chen Jinchun hurriedly crawled out of bed, and they agreed on a time and place to meet.


    Lu Liang detected she seemed to have just woken up and couldn''t help but laugh, "Where are you? I''ll pick you up. Tang is catching a flight at noon, bring her with you, and we''ll all go have lunch together first."


    Hearing that Tang Caide would be joining, Chen Jinchun breathed a sigh of relief, "Mr. Lu, why don''t you wait for me at the south gate of Golden Bridge Community, I''ll be right out."


    "Sounds good, I''ll be there in half an hour."


    Lu Liang, along with Chen Jinchun, went to Hongqiao Airport to pick up Tang Caide, and the three of them arrived at a foreign-style hotpot restaurant in Xintian Di for a belated company meal.


    "Do you have any dietary restrictions?"


    Lu Liang glanced at the menu, waved for a waiter, knowing they would hesitate to order, so he took the initiative to ask before doing the ordering himself.


    Since the restaurant was quite high-end, one dish could cost hundreds, with a starting per capita consumption of a thousand.


    Tang Caide sipped some water and talked about her trip to Dalian, the film industry wasn''t large, and companies investing in filmmaking were even fewer.


    They were new faces and had also invested in an independent film. The press conference had just ended, and they had already received many project proposals.


    "What kind of projects?"


    Lu Liang focused on eating his beef chunks, savoring the full-cooked, slightly charred pieces as the butter burst in his mouth with each bite.


    "Projects like ''City of Amnesia'' and ''Death Performance,'' there are about twelve in total. I''ll print them out and hand them over to you later."


    Tang Caide wasn''t sure about Lu Liang''s investment preferences, nor did she voice an opinion. She planned to organize everything and let him choose for himself.


    Lu Liang nodded and began talking about a company he had invested in that morning, "They will come over to sign the contract on Monday. When the time comes, please receive them."


    Tang Caide nodded, and Lu Liang then asked, "Tang, what positions do you think our company is still lacking?"


    Initially, he just wanted to run a shell company and focus on making money in the financial market, but plans could not keep pace with changes.


    He invested in a movie, then a new enterprise.


    As more investments were likely to follow, the staffing should keep up with the scale of development.


    Tang Caide thought for a moment, "Mr. Lu, with our current size, we probably need to hire four more people. A vice president, a finance person, a clerk, and an assistant for you."


    The vice president would oversee administration, the finance person could balance her out, the clerk would handle daily paperwork, and the assistant would take care of trivial tasks for Lu Liang.


    Tang Caide said, "If finance isn''t directly under your control, it would require several people to cross-check each other to prevent any slip-ups."


    She had wanted to mention this a while ago, but at that time, there were no other projects, so it didn''t matter that there was only one person in finance.


    However, as the number of investment projects grew, it was best not to have finance audits handled by one person alone.


    With another person, Lu Liang could feel at ease, and so could she.


    Lu Liang thought carefully and realized that having an elder in the family was like having a treasure; by adding four more people, the basic framework would be established.


    He suddenly asked, "Tang, I would like you to take the position of vice president of the company. What do you think?"


    Tang Caide was highly educated and had ample work experience. If she hadn''t resigned, she could have easily been a vice president at any major company. It was a waste of her talents to have her only serve as a finance person.


    Tang Caide looked surprised, as she hadn''t expected to have the opportunity to become a vice president, especially approaching her forties.


    She considered it for a while then asked, "Mr. Lu, how much do you plan to pay me?"


    Lu Liang suddenly laughed, "The annual salary is tentatively set at 400,000. Find some time to pick out a company car worth 300,000."


    He appreciated Tang Caide''s straightforward nature.


    That''s how work should be,


    No talk of emotions, just interests.


    If Tang Caide failed to meet his expectations, he would not hesitate to fire her.


    "Okay, I agree."


    "Vice President Tang, welcome aboard."


    Lu Liang smiled and raised his glass, toasting with tea in lieu of wine.


    Chen Jinchun followed suit,


    Yet still felt a little dizzy.


    Was the adult world always this direct? Just like that, the friendly Tang had suddenly become Vice President Tang.


    Lu Liang suddenly turned to Chen Jinchun, "Xiao Chen, do you have a boyfriend?"


    Chen Jinchun looked perplexed, "No."


    "I''m still looking for an assistant. Are you interested?"


    Lu Liang asked with a smile, following Tang Caide''s reminder that he indeed needed an assistant by his side.


    This job did not require specific skills, so it made sense to pick someone from within. It had to be someone without a boyfriend, as the role required being on call 24 hours a day.


    "Mr. Lu, what will my duties be as an assistant?"


    Chen Jinchun was visibly anxious, fidgeting with her fingers, not as confident as Tang Caide.


    Tang Caide dared to discuss her compensation directly with Lu Liang because she had a wealth of experience and was confident she could handle the responsibilities.


    But that wasn''t the case for her; she lacked confidence.


    "You''ll be a clerk in the company on a daily basis. Whenever I need you, you must respond promptly, and your phone must be turned on 24/7."


    "The job involves handling some minor matters for me, like pouring tea, booking flights, reserving hotels, and reviewing documents."


    Chen Jinchun''s face was filled with conflict, the job responsibilities sounding like those of a nanny. Even though it was similar to what she did on a daily basis, transitioning from part-time to full-time seemed odd.


    Lu Liang gave a nonchalant smile and revealed the benefits, "You''ll be made permanent right away, and your salary will be raised to ten thousand."


    "Mr. Lu, I''ll be your assistant from now on."


    Chen Jinchun immediately beamed with joy, feeling blissfully content.


    From now on, she too would be earning a monthly salary of over ten thousand.

 Chapter 56 - 56: The Goddess Persona with Wealth and Beauty

    With a vice president and an assistant, recruitment was naturally no longer something Lu Liang had to do himself.


    After lunch, they took a trip to the Administration for Industry and Commerce and raised their subscribed capital to 50 million, with an additional 10 million actually paid in.


    By Tuesday when the information was updated, Tianxing Investment''s subscribed capital would be listed as 50 million, with 16 million actually paid in.


    Just as he had finished the procedures at the bank, Lu Liang received a call from Li Yue, telling him that the 718 he had reserved last week had arrived at the dealership and asking when he would have time to pick it up.


    "Send me the address. I''ll stop by later."


    Lu Liang dropped off the vice president and assistant at the company and then drove to the Porsche Center next to People''s Park.


    Li Yue, having received the message, was waiting for him early at the store entrance, holding a parasol, crossing her beautiful legs, and idly fiddling with it.


    Her light yellow long hair, grey skirt, and white blouse made her look like the female lead from a neighboring country''s film, the kind that could be played out by just a few people.


    Having been in Modu for so many years and dealing with clients house hunting every day, Lu Liang had seen plenty of career women.


    Li Yue was probably the woman who could best bring out the essence of office lady attire, around 165 cm tall, probably weighing about 120 pounds¡ªa top-tier voluptuous beauty.


    "Mr. Lu, just park at the entrance. I''ll have a colleague wash your car for you later."


    Li Yue, in high heels, maintained a graceful stride as she jogged to the car and enthusiastically opened the door.


    "Take it."


    Lu Liang nodded slightly and handed over the car keys, following Li Yue into the Rongxing Building, where the Porsche Center was located on the first floor.


    Dozens of Porsche sports cars were neatly arranged, their shiny paint reflecting off the polished tiles, sparkling under the light.


    "Mr. Lu, this pearl white one is the new executive stretch version of the Panamera for this year¡­"


    Li Yue picked up on his lack of interest and quickly changed the subject. As they walked, they arrived beside a brand new bright red sports car.


    Li Yue patted the front hood of the car and smiled, "This is the Porsche 718 you reserved."


    A 2-door, 2-seater soft-top convertible, 2.0T, 250 horsepower. With insurance and plates, the total price amounted to 716,000.


    "Mr. Lu, would you like to take it out for a test drive? Occasionally driving a sports car has its own charm."


    Li Yue bit her lower lip, her demeanor seductive. She cradled a folder in her arms, purposely squeezing her bust to an exaggerated degree.


    "Test drive the car, or test drive you?"


    Lu Liang''s mouth curled into a smirk, dribbling the conversation nonchalantly as if no one else was around.


    Every time he saw Li Yue, he marveled at nature''s craftsmanship¡ªhow could this be natural, a marvelous creation.


    Real and fake are actually quite easy to distinguish, because fake can never match real. You just need to touch to immediately know.


    "Stop that, there are cameras here."


    Li Yue''s cheeks flushed, gesturing for Lu Liang to look towards the upper right.


    "Then let''s go somewhere without cameras."


    Lu Liang smiled, picking up the car keys, taking Li Yue in the new car, and driving out of the Porsche Center.


    Driving south, heading towards the outskirts of the city, they reached an area with few people, and he opened the soft-top.


    Lu Liang raised his right arm and spread his fingers wide, reveling in the roaring wind. Occasionally driving a sports car was indeed a unique pleasure.


    "Why does it feel a bit lacking?"


    Lu Liang asked, looking down. With a pressing of the accelerator, he could clearly feel the lack of power. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Although there was a sensation of acceleration, compared to his SUV, the two vehicles'' power was just not on the same level.


    "That''s perfectly normal, alright? The Urus has 640 horsepower. The 718 only has 250¡ªnot even half."


    Li Yue, leaning forward, spoke with a mouthful, busy with her task yet still recalling every car''s specific parameters.


    "Shh, a car is passing by."


    Lu Liang inhaled cool air in satisfaction and quickly pushed Li Yue''s head back down.


    It was a different kind of thrill to do this in broad daylight on the road, and who could blame her; she was both provocative and teasing, and didn''t bring a "condom."


    An hour and a half later,


    The red 718 returned to the Porsche Center.


    As soon as they got out of the car, Li Yue hurried to the restroom, while Lu Liang, smiling, followed closely behind.


    Li Yue stood in front of the vanity mirror, checking her appearance, reapplying her nearly gone lipstick, and rearranging her slightly disheveled hair.


    She wrinkled her nose and glared fiercely at Lu Liang, who was washing his hands, and whispered reproachfully, "You bad guy, always picking on me."


    "Who told you to look like a pushover?"


    Lu Liang smiled at the corners of his mouth and all of a sudden he heard the abrupt sound of flushing; he made no further excessive moves.


    After a while, the two intentionally left at different times and gradually returned to the business reception room where the contract was being signed.


    Li Yue pushed the door open, carrying a cup of coffee and a plate of exquisite snacks, "Mr. Lu, please wait a little longer, I just asked someone to clean the inside of the car."


    Lu Liang, who drove an SUV worth more than three million, wouldn''t dream of impulsively buying an entry-level supercar that cost hundreds of thousands, even if he were to fancy driving a sports car.


    So she guessed that the 718 was probably a gift, most likely for a woman.


    If you''re going to cheat, you should wipe your mouth clean; she certainly didn''t want to disturb the harmony of someone else''s family.


    Lu Liang said with a laugh, "You''re so considerate, what if I fall in love with you?"


    "Then it''s easy, I''ll just drain all your money and then kick you to the curb with one foot."


    Li Yue giggled behind her hand as if she had already envisioned the beautiful life after bamboozling Lu Liang.


    "Such a dreadful woman."


    The two chatted and laughed idly, and suddenly they began discussing women''s physiology.


    When Lu Liang curiously asked if it wasn''t exhausting to be so big?


    Li Yue answered seriously that it was exhausting, and she even had minor strains in her shoulders and neck. If she weren''t worried about scarring, she would have considered reducing them.


    During this time, they talked about a lot, but kept an unspoken understanding; Li Yue didn''t ask Lu Liang if he had a family, and Lu Liang didn''t ask her if she had a boyfriend.


    A casual encounter, intense feelings at their peak, take the shot; ensure safety precautions, showing no interest in each other''s private lives.


    In the evening, Lu Liang drove the Porsche staff back to the Tangchen Yipin parking lot.


    Lu Liang called Li Manli, saying he had a gift for her and asked her to come down to see it.


    Soon after, the sound of slapping flip-flops echoed through the empty parking lot.


    Li Manli was overjoyed, and upon seeing a yellow car beside which was parked a red sports car, Lu Liang looked at her with a beaming smile.


    "Is this for me?"


    She was so excited she hardly knew what to do with herself.


    "Get in and take it for a spin," Lu Liang said with a smile on his lips, nimbly flipping over into the car.


    "Okay~"


    Li Manli nodded excitedly, hurriedly taking her seat in the passenger side, her joy clearly written all over her face. She touched and tapped everything once inside the car.


    A silly smile spread across her face, and even though she saw that the vehicle registration was in Lu Liang''s name, she didn''t think it was amiss.


    Li Manli waved her hand grandiosely and said, "Liang, let''s go dine at Big World tonight, my treat."


    It''d been a long time since she had asked Lu Liang for money. In fact, she often took money out of her little treasury to supplement household expenses.


    Beautiful, with a good figure, often wearing generous cosplay outfits, and she could cook too¡ªlikely a rich second generation beauty living in a mansion.


    A beautiful girl blogger with multiple identities on top of each other, to the otaku of the second dimension, her power was akin to a nuclear weapon.


    The last time Lu Liang made her a general manager and tipped numerous little TVs, as they say, a good wind aided her soaring into the sky.


    Now, she had already become a superstar blogger on B Station; every video, every live stream, earned her thousands, if not tens of thousands¡ªshe was hardly short on pocket money.


    "Does this count as being kept by a ''cute god''?" Lu Liang teased with a smile, referring to Li Manli''s online nickname.


    In his free time, he''d browse through the chat records of Li Manli''s fan group. The goddess unreachable in the eyes of others, prostrated under his sweatpants, and a sense of achievement spontaneously arose in him.


    "Then your god will only lightly keep you for a few nights."


    Li Manli boasted arrogantly, her head swaying from side to side.


    "Call you fat and you huff and puff."


    "Humph~~~"


    The two headed to the molecular gastronomy private kitchen at Big World. In truth, the taste was quite ordinary; the main draw was the novelty and, while dining, you could also enjoy a visual feast.


    Li Manli, without any formal teaching, gradually figured out the importance of an online persona and would always take photos and update her social media status first whenever she encountered high-end affairs.


    She cultivated the persona of a wealthy and beautiful goddess.

 Chapter 57 - 57: Sent, but Not Fully Sent

    "If you''re interested, I can take you to the company in a few days, to see how a professional studio builds internet celebrities."


    Lu Liang remembered the company Meng Changkun had invested in, which was an MCN agency, a kind of internet celebrity economic operation studio.


    Simply put, it''s like a middle station, one end connecting to internet celebrities and the other to platforms, ensuring the continuous output of content, ultimately realizing the monetization of traffic.


    "You don''t need to go that professional, I''m just playing around."


    Li Manli was surprised, she mainly became a blogger out of boredom, and when she realized it could make money, she got even more enthusiastic.


    She hadn''t thought much about it, nor planned for the future.


    "Up to you. If you want to earn more, I''ll invest and help you set up a studio."


    "Then you can focus on looking pretty, someone else will handle content design, video shooting, and post-editing."


    Lu Liang talked about the benefits of setting up the studio, after all, he had over eighty million, and he was worried about where to spend it.


    Buying houses or gold was the most reluctant investment channel; he needed to find a better place for his funds.


    Li Manli''s head was almost smoking, she held her head and moaned, "Whatever you decide is fine by me."


    "Alright, I''ll research it a bit first."


    Lu Liang also remembered that Li Manli was nineteen this year and probably still in high school the year before.


    After dinner, the two went to the mall, and helped Lu Liang buy some clothes and shoes.


    "If you say you''ll take care of me, you need to see it through."


    Li Manli was very emphatic because she felt Lu Liang had no requirements for clothing, anything wearable was fine.


    Despite being very rich, he only rotated through a few sets of clothes, as if he wouldn''t buy new ones unless the old ones were worn out.


    So, the Cute God waved a big hand and bought him seven or eight sets of clothes and three pairs of shoes, completely emptying her own little treasury.


    On the way back, Li Manli kept muttering, "I need to go live stream and make some money, I can''t accompany you tonight."


    Lu Liang glanced at her and patted the back of her head, "Stop pretending, just say what you want."


    "That... my period came."


    Li Manli squirmed, very embarrassed.


    Lu Liang had given her a big gift, and she should have reciprocated, but the timing was off.


    "I thought it was something serious, there''s nothing to be embarrassed about, I like you for who you are."


    Lu Liang suddenly became affectionate and also relieved, as he had filled his stomach outside today and was not hungry at all.


    "Liang, why are you so good to me."


    Li Manli choked up, overwhelmed with emotions, and fiercely gave him a kiss, leaving a mark on Lu Liang''s neck.


    At night, Li Manli started a live stream in the living room, discussing the difficulties of obtaining a driver''s license, and inadvertently showing the Porsche car keys, which made the audience exclaim: Rich lady indeed


    Lu Liang was in the study, learning about the operations of MCN agencies, and as he delved deeper, he found great potential.


    The profit model of internet celebrities is to fulfill people''s childhood dreams, one dime from every person in the country could make one a billionaire.


    Different from stars who are revered by fans, internet celebrities do not mind stepping down to earn that dime.


    Lu Liang pulled up Li Manli''s account data, just one platform had 160,000 followers, 120 captains, 11 admirals.


    Her video content was about cooking, apart from being beautiful and coming from a rich family, and liking to cosplay, there seemed to be no other highlight.


    Yet, she still attracted so many male fans. If a studio were set up and operated appropriately, it could probably become one of the mainstays of Bilibili.


    In a blink, the clock struck twelve at midnight. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lu Liang was stunned, his face showing surprise: "Did ofo send this?"


    [September 28, Mobike, Series A funding at a valuation of 18 million US dollars]


    Lu Liang felt hurt, not because he had lost millions investing in ofo and felt the pinch, but because this investment decision was made by himself without relying on anything else.


    "But it seems my judgment wasn''t wrong."


    Lu Liang walked to the balcony, lit a cigarette, and looked at the river view, changing his perspective and suddenly feeling better.


    Mobike was registered in April, had only 10 million in funds, released its product in mid-May, and by the end of September, had a valuation of 18 million US dollars.


    In just over four months, the company''s valuation had increased elevenfold, which was enough to show that he had chosen the right track, only that he had bet on the wrong horse.


    Lu Liang flicked the cigarette ash, returned to his computer desk, and pulled up detailed information about Mobike.


    He discovered two key figures, Hu Weiwei and Li Bing.


    Hu Weiwei was the founder of Mobike, graduated from the Journalism Department at Hang University, and became an auto journalist after graduation, meeting Li Bing.


    Li Bing founded Yiche in 2005, and in 2010, Yiche went public overseas. Last year, it ranked 125th on the Hu Run Wealth List, owning assets worth 7.9 billion yuan.


    It could be said that Li Bing was Hu Weiwei''s financier, as well as Mobike''s financier.


    "Ofo probably hasn''t sent anything, they just relinquished the leading position."


    Lu Liang''s brow relaxed. There were still more than three months left; the shared bicycle market wouldn''t easily determine a winner.


    Moreover, Ofo was the pioneer,


    and it was still in a leading position in the industry.


    It was probably just overtaken, but not completely done for.


    "Xiao Chen, book me a high-speed train to Hang City now. I''ll leave tomorrow morning and return tomorrow evening. You''re coming with me."


    Lu Liang contacted Chen Jinchun, planning to go to Hang City to see if investing in Mobike was feasible for risk hedging.


    In this way, whether it was Mobike, or Ofo,


    whoever laughed last, he wouldn''t be at a loss.


    ...


    Early the next day, Lu Liang drove to the high-speed train station, Chen Jinchun looking like she still hadn''t woken up.


    Yesterday Tang Caidie took her to recruit people, also taking the opportunity to intensely train her on various assistant duties,


    including what to prepare when traveling with the boss, like booking tickets, cars, and hotels.


    By the time she was ready, it was almost dawn, and she''d only slept for a bit over two hours before rushing to the high-speed train station.


    Chen Jinchun ate her bun dumbly but didn''t forget to bring one for Boss Lu: "Mr. Lu, this is for you."


    Lu Liang smiled and accepted her kindness. He hadn''t had breakfast either, just having woken up.


    An hour later, the Fuxing Hao arrived in Hang City.


    The Four Seasons Hotel''s designated Mercedes S-Class had already parked early at the station''s entrance.


    "Why don''t you go back to the hotel and rest first?"


    Chen Jinchun kept dozing off, and Lu Liang also considered that since he''d arranged the trip last minute, she probably hadn''t rested much the night before.


    "I just napped for a bit; I''m much better now."


    Chen Jinchun took a deep breath and to show she was alert, her eyes wide open.


    After all, today was her first day as an assistant, and she didn''t want to leave a bad impression on her boss.


    Seeing this, Lu Liang didn''t press further and instructed the driver to head to University City, planning to first see how Mobike operated.


    The car had barely entered University City when almost at every intersection, seven or eight red bicycles were parked by the roadside.


    Mobike''s bike design was clearly more attractive and fashionable than Little Huang, with people riding them everywhere.


    "Let''s park here."


    Lu Liang told the driver to stop, and he and Chen Jinchun each scanned and took a red bicycle.


    Each deposit was 299 yuan, with the first charge offering five hours of riding time.


    The hourly rental was relatively expensive, two yuan per hour, but they hosted many promotions,


    such as unlimited riding for two days for five yuan, or seven days for ten yuan.


    "Dai Wei really should come and see this."


    Lu Liang rode along,


    pondering the entire operational logic behind it.


    Profitability wasn''t important; after all, with such low hourly rates, they couldn''t earn much. What they wanted was the customer''s deposit.


    Collect deposits, expand the market, secure financing, then further expand the market and secure more financing. The more the audience, the larger the market size, the more the deposits, and consequently, the larger the market...


    After riding for a while, Lu Liang planned to take back his deposit but was informed that it would take five working days to be returned, which also indirectly confirmed his speculation.


    Lu Liang didn''t care about the deposit; he parked the bike by the roadside, called the driver over, and instructed, "Go to Xiao Shan Entrepreneurial Park."


    With Li Bing''s support, even though Mobike started late, it had its own factory and could self-produce.


    Unlike Ofo, which could only outsource production, its brand control, quality, and styles were far inferior to Mobike.


    Only its costs were lower than Mobike''s, but that was also by Mobike''s design, as its style and materials inevitably meant high production costs.


    Otherwise, they wouldn''t dare charge a 299 yuan deposit. You get what you pay for, and the ride was also more comfortable than riding Little Huang.


    Ultimately, Ofo lost its leadership position, and it was no injustice.

 Chapter 58 - 58: Single Point Breakthrough [Three More Updates, Please Follow]

    Xiao Shan Entrepreneurial Park, Building C.


    Lu Liang found Hu Weiwei''s assistant''s phone number on Mobike''s official website.


    They arranged to meet at the coffee shop by the entrance.


    Approaching eleven, Hu Weiwei came alone.


    At 32, she was a mature woman with a lot of charisma, similar to Tang Caide, but with a confidence Tang never had.


    "Mr. Lu, I''m so sorry, I hope I''m not late."


    Her laugh was hearty, instantly letting Lu Liang know she was not just a pretty face or Li Bing''s rumored lover.


    Lu Liang said, "I just arrived too, Mr. Hu, what would you like to drink?"


    "An Americano is fine."


    Hu Weiwei smiled, sizing up Lu Liang.


    She considered ofo Mobike''s biggest competitor, so much so that without ofo, Mobike wouldn''t exist.


    Yesterday, when ofo secured funding, Hu Weiwei had received the news immediately, which was why she had agreed to meet with Lu Liang.


    Otherwise, the mere 6 million in registered capital at Tianxing Investment wouldn''t have been appealing enough.


    Lu Liang sipped his coffee and said, "Yesterday, I invested in a company at Shangcai, its name is ofo."


    Hu Weiwei nodded and admitted, "I met them early this year while I was in Beijing. It''s also because of ofo that Mobike exists now."


    Lu Liang said, "I think the relationship between ofo and Mobike is like the early Meituan and Dianping."


    "So, Mr. Lu, you want to hold both ends? You won''t lose no matter who wins?" Hu Weiwei asked with a smile.


    Lu Liang nodded with a smile, openly admitting it.


    Hu Weiwei went on, "Mobike has no money, so Mr. Li helps pull in investments. When there are supply chain issues, he brought in Foxconn, and when there''s a need for management talent, he brought Wang Xiaofang to me to be CEO."


    At the end, she looked at Lu Liang, "Mr. Lu, what do you think you can do for Mobike?"


    Funding for a company, beyond the initial rounds, requires not just money but also a network of relationships.


    For internet companies'' final rounds of funding, they tend to favor foreign capital since ambitious companies want to go international, and foreign investors can provide overseas networks.


    If Tianxing Investment only offers money,


    Then I''m sorry, she wouldn''t accept Lu Liang''s investment.


    Lu Liang with a smile said, "From what I hear, Mobike sounds more like Mr. Li''s Mobike, rather than your Mobike, Mr. Hu."


    "Mr. Lu, if that''s what you''re here to discuss, then let''s end today''s meeting here, I have other matters to attend to."


    Hu Weiwei''s expression changed slightly, Lu Liang''s words hitting an especially sore spot.


    Li Bing was like a super nanny, safeguarding Mobike''s growth and solving its early challenges, making her feel like a mere puppet.


    Funds, supply chains, and even managers, all were brought in by Li Bing. If she ever clashed with Li Bing, it was obvious who they would support.


    Lu Liang calmly said, "Our Tianxing may not be as rich and powerful as Mr. Li, but what Tianxing can offer is unconditional support for any of your decisions."


    Last night, he had thought it over a lot. Compared to Li Bing, he and his Tianxing Investment were small players.


    Lu Liang was dissatisfied, watching wealth slip past him, which is why he thought of focusing on Hu Weiwei.


    Having a guardian in the early stages of a startup is good, but when the guardian is overly involved, it''s easy to lose sovereignty.


    Therefore, Lu Liang wanted to test the waters, to see if rumors about their relationship were true or not.


    If true, he would immediately have Chen Jinchun book a ticket back to Modu; if not, there was still a chance.


    Hu Weiwei stayed silent for a long while, "Mr. Lu, Mobike isn''t short on funds for now, but if we need to, I will contact you."


    She feared her tone might make Lu Liang misunderstand, so she added with a smile, "Then, please don''t pretend not to know me."


    Unable to reject sovereignty even if it didn''t seem much, Hu Weiwei realized even a little help counts when amassed¡ªjust in case she did clash with Li Bing, it wouldn''t leave her helpless.


    "How could I? I''ll await your good news, Mr. Hu."


    Lu Liang''s lips curled up with a knowing smile.


    They talked until noon and then found a place to eat.


    Lu Liang refused to believe the skeptics and insisted on trying Hang City''s only specialty dish: West Lake Vinegar Fish.


    Then he realized why West Lake, vinegar, and fish were such a magical trio.


    No wonder it was considered authentic only if eaten by the lakeside¡ªthey could throw the plate into the lake afterward.


    "West Lake Vinegar Fish teaches a lesson to anyone stubborn."


    Hu Weiwei couldn''t help but laugh, and after finishing the meal and paying the bill, she bid farewell and left first.


    With everything settled, Lu Liang had nothing else to do. After taking a few photos by West Lake as a tourist, he planned to return to Modu.


    Chen Jinchun quietly reminded him, "Mr. Lu, isn''t the hotel room going to waste?"


    "Since it''s already booked, if you want to stay, feel free, but remember to get an invoice to reimburse from Mr. Tang," Lu Liang said with a smile.


    "No, I want to go back with you."


    By four in the afternoon, the two had returned to Modu.


    "It''s a bit out of the way; you should take a cab home."


    Lu Liang left a remark and headed for the parking lot to drive.


    Chen Jinchun, feeling resentful, watched his departing figure and wished he could stick a little doll with Lu Liang''s name on it and jab it with needles.


    Upon leaving the high-speed rail station, Lu Liang stopped at a mall and bought a Mickey Mouse, then went to visit Zhang Qian''s house to see his goddaughter.


    The little girl had received the news ahead of time and was happily waiting at home. As soon as she saw Lu Liang, she sprinted towards him and clung to him.


    "Do you like this Mickey Mouse?" Lu Liang asked affectionately, holding the little girl and presenting the hidden toy from behind his back.


    "Thank you, Uncle, but the ones with bows are Minnie~"


    The little girl hugged the toy dearly, but she still corrected Lu Liang''s mistake.


    "No wonder I felt that this mouse didn''t quite look like the one I saw when I was a kid."


    "Uncle, did you watch cartoons when you were young?"


    "Of course, ''Black Cat Sheriff,'' ''Hulu Brothers,'' and ''Shuke and Beta.''"


    "Mom lied to me again; she said she never watched cartoons when she was little."


    The little girl, seeing her mom about to get angry, shrieked and hurried back to her room, "I still haven''t finished my homework."


    Zhang Qian''s face was tender yet helpless, "You''ll spoil her rotten one of these days."


    "Girls are meant to be pampered."


    Lu Liang said, laughing, then suddenly noting that today Zhang Qian was dressed very attractively¡ªa blue knit dress accentuating her graceful curves, voluptuous and enticing.


    Without a certain social experience, one could hardly emulate the vibe that Zhang Qian exuded, akin to a ripe peach.


    Lu Liang embraced Zhang Qian, and they snuggled on the sofa as she began to update him on recent happenings.


    Her mother was discharged from the hospital but still needed rest, not wanting to be a burden, so she had her father take her back to their hometown.


    She had also been exploring entrepreneurial opportunities recently.


    Zhang Qian asked, "Liang, what do you think about fast-food restaurants in the city?"


    Although working in a beauty salon was relatively easy, she wasn''t very confident about it nor felt it could be a long-term venture.


    But city fast-food was different; as long as they established a good reputation, they could keep going indefinitely, even for ten or twenty years.


    She knew she would eventually grow old and that day wasn''t too far off.


    By then, Lu Liang wouldn''t be interested in her.


    Zhang Qian needed a steady, long-lasting source of income and had considered the city fast-food project for a long time.


    "If you''ve decided, go ahead, just let me know how much money you need."


    Lu Liang responded lethargically; he had woken up early today and had run a trip to Hang City, making him a bit tired.


    Zhang Qian spoke gently, "This project might not need it; I still have some savings."


    However, after a while, Lu Liang gave no response, only the sound of even breathing filled her ears.


    Zhang Qian couldn''t help but smile, gently extracted her arm, and covered him with a blanket.


    She leaned down to kiss Lu Liang''s cheek, then walked to her daughter''s bedroom, closed the door, and kept the living room quiet.


    Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 59 - 59: Speculative Stocks Also Require Ingenious Pretexts

    The setting sun dipped in the west, and sunlight poured through the window, spilling over the sofa.


    Lu Liang lazily opened his eyes, feeling his mind sharpened and his body filled with comfort and pleasure.


    He saw the shoes and socks of the mother and daughter at the entryway and decided to wash his face in the bathroom before opening Zhang Yun''s room.


    Mother and daughter were in each other''s embrace, sleeping on the bed, peaceful and beautiful, with Zhang Qian''s lips curled into a contented smile.


    The little one hadn''t fallen asleep, and the moment the door opened, she looked at Lu Liang with her round, wide eyes.


    A hint of joy showed on her face as she whispered softly, "Uncle, you''re awake."


    Zhang Qian woke up, brushing back her hair, her eyes squinting, "I''ll go wash my face, and then cook."


    "Let''s clean up and eat out instead."


    The three of them headed to a nearby mall.


    Having recently opened after renovations, Zhang Qian pointed at the third shop near the entrance, "What do you think of this location?"


    The space was 185 square meters¡ªnot near a subway station, but it was one of the necessary routes to the subway for several surrounding neighborhoods.


    It was past seven in the evening, and the streets were bustling with people; within five steps there''d be a snack stand, and within ten, a restaurant.


    Lu Liang remembered what Zhang Qian had said before sleeping and pondered for a moment, "If we open here, the competition will be fierce."


    Urban fast food is categorized into two types, one priced per item and the other by weight, both of which are favorites among city-dwelling men and women.


    Lu Liang used to frequently eat the weight-priced kind, spending about twenty yuan for a meal with dozens of dishes to choose from.


    "Let''s give it a try. If the place is clean and tidy, we should be able to make a name for ourselves."


    Zhang Qian spoke with a determined tone. This was a residential area with mostly small restaurants, and their sanitary conditions varied greatly.


    Urban fast food often settled in city business districts, and there was none on this street yet¡ªit could have potential.


    "How much more money is needed?"


    Lu Liang stopped trying to dissuade her, knowing there wasn''t much money involved anyway. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Zhang Qian, with a beaming smile, shook her head, "I have some savings; it should be enough."


    Lu Liang watched her for a long time and sighed, "If you''re short of money, don''t push yourself too hard."


    "Don''t worry, I''m not one to pretend to be something I''m not," replied Zhang Qian, her smile blossoming instantly.


    "Xiaoguai, did you see anything you like? What do you want to eat?"


    "Chestnut chicken pot~"


    "Let''s go, I thought you''d want McDonald''s again."


    That evening, Lu Liang stayed overnight at Zhang Qian''s place and early the next day arrived at the Yongfeng Building.


    The company had gained several new faces; Tang Caide had rehired a finance staff, as well as a clerk and a receptionist.


    It seemed there was an intentional effort to balance the male-female dynamic as the financial staffer was a male in his thirties, who appeared to be honest and straightforward.


    Still, for roles like clerk and receptionist, it was rare for men to apply for the job interviews, so they ended up being filled by women.


    Including Lu Liang, with two men and four women, they finally resembled a proper company.


    Tang Caide had created a set of management plans, mainly aimed at the finance and auditing department.


    Expenses within two thousand required consent from two people, and those above two thousand required Lu Liang''s signature.


    The previous approach of buying things first and then claiming reimbursement had become a thing of the past.


    She said that in the early stages, it was best to strictly adhere to the rules, as it would be difficult to adjust later when the business grew.


    Mainly because their company, unlike other startups, wasn''t short on funds and didn''t need to bind employees with feelings.


    Seeing everything becoming more formal was something that Lu Liang happily welcomed.


    After a brief morning meeting to greet the new colleagues, he got started with the day''s work.


    Last Friday, Teli A closed at a price of 9.80 yuan after a rise of 3.55%.


    The new week had the stock''s price opening high at 1.25%, charging towards the ten-yuan milestone.


    Lu Liang realized it was a good opportunity to accumulate shares.


    Chinese people seemed to have a particular fondness for round numbers, an aspect that was especially evident in the stock market, with round numbers acting as milestones.


    If it broke through, there''d be ample space to soar, possibly rising another four to five points in an instant; if not, a significant drop would likely follow.


    Lu Liang prepared to catch the stock at 9.97 yuan.


    However, he hadn''t set a buy order like last time, to keep retail investors from seeing financial support beneath.


    Lu Liang, relying on fast trades from his brokerage seat, each time the stock failed to breach ten yuan and fell back, would buy a substantial amount of shares, without leaving any orders apparent in the trade details.


    It was a repetitive cycle.


    Each trading day''s first half-hour,


    It is often the most active period in the market.


    Last week, the average daily turnover rate was only 5.2%, but it began to climb slowly.


    When the turnover rate was about to break through 7%, Lu Liang decisively stopped. His holding position had reached 24 million.


    In just over ten minutes, he had bought 11 million in chips. If he continued to take over, he probably would attract the attention of institutions.


    After all, a sharp rise followed by a drop is a method of clearing out the market, they want to wash out the retail investors to obtain more chips.


    If they sense someone is snapping up the shares, they might put their plans on hold and join forces to wash Lu Liang out first.


    The good old virtue of planting trees for others to enjoy the shade simply does not exist in the stock market.


    They would rather lose themselves than let others profit, let alone lift someone else''s sedan chair.


    Approaching ten o''clock, Lu Liang calmly watched two institutions perform inside, with the stock price hovering around 9.99 yuan.


    After several days of observation, Lu Liang had figured out that there were two institutions involved, one called Zhongxin Fuying, a private equity fund from Shenzhen.


    The legal person, Li Jianlin, established the company in April this year, with a registered capital of 50 million and 10 trust plans, managing an asset scale of approximately 2.8 billion.


    "All in Shenzhen?"


    Teli A is also a Shenzhen enterprise, which inevitably led Lu Liang to speculate on possible insider trading.


    Otherwise, a company would not be established in April and prepare 2.8 billion funds within just two months.


    There was a very targeted entry into Teli A''s trade.


    Lu Liang pulled up Teli A''s information.


    It''s said that a good wind relies on strength to reach the sky. To become a speculative stock also requires a well-crafted narrative.


    As long as there is good news or a relevant concept, even a pile of shit could be sold at the price of gold.


    Teli A''s full name is Shenzhen Teli Stock Co., Ltd., formerly a machinery company, with the Shenzhen State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission as the actual controller.


    The Shenzhen Shuibei is the largest gold and jewelry wholesale market in Asia, with 80% of the national gold and jewelry transactions being completed there.


    And Teli A is the largest owner of the Shuibei district''s Teli Jime Gold Jewelry Industrial Park.


    "Creating a jewelry ecosystem" is the story it has been telling.


    In plain terms, it''s a rent-based enterprise that makes money from collecting rent.


    Lu Liang really couldn''t think of any concept that would justify speculating on a rent-collecting company.


    With further research, and full use of imagination,


    He finally found a connection to the hottest concept at the time, Teli A''s actual controller is the Shenzhen State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission.


    In recent years, the national enterprise reform plan has always been mentioned. The concept has been hyped time and again, but no formal implementation has taken place.


    If the national enterprise reform plan were to be implemented, a batch of state-owned enterprise stocks would take off, naturally creating the potential for speculative stocks.


    "Playing this way, aren''t they afraid of trouble?" Lu Liang was surprised.


    Insider trading comes in many forms, the most common of which is knowing about major corporate decisions in advance, and then reacting in the stock market.


    Touching classified documents is absolutely taboo. Daring to know about national policy in advance could lead to beheading in a matter of minutes.


    Lu Liang felt a bit uneasy, thinking that he already had a 30.4% position, decided to lock in his position first and observe.


    When the market officially launches, he would take the next step according to the situation. He mainly did not want to be the victim of unnecessary trouble, nor did he want to be targeted by the Silver Supervision Committee.


    At this time, Chen Jinchun knocked on his door to inform that the founding team of ofo was here to sign the contract.


    Lu Liang went to the meeting room next door and saw Dai Wei and his classmates. Tang Caide was receiving them.


    While preparing the contract, Lu Liang asked, "Mr. Dai, how much do you know about Mobike?"


    "I''ve been paying attention, but once out of the campus, our development philosophy isn''t quite the same," Dai Wei was surprised, not expecting Lu Liang to suddenly bring up Mobike.


    He also talked about how their philosophies differed.


    Although both were shared bicycles, he always believed that bicycles were for riding, to solve the last-mile problem.


    There was no need for them to be too fashionable or too high-end, as long as they were rideable.


    After all, both bikes use solid tires, bad elasticity, strong jolting feeling, etc., such issues are unsolvable, destined to make riding not too comfortable.


    Hu Weiwei was too idealistic, with a romantic sentiment typical of artistic youths. She once said she loved cycling and wished to ride her favorite bicycle on the leaf-strewn streets of Yanjing in autumn, looking at the centuries-old walls of the Forbidden City.


    She wanted everyone to experience this kind of romance, which makes life more beautiful through cycling.


    For this reason, Mobike''s cost of production was twice that of ofo, and Dai Wei was not optimistic about Mobike''s future development.


    Lu Liang smiled and said calmly, "Mr. Dai, Mobike does have many desirable features that are worth learning from."


    Dai Wei, after all, was facing an investor, and couldn''t outright say that their ofo was inferior to Mobike in front of Lu Liang.


    "Of course, it''s only natural to use the barbarians'' skills to subdue them,"


    Dai Wei replied.

 Chapter 60 - 60: The Battle Without Gunsmoke

    Dai Wei talked about the arrangements for funds, they planned to invest 1 million to set up a factory.


    That way, they could compress the cost of a bicycle to within 300 yuan.


    The plan was to move out of campuses within the next month, and to reach a market size of 10,000 bicycles within two months.


    After all, to meet the requirement of 80,000 daily users, a market presence of 10,000 was the bare minimum.


    A bicycle needed to be ridden eight times a day, preferably 15,000, to ensure infallibility.


    As long as they built the factory, they could treat 2 million in funds as 6 million, or even more, to use.


    They could owe the payment for the goods, and use the deposit first.


    In a nutshell, expand the scale as much as possible.


    "I''m looking forward to your performance."


    Lu Liang smiled, his ears ringing as if he heard the horns of war being sounded.


    It was still an unknown whether Little Yellow could become the protagonist of the battlefield.


    Approaching noon, both sides signed the contract.


    Lu Liang walked to the elevator and watched Dai Wei leave.


    He happened to meet Meng Changkun, who was coming downstairs, and greeted him with a smile, "Mr. Kun, when did you get back?"


    "Just arrived this morning."


    Meng Changkun looked at Dai Wei, with a surprised look on his face.


    "Mr. Meng, hello."


    Dai Wei also showed surprise but did not stay long, greeted Lu Liang, and left downstairs with his colleagues.


    Lu Liang watched them leave and turned to ask, "Mr. Kun, do you know Dai Wei?"


    "Met him once in Yanjing before."


    Meng Changkun nodded slightly, giving Lu Liang a somewhat strange look, "You didn''t invest in ofo, did you?"


    "You''ve also heard of ofo?" Lu Liang readily admitted.


    Meng Changkun nodded, his expression slightly complex with a knowing look, "Shall we go upstairs for a cup of tea and chat?"


    Lu Liang nodded with a smile.


    The two went up to the office.


    Meng Changkun''s office was large, nearly a hundred square meters, with spacious and bright floor-to-ceiling windows that offered a sweeping city view.


    There were two pots of fortune plants in the corner, lush and leafy, adding a touch of vitality and life to the room.


    Different from the genuine leather sofas favored by bosses from Jiangsu and Zhejiang, at first glance, the solid wood furniture was characteristic of Chaoshan people.


    Meng Changkun prepared Gongfu tea, and began to tell a story he experienced personally, which happened a few years ago.


    "Groupon, also known as the group buying website, was established in ''09 with a registered capital of only half a million US Dollars and attained profitability in just seven months, with a Series A valuation of 1.4 billion US Dollars."


    "When the news reached China, investment institutions went crazy. A 280-fold increase in seven months, what''s the difference between that and robbing a bank?"


    "They were like a swarm of sharks smelling blood. At that time, for any group buying site, not even a PPT was needed; a single business plan could win the favor of capital."


    "The whole industry was expecting the high-profit myth created by Groupon to be replicated in China."


    "In April of the following year, the first group buying website was born, and within just ten months, 5,000 new group buying sites appeared in China."


    "New Wave, Tencent, Pig Factory, Ali, and other platform-based internet companies also entered the group buying field, making group buying nearly a standard feature for internet companies."


    "To compete for the group buying market, some of the more well-known group buying sites began round after round of financing races, with overwhelming advertising wars, tug-of-war strategies, and trench warfare that became part of the daily life of the populace."


    "That was a battle without smoke with casualties all around, and nobody emerged unscathed."


    "At that time, there was no turning back, nobody could bear to have their capital go down the drain, so they could only grit their teeth and keep going."


    "Until they really couldn''t hold out any longer..."


    Meng Changkun took a puff of his cigar, his fingers involuntarily trembling, as if the memory of those dire times still haunted him.


    That year, he invested in several group buying websites, persisted for fifteen months, and lost 230 million, finally having to take drastic measures.


    In three years, the entire industry burned through several hundred billion, and to date, it has only temporarily come to an end, without deciding a winner.


    It could be said that as of now, there is no winner in the entire group buying industry, everyone is a loser.


    If one had to say there was a winner, it might be the profit-taking public, and the nation''s GDP saw growth.


    Meng Changkun had seen the business plan for ofo, but only glanced at it before immediately throwing it away.


    Shared bicycles and group buying websites,


    the similarity was too great, chilling to the bone.


    Those who had weathered the storm of a thousand groups, not yet having recovered their vitality, probably did not have the courage to reach out again.


    This was also why, although Yanjing had so many venture capitalists, ofo still needed to come to Modu to attend the entrepreneurship expo.


    Meng Changkun didn''t want Lu Liang to invest in a pitfall and think he''d gotten a bargain.


    If the industry didn''t take off, at most, it was the loss of some early investment.


    The real fear was seeing hope.


    In that case, no amount of money would be enough.


    Just like the "Thousand Group Battle" from a few years ago.


    "What if we can hang on until the end?"


    Lu Liang lit a cigarette, tried to calm his emotions, and recalled the once grand event he was unqualified to participate in.


    Meng Changkun gave a wry smile, no longer trying to persuade.


    Investors all acted the same¡ªnever turning back until they hit a wall; even when faced with one, they would try to break through it.


    Until they were battered and bleeding, unable to break it down.


    "It''s getting late. Let''s go have lunch together."


    "Let''s go."


    During lunch, Lu Liang suggested visiting the MCN organization that Meng Changkun had invested in.


    Meng Changkun was very generous, and after lunch, he personally took Lu Liang to visit the company on the 15th floor.


    Currently, they were all union in nature, mainly divided into gaming, beauty, and pranks.


    The prankster bloggers were an eye-opener for Lu Liang.


    As long as someone tipped them, they would slap themselves, drip wax on their arms, or bite live chickens.


    There was nothing they couldn''t do, brandishing the motto "no limits."


    "Besides the audience tipping, and the platform''s signing fee, there aren''t really any other good monetization channels at the moment."


    Meng Changkun said with a smile, "Anyway, the investment isn''t high. Let them develop on their own; who knows, one day they might explode."


    Lu Liang understood; when he got back to his company, he had Tang Caide establish a new media subsidiary, with the studio operating under its name.


    He allocated $300,000; the studio specialized in serving Li Manli, helping her to operate multiple platform accounts and improve content quality.


    Old Meng''s investment behavior was worth learning from for Lu Liang; after all, they had the money and a high enough cost threshold for trial and error.


    Even if they invested in ten companies, as long as one succeeded, the investment would not be a loss.


    This also proved that the rich only get richer.


    For ordinary people, a single entrepreneurial failure could be an unbearable burden, costing them half their lives to repay.


    At one o''clock in the afternoon, the stock market opened; Teli A''s turnover rate and trading volume were getting higher with the market seeming ready to explode at any moment.


    Lu Liang still maintained a wait-and-see approach; he was unclear how significant Zhongxin Fuying and another institution were.


    Let them be the early birds; at least, he would not make any new moves before national policy was issued.


    At three o''clock in the afternoon,


    Su Wanyu habitually arrived half an hour early.


    Lu Liang hadn''t made any moves during the afternoon session, so naturally, there was no need to summarize.


    Thus, he called her to his office early, starting today''s English lesson.


    In Su Wanyu''s eyes, there was a smudge of worry that couldn''t be concealed, and her gaze betrayed a hint of melancholy, as if she had many unspeakable troubles.


    Several times she taught wrong, and Lu Liang had to correct her.


    He asked in confusion, "Mrs. Su, you seem off today; is something wrong?"


    "I''m sorry, Mr. Lu, a personal matter has affected me, but I will adjust as quickly as possible."


    Su Wanyu showed a look of remorse, refocused, and concentrated on teaching.


    She didn''t want to talk about it, and Lu Liang didn''t ask further.


    They continued with listening, speaking, reading, and writing in English.


    They learned for another 120 minutes over two sessions. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Two days slipped by in the blink of an eye.


    On Wednesday, June 10, at ten in the morning,


    the news office held a press conference to discuss the "Guidelines on Furthering the Reform of State-Owned Enterprises," also known as the new five points.


    Cutting to the heart of it, the most important point was to change the state capital authorization management system to further clarify the boundary of responsibilities between state assets ownership and enterprise management.


    In layman''s terms, the state was delegating power, giving state-owned enterprise managers more authority and lifting some restrictions on state-owned enterprises.


    Big A, which had been stumbling, rose again; a large number of state-owned enterprise stocks hit their daily limit, driving the entire market.

 Chapter 61 - 61: To Gain, One Must Give

    Teli A, up by 10.05%, stock price at 10.85 yuan.


    Lu Liang no longer hid his intentions, just like the countless funds that surged into state-owned stocks, he bought aggressively at the price limit, taking as much as was available until there was nothing left on the market.


    After all, the retail investors were not fools. A price limit today likely meant a high opening tomorrow, which was the general consensus.


    By the close of the afternoon, Lu Liang''s position exceeded forty million, holding 37,383 lots at an average cost of 10.65 yuan.


    A profit of twenty yuan per lot, and after deducting the transaction fees from over thirty-seven thousand lots, the earnings were not even enough to buy a BMW 3 Series.


    At half-past five in the afternoon, Teli A powerfully topped the Dragon and Tiger List for the day, showing the top three institutions that bought large amounts.


    The first was Zhongxin Fuying.


    The second was No. 12 Futian Road.


    The third was No. 88 Punan Road.


    ¡­


    "Futian Road''s Citic Securities'' Wu Junle, also known as the Futian God of Stock, was active in the market ten years ago and continues to this day."


    The moment the news from the Shenzhen Stock Exchange was announced, Lu Liang also received detailed information on No. 12, Futian Road.


    Three documents were laid out in front of him: Teli A, Zhongxin Fuying, and Futian Road No. 12.


    "All in Shenzhen!"


    Lu Liang increasingly felt that someone was scheming to profit from this; the national enterprise reform concept didn''t support the sky-high rise of Teli A.


    A market with over seven billion shares in circulation soaring tenfold afterward was certainly no coincidence.


    At the same time, Li Jianlin and Wu Junle also received detailed information about No. 88 Punan Road as well as Lu Liang.


    Li Jianlin asked, "Guotai Securities'' Lu Liang? Old Wu, you used to hang around Modu, ever heard of this guy?"


    Wu Junle pondered for a long time, then shook his head and said, "Looking at the registration time, it should be speculative funds; probably just wants to try his luck."


    "So, what should we do?"


    "Let''s handle it."


    The two exchanged glances, revealing knowing smiles.


    Not allowing others to sleep soundly beside your couch, of course, meant to flush them out first.


    They had been planning this for half a year, secretly signing lock-up agreements with multiple parties, all for the sake of making a big move.


    The future stock price of Teli A would at least go above 50 yuan, a neat fourfold profit.


    If it were just retail investors getting lucky, that would be one thing, but if peers dare to step in, they''d chop off their hands.


    The next day, at eleven fifteen,


    fifteen minutes before the morning closure.


    Teli A''s stock suddenly transformed in the middle of trading, what started as a high opening and rising stock turned into a roller coaster, rising high before falling.


    Opening up by 4.6%, at one point rising to 7.5%, but in the last fifteen minutes before close, it plummeted.


    7.5%...5.5%...2.5%...


    By noontime closure, only a 1.25% gain remained.


    It was clear to anyone watching that if it hadn''t been for the break, the stock price could have fallen more.


    "Are they trying to flush me out?"


    The smile on Lu Liang''s face remained unchanged, but he already started calculating how he should cooperate with them.


    If he didn''t cooperate, they likely wouldn''t be willing to initiate a new trend.


    In any case, he had achieved his goal.


    Now it was like a mystery drama, where a seemingly random extra introduced at the beginning becomes the last profiteer.


    When the truth was unveiled, it would likely shock quite a few people and greatly enhance the reputation of No. 88 Punan Road.


    At one in the afternoon, when trading resumed, the stock price continued to drop, from bright red to a clear green.


    The transition wasn''t particularly abrupt; the national enterprise reform concept was just a minor wave, not enough to create a real bull market.


    It was normal for most state-owned company stocks to rise for two days before falling back without seeming out of the ordinary.


    Lu Liang was in no hurry to act; washing the stocks required a process.


    He had to play the role completely to make them believe he had been flushed out.


    Over the next few working days, the stock price consistently dipped until it broke through the 9 yuan mark.


    This was the point Lu Liang had been setting the stage for.


    He began selling batches of 10 lots and then buying back 20 lots, quietly establishing a new base.


    Although he was not holding many chips, the apparent minimal activity on his part was leading to an unusually high turnover rate.


    In recent days, it hovered around 17%.


    "Some shareholders have locked up their shares."


    Reaching this conclusion, Lu Liang turned serious.


    Shareholder lock-up, if it was unrelated to Li Jianlin and Wu Junle, Lu Liang wouldn''t believe it even if they were beaten to death.


    Lu Liang pondered for a moment and saw through their plan.


    Knowing about the state enterprise reform, they incited shareholders to lock up their shares to leverage the maximum market dynamics with minimal funds.


    40-50 yuan was probably where the first wave would end; they didn''t dare go too big or the Securities and Futures Commission would set their sights on them.


    The peak of 108 yuan was likely beyond their control, driven by the retail investors and speculative institutions in the market.


    As Lu Liang''s thoughts raced, he unintentionally completed reconstructing his position.


    The stock price was 8.75 yuan, down by 4.55%.


    He held 65,000 shares, with a cost basis of 9.5 yuan, investing 62 million yuan.


    A loss of 75 yuan per share, the floating loss on the books was 4.897 million yuan.


    "Sacrifices must be made to gain something, now you should believe that I''ve been washed out," he said.


    Lu Liang''s mouth curled upward, employing a painful tactic, pretending to be overwhelmed and having no choice but to cut losses and leave the market.


    However, Li Jianlin and Wu Junle unexpectedly stayed alert and did not take the next step.


    In the following days, it was the same, constantly falling, as if they still couldn''t believe that Lu Liang had been washed out.


    Lu Liang was in no hurry, and fully locked his position.


    At least until the stock price soared to 30 yuan,


    he wouldn''t make any moves.


    ...


    That day was a Thursday, after lunch, Lu Liang received an invitation to go sea fishing from Meng Changkun.


    "Depart at two o''clock? Sure!"


    After being busy for half a month,


    with many twists and turns, he had finally completed positioning.


    Lu Liang was thinking about giving himself a break, there was no reason to refuse Meng Changkun''s invitation.


    Remembering that he had a tutoring session with Su Wanyu in the afternoon, he called her to tell her not to come today.


    Each workday had one lesson, or two lessons, and the initially booked 20 lessons were also nearly ending.


    Before leaving the building with Meng Changkun, Lu Liang had Chen Jinchun order another 50 lessons online.


    Mainly wanting to continue studying English, Su Wanyu had tested him yesterday and Lu Liang scored 99 points, naturally, he could graduate if 100 was the perfect score, but the perfect score was 710 points.


    The national college English test,


    at least 425 points are needed to pass.


    Cultivating a relationship was just a side note, it was best to have it, but if not, Lu Liang didn''t force it, Wanyu''s personality was too slow to warm up.


    Even after 20 lessons, their relationship was still just casual friends, not even close.


    Yet now, besides teaching, they also talked about some daily life trifles, such as learning that Wanyu didn''t have a boyfriend, and last time she felt down because she had argued with her close friend.


    ...


    At two o''clock in the afternoon, the sun was shining, the weather clear. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Meng Changkun''s sea fishing equipment was complete, while Lu Liang came empty-handed, bringing nothing but himself.


    So, they decided to first head to a fishing tackle shop, and Lu Liang spent about a hundred thousand to buy a set of fishing gear.


    Not buying the right ones, just the expensive ones,


    focusing on a poor student''s having many good supplies.


    Before going to the dock, Lu Liang was wondering if they would invite a group of beauties, the kind where phones had to be handed over before boarding the boat.


    Playing Russian roulette, a party with human platters. A grand feast under the pretext of fishing.


    Turns out, he thought too much.


    A small yacht of two and a half decks, there was only one woman on board, who was in charge of cooking.


    As Meng Changkun put it, women on a boat would only get seasick, they didn''t need their help to chum the waters, and just looking at their gloomy faces was annoying, today was genuinely about going out to fish.


    Lu Liang suddenly felt underwhelmed.


    But having come all this way, it wasn''t like he could just turn around and leave.


    They set sail at three o''clock in the afternoon, navigating for an hour and a half, successfully arriving at the first fishing spot.


    They first caught some sardines and yellow croakers for bait, then went to the deep sea at night to fish for squid and tuna.


    A big sea fish, weighed dozens of pounds in the sea, it burst out with the strength of hundreds of pounds, and it could take more than thirty minutes to reel in, the physical exertion was not less than that in a gym.


    Late into the night, they went to the habitat of hairtail, catching shiny stainless steel hairtails, cutting them directly when hauled in, and deep-frying them, the taste was extremely delicious.


    Lu Liang went from being uninterested at first to being reluctant to leave in the end, after tennis, he fell in love with sea fishing.


    Until the early morning of the next day, they returned to Modu under cover of the night.


    The two went to She Mountain Clubhouse, had a sauna, and got massages to properly ease the fatigue of the whole day.


    In the next three business days, Teli A fell below 8 yuan, and Li Jianlin and Wu Junle were convinced that Lu Liang had been washed out.


    By the end of June, they started implementing the plan, their two firms held a total of 24 trading accounts, beginning to gather market chips.


    Over seven days, their buy volume accounted for half of all transactions, whatever the retail investors selling off, they were taking over.


    On July 5, the two accounts jointly held 9.5% of the market''s circulating shares, just within the brink of a takeover announcement.


    As long as major shareholders did not come forward, they could effectively control the rise and fall of the stock price.


    Through their multiple accounts, they transferred from one hand to another, creating the illusion of a hot market.


    From July 5 to July 12,


    the average trading volume exceeded 500 million over five trading days.


    The stock price climbed steadily, increasing by seven to eight points per day.


    There was no price limit, but it was better than a price limit.


    For many consecutive days, it topped the Dragon and Tiger List.


    Attracting a large number of individual investors who came for the reputation, further driving the rise in the stock price.

 Chapter 62 - 62: Zero-Sum Game

    July 15th, Tuesday.


    It was also the 17th day since Lu Liang started locking his stock position.


    The over 65,000 lots he held were now unwittingly worth more than 190 million. With a cost of 9.5 yuan per share, the current stock price was 29.23 yuan, netting him 1,973 yuan per lot.


    "It''s time to prepare to run," he thought.


    If Lu Liang''s chips were only a couple of million, he would definitely have waited until the stock price reached about 45 yuan before cashing out.


    Because with a small amount of money, you can run whenever you want, coming and going freely. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But now, he had nearly two billion in chips.


    And he also found out that the Teli A market was not as big as he initially thought.


    It was only a collusion between institutional investors and major shareholders forcibly locking up shares to reduce circulation and easily pump the stock price.


    To avoid giving back the profits he had in hand, Lu Liang had to start gradually reducing his position from 30 yuan.


    July 16th, Wednesday.


    Teli A opened with a big surge of 7.55%.


    The current stock price was 31.45 yuan.


    Everyone thought the stock would hit the daily limit today, outperforming the main market with an independent trend.


    Li Jianlin and Wu Junle thought so too.


    They held nearly 2.2 billion in chips and needed to push the stock price even higher to facilitate massive sell-offs.


    But to their surprise, after investing fifty million, the stock price of Teli A that should have hit the limit stayed around 31.5 yuan.


    It didn''t hit the daily limit by the close in the afternoon; the fifty million investment seemed to disappear without a trace.


    "There must be some small shareholders taking profits," they concluded.


    "Tomorrow, tomorrow it will definitely hit the limit," they reassured each other, while their faces looked grim.


    They had planned for half a year and lay in wait for half a month, creating this market trend with their own hands.


    They''d rather believe that some shareholders lack martial virtue than believe someone else had picked the fruit.


    Between the two, they had committed 2.8 billion in capital, 2.2 billion of which was already spent; there was no turning back.


    This money, at most they personally accounted for 15%, the rest came from the powerful and influential in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau area.


    Money from those heavyweights was not easy to take.


    In this battle, they could only win; there was absolutely no room for loss.


    On the other hand, Lu Liang observed the Dragon and Tiger List for a few days.


    He figured out that as long as his sell volume was below 48.5 million, his name wouldn''t show up on the list.


    He timed it just right, selling 14,000 lots at the price of 31.45 yuan, cashing out 44.03 million.


    With a total investment of 62 million, he was just 18 million short to recover his original capital.


    He still held 51,300 lots worth 161 million; as long as the sell-off went smoothly, he should be able to make about 140 million in profit.


    In the following two days, Lu Liang didn''t go to extremes, selling only thirty to forty million per day, trying not to affect the market trend.


    This was just the first wave; there were the second and third waves to come, until the stock price soared to 108 yuan.


    Killing the chicken now would mean no more eggs later.


    Lu Liang was very careful, yet there''s always something unexpected.


    He only calculated not to appear on the Dragon and Tiger List on the first day, but he overlooked the total outflow of funds for the three days on the list.


    July 18th, Friday, 5:15 PM, the Shenzhen Stock Exchange released the three-day Dragon and Tiger List.


    Teli A made the list again, with an address at 88 Punan Road, netting an outflow of 128 million over three days, sitting at the top of the list.


    The moment the news was released, it was like a depth charge exploding, flipping the domestic financial circle upside down.


    In the past half a month, the market sentiment for Teli A was fervent, becoming the leading stock in the concept of state-owned enterprise reform.


    Various forces were following the stock closely, and naturally, they knew that Zhongxin Fuying and 12 Futian Road were the market makers.


    But now, the unknown 88 Punan Road seemed to be the final one to pick the fruit.


    Speculators are people,


    So are institutions,


    And all people have curiosity.


    A large number of onlookers called their friends or pulled up the last 30 days of transaction details.


    They wanted to know if 88 Punan Road was a third market maker lurking in the dark, or if Zhongxin Fuying and 12 Futian Road had been outfoxed.


    Through the transaction details of the last 30 days, they quickly discovered a shocking truth.


    Someone really picked the peaches.


    Punan Road No. 88 first appeared on the Dragon and Tiger List in mid-last month, before the market had taken off.


    After that day, there was a long period of bearish decline.


    People in the know could see that they were washing out shares at that time, with Li Wu trying to get rid of No. 88.


    However, No. 88 only pretended to be washed out and was actually lying low.


    Unaware, Li Wu kicked off the market movements.


    Big players slaying the dragon, trapping the market makers and exiting with flair¡ªsuch delightful scenes were irresistible to many.


    At the same time, Punan Road No. 88, Lu Liang''s name, first caught the attention of various major speculative investment institutions.


    In that very moment, under Su Wanyu''s supervision, Lu Liang was taking his fourth simulated TEM4 English test.


    After 45 private tutoring sessions, this time Lu Liang scored a good 340 points.


    Although he had not reached the passing line of 425 points yet, the dawn of hope was visible.


    Lu Liang picked up the test paper and said with a smile, "Mrs. Su, I think next time we do a mock test, you''ll have to keep your promise."


    Last week, when they got to the 33rd lesson and had the third mock test, he had wanted to invite Su Wanyu to dinner.


    Su Wanyu had refused, but not outright¡ªshe said she would invite Lu Liang to dinner once he passed the 425-point mark.


    "There are still 85 points to go, it''s not certain that you''ll pass."


    Su Wanyu''s eyes were picturesque, her face full of pride, no longer the cold indifference of their first meeting.


    Lu Liang was gentle and refined, graceful, and possessed a maturity and steadiness uncommon among his peers.


    Young yet successful, the exclusive 45 hours had indeed swayed her slightly, and she did not wish to deceive her own heart.


    Lu Liang teased with a smile, "Why do I feel like this test was particularly hard? Did you secretly raise the difficulty?"


    "Boss Lu, you can question my teaching abilities, but you absolutely cannot question my character."


    At first, when Lu Liang made playful remarks, Su Wanyu could only blush in silence, but now she had learned to fight back.


    "They say the eyes are the windows to the soul, but your glasses are so thick, they keep me from seeing your character."


    Lu Liang had always hoped Su Wanyu would take off her glasses; she was truly beautiful, her attractiveness just hidden behind them.


    540-degree thick lenses almost turned her large eyes into tiny beads, and the black frames covered a third of her face.


    Su Wanyu''s face went red, unsure how to respond, when suddenly Lu Liang''s phone rang.


    "You go ahead, I''ll run to the restroom."


    She hurried out of the office, her head down the whole way, not daring to make eye contact with Lu Liang''s staff, feeling as if they were all watching her.


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but chuckle, answering the call, Zhao Haisheng hastily said, "Mr. Lu, a lot of people are asking about you."


    "Asking about me for what?" Lu Liang was puzzled, still unaware that he had topped the list for net capital outflows on the Dragon and Tiger List.


    "Why don''t you take a look at the Dragon and Tiger List published by the Shenzhen Stock Exchange?" Zhao Haisheng was at a loss for words, unsure how to respond.


    Lu Liang opened his computer, saw Punan Road No. 88 at the top of the list, and instantly grasped the situation: "What did you guys say?"


    "Mr. Lu, please rest assured, we absolutely keep our clients'' account information confidential."


    Zhao Haisheng quickly made a guarantee as any leak of Lu Liang''s position would mean he''d have to answer for it with his head.


    However, aside from account information, Lu Liang''s personal details were probably already commonly known.


    Many people had gotten through him, seeking to contact Lu Liang, wanting to arrange a meet-up.


    "Just say I''m busy, decline them all."


    Lu Liang lit a cigarette, deep in thought.


    The Dragon and Tiger List for three days, indeed he had been negligent.


    But no harm done, to become famous early or late, it was bound to happen eventually.


    What mattered now were Li Jianlin and Wu Junle¡ªthese two must hate him by now.


    A net outflow of funds of 128 million in three days, even a fool would know what next week''s market would look like.


    A stampede-like selloff was inevitable; stabilizing a shaky building, turning the tide at the point of collapse required both skilled manoeuvres and substantial capital.


    "Now I''ve really made some enemies."


    "But isn''t that what the speculative market is all about? If you don''t lose, and he doesn''t lose, how am I supposed to make money?"


    The essence of finance is a zero-sum game, where someone''s gain is always another''s loss; wealth cannot simply appear out of thin air.


    Lu Liang quickly convinced himself, though he was unsure whether Li Wu had any knightly spirit, or if they would accept their losses graciously.


    He called Meng Changkun, learned that he was in the office upstairs, and said, "I''ll come up now."


    Just as he was leaving, he encountered Su Wanyu returning, and Lu Liang hastily left a message: "That''s all for today''s lesson, then."


    A failed marriage had made him realize that emotions were the least reliable thing; even the most solemn vows could be eroded by time, defeated by daily trivialities.


    Only career and wealth were everlasting.

 Chapter 63 - 63: Stretch! The longer you stretch, the more you earn

    "Lu, what''s the rush?"


    Meng Changkun smiled, making Gongfu tea.


    With a cigar just lit in the ashtray, he fanned the smoke with his hand, enjoying the aroma of the cigar, looking utterly at ease.


    The next second, upon hearing Lu Liang''s words, he spat out the tea he had just sipped, muttering to himself, "Damn, that water''s a bit hot."


    Meng Changkun felt a bit dizzy. In just over a month, he had made over a hundred million and could possibly cause others to lose billions.


    "Lu, you really are a dark horse, impressing everyone once you finally reveal yourself," he exclaimed in amazement.


    Meng Changkun was very serious upon understanding Lu Liang''s concerns, "Business is business, we are in a rule-of-law society now. We use our brains, not violence."


    If people sought revenge over financial losses, society would become chaotic. After all, even the wealthiest are flesh and blood.


    Moreover, losing money in the stock market, whether it''s tens of billions or just several billion, you have to accept your bets and losses.


    That''s a red line no one dares to cross. Those who cry out for violence over minor losses are just small business owners dealing with tens of thousands.


    Take him, for example, if he lost twenty billion, his life would surely be even better than it is now.


    During festivals, those he owed money to would still come to gift him presents, and if he sneezed, they''d ensure he got a full check-up.


    That''s because while alive, it''s just paper loss. Only in death does it force a settle-up into real loss.


    Li Jianlin and Wu Junle are the same.


    Even if they lose more than twenty billion down to the last cent, they won''t die. At most, they''ll spend the rest of their lives paying it back.


    Of course, Lu Liang also needed to be careful. After suffering such a huge loss this time, they''d definitely find a way to target him in the future.


    "But you don''t need to worry too much, it''s still ''business is business.'' They''ll probably just smear you a bit, file a complaint against your company, or allege some regulatory infractions."


    Hearing Meng Changkun put it this way, Lu Liang breathed a sigh of relief. He hadn''t been wealthy for long and some rules he still needed to learn from his elders.


    As long as his life wasn''t in danger, he didn''t care about reports, framing, or smearing, because he knew the others didn''t dare to cross certain lines.


    Li Wu had been insider trading and violating regulations already, if they reported Lu Liang, they would probably expose themselves as well.


    Curious, Meng Changkun couldn''t help probing indirectly: "It couldn''t be that fifty million I entrusted to you last time, could it?"


    Lu Liang nodded with a smile, "But there are still a few tens of millions that can''t be cashed out yet."


    One hundred million in capital, fifty million each. He hadn''t thought about embezzling it.


    Old Meng had helped him so much, in both business and personal matters, and even promised to share half of his earnings with him.


    Seventy-five percent of the profits belonged to Lu Liang; embezzling would have been utterly indecent.


    "This money''s coming in too fast."


    Meng Changkun was in disbelief. Even with just twenty-five percent in profits, that''s thirty million.


    He invested fifty million and made thirty million in less than a month. It was damn quicker than robbing a bank.


    After all, it was fifty million, not five million. The larger the capital, the lower the return rate is likely to be.


    Just like those mythical tenfold stock gains, market manipulators usually make only three to five times, possibly even less.


    Because when big money pulls out, it inevitably affects the market, resulting in giving back some of the gains already in hand.


    Unless someone takes over, like Lu Liang did this time.


    "It''s not too bad," Lu Liang replied, unfazed. If he could fully capitalize on this trend, he conservatively estimated a 300% return.


    "Lu my friend, in my opinion, all those so-called experts out there can''t hold a candle to you."


    "Mr. Kun, that''s an overstatement. I''ve just been lucky."


    "Luck is part of strength too."


    Meng Changkun wasn''t just flattering. With the rate Lu Liang was making money, it was only a matter of time before his wealth surpassed his own.


    As the two chatted, Lu Liang received a call from Chen Jinchun. She said that someone had called the company requesting to see him.


    "The longer you stretch it out, the more money you''ll make, and the greater your influence will grow," Meng Changkun reminded kindly. Lu Liang was like a small but well-known startup.


    Many people wanted to do angel investing to secure valuable original shares, just like he did before.


    They just didn''t know whether Lu Liang was just lucky or actually had the skill. So, while they''d promise boundless wealth, they''d also set strict conditions.


    The best way to handle it would be to take action that changes those people''s perceptions of him.


    Turn luck into real strength.


    "You don''t need to worry about offending them by rejecting."


    Meng Changkun paused, his eyes full of disdain. "Capitalists are only interested in profits; as long as you can make money for them, even slapping them a few times is acceptable."


    Lu Liang understood and, after asking a few more questions, bid farewell to Meng Changkun and returned to his company downstairs.


    After six o''clock, most people had gone home, leaving only Chen Jinchun idly doodling at her desk.


    "Mr. Lu, you''re back." As Lu Liang''s assistant, she couldn''t leave until he did.


    "Who called while I was out?"


    Lu Liang inquired, planning to return each call personally.


    Business may not have been concluded, but goodwill remained; current lack of cooperation didn''t rule out future collaboration.


    It was important to maintain appearances and leave a good impression.


    "Mr. Liu from Zhongxin Fuying, Mr. Zhang from Caiyi..."


    Chen Jinchun listed seven or eight names and their associated companies in one breath.


    Lu Liang picked up the information and, as Meng Changkun had guessed, they were all relatively small asset management fund companies.


    According to Old Meng, those contacting him now were hoping for a bargain, while the more powerful big shots were still watching.


    The world never lacks geniuses or so-called Golden Touches, but only those who have been tested by the market and survived earn their respect.


    Chen Jinchun added, "Oh, Mr. Lu, Manager Li from Zhongxin Fuying called three times, hoping you''d call back immediately upon receiving the message."


    "Li Jianlin?" Lu Liang was surprised and after seeing Chen Jinchun nod, he pondered for a moment and said, "Got it."


    Back in his office, after much thought, Lu Liang still decided to call Li Jianlin: "Hello, this is Lu Liang."


    He wanted to see what the other party had up his sleeve.


    "Mr. Lu, nice move. On the 21st last month, you must have been rebuilding your position," Li Jianlin said casually.


    By looking at the results and reasoning backwards, it was easy to recognize Lu Liang''s trading technique, which he highly praised.


    Lu Liang was taken aback for a moment but responded with a smile, "Manager Li, you flatter me. When picking stocks then, I noticed Teli A had an odd trend, so I took a precaution. I didn''t expect it to pay off quite like this."


    Although the two had never met or spoken before, they talked about their trading strategies as if they were old friends.


    Gradually, Li Jianlin transitioned to the main issue, sighing, "Mr. Lu, you really put us in a tough spot this time."


    Lu Liang''s smile faded as he spoke softly, "So, you''ve come to settle scores?"


    "No, no, Mr. Lu, please don''t get me wrong. We respect the better player and accept our losses."


    Li Jianlin hastened to clear any misunderstanding: "It''s just that we have quite a bit of capital tied up and need your help to give a boost."


    He added, "And this favor won''t go unrewarded."


    Lu Liang: "Oh? I''d like to hear more details." S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Li Jianlin said, "According to our research, you should still have over twenty thousand shares in it, right?"


    Lu Liang asked with a sly smile, "Are you sure about your research?"


    He did indeed have over twenty thousand shares left, intended as a base for the next market surge, but he couldn''t admit that outright.


    "No matter the amount, we''ll drive this wave above 50 yuan."


    Li Jianlin smiled, knowing Lu Liang was boasting, but didn''t expose the lie. With a serious tone, he said, "If you plan to exit, just give us a heads-up."


    They were too confident in their mistake.


    Had they asked the major shareholders to investigate the circulating shares before the market surge, they wouldn''t be in such a passive position.


    But there was still time to recover; forewarning meant Lu Liang wouldn''t cause further trouble.


    Twenty thousand shares, 2 million in total, currently worth 65 million yuan.


    It was neither a large nor a small sum.


    If Lu Liang dumped his shares recklessly on Monday, it would ruin everything.


    To avoid this, they were willing to drive up the price once more, allowing Lu Liang to exit at the peak.


    "Manager Li, I appreciate your kind offer."


    After contemplating for a moment, Lu Liang added, "I''m sorry, but I''m quite optimistic about Teli A''s future and plan to hold it for the long term. That''ll be all for today; I have to go, so I''ll hang up now."

 Chapter 64 - 64: Its All Thanks to the Masters Good Teaching

    Meanwhile, in Futian, Shenzhen.


    Li Jianlin put down his phone, his brow furrowed in thought about Lu Liang''s last words.


    Wu Junle asked anxiously, "What did that guy say?"


    "He said he''s optimistic about Teli A and wants to hold it long-term."


    "Optimistic? Hold long-term my ass, I think he just wants more."


    Distraught, Wu Junle continued, while Li Jianlin shook his head, disagreeing, "Maybe he just doesn''t want to get involved with us."


    Lu Liang was different from them, earning clean money. Once he agreed to their terms, it would involve manipulating the stock price.


    If they were exposed, Lu Liang would be outed. At best, he would be warned, and at worst, he could be fined several times the amount of profit made.


    If he were Lu Liang, he probably wouldn''t agree either.


    "Could he be bluffing us?"


    Wu Junle frowned, his emotions gradually calming down.


    Teli A, currently priced at 32.5 yuan. If the stock price rose to 50 yuan, each share could earn an additional 1750 yuan.


    According to their investigation, Lu Liang held twenty thousand shares, currently worth 65 million yuan, which would become 100 million yuan if the price reached 50 yuan.


    If they waited until they finished selling their shares, 65 million might drop to 40 million yuan or even less.


    The difference alone was at least 60 million yuan.


    He didn''t believe Lu Liang could remain unmoved.


    "Let''s see how it goes on Monday."


    Li Jianlin''s brows were tightly knitted. He knew Wu Junle''s concerns were not without reason, but they had to trust for now.


    Meanwhile, Lu Liang called back each person who had just called to inquire.


    "Mr. Zhang... I''m flattered, but I currently have no such plans."


    "Mr. Liu... If I plan anything in the future, I will contact you first."


    "President Zheng... Next time you come to Modu, I''ll treat, and we brothers can have a good drink."


    After ending the calls, Lu Liang let out a long sigh.


    Exiting his office, he saw Chen Jinchun dozing off at her desk and tapped the desk lightly, "You''re drooling."


    Chen Jinchun sprang up, sleepy-eyed, wiping her mouth where there was no drool, "Mr. Lu, are you off work?"


    Lu Liang hummed in acknowledgment, picked up his car keys, and left the company, leaving Chen Jinchun to lock up alone.


    Having graduated from a second-tier university and bypassed the internship, earning a significant salary, this was what she was supposed to do.


    At over seven in the evening, Lu Liang arrived home just as he smelled the scent of dinner.


    Mrs. Liu, the housekeeper, said, "Mr. Lu, Miss Li said she won''t be back for dinner tonight."


    "Mrs. Liu, I''m going to take a shower first."


    Lu Liang nodded slightly and went straight to the bathroom.


    Last week, he had helped Li Manli set up a studio and even had her move out for better interaction with her colleagues.


    Initially, they shot material at home, but Lu Liang disliked the constant flow of people at his residence.


    So, he rented a villa in West Suburb of Modu to serve as their studio and simultaneously provide accommodation for the staff.


    Li Manli usually stayed at the villa, shooting videos and live streaming, sometimes coming home for meals and sometimes not.


    Lu Liang employed a professional cleaning lady and a cook to manage his meals and home hygiene.


    "Mrs. Liu, the pickled cabbage and pork intestine today is excellent."


    Lu Liang couldn''t praise it enough, very satisfied with Mrs. Liu''s cooking skills.


    Since Li Manli had moved out, he no longer had to eat those dishes that looked good but were not particularly tasty.


    Mrs. Liu, cleaning up in the kitchen, turned around with a broad smile, "Mr. Lu, I''m glad you like it."


    While eating, Lu Liang received a call from Liu Mingxuan, asking if he was free to come out for a drink tonight.


    "Okay, I''ll come right now." Lu Liang heard his upset tone and didn''t refuse.


    Leaving his meal half-eaten, he picked up his car keys and headed straight out, arriving at a mid-range residential area in the city.


    Liu Mingxuan was different from Lu Liang. He had majored in computer science, a valuable associate degree holder from ten years ago.


    After graduation, he came to Modu, worked in a mid-sized internet company responsible for website development and maintenance.


    He was among those who early on benefited from the internet boom and had settled down and purchased a house in Modu quite early.


    But this guy, heartbroken by a bad relationship in high school involving a love letter read aloud mockingly by the girl, had since wildly run down the path of frivolousness.


    "F**k, are you trying to reach for the skies?"


    Seeing the Lamborghini "Big Wild Bull," Liu Mingxuan''s eyes widened in awe as he caressed the car''s paint like touching a lover''s skin.


    "Don''t tell me this one is rented too."


    Soon, he turned his attention to Lu Liang to see whether his old friend of many years had his body snatched by someone else.


    Even rental cars vary by type, with sedans being the most commonly rented followed by sports cars; SUVs are hardly ever for rent.


    Let alone a Lamborghini bull, he could guarantee there weren''t three car owners in Modu willing to rent out such a bull.


    Lu Liang gave a nonchalant smile, just about to speak when Liu Mingxuan gestured him to stop, "Don''t say it, I can''t handle it."


    "Liang, let me drive it," he said with a sycophantic smile, making what he thought was a cute expression.


    "Take it, take it." Lu Liang was so grossed out he quickly handed over the car keys and moved to the passenger seat.


    "If this car were parked in front of Shangying, I can''t even imagine how many blue pills I''d have to take tonight."


    Liu Mingxuan caressed the steering wheel, tapping the accelerator lightly, instantly feeling the surging power.


    He looked obsessed and couldn''t help but admire, "Deserves to be called the world''s most awesome SUV."


    "Don''t make that face of doom, what''s going on?" Lu Liang said with a look of disdain.


    Liu Mingxuan suddenly deflated, "Let''s find a place to drink and I''ll slowly tell you all about it."


    "Let''s head to the Bund then, there seems to be a pretty nice music bar there."


    Lu Liang had just crossed the river and noticed a new music bar at the Bund that seemed to have a great vibe.


    He gave directions to Liu Mingxuan, and they reached NaN Tavern, booking a place by the river.


    The setting was beautiful, with a pleasant river breeze,


    cool wind sweeping away the summer heat.


    A young and beautiful girl sat on the stage, strumming a guitar and singing folk songs, creating a very bourgeoisie atmosphere.


    Lu Liang ordered a dozen Budweiser light beers, various snacks, as both of them didn''t enjoy liquor, and beer was more to their taste.


    Liu Mingxuan chugged two bottles straight down, and a touch of sorrow quickly appeared on his face.


    For some reason, Lu Liang felt an urge to laugh, "Friend, please share your story."


    Liu Mingxuan glared at him, starting with last month when a relative''s daughter had graduated and wanted to find a job in Modu, so they had asked him to look after her¡­


    "So you took care of her right into your bed, and then someone got killed?"


    Lu Liang was repulsed, guessing the end from the beginning, losing any desire to keep listening.


    "Are you the worm in my stomach?"


    Liu Mingxuan was shocked, his carefully brewed emotions suddenly interrupted.


    "You''ve been a beast not just today or yesterday, did I meet you only today?"


    Lu Liang rested his chin on his hand, admiring the beautiful women passing by, the goddesses of the Bund, very classy and generous.


    People are complex polyhedra, and as a friend, Liu Mingxuan was beyond reproach.


    Not only had he loaned him money to buy a house, but whenever he fought with his wife, Lu Liang would also stay at his place for a few days.


    But as a man, Lu Liang couldn''t comment, just grateful that he had no connection with the woman involved.


    Liu Mingxuan scratched his head, downing half a bottle more, "That girl''s home is in the village next to mine."


    "Then you''re screwed."


    Lu Liang reveled in schadenfreude, spotting some tall beauties in pleated skirts.


    He beckoned a bar server and paid for their table, raising his beer to them.


    Liu Mingxuan was shocked, his eyes wide. "When did you become such a flirt?" S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lu Liang chuckled and bowed slightly, "All thanks to my master''s teachings."


    As the pleated skirt beauties approached, he kicked Liu Mingxuan under the table, signaling him not to blabber.


    The beauties, holding their drinks, smiled broadly, "Handsome, what does this mean?"


    Liu Mingxuan, nonchalantly without even turning around, suddenly blurted out, "I''m getting married."


    Lu Liang''s eyes bulged out, suddenly choked by the drink, quickly turned to the beauties, "Sorry, wrong person."


    The beauty continued smiling, "Handsome, my name is Lingling, and your pickup line is so old~"


    "Really mistaken, but since the bill is already paid, no big deal."


    Lu Liang smiled indifferently, waving her off, "Can you leave first? We still have something to discuss."


    The beauty''s expression slowly stiffened, she turned and left without a word, going back to her friends and pointing towards Lu Liang.


    Lu Liang didn''t care, turning back to Liu Mingxuan, "Really? Have you thought this through?"


    After all, compared to a good friend''s lifetime events, all beauties are but fleeting distractions.

 Chapter 65 - 65: Great Potential

    "People back home all know about it."


    "My parents even came to visit a few days ago, putting on a show like ''Mother Instructing Her Son.'' I just sent them back this afternoon."


    Liu Mingxuan shared his feelings of melancholy, knowing that one shouldn''t mess around with a girl next door, but she resembled his first love.


    "First love, you know? Heroes find it hard to overcome the beauty''s barrier, but the beauty doesn''t necessarily have to be very attractive; it''s about touching the heart."


    Liu Mingxuan was insistent, while Lu Liang''s face grew darker, "You''re no hero, just a drama queen, talking all high and mighty."


    "You wouldn''t understand, I don''t blame you."


    Liu Mingxuan shook his head and, raising his glass to the moon, declared, "Ah, my youth~ is finally coming to an end."


    "Need any help with anything?" Lu Liang, drinking, barely resisted the urge to slap him.


    "Stay with me tonight, until I drink myself into oblivion."


    Although Liu Mingxuan had a house but no car, his old man was striking gold, planning to buy him a car worth around two hundred thousand.


    As for the bride price, in their hometown, symbolism was more important than reality; tens of thousands would be enough, and he still had some savings.


    The only regret was probably Lu Liang; having finally seen his friend get rich, he couldn''t join him in galloping through life.


    "Li, I am most worried about you."


    After half a dozen beers, Liu Mingxuan started to get drunk.


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but laugh, "You''re actually a good guy."


    "Of course, brotherhood is from the heart."


    Liu Mingxuan thumped his chest, and at the peak of emotion, he ran onstage, grabbed the microphone from a girl, and sang Tan Yonglin''s "Friends."


    Stars drifting by, walking the same path


    From strangers to kindred spirits,


    Silently treating others with sincerity¡­


    It''s you~~


    Below the stage, Lu Liang smiled and raised his glass in reply, "Wishing you happiness."


    His own marriage wasn''t a happy one, but Liu Mingxuan was his friend, and he still believed in the existence of happy marriages.


    That night, they drank two dozen until late.


    Lu Liang was elated, generously treated the whole place, celebrating his friend''s step into the hall of marriage.


    ¡­


    July 21, Monday.


    The new week, the first trading day.


    Unaffected by the past three working days'' net outflows of 138 million, Teli A''s stock opened strong and hit the ceiling.


    Li Wu were busy transferring shares between their left and right hands, creating a huge trading volume and continuing the appearance of a hot market.


    They also paid close attention to the market, fearing a sudden move by Lu Liang, as that would really leave them no ground to stand on. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Meanwhile, a luxurious yacht slowly set off from Golden Sand Pier, right below Modu, preparing to sail south to Mingzhou.


    Lu Liang didn''t want to get involved with Li Wu and, to avoid suspicion, planned to take a few days off to clear himself of the matter.


    When Meng Changkun found out, he casually invited Wu Tianzheng, bringing along his company''s model team, three men and six women set sail.


    "Can you really part with it?"


    Meng Changkun lounged on the deck, sunbathing.


    In front of him was a tablet computer displaying Teli A''s market performance of the day, with a ceiling price of 37.75 Yuan.


    He knew Lu Liang still held twenty thousand shares and had heard that Li Jianlin once approached Lu Liang, willing to boost the stock for him.


    It was exactly for this reason that Meng Changkun agreed to join the yacht trip; otherwise, he could''ve just sent Wu Tianzheng to accompany him.


    "Some money can be made, and some can''t."


    Lu Liang wore sunglasses, lying on the deck with two tall and sexy bikini-clad women helping him apply sunscreen.


    An inevitable physiological reaction occurred, and he quietly pitched a little tent, causing the two tall beauties to cover their mouths and giggle.


    Meng Changkun had helped him a lot, but their cooperation mattered more than feelings; Lu Liang wouldn''t change his mind just because of his words.


    He had access to future information; there was no need to break the law for such a small profit, risking loss far greater than the gain.


    Meng Changkun stopped short, seeing that Lu Liang had his principles, and he didn''t press further, "Let''s go, soak in the sea for a bit."


    He suddenly picked up a beauty next to him and slid into the ocean with joyful laughter, using the yacht''s inflatable slide.


    Seeing this, Lu Liang''s mouth curled into a smile.


    Meng Changkun might be willing to help him, but he always looked to gain more control.


    If nothing unexpected happened, he probably wouldn''t have such thoughts after this.


    Lu Liang turned his head to look at the butterfly knot on the beauty''s back and suddenly yanked it open, and the white rabbits instantly popped out.


    The beauty was both ashamed and furious, pouting angrily.


    The deck immediately burst into cheerful laughter and a harmonious atmosphere.


    Over the next several days, Teli A repeatedly made it to the Dragon and Tiger List, it was either hitting the price limit or on its way there.


    Intraday trading saw multiple instances of Sky Floor and Ground Sky, embodying an unpredictable and enigmatic spirit.


    The stock price soared, breaking historical highs repeatedly and attracting a massive influx of individual investors eager to buy in.


    After several days of sharp increases, the Securities and Futures Commission, as usual, issued a warning to remind investors of the risks.


    However, the broader market was in a bearish phase, breaking below 3700 points and increasing public grievances.


    "Old Xiao, your mom is calling you home for dinner. Stop jumping around."


    "When it was falling no one from your end issued a warning, but now when it rises, here you are."


    "I don''t believe in your damn warnings!"


    Individual investors weren''t buying it; the more the Securities and Futures Commission warned them, the more they wanted to buy.


    With speculative stocks showing large fluctuations and high profits, even if they were eventually trapped and buried, they''d prefer to die standing.


    In contrast, those blue-chip and index stocks, with daily rises of one to two points and drops of four to five points, were like a blunt knife cutting flesh, agonizing to the point of making life feel pointless after prolonged exposure.


    Moreover, there was no need for the Securities and Futures Commission to issue warnings; the investors were well aware that stocks with speculative hype would eventually come to an end.


    Once a speculative stock fell from grace, its price halving and then halving again, it became an all too common occurrence.


    But they harbored a sense of relief, wondering why it had to be today, and why it couldn''t be tomorrow or the day after.


    The financial market was like the game of passing the parcel where everyone believed they wouldn''t be the last one left holding it.


    In the blink of an eye, the last working day of the week arrived, and Teli A was up to its old tricks again, showing another Sky Floor performance.


    This tactic had been played out several times with this stock, always ending with a price surge after a breakthrough.


    It was like the story of the boy who cried wolf; once or twice, individual investors might get scared and wash out.


    But after frequent occurrences, they no longer saw it as a risk but as an opportunity.


    A Sky Floor meant there was nowhere to fall for the day, but any subsequent rise could mean a 20-point profit.


    Investors rushed to buy in.


    Thirty million... fifty million...


    One hundred million... two hundred million...


    A tide of capital gushed outwards.


    "Taking profit at the floor, you''re really something."


    After a few days out at sea, Lu Liang returned to the company, keeping an eye on the stock movements the whole time.


    48.25 yuan, this should be the peak of this market wave.


    Li Wu had been laying out their plan for over a month and now came the day to reap the rewards, they were offloading massive amounts of stock.


    It was foreseeable that a relentless string of price limit downs was coming until they recouped their investment and re-established their positions.


    Chen Jinchun knocked and entered; she brought a report: "Mr. Lu, this is Mengmengda Media''s data for the half month."


    Mengmengda Media, Li Manli''s workshop, was initially considered by Lu Liang to be an optional investment.


    That was until the studio was established and went viral online, amassing over two million fans, with several platforms offering signing fees in the millions.


    This included the son of the First Rich who just started Panda TV last month, with a registered capital of merely 10 million yuan, but boldly offered a 6-million-yuan signing fee, ready to secure a live broadcast contract for the next three years.


    The signing fees were trivial, but what caught Lu Liang''s attention was this industry, along with YouTube''s model.


    With an estimated value of 80 billion US dollars and an annual profit of 240 million US dollars, there seems to be no such enterprise in China that matched YouTube.


    YouTube caters to a global audience, though the current global registered users only amount to 780 million, while domestically, China has a population of 1.4 billion.


    And in recent years, with the rollout of 4G signals and budget smartphones.


    The number of internet users in China has grown exponentially, exceeding 600 million by June this year.


    Now online shopping is replacing offline shopping; might online entertainment one day replace offline entertainment?


    Without leaving the house, one could enjoy sceneries from all over the world, much like Lu Liang once analyzed the reasons behind Li Manli''s sensational popularity.


    She''s beautiful, boasts a great figure, loves wearing COS costumes, and even cooking was secondary¡ªthe key was her deliberate flaunting of a lavish lifestyle.


    For thousands of years, common people''s imagination of the elite class stayed at dining with gold chopsticks and farming with golden hoes. Everyone has the same head and two eyes.


    It was all about money, without a clear concept, until Li Manli''s videos peeled back a corner of that mystery.


    The audience, like sponges, greedily absorbed new knowledge, aspiring to that lifestyle.


    "A video platform has great potential!"


    After delving deeper, Lu Liang arrived at this conclusion, and a vague concept began to form in his mind.

 Chapter 66 - 66: Investing in Panda

    "Xiao Chen, help me arrange a meeting with Wang Xiaocong."


    Liang knew of Wang Xiaocong''s past and realized he was treading a novel path, somewhat akin to the Kardashians in the United States.


    By spouting grandiose claims on social platforms and behaving unconventionally, he attracted a massive crowd of onlookers, solidifying his personal brand.


    For instance, when Panda Interactive Entertainment was just established, there was no need for deliberate promotion, as he himself was the spokesperson for the platform.


    Invisibly, it saved a fortune in marketing expenses.


    This son of the First Rich wasn''t as clueless as he seemed, merely ranting at others.


    Chen Jinchun nodded, stepped out of the office, and through the official website of Panda Interactive Entertainment, he reached out to Wang Xiaocong''s assistant.


    Introducing himself, he learned that Wang Xiaocong was currently in Modu, and they settled on a time and place to meet.


    "Half past two in the afternoon, at Binjiang Cafe? Sounds good."


    Liang took one last look at the stock market trends, a line as still as a heart that had ceased to beat.


    Lying quietly on the floor,


    without even a small spike, like a pool of stagnant water.


    It wasn''t likely to break the board any time soon.


    This round, the price had to fall from 48 yuan to at least 25 yuan.


    Liang took Chen Jinchun with him to Binjiang Cafe.


    There, he met Wang Xiaocong; a thicknecked man with a big head, who, apart from being tall, really resembled the boss of Wanda.


    "Mr. Wang, hello, I''m Lu Liang."


    The legal representative of Mengmengda Media was Li Manli, which was a wholly-owned subsidiary of Tianxing Investment.


    Liang met Wang Xiaocong as the majority shareholder of Tianxing Investment, to discuss a live streaming contract.


    Live streaming and entertainment were different from what he envisioned sharing about life, two fundamentally different concepts. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But this idea of sharing life was just a vague concept in Liang''s mind.


    He was unsure how to proceed with it, so he decided to first explore live streaming.


    "Mr. Lu, your reputation precedes you. Your name is the one I''ve heard mentioned the most lately by friends."


    Wang Xiaocong smiled broadly, sizing up Liang as well.


    If it had been two weeks earlier, he probably wouldn''t have agreed to meet with Liang, even though Liang was the actual controlling party of Mengmengda Media.


    But times had changed, and the tale of how Liang snatched the deal from Zhongxin Fuying and Wu Junle on Punan Road, Number 88, last week, escaping with 1.28 billion yuan, was now widely known in financial circles.


    Liang had become a notable figure, worth networking with.


    "Xiaocong, we''re about the same age, so let''s not bother with the false pleasantries typical of the older generation."


    Liang smiled affably, using first-name familiarity as a sales talent to quickly close the gap between them.


    Wang Xiaocong was momentarily taken aback but soon caught on, asking curiously, "Lu Liang, what is your relationship with Li Xiaomeng?"


    "If I said we are just purely friends, would you believe me?" Liang asked with a smile.


    "I believe you, just like the entertainment journalists often slander me. I''m plainly friends with them¡ªit''s quite normal to have a drink together, right? And there''s nothing unusual about staying at the same hotel, right?"


    "Indeed, very normal."


    The two men shared a knowing smile, having established a tentative friendship over a common interest among men.


    Gradually, they turned the conversation to work. Panda mainly focused on game live streaming, but Wang Xiaocong was not satisfied with just gaming.


    Over the years, he had been active in the esports circle and even bought a team, making a bit of a name for himself. There was no shortage of game streamers.


    But in the realm of good looks, what they lacked was a pillar, and he saw potential in Li Xiaomeng, hoping to sign her to Panda Interactive Entertainment.


    In the future, they also planned to venture into the entertainment industry, intending to create an online celebrity variety show.


    "Lu Liang, I don''t know if you''ve watched variety shows, but the sponsorship fees for Running Man were 560 million, The Voice was 1.13 billion, and the money-making ability of reality shows these past few years can only be described as incredible."


    Wang Xiaocong was eager to bring Lu Liang on board, discussing the recent profits from reality shows and detailing the strategic goals of Panda.


    Reality shows were just the first step; he aimed to build a pan-entertainment empire, dubbing this strategy the Banana Plan.


    "If Panda is looking for investment, just give the word."


    A hint of surprise flitted across Liang''s eyes; he hadn''t expected their thoughts to align so closely.


    Little Wang''s vision was grand, roughly aiming to create a pan-entertainment cultural center akin to Eastern Disneyland.


    He hoped someone would help share the risk, and Lu Liang also wanted to understand the industry through investing in interactive entertainment.


    The two hit it off and wished they had met each other earlier.


    Within a few words, they finalized their intention to cooperate.


    Lu Liang invested three million and took a 15% stake, becoming the second-largest shareholder of Panda Interactive Entertainment after Wang Xiaocong.


    Later, he went to Panda''s headquarters to sign the contract agreement.


    "Lu Liang, do you have any plans tonight?"


    While the staff went to prepare the contract, Wang Xiaocong raised an eyebrow, his face showing a smile that all men understood.


    He was a regular at various nightclubs in Modu, spending at least four nights a week in nightclubs.


    Now that Panda Interactive Entertainment had gained a very capable shareholder, it was customary to celebrate properly.


    "Maybe next time, I still have some things to take care of later."


    Lu Liang solely owned Mengmengda Studio, and Li Manli only received a share of the profits without any ownership stakes.


    Suddenly switching her live streaming platform, he had to go and give her a heads-up first.


    "It''s okay, you can come over after you''re done with your stuff."


    Wang Xiaocong eagerly invited him, tempting continuously, promising that Lu Liang would have a blast tonight.


    Lu Liang gave a wry smile, finding it hard to refuse the kind offer, "We''ll see when the time comes."


    In the evening, after leaving Panda Interactive Entertainment, he told Chen Jinchun to take a taxi back and drove to a villa area in the West Suburb.


    The entire area was filled with standalone villas with yards, but most had been converted into e-commerce, live streaming, or new media studios.


    These industries favored a light asset model, integrating office and residential spaces to reduce costs and increase employee cohesion.


    This was Lu Liang''s first visit, and he almost got lost driving around the neighborhood before finally locating villa number 116.


    A three-and-a-half-story western-style house with a small yard next to the garage housed a bright red Porsche 718.


    Li Manli was wearing a black and white Lolita dress, holding a parasol, resembling an aristocrat from the Middle Ages.


    Ever since setting up the studio and assembling a professional team, the quality of her videos had improved significantly, generally divided into two categories: daily life and culinary displays.


    It looked like she was filming a daily vlog at the moment, but it was mostly acting¡ªafter all, no ordinary person would dress like this.


    "Liang, you''ve finally come to see me."


    When she saw Lu Liang, Li Manli excitedly dropped her umbrella, wrapped her arms around Lu Liang''s neck, and hung on him.


    "Can you not be so rough? After all, you''re a general manager now," Lu Liang said helplessly, his face showing his resignation as he supported Li Manli by her hips.


    "I don''t care, who told you to neglect me like casting me into the Cold Palace, it''s been so long since you last came to see me."


    Li Manli pouted, shooed away her assistant and camerawoman to have them go back inside, not to disturb their private time.


    A pair of slender legs swung through the air, expressing the joy of their owner.


    "I came to find you right after I finished my work."


    Lu Liang smiled, put down Li Manli, and they went for a walk in the park, where he brought up the matter of changing platforms for her.


    "I''ve heard of Panda, but I''m so bad at playing games, always hovering around silver rank," Li Manli said with a pained expression.


    "Just mingle, you only need to meet the 60 hours of live streaming each month. After that, no more live streaming on Bilibili, but you can continue to post videos to increase your influence," Lu Liang explained.


    He added, "With a signing fee of six million over three years, after deducting 50% for the revenue share and personal taxes, you''ll have about 2.4 million."


    "That much?" Li Manli''s eyes widened, never having imagined she could make so much money before.


    "A lot? It averages out to 800,000 a year, just 66,000 a month, not even enough to cover rent."


    Lu Liang thought of his own residence, where the monthly rent, utilities, and property fees all added up to over 80,000.


    He could afford to buy it now, but that would deplete all his cash flow, so he never felt it necessary.


    Li Manli couldn''t help but grumble, "Can that even compare? Who told you to live in such a big place all by yourself?"


    With an annual income of 800,000, she could build a new house for her parents.


    "Don''t worry, you''ll earn more and more in the future."


    Lu Liang''s face showed a smile, as he thought Li Manli''s brashness and carefreeness were just an act.

 Chapter 67 - 67: Fame Should Be Gained Early

    "I''ve paid the tuition fee," Lu Liang mused, declining Wang Xiaocong''s late-night invitation.


    Returning home, he waited in silence for the chime of midnight, not catching any significant sound.


    Unlike investing in ofo last time, where there was news about Mobike''s financing, this time it felt like dropping a stone into the sea.


    "Does this mean that the long videos of Chen Rui are actually the mainstream of the future market?" he wondered.


    Opening the pink television set, no matter how many times he''d seen it, he still found it hard to accept the jarring, immature video content.


    Yet it seemed to be all the rage on B Site, where the bloggers treated it like child''s play. But after all, how much do children actually have to spend?


    Lu Liang pondered for a long time, unable to discern the logic behind it; he decided to set it aside for the moment, taking it one step at a time.


    After all, whichever industry one chose to dive into required ample funding to do as one pleased.


    The urgent task at hand was to make money.


    For example, setting a small goal first, like earning a cool billion.


    The next morning, Lu Liang went to the office.


    Tang Caide submitted a proposal suggesting the expansion of staff, ideally adding one to two people in each department.


    "Okay, let''s hire a few more analysts."


    Lu Liang looked out the window, at Chen Jinchun dozing off, presumably busy until two or three in the morning helping him with research.


    The task he had given her was rather ambitious, investigating all the video websites on the market and analyzing their strengths and weaknesses.


    He also wanted to learn about the shared bicycle market, but seeing her overwhelmed with work, he chose not to mention it.


    Tang Caide gave a knowing smile upon seeing Chen Jinchun biting her pen and said, "Mr. Lu, it seems that our office space is getting a bit cramped."


    The current 240 square meters of office space, with 80 square meters taken up by Lu Liang''s office and the meeting room.


    The pantry and restrooms, among other basic amenities, occupied sizeable areas, too.


    The office area could only accommodate 10-15 people, which, although sufficient after the planned expansion, called for preemptive precaution.


    "Let''s look for a new place, find something bigger nearby to avoid moving too often in the future."


    Lu Liang recalled his visit to Panda Interactive Entertainment the previous day; with only 10 million in registered capital, their office spanned nearly 2000 square meters.


    Even though it was an office building owned by Wanda, they had just updated their business registration last week, bumping up their registered capital to 50 million.


    There was no reason their office should be smaller than the rival''s.


    At 9:15 a.m., pre-market bidding began.


    Some stocks were already finished before the market even opened, notably Teli A.


    The pre-market trading lasted ten minutes, with the price hardly changing, hitting the lower limit as soon as the market opened.


    The two-hour morning session revealed a plummeting line as straight as could be.


    Lu Liang still owned twenty thousand lots, even using the institution''s fast-trading channels.


    It took an average of three minutes to complete just a few lot trades, evoking the despair felt by the trapped retail investors.


    Although he faced a loss of seven to eight million daily, he wasn''t in a hurry to sell off, merely trying it out.


    With available funds of 145 million, with a principal of 79 million, the twenty thousand lots had lost everything, leaving him with a profit of 66 million.


    And Lu Liang had not considered selling the twenty thousand lots; purchased at an average cost of 10.6 yuan, he planned to keep them as his core position, awaiting the next market trend.


    During the uneventful trading days, Lu Liang intensely surfed the web for entertainment, watching Wang Xiaocong tear into International Fan.


    International Fan and Daheiniu announced their relationship under ''we,'' receiving blessings from most of the entertainment industry and even those outside it.


    Only Little Wang left a comment in the section below: it''s just a fling, some circles you can''t just squeeze into whenever you want.


    Thus, the squabble began, International Fan sneering about Little Wang having a rich daddy, while Little Wang ridiculed International Fan for being a mere blanket star.


    Lu Liang, engrossed in the drama, even set up a Weibo account for himself and liked and commented in support of Little Wang.


    It was a tough gig playing the entertainment industry''s disciplinary committee, mostly a one-man army.


    Using his real name to post, no sooner had Lu Liang sent his message than Little Wang retreated from the battle of words.


    In the comments section: "Is that you?"


    Lu Liang replied, "Yes."


    "Why didn''t you come last night?"


    "I was busy, couldn''t make it."


    The two carried on as if they were alone, treating the comments section like a private messaging platform.


    Lu Liang''s follower count also skyrocketed from single digits, rapidly breaking through the ten thousand mark and starting to surge towards a hundred thousand.


    After all, Wang Xiaocong commands over twenty million followers and often gives away phones and red envelopes; the quality of his followers is quite astonishing.


    Although netizens didn''t know who Lu Liang was, seeing the conversation between the two, they thought they must be good friends.


    If he was another naive rich boy from a landlord''s house, who knew if he''d start giving away red envelopes once he was happy with the growing number of followers.


    Following him wouldn''t cost them a piece of flesh.


    Meanwhile,


    Lu Liang received a call from Weibo''s operations manager.


    His follower count had broken fifty thousand, and he could skip the Yellow V to upgrade to a Red V, so they asked for his information and occupation.


    They also explained the privileges of becoming a Red V, like having an exclusive symbol, customer service, recommendations, and rights.


    "Tianxing Capital, Lu Liang, just put down ''angel investor'' for my profession," Lu Liang replied.


    The operations manager was taken aback, pulled up Tianxing Capital''s information, and realized it was a big player in the industry with registered capital of fifty million.


    Their tone became more respectful, "Mr. Lu, please wait a moment or two, we will immediately update your account information."


    "Shortly after, a dedicated customer service representative will contact you; if you have any questions in the future, you can reach out to your dedicated customer service."


    "Okay, thank you."


    Lu Liang followed customer service''s guidance, waited for two minutes, and then re-logged into his Weibo account.


    His ordinary scenic profile picture now had a small red v next to it, and his bio had changed to:


    Founder of Tianxing Capital, angel investor.


    "My goodness, I turned into a Red V so quickly?"


    "An investment banking tycoon? Begging to be spoiled, begging to be noticed."


    "I have a project here, just lacking funds."


    After completing real-name authentication, Lu Liang''s follower count also swiftly broke through the hundred thousand mark, and his inbox was filled with all sorts of messages. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The netizens of this generation really dared to say and do anything, with racy photos being sent directly, but most of them were seeking investments.


    Lu Liang thought for a moment and posted his first update: "Just arrived at this magnificent place; as per tradition, let''s start with a prize draw."


    "Floor 6, 66, 666, 6666, and floor 8, 88, 888, 8888, each will get a new Apple phone."


    After careful consideration,


    he felt that Wang Xiaocong''s approach was worth considering. Nowadays, in the internet era, fame isn''t necessarily a bad thing. Even though it meant public scrutiny, it also meant public protection.


    As soon as the status was posted, his follower count, view count, and comment numbers rose exponentially.


    Giving away eight iPhones just like that confirmed the netizens'' guesses. Birds of a feather flock together; the rich boy knew other rich folks and they were all leaving comments in the section.


    With a one in a thousand chance, no cost involved, and the ability to leave multiple comments, they might just be the lucky ones.


    Within less than five minutes,


    the comment section had already built up a skyscraper''s worth of comments.


    Lu Liang called over Chen Jinchun and asked her to contact the winners to deliver their prizes.


    Because Su Wanyu had come over for tutoring, he also needed to prepare for his fifth mock exam.


    "Mrs. Su, what are you going to treat me to tonight?"


    Since the last mock exam ended, Lu Liang had tutored for an additional fifteen hours; this time, he was confident he could score 425 points.


    "Let''s talk about it after you pass," Su Wanyu said with a tsundere expression, discreetly pursing her lips, trying to suppress her joy.


    She also felt that Lu Liang could pass today.


    So, unlike usual, she had applied exquisite makeup.


    Looking forward to their first date tonight; it''s just hidden behind black-framed glasses and not easily noticeable.


    75 minutes later, Lu Liang finished the mock exam and sat next to Su Wanyu, watching her score it.


    The whole test was mostly right with fewer mistakes than before. He had clearly improved a lot compared to the last time, but whether he could pass the 425-point pass mark was still unknown.


    Finally, the score tallied up to 422 points.


    Su Wanyu frowned slightly, without a word, she carefully rechecked the paper.


    She corrected a question that should have deducted five points: "''Ditto,'' meaning the same as ''Me too,'' is more informal in usage, so your answer isn''t wrong after all."


    Just by restoring the deducted five points, the score suddenly went from failing to passing.


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but laugh, teasing, "Mrs. Su, isn''t this somewhat biased and unfair?"


    Su Wanyu kept a straight face, very seriously said, "Mr. Lu, I warn you again, please do not question my professional integrity."

 Chapter 68 - 68: Date

    Just after six o''clock, Lu Liang arrived at the entrance of the building to wait.


    Originally, he was supposed to leave the company with Su Wanyu, but she insisted that he go start the car while she went to the restroom.


    Lu Liang wanted to wait for her outside the restroom, but she wouldn''t allow it, and he had no idea what she was up to.


    Bored out of his mind, Lu Liang played with his phone in the car, and just that afternoon, his Weibo followers had skyrocketed past the 200,000 mark.


    Suddenly, he could understand why Wang Xiaocong enjoyed showing off online: it''s thrilling in the moment and continuously exhilarating with ongoing pretense.


    Thousands of people unabashedly heaped praise on him, comfortably throwing around terms like "hubby" and "daddy" with no sense of burden.


    It was simply a straightforward greeting with an attached sweepstakes, yet many people complimented him on his politeness and gentlemanly manner.


    When he clicked on the profile pictures,


    they were all from attractive women who often posted updates.


    Considering how often Little Wang changed girlfriends, sometimes he couldn''t really blame him.


    After all, they come when you beckon and leave when you call; there''s a world of flowers out there for the picking, and good men are tempted into becoming scoundrels.


    If this were a test for any cadre, which one could withstand such temptation?


    With a critical eye, Lu Liang scrutinized the private message photos in the background, "B, C, F! These must be fake."


    Suddenly, there was a knock on the car window.


    A beautiful girl with big eyes stood by the car,


    bearing an eight-point resemblance to Su Wanyu,


    and even wore a similar plain colored dress.


    "Who are you, beautiful girl?"


    Lu Liang opened the car door, unable to help but tease with a laugh.


    After spending over a month together, he had only seen Su Wanyu without glasses once. But it was that one glimpse that had left a deep impression.


    Her features were picturesque, her eyes lively and colorful, with long, slightly upturned eyelashes that made her eyes even brighter and more charming.


    "My sister went home; I''m her younger sister Su Wanjun."


    Su Wanyu''s cheeks flushed with a hint of color, like a bloom exuding radiance, finally opening up after years of seclusion.


    "Wanjun, if you''re treating me to dinner, your sister won''t get mad, right?" Lu Liang said, his eyes twinkling with admiration.


    Su Wanyu, conscious of Lu Liang''s intense gaze, felt her face heat up and kept silent.


    Lu Liang smiled gently and looked away, "Where to?"


    "Hotpot at the City God Temple."


    Su Wanyu sneaked a glance at Lu Liang, relieved that he wasn''t looking anymore, and breathed a sigh of relief.


    She fiddled with the hem of her dress, seemingly inexperienced with this being a first date and unsure what to say.


    "You look really pretty without your glasses," Lu Liang suddenly said.


    Su Wanyu''s cheeks flushed even more as she mumbled in response, "It''s just that I''m not used to it. I''ve worn them since I was in elementary school."


    "Then when you wear contacts, don''t you feel a sense of exhilaration, as if you''ve thrown off shackles?"


    "Yes, yes, but it''s still inconvenient because sometimes I forget to take them out, and I might accidentally lose one."


    Su Wanyu began to open up; she enjoyed talking to Lu Liang because her friends said she was a closed book, but with him, it seemed like there was endless chatter.


    Laughing and talking, they arrived at the City God Temple''s Hotpot restaurant.


    When no one was around, it was fine, but as soon as they encountered people, Su Wanyu would subconsciously maintain distance from Lu Liang.


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but smile, stepped forward, and took Su Wanyu''s hand¡ªdelicate, white, and as soft as if boneless.


    "Aren''t I presentable enough?" he whispered, his lips nearly touching her ear.


    Su Wanyu was slightly startled like a frightened bird, her palm sweating profusely, "No, it''s just a bit odd."


    "Strangeness mostly comes from unfamiliarity; you''ll get used to it."


    Lu Liang chuckled, feeling the temperature of Su Wanyu''s palm rise, but now without the sweat.


    The back of her pale hand bloomed with a blush matching the color on her cheeks, impossible to conceal with makeup.


    Even if he was slow to react, he knew Su Wanyu had probably never had a boyfriend or been on a date.


    With this thought, Lu Liang loosened his grip and called over a waiter to place the order, then turned to ask, "What would you like to eat?"


    "Whatever you order is fine," Su Wanyu said with a sigh of relief, then added, "It''s my treat."


    "Don''t worry, I won''t fight you for the bill."


    Lu Liang inquired about Su Wanyu''s preferences.


    They ordered a "Yuan Yang" hotpot with a few stir-fry dishes.


    During dinner, Su Wanyu concentrated on eating, because every time she looked up, she would meet Lu Liang''s gaze.


    She could only keep her head down and focus on her meal, looking weak, helpless, and pitiful.


    After dinner, they went for a walk nearby to digest their food.


    The City God Temple in Modu was always filled with tourists, no matter when.


    After walking for over ten minutes, Lu Liang noticed that Su Wanyu didn''t seem to like crowded places. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He said, "Let''s go for a walk by the river."


    Su Wanyu quickly nodded in agreement.


    They headed in the opposite direction of the Bund against the crowd.


    As they went further away, the number of tourists thinned out, and the air became fresher.


    "Do you want to sign up for the level four exam? I can help you fill out the information; with your current level, you should pass easily."


    Su Wanyu strode ahead, walking with her hands behind her back, when she suddenly turned to face Lu Liang.


    But her big eyes, vulnerable to the wind, accidentally squinted; her eyes kept blinking, and tears were almost flowing out.


    "It''s enough to be able to do it; getting a certificate is too time-consuming."


    Lu Liang realized something was wrong: "What''s wrong?"


    "Something got in my eye, it''s so uncomfortable."


    Su Wanyu''s eyebrows were tightly furrowed, and she kept sniffing, one of her eyes already bloodshot.


    Lu Liang saw a small flying insect and her contact lens shifted off the pupil, and quickly said, "Don''t move, I''ll help you get it out."


    With the contact lens mixed up with the insect, Lu Liang had no choice but to remove the lens as well: "How about now?"


    "It''s much better, but one eye can see clearly, and the other can''t, makes my head feel a bit dizzy."


    Su Wanyu had a blank look on her face, her bright and spirited eyes suddenly losing their sparkle.


    "You should take the other one out too and put on glasses."


    Lu Liang looked down at his fingertips, the contact lens he had removed was nowhere to be found - he remembered it was light blue, a small piece of silicone, and if dropped it would be almost impossible to find again.


    Su Wanyu hummed in acknowledgment; fortunately, she didn''t like wearing fake nails or have long nails, so even without tools, she could remove the contacts with her hands.


    But after removing them, she realized in shock that she had left her glasses in the company bathroom, and her handbag only contained an empty glasses case.


    "You didn''t bring them?" Lu Liang couldn''t help but laugh out loud, amused by her confused state.


    "You can still laugh?" Su Wanyu''s face was full of grievance, with Lu Liang''s figure blurred to just an outline in her eyes.


    "Let''s go back first then, and see if there''s an eyeglass store along the way. If there is, we''ll get you a pair; if not, we''ll head back to the company."


    Lu Liang, unable to contain his amusement, took Su Wanyu by the hand.


    This time, she didn''t resist; instead, she clutched his hand tightly and intentionally moved closer to him.


    With her nearsightedness over 500 degrees, once she was without glasses, anything beyond a meter was just a blur.


    It felt like being abandoned by the entire world, or like a drowning person - Lu Liang was her lifesaver.


    Lu Liang was surprised, holding up three fingers in front of her: "Can you see this?"


    Su Wanyu complained, "Of course I can see that; I''m nearsighted, not blind."


    "What number is this?"


    "Three, I guess, it''s a bit blurry from far away."


    Lu Liang ''oh''-ed, withdrew two fingers, and began to lead Su Wanyu back the way they had come.


    From a distance, he saw an eyeglass store by the side of the road, but he deliberately took a detour.


    Su Wanyu followed his gaze and could only see a blurry glow; she couldn''t make out what kind of store it was.


    She had no choice but to follow Lu Liang, walking through the dimly lit park tightly gripping his arm to avoid falling.


    After walking a considerable distance, Su Wanyu felt something was strange.


    The City God Temple area was a commercial district. When they arrived, she had seen several eyeglass stores, so why hadn''t they come across any on the way back?


    She couldn''t help asking, "Aren''t there any eyeglass stores?"


    "Of course, we just passed quite a few," Lu Liang admitted with a laugh.


    "Then... why?"


    Su Wanyu was fuming, glaring with her big eyes, perfectly exemplifying the phrase ''big eyes without spirit.''


    "There are, but I just wanted us to spend a little longer time together like this."


    Lu Liang spoke softly, lifting both of their hands. Unknowingly, their fingers were already interlocked, closely joined together.

 Chapter 69 - 69: A Healthy Perspective on Emotions

    "Let go!"


    Su Wanyu''s cheeks flushed with a tinge of red as she struggled to release her grip, but Lu Liang held on tightly.


    "Since I''ve caught it, where''s the logic in saying let go just because you say so?"


    A smile appeared on Lu Liang''s face, and suddenly, as if by magic, he pulled a delicate four-leaf clover bracelet from his pocket.


    He said softly, "The four-leaf clover is a rare variant of the clover species, and amongst a hundred thousand three-leaf clovers, only one is a four-leaf. Therefore, it''s considered a sign of luck. Meeting you is the biggest fortune of my life, will you be my girlfriend, please?"


    "Ah~"


    Su Wanyu stood there, stunned. Although she indeed had a good impression of Lu Liang, and though they had spent over fifty hours together,


    But, but, finalizing a relationship on the first date, wasn''t that a bit too fast? She wasn''t ready to accept it yet.


    "Is it too fast?" Lu Liang seemed to read her thoughts.


    Su Wanyu nodded hastily, her face flushed red and her limbs stiff, her speech became a mess, "That... could you, you... give me some time?"


    "So, you don''t like me? And you''ve rejected me?"


    Lu Liang sighed, his mood fell, and his disappointment was written all over his face.


    "I... I don''t dislike you, and I haven''t rejected you."


    Su Wanyu was so flustered she was nearly in tears, unable to keep herself from stamping her foot.


    Then she misstepped and twisted her ankle accidentally, gasping in pain.


    "This plot is so melodramatic, blind eyes and a lame leg, I feel like I''ve seen this somewhere before."


    Lu Liang was shocked but couldn''t help laughing, "Let''s head to the hospital later, hopefully they won''t find something''s wrong, right?"


    "You, you... you jerk!"


    Su Wanyu glared at him. She was someone who had watched Korean dramas, so she naturally knew what Lu Liang was about to say next. After much effort, she finally managed to say something that made her want to cry in frustration.


    With just her right foot touching the ground, a bone-deep pain spread, forcing her to grab onto Lu Liang''s arm to stabilize herself.


    "Don''t move rashly, let me have a look."


    Lu Liang''s smile faded, and he put aside his playful demeanor, carefully supporting her to the nearby flowerbed.


    He turned on his phone''s flashlight, crouched down to inspect her foot, and took off her flat shoe along with half of her cotton sock.


    Her fair ankle was visibly swelling at a rapid pace ¨C in just a few seconds, it swelled up like a pig''s trotter.


    Suddenly, the sound of sniffling came, followed by a clear teardrop falling onto the back of Lu Liang''s hand.


    Su Wanyu''s nose was red, her eyes brimming with tears, and her long lashes glistening with droplets.


    Wiping her tears, she remained silent and tearful, like a child wronged with no one to tell, left to endure the pain alone.


    Lu Liang frowned and, without caring whether she agreed or not, pulled her arms over his shoulders and lifted her onto his back.


    Any explanation now would seem weak ¨C the priority was to take her to the hospital and give her time to calm down.


    Su Wanyu struggled as if she was harder to grasp than a pig during New Year''s slaughter, but Lu Liang was unyielding, paying no notice to anything she said or did.


    After a long walk, she finally calmed down, her arms instinctively wrapped around Lu Liang''s neck, her cheek resting on his shoulder, tears still in her eyes.


    She wasn''t crying because of the pain, but because of the injustice.


    "Lu Liang, you are a jerk."


    In Su Wanyu''s imagination, her first date with the person she liked was supposed to be wonderful.


    A happy date, a joyous return home, even lying in bed before sleep, the memories of tonight would have made her blush with joy.


    Yet, as the movie line goes,


    You can guess the beginning but not the ending.


    Lu Liang could only offer a wry smile and refrained from making excuses.


    After all, during times like this, once the outburst is over, it''s over, any further details would just darken the picture.


    He had initially hoped for a swift resolution, to establish the relationship first and develop the emotions slowly over time.


    Little did he expect, life is full of surprises, and a series of coincidental events had led to the current situation.


    Before long, they returned to the parking lot of Haidilao, and Lu Liang drove Su Wanyu to the hospital for a checkup.


    Fortunately, it was only a mild sprain. After setting and bandaging, she was advised to rest quietly at home for about a week to recover.


    As Lu Liang busied himself, he suddenly noticed the bracelet ¨C at some point, Su Wanyu had put it on her wrist.


    The corners of his mouth lifted slightly, revealing a faintly discernible smile, "How about, we do a full-body checkup?"


    What she got in return was Su Wanyu''s big roll of the eyes, as she protested, "If you want to do it, do it yourself, I''m not doing it."


    Picking up medicines and paying for them, they bought a walking cane to aid her movement. Lu Liang supported Su Wanyu as they left the hospital and he asked knowingly, "That bracelet looks really nice, did your boyfriend give it to you?"


    "Some jerk compensated me with it."


    Su Wanyu huffed, feeling resentful.


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but suppress a chuckle, "That jerk told me to ask you where you live, he wants to take you home."


    "Tell that jerk to first stop by the company to get my glasses, then head to Guangzhong Fifth Village."


    "Can''t you live on campus for postgraduate studies?"


    "Definitely not."


    Lu Liang suddenly understood; he had never taken the exam and wasn''t clear on the details.


    He had previously heard Su Wanyu say that she had been preparing for the postgraduate studies since the beginning of the year and assumed she had been living on campus all this time.


    However, Lu Liang didn''t go back to the company. Instead, he found an eyeglass shop near the hospital, "At this hour, the buildings are all locked. Let''s just buy a new pair."


    In fact, locked doors didn''t really affect Lu Liang, he could make a phone call and have someone open the door. The main reason was he didn''t want Su Wanyu to wear those glasses anymore; to be honest, they were quite unattractive.


    When she was unfamiliar with people, Su Wanyu''s temperament tended towards the cool and distant, which suited rimless glasses very well.


    And indeed, that was the case.


    Lu Liang helped her choose a pair of rimless square frames, and her overall attractiveness instantly rose from a 9 to 9.5.


    The remaining 0.5 was purely because she was young and still lacked the charm specific to mature women.


    Su Wanyu saw the price and frowned slightly, "I have several pairs at home, no need to buy new ones."


    One pair cost 3800,


    she could get them for just over a hundred online.


    Lu Liang smiled and told the shop owner to proceed with the order, "Just consider it compensation from the jerk."


    "Don''t want it."


    Su Wanyu was serious. She knew Lu Liang was very rich, but she had her own scale in her heart to measure which gifts were appropriate to accept and which weren''t.


    Just like she accepted Lu Liang''s bracelet, it was because he said he liked her and gave it to her that she was willing to take it.


    When she decided to accept it, she was already thinking of finding an opportunity to give Lu Liang a similar gift in return.


    Love is a two-way journey, never a one-person monologue. Constant taking is not love at all.


    Lu Liang squinted his eyes and stared at her for a long time; those eyes were clear and bright, as if they hadn''t been tainted by a speck of worldly dust.


    Having experienced too many deformed or interest-based relationships, Su Wanyu''s excessively healthy view of relationships made him question for the first time, can this truly exist?


    Lu Liang harbored some doubt.


    Whether true or false, let''s just treat it as if it''s real for now.


    As long as he remained vigilant and refrained from jumping to conclusions, he would never be at a loss.


    Lu Liang''s face broke into a smile and he turned to the shop owner, "We don''t want this pair after all; let''s pick another one."


    The shopkeeper was flabbergasted, his face displaying discontent, "Handsome, are you really not going to take it? I can give you a 10% discount."


    "No need."


    Lu Liang was adamant, and Su Wanyu''s face immediately lit up with a smile, "I''m really sorry, boss. My apologies, let me have another look."


    Her joy wasn''t because Lu Liang gave in, but because he was willing to stand in her shoes and consider her perspective.


    She was just a recent graduate from an average family background; there was no need for glasses costing thousands, a few hundred yuan ones were sufficient.


    Even though they were just a couple hundred, Su Wanyu still chose carefully, selecting a pair that were almost similar to the 3800 style.


    The same rimless square frames, just made from more common material, not like the titanium steel and nano-technology of the other pair. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Leaning on her cane, Su Wanyu placed a sample pair on her nose and wobbled her head in front of Lu Liang, "How about that? Do they look good?"


    "Beautiful people look good in anything they wear."


    Lu Liang praised sincerely, her attractiveness still at 9.5.


    It turned out the difference between high-end glasses and cheap ones wasn''t as vast as he had imagined.


    It seems, the key lies in the person wearing them.


    "Boss, we''ll take this pair."


    Su Wanyu paid for them with a delighted and content smile.

 Chapter 70 - 70: Long-lost Heart Palpitations

    It was past ten at night when they left the eyeglasses store and arrived at Guangzhong Fifth Village. Nearby were top-tier universities like Shangcai, Shangwai, Shangke, and Tongji.


    Although it was the summer break, there were quite a number of students around preparing for postgraduate studies, so the streets were lively.


    A Lamborghini SUV drove into University City, immediately attracting envious glances from young students.


    "There''s Hongfa Apartment up ahead."


    Su Wanyu pointed at an old apartment building not far away. It had 26 floors, and many of its windows were lit. The occupancy rate was very high.


    "After coming all this way, aren''t you going to invite me up for a glass of water?" Lu Liang asked with a smile, parking the car by the roadside.


    Su Wanyu looked wary. "What are you up to?"


    After spending the evening together, Mr. Lu, who was once courteous, had turned into Bastard Lu in her eyes.


    Although she preferred the shameless Bastard Lu¡ªcompared to Mr. Lu, he seemed more lively and real¡ª


    but the progress in their relationship that night had been fast enough. She wasn''t ready to take it any further and even felt somewhat scared.


    "I''m just simply curious and want to take a look."


    Lu Liang didn''t hide his thoughts and even talked about his previous experience as a real estate broker, seeing many girls'' rooms.


    Many had glamorous exteriors but untidy homes. He was very curious which type Su Wanyu was.


    "You used to be a real estate broker?" Su Wanyu was surprised.


    She suddenly became curious about Lu Liang''s past because being a broker was a job with no barriers; basically, anyone could do it.


    "I''m not a wealthy second-generation, how could I possibly be born rich."


    Lu Liang spoke lightly, but Su Wanyu could hear from his words that he had surely experienced unimaginable hardships along the way.


    Feeling a tug at her heart, she pretended to be fierce. "Just to take a look and have a glass of water. If you have other ideas...hmm¡­"


    "Got it, don''t act like a tigress."


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but chuckle. Watching her act so fiercely was incredibly adorable. He couldn''t resist ruffling her hair.


    "Stop it, that''s annoying~"


    Su Wanyu bared her teeth and swatted Lu Liang''s hand away.


    But when she turned her head, a smile appeared on her face, clearly not minding Lu Liang''s affectionate gesture.


    She was just verbally contrary.


    Lu Liang picked up his crutch and assisted Su Wanyu out of the car; she lived in a small single-room on the sixth floor of the apartment. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Her rent was 850 yuan, quite cheap compared to nearby apartments, rented to her by a senior in May.


    "6023, this is it."


    Su Wanyu hesitated while taking out the keys, not very keen on letting Lu Liang in.


    Seeing this, Lu Liang smiled; they were already at the door, how could he not take a look inside.


    "Let''s just look. It''s nothing really."


    Su Wanyu wrinkled her nose, pushed the door open, and switched on the lights. The interior''s layout was visible at a glance.


    A bed, a set of desk and chair, a mirror, and a canvas wardrobe¡ª the rest was nothing but books.


    There was no pink-theme room for girls; the whole room was simply but neatly arranged.


    The only out-of-place item was probably the long blue pillow on the bed, looking a bit like a sea horse or perhaps a dragon.


    The color of the pillow''s lower half was noticeably lighter than its upper half, painting a picture of Su Wanyu hugging it like a monkey each night.


    Su Wanyu noted Lu Liang''s gaze, her face flushing as she hurriedly lifted the quilt to cover the sea horse.


    Hopping on one leg, she reached the desk and searched, unable to find a disposable cup.


    She reluctantly picked up her own cup, dabbed it with a towel, and meticulously cleaned it several times.


    She handed Lu Liang a glass of water. "There''s only one cup at home. Drink up and leave."


    She had lived here for over two months, and only her parents had visited once last month for a graduation photo.


    Even her best friends hadn''t visited on regular days; everything in her room was single without spares.


    Lu Liang sat on the only chair, watching Su Wanyu sit by the bed, drinking water unhurriedly.


    Suddenly, there was a sound of furniture banging against walls from next door, accompanied by faint moans.


    Usually, such moans would be drowned out by the noise of fans and air conditioning units.


    But at that moment, it sounded 100 times louder, exceptionally clear.


    "Aren''t you leaving yet?"


    Su Wanyu puffed her cheeks, continuously pushing the air from left to right, and then from right to left.


    A flush of red unknowingly climbed up from her ears to her cheeks as she tried to ease her tense mood.


    Lu Liang suddenly put down his water glass, and the clink of the glass hitting the table made Su Wanyu''s heart tremble involuntarily.


    He leaned in slowly, and she widened her eyes, tilting her head back slightly with a trembling voice, "What are you doing?"


    Lu Liang chuckled lightly, caressed Su Wanyu''s cheek, lifted her hair, and kissed her forehead, "Goodnight, I''m leaving."


    He walked to the door, then suddenly stopped, "Starting from today, I am your boyfriend."


    "From now on, whatever time it is or whatever happens, you can call me."


    "I''m free tomorrow afternoon, I''ll come over to pick you up and take you to the office, wait for me at home."


    Finally, Lu Liang smiled and looked at Su Wanyu, "I''ve said my part, what about you?"


    "Well well¡­ goodnight~"


    Su Wanyu''s cheeks flushed red, and like a beckoning cat, she mechanically lifted her hand and waved.


    Lu Liang closed the door and left, and the next second, Su Wanyu, like a madwoman, kept rubbing her cheeks.


    Feeling that it wasn''t satisfying enough, she threw back the covers, dove into bed, and furiously rubbed her Haima plush toy.


    After venting, her mood gradually stabilized.


    A little while later, she let out a giggling laugh.


    Meanwhile, Lu Liang returned to his car.


    He looked up at the balcony of apartment 6023.


    It seemed a figure flickered past.


    Suddenly, his phone rang. Su Wanyu had sent a message: "Drive safely on your way, goodnight~"


    It was accompanied by a bashful cat emoji.


    "Bye, sweet dreams."


    Lu Liang displayed a smile, feeling a flutter he hadn''t felt in a long time, though there was an inexplicable irritation bubbling in his heart.


    In the dim car, accompanied by the sound of a lighter, a flame lit up, and Lu Liang''s voice followed, "Now heading to Peace Restaurant, I''ve booked a nice room, will be there soon."


    Lu Liang tossed the cigarette butt, left University City, and made a call to Tan Tao, "Open a suite for me, there will be a girl named Zhang Qian coming in my name, take her directly upstairs."


    Forty minutes later, Lu Liang arrived at Peace Hotel.


    Tan Tao was waiting at the hotel entrance, "Mr. Lu, Miss Zhang just arrived, she''s in room 602."


    Lu Liang handed over the car keys and confidently headed up to the sixth floor, booking the Spanish suite for tonight, vibrant with its passionate tropical style.


    Lu Liang unlocked the door and saw a blue silhouette by the window, leaning over gracefully, admiring the Modu night view.


    The blue knit dress, also known as the "blue battle uniform," hugged the figure closely, enhancing the wearer''s shape.


    With a gentle twist of her waist, she flawlessly displayed her shapely figure, sparking endless imaginings.


    Zhang Qian fit this description perfectly; below the hem of her dress were black stockings paired with black high heels with red soles.


    Lu Liang quickly walked over and embraced Zhang Qian''s waist, she turned her head and asked with a smile, "What''s up?"


    Her response was met only with heavy breathing, but she quickly got into the mood and reacted accordingly.


    The process was lengthy...


    The blue knit dress also suffered from the fray; the original V-shaped neckline tore out of shape.


    Afterward, Zhang Qian was drenched in sweat, her eyes closed in respite, seemingly uncurious about what had gotten into Lu Liang tonight.


    "How''s the fast food business going?"


    Lu Liang, distracted, inquired about Zhang Qian''s recent activities.


    "The last storefront we rented is undergoing renovations, about twenty-five days left."


    Zhang Qian, smiling, lay on Lu Liang''s chest, her fingertips tracing patterns on his stomach.


    "Let me know when you''re opening, and I''ll bring people to support you."


    Zhang Qian didn''t inquire, but Lu Liang felt a compulsion to speak: "Aren''t you curious about what''s been with me tonight?"


    Zhang Qian stretched lazily with a groan, "If you want to talk, I''ll listen; if you don''t want to, I won''t ask. But it looks like it''s resolved now."


    Lu Liang pinched Zhang Qian''s cheeks, "It is resolved."


    Suffering the favors of a beautiful lady is hard; Su Wanyu''s innocence almost shattered his moral resolve.


    But in that moment of abandon,


    he realized he should take it all.


    Hide it while you can; leave if it can''t be hidden or accepted.

 Chapter 71 - 71: Deliberate Dilemma

    Tang Caide was very efficient at her job. The very next day, the company had several new faces¡ªreceptionists, clerks, financial staff, and the analysts that Lu Liang had eagerly anticipated.


    Chen Jinchun also breathed a deep sigh of relief. She only graduated from a second-tier university, so asking her to conduct market research was really putting her in a difficult position.


    In the past few days, her head had been spinning from all the data gathering¡ªit felt like smoke might billow from her ears at any moment, with her longing for stars and moons, finally looking forward to professionals arriving.


    She couldn''t help but clench her small fists tightly, cheering them on with punches in the air, hoping they would pass the interviews and join the company smoothly.


    "A Fudan? A Beijing University?"


    Upon seeing their resumes, Lu Liang couldn''t help but wonder, "Tang, what kind of enchantment did you use?"


    The highest qualifications in the company were held by Tang Caide, with a Ph.D. from Shangcai and a master''s degree from Hua Shi.


    However, it was because she was too old and wanted a job to support her retirement, that Lu Liang had discovered her and gradually promoted her to the Vice President''s position.


    But these two interviewees were no older than 25 years old, both graduated from finance departments, and could easily intern at big institutions like Redwood or Goldman Sachs.


    Tang Caide''s eyes twinkled with amusement, "Tianxing Capital certainly couldn''t attract them, but you could, Mr. Lu. They all want to learn from you."


    It wasn''t hard to dig up Lu Liang''s past. Anyone or any organization with a bit of capability could obtain his detailed information.


    As of this March, he was still employed as a real estate broker at Green View Group, earning a guaranteed few thousand a month, occasionally getting a bonus of ten to twenty thousand depending on his luck.


    In just four short months, he had transformed, becoming the owner of a speculative finance spot at 88 Punan Road and founding Tianxing Capital with a registered capital of 50 million.


    Those in the know would be curious about how he managed this.


    It happened to be the graduation season, and as soon as the company posted job openings, their inbox was flooded with applications.


    The applications from masters students of Fudan and Beijing University were the result of Tang Caide continually elevating the recruitment standards and filtering out candidates.


    If she were willing to lower the hiring criteria, the number of applicants could easily increase tenfold.


    Lu Liang suddenly understood and looked over two resumes that were nearly flawless: "Let them come in."


    The Beijing University master''s degree holder was Luo Juncheng, and the Fudan master''s was Wen Chao. Both were young men in their early twenties.


    Wearing neat suits with impeccably styled hair, both had participated in numerous debates on campus and received offers from major companies, possessing a confidence that other recent graduates lacked.


    Lu Liang was no pretender and knew very well that education was merely a foot in the door; the key was whether they had real ability.


    He arranged for them to work on two internship projects, analyzing the market prospects, strengths, and weaknesses of the shared bicycles and online video industries.


    Whoever demonstrated stronger abilities and conducted more thorough analyses would be the one he''d keep close as his right-hand man.


    Chen Jinchun was just an assistant, but Lu Liang also needed someone strong as his deputy, planning to have them assist in trading later.


    Lu Liang made no secret of it, declaring bluntly, "I need a secretary who can help me handle everything."


    A secretary was a position, while an assistant was a posting.


    Secretaries had no overt power and couldn''t directly lead others, but essentially, they represented the General Manager, and their suggestions often reflected the General Manager''s ideas, which everyone had to follow¡ªthus the saying, "Seeing the secretary is like seeing an officer one rank higher."


    And because an assistant had a posting, they held some administrative power, hence the saying, "An assistant is half a rank lower."


    To put it plainly, Chen Jinchun couldn''t order Tang Caide around because she lacked the authority, but the secretary could because he represented Lu Liang.


    While the secretary had no power, if Lu Liang ever intended to step back, the secretary would likely become the leader directly.


    Both men''s breathing quickened because they understood what being a secretary represented, not even bothering to inquire about benefits.


    Discussing these matters was too premature and pointless at the moment. If Lu Liang considered one of them as his successor, what couldn''t they have?


    They didn''t mention it, and Lu Liang couldn''t feign ignorance: "Five thousand a month during the internship, excluding room and board allowances."


    He had always felt that to survive in Modu, the monthly expenses needed to be at least five thousand.


    Companies that offered only two or three thousand during an internship, without any benefits, were clearly suppressing newcomers and undermining their confidence.


    Saving on intern wages wouldn''t make anyone rich.


    Thus, he established a rule that regardless of the position, internship pay would always be five thousand, with room and board adding up to six thousand four hundred.


    "Thank you, Mr. Lu."


    The two young men were delighted to hear this. With such a salary during their internship, they could support themselves without asking their families for money.


    Luo Juncheng then asked, "Mr. Lu, is there a deadline for the two research reports?"


    Lu Liang looked at the time, thought for a moment, and said, "Hand them to me before the 10th of next month."


    Today was the 24th, and there was still more than half a month left.


    By then, the next trend for Teli A would probably be initiated.


    After that, he feared he would not have any more time.


    "Research funding is limited to thirty thousand, see Mr. Tang for reimbursement."


    Lu Liang looked at Tang Caide, thirty thousand was roughly the upper limit for personal market research.


    If he needed more research funding than that, he might as well hire a professional research company.


    "If the financial audit passes, then you can come to me."


    Tang Caide nodded, showing them a benevolent smile, clear about her role. Being older, she was hard to tame.


    If Lu Liang was willing to trust her, she would do her best to manage the company well and wouldn''t harbor ambitions of power and profit.


    If one day Lu Liang stopped trusting her, she would not hesitate to step down and vacate her position.


    Her policy was to avoid conflicts and disputes, ring the temple bell for as long as she was a monk.


    As for being the abbot, whoever wanted to take that role could have it.


    Ultimately, becoming despised and detested, whether for more money or more power, what use would it be?


    "Any other questions?" Lu Liang finally asked.


    "Mr. Lu, Vice President Tang, we will leave first."


    Leaving the office, Luo Wen and the other exchanged glances, both smiling, but the air was already charged with a gunpowder-like tension.


    Better to be a chicken''s head than a phoenix''s tail; they wouldn''t have come to interview at Tianxing Capital if it wasn''t to become Lu Liang''s deputy.


    In this battle, both were determined to win.


    Lu Liang, looking through the blinds, saw them and laughed, "Tang has a good eye; they are all quite excellent."


    "Excellent they are, but one will always be more excellent."


    Tang Caide saw the essence of this struggle.


    Both were capable, but Lu Liang had still ruthlessly narrowed it down to one.


    She had seen a lot of this before.


    A great leader must learn to conjure something from nothing, to create undue pressure and anxiety out of thin air.


    This way, their subordinates would work furiously, and the leader could reap the rewards. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But there was a prerequisite; it needed to be meaningful, not pointless.


    Once it became pointless, it would evolve into internal conflict, starting to focus on superficial formalities.


    However, they didn''t have to worry about that just yet, as the company was in a growth phase; as long as they were willing to work hard, there would be gains.


    Next, Lu Liang reviewed the new site location submissions that Tang Caide had made, which were mainly around Lujiazui area.


    After all, it was the financial district; moving there would also elevate their company''s prestige.


    Although the location was good, the price was also high, starting at eight yuan per square foot, double the current cost.


    Taking an office area of three thousand square meters, the monthly rent would be 720 thousand yuan. Including utilities, property management, and other basic expenses, it would be at least 800 thousand yuan per month, totaling over 8.6 million a year.


    "We''ll go check it out this afternoon; if it''s suitable, we''ll settle on it."


    Lu Liang planned to finalize it in one go, to avoid future moves.


    Moving to Lujiazui would make it easier to attract high-end talents in the future.


    After all, a company''s address, like a man''s car, both represented its strength.


    Unless one owned their own building, it was still necessary to follow the crowd.


    "Then I''ll go contact the property management."


    Tang Caide planned to leave, but Lu Liang stopped her, "I remember you haven''t bought a car yet?"


    Originally, he had promised to buy Tang Caide a car worth three hundred thousand, but it seemed she hadn''t made the purchase.


    "I''ve been caught up with a few things recently; let''s wait until after we move to the new address."


    "That works. When the time comes, we''ll buy a few more vans to register under the company''s name."

 Chapter 72 - 72: Yen Depreciation

    Tang Caide left, and Lu Liang also opened his computer to browse through today''s financial news from around the world.


    He only glanced at the domestic stock market, for it was yet another straight line to the floor, with retail investors being sheared to the point of despair.


    Just a while ago, they were cursing Old Xiao for maliciously warning them, and now they were hoping that Old Xiao would descend like a divine soldier to rescue them from misery. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Zhongxin Fuying and No. 12 Futian Road were too damn ruthless, delivering a floor price day after day with over ten billion in sales, and they still weren''t finished.


    The stock price dropped from 48.25 yuan to 35.19 yuan, hitting three stop-loss limits in a row, with a net loss of 1306 yuan per lot.


    The small profits that retail investors had previously made were not enough to even cover their original investment, let alone the profit, and they had been severely gouged.


    It was a continuous gouging,


    they saw it with their own eyes and felt the pain in their hearts. The key issue was that with the dealers delivering at floor prices, they couldn''t even cut their losses if they wanted to.


    "Just hold on a little longer, at most another two days."


    Lu Liang was also losing millions every day, but he had earned some profit beforehand and had a bottom line in his heart, so he was not the least bit flustered.


    Soon, he was drawn to the news from Japan; after all, he had passed the English Level-4 exam. Though reading a full English article exerted some pressure, he no longer had to translate every paragraph as he did before.


    Breaking news just came out, Japan suddenly convened a cabinet meeting with intentions to raise the consumption tax.


    "With an aging society, declining birthrate becoming increasingly severe, and the national treasury empty, raising the consumption tax is inevitably the right choice."


    Lu Liang pondered for a long time and pulled up the frequency and extent of increases in Japan''s consumption tax over the past twenty years.


    Initially, they were too aggressive, boasting about selling off Tokyo to buy the United States, but then they got severely hit by the Americans.


    After two decades of economic stagnation, the only thing that didn''t rise was the wage. Whether it was prices or consumption tax, they only increased, never decreased.


    The last time the consumption tax was raised from 3% to 5%, it was in ''97 when the Thai baht was short-sold, triggering a collapse of the baht and leading to the financial crisis that swept through all of Asia.


    "Will the consumption tax, which hasn''t increased in eighteen years, rise?"


    Lu Liang fell into deep thought; if it increased, it would certainly be a bearish signal for the yen, presenting an opportunity to short.


    If it didn''t increase, that would be a bullish signal for the yen, and shorting would mean going against the entire market.


    After much contemplation, Lu Liang pulled up the exchange rate between the yen and the US dollar for the past several years and suddenly laughed.


    A natural disaster four years ago, followed by a man-made mishap, directly opened the downward channel for the yen.


    At that time, one US dollar could exchange for 79 yen.


    Now, one US dollar could get you 108 yen.


    For a country''s currency,


    a rise of 37.5% in four years was nothing short of a bloodbath.


    Take someone with a monthly salary of three thousand.


    Four years ago, a bottle of Coke cost 3 yuan,


    now a bottle is 4.12 yuan.


    Four years ago, that person could buy 1000 bottles, but today, four years later, they can only afford 728 bottles.


    The cost to produce Coke actually remained unchanged; the 272 bottles that vanished into thin air were the manifestation of currency devaluation and inflation.


    Lu Liang pondered for a long time, then decided to take his shot.


    The devaluation of the yen was an irreversible trend. Natural and man-made disasters were just triggers; the real issue was due to the shrinking birthrate and aging population.


    Children are the foundation of all economies. From the discovery of an embryo to graduation from university, at least 20 years pass with only expenses and no income. The industries they stimulate during this time are countless.


    But it''s different for the elderly, who have cars and houses, health insurance, and pensions. With old age comes limited consumption, to the point that not even the bubble bath industry sees a boost.


    Even if the consumption tax does not increase, shorting would at most lead to a loss and not necessarily blow up one''s position.


    Lu Liang still held 145 million, and to leave such a large sum of money lying idle in the account was nothing short of despicable waste.


    He planned to take out 10 million US Dollars for a bit of fun, and if he lost it, he could still break even with the earnings from Teli A.


    Lu Liang began to gather information, his primary focus was on the rules of forex trading, followed by the timing of the Japanese Cabinet''s next regular meeting.


    The rules of forex trading were not much different from those of stock or gold trading, it all came down to selling high and buying low.


    With the current rate of 1 US Dollar to 108 yen, without using leverage, 10 million US Dollars would exchange for 1.08 billion yen.


    In the US Dollar to yen forex market, for every point it rose, there would be a profit of 10 million yen, which equaled approximately 92,500 US Dollars.


    If leveraging was used, a 10 times leverage would turn a one point gain into a profit of 100 million yen, and with 100 times leverage, that would be 1 billion yen.


    Correspondingly, with 100 times leverage, a one point drop would mean a loss of 1 billion yen, and if the loss exceeded 70% of the margin, it would trigger a forced liquidation.


    The cost of using leverage also varied greatly, ranging from 50 to 400 times, and the transaction fee for each trade was between 0.06% and 0.1%.


    The next Cabinet meeting was set for the following Tuesday.


    They would listen extensively to public opinion before deciding whether or not to raise the consumption tax, and by how much.


    Lu Liang pondered over these two matters for half a day.


    So much so that he skipped lunch, until Tang Caide called him to view the company''s new venue.


    Lu Liang took Chen Jinchun with him to the Lujiazui financial district, visiting famous buildings such as the Global Financial Trade New International Building.


    The cheapest they found was 8 Yuan per square meter, with others at 9 Yuan, 11 Yuan, and even as high as 15 Yuan.


    Lu Liang took a liking to the New International Building near Greentown, situated in the very core of Lujiazui, a 3-minute walk from the subway station.


    The tower stood 45 stories high, with the office space available for rent on the 32nd floor, offering a usable area of 3,800 square meters at a daily rent of 9.5 Yuan per square meter.


    Despite being high up, there were many elevators, a total of 38 high-speed elevators from Germany, ensuring hassle-free commutes.


    "Let''s go with this one," said Lu Liang, eating a burger Chen Jinchun had just bought for him, quite satisfied after taking a tour.


    With a prime river view, the Bund in sight, the Mingzhu Tower as its backdrop, and nearby giants like the Bank of China, Ping An, and HSBC, business dealings in the future would also be convenient.


    The property manager''s face lit up with joy upon hearing this, smiling ear to ear, "Mr. Lu, after the discount, the monthly rent will be 1.05 million."


    "Mr. Tang, I''ll leave this place to you, I have other things to attend to, so I''ll be going now."


    Lu Liang didn''t respond with a smile but glanced at the time; he had promised to pick up Su Wanyu that afternoon to come for English lessons and signaled Tang Caide that the price could still be haggled down.


    There was a lot of room for negotiation with high-end office spaces, especially when renting such a large office area, getting a discount of 70 to 80% wouldn''t be unusual.


    With an annual rent of over 10 million, companies that could afford it often built their own buildings. Those that couldn''t afford it wouldn''t need such a large office space, which made it rather awkward.


    The original rent was 1.083 million, but in Lu Liang''s opinion, the final deal could be negotiated down to around 900,000. After all, the property management fees were charged separately, 28 Yuan per square meter per month, also amounting to over a million a year.


    Tang Caide understood and asked, "Xiao Chen, do you want to go with you?"


    "You can keep her," he replied.


    Lu Liang discarded the burger wrapper, sipping his cola as he strolled leisurely to the underground parking lot of the building.


    His casual attire stood out distinctly against the business suits of the passing businessmen.


    As soon as he got into his car, Lu Liang called Su Wanyu, "Are you still at home?"


    "Um... yes."


    "I''ll be there in thirty minutes."


    Half an hour later, at Hongfa Apartment in Guangzhong Fifth Village, Su Wanyu stood at the door with a walking stick.


    Lu Liang pulled up beside her, teasing with a smile, "Do I really have to get out and help you open the car door?"


    He noticed that ever since their relationship was no longer strictly employer-employee, Su Wanyu often seemed slow in responding to him, displaying an inherently ditsy nature.


    Su Wanyu hopped over to the passenger seat, stored her walking stick, and then suddenly whispered, "I''d like to ask for a few days off."

 Chapter 73 - 73: The Best Wingman

    "What are you taking leave for?"


    "To recover from an illness."


    "I''m not approving it."


    "Why?" Su Wanyu was indignant.


    Lu Liang replied impatiently, "You teach with your mouth and hands, and maybe use a little bit of your brain. What does that have to do with your injured foot?"


    "How is it only using a little bit of my brain?"


    Su Wanyu frowned, muttering, "But still, it''s not really appropriate."


    She was Lu Liang''s foreign teacher and also considered a semi-employee. Having an office romance was not a good look for the boss.


    "If you''re thinking so much about my reputation, maybe you could teach at my house?"


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but smirk, enjoying tousling Su Wanyu''s hair, which made her screech in protest.


    Perhaps it was the slight natural curl¡ªwhich at one time earned her the nickname ''Curly''¡ªthat made him harbor a bizarre resentment towards long, straight hair.


    Hugging her small bag close, Su Wanyu wore a wary expression, "You''d better go to the office, and hands off during work hours."


    "We need to set boundaries. At the office, I am Mrs. Su, and you are Boss Lu. Also, don''t come to pick me up tomorrow, I can get there on my own."


    Su Wanyu''s face was stern, extremely serious.


    She didn''t want to negatively impact Lu Liang, otherwise she would rather not have this part-time job: "I''ve got only seventeen lessons left, don''t place any more orders from me. If you want to learn, I''ll teach you for free."


    Lu Liang sighed, a worried look on his face, "With our relationship, it hurts me that you''re keeping such a clear tally."


    "Humph, just endure the pain then."


    Su Wanyu turned up her nose; she wasn''t going to be fooled again.


    But Lu Liang didn''t respond for a while, and she felt a bit panicky, adding, "Mainly because I''m preparing for my graduate studies next month and I won''t have much time."


    Lu Liang chuckled, ruffling Su Wanyu''s hair, "That makes me feel much better."


    "Jerk, you''ve tricked me again, I''m going to destroy you."


    Su Wanyu bared her teeth and clawed the air, while Lu Liang held her back by pressing on her forehead, "You think your puny arms and legs can take me on?"


    Amid the laughter and noise, they were about to reach Yongfeng Building.


    Suddenly, Su Wanyu said, "Drop me off at the intersection."


    Her tone was firm. Lu Liang didn''t insist further and dropped her off, then drove to the parking lot of the building.


    He didn''t go to the office, but instead called Old Meng, learned he was at the office, and went straight to the 17th floor.


    The office was located in a building provided by Meng Changkun. Since they planned to move, it was both polite and reasonable to inform him.


    Old Meng was generous in his response, showing no dissatisfaction, as if he had anticipated this.


    The 15th and 16th floors housed small companies worth a few hundred thousand. Tianxing Capital''s registered capital had reached 50 million.


    Yongfeng Building was too small, it couldn''t house this great Buddha. Moving was inevitable and actually a good thing.


    Meng Changkun ruefully said, "I just won''t be able to come over for tea as often."


    "We''re still in Puxin District, it''s just a few steps away."


    "True, let me know when you move, and I''ll send over a set of fine tea utensils."


    "Thank you in advance, Mr. Kun."


    Lu Liang smiled, bidding farewell to Old Meng, and went back to the office. He saw Su Wanyu and Chen Jinchun chatting.


    Being of similar age, it was Chen Jinchun who had recruited Su Wanyu online, and the two had a good relationship.


    It seemed they were discussing why the injury occurred.


    Unlike last night, Su Wanyu didn''t blame a certain jerk, merely saying she had twisted it by accident.


    "When the time comes, I''ll talk to Boss Lu on your behalf; you should be able to continue with the tutoring."


    Chen Jinchun knew that Su Wanyu was renting an apartment to prepare for her postgraduate entrance exams and was therefore tight on money; she really needed this part-time job.


    It was mainly thanks to Tang Caide, who had gotten off to a good start; when Chen Jinchun had first joined, Tang had helped her a lot. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    So now, she was also willing to help others as much as she could.


    When Su Wanyu saw Lu Liang approaching, she quickly stood up with the help of her crutches and reminded Chen Jinchun, "Mr. Lu."


    Lu Liang nodded slightly and looked at her, "What happened to your foot?"


    "I twisted it by accident," Su Wanyu turned her head away, afraid that Chen Jinchun would notice something amiss.


    Lu Liang hummed and looked toward Chen Jinchun, "How is the company''s new address arrangement coming along?"


    "This is the lease document; Mr. Tang asked me to hand it over to you," Chen Jinchun picked up the document on the table.


    The property rent remained at 28 yuan per square meter per month, but the rent had been reduced to 866,400 yuan, a 20% discount.


    Altogether, it came to 972,800 yuan per month, with a contract signed for three years at a time, a deposit for three months, and six months'' rent paid upfront, totaling 8,755,200 yuan.


    Just then, Tang Caide came back from outside, and Lu Liang waved her over, "Mr. Tang, come in with me for a moment."


    The ten million from last time was probably running out; he planned to have Tang Caide make a trip to the bank and the industrial and commercial bureau to add another 24 million.


    This would increase the registered capital to 40 million, and he estimated that there would be no need for further investment in the short term.


    The company had only expenditures, no profits; only Lu Liang still had some family assets. If it were anyone else, they''d have been bankrupt by now.


    "Mr. Lu, when did you become so easy to talk to?" Chen Jinchun felt odd and couldn''t help muttering.


    "Is he difficult to talk to?" Su Wanyu was curious about what kind of image Lu Liang had in the employees'' hearts.


    "It depends on the time, though; he is quite generous, but he basically has no sense of time."


    Chen Jinchun couldn''t help but complain; there were several times he had called her at midnight to have her check information that was needed the next day.


    "I don''t have three heads and six arms; I could only stay up late and work hard. I had to go to work the next day, but he didn''t mind if I dozed off."


    "I still remember once, when Tang was on a business trip and it was just me and Mr. Lu at the company. When we were leaving work, he wanted to drive me home, but I refused."


    "What happened next?" Su Wanyu eagerly asked.


    That was what she wanted to know the most¡ªwhether Lu Liang was special to her or the same to everyone.


    Chen Jinchun resentfully said, "Later, he saw me waiting for the bus on the road and just nodded at me and left."


    "That''s pretty good," Su Wanyu felt elated hearing Chen Jinchun''s evaluation.


    Lu Liang''s image became more defined: he was stern and decisive at work, not sweating the small stuff. Most importantly, he only became a jerk around her, which sweetened her heart.


    "Good is good..." Chen Jinchun hesitated.


    After all, she was also attractive and had not lacked admirers during her school days. Lu Liang''s behavior gave her a sense of frustration.


    "Miss Su, Mr. Lu is calling you in."


    Tang Caide came out of the office, summoned Chen Jinchun and another finance staff member, and planned to make a trip to the industrial and commercial bureau and the bank.


    After Su Wanyu entered the office, she first opened the venetian blinds, then began preparing her teaching tools.


    She glared fiercely at Lu Liang, seeming to warn him that all his employees were outside and not to do anything inappropriate.


    Lu Liang smiled without misbehaving, only changing today''s teaching material from the Wall Street Journal to the Tokyo Daily.


    The Tokyo Daily had both Japanese and English versions published almost simultaneously, so there was no delay.


    While studying English, Lu Liang could also better understand the current economic situation in Japan.


    With the consumption tax increase, people would definitely be unhappy, as the amount they had to spend was tangible.


    Taking the current 5% consumption tax as an example, a pack of cigarettes cost 100 yen; the buyer would have to pay 105 yen. If it rose to 10%, they would have to pay 110 yen.


    Unlike domestically where the tax was included in the product''s sale price, invisible and intangible, only making people lament how quickly money was spent.


    In the past eighteen years, there had been many proposals to increase the consumption tax by the cabinet; whether it could be implemented depended on the resistance from the people and the economic situation in Japan.

 Chapter 74 - 74: Reversing and Reversing Market Conditions

    Lu Liang felt that it was highly probable that it would pass.


    This term''s ruler, Anshan, had been appointed as the premier three times. Last year, he had dissolved the House of Representatives, held elections two years early, and secured re-election, achieving his third term in office.


    Last month, risking universal condemnation, he had ignored the protests of a million citizens and forcefully pushed through the new defense law, making it possible for Japan to exercise collective self-defense rights.


    He had torn up the enemy state clauses and Article 9 of the Constitution, which prohibited Japan, as a defeated nation in World War II, from maintaining any military forces or other armed troops, and from producing any war-related materials.


    Anshan indeed was a man descended from heaven, and Lu Liang had thus concluded that raising the consumption tax was an inevitable choice.


    "What are you thinking about?"


    Around six o''clock, as most of the company''s employees were leaving, Su Wanyu, leaning on her chin, stared blankly at Lu Liang as he spaced out.


    "I''m thinking about where to take you for dinner." Lu Liang turned his head to look out the window, unaware that the sun was setting.


    "How about a revolving hot pot?"


    "Didn''t we just have hot pot last night?"


    "It seems so. Well, you decide. I''ll clock out now, and see you at the intersection later."


    Su Wanyu left the office, greeted Chen Jinchun, and limped out of the company.


    Watching her silhouette, Lu Liang called Zhao Haisheng to ask about the progress of the foreign exchange account.


    Having learned that it would be ready by tomorrow, he tidied up his desk and also left the office.


    That night, the two of them went to have grilled fish and then watched an anime movie, The Return of the Great Sage.


    "This movie is a dark horse of the summer vacation. My classmates said it''s really good."


    Su Wanyu chattered on, her foot injury not dampening her spirits at all.


    Lu Liang thought of "Xia Luo," scheduled to be released during the National Day holidays, still over two months away.


    After dropping Su Wanyu off at home at night, Lu Liang returned home and quietly awaited midnight.


    [August 1, US Dollar to yen, 129.2300]


    "21 points, but why on a Wednesday?"


    Lu Liang furrowed his brow. If there were any disturbances, the financial markets would certainly react instantaneously.


    But the cabinet meeting was already scheduled for Tuesday. If they decided to raise the consumption tax, it would definitely be announced that day.


    Why was there a day''s delay?


    What had happened that day?


    With these questions, Lu Liang drifted off to sleep.


    The next day, after successfully registering his ''Forex Treasure'' account, he spent the whole day getting to know the foreign exchange market.


    The consumption tax increase in Japan had become inevitable, and many international speculators were gearing up to short the yen.


    "Short selling is a very secretive affair. When it becomes common knowledge, is it still a disadvantage?"


    "Given Anshan''s character, would he just watch international speculators harvest the wealth of the nation?"


    Lu Liang was skeptical about this. The consumption tax increase was a policy strongly advocated by Anshan; he couldn''t possibly be unaware of its consequences.


    The increased consumption tax directly added to private spending costs, thus suppressing market consumption.


    Everything became more expensive, and naturally, people were reluctant to spend. Apart from filling the national coffers, it did more harm than good.


    Lu Liang thought of a possibility. The consumption tax went up, the yen plummeted, and the central bank stepped in to save the market.


    But due to irresistible factors, they still lost, hence the day''s delay.


    "The new defense law!" An idea suddenly struck Lu Liang.


    Besides the invaded countries, the most upset over Japan exercising collective self-defense rights was the benefactor, America.


    The US forces stationed in Japan had been there for over 60 years, exploiting under the guise of protecting regional peace for decades.


    Regaining self-defense rights, Hawk was of course the most upset; making less money was a minor issue, but losing face was a major one.


    How then?


    Planning to develop New Alliance Victory?


    "Am I no longer able to cover for you?"


    The son grows rebellious bumps on his head, and as a father, I certainly have to discipline him.


    This incident cannot set a precedent; if there''s one, there will be more, and the younger brothers will all want to try for New Alliance Victory. How would I lead the team then?


    The more Lu Liang thought about it, the more likely it seemed that the foreign exchange market would experience reversals followed by more reversals.


    He logged into his brokerage account and withdrew 64 million, which he converted into 10 million US dollars based on the day''s exchange rate.


    He glanced at Teli A, which had hit the floor limit three times in a row. Today it finally broke the limit, but it still opened low at -7.6%.


    Li Jianlin and Wu Junle should have almost finished unloading their stocks, but Lu Liang no longer had the mind to pay attention to that.


    He divided the 10 million into two parts, injecting 5 million into his margin account and employing a 10x leverage.


    Entering the foreign exchange market, he first established a 5% base position at a rate of 108.12.


    With 2.5 million US dollars, a single point of profit or loss amounted to 23.1 thousand US dollars, and the transaction fee was one-eighteen.


    Lu Liang''s margin account held 5 million US dollars, allowing for a maximum drop of 151 points.


    Even if Japan sank directly to the bottom of the sea, it would not cause a margin call.


    Over the following days,


    Lu Liang focused on understanding Japan''s domestic situation, and Su Wanyu''s N2 Japanese certificate played a crucial role.


    Only international newspapers offered full English translations; some minor tabloids couldn''t be bothered or couldn''t afford it.


    Often, these minor tabloids conveyed information more accurately, reflecting the true state of Japan.


    An N2 Japanese certificate corresponds to a proficiency level of a university''s sixth grade in English; reading posed no real difficulty.


    Through Su Wanyu''s translations, Lu Liang also found out that


    some banks in Japan had already limited the exchange of various foreign currencies to prevent capital flight by the public.


    Storm clouds gathered; history''s wheels churned relentlessly, and the increase in consumer tax seemed inevitable.


    Numerous people took to the streets, waving banners to protest against the rise in consumer taxes.


    "You''ve really helped me a lot."


    While no one was looking, Lu Liang gave Su Wanyu a firm kiss, which made her blush deeply.


    After dinner that evening, Lu Liang drove Su Wanyu home, from where she took out a delicate little box from her bag: "For you."


    "What''s this?" Lu Liang was dumbfounded. He couldn''t remember the last time he received a gift with such exquisite wrapping.


    It might have been ten years ago or even twenty; the memory was too distant and had long faded.


    After starting work, he was initially interested in activities like calling friends out for a foot bath or a late-night snack to celebrate a birthday.


    But over the past seven or eight years, he had stopped caring. If it weren''t for a fixed day each year when his parents and sister called him, he wouldn''t even know he had aged another year.


    "Then it wouldn''t be a surprise if I told you, would it. Just open it and see," Su Wanyu smiled brightly.


    The wrapping was done meticulously, not appearing as if it were bought off the shelf. Lu Liang asked, "Did you wrap this yourself?"


    Su Wanyu squinted her eyes and lifted her chin, looking pleased with herself, "Impressive, right?" S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Truly impressive."


    Lu Liang''s expression was complex as he untied the ribbon and wrapping paper, revealing a box inscribed with the English letters ''zippo.''


    A silver lighter, adorned with a green four-leaf clover and engraved on the front with the English words roughly meaning ''eternal love,'' likely factory-made. On the back, there was a custom Chinese inscription: "Smoke less."


    The handwriting was elegant and unrestrained, clearly recognizable as Su Wanyu''s.


    "Thank you, I really like it." Lu Liang tried it a few times; it felt good in hand, though it couldn''t light up without fuel.


    Suddenly, Su Wanyu mimicked Lu Liang''s tone: "The four-leaf clover is a rare variant of the clover species. Among a hundred thousand three-leaf clovers, only one is a four-leaf, making it a symbol of luck. Meeting you is also the greatest luck of my life."


    Lu Liang smiled, a tender look crossed his eyes. Before he could make any move, Su Wanyu dashed out of the car.


    "Bye~~ Be careful on your way back~" she waved from the doorway of her apartment.


    "Bye~"


    Lu Liang smiled, watching as Su Wanyu went upstairs.

 Chapter 75 - 75: Not Even a Deity Could Save [Subscribe Requested]

    On Tuesday morning, the cabinet meeting was held as scheduled.


    Due to only a one-hour time difference between China and Japan, Lu Liang didn''t need to stay up all night. He woke up from a good night''s sleep and leisurely made his way to the company.


    While eating breakfast, he turned on the live news broadcast, which was focused on the second floor of the National Assembly Hall.


    The podium had been set up, waiting for the cabinet meeting to end and the decisions of this session to be announced to the nation.


    The camera occasionally flashed to street scenes where citizens, with white bandages tied around their heads, took to the streets to protest the increase in consumption tax.


    Lu Liang opened his software. Although the decision hadn''t been announced yet, the US Dollar-to-yen exchange rate was already uncontrollable.


    This was partly because some banks, seeking to protect themselves, had prohibited the public from exchanging foreign currencies.


    International speculators, like a pack of bloodthirsty wolves, were waiting for their prey to breathe its last, ready to pounce as a group.


    Lu Liang maintained a 5% position without any moves; he planned to build his position at the lowest point to maximize his profits.


    At ten in the morning, Beijing time, the cabinet meeting ended, and people gradually exited the National Assembly Hall.


    Surrounded by a crowd, Anshan walked up to the podium, and his first words were, "Confidential Marseille."


    He took a half step back to the left, made a standard ninety-degree bow, similar to ancient emperors issuing self-critical edicts.


    He sorrowfully described making a very difficult decision¡ªto raise the consumption tax from 5% to 8%.


    The press conference continued, but the content that followed was of little interest to anyone.


    The increase in consumption tax was a fait accompli, a tangible piece of hugely bearish news.


    Although he mentioned implementing an economic stimulation plan amounting to 5.5 trillion yen, it was all just empty promises.


    The foreign exchange market reacted swiftly. It was a feast for international speculators.


    However, the feast wasn''t as lavish as imagined, and there were quite a few people who shared Lu Liang''s thoughts.


    Over the years, Anshan had proved to be the most resolute leader, even inventing the famous "Anshan Economic Theory."


    Although it was mocked as "Anshan Political Theory," there was no denying his profound expertise in financial matters.


    Everyone was waiting, waiting for him to show his full hand, and nobody wanted to be the first to move.


    Amidst a suspicious atmosphere, the yen stopped falling.


    110 yen, like a massive trench.


    "Is it for real, or just a bluff?"


    Lu Liang frowned, closely observing the market.


    He still had 47.5 million US Dollars at his disposal, a considerable force in the market.


    If he waited until market movement began, he would definitely not be able to compete with big capital and would only get a small share of the profits.


    A few months ago, he would have settled for that, but now his appetite had grown, and he wanted a substantial share.


    "When others are greedy, I am fearful; when others are fearful, I am greedy. Since no one wants to be the first to move, I will."


    Lu Liang squinted his eyes, deployed 20 million US Dollars, and created sell orders for 4.36 billion yen, casting them onto the market.


    His position was at 45%, and the cost price was 109.1100 yen. A single point''s gain or loss amounted to $194,900.


    He could withstand a drop of up to 18 points, but a loss exceeding 3.5 million would trigger a forced liquidation.


    The 20 million US Dollars entered the long-silent market, stirring ripples.


    A large number of small sell orders followed, and the bear army, as if having found a leader, instantly broke through the 110 yen barrier.


    But before the bear army could celebrate, a large amount of capital flowed into the market, halting the rise of the US Dollar to yen exchange rate.


    The foreign exchange market took a sharp turn as the Tokyo Central Bank held a press conference and announced a 3 trillion yen infrastructure plan.


    The finance minister emphasized the need to establish a virtuous cycle of growth and distribution to set the economy on a path of self-sustained growth.


    In a nutshell, "If you want to prosper, build roads first, take from the people to use for the people, and construct a thriving Tokyo economic sphere."


    Once the press conference ended, the US Dollar to yen exchange rate instantly returned to 108 yen, causing countless high-leverage short positions to bust instantly.


    Because retail investors lacked sufficient funds and always aimed high with leverage as aggressive as 50 times or even 200 times.


    Even a single point fluctuation could wipe them out, even depleting their margin accounts completely.


    This minor pullback had cost Lu Liang a loss of $246,000 on paper.


    "Not enough, the new security law is the key."


    Lu Liang firmly believed that the United States would not allow its authority to be violated, the major events had not yet happened, and Anshan had not played all its cards.


    It seemed to verify his guess, suddenly, rumors spread that the foreign minister had summoned the commander of the US forces stationed in Japan.


    Regarding the expenses for the US forces stationed in Japan, they reached an agreement that Japan would bear about $18 billion for the next five years.


    Compared to the previous five years, an 8.5% increase, including utility bills, staff salaries, and training transfer fees.


    "Voluntarily raising protection money, are they trying to smooth things over with cash?"


    Lu Liang discerned Anshan''s thoughts, watching the forex market, the Air Force growing weaker, about to fall below 107 yen.


    He sold another $20 million, increasing his account position to 85%, directly curbing the yen''s upward momentum.


    At this moment, the situation remained unclear, with only Lu Liang''s force in operation, much like a monkey ruling as king when no tiger is in the mountains.


    Japan had already apologized with added politeness,


    Everyone was waiting, waiting for America''s response.


    Lu Liang stayed at the company until late at night, opened the blinds, and saw Chen Jinchun still firmly at her post.


    He walked out of his office, "Make me a cup of coffee, then you can head home. There''s no need to lock the doors."


    The time difference between China and Japan is only one hour, but the time difference between China and the United States is 12 hours, so he was still waiting.


    The US''s acceptance or rejection would largely determine the subsequent trend of the US-Japan exchange rate.


    Chen Jinchun was astonished, "Mr. Lu, aren''t you leaving work?"


    "There''s still some work to handle," Lu Liang shook his head, urging Chen Jinchun to go home early and be safe on the road.


    Suddenly, the company was empty, with only the office still lit. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lu Liang set his alarm, planning to take a short nap.


    At two in the morning, the Wall Street Journal''s official website updated an article.


    The editor-in-chief personally interviewed the Speculation God, Soros, asking his opinions on the yen''s trajectory.


    "Creating inflation expectations, making consumers aware that prices will rise in the future, hence, for some goods they were already planning to buy, they would purchase them sooner, thus stimulating consumption and investment, thereby reversing the long-term extremely low consumption and investment situation."


    "This is a paradox, a true free market cannot be controlled, and trying to do so will surely be retaliated against by the market."


    The octogenarian with white hair spoke bluntly, attacking the fundamental operational logic of the Anshan Economic Theory.


    After all, this wasn''t his first time doing this, nearly writing his intention to short the yen all over his face.


    The forex market stirred again, surging by 5 points instantly, reaching 112 yen.


    At this critical time, the Wall Street Journal invited Soros for an interview, and Soros accepted, discussing the yen''s trajectory.


    It was clear as day, known to all.


    At three thirty in the morning, the White House suddenly released news.


    About six hours ago, Lucian had met with the Ice Princess where both sides engaged in a friendly exchange on the 66th anniversary of US and South Korea establishing diplomatic relations.


    "Ultimate move!"


    Lu Liang marveled, with no time to appreciate the strong move by the United States, he hurriedly operated his account, massively repurchasing yen for closing positions.


    For at the moment the White House released the news, the US-Japan exchange rate had surged by 13 points, reaching 125 yen.


    Everyone knew that, in the early nineties, Korea developed by leveraging the United States to dismantle Japan''s economy.


    At this time, Lucian''s meeting with the Ice Princess was evidently meant to send a message to Anshan.


    Not accepting apologies or the new security law meant this issue was not over.


    The meeting with the Ice Princess was political pressure, Soros'' involvement was economic pressure.


    With both pressures applied, the channel for the yen''s devaluation had been opened, and even gods would struggle to save it.

 Chapter 76 - 76: Malice Like a Tide [Subscribe Requested]

    "Just $6.2635 million?"


    When daylight broke, Lu Liang had finished closing his positions.


    After careful calculations, the total profit was $6.289 million; deducting $25,500 in handling fees, he netted $6.2635 million.


    With an investment of $10 million, in less than a week, the profit had soared to 62.63%, but Lu Liang still felt it was a bit meager.


    This earning was unworthy of the grand spectacle, after all, witnessing the entirety of a nation''s leader rise and fall.


    Economically and politically pressured, after this episode, Anshan would probably change from a rain of tough men to a rain of eggs.


    Lu Liang suddenly felt a sense of sorrow like a rabbit mourning a fox, "The capital was too little after all."


    If he had tens of billions of dollars like the Quantum Fund, he could have been a protagonist in this international incident.


    Unfortunately, with only $10 million in capital, he could only watch others perform on stage and feast while he had to pick up scraps from the edges.


    "That year, on the stage of thirty nations, standing like a supporting character~"


    Humming a tune, Lu Liang stepped out of his office to wash his face in the restroom, his face oily and grimy from staying up all night.


    He ran into Tang Caidie who was astonished, "Mr. Lu, were you at the company all night?"


    Lu Liang nodded, "Just finished with things, getting ready to head back."


    "Will you be coming in the afternoon?"


    "Is there something up?"


    "The business registration documents should be delivered by noon, and there''s also the financial audit report, they both need your signature."


    The beginning of every month was the busiest time for Lu Liang, with payroll, expense tracking, and capital audits for investments.


    Tang Caidie was only in charge of inspection; these documents all required Lu Liang''s personal signature for authorization.


    "Then I''ll come by later this afternoon."


    Lu Liang knew these documents couldn''t be delayed; without his signature, the process would grind to a halt and projects would come to a standstill.


    Once he got home, he had barely lain down for a few hours when his phone, on silent mode, vibrated non-stop like a buzzing bee.


    Suppressing his anger, Lu Liang answered the call, and Meng Changkun''s excited voice came through, "Brother, you''re just too awesome!"


    "Huh? What are you raving about?" Lu Liang was groggy, his mind foggy, not fully booted up yet.


    "Oh, right, right, sorry, you should be resting now, I''ll call you later."


    Almost instinctively, Lu Liang hung up, his half-closed eyes shut again, but within minutes he sensed something was amiss.


    A quick glance at his screen had showed numerous missed calls and unopened messages, which seemed unusually high.


    And how did Old Meng know he was resting?


    Lu Liang suddenly woke with a start, all traces of sleepiness gone, and hurriedly called Meng Changkun back, "Mr. Kun, what did you mean just now?"


    Meng Changkun asked with a laugh, "Did you short sell the yen last night?"


    Lu Liang hesitated for a moment but admitted, "That did happen."


    "Those Japanese guys have been praising you as the Speculation God."


    Meng Changkun''s excitement was palpable, a proud sense of shared glory, "Check WeChat, I''ve forwarded the news to you."


    If he had to choose between two girls, one a Maozi and the other a Sakura Girl, he would decisively pick the Sakura Girl without hesitation, not for any other reason but to avenge the enmity of a hundred years past. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lu Liang, embodying the short-selling tycoon, had fiercely reaped the wealth of the Japanese nationals. If Meng Changkun had personally managed such an affair, it would merit its own page in the family records back in his hometown.


    For a Chaoshan person, this was the supreme honor, second only to building ancestral halls.


    Meng Changkun sent four or five articles in a row, and as Lu Liang read on, his expression darkened, like he had swallowed a fly.


    [Eastern Soros]


    [China''s Speculation God]


    [Making tens of millions of dollars overnight]


    [A catastrophic event in the US-Japan Forex Market]


    [This man''s name is Lu Liang¡­]


    "Bro, you''ve become famous overnight!"


    The phone was on speaker, and Meng Changkun''s hearty laughter came through. Lu Liang took a deep breath, his expression solemn, "Mr. Kun, do you believe I didn''t make that much?"


    He felt a malicious force, like a tide, rushing towards him, vowing not to rest until it drowned him.


    If he really had made that much, it would be a different story, but he hadn''t. Those news reports¡ª they were clearly including leveraged funds in the calculation, treating it as his profit.


    Meng Changkun was stunned, then chuckled awkwardly, "You''re right, those journalism students do like to exaggerate."


    Lu Liang sighed, hearing the disbelief in Meng Changkun''s voice, and said, "I''m at home, do you have time to come over?"


    "Tangchen B Building?"


    "Yes."


    "I''ll be right there."


    Meng Changkun''s face turned serious, realizing that something was amiss.


    Lu Liang sat on the edge of the bed, smoking a cigarette until it burned down to the stub and his fingers felt the burn before he reacted. He pinched out the cigarette and went to the bathroom to wash up. Brushing his teeth, his thoughts began to clear.


    This was clearly a set-up, using flattery to divert attention.


    Lu Liang dressed and left the bedroom. The housekeeper, Aunt Liu, had already prepared a sumptuous lunch.


    She smiled, handing him a cup of warm water, "Mr. Lu, you''re awake. Have a sip to soothe your throat."


    "Aunt Liu, you can go back for now. I have a friend coming over shortly."


    Lu Liang held the cup and walked to the balcony. He called Zhao Haisheng, his voice cold, "Which bank did you commission?"


    Closing out the position at just past seven in the morning, news leaked by nine¡ªsuch a brief interval meant only two forces could accomplish this.


    First, as his broker, Guotai; second was the bank Guotai helped him connect with.


    The former could use the backend to check his account; the latter might find out his positions through the lent funds.


    "Mitsui Sumitomo."


    Zhao Haisheng had been trembling with fear all morning, waiting for Lu Liang''s call.


    When he saw the news, he was shocked; Lu Liang had only taken out ten million US dollars¡ªhow could he possibly have made seventy or eighty million?


    He had also been watching the foreign exchange market last night, the trading can only be described as reversal upon reversal.


    To earn seventy or eighty million from ten million US dollars in capital, one would need to use at least 100 times leverage.


    If Lu Liang had used 100 times leverage, given last night''s fluctuating market, no one knew how many times he would have been margin called.


    As someone semi-informed, Zhao Haisheng felt a bad premonition; clearly, someone intended to frame Lu Liang.


    But his calls went unanswered.


    "Mitsui Sumitomo..."


    Lu Liang narrowed his eyes, thinking to himself ''as expected,'' and had a basic understanding of the sequence of events and the deeper implications behind them.


    He glanced at the foreign exchange rates; the US dollar to yen rate had dropped to 128.


    A 20 point drop in a week, a -18.5% fall.


    Japan Central Bank had a total currency issuance of 485.5 trillion yen; evaporating 89.72 trillion from thin air, someone had to be held responsible.


    Anshan wouldn''t take the blame; he couldn''t bear it. If he accepted this responsibility, he would be impeached in an instant.


    Moreover, his economic policy was all about monetary easing. Admitting a mistake would mean slapping his own face.


    Wall Street in the United States was the beneficiary, but they couldn''t be held accountable either. Anshan didn''t want the public''s resentment to turn anti-American.


    After all, having offended Lucian with the new security laws, Anshan hoped to ease US-Japan relations.


    Local tycoons couldn''t take the blame either, even though they contributed to the containment by preventing public foreign exchange conversion, and might even be part of the short-seller coalition. But Anshan didn''t want to shoot himself with eight bullets.


    Anshan needed a target to deflect public fury, just like Soros and the Quantum Fund in ''97.


    Back then, the ''West Poison'' Soros was known the world over, but he didn''t make much. He was just pulled out to be the scapegoat. The real money-makers all hid behind the scenes, their prowess and names unknown.


    The target would be best from a major country, excluding Maozi, because their financial industry was virtually nonexistent.

 Chapter 77 - 77: Life is Like XX [Subscribe Request]

    "Mr. Lu, are you still listening?"


    "Yes, I''m listening."


    "The leak of your positions wasn''t from us."


    "But you also bear an undeniable responsibility."


    Lu Liang spoke in a measured tone, and Zhao Haisheng couldn''t discern any joy or anger, so he braced himself and replied, "Mr. Lu, this was indeed our oversight. Look, how about this¡ªI''ve just discussed it with the company''s leadership, and we''ve agreed to waive your seat usage fees for the next three years. What do you think?"


    "All right then, let''s do that."


    Lu Liang harbored no resentment towards Guotai Securities or Zhao Haisheng since the issue was far-reaching, involving international politics, whether it were him or Guotai, both were just casualties.


    To short the yen, no matter which brokerage was commissioned, the transaction would ultimately connect with a bank from the Land of the Rising Sun.


    Because only a bank from there would possess a large amount of yen currency, providing the necessary conditions for shorting the yen.


    One could say, from the moment he decided to take a slice of the action in shorting the yen, this outcome was inevitable.


    Zhao Haisheng was astonished and could hardly believe it, "Mr. Lu, you agree to our compensation plan?"


    "Yes, I have other matters, so I''ll have to hang up now."


    Lu Liang heard the doorbell and went over to open the door.


    Meng Changkun rode the elevator directly to his floor and upon entering, looked around very familiarly, "Not so different from mine."


    "Have you eaten yet?"


    Lu Liang smiled and invited Meng Changkun to sit down for a meal.


    Having just woken up, he wasn''t very hungry; after a short delay, hunger suddenly struck.


    "I''ve eaten, but I can eat a bit more."


    Meng Changkun, feeling quite at home, picked up his bowl and chopsticks and began serving himself, "The cooking lady''s not bad at all."


    "After all, we did go through several before finding her. If you like, I can have her cook for you for a few days."


    "No need for that, the cook from my hometown suits my taste perfectly."


    The two chatted sporadically, and gradually, Lu Liang began to narrate the events of the previous night as well as his analysis of the causes and consequences.


    Meng Changkun furrowed his brow. On his way here, he''d gone over the whole situation again, sensing many doubts, but he hadn''t expected it to be so wide-reaching, though he tentatively believed Lu Liang''s account.


    He pondered for a long while before replying, "We can''t manage political matters, and it''s best not to get involved."


    "Although it''s a thankless loss, it''s not necessarily a bad thing; at least it made you blazingly famous both nationally and internationally."


    Meng Changkun was experienced, having weathered many ups and downs in the business world, he''d seen uncontrollable events and personally lived through several.


    There''s an apt saying, life is like XX, if you can''t resist it, might as well enjoy it.


    Rather than pointlessly pursuing whose fault it is or whose scapegoat one had become, it''s better to think about how to catch this wave of overwhelming public attention.


    Over the years, there have been many stock market legends in China, but Lu Liang was the first to reap the wealth of citizens from other countries.


    The objects of the reaping were the historic rivals from the Land of the Rising Sun; the island dispute had only recently concluded, and at such a time, Lu Liang''s actions made him a national hero.


    "Patriotic business can be quite profitable."


    Meng Changkun felt envious; though a target, Lu Liang was also being deified.


    These days, foreign monks always seem to chant the best, especially when it''s a locally born, internationally recognized Speculation God.


    At this time, whether setting up a public or private fund, the money would surely come flowing in.


    "We''ll talk about it later, eat more vegetables."


    Meng Changkun''s perspective was cunning, purely driven by a businessman''s instinct to think first of profit.


    The suggestion was quite good, sensible, but it neglected to consider for Lu Liang that patriotic fervor isn''t an easy meal to digest.


    Whether there will be a backlash later remains to be seen, but once a label is stuck on you, it''s difficult to tear off.


    "You eat, I''m full."


    Meng Changkun just smiled and didn''t say much more.


    He knew Lu Liang was a very opinionated person, so he simply provided some ideas without insisting.


    "Do you have any tea? I just don''t feel right without a few cups after a meal."


    "There''s some Maojian in the cabinet."


    "Green tea has no flavor."


    Finding it hard to enjoy the Maojian, Meng Changkun decided to call his assistant to bring over a box of fine Oolong tea.


    As Lu Liang ate and browsed his phone, he saw his name sky-rocket to the eighth spot on Weibo''s trending search list.


    In just one morning, his Weibo followers surged by three hundred thousand. Netizens left comments asking if it was true that he made over sixty million US dollars overnight by shorting the yen. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Not that much, but close enough," Lu Liang thought for a moment and chose a netizen to reply to.


    Old Meng had it right, life is like XX,


    If you can''t fight it, you might as well enjoy it.


    The over fifty million US dollars owed to him by Japan, he would claim back sooner or later, with interest.


    The netizen hurriedly replied, "I''ve been noticed by the great man! My admiration for you is like the endless torrents of a river, like the Yellow River''s flood, unstoppable... If I''m blessed with wealth, do not forget me. Could I also bask in your financial success?"


    Lu Liang''s follower count had already broken the one-million mark, all thanks to the smartphone giveaway. The draw was held the same day as the giveaway, emphasizing efficiency, and those who received their phones boasted about it online.


    After all, a new model Apple smartphone cost several thousand yuan, which left those who didn''t win envying and hopeful. They followed him just in case he did another giveaway.


    Lu Liang snapped a photo of the Pujiang river view and captioned it: "The wind today is particularly noisy~~ Old rules, sending out eight."


    Meng Changkun, with a cigar in his left hand and a teacup in his right, walked out to the balcony with a smile and leaned against the railing, "Got a plan?"


    He had set special notifications for Lu Liang''s Weibo, and he received an alert as soon as Lu Liang posted.


    If Lu Liang wanted to avoid fame, he could have pretended ignorance, even contacted Weibo to remove him from trending searches and given it the cold treatment.


    Or he could''ve paid to have Weibo get paparazzi to randomly pick a lucky star from the entertainment circle to draw away the attention.


    Most netizens didn''t know who Lu Liang was, but those celebrities appeared on the screen every day. With such disorder in their circle, they were prime candidates for distraction.


    With the speed of information exchange on the internet these days, within a couple of days, Lu Liang''s story would likely be pushed to the side until gradually forgotten.


    But Lu Liang didn''t do that; instead, he actively took responsibility for it, indicating he had a detailed plan.


    Lu Liang nodded and said, "I do have some thoughts, but I still need to wait a bit longer. I''ll need Mr. Kun''s support when the time comes."


    "We''re all in this together. If you need help, just say the word. I won''t let you down."


    Meng Changkun''s face beamed with a smile. He had helped Lu Liang so much just to hear those words.


    After the meal, they drank a few cups of tea and chatted casually when Meng Changkun hurried off after receiving a phone call.


    Lu Liang wanted to go back to sleep, but he couldn''t fall asleep no matter how hard he tried, so he drove to the company instead.


    As he entered the company, he immediately became the center of attention. Although it had been much the same before, today''s attention was particularly fervent.


    The financial giant from China, Lu Liang, had shorted the yen and hauled in over sixty million US dollars in one night.


    Even if netizens read the article, most would skim it and forget it, not bothering to delve deeper.


    But it was different for them; Lu Liang was their boss, and it felt surreal, like a legend walking into reality.


    Especially for those prodigies from Beijing University and Fudan, they looked up to him with awe as if he were a deity.


    Others might not understand finance, but they did, and it was precisely because they understood that they knew the immense difficulty.


    It was like snatching chestnuts from the fire or pulling teeth from a tiger''s mouth, forcibly ripping open a gap within the encirclement of Western capital.

 Chapter 78 - 78: Interests Are About Distribution [Subscribe Requested]

    Lu Liang smiled amiably, nodded to everyone, and gestured for Tang Caide to come over. They entered the office one after the other.


    While reviewing documents requiring his signature, he stroked the stubble he had just gotten the night before and asked with a smile, "Tang, don''t you think I''ve become even more handsome today?"


    "Indeed, you''ve become more handsome," Tang Caide nodded.


    If it had been before, she would have just laughed it off.


    But today was different. Lu Liang was the company president, and his fame had soared, bringing acclaim to the company internationally along with many tangible benefits.


    For instance, she had planned to go to the Administration of Industry and Commerce to fetch some documents at noon, but the director personally delivered them and expressed concern about whether they were encountering any difficulties at work.


    Another example was the upcoming move to the New International Building; the property management president, Yang Weifeng, personally called to ask if there was anything they needed help with, even if it was just a word.


    Just over the course of a morning, all the formerly difficult administrative departments and people had become much easier to talk to, giving her the feeling of being in a utopian society.


    Lu Liang chuckled and went back to signing the documents.


    He didn''t specifically tell Tang Caide what favors could be accepted and what couldn''t be.


    Because she saw things clearly and had plenty of experience, there was no need to remind her, as she would have spoken sarcastically anyway.


    "Ofo''s daily active users have reached seventy thousand?" Lu Liang expressed his surprise. As of the end of last month, the 31st, ofo had an average of seventy thousand daily active users over seven days.


    "We''re going to lose the bet," Tang Caide replied.


    The terms of the bet were set for 60 and 90 days; only 41 days had passed, leaving 19 days to meet the remaining requirement of ten thousand daily active users, which even ofo''s management could achieve even if they were as incompetent as pigs.


    "If we lose, we lose, we''re making money on the equity appreciation anyway."


    Securing control of ofo would be ideal, but not obtaining it didn''t particularly bother Lu Liang.


    Because Dai Wei, in order to compete with Hu Weiwei, had been unscrupulously expanding the market.


    Currently, ofo had a stock of 13,500 bicycles, owed suppliers about 4.8 million in unpaid bills, and had a debt ratio of nearly 80%.


    If they continued to grow unchecked, Lu Liang would definitely not be able to cover the losses, but he didn''t want to.


    He planned to cash out at an appropriate price, transfer all of his shares, and let someone capable take over.


    Surprise flashed in Tang Caide''s eyes as she swallowed the words she was about to say: "Mr. Dai proposes to carry out Series A financing in the middle of next month."


    She initially wanted to say that ofo''s business model was extremely unhealthy, and advised against continuing with ofo.


    Because the ultimate goal of risk investment is to push a company to go public for maximum benefit.


    However, she realized that ofo was unlikely to reach an IPO stage.


    Fortunately, Lu Liang did not need her reminder, as he had already thought of making money from equity appreciation, so she naturally chose to remain silent.


    "Either way is fine; let them decide on their own. When the time comes, I''ll just go and take a look."


    For most of the afternoon,


    The two spent their time in a question-and-answer format.


    As the evening approached, Lu Liang had essentially finished all official business.


    As it was getting dark, just as he was planning to invite Tang Caide and Chen Jinchun out for a casual meal, he suddenly received a call from Wang Xiaocong.


    Tonight at eight o''clock was Li Xiaomeng''s debut with Panda. Little Wang asked if he was interested in coming to watch and chat.


    Watching was just a pretext; probably the real intention was to have a chat.


    After some thought, Lu Liang agreed and then turned to say, "You go eat on your own; I have another matter and need to leave first."


    Leaving the company, he drove to Baoshan District, having been there once before and still having an impression of it.


    Wang Xiaocong had been waiting at the company''s entrance early on. Seeing Lu Liang''s car, he showed a beaming smile. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Have you had dinner? If not, let''s go eat first before heading over," he suggested.


    "Sure, hop in and you can guide the way."


    Lu Liang nodded and also saw Li Manli, who was surrounded by a group of people, entering the makeup room to get ready for her debut performance tonight.


    She was dressed in her signature outfit, a black-and-white Lolita-style maid dress, which was her most famous and a favorite among fans, looking even more attractive under the halo of her celebrity.


    They exchanged glances from a distance, simply smiled and nodded to each other without revealing their true relationship.


    Lu Liang had talked to her about the importance of her image; if the fans knew she wasn''t a wealthy girl, she would likely lose a large number of them.


    Their relationship was best kept hidden.


    Manli was deeply moved then, not expecting Lu Liang to be so considerate of her, wishing she could devote herself to him, promising again and again.


    Unbeknownst to her, Lu Liang didn''t care about the meager profits she brought. He just didn''t want her to interfere with his romantic opportunities.


    Guided by Wang Xiaocong, the two headed to a nearby restaurant.


    Since they had other things to attend to later, they didn''t drink any alcohol. They casually ordered a few dishes just to fill their stomachs, agreeing to meet again late into the night.


    During the meal, Wang Xiaocong expressed his admiration for Lu Liang more than once, saying that he had always looked up to financial tycoons since he was young.


    Alas, lacking talent himself, he had dabbled in the market before but had essentially lost as much as he invested, leading him to completely abandon the idea.


    Lu Liang chuckled, understanding Wang Xiaocong''s intention, "Xiaocong, we are friends and partners. If there''s an opportunity to make money, I definitely won''t forget about you."


    He was well aware that it''s difficult to succeed alone and understood today''s society is all about sharing interests.


    Only by having plenty of friends and few enemies could he reach success without worries behind.


    Old Wang was the nation''s wealthiest, with a main business in the deeply complex real estate sector¡ªhis network was exactly what Lu Liang needed.


    Though Little Wang was quite rebellious, the Wang family only had this one heir; who else could the network go to, if not him?


    Hearing this, Wang Xiaocong was overjoyed and said with a laugh, "Liang, I''ll take you to a great place tonight, don''t refuse."


    He knew what Lu Liang was after,


    but that''s how society is, isn''t it?


    People aren''t your biological parents; they always want something in return before they''ll help you make money.


    "Do I look like someone who would refuse?"


    They exchanged glances and burst into hearty laughter.


    After the meal, back at Panda Interactive Entertainment, Li Xiaomeng''s live broadcast had already started, with a real online viewer count of over fifty thousand.


    Panda had signed her for 6 million, not a loss after three years.


    Wang Xiaocong also logged into his own account, splurging gifts worth millions, turning her live broadcast room into the focus of the entire network.


    He chatted and joked with Lu Liang, revealing the unspoken rules of the live streaming industry, "Every host has a ''plant'' or several ''plants''. Only with ''plants'' gifting, will other viewers follow suit and gift as well."


    Wang Xiaocong was frank, often gifting various hosts himself. Once the amount exceeded a million, he would have it all returned, whereas the tens or hundreds of thousands were his own contributions.


    "So, the money from the wealthy is fully returned, while the common folk''s money is split thirty seventy?" Lu Liang teased with a smile.


    "That''s putting it too crudely, don''t be so blunt," Wang Xiaocong said with a laugh, neither confirming nor denying.


    From backstage, Lu Liang could see the live broadcast earnings; half an hour into broadcasting, the gift revenue was over five million.


    Out of that, 3.5 million was from Wang Xiaocong''s gifting, which didn''t count, leaving nearly 2 million as actual revenue.


    "Live streaming really does make money."


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but marvel; the money came too easily, while Manli was simply competing with love hearts.


    "Liang, do you want to open your own live broadcast room, or join me for a mic link?" Wang Xiaocong suddenly suggested.


    He had invited Lu Liang over tonight not just to chat but also to leverage his prestige for publicity.


    Panda Interactive Entertainment''s user growth was rapid, and they were soon to welcome Series A funding.


    As a shareholder, Lu Liang should be announced to the public, to help increase the company''s valuation.


    After all, he had made tens of millions in US Dollars by shorting yen the previous night, earning him the title of the Eastern Soros.


    Once it was announced he had invested in Panda, its value could rise by at least a few hundred million to a billion US Dollars.


    "Let''s link up then."


    Lu Liang nodded, as it was what he should do.


    Just as Hu Weiwei said, what use is an investor who can''t bring resources to the company?


    "Do you know how to play League of Legends (LOL)?"


    "No."


    "What do you usually play?" Wang Xiaocong was curious, as Lu Liang wasn''t old, yet he didn''t even play LOL.


    "The most recent would probably be Fantasy and CrossFire, but it''s been a long time since I''ve played."


    Lu Liang thought for a while; he had played games in the past, but he had sold his Fantasy account when he got married.


    "Let''s go with Fantasy then, it doesn''t require much operation, and we can chat, ''accidentally'' letting the news out."


    "Sure, you arrange it."

 Chapter 79 - 79: The Joy of Spending Money on Games

    As the top internet celebrity on the web, Wang Xiaocong often live-streamed on his own platform, with his room number being 10000.


    Just as he said in an interview, he was not only Panda''s chief product manager but also its first broadcaster.


    Previously, his live streams mainly involved playing League of Legends, letting team members help him rank up, or taking viewers on room inspections.


    This evening, right after dishing out millions in gifts to a new broadcaster on the platform, he opened his own live stream.


    Viewers rushed to inform each other and poured into Wang Xiaocong''s live stream room. Suddenly, they discovered he was playing a very old game, and his co-broadcaster was a voice no one had ever heard of.


    "Liang, what are you playing?"


    "You start leveling up the demon. I''m checking out the grid''s gear."


    "Just buy the finished product, it''s so much less of a hassle."


    "The pets you train yourself have more sentimental value."


    "It''s not a woman; what do you need feelings for?"


    The two chatted and laughed without a care, not bothering to promote anything in particular.


    According to Little Wang, normal chatting was good enough, as the viewers were like detectives and would deduce the truth from the smallest of hints.


    Indeed, it was just as he said. As soon as the nickname ''Liang'' was dropped, viewers began asking in the bullet comments whether this was Lu Liang.


    Wang Xiaocong pretended to be annoyed and hummed in response, causing the live stream room to explode.


    "Who''s Lu Liang? Is he famous?"


    Some viewers, unaware of the facts, asked in the bullet comments, and the regulars in the live stream one by one began to explain.


    "He shorted the yen, an anti-Japanese hero."


    "He made tens of millions of US dollars overnight."


    "The Eastern Soros."


    "China''s Speculation God."


    "If you still don''t get it, just go check the hot searches on Weibo."


    At around eight in the evening, when netizens were most active, Lu Liang''s surprise visit to Wang Xiaocong''s live stream drew the attention of the entire network.


    The number of live viewers climbed steadily, attracting many financial media outlets and financial commentators to the stream out of curiosity. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After all, Lu Liang had previously been very mysterious¡ªalmost like he had popped out of nowhere¡ªand had never given any interviews.


    Most people did not even know whether he was male or female; their main focus was pure curiosity.


    Meanwhile, the live stream''s control staff quietly informed that the actual number of viewers had already exceeded five hundred thousand.


    Wang Xiaocong was overjoyed, but still cursed aloud, "Stop f**king spamming the chat, or I''ll kick all of you out."


    He was well aware of the inflated numbers claimed by so-called million-level broadcasters; the true viewership was usually one-thousandth to two-thousandth of the touted figures.


    For top streams like Douyu''s Three Entertainers, their actual viewership was just over a hundred thousand, and Panda''s top host besides him, PDD, also had less than a hundred thousand.


    With five hundred thousand actual viewers, Wang Xiaocong could guarantee that aside from official streams or top-level seasons, this was the live stream room with the highest online numbers, unmatched by any other.


    Inviting Lu Liang to join the live stream tonight was truly a masterstroke; it could at the very least draw over 100,000+ new users for Panda, and even a 10% retention rate would be profiting handsomely.


    It also sent out a signal that they had a good relationship, and naturally, people would find out that Lu Liang had invested in Panda.


    Wang Xiaocong thought of many things because this was his career.


    Lu Liang was merely enjoying the pleasure of spending money in the game.


    Thinking back ten years ago when he first played Dream Fantasy.


    Back then, he was still a student with not much money in his pocket.


    Pig Factory''s Dream Fantasy was a point card charging game, costing four yuan an hour, so he could only scrimp from his living allowance.


    After graduation, although he played sporadically and mostly farmed in the game for pocket money.


    Now, with one million RMB charged into the account, he could download whatever he wanted, and he truly felt the joy of the game.


    Dream Fantasy, as a turn-based game that remained popular for a decade, was most praised for its in-game currency system, which was stronger than some Latin American countries.


    All players in the game were real people, existing to serve the top operators.


    This was the charm of the game: people naturally enjoy enslaving others and experiencing the authority of being in a higher position.


    A few million in real life is not much, but in the game, spending millions could make you the boss of a region.


    It wasn''t until after ten in the evening when Wang Xiaocong ended the stream, saying he had reserved a thrilling venue, that Lu Liang reluctantly logged off.


    "Tonight''s peak online viewership reached 750,000, with over 180,000 new registered users."


    As they walked out, Wang Xiaocong discussed follow-up plans, intending to invest an additional 20 million before the next round of fundraising.


    With the current valuation at only 11 million US dollars, he was reluctant to carry out Series A at such a low valuation.


    At least it had to be valued at over 80 million US dollars to meet his expectations.


    "Whenever you want to follow up with an investment, just send me the proposal and I''ll have finance make the transfer."


    Liang didn''t object; he owned 15% of the shares, so even if he were to follow up with an investment of a hundred million, it would only require 15 million in funds.


    He also wasn''t interested in more shares; investing in Panda was mainly a way to pay tuition fees and understand the industry.


    The two arrived in the underground parking garage of the building, where Wang Xiaocong had specially rented an area for his vehicles.


    Two sports cars, two luxury cars, one nanny car.


    Liang couldn''t help but sigh that having a good father really made a difference.


    Although he could afford them, his thought process was still that he would buy what was needed and temporarily set aside what wasn''t.


    So far, his personal assets consisted of just two cars and the house he had bought for his parents to live in temporarily, apart from the string of cold numbers in his bank account.


    A red Ferrari F12 zoomed out of the parking garage, closely followed by a yellow Lamborghini Urus.


    They arrived at TAX Bar in the city, which sat comfortably at the top spot of Modu''s nightlife scene.


    It wasn''t just a gathering place for internet celebrities and stars from various industries but also attracted plenty of tycoons from the finance and internet circles.


    Last year, Ding Sanshi made his first appearance as a DJ at this nightclub for the promotion of NetEase Cloud Music, becoming the talk of the town by switching from ''raising pigs by day to spinning discs by night.''


    Being a regular, Wang Xiaocong''s iconic vehicle had just shown up at the entrance when a sexy female manager quickly approached with a smile, "Mr. Wang, we''ve reserved the VIP room on the second floor for you."


    She turned to Liang, a glint of confusion flashed through her eyes: "And you are, sir? How should I address you?"


    Managers of nightclubs were shrewd; from one''s stance, posture, to tone of voice, they could deduce who was the leader and who was the follower through the smallest of clues.


    Last year, with a fortune of 260 billion, Old Wang had become the world''s wealthiest Chinese man, and Little Wang, as his only son, was naturally full of pride.


    Seeing him treat someone so equally and even somewhat courteously was rare, so the female manager naturally harbored thoughts of making a connection.


    Liang replied indifferently, "Lu Liang."


    "Mr. Lu, this way please," said the female manager.


    Her eyebrow raised in recognition, the name sounding familiar. She racked her brains but couldn''t place where she had heard it, yet she dared not show any neglect.


    They passed through a vibrant and visually stunning corridor, entering the interior of the bar.


    All high-end bars were typically similar in layout, often divided into two floors with booths and a dance floor on the first level, while the more private VIP rooms were on the second.


    From the second floor''s vantage point, one could oversee the entire dance hall, convenient for wealthy youth to hunt for beauties, finding their targets.


    The identity of Mr. Wang as the son of the ''First Rich'' held an incomparable attraction for internet celebrities.


    With just a phone call, four girls came over, two for each person.


    After several rounds of party games, the atmosphere in the VIP room got increasingly familiar and intimate; just as Wang Xiaocong was about to take a girl downstairs to dance, he suddenly stopped.


    Outside the window, a charming woman in her thirties approached with a smile, holding a bottle of exquisitely packaged brandy.


    He returned to his seat, whispering to Liang, "Zhuang Xiaoting, the bar owner, is a mistress of some big shot in the Beijing Circle."


    "What''s she coming over for?" Liang asked, while one girl fed him fruit and the other poured drinks and lit cigarettes for him.


    "After all, you are the ''Speculation God,'' and anyone with a bit of money would want to know you."


    After spending a few hours together, Wang Xiaocong spoke more casually, knowing that Liang wasn''t the type to be offended by jokes.


    Liang understood.


    Zhuang Xiaoting also knocked and entered the room, beaming with joy, "This morning, the magpies were chirping incessantly on my roof. I thought something was up, but it turns out they knew Mr. Lu would grace us with his presence tonight."


    A very resourceful woman, she showed no trace of unfamiliarity upon first meeting, instantly closing the distance with a single phrase.


    Wang Xiaocong chuckled, "Sister Ting, did the magpies call out when I arrived?"


    "Indeed, I remember very clearly. They lined up in a row right by the window."


    Zhuang Xiaoting extended her delicate hand, "Mr. Lu, nice to meet you. I''m Zhuang Xiaoting, the manager of TAX."


    "Mr. Zhuang, hello. The atmosphere of the bar is quite nice," Lu Liang replied with a smile, raising his glass in a toast.


    He was planning to set up a private equity fund in the future, so getting to know a diverse range of people wasn''t a bad thing.


    "Your satisfaction is our greatest encouragement."


    Zhuang Xiaoting''s face was full of smiles; she opened the brandy she brought over, carefully avoiding any mention of money or gifting.


    After all, both guests were not lacking in funds; to show good intentions, she could only do it discreetly, like mentioning to the reception to give a 30 to 50 percent discount.


    To speak of it openly could make them feel uncomfortable, a lesson learned from years of experience in her field.

 Chapter 80 - 80: Really Got Caught

    "Mr. Wang, Mr. Lu, take your time and have fun. If there''s nothing else, I''ll be leaving now."


    Zhuang Xiaoting saw that Lu Liang had accepted her business card, didn''t linger much, and said goodbye with well-measured politeness.


    "How do you feel?" Wang Xiaocong asked.


    "A very impressive woman."


    Lu Liang, deep in thought, sipped his drink and said, "But her family background shouldn''t be good, right?"


    Wang Xiaocong was surprised. "You''ve heard of her before?"


    "No."


    "Then how do you know?"


    "I guessed."


    Lu Liang smiled faintly. He sensed a similar air about Zhuang Xiaoting, both of them coming from poor backgrounds and making something of themselves.


    He had relied on foreseeing the future, and it was hard to imagine what a woman had relied on, what she had sacrificed.


    She definitely slept with many, but while some could only sell themselves for 200, others could sell for 2 million or even more.


    "How did you guess?" Wang Xiaocong was curious.


    Because Old Wang also behaved like that sometimes, not having seen or known someone but still able to judge their experiences at a glance.


    "Um...let''s just go dance."


    Lu Liang didn''t want to explain, mainly out of laziness.


    And even if he did explain, Wang Xiaocong, a wealthy second-generation, probably wouldn''t understand.


    "Damn it, I hate people like you." Wang Xiaocong''s face darkened, and he grumbled as he dragged a girl downstairs to dance.


    They played until after 2:00 a.m. Lu Liang called a designated driver and returned home alone.


    Little Wang''s taste was too peculiar, calling mainly internet celebrities with ''snake faces'' and even a Rune Mage.


    It was fine to play a part and take some minor advantages, but swallowing that, he really couldn''t.


    ...


    The next morning, news about Panda swept across the internet.


    "Lu Liang makes a surprise visit to Wang Xiaocong''s live stream"


    "Panda TV''s registered users exceed 5 million"


    "New ''homebody goddess'' Li Xiaomeng signs with Panda"


    "Panda TV firmly ranks third in live interactive entertainment"


    Among the top ten trends on Weibo, five were about Panda Interactive Entertainment, overshadowing even the news of Wang Xiaocong and Lu Liang hitting the nightclub.


    Lu Liang watched the trending news, feeling utterly indifferent. Wang Xiaocong had mentioned last night that there was still over 3 million in the account, all planned for buying hot search spots.


    Another 20 million would be added later to maintain the current operation, ensuring that Panda would become the third-largest live streaming platform after Douyu and Huya, at the time of the Series A funding, valuations would naturally soar.


    Lu Liang ate breakfast and slowly made his way to the office, ready to dive back into work after a night of indulgence.


    Li Jianlin and Wu Junle had completed their transactions, with rumors swirling around a total earnings of 4.8 billion.


    The stock price also dropped from a high of 48 yen to 25 yen, nearly halving it.


    Lu Liang looked at the trading platform, lost in thought, unsure whether to continue with this stock.


    By now, he had made a big name for himself. He didn''t need Teli A to become the brightest new star in the financial circle.


    Even if he was just being used as a distraction, he had reached the expected outcome ahead of time.


    Now, every move he made was surely being watched.


    Recklessly entering the market would be like making a wedding dress for someone else.


    After a long thought, Lu Liang decided to continue selling off the stock, as Li Jianlin and Wu Junle knew about his position.


    He still had 20,000 shares, valued at 50 million yen. He planned to sell half and then buy back in through another account.


    The seat at 88 Punan Road couldn''t be used for the time being.


    "What the hell is this?"


    Lu Liang planned to start unloading the stock after lunch, in the afternoon trading session.


    Today was Thursday. If he sold today, the funds would be available tomorrow, making a proper and respected move.


    But when he woke up from his nap, Teli A''s trading screen turned dark with a black bar next to it, a sign of a temporary trading suspension.


    "Could he have been arrested?"


    Lu Liang stroked his chin, lost in thought.


    The next second, as if to confirm his guess, Teli Group issued an announcement stating that there was a major event for discussion that might affect subsequent market movements, and in consideration of the interests of all shareholders, they had applied for an indefinite suspension.


    Soon, rumors spread that someone had seen personnel from the Securities and Futures Commission and the Discipline Inspection Commission stationed at Teli''s Shenzhen office.


    Others saw Securities and Futures Commission vehicles entering the office building of Zhongxin Fuying, where Li Jianlin was suspected of being called in for questioning.


    There was also news from 12 Futian Road, where the general manager of the Citic branch and Wu Junle were suspected of being taken away for investigation.


    "Heaven''s cycle of retribution, no one is spared."


    "Well done, these manipulative bastards trap people every day."


    "Don''t forget, there''s Lu Liang."


    "Yes, yes, Lu Liang too."


    "Any brothers in Modu?"


    "What''s happening with Lu Liang?"


    Once the news broke, it sparked heated discussions on stock forums, quickly putting Lu Liang in hot water.


    Although he had shorted the yen, plundering the wealth of the people of Japan, it could not cover up the fact that he had profited from Teli A before.


    88 Punan Road, Modu,


    was also the public''s first chance to get to know Lu Liang.


    The stock forum users were excited, shouting, "These manipulative bastards who made money, none of them should escape."


    Meanwhile, Lu Liang was in his company''s reception room, meeting Zhao Haisheng.


    "Mr. Lu, just now the people from the Securities and Futures Commission collected some data at our branch," Zhao said.


    Concerned that the call might be monitored, Zhao, after much deliberation, decided to personally take the risk and make the trip.


    "Could it be my trading records?"


    Lu Liang asked with a smile, appearing relaxed and at ease.


    Zhao Haisheng simply nodded, his face showing surprise at how Lu Liang could be so unconcerned; he himself had nearly died from fright, having experienced this sort of thing twice in two days.


    This made his already thinning hair seem more pronounced.


    "Relax, if they could find anything, they would have been here by now."


    Lu Liang was nonchalant. His trading records could stand up to scrutiny, even if it was just a case of taking from one hand and giving to the other.


    Unlike Li Wu, who engaged in high-frequency trading and collusion with shareholders for locked positions, they likely had to spit out even their principal and profits.


    Zhao Haisheng''s eyes widened in disbelief, "Mr. Lu, did you really profit through skill?"


    "What else? Through insider information? Or through front running?" Lu Liang asked rhetorically, still with a smile.


    Zhao Haisheng chuckled nervously, still somewhat incredulous.


    In the A-share market, very few of the big money players made money legitimately. He paused, then added, "The public opinion is currently not very favorable towards you, shall we clarify things for you?"


    "No hurry, let the bullets fly for a while, without suppression, how can there be upliftment?"


    Lu Liang''s face broke into a smile, obviously having a new plan in mind.


    After seeing off Zhao Haisheng, he intentionally stayed hidden in the office, letting the rumors spread even more fiercely.


    These kinds of situations were like a spring; the more they were compressed, the more powerful they could burst out when released. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Meanwhile, Meng Changkun came by for a look but seeing Lu Liang behaving as if nothing was wrong, he left again.


    He was somewhat in the know; last week several of them had gone out to sea to have fun, and fortunately, Lu Liang had not agreed to join, otherwise, he would be "invited for tea" as well.


    During the afternoon lecture, Su Wanyu also seemed distracted, occasionally glancing out the window.


    She was afraid that suddenly a few people dressed in suits would appear with a document and then take Lu Liang away.


    Lu Liang looked displeased and tapped her forehead with his pen, "Focus. What''s running through your mind all the time? Can''t you hope for something good for me?"


    "I wish I could, but that''s how it''s always portrayed on TV," Su Wanyu felt wronged.


    "Ever heard the saying, ''Art imitates life, but it is elevated above life''?"


    Lu Liang smiled and continued, "If there was an issue, they would have already come by now. Cooperating with an investigation is the duty of every citizen."


    "Really?" Su Wanyu tilted her head, half-convinced.


    Lu Liang frowned, "Or, you don''t believe me?"


    "Not at all~"

 Chapter 81 - 81: Finance, Industry, New Energy

    When he got off work, Lu Liang received a phone call from Zhao Jisheng, claiming to be from the Securities and Futures Commission''s investigation department.


    To avoid unnecessary impact, they hoped Lu Liang could find some time to come in for the investigation.


    Zhao Jisheng asked, "Mr. Lu, can you see when you might have time to come by?"


    After learning the address on Xingzheng Street in Puxin District, which matched the official website''s listing, Lu Liang thought for a moment and smiled, "How about tomorrow morning? I''ll find some time to come over then."


    "Okay, thank you for your time, and I wish you a pleasant life," Zhao Jisheng was very polite.


    "So does that mean Li Wu, and that shareholder from Teli A has already backed out?"


    Lu Liang appeared thoughtful; the invitation to cooperate with the investigation was on his schedule, which basically meant it had nothing to do with him.


    If it had anything to do with him, Zhao Jisheng certainly wouldn''t have been so courteous but would have come directly to apprehend someone.


    Just like Li Jianlin and Wu Junle.


    "Let''s go, it''s time for dinner after work."


    Lu Liang left the office with Su Wanyu, and after wandering around the city, they finally decided to have hot pot.


    At night, Lu Liang shamelessly went upstairs, entering as if he was returning to his own home, and directly lying down on Su Wanyu''s small bed.


    There was a faint scent of jasmine; he remembered, it was the same scent as Su Wanyu''s hair.


    Su Wanyu stood by the bed, both embarrassed and angry, her face flushed red, "Aren''t you going back yet?"


    "What''s the hurry? It''s only a little past nine."


    Lu Liang pulled out a blue Haima pillow from under the covers and placed it behind his head, "Besides, I find your bed particularly comfortable."


    He then pulled the blanket over himself and, with his eyes closed, said, "I''m sleepy, I want to take a nap. You go take a shower first, and I''ll leave after."


    "You''ll freeze to death!"


    Su Wanyu, still displeased, casually turned on the air conditioning to a comfortable temperature.


    Having just gotten her bandages removed at the hospital, the medicinal smell seemed to linger; she wanted to take a shower immediately too.


    But she was cautious and vigilant, locking the bedroom door that leads to the balcony, so now the bathroom had two doors.


    "Are you questioning my integrity?"


    Hearing the sound of the locks, Lu Liang opened his eyes.


    "Humph~"


    Su Wanyu made a face at him, huffed, and then turned to enter the bathroom.


    Soon after, the sound of cascading water could be heard.


    Lu Liang''s mind was restless, realizing staying was only tormenting himself, so he reluctantly went online to browse the news, shifting his focus.


    He also planned to see what netizens thought about the Teli A case, mainly to see their views on him.


    There were all kinds of comments, but the mainstream view agreed that he was still possibly apprehended and under investigation.


    But unlike Li Wu, Lu Liang was somewhat of a celebrity, considering public impact, the news was temporarily suppressed.


    A finance influencer on Zhihu eloquently analyzed this viewpoint, which also garnered tens of thousands of upvotes from netizens.


    Although many people didn''t know who Lu Liang was, the notion of wealthy individuals getting arrested was always a popular spectacle.


    More radical netizens commented, "For those rich ones, one should be apprehended after another, absolutely no case of wrongful arrest."


    Lu Liang, blending in on various platforms, watched as fun-seekers revelled, curious about what their expression would be upon learning the truth.


    Those without fans could still feign ignorance and muddle through, while those with fans might be mocked by netizens to the point of not daring to go online.


    "They aren''t resentful of wealth, they just despise financial practitioners who gain without laboring, who create no value."


    Gradually, Lu Liang saw the essence of the netizens'' revelry and also understood why the Securities and Futures Commission''s actions were so swift.


    Although Zhongxin Fuying managed assets worth 2.8 billion yuan, the company had fewer than 30 people, with only 22 actually contributing to social security.


    For the Securities and Futures Commission to arrest him, as long as there''s evidence, they don''t need to worry about societal impact¡ªpeople would applaud.


    The case with Wu Junle was similar.


    The reason they invited Lu Liang to cooperate with the investigation was not because he was a celebrity concerned with social impact, but actually because there was no real evidence.


    If there were evidence, they would definitely have arrested him regardless.


    If Zhongxin Fuying was a physical enterprise with thousands of employees, directly or indirectly creating tens of thousands of jobs.


    The Securities and Futures Commission would first need to pass the administrative gatekeeper of the locality to detain someone; they would not easily allow the Securities and Futures Commission to take the person.


    What if the boss were detained, causing the factories to shut down, leaving tens of thousands unemployed and displaced¡ªwho would bear that fault?


    "Private equity funds can bind interests, but however strong your network might be, it is the strength of others; still, you have to worry about them making drastic decisions."


    "Being powerful in one''s own right is fundamental, finance is just for show, and industry is the real deal, walking on two legs keeps you steady."


    Lu Liang slowly realized, his eyes growing brighter, that neither shared bicycles nor the video industry were his ultimate destination.


    The new energy industry, which he had always overlooked, might fulfill his expectations.


    At this time, the balcony door was opened.


    Su Wanyu timidly poked her head out, dressed in blue cartoon pajamas, her hair wrapped in a towel.


    Just out of a hot bath, her skin was so dewy it was translucent, revealing that she rarely wore makeup.


    A few strands of hair naturally fell from her forehead, adding a touch of allure, like a freshly emerged lotus, stunning and delicate.


    Lu Liang was momentarily dazed. Su Wanyu whispered cautiously, "I''m done washing, you can go back now."


    "Let''s hug," said Lu Liang with a smile, spreading his arms.


    "Just a quick one, okay~" Su Wanyu hesitated slightly, then stepped forward and hugged Lu Liang around his waist.


    A burst of fragrance filled Lu Liang''s nostrils. The tender frame of the girl felt like hugging a cartoon doll.


    He slightly curved his lips upward and did not pursue further, just kissed her forehead, "I''m off."


    Even if Su Wanyu hadn''t mentioned it, he planned to leave, remembering that Old Meng had spoken about Modu''s plans to introduce Tesla.


    At the time, it was just idle chat, and Lu Liang didn''t take it seriously, but now he wanted to delve deeper.


    "Bye~ Be careful on the road."


    Su Wanyu watched Lu Liang leave and breathed a sigh of relief, but she felt a bit odd, a mix of relief, touch, and even a bit of loss.


    She lay stiffly on the bed, feeling the residual warmth of Lu Liang, her cheeks flushing hot, suddenly rolling with the pillow, "Su Wanyu, what are you thinking about~~~"


    Meanwhile, Lu Liang left Hongfa Apartment and called Meng Changkun while sitting in his car.


    He learned that today was his health day, undergoing a men''s green health treatment at She Mountain Clubhouse.


    Lu Liang immediately drove there.


    In the deep night of summer, next to the mountain, the bamboo cottage hot springs resonated with the constant chirping of cicadas, like nature''s symphony.


    Meng Changkun wiped his face, stood up and wrapped himself in a bathrobe, barely able to keep his eyes open, "Brother, take your time, I''m off if I can''t handle it." S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Alright, bye."


    Lu Liang soaked in the hot spring, looking up at the ceiling, still pondering the conversation they just had.


    The new energy vehicle might be one of the future trends.


    Meng Changkun had once heard from a leader during a dinner that they planned to bring in Tesla to build a massive factory.


    Domestic industry was awash with low-end manufacturing, only earning hard-earned money; the country had been intent on upgrading industries.


    Although the cell phone industry was flourishing, it was synonymous with low-cost. But the seeds of hope had sprouted, and someday a domestic flagship as good as Apple would emerge.


    However, the scale of the country was too large,


    And relying solely on the cell phone manufacturing industry was not enough.


    Meng Changkun gave a very vivid example of what a man needs for his "graduation set."


    A house, a car, money, a girlfriend.


    Without waiting for Lu Liang to respond, he straightforwardly announced the answer.


    Today''s environment is such that a man needs these four things to truly graduate from the university of society.


    The order wasn''t arranged arbitrarily but from best to lesser.


    For the past decade or more, the country had been actively promoting the development of the automotive industry, but selling ten Wulings still couldn''t match the profits from one imported BMW.


    Therefore, the country intended to change tracks, hence the recent push to develop new energy.


    However, the nature of domestic automakers, as everyone understood, was like leading them nowhere. They were particularly those joint ventures, which only got established through state policies at the time.


    But now they each lay complacent, adopting a mindset of ''if it ain''t broke, don''t fix it,'' why bother putting effort into developing the so-called new energies for an uncertain future.


    So, they planned to bring in Tesla, the most renowned foreign name, as a catalyst to stir up the domestic competition.


    However, Meng Changkun was not optimistic about new energy, although it was bound to become significant eventually, it might take too long, and they might just die waiting.


    New energy sounds nice; it''s just electric cars.


    And electric cars are just like child''s play, not much different from tricycles and bicycles; it''s hard to change this fixed perception.


    Even though they knew the country was pushing the development of the new energy industry, offering many incentives, large enterprises were still on the sidelines.


    The operations of these enterprises were predicated on stability, and with their massive financial resources, even if they entered the market late after it was established, they could still grab a slice of the ecological niche.


    One couldn''t say they were wrong,


    Only that foreign companies did indeed possess more pioneering capabilities.

 Chapter 82 - 82: Taking Money is Greed, Taking Up Arms is Rebellion

    "Pioneers of the new energy industry, seems quite appealing!"


    Half an hour later, Lu Liang, with his head dizzy and legs weak, crawled out of the pool, but he had also made a decision.


    Others feared being tormented to death, afraid of not waiting until dawn arrived, but he wasn''t afraid. Having made money, he had to keep tossing and turning, only earning and never spending; he would eventually be slaughtered like a fat pig.


    The next morning, Lu Liang went to the administrative street of Xinpu to be questioned by the Securities and Futures Commission.


    "Mr. Lu, rest assured, we are just conducting a routine inquiry. Please don''t feel pressured."


    Zhao Jisheng revealed a kind smile, inviting Lu Liang into the office, followed by two note-takers.


    Lu Liang sat with his legs crossed, sipping coffee, and with a smile, he said, "Mr. Zhao, do I look nervous?"


    Zhao Jisheng smiled too but didn''t pursue the topic further, "Shall we then officially begin?"


    "Sure," nodded Lu Liang.


    "Mr. Lu, what was your purpose in buying Teli A?"


    "International Gold had a significant increase recently, so I was optimistic about Teli A''s creation of a Gold Jewelry Ecological Park."


    "Then why did you sell 42,022 shares at prices ranging from 31.45 to 34.25 yuan on July 16, 17, and 18?"


    "I indeed liked Teli A, but I didn''t think it was worth that much, so I sold some at high prices."


    "Why did you not like it then?"


    "It was just a feeling," Lu Liang responded with a smile.


    Zhao Jisheng could not help but laugh and skipped this topic; they had no evidence of market manipulation. Even if Lu Liang claimed he was prompted by a dream from his ancestors, they would have to believe him.


    He continued to inquire, "Subsequently, Teli A''s price rose to a high of 48.25 yuan per share, but why didn''t you continue to sell?"


    "Speaking of which, I am really frustrated. I was aiming for 50 yuan per share, and I had to watch as it dropped from there."


    "Didn''t Mr. Li tell you?"


    "Who is Mr. Li?"


    "Li Jianlin from Zhongxin Fuying."


    "I''ve heard the name but don''t have much of an impression."


    Following that were some uninformative questions and answers.


    Every time Zhao Jisheng asked, Lu Liang said it was a feeling. When Wu Junle or someone else was mentioned, he said he didn''t know them.


    Half an hour later, the routine inquiry ended, and Zhao Jisheng, smiling broadly, saw Lu Liang off as he drove away.


    One of the note-takers, puzzled, said, "Mr. Zhao, are we just letting him go like that?"


    Zhao Jisheng reprimanded in a cold voice, "Watch what you say. If there''s no fault, there''s nothing to ''let go'' of."


    He had seen all of Lu Liang''s trading records; they looked like those of a large individual investor; there wasn''t much to investigate.


    The only slightly suspicious thing was that Lu Liang''s judgment seemed extraordinarily good, but that didn''t prove anything.


    Civil servants act on evidence.


    Another person spoke up, "Mr. Zhao, should we send the investigation report to the Shenzhen Stock Exchange?"


    "Send it. This case has caused quite a stir, it''s best to wrap it up quickly."


    The situation with Teli A had escalated quite a bit. On one hand, it overlapped with the stock market crash, leaving retail investors with grievances and nowhere to vent.


    On another hand, it was a standard three-way play involving speculative funds, institutions, and shareholders, tricking tens of thousands of retail investors and profiting by 480 million.


    At the end of it all, it was the increasingly well-known Lu Liang who also participated, suspected of being involved in the case.


    The accumulation of various factors turned a relatively moderate issue into something widely known across the internet.


    Under the immense pressure of public opinion, the authorities made special arrangements, hoping to quickly provide an answer to the people.


    August 4, Friday.


    Teli A''s suspension on the third day was followed by a swift reaction from the authorities: they launched an investigation, conducted it, and closed the case, delivering a rapid verdict.


    Zhongxin Fuying and Wu Junle carried out concentrated trading of Teli A shares, making 38 transactions of the same stock on the same day and conducting 389 trades between controlled accounts, engaging in seven transactions at the same price and quantity.


    Li Jianlin (controller of Zhongxin Fuying) and Wu Junle admitted to joint trading, and relevant personnel also confirmed that both parties collaborated in trading the stock in question.


    The final decision was made: to confiscate the illegal gains of 285 million yuan from Zhongxin Fuying and impose a fine of 427.5 million yuan, to warn Li Jianlin, and penalize him with a fine of 600,000 yuan. To confiscate the illegal gains of 195 million yuan from Wu Junle and impose a fine of 292.5 million yuan.


    A fine amounting to 1.5 times the illegal gain is considered a particularly severe punishment. The Securities and Futures Commission believed the public would be satisfied with this outcome.


    However, as soon as the announcement was made, the entire internet started asking, "What about Lu Liang? Why isn''t his name mentioned?"


    In fact, another individual overlooked by the public was a Teli Group shareholder who colluded with Li Jianlin and Wu Junle. But Lu Liang''s fame was greater and more conspicuous.


    Even many who were unaware of the real situation only took interest in the case because of Lu Liang.


    Including the retail investors who were duped and killed off ¡ª although the instigators were caught and fined, the money they lost couldn''t be reclaimed. They just wanted to see more people suffer, especially Lu Liang.


    Thus, a large number of conspiracy theorists emerged online, claiming Lu Liang had connections that reached the heavens, a puppet of the bigwigs, with an understood implication: a topic that couldn''t even be touched.


    As public sentiment grew more and more intense, even the Securities and Futures Commission had to come forward and clarify that their thorough investigation concluded Lu Liang was absolutely clean.


    But the truth was quickly drowned in the tidal wave as people only chose to believe what they wanted to believe.


    That afternoon, Lu Liang received a call from Zhao Jisheng, who said with a wry laugh, "Mr. Lu, could you perhaps help clarify things publicly?"


    "No big deal, but I''m a bit busy now, won''t be free until tonight," Lu Liang said in bits and pieces.


    Zhao Jisheng hesitated, ultimately heaving a sigh, "Then you carry on with your work. Please follow up as soon as you can when you have the time."


    "Of course, of course, of course."


    Lu Liang was gaming, with ten thousand yuan worth of demon refining when suddenly his character transformed into a toad, angering him to the point of nearly smashing his computer.


    "Is this what you call being busy?" Wang Xiaocong asked suspiciously.


    "Doesn''t playing games count as being busy?" Lu Liang retorted.


    In this "nationwide manhunt" drama, as the protagonist, he was meant to make his appearance at the very last moment.


    Old Meng had it right: the longer you stretch it, the more you earn, and the greater your power grows. This wave of marketing could be worth at least one hundred million yuan, given the current reach of media.


    Wang Xiaocong, struck by an idea, suggested, "Why not host a live stream on Panda tonight?"


    Lu Liang was taken aback and looked at him, "Are you serious?"


    "Isn''t that a good idea? Fame and profit, you get the fame, Panda takes the profit," Wang Xiaocong grew more excited as he spoke. If Lu Liang were to start live streaming, it would bring at least 500,000+ new users.


    Lu Liang stared at him with a look that seemed to question his intelligence and sighed, "It seems you really are serious."


    He would have to reconsider whether he should continue investing in Panda.


    With Wang Xiaocong''s emotional intelligence and that sort of thinking, throwing another three million in was like throwing money into the water.


    "Damn it, don''t look at me like that."


    Wang Xiaocong was displeased; he felt Lu Liang was looking at him as if he were mentally challenged, but he had no proof.


    Lu Liang sighed, "Little Wang, if I''m the beneficiary of this situation, then who''s the loser?"


    Wang Xiaocong was still pondering when Lu Liang directly said, "It''s public trust! Are you thinking of trading on public trust to make money?"


    He could use this incident to boost his reputation but certainly couldn''t exploit it for profit. It''s like the difference between being corrupt for money and being armed for rebellion; the nature is entirely different.


    Little Wang mulled it over carefully and seemed to catch the drift.


    Suddenly, he glared at Lu Liang with a hostile gaze, "What did you just call me?"


    "Right, I think I had an appointment; I better leave now."


    Lu Liang quickly changed the subject, laughing it off while feeling a cold, resentful gaze on his back and quickened his steps.


    Wang Xiaocong''s face darkened, as he muttered under his breath, "He''s started calling me Little Wang now, at this rate, who knows, maybe next he''ll be soaring to the heavens."


    S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 83 - 83: Lus Net Cleaning Action

    Leaving Panda, Lu Liang arrived at Jin Cheng Law Firm.


    He arranged a meeting with Ye Wei, who had previously handled legal matters for him, to prepare for tonight''s clarification announcement.


    Lu Liang asked Ye Wei to gather information and planned to find several influential "chickens" to scare those monkeys jumping around.


    He didn''t bother with those vague lawyer''s letters; he struck hard, refused to settle, and let court subpoenas do the talking.


    He then carefully selected five lucky individuals. Lu Liang planned to spend two million and hire 10 lawyers to see it through with them to the end.


    Even if he lost the case, it wouldn''t matter; the tedious procedures and processes could drag and cost them dearly.


    At 8:30 in the evening, Lu Liang silently logged onto Weibo.


    "Everyone says it''s been investigated already, yet they''re still blabbering non-stop, thinking I''m made of mud?"


    He posted a status and tagged Jin Cheng Law Firm, "Dig deeper into this, I''ll leave it to you guys."


    Jin Cheng Law Firm replied: Received~


    They then tagged five famous Weibo critics with followers ranging from twenty thousand to five hundred thousand.


    Displaying five complaint papers and gathering relevant evidence, they sued for defamation and told them to wait at home for their court subpoenas.


    "Damn, is this for real?"


    "Direct litigation, do they have to go this hard?"


    Those individuals were shocked, realizing Lu Liang meant business. They hurriedly deleted their posts and apologized for their previous comments.


    Lu Liang saw it and shared it. He said nothing, only attaching a picture of cutting a train: crying, but timing matters too.


    Meaning he wouldn''t accept their apologies; this matter wouldn''t be taken lightly but pursued thoroughly.


    Netizens commenting from the front rows asked, "Holy moly, has Mr. Lu also watched ''Let the Bullets Fly''?"


    "These guys really seem to know a thing or two, isn''t Jiang that one supporting memorial days with kimonos, also advocating that girls should dress freely?"


    "Hey, now that you mention it, I''ve noticed too, Zhouzhou is also on the list, didn''t he defend the United States'' GMOs?"


    "Darn, is Boss Lu resolving both public and private grievances at the same time?"


    More and more netizens realized, none of the internet influencers who received Lu Liang''s lawsuits were up to any good.


    They were all instigators of chaos, adding trouble wherever there was disorder, fearing that the world was not chaotic enough.


    Gradually, netizens jokingly called it, not a revenge but "Lu''s Net Cleaning Action," because that evening, many influencers were too scared to even tweet, just silently deleting their posts.


    Even if they were dissatisfied, they could only express it through emojis or veiled sarcasm not naming anyone specific.


    "Are these sycophants really so unpopular?"


    Lu Liang, surprised, stroked his chin. He was fully prepared to be criticized for being petty and vengeful.


    Yet, somehow it had turned into "Lu''s Net Cleaning Action," and his follower count was rapidly rising.


    In a blink, it was nearly breaking the two-million mark, a one-night increase of a million followers, even more than Li Manli''s.


    "But the end result is always good."


    Lu Liang smiled. He intended to make a big deal out of it mainly to divert public attention.


    The process was a bit convoluted, but the outcome was always favorable, at least no one doubted the authenticity of the Securities and Futures Commission''s investigation anymore.


    Meanwhile, Lu Liang also received a text from Zhao Jisheng, containing only two short words: "Thank you."


    As one of the heads of the investigation, should public opinion spiral out of control, they could face accountability as well.


    Lu Liang''s ploy diverted the trouble, clearing them both publicly and privately; he felt compelled to express his thanks.


    Were it not for the fear of misunderstanding, Zhao Jisheng would have liked to invite Lu Liang for a midnight snack to show his gratitude.


    "You''re welcome."


    Lu Liang typed his response and then deleted the message.


    Although unintentional, he welcomed the favor. Having such a connection with the head of the investigative team at the Securities and Futures Commission would be useful for gaining information in the future.


    "Lu''s Net Cleaning Action" lasted for two days and three nights.


    Initially, some held out hope until a certain big V actually received a court subpoena.


    So she posted a misery video, recounting the life of a single mother isn''t easy, because she lost hundreds of thousands in Teli A and in a moment of anger, inadvertently made a mistake, hoping Lu Liang would withdraw the lawsuit.


    These words garnered the sympathy of many people.


    After all, she is a woman, a single mother, and also a stock investor who lost money in the stock market; it''s understandable.


    Especially some stock investors could really empathize. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lu Liang directly replied, "Send me your stock transaction records privately, and if it''s true, I can cancel the lawsuit."


    However, after waiting a few hours, he returned home from the gym and still hadn''t received any messages from her.


    Lu Liang directly screenshotted, "Use your brain a bit, don''t believe everything you hear, and stop counting money for those who scam you."


    But the earnest tone changed how netizens addressed him, and from Mr. Lu, he became Uncle Lu.


    Some eagle-eyed netizens noticed that many people were sending him private messages.


    Among them were beauties, showing various pictures, clamoring to make them public so others could also see.


    "Kids, don''t look, it''s easy to get sty."


    Lu Liang replied to the user, indirectly admitting that these were indeed provocatively stirring pictures.


    Netizens left disdainful emojis.


    That weekend, Lu Liang surfed the Internet extensively and his followers also exceeded 3 million.


    The Internet experienced an unusual clarity.


    Netizens suddenly realized just how harmonious the Internet could be without flatterers, repeatedly tagging @Lu Liang, suggesting he should undertake such actions more often.


    Lu Liang chose to play dead, who knows whether those flatterers had really taken foreign money.


    If they had really taken it, an inadvertent mistake would have been acceptable, but doing it constantly might endanger his life.


    Two days passed in a blink of an eye.


    On Monday, Teli A was successfully relisted.


    The trading volume before the market opened was very scant, showing a strange horizontal market situation.


    Li Jianlin and Wu Junle had sold off their stock, but still held a base position in it.


    Lu Liang also had a base position in it.


    Now, nobody dared to make a move, as nobody was sure of the market''s future direction.


    "Is this what being ruined looks like?"


    Lu Liang, eating a steamed bun, was deep in thought; his current market influence was enough to change the future trend of an individual stock.


    The highest position of 108.25 yuan was likely never to be reached again, even whether there would be a next wave of trading was unknown.


    At 9:23 AM, during the last two minutes before the market opened, someone threw out 1500 shares, directly hitting the price limit.


    Lu Liang thought for a long time and in the last minute before bidding ended, he used the special privileges of an institutional seat for the first time.


    At 24.15 yuan, 1600 shares, letting Teli A open at the closing price of the previous business day.


    Lu Liang held 20,000 shares, their current value at 48.3 million.


    Since no one was controlling the market, he decided to take a small stake, first stabilize the stock price, and then decide whether to sell based on the market conditions.


    His psychological price was set at 10 million; if an investment of 10 million couldn''t stabilize the current stock price,


    then the stock was completely useless, and he would have to aggressively unload the shares, considering his cost was just under 11 yuan.


    Five minutes passed in a blink of an eye.


    The market opened at 24.15 yuan with 1600 shares, 1200 shares were quickly consumed, with transaction amounts totaling 2.898 million.


    Seeing people starting to sell, Lu Liang invested another 4 million to boost the stock price, avoiding a horizontal trend.


    Teli A was currently the hottest stock in the A-share market, with many speculative institutions and individual investors watching.


    The longer it stayed stagnant, the more likely it was to fall; since he wanted to control the market, he needed to first instill confidence, investing himself so that individual investors would follow.


    The 4 million was consumed in seconds, the stock price only rising from 24.15 yuan to 24.28 yuan, an increase of 0.72%.


    "It''s a bit heavy to lift, could it be that a shareholder is quietly unloading shares while I''m controlling the market?"


    Lu Liang frowned, worried that someone was sabotaging his efforts; as speculative capital, the risks of market manipulation were very high.


    Without enough chips, it was difficult to control the market and easy to end up making wedding dresses for group shareholders.

 Chapter 84 - 84: Investigation, Village Evening

    After investing 7 million, Lu Liang didn''t make any new moves, leaving the market to its own devices without any further intervention.


    He still held a base position, and it was true that major shareholders could check the list of circulating shares, but not now¡ªat least not until the end of today''s trading.


    Lu Liang had made it known that he intended to be a market maker, and now it was up to the real market makers to decide whether they were willing to put in the effort. They couldn''t expect him to simply raise the price for them while they sat back and reaped the benefits¡ªthat was neither possible nor realistic.


    And with an investment of only 7 million, he was definitely not going to appear on the Dragon and Tiger List. Using his name for publicity was equally impossible.


    At this moment, Tang Caide knocked on the door and entered with the additional investment proposal of 20 million for Panda Interactive Entertainment.


    Wang Xiaocong held 85% of the shares, contributing 17 million, while Lu Liang held 15%, contributing 3 million.


    Tang Caide reminded him, "Mr. Lu, Mr. Wang plans to transfer 40% of his own shares to Redwood in Yanjing after this additional investment."


    "Redwood is also his; it''s preparation for Series A funding."


    Lu Liang was already aware of this because after the funding, the company would no longer be personal; Little Wang was preparing for a subsequent high-level cash-out.


    It''s not that as soon as he planned to raise funds, he was thinking of running away, because this approach was very common, like not putting all your eggs in one basket.


    After investing so much money and effort, it was natural to want to recover the capital first if the price was right.


    Without any backup, to travel down this path until the bitter end would be foolhardy, with the likelihood of losing every cent. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Transfer the money to him this afternoon."


    Lu Liang signed the authorization on the remittance certificate. As he looked out the window, the number of company employees had increased to 19, making the office area somewhat cramped.


    Even Tang Caide''s workstation was only slightly bigger than those of ordinary employees, with no partitions and no real privacy.


    Lu Liang asked, "How much longer will the renovations at the New International take?"


    "The construction team has given a completion date of August 20. Although the materials are of good quality, they will need ten days to settle and ventilate, and office equipment and furniture also need to be purchased. We probably can''t move until the beginning of next month."


    Tang Caide paused and then added, "Mr. Yang from New International has given us 45 days of free rent for the renovation period."


    At the beginning of the construction of the New International Building, which was designed as a high-end office building, the normal free rent period for renovations was only 15 days.


    Fifteen days are often enough to complete partitions and office space planning, but Yang Weifeng still gave a month and a half.


    "Next time you see Mr. Yang, thank him for me. Let him know I''ve been too busy to step away, and I''ll thank him in person after we move over."


    No sooner had Tang Caide left the office than Chen Jinchun came in with four documents: "Mr. Lu, these two are from Luo Juncheng, these two are from Wen Chao."


    One from Beijing University, the other from Fudan¡ªit''s no exaggeration to say that five or six years ago, both were the top college entrance exam scorers in their hometowns.


    The pride of the favored sons of heaven made them believe that their own research reports could not be inferior to those of the others.


    So after conferring, they decided to submit them together so that comparison would reveal whose was better.


    "Still, professionals should handle this."


    Lu Liang picked up one of the reports and felt a mood lift. The front page was neat, clear, and easy to understand¡ªnot like Chen Jinchun''s research report, which required guessing while reading.


    Chen Jinchun didn''t say a word, grinding her teeth with frustration, but could only put on a fake smile to cover her embarrassment.


    Each research report had over ten thousand words, and Lu Liang read from morning until afternoon.


    By synthesizing both perspectives, he gained a basic understanding of the shared bicycle and video industries.


    Starting with the establishment of ofo in December of last year, in just over nine months, 22 enterprises have emerged nationwide. The top five were Mobike, ofo, YouBai, Kuqi, and Yong''an.


    Approximately 58,000 shared bicycles had been deployed, with the top three companies accounting for over 68% of the market.


    On average, each shared bicycle was ridden 4-8 times daily, primarily during the rush hours of commuting.


    In Modu, many subway station entrances can become so crowded during peak commute hours that it''s hard to find an available bike.


    There''s a large market gap that needs to be filled, but continuous bicycle deployments could impact city appearance and traffic order.


    Shared bicycles can only serve as traffic entry points and cannot survive independently; eventually, they''ll likely be sold off.


    Sold to Tencent, or to Ali, or some other Internet power to enhance their products.


    If shared bicycles represent a new battleground, then the video industry has been a battlefield since the birth of the internet.


    Long videos, short videos, live streams, interactive entertainment, and movie playback¡ªall major internet companies have been vying for dominance for over a decade without a clear winner.


    A short video company called Kuai Shou caught his eye, quickly followed by ByteDance, the force behind Toutiao.


    Lu Liang downloaded Kuai Shou, planning to experience it firsthand, but after watching just a few short videos, his expression was as if he had seen a ghost.


    He saw an online version of a ''village evening gala.''


    With phrases like "old irons" and "bro," and a rough video style characterized by distinctive North China padded jackets in bright green or red, it seemed to disregard the Southern audience altogether.


    "This seems to be about sharing life as well, just sharing life in the north."


    Lu Liang pondered as he pulled up the data on Kuai Shou. Last year it was valued at 850 million US dollars, with Redwood Capital leading the B round of financing.


    By June this year, the registered users of Kuai Shou had already broken through the two hundred million mark; he knew he definitely couldn''t get a foot in.


    Unknowingly, it was already three o''clock in the afternoon, and the A-share market had ended today''s trading.


    The stock price, 24.08 yuan,


    fell by 0.22%, essentially marking a day of no significant events.


    Tomorrow''s opening


    would probably reveal the direction things would head.


    Lu Liang called Chen Jinchun, asking her to bring Luo Juncheng and Wen Chao into his office.


    After reviewing four research reports, he already had an answer in mind for the choice of secretary.


    The two of them sat anxiously in front of Lu Liang, faces tense with nerves, waiting for the final verdict.


    "Wen Chao, move over next to Assistant Chen tomorrow."


    There was an empty space next to Chen Jinchun''s desk, which Lu Liang had reserved for his secretary.


    There were two phones on his desk, one for calling Chen Jinchun, the other for the secretary.


    Previously, both were answered by Chen Jinchun, but now the other had also found its rightful owner.


    "Thank you, Mr. Lu. I will continue to work hard," Wen Chao managed to say, containing his excitement as he bowed deeply.


    "Mhmm, you may leave."


    Lu Liang looked out the window. Su Wanyu had already arrived; it was time to start learning a foreign language for the day.


    "Alright, Mr. Lu."


    Wen Chao left the office, but Luo Juncheng didn''t budge. He stared at Lu Liang with resentment, "Mr. Lu, why? Where did I fall short?"


    Over the past more than ten days, he had almost traveled all over Modu.


    He even camped out at a subway entrance before dawn just to count the daily rides of a shared bicycle, from before daylight until late at night.


    During these days, he had not had a single night of peaceful sleep. If he wasn''t conducting research, he was on his way to it.


    He believed that what Wen Chao had done was definitely not better than his own work, but he couldn''t understand why he still lost.


    "Mr. Lu, then I will head out first."


    Wen Chao''s brows tightened, the words almost reached his lips, but he didn''t speak.


    Just moments ago, he too was curious about what had made him win, but now it seemed self-evident.


    Who Lu Liang wanted to choose was up to him; even if it were a little rooster that he picked, they had no right to question it.


    Because of the special nature of the secretary position, their main task was to implement Lu Liang''s will, without the need for too many ideas of their own.


    "Mhmm, go ahead."


    Lu Liang nodded slightly, looking toward Luo Juncheng, "Little Luo, if you leave now, I can pretend nothing happened, but if you''re dissatisfied with my decision, you can go to finance to collect your internship salary now."


    "I don''t need the salary, but I want to know the reason."


    Luo Juncheng had made up his mind; if he couldn''t be Lu Liang''s secretary, he didn''t want to waste time at this company.


    Lu Liang smiled wryly, speaking frankly, "Your market research report was indeed very detailed, but it overlooked that research needs to be objective. It contained too many personal thoughts."


    Kuai Shou, Toutiao, ByteDance were all results of Luo Juncheng''s research, and he was the one who made Lu Liang aware of their existence.


    Luo Juncheng was talented, but not suitable to be a secretary.


    Lu Liang planned to observe him for a while and might find an important role for him in the future, but it seemed unnecessary now, so he didn''t mind giving him an explanation.


    "Mr. Lu, thank you."


    Luo Juncheng smiled bitterly, clearly aware that he had added too much of his own bias.


    His main intention was to showcase his unique insight into the industry, but he hadn''t anticipated it would backfire.


    Suddenly, Lu Liang called him back, his voice cold, "Go to finance to collect your salary. When you''re working, don''t act like a child; remuneration is a respect for your labor."


    Luo Juncheng fell silent, gave a deep bow, and there was a bit of regret in his heart. He vaguely felt as if he had missed something.


    "Call Miss Su in," Lu Liang said, no further words needed.

 Chapter 85 - 85: No Dumping Stocks, Wenzhou Gang

    "He''s resigning?"


    Su Wanyu curiously looked out of the window, while Luo Juncheng kept his head down, silent and packing up his desk things.


    "Iron camps and flowing soldiers, comings and goings are quite normal."


    Lu Liang didn''t want to elaborate, picking up Su Wanyu''s attendance card, which had already reached its final phase after pre-booking 70 sessions twice.


    "Isn''t the graduate exam concentrated at the end of the year? It''s still three or four months away. Are you starting to prepare now?" he asked.


    "What you''re talking about is the date for the national graduate entrance examination. You can start registering on the 22nd of next month."


    "That still leaves you over a month. What are you planning to do with this time?"


    "My dad wants me to return home for a while and come back after the Mid-Autumn Festival to register."


    "When are you leaving?" Lu Liang was surprised.


    "The day after tomorrow."


    Su Wanyu pouted, slightly dissatisfied, "Why don''t you try to retain me a bit?"


    Lu Liang asked with a smile, "Do I even have the right to compete with your father for his daughter?"


    "My dad is not your father-in-law, hmph~"


    Su Wanyu''s face was full of tsundere pride, and that little bit of dissatisfaction was cast aside.


    The most cherished dream for a girl is undoubtedly to walk down the aisle with the man she loves.


    By saying so, Lu Liang implied he had considered it; how could she not be delighted.


    Lu Liang asked, "Which university''s graduate program are you applying for?"


    "Didn''t I tell you last time? International Trade at Tongji."


    "Do you think you can make it?"


    "I''m quite strong, really strong."


    Two hours passed in an instant, and the 70 sessions were completed.


    Su Wanyu''s job was at a pause, and she declared with a grand gesture: "Where are we eating tonight? You choose, I''m treating."


    Each session was 400 yuan, and after deducting the platform fee, she still pocketed over 26,000 yuan¡ªshowing off a newfound wealth that was bold and impressive.


    Lu Liang''s smile was teasing: "Are you sure? I''ll give you another chance to rethink your offer."


    Su Wanyu remembered the several meals they had at those lavish hot pot restaurants and the string of numbers on the bill, which amounted to several months of her living expenses. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Feeling the weight of the pressure but having already made the grand statement, she couldn''t lose face and stiffly affirmed, "Sure, anything goes."


    Lu Liang drove to a familiar congee hotpot restaurant.


    While the average cost per person was over two hundred, it was much cheaper than the hotpot restaurants, Linjiang Pavilion, and those other places.


    Su Wanyu beat her chest, took a deep breath, and lifted her joined hands above her head in a prayerful gesture: "I am grateful to Boss Lu for sparing my wallet."


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but chuckle, reaching out to tousle her hair: "Weren''t you quite reserved before? How come you''ve turned into this?"


    "Times change," she boasted, unashamed. Reservedness comes from unfamiliarity, but once familiar, it''s another story.


    "Let''s go, it''s already seven and I''m so hungry." She took Lu Liang''s hand and strode towards the restaurant.


    Lu Liang''s lips curved into a smile, experiencing a little taste of being under someone''s control.


    ...


    The next morning at the company, Lu Liang listened to the English tapes that Su Wanyu had specially prepared for him.


    According to her, as long as he passed the Level Four English test, he wouldn''t need a Foreign Teacher. It was more about self-learning and vocabulary accumulation.


    Because Lu Liang''s goal was not just everyday use; he also wanted to read professional financial articles.


    There are no shortcuts to this path; one can only rely on rote memorization, spending more money on a foreign teacher would be a complete waste.


    Su Wanyu''s reasoning was sound and reiterated several times: hiring a foreign teacher was just a waste of money.


    Lu Liang thought of a possibility: "Jealousy."


    Literature faculties are mostly female, and foreign language departments even more so. With quantity comes quality, just like Su Wanyu.


    At that time, Su Wanyu, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, explicitly said she was jealous and forbade hiring any more foreign teachers; if he had questions, he was to ask her.


    Lu Liang could only agree with a smile.


    Approaching nine o''clock, his phone rang, receiving a message from an unknown number.


    [25, not dumping this week]


    The stock code for Teli A is 000025.


    Lu Liang smiled as he deleted the message.


    Although he didn''t know who had sent it, the two parties had already reached a tacit understanding to push this stock higher.


    After all, having dominated the hot stock list for many days, they were not willing to waste this massive volume of attention.


    Yesterday, Lu Liang had opened with an investment of 7 million and made no further moves afterward, signaling his intentions to them.


    Their attitude this week was not to dump the stock, but starting next week, it would be every man for himself.


    Unspoken agreement in their hearts, thus Teli A became the market''s most dazzling new star during the period of stock market disaster.


    Heating up the hot, not copying the cold; even notorious is famous - Teli A perfectly embodied the meaning of this saying.


    Without shareholders or institutional investors controlling the scene, relying solely on retail investors'' purchases, by the afternoon closing, the price reached 25.85 yuan, up 7.25%.


    "If institutions get involved in the next few days, we might see a mini-rally," Lu Liang muttered gravely.


    However, he had also decided that starting next week, he would begin to sell off, passing the baton to the next successor.


    Should an opportunity arise, he would repurchase; if not, he would start preparing for private equity.


    The next day, Lu Liang took Su Wanyu to the high-speed rail station; she was heading back home to Southern Fujian.


    "Bye-bye, you''d better call me often~"


    Su Wanyu was earnest: "I''m afraid to disturb you with my calls, but whenever you call me, I''m always free."


    Having said that, she tiptoed to steal a kiss from Lu Liang''s lips, then bowed her head, gripped her small suitcase, and fled.


    Lu Liang touched his lips: "Too quick, didn''t feel much."


    It seemed like Su Wanyu heard him, so she ran even faster, while Lu Liang waved with a smile: "Bye-bye~"


    A rippling smile appeared on the corners of his mouth.


    Lu Liang drove back to the company and called Wen Chao to monitor the individual stock market performance and prepare a report for him by Friday.


    It was time for him to start grooming a deputy; the Big A market was still manageable with a normal work-life balance.


    Once it involved US stocks or international futures, night became day, which was somewhat unbearable.


    Wen Chao was thrilled, nodding repeatedly.


    Prepare before work every day, summarize after work.


    By Friday, with dark circles under his eyes, Wen Chao submitted the report: "Mr. Lu, at 10:10 AM on Thursday, an abnormal transaction occurred in the stock, with one purchase exceeding 4 million. Sixteen minutes later, another 5 million was bought with the same approach."


    "At 9:35 AM on Friday, that investor even bought 12 million, momentarily pushing the stock to its upper limit."


    "There seems to be follow-up buying, but the volume is too small to detect; it may appear on today''s Dragon and Tiger List."


    As if to confirm Wen Chao''s guess, at five o''clock in the afternoon, the Shanghai Stock Exchange released the Dragon and Tiger List; after many days, Teli A made a strong appearance, with three institutions buying a total of 48.5 million chips.


    "Check the backgrounds of these three."


    Wen Chao nodded, and after a while, said: "Mr. Lu, the first is Lin Qixian at 22 Yixing Road, the second is Ma Yongwei at 2 Fuhai Road, and the third is Xu Wenlong at 122 Xiangyang Road, all of them are active market players for many years."


    Upon hearing these names, Lu Liang said: "The Wenzhou Gang."


    The Big A market had many frontline investors, but the Wenzhou Gang was undoubtedly the most brilliant team, known for their ruthless operations and extreme tactics.


    They often rapidly drove up the price, then swiftly dumped their holdings to profit, leading to significant stock price fluctuations.


    Market retail investors both loved and hated them; to love them meant that if one could run faster than them, big profits were to be had; to hate them meant that if one couldn''t keep up, they''d be trapped.


    Lu Liang looked at Wen Chao: "What do you think?"


    Wen Chao was taken aback, not expecting Lu Liang to ask him for his opinion, and after much excitement and long thought: "They probably want to take over the hype and wouldn''t have entered in such a high-profile manner otherwise."


    "Their cost should be around 32 yuan. If the stock''s heat isn''t enough, the invested 40 million plus will surely get stuck in there."


    "To avoid this, the market next week should be stable with an upward trend."


    "There might be another possibility."


    Lu Liang asked with a smile, "What possibility?"


    "The 40 million plus is a pledge; they want to take over someone''s chips and thus continue the momentum of this stock."


    Wen Chao spoke, glancing up at Lu Liang.


    Although 88 Punan Road had not appeared again, rumors in the market suggested that Lu Liang still held a sizable base position.


    And these past few days'' increases were also his handiwork.

 Chapter 86 - 86: An Exciting Program

    "You''re not wrong."


    Lu Liang showed his approval and applauded with enthusiasm.


    During a stock market crash, the most crucial thing to make money was to find a clever pretext, and Teli A had all the preceding conditions to become a sensation.


    The Wenzhou Gang wanted to take over and had to submit their pledge, allowing Lu Liang to profit first; only then would he not cause trouble.


    If Lu Liang didn''t agree, come next Monday''s opening, they would sell off all the chips they bought this week.


    Going in and out might mean a loss of a few million, but doing business meant making sacrifices for gains ¨C you have to give to get.


    If Lu Liang agreed, then next week he could just sell off his holdings, and the Wenzhou Gang would take over entirely, executing a high-level change of hands.


    Now it was all about whether or not Lu Liang was too greedy, willing to share this stock''s market trend with others.


    Wen Chao was pleased and revealed a humble smile, "Mr. Lu, this is just a bit of my personal insight."


    "It''s getting late now; head back early and come over early on Monday next week."


    "Mr. Lu, have a nice weekend, I''ll take my leave now." Wen Chao was very polite.


    Lu Liang smiled and nodded, not saying much more, as he organized documents and the company seal into the safe.


    He locked up the office and was the last to leave the building.


    Liu Mingxuan called at noon, inviting him to dinner in the evening, seeming to have set the wedding date.


    Arriving at the Hunan restaurant they often frequented before, they ordered three or four small stir-fries and four or five bottles of beer.


    "Remember to come on the weekend, at Yingdi Hotel, it''s a lunch banquet."


    Liu Mingxuan carelessly took out the invitation, planning two ceremonies, one in the city and another in his hometown.


    He was filled with mixed emotions, "All the social obligations I''ve accumulated over the years, if not a hundred then surely eighty, it''s time to cash in."


    If the wedding was only held in his hometown, then most friends from the city likely wouldn''t attend.


    Just receiving favors without attending the banquet made him feel a bit embarrassed, so after discussing with his family, they decided to hold two events.


    Lu Liang browsed through the invitation, teasing with a laugh, "Didn''t you used to say that you never expected to recover from ''red bombs''?"


    "Plans can''t keep up with changes."


    Talking about the wedding proceedings, the forthright Liu Mingxuan felt a bit shy, "I''ve asked my cousin from my hometown to be the groomsman." sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lu Liang read his mind, "We have the same custom in our hometown, those who are married or divorced can''t be groomsmen."


    Relieved, Liu Mingxuan drank and scratched his head while sighing, "I honestly never thought I''d get married so soon."


    "What goes around comes around."


    Lu Liang glanced over and bluntly chastened him.


    There''s a reason why rabbits don''t eat the grass by their burrows; you could mess around outside all you want, but mess with a known acquaintance in your hometown and you could be cornered into marriage at a moment''s notice.


    Liu Mingxuan wanted to say more but could only sigh and change the subject, "The Lu Liang online, that''s you, isn''t it?"


    Lu Liang nodded with a smile. Liu Mingxuan felt like there was a fishbone stuck in his throat ¨C it was one thing to guess it; it was another for the person involved to admit it.


    Suddenly full of questions but when they reached his mouth, they turned into, "Could you show me the private messages on Weibo, are there really so many revealing photos?"


    Lu Liang generously took out his phone, "There aren''t many revealing photos; they''ve all been blocked, but there are quite a few risqu¨¦ photo shoots."


    "B, A, G! This is basically the same as being thrown at your door; how can you stand it?" Liu Mingxuan was indignant.


    Lu Liang had ultimately become the person he most envied ¨C wealthy, famous, and constantly embraced by young girls throwing themselves at him.


    Lu Liang, still smiling, decided to further provoke his old friend by opening Li Xiaomeng''s Weibo, "Do you recognize her?"


    He had been through one divorce and took women lightly, kind of like Su Wanyu, for whom he simply enjoyed the feeling of being in love.


    And then there was Li Manli, an internet celebrity he had nurtured, whose presence felt like playing a nurturing game.


    Like a piece of work, something to show off.


    "You''re a beast, isn''t she only eighteen or nineteen?" Liu Mingxuan''s eyes widened, clearly recognizing her.


    Recently, Panda had been making constant moves, trending daily, even preparing for a variety show called "Goddess Arrival."


    Li Xiaomeng, as the face of the platform''s beauty section, became well-known to the public, however, it was rumored that she was Wang Xiaocong''s new girlfriend.


    "Nineteen, but not yet a full year."


    "I''m done drinking; I''m going to sleep."


    Overwhelmed, Liu Mingxuan decided to settle the bill and leave.


    Still smiling, Lu Liang called out, "There''s a show tonight; don''t you want to go?"


    Liu Mingxuan stopped in his tracks, torn, "I''m an almost-married man, and I''ve made up my mind to be a good citizen."


    Lu Liang asked, "Have you gotten the marriage certificate?"


    "We''re going to get it next Monday."


    "So, you haven''t gotten it."


    Lu Liang earnestly counted on his fingers for him, "Today''s Friday, tomorrow, Saturday, you have the rehearsal, and the day after is the wedding. You''re getting the certificate the day after that. How many days do you think you have left?"


    Liu Mingxuan''s interest was piqued, and he looked perplexed, "This sounds kind of familiar, like I''ve heard it somewhere before?"


    Lu Liang smiled without saying anything, because three years ago, Liu Mingxuan had said the same thing to him.


    "Is there really an exciting program?" Liu Mingxuan was skeptical, recalling that at that time, it seemed to be just about singing songs and getting a foot massage.


    "Definitely exciting, it just depends on whether you join in or not."


    "Then I have no choice but to risk my life to keep you company."


    At around nine o''clock in the evening, at the She Mountain Clubhouse.


    Liu Mingxuan''s legs were weak, and he leaned against the wall as he walked out of the treatment room, his face twisted in pain. "Is this the exciting program you talked about?"


    He had always heard about testicular pain, and tonight he finally experienced what real testicular pain felt like; he thought his balls were about to shatter.


    "Getting this weak after a few presses, you really should take better care of yourself. Isn''t this program exciting enough?"


    Lu Liang looked at him with disdain, completely forgetting that back in the day, he wasn''t any better and was even mocked by Old Meng for being too weak to benefit from tonics.


    "Does it help?" Liu Mingxuan massaged his lower back.


    "A little bit, yes."


    "Then I''ll go for another treatment course."


    Liu Mingxuan was tempted, thinking what was this little pain compared to future happiness?


    Lu Liang grinned slyly. "Really that frail?"


    "Talking nonsense, I''m fiercely spirited."


    "Next time, as haste makes waste."


    Liu Mingxuan planned to head back at ten o''clock in the evening.


    His soon-to-be bride was a bit controlling about timing, and it was about time for her to call and check in on him.


    Lu Liang smiled and didn''t try to keep him, calling the clubhouse concierge manager over to arrange a driver to take Liu Mingxuan home.


    For those unmarried or not intending to marry, being single had a hundred perks, but once one decides to marry, it''s important to prioritize harmony.


    As a friend, he didn''t want Liu Mingxuan to have an unpleasant altercation with his girlfriend because he came home too late.


    However, at ten o''clock on a Friday night, Modu''s nightlife was just getting started, and he definitely wasn''t in the mood to sleep.


    So, Lu Liang called Little Wang and found out that he was partying at a nightclub, deciding to join in on the fun.


    He used to dislike clubbing, but later realized it wasn''t a matter of dislike but rather a lack of ability to enjoy it.


    Nightclubs are the most straightforward arenas of desire and profit; without money and unwilling to lower one''s dignity to provide emotional value, one naturally becomes an ignored wallflower.


    But now things were different, with money and fame, a bevy of beauties lined up to offer him emotional value, all just to make him smile.


    Occasionally jumping around a little and letting the adrenaline surge was also good for physical and mental health.


    In the early hours, at TAX Bar.


    The sound system roared, and under the neon lights, the dance floor surged with a variety of people dancing wildly, releasing their passion and stress. With the music''s climax, their dancing became more fervent and unrestrained.


    Wang Xiaocong suddenly pulled Lu Liang to look toward the dance floor, where a masked woman had a graceful figure, with curves that captivated.


    "Your ex-girlfriend?" Lu Liang asked smilingly, following the gaze to a certainly well-proportioned body.


    "Not her, I don''t remember, but I know she is a celebrity," Wang Xiaocong said with conviction.


    "The lights are dim, and she''s wearing a mask; how can you tell?" Lu Liang looked doubtful.


    Wang Xiaocong seemed to regain some face and asked with a smile, "Guess whether I''ll tell you?"


    "Am I a child to be guessing?"


    Lu Liang glared and raised his glass, approaching the girl. "Hello, may I get to know you?"


    "I''m sorry, I don''t know you."


    The girl''s voice was very cool, with a bit of a Cantonese accent.


    "From HK? I''m your buddy." Lu Liang said in broken Cantonese.


    The girl smiled with eyes narrowed into crescent moons, quite charming: "You don''t know how to speak."


    "I understand but can''t speak. My friend bet me you''re a celebrity, but I guess you''re not."


    Lu Liang looked up at the second floor, where Wang Xiaocong was leaning over the railing, smiling and raising his glass in response. The girl looked surprised: "Then you lost."


    "With so many people around, how about we go upstairs for a drink, so I can lose convincingly."


    Lu Liang was curious; he was so close and still hadn''t recognized which female star she was, wondering how Little Wang could tell.


    The girl glanced up at Wang Xiaocong again, nodded with a smile, "Okay."


    They ascended the stairs next to the dance floor to the second-floor private room.


    Little Wang made all kinds of teasing gestures, as if to say, "Bro''s got game."


    Lu Liang smiled without speaking, recognizing that this was a willing and very ambitious girl.


    She came up with him out of respect for Little Wang''s face.


    He liked this kind of girl.


    Because if Little Wang could satisfy her needs, so could he.

 Chapter 87 - 87: The Fluttering Ripples of Life

    Entering the private room, the girl took off her mask.


    Her appearance was that of a rarely seen, Hong Kong-style mature beauty; with long and charming eyes, and thin lips with a clear shape.


    Her smile was very infectious; when she wasn''t smiling, paired with bright red lips, she exuded a beauty that was cold, stunning and distant.


    Wang Xiaocong raised his eyebrows, finding her face familiar but couldn''t recall where from. Lu Liang looked surprised, "Miss Wen, I didn''t expect it to be you."


    Last month, he and Su Wanyu went to see a few movies, and at the cinema, he saw a promotional poster for "EQUATOR", and he was astonished by Wen Shanshan''s look.


    A killer woman looking sexy and cold, with a swipe of red lipstick and wavy hair, topped off by a beauty mark that made her unforgettable.


    Hearing the surname Wen, Wang Xiaocong also suddenly remembered, "You used to debut in a group with Yang Tianbao, right?"


    Wen Shanshan''s smile stiffened slightly, "Mr. Wang, you have a good memory, indeed there was such a thing."


    Lu Liang smirked and changed the subject by raising his glass, "Let''s drink, let''s drink. EQUATOR, I''ve watched it several times. Miss Wen, your acting was really good, it''s just a shame your role was too small."


    He recognized Wen Shanshan only from the movie poster of EQUATOR, and knew nothing about her past.


    But based on Wang Xiaocong''s supplement that she had also debuted in a group with Yang Tianbao, combined with Wen Shanshan''s reaction,


    it wasn''t hard to guess that this once united group had now disintegrated and perhaps even become enemies.


    A single season of a running man show made Yang Tianbao incredibly famous, and his wedding of the century hadn''t occurred yet, but he was already a household name.


    In contrast, Wen Shanshan was neither here nor there, not even qualifying as a third-tier actress, relegated to playing bit roles in the Hong Kong circle.


    Lu Liang hadn''t watched "EQUATOR", but considering the cast with Zhazha Hui and God of Song, it likely was a classic Hong Kong-style male-centric film, with the female lead serving merely as eye candy.


    Her past close friends and group members were now famous all over the South and North, but they didn''t take her along for the ride. She must harbor some resentment.


    Here was Lu Liang''s opportunity.


    Wang Xiaocong also realized the situation and, smiling cunningly, played the wingman, "Lu, didn''t you invest in a few movies? Just make Miss Wen the lead in one of them."


    Lu Liang sighed, "There has to be a suitable script. If it''s a shoddy production, wouldn''t that spoil Miss Wen''s reputation among the mainland audiences?"


    A smile was on Wen Shanshan''s face; she had entered the industry at 14 and, after so many years, was not some naive little flower.


    Small roles were indeed a pity, and needing a suitable script was their subtle hint to her.


    Only she didn''t yet know who Lu Liang was.


    Wen Shanshan playfully reproached, "Sir, you know me, but I don''t know you. That doesn''t seem very fair, does it?"


    "My apologies, my apologies, I got excited seeing Miss Wen and forgot to introduce myself."


    Lu Liang smiled and self-punished with a toast, "I''m Lu Liang, from Tianxing Capital."


    Wen Shanshan was surprised, "You are Mr. Lu? So young. Then why do they call you Uncle Lu?"


    Although she mingled in the Hong Kong circle, she always aspired to break into the mainland market and enjoy the vast consumer bonus.


    A few days ago, Lu Liang was the talk of the nation; anyone who went online heard of him, to some extent, but she hadn''t expected him to be so young.


    Wang Xiaocong, who was cuddling a girl in his arms, nearly hurt himself laughing, "Who told him to always act like an old cadre, never showing his face?"


    Lu Liang glared at him, "Aren''t you being a bit too talkative?"


    Wen Shanshan covered her mouth with a giggle. After chatting for a while, her agent called, and she said, "Mr. Wang, Mr. Lu, I''m sorry, it''s getting late; I have to leave now."


    Lu Liang nodded, "Let me walk you downstairs."


    "Thank you."


    Outside the bar, they exchanged contact information, and Lu Liang watched Wen Shanshan get into a taxi and leave.


    He then returned to the upstairs private room. Wang Xiaocong passed him a beer, grinning teasingly, "Are you interested in her?"


    "A bit," Lu Liang admitted while drinking, unapologetic.


    "I just remembered something. That woman doesn''t seem like good news, the same mold as Yang Tianbao; both started as models, one made it, one didn''t."


    Wang Xiaocong recollected some past incidents; Wen Shanshan had apparently made inappropriate comments due to low EQ, nearly getting her blacklisted.


    "That''s something for her future husband to worry about, not me," Lu Liang said with a carefree laugh.


    "That''s true," agreed Wang Xiaocong, chuckling, "Just don''t end up like Mr. Qin, who got cheated out of 45 million US dollars."


    Recently in the Shanghai circle, there was a gossip-worthy incident when a second-generation rich kid was conned out of 45 million US dollars by a nobody. He had been warned that the woman was trouble, but he didn''t listen.


    Now, he was so ashamed he barely dared to show his face.


    "Little Wang, I''ve been married; I have experience. It''s you who should be careful."


    "Don''t worry; that will never happen to me. Also, don''t you fucking call me Little Wang."


    Wang Xiaocong''s expression darkened, and he suddenly remembered Lu Liang had just lost a bet, and even though no stakes were placed, he had won after all.


    His lips curving up, sunglasses in place, he ascended to the DJ booth, transforming into the midnight DJ, "A martini each, Mr. Lu is picking up the tab."


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but laugh and cry, leaning against the second-floor railing, he raised his hand in response, "Put it on my tab."


    Cheers filled the venue, and on the dance floor, countless young men and women excitedly screamed, arms raised high.


    ...


    The next day, while Lu Liang was working out at the fitness center, he suddenly received a call from Wen Shanshan.


    She said she was new to Modu and wasn''t familiar with many places, asking if Lu Liang could show her around. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I''m busy today."


    Lu Liang said with a smile, gently declining. Wen Shanshan felt a wave of disappointment and was about to hang up when Lu Liang suddenly changed the subject, "Why don''t you accompany me to look at cars first, and later I can take you around?"


    Having had several social drinking events these days, as a law-abiding citizen, he couldn''t drive after drinking.


    He had to keep finding designated drivers or asking someone to drive for him, even Little Wang had reminded him that he should hire a driver.


    To hire a driver, Lu Liang decided to buy another car.


    "Reciprocity is only right," said Wen Shanshan, delighted, and she quickly agreed.


    "Where do you live? I''ll come to pick you up later."


    After getting Wen Shanshan''s address, Lu Liang went home, changed his clothes, and drove out.


    He met her at the entrance of the Four Seasons Hotel, wearing a green dress and low-heeled shoes, seemingly aware she suited a mature style of dress.


    There was no one else beside her; just her, standing alone at the door, holding an umbrella to shade herself.


    "Miss Wen, you seem different from other celebrities," Lu Liang said with a smile.


    In his experience, when celebrities went out, it was always with great fanfare, surrounded by a crowd; at the very least, they would have three to five people with them.


    Wen Shanshan coyly replied, "I''m not any big star, just a small transparent figure in the entertainment industry. And call me Shanshan, please."


    "Alright, Shanshan, we''ll go take a look at some cars first, and then I''ll give you a tour of Modu this afternoon."


    "You already have a Lamborghini, what car are you going to buy?" Wen Shanshan asked curiously.


    She had looked up Lu Liang''s information the night before; he seemed to be an impressive capital giant.


    There were two figures circulating online: one was 1.28 billion, the other was 70 million US dollars.


    Her heart raced, the financial industry was undoubtedly at the very top of the food chain.


    Moreover, Lu Liang had made a name for himself internationally; even when he went to Xiangjiang, the local tycoons would have to treat him with respect.


    Therefore, she dressed up beautifully this morning and took the initiative to ask Lu Liang out.


    "The Lamborghini is just for fun; I''m missing an executive car, I''m considering looking at Bentleys."


    Lu Liang had always had a fondness for Bentley; its ''B'' with wings symbolized a soaring life.


    "I''m envious."


    Wen Shanshan felt wistfully, after struggling for so many years, she didn''t even have her own apartment in Xiangjiang, to say nothing of a car.


    That Lamborghini is just for fun¡ªsuch words could only be uttered by someone rich like Lu Liang.


    Lu Liang said smiling, "Your acting isn''t bad; you''re just missing one or two good opportunities. Once you make it big, everything will come your way."


    "Making it big is against all reason; not making it means no one cares, but getting popular isn''t so simple." Wen Shanshan sighed regretfully.


    "In a few days, I''ll see if my friends have any good scripts, to see if there''s a suitable role for you."


    Lu Liang felt sympathy, placing his palm on Wen Shanshan''s shoulder and pulling out a tissue to wipe away her tears.


    She didn''t object, tears shimmering in her eyes, "Liang, you''re so kind to me."


    Lu Liang comforted her in a soft voice, "Don''t be too sad; I can''t bear to see a pearl in the dust. You have a great future ahead, and you will stand on a bigger stage one day, becoming the brightest star among them all."


    "Will there be a chance?" Wen Shanshan asked softly.


    "There will be," affirmed Lu Liang, confidently painting a rosy picture.


    "Thank you, Liang. I feel much better now," said Wen Shanshan, nodding and smiling, her spirits lifted, "Let''s go check out cars for you first."


    She knew that Lu Liang was just painting a pretty picture, but she understood one had to give to get in this fair society.


    She wasn''t foolish; she took words with a grain of salt and believed only what she saw. She wanted to see if Lu Liang had the capability he claimed.

 Chapter 88 - 88: Go Upstairs for a Glass of Water?

    "Let''s go then."


    Lu Liang''s smile tilted upward, and the two acted as if they hadn''t noticed anything, coming to the Bentley Puxin store.


    He didn''t look for Li Yue but chose a nearby Bentley dealership to avoid inflating that woman''s expectations.


    Although there were no acquaintances, a Lamborghini was the best pass, earning the sales manager''s enthusiastic hospitality.


    "Mr. Lu, may I ask which of our models you''re interested in?" said the manager, fawning over him with a beaming smile.


    "Let''s take a look at the sedans."


    Lu Liang had driven a 2013 Mushang and liked it at the time, but he wanted to try more to see if the next one would be better.


    Lu Liang, along with Wen Shanshan, test-drove the Flying Spur and the Mushang in succession, laughing, he asked, "Which one do you think is better?"


    "It seems like that one is a bit more comfortable."


    Wen Shanshan thought hard, looking clueless about cars, and finally pointed at the black Mushang.


    Lu Liang chuckled, realizing the top-spec Flying Spur was only able to get the lower-spec Mushang, but he wasn''t particularly concerned.


    Since the car would be registered under the company''s name, it wouldn''t matter if it was a bit more expensive, as it would also mean paying more taxes.


    "Let''s go with that one, I''ll pick the configuration."


    Lu Liang pointed at it too; the listing price was 4.98 million, and after choosing the configuration and including the purchase tax, it would come to almost 6 million.


    Wen Shanshan was stunned, "Aren''t you going to look any further?"


    "Once decided, why wait? What''s there to see?"


    Lu Liang replied with a smile on his face, as relaxed as if he was picking groceries.


    The biggest issue with luxury cars is the cost, as long as the price isn''t a problem, neither pre-sales nor after-sales would pose an issue.


    Each customer is incredibly valued because those who can afford a 6 million luxury car probably won''t just buy one in a lifetime.


    Wen Shanshan was at a loss for words; in her thirteen years in the industry, she hadn''t earned as much money as Lu Liang had spent in one hour.


    "Mr. Lu, your car will take 25 days to arrive, we will urge our headquarters to expedite the process."


    The sales manager was all smiles, clutching the newly signed documents, wishing he could treat Lu Liang like royalty.


    Lu Liang nodded, driving off with Wen Shanshan: "Let''s go eat first, then we''ll take another look around in the afternoon."


    Wen Shanshan nodded, but during the meal, she suddenly remembered leaving something at the hotel.


    Lu Liang had to bring her back to the hotel, planning to wait for her downstairs. Hesitant, she asked in a low voice, "It''s so hot today, why don''t we go upstairs for a drink of water first?"


    "That sounds good, my throat''s a bit dry."


    Lu Liang smiled, following Wen Shanshan into her hotel room.


    A standard business suite, not particularly impressive, probably costing a little over a thousand to two thousand a night.


    "The room''s a bit messy, please don''t mock me."


    Wen Shanshan hurriedly tidied up the papers on the table, but suddenly she exclaimed and found herself pressing half her body against the table, her voice soft and coquettish, "Liang, what are you doing~"


    Lu Liang showed an apologetic face, hugging Wen Shanshan''s waist, "I accidentally bumped into the edge of the table just now and my leg suddenly feels a bit numb."


    Wen Shanshan rolled her eyes, smiling seductively, undoing Lu Liang''s belt while asking, "Let me see if there''s an injury."


    "It''s swollen."


    "I have a remedy for swelling."


    "Shall we try it?"


    "Let''s try it then."


    The two moved from the living room to the bedroom and then to the bathroom, from dawn to dusk, the already messy room became even more chaotic.


    Actresses aren''t really much different from ordinary girls, except they tend to have slimmer figures and pay more attention to posture management.


    Their skin is smooth like milk, and even at 27 years old, they maintain themselves so well they hardly look different from a 19-year-old girl.


    According to Wen Shanshan''s account, she earned 800,000 a year, and at least 400,000 of that was spent on daily maintenance.


    After all, an actress''s career is all about youth and looks; once beauty fades, even the biggest stars can be left neglected.


    Especially since she was neither famous nor influential, she needed more maintenance, waiting for an opportunity, such as this very moment.


    "Are Hong Kong stars really not in demand anymore?" Lu Liang asked as he gently pinched her delicate chin.


    Her chin wasn''t sharp, her face resembling the classic oval shape, but the corners of her eyes didn''t look quite natural; she probably had some work done.


    "Not like before. The Xiangjiang market is shrinking, and the Hong Kong circle keeps recycling the same few people for film and TV dramas."


    Wen Shanshan leaned over Lu Liang, picked up a cigarette and lighter, and lit up a post-coital smoke for him: "Like this time, I came here to audition for the role of the second female lead in a TV drama."


    "Movie stars stooping to act in TV dramas, isn''t that looked down upon in your circle?" Lu Liang was surprised.


    Although he wasn''t very familiar with the entertainment industry, he had heard about the hierarchical disdain among movie, television, and web series actors.


    Wen Shanshan poked Lu Liang''s chest, clearly resentful: "Have you ever even seen the film EQUATOR that I acted in?"


    "To be honest, no." Lu Liang''s eyes crinkled with amusement as he puffed smoke, lying in bed with her, there was no point in hiding the truth.


    Wen Shanshan glared at him fiercely, a look of ''I thought as much'' on her face: "Even though I was the lead, after editing, I only had a few minutes of screen time. I''d rather do a TV drama where at least I''d have more scenes, become more recognizable, and maybe get noticed by someone." S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "And what about Angelababy? Her resources are pretty good, why hasn''t she helped you out?" Lu Liang asked with a smile.


    "Ugh, stop talking about her. If she hadn''t badmouthed me, I would''ve been in Mushang by now."


    Wen Shanshan gnashed her teeth, revealing the most genuine side of Angelababy, which boiled down to relentlessly advancing on the path of scandals.


    Back then, she was na?ve, thinking that hard work would pay off, and she also refused any under-the-table deals.


    But Yang Tianbao was different, she knew early on how to use her advantages, climbing the ladder of influence until she met Huang Xiaoming.


    Lu Liang chuckled and didn''t pursue the topic further: "Tomorrow, you move to the luxury suite upstairs, stay as long as you want. When I''m done with my busy period, I''ll help you look for a suitable role."


    He had a commercial platinum card; the bank had partnerships with five-star hotels nationwide, and some of the luxury suites were free or heavily discounted.


    For a long-term stay, it could even be cheaper than a regular business hotel room.


    Wen Shanshan wrapped her arms around Lu Liang''s neck: "Liang, I''ve given everything to you, you better not let me down~"


    Lu Liang chuckled and lightly brushed her nose: "I''ll keep an eye out for you, don''t just lie there, let''s go downstairs for a bit."


    "But, I don''t have any energy left, not a bit," Wen Shanshan protested pitifully, clinging to Lu Liang.


    Lu Liang didn''t indulge her: "Then you rest a while, I''ll see if there''s something good to eat and bring you something later."


    "Don''t go, let''s go together." Wen Shanshan inwardly sensed trouble and quickly got out of bed, following Lu Liang into the bathroom.


    She had missed many opportunities, and Lu Liang was her best chance to become famous. For fame, she was willing to do anything.


    Making money was secondary; she wanted to prove herself, show she was no less than Yang Tianbao, it was just that her luck wasn''t as good.


    Now that Yang Tianbao was famous, whatever she said was right, and nobody listened to what Wen Shanshan had to say, all the blame was on her.


    Only when she became famous could she explain everything.


    A smile played on Lu Liang''s lips as he stood under the showerhead, enjoying Wen Shanshan as she washed his entire body.


    Actresses are actually just like that, and they''re even more ambitious and goal-oriented than ordinary girls, willing to face any ordeal for their objectives.


    That evening, the two went out for dinner, and back at the hotel, Lu Liang casually upgraded her to a luxury suite at the Four Seasons Hotel.


    He gave her a taste of the sweet life; as for the film and TV resources, Lu Liang planned to wait until he was less busy and had free time to discuss it.


    Keeping her in suspense ensured continued service; things that come too easily are often undervalued.

 Chapter 89 - 89: Reunion with an Old Friend

    The next afternoon, Lu Liang went to Yingdi Hotel according to the address on the invitation.


    As he drove into the parking lot, he realized he''d forgotten to bring money, having gotten used to scanning codes and swiping cards; his wallet only contained a little over a thousand yuan in cash for emergencies.


    When Lu Liang got married, Liu Mingxuan had given him an 1,800-yuan red envelope, the most generous gift from among his friends.


    Lu Liang looked around and saw an ATM across the street, where he withdrew 2,000 yuan and then bought a red envelope from the small shop next door, upon which he wrote his name.


    Upon leaving the shop, Lu Liang ran into a female classmate who looked familiar, but for the life of him, he couldn''t recall her name.


    The woman also seemed to be in deep thought, but then suddenly clapped her hands together and exclaimed with surprise, "Lu Liang, am I right?"


    "Are you also here for Mingxuan''s wedding?"


    Lu Liang chuckled awkwardly, the most embarrassing part of reunions being when someone remembered him but he couldn''t remember them at all.


    Although her name seemed on the tip of his tongue, he still couldn''t remember it.


    "Looking at you, you couldn''t possibly still be trying to remember who I am, could you?" the female classmate said with a less-than-friendly look in her eyes.


    "Little Huang, how could I ever forget you?" he said, as he suddenly remembered her upon hearing her familiar catchphrase.


    Huang Lihui was thrown into nostalgia upon hearing this and said with a sigh, "What a name to remember, but now they all call me Big Huang."


    "Well, it looks like you''re living the good life, free from worries about food and clothing, so it''s only fitting to evolve a bit," Lu Liang teased with a smile.


    The main reason he couldn''t remember her was that his former classmate had become more and more affluent-looking over the years.


    At a height of around 1.6 meters, her weight looked to be about the same as his, he guessed roughly 150 pounds.


    Dressed in gold and silver with jade for decoration, she was the picture of a wealthy lady.


    "Your mouth is still as sharp as ever," she retorted, giving him a harsh stare. "I just heard you might have gotten divorced?"


    She had arrived half an hour earlier and had been upstairs catching up with old classmates for a while.


    She had just come downstairs to move her car at the request of a phone call and decided to buy something at the store on the way.


    Lu Liang nodded. "Lu, how have you been doing recently, been making money somewhere? Still selling houses?" Huang Lihui asked.


    "After the divorce, I lost the mood to work, so I quit my job. Now I''m doing some small business to make ends meet," he replied.


    "That''s a pity, I was actually planning to buy a few houses in Modu and wanted to consult with you," she said with a nonchalant air, her peripheral vision keen on Lu Liang, as she secretly gauged his reaction.


    At weddings and funerals, old acquaintances reunite, some to catch up with old classmates, and others to satisfy their vanity and show off.


    She had been unremarkable during college, never experiencing the fresh rain of youth, so she was always keen to attend reunions and weddings.


    The saying "Thirty years on the east bank of the river and thirty years on the west bank, do not take the poverty of youth lightly" undoubtedly serves as the driving force for every ordinary person''s progress.


    "If you really need it, I''ll introduce you to some former colleagues later," Lu Liang offered absentmindedly, looking toward the lobby''s display board and noting Liu Mingxuan''s wife''s name was Liu Yuzhen. "It''s on the third floor, right?"


    Huang Lihui grunted, already feeling a bit upset.


    When she had mentioned buying several properties in Modu earlier, her former classmates had all been extremely eager, asking her where she made her fortune and actively handing out business cards.


    Lu Liang''s lukewarm attitude was a blow to her proud self-esteem. Huang Lihui then asked with a smile, "Lu Liang, what kind of small business are you running recently? My husband''s in the building materials business in Puxin District, fairly well-known; maybe there''s a chance to support each other."


    "Well, please thank your husband for me, but selling grilled gluten at the subway entrance rarely involves partnerships," Lu Liang replied with a faint smile, noticing Big Huang''s eager desire to boast, so he simply played along.


    It had been ten years since graduation, and the only classmate he was still in touch with was Liu Mingxuan; the others didn''t really matter.


    After today''s meal, the next meeting might be in three years, five years, ten years, or perhaps there might never be another chance to meet again.


    Lu Liang didn''t care about the impression he''d leave; he just wanted to offer his best wishes to the newlyweds, eat his meal and leave¡ªthat was his sole purpose for this trip.


    "It''s good to be the boss, right? One person full, the whole family isn''t hungry. You can set up shop when you want to and rest when you don''t. Unlike us, from the moment we wake up, we''re responsible for the livelihood of hundreds of people. The pressure is real," said Huang Lihui, her pride immensely satisfied.


    "Indeed," Lu Liang replied, offering sporadic responses as they reached the third-floor banquet hall and saw Liu Mingxuan and his wife, both dressed in traditional Chinese red wedding attire, warmly greeting guests at the door.


    When Liu Mingxuan saw Lu Liang, he came forward with big strides and whacked him on the back, "Making a grand entrance, aren''t you? Playing the star of the show?"


    "Who dares? I just had a few more words with Big Huang downstairs," Lu Liang gestured with his mouth, signaling him to look behind.


    Liu Mingxuan showed a strange expression on his face and asked in a low voice, "Didn''t she boast about her construction-materials tycoon husband or talk about how she''s about to buy several more properties?"


    Lu Liang nodded with a smile, "She did."


    "And you didn''t deflate her tires?"


    Liu Mingxuan looked gleefully schadenfreude, completely disregarding the fact that today was his own wedding.


    "Can''t be bothered."


    Lu Liang gave him a look, walked up to the bride, and revealed a smile, "Happy wedding, it''s the first time we meet. My name is Lu Liang, and I''m Mingxuan''s good friend."


    The bride seemed a bit shy, returning a bashful smile, "Hello, I frequently hear our Mingxuan talk about you."


    Lu Liang turned back to look at Liu Mingxuan and patted his shoulder, "Happy wedding, no need to entertain me, I''ll go over myself."


    He spotted a few familiar faces at the classmates'' table, left a red envelope, signed his name, and then walked over.


    Liu Mingxuan eyed the thickness of the red envelope and revealed a satisfied smile, "No need to entertain acquaintances, go enjoy yourself."


    Around two thousand, never less, only more, he felt quite content.


    A true friend is about heartfelt connections and mutual respect, not about neglecting the other person''s feelings after having money and giving whatever amount you want. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lu Liang being wealthy was his own business; Liu Mingxuan enjoyed hanging out with him because they shared everything from the very beginning, from smoking the same cigarette to now casually having drinks and late-night snacks without fussing over the costs.


    After more than a decade of friendship, what he valued was his character.


    When he truly needed help, he would ask, rather than expecting Lu Liang to bestow charity on him whenever he wanted.


    Luckily, Lu Liang also understood this.


    "Lu, you''re late."


    "It''s been a few years, and you seem to be getting younger."


    "The belly is gone, and even the skin is getting better. Could this be what they call reverse aging?"


    Upon arriving at the classmates'' table, Lu Liang immediately became the center of attention.


    Being thirty is rare, not just physically but spiritually too. Tied down by family, one loses autonomy.


    Engulfed in work, afraid to quit; sick, yet afraid to take a break. With parents to support above and young children clamoring to be fed below, not to mention looking after the wife''s emotions, one could hardly be considered a complete person but rather a mere tool, barely hanging on by a thread.


    Almost buried neck-deep in the yellow soil, the time will come to send off the parents and raise the children until they are settled. By then, it''s almost time to rest in peace.


    One''s own priorities get pushed far back, to the point where most have no sense of self, unconcerned about appearance or physique.


    Hence, a balding pate and potbelly become the norm.


    Knowing everyone''s life conditions were similar, yet to see Lu Liang seemingly living a "second life" in reverse, how could they not be envious?


    Huang Lihui was both envious and spiteful; she went from Little Huang to Big Huang, so why could Lu Liang still seem so youthful?


    "Maybe it''s because I''ve had more time to work out recently. Losing weight does make one look younger."


    Such cases like Huang Lihui''s were rare, and when Lu Liang shared his experience, everyone started to share their differences between then and now.


    Someone mentioned a stark decrease in digestive capacity¡ªable to devour two pounds of meat in one meal without needing staples or vegetables in their youth, but not anymore. Overeating now caused discomfort and even constipation; they had to eat fewer portions along with staples and veggies.


    Another lamented that the most painful moment of the day was washing hair, watching the white foam mixed with dozens of black strands slide away, fearing that soon each hair might be allotted its own number.


    After sharing ailments, they started to discuss causes and remedies, from daily routines to dietary supplements, and even old family recipes.


    Li Luang listened, smiling.


    This was the scene that should unfold when old friends reunite, speaking freely about their lives, temporarily breaking free from the pressures of life and work, reminiscing about their youthful days.


    Huang Lihui was quite frustrated; she was so wealthy and yet nobody was fawning over her, what was the point of money then?


    "In my opinion, it''s still best to visit the beauty salon and gym more often, spending some money on professional personal trainers to tailor-make your workout programs."


    Huang Lihui spoke casually, hinting that she spends at least several hundred thousand, if not millions, every year on such expenses.


    This yearly expense alone could equal the entire income of an average person for two or three years.


    However, before her tablemates could exhibit their envy, Lu Liang interjected with a laugh, "But it doesn''t seem to be very effective, does it?"


    At that remark, the old classmates couldn''t help but burst into laughter.


    It seemed true; if those things were effective, Little Huang wouldn''t have become Big Huang.

 Chapter 90 - 90: Lu Liang? Private Equity Tycoon?

    Huang Lihui choked on old blood, unable to utter a word as her face turned dark.


    A classmate tried to smooth things over, laughing as they changed the subject. "Oh, have you guys ever heard about that Lu Liang from the internet? He happens to share the same name."


    Huang Lihui''s eyes lit up, seizing the chance to mock. "That guy is a big shot in private equity, while our old classmate here just sells skewered wheat gluten."


    Everyone was taken aback, their looks toward Lu Liang shifting; they were not as enthusiastic as before, more distant now.


    As delightful as the bygone youthful days were, it''s important to live in the present.


    Annoying but a building materials boss''s wife, friendly but sells skewered wheat gluten.


    Grown-ups knew what choices to make.


    A classmate involved in building materials joked, laughing. "Lu Liang, where''s your stall? If it''s on my way to work, I''ll swing by and check out your craft."


    "Probably around Lujiazui, setting up shop casually. If there''s a chance, I''ll treat you to a taste," Lu Liang responded with a smile, oblivious to the underhanded comments.


    Huang Lihui was thrilled, growing bolder. "Setting up a stall in Lujiazui? Isn''t that asking to be chased off by the city management?"


    Someone who disliked Huang Lihui''s bossy demeanor deliberately changed the subject, pointing at the backdrop on the stage that was showing sweet moments of a newlywed.


    "Liu, that guy, swore never to marry back in the day¡ªI told him then he just hadn''t met the right person."


    An insider said with a smile, "Could it possibly be a shotgun wedding?"


    With that, everyone burst out laughing.


    Liu Mingxuan had always been a playboy since college; seeing him tied down by his wife and child was indeed a joyous sight to behold.


    As the lights in the banquet hall dimmed, conversations ceased, everyone focused on enjoying the ceremony and wishing the newlyweds well.


    The wedding ceremony lasted over forty minutes, people ate and watched until the newlyweds came to their table to toast.


    Liu Mingxuan''s brows were furrowed, noticing Lu Liang being sidelined while Huang Lihui was celebrated like a star.


    "Thanks everyone for attending my wedding. I hope everyone eats well and drinks well today," he raised his glass with a smile.


    Liu Mingxuan glanced at the drink in Lu Liang''s glass, his expression displeased. "Liangzi, pour out that drink and switch to something foreign."


    Lu Liang was confused, not understanding why Liu Mingxuan suddenly picked on him. Whether it was a soft drink or liquor¡ªit should not matter.


    Liu Mingxuan grumbled, "I told you not to drive and to bring an assistant if necessary. How could you dare drink a soft drink at my wedding?"


    "Today is your big day, you call the shots," Lu Liang grinned helplessly but understood Liu Mingxuan''s intentions.


    He swapped his drink for hard liquor, downing a full glass at once, then asked, "Happy now, groom?"


    "That''s more like it."


    Liu Mingxuan, smiling warmly with his bride, continued on to other tables to toast, leaving the confused crowd behind.


    Lu Liang has a car?


    And an assistant?


    Wasn''t he just selling skewered wheat gluten?


    What on earth was going on?


    Lu Liang kept a composed face and didn''t explain further. He made a phone call to Wen Chao, gave him the hotel address, and urged him to come now.


    Driven by curiosity, someone couldn''t help asking, "Hey, Lu, what''s with the riddle you and Mingxuan are playing?"


    Lu Liang played it off, laughing. "Don''t mind him. He''s just overly happy because he''s married today, drank too much."


    While thoughts varied among the crowd enjoying their meal, the lively atmosphere at the table had vanished.


    Twenty-some minutes later, a handsome young man in a suit and sweating profusely, arrived at the venue.


    Wen Chao didn''t come inside but stood at the entrance. Catching sight of Lu Liang, he flashed a polite smile.


    Lu Liang slightly nodded, filled his glass with wine, and walked up to the host table to toast.


    He stared hard at Liu Mingxuan, then offered his wish with a smile, "May your marriage be blessed for a century, I have to leave now."


    Liu Mingxuan watched the classmates'' table, their expressions shocked. He smiled satisfiedly, "No need to see me out, take it slow."


    Just as Lu Liang left, a few others from the classmates'' table came to toast in succession, Liu Mingxuan joked, "Are you trying to get me drunk on purpose?"


    A person close to him, who had just helped Lu Liang smooth things over earlier, straightforwardly asked, "Mingxuan, what''s the deal with Lu Liang?"


    Liu Mingxuan responded with a smile, "Why don''t you follow him and see for yourselves?"


    He hadn''t finished talking when Huang Lihui had already run to the window, her eyes wide and her face in disbelief.


    Moments before, they had been chatting when a Urus worth over three million parked downstairs, and no one expected it to belong to Lu Liang.


    Everyone''s expressions were as if they''d seen a ghost, and someone couldn''t help but say, "Could the Lu Liang from the internet actually be the Lu Liang we know?"


    Huang Lihui''s face was ashen, and she murmured in a daze, "Impossible, if he were that rich, would he still get divorced?"


    "What''s so impossible about that, maybe he got divorced because he is rich," someone half-joked in surprise. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Mr. Lu, quietly becoming a tycoon."


    Lu Liang''s wealth was none of their business, nor would they try to borrow money from him, but it was crucial for demeaning Huang Lihui.


    Lu Liang''s low profile now made Huang Lihui look like a joker. Could someone in the building materials business ever rival someone in finance?


    On the other side,


    Wen Chao drove out of the hotel, "Mr. Lu, where would you like to go?"


    Even though it was a rest day, he was eager for Lu Liang to need him for anything, as it would show they were close.


    Lu Liang rubbed his head, his brain throbbed slightly from the two glasses of Western liquor as he said with his eyes closed, "Tangchen Yipin, Building B."


    On weekends, Li Manli gave herself a day off, dressing up beautifully at home and waiting for Lu Liang to take her out.


    But after eagerly waiting for half the day, she saw Lu Liang return home reeking of alcohol and staggering.


    "How come you drank so much at noon."


    As she scolded him, she helped him undress.


    "I just attended a friend''s wedding."


    Lu Liang wasn''t drunk; it was just that the liquor was strong, causing his head to ache.


    Leaning on Li Manli''s soft thigh, his eyes closed, he showed a content expression, "Let me nap for a bit."


    "Hmmm~"


    Li Manli made a goofy face but didn''t move, even rifling through Lu Liang''s belongings to make him more comfortable.


    Suddenly, she spotted a four-leaf clover lighter. She couldn''t read English but recognized the Chinese characters.


    ''Smoke less'' ¨C the font looked like Xiujuan''s, not something Lu Liang would write.


    Li Manli felt suspicious and cautiously asked, "Was this lighter a gift from someone?"


    "I''m getting older. I smoke too much, and my throat hurts; it''s time to quit gradually."


    Lu Liang replied seamlessly without a hint of guilt.


    Li Manli took him at his word, poking his cheek, "I''ve been meaning to tell you to quit, I heard that smoking too much can prevent you from having children."


    Lu Liang squinted his eyes, smiling as he asked, "Thinking about having kids already?"


    "It''s still early, I''m still a baby myself. Maybe wait another two or three years, and then we can have a couple, what do you say?"


    Li Manli was serious, having thought about it, but she was barely nineteen and wanted to enjoy a few more years.


    "That''s up to you, not me. If you''re not careful with protection, you might become a mom next year."


    Lu Liang shifted his position, looking at the little white patent leather shoes and her shiny straight calves; Li Manli liked wearing dresses.


    She had told him, although it was inconvenient and complicated to wear them, she would continue if he liked it.


    Li Manli proudly said, "All set, I''ve downloaded an amazing app that tells me when it''s okay and when it''s not, clear and simple."


    A 6-million-three-year livestream contract, Panda Interactive Entertainment had transferred the first year''s payment; half went to the studio, and about 800,000 after tax ended up with her.


    Li Manli might not be smart, but she knew that without Lu Liang financing her, building a studio for her, and teaching her how to craft her persona, she couldn''t have achieved what she did.


    So, once the money was in her hands, she immediately transferred 600,000 back home. Please don''t contact her; it was a repayment for the years of upbringing.


    From then on, Li Manli told herself she belonged to Lu Liang and would follow him wholeheartedly.


    Unless he didn''t want her, she would cling to him forever, her gaze unintentionally falling on the lighter on the table.


    "How about today?" As the alcohol effect wore off, his fingertip traced her calf, slowly moving up, delving deeper.


    "Today? Of course~"


    Li Manli smiled radiantly, preempting him, her lips puckered on his, "Ooh~ Your breath smells strongly of alcohol."

 Chapter 91 - 91: Three People Discuss Private Equity

    Monday morning, 9:30 AM.


    Teli A opened high at 6.55%, with a share price of RMB 34.25.


    Lu Liang called Wen Chao to set up a brokerage sub-account unique to institutions, "Sell 10-30 shares per transaction until I tell you to stop."


    His institutional account still had 22,577 shares, and if sold at the current price, he could cash out RMB 77.32 million.


    Lu Liang thought for two days and decided to transfer the market orders.


    On this stock, through these two market trends, he had already made enough profit. Market benefits are about allocation; since the Wenzhou Gang was willing to make overtures, he couldn''t be ungracious.


    "Mr. Lu, are you asking me to manage the trading for you?" Wen Chao, normally calm and collected, suddenly froze.


    "Can''t you? Then let me teach you," Lu Liang was surprised, wondering how a Fudan finance master''s graduate didn''t even know how to manage trades, perhaps they hadn''t used simulation trading during their studies.


    With his face turning red, Wen Chao hurriedly explained, "Mr. Lu, I actually can, just a bit¡­"


    "A bit surprised, right?" Lu Liang asked with a smile.


    Wen Chao quickly nodded; after all, having joined the company just 23 days ago, he didn''t know whether to be excited or anxious when Lu Liang suddenly asked him to manage trading.


    He suddenly remembered a civil engineering intern,


    who, after working for two months, was sentenced to over a decade in prison.


    "Try your hand at it; don''t feel too much pressure."


    Lu Liang carefully instructed him to throw in a bit more when the market sentiment was hot and less when it cooled.


    It wasn''t technically challenging since he planned to transfer the market orders, and all chips would be wholly accepted by the Wenzhou Gang.


    As long as it was slow and didn''t affect the market sentiment, it would be fine.


    The process was tedious, which is why Lu Liang set up a sub-account letting Wen Chao handle it.


    A sub-account doesn''t show positions and capital; Lu Liang would supervise the entire process alongside, so nothing could go wrong.


    Wen Chao understood and took his responsibilities seriously.


    "Start from RMB 34.25."


    Lu Liang sipped his coffee,


    watching the chips in the account slowly decrease.


    The turnover rate of individual stocks was increasing, but it wasn''t affecting the share price at all. The price was even continuously rising.


    This also meant that they were offloading, and someone was fully accepting it, with both parties switching owners at a high position.


    Yet the retail investors didn''t know and thought multiple institutions were vying for chips, so they rushed to join the fray.


    Instead of falling, the share price rose, touching the trading limit several times.


    Time ticked away, and in the office, the only sounds were Wen Chao typing and clicking his mouse.


    Lu Liang rested his chin in his hand, watching the chips dwindle and the profit from this venture becoming clearer.


    Not until Wen Chao''s sub-account showed a transaction failure did Lu Liang call to stop.


    He turned to look at Lu Liang, his eyes showing the clear, naive gaze typical of college students, "Mr. Lu, is it¡­ all sold?"


    Wen Chao didn''t know exactly how much he had sold as he had been concentrating on the transaction details and mechanically selling off the shares.


    Lu Liang glanced at the display showing 0% position, smiled, and nodded, "Thanks for the hard work; you can leave for now."


    "Not strenuous at all, Mr. Lu. I''ll be off then, call me if you need me," Wen Chao said politely despite feeling a bit dizzy.


    After Wen Chao left, Lu Liang began to tally the profits from this deal. Starting capital was RMB 79 million; now he owned USD 16.2635 million, as well as RMB 149 million.


    Of which, USD 6.2635 million was earned from short selling yen, and these two market trends of Teli A gained him RMB 134 million.


    All things considered, including the USD 20 million account margin, the original capital of USD 100 million had now become RMB 272.43 million.


    "Two months, a 172% rate of return, not too bad."


    Lu Liang stroked his chin, smiling as he called Old Meng downstairs for tea to share the good news.


    "This is fucking awesome, it''s not just good!" Meng Changkun''s eyes widened, hugely excited.


    Even though he only had a 25% profit, his RMB 172.43 million had also earned him RMB 43.1075 million from a capital of RMB 50 million, resulting in a profit margin of 87.5%.


    Amid his excitement, Meng Changkun suddenly realized something, "Are you settling up?"


    He had entrusted RMB 50 million to Lu Liang''s management out of trust, albeit in a custodial capacity.


    Normally, there wasn''t a need for Lu Liang to clarify this clearly before the settlement date stipulated in the contract.


    Lu Liang nodded with a smile, indeed planning an early settlement.


    Meng Changkun eagerly asked, "What''s the matter, why settle early all of a sudden?"


    Lu Liang candidly replied, "I plan to take a break for a while, and this is a good opportunity to delve into private equity operation methods."


    After this settlement, his personal savings would exceed three hundred million RMB, ensuring he wouldn''t have to worry about basic needs and could begin using other people''s money to make money.


    He wanted to establish a subsidiary specializing in asset management and planned to pull Meng Changkun and Little Wang into partnership.


    "Why involve Wang Xiaocong, that wastrel?"


    Meng Changkun was quite disdainful, thinking that it was only because Old Wang was rich; if Little Wang were his son, he would have squandered his wealth long ago.


    Lu Liang said with a smile, "Precisely because his father is Old Wang, last year''s First Rich among the Chinese and the chairman of Wanda Group, he is worth bringing into the fold."


    Real estate was deeply tied to the domestic economy; Old Wang had become the world''s richest Chinese not because he dabbled with both the law and the underworld, but it wasn''t far from it.


    Lu Liang''s own capabilities were insufficient, and although Meng Changkun had several billion, his influence was limited to the Yangtze River Delta; only with Little Wang could they ensure their ''warship'' would sail smoothly.


    Meng Changkun asked, "How do you plan to allocate the shares?"


    Lu Liang replied, "I''ll take 60, you 30, he 10."


    "If he thinks that''s too little, I''ll take 20," Meng added.


    Meng Changkun pondered for a long time. He was a wise man. Lu Liang already had a reputation, and giving him 30% was purely because they had met early, seizing the opportunity first.


    Moreover, in this collaboration, his contribution would be limited; taking too much would make it hard to justify, and he might become a target.


    Lu Liang was surprised, nodded, and then added, "But as for the position of deputy general, Old Meng, please don''t refuse it; Little Wang is too young, I don''t trust him yet." S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Meng Changkun was astonished. "Aren''t you taking it?"


    "I''m just in charge of making money; I''ll leave dealing with investors to you."


    Lu Liang had not forgotten; he still wanted to be a pioneer in domestic new energy. Establishing a private fund was for raising money.


    However, to use investors'' money to become a pioneer in new energy, he needed to give them a taste of success first.


    "Oh my, how can I accept this? But since you can''t manage it, I will help you manage it."


    Meng Changkun feigned reluctance, his face a picture of embarrassment while almost grinning from ear to ear.


    As long as Lu Liang continued to generate returns, his days as deputy would be even more comfortable than Lu Liang''s.


    Lu Liang just smiled; he knew but didn''t say anything.


    What Meng Changkun received, he deserved.


    There are always good horses, but good horse trainers are rare.


    Old Meng had helped him continuously when he was unknown, a very difficult thing.


    Who else to appoint as deputy but Old Meng? He was experienced and could handle interpersonal relationships well.


    That evening, Lu Liang hosted a dinner and called out Little Wang for the three to meet and discuss this matter in detail.


    During the conversation, Old Meng easily manipulated Little Wang, first explaining Lu Liang''s original 631 plan, which seriously annoyed Little Wang.


    Then, he feigned weakness and pretense of struggle, and, ultimately unable to resist, he gave up 10%, changing the shares to 622.


    "That''s more like it."


    Little Wang showed a satisfied smile and asked curiously, "How much did you actually earn in your last collaboration?"


    "Not a lot, just 50 days, a profit rate of 172%, one hundred million became two hundred seventy-two million."


    Meng Changkun smiled, mimicking Lu Liang''s tone, as if he were discussing something very mundane.


    Little Wang was the first to know aside from them, but he wouldn''t be the last; this was both a feat and a selling point.


    "Holy crap, are you a demon?" Wang Xiaocong''s eyes widened, his face in disbelief.


    Making more than double in 50 days, in cash, not just antecedent company valuations during venture capital funding.


    It was one hundred million in cash.


    Suddenly, Wang Xiaocong frowned, "It doesn''t add up, didn''t the little devils say you made sixty million US Dollars?"


    "That''s just more than six million US Dollars. I took the blame," Lu Liang sighed; the more he thought about it, the more he felt he had drawn the short straw.


    Once he had sufficient capital and the right opportunity, he would definitely plunder a large sum.


    "I''d like to carry that black pot too."


    Little Wang''s eyes were full of envy, wishing he could suffer for Lu Liang.


    Without the little devils stirring things up, it would have taken Lu Liang at least another eighteen months to gain his current reputation.


    Wang Xiaocong paused, then asked, "How much do you plan to raise for the first phase?"


    "One hundred million US dollars, two million per share, 2+20."


    Lu Liang had researched; 2+20 was the most common fee structure for domestic private funds.


    ''2'' refers to charging 2% of the fund''s size as a management fee, for example, investors would pay 2.04 million for a two million share.


    ''20'' represents the fund managers taking 20% of the total fund earnings as a performance reward.


    With one hundred million dollars of principal, making another hundred million, the fund management company would earn twenty million dollars in revenue.

 Chapter 92 - 92: Three Hundred Million Savings, Reward with Several Sets of Houses

    "Keeping it so low-key, don''t you want to go bigger?"


    Wang Xiaocong was surprised, one hundred million dollars was just over six hundred million RMB.


    If Old Wang was willing to transfer the entire final payment, he could cover it all by himself.


    The most deadly kind of showing off is the invisible kind; which good-hearted person would give their son five hundred million in cash to start a business?


    Lu Liang had no strength left to complain, "Let''s test the waters first, I also want to play with a few billion dollars, but someone has to invest, right?"


    Little Wang looked disgusted and lectured, "Little Lu, you need to think bigger. Even if we three don''t invest, one hundred million dollars divided into fifty shares isn''t enough to go around."


    Meng Changkun also stood by Little Wang''s side, persuading, "Mr. Wang is right. We should at least aim for two hundred million dollars. That way we can all invest a little, and others will believe in it and follow suit."


    "Just one hundred million for the first phase. We each take five shares. If you think the share is too little, I can let you have my five shares."


    Lu Liang shook his head, his attitude very firm; the private equity scale of one hundred million dollars was the result of careful consideration.


    His capital was too small, if the amount raised for the private equity was increased, the capital to follow suit would inevitably have to increase as well.


    After all, five shares would require ten million dollars each; raising it to two hundred million dollars would mean ten or more shares.


    Lu Liang had 310 million cash on hand, and there were too many things waiting to be paid for; funds should be spent where they''re most needed.


    Moreover, he held a 60% stake, if he made a hundred million, he would get a cut of twelve million. The benefits should be given away.


    Most importantly, Old Meng and Little Wang were standing together, a tendency that must be curbed; the company could only be commanded by him.


    If you cede five cities today, you''ll have to cede ten tomorrow. No matter how good the relationship with a business partner, one must be vigilant about this point.


    Money can be made in lesser amounts, but sovereignty cannot be lost.


    Meng Changkun squinted, fully aware of Lu Liang''s concerns, and was the first to react, persuading Little Wang in return, "Let''s just start with one hundred million then. After all, it''s the first phase. If the feedback is good later, we can open another phase. We don''t have to wait until next year."


    Wang Xiaocong was straightforward and hadn''t thought that much, nodding in agreement, "Lu, are you serious about giving up your five shares?"


    Lu Liang smiled and nodded. Wang Xiaocong looked at Meng Changkun, "What about you, Old Meng, do you want them?"


    Meng Changkun coughed a few times, "Uhm, well."


    "Then it''s two for you, three for me, no problem, right?"


    Wang Xiaocong was very disdainful, annoyed with people like Old Meng who would hem and haw.


    "Mr. Wang, whatever you decide is fine," Meng Changkun said with a smile.


    "Tomorrow I''ll have someone set up a subsidiary, subscribe to one hundred million, pay in ten million, with a distribution ratio of 622. As for subscription, I''ll leave that up to you two, only recognizing money, not people."


    Lu Liang revealed a smile and stood up to raise a glass, marking the occasion with a comma, and Wang and Meng also raised their glasses to drink together.


    That night, the few of them inevitably went to the bar again, mainly because Little Wang liked it. The two resisted again and again, but it was hard to decline a hearty invitation.


    The next day, Lu Liang withdrew all the funds from the account to clear it, and just as it reached his account, he received a call from President Liu at ICBC.


    Through the phone, one could hear the sycophantic tone: "Mr. Lu, I just saw a transfer into your account of 16.2635 million dollars and 149 million RMB, are you operating it?"


    "Right, I''ll be going with Mr. Meng Changkun to make a visit, and while I''m there, I''ll open a corporate account."


    "Good, good, good, a friend just sent me a couple of two generations of mother bushes from Wuyi Mountain. I''ll be waiting for the pleasure of your company."


    Lu Liang chuckled and hung up the phone, and went with Meng Changkun to ICBC to complete the clearance of his account.


    He transferred 93.1075 million directly to Meng Changkun from his account, opened a corporate account for Tianxing Asset Management Company, and clarified that it would be used for the general account of the private equity in the future.


    President Liu nodded repeatedly, his face beaming with smiles, "I hear it''s quite difficult to handle the procedures for private equity, do you need help?"


    Meng Changkun had an ominous look in his eyes and coughed violently, "Old Liu, I''m still here; I''ll handle this matter properly."


    As a shareholder of the company, as well as the future general manager, he was obliged and had to handle this matter impeccably.


    Lu Liang smiled, "Old Meng, President Liu, you guys talk, I have other things to attend to, so I''ll leave first."


    The three of them had already divided up the tasks last night; he was responsible for getting the money, Little Wang for fending off the bullies, and Old Meng for the everyday trivialities.


    Each person had their duties; if Old Meng couldn''t manage, even if Lu Liang was willing to bring him along, Little Wang wouldn''t be pleased.


    "Mr. Lu, let me see you out."


    President Liu walked to the bank entrance, watching Lu Liang leave, and suddenly said, "There''s a saying, ''The great roc rises with the wind in one day, soaring straight up ninety thousand miles''." sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He turned to look at Meng Changkun and said with dissatisfaction, "Old Meng, you''re really lucky."


    The two were old friends; initially, one was just a regular loan officer at a bank, the other a common middleman.


    Mutually supportive and beneficial, after more than a decade of struggle, one of them became the president of a bank, and the other a big boss.


    Meng Changkun was smug, "I, Old Meng, have always been known for my keen eye. I''ve been telling you to join me in business, but you refused."


    President Liu sneered, "If I had gone into business back in ''08, you''d be long gone, and there wouldn''t be a Mr. Meng today."


    "Damn it, can we not always bring that up?"


    "One should remember kindness for a thousand years, you should be grateful."


    "Am I paying for tonight''s fun?"


    "That''s more like it."


    Meanwhile, Lu Liang drove away from the bank and headed to the real estate office downtown where he had worked for eight years.


    From a distance, he saw a pretty girl by the roadside, playing with stones with her head down.


    Lu Liang pulled up beside her, rolled down the window, and greeted her with a smile, "Xiaowen, long time no see."


    When his assets broke one hundred million, he bought himself a car, and now that he had crossed three hundred million, it was time to buy a few properties.


    So, the first person he thought of was Zhou Xiaowen, the apprentice he had trained personally. He remembered that when he quit, Xiaowen spoke up for him and ended up being scolded until she cried.


    Zhou Xiaowen looked up with her big round eyes, hesitant to recognize him, "Lu?"


    Lu Liang looked almost the same as before, just thinner, which made his features more prominent.


    But it was his presence that had changed dramatically and was shocking.


    She couldn''t quite place the feeling.


    It was like those big bosses who casually buy several houses, yet on closer inspection, it didn''t quite match.


    "How come? Don''t tell me you don''t recognize me after just six months?" Lu Liang smiled and gestured for her to get in, opening the car door.


    "Not at all."


    Hearing the familiar voice and tone, Xiaowen felt relieved and curiously surveyed the car''s interior, "This car is pretty expensive, right?"


    "Not bad, just a few million RMB," Lu Liang said as he drove towards University City, planning to buy a place near Tongji Campus.


    Su Wanyu would be coming up after the Mid-Autumn Festival.


    Her small room reminded Lu Liang of his own early struggle in Modu. Although the past was worth reminiscing, it was nowhere near as happy as the present and not something to yearn for.


    So Lu Liang planned to buy a place there and then use a little trick to convince Su Wanyu to move in.


    He''d find excuses to stay over from time to time. With the rise in affection, getting to the next base would only be a matter of time.


    "You''re kidding me, it can''t be that expensive." Xiaowen looked skeptical but still discreetly checked on her phone.


    All of a sudden, her pupils dilated. Lu Liang asked with a smile, "Believe it now?"


    "Lu, did you win the lottery?" Xiaowen was astounded.


    "More or less."


    "No wonder you fell out with Liu back then."


    Having realized that he might have won the lottery, Xiaowen found it easier to accept. Just like her, she would sometimes buy a few tickets on her way home from work, hoping to strike it rich and achieve financial freedom.


    Suddenly with a gleeful twinkle in her eye, Xiaowen said, "Lu, are you looking for me today to help me hit my sales target?"


    "Not bad, you''ve made progress in six months, already taking the initiative to ask clients," Lu Liang said proudly.


    "Oh, that''s all thanks to the great teaching of my mentor."


    Xiaowen was delighted. Lu Liang often used to call her slow, but now he finally complimented her.


    "Help me check around Tongji Campus in University City to see if there are any properties for sale."


    Hearing Lu Liang''s request, Xiaowen opened the real estate app, which displayed all the property listings in Modu.


    Different properties belonged to different real estate companies, but they could still visit the properties if they were interested.


    However, a transaction would require paying an extra fee to the company that owned the listing, deducted from the agent''s commission.


    "What''s the average price over there?" Lu Liang hadn''t worked with clients in that area before and wasn''t familiar with the prices.


    "Last month''s average selling price was 38,500 RMB per square meter. Lu, what price range are you looking at?"


    "About ten million RMB."


    "With ten million, you have a lot of options..."


    Xiaowen suddenly froze, blinking her large eyes and becoming lost in thought, "Lu, what did you say?"


    "Ten million, what about it?" Lu Liang asked with a smile, teasing his apprentice.


    "Lu, are you the one who cleared the 320 million RMB jackpot?"


    Xiaowen had been online, and she had heard of Lu Liang from private equity, but she never believed this Lu Liang was that Lu Liang.

 Chapter 93 - 93: The Outcome Changes Once Again

    "Lu, why are you thinking about buying a house in University City?"


    "Being close to reputable schools, getting some cultural exposure."


    "Isn''t it because you''re eyeing the schoolgirls?"


    "Xiaowen, you know too much."


    Zhou Xiaowen chuckled, taking Lu Liang''s comment as a joke.


    The real estate industry often pairs rookies with experienced agents, and although many beginners are clumsy, Lu Liang had always shown her respect.


    As they chatted and laughed, they arrived at Quyang Road near Tongji Campus and circled around the whole campus.


    The area was filled with residential communities or mid-to-high-end apartments, with comprehensive basic amenities.


    "Lu, do you have a preferred community?" Zhou Xiaowen looked down at her phone to refresh the average prices of nearby communities.


    Lu Liang turned the car around and stopped in front of a community entrance, "Help me check, see if there are any homes for sale here."


    Real estate in Modu was extremely valuable and properties in University City were considered school-district homes, evident from the landscaping and spacing between buildings. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After a round, Lu Liang noticed that Shuxiang Jinxiu had the largest green area and the widest spacing between buildings, and the security seemed very tight too.


    "Lu, your taste is always spot-on; this place has an average price of 72,000 per square meter, which is much higher than the average in University City."


    Zhou Xiaowen handed her phone to Lu Liang, letting him browse at his leisure. The prices were clearly listed, and since he was the one who brought her into the business, she had nothing to hide.


    "Lu, what have you been up to lately?"


    "Eating, drinking, thinking about how to spend money every day."


    "I wish I could win a jackpot someday, I''m not asking for much, just five million."


    Zhou Xiaowen looked at him admiringly, treating Lu Liang like that guy who won the lottery by betting on 88, draining the prize pool.


    Lu Liang just laughed and didn''t explain, choosing two apartments: "Contact the property agent for these."


    One was a large three-bedroom covering 135 square meters, and another was a four-bedroom of 175 square meters.


    Both were listed for sale online and looked good from the schematics, but would still need to be evaluated in person.


    Zhou Xiaowen contacted the associated real estate agency and discussed her commission, right in front of Lu Liang.


    The agency would take 1.5% of the total sale price; for a sale of 10 million, that would be 150,000, of which Zhou Xiaowen would make 80,000 and the agency 70,000.


    Lu Liang suggested, "High-end properties can be tough to sell, and there are several listed in this area, so you might be able to negotiate down to 1%."


    Normally, properties in University City were barely considered school-district homes, located slightly off-center, with more renters than buyers.


    The usual agency cut in Modu was between 0.5-2.5%, with 1.5% being on the generous side. Since Lu Liang knew Zhou Xiaowen, he wanted her to earn more.


    Zhou Xiaowen hesitated but then relayed Lu Liang''s advice and after some negotiation, managed to get between 1% and 0.5%.


    Soon, a young man in a sharp suit rushed over, "Mr. Lu, Miss Zhou?"


    "Let''s look at that three-bedroom, 135 square meters first."


    Lu Liang opened the car door for him.


    "Mr. Lu, it''s just upfront in building 7, I''ll walk."


    The crisply dressed young man, all smiles, ran to communicate with the security guard to open the gate.


    They checked out both apartments in succession. The 175-square-meter apartment was bigger with more rooms, but it was only on the second floor.


    The 135 square meters one was on the 12th floor, slightly smaller, but its balcony faced directly onto Tongji University''s playground and had good lighting.


    Lu Liang asked, "How much for this 135-square-meter unit?"


    The agent replied, "Mr. Lu, the owner listed it for 10.5 million, and it comes with a car space since this building has a good location; the average transaction price is around 78,000 per square meter."


    "10 million, including the car space, full payment. If that works, let''s sign the contract; have a good talk with the owner."


    Paying in full strengthened Lu Liang''s position to bargain, although even if he took out a loan, the owner would still get the full amount.


    But involving a bank would complicate the process, and it was a matter of whether the owner was willing to concede.


    After the agent made a call, he returned looking troubled, "Mr. Lu, the owner hopes to settle at 10.3 million."


    "It''s five o''clock now. If they agree, have them call me by eight tonight; if not, forget it."


    Lu Liang was assertive, waved Zhou Xiaowen over, and prepared to leave by car. He had some free time today and wanted to meet up with Zhou Xiaowen to catch up.


    Otherwise, he would have left it to Wen Chao to handle it properly and slowly, which might have resulted in a better deal at a lower price.


    The agent quickly shouted, "Mr. Lu, rest assured, I''ll certainly persuade the owner."


    "Sorry for making you come out for nothing this afternoon."


    Lu Liang drove towards the city center, planning to drop Zhou Xiaowen off at her store first.


    "No worries, haven''t we had our share of fruitless trips before?" Zhou Xiaowen smiled, supporting herself on the car seat, idly swinging her legs.


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but grin, remembering those times. It had only been half a year, but it felt like ages ago.


    "Let''s grab a bite, what do you feel like eating?"


    "How about that chicken pot place we used to go?"


    "Let''s skip it, let''s have hotpot instead."


    Passing by New World Mall, Lu Liang recalled a good Western-style hotpot restaurant he had been to a few times.


    He was mainly too lazy to go far; the chicken pot restaurant wasn''t that tasty, just generous in portion.


    Upon arriving at the Western-style hotpot restaurant, Zhou Xiaowen was startled by the menu prices; every dish was several hundred yuan.


    Lu Liang, familiar with the place, ordered three or four dishes, still not quite satisfied, "See if you want to add anything."


    "No need, four dishes are plenty."


    "Alright then, we can always order more if it''s not enough."


    Zhou Xiaowen''s expression was complicated, the words on the tip on her tongue, but she swallowed them back. Throughout the meal, she remained very quiet.


    Like Granny Liu visiting the Grand View Garden for the first time, not speaking and not moving meant not making mistakes nor saying the wrong things.


    The bill finally came to over 2,400 yuan.


    Suddenly, Zhou Xiaowen understood the feeling of reuniting that afternoon.


    Lu Liang had no obvious difference from wealthy bosses, but because Zhou Xiaowen had known him before, there was an odd feeling lingering between them.


    Familiar yet unfamiliar.


    Just past seven in the evening.


    Lu Liang dropped Zhou Xiaowen off at the store, and as she got out of the car, it seemed like she wanted to say something but ended up not saying it.


    Lu Liang smiled, waved, and drove away, knowing only Liu could maintain composure knowing his wealth.


    Regrettably, Liu was married.


    Xiaowen smiled, watching Lu Liang leave, a hint of disappointment flickering in her eyes.


    It was not about liking him, just a slight fondness, but she knew it was not possible anymore.


    She called the afternoon''s agent, "Manager Wu, if I reduce my commission, can it help close the deal?"


    Zhou Xiaowen didn''t know when she would see Lu Liang again, nor if there would even be a chance to meet.


    She knew Lu Liang wasn''t short of money, but still wanted to help him, to put a full stop to past favors.


    Before eight at night, Lu Liang got home and received a call from the realtor, the owner agreed to sell for ten million.


    The next morning, the parties met at the housing authority: Lu Liang, Zhou Xiaowen, the designated agency, and the property owner.


    At the price of ten million, Lu Liang paid in full for a 135-square-meter three-bedroom apartment in Shuxiang Jinxiu District, changing his fixed assets from two cars to two cars and one apartment.


    After the transfer procedures were completed, Lu Liang returned to the office.


    He let the apartment remain vacant; only an empty house gathering dust gave him a reason to ask Su Wanyu to move in to house-sit.


    After three in the afternoon, Lu Liang was discussing with Old Meng, the venue and staffing for the private equity fund.


    The venue was already set in the New International Building, with a total area of 3800 square meters.


    Lu Liang contacted the renovation team, setting aside 1000 square meters for the private equity fund office and trading room.


    In terms of trading personnel, he planned to include four rookies and two experienced staff, to train the newcomers as they went, planning to add more according to the situation.


    During their conversation, Liang received an unexpected call.


    Mobike''s Hu Weiwei, saying she was coming to Modu for work and asked if Lu had time to meet.


    "Ms. Hu, I still have some things to handle. Why don''t you come over to my office?"


    Lu Liang smiled, fiddling with a lighter in his hand.


    No one visits without a reason, Hu Weiwei''s sudden visit definitely meant something, and now he was holding the advantage. Going out to talk was just a chat, but her coming over was a formal visit; the nature of the two was different.


    "I''m available whenever you are, what time suits you?"


    Hu Weiwei was very polite. Lu Liang was not yet famous when he visited Hang City, but he had already proven himself with two battle achievements.


    It was said he was even setting up a private equity fund, someone she now looked up to and should rightfully visit.


    "Let''s make it five o''clock."


    Lu Liang ended the call, and Meng Changkun also bid farewell: "You''re busy, I''ll head off."


    "No need to see you out."


    Lu Liang nodded, opened his computer, and started playing games.


    Even if Hu Weiwei arrived early at four-thirty, he let Chen Jinchun ask her to wait a bit, to really test her patience.


    He played until just past five, then picked up the phone and said, "Xiao Chen, ask Ms. Hu to come in."


    Hu Weiwei got straight to the point, "Mr. Lu, Mobike is planning to launch a Series A funding round this Friday."


    "How much is the valuation, and how many institutions are interested in participating?"


    Lu Liang was momentarily distracted; the result had changed again.


    Originally, Mobike was predicted to launch the Series A funding on September 28, with a valuation of 18 million US dollars.


    Friday was only August 19, more than a month ahead.


    "The valuation is 10 million US dollars. Venture capital firms like Redwood, Chenyang, and Jingfeng are interested in participating in the Series A."


    "Why choose this time for fundraising?" Lu Liang''s brow furrowed, the valuation was eight million US dollars lower than expected.


    "Because of ofo..."


    Hu Weiwei hesitated, then decided to tell the truth. Mobike shouldn''t be fundraising at this valuation. But there was no choice, since ofo had gone crazy.


    Dai Wei was almost copying their business strategy, launching aggressive promotions to acquire new users, like three days of free rides for new registrations and five days for five yuan offers.


    The cost of Mobike bikes was twice that of ofo''s, with high production costs and slow deployment, far from matching their competitors¡ªMobike''s leading position was in jeopardy, forcing them into early fundraising.


    Lu Liang suddenly understood, also feeling relieved.


    Perhaps because he and Dai Wei signed a hedging agreement, causing ofo to enter a frenzied state and thus pushing Mobike into early Series A funding.


    Lu Liang wasn''t changing outcomes for the first time; as long as it involved him, it was better than changing without any relation to him.


    Lu Liang asked, "Ms. Hu, if Tianxing Capital joins, how many shares can you offer us?"


    "Three percent, we are offering ten percent for this round of funding."


    Hu Weiwei really hoped that Lu Liang would hold more shares; his support meant she could grasp more say.


    However, she still had to consider Li Bing''s attitude, since the three venture capitals were invited by Li Bing, who could not be left without gains.


    Lu Liang frowned, "Three percent is a bit less."


    He already held twenty percent of ofo and wanted to hedge the risk; he needed to hold more than ten percent of Mobike.


    Either way, he wouldn''t lose.


    "Mr. Lu, I know it''s less, but this is the maximum authority I can exercise," Hu Weiwei said apologetically, assuring Lu Liang that Tianxing would lead the next round.


    "Where will the fundraising reception be held on Friday?"


    Lu Liang smiled, not delving into that topic; the outcome had changed, and whether Mobike had another round was still uncertain.


    Three percent would do.


    He wanted to take this opportunity to meet Li Bing.


    Last month, Li Bing launched NIO, and according to the company''s registration, it seemed to be a smart electric vehicle brand.

 Chapter 94 - 94: Dead End

    "Shangri-La Hotel, sixth floor banquet hall."


    Hu Weiwei made small talk for a bit and then left. It was apparent that Lu Liang was her best choice, but not her only choice. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lu Liang stood at the company entrance, watching her take the elevator until she disappeared down the corridor before he turned and headed back to the office.


    Walking through the office area, he beckoned Wen Chao over, and the two entered the office together. Lu Liang asked, "Has the funding proposal from ofo come over yet?"


    Wen Chao pulled out the report. "It came this morning. The A-round is set to start on August 29, with a preliminary valuation of 15 million US dollars."


    ofo''s average daily active users had already exceeded 150,000, completing the wager agreement between both parties more than a month in advance. Thus, Mr. Dai took the opportunity to release the A-round funding proposal.


    "Preliminary?" Lu Liang looked up, puzzled.


    "Mr. Dai said he wants to first see Mobike''s funding reaction and then adjust ofo''s valuation based on the actual situation."


    Although ofo was founded earlier than Mobike, Mobike had the support of Hu Weiwei, Li Bing, Wang Xiaofeng, and others, who were very experienced.


    Mr. Dai strategically used Mobike as a stepping stone. Otherwise, with the relatively low-cost Little Huang bikes, surpassing Mobike''s market share to become the industry leader was just a matter of time.


    "Those who start businesses and make a name for themselves are indeed no fools."


    Lu Liang understood and looked down at the report. As the president of the Beijing University Student Union and general manager of ofo, Mr. Dai had hosted a rally in the campus auditorium yesterday.


    He delivered an impassioned speech titled "2000 Beijing University People Undertaking a Big Venture," which received support from the university authorities and various capital sources from Yanjing.


    Jinsha Venture Capital''s Zhu Hu even singled him out for praise, expressing his anticipation for ofo''s A-round funding and his ongoing interest in the company.


    Zhu Hu of Jinsha Venture Capital and Shen Peng of Redwood were regarded as the big and small kings of domestic investment, with stakes in almost all leading internet companies.


    Every entrepreneur aspired to win their favor.


    Hu Weiwei didn''t want to become Li Bing''s puppet, so she invited Lu Liang to join and increase her say in decisions.


    Mr. Dai didn''t want Lu Liang to dominate alone and was preparing to bring in other venture capitalists, with Zhu Hu of Jinsha being his best choice.


    Lu Liang thought for a moment and then smiled, "Tell Mr. Dai the financing plan is approved, and I''ll come by next Friday to see it."


    He originally had reservations, but then he thought, there was nothing he couldn''t understand as he had a similar relationship with Little Wang and Old Meng.


    Everyone didn''t want their sovereignty taken away, so they tried in every way to balance the power between the founders and the investors.


    Thinking it over, Lu Liang turned to Wen Chao, "Get me the information on Li Bing and NIO, and it would be best to investigate the companies that have intended to enter the automobile industry in recent years."


    He had realized that the path of seizing power was untenable. Even if he successfully seized power, it would likely be hard to win back the loyalty of the creators.


    He would have to start his own business, build his own team. Private funding was already in preparation, and new energy initiatives also needed to be scheduled.


    Wen Chao nodded. Suddenly, Lu Liang called out to him, "Have Xiao Chen go to the high-speed rail station tomorrow to pick up someone named Fang Shiyu."


    Lately, he had spent an hour every day interviewing drivers, but no matter how many he interviewed, he was never satisfied or reassured.


    He suddenly remembered a cousin back home who had served in the military and had driven for leaders, but had to leave the service because he had no money or connections.


    Last year, after his discharge, he was driving and delivering goods in town, so Lu Liang had his mother help inquire about him.


    Unlike other positions, driving skills could be honed gradually, but trustworthiness was the primary criteria.


    Rather than hiring strangers from society, it was better to bring in someone from his hometown, at least someone whose background he knew well, and he would feel more at ease using them.


    According to his mother, Shiyu had always been an honest and straightforward child, an ideal candidate for military service, yet he couldn''t stay on.


    A mother wouldn''t mislead her own son, right?


    The following afternoon, Chen Jinchun led a burly man who stood over 1.8 meters tall into the company, carrying a bulging backpack, his dark skin making the white T-shirt he wore seem to glow like a sacred garment.


    The burly man looked mature, appearing to be in his thirties at a glance, but his eyes were timid like those of a child. "Jinchun, is this my brother''s company?"


    Chen Jinchun felt a lump in her chest but managed to reveal a stiff smile, "Yes, take a seat. I''ll go find Mr. Lu."


    At first, she opposed this nickname until the burly man showed his ID, revealing he was 22 years old, three months younger than her.


    Chen Jinchun hadn''t knocked yet when Lu Liang, looking delighted, opened the door and walked over to the burly man, squeezing his arm that was thicker than his own leg, "Shiyu, long time no see! It''s been almost a year since your discharge, and you are still this strong?"


    Lu Liang hadn''t seen his cousin in several years. He was in the military when Lu Liang got married a few years ago, and before that, it has been four or five years since they had last seen each other during a holiday.


    "I didn''t expect him to grow so strong," even though he was only a little taller than Lu Liang, he looked a whole size bigger.


    Asking him to be the driver, you probably wouldn''t even need a bodyguard.


    Fang Shiyu smiled sheepishly, "Maybe I eat a lot."


    "Being able to eat is a blessing; let''s go inside and talk."


    Lu Liang''s face was full of smiles, and he warmly slung his arm over his shoulder as they headed to the office.


    Since entering the building, Fang Shiyu hadn''t blinked, curiously inspecting everything around him.


    Lu Liang smiled and said, "This place is still quite small; next month, we''re moving somewhere else."


    "This place is small?"


    Fang Shiyu looked bewildered; a forty-something square meter office was already not small, plus it was on a high floor with a great view.


    Lu Liang made tea and offered him a cigarette, but Fang Shiyu shook his head, "Bro, I don''t."


    "It''s good, you don''t; like me, I can''t quit; I can only try to smoke less."


    Lu Liang didn''t insist, lit a cigarette for himself, and started discussing his plan, "From now on, when I go out, you follow me."


    "When I don''t go out, just sit over there, play on the computer, play on your phone, but don''t bother anyone while they''re working."


    He pointed to the place next to Chen Jinchun and Wen Chao, where he had cleared a temporary workstation with just one computer yesterday.


    "There are hardly any days off, but if you need to take a leave, just let me know."


    Fang Shiyu waved his hand, "Bro, I won''t take leaves."


    Lu Liang joked, "Don''t speak so absolutely; what if you meet a girl you like, it''s normal to ask for a leave to date her."


    "No¡­ it won''t happen."


    Fang Shiyu, his skin dark, couldn''t show any change in complexion, but his anxious tone revealed he was a bit shy.


    Lu Liang chuckled and continued, "Your salary for now will be ten thousand, with all allowances adding up to about twelve thousand; after social insurance and housing fund deductions, you''ll still take home about ten thousand."


    Fang Shiyu responded gloomily, "That''s too much; I only make 4500 a month driving and unloading trucks at home."


    Lu Liang tried not to laugh, "How can here be the same as home? Ten thousand is actually quite less."


    He pointed to the door, "Her name is Chen Jinchun, you''ve met her, right?"


    "Yeah, Jinchun," Fang Shiyu nodded.


    "Jinchun?"


    Lu Liang suddenly laughed, remembering his cousin enlisted at 19, demobilized at 21, and was now 22, indeed younger than Chen Jinchun.


    "Latter, go talk to her; she''ll help you arrange your accommodations and buy some clothes and daily necessities for you. If you have any questions later on, you can ask her."


    The company didn''t provide accommodation, but since Fang Shiyu was his cousin and had been called from his hometown,


    it wouldn''t be convenient for him to stay with Lu Liang, so they rented a one-bedroom apartment near the company.


    Lu Liang had finished giving instructions, called Chen Jinchun over, and had her take his cousin to settle in before joining them for dinner after work.


    Mushang was still on the road, so he let him drive the Urus first, and when it was time for dinner after work, Lu Liang let him take the wheel directly.


    You could tell his driving skills were okay, just a bit nervous, Lu Liang smiled and said, "Drive boldly, there''s insurance if you crash."


    Fang Shiyu nodded once and then fell silent, concentrating on the road ahead, always keeping the speed below 80.


    Not only did he look mature, his driving was mature too, letting others overtake or cut in front of him if they wanted.


    But there were few who cut in line; he muttered, "Bro, people in Modu have better manners than those at home."


    Lu Liang kept silent, smiling. Decent manners also depended on the price of the car.


    With such a conspicuous Taurus logo in front, anyone thinking of cutting in would have to consider whether their insurance could cover the repair costs.


    During the busiest rush-hour traffic, his cousin drove steadily, making Lu Liang feel relieved.

 Chapter 95 - 95: Mobike Financing

    On Friday, Lu Liang was invited to the Shangri-La Hotel to attend Mobike''s Series A funding reception.


    Although the valuation was only ten million dollars, the event was as grand as if it were a billion-dollar funding round.


    Upon entering, Lu Liang saw Li Bing and Shen Peng in conversation, and he vaguely heard that they were discussing the new energy vehicle industry.


    He was curious but did not rush to join the conversation; instead, he casually picked up the Mobike funding proposal from the table and started flipping through it.


    After a while, Li Bing and Shen Peng ended their conversation and walked over to Lu Liang with a smile, "Mr. Lu, I''ve long admired your reputation."


    Though Lu Liang was not the one who invited him, he was somewhat a host and it was only right and proper to greet him.


    He was also curious about Lu Liang who had caused a huge stir in the financial circle in the past half month and wanted to find out what kind of person he was.


    "Mr. Li, you flatter me. Was that Redwood''s Mr. Shen, Shen Peng, just now?" Lu Liang replied with a smile, though not too warmly.


    Becoming a millionaire is one threshold, a billion another, but the gap between one billion and a hundred billion isn''t as large as one might think.


    Because those with wealth over a billion have already accumulated their initial capital; moreover, he was cash-rich.


    Li Bing spoke with a smile, "We were just discussing the domestic new energy industry; are you interested, Mr. Lu?"


    "I have heard that Modu is bringing in Tesla to accelerate the development of the new energy industry at home."


    "You really know quite a bit, Mr. Lu."


    Li Bing was surprised; the news of Modu bringing in Tesla was very insider information, not widely known unless one closely followed the industry.


    Lu Liang smiled, "I chatted with a friend last time who mentioned it, and he also spoke of your NIO."


    "Mr. Lu, how do you view this industry?"


    Li Bing hoped Lu Liang could provide some unique insights from a financial practitioner''s perspective.


    In a low voice, Lu Liang said, "Low carbon, environmental protection, and promoting the development of new energy can help our country achieve carbon neutrality sooner."


    Li Bing was taken aback, "Mr. Lu, do you really believe new energy is more environmentally friendly?"


    "Mr. Li, it doesn''t matter what we think, as long as it sounds environmentally friendly enough."


    Lu Liang laughed; new energy wasn''t particularly environmentally friendly, but to get business, one must first loudly advocate the ideology.


    Even the United States, if they want to go to war, must produce a bottle of laundry detergent, proclaiming it a highly dangerous chemical.


    Li Bing laughed too and shifted the topic, "Mr. Lu, what brings you here today, are you interested in Mobike''s funding?"


    He could see that Lu Liang wasn''t interested in expanding the conversation, so he didn''t bother to inquire further.


    "I am somewhat interested, just not sure if I could subscribe to more shares."


    Lu Liang said, glancing in Shen Peng''s direction; the latter seemed to recognize him and smiled slightly while raising his glass in greeting.


    Lu Liang also raised his glass with a smile as Li Bing whispered, "You can follow the investment, but leading it might be unlikely."


    He paused then added, "Don''t get me wrong, Mr. Lu, because Redwood is willing to sign legal terms with Mobike."


    Li Bing knew Lu Liang had been brought over by Hu Weiwei, but also knew that he had invested in ofo, holding a 20% stake.


    So, he had brought Shen Peng in, promising that Redwood would lead the investment until the IPO, but they could not invest in ofo.


    Risk hedging was what every venture capitalist loved to do; investing in the top two meant no losses regardless of who won. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Venture capitalists might enjoy it, but companies may not.


    Mobike was not an early-stage team like ofo; with Li Bing standing behind them, they had bargaining power and could pressure the venture capitalists.


    Thus, he told Redwood directly, if they wanted to lead this or subsequent rounds of investment, it was possible, but they could only invest in this company and not any other shared bicycle enterprises.


    Lu Liang furrowed his brows, looking toward Hu Weiwei not far away. Ashamed, Hu Weiwei lowered her head, not daring to meet his eyes.


    Hu Weiwei had only just found out that Redwood was willing to sign legal terms with Mobike, thereby obtaining the right to lead the next few rounds of investment.


    Although she hoped to bring Lu Liang on board to increase her influence in the company, Redwood''s willingness to back Mobike alone left her with no reason to refuse.


    After all, Redwood''s solo backing of Mobike was beneficial in both the short and long term without any harm.


    The dispute over influence between her and Li Bing should not affect the company''s future development, so she could only apologize to Lu Liang.


    In a soft voice, Li Bing said, "Mr. Lu, don''t blame Mr. Hu. It''s just that she''s too young and inexperienced. I''m here to apologize to you on her behalf."


    "Mr. Li, you exaggerate, but there''s something I don''t understand."


    "Mr. Lu, please go ahead."


    "Why don''t you enter the fray yourself if you take such comprehensive care of Mobike?"


    Lu Liang felt puzzled. If he had known about Li Bing''s strong desire for control, he wouldn''t have gotten involved in the dispute between Hu and Li.


    "Human resources are sometimes exhausted. Although I favor shared bicycles, the market is ultimately too small."


    Li Bing paused, his expression very serious, "Mr. Lu, new energy vehicles are the future trend."


    Hu Weiwei''s pride, Mobike, was only a chess piece in the layout of the new energy market in his view.


    He was very optimistic about the new energy vehicle industry but the road ahead was arduous and unsure if he could endure until the dawn relied solely on him and Yiche.


    He didn''t care about Mobike but had a strong desire for control, hoping to use Mobike''s financing to meet various capital magnates and pave the way for NIO.


    "Completing industrial upgrading, reducing the dependence on a single energy source, and intervening in the Middle East situation are national policies; there is much to do in the new energy industry."


    Although Tianxing was not powerful, everyone knew that Lu Liang had made his fortune in just half a year, and perhaps in another year and a half, he might also become a major magnate, which is one of the reasons why Li Bing was courting him.


    Lu Liang fell into deep thought. Li Bing seized the opportunity to press further, "Mr. Lu, now that new and old powers have entered the field, to the north there''s Li Xiang of Auto Home, to the south there''s He Xiaopeng of Guangqi, not to mention LeTV''s Boss Jia, and BYD Wang, who has been developing new energy all along. With so many forces optimistic about the industry, even if it''s not a trend yet, it will become a new trend."


    Lu Liang thought for a moment and then, smiling, said, "Mr. Li, today is for Mobike''s financing meeting; let''s find time to talk about this matter in detail another day."


    Li Bing, Li Xiang, He Xiaopeng, one relying on Yiche, one on Auto Home, another on Beiqi''s team.


    He planned to replicate Panda''s strategy, as outsiders needed to pay some ''tuition'' and make some friends.


    "Alright, Mr. Lu, as you wish. It seems a friend is coming over, I''ll go greet him."


    Lu Liang nodded, following Li Bing''s gaze, and saw Lei Jun from Xiaomi. A multi-million dollar valuation didn''t attract him; presumably, Li Bing had brought him to support Mobike.


    "It''s not quite right to call him Lei Busi, better to say Lei Feite."


    Lu Liang found a corner to rest, silently observing Lei Jun surrounded by a flurry of activity, held in high regard by everyone.


    Since entering venture capital, he''d learned of Lei Jun''s reputation in the field, equivalent if not surpassing Zhu Hu and Shen Peng.


    Before founding Xiaomi, he had already been a very famous angel investor in China.


    As time passed and heavyweights gathered, Hu Weiwei took the stage to discuss financing plans and announce the current share allocation.


    Lu Liang raised his hand to beckon Wen Chao, whispering in his ear, "Go subscribe; take as much as you can."


    Through this cocktail party, he had met Li Bing and understood his intentions; he had essentially achieved his goal.


    The share of Mobike''s financing was not important. Since he couldn''t lead the investment, having a share or not didn''t matter much.


    Lu Liang was broad-minded, although Hu Weiwei and Li Bing didn''t see it that way and still gave him a 3% share.


    Ultimately, Redwood would monopolize 5% and lead this round, followed by Tianxing at 3%, and Chenyang and Jingfeng each holding 1%.


    Lei Jun was merely passing by, there to support a good friend, showing his face before leaving.

 Chapter 96 - 96: The Toyed Woman

    Mobike''s financing dust had settled, and Lu Liang was ready to leave.


    However, before departing, he noticed that there weren''t many people around Shen Peng and decided to go over and greet him out of politeness.


    "Lu Liang, I thought you wouldn''t come over," said Shen Peng with a smile, exuding friendliness.


    Lu Liang replied with a smile, "Mr. Shen, there were too many people earlier, so I didn''t join the crowd, but now that it''s less crowded, here I am."


    Though it was a Mobike financing party, many entrepreneurs seeking investment had also made their way in.


    After all, it was rare to have so many industry leaders gathered together, and a lucky entrepreneur could easily nab an investment of several million as if it were just a trifle.


    As a titan of domestic venture capital, Shen Peng constantly had a stream of people trying to curry favor with him, which was why there were only a few around him now.


    Shen Peng laughed heartily, "Mr. Lu, what you say seems to carry a hint of blame."


    "If that''s what Mr. Shen believes, then there''s nothing more I can say."


    Lu Liang smiled nonchalantly. His greeting was purely out of respect for a senior and to seek advice on a certain matter.


    If Shen Peng regarded him as one of those trying to ingratiate themselves, then there was really nothing worth discussing between them.


    Adjusting his glasses and narrowing his eyes, Shen Peng also put away his disdain, "Little Tang, how has she been lately?"


    "Little Tang?" Lu Liang was puzzled.


    Shen Peng explained, "Tang Caide. I recruited her into Redwood and she followed me for several years. I later went to Yanjing and she stayed in Modu, but I heard she resigned not long after."


    "She''s doing quite well. With Mr. Tang managing the company, I feel much more at ease."


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but look Shen Peng up and down; he was only in his forties or just under fifty.


    Tang Caide was thirty-seven, and though she had some wrinkles, one could tell she had been quite a beauty in her youth.


    Shen Peng gave him a hostile glance and suddenly coughed loudly, interrupting Lu Liang''s unwarranted speculations.


    Lu Liang collected his thoughts and asked with a smile, "Mr. Shen, I have a question that puzzles me. Could you please enlighten me?"


    "Speak."


    Shen Peng''s face no longer carried its initial amiability, since he saw someone familiar in Lu Liang.


    Golden Sand River''s Zhu Hu¡ª he and Shen Peng were known as the investment world''s "Big and Little Kings." Even though they were friends, it did not keep Shen Peng from disliking Zhu Hu.


    Zhu Hu, true to his name, had a tigerish demeanor and liked to tell risqu¨¦ jokes, often putting Shen Peng in an awkward position.


    Humbly seeking advice, Lu Liang asked, "Why did Redwood sign a legal contract with Mobike?"


    Li Bing, though brash with his claims that he forced Redwood''s hand to invest in Mobike, had only a half-believable tale¡ªLi Bing, no matter how capable, certainly wasn''t on Shen Peng''s level.


    Even Lei Jun would have to call Shen Peng a senior.


    Over the past twenty years, if there were to be an award for the most outstanding venture capitalist, Shen Peng would rank himself second without anyone daring to claim the first.


    With the size of Redwood Capital, it was entirely possible to force the industry leaders to accept their conditions, allowing them to sit back and watch the fight unfold, gaining the last laugh.


    There was no need for them to put all their eggs in Mobike''s basket and deny themselves an exit strategy.


    Shen Peng smiled slightly, "Mr. Lu, if I say that Redwood''s investment in Mobike is just part of the process and not the result, would you believe me?"


    "If Mr. Shen says so, I naturally will," Lu Liang responded, his mind racing. The process, whose process is it?


    Suddenly, he recalled the battle of the "Thousand Groupon War," with Meituan likely being Shen Peng''s largest investment in recent years.


    Compared to the tens of millions of US Dollars invested in Meituan each time, the money put into Mobike was just a mere splash.


    Investments often come with wager clauses, and for Redwood to exclusively back Mobike, Mobike must have agreed to a high-stakes deal that could lead to a change of ownership if lost.


    Putting together what Shen Peng said about the investment in Mobike being just part of the process, it was possible that Redwood had already coordinated with Meituan to take over Mobike later.


    If Meituan did take over Mobike, the value of Shen Peng''s shares in Meituan would significantly increase, since Meituan was the core of Shen Peng''s recent investments.


    "Thank you, Mr. Shen." Lu Liang was very humble, finding today''s financing party extremely enlightening.


    True magnates treat an entire industry as a chess piece, and not even the key piece to decide the game''s outcome.


    With Mobike, Li Bing laid the groundwork for NIO, while Shen Peng went even further, seeking a buyer right after Mobike''s Series A funding.


    Shen Peng was surprised, not expecting Lu Liang to guess so quickly, and praised, "You''ll become a very good investor."


    "Thank you for your kind words, Mr. Shen," replied Lu Liang with a smile, though he had more questions, but Shen Peng no longer wished to answer, "I shall take my leave."


    He looked at Lu Liang for a long time, glared hard at him, and said rather brusquely, "Would it seem somewhat inappropriate if I had to initiate asking for your contact details?"


    "How could I dare? It''s just that I was still pondering the words you said and didn''t react in time," Lu Liang explained hurriedly, with a mix of laughter and helplessness.


    The two exchanged contact information. As Shen Peng was about to leave, he suddenly said, "Old Zhu from Golden Sand River is not a good person."


    "I''ll keep that in mind," Lu Liang replied, feeling puzzled as to why he saw a trace of a strange smile in Shen Peng''s eyes.


    But before he could ask, Shen Peng was gone.


    "Ofo''s financing next Friday looks to be anything but peaceful."


    Lu Liang thought long and hard but couldn''t make heads or tails of it, so he decided not to overthink it.


    As they say, meet force with force, and stem the flood with earth,


    It''s as if someone is pretending to be a good person.


    After greeting Li Bing, Lu Liang got ready to leave when Hu Weiwei suddenly approached quickly, "Mr. Lu, I''m very sorry."


    Mr. Hu, there''s no need to apologize. If it were me, I''d do the same thing; I can understand," Lu Liang said with a smile.


    "Thank you. Are you leaving now? Let me walk you out," Hu Weiwei sighed with relief, worried Lu Liang might hold a grudge.


    "There''s no need for that. After all, there are many guests at the venue that need your attention."


    "Alright then, Mr. Lu, take care."


    "Hmm, goodbye."


    Lu Liang suddenly felt that Hu Weiwei was a bit pitiable, played by two, perhaps even three men.


    The Mobike she had started and fought for would probably not end up belonging to her, she might receive a tremendous amount of wealth, but what good would it do? S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With Mobike, Hu Weiwei was a domineering female CEO; but without Mobike, she was just a wealthy woman.


    After leaving the banquet hall on the sixth floor, Lu Liang took Wen Chao downstairs to the hotel lobby, where they saw Fang Shiyu sitting on a sofa, lost in thought.


    When Fang Shiyu saw Lu Liang approaching, he quickly stood up, standing tall like a pillar, "Mr. Lu, are you done with your work?"


    Chen Jinchun had taught him a lot yesterday, including how to address Lu Liang in the presence of others¡ªat least to call him Mr. Lu.


    Lu Liang nodded slightly and turned to Wen Chao, "Little Wen, you head back to the company first and give the subscription documents to Mr. Tang."


    Wen Chao nodded and left; Lu Liang then took his cousin and sat beside him, asking with a smile, "How are you feeling today?"


    "A bit bored."


    Fang Shiyu replied in a subdued voice, very forthright.


    He had been in the lobby all afternoon, not fond of playing with his phone, so he could only daydream.


    "Anything else?" Lu Liang held back his smile.


    "Also a bit uncomfortable," Fang Shiyu tugged at his collar.


    Chen Jinchun had bought him several suits; they fit well, but his chest muscles were so well-developed that they made his shirt bulge.


    Lu Liang couldn''t help laughing out loud and patted his shoulder, "Let''s go, I''ll buy you a few new sets later, and you don''t have to wear suits anymore."


    He hadn''t set a dress code for the company; who knows what Chen Jinchun was thinking, dressing his cousin up like a gangster.


    "Okay," Fang Shiyu showed a simple and honest smile, a stark contrast to his muscular appearance.


    Lu Liang found a Nike store on the street and bought several pairs of sweatpants and some Polo shirts.


    But he realized he couldn''t blame Chen Jinchun; after all, with a height of 189 cm and weight of 206 pounds,


    Able to wolf down five bowls of rice in one meal, his physique was evident; low profile wasn''t an option even if he wanted it.


    No matter how he was dressed, he looked like a gangster, so they simply gave up and let him dress comfortably instead.


    "Bro, going home?" Fang Shiyu, in his new clothes, felt he could breathe easier. He wasn''t good with words, so he could only silently remember Lu Liang''s kindness in his heart.


    "Going... not going home, let''s head to the community on Changle Road, Lane 306."


    Lu Liang was about to go home when he suddenly remembered that today was Zhang Qian''s store opening. She had sent him a message last night, but with Mobike''s fundraising, he had forgotten.


    Fang Shiyu set the navigation; it was rush hour, and by the time they reached Changle Road, it was already seven in the evening.


    The bustling pedestrian street made it impossible for cars to enter, so the two brothers had to walk in.


    Fang Shiyu walked beside Lu Liang, with an imposing presence¡ªpassersby automatically gave them a wide berth.


    Lu Liang joked, "Shiyu, with you here, no need to hire a bodyguard."


    "Bro, I could be your bodyguard too," Fang Shiyu said earnestly.


    "Alright, from now on, you''ll be my protector," Lu Liang laughed, clearly not taking it seriously.


    "Okay," Fang Shiyu nodded solemnly.


    While they were talking, the song "Good Day" could be heard.


    Ahead at the crossroad, a new fast-food restaurant named Good Food Garden had opened. Zhang Qian, in trousers and a shirt with a custom apron, was busy inside from front to back.


    There were five or six employees in the restaurant, about twenty-odd tables with seating for four at each¡ªnearly full, reflecting a very good business day.


    It was uncertain, however, whether the customers were attracted by the opening promotions¡ªafter all, banners outside advertised half-price deals for the first three days, with a free small Coke.


    Lu Liang turned and asked, "Hungry?"


    "Hungry," Fang Shiyu nodded.


    He wasn''t terse by choice but by nature; Lu Liang was used to it, "Come on, let''s go eat."


    Lu Liang walked in and passed by Zhang Qian as she was busy clearing plates and wiping tables, not noticing him.


    Lu Liang smiled and didn''t disturb her; he took a tray for himself and picked up an extra one for Fang Shiyu.


    Having witnessed his cousin''s appetite yesterday, he knew one tray of food probably wouldn''t be enough.

 Chapter 97 - 97: Will He Really Come Again?

    Liang forgot to check the price per pound, but the packed platters, even after a fifty percent discount, still cost over seventy yuan.


    Seeing his cousin bury his head and wolf down the food, Liang''s appetite improved greatly, he usually didn''t eat much for dinner, but that night he astonishingly polished off two bowls of rice.


    Fang Shiyu''s voracious appetite drew the attention of the staff and customers in the restaurant, the key being that he actually finished it all.


    Including Zhang Qian, who, seeing Lu Liang beside Fang Shiyu, widened her eyes in surprise and exclaimed, "When did you get here?"


    Smiling, Lu Liang said, "I''ve been here a while now, but I saw you were busy and didn''t want to disturb you."


    "How do you feel about it?" Zhang Qian''s smile was warm, and as they talked, they cleaned up a few more tables.


    Lu Liang replied softly, "Not bad, you could make something of it, but it will be hard work."


    Gold will shine no matter where it is.


    He had observed for a good while, and during their meal, he heard no less than ten compliments about Zhang Qian''s beauty.


    Numerous shy young boys stole glances at her, after all, she was the night manager of the restaurant ¨C even in the guise of a cook, her stature and grace were far beyond ordinary.


    Just imagine ¨C if every street food vendor''s wife looked swollen or had a face marked by exhaustion, or hunched backs.


    Zhang Qian stood tall and confident, a smile like a breath of spring always lingering on her face; even when tired, she managed her facial expressions exceedingly well.


    For her, this was akin to punching below her weight.


    The food tasted good too, and as long as the pricing wasn''t excessive, there would likely be many returning customers.


    "Life, there''s no such thing as no hardship."


    Zhang Qian''s face beamed with a smile, a single compliment from Lu Liang made her happier than a hundred from anyone else.


    Lu Liang started to say something more but then swallowed his words and suddenly asked, "Where''s Xiaoguai?"


    Zhang Qian pursed her lips towards a small door in the corner, "She''s sleeping in the rest room. She came to help a lot after school. Do you want to go see her?"


    Suddenly a staff member called out, "Qian, Little Wu went to the bathroom, can you come over and help with the till?"


    "Coming."


    Zhang Qian answered, looking at Lu Liang hesitantly.


    Lu Liang waved his hand with a smile, "You go ahead and attend to that, I''m no stranger here."


    Zhang Qian nodded and cast another glance at Fang Shiyu, "Is this your friend? Is he full, or should he get more?"


    "I''m full," Fang Shiyu hesitated and nodded.


    Lu Liang watched Zhang Qian hurry off and whispered, "Let''s leave once we''re done eating."


    He approached the cashier, placed a gift box on the counter, "I have to run, there''s something I need to take care of, so I''m leaving now. This is a gift for Xiaoguai."


    Zhang Qian accepted the gift box, and as she saw Lu Liang getting ready to leave, a flood of complex emotions welled up in her, and she couldn''t help asking, "Will you come again?"


    Lu Liang responded with a smile, "Of course, I will."


    A customer interjected, "Boss lady, where''s the free drink? Don''t you have it anymore?"


    "Yes, yes, yes."


    Zhang Qian hastily replied, bending over to pick up another box, but when she looked up again, Lu Liang was already far away.


    She murmured to herself, "Will he really come again?"


    Stepping out of the pedestrian street, Lu Liang glanced at his cousin, who seemed to have something on his mind, "Did you notice something?"


    Fang Shiyu was taken aback and after a long thought, said, "Brother, I don''t understand."


    "What were you looking at then?" Lu Liang asked.


    "The crispy roasted meat, it looked delicious."


    Fang Shiyu pointed at a roadside grill, with red, roasted meat and ducks hanging within, and gave a sheepish smile, "I''m actually still a little hungry."


    Liang couldn''t help but laugh and cry, "If you want to eat it, go buy some."


    Fang Shiyu beamed with joy, bought two pounds, two pieces, but came back with a slightly disappointed expression, "Fifty-eight yuan a pound, more expensive than back home."


    "How much money do you have left?"


    "Over seven thousand three hundred."


    Hearing this, Lu Liang took out his phone and transferred thirty thousand yuan to him, "If you want to eat something, buy something, or need to refuel the car, pay for parking, just deduct from this. If it''s not enough, ask me."


    Fang Shiyu was at a loss, his face flushing red, and Lu Liang gave him a stern look, "Keep it."


    "Oh."


    "Let''s go home."


    By eight in the morning, I had returned to the parking lot at Tangchen B Building. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Next to Lu Liang''s reserved parking spot was a Porsche 718 he hadn''t seen in a long time.


    Just as the yellow Urus came to a standstill, the convertible top of the Porsche slowly opened, and Li Manli stood up from her seat in a defiant pose, proudly holding a black booklet: "I got my license today and even drove back from the West Suburb all by myself..."


    Her sentence was cut short by a shock from Fang Shiyu.


    In front of him, Li Manli resembled a little chick, exclaiming in alarm, "Who are you?"


    "That''s my brother, also my driver, his name is Fang Shiyu," said Lu Liang, unable to help but laugh and cry as he got out of the passenger seat.


    "Shiyu, nice to meet you, my name is Li Manli," Li Manli hurriedly put on her shoes and got out to politely greet him.


    "Nice to meet you," Fang Shiyu responded in a muffled tone.


    "Yu, you go ahead and leave, it''s Saturday and Sunday the day after tomorrow, I''ll call you then," Lu Liang told him as he watched his cousin drive away, suddenly noticing the beads of sweat on Li Manli''s forehead: "How long have you been stewing in there?"


    His return time was full of uncertainties, and for Li Manli to pop out so promptly, she must have been getting ready since around five or six in the afternoon.


    "It wasn''t too long, I mainly wanted to surprise you," Li Manli said, reaching out to hug Lu Liang''s neck coquettishly.


    "You smell all over, and you say it wasn''t long," Lu Liang said with a look of disgust.


    "That''s impossible, I still smell nice."


    Li Manli was startled and sniffed herself, detecting no strange odor until she saw the mischievous smile on Lu Liang''s lips.


    Angrily pouting, she jumped onto Lu Liang, wrapped her legs around his waist, and clung tightly to him: "I''ll stink you to death."


    "Let''s go, let''s take a shower, then go out for a drive later to see how your driving skills are," Lu Liang said as he carried Li Manli''s delicate body upstairs.


    "How about together? I can help scrub your back?"


    "That''s not out of the question."


    Amidst the sounds of joy and laughter, they played in the bathroom for over an hour, not descending until after ten.


    Li Manli left the underground garage full of vim and vigor, only to be criticized by Lu Liang until she felt both introverted and self-conscious.


    Eventually, she stopped the car by the roadside and fumed: "You drive, I won''t anymore. Who talks non-stop while driving? All my confidence is gone because of you."


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but laugh: "You treated the solid line as if it were transparent, shouldn''t I say something?"


    "I''m not familiar with this road, and the navigation didn''t show anything. I just got my license today, can''t you be a little understanding?" Li Manli looked aggrieved.


    "That''s true, for a beginner, you''re already doing quite well. Go ahead and drive, I promise not to say anything."


    Lu Liang comforted her softly, but also made sure to remind her: if the car gets smashed, it gets smashed, and they could just buy a new one.


    Life is irreplaceable, whether it''s hers or the pedestrians on the street, they must be careful; anything can be hit just not people.


    Li Manli was young and her values still forming. Lu Liang could tolerate vanity and materialism, but not arrogant and overbearing behavior.


    "I understand," Li Manli nodded solemnly, shelving her disdain, because she rarely saw Lu Liang looking so serious.


    Together, they drove off into the night, heading west.


    Lu Liang was just pondering some matters and without careful attention, Li Manli took the expressway and even missed the nearest exit.


    The only consolation might be that she knew there was no U-turn on the highway, so she just kept driving.


    From Modu to the edge of Taihu in Su City, Li Manli looked guilty: "Shall we go watch the sunrise at Taihu Lake?"


    "It''s past two, do you want to see ghosts or what?"


    Lu Liang gave her a displeased look, at one point suspecting her actions were deliberate.


    "Oh come on, since we''re here, let''s just wait another three hours, okay?" Li Manli fussed and rolled around, trying to be cute.


    Mainly, she had been live streaming a lot lately and hadn''t played with Lu Liang in a while; plus, the weekend was just around the corner.


    For this weekend getaway, she had been working overtime in the days leading up to ensure she met her live streaming quota for the month in advance.


    "Let''s check into a room first, then decide in the morning."


    Lu Liang took over the driving, entered Xiangshan International, and without caring about the cost, booked the most expensive room.


    Next door was the International Conference Center, and the presidential suite at Xiangshan International was truly presidential.


    Lu Liang headed straight for the study, having initially not noticed Li Manli''s venture onto the highway, mainly because a voice had come in the early hours.


    Li Manli knocked softly at the door, peeping her head in with a face full of anticipation: "Liang, shall we go watch the sunrise later?"


    "When it''s about time, you can wake me," Lu Liang chuckled, having come all this way, and he hadn''t experienced Taihu Lake himself.


    "Then you get on with your work, and I''ll make you a cup of coffee," Li Manli said, suddenly beaming with joy.

 Chapter 98 - 98: New Energy Index

    [September 18th, the new energy index at 2985 points]


    "What is happening here, it''s risen more than double in just over half a month."


    Liang pulled up the new energy index and was immediately astonished.


    As of the last trading day, the new energy index had only been at 1458 points, comprised of 54 stocks with a total market capitalization of 785.3 billion RMB.


    Theoretically, if the index doubled, it meant the market value of all 54 constituent stocks doubled as well.


    Liang didn''t dare to imagine how significant the positive news must be to cause such a skyrocketing scenario.


    At the beginning of the year, even the buoyant Big A''s Shanghai Stock Exchange Index had only risen to 5178 points, an increase of less than 2000 points.


    From 1458 points, the new energy index,


    in just 26 days, shot straight up to 2985 points.


    "SAIC, Yutong, BYD, LeEco, Zhongtong, Guangqi."


    Liang picked from among the 54 constituent stocks, tentatively selecting six stocks, planning to ask Wen Chao to investigate tomorrow, to distinguish the substantive ones from the mere names.


    A doubling of the index was not merely a case of sitting around and dividing the cake; gains would not be distributed evenly across each stock, but there would surely be some with larger rises, some with lesser, and even some that could carve out their own independent downward trends.


    Selecting several more, maybe he could pick the industry leaders and achieve three to five times, or even greater price increases.


    Liang picked up his phone and dialed Old Meng, not caring that it was now past four in the morning.


    Meng Changkun struggled out of bed, coughed a few times to clear his throat: "Approved, at the earliest it would be next Tuesday."


    "I have about 21 subscription intentions on my side, you should ask Little Wang, see how many he has."


    He admired Lu''s foresight somewhat; a private equity fund of one hundred million dollars was, it must be said, just right.


    Although Lu had a well-known reputation and had achieved results, the only person who had profited with Lu so far was only Meng Changkun himself.


    Businesspeople are cautious by nature, not casting their nets without seeing the rabbit first, unsure if this was just two men setting a trap, a lure to draw them in. So even billionaires with ten billion net worth were reluctant to invest more in ambiguous circumstances.


    One subscription required two million US dollars, equivalent to over twelve million RMB, not an insignificant amount. Most were symbolically subscribing for one or two shares, intending to test the waters with Lu.


    Of Meng Changkun''s 21 expressions of interest, seven belonged to him personally, leaving only 14 real subscriptions.


    "I know, you should get some rest early."


    After ending the call with Meng Changkun, Liang made a call to Little Wang to understand his situation.


    Little Wang was still awake, answering the phone immediately.


    Upon learning of Liang''s purpose, he started to curse, "That bunch of bastards, talking all nicely, but when it comes to money, barely a few have the cash."


    "Now you know how extensive your network really is," Liang said with a smile, jokingly teasing.


    "Give me a few more days, I''ll make a trip to Beijing, I should be able to get 30 subscriptions," Wang Xiaocong said.


    "How many do you have now?" asked Liang. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "13, no, 15."


    "How many exactly?"


    "Let''s just say 13."


    Wang Xiaocong had originally intended to subscribe for two more to make it ten, but suddenly remembered he had ordered a sports car and could no longer afford it.


    He had received five subscriptions on top of the eight he subscribed for himself, with two coming from his mother and one from his uncle.


    A bunch of fair-weather friends, after all their contributions, only managed to scrape together two shares in total, which left him extremely dejected.


    "Old Meng has 21 shares," Liang teased with a smile, wanting Little Wang to see his own worth through this.


    Without Old Wang, he was nothing. For future references, when Liang called Little Wang, he''d better answer promptly and act the part of an obedient mascot.


    Wang Xiaocong felt angered but also helpless: "Only 34 subscriptions and we''re still short 32 million US dollars. What are you going to do?"


    "It''s just a little over 200 million, I will cover it all."


    Liang didn''t want to wait any longer. The market could move at any time, and by Tuesday when the private equity was approved, he wanted to see the funds in the account.


    "The funds will arrive on Tuesday, but the key point is, do you really want to subscribe to 16 shares by yourself?"


    Wang Xiaocong was astonished, as both were not small amounts.


    Liang laughed with squinted eyes, "Little Wang, broaden your perspective. It''s only 32 million US Dollars, as if nobody can afford it."


    Wang Xiaocong felt a surge of frustration stuck in his chest and gritted his teeth, "Still working so late, be careful not to drop dead, I''m telling you."


    "You''re getting flustered, you''ve broken down, you''ve even started attacking me personally," Liang teased with a laugh, in a pretty good mood.


    "Heh, I''m off to sleep."


    As the dial tone came through the phone, Lu Liang''s mouth curled into a smile, looking out the window to see the sky turning the pale color of fish bellies.


    There was a light knock on the door, sneaky like a thief. Li Manli asked in a hushed voice, "Liang, have you gone to bed?"


    Lu Liang went over to open the door and saw Li Manli crouched down in a listening pose. Startled by the sudden opening of the door, she fell seated on the ground.


    Liang laughed, "Even a mosquito is louder than you."


    "I was afraid I''d wake you, so I didn''t dare to disturb you," Li Manli giggled mischievously, sticking out her tongue like a well-behaved kitten.


    "Let''s go, let''s take a walk outside."


    "Yay~~"


    They changed their clothes and took the hotel''s cruise boat to Taihu Fairy Island to watch the sunrise.


    With the dawn still not clear, mist spread over the lake surface, the hazy moisture felt on the face like a fine rain, refreshing and revitalizing.


    Lu Liang stood at the bow, took a deep breath, feeling his lungs being moistened like dry earth receiving rain, and exhaled a long breath, as if dispersing the fatigue of an all-nighter.


    It wasn''t long before the cruise boat reached Taihu Fairy Island.


    Gradually, the pale dawn in the east turned reddish, reflecting the waters of Taihu with sparkling waves, like a vast silver mirror.


    Surrounded by mountains and endless white water, the scene was one that expanded the horizons of one''s heart.


    "This place is so beautiful." Li Manli was happy and jubilant like a child, running around and taking photos as keepsakes.


    However, she knew that Lu Liang disliked having his full face photographed, so she discreetly snapped shots of his back, or his profile.


    The summer sunrise was brief, and it took just over three minutes for the sun to rise from showing its tips over the small lotuses to fully emerging.


    "Let''s go back and get some sleep."


    Liang yawned; after pulling an all-nighter, it was time to head back to the hotel to catch up on sleep, and decide where to go in the afternoon.


    Manli hummed in agreement, her gaze wavering, her eyelids fighting a battle, long gone was the excitement from earlier.


    She had driven for hours last night and played games for a few more, only to finally witness the long-anticipated sunrise over Taihu.


    With that, the trip was complete,


    The boat rocked gently, and with her head growing heavier, she eventually couldn''t hold on and fell asleep against Lu Liang''s shoulder.


    Liang smiled gently, then held her in his arms to let her sleep more comfortably.


    Over the weekend, they enjoyed themselves at Taihu until Sunday evening when they drove back to Modu.


    ...


    Monday morning, Lu Liang and Tang Caidie went to the 32nd floor of the New International Building, with an available area of 3,800 square meters, almost one-third of the entire floor.


    The pioneering cleaning team had worked overtime all weekend and finally finished the last of the work.


    The style of the office area leaned towards simple and modern, but every office was bare, without anything in it.


    According to the original plan, the move was scheduled for the beginning of September, ten days later.


    In the next ten days, they were to purchase office equipment, tables, chairs, arrange green plants, air purification, and more.


    However, plans could not keep up with the changes, and Lu Liang hoped to start using the space sooner, otherwise, the private equity fund wouldn''t have an office address.


    Tang Caidie didn''t know why Lu Liang was in such a hurry, but as the boss had requested, finding a solution was her problem.


    After pondering for a moment, she proposed a solution, "Mr. Lu, why don''t we do this: today, we purchase a few sets of office desks and chairs for a simple on-site setup, and then gradually fill in the rest later?"

 Chapter 99 - 99: Preparation in Advance

    "Set up the trading room as close to the windows as possible, and purchase several more air purifiers."


    Lu Liang made a round, and although the best decorating materials were used, there was still a faint ''new home'' scent.


    It would probably take a couple of weeks to dissipate, but there was no time now to wait for it to evaporate naturally.


    "The formaldehyde index is only 0.055mg per cubic meter, which essentially meets the living conditions."


    Tang Caide held the inspection report from the surveying organization; the national standard for the maximum allowable concentration of formaldehyde is 0.08mg.


    As long as the indoor air doesn''t exceed this standard, it is livable, but ventilation treatment is still necessary.


    "We''ll do a bit more decoration in the meeting room later; tomorrow a group of investors will come over to sign contracts."


    After finishing his instructions, Lu Liang left since Wen Chao had just called to say that yesterday''s interviewees had arrived at the company.


    Altogether there were twenty-seven or twenty-eight people, each in a suit and tie, holding resumes and queuing up at the door, nearly stretching to the elevator.


    Among them were seasoned professionals from the financial industry as well as top talents who had graduated from finance departments this or last year.


    After all, Lu Liang''s public message was that he was recruiting two experienced traders as well as four newcomers.


    The four newcomers weren''t hard to pick; Lu Liang finalized the candidates in just two hours.


    Since he hadn''t met them and they had no work experience, he could only consider their university resumes and first impressions during the conversation.


    Qingbei, Fudan, Nanda, Shangcai, all from renowned universities, full of credentials, the first impression became an important selection indicator.


    Those who didn''t catch his eye were all passed; the four left were all fair-skinned, good-looking young men.


    This made the receptionists, clerks, and accountants in the company starstruck, thinking Boss Lu was looking out for their welfare. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lu Liang just smiled, without explaining.


    One only understands the importance of looks when they start working; after all, without a decent appearance, no one will bother to find out if the soul is interesting.


    He glanced up and asked, "How many interviewees are still outside?"


    "Eleven," Wen Chao replied.


    "Excluding recent graduates?"


    "Seven."


    "Let those seven come in then."


    Lu Liang didn''t want to conduct individual interviews; he called them all into the meeting room and posed a common question.


    "From left to right, each person has two minutes to introduce yourselves; I''ll give you ten minutes to prepare."


    Lu Liang didn''t need traders with incredible track records or experience managing private funds worth billions.


    He just needed seasoned professionals with abundant work experience who could resolutely execute his plans and didn''t have too many ideas of their own.


    So the first two who bragged and boasted about their past were directly excluded, and so were the quiet ones, like bottling up.


    The three who were left were just reading their resumes monotonously, mediocre interviewees to say.


    Just one more out of the three needed to be cut.


    Lu Liang quickly looked over the materials and decisively eliminated a candidate born in ''78, who was 37 years old this year.


    It wasn''t because of his age, as among the remaining interviewees, one was born in ''77.


    It was purely because the ''78 candidate was born in the Year of the Horse, and Lu Liang, born in the Year of the Ox in ''85, inherently clashed with the Horse; they tread on each other.


    Although Lu Liang didn''t believe in feudal superstition, since he had to choose two out of three, there needed to be a reason to exclude one.


    By three o''clock in the afternoon, the day''s interviews ended.


    Lu Liang took out the six resumes that passed the interview and then handed them to Wen Chao, "Spend more money and hire a few more third-party services for background checks; I want to know the results as soon as possible."


    Wen Chao nodded, indicating that he would commission the third-party services immediately.


    After giving his instructions, Lu Liang walked out of the office.


    He called over his cousin, who was sitting in the corner daydreaming, and the two headed to Guotai''s business hall since he planned to apply for ten more trading accounts.


    Today''s market was still steadily falling, the battle for 4000 points, the defense at 3500 points, and the safeguarding at 3000 points.


    Only the last seemed relatively reliable; 3000 points were like Big A''s baseline, playing around for half a year only to return to the starting point.


    With the general market trending downward, numerous speculative stocks were vying for dominance, but most were fleeting, leaving nothing behind but chaos after a wild party.


    Only Teli A stood out, becoming the center of the frenzy since last Monday when Lu Liang offloaded his shares to the Wenzhou Gang.


    It completely turned into the stage of revelry, if you have a dream, come join us.


    Various capital traders took turns, today''s surges and declines often exceeding ten percentage points.


    The morning session might see an increase of seven points, then the afternoon would drop by three, or the morning might tumble seven or eight points, and the afternoon would turn positive again.


    It just seemed so normal.


    The retail investors entering the market were in pain but also delighted, as after all, the speculative institutional players would always leave some scraps behind.


    So there went the joke, "Even as Big A rose to 5,000 points, I didn''t make much, but I earned quite a bit during the stock disaster."


    This statement won unanimous approval from the retail investors.


    It also gave rise to many new memes, like "The ''A'' in Teli A is the same ''A'' as in Big A," and "Playing with Big A is just for fun; to truly play the stock game, one must play Teli A."


    The name Teli A went completely viral, attracting a large number of outsiders intrigued by its fame, and with the rising popularity, the stock price climbed steadily upward amidst daily rollercoaster rides.


    As of today, it had successfully stabilized at 45 yuan.


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but click his tongue, "Could the trend really start off like this?"


    Due to the Securities and Futures Commission''s heavy crackdown, Li Wu was investigated, his profits of 480 million seized, and he was fined a total of 720 million.


    Such a profound lesson, which occurred not long ago, meant nobody dared to commit such a blatant transgression, playing tricks with this stock; thus, Teli A became one of the market''s few sanctuaries.


    The powerless, influence-free, and uninformed retail investors had low expectations; they simply longed for a relatively fair trading market.


    And so, they rushed headlong into Teli A.


    Of course, they never suspected that the fair market they hoped for might just be a fa?ade deliberately shown to them by others.


    Otherwise, there wouldn''t be so many speculative institutions flocking to this stock, looking to get a piece of the action.


    After all, the market is a place where big fish eat little fish, the little fish eat shrimps, and fishermen stand on the shore.


    Lu Liang decided then that once he achieved success and fame, he would write a book called "A Lifetime of Walking on Thin Ice for Big A''s Retail Investors."


    It wasn''t long before Zhao Haisheng got his trading account set up, and at some point, his nameplate had changed to Deputy Director.


    Surprised, Lu Liang laughed and asked, "Haisheng, when did you get promoted?"


    "Thanks to Mr. Lu, it was decided last week," Zhao Haisheng replied with a beaming smile, his flattery not just an act.


    In the securities industry, performance was what spoke volumes, and Lu Liang''s frequent trading generated substantial commission fees.


    All credited to his performance, he received specific praise from headquarters, so it was natural that he climbed the ranks.


    "How come you never mentioned it? Shouldn''t you treat us to a meal?" Lu Liang joked with a smile.


    "How could I? I wouldn''t dare bother Mr. Lu over such a trivial matter."


    Zhao Haisheng, genuinely apprehensive, quickly invited Lu Liang to dine with him that evening, to reciprocate past favors.


    He wouldn''t forget that without Lu Liang, there would be no him¡ªit was Lu Liang who went against others'' opinions to let him continue as the dedicated broker.


    "Some other time, maybe. I''m really tied up with work recently and can''t get away," Lu Liang said with a smile, picking up the documents and leaving.


    Although he had no use for Zhao Haisheng at the moment, who knew about the future? As long as Zhao remembered his roots, it was all good.


    That evening, Lu Liang visited New International Building again, where money paved the way, and a day''s worth of work could be accomplished.


    Upon entry, a massive reception desk sat in front, with Tianxing Asset Management to the left and Tianxing Capital Investment to the right.


    The entire company was carpeted with deep-colored, soft rugs, and partitions had been put up between the two firms.


    Rooms like the stock trading room, conference room, offices, and pantry were already taking shape.


    Also, there were continuous streams of movers transporting various office equipment.


    "Can this be finished before dawn?" Lu Liang asked.


    "It will all be done by four o''clock," Tang Caide answered.


    Modu never lacked for hard workers. They offered triple the hourly wage for triple the manpower.


    If concrete didn''t need time to cool, even Rome could be built in a night.


    "You''ve worked hard," Lu Liang acknowledged, sensing that Tang Caide planned to stay here until daybreak.


    After all, she was the chief coordinator¡ªwhere each item should be placed, how to position the seats, she had to check every detail.


    "I''ve been idle for so long, about time to get moving. Can''t just keep drawing a salary without doing anything."


    "How can it be considered drawing without doing anything? Hiring you with an annual salary of 400,000, I feel like I got myself quite the bargain."


    "Mr. Lu, if you''re thinking of giving me a raise, I wouldn''t mind."


    "How much of a raise do you want?" Lu Liang inquired.


    Tang Caide just smiled and shook her head, "Let''s not worry about that for now. We can talk about it once the profits roll in."


    That morning, Lu Liang had invested another ten million; now the committed and paid capital both amounted to fifty million.


    As of now, not a cent of profit to be seen, and of the fifty million in funds, only slightly more than nine million remained.


    "It is venture capital, after all. You can''t expect to see profits right away, but we''re getting close."


    Lu Liang said with a smile, "2+20, tomorrow, two hundred thousand US dollars will be in the account."

 Chapter 100 - 100: Private Equity in Progress

    The next morning, Lu Liang came to the New International Building again, and the 32nd floor had completely changed its appearance.


    Red carpet and congratulatory flower baskets were lined up from the elevator entrance to the company''s doorstep.


    Behind the reception desk, a screen was inlaid with a string of gilded characters, "Tianxing Asset Management Co., Ltd. Consultation."


    Tang Caide came out from the left side, her face smiling but showing a hint of fatigue, "Good morning Mr. Lu, Mr. Meng sent the flower basket over before dawn."


    "It''s the Chaoshan way, they value gestures of goodwill."


    Lu Liang did a thorough check, focusing particularly on the trading room¡ªfor a private equity firm, this was the battlefield.


    Tang Caide spoke softly, "The security gate you ordered will arrive this afternoon, but the signal jamming devices are all installed."


    Lu Liang picked up a signal detector from the table; as soon as the door closed, the signal disappeared. Not a trace of signal could be found in any corner of the room¡ªit wasn''t a secret chamber, but it was the next best thing.


    A dozen computers were placed in the center, each wired, and monitored by a single mainframe. A huge screen like those found in stock exchanges was embedded in the wall, allowing real-time observation of market trends.


    "You''ve been busy all night, you should go back and rest," said Lu Liang, immensely satisfied.


    Having Tang Caide as the vice president of the company was undoubtedly one of the best decisions of the year.


    Tang Caide replied, "I managed to get some sleep last night, I''ll go back later, after all, we''ll have visitors soon."


    "There''s still time, go rest for a bit, I''ll take care of the arrangements," Lu Liang didn''t insist further, knowing they would be receiving quite a number of guests soon and he would be hard-pressed to welcome them on his own.


    Tang Caide thought for a moment and then said, "How about I go back, change clothes, freshen up and come back."


    "Alright, go ahead."


    Lu Liang called Chen Jinchun and asked her to gather the company''s staff to boost the atmosphere.


    Despite the office being sectioned off, the asset management company still spanned around 1300 square meters.


    The only thing missing now was people; even if it was just to pour tea, serve water, or handle reception.


    Eighteen people arrived in several taxis, crowding onto the 32nd floor of New International Building.


    Upon seeing the high-end office space, everyone felt as if they were dreaming. This wasn''t just a simple upgrade¡ªit was like trading a musket for a space carrier.


    The few non-key undergraduates felt fortunate; had the company waited to move here before recruiting new people, they would definitely not have been chosen.


    From now on, the company''s recruitment threshold would probably start with graduates from 211 Project universities; anything less would not do justice to such a fine office environment.


    Lu Liang glanced at the time and started delegating tasks, "Reception is still responsible for reception, legal and financial colleagues will review contracts, clerical staff will assist, we will have visitors in an hour, let''s get moving."


    Everyone started familiarizing themselves with the place and facilities. With people bustling around, the office space finally felt lively.


    Close to ten o''clock, Wang Xiaocong arrived, accompanied by two people, in stark contrast to the throng brought by Old Meng.


    Lu Liang welcomed them into the conference room, smiling and asked, "Were you stood up?"


    "Who dares stand me up?" Wang Xiaocong glared, his mother and uncle were inconvenient to show up, so they gave him their authorizations.


    Lu Liang smiled and looked at the two men, "Aren''t you going to introduce them?"


    "Zhao Geng, he''s in the luxury car import and export business, and Liang Haitao, his dad is Liang Zhenwen."


    Hearing Liang Zhenwen''s name, Lu Liang was momentarily taken aback, the chairman of Green View Group, his former boss.


    "Mr. Zhao, Mr. Liang, hello, Xiaocong you entertain them for a bit, I''ll go over there to say hello."


    Although it was his former young employer, Lu Liang did not offer special treatment, after all, even if it were Liang Zhenwen who came, it would be the same.


    Compared to Little Wang, who could only socialize with second-generation rich kids, the people Old Meng brought had quite a few well-known and capable figures.


    Such as Wang Jingyuan, a host from Eastern TV, not particularly famous, but her husband was Guo Changguang from Fuxing Group, a tycoon worth billions years ago, also known as Shanghai''s King of Cash and China''s Buffett.


    "Mr. Lu, hello, my husband is on a business trip, so he asked me to come and have a look," Wang Jingyuan greeted with a smile.


    "Ms. Wang, hello, we have several esteemed guests today, please excuse any shortcomings in our hospitality."


    Ms. Wang smiled, looking at Tang Caide, "Mr. Lu, go ahead with your work, I know Mr. Tang."


    Tang Caide smiled with a hint of surprise, "Mrs. Guo, it''s been a long time. How come you seem to get younger every time I see you?"


    Wang Jingyuan beamed with joy, "I''m almost fifty now."


    "No way!" Tang Caide''s eyes widened in shock, a reaction that Wang Jingyuan found very gratifying.


    Lu Liang breathed a sigh of relief, thankful for Tang Caide''s assistance. He then turned to greet another person.


    Yu Shirong from Wei''er Group, the third-largest sensor company globally and the number one in China, a billionaire industrial tycoon.


    Guo Changguang hadn''t come in person; he was the most powerful person present and someone who had subscribed for three shares.


    "Mr. Lu, I''ve heard much about you, and Mr. Meng has often mentioned you. Today, I''ve finally had the pleasure of meeting you," said Yu Shirong.


    At just 49, Yu Shirong already had a full head of silver hair, but he had a very amiable smile.


    "President Yu, you''re too kind; I grew up listening to your legendary stories," said Lu Liang with admiration.


    Japan and South Korea dominated the semiconductor world in East Asia for many years, but the Wei''er Group had torn a gap through the blockade.


    Nowadays, Chinese smartphones can use domestically-produced chips that are both high-quality and cost-effective, largely thanks to Yu Shirong.


    Saying he is the man behind Chinese phones isn''t an exaggeration, a truly admirable entrepreneur.


    Yu Shirong chuckled, "Mr. Lu, I just came to have a look, you go about your business." sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lu Liang nodded and went to greet other guests.


    It had to be said that Old Meng''s social network was vast, with friends from all walks of life, and it even included a couple of suspected white gloves.


    But Lu Liang didn''t care; once the contract was signed, even if there was a future fall from grace and a chase to retrieve funds, it would have to wait until the end of the cycle.


    "Thank you, everyone, for coming. Since you all trust me, I will definitely not let you down."


    After making acquaintances around the room, Lu Liang stepped up to the podium to express his sincere thanks to the investors present today.


    But that was all he could offer, considering these were mutually voluntary deals; he could not guarantee to cover any losses.


    "I''m sure you''re all somewhat familiar with the rules of private equity, but don''t mind me repeating them." Lu Liang bowed and gestured for Wen Chao to distribute the private equity contract documents to everyone.


    A 2+20 management structure, with a cycle of 365 days, starting with a net value of 1. It would be updated on the 25th of each month and those interested could call his secretary to inquire.


    Once the contract was signed, the funds had to be transferred into the account within three business days; otherwise, they would face breach of contract liabilities.


    There was an initial lock-up period of three months; after that, an early redemption could be requested, but it would involve a 5% penalty on the principal and no dividends would be claimed.


    "Does anyone have any questions?"


    Since this was the first round of private funding, Lu Liang explained meticulously. In the future, this work would likely fall on Old Meng''s shoulders.


    "Mr. Lu, the explanation is very detailed; I have no questions," Yu Shirong smiled and signed his name on the three contracts.


    Lu Liang looked puzzled; he wondered why Yu Shirong held such good will towards him, but nevertheless, it was a good thing.


    Since Yu Shirong was the person with the highest stature present and he had no issues, the others also rapidly indicated that they had no issues.


    After all, they had reviewed the contract terms over and over again before coming; they had accepted the terms and then decided to come. Raising objections now would be nothing more than nitpicking.


    "Mr. Lu, the funds will be transferred this afternoon. I have other matters to attend to, so I will take my leave first," Yu Shirong smiled and waved, handing over his signed contract to his assistant behind him.


    "Mr. Lu, please stay; I''ll see President Yu off," Meng Changkun hurriedly said.


    "President Yu, please take care."


    Lu Liang could only temporarily bury his doubts in his heart. After seeing off all the guests, he finally found Old Meng to inquire about the reasons.


    Meng Changkun laughed, "Didn''t you ask me last time who said that Modu was introducing Tesla? It was President Yu."


    "Later, I asked him for more details, and he got curious about who wanted to know. So, I mentioned you were interested."


    "President Yu has spent his life pursuing the revival of nation through industry and technology. He has a soft spot for young people who want to get into industry."


    Lu Liang suddenly understood and felt a deep respect in his heart.

 Chapter 101 - 101: Old Mengs Sense of Boundaries

    All the private equity fund subscription contracts were signed, and there was no point in delaying the capital any longer. That afternoon, a total of 34 shares adding up to $68 million, as well as a $1.36 million management fee, were consecutively received.


    Lu Liang subscribed for 16 shares, contributing $32 million, plus a $640,000 management fee, reaching one hundred million dollars, and ended the fundraising period in one day.


    The next day, he found President Liu of the Industrial and Commercial Bank. With a deposit of one hundred million dollars, he obtained 636 million RMB.


    When he initially opened a corporate account with the Industrial and Commercial Bank, he had signed the related contract; Tianxing Asset Management was a dual-currency private equity fund.


    Capital could temporarily stay with the Industrial and Commercial Bank, but however much was deposited, the bank was obligated to provide an equivalent amount of RMB with no interest.


    At first glance, the Industrial and Commercial Bank seemed to be getting the short end of the stick, but in fact, all four major commercial banks offered a service called foreign exchange loans.


    Some businesses needed to import equipment, but foreigners did not accept RMB, and if the businesses didn''t have foreign exchange reserves, they would take loans from the bank.


    However, foreign exchange control in the country was very strict. Even the Industrial and Commercial Bank branch in Modu had a very limited quota for foreign exchange allocations each year.


    Lu Liang depositing one hundred million dollars, in the branch managed by President Liu, made him almost want to worship Lu Liang. He couldn''t care less about that bit of processing fee.


    Lu Liang reminded repeatedly, "President Liu, our company doesn''t need dollars for now, but that doesn''t mean we won''t need them in the future. I don''t want any hiccups in the process when we need to use them."


    President Liu hurriedly said, "Mr. Lu, let me tell you something in confidence. Our branch''s quarterly foreign exchange settlement always has at least one hundred and eighty million dollars in foreign exchange reserves, so whenever you need it, it will be immediately available."


    Reserves meant that they couldn''t be used unless it was an emergency. So often, he could only watch as loan business opportunities slipped by.


    But with the addition of one hundred million dollars in foreign exchange funds, they could now afford to be a bit bolder in the future, and at the very least, generate an income of ten million dollars a year.


    Moreover, Lu Liang''s capability was clear for all to see. One hundred million dollars was just the beginning; it could be one billion or even fifty billion dollars in the future.


    A feast compared to regular meals, President Liu knew the difference. He would never cause any delay in the currency exchange process at a critical moment.


    Lu Liang nodded, feeling reassured.


    After leaving the bank, he returned to the New International Building and called over Wen Chao to inquire about the background check results.


    "The resumes of the four new hires are basically authentic. No criminal records; no bad habits. The two veterans are still under investigation; the results should be available by the afternoon at the latest."


    "Send the offers to the four newcomers first. Have them come over to complete onboarding tomorrow. If there are no issues with the two veterans, send them offers too, have them come in tomorrow as well."


    In the vast trading room, only Lu Liang was buying in trades, nearly numb as he clicked the mouse and tapped on the keyboard.


    He felt numb, watching the screen flashing red and green, suddenly let out three yawns in a row, nearly bringing tears to his eyes.


    The positive news on new energy hadn''t appeared yet, and at the moment, it was a phase of building positions. He didn''t dare to make big moves, only buying in slowly, a few to a dozen shares at a time, trying not to affect the market.


    He bought shares in six companies from start to finish, then started the cycle over again.


    Each trade did not exceed $20,000. If it was just him alone, he probably wouldn''t be able to build even 10% of the position by the end of the market trend.


    "Mr. Lu, it''s Wednesday today. When would you like to book a flight ticket?" Wen Chao suddenly asked.


    "What flight ticket?" Lu Liang was puzzled.


    "The 29th, Friday, is the financing meeting for ofo. You mentioned to Mr. Dai that you wanted to attend."


    Lu Liang suddenly remembered; he had been so busy he almost forgot: "Morning or afternoon?"


    "Three o''clock in the afternoon."


    "Then book one for noon."


    Lu Liang recalled the warning from Shen Peng.


    ''Zhu Hu is not a good person.''


    What was Shen Peng thinking when he said that?


    If Zhu Hu was unsatisfied with Lu Liang owning 20% of ofo''s shares, then he should have contacted him these past few days to coerce or tempt him into relinquishing the shares, but he hadn''t.


    So much so that Lu Liang started to doubt whether Shen Peng had deliberately said it to make him paranoid and restless.


    But as for Shen Peng''s motives, Lu Liang could not figure them out.


    He could only wait until Friday to meet Zhu Hu in person, and perhaps then he could get to the bottom of it.


    An afternoon, two hours of trading time.


    Lu Liang bought 12 million worth of shares, averaging around 2 million per stock, which did not have any impact on the market, and happily concluded his work for the day.


    Walking out of the trading room, Lu Liang saw that four special security officers had been added next to the security checkpoint.


    In the nearby rest area, Old Meng, with his big belly, was lying on the sofa playing with his phone.


    Lu Liang walked over with a smile on his face, patted his belly, and sat down beside him, "Free today?"


    "I''ve been waiting for you to finish up. Done for the day?" Old Meng said as he suddenly got up, agile for a man of his size.


    Lu Liang nodded, and Meng Changkun called over his assistant, Liu Jun, and took out a stack of documents, "Take a look. Who do you want to keep?"


    Lu Liang had said before that he was only responsible for making money; big issues, small matters, trivial things, and personnel allocation¡ªall were left to him to handle.


    But he couldn''t wield authority without justification. Lu Liang might not ask, but he couldn''t refrain from mentioning it. It was a matter of attitude.


    Lu Liang flipped through the documents. There were 28 people in total, all transferred from Kunqian Trade, but they were all in basic positions.


    Like reception, clerk, security, legal affairs, etc., each department had two or three people, but there was no one in charge of financial auditing.


    Lu Liang chuckled, quite pleased with Old Meng''s sense of boundaries and after a moment''s thought, said, "Let Mr. Tang take on the role of financial director in addition to his current duties."


    Old Meng chuckled, "That''s what I was thinking too."


    The two men exchanged knowing glances.


    As for Little Wang, as long as he could cheer with "666", that was enough.


    That evening, Lu Liang received a report from a third-party background check, which rated the two veterans as moderate and honest.


    In their more than ten years in the industry, they had been involved in many projects, but none had been led by them; they were often only in support roles, and their names mostly appeared at the end of project lists.


    Experienced, but not outstanding, with no great abilities, they were precisely the kind of people Lu Liang needed. He immediately instructed Wen Chao to send them offers.


    The next morning, two veterans and four new hires completed the onboarding process and the first document they signed was a confidentiality agreement.


    The two veterans had signed such agreements many times before and had been called in by Lu Liang for a one-on-one chat, understanding that their role was to guide the newcomers.


    Thus, they enthusiastically explained things to the four new hires.


    On the first morning, rather than having them trade live, Lu Liang had them log into a simulation panel to get familiar with the equipment and work environment first.


    It wasn''t until after lunch when everyone had submitted their communication devices and passed through the security checkpoint that they entered the trading room, and Lu Liang informed them of the current plan.


    Three people, one veteran and two newbies, made a group, with each group using 12 trading accounts aiming for six stocks to build positions at the base.


    Lu Liang sat at the main control console, monitoring everyone''s accounts and issuing commands, "BYD has the highest market value and good stock liquidity. You can buy a bit more of that."


    "LeEco''s stock price is abnormal, stop buying. Divert funds to SAIC, Yutong, Zhongke..."


    A lone hero with three helpers, they managed to accumulate funds up to 67 million in just one afternoon.


    This was only on a Thursday when the market was sluggish. Had it been Monday or Tuesday, they could have accumulated over 100 million. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Among them, BYD, with the highest market value of 155 billion, contributed the most chips, reaching 18.5 million.


    The rest were spread out over five stocks, pooling 48.5 million.


    Currently holding a total of 115 million.


    Lu Liang pondered for a moment and planned to add a few more stocks; six seemed too few to accommodate the more than 600 million in funds.


    He shifted the focus from whole vehicle manufacturers to downstream suppliers; for electric vehicles, the most important are the battery and the motor.


    Yiwei Lithium Energy, Tianqi Lithium, Fangzheng Motor, Ganfeng Lithium, Duofu, five stocks came into view.


    Lu Liang added these five stocks to the reserves, ready to switch to them the moment the market saturation of the previous six stocks was reached.


    With a combined market value of over 300 billion for the 11 stocks, accommodating their more than 600 million should be no issue.


    After Friday morning''s trade ended, Lu Liang called Meng Changkun to help take charge as he was heading to Beijing.


    "What do I know about this?" Old Meng frowned deeply, every cell of his body radiating resistance.


    "Just sit there and be responsible for collecting the keys at the end. I''ve prepared everything for this afternoon."


    Lu Liang left in a hurry. With the main account in his hands, there was only a little over an hour of flight time during which he wouldn''t be able to monitor the account.

 Chapter 102 - 102: Free Show

    At 1:30 PM, the plane landed, and Lu Liang turned on his laptop and connected to the portable WiFi. His account holdings had reached 185 million RMB, everything was proceeding in an orderly fashion.


    Perhaps it was also related to Old Meng puffing on a cigar with a ferocious look on his face, but in any case, nothing had gone wrong.


    "It seems I''ll be able to relax a bit more in the future."


    Lu Liang''s face beamed with a smile as he stretched lazily.


    Beijing¡ªhe had been here once before seven years ago, along with Liu Mingxuan.


    Back then, they were both in the prime of their youth and would occasionally travel out of town¡ªthe capital was their first stop.


    Unlike recent years, especially after his marriage, when he had free time, all he wanted to do was lie flat and soak his feet.


    "Mr. Lu, this way, let''s head to the hotel first," Wen Chao said, retrieving the luggage with Fang Shiyu from the conveyor belt.


    Each carried a small leather suitcase filled with some relevant documents and clothes for two to three days.


    Tomorrow was Saturday, and Lu Liang was not in a hurry to return. He planned to stay for a day or two after attending the financing of ofo to check out the beauties of the capital.


    While walking, Wen Chao made a phone call to confirm the location with the hotel driver and then hurried back, "Mr. Lu, the driver sent by the hotel is at gate 2, let''s head straight there."


    A black Alphard was waiting, the driver, dressed in a suit, stood by the car, a respectful smile on his face.


    After Lu Liang took a seat in the back, they first headed to the hotel to settle in, then to the Xike Hotel next to Beijing University.


    Ofo''s valuation was set at 17 million US dollars, which was 7 million more than Mobike, but the financing event was much smaller in scale.


    A small banquet hall that could accommodate 50 people, the staff was scarce, mostly ofo''s core team.


    "Mr. Lu, on behalf of all of ofo''s staff, I welcome you," Dai Wei said with a beaming smile, his aura completely transformed compared to two months ago.


    After all, two months ago, ofo''s valuation was only 5 million RMB. Today, it was 17 million US dollars.


    That was a 21-fold increase, and he still held 56% of the shares.


    "Mr. Dai, I''m just here to have a look, why don''t you go and attend to others," Lu Liang said, observing everyone at the venue.


    He seemed to have arrived a bit early, or perhaps it was typical for big players to make a grand entrance towards the end; he did not see Zhu Hu from Golden Sand River.


    "Mr. Lu, please make yourself comfortable."


    Dai Wei hurried off after speaking, as a short-haired, professional-looking woman entered from outside.


    Wen Chao whispered, "Mr. Lu, that''s Liu Qing, the president of DiDi and also an executive director at Goldman Sachs."


    As a competent secretary, he had to remember all the possible attendees today to prevent Lu Liang from not recognizing any guests.


    Lu Liang said softly, "She''s still Liu Xiangzhi''s daughter."


    It would be hard for him not to know Liu Qing; last month, the venture capital circles were almost dominated by the news of DiDi''s 2 billion US dollar financing.


    It was the largest funding round for a non-public company globally to date and the largest investment within the internet sector.


    The deal was purportedly facilitated by Liu Qing alone, but it''s unknown how much effort Old Liu had put in behind the scenes.


    After all, even a genius has limits; graduated with a master''s degree at 25, entered Goldman Sachs, became an executive director for the Asia-Pacific at 27, became the general manager for Asia at 30, parachuted in as COO at DiDi last year at 36, and facilitated a financing of 2 billion US dollars this year.


    Lu Liang glanced at her and then focused on patiently waiting for Zhu Hu, the man Sheng Peng described as not a good person.


    Liu Qing spoke briefly with Dai Wei and suddenly walked up to Lu Liang with a smile, "Mr. Lu, I am Liu Qing."


    "Ms. Liu, we were just discussing how your significant 2 billion funding for DiDi will go down in history."


    Lu Liang stood up to shake hands, a smile showing on his face.


    However, he suddenly had a bad feeling, as Liu Qing''s presence here was unusual in itself.


    As if to confirm Lu Liang''s hunch, the next second, Liu Qing said directly, "Mr. Lu, I heard that you own 20% of ofo''s shares, would you be willing to painfully part with them?"


    Lu Liang was stunned, "Ms. Liu, it''s not really a painful matter, as long as the price is right, I don''t really mind."


    Liu Qing was surprised by Lu Liang''s easygoing response, and after a moment''s thought added, "How about 4 million US dollars?"


    "That''s a premium of 17.6%." Lu Liang was surprised.


    With a valuation of 20 million US dollars, buying his shares showed genuine sincerity.


    "Yes, once the share transfer contract is signed, the funds will be guaranteed to arrive within two days."


    DiDi had just completed a 2 billion US dollar financing round, with a cash reserve exceeding 3.5 billion US dollars¡ª4 million was just a fraction.


    Liu Qing had also researched beforehand; Lu Liang had acquired 20% of ofo''s shares with just a 2 million loan agreement and 1 million RMB.


    4 million US dollars, over 25 million RMB.


    A 25-fold increase in just two months, and it would all be in one transaction, she couldn''t fathom Lu Liang having any reason to refuse.


    Lu Liang indeed had no intention of refusing, but he was pondering what Liu Qing''s ulterior motive might be.


    Suddenly he recalled what Shen Peng had said,


    Investing in Mobike was just a process, not the result. If that was the case with Meituan, then even more so with the more interconnected DiDi.


    "Selling now would be like throwing away a watermelon to pick up sesame seeds."


    Suddenly, a burst of cheerful laughter rang out, and a middle-aged man with a crew cut strode forward, "A new internet company with 17 million US Dollars in Series A funding, so why can''t Series B have 170 million?"


    Liu Qing''s brows furrowed, and her eyes flickered with hostility, "Mr. Zhu, you can''t just say that. Golden Sand River has invested in so many companies; haven''t there been plenty that couldn''t sustain themselves from Series A to Series B?"


    Zhu Hu chuckled, "Indeed, there are quite a few, but OFO is certainly not one of them."


    "Mr. Lu, meet Zhu Hu from Golden Sand River," he then turned to Lu Liang, extending his right hand.


    "Tianxing Lu Liang." Lu Liang was puzzled.


    Was this the man Shen Peng said was no good?


    By comparison, Shen Peng seemed somewhat pretentious.


    "Mr. Zhu, how can you make such a guarantee?" S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Liu Qing saw that Lu Liang was somewhat tempted; if it weren''t for Zhu Hu''s interruption, a deal might have been struck.


    "Because Golden Sand River is leading the funding for Series A, because I, Zhu Hu, am bullish on OFO." Zhu Hu''s smile did not wane, his domineering aura evident.


    Liu Qing chuckled lightly, "Mr. Zhu, don''t speak with such finality. Whether Golden Sand River will lead Series A is still up for debate."


    Zhu Hu squinted his eyes, like a ferocious tiger ready to strike, "It''s just a traffic interface. Golden Sand River not having it doesn''t mean Old Zhu doesn''t have it."


    Liu Qing was taken aback, "Who did you convince?"


    "You guess." Zhu Hu grinned.


    "Well, let me prematurely congratulate Golden Sand River on its successful lead investment."


    Unable to guess and not wanting to, Liu Qing turned to Lu Liang, "Mr. Lu, this is my business card. Feel free to contact me anytime."


    "Young, but not lacking in fire."


    Zhu Hu watched as Liu Qing hurriedly left, knowing she would not easily give up.


    However, he was confident that Dai Wei would choose him, not Liu Qing.


    Zhu Hu smiled and asked, "Mr. Lu, did you enjoy watching?"


    An excellent company''s financing is just like this; investors rush to offer money and resources.


    Their rivalry had provided Lu Liang a free show, which he hadn''t even had to pay for.


    Lu Liang watched Liu Qing''s retreating figure, musing, "It was alright, just a bit flat."


    "???"


    "???"


    The two stared at each other for a while.


    Zhu Hu couldn''t help but laugh, "You must have met Shen Peng, did he not tell you anything?"


    Lu Liang appeared modest, "To tell the truth, I might seem self-praising."


    "Let''s hear it."


    "Mr. Shen has a very high regard for me, thinks I''d be an excellent investor."


    Zhu Hu was taken aback, then looked Lu Liang up and down more carefully, growing more perplexed, "Did he say anything bad about me?"


    "How are you two related?"


    "Known each other since ''92."


    Lu Liang thought for a moment, then decided to be honest, "Mr. Shen said you''re not a good person, and told me to be wary."


    Zhu Hu remained composed, as if he had anticipated it, smiling, "Then do you know what Shen Peng said about you?"


    Lu Liang shook his head.


    Zhu Hu revealed, "He said you resemble me."


    Lu Liang was visibly shocked, stepped back a half-step, scrutinizing Zhu Hu carefully, sighed and said, "Mr. Shen has a great eye for investments, but not so much for people."


    Now he finally understood why Shen Peng said Zhu Hu was no good; if Shen Peng truly said he was like Zhu Hu, that too implied he was no good.


    Zhu Hu was taken aback for a long time, then suddenly burst into laughter, "Damn, Shen Peng should hear this as well."


    "Isn''t it so?" Lu Liang smirked.


    "It is."


    Zhu Hu''s gaze towards Lu Liang grew more appreciative, as if a dung beetle had found a companion, "Sell to me in Series B, 20% premium for your shares."


    "Agreed."


    Lu Liang responded without hesitation, not even for a second.


    The drama just witnessed wasn''t for nothing; he wasn''t just focused on Liu Qing''s figure. The help he could offer OFO was close to nothing; offering funds was the bare minimum.


    An investor who couldn''t provide help would eventually be ousted from the scene; better to go with the flow and give a favor.


    With the valuation for Series B financing, and an additional 20% premium, it almost reached his mental expectations.

 Chapter 103 - 103: What is Capital?!

    "Mr. Lu, shall we have a chat tonight?"


    Zhu Hu smiled as he extended the offer, and Lu Liang smiled back, nodding in eager agreement.


    Following Liu Qing''s exit from and return to the meeting room, the fiercest battle for the lead investor position in ofo''s Series A funding officially began.


    Zhu Hu also bade Lu Liang a temporary farewell.


    Liu Qing and Zhu Hu went to speak privately with Dai Wei in succession. After their conversations ended, the two discussed amongst themselves.


    The content of the three talks was unknown, but they seemed to have temporarily reached some form of consensus, with Zhu Hu appearing slightly ahead.


    With Golden Sand River subscribing to a 6% stake, and DiDi Capital subscribing to a 4% stake, this round of funding talks concluded.


    Surrounded by two major capitals, Dai Wei was full of vigor, unmatched for a moment, and roared in a deafening voice: "For over a hundred years, many Beijing University grads have changed both Beijing University and the world, now it''s our turn!"


    After the funding, as a shareholder, Lu Liang was invited to ofo''s internal meeting following the investment round.


    He learned that Zhu Hu had pulled Ali Group into the picture, promising to have Alipay provide a traffic interface, thus leading the Series A round.


    "Mr. Lu, we''ve booked a table for a celebration dinner, would you like to join us?" Dai Wei invited with a smile.


    Lu Liang chuckled and politely declined, "You all have fun, I have some other matters to attend to, so I''ll pass."


    Dai Wei didn''t insist and notified him of the post-funding equity distribution, besides having Lu Liang sign the authorization before watching him leave.


    In this round of funding, ofo had released 10% of its shares, reducing his share to 50.4%, and Lu Liang''s to 18%.


    On his way back, Lu Liang received a call from Zhu Hu.


    After contemplating for a few moments, he replied with a chuckle, "Mr. Zhu, I''m heading back to the hotel first, I''ll come over later."


    As Golden Sand River led the A Series funding, promising Alipay''s traffic interface, ofo certainly had its price to pay.


    The price that Dai Wei paid left Lu Liang astounded.


    He decided to set up a board of directors at the end of the funding round, granting Golden Sand River Venture Capital a board seat and a veto right.


    Lu Liang smelled a hint of conspiracy, not knowing what terms the two parties had agreed upon as the price for that trade-off.


    Because what Dai Wei didn''t know was that Lu Liang had accepted Zhu Hu''s offer to transfer his equity at a 20% premium during the B round of funding.


    When ofo carried out a B series funding round, Golden Sand River would surely participate and was highly likely to continue leading.


    In this way, following the conclusion of Series A and B funding, Golden Sand River would own at least 10% of the shares.


    Adding Lu Liang''s 18%, even after dilution from the B round financing, they would still have about 16.2%.


    Golden Sand River would hold a minimum of 26.2% plus a veto right, and not to mention whatever agreement Zhu Hu had reached with Liu Qing.


    Dai Wei''s time was up¡ª


    ofo was about to undergo a major change¡ª


    "What price did Zhu Hu pay for Alipay''s willingness to provide a traffic interface?"


    Lu Liang thought and thought, and suddenly it struck him¡ªShen Peng and his investment in Meituan.


    Zhu Hu probably followed the same approach as Shen Peng, lining up buyers well in advance of his investment.


    If the company were to go public smoothly, they would stay until the end; if things looked dire, they would just cash out and leave.


    "Indeed, none of these venture capitalists are saints; if you want to start a business, you really need your own money."


    After participating in two funding meetings, Lu Liang greatly benefited, with Shen Peng and Zhu Hu showing him what capital truly was.


    An investor''s money wasn''t easy to take; it was like seeking skin from a tiger, always at risk of plummeting into the abyss.


    Back at the hotel, Lu Liang took a bath, changed his clothes, and took a car to the address provided by Zhu Hu.


    It had to be said, Zhu Hu''s taste was a bit peculiar¡ªa place that resembled a restaurant and also a bit like a KTV lounge.


    Inside the private room, a table was set with rare delicacies, and several young women wearing bodycon dresses were present.


    Zhu Hu was holding a microphone, singing "West Sea Love Song."


    He sang with deep emotion, more like a coal tycoon than a venture capitalist, to the point that when Lu Liang arrived, he didn''t even notice.


    "Can''t return to our former days~"


    His voice, bitter and husky, full of worldly experience, elicited applause and cheers from the ladies in the room.


    Lu Liang also clapped along with a smile: "True to Dao Lang himself."


    "Not bad, not bad. Just bored and had an itch to sing," Zhu Hu said, his face brimming with joy, loving when others praised his singing.


    He had the ''princesses'' turn on the room''s lights and dismissed the accompanying ladies, inviting him to sit at the dining table with a smile, "Just served, haven''t started eating yet, come join us."


    Lu Liang nodded, and the two quietly continued eating without touching the alcohol, intending to at least wait until they were done with their business before drinking.


    "Did you just come from an internal meeting at ofo?" Zhu Hu asked. Seeing Lu Liang nod, he followed up, "What do you think?"


    "B round valuation should be several hundred million dollars. This deal, we''re going to make a pretty penny," Lu Liang said with a smile.


    The implication was clear: he could see the opportunity but wasn''t interested; he just wanted to cash out at a high price and walk away.


    The subsequent chaos had nothing to do with him.


    "We sure are making a lot," Zhu Hu said, his smile brimming with happiness.


    The two agreed to meet the next day to officially sign the contract.


    As their glasses clinked together, it signified that the business talk was over, and it was time for leisure and entertainment.


    Drinking, feasting on meat, singing, and bragging about everything.


    From the situation in the Middle East to the rising price of meat, they talked about everything but business, and their titles also shifted from Mr. Zhu and Mr. Lu to Hu and Liang.


    "Hu, it''s such a pity we met so late~"


    "Liang, let''s finish this drink~"


    After three rounds of drinks and a taste of five different dishes, Zhu Hu was already embracing a beauty, focusing his efforts below the belt, his true colors as a man laid bare.


    But noticing Lu Liang''s apparent dissatisfaction, he waved his hand grandly and said, "Let''s change the venue and keep the party going."


    Zhu Hu, with a look of disgust, wiped his hands on the beauty''s clothes, preparing to take Lu Liang to a new setting.


    After all, Yanjing was his turf, the guest must be satisfied, or it would be the ultimate insult to the host.


    Lu Liang smiled and politely declined, "Hu, I''ve got some things to take care of tonight. Just have fun."


    He roughly knew what the next scene entailed. It wasn''t that he was resistant; he just didn''t want to go with Zhu Hu.


    When out and about, it''s still crucial to protect oneself; it''s a mistake to make deep confessions of friendship prematurely when the relationship hasn''t developed that far.


    Zhu Hu mused for a moment, understanding Lu Liang''s reservations, and said with a smile, "Then let me walk you out."


    "Hu, there''s no need."


    Outside the restaurant, Lu Liang waved goodbye to Zhu Hu and returned to the hotel with Wen Chao and Fang Shiyu.


    After a shower, sitting in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, he looked out at the bustling Beijing, contemplating his plans for the next couple of days.


    The next day, Lu Liang went to the Golden Sand River Venture Capital''s office in Beijing.


    This institution focused on investing in high-tech companies, managing about 4.5 billion US dollars and 12 billion RMB.


    Even though its funds were not as abundant as Redwood''s, Zhu Hu was one of the founding members, unlike Shen Peng, who was only a partner at Redwood, and thus their positions in the domestic venture capital circle were quite similar.


    The three founders were each responsible for different sectors: Lin Renjun focused on artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and the healthcare industry, Zhu Hu handled the Internet, wireless, and new media sectors, and Ding Jian concentrated on big data, digital healthcare, VR/AR, and new media.


    Lu Liang''s interest in Kuai Shou and ByteDance coincided with Golden Sand River Venture Capital''s participation in their early-stage financing, holding between 2% and 6% of the shares in each.


    "Short videos seem to be becoming a trend," Zhu Hu said while asking someone to prepare the contract, noticing Lu Liang''s particular interest in these two companies.


    "After all, life''s pace is speeding up, and people want the most thrill in the least amount of time."


    Apart from electric cars, the short video industry was also an area Lu Liang had been watching closely; he hadn''t hesitated to spend a million to hire a third-party agency to conduct market research.


    Thus, he understood why short videos were gradually becoming a trend.


    Zhu Hu was surprised, not expecting Lu Liang to have such thorough insight, capturing the essence in one sentence.


    He asked with a laugh, "Have any companies caught your eye?"


    "Kuai Shou is pretty good, just a bit tacky."


    "Tackiness can be a form of elegance."


    "Perhaps."


    Lu Liang smiled but didn''t completely agree.


    Tackiness being a form of elegance was a concept he could accept, but he didn''t believe Kuai Shou met this standard.


    At least, subsequent trials either by himself, Fang Shiyu, Wen Chao, or Chen Jinchun, all spending several hours, found no exception other than Wen Chao, who couldn''t accept it because Wen was from the north, while the others were from the south.


    They couldn''t see what was appealing, even feeling a bit of aversion, joking about regional differences, and reinforcing the stereotype of northerners.


    Although they couldn''t represent the entire south, their experience did prove that Kuai Shou faced certain barriers in entering the southern market. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 104 - 104: The Plain and Simple Business Battle

    "Can this contract be worth twenty million US dollars?"


    After signing the contract, Lu Liang asked with a smile, and Zhu Hu also smiled, "I hope it can be worth two hundred million."


    Just as Lu Liang had guessed, he had already found a buyer for ofo¡ªthe higher the selling price, the more he would earn.


    Lu Liang chuckled, "Maybe in the C or D round, but the B round can''t fetch that high a price yet."


    Twenty million US dollars was still his expectation after a 20% premium, considering that greed must be tempered by reality.


    With Dai Wei''s financing methods, an investment of 1.7 million US dollars could potentially leverage three to eight times that amount.


    By the time the company''s funds were completely spent, the valuation for the next round would also likely be between three and eight times.


    Lu Liang took the median of five times, roughly eighty-five million US dollars, as the expected valuation for the B round.


    Zhu Hu smiled, seemingly agreeing with Lu Liang''s estimation, and Lu Liang asked, "The veto power, how do you plan to use it?" Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Zhu Hu shook his head, "It''s not time to use it yet, using it rashly will only cause resentment among ofo''s founders."


    Lu Liang pondered, still unclear about one thing, "I really don''t understand why Dai Wei would agree to it."


    The board''s veto power was almost the right of the chairman, but Dai Wei had given it up so easily.


    To be precise, it was shared; now both Dai Wei and Zhu Hu had veto power.


    "Just like I can''t understand why Tianxing Capital got 20% of the shares, it''s essentially the same."


    Iron Boss might be strong, but after all, he is Iron Boss. In the business field, Dai Wei is just a novice entrepreneur.


    A novice, albeit one born with a silver spoon, prone to mistakes, arrogance, and misunderstanding.


    Lu Liang smiled knowingly,


    Handed the contract to Wen Chao, "Hu, I''m off."


    "Bye-bye, next time I''ll visit you in Modu." Zhu Hu stood at the company''s entrance, smiling as he watched Lu Liang leave.


    Shen Peng had a good eye for investments, which he did not deny, but in judging people, Zhu Hu considered himself better than Shen Peng.


    In half a year, Lu Liang achieved what others couldn''t in ten or even twenty years, both in accomplishments and wealth.


    Zhu Hu thought highly of him.


    Leaving Golden Sand River Venture Capital, Lu Liang asked Wen Chao, "What time did you schedule with Mr. Zhang?"


    Kuai Shou already had over two hundred million users, it was tough to get in, but ByteDance still held some hope.


    So he had Wen Chao contact Zhang Yiming''s assistant yesterday to schedule a meeting to talk.


    "Three o''clock in the afternoon." Wen Chao opened his notepad.


    "Then let''s first visit their company."


    Lu Liang, with a smile on his lips, planned to visit the offices of ByteDance and see if there were any hidden gems.


    What''s outstanding about ByteDance was its unique algorithm and recommendation system, but these aspects weren''t impossible to replicate.


    The saying goes well, being born into this world, how can one willingly stay beneath others.


    Taking advantage of Zhang Yiming''s absence at the office, Lu Liang decided to show his face¡ªyou never know who might secretly contact him.


    In the financial markets, with two successful deals under his belt and one day netting a hundred million dollars in private equity, Lu Liang''s reputation had greatly increased.


    Even though it wasn''t the agreed-upon time yet, the front desk receptionist dared not neglect him and treated him warmly and respectfully.


    They invited Lu Liang to the company''s reception room and called over a woman in her thirties, deputy director of administration.


    "It might be my secretary who got the time wrong for meeting with Mr. Zhang," Lu Liang said without a second thought, immediately throwing Wen Chao under the bus.


    "The phone reception there was a bit loud; I misheard." Wen Chao also handled it smoothly, with a sheepish expression.


    The deputy director of administration, Ding Yazhen, made contact with Zhang Yiming, and came back to say, "Mr. Lu, please wait a moment, our Mr. Zhang is still on his way."


    "No worries, it''s our fault for getting the time wrong."


    Lu Liang took a few sips of tea and, feeling bored, suggested visiting the company.


    Ding Yazhen could hardly refuse and, after a moment''s thought, smiled and said, "Mr. Lu, let me accompany you around."


    A small group wandered through the administrative, marketing, and operations departments, among others.


    Ding Yazhen was careful and did not take Lu Liang to the crucial departments, such as projects and technology.


    Lu Liang smiled silently, not minding, as suggesting a visit to the core departments would be too obvious.


    "So, this is how it operates..."


    "DiDi, Neihan Duanzi, I''ve played with it for a while too¡ªquite amusing."


    Each department they visited, Lu Liang showed a keen interest.


    Although he couldn''t visit the most crucial departments, he could have others relay messages there.


    An investor holding billions, interested in an industry, was enough to pique interest.


    Soon, Zhang Yiming, born in 1983 and just two years older than Lu Liang, hurried over at the news.


    32 years old this year and a five-time entrepreneur, ByteDance was his fifth venture.


    Three years had passed, and last November, they had conducted a Series C funding round, reaching a valuation of five hundred million dollars.


    "Mr. Lu, hello, sorry for my late arrival; shall we move to the meeting room?"


    Zhang Yiming, experienced from five startups, knew all too well about the tricks of using a visit as a pretext for poaching.


    Although Lu Liang was from a venture capital firm and seemed to have no competitive relationship, it was still something to be vigilant against.


    "That''s fine, let''s go."


    Lu Liang followed Zhang Yiming back to the reception room and spoke frankly, "Mr. Zhang, I am very interested in your ByteDance."


    Zhang Yiming pondered for a while, "I''m truly sorry, Mr. Lu, but our company has no plans for fundraising at the moment. Could you leave your contact information? We''ll invite you over when we''re ready for the next funding round."


    Last year having finished their Series C funding, they were preparing Watermelon Video; they had no intent on funding until they achieved results.


    After all, fundraising means selling equity, and one naturally waits for a good price before selling.


    Lu Liang felt a tinge of regret but didn''t press further, instead asking, "Mr. Zhang, are you familiar with Kuai Shou?"


    "Being in the industry, how could I not have heard of it?" Zhang Yiming narrowed his eyes, glancing at Ding Yazhen.


    Their Watermelon Video was aimed to compete with Kuai Shou, but it was still a secret, supposedly unknown to anyone.


    "I''m quite interested in the short video industry, but it seems that Kuai Shou has a strong regional attribute."


    "Perhaps, but right now Kuai Shou is leading the short video industry¡ªit''s the market''s choice."


    "Maybe it''s just me then."


    Lu Liang observed Zhang Yiming, trying to discern something, but found him impervious and his interest waned.


    After a brief chat, he prepared to leave. The two exchanged contact details, agreeing to collaborate in the next round of funding.


    Zhang Yiming watched Lu Liang leave and turned to Ding Yazhen, "Which departments did you take Mr. Lu to?"


    "Administrative, Marketing, Operations, and similar departments."


    Ding Yazhen quickly explained, assuring she had been with him the whole time without visiting any off-limits areas.


    Zhang Yiming pondered for a long while but decided not to doubt any further, "Go back to work then."


    Watermelon Video was a secret, but ByteDance''s entry into the short video industry was already not a secret.


    Due to their app Neihan Duanzi, the June mid-month update started to trend toward a short video community.


    "Book the tickets; we''re heading back to Modu tonight."


    Lu Liang logged into Weibo and composed a status: "Hoping for a collaboration opportunity next time, @ZhangYiming," attaching a photo of ByteDance''s front desk.


    The art of business can sometimes be plain and unglamorous: tour ByteDance, show interest, and finally express regret¡ªnaturally, this would stir some interest.

 Chapter 105 - 105: Mature and Bold Planning

    At 9:30 in the evening, the plane arrived at Modu Airport.


    After flying for an hour and a half, Lu Liang''s Weibo inbox had over a hundred new PPTs.


    He glanced at a few and then closed them because there were too many people who talked big on paper, always claiming they were pioneering and disrupting the market.


    Some even lacked logic entirely, purely just an idea in their head, yet they still thought about financing, not knowing where their confidence came from.


    A mess of junk messages filled his inbox to the point where Lu Liang couldn''t even see the eye-catching large-scale photoshoots from internet celebrities.


    "Hopefully there''s something worthwhile in the company email."


    Lu Liang sighed. He hadn''t expected to find a suitable business plan on Weibo, after all, why wouldn''t they use the official email on the website and instead send a private message to him? Could that even be a serious business plan?


    Fang Shiyu drove out of the airport parking lot and turned to ask, "Mr. Lu, where shall we go?"


    "Let''s go to the Four Seasons Hotel."


    Lu Liang thought of Wen Shanshan, who had cried to him yesterday about failing the audition for the second female lead in a TV drama and was preparing to return to Xiangjiang.


    Since he would be free tomorrow, he planned to meet with Wu Tianzheng to see if he could help her choose a project to work on.


    Forty minutes later, they arrived at the Four Seasons Hotel.


    Lu Liang left the car there and told them to take a cab back.


    He made his way familiarly to the 42nd floor of the hotel, barely had he rung the doorbell when a crack opened.


    Lu Liang pushed the door and entered, still puzzled. The room was dim, and no lights were on, a poker card silently pressed against his throat along with a low and husky voice: "Don''t move~"


    Lu Liang turned to look, Wen Shanshan stood at the door.


    Her bright red lips stood out even more in the dim room, dressed in a black tactical vest with sizzling hot shorts, highlighting her long legs'' graceful curves, the outfit of a female assassin from movies.


    Lu Liang curved his lips up, reached out to wrap his arm around her slim waist, and felt the slightly pronounced abs, laughing as he asked, "Beauty, are you here to kill me, or sleep with me?"


    "Is there a difference?"


    Wen Shanshan''s expression was stern, she lifted her delicate chin, looking utterly cool and ruthless, her eyes cold yet captivating.


    "Since you''re not choosing, I guess I''ll choose for us." Lu Liang smiled and suddenly scooped Wen Shanshan up and headed to the bedroom.


    Wen Shanshan looked unhappy, kicking her legs, and shouted with a slight Hong Kong accent, "You''re not following the script, not acting at all, clearly not a proper actor."


    "I''m not, but as long as you are, that''s enough, keep your expression tight, always remember you''re a professional actor."


    "Please don''t question an actor''s integrity~~"


    Ultimately, Wen Shanshan couldn''t keep it in, underestimating the allure of the ''investigator series'' on men.


    After a vigorous encounter, Lu Liang was content and lit an after-action cigarette: "Come with me tomorrow to my friend''s company to see if there''s a suitable role for you."


    "Really?"


    Wen Shanshan''s eyes widened, she suddenly sat up, lifting the strands of hair matted to her forehead from the sweat, her face filled with surprise.


    "But I don''t know if there are any good investment projects, if not, we might have to wait a bit longer."


    Lu Liang was very straightforward, he was open to investing, but it had to catch his eye. Investing was the priority, promoting Wen Shanshan was secondary.


    If Wen Shanshan was willing to shoot some trashy films or shows, he wouldn''t mind casually investing to let her have some fun.


    "Mmm, after all, better nothing than garbage."


    Wen Shanshan nodded repeatedly, the precondition for stardom was good projects; longevity relied on good projects.


    Initially, she had thought Lu Liang would just brush her off, but surprisingly, both of them were strikingly aligned in their thinking.


    The next day, Lu Liang took Wen Shanshan to Good Dream Production and received a warm welcome from Wu Tianzheng.


    "Mr. Lu, not going to lie, all the good projects are taken by big companies, what''s left are the ones like Xia Luo, the ones no one wants."


    Wu Tianzheng didn''t want to offend Lu Liang, hesitating for a long time, but finally laid out the truth; their Good Dream Production was at the bottom of the food chain in the film and television production industry.


    They could only shoot major internet films or web series. As for TV shows or mainstream movies, they generally ended up with leftovers or tough tasks that trickled down to them.


    "Shouldn''t there also be good scripts for web series?"


    Lu Liang asked while sipping tea. He had researched the video industry and knew well that getting shows on TV wasn''t as crucial anymore.


    After all, it was the era of internet information. Televisions were becoming less used, almost turning into mere decorations.


    If a web series stood out, the effects and profits it brought wouldn''t be much different from TV shows.


    "Mr. Lu, the concept of a ''good script'' is rather vague."


    Wu Tianzheng gave a bitter smile. He didn''t know how to explain it. What he thought was good might not seem so to Lu Liang.


    It really depended on the person.


    "Mr. Wu, send me all the projects your company is preparing and those that lack funds."


    Lu Liang couldn''t be bothered to check by himself, so he straightforwardly asked Wu Tianzheng for the 59 projects they were preparing or planning to prepare.


    He dumped them all on Wen Shanshan, letting her pick.


    If she found them suitable, Lu Liang would review them and decide whether to invest and shoot.


    "Wouldn''t doing a web series be a bit weird?"


    Wen Shanshan frowned, embarrassed. She was, after all, a film star in the Hong Kong circle. Shooting a web series seemed a bit beneath her.


    "Have you ever watched a mainland reality show?" Lu Liang asked.


    "I have watched ''Where Are We Going, Dad? Season 2.''"


    Wen Shanshan nodded. Jing Kun had risen to fame again by participating in ''Where Are We Going, Dad? Season 2.''


    Although he was popular before, he was a mid-generation Hong Kong star and didn''t catch the most prominent era of the nineties like the Four Heavenly Kings, so he wasn''t as well-known.


    "''Where Are We Going, Dad? Season 2'' sold its naming rights on satellite TV for 311 million, its online naming rights for 86 million, and the online naming rights for ''Running Man'' even sold for 120 million. The times have changed. Web series are no different from TV shows now, and they might even have an advantage in terms of spreading."


    Lu Liang didn''t persuade Wen Shanshan to shoot web series. He was just helping her analyze the pros and cons, as Little Wang had always wanted to enter this field and had influenced him significantly.


    "Should I take it back to study for a bit?"


    Wen Shanshan hesitated for a long time but was eventually persuaded by Lu Liang.


    After all, she could choose the script herself and could completely opt for a web series with a strong female lead. If she could find a good script, shooting it might not turn out worse than TV shows.


    "Choose carefully. You only have one chance."


    Lu Liang smiled, lightly touching Wen Shanshan''s hair.


    "Hmm, I will." Wen Shanshan carefully went through the 59 projects Lu Liang had sent her.


    Suddenly, a project proposal made her burst out laughing: "Dear, take a look at this; this project proposal is so funny."


    Lu Liang followed her gaze and couldn''t help but laugh too: "Crown Princess Consort''s Promotion Memoir, a man turns into a woman and struggles through the royal palace. Seems quite interesting." S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Not just because the theme of a man dressing as a woman was novel, but also because it was a very mature and bold project proposal.


    It was considered mature because the project initiator had already planned subsequent promotions and market marketing.


    It was considered bold because the promotional plan aimed to use poverty, poor quality, bizarreness, and parody as selling points.


    Lu Liang pondered for a moment: "It might be worth considering."


    This model reminded him of ''Never Would Have Thought.''


    Wen Shanshan''s eyes widened: "Seriously? This kind of script looks like it''s blatantly tacky."


    "Not necessarily, it''s a bit like durian, might be stinky yet fragrant," Lu Liang said with a laugh.


    Such dramas either flop horribly or become dark horses; there''s no middle ground.


    He glanced at the production budget, totaling 35 episodes, with each costing about 150,000; that''s 5.25 million in total.


    Suddenly, he was tempted to invest, not for anything else, but just to see what the final product would look like.

 Chapter 106 - 106: Just Learned to Walk, Dont Think About Flying

    "Can I not film this?"


    Wen Shanshan forced a smile, cautiously looked at Lu Liang, and simply couldn''t accept such a ''trendy'' storyline.


    Desperate as film stars moving to web dramas was, doing this genre too had her worried that acquaintances would laugh at how low she''d stooped.


    Especially with Yang Tianbao''s grand wedding around the corner, she didn''t want to gift him this joke.


    "It won''t matter, pick another project for yourself. Let''s not count this one." Lu Liang called Wu Tianzheng, decided to invest, and asked him to bring people over to the company to sign the contract tomorrow.


    With a budget of 5.25 million, they probably wouldn''t need that much because he planned to trick Little Wang''s Panda TV into sponsoring some filming funds.


    Although it was an ancient time-travel drama, it featured ridiculous settings and focused on satire. Even if they inserted some modern ads, it probably wouldn''t be a big issue.


    Wen Shanshan was delighted, wrapped her arms around Lu Liang''s neck, kissed him, and cooed, "Dear, you are so good to me."


    At night, the two returned to the hotel. Lu Liang browsed Weibo while Wen Shanshan continued to pick her favorite projects.


    As the midnight chimes rang, Lu Liang showed a strange smirk. "Are you sure you won''t reconsider?"


    Thinking that Lu Liang had changed his mind, Wen Shanshan stretched lazily to highlight her curves, tossed away her tablet.


    Snuggled close to Lu Liang''s arm, she closed her eyes, pretending to doze off. "Dear, I''m sleepy. I''m going to sleep first."


    Lu Liang chuckled softly but didn''t persuade her any further.


    [December 30, Crown Princess Consort''s Promotion Achieves a Cumulative 2.4 Billion Viewers]


    35 episodes, total views of 2.4 billion, average per episode of over sixty-eight million. Lu Liang hadn''t been involved in this industry before, but it seemed quite impressive.


    Wen Shanshan wasn''t interested, and he didn''t insist.


    After all, a coerced melon wasn''t sweet, and forcing her into performing might ruin this hit web series.


    The next morning, Lu Liang arrived at New International Building.


    After a week''s setup, the staff from Tianxing Capital had also moved in, completely leaving the old place.


    Behind the front desk information panel, slightly to the right, gold lettering was added.


    "Tianxing Investment Co., Ltd" Both companies shared a similar origin, and the front desk staff got along very well.


    "Mr. Lu, good morning," Tang Caide greeted with a smile, representing all the employees.


    Everyone looked at Lu Liang with admiration, proud that from now on, they could boast their company was located in Modu''s most bustling Lujiazui.


    These three words alone spoke volumes about the company''s status.


    Lu Liang smiled and made a round of the office, the working area was neat, spacious, and bright, the drink and snack bar was stocked, and there were over a dozen massage chairs in the lounge.


    Everything disclosed high welfare and a superior working environment, making him very content. "We''ll knock off at four this afternoon and have a company dinner."


    The last dinner was with Tang Caide and Chen Jinchun. Now, after more than two months, the company''s staff had expanded to 35 people.


    There were a lot of new faces that Lu Liang barely recognized, and this was a good opportunity to get to know everyone better.


    Everyone cheered joyfully, shouting, "Long live Mr. Lu~"


    "That''s enough, everyone go back and familiarize yourselves with your positions."


    Lu Liang smiled and waved his hand to disperse the crowd, then followed Tang Caide to his office area.


    Three desks were placed at the entrance; they were the workstations of Wen Chao, Chen Jinchun, and Fang Shiyu.


    Upon entering, he saw a full-wall floor-to-ceiling window facing the Pujiang River, the total area was 122 square meters¡ªthree times the size of the previous office. It included a lounge and a bathroom.


    At one corner of the office area, there was a two-meter-tall money tree, and in the rest area, a costly root-carved tea table was set.


    "The money tree and tea table were gifts from Mr. Meng; he mentioned that you have agreed," Tang Caide spoke softly.


    "They must be quite expensive," Lu Liang commented while feeling the tea table''s excellent craftsmanship and material. It was obviously pricey. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "This set resembles the Gold Camphor. I''ve seen Caicloud; such a large root carving should be worth a few million," Tang Caide responded.


    "Mr. Meng is thoughtful."


    Lu Liang was surprised but pleasantly accepted.


    Soon, people began to arrive with opening gifts.


    Like Shen Peng, Zhu Hu, other businesses from upstairs and downstairs, and even the property management of the building.


    There were over thirty floral baskets at the door, most of which Lu Liang didn''t recognize the senders. He asked Wen Chao to keep track, just in case they met someday, and he couldn''t remember, which would be awkward.


    Approaching nine-fifteen,


    Lu Liang went to the adjacent trading room.


    The new energy sector hadn''t launched yet; they were still quietly building positions at the bottom.


    So far, the investment was 1.98 billion. With Lu Liang''s anticipated 5.5 billion, there was still 3.55 billion left, requiring about three days.


    At ten-twenty-five.


    After watching a press conference hosted by the State Council.


    Lu Liang gave a few instructions before leaving the trading room again.


    By September 18, the entire new energy sector had surged more than double, definitely boosted by major policy benefits.


    The State Council usually holds press conferences at ten.atripletoday nothing was mentioned, so the market movement wasn''t scheduled for today.


    "Damn it, I asked you to help, and you just stand there watching?"


    At the company entrance, Wang Xiaocong was panting, holding a fifteen-inch tall bull statue, identical to those at Modu Bund and Wall Street.


    It was different from those other two places, which had only bronze bulls; the one Little Wang held was likely pure gold.


    "Gift-giving is all about handing it over personally to show sincerity," Lu Liang said with a smile.


    To his surprise, the gold bull was not ordinarily heavy; it probably weighed about fifty to sixty pounds.


    Following the recent rush to buy gold by Water Shell, the domestic gold price had surged but then fell back, yet a gram still cost 310.


    A pound being 500 grams would be 155,000 yuan; if it were pure gold, then it would be at least eight million yuan.


    "Pure gold?" Lu Liang asked.


    "What else did you think, that I would gift something gold-plated?"


    Wang Xiaocong, lying slouched in front of a tea table, showed his disdain. "Come on, I''m born in the ''85, why stick to these old relics? Can''t you switch to a leather sofa? The solid wood is uncomfortable to sit on."


    "This tea set was a gift from Old Meng."


    "I just don''t get along with those born in the ''70s."


    Lu Liang unwrapped the package and squeezed the bull''s horns, feeling a special connection to it since he too was born in the year of the bull. "Much appreciated."


    "I''m off then."


    After sipping some tea, Wang Xiaocong prepared to leave, but Lu Liang stopped him. "Hold on, stay and meet a few people with me."


    "Who?" Wang Xiaocong was curious.


    "I forgot their names, but they should be arriving soon. We''re meeting at eleven o''clock."


    "What for?"


    "I invested in a web drama; rather than let outsiders benefit, I plan to get Panda to sponsor."


    Lu Liang owned 15% of Panda''s shares; the more famous Panda became, the higher its valuation, and the more he would earn.


    "What''s the name of the web drama?" Wang Xiaocong asked.


    "The Crown Princess Consort''s Promotion."


    "The Crown Princess? Getting a promotion?"


    "A gender-bending time-travel drama."


    "..."


    Wang Xiaocong suddenly lost all interest. "How much do you plan to get Panda to sponsor?"


    "About 2 million yuan for the exclusive naming rights."


    "2 million? What''s the total budget?"


    "About 5 million or so."


    "..."


    Wang Xiaocong was speechless. A web drama with a budget a little over 5 million, one could imagine, definitely lacked stars, famous directors, or IP¡ªcompletely featureless.


    And yet, the sponsorship fee was still 2 million; Lu Liang acted as if he was giving a great deal.


    Little Wang really wanted to ask if Lu Liang was treating Panda like a fool, but considering it was only 2 million yuan, it wasn''t that much money.


    "Alright then, I''ll speak to Long Fei later; you can have the producer of the web drama contact him," Wang Xiaocong said.


    After all, the company hadn''t yet raised funds and it had only two shareholders¡ªhe would provide 1.7 million and Lu Liang 300,000 yuan, contributing an extra 3 million or more.


    If the web drama flopped, Lu Liang would certainly lose more than him. Little Wang felt somewhat relieved by that, and he really got a bargain joining Tianxing Asset Management anyhow.


    A little loss didn''t matter.


    Lu Liang simply smiled lightly, seeing that Little Wang agreed to sponsor largely to show him face. He couldn''t be bothered to explain. Once the web drama went online, Little Wang would willingly apologize.


    At eleven o''clock sharp, Wu Tianzheng arrived on time, bringing the screenwriter and the director of the web drama, two young people in their twenties or early thirties, to whom Lu Liang gave extensive authority.


    He only assigned someone to manage the finances and monitor expenses. The whole crew could decide everything else.


    He also introduced Wang Xiaocong, having already found a good naming sponsor. "Think of a way to incorporate Panda TV into the plot; that shouldn''t be a problem, right?"


    "No problem at all," Qin Shuang, the screenwriter, said with a big smile, rarely encountering such an agreeable investor.


    In filming web dramas, it''s almost a standard for investors to push their own agendas, but Lu Liang hadn''t made any demands, which felt like a blessing to them.


    "There is a problem," Wang Xiaocong suddenly realized. "Isn''t it a historical drama? How can you integrate Panda''s advertisements into it?"


    Director Lv Jiji was puzzled. "Mr. Wang, didn''t you see our project proposal?"


    "There''s something unique about this script," Lu Liang said with a smile, handing over the project proposal.


    Wang Xiaocong quickly read through it and looked shocked. "This is too bizarre."


    "The current netizens might just like this style."


    "It does seem intriguing."


    Wang Xiaocong stroked his chin thoughtfully. "How about selling the exclusive premiere rights to Panda?"


    He recalled the platform''s game streamer PDD, who after being called "Sao Pig", soared in popularity.


    Such a controversial web drama might really be intriguing; otherwise, Panda could also use this opportunity to introduce a film and TV section.


    "Greedy people can''t chew well and can''t walk steadily; don''t even think about taking off," Lu Liang discerned Little Wang''s thoughts right away.


    iQIYI and Tencent Video had been battling for years and never thought about entering the streaming field. Little Wang, just starting in the streaming business, thought he could not only handle online variety, but also dabble in video streaming.


    Lu Liang worried he would stretch himself too thin.

 Chapter 107 - 107: New Energy Boost: Carbon Credits

    "Let''s talk about it when the time comes,"


    Wang Xiaocong was distracted, clearly not ready to give up.


    His Banana Plan was to build the Oriental Disney¡ªwith live streams, esports, variety shows, drama series, video playback, and self-media creation. He wanted it all, without exception.


    Lu Liang sighed and didn''t try to persuade him further. Little Wang''s ambition was enormous, but whether his abilities matched his ambition was another matter.


    Anyway, if things went south, he was ready to bail at any moment.


    Lu Liang summoned Tang Caide, "Mr. Tang, take them to sign the contract. And you''ll be in charge of the production finance audit too."


    Tang Caide nodded. She was familiar with the process, having experienced as a movie producer and now as a web series producer, always with a firm grip on the financial reins.


    As she reached the door, she suddenly stopped, "Mr. Lu, Mr. Yang has informed us that Xia Luo has wrapped up filming and is now in post-production, planning to release during the National Day holiday. He''s asking if we have any cinema chains to recommend."


    Lu Liang smiled warmly, turning his gaze to Little Wang. A 20% stake can''t be taken for free, and even though Xia Luo was invested in by Tianxing Capital and not related to Little Wang, its connection to him was good enough.


    Wang Xiaocong rolled his eyes irritably, "Wanda Cinema is managed by my mom. I''ll talk to her later."


    "Please thank President Lin for me," Lu Liang replied with a smile at the corner of his mouth.


    It was rumored that the Lin Family had a very formidable daughter; otherwise, Little Wang would not be spoiled to the heavens.


    After seeing off Little Wang, before returning to his office, Lu Liang instructed Wen Chao and Chen Jinchun, "During this period, help me keep an eye on the company''s emails, focusing on startup proposals for short videos. Xiao Chen, you''ll be in charge of categorizing them, Little Wen, you''re responsible for reviewing."


    Kuai Shou and Byte aren''t making it, but he still wasn''t satisfied. If one company wasn''t enough, he would invest in ten, piling up the volume until he found the right one.


    After all, even someone with an eye for talent like Shen Peng didn''t always hit the mark. Whether it was Redwood or Golden Sand River, success came from bulk investments ¨C first raising a king of poison, then giving it targeted nurturing.


    At four in the afternoon, the hotel''s shuttle bus took all the company''s staff to the Peace Hotel on the Bund across the river.


    "Today, eat well, drink well, have fun, and no business talk."


    Even though the number of people was not large, Lu Liang still booked a small banquet hall that could accommodate fifty people and set up five tables.


    After dinner, they went out to sing, and in the end, the hotel driver ensured everyone was safely delivered to their doorsteps.


    Spending just under one hundred thousand for the night seemed well worth it.


    At least now the new and old employees were getting along much better.


    Three days flew by in a blink.


    Lu Liang had used a total of 24 trading accounts, investing 550 million yuan in building positions on 11 stocks.


    BYD held the most chips, reaching 86 million. Luckily, he had bought in small quantities over many days, and the stock''s high market value meant that it didn''t cause market fluctuations.


    Next was LeTV, holding 38 million chips. Although the company''s performance was poor and it''d been losing money for years, Old Jia was quite a bullshitter.


    The constructed ecosystem for vehicular networking had fooled countless investors, boasting an abundance of star shareholders and becoming a major hype.


    Initially abandoned by Lu Liang, upon further observation, it showed signs of perhaps becoming the second dragon of the new energy sector, worthy of increased investment.


    On September 5th, a Sunday.


    Li Bing called Lu Liang, and the two arranged to meet for an in-depth discussion on the new energy industry.


    Lu Liang arrived as planned. Li Bing had dark circles under his eyes, his face filled with excitement, "Mr. Lu, a big trend is coming."


    "What big trend?" Lu Liang had a vague guess but didn''t show it, probably referring to the reason for the new energy sector''s explosive growth.


    "As the saying goes, a good wind relies on strength to send one soaring to the heavens. I''ve heard from a friend that the new energy trend is about to pick up."


    Li Bing gave a secretive smile, suddenly teasing. Lu Liang looked unimpressed, "Mr. Li, is it fun to keep people in suspense?"


    "Mr. Lu, don''t get me wrong, I''m not deliberately keeping you in suspense; I''m thinking about how to explain it to you so you''ll understand."


    "Just speak, I''ll ask if I don''t understand."


    "Have you heard about carbon credits?"


    Li Bing explained, "In the United States, including California among 14 states, every car manufacturer is required to sell a certain proportion of ''zero emission vehicles'' as per state regulations."


    "This includes, but is not limited to, electric vehicles, hybrid vehicles, and fuel cell vehicles. Those who don''t sell new energy vehicles, or fail to sell enough units, face penalties: paying fines, sales restrictions, or even losing the right to sell cars."


    "The carbon credit system is led by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) and was proposed in California in 1990, with the goal of reducing motor vehicle emissions..."


    As Li Bing talked, his excitement grew; before he could reveal the conclusion, Lu Liang quietly interjected, "Is it that our country''s carbon credit policy is also about to be implemented?"


    Li Bing suddenly fell silent, as if choking on a lump of blood, his eyes full of reproach, "Mr. Lu, do you realize how much damage your behavior can cause to a storyteller?"


    Although he also knew that with Lu Liang''s intelligence, after hearing so much, he would definitely guess the outcome. But as the narrator, what he most enjoyed was the listener''s gasp of surprise when they learned the result. Lu Liang had directly deprived him of that satisfaction, which was an extremely impolite act.


    "I''m sorry, Mr. Li, the news was so shocking that I got excited and couldn''t help myself," Lu Liang apologized with a forced smile.


    Li Bing asked in a deep voice, "Then why do I not see surprise on your face?"


    "Perhaps I''m more reserved," Lu Liang said with a light laugh.


    As the 18th drew closer day by day, the new energy sector''s market trend was slow to take off. He also constantly investigated what kind of good news could lead to a collective surge in the entire sector. China was really lucky; ideologies could feel their way across the river by touching bears, and economic trends could do so by touching hawks. Earlier years of e-commerce and group buying could all find their origins in the United States, which is why investors dared to follow one after another.


    Lu Liang naturally had heard of America''s carbon credit policy and had a deep understanding of it. He knew that the probability of China implementing it was very high, just with some localized modifications. So he wasn''t too surprised.


    "How exactly will it be implemented?" Lu Liang was curious.


    "How would I have that kind of ability to know?" Li Bing rolled his eyes and then took malicious pleasure, "But it seems that the good days for gasoline vehicles may be coming to an end."


    "That''s not necessarily the case. At most they''ll start to decline, and there might even be a few rebounds." Lu Liang mercilessly punctured Li Bing''s illusions; upgrading such a huge industrial chain was not so simple. It could take five years, ten years, fifteen years, or even longer.


    That was also why Li Bing had come to him. Building cars wasn''t like building bicycles. Bicycle parts were simple; if you found a medium to large supplier, you could take care of everything. But it wasn''t possible with cars; thousands of parts were involved, and you had to consider performance, energy, safety, and other aspects.


    Take LeEco''s Old Jia and his SEE Plan, which was proposed at the beginning of last year, and even secured several billion in funding. But so far, there''s only a few pages of a PPT, and after a year and a half, not even a concept car, with claims it would take another two years to emerge. Car manufacturing is an extremely lengthy project and also requires continuous financial support.


    A couple of venture capital firms were not enough; maybe more than a dozen or dozens would be needed to exert effort together. Li Bing had a fortune of only eighteen or so billion, most of which was in Yiche''s equity. The funds he could use were probably even less than Lu Liang''s, and he could not afford to do it alone, so he had to pull strings everywhere.


    Like his NIO, established for several months with only a name and sponsorship of several matches.


    "Mr. Lu, what are your thoughts?" Li Bing showed an embarrassed yet courteous smile. The hole for NIO cars was too big; he had grown accustomed to making big promises. Not only to feed investors but also himself; he was afraid he would not have the resolve to persist until the end.


    After a long contemplation, Lu Liang gave his answer: "There is great potential for new energy vehicles." He asked, "Mr. Li, what are your plans for NIO?"


    Li Bing was delighted and quickly said, "We plan to first collaborate with Jianghuai Group and use their factory for production, then release NIO''s first concept car, with a goal of mass production in two years."


    "If you collaborate with Jianghuai Group but the scale is too small, they probably won''t bother with you," Lu Liang said. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "We have set up a one hundred billion strategic plan," Li Bing observed Lu Liang''s reaction quietly.


    Fortunately, Lu Liang''s expression did not change, not intimidated by the enormous scale of one hundred billion. He hurriedly added, "The one hundred billion strategic plan is split over three years into twelve phases, with Jianghuai Group also contributing 4.9 billion for a 49% stake."


    "Mr. Li, stop beating around the bush. How much is needed for the first phase, and how much funding is still lacking? Just tell me," Lu Liang could not help but smile.


    "The Series A funding is one hundred million dollars. We currently have support from multiple parties including Tencent, JD, Gaoling, Xiaomi, and others," Li Bing talked at length before finally revealing the funding gap for Series A, which was still twenty million US dollars.

 Chapter 108 - 108: Twin Dragons of the Double Plates

    One billion dollars in valuation, even if Li Bing were sold, NIO wouldn''t be worth that much.


    In reality, he had only invested twenty million dollars, and then utilized an AB-share structure.


    Simply put, investors provide the funds, Li Bing starts the business, but one of his shares counts as five, ensuring control.


    A one hundred million dollar financing round is essentially about selling the remaining 80% of the shares after accounting for his own 20%.


    If Lu Liang took over the entire twenty million dollars deficit, he could own 20% of NIO.


    But whether he could cash out remained uncertain, as the pit was too deep, with indefinite prospects and a high likelihood of failure.


    Otherwise entities like Tencent, JD, and Gaoling, which could afford the shares, had only tentatively invested one to two million dollars.


    And it still took Li Bing''s reputation to get them to invest that one or two million dollars.


    After all, as the founder of Yiche, he had a successful track record.


    If it had been a total novice, clueless and penniless, they likely wouldn''t have even spared a glance.


    Lu Liang pondered for a long time, "I''m in for ten million dollars, you''ll have to figure out the rest yourself."


    He was almost out of money too, previously having three hundred and ten million, but buying a house left him with an even three hundred million, then later subscribing to sixteen units totaling thirty-two million dollars, which converts to two hundred and three million RMB.


    His available funds had dwindled to less than one hundred million.


    Investing ten million dollars now, he would only have just over thirty million RMB left and he''d probably have to start being more frugal.


    There were still eighty million in private equity, but he planned to let that roll in the financial markets, not earmarked for venture capital.


    After all, if he were to invest, it would be in himself.


    The pit of new energy vehicles was vast; not prepared to put in ten or twenty billion dollars, he wasn''t ready to officially enter the arena.


    Li Bing was ecstatic, clutching Lu Liang''s hand, "Mr. Lu, thank you, thank you so much."


    His expectations of Lu Liang had been low, having met only once before.


    It had merely been a tentative feeler, hoping at most for five million.


    Unexpectedly, it was double that.


    "Mr. Li, don''t rush your thanks, I would like to know what conditions companies like JD and Tencent had proposed?"


    Lu Liang smiled slightly, having heard it said that money from venture capitalists wasn''t easy to come by; one should never take it unless absolutely necessary.


    Even if one must, ensuring enough funds in the company to operate and maintain bargaining power was essential to avoid being manipulated by venture capital.


    With new policies on new energy imminent, Li Bing probably couldn''t wait, which is why he turned to someone he barely knew.


    Lu Liang wanted bargaining power, curious about the terms those institutions might have asked for, he wanted the same rights.


    "After the Series B, a board of directors will be formed. If participating in the next round, the investor gets a seat on the board to help make corporate decisions."


    Li Bing informed him truthfully, along with the agreements he''d signed with various venture capital institutions.


    Within eight months after the Series A fundraising ended, the first concept car must come out.


    Otherwise, all funds must be returned, principal and interest included.


    Lu Liang understood, "Mr. Li, I wish us a very successful partnership."


    "A very successful partnership."


    Li Bing smiled; he had experienced similar situations when establishing Yiche.


    Capital pursued profits aggressively, like a whip with hooks, and the assurance agreements were like a red line.


    If the bet was met within the specified time, the whip wouldn''t fall; otherwise, each lash would tear flesh.


    September 6, Monday.


    Li Bing arrived at Tianxing Capital to sign the subscription agreement and waited for the ten o''clock news conference.


    He couldn''t help but be curious, "Mr. Lu, do you really have this much free time? With the new policy release, the new energy sector will surely explode."


    According to his knowledge, Lu Liang also managed a private fund of one billion dollars; otherwise, he wouldn''t have sought investment from Lu Liang.


    "Mr. Li, I''ve always said that I''m very optimistic about the development of the new energy industry," Lu Liang replied with a calm smile.


    Li Bing suddenly realized that back then, Lu Liang wasn''t just flattering him, but he genuinely believed in this industry.


    This meant that he had probably been well prepared to stay calm and composed.


    As time ticked away, Lu Liang sipped on the Dancong tea that Old Meng had brought him; Old Meng had led him astray, as he had developed a taste for tea and seldom drank coffee or Red Bull anymore.


    However, he didn''t resist this change,


    Now that he had money, it was time to take good care of his health.


    At ten in the morning, the State Council held a press conference and announced the "Parallel Management Method of Average Fuel Consumption and New Energy Vehicle Points of Passenger Car Enterprises," which would officially be implemented on January 1 of the following year and the first settlement would occur on December 30 of the same year.


    Unlike the United States, our country adopted a dual-point policy, points for fuel consumption and new energy vehicles.


    In simple terms, the government allocates certain carbon emission points to every car manufacturer, whether they are importers, joint ventures, or domestic brands, and at the same time increases new energy vehicle points, with allowance for trading.


    For example, if Wuling sold 100,000 fuel cars last year, this year they would only have a quota of 80,000.


    If they exceeded that, they must purchase new energy points to offset it or produce their new energy vehicles to generate points.


    If the settlement day showed a negative number, the enterprises would face relevant penalties next year, such as suspension of declarations and production of high fuel consumption products.


    "That''s harsh; this move directly hits a major artery," Li Bing remarked in amazement, and there was a hint of pleasure in his disaster.


    He still remembered the initial reason for establishing Yiche; it was because he disdained the arrogance of 4S shops that, relying on information asymmetry, would quote irrational prices.


    After Yiche was established, it integrated car manufacturers and distributors of all levels, making car prices across regions transparent.


    Later, when Yiche went public, he also considered transitioning to a complete vehicle manufacturer, but traditional car companies were arrogantly untouchable.


    They were like stones in a latrine, stinky and hard, clinging to resources provided by the government, yet unwilling to develop new technologies or let others develop them.


    The production permit was like a chasm, blocking all outsiders; they acted as both referees and players.


    Until five years ago, when the country pushed the development of the new energy industry, whether for environmental protection or energy security.


    At that time, Li Bing saw hope; he had waited and waited, and finally, this day had arrived.


    The dual-point policy showed the country''s determination to actively cut off the arm of fuel vehicles just to develop new energy.


    Once the press conference ended, Li Bing''s phone started ringing non-stop with friends calling to ask for his opinion.


    "Mr. Lu, if there''s nothing else, I''ll take my leave," said Li Bing and hurriedly left. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Mr. Li, take care,"


    Lu Liang did not accompany him out but went straight to the neighboring trading room.


    All the traders looked at Lu Liang as if a deity had descended, their faces filled with admiration.


    Lu Liang smiled and looked up.


    The screens on the wall were bright red; the entire new energy sector had surged by 6.25%, with the index dramatically rising by 92 points to a new total of 1564 points.


    Out of 54 component stocks, 31 hit the upper limit while the remaining 23 saw at least 2.32% increases.


    Among the 11 stocks Lu Liang heavily held, 9 had hit the upper limit, while only Ganfeng Lithium and Duofu rose by 7.85% and 6.53%, respectively.


    "BYD is going to take off," Lu Liang couldn''t help but remark; the new energy policy had the biggest impact on BYD.


    Because it was a global leader in lithium batteries and also produced and sold its new energy vehicles, it was a leader in both sectors.


    Next year, when the points officially commenced, BYD''s new energy points would absolutely take the lead.


    If the country did not set a price cap on carbon points, BYD might even control the bargaining power of the carbon point market.


    This was no longer like a pie falling from the sky but as if a gold mine had suddenly appeared at one''s doorstep; with a current market value of 162.1 billion, it wouldn''t be surprising to see it multiply by three to five or even seven times.

 Chapter 109 - 109: Making an Entrance

    Lu Liang analyzed and concluded, "BYD can be held for the long term."


    Since its establishment in 1995, BYD has always adhered to the development philosophy of "technology as king, innovation as the foundation."


    Whole vehicle manufacturing is just one of their industries, but it is not the core sector; their main operations are lithium battery production and urban transportation.


    On September 18, it only marked the end of the overall market trend for the new energy sector, not the end of individual stock trends.


    In the future, it might be possible to heavily invest in BYD and hold it for a long term, even becoming a shareholder is not out of the question.


    BYD is a standard blue-chip stock. In an overall upward economic environment, buying blue-chip stocks is the best choice, mainly because the market value is high enough and the market is big enough to accommodate a lot of capital.


    The new energy index has been opening high and going high for several days, growing continuously; it is quite common for half of the 54 constituent stocks to hit the upper limit.


    Once the new policy was announced, domestic car companies responded to the national call, planning to launch the first pure electric car next year, further driving up the sector index.


    A single decree, in just a few days, made new energy the hottest concept in the market, with no one able to surpass it.


    By Thursday, after three and a half trading days, the new energy index had soared by 323 points, nearing 1800.


    Lu Liang pondered for a long time and decided to add more fuel to this fire, to make it burn even more fiercely.


    He used 86 million US dollars of reserve funds to pull Fangzheng Motor, Yiwei Lithium Energy, and Duofu among other stocks with market values less than 10 billion, to the upper price limit, not concealing his presence.


    At five o''clock in the afternoon, the Dragon and Tiger List was updated, and the long-absent Punan Road No. 88 reappeared on the list.


    This caused an uproar both inside and outside the market; the news of Lu Liang heavily investing in the new energy sector spread quickly.


    LeTV reported that rumors suggest Lu Liang not only heavily invested in these three stocks but also held BYD and LeTV stocks.


    "Is this kind of popularity also to be milked? Has Old Jia run out of options?"


    That night, Lu Liang browsed the news and found that all the media were reporting, but they always managed to mention LeTV.


    BYD is a dual-sector leader and is a topic that cannot be avoided in new energy discussions. It''s not surprising to guess the heavy investments, but what does LeTV count for?


    Although Lu Liang did indeed invest 38 million US dollars and increased his holdings later, making it the fifth largest among 11 stocks.


    But to avoid appearing on the public stockholder list during the accumulation period, he distributed his chips across 24 accounts, each only holding 1.58 million US dollars.


    Normally, Old Jia shouldn''t know about his holdings in LeTV, which only indicated that he was trying to ride on the coattails of the hot trend.


    Lu Liang pondered for a moment and phoned Wen Chao, asking him to commission a third party to investigate the financial situation of LeTV.


    LeTV''s market value was 128.5 billion US dollars, also being the leading stock in the Growth Enterprise Market.


    Because of this, even if there were abnormal fluctuations in the stock price during the accumulation period, Lu Liang still heavily held onto it.


    Old Jia held 21.55% of the shares in LeTV, with a net worth exceeding 25 billion US dollars; there was no reason for him to piggyback on its popularity.


    Unless the finances were problematic, which would justify using this market situation to significantly drive up the stock price, either for loans or for cashing out.


    The next day, Friday, suddenly a piece of news came.


    NIO was rumored to have reached a strategic project worth ten billion with Jianghuai Group, laying out plans for the new energy industry.


    According to insiders, first-line venture capital institutions such as Tencent, JD, Gaoling, Xiaomi, and Tianxing enthusiastically joined.


    The news had just been released and the market hadn''t yet reacted when news came from the north.


    Auto Home''s Li Xiang was planning to rebrand his cars and homes to Li Xiang Car, suspected of reaching a ten billion strategic-level project with Lifan Group to jointly plan the new energy industry.


    Close to noon, more news came from the south.


    After selling UC last year and staying quiet for a year, He Xiaopeng founded Xiao Peng Car and reached a ten-billion strategic-level project with Guangqi to jointly plan the new energy industry, deciding to hold a product launch on October 10 to announce their first new energy concept car.


    It was as if everyone had agreed to announce their news today, differing from NIO and Li Xiang''s suspected cooperation, as He Xiaopeng actually teamed up with Guangqi.


    Guangqi Group also stepped forward to respond, confirming a hundred-billion-level production base would be located in Zhaoqing City, with the project divided into three phases, planning to use 3000 acres of land.


    NIO, Li Xiang, and Xiao Peng, three major new forces in car manufacturing, emerged dramatically, giving the financial market''s new energy index another surge of adrenaline.


    The market closed with a sharp rise of 145 points, with the entire sector almost reaching the upper limit, soaring 468 points in a week, with a total market value exceeding one trillion.


    "Not bad, the new energy sector grew by 32.12%, and the total gain of my holdings is 28%."


    Looking at the 814 million US dollars in his account, Lu Liang''s face showed a satisfied smile.


    This market trend would continue for another nine working days, and turning 635 million into one billion shouldn''t be a problem.


    Just after four o''clock in the afternoon, Lu Liang walked out of the trading room, ending his work for the week.


    Wen Chao approached him, handing over a financial report on LeTV Group prepared by a third-party research institution.


    Although it had sustained losses over successive years, its financial condition was healthy, with 3.585 billion US dollars in cash flow from the last quarter''s settlement.


    "Somehow feels fake."


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but laugh because the financial statement looked too good to be true; if they were really that wealthy, they wouldn''t need to piggyback on his popularity.


    But he didn''t take it to heart, since next week, they were about to cash out and leave anyway.


    It was just a one-time deal, and any potential fallout was not his problem.


    Lu Liang headed to the office, asking as he walked, "Who called me today?"


    Li Bing had released news about investing in NIO to generate buzz. The news that he was betting big on new energy through Tianxing Private Equity wasn''t a secret either.


    He should now be a hot commodity in the new energy market. Creating cars was too costly; he always needed more investors.


    "Li Xiang''s Mr. Li, Xiao Peng''s Mr. He, and LeTV''s Mr. Jia."


    "What did LeTV''s Mr. Jia say?"


    Lu Liang was surprised and immediately intrigued.


    "Lesee is preparing for a Round B fundraising, valuing at 1.2 billion US dollars, and Mr. Jia has invited you to attend the financing meeting on the 28th."


    "Old Jia really dares to boast, he doesn''t even have a factory and he''s starting at a 1.2 billion US dollar valuation."


    Lu Liang chuckled in disbelief, pondering for a moment before saying, "Reply to Mr. Jia that I''ll attend."


    He wasn''t interested in Lesee, nor did he have spare funds to invest; he just wanted to see how Jia Yuetting convinced investors with pie-in-the-sky promises, and perhaps learn something.


    Over the weekend, the domestic new energy market was buzzing again.


    Tesla signed an all-electric vehicle project investment agreement with Modu City Government, planning to build a manufacturing and sales base in China.


    At the same time, Musk announced that he would open all patents to create "open source cars" to promote the advancement of electric vehicle technology. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Third-class companies make products, second-class companies create brands, first-class companies set standards. The catfish has been put in the pond."


    Lu Liang murmured as he browsed through related news and also received an invite from the president of Tesla''s Chinese District to attend the Mao Dou X new car launch at the convention center on September 30th.


    Not just him; Li Bing, Li Xiang, He Xiaopeng, Lei Jun, Shen Peng, and Jia Yuetting - anyone with an interest in the new energy industry had received an invite.


    Lu Liang ended up in the loop because after investing in NIO, Li Bing had added him to a WeChat group called "NIO Shareholders'' Meeting Subdivision."


    Lei Jun, Shen Peng, Daqiangzi, Little Ma, and Gaoling''s Zhang Lei were also in the group, making a total of six people, and they all got the message.


    Li Bing let Li Xiang and the others know they had received invitations too.


    "Here comes trouble," Lei Jun sent a smiley face.


    "Open sourcing technology is good; in the future, we can progress together following Tesla''s steps," said Little Ma, in typical Tencent style.


    Zhang Lei asked, "How are the talks with Jianghuai going?"


    "We''re still talking, but it''s about to be wrapped up," replied Li Bing.


    "What about Lu Liang? Why hasn''t he spoken since he joined the group?" Shen Peng suddenly asked.


    "Must be busy. I heard he made a good deal in the stock market," Daqiangzi, never one to endure silence, took the chance to chime in.


    In the group, their average worth was billions; they didn''t need to keep a stiff upper lip like in public or at the company.


    Even Lu Liang, who was the least powerful, controlled a venture capital and a fund, making him their equal in conversation.


    Suddenly, a red envelope appeared in the chat window. Lu Liang clicked it instinctively, revealing 2.85 yuan, and his face darkened immediately.


    The red envelope was worth only ten yuan; it was obviously a trick to lure him into the conversation.


    "I knew you were lurking; now I''ve caught you," Shen Peng said with a laugh.


    "All these big shots, I''m trembling too much to even speak," Lu Liang replied.


    Lei Jun: "Too scared to speak, but quick with his hands."


    Little Ma: "Either observing all the time or using a cheat."


    Daqiang: "New guy, you better resend a red envelope."


    Zhang Lei: "Resend a red envelope."


    Li Bing: "Resend a red envelope."


    "Fine, I''ll resend."


    Annoyed, Lu Liang resent 0.15 yuan, sending a three-yuan red envelope without claiming any for himself ¡ª very generous.


    The next second, the screen was filled with contemptuous emoji.

 Chapter 110 - 110: Exiting with Profits

    Monday, Modu Municipal Government issued a cooperation announcement, allocating 200,000 square meters next to Gulf National Forest Park to Tesla for building a megafactory, with a total investment projected at 50 billion.


    This action made various car companies realize the country''s determination to promote the new energy industry; the decline of fuel vehicles had become an overwhelming trend, unstoppable.


    If last week was about the new forces in car manufacturing showing off their prowess, this week saw the established giants flexing their muscle all at once.


    SAIC, Beiqi, FAW, an array of multi-billion strategic projects were launched as if money was no object, one after another.


    Consequently, the new energy sector went on an unprecedented rally, ten days of consecutive gains, with the index skyrocketing 623 points in just five trading days.


    This surge propelled the entire A-shares market; the battle to defend the 3000-point level was successful, and the index once again made a push toward 3100 points.


    Retail investors were overjoyed, eagerly spreading the word, "Fellow villagers, come back quickly, the bull has turned around, this time it''s for real¡­"


    "2549 points, only 436 points away."


    Another Monday,


    Lu Liang arrived at the trading room, planning a liquidation.


    Although there might have been about four more days of gains, he couldn''t and shouldn''t wait any longer.


    With an account capital reaching 1.12 billion, including BYD and LeEco both recording a 120% increase in share price, he possessed chips worth over 3.5 billion.


    To not give up the profits within grasp and execute a high-level cash-out, it was essential to act while the market sentiment was hot and exit swiftly.


    "Take advantage of LeTV Group''s announcement of LeTV Car''s Series B funding plan and first sell off the LeEco stocks in hand."


    "The market''s trading sentiment is hot right now, so we can be bold when selling LeEco shares."


    "Duofu''s market action indicates a price surge limit; hold it down, don''t let it reach the surge limit and get capped."


    "Sell 2000 lots of Yutong Automobile shares, let''s test for support below."


    "Ganfeng Lithium hit the price limit with a capital inflow of 80 million; sell all our holdings and let them take over."


    Lu Liang, wearing a headset and holding a tablet, walked back and forth in the trading room, issuing orders while monitoring the market.


    In four hours, he offloaded 380 million chips, among which Ganfeng Lithium and Duofu went from price limit surges to nearly hitting the price drop limit.


    The stocks touched the drop limit line during the session, but with the general rise of the new energy sector''s overall market, they were forcibly lifted again.


    That afternoon, Punan Road made it to the Dragon and Tiger List for net capital outflow, with two stocks recording a net outflow of 74 million.


    Only a few people became cautious, most were still immersed in the market''s frenetic mood.


    After all, the Shanghai Stock Exchange Index had broken through 3100 points, and the new energy index had also surpassed 2600 points.


    Lu Liang chose this moment to withdraw, indicating either lack of vision or a normal portfolio adjustment.


    Tuesday, another 420 million chips were sold; this day, they didn''t make it to the Dragon and Tiger List because the position at 88 Punan Road was not substantial.


    Moreover, the remaining nine stocks each had a market capitalization of at least 21 billion, with a daily transaction volume of over 2 billion per stock.


    Selling off forty to fifty million in chips could affect the market, but when spread across 24 trading accounts, it left no trace.


    The Dragon and Tiger List was actually quite deceptive; whether one wished to make it on the list was entirely up to the institution''s will.


    Otherwise, there wouldn''t be stocks that had a net inflow of several hundred million one day, only to see their share price plummet the next day.


    The more Lu Liang learned and experienced the domestic A-share market, the more he felt its unfairness towards retail investors.


    Wednesday, another 280 million sold.


    Thursday morning, 90 million were sold off, completing the liquidation.


    Including BYD, his most favored stock, Lu Liang did not keep a single one, selling off everything.


    A pullback was imminent, and the following Monday was also the Mid-Autumn Festival; crossing the festival was also a challenge, a tradition that couldn''t be abandoned in Big A.


    Lu Liang planned to buy back in at a lower price after the setback, then hold short to medium-term and wait for the next market wave to arrive.


    "The account has a balance of 1.17 billion, 636 million invested, and profits of 534 million."


    Lu Liang tallied up the gains and seemed quite satisfied, laughing as he turned to ask, "Shouldn''t the net value be updated to 1.84?"


    The initial net value of private funds is 1, and it''s updated once a month on the 25th according to the profits and losses of the previous month.


    "Yes, Mr. Lu."


    Wen Chao was ecstatic, his palms slightly trembling.


    After a one-and-a-half-hour break, the afternoon market reopened, with the new energy index climbing to 2900 points before suddenly plummeting.


    In just half an hour, it was like being on a roller coaster.


    From an opening gain of 2.2%, rising to 4.5% at midday, down to 1.5% upon the afternoon reopening.


    While they were accounting, the new energy index had already turned from red to green, dragging the Big A down below 3100 points with it.


    Lu Liang smiled, stroking his chin, "Don''t proactively tell them; let them call you, and then you can say."


    One hundred million dollars, 84 points earned in a month, would drop quite a few jaws in shock.


    Moreover, this victory could prove that his success was not just luck but could be anticipated that the next issue of the private fund would be snatched up in subscriptions.


    Wen Chao smiled slightly, keenly aware of what Lu Liang was getting at, nodding his head repeatedly in agreement.


    Lu Liang looked towards the trading room, "Apply with Mr. Tang for a 200,000 bonus later; Sun Yutao and Zhang Jing get 50,000 each, and the newcomers 25,000 each. After the Mid-Autumn Festival, help them move to permanent positions."


    They had performed quite well; many times, when Lu Liang was away, Sun Yutao and Zhang Jing were able to smoothly execute his plans.


    As for the four newcomers, they were mediocre, without any standout performance, but that was what he expected. It was fine as long as they diligently played their roles without having too many ideas.


    Stepping out of the trading room, Lu Liang received a call from his sister Lu Ya, "Hello, are you not coming back for the Mid-Autumn Festival?"


    "I probably won''t, what''s up?"


    Whether before or after marriage, or even now, Lu Liang didn''t like staying at home. His hometown was a city with no nightlife, and after ten at night, the streets were only left with barbecue stalls.


    His old friends had all become husbands and fathers; even when they went out, their cell phones would constantly ring.


    Especially after midnight, it would pretty much be just him left alone.


    "It''s nothing much, just that our second aunt is prodding Mom, planning to set you up on a blind date; I heard she''s a kindergarten teacher." Lu Ya said, finding joy in his misfortune.


    Lu Liang felt a rush of blood to his chest and blurted out without thinking, "Matchmaking, for me?"


    Chen Jinchun, who was nearby, looked bemused, choosing to wisely accelerate his pace and keep his distance from Boss Lu, worried about knowing too much.


    Lu Ya said, "After all, you''re almost 31; do you really plan to stay single forever? They both are really worried about you."


    She knew Lu Liang was wealthy and well-known, also good friends with the so-called National Husband that was popular online, so he must have no shortage of young women chasing him. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But since their parents rarely used the internet and didn''t understand much, their greatest wish was for their children to settle down and establish families peacefully.


    Lu Liang said, "A man is blooming at thirty-one; if you truly cared about me, you''d let Dabao and Erbao spend more time with them when you can. If they get too idle, have them help with the kids; that can give you and your husband a break."


    Lu Ya couldn''t help but laugh and cry, "Grandkids from outside aren''t as dear as one''s own grandkids."


    Lu Liang was indignant, "All grandkids, where is this inside and outside coming from? That''s not a proper thing to say. Don''t our parents treat Dabao and Erbao well?"


    "That''s not what I mean."


    "Then what do you mean?"


    "Can''t be bothered to explain to you."


    Lu Liang, with a smile at the corner of his mouth, suddenly changed the subject, "How''s the construction of the house back home?"


    The last time he was home, he had left fifty thousand for Lu Ya and later transferred another two hundred thousand. It seemed the main structure was already built.


    Lu Ya sent a few photos; the workers were busy tiling the walls, along with a very long list of expenses.


    After glancing at the balance and noticing it wasn''t much, Lu Liang transferred another million over, "I''m about to get busy, sis, let''s leave it at that. I won''t be back for Mid-Autumn Festival; please convey my message to Mom and Dad."

 Chapter 111 - 111: Suddenly Airdropped

    Friday, the last workday of the week.


    The New Energy Index opened low and continued downwards, declining throughout the day and breaking through the 2800 point mark.


    Yesterday, the news that Lu Liang had sold off new energy component stocks without regard for the consequences was overshadowed by the index''s flash crash.


    The entire sector saw a net outflow of funds amounting to 32.8 billion, with Lu Liang selling off ninety million himself, but this went unnoticed.


    "Mr. Lu, happy holiday."


    As five o''clock approached, cheers and laughter filled the entire company, and everyone''s face bore the joy of the impending holiday.


    On the one hand, they were welcoming a three-day Mid-Autumn Festival holiday, and on the other, Lu Liang distributed 1,800 yuan as a holiday bonus to each employee.


    Regardless of whether employees were new or old, even just recruited interns who hadn''t been made permanent received a share, because after all, dinners and team-building are superficial, it''s giving cash that really counts.


    "You too, happy holiday."


    Lu Liang smiled and waved goodbye to everyone, leaving the company with Fang Shiyu.


    In the underground parking lot, beside a yellow Urus, a black and gray Bentley Moshang was parked.


    Yesterday, the 4s shop had delivered the car, fully paid 6.48 million and registered under Tianxing Assets.


    Tianxing Capital is wholly owned by Lu Liang, currently not making a profit, ultimately it still required his funding.


    Tianxing Assets was different, not only did it include Lu Liang, but also Old Meng and Little Wang, with 2 million US dollars in management fees on the accounts.


    Lu Liang, with a wave of his hand, took out half to buy himself a car, and also covered the Tangchen''s rent within it.


    The company is collective, but the money is personal; under Old Meng''s explicit and implicit lessons, he too had learned quite a few tricks.


    "Bro, where are we going?"


    As the car stopped in the parking lot, and both brothers sat inside, listening to Fang Shiyu''s question, Lu Liang fell into thought.


    Li Manli had participated in Panda Interactive Entertainment''s Mid-Autumn event, which during the holiday required her to stream live in cooperation with the platform for three days.


    Wen Shanshan chose a thriller with an investment of 9 million, where the production was short 3 million¡ªLu Liang had covered it for her.


    Having successfully brought funding into the production and passed the audition for the female lead, she had informed him a few days ago before heading north to shoot the film.


    Zhang Qian was busy, gaining fame as the fast-food beauty, her shop bustling every day.


    "Let''s go to the airport."


    Lu Liang called Chen Jinchun, asking her to book two tickets to Lu Island and arrange hotel and transportation.


    He thought of Su Wanyu, who had been back in her hometown for over a month, excitedly telling him that morning she would return after the Mid-Autumn Festival.


    In over a month, Lu Liang had spoken fewer than twenty sentences with her, which were mostly her sharing snippets of her life with him.


    If he landed there suddenly, she would likely be touched.


    Fang Shiyu was astonished, "Bro, shouldn''t we go home and pack our bags first?"


    "What''s there to pack? We''ll buy what we need when we get there."


    It was just past eight o''clock in the evening when the plane reached Lu Island.


    During the Mid-Autumn mini-holiday, and being a well-known tourist city, Lu Island had plenty of visitors coming and going.


    Lu Liang''s decision to travel without luggage was wise; they avoided the crowded conveyor belt scramble for baggage.


    He took Fang Shiyu to the airport''s arrival gate and smoothly connected with the driver arranged by the hotel.


    Upon settling into the hotel, Lu Liang left his cousin at the hotel and drove the hotel''s car to the outskirts of the island.


    Using the address on Su Wanyu''s identification card, he arrived at a community developed by Baoli Group in Xiang''an.


    "Hey, what are you up to?" Lu Liang parked the car at the entrance of the community and called Su Wanyu.


    "Wow~ Is the sun rising from the west today, or am I still asleep? You''re actually calling me?"


    Su Wanyu sounded excited, yet there was a hint of playful bitterness and rebuke. If not for Lu Liang sometimes sending her a few emojis indicating he had read her messages, she might have thought she was in a phony relationship.


    She knew Lu Liang was busy, so she didn''t disturb him on ordinary days, but she was human too, and always having to be the warmer party wore her down over time.


    "How about you go back to sleep, and maybe you''ll find out it''s just a dream when you wake up?"


    The community''s security wasn''t strict; Lu Liang, still on the phone, followed some elderly folks and successfully sneaked in.


    "Even if it''s a dream, it would still be a beautiful dream."


    Su Wanyu excitedly shared that she had bought a high-speed train ticket for Tuesday and insisted that Lu Liang come to pick her up, as she had a big surprise for him.


    "What surprise?" Lu Liang followed the old man''s steps and casually entered a residential building of the community.


    Upon understanding the layout of the building''s floors and apartments, he arrived downstairs at Su Wanyu''s home.


    On the fourth floor to the southeast, a room was lit, which he deduced must be Su Wanyu''s place.


    "A surprise, huh? If told, wouldn''t it cease being a surprise? You''ll find out when you come to pick me up."


    "Coincidentally, I also have a surprise for you."


    "What surprise?"


    "It should be arriving soon, are you at home?"


    "Yes, is it a delivery?"


    "More or less."


    "What is it?"


    "Want to know?"


    "Mm-hmm~" S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Come over to the balcony and take a look."


    "No way~~"


    Su Wanyu seemed to have guessed something, her excitement and astonishment discernible even through the phone.


    A burst of hurried footsteps emanated from the other end of the line, and a few seconds later, an exuberant figure appeared on the fourth-floor balcony.


    Her long hair cascaded down, with a few strands sticking up on top, seemingly still in her pajamas.


    Much like she shared on everyday occasions, as long as her parents didn''t ask her to go out, she could stay at home all day.


    Su Wanyu''s eyes widened when she saw Lu Liang sitting on a bench downstairs, waving at her, "Are you satisfied with this gift?"


    Lu Liang saw Su Wanyu''s head shaking excitedly, her face aglow with joy, "Satisfied, so satisfied, I am coming down~"


    Humming a little tune, Su Wanyu returned to her room, hurriedly changing clothes and putting on makeup, while saying, "Wait for me, I''ll be ready soon."


    "Take your time, no rush." Lu Liang hung up the phone, idly observing the surroundings of the community.


    Su Wanyu had mentioned before that her family were natives of Lu Island, who then moved outside the island after the demolition.


    Her parents owned a local apparel factory, making their family''s economic conditions moderately above average.


    Some ten minutes later, Su Wanyu came downstairs, clad in a light green long dress and white low-heel sandals.


    She liked wearing long dresses and the style suited her well; her long hair fluttering, the hem of her dress swaying with the wind, gave her an ethereal aura.


    Upon seeing Lu Liang, Su Wanyu jogged up to him and wrapped him in a big hug, "How come you suddenly came over here?"


    But before Lu Liang could react, she quickly let go, her face flushed red, whispering, "Let''s go out first."


    It was under her home building, she was worried about running into acquaintances.


    Lu Liang chuckled, talking as they walked, "Recently wrapped up work, I missed you, so I came over."


    As soon as they left the community, Su Wanyu could not wait to hug Lu Liang around the waist, cheek to cheek with him, "I missed you too."


    The faint scent of Milan flowers, the delicate posture of the young girl, everything about this moment was intoxicating, Lu Liang enjoyed the warmth.


    The two embraced silently for a long time until Lu Liang felt Su Wanyu''s body temperature rising and her heartbeat quickening.


    "Didn''t you say you''d give me a surprise? Where is it?" He let go on purpose, as he felt a physical reaction unintentionally.


    "Can''t you see it?"


    Su Wanyu breathed a sigh of relief, her face all smiles, as she walked up to Lu Liang, facing him eye to eye.


    Blinking her bright and clear eyes, the blush on her cheeks mimicked the allure of being tipsy.


    Lu Liang scrutinized for a long time but couldn''t notice any changes, the only difference might be the earrings, he reached out and lightly touched one, "You''ve put on earrings, looks quite nice."


    "You blockhead, it''s so obvious and you still can''t see it."


    Su Wanyu wrinkled her nose, shaking her head, and using her hands to mimic glasses, "Didn''t you notice I am not wearing glasses?"


    "Aren''t you wearing contacts?"


    Lu Liang had once commented that Su Wanyu looked good without glasses, henceon subsequent dates, she started wearing contact lenses.


    "I''m not wearing them today." Su Wanyu lifted her chin in pride, almost broadcasting the answer.


    Lu Liang grinned knowingly, but played along, stretching out two fingers, "How many fingers are these?"


    "Three, okay?" Su Wanyu glared at him.


    Lu Liang chuckled, realizing she had undergone correction surgery, and asked with concern, "Are you used to it? Any side effects?"


    "There was some initial soreness, but now as long as I use eye drops on time, it''s fine."


    Su Wanyu, holding Lu Liang''s hand, lifted it high and swung it energetically, sharing her novel experiences post-correction.


    Eating soup or noodles no longer required removing glasses, and waking up each day she could see everything clearly.


    Lu Liang, with a smile on his face, listened as she incessantly talked about her daily life after ditching glasses.


    He knew why he had a special fondness for Su Wanyu, because she wasn''t scared of him, always treating him like a normal boyfriend.


    One might say, her views on relationships were very normal, so normal that Lu Liang found it to be a precious rarity.


    For he knew his own views on relationships, extremely unhealthy, including his relationship with his ex-wife, which happened only because family pressured him, the age was right, the match was made, so they got married.


    He envied that.

 Chapter 112 - 112: Net Worth Update, Blew Up

    "Right, how many days do you plan to stay on Lu Island?"


    "At that moment, what do you think about heading back with you?"


    "Really?"


    "Really."


    Hearing this, Su Wanyu couldn''t stop her silly grin, suddenly looking up at the moon and speaking in a soft whisper, "The moonlight tonight is so beautiful."


    "It''s only the twelfth, not quite full yet." Lu Liang followed her gaze, looking towards the cloudless sky where a bright moon hung.


    Su Wanyu wrinkled her nose, hugging his arm, saying, "To me, it looks even more beautiful than on the fifteenth or sixteenth."


    Lu Liang realized then, laughing softly, "The scenery stays the same, it''s the mood of the beholder that changes."


    Su Wanyu, feeling delighted, eyes crinkled in a smile, added, "And also who you''re appreciating the scenery with."


    Lu Liang''s eyes were filled with tenderness as he gently stroked Su Wanyu''s hair, "What''s good to eat on Lu Island, it''s your turf now."


    Just off work, he had flown straight here, only having eaten a small piece of bread from Southern Airlines on the way, which was not very tasty.


    "Come on, I''ll take you to the flatbread shop I''ve been eating at since I was a child, along with oyster pancakes, and four-fruit soup..."


    Upon hearing that Lu Liang hadn''t had dinner, Su Wanyu hurried more than if she herself hadn''t eaten, pulling him directly into an alley.


    "Commerce on the island is too commercialized, to taste the local specialties, you still have to eat at these old stores in the alleys."


    During the three-day holiday, Su Wanyu took Lu Liang around to all the major sights inside and outside of Lu Island, as well as her schools from elementary to high school.


    Lu Liang also came to understand Su Wanyu''s growth journey: she lived in a family without financial concerns and utmost happiness.


    While not extraordinarily rich, her family managed not to scatter all over the place for livelihood; her parents were there throughout her growth, and they even had bought a set of houses for her and her brother early on.


    Indeed, only such a family could raise a girl with a personality like hers.


    By Tuesday morning, Lu Liang canceled his flight ticket and took the high-speed train back to Modu with Su Wanyu.


    Old Meng, who had been let roam free for three days, took a plane and arrived in Modu an hour and a half early; he drove to the airport to pick them up.


    "Is this your cousin? Has he been with you on Lu Island these last few days? How come you never mentioned him." Su Wanyu said in surprise, at a loss for words.


    "Did you want him to disturb our time alone together?" Lu Liang took Su Wanyu''s hand, kissing the back of it.


    These past few nights, Su Wanyu always went home on time, but after the shared experiences, their relationship had grown very intimate.


    "After all, he made the long trip to join you," she said.


    Su Wanyu''s face showed a sense of guilt, extending her hand generously, "Hello Shiyu, I''m Su Wanyu, Lu Liang''s girlfriend."


    "Hello, future cousin-in-law," Fang Shiyu responded with a dull expression, though his dark skin hid his true emotions.


    He knew his cousin had many girlfriends, discounting the one from the fast-food restaurant, there were already three up to this point.


    Blushing, Su Wanyu said, "Don''t call me that, I am only a few months older than you, ''Yu'' will do."


    "Maybe you should call her Sister Yu," Lu Liang chimed in with a chuckle, smoothing things over.


    Su Wanyu, unlike Li Manli, was not ready to accept such a direct appellation.


    "Okay, Sister Yu. Bro, where are we heading?"


    "To Scholarly Splendor on Academic Road."


    "Scholarly Splendor?"


    Su Wanyu looked puzzled, being a University City resident, she naturally had heard of Scholarly Splendor.


    Many aged professors, deans, and even university presidents lived there.


    "We''ll handle some things there first."


    Lu Liang didn''t elaborate, letting his cousin drive them to the destination, where upon arrival he contacted the residential property management to ask for the keys to the house door.


    Since purchasing the place, he hadn''t come to take another look; it had been left vacant, and he hadn''t even collected the keys.


    Lu Liang left Old Meng downstairs to watch the car, taking Su Wanyu to apartment 1202 in building 7. Opening the door, he felt cobwebs on his face and a musty smell inside the house.


    Opening the balcony''s glass door, he said, "It''s been a while since anyone''s lived here; it''s gotten a bit stale."


    "Why buy it, then?" Su Wanyu asked with a conflicted expression, noticing that the balcony faced the Tongji University sports field.


    After showing Su Wanyu around, Lu Liang asked with a smile, "Are you satisfied? If not, we can go look at another one."


    "Ah? There''s another set?" Wanyu was stunned, suddenly feeling that Liang might not have bought it especially for her.


    "Now, the property prices are rising nationwide, in every city. Isn''t it normal to buy a few more to wait for appreciation?"


    Liang made up the story effortlessly, although he indeed had that idea. But luxury houses in the urban area were too expensive, ranging from tens to hundreds of millions, so he planned to wait another year or two.


    The reason he said there were several more was to make it easier for Wanyu to accept it, and it seemed the effect was not bad.


    "They''re all empty? You''re not renting them out?"


    "Renting them out doesn''t make much money, and they might mess up the place, not even covering the renovation costs."


    "I don''t understand the thoughts of the rich," Wanyu said with a mix of laughter and tears.


    Liang walked up behind her, wrapped his arms around Wanyu''s slim waist, and pressed his cheek against hers: "Can you help me look after this place, so the property management doesn''t mess around when I''m not here? You see, I even threw the keys at them."


    "I know you have your pride, so if it''s embarrassing for you, just help me pay some of the property fees since it''s empty anyway."


    "Or if you''re not satisfied with the location of this one, we can go somewhere else in a bit."


    "No... I''m not unsatisfied."


    Her face flushed and her mind wandered.


    Liang''s heated body was like a fireball, making her heartbeat quicken every time they got close.


    "Then it''s settled. I''ll have someone change the locks later, and you''ll have to trouble yourself to tidy up over the next few days."


    Liang contacted the property manager to have someone change the locks and hire cleaners to tidy up, leaving Old Meng to supervise.


    He took Wanyu straight to the nearby IKEA, buying anything that caught their eye and filling up a whole delivery truck.


    Finally, Liang left a credit card identical to Zhang Qian''s, without disclosing how much was in it or how much could be spent.


    He just asked Wanyu to oversee the purchases, to buy whatever was missing, and to help him furnish the new place.


    "Yu, I''ll leave this to you. The company just called; something came up and I need to go back to handle it."


    After saying that, Liang left with Old Meng, leaving Wanyu stamping her feet in frustration.


    Just back at the company, Liang saw Wang Xiaocong sitting restlessly and shaking his leg in the break area.


    Seeing Liang return, Xiaocong put on a flattering smile: "Liang, where did you go for the Mid-Autumn holiday? I haven''t heard from you at all."


    "Get to the point, will you? Can''t you drop the disgusting act?" Liang said, repulsed; hastened footsteps approached from behind.


    Old Meng hurried in, his belly even bigger than before, trembling as he ran just like a woman''s cleavage.


    "What a coincidence? You''re both here?"


    Liang led them to his office, thinking of brewing some tea but suddenly realized the cupboard was out of tea leaves.


    Old Meng immediately grabbed his phone and dialed: "Little Liu, get back to the office now, and bring over the best tea from my cupboard."


    Liang chuckled in amusement, curious: "What''s gotten into you two? Possessed by ghosts?"


    Little Wang looked deeply affectionate, almost oozing sentiment: "Liang, today is the 25th."


    Old Meng added: "The net value was updated."


    Liang smiled knowingly: "Right, 1.84, huh?"


    Xiaocong felt there was something off with Liang''s tone and emphasized for his benefit: "It''s 1.84!"


    Meng Changkun, cigar in mouth, marveled: "An 84% return in a month, man, you''re defying the heavens."


    "The new energy index rose by 112%, and the fund went up by 84%. Is that a lot?" Liang asked with a smile.


    "This is a billion, a billion US dollars. You made 84 million US dollars in one month. Isn''t that a lot?"


    Xiaocong sulked, feeling Liang was feigning nonchalance; even Changkun nodded in agreement: "It''s explosive."


    This afternoon at 12, the net value was updated on schedule, and he must have been the first to call Wen Chao.


    Before he could react, including his assistant''s, all their phones were bombarded with calls; friends were inquiring about the next funding round.


    Especially those who he had once invited but did not agree, now they were green with regret.


    Xiaocong nodded frantically like a pecking chicken: "Liang, you have no idea how those jerks looked¡ªtsk, tsk..."


    He had the satisfaction of glaring down at them and even posted a meme in his circle of friends:


    Here''s your chance, and you blew it.jpg. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 113 - 113: A Kindness in Raising Rice, An Enmity in Fighting Rice

    "This is just the first month, and whether it''s a profit or loss, we''ll have to wait another eleven months to see."


    Lu Liang knew the purpose of their visit was to persuade him to start preparing for the second phase as soon as possible.


    But he didn''t have plans for that yet, and as he always said, the longer you stretch it, the more you earn; it''s like casting a long line to catch a big fish.


    Moreover, private equity is like a company, and for the next phase of the private equity fund, Lu Liang wanted to bring in even stronger and more capable institutions.


    "When Liang makes a move, he''s sure to win."


    Wang Xiaocong smiled broadly, slapping on the flattery.


    Ultimately, everything would follow Lu Liang''s wishes, but they requested that next time, he give them a larger share of the subscriptions.


    Because Old Wang was also interested; Wanda Capital had over ten billion in cash and no place to use it yet.


    "Lu, go ahead and do what you want, and if you need help, just say the word." sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Meng Changkun seemed thoughtful, not as naive as Little Wang, nor did he take everything for granted.


    He subtly sensed that Lu Liang might not include them next time, so he started playing the emotional card.


    With an 84% increase in the first month and subsequent returns over the next 11 months, even if each month saw only a 10% increase,


    after a year, one hundred million dollars would turn into five hundred twenty-four million dollars, a net gain of four hundred twenty-four million, with a profit rate of 423%.


    Out of this profit of four hundred twenty-four million dollars, with a management fee of 20%, the management profit would be eighty-four million eighty thousand dollars.


    Based on a 622 share distribution, he and Little Wang would each get a dividend of seventeen million dollars.


    That amount of dividend wasn''t much, but that''s just the first phase with one hundred million dollars; what if the next phase involved one billion or even twenty billion dollars?


    Or what if Lu Liang suddenly made a breakthrough, turning one hundred million dollars into one billion dollars? Would each person''s dividend exceed one hundred million dollars then?


    By that time, having a 20% stake might not even be worth as much as the favor of rebuilding their fortune.


    Rising favors and grudges over rice; it has always been this way.


    He understood, and he believed Lu Liang did too.


    "Mr. Kun, do I look like someone who stands on ceremony?" Lu Liang, smiling at Old Meng''s lips, immediately understood his implication.


    "The less, the better." Old Meng laughed heartily.


    There was a knock on the door, and he said, "It''s probably Little Liu bringing back some tea, let''s all try it together."


    Meng Changkun went to open the door; Little Wang looked confused and asked softly, "Hey, what kind of riddle are you guys playing?"


    "You''re still young, give it a few more years and you''ll understand," Lu Liang quipped with a smile, feeling reassured by Old Meng''s attitude.


    Because the two of them had a pretty good private relationship, unlike Little Wang, who seemed to have a good relationship but it was actually built on interests.


    Old Meng understood the situation, which would save some explanations later.


    "It could scare you."


    Wang Xiaocong, still annoyed, grumbled, "There''s no wrong nickname, only the wrong name taken."


    He remembered the nicknames netizens gave to him and Lu Liang: one was the National Husband, the other the National Uncle.


    These two, always speaking in riddles, using plain Chinese, but he just couldn''t understand a single word.


    "If you also want to call me ''uncle'', I wouldn''t mind," said Lu Liang, smiling.


    "What now?"


    Old Meng, with a smile full of joy, came back carrying several boxes of tea leaves; the packaging looked expensive and he also carried half a bucket of water: "Good tea must be matched with good water, genuine spring water, still fresh from the spring this morning; you''re all in for a treat."


    "It''s nothing, just discussing a recent web series investment I made, sponsored by Panda."


    Lu Liang didn''t want to embarrass Little Wang and shifted the topic while also yielding the main seat at the tea table, given that Old Meng had his own unique pursuit when it came to brewing tea.


    More than once before, Old Meng had disapproved of his method as not authentic, nearly writing the complaint ''as clumsy as a boar eating bran'' on his face.


    "Oh~ that Princess something, I think Old Wu mentioned it a few days ago."


    Meng Changkun was washing the teaware when he suddenly winked with a knowing smirk, "The female lead is quite attractive."


    "Indeed quite attractive."


    Little Wang grinned and nodded in agreement.


    With the thought of both sponsoring, he had also got several hosts under his platform to cameo, to get some face time.


    Expecting the director would be annoyed, he didn''t expect the director to be more enthusiastic, specifically asking for PDD for a role with not a small part, determined to carry through the drama to the end.


    "Really? I didn''t pay much attention."


    Lu Liang, adhering to the principle of being honest, received disdainful looks from the both of them, but he couldn''t be bothered to explain.


    He couldn''t help but think,


    Who''s the female protagonist?


    Is she really that beautiful?


    Maybe I should find some time to see for myself?


    What if she''s a girl striving to better herself?


    ¡­


    In the few trading days after the Mid-Autumn Festival, the A-share market clouded over with gloom, triggering the 42nd defense of the 3000 point mark.


    According to incomplete statistics, since the inception of A-shares, the battle for 3000 points erupted 42 times, succeeded 7 times, and failed 35 times.


    This time it seemed bound for failure again, as the new energy index fell below 2600 points, prompting a technical correction in the market.


    Whether it was BYD, LeTV, or other constituent stocks, all were paying for the previous half month''s frenzy.


    Lu Liang spent the day observing and felt distinctly uninterested, not even considering bottom-fishing, and planned to wait a few more days.


    After all, once the Mid-Autumn Festival was over, National Day was next.


    The first rule of Big A: empty your portfolio to survive, a rule that every institutional speculative trader and even retail investors abided by.


    Those who didn''t comply met with dire ends.


    On the 28th, Lu Liang was invited to participate in the Series B funding of LeTV Cars, valued at 1.2 billion US dollars.


    Different from the previous time when he attended ofo''s funding, as soon as he appeared at this event, he became the focus of everyone.


    One hundred million dollars, netting a profit of 84 million US dollars in one month, and escaping smoothly before the market crash.


    Punan Road 88, Lu Liang, had already become one of the countless stock market geniuses, more famous than ever.


    He not only managed a private fund but also headed a venture capital firm, now possessing both the capability and qualification to join the ranks of top-tier tycoons.


    "Mr. Lu, I''ve heard so much about you, loud as thunder, and I''m finally pleased to meet you today."


    Boss Jia, beaming, greeted with great enthusiasm, using Lu Liang''s local dialect which sounded even more enthusiastic than a little puppy.


    "Mr. Jia, you flatter me, I''m just a novice in your presence."


    Lu Liang said, smiling, feeling a bit uneasy inside. In this market wave, LeTV''s market value had skyrocketed to 221.5 billion.


    Boss Jia held 21.55% of the shares, his fortune exceeding 46 billion.


    Though it was a rapid surge that would inevitably reverse during a technical correction, banks would still adjust asset evaluation accordingly, making loans much easier to obtain.


    He could secure a few billion more in loans. With this, and showing such warmth, how deep was LeTV''s pitfall?


    Lu Liang did not dare contemplate.


    Though without evidence, once suspicion arises, culpability is established. It wasn''t necessary to hang oneself from a single tree.


    After exchanging a few casual words, Lu Liang did not express his opinion on this funding round or whether he would participate.


    Boss Jia, feeling the interlude dull, glanced at the entrance and made an excuse, "Mr. Lu, please feel free to mingle; I just saw some friends arrive."


    "Mr. Jia, please go ahead," Lu Liang smiled, turned his head to scan the venue, and suddenly spotted an acquaintance.


    He approached Zhu Hu and asked with a smile, "Hu, are you interested in LeTV Cars?"


    Zhu Hu smiled and shook his head slightly, "Not interested, just giving Boss Jia face by coming to look."


    Laughing, he said, "Liang, there''s some nice desserts over there, want to try some together?"


    Lu Liang smiled and nodded, knowing Zhu Hu had something to say.


    As they walked, Zhu Hu spoke, "At the beginning of the year, Jia Yuetting personally lent 2.07 billion to LeTV, but now it''s down to 920 million."


    Corporations are separate from individuals.


    Sometimes when a managed company can''t borrow from banks, or they don''t want to pay bank interest,


    if an individual has money, they would lend it to the company; it''s a common investment strategy.


    But LeTV''s continual losses and sufficient funds shown made Jia Yuetting''s debt recall suspicious.


    Without proof, Zhu Hu couldn''t outright claim Boss Jia was falsifying financial reports again, but he could give small hints.


    Lu Liang replied with a knowing smile, "I came just to learn, to see Mr. Jia''s future plans for LeTV Cars."


    "Seems like you''re quite interested in new energy vehicles?" Zhu Hu inquired.


    "A bit." Lu Liang nodded, Zhu Hu continued, "Have you checked out Li Xiang''s Li Xiang Cars?"


    Lu Liang nodded again, familiar with the equity structure of Li Xiang Cars, Golden Sand River holding 15%.


    The three new automotive powers all followed the same model: PowerPoint fundraising, and OEM manufacturing.


    Lu Liang glanced towards the center of the venue, seeing the merry Boss Jia. He was indeed the progenitor of this approach.


    It just seemed that his steps were too ambitious, covering appliances, video, portals, smartphones, and now even cars, spreading too thin, appearing on the verge of collapse at any moment.

 Chapter 114 - 114: Too Dark, No Good People

    "If you''re interested, I can get in touch with Li Xiang for you, there should still be quite a few subscription shares left."


    Liang pondered for a moment, shook his head, and said directly, "Let''s wait a bit, the market feels a bit overheated right now."


    With NIO, Xiao Peng, and Li Xiang, he always had the chance to enter the scene because they were always short of money.


    Car manufacturing is a major undertaking, it couldn''t make a name without a year or two, and without reputation, valuation couldn''t increase.


    If the valuation couldn''t go up, they could only rely on connections to draw investments.


    Anyway, Liang had already invested in NIO and had thus set half a foot into the new energy industry. He decided to observe for a while and wait for the market to cool down.


    "All good, just give me a holler when you have an idea." Zhu Hu inserted a piece of cake and passed a plate to Liang.


    He smiled and said, "Try it, it tastes good."


    "It really is delicious."


    The two of them ate their afternoon tea, oblivious to others, completely out of sync with the atmosphere of the entire financing venue.


    Passersby showed smiling faces, nodded in greeting; no one expressed displeasure, and no one dared to look scornful.


    One was the notorious Golden Sand River''s Zhu Hu, and the other was the recently famous Tianxing Luliang, both were financial bigwigs. Even if they were in a fancy Western restaurant using chopsticks to drink Moutai, people would still give them a thumbs-up for their authenticity.


    "Tsk tsk, you two have ended up playing together after all." Suddenly, a hearty laughter sounded as Shen Peng strode over.


    Zhu Hu looked up with a displeased gaze: "Are you the one who said I''m not a good person?"


    Shen Peng grabbed a chair and sat down, smiling back, "Do you think you look like a good person?"


    Zhu Hu retorted indignantly, "At least a hundred times better than your sanctimonious act."


    Liang smiled placidly, leaning against the dining table with his plate as he watched Old Jia step up to the podium, ready to deliver his pitch for funding.


    He had no interest in smooth things over; the two were old friends for more than 20 years, perhaps this was their way of interacting.


    By comparison, Liang was more curious about Old Jia''s performance.


    "Thanks to everyone''s love, for attending today''s grand event. I believe that years from now, looking back on today, you will feel fortunate to have witnessed the birth of a great enterprise."


    "In the age of mobile internet, the automotive industry is facing a massive revolution. The underground ''See Plan'' replicates LeEco''s successful vertical integration model to redefine the car."


    "We will build the best internet intelligent electric vehicle through our own research and development, establishing an automotive internet ecosystem, and our country''s automotive industry will short-cut to subvert the traditional giants from Europe, America, Japan, and Korea."


    "LeTV Car will achieve ''triple modernization'': electrification, intelligence, connectivity, completely overturning the existing automobile products."


    "Not just overturning products, including research and development, marketing model, business model, operational model will all be comprehensively subverted."


    "I know some might think I''m bold, arrogant, but the most important thing for a company is the spirit of enterprise, especially for leaders."


    "Let''s all of us, for the dream, suffocate!"


    Liang was astonished. Old Jia wasn''t ordinarily mad; he was always about overturning entire industries. Whether it was suffocating for the dream or paying for the dream remained to be seen.


    Shen Peng laughed and said, "That''s his style; some people really go for it."


    "Mr. Jia, he truly is a capable person."


    Zhu Hu picked up a hot towel to wipe the corners of his mouth, gesturing for Liang to look at the subscription table, where a long queue had already formed.


    He could question the reality of LeEco''s financial statements, but he never doubted Jia Yuetting''s capabilities.


    The concept of an internet ecosystem was proposed by him, and LeEco was indeed moving towards that goal.


    However, after comprehensive consideration, they felt that investing in LeEco was too risky at the moment, but this didn''t mean they outright rejected LeEco''s business blueprint.


    Perhaps LeEco would cease to exist in the future, but there would surely be successors who would step on this road again and create a complete ecosystem.


    Liang muttered to himself, "Perhaps like religion, personal charisma draws in fans, and fans are irrational. Even if there''s only a 0.01% chance of success, they still believe a miracle will happen."


    Shen Peng was surprised; it was rare for Liang to have such a clear view and he said with a smile, "Right, but also not quite. More so, it''s about being on the boat, unable to bear the losses of a failed investment, they can only follow him and sink or swim together."


    At this, he looked at Zhu Hu with a beaming smile, and Zhu Hu glared fiercely in return, "None of your damn business."


    He gestured to beckon his assistant from behind and, not avoiding the two others, straightforwardly said, "Go, just go through the motions."


    Golden Sand River could still accept the loss from investment failures, it''s just that LeTV hadn''t reached a point where it needed to be abandoned yet.


    As for considering more investment, forget it, but bolstering Old Jia''s clout and hoodwinking others into investing was still possible.


    Shen Peng''s face remained smiling as he waved his assistant over, "You go too."


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but laugh in surprise, obviously both companies had come with the same idea.


    Having gotten wet himself, he wanted others to get a little wet too, ideally finding a sucker to take over.


    Zhu Hu snorted coldly and quietly raised his middle finger, "Just goes to show his sanctimoniousness."


    "It''s so dark, are there any good people left?"


    Lu Liang sighed heavily, filled with emotion.


    Then he faced the joint opposition of the two.


    As Redwood''s Shen Peng and Golden Sand River''s Zhu Hu sent their assistants to subscribe, the onlookers at the scene couldn''t sit still, and the queue at the subscription desk got longer and longer.


    Old Jia, beaming, walked up to the podium to do some gentle coaxing, "Ladies and gentlemen, as of the last minute, 65% of the 120 million US Dollar subscription has been completed..."


    Saying so, he looked towards Lu Liang, who just smiled slightly, indifferent, and contented himself with being a spectator.


    He didn''t have money, and even if he did, he wouldn''t invest in LeTV.


    Eventually, the second round of financing for LeTV Car, valued at 1.2 billion US Dollars, was still declared a success.


    However, unlike other financings, Old Jia, using the pretext that the count was not yet complete, didn''t announce the list on the spot.


    ...


    The next day, the 29th, was also the fourth day Lu Liang returned to Modu, and his second visit to Shuxiang Jinxiu District.


    Since there had been no activity on his credit card, he came to see how Su Wanyu had decorated their new apartment.


    He called Su Wanyu, learned that she was busy at school submitting registration forms and wouldn''t be back for a while, but she quietly told Lu Liang where she''d put the spare key.


    "Why do they always like to hide it under a pot or behind a fire hydrant?" Lu Liang sighed, already too exhausted to complain.


    But luckily, they had changed to a combination lock last time, which required both a password and a key to unlock the anti-theft device.


    The interior of the house was decorated in warm colors, with water-soaked aromatherapy sticks inserted at the entrance hall, exuding a scent that was indistinct but pleasant, and a variety of small potted plants neatly arranged on the balcony.


    The potted plants were well cared for, each leaf looking like it had been wiped clean, without a speck of dust.


    Lu Liang headed to the master bedroom, which only contained furniture, with bedding neatly stacked, but it looked as though no one lived there.


    He then tried the second bedroom and found the door locked, feeling somewhat indignant, "Even gentlemen need precautions?"


    Returning to the living room, Lu Liang lay down on the sofa, and after waiting a while with boredom, suddenly had an inspiration.


    It was close to six in the evening.


    Su Wanyu, holding textbooks and carrying a canvas bag, hurried home and pushed the door open to find the room dark.


    "Liang?"


    She called out, sensing the scent of a meal.


    In the next second, the lights in the room suddenly turned on.


    Lu Liang was smiling broadly, with a table of food prepared, "Come over quick, let''s see how my cooking is?"


    Su Wanyu''s eyes widened in surprise, and she was speechless, "You can cook?"


    In her memory, Lu Liang was a dazzling financial professional, who ventured in and out of high-end venues daily.


    While not exactly someone who kept his hands clean, the spread of skillfully cooked dishes had her skeptical. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Looking down on who?" Lu Liang glared resentfully. Ever since their relationship had gradually become more intimate, Su Wanyu, though still prone to blushing, had become increasingly bold with him.


    Suddenly, Su Wanyu stretched out her index finger, smeared it across his face, and burst into joyful laughter, "There''s still some grease on your face, it doesn''t seem like takeout from a hotel."

 Chapter 115 - 115: Seemingly Double Choice, Actually Single Choice

    "Then you eat first; I''m going for a shower."


    Lu Liang frowned, feeling a layer of invisible grease on his face and arms that made him uncomfortable.


    "Go take a shower, I''ll wait for you."


    Su Wanyu smiled sweetly, sitting obediently at the dining table, her calves excitedly swinging under the table as she often sniffed, showing a blissful expression, "It smells so good~"


    At that moment, she was the happiest girl in the world, having a boyfriend who was capable, talented, and could cook¡ªsimply 120 points.


    "If you''re hungry, go ahead and eat." Lu Liang couldn''t help but chuckle.


    Su Wanyu shook her head, quickly pushing his back, "Hurry up; if you delay any longer, the food will really get cold."


    "Do you have any clothes for me to change into?"


    Lu Liang had shouted from the bathroom halfway through his shower, suddenly remembering that Su Wanyu wasn''t Zhang Qian and might not have prepared any spare clothes for him.


    Perhaps not even pajamas.


    Su Wanyu, blushing, stood at the door and replied, "Seems like there aren''t any."


    "What should we do?" Lu Liang teased with a laugh, "Should I just pull the curtains and walk out?"


    "Don''t, don''t, I''ll think of something."


    Su Wanyu rummaged through her things and finally found a garment suitable for Lu Liang to wear: "Open a crack, and I''ll pass it through."


    Lu Liang wore a black robe with a white collar and blue shoulders, which looked somewhat like pajamas, "What''s this for?"


    "My academic gown."


    Su Wanyu pursed her lips, holding back a smile.


    She noticed that Lu Liang, freshly showered, had damp hair that made him look a bit soft and cute, and somewhat obedient.


    Lu Liang sauntered into the living room, "Remember to buy a few more sets of clothes for me; I might stay here for a few days."


    Su Wanyu replied with an ''oh,'' her cheeks flushed as she silently went to the bathroom to place the worn clothes in the washer-dryer combo.


    Lu Liang turned off the room lights and pulled out candles he had prepared earlier, "Does this set a mood?"


    Su Wanyu hummed affirmatively, the orange candlelight making her cheeks appear even redder.


    "Want a drink?" Lu Liang walked over to the refrigerator and took out a few bottles of chilled beer.


    Although it was a candlelit dinner, he wasn''t fond of wine but preferred beer, so he didn''t care about those details.


    Su Wanyu hesitated for a moment, her words almost breaking the atmosphere, "I''ll just have a little."


    "There''s not much alcohol in beer."


    Lu Liang joked as he filled two glasses, suddenly feeling a bit like the Big Bad Wolf trying to lure Little Red Riding Hood.


    Su Wanyu chuckled nervously, not sure if it was from nervousness or because she had a high tolerance for alcohol, but before Lu Liang could even toast, her glass was already empty.


    Su Wanyu burped, her apple-cheeked face turning even redder, to which Lu Liang said, "You can hold your liquor, huh?"


    "Really, I can''t handle it; one glass and I''m done."


    Su Wanyu mumbled in response, repeatedly shaking her head.


    "Let''s eat, don''t let it get cold."


    Lu Liang chuckled, taking her modesty into account.


    However, a mere ten minutes later, he felt something was off with Su Wanyu.


    She said nothing, just buried her head and gulped down her soup.


    He asked a question, and she would answer, but the delay between them seemed to grow.


    Lu Liang frowned and felt uneasy, turned on the light, and was startled, "Are you allergic to alcohol?"


    Su Wanyu looked like a boiled crab, her cheeks, neck, and arms all flushed red.


    "It''s not an allergy, just a low tolerance," Su Wanyu replied with a bit of dizziness, but her awareness was still sharp.


    She also talked about times she had drunk with classmates in the past; every time was the same, even with just one sip, she turned this red.


    "That is an allergy."


    Lu Liang looked helpless and had no choice but to help her back to room to rest while calling his cousin to go to the pharmacy for some medication.


    "I really am not allergic~"


    Su Wanyu stubbornly denied being allergic.


    She insisted repeatedly that it was only a little dizziness and some redness on her skin, with no nausea or itching or other allergy symptoms.


    "Alright, alright, let''s just say you''re not allergic. Still, rest for a while," Lu Liang responded with a laugh, treating her like coaxing a child.


    Su Wanyu was tipsy and suddenly held up three fingers, "I''ll nap for three hours, please don''t go, okay?"


    "You were awake, and I was still here," Lu Liang said tenderly, holding Su Wanyu so she could rest on his abdomen.


    "I will recover very soon," Su Wanyu squinted, a sweet smile appearing on her lips with her tongue peeking out slightly.


    Gradually, she closed her eyes, her breathing evened out, and her long eyelashes quivered with each breath.


    "Your alcohol tolerance is really poor," Lu Liang couldn''t help but laugh, fiddling with her slightly chubby cheeks out of boredom.


    Before seven, he tried to sleep but couldn''t.


    He could only play with his phone while keeping an eye on her changes.


    She seemed to know her body well.


    An hour later, her complexion gradually lightened.


    Two hours later, she had returned to normal.


    Two and a half hours later, she woke up.


    Su Wanyu opened her hazy eyes and looked up to see Lu Liang watching her, which made her giggle endlessly, "I told you, I recover very quickly."


    "Amazing, it''s like it''s programmed," Lu Liang marveled, though he hadn''t been without his doubts.


    But having witnessed the whole process, it didn''t seem fake at all, especially the change in complexion which couldn''t be faked.


    Lu Liang smiled and asked, "So, are you all better now?"


    "Not entirely, there are usually some aftereffects."


    Su Wanyu looked pitifully, pointing to her forehead, "Even a light shake hurts, I need to take it slow for it to get better."


    "Should you get up now then?" asked Lu Liang.


    "Why?"


    "My legs are numb."


    Su Wanyu giggled, "Thanks, no wonder I slept so comfortably, woke up half an hour earlier than expected."


    Lu Liang poked her head a bit annoyed, and Su Wanyu immediately held her head groaning, "Don''t touch, it really hurts~"


    After a while, Lu Liang limped out of the bedroom, suddenly understanding the feeling of Su Wanyu''s headache.


    "One with a headache, one with numb legs, we really are a match," Su Wanyu supported him, giggling stupidly.


    Seeing Lu Liang about to poke her forehead again, she quickly slipped away, "I''ll go check, your clothes should be dry."


    Amused and slightly annoyed, Lu Liang suddenly heard a faint rumbling sound and instinctively touched his abdomen.


    After all, he had only eaten a few bites of dinner, since Su Wanyu had collapsed, and he hadn''t had much of his meal either.


    It turned out it wasn''t his stomach, Su Wanyu, from behind the corner of the wall, sheepishly said, "I think I''m a bit hungry."


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but laugh and deeply sighed, deciding to reheat the food on the table.


    "Delicious, almost better than what my dad makes~"


    Su Wanyu complemented Lu Liang as she ate, praising the food to the skies.


    Knowing it was flattery, Lu Liang was still very happy, after all, the cook loves to hear such words.


    After dinner, the two nestled on the couch, watching a variety show until almost midnight.


    Su Wanyu was distracted, "Aren''t you going back yet?"


    "I have told Shiyu to go home and rest, he will come to pick me up in the morning," said Lu Liang with a mischievous smile.


    Startled, Su Wanyu darted from Lu Liang''s arms, rushing into the bedroom barefooted, "Your room''s bedding is all new, and it''s all washed, I''m off to sleep, goodnight, Makabaka~"


    Lu Liang was left laughing in astonishment, but waited a long time without hearing the sound of the door locking.


    Clearly, she was leaving him a choice.


    Beastly?


    Or worse than a beast?


    Lu Liang lit a cigarette, the corners of his mouth lifting. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It seemed like a multiple-choice question, but it was indeed singular.


    It was all about making their relationship closer ¡ª a good thing without any need for hesitation.


    Lu Liang walked to Su Wanyu''s bedroom door, gently turned the handle, and easily opened the door.


    He saw Su Wanyu wrapped in the blanket, facing away from the door, seemingly asleep.


    Lu Liang lifted a corner of the blanket, felt Su Wanyu shivering, then wrapped his arms around her waist, soothing her.


    Their bodies pressed together, as if hearing each other''s heartbeats, they stayed silent for a long time until she was no longer afraid.


    "I will take care of you for a lifetime."


    "Mm~"


    A very soft reply.

 Chapter 116 - 116: The Undying Super Creature

    In the early morning, a ray of sunlight reached the bedside, casting a warm pattern of light and shadow on the bedding, bringing a sense of tranquility and peace.


    Lu Liang rubbed his eyes, still bleary-eyed, and noticed that Su Wanyu was without a stitch, curled up under the blankets, looking up at him with big round eyes.


    "Good morning~" Su Wanyu smiled, waving her little hand.


    Lu Liang smiled faintly, rolled to his side, and enveloped her delicate and smooth waist with his hands. "Did you wake up much earlier than me?"


    "Not really, just a little earlier than you."


    "Let''s sleep a bit more then."


    With the warm and tender beauty in his arms, Lu Liang indulged in the moments, enjoying their closeness.


    Their bodies pressed together, intensifying their relationship.


    Until a faint ringtone from the living room interrupted, Su Wanyu curiously asked, "Sounds like your phone?"


    "Probably is," Lu Liang squinted, unconcerned, letting the phone ring on.


    "Aren''t you going to answer it?"


    "Let it wait."


    "But I want to get up now."


    "Go ahead, I''m not stopping you."


    "Hurry up."


    With huff, Su Wanyu pushed at Lu Liang, a bit too forcefully and her brows slightly furrowed.


    Lu Liang''s expression softened, smoothing the creases between her brows, he kissed her forehead tenderly. "I''ll wait for you outside."


    As he left the bedroom wearing his clothes, a second later, the sound of the bedroom door being locked echoed behind him.


    Lu Liang''s lips curled into a smile as he picked up his phone, cigarette pack, and lighter, and walked to the balcony to return the call.


    On the phone, Wen Chao informed him that today, the 30th, was the day of the Tesla Mao Dou X launch event.


    Last week, Lu Liang had received an invitation from Yu Xiaobo, President of Tesla''s operations in China, who had mentioned he''d like to see him there.


    "Two o''clock, at the exhibition center, got it."


    Lu Liang admired the views of Tongji University''s campus, and casually picked up a watering can to water the plants.


    Suddenly, a figure dashed into the bathroom, to which he chuckled, "Slow down, don''t be all sneaky."


    From the bathroom, Su Wanyu''s voice rang out, "Okay~."


    Lu Liang twisted his waist, moving his limbs leisurely as he completed a set of Eight Pieces of Brocade exercises before heading to the main bathroom.


    After refreshing himself, as he just walked out the room, Su Wanyu, playing hide-and-seek, darted back into the bedroom and locked the door.


    She came out quickly this time, but her cheeks were flushed, and she seemed to avoid his gaze as if she suddenly didn''t know how to interact with him.


    Lu Liang chuckled lightly and walked up behind her, closely embracing her waist, easing her into this new way of relating. "How about we go out and find something delicious to eat?"


    "Sounds good, there''s a great rice noodle place at the corner."


    Su Wanyu''s face lit up with joy, clinging to Lu Liang''s arm, reclaiming that familiar feeling.


    "Should I get takeout instead?" Lu Liang suggested.


    "Why?"


    Su Wanyu looked puzzled, then her cheeks flushed suddenly, "You don''t know the way, let me take you."


    Lu Liang caught her concerned glance, her cheeks bright red. Finally, she boldly stiffened her neck, a stubborn pride on her face: "No big deal, after all, I am the amazing creature who bleeds seven days a month and survives."


    "Impressive, impressive," Lu Liang couldn''t help but applaud laughingly, then promptly received a firm Iron Lean Mountain hit.


    After breakfast, Lu Liang proposed a visit to the university, so Su Wanyu covered for him, sneaking him in.


    On the eve of National Day, Saturday make-up classes were in session, and as the couple strolled elegantly along the lakeside, passersby turned their heads to look.


    Lu Liang found it increasingly odd; despite being 30, his fitness routine and wealth ensured he appeared even younger than some scruffy, mature-looking students.


    It shouldn''t look like a mismatched older man with a younger wife. Lu Liang was fine, so the problem had to revolve around Su Wanyu.


    Curious, Lu Liang asked, "Are you famous or something?"


    "Ah... don''t mind them."


    With her face turning red, Su Wanyu dodged the question.


    Lu Liang grew more curious, "Aren''t you from Shangwai? How do people here at Tongji recognize you?"


    With no way out, Su Wanyu responded sullenly, "There are forums for each school, but University City has its own forum."


    "Let me see."


    "There''s nothing interesting to see."


    Su Wanyu furrowed her brows, clearly resistant, but she couldn''t stop Lu Liang''s tickling and eventually handed over her phone reluctantly.


    On the forum of the Central District in Modu''s university precinct, there was a post gathering the most beautiful students from 14 institutions.


    Su Wanyu from Shangwai University''s English department, also known as Su, ranked 19th among the top 20 beauties, and her entry photo even featured thick black-rimmed glasses.


    The forum''s host commented: In a flowing emerald gown that flutters with the wind, she carries herself with a subdued elegance cool and detached, her natural beauty does not require makeup, hinting at the charm of Shangwai''s very own Lin Daiyu.


    "This post is not updated," Lu Liang teased with a smile, "don''t they know you don''t wear glasses anymore?"


    "It''s so annoying, can you just stop looking?" Su Wanyu blushed, making a clawing motion as she attempted to snatch back her phone. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, with a quick move, Lu Liang held her cheeks and kissed her several times, leaving her flustered and suddenly obedient.


    This also broke the hearts of countless onlookers secretly admiring her.


    Once the couple left the campus after their walk, several posts popped up on the forum such as "Su has transferred from Shangwai to Tongji, finally taken, how sad yet moving~"


    Approaching noon, after lunch, Lu Liang said, "I have things to attend to this afternoon, I will visit you again later."


    "Okay, bye, you go ahead,"


    Su Wanyu smiled slightly, waving goodbye without a hint of reluctance visible on her face.


    Yet as she watched the car drive away, she stood dazed for a long time, her bright and clear eyes gradually misting over.


    Not out of sadness, nor a dip in spirits, but simply an indescribable feeling.


    ...


    At half-past one in the afternoon, Lu Liang arrived at the exhibition center as planned.


    He met Li Bing, Li Xiang, He Xiaopeng, and Jia Yuetting among other new energy vehicle founders.


    "Mao Dou X was released three years ago, constantly delayed and revised, only today it started accepting reservations."


    Li Bing approached with a smile, intending to remind Lu Liang that car manufacturing is a massive undertaking that requires patience.


    Lu Liang smiled faintly, looking at the conference slogan: To achieve sustainable transportation in the world as soon as possible.


    He suddenly found these new car-makers quite amusing, each shouting grand slogans, Old Jia proclaiming industry upheaval, Tesla wanting to transform into an energy conglomerate.


    As the saying goes, if you don''t speak out, nothing gets done; to fool the market, you must first fool yourself.


    Or, stated more positively, it''s about having a belief in the light, only then can you turn into a mighty superhero.


    Lu Liang asked with a smile, "Have you tried it?"


    Li Bing shook his head: "I just arrived."


    "Let''s go check it out then."


    Following the staff, they went to a nearby test drive showroom to queue and experience it.


    The Mao Dou X is an SUV model, the center of gravity is lower than typical SUVs, resembling a BMW X6, a crossover between SUVs and sports cars.


    Aesthetically, it boasted two highlights; the first is the combined windshield and sunroof creating a "helicopter cockpit" view for the driver.


    The second is the gull-wing back doors utilizing dual hinge technology, allowing the doors to open even in tight, crowded spaces, more effective than sliding doors in saving space, and even more convenient.


    "The top model has a range of 480, in beast mode it accelerates to 100 km in 3.4 seconds, with a top speed of 250 km per hour, it can be fully charged in an hour using Tesla''s supercharging technology,"


    Li Bing recited expertly.


    Lu Liang, seated inside, furrowed his brows: "I haven''t tested the power yet, so I''m not sure, but the overall design is good, the only downside is the interior is too simple, to put it nicely it''s minimalistic modern, less kindly, it''s practically bare."


    This is a six-seater, three-row vehicle; the first row looks decent, but the second and third rows are hardly different from a Wuling Hongguang, honestly, the Hongguang feels more comfortable.


    Li Bing chuckled: "That''s the ''sense of technology'' for you."


    Lu Liang said: "Technology should be people-oriented. It shouldn''t be difficult to fit some decent interior."


    Li Bing replied: "It''s not hard, but the more minimalistic it is, the more classy it appears, anyway, fans will adapt."


    The adjacent staff''s face darkened. As an employee of Tesla, they had their pride.


    This is a company at the forefront of the world; they could tolerate insults to their parents, but never to Tesla.


    Just as one was about to lose his temper and ask them to leave, he suddenly heard Lu Liang say: "Then how many are you planning to buy?"


    "I''ll take three," Li Bing said with a laugh, always good to buy more to disassemble and study.


    "I''ll buy one too, last time I drove an electric, it was a two-wheeler, would like to see how a four-wheeler feels."


    Amidst the laughter, the two of them reserved four Mao Dou X, with a base price of 978,000 and total on-road price over 1.1 million.


    The staff''s eyes widened, a flattering smile appearing: "Gentlemen, let me take you to sign the contracts."

 Chapter 117 - 117: Movie Premiere

    After the two paid their deposit, they learned it would take at least 16 weeks for delivery, which meant four months later.


    Lu Liang felt it was a bit of a long wait but didn''t really mind. He turned to Li Bing, "Mr. Li, how many cars do you think can be sold today?"


    "At least five thousand," Li Bing replied without hesitation.


    "That optimistic?" Lu Liang was surprised.


    These were luxury cars with a price tag of a million each, five thousand would amount to fifty billion in sales.


    Li Bing gave a bitter smile, feeling powerless in the face of such a behemoth, "Because it''s called Tesla, and also because next year the country is planning to pilot the first batch of new energy vehicle license plates. The blue-plated electric vehicles could become a collector''s edition in the future."


    Foreign monks always seem to chant better, let alone a foreign abbot, Apple was like this, and so was Tesla.


    But unlike Apple, Tesla was a monster created by the state itself, with foreigners occupying the home turf advantage.


    Musk was also a flamboyant figure, gradually taking over the trend of replacing Jobs as the new high priest of the tech cult.


    The speaker was unaware, but the listener had intent; Lu Liang suddenly remembered that Tesla was a company listed on NASDAQ.


    Perhaps there was a profit to be made.


    The new car presale launch event was very brief, not even exceeding 30 minutes, but it elicited cheers more than once throughout the venue.


    Cheers erupted as soon as the car appeared. When the falcon doors opened, another cheer went up, and more cheers followed the promotional video.


    Lu Liang finally understood where that sense of powerlessness on Li Bing''s face came from.


    If the cheering crowd at the scene was not staged, then surpassing five thousand pre-orders on the first day should not be a problem.


    The combination of technology and belief is terrifying, reminiscent of the teenager who sold his kidney a few years ago just to buy an Apple phone.


    Fortunately, the Mao Dou X was so expensive that even selling oneself wouldn''t cover the cost, but China was not short of wealthy families'' scions.


    Once the launch event ended, Mao Dou X dominated the hot search terms across the internet, and the only thing that could overshadow it was the National Golden Week.


    It also sparked a trend of flaunting wealth through pre-order receipts, spending a million on a Porsche meant one knew how to live, but spending a million on an electric car, now that was a true sign of wealth.


    After all, a Porsche could still be worth seven or eight hundred thousand after three years, but the Mao Dou X might be left with just a few tens of thousands.


    After the event, Lu Liang declined Li Bing''s invitation, even if he brought out Li Xiang and He Xiaopeng, Lu Liang wasn''t interested.


    Chatting with a bunch of armchair strategists like ''Zhao Kuo'' held no appeal; after all was said and done, the only objective was investment.


    Lu Liang wasn''t interested at the moment; he had more important things to do. Leaving the venue, he immediately called Wen Chao.


    He told him to notify the six traders to come to work as usual tomorrow, they would be paid triple, and to wait for his instructions at the company.


    Lu Liang was gradually figuring out the pattern; whenever he became interested in or proactively engaged with an industry, the voice would emerge.


    Now he was quite interested in Tesla''s stock and wondered if he would hear the voice of the future tonight.


    If yes, then he needed to be ready for the opening of US stocks the night after tomorrow, since NASDAQ doesn''t take a break for the National Celebration.


    In the evening, Lu Liang returned to Scholarly Splendor District.


    Su Wanyu was reading on the couch, occasionally biting her pen in thought, her gaze drifting, lost in daydreams.


    Lu Liang tiptoed behind her and saw a corner of the book filled with his name, eventually forming a heart.


    From the day she transitioned from a girl to a woman, Su Wanyu''s mood wasn''t as composed as it appeared.


    Lu Liang chuckled but pretended not to see, deliberately making some noise and plopping down next to her, "Been reading all day?"


    "Mmm, when did you come back?"


    Su Wanyu hastily closed her textbook, glanced at her phone for the time, and suddenly exclaimed, "It''s this late already, I should start cooking."


    "No need to cook, let''s go out to eat and then see a movie," Lu Liang said affectionately, patting her little head.


    "''Lost in Hong Kong''? ''Nine-story Demon Tower''? ''Xia Luo''s Worry''? There are so many good movies during National Day this year."


    Su Wanyu''s face lit up with joy, she loved watching movies; a classic film was like an amazing journey.


    Out of the top hundred films in global cinema history, she had seen them all except for the ones she didn''t like or were too dark.


    "''Xia Luo''s Worry,'' I heard it''s really good."


    Lu Liang had just heard from Wen Chao; the movie was released today.


    The previews had good word of mouth, and Zhang Chen planned to add an extra 20 million to the marketing budget, with more to be added depending on the situation.


    Lu Liang had no objections, just a bit curious how a movie with a budget of twenty million could rake in over 1.4 billion at the box office.


    "Yay, let''s go!"


    Su Wanyu was excited, raising her arms high.


    But finding movie tickets near University City was tough; they could only book the midnight show around ten o''clock.


    "Either''s fine. After dinner, we can go for a walk around and hit the movies at ten. After the movie, it''ll be just in time to go back to sleep."


    When Lu Liang talked about sleeping, he meant it literally, but Su Wanyu obviously thought otherwise, her cheeks instantly blushing red.


    "You, your mind is always in the gutter."


    "Nah, nah, nah¡ªIt''s you whose mind is in the gutter." S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Amidst the laughter, after they finished dinner and strolled around the mall, Lu Liang was quite distressed. Su Wanyu only browsed and didn''t buy anything, which made his legs ache.


    Fortunately, over an hour passed by idly.


    At nine forty, the two entered the cinema.


    The film lasted 104 minutes. The storyline wasn''t very interesting¡ªit was just another tale about dreaming of being reborn.


    But surprisingly, it turned out to be very amusing, delivering small gags every three minutes and a big one every ten.


    With a loud "No!" the song "A Cut of Plum Blossoms" began, further heightening the atmosphere of the theater.


    Su Wanyu was laughing so hard she could barely catch her breath, clutching Lu Liang''s palm tightly and shaking it continuously.


    Over a hundred people spent those 104 minutes amidst laughter and cheerful voices until the film ended.


    "Xia Luo played his part so well, and Yuan Hua was hilarious too."


    Su Wanyu''s smile was radiant, as she kept pressing her index finger against her apple cheek, her face almost cramped from laughing too long.


    Lu Liang draped his arm over her shoulder, asking, "Tired or not? If you''re not, come with me to the company."


    His earlier mention of sleep was all about serious slumber, because tonight was likely to be busy.


    On the one hand, he was waiting for the chime at midnight, and on the other hand, the first day''s box office tally would be released. Zhang Chen would probably call with good news, then they would decide on the subsequent publicity funding. Also, Tesla''s first-day preorder volume was expected to cause some waves.


    Su Wanyu shook her head, serious, "As long as you don''t mind, I want to stay by your side."


    Lu Liang smiled, patted her little head, and the two arrived at the entrance of the theater just as the old pal drove the car over.


    On the way, as Su Wanyu looked at the unfamiliar scenery by the roadside, she suddenly asked, "Aren''t we going to Yongfeng?"


    "We moved at the end of last month. The old place was too small, so we switched to a bigger one," Lu Liang also remembered that Su Wanyu had not visited the company''s new address yet.


    Su Wanyu realized in a moment but had yet to grasp how much bigger Lu Liang meant.


    They took the elevator from the underground parking garage, transferred at the fourth floor, and then went straight to the thirty-second floor.


    Although it was late at night and no one was on duty, the reception desk of the company still had lights on. Tianxing Capital and Tianxing Assets, two strings of gilded letters, twinkled brightly.


    Lu Liang entered his fingerprint and password to open the door. The nighttime code was different from the daytime.


    Currently, only he knew it and only he had the permission to open the company doors at night.


    "Shiyu, turn all the lights on, it''s too dark. It''s uncomfortable to look at."


    As the lights came on, Su Wanyu''s eyes widened.


    She now understood just how much bigger Lu Liang''s place was¡ªyou''d probably get an echo if you shouted.


    Lu Liang left the old pal at the entrance and took Su Wanyu into the office, pointing to the rest area behind the desk, "There''s another room inside. If you''re sleepy, go in and take a nap."


    "Do your work, pretend I''m not here," Su Wanyu stood by the window, quietly enjoying the city''s nightscape.


    Lu Liang smiled and didn''t say more. As the midnight chime sounded, he picked up a pen and paper and began to jot down key information.


    "October 21, Tesla, $96 per share."


    "What the heck?"


    Lu Liang''s eyes widened in surprise, speechless as he quickly opened the US stocks app and rubbed his eyes. He saw Tesla''s market value of $17 billion and the stock price at $182.


    He was sure,


    He hadn''t seen wrong,


    and he was sure he hadn''t heard wrong.


    In the coming half of the month, not only had Tesla''s stock price not risen, but it had actually been cut in half.


    "How could this be? Is it ex-dividend, or stock split? It shouldn''t be, where would Tesla get the money to pay dividends?"


    Lu Liang was utterly baffled, searching through documents and news trying to find the reason for the stock''s plunge.


    It shouldn''t have happened. China supported the development of the new energy industry so much. To let the catfish Tesla in, Modu had even allocated 200,000 square meters of land for Tesla to build a factory.


    Online, flaunting Tesla''s Mao Dou X preorders had become a trend, and even Little Wang seemed to have joined in the fun.


    With so many bullish news stacked up, not only did the stock price not soar, but it also suffered a dramatic cut.


    What on earth had happened to provoke such fury and disdain?

 Chapter 118 - 118: Already Become a New Force

    Lu Liang''s brows were furrowed as he searched domestic and foreign websites, and he finally found a piece of news that seemed to be the reason.


    Tesla Motors, eleven years since its establishment, had to date delivered 4,750 cars, with production seriously inadequate and frequent delays in delivery.


    A few years ago, there was also a time when the stock price was halved, after the release of the first Roadster sports car.


    Upon its release, it had caused a sensation in the European and American car circles, with a price tag of one hundred thousand US dollars and 2,100 pre-orders received on the first day.


    Ultimately, due to misestimated costs and an overestimated production capacity, the actual cost had risen above $120,000.


    Musk could only issue a public apology, as he raised the price to $110,000 and was willing to take responsibility for the breach of contract, surrendering half the orders, which provoked strong dissatisfaction among customers.


    At that time, Wall Street speculators also sniffed out an opportunity, heavily shorting Tesla''s stock from a market cap of $9.8 billion down to $4.2 billion, nearly driving the company to the brink of delisting.


    In the end, it was only after Lucian and the Secretary of the Energy Department visited the Tesla factory that they granted a low-interest loan of $465 million, which allowed Tesla to catch its breath.


    "Could it be that history is about to repeat itself?"


    Lu Liang stroked his chin, falling into deep thought.


    After all, the Modu super factory was currently nothing but a wasteland overgrown with weeds and some self-built houses; dealing with these miscellaneous issues would take at least a year and a half before construction could even start.


    Tesla was unable to enjoy the benefits of a populous nation or a mature industrial chain, and building in the US incurred particularly high costs.


    The pre-order deposit for a Mao Dou X was just $2,000, but its cost of production was likely over one hundred thousand dollars.


    If each unit required an advance of one hundred thousand, once the orders started piling up, it wouldn''t be stacks of green bills but rather a death knell.


    With this thought, Lu Liang called Li Bing, "Hey, Mr. Li, has the first day''s order volume for the Mao Dou X come out?"


    Li Bing was surprised that Lu Liang would call him at this time to ask about such trivia, but he informed him truthfully, "Not yet."


    "Do you know the reason?" Lu Liang pressed.


    "It''s probably just not tallied yet; there''s always a bit of a delay between online and offline."


    "And your prediction for the total order volume?"


    "There should be more than 3,500 offline orders."


    Li Bing was confident, for not saying didn''t mean they had no way of knowing. For instance, Li Xiang, who was particularly crafty, had directly dispatched a few people to watch over the business rooms in various showrooms.


    Whenever a staff member came out smiling and shaking hands with a customer, they would include it in their tally.


    Li Bing said with a smile, "I don''t know how accurate it is, but judging by Li Xiang''s expression at the time, it seemed pretty accurate."


    "Thanks," Lu Liang said, amusedly laughing once again at the down-to-earth nature of business warfare.


    His fingertips drummed on the table; now it remained to be seen whether Tesla would keep the death under wraps.


    The longer they delayed, the greater the possibility, and when they couldn''t hold out any longer, the stock price would blow up.


    At twelve-thirty, Lu Liang received a call from Zhang Chen, who was in such an excited state that he was almost incoherent, "Mr. Lu, have you, have you rested yet?"


    Lu Liang chuckled, "Not yet, I just finished watching a movie, it was very well made. How was the first-day box office?"


    "Mr. Lu, the first-day box office was 35 million, with a DouBan rating of 8.4," said Zhang Chen, almost moved to tears.


    Although Xia Luo''s Worry had a good reputation during its preview screenings, it was not uncommon for movies to be well-reviewed but not do well at the box office.


    Only after the official release, the actual box office earnings mattered.


    A first-day box office of 35 million, a Maoyan rating of 9.4, and a DouBan rating of 8.4, with several media outlets forecasting a total box office of 520 million.


    This finally allowed him to relax.


    The past week, Zhang Chen had barely slept well a single night, and it seemed the coming days would be the same.


    But unlike the restlessness and anxiety of the previous week, the following days would be filled with excitement and agitation.


    "What did Wanda say?" Lu Liang asked, smiling.


    Normally, a movie involves producers, distributors, and exhibitors; he was an investor on the production side, while Wanda, with their deep pockets, took care of distribution and exhibition.


    "Mr. Lu, President Lin of Wanda plans to use the highest possible budget for the marketing campaign of Xia Luo''s Worry."


    Zhang Chen looked a bit dazed, suddenly remembering the day they had signed the investment contract.


    That day, Lu Liang had mentioned he hoped they could increase the marketing budget to 300% of the cost, which would be 60 million.


    He had not expected that now they indeed were maxing out the marketing expenses.


    "Calculate how much you''ll need and send the figure to me when the time comes," Lu Liang said, preparing to hang up the phone.


    "Mr. Lu, would you like to come over?" Zhang Chen hurriedly asked with caution.


    Lu Liang pondered for a moment and couldn''t help but smile, "Then I''ll have Mr. Tang make a trip over."


    Producing, distributing, and screening¡ªafter a film is finished, the status of these three players is completely reversed. In other words, the screening party holds the most power, followed by the distributor, and lastly, the producer.


    The principle behind box office revenue sharing for a film is usually based on a 43/57 split, with both the producing and distributing parties sharing 43% of the shared box office revenue, and the screening party taking 57%.


    But that''s just in principle.


    Because cinema chains often bully smaller companies, the actual share that producers and distributors see is far less than 43%.


    After all, when compared with Wanda Cinema, Happy Mahua is like a tiny ant that can be squished effortlessly.


    But Lu Liang is different; he''s a capital mogul with funds at his disposal; even Old Wang has to treat him with respect.


    Therefore, Zhang Chen hoped that Lu Liang would step in to offer support to their production side, to avoid getting squeezed too hard by the cinema chains.


    "Thank you, Mr. Lu, for disrupting your rest."


    Joy appeared in Zhang Chen''s eyes as he repeatedly expressed his gratitude.


    Meanwhile, online entries related to "Xia Luo''s Worry" also surpassed the sales entries for the Tesla Mao Dou X.


    A movie ticket costs a few tens of dollars, and a car is over a million. Netizens can relate more to the former.


    "Production cost of 20 million, opening day box office of 35 million¡ªthe dark horse of the year has already been born."


    "Didn''t expect such a clich¨¦ story to be made so brilliantly; it''s really good."


    "In one sentence, prove that you watched ''Xia Luo''s Worry''."


    "No~ Qiu Ya~"


    Online discussions were heated; some forces lurking in the film industry started to grow restless.


    Though the movie had been released, it didn''t mean there were no profits to be made; promotional and marketing expenses could be considered a kind of financing.


    Happy Mahua, a newcomer to the film industry, might not be able to come up with 43% of the marketing expenses, and they would be only too happy to provide the service.


    Perhaps some film investors couldn''t produce their share of the promotional expenses either, and they too were eager to help.


    At worst, it could lead to making new friends. The return of invested capital in movies is slow and complicated, and box office revenues could still collapse later on.


    Assuming a total box office of 500 million, after applying a discount of seven or eight tenths, they would be more than willing to buy back shares to take on the risk.


    In short, Happy Mahua, with a production cost of 20 million and possibly breaking 500 million box office, had become a juicy piece of meat that everyone wanted to bite.


    Thus, they searched and searched...


    In the end, they found Lu Liang, who invested for a 25% stake, and everyone, as if seeing a ghost, lost interest all at once.


    After all, the news that Tianxing Private Equity''s net value had increased by 84% in the first month had already spread throughout the circle. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Countless tycoons were lined up, waving their cash, anticipating the second fund from Lu Liang.


    Now, to offend Lu Liang, they figured they wouldn''t even need him to act personally; others would surely help out.


    He had become a new power on the scene.


    ...


    It was just past one in the morning when Lu Liang finally finished his work.


    He took out two ticket stubs, snapped a photo, and uploaded it to Weibo: "Good to watch, love to watch, everybody go see it."


    After all, he had a 25% investment share; no one could dilute his equity. The higher the box office, the more he could earn.


    Lu Liang tossed aside the ticket stubs, put away his phone, and didn''t bother to respond to netizens asking whom he went to see the movie with.


    He walked over to the rest area and saw Su Wanyu curled up just like a cat, her eyelids fluttering in a battle of sleep.


    It seemed like she was asleep, but also not. Her eyes were vacant, without a gleam: "Are you done?"


    "All done, let''s go back to sleep," Lu Liang chuckled, asking softly, "Or do you want me to carry you?"


    Su Wanyu suddenly became alert, her eyes opening wide with a mixture of anticipation and hesitation, "Can you?"


    "If you''re not too heavy."


    "I''m just over a hundred pounds."


    Excited, Su Wanyu jumped onto Lu Liang''s back, feeling his broad shoulders, and contentedly remarked, "So broad, so comfortable."


    "Let''s go then. We''re heading back."


    Lu Liang couldn''t suppress his smile, asked his cousin to lock up the place, and then went back to sleep. He drove himself home.

 Chapter 119 - 119: This Person is Somewhat Sinister

    Today, although it was the first day of the national holiday, more than half of the company''s employees still came to work.


    While others were on vacation, they were working overtime. There were complaints, but they were covered up by the generous overtime pay.


    Mainly because there weren''t any real old employees in the company; everyone had only been there for a few months, or even just a few weeks.


    There were severe shortages in various small managerial positions, provided they put in enough effort, they might even become team leaders.


    Young people, especially those newly entering society from school, aren''t afraid of hard work or overtime; they''re just afraid that their efforts won''t be rewarded appropriately.


    Lu Liang arrived at the company and didn''t say much since overtime pay wasn''t being withheld; nagging wouldn''t be as effective as giving money.


    Since they were paid, there were no debts.


    Lu Liang first went to Tang Caide''s office and instructed her to take charge of Xia Luo''s subsequent promotional activities.


    Invest as much as the shares dictate, and if anyone targets their assets, they must not back down.


    Their attitude must be firm; they don''t provoke others, but if someone tries to steal from their plate, off with their heads.


    Tang Caide nodded with a smile, "Mr. Lu, I''ll contact Mr. Zhang from Mahua first."


    Working under a strong boss made work more enjoyable; at least there was no need to suffer silently.


    Leaving the office, Lu Liang called over Chen Jinchun to assign her the task of collecting information on Tesla in the neighboring room.


    Today was Sunday, and it was daylight saving time in the United States, which was 12 hours behind Beijing time; there it was still Saturday.


    NASDAQ doesn''t take a break for national holidays, but it does on Saturdays and Sundays, meaning it would start trading Monday night Beijing time.


    They still had 36 hours to prepare.


    After leaving the company, Lu Liang went to the bank to settle his loans and reclaim his one hundred million dollars in deposit certificates.


    Under President Liu''s reluctant gaze, he went to the State Street Bank office in Modu.


    State Street held 9.8 million shares of Tesla, a stake of 8.85%, making it the fourth-largest shareholder.


    Every bank has three main businesses: financing, short selling, and lending.


    Lu Liang was there for short selling and financing, collectively paying a daily interest of 190,000 dollars.


    With 50 million dollars as collateral and 50 million dollars in securities, he acquired 1,098,000 shares of Tesla.


    At a share price of 182 dollars, the value was 199.8 million dollars, a fourfold leverage with a daily interest of 178,200 dollars.


    "Mr. Lu, it''s been a pleasure working with you," said Mr. Hilt, the president of State Street, his smile so wide as he gave Lu Liang a tight hug.


    Financing always started from a minimum of 7 days, securing a steady income of 1,247,400 dollars, always more, never less.


    Even if Tesla''s stock fell to just one dollar, it would be someone else''s problem and not affect his bonus at all.


    "Mr. Hilt, it''s been a pleasure," Lu Liang said with a forced smile, quickly pushing him away, unable to bear it any longer.


    Caucasians had strong body odors and they liked heavy perfumes, especially older white men, which nearly brought him to tears.


    After leaving State Street Bank, Lu Liang returned to the office and distributed the 1,098,000 shares of Tesla among twelve trading sub-accounts.


    In NASDAQ, unlike in A-shares, there weren''t so many restrictions; they could be more liberal in their approaches.


    Lu Liang wasn''t going to hide his presence.


    In the afternoon, Wang Xiaocong came by with boxes of pastries, distributing them to everyone present, his face full of a sycophantic smile, "Liang, still working over the national holiday, you really work hard~"


    "I brought some afternoon tea for you, try and see how it tastes," he instructed his assistant to bring out over a dozen fine pastries.


    "If you have something to say, just say it; can you not be so disgusting?" Lu Liang expressed his disgust.


    "Wanda Movie is approaching its lifting period, and my mom asked me to give you a proper thanks."


    Wang Xiaocong sat with his legs crossed, reverting to his usual self. Wanda Movie became listed on A-shares earlier in the year, and stocks held by original shareholders had a six-month lock-up period.


    The lifting period for Wanda Movie''s stocks was on October 9, the second working day after the national holiday, inevitably causing a significant drop in stock prices for a period.


    Therefore, the national holiday box office became crucial. Wanda Movie had originally bet everything on ''Lost in Hong Kong'', but the film''s poor reception was appalling.


    Wanda Movie had already decided, even if it were a terrible film, to falsify results to push it to a billion box office, to survive the relatively stable lifting period.


    Unexpectedly, they didn''t care and even released ''Xia Luo'' to give face to Lu Liang, which exploded at the box office, leaving others far behind, and was on the verge of dominating the national holiday box office.


    "Intentionally planting flowers may not bloom, unintentionally planting willows may produce shade, little effort maximum gain, rounding up, at least made five hundred million."


    Listening to Wang Xiaocong''s endless talking, Lu Liang silently extended his palm, and Wang Xiaocong puzzled, "What for?"


    "It sounds like I''m pretty important, and since five hundred million were made, giving me half wouldn''t be too much, right?"


    Lu Liang suddenly envied Little Wang a bit; born into wealth and getting to know him, he must have saved the galaxy in his past life.


    "Oh, it''s Wanda Movie that''s making money, not me. If I were making five hundred million, I''d definitely give you half."


    Wang Xiaocong laughed it off, changing the topic: "Panda needs financing, I think I''ll wait until ''Crown Princess Consort'' is released."


    Lu Liang had a peculiar knack; at the beginning of the year, he was still selling houses, but now, halfway through the year, his net worth was in the hundreds of millions. Whatever he does, he makes money.


    He earned from the financial market, from investing in ofo, from investing in movies, and potentially could make a blast from investing in internet dramas.


    Wang Xiaocong had visited the drama set once, and the scriptwriter was truly talented. Despite it being an ancient drama, they managed to subtly incorporate mentions of Panda TV.


    Even sometimes, they blatantly put their platform''s logo in the most visible place.


    If the web series performs well, Panda might be able to increase its valuation by tens of millions when it raises more funds.


    Lu Liang was shocked, "When did you become so smart?"


    In the past, Wang Xiaocong would have lost his temper, but now he just giggles and jokes, "People say you become red near cinnabar and black near ink, hanging out with smart people makes my IQ feel like it''s taken the high ground again."


    "Whatever, it''s up to you."


    Lu Liang sighed, suddenly missing the unruly demeanor Wang Xiaocong used to have.


    "But there''s not much money left in the account."


    Wang Xiaocong''s eyes darted around, his face full of smiles, finally revealing his true intention, "How about, your company lends some?"


    "Why don''t you ask Wanda for a loan?" Lu Liang didn''t look pleased and then suddenly asked, "How much does Panda want to borrow?"


    He remembered that Tianxing Assets still had 530 million, foreign exchange limits wouldn''t allow converting into US dollars, lending it could still earn some interest.


    Wang Sicong hurriedly said, "Using 30% of the shares as collateral, 50 million dollars, to be repaid immediately after the financing ends."


    "An interest rate of 0.014% per day." Lu Liang stated.


    "Damn, an annual interest of 14.6%, are you charging usury?"


    "Mr. Wang, please mind your language, the judicial protection upper limit for private lending rates is 15.4%."


    Lu Liang packed up, preparing to leave work for home.


    He said in annoyance, "Take it or leave it."


    "I''ll take it, take it, take it," Wang Xiaocong quickly exclaimed.


    "Such nonsense."


    With a look of disdain, Lu Liang took him to the office next door to find Tang Caide, "Mr. Tang, take Mr. Wang to the notary tomorrow, set a repayment date, then lend 50 million dollars to Panda."


    After assigning the task, he left work for home, not returning to Scholarly Splendor, but to Tangchen Yipin.


    On Sundays, as long as there was no mandatory task from the platforms, Li Manli unfailingly took the day off.


    "Liang, you''re back."


    Li Manli greeted him with a smile, bustling around the kitchen in an unserious chef''s outfit, "Mrs. Liu has something urgent at home, so she took a few days off, I''ll come back to cook for you these days."


    Lu Liang took off his coat, patted her snug buttocks, and asked with a smile, "No live streaming lately?"


    Her chef''s outfit seemed inappropriate, wearing a kitchen apron yet a mini skirt that barely covered her buttocks.


    On high heels, her calves were taut, and white stockings extended to the tops of her thighs, showing visible constriction marks, which were even more seductive.


    Her upper body was clad in a regular white shirt but deliberately unbuttoned a few more buttons at the neck, revealing a glimpse of her prominent cleavage.


    On her head, she wore a pink ribbon, her face painted with delicate makeup, and there was a shimmer of glitter at the corners of her eyes.


    Li Manli softly hummed, looking na?vely charming, "I only need to stream for 60 hours a month anyway, besides, working isn''t as important as being with you."


    She smiled brightly, stretching her arms to wrap around Lu Liang''s neck, leaning into his ear with a whisper, "Liang, I missed you, so much, so much."


    The warm breeze brushed his ear, soothing to his heart...


    From the kitchen to the living room and then to the bedroom, every few steps they paused, randomly shedding an item.


    Li Manli was passionately enthusiastic, unprecedentedly taking the initiative even though she lacked Zhang Qian''s expertise, but her zeal more than made up for it.


    It also made Lu Liang, who had been actively caring for Su Wanyu''s feelings for the last few nights, very pleased.


    Afterwards...


    Li Manli lay on Lu Liang''s chest, gently tracing circles, then suddenly said earnestly, "Liang, I really, really love you."


    Lu Liang stroked her hair, suddenly asking, "Is it because of the Weibo post I made last night?"


    Li Manli''s body stiffened, falling silent.


    Lu Liang chuckled, realizing he guessed right, and explained, "I haven''t seen the movie, but the company invested in it."


    Li Manli''s face lit up with pride, "I didn''t ask you to explain, you''re telling me this on your own~"


    Lu Liang smiled, gently rubbing her earlobe, playing with the star-shaped earring, "If I don''t explain, I''m afraid you''ll get jealous and burst."


    Li Manli acted coy, rubbing her head against Lu Liang''s chest with an exaggerated emphasis, "I~am~not~jealous."


    She didn''t really care about the truth; even if Lu Liang lied, it meant he still cared about her, and that was enough for her.


    "Enough playing, I''m hungry," Lu Liang said with a smile.


    "I''ll go warm it up, it might have gotten a bit cold."


    Li Manli, struck with an idea, picked up the apron from the floor and slipped it on over her now bare body, still in high heels.


    Standing at the foot of the bed, one hand on her hip, biting her index finger in a coy manner, she asked, "Do you like it?"


    "You''re playing with fire," Lu Liang said with a stern look.


    "Hehe~~" sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Li Manli giggled, trotted off, leaving behind a trail of laughter that sounded like weights clinking.

 Chapter 120 - 120: Shorting Tesla

    The next day, Lu Liang, looking haggard, came to the office, occasionally rubbing his waist and yawning.


    The trading room was empty because yesterday he had given the six traders a half-day off, letting them go home during the day to rest and gather the clothes they needed, before coming back at five in the afternoon.


    No matter whether it was Beijing time or New York time, 24 hours had already passed, but to this day, Tesla had yet to announce the sales volume of Mao Dou X.


    The sales should be very impressive, obviously a good thing, yet it was treated with the secrecy of an emperor''s death, not announcing the bereavement.


    This could also indicate that Lu Liang''s judgment was correct, so it was time for him to start taking action.


    Time ticked away second by second, and before long, all six traders had returned to their posts, ready to face the battle of the night.


    At 9:30 in the evening, the US stocks opened.


    China''s new policy heavily promoted the new energy sector, Modu specifically allocated 200,000 square meters for Tesla to build a super factory, and the impressive sales of Mao Dou X, all kinds of positive news were in play.


    Tesla''s stock price surged 12% at the opening, skyrocketing by $21.84 to exceed $200 and reach $203.84.


    The advantage of no price limit on fluctuations means that positive news can be released instantly, unlike the A-share market with a ten-percent daily limit.


    Lu Liang pondered for a moment, then instructed, "Start selling in batches of 1,000 to 5,000 shares to suppress the stock price."


    His margin account had 50 million US dollars, using a four-times leverage, he could only tolerate a rise of 18.5 points.


    With 198 million dollars in funds, a loss of 35 million was tolerable; a loss rate exceeding 70% would trigger a margin call.


    Even if he did nothing, as soon as the stock price went over $215, his account would be frozen due to insufficient margin.


    There was only a $12.16 margin of error left,


    but with greater risk also came the potential for greater returns.


    If they could clear their 1,098,000 shares at $203.84, they would cash in approximately 223 million dollars.


    Then, if the stock price fell to $100, they would only need to spend 109 million dollars to repurchase those shares, and the $114 million difference would be their profit.


    After the 12% increase, Tesla''s market value had reached 190.4 billion dollars.


    Lu Liang''s holdings exceeded 1%; in the absence of major shareholders selling, he was Tesla''s biggest market maker.


    As they began to unload and cash out their chips, the stock price was gradually pressed down.


    Almost instantly, the upward trend stopped, and a sharp angle appeared at the end of a thin line; the K-line started to probe downwards from there.


    This move immediately caused an uproar in the market.


    After all, short selling against such a tide of good news was tantamount to flagrant defiance.


    It also attracted the attention of Wall Street institutions; Tesla''s rise was too rapid for them to enter on time, and they could only watch eagerly.


    Suddenly someone was short selling against the trend with determination, an action that piqued their interest.


    It also planted an idea in their minds,


    Why would this unknown force be short selling?


    Was there enormous negative news yet to be disclosed?


    They might not have gotten a share of the good news profits, but perhaps they could capitalize on the bad news.


    Wall Street institutions, like dogs catching the scent of sausages, followed the trail, eager to ascertain the reasons.


    "The wall falls and everyone pushes, the 18th is too far away, delays can lead to changes, I can''t wait." S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lu Liang muttered to himself, his held funds already had the power to sway market trends, and it was time for him to be bolder.


    Because the new energy index predicted a peak of 2985 points, but the final peak was only 2915 points.


    A 1.5 trillion market merely allowed him to earn 530 million, not even 0.01%, and the impact was so significant.


    Moreover, with Tesla, after short selling and financing, Lu Liang''s holding of more than 1% of the shares meant his impact on the market would be even more profound.


    As long as he was making money, the future would change,


    The more he earned, the greater the deviation.


    Lu Liang decided to be bold, since it was the US stock market; he didn''t need to worry about being invited for tea.


    So this time, planning a quick in-and-out, he would lead the charge, not giving Tesla any time to react.


    The trading hours for US stocks were from 9:30 in the morning to 4 in the afternoon, a full 6.5 hours without any break.


    Wall Street institutions were still investigating the reasons for the short selling, with Lu Liang''s team as the sole force fighting on the front lines.


    For six and a half hours, everyone, including Lu Liang, worked at high intensity to sell a total of 420,000 shares.


    At an average price of $201.5 per share, they cashed out a total of $84.63 million.


    "Yutao, Zhang Jing," he called the two team leaders, "take them back to rest. If you need anything, tell Little Wen."


    Lu Liang, massaging his brow, understood the gravity of the trade; until it was over, no one could leave the company or make contact with any communication devices.


    Before the conclusion, all of the team''s eating, drinking, and bathroom breaks took place in the trading room, thankfully considering that such a situation might arise, and a living area had been prepared.


    After a brief rest of a few hours in the adjacent office, Lu Liang met with Meng Changkun. He instructed him not to reveal his identity and to contact domestic and international media to spread rumors.


    "Focus on three points: First, why hasn''t Tesla announced sales figures for the Model X?"


    "Second, can delivery truly be guaranteed in 16 weeks?"


    "Third, highlight the delivery story of the Roadster sports car."


    They owned a total of 1.098 million shares, with 420,000 spent on the first day, leaving only 678,000 shares remaining.


    If no reinforcements joined the fray afterward, with Lu Liang''s current chips, he might not even make it to the end of the Golden Week.


    Once the market control was lost, the subsequent market direction would slip out of his hands.


    It might still plummet to $96 as predicted, but it could surge over $215 in the meantime, potentially blowing up his position.


    Should Wall Street institutions decipher Lu Liang''s intent, they would likely tacitly band together to blow him up first.


    The more Lu Liang gained, the less they earned.


    Furthermore, they were used to harvesting retail investors around the globe, and a home raid was intolerable to them.


    Thus, Lu Liang planned to force a move and create momentum.


    He wanted to compel Musk to respond, providing a clear message to the consumers; even if Musk remained silent, it would still plant a seed of doubt among the investors.


    Through the previous night''s trading, Lu Liang noticed that the buyers were mostly small individual investors who rushed in blindly.


    Though disorganized, retail investors'' capital was always the most abundant in the market, and whoever they supported could win.


    Lu Liang didn''t count on retail investors to fight the battle for him, but as long as they remained inactive, even merely on the sidelines, his odds of winning were significant.


    Meng Changkun understood and hurried to contact friends, given his foreign trade background and connections abroad.


    Through multiple layers of referrals, he eventually reached out to several automotive media outlets in France and a few internet influencers in the United Kingdom, raising three queries.


    If the news spread domestically first, it would be too conspicuous; exporting then redirecting to domestic sales was preferable.


    Moreover, domestic fans tended to be excessively loyal, adept at making excuses for their idols.


    A song aptly says that the favored always take liberties without fear; past events prove that Chinese consumers can be overlooked and treated differently.


    But it wouldn''t work overseas where litigious actions abound, and any scent of profit would attract them like flies, both offensive and persistent.


    As the news began to ferment, Wall Street institutions also understood why someone would short Tesla against the market trend yesterday.


    Tesla had lost $180 million in the last quarter, and a loan of $465 million from the Energy Department was due at the year''s end.


    Tesla''s reluctance to reveal Model X sales figures had made everything crystal clear.


    A single car required an advance of at least one hundred thousand dollars, therefore ten thousand cars would need one billion dollars.


    Did Tesla have one billion dollars?


    Even if they did, did the California factory have the capacity to ensure 16-week deliveries?


    Would the saga of the Roadster repeat itself?


    The news fermented overseas for a night, yet Musk and Tesla did not respond directly.


    But the pressure on Lu Liang had lessened considerably¡ªthey only sold 100,000 shares that night, pushing the stock price down to $200.


    This indicated that those who were initially bullish no longer dared to bet.


    Lu Liang did not press his advantage, for it was not yet time for the final assault; he dared not sell all his chips, needing to reserve some for various contingencies.


    Musk would certainly take countermeasures.

 Chapter 121 - 121: Peers are the Bare Hatred

    On the evening of October 4th, news that was originally for overseas markets finally made its way to the domestic audience.


    However, it did not cause much of a stir, as the fans'' tolerance was still high, and they did not care much about the so-called spirit of the contract.


    Some even stood up and said, if Tesla couldn''t deliver in 16 weeks, then 32 weeks would be fine. Why can''t they give the technology pioneer company some time? Do they want to destroy the entire new energy industry? This view also gained a lot of support from netizens with likes.


    Lu Liang sighed and shook his head.


    Wall Street institutions had seen the truth and had begun to help create momentum, preparing to launch a major attack with sickles raised against Tesla.


    The Wall Street Journal and The Times, among many media outlets, had relayed the news, which was the best proof.


    They were all assisting Lu Liang in his palace coup. Once Tesla could not provide a satisfactory response, the harvesting sickle would swing down heavily.


    In contrast, the domestic fans were just poking at tires, their magnanimity made Lu Liang wonder whether these people had actually placed orders, or were just good at making cold remarks.


    After pondering for a moment, Lu Liang called Wang Xiaocong, ready to pour hot oil on the barely alive flame, not allowing Tesla to think that domestic fans were their backup. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Shooting my mouth off, that''s my strong suit,"


    Wang Xiaocong said with excitement, rubbing his hands in anticipation.


    He had never dreamed that he would be able to participate in a financial campaign against Tesla.


    Even if it was just providing assistance from the sidelines, it would be something to boast about in the future.


    Following Lu Liang''s instructions, he reposted an article from People''s Daily that was sourced from The Times.


    "Sitting at home and money comes from the sky?"


    The article Wang Xiaocong shared was about a lawsuit involving the Roadster sports car.


    Due to Musk''s sudden price increase and delivery delay, 43 customers had united to sue Tesla, and they eventually won the lawsuit, receiving a total compensation of 15.4 million US dollars.


    Little Wang, known as the entertainment industry''s discipline inspection commissioner, would raise his voice whenever he saw injustice. His pouring oil on the fire didn''t seem particularly abrupt.


    Unexpectedly, as Little Wang posted his status, the comment section suddenly became a gathering place for new energy car-making forces.


    Old Jia was the first to comment, "LeEco has ordered four units; if Mr. Wang is interested, we can authorize you."


    Following close behind were Li Bing, Li Xiang, He Xiaopeng, and the official accounts of SAIC, BAIC, FAW, all expressing their support.


    As long as Wang Xiaocong took the lead in the charge, they would be his strongest backup. They would not take a penny of the compensation, but only wanted to demand an explanation for the vast consumer base.


    "Crap, what''s going on here?"


    Wang Xiaocong''s eyes widened in surprise, speechless.


    The frown on Lu Liang''s face gradually relaxed, and a smile appeared on his lips, "Only peers have the rawest hate."


    Companies like Weiliao, which represented three new car-making forces, had a direct conflict with Tesla. Without Tesla''s demise, it would be hard for them to rise to the top.


    Although they knew that such negative news wouldn''t kill Tesla, any delay would be greatly welcomed.


    SAIC, BAIC, FAW as joint venture car representatives, knew the nation''s introduction of Tesla was to give them a wake-up call.


    They harbored rage with nowhere to vent; so the chance to kick Tesla while it was down came at a perfect time. If Tesla were to die, they might continue counting money on their achievement list without the hard work of developing new energy vehicles.


    Everyone had different thoughts, but their goal was the same.


    "Liang, what should we do next?"


    Wang Xiaocong trembled with excitement, suddenly feeling backed by many big shots as if he could charge forward with an army of ten thousand to slay a demon.


    In the past, he could only stir up trouble in the entertainment industry, but he never imagined he''d have this honor one day.


    "Don''t be timid, continue to be tough. If we need to contact law firms, then do so, making as much noise as possible,"


    Lu Liang glanced at the time; the US stock market was about to open. He took out his phone to share the news, supporting Wang Xiaocong, then headed to the next trading room.


    In the internet era, information spread rapidly. Support from domestic automotive industry magnates for Wang Xiaocong, combined with their joint denunciation of Tesla, had already reached NASDAQ.


    Tesla''s stock price dropped sharply in response, falling below 190 US dollars to the current price of 187.82 US dollars, with a decline of -3.82% for the day.


    With just the last 5.82 US dollars to go, Tesla was about to give up all the favorable news it had built up.


    Once it fell below 182 dollars, the downward channel for the stock would open, and it would be a continuous fall from there.


    Lu Liang noticed he was no longer fighting alone. Some retail investors had joined the bear camp.


    "At this point, still no response?" he followed Musk''s Twitter as well as the official Tesla account.


    His trading account still held 578,000 shares, worth 108 million US dollars at the current price.


    Lu Liang was waiting for Tesla''s response.


    If his response couldn''t satisfy the public, he would represent the short sellers with the most ferocious hit, breaking through the $182 price point and opening a downward channel for the stock.


    Time ticked away, and before long, it was 1 a.m., 1 p.m. New York time, which is also one of the times when European and American public companies release important announcements.


    Lu Liang observed the market in the trading room while Little Wang had a fiery exchange outside the trading room with a die-hard supporter. Little Wang always had a knack for confrontation.


    Ten minutes past one, there was unusual activity in the trading book.


    Tesla, with no other choice, came forward to respond, starting with an explanation of why they didn''t promptly update the Model X reservation numbers, mainly wanting to wait for a three-day cumulative announcement to share the good news.


    In three days, 72 hours, the global reservation volume reached 28,600 units, with 12,500 in China, and a cumulative total of 16,100 units from other countries, bringing the cumulative sales to $3.088 billion, with an average price of $108,000 per unit.


    As soon as the news was announced, uninformed retail investors jubilated, charging forward, and the stock price soared by 3.5%, breaking through $194, nearly turning green.


    "Sell, push the stock price back below $190."


    Lu Liang, without a second thought, took immediate action. A mere sell-off of less than 50,000 shares once again forcefully contained the rising trend.


    Within minutes, Tesla''s situation had a dramatic reversal; the ascent halted before it could firmly establish itself, and the price instantly fell to $185.


    The day''s decline was -5.42%.


    "The trend for short sellers has set in."


    Lu Liang''s lips curved upward: "Intensify the sell-off, let''s first try to penetrate the $182 defense line."


    This situation could only mean that Tesla''s response failed to satisfy those lying in wait, and institutions began to enter the short selling battleground.


    After all, holding back for three days to release such news indicated they probably didn''t want a repeat of the past, so they decided to drag their feet and think of a solution.


    Wall Street institutions saw through Tesla''s intentions, and how could they allow Lu Liang to outshine them all? It was time for their performance.


    In an instant, the buy orders sharply decreased.


    A flood of sell orders overwhelmed the market, and while there were many investors buying to cover, there were even more chips being thrown into the sell-off.


    The stock price probed further down, nearing the $182 checkpoint.


    At this price level, it seemed as if massive funds were providing support, and a tug-of-war ensued between the bulls and the bears, with the short-sellers unable to secure a victory.


    Before long, it was 3:30 a.m., with just the last thirty minutes until the close of the day.


    The current stock price was $182.8.


    Lu Liang glanced at the total funds account; there were still 426,000 shares of chips left, with consumption already over half, approaching one-third.


    He knew he couldn''t wait any longer. The end-of-day raid was just petty thievery¡ªa strong suppression was necessary to show determination.


    The retail investors and speculators in the market were not fools; they were fine with following the major short-sellers in a charge, but they wouldn''t let themselves be the only ones charging while the major short-sellers reaped the rewards.


    Lu Liang took matters into his own hands, with single transactions of 5,000 shares, at the current price of $912,500, crashing down on the market like rolling thunder.


    He made it clear that he was prepared to pay any price to forcibly open the downward channel.


    10,000 shares... 30,000 shares...


    60,000 shares... 80,000 shares...


    The trade details on the right side of the screen rapidly refreshed.


    At first, the bullish major players bought as much as was sold, putting up a fight to guard the $182 mark with determination.


    But then they realized they had overestimated their resolve to defend and underestimated the short-sellers'' determination.


    In that moment of hesitation, the stock price suddenly broke through the $182 defense line, and even the $180 level could not hold.


    Lu Liang pressed the attack, intensifying the sell-off with single transactions valued over $2 million each.


    The bullish major players scattered, the stock price retreated, and upon seeing this, speculators sounded the charge.


    Musk had been closely monitoring market movements and had never felt thirty minutes to be so painfully long.


    At 4 a.m., a meaningless alarm sounded, marking the end of trading for the day on NASDAQ. Tesla''s stock price finally closed at $169.25, a daily drop of -13.24%.


    Musk''s heart bled; holding over 25%, he had seen $620 million evaporate today.


    But he also knew that getting anxious about the market cap evaporation was futile now. The problems of production capacity and financing needed solving.


    If the issues were not promptly addressed and the bad news once again turned into good, today''s drop would only be the beginning.


    Those damn speculators of Wall Street would surely band together for an assault until Tesla was torn to shreds.


    Four years ago, at Tesla''s initial public offering, Musk had experienced this once before, and the memory was still vivid.


    He would not let the tragedy happen again, absolutely not!

 Chapter 122 - 122: Entering the Game with Ones Body

    "Just 224,000 shares left."


    As the US stocks closed, Lu Liang also breathed a sigh of relief. In the final charge, he had thrown in a whopping 42 million chips.


    Fortunately, they eventually broke through the 182 US Dollar defense line, gaining the support of retail, speculative investors, and institutions, and forcefully opening the downward channel.


    Next, as long as Tesla didn''t respond, the stock price would continue to fall, to a point where it couldn''t fall any further.


    Lu Liang would then welcome the harvest season.


    In the past three days, a total of 874,000 shares were sold off, averaging a sell price of 186.2 US Dollars, cashing out 162 million US Dollars.


    If repurchased at the current price of 169.25 US Dollars, ensuring the stock price didn''t rebound, there would be a profit of 14 million US Dollars.


    But Lu Liang knew this was just the beginning, the good days were still to come; the stock price would at least fall to around 100 US Dollars.


    With the remaining 224,000 shares, he planned to control the board, ensuring that he gave back less of the profits already at his lips during the stock repurchase.


    At five in the morning, as the sky began to brighten, Lu Liang and his team ended their count for the night. He left Wen Chao in the trading room to supervise everyone and walked out of the trading room alone.


    Lu Liang shorting Tesla was the biggest positive news. Once they knew it was Lu Liang shorting, they would definitely bounce back.


    Even if it meant spitting out profit that was practically in their mouths, they would want to crush Lu Liang''s position. This was not just a matter of attitude but of stance.


    It was like the time Old Guo resisted the Japanese; although they were on opposing sides, they also cooperated widely to jointly defend their homeland against foreign enemies.


    Because they all knew that even if they fought bitterly to the point of heads breaking and blood flowing, the Chinese land would still be under the control of the Chinese. The meat might be rotten in the pot, but foreign enemies were different; they were there to invade and colonize.


    Now, the institutions on Wall Street still thought Lu Liang was one of their own, someone who just didn''t want to expose his identity, so they were willing to work with him to short Tesla.


    Capital might not have borders, but capitalists have their strongholds, and Wall Street was their base.


    Wall Street is also highly xenophobic, unless Lu Liang was willing to be their dog, like neighboring Samsung. Otherwise, there was no discussion.


    Lu Liang went to the next office, and suddenly met a pair of blood-red eyes like those of a rabbit, excitement written all over the face.


    "Why are you here again?" Lu Liang yawned, lying straight and without image on the sofa.


    Little Wang was right; solid wood seats really did chafe one''s backside, which is why he had bought another set of leather sofas.


    In his free time, Lu Liang liked to lie on the sofa, feeling more comfortable than lying on a bed.


    "What do you mean ''again''? I haven''t left, okay!" Wang Xiaocong said with a face of disbelief.


    Since eight o''clock last night, he had been online engaging in heated exchanges with Tesla zealots.


    And all he got for it was this comment.


    "It''s been tough. Go back now; I''m tired."


    Lu Liang said sleepily, voice listless.


    But Wang Xiaocong, still irate, could only suggest, "How about we grab breakfast?"


    "You''re not a woman; why would I have breakfast with you?" Right now, Lu Liang only wanted to sleep.


    Because during the day, he still needed to keep an eye on Tesla''s actions, especially with the commotion Little Wang had caused.


    Tesla had just signed an agreement with Modu''s municipal government; they couldn''t just sit back and do nothing. They would probably have to give some explanation.


    After all, the benefits hadn''t yet been received, and as the Lower Position, one had to fully play the part lest the cooperation fall through, which would be a truly devastating blow.


    "Then you get some rest." Wang Xiaocong''s words were on the tip of his tongue, but he swallowed them and left the office on his own.


    Although Lu Liang had not made it clear, he had guessed that the main force shorting Tesla was probably Lu Liang.


    Tesla''s current market value still stood at 16.9 billion US Dollars, converting to over 100 billion RMB, and Modu had even allocated 200,000 square meters of land for investment and factory construction, signifying boundless potential.


    A ruthless person, wielding his sword to slash through billions,


    What could he do other than forgive him?


    Wang Xiaocong was about to leave when suddenly Lu Liang''s voice came from behind, "If someone else asks, just say you''re pissed off; it sounds like something you could indeed pull off."


    "Got it, I''m not a kid." Wang Xiaocong replied indignantly, as if he was the type to speak thoughtlessly.


    "And turn off the lights on your way out, 3Q."


    "Hmm~"


    At ten in the morning, Tesla''s domestic official account responded to Wang Xiaocong''s criticism.


    Who knows which genius was managing it; they expressed a willingness to refund the full deposit and looked forward to future cooperation.


    An official apology statement like this might be overlooked if it were from an ordinary person, but Wang Xiaocong felt insulted.


    Just got home and ready to sleep when he received the message, he bolted upright in bed, "Damn it, you looking down on me? Do you think I care about your paltry sum? What I want is fairness. You think a simple refund will do? This isn''t over!"


    Then he started another round of cursing, but unlike the irrational tantrum from last night, most netizens today were siding with Little Wang.


    After all, as the son of the First Rich and the national heartthrob, he deserved some special treatment. It was as if he was being brushed off like a beggar.


    Little Wang had every right to be angry.


    On the evening of the 5th, Tesla''s stock opened with a steep drop of 13.54 US Dollars, a decline of -8%, with the stock price at 155.71 US Dollars.


    Lu Liang was constantly monitoring and continued to control the board by selling off holdings. Any sign of a rise was promptly suppressed.


    With the help of the heavens, it only took 45,000 shares to break through the 150 US Dollar support line.


    There were too many short sellers; they were like the logistics team.


    On the evening of the 6th, Tesla dropped to 142 US Dollars, and individual investors seemed to think the stock had bottomed out, making tentative attempts to buy the dip.


    After all, ModelX''s sales were solid, and as long as Tesla could pull through this tough time, its stock was bound to soar high.


    Yet before Lu Liang could act to suppress the stock price, news came from California; Wells Fargo had refused to grant Tesla a loan.


    Morgan Bank was also urging Tesla to repay a loan of 130 million US Dollars from two years ago.


    Once the news broke, Tesla''s stock price fell again, this time breaking through the 140 US Dollar line of defense directly. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As one of Wall Street''s major forces, Morgan''s move also signified that some power players on Wall Street were shorting Tesla.


    On the evening of the 7th, Tesla''s stock price continued to fall, with the 130 US Dollar defense line nearly breached, leading to a tug-of-war between bulls and bears.


    Lu Liang stood back and watched, not leading another charge because they only had 179,000 shares left to play with.


    In about one or two business days, he planned to buy back the shares to square the accounts; he needed enough chips to cover the retreat.


    With the stroke of the bell at four in the morning on the 8th, NASDAQ also concluded this week''s trading.


    Over the past five trading days, Tesla''s stock price plummeted from the peak of 203.84 US Dollars on Monday to 130.15 US Dollars, a decrease of -36.26%, evaporating 6.9 billion US Dollars in market value.


    Lu Liang wasn''t idle over the weekend; upon waking up, he was trying to cook up a big news piece for Tesla.


    He needed to buy back 919,000 shares, and if he had to buy them all at the 130 US Dollar stock price, it would require 119 million US Dollars in funds.


    About 0.952% of the outstanding shares would be affected; the more joy there was in selling, the more pain there was in buying back.


    Without major news, Tesla''s stock price might not be surpressed and could even be front-run by Wall Street institutions.


    So, in order not to lose the profits he had in his grasp, Lu Liang called a shareholders'' meeting, bringing in Old Meng and Little Wang, hoping to brainstorm collectively.


    "What if I find someone to set a fire in their California factory?" Old Meng squinted his eyes, looking vicious.


    After all, with profits of tens of millions of US Dollars at stake, he wouldn''t hesitate to commit arson or even murder.


    But Lu shook his head, "It''s too obvious, no go."


    It wasn''t that he disagreed, it was just that the intent would be too apparent, and certainly, someone would front-run the stock repurchase.


    Especially since Tesla''s order book now was so full of international speculators that it could leave one dizzied.


    ModelX''s sales loomed over the heads of all shorters like the sword of Damocles, ready to strike at any moment.


    They had to believe that 130 US Dollars wasn''t the bottom, and the market would continue to fall, allowing Lu Liang to quietly square the accounts.


    "What about brake failure? Car accidents?"


    "Anything that could be man-made intervention is out, it has to be the kind of event that can create a trend."


    Lu Liang and Meng Changkun, one suggesting, the other dismissing, went back and forth in conversation.


    Wang Xiaocong was like a mascot, his mind wandering.


    After thinking for a long while, Lu Liang finally sighed. He didn''t have a better idea and decided to use the most basic and clumsy method¡ªbuy less, sell more, and slowly grind it out over time.


    A voice predicted that on the 18th, 96 US Dollars would be the lowest point.


    It was probably around that time that Tesla would find a solution to its production capacity and capital issues, reversing the downward trend of the stock.


    Monday was the 10th, and due to Lu Liang''s involvement, events might be expedited, but there should still be a few days'' time.


    A few days were just enough to repurchase the stocks and balance the accounts; a profit was definitely assured, the question was just how much.


    At this point, Little Wang, who had been daydreaming, suddenly asked, "Lu, have you ever considered getting personally involved? With your current fame, if you want to harvest, you should let yourself taste the sweetness first."


    Assuming that Lu Liang wasn''t just battling thin air and that Wall Street institutions were actually that xenophobic, he himself was actually the best bait.

 Chapter 123 - 123: Repurchase to Settle Accounts

    "Damn, Little Wang, have you finally grown a brain?"


    Meng Changkun''s eyes widened in surprise, and he was at a loss for words, hardly believing that this move could have come from Little Wang.


    "For fuck''s sake, Old Meng, mind your language. Are you the one calling him Little Wang?"


    Wang Xiaocong glared menacingly and turned his head expectantly towards Lu Liang, "What do you think of my move?"


    Lu Liang pondered for a long while, looked at Little Wang, a hint of fatherly pride gleaming in his eyes, "Seems like it might work."


    "Damn it, can you stop looking at me with those eyes?" Wang Xiaocong was infuriated.


    "Sorry, sorry."


    Lu Liang and Meng exchanged a smile, understanding each other without words.


    On Monday morning, Lu Liang started his plan by first contacting President Liu of ICBC to secure a foreign exchange loan.


    Since he could no longer convert his funds into US Dollars, he had to opt for a loan, but he didn''t trust other banks.


    Upon learning that Lu Liang only needed 50 million dollars and promised to return it within ten days, President Liu generously approved a loan at a daily interest rate of 100,000th, amounting essentially to zero interest, though collateral was still required.


    President Liu was so accommodating, and naturally, Lu Liang wasn''t going to make things difficult for him, opting to pledge 400 million RMB.


    In the afternoon, Lu Liang approached the JPMorgan office in Modu, depositing 25 million dollars as a margin and using four times leverage.


    A combined payment of a daily interest rate of 0.00019, at a stock price of 130.15 dollars per share, he secured 768,000 shares, totalling nearly 99.95 million dollars, with daily interest amounting to 89,900 dollars.


    The reason why Lu Liang didn''t approach State Street was their tight-lipped nature. If they wished to betray him, his position could have been blown up last Monday night.


    However, JPMorgan was different, reputedly resentful towards China, especially as Tesla''s stock price at 182 dollars was under their watchful eye.


    Even if they had professional integrity, Lu Liang had a backup plan. He had Old Meng bribe an employee at JPMorgan to spread the news of his appearance at the JPMorgan office in Modu that day.


    To ensure the news spread, Lu Liang also had President Liu subtly leak some information about transferring 50 million US dollars from the bank today.


    "Everything is ready except for the east wind."


    Having made all the preparations, Lu Liang set his alarm, closed his eyes in his office, and awaited nightfall.


    On the evening of the 10th, at 9:30 PM, US stocks reopened after a two-day break, and Tesla, which had been falling for five business days, finally began its long-awaited rise.


    But the momentum of the rise hadn''t lasted a minute when Lu Liang placed a single order of 10,000 shares, consecutively smashing five huge orders onto NASDAQ, announcing his arrival.


    The previously recovering K-line was immediately suppressed, and the market took a sharp downturn.


    At the same time, at JPMorgan headquarters across the ocean:


    "How much leverage did that Lu Liang from China use?"


    Wilson, JPMorgan''s investment chief and a staunch believer in Tesla''s potential to succeed Apple as the beacon of a new era, was a white supremacist who believed that a world power should be militarily, culturally, and technologically strong.


    Twenty years ago, Bill Gates emerged and led the world into the Internet era with the Microsoft Group.


    Five years ago, Jobs, with the nearly artistic iPhone 4, had crushed the then-dominant Nokia.


    Wilson always believed that Musk and his Tesla had the capability to lead the next era.


    With his backing, JPMorgan had become the second largest shareholder of Tesla, holding 14.85%, second only to Musk.


    "25 million dollars, using four times leverage," his assistant replied with a sneer.


    As the main force behind shorting the yen in the past, they were well aware of how Lu Liang had made his name.


    He was really just a lucky guy who made a few million dollars by following in their wake.


    Due to Anshan''s inability to challenge Wall Street, they had to amplify his earnings tenfold to use as a shield.


    "That''s just 100 million dollars, 17.5 million dollars will trigger a margin call once the stock exceeds 153 dollars."


    Wilson muttered to himself, instantly discerning Lu Liang''s forced liquidation point and his intention to short Tesla.


    "He still has nearly 700,000 shares in hand; it won''t be so easy for him to face a margin call," the assistant replied.


    153 dollars was just the theoretical margin call line; without a chance to sell off the shares, a margin call naturally wouldn''t happen.


    Wilson pondered, "Let''s give up the market tonight, let that Lu Liang wave the flag and shout; we''ll just reap the benefits."


    "Mr. Wilson, do you know who is shorting Tesla from the inside?" the assistant inquired.


    "I''ve had people looking into it, and we''ve traced it back to State Street''s chips, possibly Blackstone or Muddy Water, hiding and skulking about just like them."


    Wilson chuckled, unconcerned about who was involved inside; they had already negotiated a one billion dollar loan with Tesla to help them increase production capacity and fulfill the orders for Model X.


    He had plans to make a big profit before that happened¡ªeveryone who was short-selling now, from one to all, none would escape.


    As soon as Tesla announced the success of the one billion dollars loan, they would immediately take action, bursting all short positions.


    Lu Liang was just a joker.


    ...


    Lu Liang from China had arrived,


    The news of short-selling Tesla spread quickly.


    Only a few knew the truth about short-selling the yen, while most were only aware that months ago, Lu Liang had achieved spectacular results by shorting the yen.


    Now, another powerful bearish general had arrived, causing Tesla''s stock price to drop further, falling below 125 US dollars.


    "Amitabha Buddha, such sin."


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but click his tongue, silently feeling sorry for the individual investors for a mere three seconds. If the news of his participation hadn''t leaked, it meant that the Wall Street institutions intended to digest him quietly.


    However, now that the news had come out, it indicated that the institutions planned to let him lead the charge and then wait for the right moment to absorb both him and the individual investors together.


    "You guys take your time, I''m walking out with respect first."


    Lu Liang''s lips slightly lifted, taking advantage of Tesla''s falling stock prices to start buying back shares aggressively between 125 and 130 US dollars.


    The shares borrowed from JPMorgan hadn''t been touched by him at all, not even distributed, planning to return them exactly as they were.


    In seven days, a mere 630,000 US dollar interest wasn''t much as long as he could buy back smoothly to break even, the expenditure was worthwhile.


    The new week brought fiery market trading emotions.


    Rumors circulated that Lu Liang, the bearish general from China, had joined, causing uncontrollable falls in Tesla''s stock price.


    The process of Lu Liang buying back shares was also extremely smooth.


    In just two hours, he bought back 280,000 shares at an average price of 126 US dollars, totaling 35.28 million US dollars.


    Currently, his account had 115,000 available shares, making a total of 395,000 shares, still 694,000 shares away from the target to break even.


    Selling one share and buying ten inevitably led to a rebound in the stock price.


    Every time this happened, Lu Liang logged into a small account, pressing down the stock price with a clear selling tactic.


    This cycle repeated for six hours.


    Only thirty minutes were left until the market closed. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lu Liang had already bought back 726,000 shares, keeping the cost under 130 US dollars.


    Only 363,000 shares were left to reach his goal.


    He seemed very patient.


    Grinding slowly, little by little, until the market closed today.


    The evening of the 11th, Tesla opened with a long-awaited rise of 2.4%, seemingly ending a six-day downward trend.


    Before Lu Liang could act, suddenly a force parachuted in, massively selling off chips and taking up the charge.


    "The final charge?" Lu Liang''s brow furrowed, and he no longer got greedy, quickly ordering a large sell-off.


    Fear of heights is an investor''s nature, and so is short-selling. Now everyone was worried whether Tesla could resolve its production issues, then experiencing a mad surge in its stock price.


    No one dared to attempt a large sell-off at this moment, including individual investors who were on high alert. Suddenly, someone charging in inevitably raised Lu Liang''s suspicion of a desperate rally.


    Only around thirty thousand more shares to go, and investing over 40 million US dollars more would even the account, but he was too tired to consider so much.


    The priority now was to buy back shares to break even.


    But this time, the bearish force was fierce, the multitude of chips seeming inexhaustible.


    Lu Liang did not bother to disguise, massively buying 364,000 shares, investing more than 45.5 million US dollars, yet still unable to make any impact.


    As the break-even was completed, no further funds were invested for rebuying, leaving Tesla completely unsupported.


    The stock price fell below 120 US dollars, continuously plummeting, as if falling into a bottomless abyss without any end in sight.


    "Are there any more bearish news not released yet?"


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but wonder if he had made a mistake?


    Because in an instant,


    Tesla''s stock price had already fallen to 115 US dollars.

 Chapter 124 - 124: Retracting the Fist to Strike with Greater Force

    "Greed and destitution, how strikingly similar they are."


    Lu Liang took a deep breath, cast aside his dejection, and shifted his attention from Tesla''s market activity to the earnings of this venture.


    He had borrowed 1,098,000 shares from State Street and was left with 87,000 shares unsold. He sold the remaining 1,011,000 shares at an average price of $195.25, cashing in $197 million.


    He then repurchased at an average price of $124.32, spending a total of $125 million. After deducting State Street''s borrowing fee of $1.96 million for the 11th day, and the $630,000 borrowing fee from JPMorgan,


    he had a balance of $69.41 million left.


    "As expected, ideals are busty, but reality is flat-chested¡ªa significant gap indeed."


    Lu Liang shook his head and sighed; he had planned to make $100 million but ended up with less than $70 million.


    "..." Wen Chao gave a bitter smile.


    Is $70 million not a lot?


    What if it''s just a $100 million investment?


    And in US dollars, at that?


    That would already be considered a lot, wouldn''t it!


    He started preparing on the 30th, and now it was the 11th; even counting the holidays, it was a full 11 days.


    In 11 days, he made $69.41 million,


    equivalent to 441 million RMB¡ªis that not a lot?


    Such words,


    could only come from Lu Liang.


    The counting was completed before dawn had even arrived.


    Lu Liang, feeling pleased, turned his attention back to Tesla''s market activity; the stock price had already fallen below $110.


    The drop surpassed -16%; the sudden plunge had caused speculators to lose their reason, pouring in funds heedless of the cost.


    Everyone seemed as though they were scrambling for money; the entire market was selling off, but there were very few buyers.


    "Is there really bad news, or is it just feigning a massacre?"


    Lu Liang looked thoughtful; if not for shorting Tesla, he was actually quite optimistic about the company.


    After all, being selected by the nation to invigorate the domestic new energy industry surely had its merits. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    There were still seven days until the 18th, five working days. Would it be too soon to buy the dip now?


    The clock struck midnight on the 12th.


    Lu Liang was startled and quickly ordered, "Start buying into Tesla now. Don''t limit the cost, but try not to affect the market too much."


    [December 17th, Tesla, stock price $342]


    Whether the valley came early or late was inconsequential.


    In two months, the stock price soared by $230, making it hard for Lu Liang not to be tempted. Long positions were not like shorting; as long as he instructed to buy on dips, he needn''t constantly watch.


    US stocks were not like A-shares; there was no worry about being invited for a ''tea talk'' by regulatory authorities.


    With a single command from Lu Liang, six traders switched accounts from short to long. The available $69.41 million started to dwindle rapidly.


    By four o''clock closing time, at $118 a share, he had bought 193,000 shares, spending $22.774 million.


    The next morning, Lu Liang visited State Street Bank to return the 1,098,000 borrowed shares and retrieved $100 million.


    Hilt called over an assistant to help Lu Liang with the procedure while showing a melancholic expression like that of someone who had been abandoned, "Lu, are you dissatisfied with our services?"


    Two days prior, when news spread of Lu Liang shorting Tesla, he had been alarmed, thinking their information had leaked.


    Upon investigation, it was found that the source wasn''t State Street, but JPMorgan Bank; rumors had it that Lu Liang borrowed Tesla shares from them to short Tesla.


    Suddenly, Lu Liang gave a thumbs up, his expression solemn, full of admiration: "Hilt, State Street is this!"


    "To repurchase shares and settle accounts, I had to let the news out, to go in personally. But State Street''s confidentiality is top-notch; they would never leak information, so I had to turn to JPMorgan."


    "Compared to you guys, JPMorgan is this." Lu Liang suddenly raised his pinky finger, his face full of scorn.


    Hilt beamed with joy: "State Street has stood at the pinnacle of world banks for 223 years. To use a phrase from your Chinese culture, ''Integrity is the foundation.'' We protect our clients'' information more securely than nuclear secrets."


    Lu Liang nodded in agreement, his face full of amazement: "Mr. Hilt, it looks like we can collaborate often in the future."


    "Dear Lu, I look forward to your next visit, may God bless you." Hilt closed his eyes and made a prayerful gesture, smiling as he saw Lu Liang off.


    With $100 million back in hand, Lu Liang visited the bank. Under President Liu''s resentful gaze, he transferred the funds into his brokerage account. His available funds instantly reached $146.63 million, and he held 193,000 shares of Tesla.


    There was no help for it, plans cannot keep up with changes. Since Tesla had a market opportunity again, he could only apologize to Old Liu for the time being.


    He could only promise to keep all his funds with them in the future if he didn''t need US dollars, as even the Bank of China''s words were of no use.


    After pacifying President Liu, Lu Liang returned to the company.


    At half-past nine that evening, he ordered the six traders to buy Tesla stocks at any cost, without caring about the share price.


    He took advantage of the fact that Tesla hadn''t released positive news yet; as much as they could buy, they should, without worrying about impacting the market.


    Tesla shares were only at 120 US dollars now, but they would go up to 342 dollars in two months¡ªthe more they bought, the more they would earn.


    After delegating these tasks, Lu Liang went home to sleep; since he was going long without using leverage, he didn''t need to worry about a margin call.


    He only arranged for Wen Chao to oversee the operations in person, while he remotely monitored the main account, so there was basically no chance of chaos.


    Two weeks had passed since he could last sleep soundly; Lu Liang chose to sleep alone tonight.


    The next morning, while brushing his teeth, he checked Tesla''s performance from last night.


    The closing price was 119 US dollars, up by 3.42%.


    The account held 442,000 shares, with an average cost of 120.2 dollars per share, a total position value of 53.12 million dollars, and a loss of 530,400 dollars.


    "Keep silent and make a fortune, or show off a bit?"


    Lu Liang suddenly fell into thought. If he announced he had broken even and cashed out, Tesla''s stock would definitely soar.


    But he had more than a hundred million dollars yet to invest, and if the news got out, it would only exacerbate the cost of future investments.


    "Forget it, I''m a low-key person."


    Lu Liang calculated in his mind. After weighing the pros and cons, he decided against indulging in momentary satisfaction.


    It was, after all, better to earn more money, even if that felt great.


    But life doesn''t always go as planned.


    At ten in the morning, Lu Liang was leisurely sipping tea in his office, watching a sample clip of the Crown Princess Consort.


    The leading lady was Zhang Tian''ai, and indeed, as Old Meng and Little Wang had said, she was very beautiful at first glance, careful inspection revealed she was still very beautiful, but it was a sort of nondescript beauty.


    Watching the video, one would find her beautiful, but afterwards, it was hard to remember her face.


    Suddenly news came in,


    Disrupting Lu Liang''s leisurely drama-watching.


    Tesla announced it had secured a low-interest loan of one billion dollars from JPMorgan. They promised to deliver every car to customers within 16 weeks, calling for public oversight and vowing to pay ten times the deposit if they failed to comply.


    "That''s the responsibility of a big company."


    "Tenfold compensation, what more does Little Wang have to say?"


    "What can Little Wang say? However, it could be interesting to see Lu Liang become the laughingstock."


    "What do you mean?"


    "I heard from a friend that Lu Liang started shorting Tesla the night before last, using high leverage, and he''s likely to face a margin call tonight."


    "The night before last? Isn''t that like committing to a doomed course?"


    Once the news spread, it immediately caused a stir, everyone was curious how much money Lu Liang would lose this time.


    Some guessed 50 million dollars, others one hundred million dollars, and some two hundred million dollars.


    None were without the intent to see him fail.


    Little Wang was so angry he couldn''t even eat, heading directly to the office: "They''re saying that, don''t you want to make a statement?"


    "Young man, don''t get too worked up; what''s there to make a statement about?" Lu Liang asked with an easy smile.


    He inquired, "Surely no one''s trying to redeem their investment, right?"


    "That''s unlikely, they''re not that foolish. If they wanted to redeem, I''d be the first to buy from them."


    Wang Xiaocong was fuming, getting angrier the more he thought about it. The high-intensity confrontations over the past few days had made him irritable.


    "Old Meng recommended this, a soul-cleansing Zen class; it might be just the thing for you." Lu Liang smiled, handing over an invitation.


    "To hell with Zen."


    Wang Xiaocong glared at the invitation but then suddenly asked, "Oh right, should I continue with the lawsuit against Tesla?"


    Lu Liang said, "Drop it; I''ve shifted from short to long, a rise in stock price is a good thing."


    Wang Xiaocong felt a lump in his throat, "You''ve publicized it, and now you back out, doesn''t it seem a bit cowardly?"


    "Here, the soul-cleansing Zen class."


    Lu Liang offered the invitation again, then squinted his eyes and said softly, "Keep calm, we''ll update the net value on the 25th. This matter is like a spring; the tighter it''s pressed, the stronger the rebound."


    He wasn''t exactly patient either, but he didn''t seek immediate gratification; sometimes he held back his punches just to strike harder later on.

 Chapter 125 - 125: Sweeping Through Wall Street

    "That''s still half a month away."


    Wang Xiaocong sighed and looked at the calm Lu Liang, suddenly feeling like the emperor isn''t in a hurry while his eunuchs are dying of anxiety.


    "Hard to say," Lu Liang said with a mysterious smile.


    "Oh? Got a plan?" Little Wang was surprised.


    "How about some tea?"


    Lu Liang smiled without a word; he still owed JPMorgan 768,000 Tesla shares.


    Although he hadn''t used them yet, the interest had to be paid, and the shares had to be borrowed for at least seven days.


    It was the fourth day now, and once the shares were returned upon expiration, JPMorgan would know whether he had been margin called or not.


    "Don''t want any, always so secretive, quite exhausting."


    Wang Xiaocong gave a glance full of resentment and left the office with a stomach full of grievances.


    "Take care, no need to walk you out." Lu Liang smiled indifferently. Little Wang had a good nature; he could be considered a friend.


    ...


    If there was a superpower to stop time in this world, many people would wish it could always be frozen at this moment.


    They were the speculators short selling Tesla.


    Tesla''s announcement was like a death sentence execution order, pinpointing their execution time to the very second.


    How they wished the announcement had come during trading hours so they could have cut their losses or even flipped to go long.


    Not like now, feeling like a slow knife cutting through flesh, only able to watch helplessly as the stock market opens, awaiting their final judgement.


    At 9:30 PM, the US stock market opened, and Tesla''s stock price soared 38.55% to $164.87 at the open.


    "That''s ruthless."


    Lu Liang clucked in amazement. A 38.55% increase, he absolutely didn''t believe it wasn''t intentional.


    He may not know who the mastermind was, but he knew their methods were extremely ruthless¡ªanyone shorting Tesla was dead.


    That increase meant anyone using leverage would get a margin call, even just using the lowest two times leverage was not spared.


    The standard margin call was at a loss of 70%; if the loss exceeded seventy percent, brokers would protect themselves by forcing a sell-off.


    For Tesla to have surged by 70% overnight was clearly unrealistic, so the next best aim was to ensure an increase exceeding 35%.


    In that way, if there was no money to add to the margin, one would be forced to buy back stocks, squaring the account.


    As a massive number of shorts covered their positions by buying back shares, the stock price rose further, in the blink of an eye breaking $180.


    The daily increase reached 51.85%.


    "Mr. Lu, shall we continue buying?"


    Sun Yutao was excited, his face flushed red. Tesla''s stock had soared 38.55% at open, and they had also helped push it up.


    But they didn''t buy much, everyone was vying for shares, the stock price changed tens of times in one second, and their orders often failed.


    Lu Liang pondered and instructed, "Buy as much as possible below $200, but try not to affect the market too much."


    He returned to his workstation to check the total account. He currently held 462,500 Tesla shares at a cost price of $124.27. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The current price was $180.55 per share,


    Each share''s increase was $56.28,


    Today''s gain was $26.02 million.


    "If it rises above $200, stop buying for the time being; wait for the market to correct before accumulating at a lower position."


    Lu Liang sighed. The market had moved too quickly, there was still $111 million available in the account, but it was too late to build a position, he could only watch as the stock price soared.


    Fortunately, there was still a wave of increasing prices to catch.


    $342 on December 17, as long as they built positions below $280, there would be a profit.


    However, to maximize gains, it would depend on the handling tactics, and Lu Liang assigned tasks to everyone.


    The first principle, move quietly into the village, don''t fire any guns.


    Between the short and long positions, up to this second, they had already gained more than $95 million.


    It was time to lay low to avoid unwanted attention.


    Lu Liang left Wen Chao in charge to supervise and left the company, planning to take a few days off for the belated National Day holiday.


    Without leverage and planning to hold for the short to medium term, he just needed to be sure of the general direction and didn''t need to be constantly watching.


    Tonight was bound to be a sleepless night, as the international market''s retail investors were mainly from several East Asian countries.


    The more people and middle class there were in a country, the more retail investors there were, China was the undisputed number one.


    Behind the surge in Tesla''s stock price were countless speculators who had been liquidated.


    Suffering heavy losses, wanting to die, seeking psychological comfort, they tracked down Lu''s Weibo, hoping to find out his specific losses to alleviate some of their own stress.


    "Lu, brother, please, I beg you, tell us, otherwise, I truly won''t be able to sleep tonight, everyone''s numb from the losses."


    Lu Liang had five million followers, at least a third of whom were financial professionals or retail investors.


    Although they had lost a lot of money, if they knew someone else lost even more, they would feel slightly better.


    At this time, in Shuxiang Jinxiu District, just after taking a shower, Lu Liang picked up his phone and saw the post had tens of thousands of likes.


    He displayed a wicked smile and replied, "Knowing it might keep you up even later, be good and get some sleep."


    The netizen immediately replied, "Don''t be like this, save a child, I''m almost out of underpants. Sobbing.jpg"


    The comment was accompanied by an image.


    Curious, Lu Liang clicked on it and burst out laughing.


    A short selling account with $200,000 had already lost over $130,000, but was still persisting in shorting.


    "Give it up, it''s hopeless," Lu Liang kindly advised.


    After all, given the current circumstances, expecting Tesla to fall back to the $100 level was just too unrealistic.


    Might as well cut losses now.


    "Is there really not a glimmer of hope? 130,000 US dollars, how many welfare photos do I need to sell to make that back?"


    Lu Liang was puzzled and clicked on the netizen''s profile picture, only to discover it was a masked Welfare Girl whose main page was filled with various cosplay photos.


    The figure in the photos was clearly superior to Li Manli''s, but who knew what the person was like in reality since Photoshop skills could be so advanced.


    "You like looking at this sort of thing?" Su Wanyu had come up behind Lu Liang without him noticing.


    "Everyone enjoys admiring beautiful things," he said.


    Lu Liang, wearing a full smile, pulled Su Wanyu into his arms and pinched her perky nose, "Just like you, for example."


    "I don''t believe you one bit."


    Su Wanyu''s eyes curved like crescent moons,, looking fresh and lovely.


    Lu Liang kissed her deeply, and at the end, tenderly captured her red lips, "How about now?"


    Apartness makes the heart grow fonder; they clung to each other like glue, finding it hard to separate...


    In the following days, Lu Liang switched into vacation mode, spending every day with Su Wanyu, climbing mountains, diving into the sea, traveling, and holidaying everywhere.


    Until the new week arrived.


    Lu Liang came to JPMorgan Bank''s Modu office to return the borrowed shares, a total of 768,000 shares.


    Sun Wanzhou''s eyes widened in disbelief, his face showing he couldn''t believe it, "Mr. Lu, you didn''t use them?"


    The corner of Lu Liang''s mouth turned up into a teasing smile, "Whether I used them or not isn''t really your concern, is it?"


    "I apologize, I spoke out of turn."


    Sun Wanzhou quickly bowed in apology, and in that instant, the blood rushed back into his brain, and he suddenly realized.


    Borrowing shares was for the purpose of making money, to borrow without using them certainly wasn''t because there was too much money to know where to spend it.


    Following this line of thought, along with the market''s reaction, could it be that Lu Liang had been lurking there all along?


    After all, during those few days, the average daily trading volume was very high, many people shorted Tesla following Lu Liang''s lead.


    Even the real dark-pool dealers had intentionally let Lu Liang in, planning to trap and kill them all in one fell swoop.


    If Lu Liang had been lurking there early on, using this opportunity to settle accounts, then everything made sense.


    After all, to pay 630,000 dollars in interest over seven days, equivalent to over 4 million RMB,


    If it wasn''t for a greater profit, not even the richest man would waste 4 million for nothing.


    Lu Liang squinted his eyes and said with a light laugh, "Manager Sun, say thanks for me, though we have never met, I appreciate him."


    Sun Wanzhou looked bewildered, his mouth agape just right: "Mr. Lu, what do you mean by that? I don''t quite understand."


    "I hope next time we can cooperate just as pleasantly." Lu Liang patted his shoulder, laughed heartily, and turned to leave.


    "Mr. Lu, please take care." Sun Wanzhou watched Lu Liang leave, the smile freezing on his face.


    To kill not just the person, but also the spirit, it probably had nothing to do with him. He was just a spokesperson, just a tool.


    At this moment, it was past ten in the evening in New York.


    In southern Manhattan on Wall Street, on the 23rd floor of the JPMorgan Building, all the windows were flickering with colorful laser lights, revealing a corner of the financial circle''s extravagance.


    Pedestrians in suits and leather shoes looked up and all showed envious expressions because only those who profited over 100 million dollars were eligible to have a party in the office.


    As of today, Tesla had regained stability at 200 US dollars, and the big BOSS controlling everything had surfaced.


    Kamon Wilson, the head of group three of the JPMorgan Fund, was rumored to have made a profit of over five hundred million dollars.


    At this moment, on the 23rd floor of the building.


    The loud music suddenly stopped.


    Wilson, beaming with delight and with a blonde in his arms and a glass of wine in hand, stepped up to the podium, "Everybody stop, I''ve got some good news to share."


    He connected with Sun Wanzhou''s call and turned on the loudspeaker mode, placing the phone next to the microphone with a full smile, "Sun, tell us, how much did that Lu lose?"


    Everyone raised their glasses and cheered in anticipation of this side dish from the East, pushing the party''s atmosphere to its peak.


    Sun Wanzhou vaguely sensed that there was a party going on at the other end and after contemplating for a while, he still decided to inform, "Mr. Wilson, Mr. Lu didn''t use our shares, and he asked me to say thank you to you."


    Wilson''s face turned pale, "What do you mean?"


    With the Tesla situation resolved, who won and who lost was clear, so there was no longer any need for secrecy.


    He also directly inquired with the heads of Blackstone and Muddy Water, but the replies were that they had not participated in this action.


    Upon asking State Street Bank, the head of State Street would not admit it, which had been a thorn in their side all along.


    Profiting over five hundred million dollars, still ended up being the ultimate winner, not knowing who the shorts'' leader was, felt like something was missing.


    Sun Wanzhou thought for a while and shared his speculation, "From what I observe, it seems that Lu Liang is the leader of the shorts. He used strategies that in our terms are called Diversion, surrounding Wei to rescue Zhao, Bait, win half a point."


    Sun Wanzhou admired them and did not skimp on the praise. He was somewhat excited inside, after all, domestic rat trading and dog dealers were rampant, and it had been a long time since someone so impressive had appeared.


    More importantly, he was just an administrative staff member, always looked down upon by the foreigners on regular days.


    Suddenly, someone was making the foreigners take a loss, playing them in the palm of his hand, he felt a secret pleasure.


    There was silence on the other end of the phone for quite some time, and the entire party went dead quiet, everyone''s faces were as if they had seen a ghost.


    Through the microphone, Sun Wanzhou''s voice spread from corner to corner through a dozen loudspeakers, "Mr. Wilson, are you there?"


    "Yeah, I got it," Wilson replied.


    Wilson hung up and clenched his teeth, maintaining a smile, "Let the music play, let''s keep the fun going tonight~"


    "Goooooo¡«"


    The crowd forced a smile and cheered along.


    The loud music once again swept across the office area, only the passionate atmosphere from earlier was gone.


    From the known results, they could infer who was competing with them for chips on Monday and Tuesday of the last week.


    What they thought was a sweeping victory had actually let the biggest fish slip through their nets, and it was they who had let him escape.


    Lu Liang was the main force shorting Tesla, and he had successfully escaped with the money amid the institutional squeeze. The news leaked from the 23rd floor of the JPMorgan Building and quickly swept across Wall Street.

 Chapter 126 - 126: In Life, Fame and Fortune

    Beijing time 4 p.m., the news that Lu Liang was leading the short-selling campaign swept across the globe, making its way from international markets to domestic ones.


    More details were also disclosed by some financial professionals who wished to remain anonymous. Media outlets pieced together the information, and major bloggers sorted through the facts, gradually revealing the course of events.


    "Damn it?"


    "Wall Street''s joke of the day?"


    "Diversion, surrounding Wei to rescue Zhao, did this guy gobble up The Art of War?"


    "No wonder he replied to Welfare Girl a few days ago, saying he didn''t want to disclose his exact profits or losses, for fear they would lose even more sleep over it."


    "Damn it, everyone in finance has a dirty heart, with all these tactics, one after another, I was wondering why Little Wang had nothing better to do than bombarding Tesla, turns out he was playing a big game."


    "That dumbass Little Wang, does he even have the brains for this? It must have been Lu Liang''s doing."


    "What Lu Liang? Show some respect, call him Lu God! Who else could harvest Wall Street like this?"


    "Is there an expert here? How much did he make?"


    "Three to five hundred million, perhaps. I''ll ask my uncle in a few days. The net value will be updated on the 25th, and then we should know."


    "Upstairs, rich bro V50."


    "By the way, did those big shots in the car circle know anything?"


    "2333¡« I guess they didn''t know, considering Old Jia posted an angry emoji."


    Online discussions were in full swing, and Lu Liang''s name once again spread throughout the entire internet.


    But unlike before, Lu Liang truly became a Midas touch figure, and no one doubted his abilities anymore.


    After all, buying stocks, shorting yen, or going long on new energy indices could all be attributed to having inside information or just good luck.


    But with this Tesla short, people truly recognized his tactics. Lu Liang was like an ancient strategist, orchestrating from behind the scenes, controlling the situation, winning with weaker forces against the strong, playing Wall Street institutions like they were in the palm of his hand.


    "Damn it, how dare they say I have no brains, it was my idea in the first place."


    Wang Xiaocong was filled with righteous indignation and very angry, knowing that it was he who proposed the plan, with Lu Liang merely executing it.


    "Just say it then, but I guess you''d be ridiculed for trying to claim too much credit for yourself."


    Meng Changkun smiled and brewed tea, knowing as an insider that Little Wang suggested it, but doubting anyone would believe it.


    Including himself¡ªhe also doubted Little Wang had the brains for it, attributing it to chance, even though as a Chaoshan person, he didn''t eat dumplings during the New Year.


    Wang Xiaocong was resentfully silenced and ended up just sighing deeply, drinking his tea alone.


    Meng Changkun couldn''t help but chuckle, handing a cup of tea to Lu Liang: "Feels pretty good, doesn''t it?"


    In life, it all comes down to fame and wealth. Most of those who say they don''t care are just those without the means.


    He always believed that both men and women have vanity, it''s just the depth that varies.


    Now, with the pervasive online praises, Lu Liang was being hailed as a god of wealth, a deity of finance.


    Even the sages of old would feel secretly thrilled by such acclaim, after all, imparting knowledge and solving doubts was also for the sake of eternal fame.


    "It does feel quite good."


    Lu Liang had a smile on his lips, not hiding it, and taking a sip of tea, he said, "But too much of it is not good, contact Weibo to shift the topic."


    He''s not a celebrity who needs constant exposure. A moderate amount of fame is just fine, too much can breed envy.


    After all, to put it nicely, he''s a businessman, to put it bluntly, he''s a capitalist who doesn''t create value.


    If he''s always in the public eye, constantly showing off how much money he''s made, it''s probably not good for young people''s motivation to strive.


    Meng Changkun nodded in agreement, also believing in this approach: "I''ll take care of it, we''ll see which lucky person gets picked to take the heat."


    Deflecting the topic with a cold treatment was too harsh, the best way was to bring someone else into the limelight to shift the focus.


    Obviously, the candidates would be randomly selected from the entertainment industry¡ªgiven celebrities'' fame and the messy nature of their industry, they were natural bullet shields.


    Lu Liang turned to Wang Xiaocong: "I have to stop by Good Dream Production later, do you want to come with me?"


    Wu Tianzheng informed him that Crown Princess Consort had wrapped up filming and asked if he had time to take a look while discussing the platforms for release.


    "Let''s go!" Wang Xiaocong suddenly brightened up, having his sights set on the rights.


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but laugh, seeing right through his thoughts: "I''ve got a meeting with Li Ni from station B later."


    "My dear Liang, you''re also part of Panda Interactive Entertainment," Wang Xiaocong said resentfully.


    "Does Panda have money?" Lu Liang retorted.


    "They still have over thirty million."


    "Not enough." Lu Liang shook his head.


    Wang Xiaocong''s eyes suddenly widened: "For an online series that cost over five million to produce, how much do you want to sell it for?"


    Xia Luo''s production cost was just twenty million, and look at it now¡ªit made a billion at the box office, right?


    Liang remembered that Zhang Chen seemed to have contacted him a few days ago, suggesting they capitalize on the momentum and launch another film project.


    Wang Xiaocong wore a look of disbelief, "You can''t possibly think this crappy drama could become a surprise hit in ratings?"


    "It''s not like it costs much, let''s just gamble on it."


    Liang''s lips curved up in a smile. Station B had just completed financing and there was still two hundred million dollars lying in their account¡ªit should be able to rake in quite a bit.


    He couldn''t be bothered with Wang Xiaocong, leaving the office and gesturing for his cousin to follow as they set off for Good Dream Production.


    "Wait for me," called out Wang Xiaocong.


    Station B was gradually moving beyond the anime niche and developing towards his dream of Panda, namely live streaming, video playback, original dramas, self-media, and merchandise.


    He wanted to see what a growing Panda would look like and, by the way, see how Liang dug pits for people.


    Good to study and learn, just in case.


    As the two set out, seven or eight people stood at the entrance of the Good Dream Production film company building.


    There was not only General Manager Wu Tianzheng but also the entire creative team behind Crown Princess Consort.


    "Is Mr. Lu coming? What does he look like?" Zhang Tian''ai couldn''t contain her excitement, bombarding them with questions like a curious child.


    Even though Liang''s fame was substantial, few people knew what he looked like or how old he was, since he had never given an interview or appeared in public. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    There were plenty of supposed photos of him online, but the most reliable was a photo taken in dim lighting, capturing half of Liang''s face as he drank with Wang Xiaocong.


    Besides that, there were none.


    A man who played Wall Street institutions like fiddles in the financial market and whose name was still trending in the hot searches.


    It could be said that everyone was curious about him, especially since he was their financial backer.


    "Stop asking. When Mr. Lu arrives, you''ll know. Be careful what you say," Lv Jiji said, distracted.


    He had been busy filming lately and had only just heard the news about Xia Luo''s Worry, another film funded by Liang.


    According to Wu Tianzheng, Crown Princess Consort was Liang''s second film investment, which suddenly made him feel a lot of pressure¡ªif the web series flopped, it would tarnish Liang''s reputation.


    What if Liang held a grudge against him?


    Those with various thoughts in mind finally saw a black Bentley roll up after waiting for over ten minutes.


    Wu Tianzheng''s face broke into a broad smile as he rushed up to open the car door, "Mr. Lu, you''ve arrived, and Mr. Wang, you''re here too."


    Aside from the screenwriter and director, the three lead actors were meeting Liang for the first time, and they exchanged surprised glances.


    They were shocked by how young Liang was¡ªif he wasn''t reverse aging, then he looked to be around the same age as Wang Xiaocong, who was only 27 this year; Liang couldn''t be more than 30.


    It was hard to imagine that this internationally renowned financial and venture capital magnate could be so young, and even somewhat handsome.


    After all, the internet rumors said he was at least in his forties.


    "Come say hello. Why are you all just standing there not speaking?"


    Wu Tianzheng frowned, scolded them, then immediately broke into a smile, "Mr. Lu, please don''t mind them, they''ve always said they admire you greatly, they''re just too excited to react properly."


    "Mr. Lu, Mr. Wang, hello."


    Coming back to their senses, the actors bowed hurriedly to greet them.


    Liang''s lips curled up in a smile, his face showing amusement, "Zhang Tian''ai, Shen Lun, Xie Menglong, right? I''ve seen your acting, not bad."


    Upon hearing this, the actors flushed excitedly, as if greatly encouraged, "Thank you, Mr. Lu, we''ll continue to work hard."


    A hint of disdain flickered in Wang Xiaocong''s eyes that was hard to catch. If he hadn''t seen Liang flipping through information before they came, he might have believed him.


    He guessed Liang probably only recognized Zhang Tian''ai, the beauty, and had just learned of the other two men¡ªeven if he had seen the web series, he probably wouldn''t remember their names.


    After all, who bothers to remember guys'' names?


    He certainly wouldn''t.


    Following Wu Tianzheng to the office upstairs, Liang inquired, "When is B Station''s Li Ni arriving?"


    Wu Tianzheng glanced at his watch, replying, "We scheduled for three o''clock, so Mr. Li should be almost here."


    No sooner had he finished speaking than a group of people, led by a woman in her forties, inquired from outside the door, "Hello, is this Good Dream Production?"


    Wu Tianzheng quickly gestured, stepping out of the office with a beaming smile, "Mr. Li, welcome, please forgive us for not meeting you further out."


    "Hello, Mr. Wu."


    Li Ni smiled, looking towards the general manager''s office.


    She knew the son of the richest man, so the man beside him must be Lu Liang; bypassing Wu Tianzheng, she briskly came forward with a warm handshake, "Mr. Lu, hello, I''m Li Ni."


    As COO and CFO of B Station, her authority was second only to CEO Chen Rui. Buying films was a minor matter that she would usually not care about, much less appear in person at a production company for a screening; this was all due to Liang''s invitation.


    B Station was seeking a transformation and in dire need of money, still lacking funds even after financing, while Liang was very wealthy.


    So this time she came not only as the representative of the company purchasing the rights but also to seek investment on behalf of her company.

 Chapter 127 - 127: Ask for the Moon, Settle with What You Have

    "Mr. Li, shall we take a look at the web series first?"


    Lu Liang showed a smiling expression, exchanged a few simple pleasantries, then waved over Wu Tianzheng to lead them to the screening room.


    His purpose today was to help sell the broadcasting rights for the web series; other matters were secondary, to be dealt with later.


    "Sure," Li Ni nodded, her smile gradually fading as she followed the group to the screening room. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Before coming, she had gone over the project proposal and had to admit that it matched Bilibili''s core style extremely well.


    Although her main goal was to meet with Lu Liang, she also entertained the idea of acquiring the web series.


    After watching the first few episodes, even though it was Lu Liang''s second time, he couldn''t help but laugh out loud when the pantomime comedy came on.


    Li Ni bit her lip, pinched her thigh, and eventually couldn''t hold back her laughter, which solidified her thoughts even further.


    An hour later, as they exited the screening room, she asked, "Mr. Lu, I heard that you fully funded this web series?"


    Lu Liang smiled and said, "No need to go by hearsay, it''s true."


    "Admirable," Li Ni remarked with a complex expression, genuinely impressed.


    This web series and its post-launch marketing strategies were destined to be profitable.


    In the end, notoriety still counted for something. While it was certain they would not lose money, the potential to earn depended significantly on how well the market received it.


    Li Ni pondered for a long while, then inquired, "Mr. Lu, what do you think about six hundred thousand per episode?"


    Although it was funny and quite outrageous, the current market was dominated by mystery web series.


    Even if the production cost was fifteen million, she believed there was fluff to trim, requiring a fifty percent reduction.


    With thirty-five episodes in total, she intended to buy the exclusive premiering rights and the copyright for the next three years at six hundred thousand per episode.


    With profits over 200%, Lu Liang should be satisfied.


    Wang Xiaocong''s eyes widened; he knew that Lu Liang invested just over three million, and selling for twenty-one million wasn''t merely a 200% profit, but 600%.


    However, to his surprise, Lu Liang was not yet satisfied.


    Lu Liang smiled nonchalantly, "Mr. Li, you are so sincere it would be rude to refuse."


    He had Wen Chao investigate the web series market. It was challenging for a ''three no''s'' (no stars, no director, no scriptwriter) web series to sell for over half a million per episode. The fact that Li Ni was willing to offer six hundred thousand per episode showed her extreme sincerity.


    But given the final viewership of 2.4 million, selling the series for twenty-one million would be like selling it cheap; he might as well give it to Panda to at least improve Panda''s metrics, which would help with raising more money in the next funding round.


    Lu Liang paused, then said, "However, I feel like it isn''t exactly proper for Bilibili to bear the risks alone."


    "Mr. Lu, what better ideas do you have?"


    Li Ni sighed inwardly; she really wanted to say that they wouldn''t mind losing money and for him not to feel embarrassed or think it improper.


    But she knew this was just an excuse for Lu Liang not being satisfied with the price.


    "I''ll let you broadcast it for free, and let''s leave the price per episode to market forces. If the viewership and membership growth aren''t satisfactory, Bilibili won''t need to bear any unnecessary losses."


    Lu Liang was all smiles, generously suggesting that if the web series tanked in viewership, he would just give it to Bilibili for free.


    Li Ni frowned deeply, pondering for a moment and quickly grasping Lu Liang''s intentions, "Mr. Lu, would it be exclusive broadcasting rights?"


    Goods offered to three vendors go to the highest bidder.


    Indeed, someone from venture capital would be cranking the numbers shrewdly.


    If the web series entered the market with lukewarm reactions, then everyone would be happy.


    On the contrary, if it garnered a heated response, then multiple platforms would compete for the broadcasting rights.


    "It could be exclusive, or it could be non-exclusive; both could be discussed slowly."


    Lu Liang smiled, not at all embarrassed by his intentions being seen through.


    After all, negotiating business is much like buying a house, with sky-high asking prices followed by realistic payments.


    You take a step back, I take a step back, until we reach a condition acceptable to both parties.


    "Exclusive rights, how should we discuss that?"


    Li Ni didn''t want to compete in follow-up auctions, so it was worth even paying a bit extra now.


    "Our final metric will be based on the total viewership at the end and the number of new members compared year over year."


    Lu Liang pondered and proposed a tiered gambling agreement, with the final metric being one billion views and ten thousand new members.


    If those conditions weren''t met, the web drama would be given away for free, and he wouldn''t take a penny, including the royalties.


    If the requirements were met, the starting point would be one hundred thousand per episode, with two hundred million views and twenty thousand new members doubling to two hundred thousand per episode.


    Four hundred million views, forty thousand new members would mean four hundred thousand per episode, doubling each time, and so on.


    Li Ni pondered, "I have no objections to the viewership, but we need to adjust the new members metric, and there needs to be a floor."


    With thirty-five episodes and one billion views, each episode needed an average viewership of 2.86 million, enough to compete with second-tier web dramas.


    As long as viewership didn''t exceed eight billion and the price per episode reached eight hundred thousand, they generally wouldn''t lose too much.


    It was the number of new members that was too low; she wanted to increase the baseline to fifty thousand, given that memberships were more important than viewership.


    Lu Liang asked with a smile, "Mr. Li, you have so much confidence in this web drama that you want a cap?"


    Li Ni chuckled bitterly and couldn''t help but sigh, "Mr. Lu, my confidence isn''t in the web drama; it''s in you."


    When nobody inquired about selling a house for ten years, suddenly with fame, everyone knows.


    In just over half a year, Lu Liang went from rags to riches, amassing a fortune in the hundreds of millions.


    If there was no cap, she feared that the platform B might change hands because of a single web drama.


    Lu Liang laughed, "Then let''s set the cap at three point two million per episode, but let''s lower the membership to thirty thousand."


    He felt that 3.2 billion views and 1.6 million new members were highly unlikely, but 1.6 billion views and 480,000 new members were worth a shot.


    And 1.6 million per episode could still bring in a tidy profit of over fifty million.


    Li Ni furrowed her brows, hesitating for a long time before agreeing, "Alright."


    Since Lu Liang had given ground, she had to compromise as well, and they finalized based on one hundred million views and thirty thousand new members.


    As she was the COO and Lu Liang the sole investor, once they reached an agreement, the rest would be delegated to their subordinates.


    Lu Liang, learning that tonight was the wrap party for "Crown Princess Consort," casually asked, "Mr. Li, how about joining me for a simple meal?"


    Li Ni smiled and tactfully declined, "Mr. Lu, I have work matters to attend to, maybe next time."


    If it were just dining with Lu Liang and Wang Xiaocong, she would be interested; but with too many superfluous guests, she preferred not to join the hubbub.


    "Then Mr. Wu can escort Mr. Li."


    Lu Liang didn''t press and called over Wu Tianzheng to convey the results of their negotiation, entrusting them to hammer out the details.


    Since Good Dream Production was responsible for early preparations and later promotions, he generously offered a 10% profit share.


    After all, Lu Liang had only put in money and hadn''t managed anything else; he couldn''t expect Wu Tianzheng to work for free.


    Though friends, it wouldn''t do to take advantage of him.


    "The web drama''s premiere rights have been sold; let''s meet at Jiangpan Restaurant later, my treat."


    Lu Liang was in high spirits, so he decided to pay out of his own pocket to treat the drama''s creative team to a high-end restaurant in Modu.


    He shared a car with Little Wang and Wu Tianzheng, where Wu Tianzheng, grinning from ear to ear, said, "Mr. Lu, young Zhang really admires you."


    What he implied was clear: if Lu Liang had his sights set on Zhang Tian''ai, Wu Tianzheng could lend a hand with matchmaking.


    Lu Liang looked displeased and said seriously, "Old Wu, can you stop acting like a pimp?"


    "Phony." Being in the same business, Wang Xiaocong had no restraint and expressed his contempt for Lu Liang outright.


    After all, he had just seen the way Lu Liang looked at Zhang Tian''ai¡ªit was nothing but admiration.


    Such a glance could also be interpreted as lecherous.


    The message of a man''s feelings had been delivered; now it was to see if the woman was interested and whether the young lady wanted to progress further.


    Lu Liang''s gaze turned unfriendly, "Little Wang, familiarity aside, if you speak out of turn, I''ll sue you for defamation just the same."


    "Heh¡ª" Wang Xiaocong scoffed coldly.

 Chapter 128 - 128: Opportunity is Reserved for Those Who Are Prepared

    Lu Liang was the main force behind short-selling Tesla, creating diversions and rescuing situations, playing Wall Street institutions like they were in the palm of his hand.


    After fermenting for half a day, the news had already spread worldwide, and domestic public opinion was bound to reach boiling point by nightfall.


    However, a sudden flurry of news swept the net. Wang Banbi released his eleventh creative music album.


    Just minutes after the good news was announced, another report came out: the police in Chaoyang received reports from the public and arrested several drug users in their jurisdiction.


    This piece of social news was neither big nor small, and in theory, didn''t even qualify for the local legal program on TV.


    But famous paparazzo Wei forwarded the message, "Ah, the main cast of ''Prison Tempest 4'' has added a few more generals."


    As everyone knew, there were only three parts to the ''Prison Tempest'' series; the legendary fourth part was entirely performed by stars and artists who had been caught in the past two years, experiencing the law firsthand.


    When Wei said this,


    It meant that some stars had become legal celebrities.


    Fans everywhere felt at risk, fearing their own houses would collapse, and the spectators eagerly guessed who it might be.


    Public opinion didn''t need to be guided by pity; it started with the ''Guess the star'' game, to the ace intelligence operation by the people of Chaoyang, and then to Wang Banbi being unlucky. As long as there was hope to hit the headlines, the entertainment industry would always quake.


    Various rumors flew everywhere online, overwhelming the spectators, and gradually, no one inquired about Lu Liang and his minor business affairs.


    Wang Xiaocong marveled, holding back his impulse to join the gossip: "Old Meng, that must have cost quite some money."


    He was still not in a position to comment publicly, as his lawsuit against Tesla was not long past, and joining the gossip could easily turn the fire back on Lu Liang.


    "Not much, just a few million."


    Lu Liang smiled dismissively, suggesting the entertainment industry was teeming with snakes and rats, and digging up dirt was hardly costly.


    The bulk of the money went to platforms and middlemen, with only a fraction eventually reaching the celebrities'' agencies.


    Artists with blemishes couldn''t go far, and if they couldn''t make money for the company, they would end up being used as scapegoats and sold.


    This allowed the agency to profit from both ends, earning a break-up fee from the artist and receipt of the expos¨¦ fee from the contractor.


    There weren''t that many altruistic people, maybe some bad luck ones, but usually, they were victims of competition or mere scapegoats.


    "I see that girl seems quite eager to advance?" Wang Xiaocong hinted quietly, gesturing for Lu Liang to look towards the front left.


    Zhang Tian''ai held a wine glass, seemingly observing when they would finish talking to find an appropriate moment to offer a toast.


    Lu Liang looked up, their eyes met, and he nodded slightly, showing a friendly smile.


    Zhang Tian''ai joyously approached, bending gracefully and closing the distance to stand before Lu Liang, holding her glass with both hands, her posture very humble, "Mr. Lu, thank you for investing in this drama, giving me the opportunity to play a role."


    "I didn''t interfere much with the casting. You secured this role through your own efforts."


    Lu Liang smiled slightly, meaningfully, "Opportunities are for those who are prepared, and you were ready. Just as the drama needed a female lead, the role naturally became yours."


    "Thank you for your guidance, Mr. Lu. I toast to you, may you have abundant fortune and may all your wishes come true," Zhang Tian''ai said playfully, twinkling her animated eyes and downing her glass in one gulp.


    Lu Liang chuckled lightly, sipping his drink.


    To divert attention from the others, Wu Tianzheng, clever as he was, clapped with glee and praised, "Great tolerance for alcohol."


    Zhang Tian''ai gave a shy smile and returned to her seat.


    Wang Xiaocong, smiling through his eyes, asked quietly, "What about it? Didn''t you say it wasn''t interesting? Why the change of heart?"


    Lu Liang smiled faintly, his expression unchanged, "Young people are too eager for progress, we should give them more opportunities."


    "Damn, you''ve said it all."


    Wang Xiaocong scowled, drained his glass, stood up, and patted Lu Liang''s shoulder, "I''m off to find my own fun."


    Wu Tianzheng was shrewd, seeing the situation, he called to everyone except Zhang Tian''ai, "Let''s go see Mr. Wang off."


    "Mr. Wang, allow us to escort you."


    The screenwriter and director smiled upward, rising from their seats, only the male lead of the web drama frowning tightly.


    Without making a sound, just before leaving the box, he gently kicked Zhang Tian''ai''s chair.


    He had developed feelings for this lively girl through the drama, and he couldn''t bear to see her fall into decline.


    Zhang Tian''ai remained unmoved, focusing on picking dishes.


    Opportunities are for the prepared, relying on years of experience climbing up from the bottom, she had become the female lead of the web drama.


    This time, she was lucky and well-prepared, and naturally became the leading actress in the web series due to her acting skills.


    But next time?


    And the time after that?


    A senior once told her that extras who aspire to be famous actors are plentiful, but even after decades of honing their craft, they often leave the industry with disappointment.


    Grassroots stories of conquering the market with acting skills exist, but they are one in a million, and most of them are male.


    Female stars are even rarer, and she didn''t want to rely on ephemeral luck or wait for ephemeral opportunities.


    "Come for a walk with me outside."


    Lu Liang smiled, picked up a hot towel to wipe his mouth, and got up to leave the private room.


    He knew those people wouldn''t be coming back.


    Zhang Tian''ai hastened her steps and hugged Lu Liang''s arm, smiling, "Mr. Lu, watch your step, be careful of the stairs."


    The two left Jiangpan Restaurant and strolled along Pujiang, walking more than two hundred meters quite naturally to Jiangjing Hotel.


    With the man willing and the lady eager, there was no need for roundabout ways, Lu Liang booked a luxurious suite.


    Entering the room, Zhang Tian''ai''s cheeks were flushed, but she took the initiative to help Lu Liang remove his coat and whispered in his ear, "Mr. Lu, let''s shower first."


    "Not in a hurry," Lu Liang sat on the sofa, legs crossed, watching with interest Zhang Tian''ai''s striptease.


    He always felt that women undressing had a particular charm and allure, provided it was done slowly and gracefully.


    Just like peeling a boiled egg,


    bit by bit,


    it''s very stress-relieving and healing.


    Sensing Lu Liang''s gaze, Zhang Tian''ai blushed shyly, deliberately slowing her movements and becoming more graceful.


    She slowly unfastened the little belt around her waist and the button and zipper, letting the loose jeans fall naturally.


    Her waistline was perfect, and her long thin legs had a proportionate waist-to-leg ratio, presenting a softly graceful figure.


    Her coat also gradually fell, revealing a pure cotton white tank top that displayed her beautifully slender swan neck.


    Lu Liang stepped forward, encircling her ''ant waist'' that seemed to be a handful, estimating that three hands could wrap around it.


    He shook his head with a smile, stopping Zhang Tian''ai''s next move, suddenly wanting to play something different like a wet clothing tease.


    In the bathroom, steam was hazy, the damp tank top hinted at a concealed landscape, far more captivating than nudity.


    ¡­


    Zhang Tian''ai was a hardworking girl; she knew her family background was ordinary and she wasn''t a graduate of prestigious academies.


    She wasn''t particularly talented in acting, singing, or dancing, telling herself repeatedly that she must work extra hard. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Mr. Lu, I''ve always felt very lucky¡­"


    Zhang Tian''ai spoke softly, sharing her past with Lu Liang, while also subtly indicating that she didn''t expect immediate resources and didn''t need him to care, but hoped that Lu Liang would remember her when appropriate and necessary.


    "Little Love, you''re a very clever girl," Lu Liang''s lips curved upwards, filled with emotion, softly caressing her soft hair.


    He thought of Wen Shanshan, who was desperate for resources; their relationship resembled a straightforward transaction.


    So, he didn''t force her to act in ''Crown Princess Consort,'' a drama destined to be a hit, but allowed her to choose for herself and then dismissed her.


    Zhang Tian''ai was wiser, understanding the value of perseverance, and trusting Lu Liang''s judgment, and even let him make the decision.


    "Mr. Lu, I might be foolish, but I believe what you say makes sense, opportunities are for those who are prepared."


    Zhang Tian''ai was earnest, her idea of preparation involving time to accumulate, then to burst forth with thin effort.


    Skill in acting is like that, so is building relationships; direct transactions can turn one into a mere commodity.


    "You already being aware of this makes you smarter than most people," Lu Liang couldn''t help but grin, a girl so sweet, understanding, and ambitious was hard not to love.


    He stroked Zhang Tian''ai''s earlobe, whispering softly, "If you ever like a boy, remember to tell me; I''ll help you screen him to prevent any deception."


    Zhang Tian''ai was silent for a while, softly hmm''d, shrinking her head under the covers, rustling sounds followed.


    This concern also served as a reminder; their relationship should remain as it is, without unrealistic expectations.


    She might meet boys as a single woman, but once a romantic relationship is confirmed, their arrangement would automatically end.

 Chapter 129 - 129: Musical.ly

    The next day, the hot search terms no longer featured Lu Liang''s presence; instead, names like Song, Zhang, and Li topped the list.


    The entertainment industry kept churning out explosive news. It had only been one night, but betting against Tesla seemed like last century''s news.


    Approaching noon, Lu Liang finally sauntered into the company, perusing the short video startup proposals selected by Wen Chao.


    Although he wasn''t clear on Lu Liang''s investment preferences, he could still assess how complete a proposal was. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Those impulsive ideas, coming from founders who couldn''t even clarify their own equity shares, were immediately filtered out by him.


    "Musical.ly?"


    Lu Liang saw a proposal from Yang Zhenyuan, the Deputy Director of Search Architecture at ByteDance.


    The proposer plainly stated this was a product that borrowed from the music short video social app Musical.ly and aimed to localize it.


    Users could quickly create 15-second MVs by pairing their own filmed videos with music from the music library or choose popular trending songs to produce music videos through lip-syncing and body movements.


    Having carefully read the proposal, Lu Liang picked up the desk phone and dialed: "Secretary Wen, get the information on Musical.ly."


    "Douyin, record the beauty of life."


    That phrase resonated deeply with him.


    The once vague concept in his mind suddenly seemed to take a tangible shape.


    While waiting for Wen Chao to gather information on the company, Lu Liang also switched regions and downloaded the app from the Apple Store.


    Blondes and brunettes with blue eyes, shaking their chests and hips, were edging the boundaries, paired with appropriate BGM tunes.


    Fifteen-second short videos flashed by, one after another, getting more addictive with each view.


    "The system algorithms don''t seem all that great."


    Lu Liang had been trying hard to like and show his appreciation for the sweetheart content from the United States, but the platform''s big data algorithms seemed to forget, and black men and women kept popping up.


    "Ethiopian women are this attractive?"


    While scrolling, Lu Liang suddenly realized that he didn''t dislike African Americans; it was just those with thick lips and flat noses he wasn''t fond of.


    Ethiopian girls looked good¡ªthey bore a resemblance to Eurasians with dark skin, and they exuded an exotic charm.


    "Old Meng once said black girls have particularly smooth skin? I wonder if that''s true or not?" Lu Liang thought while stroking his chin.


    Two hours later, Wen Chao knocked and entered, presenting a simple investigative report on Musical.ly.


    The app had launched in the North American market in April of the previous year and had quickly gained popularity among North American teenagers.


    The average daily active users had surpassed 4 million last quarter, and in early August, they had raised 14 million US Dollars. In that round of funding, the valuation had reached 70 million US Dollars.


    "What about the profit model?" asked Lu Liang.


    Wen Chao answered, "Mr. Lu, such apps primarily rely on advertising for profit. According to Musical.ly, they expect a loss of 5.4 million US Dollars every quarter."


    "Are they still exploring ways to profit?"


    Lu Liang thought for a long time before deciding to meet with Yang Zhenyuan in person to chat and hear his opinions.


    Upon receiving Wen Chao''s call, Yang Zhenyuan arrived from Beijing to Modu that afternoon, reaching the New International Building.


    Lu Liang invited Yang Zhenyuan to the reception room, "Mr. Yang, I''d like to hear your future plan for Douyin."


    Yang Zhen, 38 years old, looked like any other ordinary engineer amongst the masses¡ªnothing about him stood out.


    But Lu Liang didn''t judge him by his appearance because he had reviewed Yang Zhenyuan''s profile and knew him to be a man of extreme decisiveness.


    Ofo had its financing round in late August.


    At that time, Lu Liang had made a trip to Beijing to visit ByteDance and perhaps also fish for opportunities.


    Three days after his visit, Yang Zhenyuan submitted his resignation to Byte, and by mid-September, he had officially left.


    Just one day later, he established Douyin Limited Company and had since been preparing his startup proposal.


    "Traffic is king; in the future, Douyin could be Meituan, could be Taobao, or even WeChat."


    Yang Zhenyuan was extremely confident when he suddenly asked, "Mr. Lu, have you ever noticed the trends in the evolution of entertainment?"


    Lu Liang shook his head, "I haven''t paid much attention to that. I''d love to hear more about it."


    Yang Zhenyuan said, "Initially, because network data was expensive, people could only use text to communicate. With the rise of 3G technology, text turned into images, like the meme community Neihan Duanzi. It emerged at that time as a combination of text and image-based entertainment."


    "Since the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology issued 4G licenses last year, a large number of 4G phones have emerged this year. Data isn''t as expensive as before, and entertainment isn''t restricted to images anymore. Thus, Kuai Shou, a short video platform, was born."


    "Last quarter, Kuai Shou had 20 million daily active users, but it has a fatal weakness: a strong regional barrier."


    "Even though it sits at the top of the short video industry, its installation rate in the southern market doesn''t even reach 5% of the mobile phone market."


    "At present, the short video app market in the south is still a blank space, and I firmly believe that Douyin can fill this gap."


    Yang Zhenyuan spoke incessantly; he had worked as a search structure engineer at Baidu and ByteDance, respectively.


    The idea of starting a business had always been there, but he had been hesitant to make up his mind until that day Lu Liang visited ByteDance.


    Learning how highly Lu valued the short video application market, the heart that had been silent for so many years started beating again.


    In that moment, Yang Zhenyuan''s passion for entrepreneurship surged to unprecedented levels, as if there was music dancing in his mind.


    He was distracted all day.


    By chance, he glanced at,


    a research report on Musical.ly.


    Dancing, shaking, music, sound jump?


    Douyin!


    When he thought of this name, Yang Zhenyuan suddenly became obsessed; an instant vision of the brand logo materialized.


    Therefore, he decided to resign. Even though Zhang Yiming kept trying to talk to him, it couldn''t change his determination to start a business.


    With a smile at the corner of his mouth, Lu Liang asked, "Mr. Yang, didn''t Mr. Zhang express any desire to support your idea?"


    Yang Zhenyuan nodded, "But I''ve already left ByteDance."


    Zhang Yiming had indeed mentioned wanting to invest in Douyin, but Yang didn''t want Douyin, still in its infancy, to be labeled as a ByteDance product.


    He hoped to receive venture capital investment, and it just so happened that Lu Liang had an excellent reputation; to date, there was no talk of him meddling in company operations.


    Ofo, Mobike, Panda, and even Xia Luo, it was said, were all about investing money and overseeing the flow of funds, without interfering in anything else.


    One could say he was the dream angel investor for countless entrepreneurs¡ªa true angel and investor.


    Lu Liang smiled lightly, looking at the equity distribution plan. The registered capital was 5 million, with Yang Zhenyuan contributing 2 million, Zhou Xiaoyan contributing 1 million, and a funding gap of 2 million remaining.


    Seeing Lu''s puzzled look, Yang Zhenyuan explained, "Mr. Lu, Zhou Xiaoyan is my wife. She won''t hold any position; she''s just helping me to hold some equity."


    The more formal the enterprise, the more it avoids mixing personal affairs with public business. Having a husband-and-wife team is a big taboo.


    He had worked at Baidu for eight years and at ByteDance for three years, you could say he witnessed the development of the internet in China.


    He had achieved financial independence a long time ago. He offered Lu Liang a 40% share because he hoped to gain his support.


    After all, his personal assets, even including fixed assets like his house and car, totaled at most 40 million.


    When the company develops to a certain scale, it must introduce other capital institutions such as Redwood, Ali, Tencent, and Goldman Sachs.


    Some are amenable, like Tencent''s investment, which is mostly a hands-off approach, but others are more assertive, like Ali''s investment, which wants to control everything.


    Yang Zhenyuan needed someone who could balance them out. Tianxing Investment was his best choice, even though its scale wasn''t even comparable to a single hair of these two giants.


    But Tianxing had Lu Liang, as well as Tianxing Assets. But Tencent and Ali might not have such leverage.


    With the rise and fall, there was still some strength to compete.


    Lu Liang pondered, gradually revealing a smile, "Mr. Yang, I look forward to the day when Douyin implements its grand blueprint."


    Even without a sound prediction, he had decided to invest, because Yang Zhenyuan''s venture was all because of him.


    Past events had proven that the more he interfered, the further things deviated. Douyin was a company that came out of nowhere; it could flop, or it could become a unicorn.


    2 million was invested,


    Lu didn''t want a repeat of Mobike''s fundraising stories¡ªa company with great potential.


    But due to a lack of strength at the time, Mobike could only follow behind Redwood, picking up the scraps.

 Chapter 130 - 130: The Era Made Them

    Evening fell, and Yang Zhenyuan left with two million dollars, leaving behind a 40% stake in Douyin.


    Lu Liang didn''t leave the office but went to the trading floor and glanced at the current stock price of Tesla: 211 US dollars.


    The fervent mood of the market had subsided, without the fierce fluctuations of the previous days, and the overall trend was steadily upward.


    At present, he held a total of 652,000 shares of Tesla, with a cost price of 153.52 US dollars, yielding a profit of 37.47 million US dollars.


    There was 68.52 million US dollars of available funds in his account. Within a week, he should reach the target of a 90% position.


    Lu Liang was in his office, playing Fantasy indifferently, watching Panda''s live stream as he waited for the midnight chimes.


    Suddenly, he heard Little Wang''s voice through the headphones, "Are you playing with the snake? Baby teaming with a wild one? Isn''t that the same as throwing money in the water?"


    Lu Liang was slightly distracted, too lazy to bother with Little Wang. He took off the headphones and threw them aside, recording the information he had just heard.


    [On November 10, 2017, Toutiao acquired Musical.ly for one billion dollars, merging with Douyin.]


    This message revealed at least three pieces of information.


    The emergence of Douyin was inevitable.


    But in another world, it belonged to Toutiao, and Toutiao belonged to ByteDance.


    Two years later, the valuation would far exceed one billion dollars; otherwise, Toutiao would not acquire Musical.ly and promote the merger of the official and the pirated versions.


    "Is this thing really worth that much?"


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but mutter, feeling a bit guilty as if he might have killed a unicorn.


    After all, a Douyin that didn''t belong to Byte or Zhang Yiming, could it still become a gigantic entity?


    Without Zhang Yiming''s five entrepreneurial experiences and ByteDance''s technical team support, whether it could still become an entity that spent one billion dollars to acquire Musical.ly was unknown.


    Lu Liang thought for a long time, couldn''t figure it out, and simply gave up thinking. Even the guilt that had just arisen dissolved like smoke.


    There''s a saying: without Ma Yun, there''s still Zhang Yun, Zhao Yun¡ªsome products, some people are meant to be born in their times.


    It''s the era that made them,


    Not them making the era.


    Byte would definitely enter the short video field in the future, and perhaps because Yang Zhenyuan went solo, that would even happen sooner.


    Whether Yang Zhenyuan''s Douyin could compete with ByteDance''s ''Douyin'' depended on his own luck.


    Lu Liang would just silently cheer for him and at the right time, contribute some appropriate funds.


    If it wasn''t right, he''d bail and even facilitate the merger of pirated versions, then acquire the official one.


    Having thought it through, Lu Liang felt cheerful. Back at his computer, he put on his headphones and heard Little Wang cursing, "You can''t be so hasty, so many people are watching."


    Lu Liang''s face darkened, speaking in a displeased tone, "I''m hungry, bring some late-night snacks to treat me."


    "Are you my dad or something, ordering a late-night snack is one thing, but to deliver it too?" Little Wang got heated too.


    "So are you coming or not? I heard Zhu Hu is planning to come to Modu." Lu Liang said with a smile.


    The shared bicycle market was developing too fast, with 22 similar companies emerging in two months.


    Bikes of red, yellow, blue, and green filled the first-tier cities, ready to expand to the second and third-tier cities.


    The market was filled with smoke from the competition, and various forces entered the stage one after another¡ªa new round of financing wars was about to begin.


    During his last visit to Beijing, Lu Liang had promised Zhu Hu to sell him shares at a 20% premium during the B-round of financing.


    His recent visit was to discuss just that.


    Little Wang fell silent, suddenly went off-mic, and Lu Liang waited with a smile in his office.


    An hour later, Little Wang appeared at the office door, furious and carrying barbecue.


    "Mr. Wang, thank you for taking the trouble to come over so late." Lu Liang greeted him with a smile, giving him enough respect without being too much.


    Wang Xiaocong glared, his anger subsided by half, but he still didn''t look pleased, "Is Zhu Hu really coming?"


    "Yes, I''ll introduce you when the time comes."


    Lu Liang had barbecue in his left hand and beer in his right, with sentimental music echoing in the office, "Happiness is just like this."


    Wang Xiaocong asked again, "When is Crown Princess Consort going live?"


    "I heard they''re still doing post-production. It should be mid-next month at the earliest, definitely no later than the end of next month."


    Lu Liang didn''t pay much attention; it wasn''t just Crown Princess Consort¡ª even after spending a night with Zhang Tian''ai, he hadn''t cared much.


    Wang Xiaocong looked disdainful, "Everyone says I''m a scumbag, but in my opinion, you''re the real deal, at least I''m genuine with each relationship."


    "You''re still young, if you don''t change your ways soon, you''ll eventually die because of it," Lu Liang kindly reminded.


    Wang Xiaocong sneered, unconvinced, his reputation in the industry was particularly good, his girlfriends were passionate but not clingy.


    "Alas, I just can''t relate to you." Lu Liang called Old Meng, and they ate and drank until dawn.


    ...


    That afternoon, Zhang Chen visited the company.


    The box office for Xia Luo had surpassed 1.1 billion, and media predictions suggested that the final figure could exceed 1.5 billion.


    Although it couldn''t surpass Monster Hunt, Fast and Furious 7, or Avengers 2, it was firmly in the top five for the year''s box office.


    Recently, investors had been waving cash, urging them to quickly start the next film project.


    Suddenly, they were in high demand, any film produced by Mahua would never be short of investment.


    But Zhang Chen still sought out Lu Liang first, hoping he would invest and offer a 30% stake.


    After all, when no one was willing to invest, any investment was welcome, but now that there was no shortage of investors, they wanted investors with money and connections.


    Lu Liang''s connections were solid, something Zhang Chen had already experienced. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Representing Lu Liang, Tang Caide helped them secure an initial 43%, and the theater partners even promised to settle the dividends by February 1st of the next year.


    Generally, box office dividends after a movie ends its run take 3-6 months to arrive, often disbursed in instalments, sometimes taking up to a year to complete.


    Settling dividends by February 1st on schedule was unprecedented, especially since they had applied to extend the screening time.


    This was a firm and cozy leg to cling onto.


    "Mr. Zhang, please have a seat while I take a look."


    Lu Liang reviewed the investment share for Xia Luo, with a marketing and distribution budget of 60 million, they only contributed 6.45 million, with their total investment reaching 11.45 million.


    According to a 43% to 57% ratio, the final share for the production company was 30%, and they had a 25% share of that 30%.


    Assuming a box office of 1.5 billion, and after various deductions, the actual amount received would be over 70 million, a return of investment about six times, which he found satisfactory.


    When Lu Liang saw the next project, he frowned. The dark comedy Donkey Gets Water seemed to be aiming for awards.


    After a moment of contemplation, mainly because the budget was half of Xia Luo''s and 30% was only 3 million.


    Xia Luo had earned them tens of millions, so with a wave of his hand, he agreed to finance the shoot.


    After all, Happy Mahua was new to the film industry, had ambition, and that was understandable; having made money, they now wanted prestige.


    Seeing Lu Liang frown, Zhang Chen''s heart leaped to his throat, but when he heard Lu Liang agree, he breathed a sigh of relief.


    "Mr. Lu, if you''re busy, I''ll take my leave," Zhang Chen exchanged pleasantries before leaving to not bother Lu Liang''s work.


    Just after seeing off Zhang Chen, Lu Liang returned to his office, but before he could settle in, Zhu Hu arrived.


    Zhu Hu looked around the office with interest, "Mr. Lu, this office environment looks better than Golden Sand River."


    "Well, Beijing has no river and isn''t by the sea, that''s how it is with inland cities," Lu Liang responded with a smile. He liked Beijing, but not too much, as the political and cultural atmosphere was too intense.


    As a businessman, you should keep close to the government but stay away from politics; he always left these matters to Little Wang, more precisely, the influence of the Wang family.


    "Ofo is going to raise funds next month," Zhu Hu mused, feeling that it had come too soon.


    They planned to fundraise in January of next year, hoping to push the valuation to one hundred million dollars.


    But then Alipay opened a traffic gateway for ofo, Tencent directly invested in Mobike and opened the WeChat gateway.


    With Double Ma entering the field, a flood of capital poured in, but the capital didn''t want a repeat of the Thousand-Group War tragedy and aimed for a quick resolution.


    All shared bicycle companies were being whipped by capital, like wind-up toys, endlessly expanding.


    In the past two months, the market saw an influx of 3,000 new bikes daily, with the total reaching 450,000.


    Zhu Hu was unclear about other companies'' data, but ofo had deployed 100,000 bikes and had reached the milestone of 700,000 daily uses.


    "The development of internet enterprises really changes with each passing day," Lu Liang exclaimed. He hadn''t paid much attention and ofo had already quintupled in size.


    Zhu Hu spoke softly, "Between 60 to 80 million dollars, that''s probably the valuation for the Series B round."


    "If you need anything, Brother Hu, just say the word, I''m all in," Lu Liang smiled, quite generously.


    Taking the median value of 70 million dollars, after the Series B round, they would still have 16.2% equity, worth 11.34 million dollars.


    With a 20% premium, that was 13.6 million dollars, equivalent to 86.54 million RMB. Investing one million and earning 86 times that, if he wasn''t satisfied, he deserved to be struck by lightning.

 Chapter 131 - 131: Net Worth 3.01

    "Brother, don''t play coy after taking advantage of a good deal."


    Zhu Hu gave a wry smile; although they would earn more, they also had to bear greater risks.


    The further along they got, the harder it became to cash out because everyone''s eyes were bloodshot with the mentality of winner-takes-all, determined to see things through to the bitter end.


    Unlike Lu Liang, who had pocketed his gains early; with his abilities in the financial market, he could make more just by rolling his money a few times than they could by slaving away.


    Lu Liang just smiled and said nothing, then he brought up Panda Interactive Entertainment, after all, he had promised Little Wang to drum up a few more investors for him.


    "Sure, send me an invitation when the time comes," Zhu Hu agreed briskly, not just to give face to Lu Liang.


    Because he suddenly remembered that Tencent seemed to be plotting a big entertainment project, and the market was going to be integrated for a listing eventually.


    Stakes in Panda could also fetch quite a sum of money.


    As they chatted, Zhu Hu''s face took on a strange expression: "What did you do last time you went to Beijing? A few days ago, when I talked to Zhang Yiming about you, he seemed like he wanted to eat you alive."


    "If it''s going to rain, the lady will get married. If a subordinate wants to start a business, it shows the leadership is lacking. What does it have to do with me?" Lu Liang said.


    "Isn''t it quite normal? So why does he hate you so much?" Zhu Hu felt puzzled.


    "Maybe he''s just a little petty."


    "Maybe so."


    Zhu Hu laughed to himself, recalling when Lu Liang visited Golden Sand River; his eyes had lit up upon seeing Kuai Shou''s business proposal.


    ...


    After several uneventful days, the 25th finally arrived, when Tianxing Private Equity would update their net asset value for the second time.


    Lu Liang sat tranquilly as Little Wang became anxious: "It''s only half an hour left, can''t you reveal a little bit ahead of time?"


    Everyone knew Lu Liang had made money, but nobody knew exactly how much. They were all waiting for the net value update.


    "Rules are rules. Look how calm Old Meng is." Lu Liang, still smiling, gestured for him to look at Meng Changkun.


    Old Meng was the picture of composure, holding a teacup, not a drop of tea spilling as he poured.


    Old Meng spoke nonchalantly, "What comes is fate, what goes is karma. Young man, do not be anxious¡ªdrink more tea."


    Wang Xiaocong made a disgusted face: "Ever since he signed up for that spiritual Zen class, his brains have been scrambled. You want me to learn from him?"


    Lu Liang chuckled and continued to examine the earnings report, which was divided into two parts: gains from A-shares and US stocks.


    Heavily invested in BYD, their stock value was RMB 320 million, and they were still buying; the profit was RMB 31.35 million.


    The account had available funds of RMB 193 million, including RMB 50 million loaned to Panda Interactive Entertainment.


    Total assets in RMB were RMB 563 million.


    Heavily invested in Tesla, the stock value was 172 million US dollars, with a current profit of 42.4 million US dollars.


    The account had available funds of 40.81 million US dollars, with total US dollar assets being 212.81 million.


    Total assets in the dual currency were 301 million US dollars, which also represented this month''s net value of 3.01.


    Lu Liang signed the authorization and handed the report to Wen Chao, then turned his head to see Little Wang, separated by a wall, calling Wen Chao.


    "Are you disappointed? It''s not as much as you all imagined."


    Upon learning the net value, Meng Changkun couldn''t contain himself; to hell with that spiritual Zen class, speaking excitedly, he blurted out: "Damn impressive, the net value has risen by 1.17, an increase of 63.6% compared to the previous period."


    Lu Liang sighed, "Ah! Alas, last month we grew by 84%, and this month only by 63.6%."


    "Liang~ Bro~~~ with a capital of one hundred million dollars, earning two hundred million dollars in two months, you''re already pretty awesome."


    After Little Wang finished his call and came back, he managed to restrain the urge to beat up Lu Liang in his excitement and fawned over him with a big, sheepish grin.


    He had subscribed to eight shares, a total of sixteen million dollars, which now turned into forty-eight million dollars. Even after deducting the 20% fund profit management fee, it was still RMB 162 million.


    Meng Changkun was amazed and nearly speechless, feeling that any praise was too pale; he had subscribed to one share less than Little Wang, and after deducting the management fee, he could also earn RMB 142 million.


    But what was more startling to him was Lu Liang''s earnings. He had subscribed to sixteen shares himself, one more than the other two combined.


    In two months, his earnings had reached RMB 325 million, and he also enjoyed 60% of the 20% share of the fund''s profits.


    Currently, the management fee generated was RMB 255 million; in this respect, Lu Liang''s income was another RMB 153 million, totaling RMB 478 million.


    In two months,


    He earned RMB 478 million,


    How much more could he earn after ten months?


    Meng Changkun suddenly became serious, "Liang, if you have any plans, you should start preparing for the second phase of the private equity fund."


    "Right, right, we''ve got to get ready quickly," Little Wang said excitedly, agreeing hastily, still thinking he would have a part in the second phase.


    Meng Changkun gave him a sharp look and explained, "There were too few newcomers in the first phase; they''ll slowly move from regret to envy, and finally to jealousy."


    Lu Liang pondered for a long time and nodded, "Understood, I''ll give it some serious thought."


    Old Meng''s concern wasn''t unfounded. It wasn''t a minority that would destroy what they couldn''t have.


    He wanted to make money without worry, which meant bringing more people in to join them, to form a community of shared interests.


    Meng Changkun looked serious and felt it was time to be honest with Wang Xiaocong, "Xiaocong, we can''t join the second phase."


    Wang Xiaocong''s face changed slightly, showing a hint of anger, "Old Meng, what do you mean by that?"


    Meng Changkun spoke bluntly, "Think about it. Do our efforts deserve such a high return?"


    Wang Xiaocong might be naive, but he couldn''t afford to be, and he believed that Lu Liang was waiting for him to explain to Wang Xiaocong.


    Among the three of them, if one had to play the role of the ''good cop,'' it had to be him, because it was agreed from the start that Lu Liang would stay out of the minutia.


    Wang Xiaocong''s eyebrows furrowed, his anger gradually fading, as if he had never considered this question.


    It seemed like all he did was reject a few phone calls, and amidst laughter, he ended up with 20% of 20%.


    Wang Xiaocong looked at Lu Liang, wondering what his opinion was.


    Lu Liang didn''t avoid his gaze, smiling, "It''s not as serious as Old Meng says. Future subscriptions will still go through you guys."


    What he meant was that the shares would remain the same; they could either subscribe themselves or give them as favors, but there would be no equity dividends.


    He also needed to bring in stronger institutions, and he already had a desired target in mind.


    "Damn, so that''s it. I thought it was something big, scared the hell out of me," Wang Xiaocong suddenly burst into laughter, breaking the increasingly solemn atmosphere.


    "Little Wang, I''m warning you, stop being so disrespectful,"


    Lu Liang and Meng Changkun almost said it in unison.


    The three exchanged smiles, everything unsaid was understood.


    Meanwhile, a new storm was brewing.


    The net worth of Tianxing Private Equity Fund reached 3.01, a 63.6% increase over the same period, and the news spread widely within the circle.


    Those in the know marveled; two hundred million dollars earned in two months, with the short-selling of Tesla probably netting 117 million dollars.


    On a stock with a market value of just under twenty billion, making 117 million by short-selling was like brutally carving flesh from Wall Street.


    For years, they had either harvested each other or joined forces to harvest outsiders; this was the first time someone took food from their plate.


    Such welcome news, promoting our national pride and uplifting people''s spirits, was eagerly shared among industry insiders.


    It spread from one to ten, then ten to a hundred, and gradually went viral.


    Lu Liang, who had been forgotten due to the addition of a new starring role in "Prison Storm 4," once again caught the public''s eye.


    This time was different from before; last time, netizens only knew Lu Liang shorted the stock but didn''t know how much he had made.


    But this time, specific profits were leaked, amounting to an astonishing 117 million US dollars, approximately 744 million RMB.


    "I''m feeling dizzy."


    "How many zeroes is that?"


    "He made that much in one month?"


    "Any experts around? I''ve got some spare cash." S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Take me with you; I want to make money too."


    There was a frenzy of subscriptions across the internet, but no one knew how to do it; ultimately, it all headed to Lu Liang''s Weibo.


    "Lu God, take me to the skies~~"


    The news received nearly a million likes.


    On the other side of the ocean, in the middle of the night,


    Wilson''s face was as dark as still waters, a watch worth fifty thousand dollars was hurled to the ground with force.


    He initially thought Lu Liang had made just a few million, at most not surpassing ten million, but he hadn''t expected it to be a nine-figure sum.


    That was a quarter of their earnings, which should have been theirs. Rounding up, it was nearly a three hundred million dollar loss.


    His heart was bleeding; losing money was one thing, but losing face was another. They had nearly lost all of Wall Street''s prestige.


    "Lu~Liang!"


    A roar echoed through the luxurious apartment in the dead of the night.

 Chapter 132 - 132: Idea

    Countless interested investors, either through friends or by calling the company, always find themselves somehow connected to Lu Liang, whose phone is nearly bursting from all the calls.


    Where there are vested interests, there are naturally scammers.


    Just a few hours later, people were swindled out of hundreds of thousands, allegedly buying into Tianxing Private Equity''s private index.


    "Strange things happen every year, but this year, especially so."


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but marvel; private equity, private index¡ªthese terms sounded so niche.


    But to avoid more people being deceived and tarnishing his reputation, he had no choice but to clarify on Weibo, warning not to believe in so-called insider relationships, which were absolutely non-existent, and to beware of scams.


    At the same time, he had Old Meng release news that Tianxing II was in preparation and that details would be announced soon.


    The specific date, naturally decided by Lu Liang, could be a week, a month, or two¡ªit all could be referred to as "soon."


    It was a signal to the outside world: those who missed the first round should not panic. It wasn''t necessary to wait ten months after the first round ended to start the second.


    Once the news was released, the online buzz about Lu Liang quieted down significantly, as if there was an intention to shield him.


    "A family with an elder is like having a treasure."


    Lu Liang reflected on how Old Meng, who left his hometown at 14 and had been struggling in Modu for over twenty years, had some real skill in calculating human nature.


    "Old my foot." Meng Changkun gave Lu Liang a disgruntled look.


    He was only seven years older than Lu Liang, but having experienced more of life''s trials, he appeared a bit more mature.


    "Sorry, sorry," chuckled Lu Liang.


    The next morning,


    Lu Liang was invited to Anchi Road in the outskirts of Modu.


    Li Bing''s NIO had passed the official approval and obtained the necessary documentation to manufacture cars. The company was also officially opening today.


    Spanning 12,000 square meters and decorated like a 4S store, it was also the first NIO intelligence driving experience center.


    But the building was empty. As soon as Lu Liang arrived, he saw Lei Jun and joked, "Mr. Lei, you''re free today?"


    This year was Xiaomi''s time to shine, as Lei Jun finally shook off his reputation for cheap tricks, with a significant increase in phone production capacity.


    In the third quarter, shipments exceeded 60 million units, accounting for 12.5% of the smartphone market, and Xiaomi was at the top of the sales charts for major brands.


    "I just got off the plane last night and came to take care of some business. Li Bing was waiting right at the airport gate, how could I not come?"


    Lei Jun was both amused and surprised by Lu Liang''s arrival, who sighed, "Just stepping out to avoid the limelight."


    He could not stay in the company any longer as people kept coming to visit; ignoring them was rude, but meeting with them led nowhere.


    So he was always running out these days, letting Old Meng handle the visits. After the initial few days, things should quiet down.


    "The world bustles for profit, and scrambles for it, too," Lei Jun mused, also expressing his interest in the next phase of Tianxing Private Equity.


    After all, as the so-called Cash King of Beijing, lying on his account were billions upon billions, and even collecting interest from the bank was almost embarrassing.


    "Remember to come when the time comes, Mr. Lei."


    Lu Liang smiled and agreed, also showing his interest in investing in Xiaomi''s E-round of financing.


    With Xiaomi valued at 45 billion US dollars and likely going public in a couple of years, investing now wouldn''t yield much, but it was certainly a safe bet.


    On the verge of breaking the one billion personal wealth mark, Lu Liang was acutely aware of the need for security and planned to set aside one billion to establish a family trust in Xiangjiang.


    He intended to hold long-term recognised blue-chip stocks like Apple, NVIDIA, Tencent, Ali, and Moutai, with himself, his parents, his sister, and his yet-unknown children as beneficiaries.


    Xiaomi Group was also in Lu Liang''s consideration. After all, Lei Jun was incredibly strong, almost single-handedly driving down the prices in the smartphone market.


    Although Xiaomi has always been synonymous with the low end, even Lamborghini, which is high-end enough, is still struggling with losses, being bought and sold over the years.


    Products that ordinary people can afford are mainstream: profit margins are low but resilient, and there is always an unyielding push towards high-end. Failure just means a few years delay before making another attempt.


    Upon learning that Lu Liang only wanted to buy a few shares and had no intention of leading a major investment, Lei Jun agreed with a laugh.


    In a light-hearted exchange, the two reached a mutual benefit.


    "What are you two talking about?" Li Bing approached with a full smile, on the cusp of a new phase in life, his spirits high with joy.


    "Just chatting," Lu Liang replied with a smile, signaling to Wen Chao to bring over a pair of flower baskets for the opening.


    As ten o''clock approached, the NIO experience center grew busier, and the media, having caught wind of the event, began to swarm.


    "Mr. Li, Mr. Lei, I''ll be heading off now."


    Lu Liang, knowing when to step back, was aware that at least half of the media presence was due to him.


    Not wanting to steal the spotlight or compete for attention, he courteously excused himself and left early.


    "Mr. Lu, have a safe trip."


    Watching Lu Liang drive away, Lei Jun was full of admiration: "He''s grown too fast."


    Two months ago, Lei Jun saw Lu Liang for the first time at Mobike''s financing meeting. They merely exchanged nods then, without expectations of future interactions.


    In the blink of an eye, Lu Liang had become the hottest new figure, with countless people wanting to connect with him. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Effort spent in planting flowers may not yield blooms; willows planted without intent may provide welcome shade."


    Li Bing admired his foresight; initially just wanting Lu Liang to make up numbers, he had instead snagged a giant crocodile.


    As a NIO backer, Lu Liang could imagine the stir the new car would create in the European and American markets upon its release.


    Unlike earlier established companies like Tencent, Redwood, and Xiaomi, where the company''s fame far exceeded that of the founders.

 Chapter 133 - 132: Idea_2

    In the European and American markets, Tianxing might not be recognized, but mention Lu Liang, and eight or nine out of ten would know him.


    Because the United States has always been setting up hypothetical enemies, the China threat theory has been circulating for many years and has been accepted by many.


    Following military, technology, and economic threats, even the financial realm was threatened, naturally receiving extensive media coverage in the US.


    Lu Liang''s fame in Europe and America is bigger than most people imagine.


    Because the US media screwed up. Initially, they intended to propagate the Chinese threat in every aspect.


    But Wall Street doesn''t have any clue, painting themselves as the underdog, not realizing the notoriety that already exists in the streets, with Lu Liang also praised as the dragon slayer from the East.


    He single-handedly defeated Wall Street.


    "Is NIO following Tesla''s route?"


    On the way back, Lu Liang flipped through NIO''s strategic planning book distributed to shareholders.


    After all, he surely didn''t come early in the morning just for NIO''s opening ceremony. With that time, wouldn''t snuggling with a beauty for more sleep be more pleasant?


    Lu Liang primarily wanted to see Li Bing''s arrangements for NIO''s cars, and the subsequent plans, to study and learn.


    NIO''s first concept car already had a prototype, named NIO EP9, a pure electric supercar.


    This car wouldn''t be mass-produced, its main purpose was to stack up performance, establish a reputation, and position NIO as a high-end car brand.


    Going from low-end to high-end is difficult, Xiaomi is the best example.


    Ever since the Red Rice series became a hit, Xiaomi tried to transition more than once, but let alone breaking into the high-end market, they couldn''t even squeeze into the mid-range market.


    But it''s easy for a high-end brand to cater downwards, like the BMW X1, a regular three-cylinder car, difficult to sell for a hundred thousand without a brand insignia, but can be sold for two hundred thousand with it.


    It''s partly due to BMW''s positioning, and on another note, because of BMW''s fame.


    NIO is a new force in car manufacturing, lacking fame, and can only start from positioning, somewhat similar to Tesla''s trajectory.


    Initially, they also started with a sports car, achieving records in various championships and setting world records, establishing their fame.


    "Is contract manufacturing the mainstream?" Lu Liang pondered to himself.


    NIO partnered with Jianghuai, Li Xiang with Lifan, Xiao Peng with Guangqi¡ªwithout exception, all new forces chose contract manufacturing.


    Although it saved time and reduced investments, the quality control couldn''t be guaranteed, and most importantly, the mass production timing was delayed.


    New forces are after all partners, and contract manufacturers only make a tough earning, they would also launch their own new energy vehicles.


    This way, they''d fall into Xiaomi''s initial predicament, unable to increase production, leading to Lei Jun being mockingly called a monkey showman.


    By contrast, Lu Liang preferred BYD''s route, self-producing, self-selling, self-research. From concept initiation to vehicle implementation, it probably wouldn''t take a year, and as long as it passes the public listing review, mass production could be realized immediately, keeping production costs very low.


    "But BYD took more than two decades to open up all industrial chains and form a complete ecosystem."


    Back at home, Lu Liang kept thinking about how to traverse the path BYD took decades to walk in the shortest time possible.


    He thought about his strengths. Since the inception of finance, it was there to support manufacturing and expedite business development.


    A car requires thousands of parts, coming from over 200 first-level suppliers, with countless second and third-level suppliers.


    If he invested in first-level suppliers, reaching a certain degree of ownership, it could apparently count as forming an ecosystem. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Through their hands, he could cultivate his own forces, forming a truly complete ecosystem.


    "The money from private equity seems far from enough."


    Lu Liang was startled by his own thoughts because this wasn''t a matter of just a few billion or hundred billion.


    The required capital was not just astronomical, but the profit cycle would be very long, with no certainty of even breaking even.


    "Private equity won''t cut it, but public funds might be possible."


    Private equity is a channel for the rich seeking high returns, but public funds are different because they are aimed at the general public.


    The public''s demands are low because, lacking suitable investment channels, they just want to beat inflation.


    The biggest advantage of public funds is that they can be bought and sold; as long as a strong foundation is built and a bank run on redemptions is prevented, it can last ten years, twenty years, or even longer.


    Lu Liang''s eyes grew brighter and brighter; he felt a high possibility of success with this venture, as Tianhong Fund linked to Alipay already had four hundred million users and surpassed one trillion in scale.


    He had also thought about the choice of foundation, such as Modu''s pension institution and State-owned Xiao Xin, planning to attract them to his next private equity, giving them a taste of profit.


    "After all, the world has suffered from funds for a long time; the rich can''t always profit while the average person just watches."


    At this moment, Lu Liang felt a surge of spiritual elevation, although his original intention was to spread the risks, he convinced himself.


    Stepping out of the study, he saw Li Manli playing games on the couch, her white silk legs swinging intentionally or unintentionally.


    By the end of October, a freezing Siberian cold front had descended, and temperatures in Modu were rapidly plummeting to single digits.


    But she seemed impervious to the cold, determined not to wear long pants as long as she could wear skirts and shorts with bare legs.


    "Are you not streaming today?" Lu Liang pounced forward, noticing she was playing Fruit Ninja.


    "I''m taking a few days off. Panda is preparing an online variety show, and they want me to be a regular guest."


    Li Manli put down her phone, clung to Lu Liang like a sloth, and squinted her eyes, revealing an expression of pure enjoyment.


    She really liked the smell of Lu Liang, a faint scent of smoke, and another indescribable but comforting aroma.


    "When are you heading over?"


    Lu Liang suddenly remembered a show called ''Hellos Goddess,'' a national audition for 240 beauties, out of which only 10 are selected to participate in a 49-day enclosed interactional live stream, culminating in a five-member group debut.


    Little Wang was the director of this show and had invited him to be a guest too, but he declined.


    "Tomorrow." Li Manli pouted, realizing she would probably not see Lu Liang for about 49 days.


    "Learning to dance and to sing, picking up some talents¡ªit''s all good," Lu Liang said with a comforting smile.


    "I''m a guest, you know, mainly just supervising and giving pointers," Li Manli complained.


    "What can you do then?" Lu Liang asked.


    "Uh, cooking?"


    "Not particularly tasty."


    "What about cosplaying?"


    "Mediocre."


    "I''m angry now." Li Manli huffed, folding her arms across her chest, looking unappeasable.


    Lu Liang laughed and explained the importance of having a good personal brand: wealthy, good-looking, likes cooking, enjoys cosplaying, and if she were diligent and keen to learn, she''d be an unbeatable combination.


    Panda had borrowed 50 million from him, with at least 30 million invested in this show. There was a chance for guests and participants alike to become wildly popular.


    "Besides, I''d like to see you dance gracefully. It should look quite charming."


    "If you like it, then I''ll go and learn."


    The next morning, Lu Liang was on his way to the company and took the opportunity to drop Li Manli off at the high-speed train station. He wouldn''t see her for over a month, and he was bound to miss her.


    "Liang~"


    Li Manli''s way of expressing her feelings wasn''t as reserved as Su Wanyu. At this moment of parting, she wrapped her arms around Lu Liang''s neck for a fierce two-minute French kiss.


    Only when her vision became blurred and she was almost breathless did she reluctantly leave, dragging her suitcase into the train station: "Bye-bye~ I''m leaving now."


    "If anyone gives you trouble, call me."


    Lu Liang chuckled, patted her head, and watched as she entered the train station, looking back three steps at a time.


    Back at the company, he had a meeting with Director Zhao from the Human Resources Bureau to discuss preparations for the second phase of Tianxing Private Equity.


    The progress was not particularly smooth; the bureau wanted to monitor his accounts, but Lu Liang did not agree.


    "Mr. Lu, I''m very sorry, but we need a stable, long-term institution that is subject to regulatory oversight."


    Lu Liang didn''t meet their criteria, and although Director Zhao expressed regret, he looked forward to a future collaboration.


    Pension funds were not like other institutions; making money might just earn you lukewarm praise, but losing it could spell disaster.


    They would rather do nothing at all than make mistakes.


    After Director Zhao left, Lu Liang felt a twinge of regret.


    In the afternoon, he met with Zhou Yongtao from State-owned Xiao Xin, known as a vanguard of reform at the forefront.


    Once contacted, the other party showed great interest, a completely different attitude from Director Zhao.


    "One billion dollars?"


    It was the fundraising amount for the second phase of Tianxing Private Equity. Lu Liang also planned to divide it into fifty parts.


    They could only raise funds from fewer than fifty people with their current qualifications; going over that number would be considered illegal fundraising.


    Zhou Yongjiang was slightly worried: "Mr. Lu, the scale of the second phase is quite large; won''t the fundraising period be extended quite long?"


    Lu Liang smiled: "Director Zhou, don''t worry. We plan to launch the second phase around January next year."


    He intended to take full advantage of Tesla''s market trends before announcing the scale of the second phase of the private equity. By doing so, the net value could explode by about 4.5 times, making the one billion dollars target feasible.

 Chapter 134 - 133: Self-reliance

    "Mr. Lu, we''re looking forward to the second issuance of Tianxing Private Equity. If you need help, just say the word."


    Zhou Yongjiang smiled slightly. Although he thought that Lu Liang seemed a bit idealistic, there were still two or three months to go, and time would tell.


    A net value of 3.01 indicated assets worth 301 million US dollars. If it could maintain a proper growth rate, it would also mean that Lu Liang was capable of managing an even larger portfolio, and they would engage in deeper cooperation.


    There was no shortage of fund managers in the country, but there were few outstanding ones with the guts to venture internationally.


    If Lu Liang were a mediocre fund manager, merely conning and deceiving in the domestic market, then he wouldn''t be worth their investment and favor.


    Modu may be hailed as the financial capital, but it''s filled with those who fish for fame and fortune, repulsive creatures. Whether private or public funds, essentially they were all the same.


    The former set traps to harvest retail investors in the market, while the latter did the same to the masses, ultimately funneling the people''s money into their own pockets.


    They needed someone to represent the finance industry and make an impact on the international stage.


    After ''97 and ''08, they had been searching for a capable individual, numerous as carps crossing the river.


    But eventually, most gradually lost their adventurous spirit, content to stay within their own small patch of land in the domestic market.


    Lu Liang might be the one, for they had meticulously researched his growth trajectory, which was quite remarkable.


    He had been selling houses at Green View Group for years, with a performance early on that was rather notable, even securing top sales a few times, but it had declined to mediocrity.


    After his divorce and resignation post the Spring Festival holiday, having undergone significant life changes, he suddenly flourished, becoming the Golden Touch they knew today.


    They had suspected that Lu Liang may have received insider information, thus being able to consistently make the right calls.


    But their investigations turned up clean.


    Baofeng Technology''s share allocation was due to good luck with lots, and why he bought into Teli A was uncertain, but it wasn''t as miraculous as rumors suggested.


    He bought in around ten, sold once over twenty, and again in the thirties.


    Now the stock had soared to over seventy, his judgement was flawed, just not publicly known.


    Then came gold, yen, and Tesla.


    They concluded that Lu Liang was a financial prodigy whose talents were buried while he sold houses, and his marriage further wasted his years.


    Free from marital ties, he sold his house and took out online loans to make a bold move.


    In the end, he succeeded.


    Lu Liang pondered, "Director Zhou, I need a higher foreign exchange quota and more covert channels overseas."


    Though the era when colonial powers could blow open the gates of a country with a few coastal cannons was long gone,


    they had mastered a more sophisticated game, where mere public opinion was enough to reap the wealth of other nations financially.


    Take the neighboring island nation, whose past deeds enrage many¡ªstill, their capacity as a race cannot be denied.


    From a small island, they rose to become a dominant force in Asia. Their present hardships were undeserved.


    The consequences of the previous century''s bubble should have been repaid after twenty years, but others had been keeping their peace for them.


    Considering the days and the nation''s economic scale, it would almost be their turn. The world was fair¡ªif some enjoyed peace, others would bear the burdens.


    Zhou Yongjiang laughed heartily, "Of course, I''ll contact Director Sun from the Foreign Exchange Administration for you."


    "Thank you, Director Zhou."


    Lu Liang watched Zhou Yongjiang leave until his figure disappeared at the end of the corridor, and the smile on his face gradually faded away.


    Zhou Yongjiang was almost explicitly saying:


    He hoped he would venture overseas to fend for himself.


    Put positively, it was about representing the financial industry abroad¡ªif someday people like Soros thought of shorting, they would have the power to defend and counterattack.


    But there was certainly more to it.


    The country''s development focus was never on finance. If he took another bite, others would have less.


    Perhaps that was the main reason.


    "Hope you can walk the talk."


    Lu Liang had no objections to this arrangement.


    In the international market, he felt free, ready to ride the waves without constraint, and without fear of scrutiny.


    The only concern was that Zhou Yongjiang might not be fully committed to his work, putting him on the front lines but not providing the necessary protection and support.


    Although the possibility was very low, as there were almost no competitors in this race, precautions still needed to be taken.


    The next day, Lu Liang went to Beijing and met with Director Sun of the Foreign Exchange Administration. The negotiations went smoothly, and he secured an exchange quota of one billion dollars, as well as a special channel for moving capital overseas.


    With this, Lu Liang could now throw caution to the wind and act boldly, since he had the Foreign Exchange Administration to cover his back.


    The so-called free market was just a self-proclaimed term; once he earned too much, sanctions would still be imposed.


    But with the Foreign Exchange Administration managing over three trillion US dollars, his few hundred million or even tens of billions seemed insignificant in comparison.


    ...


    After wrapping up everything in Beijing, Lu Liang returned to his hometown for a visit, to celebrate his mother''s birthday, and also to check on the progress of the new house being built.


    The main structure, external walls, and fence of the new house were all completed, a three-and-a-half-story building with its inner courtyard and parking bay.


    The concrete and steel reinforcement were currently in a curing phase, needing daily watering for ventilation to release gases, and thus too early for interior decorations.


    The siblings strolled in the unfinished house. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lu Ya supervised the construction every day, and her arms had grown considerably darker: "How about it? Are you satisfied?"


    "Definitely satisfied," Lu Liang said with a smile.


    The main area was only 175 square meters, but with no shared space, it felt like it was over 200 square meters.


    The parents would live on the first floor, he would stay on the second, and his sister and brother-in-law would occupy the third floor.


    Lu Ya took a deep breath, hesitating slightly as she said, "Recently, mom and dad lent 300,000 yuan to Luo to open a grain and oil store."


    Luo was her husband, and they had been running a small shop in town. Now, they were looking to expand just a bit.


    "How''s the business?"


    "There''s a gross profit of two to three thousand a month, but there''s quite a bit of overstock, and all the earnings are tied up in the inventory."


    The profit margins on grain and oil were actually not low, even though they seemed thin and prices were transparent, but there were peak and valley pricing strategies.


    When prices were low, they would stock up on more goods, and when prices were high, they would sell at regular prices or mark up a bit.


    The profit from these transactions could be around 20%.


    Moreover, a grain and oil shop wasn''t just limited to selling grains and oils; cigarettes, liquor, beverages, instant noodles, and snacks could all be wholesaled or retailed.


    "As long as there''s profit to be made, it''s fine, the goods in the warehouse aren''t going to grow legs and run away, so slow returns are not a big deal."


    Lu Liang beamed, putting his arm around his sister''s shoulder, wanting her to feel reassured.


    On his last visit, he had left a million yuan for his parents, specifically for them to support his sister''s family.


    In the countryside, a family-run shop with a monthly income of twenty to thirty thousand yuan could live quite comfortably, free from financial pressures.


    As for the future of the two children, they had him as an uncle. As long as he was around, everyone could lead a good life.


    "Let''s go have dinner, and after we eat, I need to dash off,"


    Lu Liang said, smiling.


    Having money and power mattered only outside of home. At home, his mother kept on him, hoping for him to remarry and have children.


    Explaining was pointless; he couldn''t argue, so his only option was to escape.


    "You and your ways," Lu Ya said, with laughter and tears.


    After going downstairs, the family went to a restaurant to eat, full of joy and festivity. While money couldn''t solve all problems, it could indeed solve 99% of them.


    The remaining 1% was that Lu Liang wasn''t married with children, so he took his leave right after eating, giving no chance for any difficulties to be raised.


    Before they knew it, it was November 9th,


    Lu Liang received an invitation to an ofo financing event.


    Dai Wei was full of joy and vigor, boasting that ofo had overtaken Mobike to become the industry leader.


    He announced that the valuation for this round of financing was set at 72 million dollars and was planning to offer 10% of the shares for investment.


    Liu Qing came over again, she was enjoying a lively conversation with Zhu Hu, and the two showed no signs of the confrontational stance they had during the last round of financing.


    Upon seeing Lu Liang arrive, Zhu Hu quickly stepped forward, with Liu Qing following behind him.


    "Mr. Lu, long time no see, what have you been up to recently?" Zhu Hu asked with a smile. It was evident that Golden Sand River must have struck some deal with DiDi; he was in a great mood.

 Chapter 135 - 134: Enfeoffment Decree

    "Just buzzing around aimlessly."


    Lu Liang looked toward Liu Qing, who stood behind Zhu Hu, and congratulated them with a smile, "It seems this round should be clinched by you both?"


    Liu Qing smiled without speaking and shifted the topic, "Mr. Lu, would it be convenient to inform when the second phase of private equity will be initiated?"


    "At the moment, it''s still in preparation; the procedures are somewhat extensive. Is Mr. Liu also interested?" asked Lu Liang.


    Liu Qing nodded. Although the scale was rumored to be one billion dollars, with individual portions of twenty million dollars, the threshold was quite high.


    But a high threshold is relative. It was not difficult for her or the Liu family to subscribe to a few portions.


    "Looking forward to Mr. Liu''s participation."


    Lu Liang showed a smile and summoned Wen Chao to leave a business card for Liu Qing, stating she would be notified if the second phase was initiated.


    He had already instructed Old Meng to tally the subscription intents. If it were insufficient, they would accept everyone. If enough, they would be selective.


    "Brother, don''t forget about Hu."


    Zhu Hu coughed a few times, his tone full of resentment, as this large man stood here, unnoticed as if invisible.


    Lu Liang''s ability to make money made them all envious, though they were also in private equity, which didn''t stop them. Making money was what mattered.


    "Hu, how could you say that? I wouldn''t dare forget you," Lu Liang said, half laughing and quickly apologizing.


    "That''s more like it."


    Zhu Hu and Liu Qing did not stay long, only exchanged brief polite remarks, and moved toward the financing subscription gateway.


    As Lu Liang had guessed, this round of financing was underwritten by DiDi and Golden Sand River, though the process had a slight deviation.


    It turned out that DiDi led the investment with 6%, while Golden Sand River subscribed for 4%, with both jointly underwriting this financing round.


    Watching the two converse merrily, Dai Wei''s expression soured. Lu Liang suddenly realized that these two planned to join forces.


    Capital biting each other would only benefit Dai Wei, but if the capitals allied, it would be Dai Wei''s turn to suffer.


    Thus, after the financing, he went to Lu Liang. Dai Wei asked with a smile, "Mr. Lu, there''s an internal meeting later, aren''t you attending?"


    "I''ve got some other matters, maybe next time."


    Lu Liang shook his head, feeling somewhat sorry for Dai Wei.


    Hu Weiwei could still end up with a considerable fortune, but Dai Wei might have nothing since DiDi and Golden Sand River seemed intent on splitting him.


    However, he had no obligation to remind, as stock transfer did not necessarily require a shareholders'' meeting resolution¡ªas long as the counterpart was also a shareholder, they could proceed privately.


    Lu Liang was ready to cash out and exit, leaving them to play by themselves in the future, no matter what happened.


    After bidding farewell to Dai Wei, he left the meeting venue, and upon turning around, he went to Golden Sand River, signing a stock transfer agreement with Zhu Hu.


    After the B round dilution, there was still 16.2% of stock left, valued at seventy-two million dollars with a 20% premium transfer.


    Totaling approximately 13.9968 million dollars, equivalent to about 89.0196 million RMB, the investment return was as high as 89 times.


    "Hu, Dai Wei likely won''t easily concede defeat, it''s best you stay alert."


    Lu Liang kindly advised. After signing the contract, and the funds due to arrive in half a month, he felt some things could be said.


    Zhu Hu responded disdainfully, "We are all conducting business; does he even dare to involve the Dai Family?"


    Using official power against businesses only applied to minor officials and small businesses. Although Iron Boss was formidable, Old Zhu wasn''t easy to squash.


    If the Dai family dared to suppress business with official power and engage in corruption for personal gain, Zhu Hu could ensure he wouldn''t serve as an official anymore.


    It wasn''t that Zhu Hu possessed massive influence, but the position of Iron Boss was enticing, and every spot had its designated occupant.


    If he doesn''t fall, how can others rise?


    "It doesn''t necessarily require the Dai family''s intervention." Lu Liang mused, mentioning the promise Dai Wei just offered him. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As long as he chose to support Dai Wei from then on, Dai Wei was willing to give him a board seat, including a veto right.


    "The Enfeoffment Decree?"


    Zhu Hu was startled long afterward, his face suddenly turning pale, and his native dialect burst out, "This sneaky bastard is so scheming?"


    Since Lu Liang was planning to cash out and leave, he could refuse Dai Wei''s conditions, but Liu Qing might not.


    Once Liu Qing agreed, there would be three people with veto rights in a single board meeting, then what would be the point of playing?


    "Hu, where are you going? Didn''t you say you were taking me to have a good time tonight?"


    "Hell, do whatever you want."


    Zhu Hu glared irritably and left hastily, not intending to blame Lu Liang.


    To speak, is to show favor. Not to speak, is to do one''s duty.


    After the last fundraising round, Lu Liang had decided to cash out, so there was no intentional plot against him.


    "Worldly society is treacherous, and human hearts are unpredictable."


    Lu Liang suppressed a smile, shook his head, and left Golden Sand River with the transfer contract in hand.


    For a startup to have such deep schemes, not getting involved and only investing was indeed a wise decision.


    Dai Wei must have already thought of this move; otherwise, he wouldn''t have easily given up his veto power during the Series A funding.


    Whether it''s giving one or two, once everyone has a veto, it''s as if no one does.


    Once the plan is proposed, if you oppose, and I oppose, we might as well part ways. After all, Dai Wei hadn''t invested much money.


    This situation leads to nobody daring to use their veto power first, creating a power vacuum, which naturally benefits the founders.


    However, playing this game requires one precondition: the company must be in a healthy development stage without any issues.


    If something goes wrong, it means it wasn''t managed well.


    If you didn''t manage well, then I''ll start managing.


    Direct explosion on the spot, spiraling to heaven.


    As the night deepened, Lu Liang played games in the hotel, planning to visit Yang Zhenyuan''s company tomorrow before returning to Modu.


    Suddenly, he received a call from Zhu Hu; from his tone, it sounded like he had been holding back a lot of frustrations with no one to confide in.


    The veto power, besides a few insiders, he dared not speak of it to others, fearing it would impact the next valuation appraisal.


    "I''m over here in the Eastern City District." Lu Liang chuckled and gave him the hotel''s address, also happy to follow up on the drama.


    As soon as Zhu Hu entered, he shook his head and sighed, unable to help venting his frustrations, "Dai Wei really promised Liu Qing."


    "It looks like Liu Qing agreed?"


    Lu Liang grabbed some beers from the fridge and casually called the hotel''s front desk to order some barbecue.


    "That woman is so power-hungry, how could she not agree? Also, pretending in front of me, claiming she doesn''t know anything."


    Zhu Hu was deeply aggrieved and guzzled down most of a bottle in frustration.


    "If you think it''s a headache, sell your stake in the next round. Ali might be willing to be the sucker," Lu Liang said with a laugh.


    "We''ll see," Zhu Hu said reluctantly, feeling humiliated that he, an old fox in the capital market, had been outplayed by a youngster. If word got out, his peers would probably laugh their heads off.


    He hadn''t even met Ali''s conditions yet; selling now would probably cost him tens of millions in losses.


    "That much?" Lu Liang was surprised,


    But the response he got was a resentful glare.


    That look seemed to say, "Who''s to blame?"


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but smile, feeling quite happy: "Hu, you lead the way, I''ll pay. Tonight let''s go wild."


    "I''ve been waiting for you to say that," Zhu Hu quickly moved past the previous topic, revealing a grin that all men understand.


    One willing to beat, the other willing to be beaten; you gamble, you accept the loss. There''s not much else to say, especially when you might not even lose.


    Dai Wei playing this way will overplay his hand sooner or later.


    The next day, Lu Liang arrived in the Western City District. Yang Zhenyuan rented an office in United Building; a hundred square meters of office space cramped with about a dozen people without any partitioned offices.


    It truly had the atmosphere of a young startup.


    "Mr. Lu, please take a look at the software design."


    The background was black, with ghostly images of musical notes. Yang Zhenyuan said, "It''s still in testing. We plan to publicly release it in December."


    Lu Liang inquired, "Have you thought about how to promote it?"


    Platform-type applications are hardest to promote; they cannot rely on word-of-mouth like games.


    Without content, there are no viewers, and without viewers, there''s no content.


    Yang Zhenyuan said, "We plan to join Baidu''s advertising alliance first and organize a daily video-release check-in event."


    The hardest part is always the beginning. Once the first step is taken, and you accumulate users, it scales like a snowball.


    Often, the initial step is the hardest. Out of five million dollars in startup funds, roughly three million will be spent on this event.


    If it can make a splash, great; if not, it will sink without a trace, completely obliterated from the apps.


    Lu Liang nodded slightly; not being a tech promotion expert, he refrained from commenting and offered a few non-committal words of encouragement.

 Chapter 136 - 135: Online Drama Series Becomes a Massive Hit

    At noon, Lu Liang took a flight back to Modu.


    As soon as he landed, he received a phone call from Li Ni. Crown Princess Consort was set to premiere online at 8 o''clock tonight. They planned to leverage the heat of Singles'' Day and also, while at it, ride on Lu Liang''s popularity.


    "Okay, I''ll help with the promotion when the time comes."


    Lu Liang agreed with a smile, having decided that he would try not to profit from the A-shares market anymore; naturally, he didn''t care about a surge in fame either.


    That same evening, at 8 o''clock sharp.


    He and Little Wang collaborated to promote Crown Princess Consort.


    Their fans combined totaled over thirty million. Despite a high overlap, they hadn''t bought any fake followers, so the quality was quite high.


    Lu Liang had even inquired out of curiosity; with their fan base, a single Weibo promotion would be worth at least 1.5 million RMB.


    Considering the fame bonus and the fact that they weren''t short on money and wouldn''t just endorse anything, it could be worth at least 3 million RMB.


    At midnight, four hours after the online series''s two episodes were released, the average views had broken through 2 million, with comments polarized severely.


    Some loved it to death, others hated it with passion.


    "It''s a drama, not utter nonsense; adaptations are not meant to be so disorderly. Was there ever such a dynasty in history?"


    "Otherwise, why would they call it the Nanxia Dynasty? They''ve already said it''s fictional. Moral crusaders, can''t you just ease off, alright?"


    "Panda really struck gold here. They just plonk that giant logo of theirs on the table, always getting those close-up shots, as if afraid people won''t know they''re the sponsors, right?"


    "Speaking of which, am I the only one who noticed? This web series was also invested and shot by Lu Liang, and the neighboring Xia Luo''s Worry has already hit 1.45 billion at the box office, hasn''t it?"


    "Damn, isn''t this guy just too sick? Both the movie and the web series are massive hits; is his taste really that sharp?"


    "It''s indeed freaking sharp. ofo just finished its Series B funding, valued at 72 million US dollars, and Lu Liang should still hold 16.2% of the shares. Do you know how much he invested?"


    "1 million, just 1 million RMB and he snatched 16.2% of the equity in a company valued at 72 million US dollars."


    "My goodness, is ofo really that valuable now? That''s like a seventy-fold increase!"


    Netizens couldn''t help exclaiming and discussing.


    They were merely envious, not jealous, because venture capital or investing in film and television was too far removed from ordinary people, and they didn''t feel it too profoundly.


    Suddenly, Little Wang updated another Weibo status: "Lu Liang has a live streaming room at Panda, where he broadcasts from time to time. If interested, you can check it out."


    If Bilibili and Crown Princess Consort could capitalize on Lu Liang''s popularity, there was no reason he couldn''t. With Crown Princess Consort receiving such a response, Panda was also getting ready for its Series A funding round.


    As one of the shareholders, Lu Liang ought to do his part, to help raise Panda Interactive Entertainment''s market valuation, and strive to sell it at a higher and better price.


    "Darling, I really, really regret it."


    As night deepened, Wen Shanshan made a call, speaking in her less than perfect Mandarin, and burst into tears with a sob.


    Although Crown Princess Consort had polarized reviews, it was set to become this year''s dark horse web series.


    This was indeed a series with a strong female lead, with the plot revolving around her.


    The opportunity was right before her eyes, ready for the taking, yet she had cast it aside as if it were worthless.


    Now she was full of regrets, wishing she could fly to Lu Liang''s side and eternally reach nirvana to properly apologize.


    "Just focus on filming. That suspense drama should have potential too," said Lu Liang, his mind elsewhere, coolly taking a breath.


    "Really?" Wen Shanshan asked, surprised.


    "Hmm."


    "Darling, I miss you. Wait for me. I''ll be done in a month, and I will be back in Modu immediately."


    "Hmm, bye-bye."


    Lu Liang tossed aside his phone and closed his eyes to savor the moment.


    After a while, Zhang Tian''ai emerged from the bedding, blinking playfully, her small nose covered in delicate beads of sweat.


    She looked at Lu Liang''s phone, puzzled, and he candidly said, "The role you have was originally meant for her, but she didn''t want it."


    "Such poor taste," Zhang Tian''ai muttered softly, sneaking a peek at Lu Liang to gauge his reaction. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Indeed, poor," Lu Liang scoffed, pinching Zhang Tian''ai''s cheek. "You''ve got better vision. Once Crown Princess Consort concludes, you should be able to ascend to the ranks of second-tier stars."


    Zhang Tian''ai beamed with joy but didn''t dare to take full credit: "If Mr. Lu hadn''t invested and shot it, how could I have become the female lead of Crown Princess Consort?"


    "Did you dab your lips with honey? They''re so sweet," Lu Liang teased.


    "I didn''t put honey on, but I did put heather," Zhang Tian''ai said with a giggle, not waiting for Lu Liang to react before she hurried into the bathroom to brush her teeth.


    Lu Liang figured something was amiss and let out a sly smile, as the scent of heather was quite peculiar.


    After more than ten minutes, Zhang Tian''ai washed up, redid her light makeup, and gently laid beside Lu Liang, "Mr. Lu, Xitian offered to have me sign a new agency contract."


    Xitian Media was her agency, and her original contract was the most basic, without significant resources or support, and the penalty for breach was very low.


    Ever since Crown Princess Consort became a hit, her agent had been eagerly asking where she was, saying that they could secure a second-tier actress contract for her.


    "I don''t really understand your industry, so it''s up to you. If you want to sign, go ahead," said Lu Liang.


    Zhang Tian''ai hesitated for a long time, then said softly, "I don''t really want to sign. I''d like to take some time to quietly improve my acting."


    Xitian was a very domineering company; once a contract was signed, they would pile on resources like crazy until they had squeezed her dry.


    But if she didn''t sign, the entertainment industry was a tight circle; if Xitian gave other companies a heads-up, then no one would dare work with her.


    So, she was in a dilemma.


    Lu Liang couldn''t help laughing, understanding what Zhang Tian''ai meant. He picked up his phone and called Wu Tianzheng, "Old Wu, do you know the boss of Xitian?"


    "Then give him a shout. Zhang Tian''ai doesn''t want to sign, don''t pressure her. Just say I said so, as a courtesy."


    Crown Princess Consort was a project he''d invested in with a dream team, and Zhang Tian''ai was selected from a casting call; she had no financial ties with Xitian.


    So, there wasn''t any question of betrayal or turning her back, defending her position, and thus, speaking up for Zhang Tian''ai wasn''t an issue.


    "Alright, thank you for your help."


    Lu Liang ended the call and turned to her with a smile, "You should be alright now; they won''t make things difficult for you."


    Zhang Tian''ai beamed with joy, her eyes sparkling as she hugged Lu Liang''s arm tightly, "Mr. Lu, you''ve been so good to me."


    At that moment, she experienced what it was like to have a strong backing ¨C it was incredibly comforting.


    Suddenly, Lu Liang asked, "Do you really want to improve your acting, or do you just not want to sign with Xitian?"


    "It''s really to hone my acting," Zhang Tian''ai hurriedly explained. She wanted enduring fame, not to fade away like a shooting star.


    "How about going to Happy Mahua then?"


    Lu Liang had seen Xia Luo''s Worry and thought the actors of Happy Mahua had pretty good acting skills¡ªat least they weren''t cringeworthy.


    He''d also watched Crown Princess Consort and felt that Zhang Tian''ai''s acting was a bit awkward, flaws covered up by the plot.


    If she was willing, he might as well go all the way and help her to the end.


    "Is that possible?" Zhang Tian''ai''s eyes widened in disbelief.


    There was a pecking order in the entertainment world, with web series, TV series, and movies, but above all was stage drama.


    Stage drama could be considered the pinnacle of the food chain¡ªhighly nuanced and exceptional.


    "Of course, Zhang Chen would probably be quite happy to have a free second-tier star."


    "I''m willing, Mr. Lu~~" Zhang Tian''ai looked at him with seductive eyes, unable to repay his kindness, she could only offer herself in return.


    ...


    The next day was Double Eleven, with various e-commerce platforms setting new records and trending online, Crown Princess Consort became a unique presence.


    In the past 12 hours, the first two episodes had already broken the ten million view mark, with each episode reaching five million views.


    Lu Liang didn''t pay much attention, as the numbers were fake at this stage ¡ª it was only after the sixth episode that the membership ratings mattered.


    Even if an episode broke a hundred million views,


    it was meaningless if it didn''t hit the required number of new members.


    After a busy period, it was time for Lu Liang to focus on making money; the next two months'' net worth was crucial to the smooth launch of the second-phase private fund.


    Tesla was at 90% position, with a stock price of $245, valued at $232 million, currently profiting $82.4 million.


    He had $22.81 million in available funds,


    total assets of $254.21 million.


    Earnings from the heavy investment in BYD were negligible, as the new energy index had not yet recovered from the soaring market.


    At the very least, individual stocks were not expected to fluctuate much until the new energy policies were officially implemented.


    The earnings over the past ten or so days, if calculated, meant the private fund''s net value was only 3.35.


    With a comparative increase of just over 10%.

 Chapter 137 - 136: Major International Incident

    "Brexit referendum, US-British exchange rates..."


    Domestic tranquility, international excitement, almost daily there are blockbuster news items.


    Recently, the world''s headlines have been focused on the Old England''s election.


    The United States churns up storms around the world, only killing, not burying, leaving the EU to deal with all the messed-up situations.


    Member country Old England, once the Sun Never Sets Empire, when its ancestors roamed the seas, America was but a little brother.


    Now in decline, not only does it have to take in refugees for the EU but also bears the responsibility for economic aid to other member countries.


    Over the years, paying both in money and effort, without reaping any benefits, has already caused strong dissatisfaction among the people of Old England.


    Therefore, two years ago, Prime Minister David Cameron first proposed a Brexit referendum, and just yesterday, he declared that if he could be reelected this term, he would hold the referendum as soon as possible.


    The Wall Street Journal calls it the most suspenseful election in decades, and the result will determine the future of a nation.


    Soros claims that if David Cameron is reelected, British Pounds would plummet by 20%, while Goldman Sachs predicts a decline of 11%-15%.


    It can be said that as long as David Cameron is reelected, Old England will continue to push forward with the Brexit plan, and the foreign exchange market will also kick up enormous waves.


    The current exchange rate of British Pounds to US Dollar is 1.5002,


    compared to last month, it has risen by 5.45%.


    This also represents that international speculators do not have confidence in David Cameron''s reelection, nor do they believe that the United Kingdom dares to implement the Brexit plan.


    Lu Liang pondered and sniffed out the opportunity for profit.


    Fluctuations in foreign exchange are related to international political situations, just like the time when Ma Ao, the first African-American president, was elected, like a depth charge, directly flipping the foreign exchange market at the time.


    That event was also hailed as the biggest black swan event of the past ten years, only to be surpassed when Lehman Brothers went bankrupt.


    Whether David Cameron is reelected or not, whether the United Kingdom leaves the EU or not, it has nothing to do with Lu Liang, but he hopes for the reelection and Brexit.


    A dog biting a man isn''t news, but a man biting a dog is, the sudden black swan event is what allows for significant profit from little investment.


    In the afternoon, Lu Liang contacted Sun Jiyong from the foreign exchange bureau and exchanged the remaining 1.7 billion RMB in his A-share account for US Dollars.


    He only left an account with less than 2 million available funds, as well as an account holding 5.72 million shares of BYD stock.


    As of the morning closing, BYD''s latest stock price was 71.24 yuan, valuing the account at 407 million yuan.


    Lu Liang then withdrew the funds from his US stocks account, bringing the available funds to 49.46 million US Dollars.


    Having prepared the funds, he stayed in the office, waiting for the dawn to come.


    "Panda is looking for funding at the end of the month, got any ideas?"


    Wang Xiaocong''s voice came through the headset, as a shareholder, with financing imminent, Lu Liang was forced to live stream.


    He normally played games quietly, as long as no one talked to him, usually only the sound of a lighter could be heard.


    He also couldn''t understand why hundreds of thousands of people would watch; according to Little Wang, they were all real, without any fake numbers.


    "Don''t understand, no ideas, just deal with it yourself."


    For the A-round financing, Panda was valued between 90 to 130 million US Dollars, whether it would be the upper limit or the lower limit depended on the capital market''s receptiveness.


    Life is hard, Little Wang sighed, "Can''t you just care a little?"


    If Lu Liang were willing to give him the first broadcast rights for the Crown Princess Consort, a valuation of 130 million US Dollars would be certain.


    "I''m trying to save you, not harm you."


    Lu Liang didn''t give him any sympathy,


    How long has B-Station been established, how long has Panda been established?


    Live streaming + self-produced variety show, it''s already a serious over-achievement, otherwise he wouldn''t have borrowed fifty million.


    If they were to touch on the video streaming sector, they probably couldn''t last until the B-round financing before their funding chain would collapse.


    Wang Xiaocong laughed awkwardly a few times and changed the subject, "How about I show you our self-produced variety show?"


    "Let''s take a look then." Lu Liang wanted to refuse, but he couldn''t resist the tens of thousands of comments flooding the live chat.


    He wasn''t curious, yet he became curious.


    The filming location was in Star City of Funan, where a castle was rented, a million spent on renovations, and renamed Goddess Castle.


    Ten girls of different styles were sitting on the sofa chatting, seemingly taking their promotional photos for the show.


    Wang Xiaocong took the opportunity to advertise, "It premieres on November 15th, using a live streaming format throughout the show, don''t forget to tune in if you''re interested."


    When Little Wang approached with the selfie stick, the ten female contestants all stood up to greet him.


    Wang Xiaocong smiled and said, "Mr. Lu, you have several hundred thousand fans watching the livestream. Why don''t you all introduce yourselves?" sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Hello everyone, Mr. Lu, and netizens, my name is Tan Yanyan..."


    Everyone looked surprised, they quickly saluted the camera, and introduced themselves and their talents.


    Lu Liang couldn''t help laughing and crying¡ªLittle Wang''s persistence in trying to hitch a ride on his popularity never died.


    He smiled and said, "Hello everyone, once the program starts, I''ll send each of you ten Buddha Jumps Wall."


    Little Wang was such a player, allowing each contestant to bring only three items from their luggage to survive the 49 days of livestreaming.


    Whether it was clothing or daily necessities, they could only purchase them at the supermarket with points exchanged from fans'' gifts.


    Participants with high points could afford to eat and drink well, while those without would merely maintain a basic livelihood. It was a reality version of Goddess Castle.


    This innovative program, even before going live, had already garnered the anticipation of millions. If Little Wang hadn''t thought about creating Eastern Disneyland and had focused solely on livestreaming and variety shows, maybe Panda could have really made a name for itself.


    "Thank you, Mr. Lu." The female contestants beamed with joy; one Buddha Jumps Wall was worth a thousand RMB, and a thousand points.


    Starting off with ten thousand points each at least assured that their lives wouldn''t be too difficult for the next 49 days.


    "Mr. Lu, Mr. Lu, I want some too~~"


    Li Manli, rushed over, smiling, suddenly appearing in front of the camera: "Hello, Mr. Wang, hello, netizens."


    She was wearing a Lolita-style princess dress, with a new hairstyle, and her twin ponytails dyed wine red and curled.


    Once she appeared, the hundreds of thousands in the livestreaming room all shouted:


    "Honey, Honey, I love you~"


    Beside her was another girl, holding a stabilizer, seeming like she was also livestreaming.


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but smile as he found Li Xiaomeng''s livestream titled "Goddess Begins Broadcasting in Three Days~"


    He checked his account and still had several hundred thousand cat coins. He selected the most expensive Buddha Jumps Wall and clicked on it a dozen times.


    "Mr. Lu is so generous~ Thank you, Mr. Lu~"


    Li Manli grinned from ear to ear and bowed in thanks.


    Her twin curled ponytails were like slack springs, bouncing out and coiling back, lively and cute.


    The rest of the contestants looked on with envy; perhaps this was the relaxed aura that came with wealth. At least, they didn''t dare to actively and blatantly ask Mr. Lu for gifts.


    Because they cared, so they were concerned.


    They were also worried that doing so could affect their image, leaving the audience with a bad impression of being money-minded.


    But Li Xiaomeng was different; everyone knew her family was wealthy. She was young and drove sports cars, lived in a mansion, definitely not short of money.


    For her, livestreaming was just a hobby, so her attitude toward gifts was indifferent.


    "Let''s take you around," said Wang Xiaocong with a smile that saw through it all, yet he didn''t expose anything.


    Li Xiaomeng was 19, Lu Liang was 30, not out of the question to be godfather and daughter, rounding off to a similar wealthy background.


    "You guys have fun on your own, I''ve got things to do."


    With that, Lu Liang quickly ended the broadcast, and the viewers, already accustomed to this, dispersed.


    The majority of the fans were college students, not for anything special, but mainly to rub off some of the financial luck. Who knows who said it, "The world''s wealth is like a stone, of which Lu Liang alone occupies eight scoops."


    For today''s college students, to avoid failing exams, they are willing to believe in Conan, let alone watching a livestream for a stroke of financial luck.


    The principle was for believers, all things are possible; for non-believers, not so.


    Lu Liang went to the tea station, lit a cigarette, sipped his tea, and admired Modu''s city nightscape, waiting for the early morning.


    [November 13, GBP/USD exchange rate 1.4352]


    "A drop of 650 points? And a re-election victory?"


    Lu Liang was surprised; the 13th was the election vote count day, which would determine if David Cameron would continue in office.


    The general public was pessimistic about Cameron''s chances, as his re-election would mean the continuation, and likely success, of Brexit.


    DaCameron''s campaign pledge was that if re-elected, he would push for a fast-track Brexit referendum and strive to exit the EU the following year.


    "To leave or not, what do I care." Lu Liang smirked. He liked political ''black swans'' because they meant profit opportunities.


    Whether Brexit would happen was still uncertain, as politics is full of pointless maneuvers, and a sudden change of heart isn''t unheard of.


    But with Cameron''s reelection now a done deal, that was less of a question.

 Chapter 138 - 137: This Move is Called

    The next morning, Lu Liang headed to State Street Bank.


    "Ah~ my dear Lu~"


    Hilt greeted him with a beaming smile, warmer even than to his own father, because he knew another performance bonus was in store.


    Last time, he had earned nearly two million US dollars in interest, which earned him high praise and a handsome bonus.


    Tesla''s stock price had also rebounded, making it a win-win situation, and Lu Liang had become one of their top-tier clients.


    State Street''s top-tier clients were limited to 200 globally, including people like Buffett, Soros, and Sun Zhengyi.


    Within China, there were only 18, 12 of whom were from Xiangjiang, making Lu Liang one of the only six from Mainland China.


    "It really is an honor for me," Lu Liang said with a smile, though he didn''t pay it much mind.


    Being few in number didn''t necessarily equate to nobility, given the nature of State Street Bank as an international venture capital bank.


    Their clients were fund giants or international hot money, so there were naturally fewer in China.


    With a forced smile, Hilt responded, "It''s our honor, we''re very privileged to have such a distinguished client."


    Lu Liang chuckled as the two exchanged mutual flatteries; he then stated his purpose of wanting to finance short selling and borrow British Pounds.


    Hilt, ever the professional, didn''t ask why but directly discussed the usage fees for various leveraging options.


    Lu Liang pondered for a moment before deciding to use a fifty-times leverage with 24 million US dollars as collateral.


    That 24 million in trading funds, expanded by fifty times, became 1.2 billion US dollars, which was then converted into 828 million British Pounds.


    Among the four major currencies, British Pounds were quite valuable, with an exchange rate of 1 to 9.28 with the RMB and 0.69 with the US dollar.


    Approaching noon, Lu Liang returned to his company and instructed the traders to rest until two o''clock in the afternoon and then return.


    Trading foreign exchange markets of a country necessitated adjusting to their time zones; unlike with Japan''s mere one-hour difference, Beijing had a seven-hour difference with London.


    Seven in the morning, London time,


    corresponded to two in the afternoon, Beijing time.


    Forex trading typically starts at nine in the morning, so he wanted them to arrive two hours early to prepare.


    "It doesn''t seem good always being passively scolded."


    As Lu Liang stroked his chin and pondered, he had been constantly attacked by the American media and had never struck back.


    He suddenly felt an urge to trap someone¡ªonce the election news broke, the forex market would spike, and none of those who went long would escape.


    Seized by a sudden impulse, Lu Liang waved Wen Chao over: "Little Wen, what''s the international equivalent of Weibo called?"


    After a thought, Wen Chao said, "It should be Twitter; Facebook and Instagram are more like old-time blogs mixed with WeChat."


    "Then help me apply for one."


    Soon, Lu Luang got his Twitter handle, though it was pitifully undersubscribed, still in the single digits.


    Suddenly, he thought of Little Wang, who had studied abroad, and immediately called him: "Do you have Twitter, and how many followers do you have?"


    "A few hundred thousand," said Little Wang, who had been more active during his studies abroad but played less since returning to China.


    "Then help me divert some traffic." Lu Liang sent Little Wang a screenshot of his Twitter handle to help verify his identity.


    Little Wang still had some influence; after updating a status, Lu Liang''s Twitter followers skyrocketed into the thousands.


    In that instant, he appreciated the benefits of censorship on Weibo, where he had to be more reserved; just a slightly risqu¨¦ photo book would get censored.


    But on Twitter, it was a free-for-all, opening just one video could spring up a torrent of debauchery.


    Wen Chao looked perplexed but maintained his composure: "Mr. Lu, I''ll leave you for now."


    "Hold on, is this normal?"


    Lu Liang turned his phone screen towards him, displaying a blurry, writhing biscuit.


    "Uh~ Mr. Lu, it''s actually quite normal because Twitter is also known as ''Little Yellow Retreating.''"


    "Alright then, go ahead, and call me if you need anything."


    Lu Liang studied for a while, roughly figuring out how to use it¡ªit really was quite similar to Weibo.


    Consequently, at four in the afternoon on the 13th, London time at nine in the morning, just over an hour before the elections began.


    Lu Liang retweeted the election news, posting his first update: "David Cameron will be re-elected, and the British-American exchange rate will soon plummet."


    The majority of those following Lu Liang were from China, and considering the enormity of the British-American exchange rate market with its trillions in transaction volume, he didn''t mind helping his followers make big money.


    In the international market, there was no concept of manipulation as he, no matter how powerful, couldn''t control the election of a country.


    Just like Soros, who always boasted before shorting, Lu Liang felt this strategy could be learned.


    The premise was that they would believe him, to short sell against the trend in a rising overall market, betting on a consecutive term.


    As soon as the news was released, immediately there came a reply from a Xiangjiang netizen, "Ding Xie Bro, is it real?"


    "Ding Xie?" Lu Liang was confused, but also took the opportunity to issue a trade order to short sell British Pounds.


    He just disclosed that he was short selling British Pounds but did not reveal his positions or the funds employed.


    Suddenly, Little Wang called, "Damn, what are you playing at?"


    Lu Liang wanted him to attract traffic, which was weird in itself, so he had been keeping an eye on it.


    "Just playing a fun game."


    Lu Liang said with a smile, using the tactic of ''luring the tiger out of the mountain''.


    If the Wall Street institutions really hated him that much, they should come and blow up his position.


    But by then, it would be uncertain who would blow up whom.


    "Will David Cameron really be reelected? Will the British-US exchange rate really plummet?"


    Wang Xiaocong was excited, he had complete faith in Lu Liang and also wanted to make some extra money to support his family.


    Old Wang had given him five small targets, which were given intermittently, most of which he had invested in private equity.


    He was so broke recently he nearly sold his car, since a First Rich''s son must maintain his status, and he couldn''t cut back on expenses.


    Lu Liang said, "Anyway, it''s a choice between three, why not bet on it? Besides, it''s not an upset since it''s a reelection."


    He suddenly asked again, "Do you know how to play?"


    "Damn it, who are you looking down on?"


    Little Wang felt indignant and hung up the phone.


    He really didn''t understand the rules of foreign exchange trading, but he could pay someone, find a trader for a few tens of thousands.


    With the rest of the millions, converting into over four hundred thousand US dollars, using a leverage of one hundred times, he went all in to short sell British Pounds.


    At the same time, a Welfare Girl named Qingyin also saw Lu Liang''s tweet.


    Weibo was just a customer acquisition channel, Twitter was the main base, so she followed Lu Liang immediately.


    She muttered to herself, "Mr. Lu, please don''t screw this up, if I lose money again, I really have to sell myself."


    Last time following Lu Liang on shorting Tesla resulted in her $200,000 turning into $70,000.


    Luckily, following Lu Liang''s advice, she gritted her teeth, cut her losses, and only lost over $150,000.


    If she had continued to resist, the $200,000 would probably have ended up like below, with nothing left.


    This time, scraping together, she once again accumulated $50,000, ready to enter the British-American foreign exchange with a leverage of two hundred times.


    And she decided, if she were blown up this time, she would descend into infamy, becoming Lu Liang''s hater.


    If caught, she would blame Lu Liang.


    After all, it was $200,000, just a little more, and she could buy a house in Hang City, achieving her dream of retiring by 25.


    Before the vote count, the last thirty minutes.


    The British-American exchange rate, at the moment Lu Liang updated his status, fell by 65 points but immediately recovered to 1.5012.


    Lu Liang asked, "Has all the stock been sold off?"


    Zhang Jing nodded and said, "The market trades are extremely active, we have gradually sold off $700 million." S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    From the $828 million stock, they directly sold $700 million, leaving only $128 million as backup funds, a single basis point''s fluctuation amounted to 46,600 British Pounds, they could only tolerate a rise of 245 points.


    That is, if the British-American exchange rate rose to 1.5257 points, they would trigger a forced closeout.


    "Are there any big fishes entering the market?"


    Lu Liang stroked his chin, the British-American exchange market being a market worth hundreds of trillions of US dollars, related to a nation''s wealth.


    With daily transactions worth tens of trillions, it was impossible to tell who was the small fish and who was the big fish without an opposing stance.


    "Mr. Lu!" Sun Yutao''s eyes widened as he suddenly shouted.


    In the last ten minutes of the vote count, the foreign exchange market suddenly surged, rising by 105 points.


    It seemed as if they were deliberately creating a special market situation, as if they already knew the results of the vote count.


    "Sell off, start with $30 million, push the price down, don''t let the bulls get their way," Lu Liang remained calm, issuing commands.

 Chapter 139 - 138: Beating the Bulls

    The sudden appearance of the opposing order created an impression as if someone knew the outcome in advance, which was quite intriguing.


    If someone had known the results a few minutes early, they should have kept it under wraps and waited until the moment they were announced to harvest the short sellers massively.


    Instead of startling the snake in the bush now.


    "Trying to run?"


    Lu Liang squinted his eyes; he knew the final outcome and almost instantly guessed the true intention of the opponent.


    The person trading against him must actually have known the election results in advance, but those results had taken him by surprise.


    Hence the plan to startle the snake in the bush, to shake off some of the less resolute short sellers, mainly to cover their own retreat.


    Just like the Big A dealer, there would always be a sudden drop in the market before launching, shaking off the less determined.


    But due to the different rules of Forex trading because, whether shorting or going long, in the end, positions must be squared and settled.


    If someone got scared, they could also take advantage of the market drop to exit part of their funds, losing as little as possible.


    "They buy as much as we dump, let''s see how long they can last, hold steady at 1.5100."


    Lu Liang''s mouth curled into a smile; time was on their side, and there were less than 300 seconds left.


    The more the bulls invested, the more they would lose, and this was just the final struggle.


    Once they realized this path was futile, they should reverse and go short, trying to salvage some returns.


    Professional speculators shun acts of defiance.


    When it''s time to back down, one must back down.


    Lu Liang thought for a moment, stepped out of the trading room, and picked up his phone to update his status again: "Before dawn, it should be silent."


    Once the message was out, the bears suddenly gained momentum.


    Countless short-selling speculators quickly realized that the bulls'' sudden urgency surely meant they had a secret they couldn''t tell.


    Speculators from all countries tacitly agreed to defend 1.5100, waiting for the moment the results were confirmed.


    After all, nobody wanted to fall before dawn, to be the last of the cannon fodder; they were determined to see the final outcome even if it killed them.


    In the financial market, individual investors might not be significant, but they were important too; if they united, even Wall Street institutions had to bow their heads.


    Welfare Girl Qingyin also joined at this time, splitting $50,000 into two parts: margin and working capital, half each.


    $25,000 with a 200 times leverage turned into $5 million, which was then exchanged for 3.31 million British Pounds, going all-in full position.


    A one basis point move would be ¡ê219, with a tolerable loss of 55 pips.


    Once it exceeded 1.5155, she would be forced out.


    Meanwhile, at Wall Street''s Blackstone Fund, a curse was heard: "Fuck~"


    Followed by,


    An anguished roar: "Lu Liang!"


    At this very moment, in the nearby JPMorgan Building, Wilson seemed to hear this voice in the darkness.


    He was also looking at Lu Liang''s Twitter account, his face growing increasingly grim: "Dammit, it''s you again."


    Although JPMorgan had not participated in going long on the British Pounds, he really didn''t want to see Lu Liang win again.


    But there was no time left,


    In the live broadcast room of Old England''s election,


    David Cameron walked out of the Parliamentary Chamber.


    His stride was buoyant, and the slight upward curl of his lips seemed to announce the result to the world.


    He had been re-elected.


    David Cameron, with a smile on his face, walked up to the podium and, following tradition, spoke to the public. He talked about how the EU was like a vampire clinging to Old England and expressed his determination about Brexit once more.


    He would discuss with his cabinet ministers, aiming to hold a national Brexit referendum within the next six months.


    As his words concluded, the GBP/USD exchange rate plummeted 300 points instantaneously, and the bulls were too slow to react, causing them to blow up their accounts.


    The bulls'' account liquidation further propelled the exchange rate''s plunge, with a fall of up to 550 pips within seconds.


    The current GBP/USD exchange rate is 1.4550.


    Qingyin''s eyes widened as she struggled to contain her excitement. She didn''t dare to get greedy and immediately flattened her position with one click.


    Her millions in chips were like a drop in the ocean compared to the trillions being traded; they simply couldn''t make a ripple.


    Fifty thousand US dollars transformed into $225,000 in just about three minutes.


    "I made it, I made it~"


    Overjoyed to the point of tears, Qingyin had not only recouped her losses from shorting Tesla but also made an extra $25,000.


    Meanwhile, Lu Liang allocated tasks with calm precision. They held too much capital and had to cover their positions slowly.


    After all, with the GBP/USD rate at 1.4550, there was still a 198-point drop to go. There was no need to rush; taking it slow was fine.


    But he had underestimated the impact of David Cameron''s re-election. Institutions that were long seemed to be seeking revenge, replenishing funds to recover losses.


    Their resolve to go long before was matched by their ruthless shorting strategies now.


    As the bear army advanced,


    The GBP/USD rate dropped further,


    Instantly breaking below the 1.4500 point.


    "Buy back, take advantage of this drop to cover,"


    Lu Liang snapped out of his daze and issued orders in a rush, fearing he''d be too slow and lose out on the profits that were within grasp.


    Fortunately, the bears were aggressive, carrying an unstoppable momentum and directly liquidating numerous struggling long positions.


    The liquidation of long positions spilled a slew of sell orders, causing the exchange rate to plummet further.


    Sun Yutao and Zhang Jing also took advantage of the situation to square their accounts and cash out.


    "Count up the profits from this operation and have Little Wen bring the total to me later."


    Lu Liang casually took a photo of an account showing a profit of $5.23 million.


    They had five such accounts, with total profits exceeding $30 million.


    Lu Liang edited the photo and then updated his Twitter status with it, typing, "Made a little profit, how much did you earn?"


    Suddenly, he noticed someone in the comment section posting a series of erotic and titillating videos continuously.


    A scantily-clad woman was screaming Lu Liang''s name and using some indecent language.


    With a critical eye, Lu Liang watched all the videos and finally saw the profit screenshot.


    This time, the profit was $175,000 US dollars,


    With an initial capital of only $50,000 and using 200 times leverage. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Wow, that''s quite a tidy sum,"


    Lu Liang marveled, but he didn''t reply.


    Though he found Little Steamed Bun intriguing, his followers had unknowingly breached the 100,000 mark.


    He had to maintain the image of a proper gentleman.


    Over five thousand comments filled the section, some showing profit screenshots, others begging for Lu Liang to take them under his wing.


    "Once, I had the chance to make it big right in front of me, but I wasted my time on Twitter watching adult content instead of seizing it. I regretted it deeply only after I lost the opportunity. If heaven granted me another chance, I would cherish it for sure."


    "What''s the use of talking so much? Godfather, take me under your wing. I''m in debt for 1.2 million, all from trading Forex, please help me recover."


    "Godfather, I''m a white-stockinged little Lolita. Qingyin is soft and easy to topple, please lead me to fortune."


    Before long, Lu Liang''s Twitter activity spread to the domestic audience and more people attentive to the buzz started to follow his Twitter account.


    After all, this was a true wealth code; at least a hundred people had seized it and then made a fortune.


    As time passed, by evening, Lu Liang''s Twitter followers had surpassed the one-million mark.


    ...


    First, let''s stabilize updates at nine o''clock.


    I''ll gradually make up for the owed chapters.

 Chapter 140 - 139: The Great Pusher

    Seeing Lu Liang showing off, Little Wang refused to be outdone and posted a profit chart, "Made enough for a Phantom, not bad, huh?"


    But no sooner had he posted the update than a bunch of netizens mocked him with the photo meme "giving you a chance was useless.jpg."


    "Disgrace to Wanda."


    "Disgrace to Old Wang."


    "Disgrace to Lu God."


    "If I had friends like that, I''d immediately block them. Such a small investment clearly shows distrust in Lu Liang."


    After all, as a close associate of Lu Liang, Little Wang surely had access to much more insider information than the average netizen.


    He invested $630,000 and made $980,000.


    The Welfare Girl invested $50,000 and made over $170,000, turning the original investment more than fourfold.


    And him?


    He only made a little over double.


    Had it been a larger sum of money, it might have been passable, but showing off with an investment of just a few hundred thousand dollars, where did he get the cheek?


    And as the son of the First Rich, not even having a million US dollars, even dogs would shake their heads in disappointment: Has it come to this?


    "Damn it all, If I hadn''t had so many expenses recently, how could I be left with so little of my fortune."


    Frustrated, Little Wang felt like his liver hurt. He wasn''t Lu Liang¡ªthere was no need to please anyone. He earned his money and he spent it himself. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He made up his mind that once he received his share of the private equity settlement next year, he would indulge in some heavy spending.


    At least buy three to five sports cars.


    Then he would see who would dare say he''d fallen behind.


    Meanwhile, Lu Liang got his earnings report, which was about what he had anticipated.


    $30 million, give or take a little.


    "After deducting fees, $36.82 million in hand."


    Lu Liang flicked through the earnings reports of various accounts, contemplating where to look for the next market wave.


    He had fans who went to great lengths to follow him from inside the firewall to the outside¡ªhe couldn''t disappoint them by sending them back empty-handed.


    However, he had to choose events and markets carefully, lest he lead a charge only to serve up losses on a silver platter.


    After this round, plenty of institutions must have set their sights on him, just waiting to go head-to-head and reap opposite ends.


    The total wealth remained the same; some earn while others lose. He earned a bit more, and others earned a bit less or lost a bit more.


    He found nothing, as his requirements were too stringent; he needed events similar to elections¡ªrandom and immutable.


    Because Lu Liang wasn''t just looking to make money for himself; he wanted to bring his fans in on the earnings.


    If it were just about short selling a stock or an index, there were too many uncontrollable factors.


    If he publicly declared a short on Tesla, even if Tesla was on the brink of bankruptcy, Wall Street could revive it.


    Falsifying financial reports, providing loans¡ªit''s all in a day''s work.


    The Brexit referendum fits the criteria above.


    But Lu Liang felt that David Cameron was just talking big; after all, political statements don''t necessarily have to be fulfilled.


    The British currency plummeted 1.49%, totaling ¡ê580 trillion. Over ¡ê700 billion vanished¡ªit was a warning.


    Right now, it''s just an idea, not even an attempt. If it comes to pass, who knows by how many times that ¡ê700 billion will multiply.


    Soros''s estimated 30%, Goldman Sachs''s predicted 15%¡ªit''s no joke.


    Any rational person would know how to choose.


    Get some benefits from the EU by seizing the moment and at the same time elevate one''s own influence¡ªit was probably David Cameron''s true intention.


    Old England was no longer the international powerhouse it once was during the era of The Sun Never Sets Empire.


    Its international influence had dwindled pitifully, and internal problems abounded; everyone was waiting for London Bridge to collapse and then split the inheritance.


    The more it floundered in this state, the faster the decline. David Cameron probably wouldn''t dare to make a real move.


    At night, Lu Liang went to Scholarly Splendor. As soon as he entered, the warm temperature was so comforting it made one want to moan.


    This year''s winter in Modu was quite cold. In mid-November, the average temperature was in the single digits, and the persistent drizzle acted like a magical attack.


    Li Manli was off to Star City to record a variety show, Zhang Tian''ai had joined Happy Mahua and gone north to develop her career, and Wen Shanshan hadn''t returned from filming, so recently Lu Liang had been staying overnight at Su Wanyu''s place.


    Wearing anti-myopia black-framed glasses and holding a textbook, Su Wanyu leaned against the kitchen door, muttering the content.


    Seeing Lu Liang return, she quickly removed her glasses, put away the textbook, and her face lit up with a joy that suggested she was especially happy tonight, "Guess what I did tonight?"


    Lu Liang closed his eyes, smelling the aroma, and guessed, "It smells good; are you stewing lamb?"


    "Wow, how did you get so smart?"


    "It''s because you''re too thick."


    "I''m not thick, how else would you seem clever?"


    Su Wanyu beamed, pushing Lu Liang towards the bathroom, "Go take a shower. Dinner should be ready by the time you''re done."


    Lu Liang had a smile on his lips, pretending to enter the bathroom and then suddenly stepping out again, wrapping his arms around Su Wanyu''s waist.


    She jumped in surprise as Lu Liang''s palm appeared before her eyes, slightly open to reveal a sparkling necklace.


    Lu Liang''s cheek pressed against her neck, kissing her earlobe as he whispered softly, "Yu, happy birthday."


    "I thought you had forgotten." Su Wanyu was moved, her eyes brimming with tears, but her focus was not on the exquisiteness of the necklace, but on Lu Liang himself.


    "I''ve always remembered it clearly, let me help you put it on." Lu Liang took out the necklace and personally helped Su Wanyu wear it.


    The snow-white swan neck adorned with a blue crystal necklace shone brilliantly under the light, enhancing her charm even more.


    Just half an hour earlier, he had bought it on the street because he found it odd that the usually considerate Su Wanyu had suddenly called him in the afternoon to ask if he was coming home for dinner tonight.


    Moreover, she came up with a lame excuse, saying she needed to prepare for the postgraduate entrance exam, and if Lu Liang didn''t come home, she would just grab something to eat.


    Just a few days ago, she had boasted to him that she had passed the preliminary examination and was only waiting for next year''s retest to become a graduate student at Tongji.


    Therefore, Lu Liang took the hint and checked Su Wanyu''s previous interview materials, where he found out that today was her birthday.


    Today, she turned 22 years old.


    Lu Liang hugged her, and the two of them, like conjoined penguins, came to the full-body mirror in the bedroom. "Do you like it?"


    Su Wanyu''s face showed delight, and she nodded repeatedly before suddenly saying, "Wait a minute, I also have something for you."


    She took out a bag from the closet containing a dark-colored scarf¡ªnot very pretty, but not ugly either.


    Lu Liang glanced hastily and saw several leftover balls of wool in the closet. "Did you knit this yourself?"


    "How about it? Do you like it?"


    Su Wanyu''s eyes were filled with anticipation; she didn''t have much money and couldn''t afford to give very expensive gifts.


    After much thought, she decided to knit a heartwarming scarf for Lu Liang before the arrival of winter.


    If Lu Liang remembered her birthday, she would give it to him on the spot; if not, she would give it to him the next day and then have a good reason to chastise him.


    "I like it. I''ll wear it to work tomorrow."


    Lu Liang smiled and nodded, looking at Su Wanyu whose clear, large eyes were full of sincerity.


    Su Wanyu beamed with joy, willing to wear it out was the greatest acknowledgment for her. "Oh my, I almost forgot the lamb stew. Go take a shower quickly."


    "What about together? We''ve never tried a mandarin duck bath?" Lu Liang said, teasingly pulling Su Wanyu''s hand with a mischievous smile.


    Su Wanyu dashed away in a puff of smoke, standing at the door making faces. "Nuh-uh, I''m not going to join you."


    Lu Liang chuckled, looking down as if he could still smell Su Wanyu''s scent on the scarf. He took off the scarf, picked up the clothes for a change, and humming a tune, headed to the bathroom.


    Although he didn''t want to taint Su Wanyu''s view of love, Lu Liang always believed that feelings are built on abundant material wealth.


    It was because he had money that he could hire a Foreign Teacher, which allowed him to meet Su Wanyu, and through time, he was able to win her over.


    Without money, they probably wouldn''t even have had the chance to meet.


    At night, Su Wanyu sat on the sofa reading, while Lu Liang lay with his head on her thigh, browsing the news on his phone.


    The international community almost unanimously thought that David Cameron wouldn''t dare to implement the Brexit referendum and was just spouting off.


    Public opinion was one-sided; anyone who held an opposing view was immediately sprayed with brainless labels.


    From macro to micro, then to people''s livelihoods, various angles were analyzed to arrive at one result.


    Old England couldn''t possibly Brexit; even if a referendum took place, it would just be for show, like the National Team playing against Brazil; there was absolutely no suspense in it.


    "The National Team playing Brazil, that''s quite an image."


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but chuckle, yet couldn''t suppress a tiny bit of hope; after all, who could have imagined the previous year that Brazil would be crushed seven to one by Germany.


    Even knowing that the main players were injured, the 7:1 score was still too outrageous.


    "Huh?" Su Wanyu''s small eyes were full of confusion: "The National Team playing Brazil? Poor National Team."


    Brazil and Argentina, the two great football kingdoms of South America¡ªeven if one never followed football, they would have heard their names.


    On the other hand, the National Team¡ªeven if one never followed football, they knew of their prowess, constantly enlightening others with their geographic knowledge.


    When these two teams came together, the result should be a foregone conclusion.


    "The premise for these two teams to meet is our National Team making it to the World Cup; otherwise, there''s hardly a chance."


    Lu Liang explained, smiling as she misunderstood that the phrase "The National Team playing Brazil" being used online was in reference to England''s Brexit.


    Su Wanyu cocked her head, her expression tangled. "Such a metaphor doesn''t seem quite vivid."


    She had been reading international news and watching Hollywood movies to increase her English vocabulary.


    Speaking rigorously, if the chance of the National Team beating Brazil was 1%, then the chance of Old England doing Brexit was at least 5%.


    Suddenly, Lu Liang sat up, squinting his eyes. "Indeed, it''s not very vivid, it''s simply an insult to Brazil."


    "Yu, you keep reading. I just thought of something and need to go to the study for a while." Having said that, he rushed to the study.


    [February 18, the GBP/USD exchange rate was 1.1420]


    "Tsk tsk, a drop of over 3500 basis points, the overall value of the currency declined by more than 11%, wealth evaporated by over six trillion."


    Lu Liang marveled. If he could seize this opportunity, the profits brought by this news would far exceed all his past earnings.


    Fortunately, he had three months to plan, needing to be well-prepared with ample ammunition before that day arrived.


    Due to insufficient funds during the yen''s plunge, Lu Liang could only follow behind Wall Street, picking up the scraps.


    Even though he didn''t earn much, he was still rumored to be the biggest driver behind the short-selling. This time, he wanted to be the real big driver.

 Chapter 141 - 140: Xiangjiang

    The next day at noon, Panda Interactive Entertainment''s self-produced variety show "Hellos Goddess" was launched and became a huge hit.


    On its first day, it attracted 2.28 million viewers online and the ten contestants received a total of over 20 million in gifts.


    The concept of a real-world goddess development record was warmly received upon its release, dominating hot search topics. Platforms like Douyu and Huya announced they were preparing to launch similar variety shows.


    Three days later, Wang Xiaocong kicked off Panda''s Series A financing round, offering 20% of the shares and securing 30 million US dollars in funding from Qihu 360 and Golden Sand River.


    An initial investment of less than 5 million US dollars had turned, in just four months, into a company valued at 150 million US dollars and owning 68% of the shares.


    With a return of over 30 times the investment, Wang Xiaocong''s reputation shifted, and he became a rising supernova in the business world. He was no longer seen as the foolish son of a landowner who only knew how to spend money and chase girls.


    That day, Wang Xiaocong was spirited and walked with a powerful stride, nearly sweeping up a breeze, as he entered Tianxing Capital to repay the borrowed 50 million, principal and interest included.


    "Liang, as the saying goes, it''s easy to borrow again if you pay back what you owe. Are you interested in investing more?"


    Wang Xiaocong didn''t want to repay the money. Although he had secured 30 million US dollars in financing, he had several projects ready to launch.


    He was quite cautious with funds, but there was no choice as the terms of the loan stated clearly in black and white that it must be repaid immediately after the financing round.


    Lu Liang seemed to deeply distrust him, which really annoyed him¡ªafter all, he was the founder of a company valued close to a billion.


    "Not interested." Lu Liang glanced at him coldly.


    Little Wang had been getting a bit too arrogant lately, going from respectfully calling him Liang to casually addressing him as Liang.


    After the financing round, his shares were diluted to 12%, but he was still the second-largest shareholder. He naturally knew how the 30 million US dollars were obtained.


    The Series A financing of Panda wasn''t as easy as the external rumors suggested. Little Wang had negotiated with Old Zhou and Old Zhu for two whole days before finally signing an agreement that aimed to take the company public within three years. If they failed, he would have to repay the principal and an additional 10% interest.


    He was too eager. Lu Liang had advised against it, but to no avail.


    Going public is every company''s dream, but aiming to do so in just three years was reckless¡ªeven if his father was Wanda Lin, he left no room for contingency.


    Lu Liang couldn''t be bothered to advise any further. He was already studying who might be interested in the live streaming industry, planning to sell off his shares in Panda during the Series B financing. He didn''t want to go mad alongside Little Wang.


    Wang Xiaocong sighed helplessly, "I didn''t want to be so rushed, but Douyu is already in talks with Tencent, preparing to join their major entertainment plan."


    Lu Liang said, "Why don''t you join them? Tencent isn''t Ali; as long as you can make money, they won''t interfere with the daily operations."


    Little Wang snorted with pride, "That would mean begging on my knees. My legs don''t bend that easily."


    After all, Old Wang was the current First Rich. If the company he struggled to create was just to serve Tencent, he would rather live comfortably as a super-rich second-generation without worry.


    "Tough and principled," remarked Lu Liang, clapping nonchalantly as he stood up to leave. He had booked a flight to Xiangjiang.


    Upon hearing that Lu Liang was heading to Xiangjiang, Wang Xiaocong hastily called out, "How about we go together? I have some business there, too."


    "What are you going to do?" Lu Liang asked, curious.


    "Didn''t I tell you? I''m creating cultural diversity, so I signed a few Han City girl group members and female hosts involving international cooperation. Of course, I''m heading to Xiangjiang¡ªit''s more professional there."


    As soon as he had money, he couldn''t restrain himself.


    He was ready to go shopping mode: e-sports teams, event rights, Han City actresses, Japanese idols¡ªhe planned to get them all.


    Lu Liang''s words came to his lips but then he swallowed them back down, "We''ll go our separate ways upon arrival and catch up when we''re done."


    "Ok, ok."


    At three o''clock in the afternoon, the plane landed in Xiangjiang. Lu Liang took the Peninsula Hotel''s car service directly to Central Financial Street.


    Golden Sand River had transferred the money, the equity transfer fee for ofo, but it wasn''t sent to Tianxing Investment. Instead, it was sent to a trust fund established in the name of Lu Liang''s sister in Xiangjiang.


    In total, it was 197 million Hong Kong dollars. The Hong Kong dollar is no different from the US dollar because, aside from the ten-dollar note, all other denominations of Hong Kong currency bear the words ''promise to pay on demand.''


    The bank has to back 7.8 Hong Kong dollars with one US dollar to the government to lock in the exchange rate at 7.8.


    If the US dollar rises, the Hong Kong dollar rises; if the US dollar falls, the Hong Kong dollar falls. Essentially, it''s a US dollar voucher.


    HSBC took Lu Liang''s arrival very seriously, and Vice President Li Junwei personally welcomed him: "Mr. Lu, have you been to Xiangjiang before?"


    Lu Liang shook his head with a smile, "It''s my first time."


    He had gotten his Hong Kong and Macao Pass years ago in a trend, but Modu was too far from Xiangjiang, leaving him with few opportunities to come over.


    His first impression of Xiangjiang was one of fantasy; he had crossed Yau Tsim Mong through the Red Stone Undersea Tunnel to get to Xiangjiang Island.


    Central Financial Street was lined with towers exuding modernity, not a bit inferior to Lujiazui, but Yau Tsim Mong was more cramped than any urban village.


    Every building was a dense mosaic of windows, with countless air-conditioning units like a honeycomb full of larvae.


    Li Junwei was all smiles, "So, how long do you plan to stay here?"


    "It depends."


    Before the 25th, Lu Liang had to return to the company to sign the authorization to update the net asset value this month, so he likely had a few days of free time.


    If he was comfortable and happy, he would stay a few more days; if not, he might even return tonight.


    "Mr. Lu, shall I arrange a tour guide for you? If you need anything, feel free to contact us."


    Li Junwei genuinely hoped Lu Liang would stay for a few more days because the day after tomorrow was the opening ceremony of the winter horse races.


    By that time, celebrities, politicians, and tycoons would gather.


    Before ''97 in Xiangjiang, a saying was popular: power was divided into three parts¡ªone for the governor, one for HSBC, and one for the Jockey Club.


    In a blink of eighteen years, the first had vanished, the second was humbled by Bank of China, and the third was just okay, at least not as influential as the first two.


    The opening of the winter races was an annual spectacular event and an excellent opportunity to meet both the new and established elite of Xiangjiang.


    "If I''m still here, I''ll check it out."


    Lu Liang contemplated, but he didn''t give a definite answer.


    According to Meng Changkun, Old Meng''s statistics, over twenty people had already expressed interest in the second phase of Tianxing Private Equity.


    Even if each person subscribed for only one share, with half already in the fold, that was close to five hundred million dollars. He didn''t need to drum up more investors; it was take it or leave it.


    After bidding farewell to Li Junwei, Lu Liang took a car to the hotel. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    HSBC had considerable experience in setting up trusts for the wealthy, offering almost a one-stop solution, but unlike other wealthy individuals who needed a manager, Lu Liang didn''t need one¡ªhe planned to operate it himself.


    Upon his return to the hotel, Lu Liang ran into Wang Xiaocong coming out of the elevator, his face dark with a foul mood.


    He smirked and joked, "Friend, share with me what''s bothering you, so I can have a good laugh."


    Wang Xiaocong looked at him fiercely, clearly upset. The two went to eat in the hotel''s restaurant where he felt belittled.


    Platforms usually only paid the first year of the three-year, fifteen-million-dollar signing fee.


    But he was asked to pay half upfront.


    "So what?"


    "I signed," Wang Xiaocong sighed.


    "Then why all the fuss?"


    Lu Liang chuckled and quickly turned his attention to the glossy roasted goose, taking a bite of the juicy leg that left his mouth greasy: "This is really good, try some."


    "What about you? Have you finished your business?"


    "Sort of."


    "Sort of?" Wang Xiaocong was puzzled.


    Lu Liang turned his head and signaled Wen Chao to bring over the Jockey Club''s invitation, his words muffled: "Just can''t decide whether to stay a few more days."


    "Damn it, why hasn''t anyone invited me?" Xiaocong grumbled, after all, he too was a rising star in the business world.


    Lu Liang wiped his hands clean with a hot towel, teasing, "Maybe they don''t know you''re here."


    Wang Xiaocong huffed, clearly catching the sarcasm in Lu Liang''s voice.


    He asked, "So, are you going?"


    "If you were me, would you go?"


    Lu Liang pondered and couldn''t think of any benefits the opening ceremony would offer him.


    Networking would happen without effort on his part, and capital was not something he lacked, so he left the decision to Wang Xiaocong.


    "If it were me, I''d definitely go," said Wang Xiaocong without a second thought. Why pass up such a chance to shine?


    "Alright then, let''s go," Lu Liang said with a resigned laugh.

 Chapter 142 - 141: Still Playable with Hundreds of Millions of US Dollars

    "What are your plans for tonight and tomorrow?"


    Little Wang decided to join Lu Liang for a stroll to broaden his horizons.


    The status of the Xiangjiang Horse Racing Club is higher than that of the Taishan Association on the mainland; even the selection system of the Taishan Association is modeled after the Racing Club.


    Lu Liang had no shortage of networks or funds, but what he lacked were connections with some big shots in Xiangjiang, which might come in handy later.


    The best option for Panda was definitely to go public in the US, but there was still a three-year gambling agreement.


    If the conditions for going to the US weren''t met, settling for a listing on the Hong Kong stock market was also an option.


    "Just wander around and see the sights."


    Lu Liang was not familiar with Xiangjiang and had no specific plans.


    "How about playing a few rounds next door?" suggested Little Wang.


    "Sure, you arrange it, I''ll go take a shower first."


    Little Wang, referring to next door, naturally meant Macau.


    As soon as Lu Liang let him take charge, Little Wang immediately got excited, and he made some phone calls to book a few girls. According to him, flowers always need green leaves for accompaniment, and two grown men alone seemed a bit dry.


    In the evening, the two took a boat to Macau and then a private car to the Xinpu Hotel. Upon arrival, two girls with delicate makeup and attractive appearances were waiting in the lobby.


    The leading girl smiled and waved excitedly, running forward, "Xiaocong, how come you suddenly came to Macau?"


    Wang Xiaocong casually put his arm around her waist, "Just here to take care of some things and thought I''d bring a friend along for some fun."


    He turned to introduce Lu Liang, "Xueli, my girlfriend, and this is Lu Liang, call him Liang."


    "Liang, nice to meet you. I can''t believe how young you are," Xueli said, her eyes wide open with surprise.


    If Little Wang was the top internet celebrity in China in the first half of the year, then the title should probably belong to Lu Liang for the second half.


    Unlike Little Wang, who leveraged Old Wang''s fame to become the entertainment industry''s discipline inspector, Lu Liang genuinely relied on his own abilities.


    With each deal, he pocketed profits of at least several million US dollars, especially a few days ago when he led a group to short the British Pounds against the market trends.


    At least fifty people cracked the code of wealth, earning from a thousand to several hundred thousand US dollars, pushing Lu Liang''s fame to new heights.


    Though domestic platforms banned discussions of foreign internet topics, Lu Liang''s Weibo followers had silently risen to 12 million.


    Lu Liang smiled, amused, "You make it sound like I''m actually very old but just appear young."


    "No, no, no, please don''t get me wrong, that''s not what I meant," Xueli hurriedly explained, only to dig herself deeper.


    Little Wang couldn''t help but laugh and quickly spoke up to shield her, "Lu, stop teasing her. Xueli, why not introduce your friend?"


    "Liang, her name is Kexin," Xueli said with a nervous giggle, finally breathing a sigh of relief as she introduced her friend.


    With short hair to her earlobes, crescent-shaped earrings, and a loose down jacket completely covering her shorts, she wore black long boots, presenting a mature lady''s aura.


    Smiling shyly, she said, "Liang, nice to meet you, I''m Lin Yike."


    "Kexin, hello, let''s go," said Lu Liang with a nod, and the group of four entered the casino.


    The bright lights and pleasant temperature, accompanied by soft music, made it hard to tell day from night.


    Seemingly familiar with the place, Little Wang was immediately accompanied by a dedicated casino manager, locally referred to as the ''chip stacker'', right after entering.


    He exchanged a million in chips: "It''s too noisy in the main hall; I''m heading upstairs. What about you?"


    "I''ll just wander around a bit," said Lu Liang, intrigued by everything. He also exchanged a million in chips and got a dedicated manager.


    Given his spending power, he shouldn''t have actually been assigned a manager; it was probably Little Wang who had revealed his identity.


    "Alright, see you later."


    Little Wang took his girlfriend and followed the manager to the upper floor.


    Lu Liang, leading Lin Yike and his manager, strolled around the lobby before stopping in front of a slot machine, a hint of nostalgia in his eyes.


    These machines reminded him of his childhood when he played arcade games; one yuan for six tokens, five tokens to play the fruit machine lottery, playing until he was down to his last token before he accepted reality.


    He would then seriously play Cadillacs and Dinosaurs, Bomberman, or Journey to the West ¡ª games that filled an entire afternoon until Lu Ya came to fetch him.


    Although these machines were more sophisticated and fun than the fruit machine, they couldn''t match the past feelings.


    After losing a few thousand, Lu Liang headed over to Baccarat and turned to ask, "Banker, Player, or Tie, which should I bet on?"


    Lin Yike shook her head, looking distressed, "I don''t know."


    "No worries, just pick one," Lu Liang replied with a smile.


    Lin Yike touched her chin thoughtfully, "Well, let''s say banker; it''s been player four rounds straight already."


    Lu Liang smiled, called over the manager, and, without even checking, pulled half his chips and tossed them onto the table: "All on banker."


    A bystander exclaimed, "Young man, reversing four with four hundred thousand, max bet two million, how long can you last?"


    Lin Yike also widened her eyes, covering her mouth in surprise, "Liang, isn''t that too much?"


    She didn''t want her casual suggestion to result in Lu Liang losing four hundred thousand.


    "It''s just for fun; I trust your luck," Lu Liang shrugged it off with a smile, not concerned about the stakes.


    Ding, ding, ding,


    With three clear chimes ringing out, there was no turning back now.


    Upon hearing this, the man beside him suddenly lit up, just in time before the dealer rang the bell, and followed by betting fifty thousand.


    He had a big smile on his face, revealing two large golden teeth, "Casino rules, newcomers have a protection period."


    Lu Liang was astonished, "Maybe."


    The dealer dealt two cards, Lin Yike stared intensely, clenching her little fists, silently cheering on.


    Lu Liang didn''t have any fancy moves, he picked up the cards and saw a 4, gently pushed it to reveal a 3.


    "Seven points, not bad," he smiled.


    Nine points was the maximum, seven points was already quite high.


    The man with the golden teeth smacked his lips and sighed, "Indeed not small, but also not stable."


    Lu Liang looked around, observing the expressions of the gamblers.


    At the table, there were more than a dozen people, only he and the man with the golden teeth bet on the banker, the others bet on the player, commonly known as chasing the dragon.


    The first card revealed by the player was a 5,


    Everyone was shouting, "No sides, no sides¡­"


    However, contrary to their wishes, three sides appeared.


    The reveal was a 6, followed by another 2. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Banker seven points, player three points, banker wins."


    The man with the big golden teeth''s smile was crooked, he hurriedly bent down to collect the money, "Young man, I told you newcomers have a protection period."


    Lu Liang gave a light smile, Lin Yike stared at the chips, dazed, "Just like that, won 400 thousand?"


    "No, just 380 thousand."


    Lu Liang smiled, playing with the chips, banker wins one round takes a 5% commission, 20 rounds just to break even.


    No wonder there''s the saying that frequent gambling leads to certain losses,


    He took out eighty thousand and handed it to Lin Yike, "For you."


    Lin Yike shook her head, Lu Liang smiled, "Take it, it''s because of your good luck that we could win."


    After that, the two of them continued to play several rounds, it seemed like there really was such a thing as a newcomer protection period.


    Four consecutive wins, each bet was generally around four to five hundred thousand, a million chips had already turned into more than three million.


    Lin Yike also got the spare change that Lu Liang didn''t want, together in five rounds it added up to 410 thousand.


    Her excited cheeks were flushed, including the man with the big golden teeth who was also beaming with joy.


    Lu Liang''s expression remained unchanged, now if he were to go get his heart rate checked, it probably wouldn''t exceed 90.


    The man with the big golden teeth was amazed, "Young brother, you must be a big businessman, right?"


    Lu Liang just smiled, giving no response.


    The harm of gambling is it destroys one''s values.


    Like earning a few tens an hour, in one day of hard work it may be just a few hundred, a single bet could win or lose thousands or tens of thousands. Once you taste the sweetness, there''s no turning back.


    But Lu Liang''s values had already been destroyed by finance.


    He had experienced the feeling of losing millions of US dollars in a few minutes, to earning tens of millions of US dollars.


    Losses and wins of hundreds of thousands or millions, to him it was like playing rock-paper-scissors, the loser treats to a drink game.


    Lu Liang asked the manager to collect the chips on the table, stretched lazily, and smiled, "Let''s go upstairs and see how much Little Wang has lost."


    Lin Yike nodded, hesitated for a moment, then took the initiative to hold Lu Liang''s arm, showing a sweet smile on her face.


    Not just because she earned a few hundred thousand in tips, but because it was Lu Liang, this opportunity, she didn''t want to miss.


    Girls must take initiative to get what they want, just like her best friend Xueli.


    The two went upstairs, the scale was smaller than below, and there were fewer people, but the betting limit on the gambling tables was higher.


    Lu Liang''s prediction turned out to be true, Little Wang was sitting in front of the Baccarat table, his face flushed, it seemed he not only lost, but was also getting carried away.


    His girlfriend Xueli saw them coming, hurriedly whispered, "Liang, can you please try to persuade Xiaocong?"


    It turned out the million chips were gone, Little Wang had exchanged another five million, and there were less than a million left in the tray.


    Lu Liang knew the cardinal sin of gambling, walked over and directly pressed Little Wang''s shoulder, smiled and said, "Let''s go eat some late-night snacks."


    "Don''t touch me¡­"


    Little Wang, touched on the shoulder, nearly flipped out, but seeing it was Lu Liang, reluctantly nodded with a bitter smile, "Alright, let''s go."


    "Mr. Wang, why leave so soon, didn''t we agree to play till dawn? Can''t afford to lose this bit of money?"


    Someone teased, with a pile of chips in front of them, seemingly taking Little Wang as a sure guide to winning.


    "Who the hell can''t afford to lose?" Wang Xiaocong''s face darkened.


    Lu Liang patted his shoulder, signaling him not to be impulsive, sat in Little Wang''s place, smiled and said, "Sir, since you''re so interested, I''ll play with you. This is boring, how about we play high-low no limit betting?"


    The man looked disdainful, sneered condescendingly, "Who are you, daring to talk so big?"


    "My name''s Lu Liang, I can pull out a few billion to play with you, and I can afford it, how about it? Do you dare to play?"


    Lu Liang smiled, relaxed and casual.

 Chapter 143 - 142: The Friendship of Gentlemen, As Mild as Water

    "Ugh, this is so boring, I''m going back to sleep."


    When that person heard the name Lu Liang, a flash of astonishment crossed his eyes, and he immediately made a swift exit, beating a hasty retreat.


    Wang Xiaocong was obviously bragging, but Lu Liang did have the capacity to produce hundreds of millions, which might even be in US dollars.


    They were still playing big and small, this kind of binary bet, whoever had more chips could laugh last, and he wasn''t stupid.


    Lu Liang smiled indifferently and didn''t bother arguing with the other party, after all, Little Wang''s surname was Wang, not Lu, and it was enough just to let off some steam.


    "Such a damn coward."


    Little Wang cursed under his breath and looked at Lu Liang''s chips in surprise, "Did you guys win all this?"


    "Kexin''s just lucky, hitting every target she points at," Lu Liang said with a smile.


    "You''re really lucky," Xueli said with eyes full of envy.


    She wasn''t envious of her best friend earning so much in tips, she was just envious of the luck that brought men good fortune.


    In contrast, her own luck wasn''t good, if she hadn''t pointed wrongly, Little Wang wouldn''t have gotten so riled up and lost so much.


    The group of four went downstairs to exchange their chips.


    Lu Liang kept only three million to exchange for a check, and the scattered couple hundred thousand were given as a generous tip to the manager, the rest was all transferred to Lin Yike''s account.


    "Liang, that''s too much,"


    Lin Yike was flattered and pleasantly surprised; after deducting 20% in taxes, she still had nearly five hundred thousand in her account.


    "Keep it, Xinxin, Liang gave it to you because he likes you and feels you bring him good luck," Xueli said, trying to play matchmaker for the two.


    The internet said that the second phase of Tianxing Private Equity Fund amounted to one billion dollars, with a single subscription of twenty million dollars.


    Those who could fork out were either rich or noble.


    All of these people were about to become friends of Lu Liang.


    Even though Wang Xiaocong was good friends with Lu Liang, there was no direct contact between him and her, but if Lin Yike became Lu Liang''s girlfriend, then their connection would significantly grow, after all, she was the matchmaker for the both of them, and Lin Yike was also her best friend.


    "Thank you, Liang," Lin Yike kept thanking him, her smile growing sweeter.


    Lu Liang just smiled and looked at Xueli, patting Little Wang on the shoulder, "Let''s go, time for some late-night food."


    You could say Xinpu Hotel is a huge money pit, as long as you had the money, you could experience all kinds of entertainment without leaving the premises.


    The temperature in the south was very pleasant, even in late November you could still catch the tail end of summer, with the evening temperature around 20 degrees. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The group, sitting on the private lawn, enjoyed barbecue and beer with dedicated chefs and waiters.


    After chatting about everything under the sun, Lu Liang also found out that Xueli was an internet-famous blogger who ran her own women''s clothing online store.


    Lin Yike was her schoolmate and colleague, both of whom graduated from Zhejiang Business University, and were recently looking for new products for their online store in Yangcheng.


    The reason Xueli explained in such detail was also to subtly remind Lu Liang that an internet celebrity isn''t a derogatory term.


    It''s just that there are too many unethical internet celebrities causing scandals online, which is why being an internet celebrity has come to carry a negative connotation.


    She didn''t want Lu Liang to see them through prejudice and was also trying to elevate her own value.


    As the night grew deeper, Little Wang clutched his head, pretending to be overwhelmed by alcohol, creating an opportunity for Lu Liang.


    "They''ve gone back, let''s go back to our room too."


    Lu Liang walked ahead, Lin Yike followed behind.


    Everyone was an adult, some things didn''t need to be spelled out; they would naturally take their course, and this path was also a shortcut to a woman''s innermost feelings.


    Having slept together or not made a big difference.


    Now that they had been honest with each other physically, Lin Yike wasn''t as timid as before, she snuggled quietly against Lu Liang with bedding in her arms, "Liang, what do you like about me?"


    Lu Liang lit a cigarette, slowly exhaling the smoke, "Your short hair, your style, they remind me of a friend."


    "Was she a girlfriend?" Lin Yike asked curiously.


    Lu Liang thought for a moment, "Sort of."


    "How did you two break up?"


    "We gradually lost contact."


    "Were there no signs?"


    "What signs do you need?"


    Lu Liang smiled indifferently,


    Months went by without contact, and it was natural that they drifted apart.


    Last Friday, he received a package.


    Inside was just a credit card.


    She had made her choice, and he wasn''t going to disturb her.


    The friendship of gentlemen is as light as water.


    Lin Yike hugging the bedding, suddenly lay down on the bed, cutely staring at Lu Liang, "Am I your girlfriend now?"


    Liang burst into laughter, standing up to stub out his cigarette and incidentally patted her butt, "Let''s not talk about such a mood killer."


    Lin Yike yelped in pain and whined with her nose wrinkled, "You''re so annoying, can''t you just deceive me?"


    Liang came back after washing his face, pinning her underneath him, "If you try hard enough, maybe you can be deceived."


    Lin Yike bit her lip, unable to help but moan softly, "Then can you give me a rough direction, please?"


    "That''d be too deliberate if I just gave it away."


    "You''re fishing without bait."


    "Whoever is willing will take the bait."


    "What if I don''t want to bite?"


    "You''ve already been caught."


    "~"


    ...


    The next day, two men and two women spent a day playing in Macau, and on the opening day, Liang returned to Xiangjiang with Wang Xiaocong.


    Little Wang, though very fond of Xueli, also knew clearly which occasions he could bring her to and which he couldn''t.


    As for Liang''s relationship with Lin Yike, it was a gentlemen''s friendship: if fated, they''d meet again in worldly society; if not, they''d forget each other in the same realm.


    "You''re really a scumbag," Wang Xiaocong shook his head, his words and expressions laden with disdain for Liang.


    They had known each other for only half a year, and in front of Wang Xiaocong, Liang had flirted with three girls ¨C Wen Shanshan, Zhang Tian''ai, Lin Yike, and also Li Xiaomeng, making it four precisely.


    "A fling is a fling, a girl is a girl, you''ve got to differentiate."


    Liang curled up the corners of his mouth, revealing a roguish smile.


    The things one cannot possess in youth will haunt one for life; he probably will never escape it.


    Playboy founder Hugh Hefner was his role model ¨C 89 years old this year, married three times, with more than 2,000 girlfriends, and it''s said he''s determined to be buried next to Monroe when he dies.


    Wang Xiaocong grumbled angrily, cursing, "Sooner or later, you''ll end up with renal failure like Liu Cixin."


    He always considered himself a man of deep love, devoted to one until the next.


    "A man can on average take action 8,000 times in his life. Even if it''s eight times per, a thousand conquests is a breeze."


    "You, on the other hand, should not take your youth for granted and indulge without limit. You should get some replenishment and exercise; it''s not like you lack the means."


    Liang laughed with a mischievous glint in his eye and gently kicked Little Wang in the calf, nearly bringing him to his knees.


    "No need, I''m still young. What the hell do I need to replenish?" Wang Xiaocong retorted disdainfully, his mind already calculating plans to seek advice from Old Meng back in Modu ¨C he was an expert in this area.


    The two returned to the hotel to freshen up,


    then set off for the race meeting at the Racecourse.


    Xiangjiang''s high society still maintains the old traditions, especially today since it''s the opening day of the winter horse races.


    Each one dressed in a suit and shiny shoes, Liang, wearing casual clothes, stood out like a sore thumb in such a setting.


    Polo shirt, jeans, sneakers ¨C if it weren''t for their exclusive invitation from select members, the security staff would have thought they were tourists from outside the venue who had taken a wrong turn.


    "Should we go out and change our clothes?"


    Little Wang felt slightly embarrassed, while Liang looked at him with disdain, "Think about your dad being Old Wang, and I''m with you. What are you afraid of?"


    Little Wang suddenly felt confident, but then realizing something was off, he cursed, "Damn it, you''re taking advantage of me again."


    Liang laughed and, upon seeing HSBC''s Li Jun, waved and said, "Mr. Li, is today''s event really that formal?"


    Out of politeness, it is appropriate to follow local customs, but if they were unaware, there was no need to go back and change.


    Still, it''s better to make it clear,


    it''s ignorance, not impoliteness.


    Li Jun smiled and said, "It''s not that formal; it''s just that everyone is used to it. It doesn''t have the relaxed feel of the mainland."


    He knew Wang Xiaocong and greeted him with a smile, "Mr. Wang, nice to meet you. I''ve had the honor of meeting your father a few times."


    Just before last Christmas, Wanda went public on the Hong Kong stock market in one of the largest IPOs of the past two years.


    And for businesses going public in Xiangjiang, there''s no way to avoid dealing with their HSBC Bank.


    "Mr. Li. I''ve heard my father mention you," Wang Xiaocong responded with a smile.


    Although he acted like a fool in front of Liang because of their close relationship,


    in public, he was still the aloof prince, the son of a wealthy family.


    After some idle chat, Li Jun turned to several people nearby, "Mr. Lu, I was just talking about you with a few friends."


    Gambling is rampant in Xiangjiang, from the financial stock market all the way down to the gambling stalls in the marketplaces. Today, surprisingly, many people came, and most were here for Liang.


    As of the 25th of last month, in just two months, Liang turned one hundred million dollars into two hundred million dollars.


    They were very interested indeed.


    If the tycoons from the mainland are willing to put only 10% of their wealth into high-risk, high-return private equity funds, then the tycoons from Xiangjiang are willing to put at least 20%, if not more.

 Chapter 144 - 143: Money Really Can Make Money

    "Let''s go meet them."


    Liang was just too lazy to make acquaintances, not unwilling. Since he was already here, he certainly intended to make more friends.


    Having more friends meant more opportunities, just like Little Ma, who spent a long time in Xiangjiang because he had many friends there.


    "Li Zhikai." "Zheng Jueming." "Guo Guicheng."


    Li Junwei introduced everyone, with Li, Zheng, and Guo representing the top families of Xiangjiang.


    The older generation had either retired or passed away, and they now stood as the new generation of business leaders in Xiangjiang.


    They, led by Li Zhikai, had made their name as far back as the end of the last century, with the Digital Port project.


    Under the guise of a digital technology port, they built a super real estate project and made a fortune.


    "Nice to meet you."


    Liang greeted everyone with a smile, his grin growing even wider when he saw Li Zhikai.


    In recent years, the Old Super Man had cashed out over 150 billion in both regions and left, but it was like out of the frying pan into the fire.


    Since his escape was to Europe, heavily investing in Old England, whether he would be flayed as a foreigner was still unknown.


    But with Brexit approaching next year, a decrease in assets was inevitable.


    "Mr. Lu, have we met before?" Li Zhikai was puzzled and felt that Lu Liang''s gaze was somewhat strange.


    "No, I''ve only seen you on the news before," Lu Liang said with a smile, then introduced Little Wang to everyone. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He knew what Little Wang was thinking¡ªif Panda''s situation didn''t improve, he would leave, but for now, he would help where he could. Who knows, with his bizarre ways, he might even manage to take the company public.


    "Mr. Wang, hello."


    Everyone chatted merrily, and suddenly the conversation shifted to the recent Old English elections, adding another victory to Lu Liang''s achievements.


    He also revealed the frustration of not being able to subscribe, as Hong Kong Capital usually flowed to two places: either Beijing or the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau area.


    The former is the capital, and the latter is closer.


    Modu was in an awkward position, and even if they invested there, they rarely interacted with people from the Shanghai circle.


    Meng Changkun was even less familiar to them.


    "If you''re all interested, then when the time comes, I''ll have Mr. Meng send out the invitations to each of you. Remember to come."


    Liang agreed readily, sharing the specific time the second phase of subscriptions would start¡ªsometime in the latter half of January.


    "Looking forward to the good news from Mr. Lu."


    Everyone was delighted, their conversation turning even more jovial. Li Zhikai, nearing a significant age, also shared amusing stories about the Xiangjiang entertainment scene with Lu Liang.


    Regardless of status, when men want to bond, it usually involves women. As it happened, he was also interested in that arena.


    But Xiangjiang''s entertainment glory days were no more; the flowering of the industry in the 90s had become a thing of the past.


    As Li Zhikai told his stories, Lu Liang longed for that era, which had seen so many stunning beauties that amazed an age.


    Soon, a sharp whistle sounded, and the winter horse race officially began. Instantly, gongs and drums blared, and firecrackers burst forth in unison.


    Everyone stepped out from the indoor venue to a high platform to watch the opening ceremony.


    Wang Xiaocong came up to Lu Liang and asked quietly, "Is the date for the second phase of the private equity set?"


    Liang nodded. Although it was close to the Chinese New Year, it couldn''t be helped since the Brexit referendum would start at the beginning of February.


    However, he also reserved 20 days'' preparation time.


    Wang Xiaocong looked troubled and hesitated.


    Liang chuckled, as if he could see through his thoughts, "The lock-up period ends next month, and the first dividend will be distributed."


    It wasn''t just Little Wang who didn''t have the funds to subscribe; he didn''t have the money either, not even 50 million dollars.


    So the plan was to distribute all the profits from the Tesla dividend, going all-in and shorting the British Pounds.


    "Liang~ you really are the worm in my stomach; have I ever told you I love you?"


    "Get lost."


    "Alrighty~"


    In the meantime, many of the Xiangjiang elites had come to the event.


    Wen Chao had almost run out of the hundred business cards he had prepared and had received an equal number, mostly from leaders in various industries from Xiangjiang and some wealthy merchants from the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau area.


    Little Wang was green with envy because his business cards were only requested by a few, and some people didn''t even notice him.


    This made him feel slighted: "Next time, I''m definitely not coming out with you. It made me feel like I didn''t exist at all."


    Liang laughed and teased, "Come on, don''t they all know you, Mr. Wang?"


    "Less of that bullshit."


    Wang Xiaocong fumed, being called Mr. Lu while being referred to as a young master clearly signified lower status.


    "Let''s go, back to Star City to shoot the program."


    After the opening ceremony, Little Wang was ready to leave.


    He''ll manage his Panda well. As long as it lists successfully, he''ll transition from Mr. Wang to Mr. Wang.


    Respect isn''t given by others, but earned by oneself, even if by one''s own father.


    Liang was a prime example of this, everyone he met greeted him with a respectful Mr. Lu.


    "Oh right, that guy with the last name Wu¡ªtell him to watch his eyes, and not to leer so much."


    Liang recalled watching the live broadcast yesterday, Wu Fan had looked at Li Manli with lecherous eyes, making annoying popping sounds with his mouth.


    "If he dares to mess around, I''ll castrate him myself," Little Wang said grimly, not just on behalf of Liang, but for his own sake as well.


    Panda is his lifeline; anyone who messes with his vital interests will find theirs fed to the dogs.


    Little Wang left first, and Liang followed shortly after, catching a flight and arriving back in Modu by the evening.


    That night, he stayed at the company, logged into his HSBC account, and personally bought into stocks such as Apple and NVIDIA.


    Since he planned to hold them long-term, he wasn''t concerned about the current share price, so he gradually invested 6 million dollars.


    The following day, he bought 25 million worth of Moutai and 25 million Tencent at the high price of 78 yuan each, filling his portfolio.


    Once everything was done, including locking the encryption keys in a safe, he would invest more money when he had it, buying more.


    Liang aimed to save a billion-dollar retirement fund for himself; it''s easy to switch from frugality to extravagance, but hard the other way around¡ªsaving more is always right.


    Approaching noon, Wen Chao handed him a net value update confirmation report.


    "4.17? Did I make another 100 million plus dollars? It can''t be that much, can it?"


    Liang was puzzled, he remembered making just over 36 million dollars short selling British Pounds¡ªwhere did the remaining 70 million come from?


    BYD didn''t earn much His shares were worth 417 million, only a 20 million increase from the last month, a 5.12% appreciation.


    It wasn''t until he saw his US stock holdings that he realized¡ªTesla shares had gone up by 15% that month, with a stock price of 281.75 dollars, valuating at 266 million dollars.


    The stock''s profit had broken the 100 million dollar barrier and reached 116 million dollars.


    He had 86.28 million dollars in available funds.


    "No problem, you can take it," he said.


    Liang couldn''t help but feel that money indeed made money.


    He had thought he''d make at most 50 million dollars in profit that month, but it turned out to be over a hundred million again.


    He wished to be low-key, but his capabilities didn''t allow for that.


    For three months in a row, every 25th day at noon became a reserved show for netizens.


    Because that month, Liang wasn''t just quiet, he had led the charge in short selling the British Pounds, and they were eager to know how much he made.


    Although only a profit of over 5 million was publicized, they didn''t believe it was just that small, convinced it was just the tip of the iceberg.


    As soon as the net value updated, they could guess the approximate situation.


    However, one hour, two hours,


    even an entire afternoon passed, there was still no word from the knowledgeable brother on the specific value.


    "Why isn''t anyone talking?"


    "Where''s that knowledgeable brother from last time?"


    "The knowledgeable brother has deactivated his account."


    "Could it be a loss? That shouldn''t be the case, right?"


    "Let''s say, is there a possibility that he made so much this time that everyone is afraid to mention it?"


    Ten thousand netizens had ten thousand thoughts, but they ultimately guessed the truth.


    He really made too much, and it was brutal.


    Although the growth rate had fallen compared to last month, to 36%, he had made another 110 million dollars, equating to over 700 million RMB.


    The money came pouring down like rain.


    They didn''t dare to say, nor to reveal.


    Money doubled in a month, a sure bet, something to be kept to oneself, even if it was their own son, they couldn''t tell.

 Chapter 145 - 144: Full Preparation for Battle

    "Tesla," the stock price was $281.75.


    Although there was still a 21.5% increase to follow, Lu Liang felt it was time to prepare for cashing out and exiting the market.


    Because they held a total of 944,000 shares, valued at $266 million, comprising 0.97% of the market''s circulating shares.


    Without any significant positive news, the withdrawal would need to take a very long time, so it was even more necessary to start preparing early.


    That night, Lu Liang assigned the task, there was no limit set on the first day of selling, but they also tried their best not to impact the market, in order to test the market''s capacity to absorb the sell-off.


    Tesla''s individual stock activity was stronger than he had imagined, a frontrunner in the US stocks, selling off $22.5 million in one night with almost no market impact.


    The following day, Lu Liang reviewed the report and drafted a plan for the next half month, expecting to complete the liquidation within ten working days.


    He also asked Tang Caide to recruit twelve more traders, still with the arrangement of four veterans leading eight newcomers.


    Lately, with days and nights reversed, the four young people were nearly at their limit, not to mention the old-timers Sun Yutao and Zhang Jing.


    Lu Liang planned to establish three shifts, six people each, rotating 24 hours a day, to monitor the global financial market.


    Time flew by, and in a blink of an eye, it was the beginning of December, leaving only the last month of the year.


    Mobike launched its Series B financing, firing the first shot at the end of the year, favored by Tencent with a valuation of $100 million.


    As Double Ma Group once again came to a head, capitals from all quarters also began to pick sides and queue up to enter the fray. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Mid-year''s lukewarm bicycle-sharing industry had now spread across first- and second-tier cities, forming a pattern with two giants and many strong contenders, changing the face of city after city.


    That day, Hu Weiwei sought out Lu Liang, suddenly feeling lost, the entire industry seemed fast-forwarded at 64 times the speed.


    Facing rapid changes every day, she felt exhausted and didn''t know whom to talk to, and found herself walking to the New International Building.


    She thought of Lu Liang, he was the one who provided the first financing for ofo, and Dai Wei ignited the entire industry with this capital.


    Lu Liang was still the only one who held shares in both companies, so Hu Weiwei wanted to hear his thoughts.


    What she didn''t know was that Lu Liang had transferred the equity of ofo to Zhu Hu''s Golden Sand River and had successfully cashed out.


    "Mr. Hu, you''re feeling lost because you haven''t settled on your own thoughts," entrepreneurship is not always a romantic affair.


    Lu Liang smiled faintly, after several conversations, he could tell that Hu Weiwei was an idealist and an artistic young woman.


    She had said that riding a bicycle was a romantic thing, one that brought you closer to nature and let you personally feel the changes in a city.


    It wasn''t just for her persona; she indeed believed in that, just undervaluing the urgency of capital.


    Capital wanted a quick resolution, the brutal thousand-group war was still vivid in memory, they didn''t want to repeat the same mistakes.


    Hu Weiwei sighed, "I used to have thoughts, but now I no longer have time to think."


    "It''s so simple," then stop thinking, focus on making money and expanding the market. Lu Liang placed a cup of tea in front of her.


    Hu Weiwei gave a wry smile, realizing that seeking out Lu Liang to talk had been a mistake, "Did you say the same to Dai Wei at the beginning?"


    Lu Liang laughed, "But Dai Wei took it to heart."


    Hu Weiwei was silent for a long time, then laughed self-deprecatingly; if she could have taken it to heart, she might not be so lost now.


    Dai Wei pioneered the misappropriation of deposits, forcing them to follow suit quickly, but it was a path of no return.


    Only those in the thick of it knew how tight the financial chains of each bicycle-sharing company were, stretching a penny as if it were five.


    Once the follow-up funding couldn''t keep up, the company would immediately collapse. To keep the funding up, they needed more financing, and with financing, capital would whip them furiously, forcing rapid expansion.


    It was a vicious cycle.


    The key was, she couldn''t see the end, but looking down she could clearly see the cracked ice beneath her feet and the dark undercurrents surging below.


    "If I had been more resolute at the beginning and firmly stood by your side, would the outcome be different?" Hu Weiwei asked.


    Lu Liang shook his head without hesitation, "I invest to make money, and I have no interest in businesses that don''t turn a profit."


    He paused, then added, "And you wouldn''t have been able to make that decision at the time, nor can you now."


    "That''s quite harsh."


    Hu Weiwei felt helpless, sighed, and prepared to leave. Lu Liang stood up to escort her, passing through the office area.


    "Mr. Lu, if I lose, can I find a job here with you?" Hu Weiwei asked.


    The office area was bustling, though intensely busy, you could not feel the invisible pressure on them.


    Lu Liang was like their piece of sky, a wall defending against enemies, letting them focus on their own jobs.


    She too wanted to experience this kind of work environment.


    "Of course, you can." Lu Liang chuckled, then suddenly thought of something, "Actually, there is a job that would be perfect for you."


    "What kind of job?" Hu Weiwei asked, curious.


    "Let''s talk about it when you''re unemployed."


    "It''s not that easy."


    Hu Weiwei''s gaze was resolute. If no one else gave her confidence, she would have to encourage herself.


    "Hopefully," Lu Liang watched Hu Weiwei leave, not optimistic about her ability to hold on.


    Redwood and Tencent were major shareholders of Meituan, and Li Bing was busy with building cars. If Hu Weiwei had the confidence to break through, she wouldn''t be so confused now.


    Returning to his office, Lu Liang picked up Xia Luo''s box office revenue sharing detailed report. By the end of last month, Xia Luo''s public screenings had ended, and the final box office tally stood at 1.508 billion.


    That was 67 million more than predicted, likely due to his fame playing a role.


    8.62 billion went to the theaters, 1.16 billion for distribution, and 1.2 billion for the film fund''s business tax. The production side took home 4.1 billion.


    Tianxing Investment got a sole share of 1.025 billion. After deducting taxes and the invested capital, the net profit was 70.21 million.


    However, the money would have to wait another two months, until February 1st of the next year, before Wanda would make the payment.


    Lu Liang was not dissatisfied, having only invested twice and barely involving himself throughout the process.


    He earned the money just by sitting back with his legs up.


    After signing authorization, he handed over the report to Wen Chao, then headed to the adjacent trading room.


    "Manager Wu, how much have we sold off?"


    Lu Liang inquired of Wu Jie, who was in charge during the day.


    Since mid-month financial settlements were coming up, he planned to liquidate all chips, including BYD''s stocks.


    Even if such in-and-out trades could wipe out his already minimal profits, there was no choice.


    He now needed to prepare fully for battle, to ready his ammunition for shorting the British Pounds mid-February next year¡ªthe more capital, the greater the earnings.


    Wu Jie replied, "Mr. Lu, in this period, we''ve gradually sold off 1.45 billion, and we still have 2.76 billion in chips."


    Lu Liang looked at the Big A market trends. The year''s end was approaching, and with new energy policies about to be implemented, the sector was getting restless again.


    With BYD''s market value at 265 billion and an average daily trade volume of over 5 billion, their sell-offs wouldn''t be too conspicuous.


    "Continue."


    Later, Lu Liang glanced at the US stocks account, with Tesla''s share price at 293 US dollars, holding a value of 187 million US dollars.


    He was selling off both domestic and international simultaneously, and the capital was being reclaimed. Both sides should be able to complete liquidation by the 12th.


    Stepping out of the office,


    Wen Chao passed him a data report from Bilibili.


    As of yesterday''s early morning, Crown Princess Consort''s episodes had reached 22, with more than 1.1 billion views, but there were only 68,000 new members.


    The view count far exceeded the threshold of 800,000 views per episode, but the new memberships just barely met the 400,000 conditions.


    Lu Liang looked puzzled: "Really? Has there been no falsification in the new member count?"


    Anticipating about one more week until the finale, no matter how much the number of new members increased, it was estimated that it wouldn''t meet the target of 120,000.


    "We''ve verified with a third-party agency and confirmed with investors from the last fundraising round, virtually ruling out the possibility of fraud."


    Wen Chao thought for a moment then added, "Mr. Lu, the willingness to spend among Bilibili users is indeed lower compared to other platforms."


    Lu Liang chuckled: "Are they all just offering company?"


    Wen Chao nodded: "That''s also why Bilibili''s valuation has only reached 530 million US dollars."


    He had previously conducted research on the video industry for Lu Liang. Bilibili''s daily active users were unbeaten in the industry.


    With 15 million daily active users and an average viewing time of more than two hours per person per day, they were far ahead of their competitors.


    High daily activity didn''t mean high income.


    But as Lu Liang said, excelling in companionship, not spending money¡ªa top-tier website but with third-rate income. That''s why Chen Rui always thought about transforming.


    "Which platforms are more interested in the subsequent rights?"


    The first-round revenues should have been a loss. After all, only 400,000 per episode amounted to 14 million in total, which was even less than giving it to Little Wang''s Panda.


    Although the cost was only just over five million, plus two million from Panda''s sponsorship, earning less was akin to losing money.


    Wen Chao said, "Currently, Youku has offered 5 million, LeEco 6 million, and Bilibili 12 million to buy the rights outright."


    "Mr. Li is trying to compensate me, isn''t he?"


    Lu Liang couldn''t help grinning: "Then let''s go with Bilibili."

 Chapter 146 - 145: What if it really comes off?

    On December 7, Douyin quietly launched.


    As a platform-type product with no specific direction, identity, or uniqueness, its download volume was less than three digits within 24 hours.


    Moreover, at least half of those were downloads by Yang Zhenyuan''s team, artificially inflating the data. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lu Liang didn''t help promote it on Weibo because Douyin at that stage wasn''t worth his effort.


    With Yang Zhenyuan being a novice entrepreneur, although his concept was recognized, his personal management capabilities remained a question mark. Not every tech-savvy engineer can successfully start a business or manage a company.


    He needed to rely on himself to accumulate a group of initial users to prove to Lu Liang that he was a competent business manager.


    Lu Liang set a target of 100,000 users, giving him enough time to develop but wouldn''t invest another dime during this period.


    "Mr. Lu, make it 500,000 instead. I don''t want you to set your hopes so low."


    Yang Zhenyuan''s tone was firm. If he couldn''t meet this requirement even with an investment of five million dollars, then both he as a manager and the product they were producing were failures.


    Lu Liang was taken aback, then smiled, "Alright, 500,000 it is. If you reach that, I will personally help promote Douyin and pull in investments for you."


    "Okay!"


    On December 11, the Chancellor David Cameron, after assuming office, held his first National Parliament and eventually passed his Brexit referendum plan with 72 votes, a 62% approval rate.


    The vote was scheduled for February 18 next year and would last for 15 hours, with over 40,000 polling stations primarily set up in libraries, churches, schools, and community centers nationwide, with 46 million citizens participating. The result of the referendum would officially determine whether or not to leave the European Union.


    Upon announcement, the news shocked the world.


    Nobody expected Great Britain to be this decisive; however, upon further thought, it seemed like a feigned show of force.


    After all, David Cameron had released his campaign promises; he had to take some action and not just talk without doing anything.


    "This is just political posturing!"


    Media around the world reported with such headlines, naming it the biggest political posturing of the century.


    As for voting, those who know, know.


    This way, the Chancellor fulfilled his political promise, appeasing the European Union while also managing to seek advantages from the United States¡ªa win on multiple fronts.


    Given the complex relationship between the United States and the European Union, characterized by long-term cooperation and competition,


    the United States hoped for a strong Europe but not too strong. David Cameron saw this as an opportunity to benefit from both sides.


    The global media summarized this as: He doesn''t have the guts to Brexit, but he has and quite substantially, the guts to profit in the name of Brexit.


    Meanwhile, Lu Liang, who had been missing from the public eye for almost half a month, returned online and updated his Twitter: "What if it really happens?"


    Although he didn''t tag his post, at this timing, netizens knew he was referring to a potential Brexit.


    "Mr. Lu, you might be a whiz in finance, but politics isn''t your thing. Unless David Cameron is a fool, Great Britain definitely won''t leave the EU. He knows the difference between a feast and regular meals."


    A fairly mild-mannered netizen disputed this, but more aggressive ones joined in, "Liangzi, I think you''ve gambled yourself silly. Just putting it out there, if you dare short the British Pounds, I''ll definitely blow up your position."


    "Liangzi, don''t be so impulsive. Just make a small profit; everyone knows Great Britain won''t leave the EU."


    "Liangzi, you''re considered a veteran in finance, don''t you understand the principle of going with the flow?"


    "I guess Liangzi''s head got foggy from a few lucky winnings."


    One after another, they all started calling him Liangzi.


    Suddenly, the entire internet was mocking him; with 1.3 million followers on Twitter, Lu Liang was, nonetheless, something of an international internet celebrity.


    The news that he believed Great Britain would leave the EU quickly spread worldwide, and his followers instantly surged to 2 million, mostly there to scoff and watch the spectacle.


    Although there were not a few online celebrity media that held pro-Brexit views, all were well-known and constantly courted controversy like clowns.


    Now, Lu Liang was also categorized among the clowns, and Wilson from JPMorgan Group 3 bluntly stated: A strong man defeated by a stronger man can survive the disgrace, but to be defeated by a weaker one is a lifetime''s shame.


    Though he did not name names, everyone knew he was talking about Lu Liang.


    In an unnoticed corner, only a few people continued to speak up for Lu Liang, including Welfare Girl Qingyin.


    "The world is just a grand farce; why can''t Great Britain leave the EU?"


    Yet, soon she was labeled as a brain-dead fan: "Dumb dog, did you stroke yourself into stupidity? Stop spouting nonsense, if you really agree, go die with Liangzi on the day of the referendum."


    "Who says I''m just talking? You''ll see whether I dare to short the British Pounds with Lu God on that day."


    Welfare Girl was indignantly defensive, ready to follow Lu Liang through thick and thin, even if it meant marching into a hellfire.


    After posting his message, Lu Liang didn''t bother with the follow-up. He had made his stance clear¡ªtake it or leave it.


    That afternoon, he called Old Meng and Little Wang over, handing them a document, "Take a look."


    He had cleared all positions, domestic and international, totaling 458 million US dollars. He planned to distribute dividends of 358 million US dollars and clear the net value.


    Twenty percent of the total earnings, amounting to 71.6 million US dollars, went as fund management fees, with Lu Liang pocketing 42.96 million US dollars, and Old Meng and Little Wang each receiving 14.32 million US dollars.


    "Tsk tsk, over ninety million RMB."


    Meng Changkun continually marveled; though he had anticipated a substantial amount, thinking it and actually receiving dividends were two different matters.


    This was just from stock dividends; the main profits came from the fund. He couldn''t help but ask, "Lu, do you feel like you''re still missing something?"


    Having effectively earned over ninety million for no reason, not buying something for Lu Liang made him feel somewhat uneasy.


    Lu Liang smiled and shook his head, "No issues, just sign here, and then notify the bosses to come over on the 15th to sign and collect their money."


    Little Wang silently finished signing, then picked up the phone and said, "Bring over that big Bull, to New International here."


    He then turned to Lu Liang and added, "It just arrived last week, hasn''t been registered yet; it hasn''t even hit a hundred kilometers."


    Meng Changkun''s eyes lit up and he hurriedly said, "Little Wang, get me one too, at least more expensive than yours."


    "Do it yourself," Little Wang smugly retorted.


    "Forget about it."


    Lu Liang smiled and took out his credit card, slamming it on the table, "If you''re embarrassed to transfer the money directly, multiple transfers are fine."


    "Considering money too seriously makes things awkward, so just leave it,"


    After Old Meng signed, he sneaked away to find a way to get a car.


    A fully-equipped Bull was just over nine million; he needed at least one worth over ten million, otherwise, he couldn''t overshadow Little Wang.


    Wang Xiaocong laughed and said, "Just wait to receive the car, Old Lu. After all, stock rights are something we can or cannot have."


    "How could that be?" Lu Liang frowned, then suddenly joked with a smile, "At the very least, you would still shout ''666''."


    "Screw ''666''."


    Little Wang cussed, then turned to ask, "Do you really think Great Britain will exit the EU?"


    If Great Britain really left the EU, it would have a dramatic impact on global commodities.


    It was unclear about others, but Gold would definitely rise; during international turmoil, the price of gold always soared.


    In prosperous times buy antiques, in chaotic times, buy gold. When global capital seeks a safe haven, gold is the best sanctuary.


    "As a speculator, of course, I hope Great Britain exits; opportunities are everywhere, but it''s also tough, you know."


    Lu Liang smirked, offline banter and online banter were different; after all, online requires no accountability.


    "Is there really not even a slight chance?" Little Wang asked.


    Lu Liang sighed, "There''s a bit, but just a bit; who can really say for sure?"


    "So, is there a chance or not?" asked Wang Xiaocong with knitted brows, feeling that Lu Liang was holding back; he was not satisfied, having tasted success once, he wanted more.


    Lu Liang chuckled dismissively, "If I could be certain, do you think you''d still be sitting here talking to me?"


    "Not sitting, then what?"


    "Of course, kneeling in worship."


    "Go to hell."


    Wang Xiaocong glared at him, then suddenly received a message from his assistant and grumpily said, "Come on, let''s go downstairs and check out your new car."


    "What color is it?" Lu Liang asked nonchalantly, smiling; since it was already on the way, rightfully his.


    "Red."


    "Seems a bit flashy."


    With a look of disdain, Little Wang said, "You''re driving a Lamborghini, even if it''s gray, could it be understated?"


    "I''ve only driven a 718 before; I don''t know about others."


    "God, I really don''t want to talk to you anymore, you compare a 718 to a Lamborghini? It''s an insult even to place them together."


    Lamborghini traditionally named their new models after famous bulls, and the name ''Aventador'' also comes from a bull that was one of the fiercest in the Spanish bullfighting world.


    The big red body, the polygon design of the car''s front, had a strong impact, continuing Lamborghini''s legacy of power and sharp lines.


    Little Wang grabbed the car keys and passed them to Lu Liang, gently caressing the hood and smiling, "How about it? Still like it?"


    He really liked the car but had never driven it.


    When it just arrived last week, he was still in Star City recording a program, and it was only today that Lu Liang had called him back to Modu.


    "It seems pretty good." Lu Liang sat in the driver''s seat; the interior was as sharp and sci-fi as the exterior.


    The multitude of genuine hexagon designs, combined with metal, created a cockpit-like ambiance filled with an aura of battle.


    "You''re as stubborn as a dead duck,"


    Wang Xiaocong shook his head and sighed, then beckoned Secretary Wen over, "Secretary Wen, come help your boss fill out the transfer documents."


    Wen Chao looked towards Lu Liang, who nodded, "Go ahead, I''ll take it out for a spin first, see how it feels."


    With that, he stepped on the accelerator and left the parking lot, leaving behind Little Wang cursing.

 Chapter 147 - 146: Money Distribution Conference

    An hour and a half later, Lu Liang returned to the New International Building with a look on his face that suggested he wanted more.


    Little Wang was still in the parking lot, waiting for client feedback, and asked with a smile, "How does it compare to your ''Bison''?"


    After thinking for a moment, Lu Liang replied with a smile, "All I can say is that the ''Bison'' is not obviously expensive enough."


    Even the most expensive SUVs rarely cost more than five million, and their designs are not as exaggerated or eye-catching as sports cars.


    This ''Big Bull'' outshone everything on the street¡ªits powerful engine, its deep roar announcing its arrival before the car even appeared.


    The driving experience was indeed impressive; no wonder Little Wang''s garage was filled with sports cars and he kept buying more.


    A content smile appeared on Little Wang''s face. "If you''re rich, you should spend more; it''s also a way to boost the country''s GDP."


    Lu Liang''s smile held a hint of amusement, "If you really were that enlightened, I would just give you the dividends directly."


    Little Wang hastily waved his hands, "No, no, no, let''s keep it on the company books."


    From stock dividends to fund dividends, this round, he would likely get about 380 million in cash.


    If it weren''t processed through the company books and he went on a spending spree, followed by some strategic manipulations, he might end up being directly deducted over eighty million.


    "Thanks, the car''s great; I quite like it."


    With a light smile, Lu Liang returned to his company upstairs and summoned Tang Caide to consider suitable charity projects.


    If Little Wang was going to be deducted over eighty million, his deduction would only be larger, with stock and fund dividends totaling 1.346 billion US dollars.


    If he were to pay 25% in income tax, he would get 856 million RMB after a deduction of 220 million RMB.


    Lu Liang had no intention of avoiding taxes; after all, having earned so much money, he felt it was only right that the state also got its share.


    However, using normal methods was still feasible¡ªit wasn''t his money after all, why not use it to boost his reputation?


    Tang Caide nodded, feeling relieved; ever since she heard Lu Liang mention dividends, her heart had been in her throat.


    Shangcai University had quite the reputation, and nine times out of ten, dividends ended up causing issues.


    Fortunately, Boss Lu was kind-hearted and didn''t make things difficult for her.


    "By the way, didn''t I mention increasing your salary last time? Let''s start your annual salary at two million for now, and don''t drive that Audi anymore; buy a new Panamera instead."


    "Let''s skip the salary increases for the other employees for now; they only joined this year. We can talk about that next year. But we could give out more year-end bonuses and prizes."


    "For Jingchun, Wen Chao, and Shiyu, let''s give them three months'' worth; for others, one to two months. You can arrange it."


    Lu Liang thought for a moment, then instructed a few more tasks with one goal in mind¡ªto spend money.


    Spend more, declare more taxes, and ultimately, be deducted less.


    "Thank you, Mr. Lu."


    Tang Caide bowed gracefully, looking slightly dazed.


    She had worked at Redwood Investments for eight years, and her annual salary just before she resigned, including bonuses, did not exceed one million.


    She hadn''t expected that, three years after leaving the industry, she would earn an annual salary of two million in her first year back.


    And judging by Lu Liang''s way of doing things, two million was just the starting point¡ªit would only increase.


    It goes without saying, life is full of wonders.


    On the 15th, at Tianxing Assets, the place was packed with big shots.


    Not only was Wang Xiaocong''s mother there, but also Guo Changguang from Fuxing Group; they had all come in person.


    "Good afternoon, everyone. It looks like you''re all in good spirits; I am too,"


    With a confident smile, Lu Liang stepped up to the podium and asked Wen Chao to distribute documents to everyone.


    They had only received a notice and did not know the details.


    When they saw the actual funds, their expressions were as if they had seen a ghost¡ªamazed, admiring, marveling continuously.


    After a 20% management fee deduction, there was still 286.4 million US dollars left, clearly indicating that they had made tens of millions of dollars this month.


    Moreover, the types of investments and the volume of capital movement were substantial; otherwise, it wouldn''t have been possible to withdraw so smoothly.


    There was also a possibility that this month''s profits substantially exceeded last month''s, but inevitably, some were lost during the withdrawal process.


    In conclusion, one word: awesome.


    After about fifteen minutes, seeing that everyone had finished reviewing the documents, Lu Liang succinctly stated, "Gentlemen, if there are no issues, please sign here."


    The voices fell, and applause thundered!


    People signed their names one by one, all smiles, with no objections.


    They liked Lu Liang''s way of doing things. They started with two million dollars each, and now each could distribute $5.728 million in dividends¡ªa silent but powerful response.


    Guo Changguang asked, "Mr. Lu, the year-end isn''t here yet; are you planning to start the New Year''s holiday this early?"


    People echoed his sentiment, because the more the principal, the more one earns, and after clearing the accounts, only one hundred million dollars remained.


    If there was an opportunity to earn a 20% return, the previous four hundred million could earn eighty million, now it would only be twenty million.


    Though dividends were pleasing, especially as the year-end approached and money was needed on all fronts, earning more was undoubtedly more gratifying.


    Lu Liang smiled faintly, "It''s not really a New Year''s holiday. You all should know that phase two is in preparation, and distributing dividends early also allows for subscription to a few more shares."


    The crowd''s expressions varied. This subscription to a few more shares, of course, referred to himself.


    Lu Liang had personally subscribed to sixteen shares, a fact which was no longer a secret, and his earnings this time were as high as 134.6 million dollars.


    Just the thought of it was thrilling¡ªan excess of eight hundred million in cash. Even for tycoons with assets of ten billion, they didn''t have this much liquid assets.


    Even if they did, it belonged to the group''s fund, and to use it required at least several board meetings to explain its utilization.


    Not so for Lu Liang; he used it as he pleased.


    But they were just envious, as after all, this was Lu Liang''s capability, and they would rely on him to earn more in the future.


    Someone clamored, "Mr. Lu, this is being too modest. One billion dollars, just share it and it''s gone."


    "That''s just a little money, I''m subscribing for three shares first."


    "I''ll take two shares."


    Everyone responded. They now had great confidence in Lu Liang. Tens of millions of dollars, if squeezed, could still be squeezed out.


    Investing more, earning more ¡ª after all, there were dividends and the preparation of phase two, it all seemed like there were major plans.


    As for the rumors that Lu Liang was optimistic about Old England''s Brexit, preparing to heavily short the British Pounds, just listen and let it go.


    Anyone with a bit of sense wouldn''t do it, let alone broadcast it online. If it''s online, could it be considered serious?


    "Everyone, let''s just talk about dividends today, and leave phase two for another day."


    Lu Liang''s smile remained unchanged, but his tone was unmistakable.


    According to Meng Changkun''s statistics, subscription intentions exceeded fifty shares, and now it was his turn to choose the participants.


    This time, he would probably release forty-five shares, keeping five for himself, everyone present except Little Wang and Old Meng.


    Next phase, they probably won''t be included.


    People also frowned, understanding Lu Liang''s intention, and turned to look at Guo Changguang, the highest in status there, hoping he would stand up and say a few good words.


    Guo Changguang smiled and then asked, "Mr. Lu, I heard that lunch was also prepared today?"


    He wasn''t foolish, talking to Lu Liang alone might still get him a few shares, but with so many people around, he shouldn''t even think about it.


    "17th floor, there''s a very nice restaurant there. Mr. Tang, please take Mr. Guo to see it," Lu Liang said with a bright smile.


    People turned to Little Wang''s mother, who had a beaming expression, deterring them from even thinking of inciting her.


    Old Guo relied on capabilities, and Little Wang''s mother relied on connections; these two were no hope, so their sights turned to Old Meng.


    Old Meng behaved nonchalantly, pretending to be hungry, "Oh, I''m actually quite hungry, Mr. Guo, wait for me."


    Lu Liang walked over to Little Wang''s mother, "President Lin, hello."


    "Mr. Lu, hello, these days, thank you for taking care of our Xiaocong, I really appreciate it." S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lin Ting''s face was all smiles, her hands clasped together in gratitude. Her visit was merely to see Lu Liang and express her thanks.


    Lu Liang showed his appreciation, "President Lin, that''s saying too much. We take care of each other, and Xiaocong is quite a smart kid."


    Little Wang''s face darkened, his back molars grinding noisily, Lu Liang, that bastard, was taking advantage of him again.


    Lin Ting scolded, "Don''t be so impolite. Normally, you should learn more from Mr. Lu; it''s good for you."


    Little Wang forced a smile, "Yes, indeed, I should really learn more from Mr. Lu."


    The word "learn" nearly came out through gritted teeth.


    "President Lin, Xiaocong, this way please."


    Lu Liang beamed joyfully, inviting them to the restaurant on the 17th floor for a meal.

 Chapter 148 - 147: Subscription Allocation

    "President Lin, standing next to Xiaocong, I almost thought you were his sister at first glance."


    Lu Liang was all smiles. Having previously sold properties, he often dealt with middle-aged women and knew exactly what they liked.


    Moreover, unlike before, he was now the owner of Tianxing Capital, which gave his words a weight far superior to that of the past.


    Even a simple compliment coming from a real estate agent versus a mogul of capital felt entirely different to the recipient.


    Lin Ting couldn''t stop smiling and waved her hands dismissively, "Mr. Lu, you''re too kind, but honestly, Xiaocong indeed grew up a bit too quickly."


    "Mom, didn''t you say you had something to do? Why aren''t we leaving yet?"


    Seeing Lu Liang chatting so happily with his mother, Wang Xiaocong was extremely annoyed, and his resentment deepened. If they kept talking, he feared he might have to start calling Lu Liang ''Uncle Lu.''


    At this moment, Tang Caide came over, giving the mother and son a polite smile, then whispered something into Lu Liang''s ear.


    Lu Liang hummed a response and then turned to say with a smile, "President Lin, Xiaocong, I''ve got a bit of business to attend to, please enjoy your meal."


    "Mr. Lu, please go ahead with your work," said Lin Ting with a sunny smile, while Little Wang looked impatient, almost writing ''hurry up and go'' across his face.


    As the two watched Lu Liang leave the restaurant, Lin Ting turned her head to look at Meng Changkun, who was still in the restaurant, attending to the guests.


    Her smile slowly faded, "Lu Liang is someone of influence now. You should learn more from Old Meng and stop putting on airs all the time."


    Lu Liang was indeed proud, and rightly so, considering he had the capital to be arrogant. But then again, each person present had a net worth of several hundred million, if not billion.


    Despite Lu Liang''s strong stance, it left a slightly bitter taste for some. That''s where Old Meng played a crucial role.


    A real estate tycoon worth several billion, acting like a servile attendant, warmly welcoming everyone, any dissatisfaction would just evaporate.


    In contrast, Wang Xiaocong, putting on airs as if he mattered, failed to understand that Lu Liang no longer needed his network. If he didn''t make an effort to impress, he risked being eliminated at any moment.


    Looking indignant yet swallowing the words he wanted to say as he observed Old Meng''s busy figure, Wang Xiaocong finally said, "I understand."


    Lin Ting smiled contentedly and patted the back of his hand gently, "I''m leaving now, no need to see me out."


    On the other side, Lu Liang followed Tang Caide upstairs, where Guo Changguang and Yu Shirong awaited in the office.


    "Mr. Guo, President Yu, would you like some tea?"


    With a slight smile, Lu Liang brewed the tea, and through the conversation, he understood their intentions, offering them two portions each of the subscription shares.


    Guo Changguang of Fuxing Group, known as Shanghai''s Cash King and China''s Buffett, had an extremely powerful network and was worth befriending.


    Yu Shirong, who subscribed to three shares in the previous round of the private equity and held a great deal of goodwill towards Lu Liang, also deserved a quid pro quo.


    Seeing Lu Liang''s generous gesture, both men smiled, and the subsequent conversation became particularly harmonious.


    Soon, word of Tianxing''s dividend spread, and although no insider revealed it, rumors swirled about the tremendous amount.


    Many netizens suggested strict investigations to ensure taxes were paid according to regulations, and the legitimacy of the capital origin.


    To these comments, Lu Liang turned a deaf ear. There were plenty of companies that evaded taxes, but rarely did financial companies.


    Especially for them, purely moving capital around, primarily within the international financial markets and without tangible investments, auditing was simple¡ªjust pull up the account statements to make everything crystal clear.


    Just like Wu Junle and Li Jianlin, who had faced a substantial fine of 720 million and did not utter a word of complaint, they had no choice but to pay up to settle the matter honestly.


    The state had no trouble cracking down on financial firms; a simple asset freeze would make it impossible for them to flee, so no one dared to cross the line.


    Online speculation was rife, with guesses on how much was distributed.


    Some said one hundred million dollars, others two hundred million dollars¡ªthere were all sorts of figures being thrown around.


    But no one confirmed the amount, including Little Wang, who loved to show off but now played dead, and gradually, the speculation died down.


    Eventually, it was overshadowed by celebrity scandals in the entertainment world.


    In recent days, Lu Liang had been considering the allocation of Tianxing''s second round of private equity shares, trying to ensure an even spread.


    He could only personally subscribe to five shares and no more, as subscribing to six would stretch the funds too thin, leaving 45 shares.


    State-owned Xiao Xin secured ten shares plus a 20% stake, leaving 35 shares. Old Guo and Old Yu took two each, leaving 31 shares.


    For the three prominent families from Xiangjiang¡ªZheng, Li, and Guo¡ªLu Liang planned to offer ten shares for them to allocate amongst themselves, bringing the count down to 21 shares.


    Although Hong Kong Capital had declined in recent years, its international strength remained formidable. Maintaining good relations with them was essential.


    Five shares each for Old Meng and Little Wang¡ªthey could subscribe or gift them; it was up to them, leaving 11 shares.


    Zhu Hu from Golden Sand River had a decent relationship with Lu Liang, so he would be given three shares; Redwood''s Shen Peng was okay for two shares, and Lei Jun also for two.


    In the blink of an eye, only four of the fifty shares remained, and Lu Liang wasn''t in a rush to choose. He held onto them, just in case they were needed later.


    Perhaps there would be a big fish; after all, there were plenty of prospects, such as DiDi''s Liu Qing, tycoons'' mistress Zhuang Xiaoting¡ªpicking at random would easily make up the fifty shares.


    Once the planning was done, Lu Liang called over Old Meng and Little Wang to inform them of the distribution and to get the word out.


    Tianxing Private Equity''s second phase aimed to raise one billion dollars and was set to launch on the 27th of this month.


    As soon as the news broke, the insiders received their invitations, while those who didn''t only had themselves to rely on to find a subscription.


    Lu Liang left the follow-up in the hands of Old Meng and Little Wang, telling them to contact him if they couldn''t handle it, and then he took Su Wanyu up north to see the snow.


    They also took the opportunity to experience the northeastern bathhouse culture. It was somewhat embarrassing, being picked up directly, scrubbed all over from left to right.


    Born and raised without ever having been scrubbed in his thirty years, Lu Liang left behind a thick ring of dirt, but he didn''t care with his thick skin; Su Wanyu, however, completely shut down.


    "How is it? Not having fun coming out with me?"


    Lu Liang teased and pinched Su Wanyu''s arm. Her skin was soft, tender, and smooth, just like a freshly peeled egg.


    Her figure was incredibly statuesque¡ªtall at 171cm, with dark hemp clothes, short and sleeveless, she could have been mistaken for a runway model.


    "Happy, but my head''s a little fuzzy right now," Su Wanyu answered dazedly, her earlobes red as a cooked crab.


    While being scrubbed, the attendant chatted her up with such crude topics she wished she could just burrow into the ground.


    With a playful smile, Lu Liang joked, "We booked private rooms, which is already decent enough. Downstairs in the hall, it''s all just walking about in the nude."


    "That''s a bit terrifying."


    Su Wanyu stared blankly, uneasy with the scene of such candid interaction, even among girls.


    Lu Liang held her as though she were a human-shaped hot-water bottle, soft and squishy: "Let''s rest a bit before we eat. Afternoon we''ll go skiing. I''ll be busy soon and may not be able to accompany you."


    Su Wanyu was considerate and gentle, making a sound of acknowledgement, her upper body curling up in Lu Liang''s embrace as she whispered, "I''ll take good care of myself."


    Her long legs had nowhere to settle, her toes playfully wiggling. Fresh from the bath, her whole body emanated a powdery sweetness.


    Suddenly Lu Liang grabbed her foot, triggering a switch in Su Wanyu as she twisted her hips and cried out, "Don''t touch, tickles~"


    "Tickles? Then let me scratch it for you."


    Lu Liang smiled mischievously; such words could be quite provocative to a man and sparked a rebellious spirit within him.


    They played and laughed together, loosening their already loose bathrobes, and a little white bunny made its fleeting appearance.


    Gasping for breath with moisture-filled eyes, Su Wanyu''s soft skin turned progressively redder and started to feel warm.


    She suddenly realized this couldn''t go on; she had to conserve her energy for the skiing she had been longing for in the afternoon.


    "I''m going to eat now. I still want to go skiing."


    With a quick spin of her eyes, Su Wanyu made her escape, bending over to clutch her chest as she ran off, leaving a trail of giggles behind.


    Watching her soft pink retreating back, Lu Liang shook his head with amusement: "She''s getting more crafty by the day."


    He looked down with a resigned expression, then laid back on the couch and picked up his phone, seeing a message from Little Wang.


    "This one''s a big fish, call back ASAP."


    Surprised, Lu Liang called back: "What''s going on?"


    "Powerful, from Beijing."


    Little Wang''s mother even strongly recommended that if Lu Liang still had shares available, he should make a good connection¡ªit would be beneficial and harmless.


    The voice hinted at the Hong Clan. Lu Liang pondered for a while before asking, "I''ve still got four shares left; can you handle it?"


    "We don''t need that many, at most two. They don''t have that much money," Wang Xiaocong quipped.


    "Why don''t you share it with them yourself?" Lu Liang wondered.


    "Didn''t you notice? I''m looking out for you."


    Little Wang sounded disgruntled; his own five shares had long been allocated and couldn''t be divided any further.


    Lu Liang laughed coldly, seeing right through it: "Hang up."


    "Hey, when are you coming back?"


    "In a few days."


    "And the other two shares?" sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "We''ll see."

 Chapter 149 - 148: Circuit Breaker Mechanism

    "Shiyu, you take Yu home."


    Lu Liang had spent three days in the northeast with Su Wanyu, and on Christmas Day, they took a flight back to Modu.


    Upon arriving at the company building, he instructed his cousin, then gently stroked Su Wanyu''s cheek, "You go home first, I have to get busy."


    Su Wanyu hummed in response and suddenly gave Lu Liang a quick kiss on the lips, waving goodbye with a happy smile on her face, "Bye, take care of yourself, remember to eat on time."


    A trip is the best way to test whether two people are compatible.


    Being away from home entails numerous trivial matters, and the way one handles unexpected situations can truly reveal one''s character.


    Over the past three days, except for the initial awkwardness of going to the baths, she had been very happy most of the time.


    With no worries, once she stepped out of the hotel, she just needed to hold Lu Liang''s hand, and everything was perfectly arranged.


    She felt that this year she could tell her family that she had a really good boyfriend.


    "Goodbye."


    Lu Liang touched his lips, his mouth curving slightly upwards.


    Su Wanyu was shy, as kissing in public was already her limit of acceptance.


    Taking the elevator up to the office, Lu Liang reviewed the documents that needed his attention. Crown Princess Consort had finished airing yesterday, with 35 episodes garnering over 1.9 billion views, becoming a dark horse.


    Since the subscriber increase was only 101,200, he could only sell it at 400,000 per episode, totaling 14 million for 35 episodes, and 12 million for five-year exclusive rights¡ª26 million in total.


    Lu Liang sighed, signed the authorization, and tossed it aside.


    2.4 billion had turned into 1.9 billion, and with only 14 million from the premiere fees, he understood that the wrong platform had been chosen.


    The style of B Station was indeed suitable for Crown Princess Consort, but B Station''s users were not, as their willingness to spend was extremely low.


    Still, he had earned over 22 million and was resigned to it.


    He spent most of the next half day reviewing documents.


    December 27th, morning.


    After resting for a night, Lu Liang arrived at the office refreshed to meet with the subscribers of Tianxing II private equity.


    The fee structure was still 2+20, each share costing 20.4 million dollars, equivalent to 130 million RMB.


    Since everything had been agreed upon in advance, the subscribers arrived in a steady stream without objections, the process went extremely smoothly, contracts were signed, funds would be transferred within three days, and the net value updated on the 1st of each month.


    The first three months were the lock-in period, after which one could apply for redemption a month in advance, but it would involve a 5% deduction of the principal along with no entitlement to any benefits from this event.


    Zhu Hu suddenly stood up with a smile and bowed, "Everyone, if anyone is interested in an early redemption, please contact me. Golden Sand River is eager to take on as much as possible."


    The dividend amount of the first phase was a secret to outsiders, but not to him¡ª386 million dollars in dividends.


    2 million per share, four months of dividends was about 5.728 million dollars, his mouth watered just thinking about it.


    "Mr. Zhu, Golden Sand River really is financially impressive," Shen Peng said with a smile that seemed like a compliment but was actually sarcastic.


    The people present were all either rich or noble, and anyone who did something impulsive could probably be laughed at.


    "You never know who might suddenly need money."


    Zhu Hu was indifferent, taking it as if Shen Peng was complimenting him.


    Lu Liang just smiled and had no intention of persuading them, as this was just how these two interacted.


    He asked Wen Chao to secure the contract files, and at that moment, Guo Changguang came over smiling and asked, "Mr. Lu, what''s your view on the Big A introducing the circuit breaker mechanism?" S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "A ''circuit breaker'' is a protection mechanism, like when there''s an overload in electrical use or a circuit fault, the fuse is blown, resulting in a power outage. Once the load is reduced or the fault cleared, reconnecting the fuse restores the power.


    In early September, after a draft request for comments, the Securities and Futures Commission issued regulations on index circuit breakers in mid-December, to be officially implemented from January 1.


    "It should be a good thing, as it has a stabilizing effect on the market," Lu Liang had heard of the term but had not seen it in action.


    The circuit breaker mechanism originated from US stocks, also known as an automatic trading halt mechanism, but the most recent activation was in ''97.


    That year, during the financial crisis, the Dow plunged 7.18%, triggering a level-one market circuit breaker and halting trade for fifteen minutes.


    However, it recovered the next day and wasn''t a big deal.


    The Big A had introduced the mechanism and localized it, with circuit breaker thresholds set at 5% and 7%.


    Level-one circuit breaker, suspension of trading for fifteen minutes,


    Level-two circuit breaker, pause of trading until the market closes.


    "Do you really think introducing the circuit breaker mechanism is a good thing?" Zhu Hu stopped his debate with Shen Peng, his face showing an odd expression.


    "What? Is there some insider information?"


    Lu Liang suddenly felt puzzled, wondering why everyone was looking at him so strangely.


    Shen Peng smiled at the corner of his mouth, his tone relaxed, "The word online now is that Mr. Lu is not in favor of the circuit breaker mechanism, so he sold off his stocks in advance, using dividends as just an excuse."


    Initially, people speculated whether Lu Liang''s dividends and the launch of the second phase of private equity were really preparations to short the British Pounds.


    Suddenly, someone mentioned the soon-to-be-implemented circuit breaker mechanism.


    Consequently, the rumor transformed into Lu Liang being bearish on the circuit breaker mechanism for Big A stocks, thus clearing his stocks and fleeing in advance.


    "It''s all rumors and misrepresentations."


    Lu Liang was both amused and vexed, he really hadn''t been paying attention to the circuit breaker mechanism.


    In Big A, they had only bought shares of BYD, which accounted for less than 20% of the total portfolio.


    That sum of money was too insignificant for him to bother with.


    Guo Changguang stared into Lu Liang''s eyes for a long time, unable to fathom his thoughts, and eventually sighed, "Circuit breakers might suit US stocks, but not necessarily our Big A stocks."


    "Perhaps, but we will see in a few days," Shen Peng chimed in, inadvertently glancing at Lu Liang, clearly one of those who believed the rumors online.


    Lu Liang still wore a smile on his face but inwardly sighed, hoping the introduction of the circuit breaker mechanism would be beneficial, otherwise, he would probably have to carry this blame.


    A first phase of dividends, initiating a second private placement, was indeed to short the British Pounds, but no one believed him, and there was nothing he could do about it.


    On December 30, Tianxing II finished raising funds, with one billion dollars gradually arriving into accounts, entering a three-month lock-up period.


    That same afternoon, Li Manli snuck back from Star City, her body clad in fluffy attire, resembling a walking stuffed teddy bear.


    When Lu Liang got home and saw her, he showed surprise, "Isn''t your show still ongoing?"


    During his leisure, he would watch the live stream and send some gifts to boost Little Wang''s Panda popularity.


    He had watched it just the previous night, knowing the show still had seven days to go, and today was only day three.


    "I took a leave."


    Li Manli, hopping and skipping, hung on Lu Liang like a sloth, coquettishly said, "I wanted to spend New Year''s with you, to experience our first New Year together."


    Seeing Lu Liang seemed hesitant, she couldn''t help but softly ask, "Do you still have work tonight?"


    "Nothing much, let''s find a place to eat later."


    Lu Liang found the situation ironically humorous. He firmly patted her bottom, prompting Li Manli to get off him; he had intended to go home to change clothes and then meet Su Wanyu.


    The plan was for the two to welcome the New Year together, clasp hands at the stroke of midnight, blending souls, marking the first moments of the year.


    However, Li Manli had come back from so far away, and it had been a long time since they''d seen each other, so it seemed okay to be with her too.


    "Ow~"


    Li Manli rubbed her bottom with a wronged expression, having gradually shifted toward becoming a comedy actress since the live stream.


    "Really? Could I have been too rough?" Lu Liang feigned concern, his hand delivering another slap.


    This time he held back his strength, but her cries were louder, as she rolled around on the ground, "It hurts so much, it feels like it''s splitting~"


    "I''m going to shower first, you decide what we should eat," Lu Liang said, tuning her out and tossing her a set of car keys.


    Seeing that acting pitiful was useless, Li Manli chuckled mischievously, sitting upright, "Pagani? What kind of car is that?"


    "Pagani," Lu Liang said, heading for the bathroom.


    Old Meng was very generous; to outshine Little Wang, he had gifted a Pagani Zonda, which apparently had a domestic price tag of over twenty million.


    "I''ve heard of it, seems very expensive."


    As Lu Liang entered the bathroom, Li Manli deviously smiled, revealing a cunning grin; she vaguely felt that Lu Liang had another woman outside, but she wanted to be the most special one.


    To spend the New Year''s Eve with him!

 Chapter 150 - 149: A Thousand Stocks Hit the Daily Limit Down X2

    "Wow~ So cool!"


    The silver-white body, smooth lines, and visually striking design made it look like a product from the future.


    Li Manli''s eyes sparkled with novelty, like a curious baby, touching here, tapping there, covertly snapping a few photos.


    "If you like it, you can take it for a spin," Lu Liang couldn''t help but smile, pressing the car key and opening the gull-wing doors.


    On second thought, he realized he had quite a few cars himself: the Wild Bull, Mushang, Big Bull, and this Pagani.


    But the one he rode in most was the Mushang, and the one he drove most was the Wild Bull. Sports cars have too low a chassis; they''re okay for an occasional thrill.


    "Really?" Li Manli''s face lit up.


    Lu Liang chuckled, "And here I thought you would refuse."


    Li Manli looked serious: "I''m all yours now, isn''t it normal to drive your car?"


    Lu Liang laughed out loud: "Let me teach you how to drive it."


    "Mhm."


    As evening fell, the traffic increased.


    Families and couples alike were seeking the perfect spot to celebrate the New Year.


    The silver-white Pagani hit the road, its deep roar and cool design turning heads everywhere it went.


    "Where shall we eat?" Lu Liang, bored out of his mind, rolled down the window, enjoying the scenery and the beauties along the road.


    Li Manli drove too slowly. It was New Year''s Eve, the roads were crowded, and it was unclear when they would reach their destination.


    In truth, he disliked going out on holidays. He could go anywhere he wanted on regular days, not that he lacked the means to do so.


    "You''ll know when we get there."


    Li Manli focused intently, not looking away. Ever since she learned the car was worth 25 million, she was paying extra attention.


    Half an hour of starting and stopping, they finally reached their destination.


    The Global Center building, a hotel on the 94th floor, where she had booked a luxury suite.


    "I reserved it a month in advance. This place has the best view in all of Modu and you can see the light show too."


    Li Manli tilted her chin up, pride written all over her face as if the words "Come on, praise me" were displayed across it.


    Securing this room cost her almost half a month''s salary. It was expensive normally, but the price skyrocketed on New Year''s Eve.


    But the thought of spending the New Year''s Eve with Lu Liang made her feel like no amount of money was too much.


    "So, how do you think I should compensate you?" Lu Liang said, embracing her as they collapsed onto the sofa.


    "Hold on, we haven''t even had dinner yet."


    Li Manli giggled, made a phone call to have the hotel prepare dinner, and then ran into the bedroom with her suitcase.


    Lu Liang waited and waited. The dishes were nearly served, but Li Manli was still not out.


    He couldn''t help asking, "Are you not ready yet?"


    "Here I come~ How do I look? Nice?"


    Li Manli emerged, smiling, twisting her slim waist and taking small steps before Lu Liang, then twirling around.


    She wore a light pink strapless tulle dress, with white high heels. Her makeup was exquisitely done, as if she had stepped out of a painting like a fairy.


    Lu Liang''s eyes lit up, he couldn''t help but exclaim sincerely, "With you looking like this, I''ve lost all appetite for dinner."


    Li Manli beamed with joy. Lu Liang''s affection was the best recognition for her: "As long as you like it, that''s all that matters."


    Suddenly, she sat on Lu Liang''s lap, not caring if her dress wrinkled, her breath as fragrant as orchids: "Liang, I''m your doll tonight, you can do whatever you want."


    Lu Liang paused, then grasped the theme of the night and teased: "My robot girlfriend?"


    Li Manli nodded, her face expressionless, her voice mechanical: "Please issue your command, Master!"


    "You really know how to have fun. Sit down and let''s have dinner first," said Lu Liang, half amused, half exasperated.


    "Please adjust the tenderness level first, Master, minimum 80, maximum 120."


    "Let''s go with 120 then."


    "Liang~ Let me feed you,"


    Li Manli''s smile was sweet, as she seductively bit into a cherry and brought it to Lu Liang''s lips.


    "Actually, let''s make it 80. I can''t handle 120."


    "Yes, command accepted."


    Li Manli continued smiling, nearly back to her usual self.


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but marvel,


    She is truly a ''96, almost too much for him to handle.


    They took half an hour to finish their meal.


    Li Manli remembered their theme for the evening and without a command, she sat motionless at the dining table.


    "Come over and sit with me for a while,"


    Lu Liang said, moving towards the window and waving at her with a smile.


    "Command received!"


    Li Manli marched over with mechanical steps and a high knee lift.


    The two leaned against the floor-to-ceiling window, admiring the city''s night view. The weather was clear tonight with a cloudless sky and a high moon.


    As Lu Liang wrapped his arms around Li Manli''s waist and felt her possibly having abs, noticing she also felt lighter, he asked, "Have you lost weight?"


    "Yes, 166 cm tall, 47 kg in weight."


    "Isn''t there a manual override?"


    "Yes, it''s loading~"


    Li Manli rubbed her cheeks, huffing with annoyance, with her lips pursed high in the air, "They should''ve taken over manually a long time ago, it''s so uncomfortable to keep it stretched like this."


    She chattered on about the daily routines of the past few days. Although she was a guest, she trained alongside the contestants.


    Suddenly, Li Manli became excited, "Liang, I recently learned a type of classical dance. Do you want to see it?"


    "Let''s have a look." Lu Liang smiled and nodded. Every time he saw Li Manli, he felt a sense of accomplishment as if raising a protege.


    The once plain wine-serving girl had now become an internet sensation with millions of fans.


    On the show "Panda," aside from the five who made the group, Li Manli was probably the biggest beneficiary.


    With money and looks, a love for cosplay and cooking, and a willingness to learn, her many appealing traits made her a magnet for fans.


    "Then wait for me, I''m going to put on some music."


    The lights suddenly dimmed, and the emotive strains of classical music began to play.


    She walked out of the room with a sweet smile on her face, her chiffon dress billowing in the wind, moving gracefully with the music like a woodland nymph, lively and ethereal. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Until outside the window, lights flashed brilliantly like daylight, and every tower in Lujiazui participated in this citywide light show.


    The lights flashed faster and faster, as if counting down to the last second.


    It was almost as if one could hear people shouting from the Bund.


    Lu Liang, with a smile on his face, raised his glass, "Happy New Year."


    Li Manli kicked off her high heels, barefoot, and came up to Lu Liang, downing her drink in one gulp, "Liang, Happy New Year."


    Then, embracing Lu Liang with eyes full of love, "This is the first New Year we spend together. I hope to be with you for ten years, twenty years, forever and always."


    "Me too."


    Lu Liang chuckled. He had once told Lin Yike that she was not worth deceiving, but Li Manli was different.


    ...


    The three-day holiday passed in the blink of an eye,


    And Li Manli had returned to Star City early.


    For the next two days, Lu Liang spent his time with Su Wanyu, making up for the regret of not being together on New Year''s Eve.


    January 4th, the first trading day of the new year and after the introduction of the circuit breaker mechanism,


    Investors in the Big A stock market could never escape fate, with holidays inevitably leading to calamity being an immutable law.


    Just as they had returned from a pleasant holiday to work, Big A dealt countless workers a severe blow right out of the gate.


    The market opened to a sharp drop of 0.2%, continuing its descent.


    The phenomenal news from the new energy sector attempted to pull up the market, almost breaking its back, but it couldn''t keep the market flying high.


    Finally, at one o''clock in the afternoon, trading resumed, but the new energy index couldn''t hold up, and the market nosedived.


    It seemed like a test to see if the circuit breaker mechanism really existed; at 1:13 PM, the market fell over 5%, triggering a level-one circuit breaker.


    After a fifteen-minute trading halt, the market reopened at 1:28 PM, and within five minutes, tumbled past 7%, triggering a level-two circuit breaker.


    Trading ended 87 minutes early for the day.


    The entire market was awash in green.


    Out of 3292 stocks in both exchanges, 1260 hit the daily limit down.


    The tragic spectacle of a thousand stocks hitting their limit down reappeared.


    However, retail investors in the Big A stock market were some of the most persistent in the world.


    After several days of bottom-fishing,


    They managed to produce back-to-back bullish days.


    It''s fortunate that the Big A stock market never disappoints when it comes to disappointment, just when everyone thought the issue would pass like the 1997 US stocks incident.


    The Big A stock market took a big dive again.


    On January 7th, within only 12 minutes of opening,


    The stock index tumbled 5%, triggering a level-one circuit breaker again.


    Fifteen minutes later, upon resuming trading, it only took 2 more minutes before the market plunged past 7%, activating a level-two circuit breaker.


    A double thousand-stock limit down!


    The introduction of the circuit breaker mechanism was cursed all the way to the trending searches.


    "Damn it all."


    "US stocks don''t have limits on price fluctuation, that''s why they have circuit breakers, and you damn Big A stock, you have a strict 10% fluctuation limit for the day, and yet you copy others with a circuit breaker. Now, truly broken."


    "Damn, I came to work in high spirits today, now it''s all ruined."


    "Why ruined? Be happy. Work for 27 minutes and then off you go, it''s freaking awesome, I want to die. Hahaha~~~"


    "Lu Liang is really onto something, he ran so freaking fast. He must''ve known what a circuit breaker was all about."


    "Lu God, Lu God, where are you!! I was wrong, save me, I will never call you Liangzi again."


    Netizens almost dug up the chairman of the Securities and Futures Commission''s ancestors, but as they cursed, they suddenly thought of Lu Liang.


    In mid-December, once he heard about the announcement of the circuit breaker mechanism, he chose to distribute dividends and clear his positions.


    It has to be said, that was fucking smart.


    If they hadn''t taken it as a joke, maybe they wouldn''t have suffered such horrific losses now.

 Chapter 151 - 150: Orders Changed Overnight

    In October 1987, the United States stock market experienced the largest crash in history, with the Dow Jones Index dropping by -22.6% in a single day.


    Due to the lack of a circuit breaker mechanism and limits on price fluctuations, many millionaires became poor overnight. This day was also known in the financial world as "Black Monday."


    In October 1988, the US stock trading commission approved the circuit breaker mechanism. When the index fell by 7% within a short time, all markets would suspend trading for fifteen minutes.


    It took nine whole years until October 1997 for the US stock market''s circuit breaker mechanism to be triggered for the first time.


    The US stocks needed time to test the feasibility of circuit breakers, but Big A emphasizes efficiency, with two circuit breakers in four days, four triggers, and a thousand stocks hitting the limit¡ªtwice. A new level above the old, indeed.


    "I guess Big A''s spectacle is unprecedented and likely unrivalled in the future," Lu Liang marveled and quietly enjoyed the spectacle online, chuckling several times at the endless stream of satirical jokes. This generation of netizens is truly talented.


    Even though his backstage was nearly blown up with notifications, he just didn''t come out to respond. He dared to swear to the heavens that the clearing of positions and dividend distribution was purely coincidental, but nobody listened.


    One by one, they indulged in conspiracy theories, claiming his liquidation was a silent criticism of the circuit breaker mechanism.


    Any explanation would seem like a cover-up, so it was better to say nothing.


    Approaching noon, Zhao Jisheng from the Securities and Futures Commission called with a very humble attitude, "Mr. Lu, do you have time? Our boss would like to talk to you and hear your opinion."


    Lu Liang gave a wry smile. Clearly, the other party also thought he had liquidated his positions because he did not favor the circuit breaker; he just wasn''t sure if the call was to ask for accountability.


    "I have time now."


    He pondered for a moment, nodded in agreement, and Zhao hurriedly said, "Then please wait, I''ll let our boss listen in."


    After a few seconds, an apparently tired male voice took the call and got straight to the point, "Mr. Lu, hello, is the circuit breaker mechanism really not adapted to our stock market?"


    "Mr. Xiao, the Commission''s intention is good. A circuit breaker can provide investors a chance to think calmly and avoid irrational investment decisions under panic."


    "But some mechanisms are only suitable for US stocks. We have a limitation on price fluctuation range; implementing another circuit breaker may be a bit redundant."


    Lu Liang spoke with confidence, although he did not know if introducing a circuit breaker was beneficial or detrimental to Big A. However, based on the market''s performance, it seemed to be detrimental.


    The past few days'' events hadn''t been in vain; he was able to cite a few examples and analyze with the benefit of hindsight.


    Regardless of whether his points were reasonable, the current outcome had already proved that the circuit breaker mechanism was indeed not suitable for the Big A market.


    Old Xiao fell silent for a long time, then sighed, "Mr. Lu, I understand. Thank you, but please don''t lose faith in the domestic market."


    Lu Liang felt helpless but could only respond earnestly, "Mr. Xiao, you worry too much. We are very optimistic about the domestic market; we are just making a temporary technical adjustment."


    Even the head of the Commission said so. He guessed that until the Old England referendum was over, he would have to carry this burden.


    In the evening, the Securities and Futures Commission held a press conference. To maintain market stability, they would suspend the circuit breaker mechanism starting from January 8th.


    The spokesperson stated that the two actual circuit breakers failed to achieve the expected effect; the mechanism had certain "magnetic appeal," so weighing the pros and cons, the negative impact outweighed the positive. Therefore, to maintain market stability, it was decided to suspend the circuit breaker mechanism.


    The next day, Lu Liang received news that Old Xiao was processing his resignation papers and applying for early retirement.


    A new policy had existed for seven days, was specifically implemented for four days, yet resulted in a tragedy of a thousand stocks hitting the stop limit¡ªtwice. Big A had become an international financial joke, and someone had to take responsibility.


    "Big A is heading downhill."


    Lu Liang muttered, a thousand stocks hitting the stop limit¡ªtwice¡ªwas a minor issue, but the blow to public credibility was significant. Although the problem was quickly corrected, the impact was profound.


    If the follow-up was not handled well, Big A would slowly decline. After all, who would dare to invest long-term in a market that changes orders overnight?


    Approaching nine o''clock,


    The first trading day after the cancellation of the circuit breaker mechanism.


    Lu Liang went to the adjacent trading room, planning to use 30 billion RMB to bottom-fish new energy constituent stocks, as well as various blue-chip stocks.


    11 billion US dollars, more than 70 billion RMB, lying in the account wasn''t earning any money, and the referendum was still over a month away.


    Investing in bottom-fishing Big A now, with a short-term strategy for a month, was definitely not a loss, just a question of how much would be earned.


    Not just he had this idea, institutions, speculative funds, and even retail investors, for the first time had a unanimously similar thought.


    The Shanghai Stock Exchange Index had a trading volume of 77.2 billion just one minute after opening, with a sea of rising stocks and over 200 hitting the daily limit.


    Looking around, a sea of red as if Monday and Thursday, with four days and two circuit breakers, with a thousand stocks hitting the stop limit¡ªtwice¡ªwas nothing but a dream.


    "From today, there are 20 trading days until the Spring Festival holiday, starting from the last five working days."


    Lu Liang pondered for a moment, then assigned the next tasks to Sun Yutao and Zhang Jing. Once this was done, it would be the 26th day of the twelfth lunar month.


    On the 27th and 28th we''ll tally everything up, and then organize a year-end feast for all the employees. On the 29th, the New Year''s Eve, we''ll start the holiday.


    When we return on the sixth day of the new year, that is, February 13th, we can start preparing to short the British Pounds.


    Lu Liang stepped out of the trading room and entered Tang Caide''s office to inquire about the charity project and the annual event plans.


    He subscribed to five shares in the second phase of the private equity fund, totaling 120 million US Dollars, and he still had 32.6 million US Dollars in his account.


    Since he had also made commercial investments, the funds were always kept in the company''s account, and it wasn''t yet time for settlement and taxation.


    "Forget about the Red Cross project, see if there are any more reliable ones."


    Lu Liang planned to allocate 50 million for charity, but he really couldn''t trust that bunch at the Red Cross.


    Each of them driving BMWs, Mercedes, and keeping mistresses¡ªof the 50 million given to them, who knows if even 500,000 would actually be used meaningfully.


    Although it was for tax deduction, Lu Liang still hoped that the funds would go where they were supposed to, helping those who needed help.


    Tang Caide also detested those feasting idlers with no real responsibilities. Suddenly, she had an idea, "Mr. Lu, take a look at this One Egg Per Child project."


    Initiated by the singing artist Cao Yi, the 100 Cities Charity Concert was held every few years to help impoverished children in mountainous areas have one egg a day. Since its launch, the project received strong support from eight major ministries including civil affairs, agriculture, technology, and commerce.


    "If you think it''s good, go have a look."


    After reading it, Lu Liang fully authorized Tang Caide to inspect the project while he looked at the next document about the arrangements for the annual event.


    The company had a total of 85 employees. Aside from the fixed year-end bonuses, it was planned to allocate 2.3 million for the activity expenses.


    The venue cost was estimated at 300,000, leaving 2 million for prizes and bonuses, with the smallest Sunlight Award at 3,888.


    An Apple phone was only a third-level prize, the second-level prize was a laptop worth tens of thousands, and the first-level prize was three BMW 3 Series cars.


    Initially, the total budget for the prizes was only 1 million, but Lu Liang felt it was too little and doubled it.


    "Let''s leave it at that for now."


    Lu Liang was not quite satisfied, feeling it was still not enough, but with few employees in the company, the 2 million average out to more than 20,000 per person.


    In the evening, Little Wang returned from Star City. Hellos Goddess ended successfully, with Panda firmly occupying the third spot in the live-streaming industry. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Top-tier venture capital firms like Redwood, Goldman Sachs, and Gaoling successively raised the company''s valuation from 150 million to 270 million US Dollars.


    This investment of 35 million in the variety show led to an increase in Panda''s value by more than 20 times.


    "Old Lu, it seems I still hold 72.25% of the shares," Little Wang said, beaming with joy. Just with Panda, he had an increase in personal wealth of 1.2 billion RMB.


    He felt he could speak a little louder in the future.


    "I have over 7 billion in cash on hand, so just tell me what you want to do," Lu Liang''s tone was very calm.


    In front of others, acting a bit is fine, but daring to put on airs in front of him, he could smash him with money.


    Moreover, Panda was still operating at a loss, with a net loss of 35 million last year, and profitability was a distant prospect.


    Valuations are illusory, if something goes wrong, it could be wiped out in an instant, which is common enough.


    "Can''t you stop being so discouraging?"


    Little Wang looked indignant. Even a company like Wanda might not be able to come up with 7 billion in cash.


    "You''re asking for it, you can''t blame anyone else," Lu Liang packed up his things, ready to leave work.


    "How about a drink at Zhuang''s place tonight?" Little Wang hurriedly said.


    For the sake of the show, he hadn''t been to the bar in two months and longed for the glitzy nightlife.


    "Not interested."


    Lu Liang shook his head, walked to the door, and suddenly stopped: "If you really care about Panda, I suggest you go less often too."


    Little Wang looked displeased, "Since when did you become so old-fashioned?"


    "It''s not being old-fashioned, it''s just that you don''t have the capability yet to go against the trend and stand out."


    Lu Liang smiled, said no more. If it were him, maybe, but Little Wang still had a long way to go.


    Constantly hanging out in bars made it hard to believe he could manage a company well.

 Chapter 152 - 151: Annual Meeting

    Throughout January, Lu Liang stayed mostly secluded.


    Just like a hibernating brown bear, he continually suppressed his hunger, waiting for the springtime to feast.


    On the 25th, Tianxing Phase One private equity fund updated its net asset value, with only a 3.55% increase for the month, earning just 3.55 million US Dollars.


    Five days later, Tianxing II private equity also updated its net asset value, with a first-month increase of 4.25%, earning only 42.5 million US Dollars.


    Although this return greatly disappointed many investors, they still had tremendous confidence in Lu Liang.


    Because the worst fear is comparison, throughout January, due to the stock market''s circuit breaker activating twice in the first few days.


    Whether private or public funds, all showed losses.


    Lu Liang managed to issue an early warning, and still realize profits, which was already incredibly impressive.


    Moreover, holding such a huge amount of money, no matter what industry he invested in, they believed that time would bring a bountiful harvest.


    "I, terrifyingly strong."


    Lu Liang reflected, he had originally prepared excuses, such as not feeling good or being clueless, but unexpectedly these investors were so adaptable, they had already figured out excuses for him.


    Once could be luck, twice might be luck, but four or five times, even if he felt inadequate, others believed he was capable.


    On February 3rd, the 25th day of the twelfth lunar month.


    He had sold off 128 stocks, cashing out 3.182 billion and profiting 182 million yuan.


    All funds were recollected and integrated, with available capital of 1.128 billion US Dollars, everything was ready, except the east wind.


    From February 4th to February 5th, the company conducted a two-day year-end inventory, and on the evening of February 6th, they held the annual meeting.


    When the bonuses and prizes at the annual meeting were announced, Tianxing and Lu Liang once again dominated the hot searches online.


    The consolation prize was 3888 yuan, other companies'' first prize, an Apple phone, here was only a third-level prize, and there were 20 of them.


    Not to mention ten Alienware laptops valued at 28,000 each, and three BMW 3 Series cars priced over 300,000.


    Netizens also noticed from the photos shared by Lu Liang that they only set up 11 tables, each with 8 people.


    That meant, the company had at most 88 employees.


    This also implied, one in every 29 people would win a BMW, one in every 8 would get a laptop, and one in every 4 would receive a phone.


    The winning rate was as high as 33%, and even if they didn''t win anything, there was still a consolation prize of 3888 yuan.


    This was undoubtedly a significant blow for workers who had barely had time to catch their breath after a year of work.


    Insiders revealed, although the company was only established for half a year, everyone received a year-end bonus, even the interns received a month''s salary.


    Another point, Tianxing Investment''s standard salary for all newcomers during their probation period was five thousand, and with meal and housing allowances, it summed up to six thousand four hundred.


    "Next year, I''m applying for a job there, not even Jesus can stop me, I say."


    "Just checked, the minimum recruitment requirement is a master''s degree from a top university, are you?"


    "I at least saw three cleaning ladies, surely they can''t all be from top universities, right?"


    "And the receptionist, they just need a bachelor''s degree and English level six, I think I''m capable."


    "Envious, just look at our company''s year-end bonus prizes."


    Someone posted a photo of their own company''s annual meeting prizes, just a dry two hundred yuan.


    Thus, the comment section suddenly shifted, turning into a forum where netizens boasted about their miseries.


    By 9 o''clock at night, the annual meeting ended.


    Lu Liang drank a bit of alcohol and wearily returned to Tangchen Yipin, where his place was empty. Not bothering to turn on the lights or take off his clothes and shoes, he laid directly on the sofa and closed his eyes for a nap.


    Wanyu had gone home for the New Year a few days ago, and Liang had taken her to the airport. He guessed he would not return until after the lunar month.


    Manli was said to be returning home in the afternoon, but since he was preparing for the annual meeting, he did not see her off. By now, she should also be home.


    Suddenly, a pair of cold hands reached from behind to Lu Liang''s temples, gently massaging them, suppressing a laugh. "Does this feel a bit better?"


    Lu Liang suddenly opened his eyes and saw two naturally falling curly ponytails. Manli was looking at him with a smile. "Is this a surprise?"


    "Weren''t you supposed to go back this afternoon?" Lu Liang asked in confusion.


    "I thought about it and decided not to go back after all."


    Manli hesitated and looked evasive, reluctant to tell the whole truth. Instead, she asked, "Liang, when will you be back?"


    "I guess on the third day of the lunar month. I''ll stay at home for a few days." Lu Liang sat up straight and asked with a smile. "Can''t you even tell me?"


    "It''s not that, I just don''t know how to put it in the best way."


    With a smile on his face, Lu Liang held Manli and made her sit on his lap. "Start from the beginning, take your time."


    Manli began to explain that her reluctance to go home for the New Year was largely due to the gossip in the village.


    Ever since she funded the construction of a new house for her family, rumors had been circulating in the village that she was working as a hostess in Modu. Even her parents and brother firmly believed it.


    She had explained many times, including showing them her live streams, but her family refused to believe her and even threatened to disown her if she didn''t return.


    Her father has a very old-fashioned personality, poor yet proud, and always self-righteous, which led her to have a big argument with him.


    That''s why she didn''t want to go home.


    "Liang, you''re not going to force me to go back, are you?" Manli pursed her lips, a look of grievance on her face.


    She couldn''t understand why her family wouldn''t believe her even though she had explained everything so clearly and every penny was taxed.


    Even if she were to fabricate stories and lie, could the hundreds of thousands of viewers in her live stream room also be faking it?


    Though she had indeed hidden some things, like the existence of Lu Liang and his help, she had always believed that their relationship was true love since Lu Liang wasn''t married.


    "If you don''t want to go back, then don''t. How could I force you?" Lu Liang laughed softly, informing her he would come back early after the New Year to be with her.


    "Liang, I love you so much." Manli''s face lit up with joy, and she hugged Lu Liang tightly.


    Her family valued sons over daughters, and she had always been neglected since she was young, so she didn''t have deep feelings for them.


    If her old man wanted to sever ties with her, let him; she didn''t care. She just needed Lu Liang. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The next morning, Lu Liang said goodbye to Manli and went home with his cousin, as there were no tolls on the highway on New Year''s Eve, making it an intermittently slow exit from Modu.


    "Shiyu, how much did you save this year?"


    Out of boredom, Lu Liang had no choice but to start a question-and-answer session with his cousin.


    His cousin was a bit wooden, and if Lu Liang did not engage him, he probably would not speak throughout the journey.


    After thinking, Shiyu said, "Including the year-end bonus and prizes, a bit more than 100,000."


    "That much?" Lu Liang was surprised.


    Shiyu''s monthly salary was 12,000, and even though he lived in his house and mostly ate with him, after working for over four months and with a three-month year-end bonus, it would amount to a bit more than 80,000 at most.


    Shiyu grinned sheepishly, "Because yesterday I won a computer in a draw, and Chao said if I didn''t want it he would buy it from me, so I sold it for 20,000."


    "Lucky you."


    Lu Liang laughed wryly, also recalling yesterday''s prize draw where he only won a consolation prize of 3888, but in the end, he also sent it off.


    Three BMW 3 Series were drawn; one was won by Chen Jinchun, another by the deputy director of finance, and the last one seemed to have been won by a cleaning lady.

 Chapter 153 - 152: Spring Festival

    They set off at nine in the morning. Covering just under six hundred kilometers with occasional stops, it took them over eight hours.


    It went relatively smoothly, after all it''s always busier headed north or west from Modu.


    Lu Liang was browsing Douyin and saw that traffic jams were happening everywhere, with serious accidents in some places.


    Yang Zhenyuan had his own vision, seemingly unwilling to let Douyin become merely a music and social networking platform.


    He invited numerous online media personalities to join in and constantly chased after current political news and hot social topics.


    Some of the content was so shocking that even Lu Liang felt alarmed, although how many warnings it received was unknown, the download figures were pretty impressive.


    As of last week, fifty days since the launch, it had surpassed 400,000 registered users, with daily active users stable at around 50,000, and approximately 1200 short video creators.


    There was still about 1.2 million funds in the account; it was anticipated that once it ran out, they could prepare for Series A funding.


    Despite Douyin''s decent performance, it seemed to have provoked Zhang Yiming, as Watermelon Video was set to launch early in April.


    Lu Liang had also heard from Zhu Hu that Zhang Yiming was persuading investors to prepare a billion yuan to support short video creators.


    Time was running out for Yang Zhenyuan and Douyin.


    Perhaps he was aware of that, which was why he frantically chased after political issues and social hotspots to build up the user base first and plan for improvements later.


    Just like Little Wang''s Panda and the two leading platforms¡ªdou and hu¡ªat night, they could be likened to a parade of ghosts, straddling the line of propriety with all sorts of nefarious elements emerging.


    After all, if he didn''t do it, others would; now that everyone was growing wildly, once the state turned its attention to this area, it would be seen who could better withstand a heavy blow.


    "Brother, we''re almost at Ya''s shop."


    They exited the highway and arrived in the town where their family was from, when Fang Shiyu suddenly spoke up to give a reminder.


    The old convenience store had been converted into a larger storefront and they rented a five-hundred square meter warehouse across the street.


    As evening approached, the place bustled with activity, adults and children purchasing supplies for the New Year.


    Winters weren''t cold at home, the chilliest it ever got was 2-6 degrees Celsius, so it wasn''t necessary to stock up on goods, just buy whatever came to mind.


    From a distance, Lu Liang spotted his two nephews, donned in new clothes and playing with new toys by the roadside.


    "Let''s all go down and say hello." He smiled, approaching his nephews, "Dabao, Erbao, do you remember me?"


    "Uncle... Uncle."


    In early November, Lu Liang had come back to celebrate his mother''s birthday, so his nephews didn''t find it strange to see him.


    With a beaming smile, Lu Liang picked up Erbao¡ªa girl named Luo Ziqing, about to turn five after the new year: "Erbao, uncle knows magic tricks~ Want to see?"


    "Uncle, I want to see."


    She had large double-lidded eyes like her sister, and greatly resembled her when she was younger.


    "Mummy mummy hong~"


    Lu Liang smiled mysteriously, reached back with his hand, and Fang Shiyu gave a goofy smile, quietly handing over a gift box.


    It was a Disney Frozen set, containing a model of the character Elsa, her castle, and over a dozen different outfits.


    "Do you like it?" Lu Liang asked with a smile.


    "Thank you, Uncle, mua~~"


    Erbao''s eyes crinkled with joy, and she suddenly planted a big kiss on Lu Liang''s cheek, leaving a slobber mark.


    "Uncle~"


    Dabao watched, wide-eyed. Now eight years old, he felt a bit embarrassed, but his eyes overflowed with yearning.


    "If Erbao has a gift, of course Dabao does too."


    Lu Liang kept up his cheerful demeanor, taking out from the trunk a large and cool Lego Star Wars battleship.


    Dabao''s eyes sparkled with delight and, hugging the toy, he shouted, "Thank you, Uncle."


    When dinner time rolled around, Lu Ya came out to look for people and saw Lu Liang playing with the two nephews.


    A smile spread across her face as she approached slowly: "You like kids so much, why don''t you have one of your own?"


    "Kids are always more fun when they belong to someone else."


    Lu Liang replied breezily, giving his brother-in-law a nod.


    His brother-in-law laughed and asked, "Liang, have you eaten yet? If not, why don''t you stay and join us for the New Year''s Eve dinner?"


    "No thanks, mom and dad are probably waiting for me at home."


    Lu Liang politely declined with a shake of his head, bade farewell to his sister''s family, drove their cousin home first, and then finally drove back to the residential complex.


    The new apartment had been aired out for two months, and they had recently started with the soft furnishings, but his parents were still living in the previously purchased complex.


    "It''s the first time we''re celebrating New Year in a commercial apartment, it feels a bit odd," Dad said with a smile, opening the bottle of Moutai that Lu Liang had brought.


    Ever since he quit his job at the grinding tool factory and didn''t have to work day and night, he spent his days fishing and gardening, stepping into retirement early, and he really seemed much more spirited.


    "I just came from Sister''s place, and she said we could move in another three months," Lu Liang helped Dad pour the drink.


    "I''m happy today, I''ll have a little too."


    Mom, with a radiant smile, came out of the kitchen holding a dish of braised shrimp, and she seemed to have come to terms with things too.


    Lu Ya had done a great job on the ideological work with her, making her understand that her son had apparently become an important person.


    She had also used some very vivid examples, like if Lu Liang were to invest in his hometown, the city leadership would have to come and pay a visit.


    And if he were to marry carelessly and meet a bad woman, his fortune worth hundreds of millions could end up being split in half. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If they really cared about Lu Liang''s best interest, they shouldn''t rush him to get married. He''s already 30, and he''ll figure it out himself.


    Who knows, maybe one day he''ll suddenly bring home a chubby grandson out of the blue, after all, that''s how it''s played out in TV dramas.


    Actually, Lu Ya wasn''t that clear about all these unwritten rules either, but she used whatever was scary to intimidate them, and as she said, it''s hard to change the mindset of the older generation without a mix of intimidation and temptation.


    Clearly, she had succeeded.


    "Mom, the alcohol content is quite high, don''t drink too fast."


    Lu Liang was all smiles, grateful to have such a sister and secretly gave her 120 likes.


    A New Year''s Eve dinner with no pressure to marry was even more harmonious, as the family chatted and watched TV together.


    On the first day of the new year, Lu Liang followed his dad to the village brigade and donated two million yuan to build an activity center.


    He wasn''t always at home, nor would he always be, but since his parents probably wouldn''t go out in their lifetimes, helping them gain some local prestige would allow them to walk proudly through the village.


    On the second day, Lu Liang visited his uncle''s place in the neighboring town, which was also Fang Shiyu''s home.


    His parents didn''t come because his grandparents had passed away early, and they now had their own daughter and son-in-law, so they stayed home awaiting their visit for the New Year''s greetings.


    Lu Liang brought along two packs of cigarettes and two bottles of liquor, "Uncle, Aunt, Shiyu might come back to Modu with me the day after tomorrow."


    Uncle laughed and said, "No problem, he could leave with you right after this, no worries. The kid has always been honest, and we feel reassured with him following you."


    Lu Liang, grinning, protested playfully, "Uncle, your words make it sound like I''ve never been well-behaved."


    He got on well with his uncle.


    Whenever he got into trouble, he would pedal his bike for several kilometers to the neighboring town to seek refuge with his uncle until his parents cooled down.


    "And who was it that always came begging me for money to play online games?" Uncle scowled disapprovingly.


    "Let''s smoke and leave those past matters behind."


    Feeling embarrassed, Lu Liang hurriedly handed out cigarettes to prevent his uncle from bringing up old stories again.


    After having lunch at his uncle''s, he didn''t actually take Shiyu away, he merely informed them about his departure the next morning.


    Returning home, he saw his sister''s family and his parents each holding a baby, immensely amused by the two grandchildren.


    Lu Ya came over and asked quietly, "Hey, isn''t it quite popular among those rich folks to have children out of wedlock?"


    "Not sure about having children out of wedlock, but there are a few cases that I''ve heard about ''playing the field''," Lu Liang couldn''t help but chuckle.


    Suddenly, Lu Ya thought of something and looked suspicious, "So, is it that you don''t want to or that... that..."


    "What are you thinking about, it''s definitely not ''that''."


    Lu Liang suddenly realized the implication and glared at her annoyed. He had a medical checkup last month and was in excellent health.


    He always took precautions with girls whose risk status was unknown to him.


    A moment of pleasure or a lifetime, he had a clear line.


    For those whose risk status he knew, like Su Wanyu and Li Manli, they would usually take precautions themselves.


    It wasn''t that Lu Liang forced them, it''s just that one wanted to study for a higher degree and the other felt she was still a baby.


    He was quite laid-back about the matter, if they wanted to, they would, if not, and there was a "win", then have the child, it''s not like he couldn''t afford it.


    "Then I''m relieved."


    Lu Ya gave him a slanted look playfully teasing, "Little brother, you have to know, there''s a heavy burden on your shoulders."


    "Seeing you is so annoying, already a mother of two, and yet you still act like this," Lu Liang said disdainfully.


    Lu Ya glared at him menacingly, "Dare to say that again and see if I''ll cover for you in the future."


    Lu Liang smiled sheepishly and quickly changed the subject, "Dabao, Erbao come, come, Uncle will take you out with Grandpa and Grandma for a ride."


    Lu Ya squinted her eyes and brandished a victorious fist, she mused, money or not, he was still her little brother.

 Chapter 154 - 153: Financing Leverage of 20 Times

    On the third day of the Lunar New Year, Lu Liang went out for a stroll, made plans to catch up with a few old friends, chat, drink, and celebrate the Spring Festival.


    What used to be endless conversations had turned into an alcohol-fueled game of Mahjong. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And just as the game began, a series of urgent phone calls ripped apart the rare opportunity for an annual reunion.


    "Jianwei, that woman at home is a real tigress, ferocious beyond words."


    One of the old friends sighed, clearly not the first time experiencing such an occasion.


    "What about you?" Lu Liang asked with a smile.


    "Me? A man''s got to have some style. I say ''one,'' and she wouldn''t dare say ''two.''"


    In the middle of his boast, his phone rang. Answering the call, his expression immediately changed: "Alright, alright, I''m coming right back."


    His demeanor slightly embarrassed: "Liang, Gui, you guys enjoy. Something''s come up at home; I''ll have to go back first."


    Gui teased: "His ''say one and she won''t say two,'' means if they agree he decides, if not his wife decides."


    Lu Liang chuckled and watched the two leave, then turned to Gui and inquired: "Have you run into any difficulties lately? We''ve known each other for nearly thirty years. Is there anything you can''t talk about?"


    When they initially got together, he noticed that Gui seemed to have something to tell him, but when Jianwei joined, Gui immediately clammed up.


    They were all childhood friends. Lu Liang had his struggles, and could fully empathize with the situation, so he took the initiative to ask.


    Gui tensed up, hesitating: "Liang, are you tight on cash lately? If not, could you lend me seventy thousand yuan to tide me over?"


    Finally finding the courage to ask, he hurriedly added, "It might take a while before I can pay you back."


    Lu Liang asked no further and simply pulled out his phone: "Account number ending in 9231, is that your Alipay?"


    Gui nodded, and as he saw Lu Liang transfer seventy thousand yuan, he pulled out a crumpled IOU from his pocket.


    Lu Liang shook his head and asked again: "Is seventy thousand enough?"


    He had just heard from his parents at home that Gui had a tough year. His wife had a difficult birth and had to have a cesarean section, a significant hospital expense.


    Before the New Year, his mother had also taken a fall. Although it wasn''t serious, she still spent several months in the hospital.


    Medical expenses were a mountainous burden on ordinary people. After a year of hard work, a family illness could render all the effort fruitless.


    Gui hurriedly replied: "That''s enough, that''s enough."


    His face showing gratitude: "Liang..."


    Lu Liang interrupted with a wave of his hand, and cursed jokingly: "Those two guys have no loyalty at all. They disbanded the game just like that. Let''s go find something to eat outside instead."


    Gui fell silent, nodding heavily: "Alright."


    On the morning of the fourth day, Fang Shiyu, laden with bags, came over to Lu Liang''s place to mooch breakfast, getting ready to head back to Modu.


    He had a huge appetite, a major force in consuming New Year goods.


    Lu Liang let his mom stuff the trunk with items carelessly, with a cousin like him, strong and capable, he could handle any amount.


    They set off at 9:30 am, before the back-to-work rush, and it only took six and a half hours to get back to Modu.


    "Shiyu, you go on ahead."


    Lu Liang had many cars now, the Bentley was generally driven by his cousin. A quick call ahead, and he''d be there.


    Before work resumed on the seventh day, there shouldn''t be much to do. Coming back to Modu early, work was just an excuse - he just wanted some peace.


    Taking the elevator up, Lu Liang entered his apartment, and with a bang, a confetti cannon exploded, vibrant and colorful.


    "La la la~~~ Welcome back, happy New Year!"


    Li Manli greeted him with a big smile, wearing a pair of white fluffy short boots, a loose fluffy coat covering her thighs, and a large hood with two rabbit ears naturally drooping behind.


    "Have you been watching the garage surveillance the entire time?"


    Lu Liang looked around the decorated home, bright and festive, filled with lucky characters and red decorations everywhere.


    "Of course not, just glanced at it when I was bored."


    Li Manli''s eyes darted around, suddenly meeting Lu Liang''s playful gaze, she deflated: "The occasional frequency was a bit... frequent."


    She had just turned twenty that New Year. The past nineteen years were all spent at her hometown for the festival, only this year was she alone in the big house in Modu.


    Whenever she went out to buy supplies and saw everyone in groups, chatting and laughing, she really longed for Lu Liang to return.


    So, she would keep watching, hoping to spot that familiar car in the surveillance monitors.


    Lu Liang chuckled lightly, ruffling her hair. "It''s beautifully decorated, it really has the atmosphere of a holiday celebration."


    "Hehe~ looks good, right?"


    Li Manli''s smile bloomed like a flower, hurriedly pulling Lu Liang to the balcony adorned with butterfly orchids, lucky bamboo, and daffodils.


    During the Spring Festival, she had no desire to work, and to fend off boredom, decorating the inside and outside of the house became her greatest pleasure.


    She also bought a very pretty rattan swing chair, coaxing Lu Liang to squeeze into it, then followed suit herself.


    Today in Modu, the temperature was close to sub-zero, and if one person sat on the balcony admiring the flowers and cityscape, it would be a bit cold.


    But with two people, it was just perfect. She hugged Lu Liang tightly, murmuring, "Liang, this is the scene from my dreams."


    This year, for the first time, she spent the New Year alone.


    She had always felt as if the world had abandoned her, but with Lu Liang''s return, her world seemed to come back to life.


    Lu Liang''s mouth curved into a smile, gently pulling her into his embrace, savoring this moment of tenderness.


    At night, Lu Liang drove the Pagani, taking Li Manli out for a stroll to find some food.


    A young girl''s sentimental nature is only occasional, stemming from loneliness. With Lu Liang back, she reverted to her true self.


    On a whim during the cold weather, she wanted to drive the convertible Big Bull parked at the company, but Lu Liang ruthlessly vetoed the idea.


    Just like that, the two of them spent two leisurely days together.


    In the blink of an eye, the Spring Festival holiday ended, and on the morning of the seventh day of the first lunar month, Lu Liang and Tang Caide stood at the company''s entrance handing out red envelopes.


    The amount was small, 800 yuan per person, mainly as a symbolic gesture. The company didn''t have many employees, so they finished in half an hour.


    Today was the 14th, and the Brexit referendum in Old England was imminent. Although various international media dismissed it as a political show, they kept a close watch on the latest developments.


    On the 15th, Lu Liang first visited Hilt of State Street, then flew to Xiangjiang to meet with Li Junwei of HSBC.


    His purpose for meeting both of them was the same.


    To secure financing, and to borrow British Pounds.


    The available funds added up to 1.128 billion US Dollars, reserving 28 million US Dollars as backup funds, investing 1.1 billion US Dollars.


    Liang first negotiated with Hilt at State Street: 550 million US Dollars as collateral, 550 million US Dollars as operating funds, leveraging 20 times, borrowing 11 billion US Dollars.


    Then through the channel of HSBC, he contacted the Bank of England to convert the 11 billion US Dollars into 7.7 billion British Pounds at an exchange rate of 0.7.


    Due to the substantial amount of funds, it took two days to complete all procedures. The combined daily interest from the two banks was 0.1%.


    The daily interest was 550,000 US Dollars, requiring at least a seven-day lease, with the cost of this alone being 3.85 million US Dollars.


    Although the interest rate was high, in Lu Liang''s eyes, it was completely worthwhile, given the unimaginable potential profits.


    The current GBP/USD exchange rate was 1.4850,


    having slowly regained 300 points over the past two months.


    Financial markets don''t deceive people like the media sometimes does, indicating that the views of institutions and the public were aligned.


    They generally believed that Brexit was just a red herring, that David Cameron did not have the courage to leave the EU and was merely using the name of Brexit to collect money.


    Since his re-election announcement of implementing the Brexit referendum, EU member state leaders visited turn by turn, offering earnest persuasive advice.


    The exact benefits promised are unknown at this time, but it''s certain that they must have helped Old England make quite a fortune.


    The EU advised keeping peace, while the United States encouraged separation. Ma Ao also personally paid a visit to discuss US-UK relations warmly.


    During this period, David Cameron strutted with vigor, as if he was back in the glorious era of the Hanover Dynasty when they once ruled a quarter of the globe.


    In such a situation, anyone with a bit of sense wouldn''t choose to Brexit after all, given that Old England wasn''t as powerful as before. Being on good terms with both sides was their best option.


    "But who would have thought he would actually dare to leave."


    Looking at the foreign exchange market trends, Lu Liang estimated that the British Pound would continue to rise at least until the referendum.


    The lowest point of 1.1420 in the GBP/USD exchange rate was predicted by the voice, and as of this second, there was a decrease of 3430 points.

 Chapter 155 - 154: Start Shorting British Pounds

    18th at noon, Beijing time was 12 o''clock.


    London time is seven hours behind, so it''s five o''clock in the morning there now, and in another 120 minutes, polling channels would open.


    42,400 sites would simultaneously count,


    Starting from seven in the morning, continuing until ten in the evening, with counting concluding at 10:15 P.M., the voting results would be announced.


    This year''s first major event was about to unfold, and various national media were also publishing poll data from the past two months.


    The latest public opinion polls showed that support for "staying in Europe" and "leaving Europe" were neck and neck, either 51 to 49, 49 to 51, or 50 to 50.


    This directly maximized the suspense of the referendum''s outcome, as if nobody dared to be certain until the very last moment.


    Beijing time in the afternoon at two o''clock, London time in the morning at seven o''clock, the Brexit public voting channels opened.


    Various national media were competing to report, even Channel C launched a channel, inviting several international political experts to conduct a live broadcast for 15 hours.


    The forex market was agitated, the British Pound/US Dollar exchange rate steadily rose, and there were already a large number of long position takers building their portfolios, firmly believing that Old England could not possibly leave the European Union.


    The British Pound/US Dollar exchange rate surged by 120 points, reaching 1.4970, on the verge of breaking through the significant 1.5000 level.


    The results would not be announced for another 15 hours, so Lu Liang wasn''t in a hurry to sell off a lot at that moment, only by building positions at the highest points could he maximize his profits.


    Lu Liang instructed Sun Yutao and Zhang Jing among others to sell in small amounts in the early hours and not to rush.


    "I''m going to sleep for a while, if nothing emerges by midnight, come and knock on my door."


    The entire fifteen hours of voting time, the first ten hours, even up to fourteen hours, were irrelevant.


    The forex market trading volume was lively, and the market situation changed in an instant, the outcomes could be determined within those last one or two minutes.


    He would need to wait at least until four in the morning Beijing time, when the struggle between bulls and bears would be most fierce.


    "Okay, Mr. Lu," Wen Chao looked at him admiringly, his admiration for Lu Liang was overflowing with words.


    This was the true heart of a big player, even though he did not know how much money Lu Liang had invested.


    But from his earlier visit to State Street Bank and personally going to Xiangjiang to negotiate with HSBC,


    He guessed the investment was not small, at least half-portfolio, five hundred million dollars.


    Lu Liang went to the adjacent resting room, tossed and turned unable to sleep, so he opened Twitter to catch up on international news.


    But as soon as he went online, he saw a bunch of people mocking him: "Liangzi, the referendum has started, why are you suddenly playing dead?"


    Accompanied by pictures, showing they were going long on British Pounds, using 400 times leverage, they had already profited 20,000 dollars.


    Lu Liang had no time to bother with these jokers, because he saw Soros updating his status, claiming: Old England wouldn''t dare to leave Europe, if it did leave, the British Pound would plummet by 30%, causing irreversible damage to the national economy.


    "What time is it, how old are you, aren''t you resting yet?"


    Lu Liang directly replied back, disliking this old man directing affairs; he was a staunch supporter of China threat theory.


    Born in 1930, 86 years old this year, Mr. Suo''s existence was the best interpretation of the old saying "old but not dead is the thief."


    Always coming out to pontificate at every international event.


    He had been bearish on British Pounds two months prior but the more he sang this tune, the more the British Pound rose, and many short retailers got harvested.


    This was also his consistent style, he probably was quietly going long on British Pounds behind the scenes, letting retail investors boost the price.


    After clapping back, Lu Liang got ready to rest, it was three o''clock in the afternoon Beijing time, three in the morning United States time, probably not him speaking personally.


    Unexpectedly, Old Suo replied to him: I''m in Europe, just woke up, heard you think Old England will leave Europe?


    Lu Liang was surprised, but did not respond directly: "Is Quantum Fund going long on British Pounds?"


    Soros pondered for a long time but did not respond directly: "If Britain does not leave Europe, the British Pound will continue to rise."


    Although he had always been bearish on the British Pounds, his bearish stance was based on the assumption that Britain would not leave the EU. Furthermore, he also believed that it would not happen.


    Lu Liang replied, "There are still 13 hours left, by then everything will be clear."


    "Young man, it''s good to have ideas, I hope things turn out as you wish," Soros said, his words filled with arrogance.


    Although Lu Liang did not reveal his intention to short the currency, his views were already clear and ran contrary to mainstream opinion.


    A few brief exchanges between the two quickly spread across the globe as the most prestigious speculators from the East and West were directly engaging.


    One was clearly bullish, the other suspected of being bearish, the election results in 13 hours would determine who would win or lose.


    Upon seeing these comments, Lu Liang chuckled, "What win or lose? The world is not just black and white."


    A bullish position can be a bearish one, and vice versa¡ªeverything depended on whether Britain would leave the EU or not.


    If it stayed, the British Pounds would likely rise a few points, and the situation would be blandly resolved; but if it left, only the citizens of Old England would suffer.


    At that time, speculators from around the world, regardless of their positions, would turn bearish, brandishing their scythes to harvest the wealth of Old England.


    Lu Liang planned to rest, preparing himself for the big battle tonight, when suddenly he saw Little Steamed Bun, still busy maintaining his heated online exchange.


    As it was too bright, it did not seem like a man-made creation, which left a profound impression on him for this Welfare Girl.


    He then browsed backstage, looking for any messages from her, and found that she had sent him 38 messages in total.


    "Lu God, I too wish to short the British Pounds and make it big. Could you give me some guidance, even just a number or a symbol would suffice."


    For the past two months, she had been sending similar messages every few days, always including a portrait picture, much clearer than anything in the comment section.


    After reading all the messages, Lu Liang felt distressed but understood her motives. She really wanted to follow him and short the British Pounds, but Lu Liang''s comments were always ambiguous, leaving her unable to make a definitive decision.


    "."


    Lu Liang thought for a moment, a smile playing at the corner of his mouth, then replied with a period and closed Twitter.


    The moment the message was sent, Qingyin received it and was overjoyed, "Wakaka~ It''s a miracle, I''m going to make it."


    As time ticked by, official media from China, Japan, and the United States all had correspondents stationed at voting sites, randomly interviewing the voting public. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Media from these three countries yielded results that remained 49 against 51, or 51 against 49, or even 50 against 50.


    Thirteen hours had passed, and the situation was still extremely tense, as it seemed the final outcome couldn''t be determined until the very last moment.


    At two o''clock in the morning, Beijing time, there were just 120 minutes left until the closure of the voting channels.


    Lu Liang entered the trading room, where, in the past thirteen hours, the British Pounds had soared another 100 points, breaking through the 1.5000 mark.


    The current exchange rate of British Pounds to US Dollar was 1.5050.


    Lu Liang checked his account, 7.7 billion British Pounds, with only 1.2 billion spent, leaving him with 6.5 billion to play with.


    Their account''s margin was 550 million US Dollars, allowing them to withstand a loss of up to 269 million British Pounds.


    Having only deployed 1.2 billion British Pounds, they would not be forced to liquidate their positions unless the exchange rate broke 2.


    Approaching three o''clock in the morning, with the last 60 minutes remaining, it was nine o''clock in the evening London time, and three o''clock in the afternoon United States time.


    If it were the London Gold market, this would also be the most active trading period of the day.


    With a daily trading volume of twenty trillion US Dollars, at least 10% of it occurred during this time period.


    After all, Western countries pay more attention to the financial markets.


    The same is true for the foreign exchange market.


    As three o''clock approached, the sentiment in the British Pounds to US Dollar forex market escalated dramatically, generating over a billion dollars in trades per minute.


    Lu Liang squinted his eyes, knowing that the optimal time to sell had arrived, and immediately commanded, "Start selling."

 Chapter 156 - 155: Yin, are you serious?

    Lu Liang held a considerable amount of capital, during the previous fourteen hours $1.2 billion British Pounds were slowly sold off, the market was still unaware of their presence.


    At 3:15 AM,


    A large number of sell orders to short the British Pound appeared in the market.


    At this moment, investors in the market began to feel the presence of a mysterious and massive force.


    The rising momentum of the British Pounds was abruptly halted.


    "Do we have any more chips left?" Lu Liang asked.


    He was not naive enough to believe that they could drive down the exchange rate by deploying just a few billion.


    The main issue was that there were no counterparties trading against them, or they were luring the enemy deeper, waiting for them to invest more.


    As short sellers, the more they invested, the more the longs would earn when they blew up their positions.


    At the present market, still shorting and possessing such enormous funds, besides him, there probably wasn''t anyone else.


    Most likely, everyone held the latter view, wanting to thoroughly blow up his position and teach him a lesson.


    "Group one still has 1.9 billion."


    "Group two has 2.1 billion."


    "Group three has 1.4 billion."


    After tallying, they still had 5.4 billion in chips; just a few minutes ago, they had utilized 1.1 billion of funds.


    Lu Liang pondered for a moment, "Reserve 800 million in each group for emergencies, and the rest, fire it all out before 4:00 AM."


    He needed to reserve some capital to face the final counterattack from the longs, as long as they could hold out until the vote results were announced; then the victory would be his.


    Those in the market who were long, preparing to harvest him ¨C count them one by one ¨C all of them must perish.


    As Lu Liang commanded, a large number of sell orders to short the British Pound appeared in the market, but the exchange rate was not suppressed; instead, it began to assault 1.5100.


    Currently, the situation was that there were more wolves and not enough meat; Lu Liang was that piece of meat, and someone would inevitably take the first bite.


    "The situation has changed, reduce all selling, let the exchange rate break through 1.5200, then make a decision."


    Lu Liang squinted his eyes, a smile appearing on his lips, "High-end hunters often appear in the guise of prey."


    Now everyone considered themselves the wolves and saw him as the only piece of meat in the market; then they couldn''t blame him for trapping people.


    This trick was also learned from them,


    It could similarly be called luring the enemy deeper.


    The more he appeared to be struggling under the burden, the more the longs would invest and encircle him.


    The more they invested, the more they would lose, because the market is fair; if they wanted to earn more, they could only invest more.


    For every 10-point rise in the exchange rate, Lu Liang would throw out a few billion in chips, always acting as if he was about to burst.


    Gradually, the Blackstone Fund, JPMorgan Fund, and Quantum Fund all deviated from their original plans, investing more and more.


    In fact, their attitude towards buying British Pounds was not so decisive; primarily, the risk and return were utterly disproportionate.


    In the current scenario, going long on British Pounds, if Brexit failed, the exchange rate could rise at most 1-2%.


    While there was a one in ten thousand chance that if Brexit succeeded, they might face a massive drop of several points.


    The foreign exchange market typically employs high leverage.


    Several points drop was enough to blow up everyone''s positions, even exhausting their margin accounts.


    So initially, they planned to invest only a few billion to earn tens of millions of dollars and then fold.


    But Lu Liang always appeared so frail; just a bit more effort and they could blow his positions.


    It was like a seductive, enticing beauty, just a bit more push and they could enter Taoyuan.


    Soros, an old comrade weathered and seasoned at 86, could barely withstand it, let alone others.


    The advantage was primarily with me.


    Because the whole world knew that Old England''s Brexit referendum was just a political showpiece, Old England didn''t have the guts for Brexit.


    Thus, one by one, they invested more and more, the three entities together had already put in over $5 billion, nearly 3.5 billion British Pounds.


    And their chips, just so happened to be almost entirely taken up by Lu Liang, still at the current peak of 1.5220.


    Time ticked away by the second, and soon it was 10 PM London time, the voting channels closed.


    "Every minute, release 200 million in chips until all chips are used up."


    Lu Liang narrowed his eyes, knowing that the final moment had arrived; it was said that the results would be announced at 15 past the hour, but they didn''t necessarily have to wait until then.


    It might be known by ten past the hour, or even earlier; after all, that old guy Soros claimed to be in Europe.


    Eighteen traders operated their respective accounts, each dumping British Pounds sell orders, tens of billions worth of sell orders flooded the market, and the GBP/USD exchange rate broke below 1.5200.


    "Hurry up, all come to my bowl."


    Lu Liang knew there were three forces trading against him, but he could only barely confirm the presence of Quantum Fund.


    The other two were unknown, but they were likely Wall Street giants; they had more information channels than Lu Liang.


    They might not even need to wait for the results to be announced to know the outcome; thus, Lu Liang didn''t want to pretend anymore.


    He was ready to lay his cards on the table, forcing them into a difficult position at the last moment, making them lose as much as possible.


    Though Lu Liang was unable to consume all their capital, he would be quite pleased if they could lose a bit more.


    With the 1.5200 exchange rate defense line breached, fund managers at Blackstone and JPMorgan both fell into hesitation.


    Their conviction wavered and they began to doubt their own ideas, "Is Brexit really going to happen?"


    Because Lu Liang''s stance on short-selling was so resolute, it was as if he already knew the outcome.


    "Just a few minutes left, let him be arrogant for a little while."


    After some contemplation, the two made a joint decision to hold their position; after all, there were only a few minutes left.


    They planned to wait for the results to be announced and then crush Lu Liang''s position.


    Without the support of the two firms, the bulls had no resistance, and the exchange rate broke through the 1.5200 mark, opening a downward channel.


    Soros was also constantly monitoring the market situation and couldn''t help speaking to himself when he saw this scene, "They are faltering."


    Though there were still a few minutes before the results were announced, timidity was timidity, and all explanations seemed weak.


    "Boss, what about us?" manager Kadi asked.


    Although Soros was always directing strategies in the public eye, he was already 86 years old.


    Over the years, he had rarely taken direct action, serving more as a spokesperson for Quantum Fund.


    It was only because of Lu Liang''s statements that his interest was piqued, prompting him to monitor the market in person tonight.


    "How much money have we put in?"


    Soros looked at the clock; it was already 22:09.


    "A total of 12 billion US dollars," Kadi replied.


    Soros frowned, his decision already firm, "First, lock the position, then invest 1.5 billion US dollars to short the British Pounds for hedging."


    He had looked through Lu Liang''s data, who in one year, went from nothing to now controlling a fund worth over 11 billion US dollars.


    In the 1980s, it took him a decade to establish Quantum Fund, while Lu Liang took less than a year.


    He believed that under the renown was indeed substantial capability, perhaps that one in ten thousand chance could actually happen.


    Kadi was shocked, a strange expression spreading across his face.


    To Soros, the behavior of JPMorgan and Blackstone seemed like faltering, so what should his own behavior be called?


    Surrender?


    Soros, as if seeing his thoughts, said coldly, "An excellent fund manager must first ensure that there will be no substantial losses before considering making a profit."


    Tonight''s investment had already exceeded their expectations, and if Brexit failed, they naturally could earn more.


    But what if? Although he was reluctant to admit it, he had indeed been intimidated by Lu Liang''s momentum.


    JPMorgan and Blackstone faltered, Quantum switched sides.


    The three Wall Street institutions were nearly completely defeated.


    The GBP/USD exchange rate plummeted by 100 points, returning to 1.5100.


    And thus, a series of ripple effects ensued.


    After all, it was already 22:12, and there were three minutes left until the results were announced, so why would there suddenly be a major drop?


    International speculators, each cunning in their own right, had one thought flashing through their minds¡ªwas someone aware of the results in advance?


    This led to further sharp declines in the GBP/USD exchange rate, which almost breached the 1.5000 mark, returning to today''s opening price.


    Lu Liang furrowed his brows, "Who is it? Defection? Or did someone already know the result?"


    There wasn''t time for him to ponder further, as the stage in the live broadcast room was already set up, ready to announce the results.


    Knowing there were still 500 million in chips, Lu Liang shouted loudly, "Don''t worry about the market impact, sell them all."


    A 500 million British Pounds short settlement order appeared in the market, instantly breaking through the 1.5000 defense line, plummeting by 50 points.


    At the same time,


    the broadcast camera was facing the National Parliament podium.


    On the stage, alongside the spirited David Cameron, were several deputies as well as key officials from various departments.


    They looked at each other with extremely odd expressions on their faces as if they had suddenly seen a long-deceased great-grandmother.


    Not giving international media reporters time to think,


    David Cameron announced the results with a smile on his face. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Ladies and gentlemen, a total of 33,128,400 voters participated in the referendum, with 17,176,000 supporting Brexit and 15,952,400 supporting Remain, representing 52% of the total votes in favor of Brexit,"


    "Therefore, the Brexit Bill will be officially implemented!"


    Yin, are you serious?


    Reporters from various countries widened their eyes in shock, their faces expressing horror.


    Subsequently, shock turned into excitement, symbolizing the arrival of the largest political black swan of the century.


    The news that "the Brexit Bill will be officially implemented" swiftly spread across the globe, with various media outlets competing to report it.


    The most surprised were not the country-commenting experts or financial market speculators, but the voters who had personally voted for Brexit.


    They were like they had seen a ghost.


    They had only voted as a joke, never actually expecting Brexit to happen, let alone spearheading the implementation of the Brexit plan.


    However, there are no regrets in the world.


    The foreign exchange market had already collapsed.

 Chapter 157 - 156: Over one billion dollars in profit

    "Quick, quick, quick, reserve 10% of the funds and transfer out all the rest to short the British Pounds."


    "Go all out, short the British Pounds! If there are excess funds, go long on Gold and short crude oil!"


    Today was destined to go down in history as the Prime Minister David Cameron announced to the world the formal implementation of the Brexit Bill.


    International institutions, speculative capital, and individual investors, like a super sports car suddenly flooring the accelerator, all rushed out en masse.


    Commodities and currencies such as British Pounds, Gold, crude oil, and Euros became the targets of global speculators.


    The British Pound was the absolute center of this storm as capital from various nations repeatedly charged in.


    Everyone had an unprecedented unanimous thought, congregating here with only one purpose, to reap massive fortunes.


    Those who had gone long were too slow to react, and as a result, they were continuously liquidated, like JPMorgan and Blackstone Fund which had a combined 800 million dollars evaporate in moments.


    They didn''t even have time to feel afraid, almost instinctively taking remedial measures, such as locking in positions or closing positions, and then going short.


    Huge losses were inevitable, now the only thing to do was to minimize those losses as much as possible.


    "Lu Liang!"


    JPMorgan''s Wilson looked complexly towards Lu Liang, unable to hate him anymore, even feeling somewhat afraid of him.


    As he said publicly, a strong man can be defeated by someone stronger, and Lu Liang was undoubtedly that stronger man.


    He couldn''t help but look at the currency market quotes, where in just a few minutes, the British Pounds had plummeted 2800 points, falling by -9.55%.


    Wilson didn''t know how much money Lu Liang had invested, but conservatively estimated it was no less than five billion British Pounds.


    Assuming he only invested five billion British Pounds, he would now have a minimum of 750 million US Dollars in profit.


    After today, Lu Liang would definitely become globally renowned, emerging as the biggest beneficiary of this black swan event.


    At this moment, somewhere in Europe.


    "The GBP/USD rate is now at 1.2200."


    Soros, feeling a mix of emotions, suddenly asked his Chinese assistant, "Andy, is there a saying in your country about one person being more capable than another?"


    The female assistant smiled slightly and corrected, "Sir, I was born on the streets of Manhattan, New York, but I think, what you mean to say is, ''Each generation produces its own talents.''"


    "That seems to be the phrase." Soros sighed deeply, seemingly aging a few years in that instant.


    Although he made the correct decision at the last minute and did not make a profit, he managed to minimize most of his losses.


    Seeing Lu Liang dominating the international stage, unstoppable in his conquests, he felt as if he truly was getting old.


    At 4 AM, Regent International, Hang City.


    "The GBP/USD rate is at 1.2050, I''m getting out now."


    In the dimly lit room, Welfare Girl was in tears, her body trembling with excitement as she pressed the button to close all her positions.


    She had opened her position at 1.4800, earning 2750 points and turning 200,000 US Dollars into 910,000 US Dollars, equivalent to more than 5.5 million RMB.


    From now on, she no longer had to stay in a rental room that never saw sunlight, selling risqu¨¦ photos and videos.


    With this money, she could buy a car and a house in her dream city, open a caf¨¦, and live out her life in peace.


    "Thank you, Lu God, bless Lu God with safety and health, and abundant prosperity."


    Unable to sleep, Welfare Girl posted her portfolio gains online, announcing her retirement from speculative trading.


    She planned to delete her Twitter and other contact methods, intending to be a good girl from now on.


    But suddenly thinking of Lu Liang, who had graced her with such fortune, after some thought, she sent a few domestic photos showing her face.


    She explained that all the past content was produced solo with tools to assist, she was very clean, and available if needed.


    Lastly, she added, "I am truly naturally fair."


    ...


    At 4:45 AM,


    The GBP/USD rate had lost the 1.2000 level.


    Even after thirty minutes, the sentiment to short was still fiery.


    After all, before this, various national media and institutions had predicted a fall.


    If Brexit really happened, then the British Pounds would definitely fall between 15%-30%.


    Now the decline was only 11.54%, not even reaching the lowest estimate of 15%, there was still room to fall.


    "Begin to close positions."


    Lu Liang''s expression remained calm, 1.1900 was pretty much the bottom.


    Although the traders were surprised, they immediately carried out the new order, their past experiences had proven that to follow Lu Liang, you didn''t need to think, just execute his commands.


    Because he was almost a legendary figure, at a time when the whole world didn''t believe England would carry out Brexit, he resolutely chose to short the British Pounds.


    Though it was said to be courting a massive risk, he indeed succeeded and silenced all the skeptics.


    As 5 AM approached,


    they closed all positions at the price level of 1.1680.


    "Secretary Wen, prepare a report on this for me later."


    Lu Liang stepped out of the trading room, and Chen Jinchun stood at the door, handing him his phone. "Mr. Lu, your phone has been ringing non-stop."


    "Wang Xiaocong?" Lu Liang asked with a smile. At 5 a.m., except for Little Wang, there probably wasn''t anyone else calling him.


    He took the referendum event very seriously; including himself, everyone had handed in their communication devices.


    "Mr. Wang called three times."


    Chen Jinchun nodded and quietly yawned.


    She wasn''t unaccustomed to staying up late, just to staying up late without doing anything. Since last night, she had only done one thing: she had gone downstairs to pack 20 meals.


    Then she had just watched Lu Liang''s phone.


    Suddenly she remembered, "Mr. Lu, should I prepare breakfast?"


    "Go ahead."


    Lu Liang nodded slightly and walked to the window in the lounge area, opening it to let the cold wind pour in.


    The cold wind mixed with drizzle fell on his face, instantly dispelling the fatigue from the all-nighter.


    Lu Liang leaned back against the window and lit a cigarette, then dialed back Little Wang''s call. "Hello, what''s up?"


    Wang Xiaocong''s tone was melancholic, "I wanted to invite you to breakfast."


    Originally, he had asked Lu Liang if he was optimistic about Old England''s Brexit, and Lu Liang''s response was ambiguous, so he chickened out.


    Tonight, he hadn''t invested a cent,


    Watching as immense wealth slipped away right before his eyes.


    "I just had someone go buy some; it''s too cold to go out," Lu Liang said grinning.


    Suddenly, Little Wang asked, "How much did you earn tonight?"


    Although he hadn''t participated, he had been keeping tabs and knew that Lu Liang was one of the main forces shorting the British Pounds.


    Financial practitioners from Europe and America revealed that Lu Liang''s earnings for the night were at least 800 million dollars.


    JPMorgan, Blackstone, and Quantum, three Wall Street giants, had taken long positions on British Pounds; their positions were apparently wiped out by him, resulting in losses totaling several billion dollars.


    "Today''s the 19th; the net value will be updated on the 25th and the 1st. You will know by then."


    Lu Liang was in a good mood, fiddling with his lighter, making a click-click sound.


    Little Wang was silent for a long while, then suddenly pleaded, "Can you please just tell me? Otherwise, I won''t be able to sleep." S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "What does your sleep have to do with me?"


    Lu Liang smirked, flicking ash from his cigarette, "Think about it. Lots of people are curious about how much I earned, but only I know. Imagine how cool that feels."


    To be precise, Wen Chao, who was in charge of statistics, knew too, but he dared not say because he had signed a non-disclosure agreement.


    Moreover, after the New Year, Lu Liang gave a 30% salary increase to all non-intern employees, with an average monthly salary reaching 21,000 RMB.


    Wen Chao and Chen Jinchun, as his secretaries and assistants, had annual salaries of 400,000 RMB and 320,000 RMB respectively.


    Little Wang, indignant, suddenly burst out, "Can''t you just be a sport, I enjoyed it if you''ve enjoyed it?"


    Lu Liang, smiling broadly, decided to tease Little Wang a bit, "What''s the word out there? How much did I earn?"


    Little Wang''s eyes lit up and he hurriedly said, "Around 800 million dollars, roughly."


    Lu Liang thought for a moment, "It''s more than that."


    "How much more?"


    "Not very clear."


    "Huh?"


    Lu Liang said annoyed, "Do you even look at the time? It hasn''t been calculated yet."


    In fact, he had just glanced roughly; the profits were indeed over one billion dollars, but he had to wait for further calculations to be clear.


    "Could it possibly double?"


    Little Wang breathed rapidly, his initial subscription in the first phase was 16 million dollars, and in the second phase, 40 million dollars.


    If the capital could double, that would mean a profit of 56 million dollars, equivalent to over 350 million RMB.


    Lu Liang grinned, "What do you think?"


    "I damn well can''t guess like a little kid."


    Little Wang was overwhelmed with emotion, feeling like a lump had formed in his chest.


    Lu Liang not saying anything would have been better, but saying half and keeping half made him itch, feeling like there were ants crawling inside.


    Lu Liang kindly advised, "Couldn''t you learn from Old Meng? Look how calm he is; he hasn''t even made a single call all night."


    On the other end of the phone, a slightly embarrassed cough came through, "Well, brother Lu, actually, I''m not that calm either."


    Ever since finding out that Lu Liang was shorting the British Pounds, Meng Changkun was also freaking out, but he knew, Little Wang would be more anxious.


    Making one call was better than making two, so since last night he had contacted Little Wang, together taking foot baths and saunas, waiting for news from the front.


    "Let''s leave it at that, by then you all will know."


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but laugh; he really wasn''t clear yet, only leaving a tidbit about the earnings of over one billion dollars.

 Chapter 158 - 157: A Ten Billion Dollar Overnight Turmoil

    Having seen off Meng Wang and his companion,


    Lu Liang arrived at the office for breakfast.


    He flipped through the profit report: starting with 11 billion US dollars, distributed across 36 trading accounts, split into three groups.


    Each account averaged earnings of 35.205 million, totaling 1.267 billion US dollars. After stamp duty, channel usage fees, and leverage interest, the total costs were 16.16 million US dollars.


    "The net earnings this time are 1.251 billion US dollars, and the current available funds in the account are 2.379 billion US dollars."


    Lu Liang checked multiple times, signed to confirm, and then approved a bonus plan of 5 million.


    The heads of the three groups each received a bonus of 500,000, the deputy heads 400,000 each, and the rest of the traders 200,000 each in bonuses.


    As the sky began to brighten, Lu Liang felt no desire to sleep.


    He saw that last night London Gold had surged by 130 points, breaking through 1,600 US dollars per ounce, with the increase almost matching his short position on British Pounds.


    And then there was International Crude Oil, which had fallen by -4.31%, all triggered by a series of chain reactions caused by Old England deciding on Brexit.


    Lu Liang sighed, lamenting that he had too little capital to be everywhere at once; he could only focus on one thing.


    After all, such a good opportunity does not come often, and there were others who had earned more than him last night.


    "Even though others made more money, their rate of return was not as high as mine."


    Suddenly feeling pleased, Lu Liang had Wen Chao hang a ''Do Not Disturb'' sign on the door, then he went to the rest area to sleep.


    An hour later, when it was fully light,


    it also signified the start of a new day.


    The entire Chinese internet, every social platform, was flooded with news of Old England''s Brexit.


    "Yin, you actually dared to leave?" S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "There are strange things every year, but this year has been particularly abundant."


    "David Cameron, what a man, he said he would leave and then he did, without hesitation."


    "Those who said it was just political showmanship, come out and apologize to me now, I told you Old England would go through with Brexit."


    "If you''re so amazing, then how much money did you make?"


    "What do you mean, ''how much money''?"


    The person being asked was bewildered; they were a political junkie, studying international affairs purely as a personal hobby.


    What, could this actually make money?


    Suddenly, someone sent him an article from Finance Net, which had been reposted by the Wall Street Journal.


    "Really amazing, should have shorted it like him, this guy made more money than I do in-game currency, and it''s in US dollars."


    The article detailed how JPMorgan, Blackstone, and Quantum three funds had gone long on British Pounds, resulting in losses of several billion dollars.


    And last night in the forex market, the only institution that had shorted British Pounds was China''s HeavenlyStar, with an estimated profit of one billion dollars.


    An enthusiastic netizen even worried he wouldn''t understand English, so they specifically explained: "HeavenlyStar means a star in the sky, which in our Chinese context, can also be called Tianxing."


    "Tianxing? Is it Lu Liang?"


    With that, the news that Lu Liang had shorted the British Pound and raked in one billion dollars overnight spread like wildfire across the internet.


    Netizens suddenly remembered that two months ago, Lu Liang had mentioned, what if it actually happened?


    At that time he was mocked as Liangzi, until the company''s annual gala, and then he became known again as Mr. Lu.


    And yesterday''s conversation with Soros seemed like he was also on the side of shorting the British Pound.


    So, with this, two global Speculation Gods were in direct confrontation, and Lu Liang had won?


    "Damn, Lu Liang is so fierce, taking on three by himself and still winning?"


    "It''s not that he''s fierce, but who would have thought yesterday that Old England would actually go through with Brexit?"


    "Is it really that hard to admit someone else''s excellence? Look at it, I''m so jealous, the opportunity for financial freedom is right in front of me."


    Welfare Girl''s profit chart, and her ''washing her hands clean'' post, thanking Lu Liang, were also transported from the international sites to domestic ones.


    An initial capital of 200,000 US dollars,


    overnight, turned into 910,000 US dollars.


    Someone in the know lamented: "Qingyin had initially shorted Tesla and nearly went underwater, but following Lu Liang''s twice shorting of British Pounds, turned 50,000 US dollars into 910,000 US dollars, successfully getting out of the red."


    Without any fuss, he posted a screenshot of his short position on the British Pound; a base of 50,000 US dollars turned into 530,000 US dollars.


    Using an 800x leverage, he shorted British Pounds at almost the highest point at 4:12 AM, earning more than tenfold return.


    "Damn, I''m so jealous it''s giving me an out-of-body experience, Brother Fu''s V50, how about it, craving KFC."


    "The world is in decline, the human heart not like in ancient times, another Welfare Girl makes it big, and again, it''s us honest folks getting the short end of the stick."


    "You honest folks want to buy her out? A net worth of 5.8 million, a pure white lolita? Go wash and sleep, you can dream of anything you want."


    Suddenly, the tone of the comments changed,


    after all, Lu Liang''s usual tens of millions, even billions of dollars in earnings left netizens numb, no longer envious.


    The gap between them was too great, they couldn''t even dream of having so much money; instead, they were envious of those few netizens who had made money by following Lu Liang''s lead.


    Although they didn''t have 50,000 US dollars, squeezing out 20 or 30 thousand was still possible.


    "Lu God, give us a hand, I really don''t want to go to this damn class; I want to defy the heavens and change my fate."


    Over one hundred thousand netizens came to comment on Lu Liang''s Weibo, wishing for overnight wealth.


    As noon approached, it wasn''t just netizens discussing.


    The NIO shareholders group.


    Lei Jun said: "Did not expect Old England to actually leave, Lu Liang''s bagged another hefty profit."


    Li Bing: "Heard he made one billion dollars, terrifying indeed, even printing presses can''t keep up with his earnings."


    Daqiangzi sighed: "Too bad I wasn''t in China at the time, otherwise I''d have wanted to subscribe for a share or two."


    Lei Jun posted a smiling emoji, the dagger finally comes into view: "Just remembered, I think I subscribed for two."


    Li Bing: "..."


    Shen Peng also popped up: "What a coincidence~ I also subscribed for two, should have made about 30 million now, in US dollars."


    Daqiangzi indignantly said: "Where''s Lu Liang? Come on @him, he''s a member of the group too, why don''t we have a share?"


    Little Ma: "Add one."


    Li Bing: "Add two."


    Zhang Lei: "Add three."


    After a long wait, Lu Liang didn''t show up, Shen Peng said: "You need to send a red packet, otherwise he''ll keep playing dead."


    He sent a five-dollar red packet and commented: "Such bad luck, only got five bucks from a two hundred dollar pot."


    Daqiangzi played along: "I''m even worse, only got 4.2."


    Lu Liang suddenly came online and opened the red packet.


    His face darkened instantly: "Such big shots sending red packets of five dollars? And you said it''s from 200?"


    Shen Peng grinned maliciously: "Would you come out if I hadn''t said 200?"


    Lu Liang, with a dark face, said irritably, "Been busy all night, going to sleep, we can talk another time."


    He never slept long during the day after pulling all-nighters; fell asleep at 7 am and woke up by 12:30 pm.


    Lying in bed, he played with his phone for half an hour, checking his social media, also giving his brain some boot-up time.


    "Is she that pretty?"


    Lu Liang saw a snapshot of a homey Welfare Girl on WeChat, a youthful buxom lolita, not especially beautiful but had that pure and lovely girl-next-door vibe.


    What caught his attention was her constant claims of being naturally white.


    After a moment''s thought, Lu Liang left a secondary WeChat account, just in case, as he was too curious ¡ª after all, the artificial was the norm.

 Chapter 159 - 158: Global Stock Market Plunge

    The alternate account had just been used, when Lu Liang''s backup phone suddenly rang with a notification for an added contact.


    A small cat avatar, the friend circle shared daily photos with faces in them, as well as group pics with friends and family.


    "A life account?"


    A satisfied smile appeared on Lu Liang''s face, and he approved the friend request. He could use an alternate account to add others, but he didn''t want others to use alternate accounts to add him.


    "Lu God, is that you?"


    "I''m in Modu, come hang out for a few days when you''re free."


    "Yeah, yeah, I''m in Hang City, and I was actually thinking of going there to have a good time."


    "What''s your name?"


    "Yang Xiaoxiao."


    "When you get there, go to the Peace Hotel and report my name, you can stay for however many days you want, because I can''t be sure when I''ll be free."


    Lu Liang made a call to Tan Tao at the hotel, telling him if a girl named Yang Xiaoxiao used his name, to help her check in.


    Yang Xiaoxiao was astonished, she hadn''t expected Lu Liang to be so direct, but she didn''t reject: "Okay~"


    ...


    Lu Liang put away his phone and went to the adjacent trading room.


    Old England''s Brexit had happened against global disbelief, a stellar opportunity not seen every day.


    There was still 2.379 billion US dollars in the account, lying idle wouldn''t earn any money, one always had to find a good way for the funds to flow out.


    Lu Liang formulated the 532 plan, 50% invested in US stocks, 30% in Big A stocks, and 20% kept as reserve funds.


    Since ''08, US stocks have been on a slow bull run, with Nasdaq increasing from 1300 to 4500 points. Over the past 8 years, almost no losses were made as long as one bought blue-chip stocks.


    In contrast with Big A, which showed a bit of revival last year only to be knocked down again, it faced two circuit breakers at the start of the year, bringing it to half life. If it were not for the subsequent new energy plan, Lu Liang really wouldn''t want to play with Big A.


    Because today''s Big A market was like this: international markets go up, I stay still, I''m different. International markets fall, I fall too, I''m influenced by international markets.


    The impact of Old England''s decision to Brexit was still spreading, with stock markets worldwide taking a nosedive, and capital fleeing to the gold market for safety.


    Lu Liang didn''t plan to join the crowd. The good news for gold was already 90% digested last night; entering now would likely result in being stuck holding the bag.


    Better to wait and buy the dip on US stocks in the evening, as the announcement of Brexit came just fifteen minutes after the US market closed.


    At this moment, Chen Jinchun came over and inquired, "Mr. Lu, did you place an order for a ModelX at the end of last September?"


    "Seems like there was such a thing," nodded Lu Liang, taking the envelope from Chen Jinchun''s hand.


    A letter from Tesla to its customers, he was fortunate to be one of the first batch of fifty owners to receive the car delivered to China.


    The ModelX delivery event would be held in three days at the convention center, and they hoped he could be there on time.


    "Is this about money? Or is it an attempt on my life?"


    Lu Liang furrowed his brows; this was too much of a coincidence. If it was just to ride the popularity wave, he didn''t mind.


    But the key point was JPMorgan was Tesla''s second-largest shareholder, and they took a hit of several billion US dollars from him last night.


    Tesla''s electric cars were connected to the network, making them susceptible to remote control, and there was also the possibility of losing control suddenly while driving.


    A wise man keeps away from danger; he absolutely wouldn''t attend this delivery event, nor ride in an electric car, unless he built it himself.


    Lu Liang thought for a moment and then looked at Wen Chao: "On the 22nd, you go help me pick up the car." S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He really wanted to give Tesla''s stock price a boost, since it was also one of the blue-chip stocks they planned to buy into. Unfortunately, the timing of the invitation was too sensitive, he could only apologize.


    At 9:30 in the evening, US stocks took a heavy dive.


    Lu Liang also instructed to start establishing positions, ever since the five million US dollar bonus plan was known, everyone was chomping at the bit.


    Most of them were fresh graduates from last year, while their acquaintances were still enduring internships, they had already been formally employed and had received several bonuses.


    By ten o''clock, Liang instructed Wen Chao to monitor the stocks and to notify him immediately if there were any issues, and then he left the company by car.


    Arriving at the Peace Hotel on the Bund, upon seeing Liang, the lobby manager greeted him with a beaming smile, "Mr. Lu, Miss Yang is upstairs."


    Liang nodded slightly, received an extra room card, but he didn''t swipe the card to unlock the door directly; instead, he stood at the door and knocked, waiting for a response from inside.


    "Who is it?"


    A timid voice came from inside.


    Although she had heard that high-end hotels would not check the rooms, she still couldn''t help but be a little frightened inside.


    "It''s me," Liang said with a smile, and through their afternoon phone call, Yang Xiaoxiao could recognize his voice.


    She opened the door, looking at Liang with disbelief, "Wow~ Lu God, why are you so young."


    Ever since Liang''s company had expanded its recruitment, his appearance was no longer a secret. However, there were rarely any straight-on photos; the employees usually took sneaky shots.


    The sneaky shots were dark, or the angles were off, making Liang look old and dark in the photos, almost like he was about 40.


    Now, finally seeing him with her own eyes, she found Liang to look very young, and he even had the handsome charm of a mature man.


    "You can either call me Mr. Lu or Liang."


    A hint of surprise flashed in Liang''s eyes as Yang Xiaoxiao stood up, reaching almost to his nose, she must have been at least 1.72 meters tall.


    It was seriously incongruent with the height of a big Lolita, but fortunately, her looks weren''t a photo deception. She still appeared innocent and charming, with especially bright eyes.


    Her coffee-colored pleated skirt was matched with a gray wool sweater, and her chest puffed out, only the car saleswoman Li Yue could compare with her.


    Perhaps unaware that Liang would come over tonight, she was walking around the room barefoot, with soft and tender feet.


    "Liang~"


    Yang Xiaoxiao was at a loss and called out timidly, looking down and fidgeting with her fingers, suddenly unsure of what to do.


    "Xiaoxiao, are you hungry? Why don''t you join me for some late-night snacks downstairs at the restaurant?"


    Liang invited with a smile. Yang Xiaoxiao paused, hastily put on her socks and shoes, and followed him out.


    After the late-night meal, she realized that Liang wasn''t hungry but simply wanted a better room.


    Yang Xiaoxiao suddenly understood, tilted her head, and asked with a grin, "Liang, are you worried you''ll end up in a little movie?"


    "Not bad, not too dumb," Liang admitted generously. While navigating the worldly society, safety should be a priority.


    This was her main job, and although Liang didn''t particularly care, if she made a little movie, it would be troublesome.


    "What about the trust between people? I really have turned over a new leaf," Yang Xiaoxiao pouted and acted upset.


    "If you were to play that game, it wouldn''t be fun. Actually, I prefer you just the way you are."


    Liang''s lips curved into a smile as he took out his phone and played a video: it was the first time she shorted British Pounds and made money, feverishly shouting his name.


    Even though her face wasn''t visible, the large movements of her body gave off an innate seductiveness.


    If Liang preferred the sensible and obedient type, he could have easily sought out Li Manli, so why bother coming to see her?


    Her paleness was one thing, but more importantly, she had great allure, like a seductive sprite, simply put - erotically appealing to the bone.


    This was her livelihood, without her charm, she wouldn''t have been able to save up tens of thousands of US dollars at such a young age.


    Liang had seen her ID card; she was 24 years old and a talented graduate from South China Normal University.


    "Liang, shall we go take a shower first?"


    Yang Xiaoxiao''s cheeks flushed red, suddenly feeling as if she was being executed in public. Although she had video-chatted with others, they couldn''t see her face. It was like wearing a false mask; the face she was losing belonged to someone else.


    For the first time having eye contact and being publicly executed by her idol, although the halo of this idol was almost gone, she wished she could just find a crack in the ground to crawl into.

 Chapter 160 - 159: Pure Love Warrior, The Catfish Enters the Scene

    So smooth~


    Skin like creamy silk, slippery as butter.


    Liang started to believe Yang Xiaoxiao''s self-account.


    With her conditions, indeed she could avoid accompanying bosses, even just with photos and videos, plenty of people online would pay.


    "What are your plans for the future?" Liang lit a cigarette, picked up his phone, and checked the Nasdaq performance for the evening.


    The market opened with a 1.2% decline, a low start with a downward trend, a total plunge, not even Apple or Microsoft were spared.


    Old England''s Brexit was an unexpected black swan event, only suitable for bottom-fishing, not for short-selling.


    Yang Xiaoxiao''s eyes shone with aspiration, "I plan to take a train westward, and I might end up staying in Mountain City or Tianfu."


    Since her sophomore year, she had been a blogger and had planned her life well, with the ideal scenario being retirement before 25.


    To achieve this goal, even though she might earn fifty to seventy thousand a month, she spent very little, with expenses no more than five thousand.


    Now having nearly six million, she could use two million to buy a house, two hundred thousand for a car for transportation, eight hundred thousand for some small business, two million for government bonds, and the remaining one million for investments in high-risk stocks or funds.


    The five-year government bond''s annual interest rate was 4.39%, which equaled an interest of 87,800 yuan per year, averaging to about 7,316 yuan per month.


    7,316 yuan was a fixed monthly salary, plus the eight hundred thousand from her small business, and the one million in high-risk investment capital.


    The future life could not be too comfortable.


    Liang exclaimed in surprise, "You really graduated from South China Normal University?"


    "Hmph, a disbeliever in people."


    Yang Xiaoxiao huffed, picking up a towel from the floor to wrap around her chest and trotting barefoot towards the living room.


    She returned with her personal bag, pulling out her diploma from an inner pocket, "Here, see for yourself, Bachelor of Accounting from the School of Economics and Management, class of ''13."


    If it were someone else, she might hesitate, worried about exposing her personal information which could be exploited in the future.


    But she trusted Liang, a towering figure in finance who had kindly helped her make money.


    He probably wouldn''t fuss over her.


    "Once you''re settled, remember to send me a message; I might come to visit you."


    Liang chuckled lightly, returning the diploma to her; Yang Xiaoxiao''s plan was indeed the dream of many.


    He too had once planned similarly, only to find that plans could not keep up with changes, money multiplied endlessly, and with it, his ambitions grew.


    Yang Xiaoxiao bounced back to the bed, lying prostrate, holding her cheeks in her hands, and looking up at Liang, "Liang, if you really come to find me, remember to check my Friend circle first. If I''ve blocked you, it means I have a boyfriend."


    She was a Pure Love Warrior, willing to maintain a ''more-than-friends'' relationship with Liang as long as she was single.


    But if she had a boyfriend, she would be devoted and wouldn''t mess around.


    "Mhm." Liang smiled and nodded.


    Two days flew by in an instant.


    That day, Liang arrived at the train station to see Yang Xiaoxiao off.


    She said she liked taking trains because high-speed trains represented China''s speed, but regular trains represented China''s warmth.


    From Modu to Mountain City, the full journey spanned 1,927 kilometers, crossing five provinces and stopping in eleven cities, taking an estimated 26 hours.


    She said she wanted to see the great rivers and mountains of her homeland with her own eyes, not willing to miss any of the scenery along the way.


    Therefore, Liang gave her a new Sony camera, hoping she could capture the beautiful moments in photos.


    After Yang Xiaoxiao left, Liang received a call from Musk, inviting him to the first delivery event of the Model X.


    He crossed thousands of miles to China, not only for the new car delivery but also for the super factory project.


    It was said that after over three months of negotiations with Modu, the cooperation''s general direction was finally determined, with an initial investment of 12 billion yuan.


    "Mr. Musk, I''m sorry, I''m quite busy recently."


    After a moment of hesitation, Liang used the excuse of being tied up to politely decline Musk''s invitation.


    At two o''clock in the afternoon, the Model X delivery event took place, making waves in popularity. The gull-wing doors, a unique feature normally seen on sports cars, appearing on an SUV, was a highlight in itself.


    "The catfish has entered the scene."


    Liang muttered to himself. Although he didn''t attend, he watched the delivery event online and saw the public''s commentary, reminiscent of the iPhone 4 days.


    Li Bing said with a hint of sourness in the chat group, "Foreign monks always seem to chant better."


    There''s a feeling of being born at the wrong time, NIO, at least three steps behind Tesla.


    First, he needed to get the concept car out, then showcase it for some achievements, and after that, develop the next mass-produced model.


    Those three steps could only rely on time; therefore, at the moment, he could only watch Tesla dominate the scene.


    "Do none of you have one of the first fifty cars?" Lu Liang suddenly piped up, sounding quite surprised.


    There were six people in the group, and as far as he knew, five cars had been ordered: one by him, three by Li Bing, one by Lei Jun.


    "Do you have one?" Li Bing was very surprised.


    Lu Liang forwarded Wen Chao''s video, his Model X, which had already arrived at the company''s parking lot.


    Li Bing was green with envy, "Mr. Lu, could I borrow it to study for a while?"


    With a sales volume of almost forty thousand, the first batch delivery of fifty cars, he had no idea when his three would come.


    "I''ll have someone drive it over later."


    Lu Liang really wanted to experience driving an electric car, but he was quite risk-averse. It suddenly occurred to him that the NIO experience center had an indoor track that he could try.


    In the evening, a Bentley led the way, followed by a Tesla, both entering the NIO experience center.


    Three months had passed, and the interior of the center was still empty¡ªnot a single car in sight, as if it had never opened.


    Wen Chao drove the Tesla onto the indoor track as instructed by the staff, with plastic wrapping on both sides of the road.


    Lu Liang was itching to try it; after understanding the principle of the single-pedal operation and how to engage the gear, he eagerly got behind the wheel.


    Li Bing looked puzzled; why did Lu Liang seem even more anxious than he was, as if he had never driven before?


    Then, it dawned on him,


    Lu Liang might genuinely have not driven the car since collecting it.


    After all, the tabloids on Wall Street were still buzzing just the day before yesterday, saying: HeavenlyStar is a mysterious organization from the East, and Lu Liang''s arrival signaled the beginning of Wall Street''s decline.


    It would be normal for him to be afraid with such a big label hanging over his head.


    "Okay, okay, I know how to drive now."


    Lu Liang switched to acceleration mode and pressed lightly on the accelerator.


    The sensation of driving an electric motor was really unique, light and airy, as if he took off without much effort.


    On the eight-hundred-meter track, he drove round and round until he got dizzy and had to stop.


    Getting out of the car, Lu Liang suddenly asked, "Mr. Li, what do you think the mainstream price range for electric cars will be in the future?"


    A Model X that costs 1.2 million on the road¡ªif he had to choose, he would definitely go for a Cayenne or other fuel cars like BBA.


    But if the on-the-road price was around one or two hundred thousand, then it would be a different story, especially since he had heard that new energy vehicles would be directly registered and exempt from purchase tax.


    The allure of this policy was too great, given that in big cities, it was not only hard to find housing but also very difficult to get a car license.


    Li Bing pondered for a long time before saying, "It really depends on the market acceptance."


    The price is not determined by the automakers, but by the supply and demand of the market. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If the country vigorously promotes it, but the electric car market still can''t take off with few interested buyers, then naturally, the price will be very expensive.


    On the other hand, if the market is large and acceptance is high, the competitive nature of the Chinese people will be triggered, bringing the price down to a few thousand per car.


    Lu Liang understood and, after a moment''s thought, asked again, "Will there be a breakthrough in the battery technology?"


    The top configuration of the Model X had a range of 480 kilometers, but he thought it was grossly overstated.


    It''s very difficult to charge above 90%, and below 10% leads to range anxiety.


    There''s also the actual overestimation; even if it''s by 5%,


    480 kilometers immediately got a discount of twenty-five percent.


    360 kilometers, just like a large elderly scooter, was only suitable for city driving and difficult for longer trips.


    "I think it''ll be difficult to make a breakthrough in the short term. The focus would be on the number of charging stations and battery swapping."


    Li Bing talked about his recent visit to Hu Jian for an inspection, where he visited Ningde Era and planned to use Ningde''s ternary lithium batteries on their EP9.


    He couldn''t praise the ternary lithium battery technology and Ningde Era enough; he thought they were a battery manufacturer no less impressive than BYD.


    Lu Liang initially listened with interest¡ªall of this was valuable experience¡ªbut the more he listened, the more he felt something was off. He looked puzzled and asked, "Do you have a stake in Ningde?"

 Chapter 161 - 160: Ningde Era

    "I''m hardly that fortunate."


    Li Bing''s expression was somewhat awkward as he visited during Ningde Era''s preparations for B-round financing.


    They were raising three billion, with a one-billion shortfall, so he modestly mentioned it, considering he had a good relationship with Lu Liang.


    Old Zeng had asked for his help to connect some dots and put in a good word to see if he could pull in ten to twenty billion for Ningde.


    After all, Lu Liang had openly declared his optimism about the new energy industry and was often seen buying and selling BYD stocks.


    Not just new forces like Weiliao hoping to gain his favor but also battery companies looking to invest.


    Because after Ningde Era''s B-round, there might not be a C-round; they could possibly go straight to an IPO.


    Lu Liang shone brightly in the speculative field, directly confronting three institutions led by Soros and winning.


    So much so that people had forgotten that he also had a keen eye for investments.


    Although he just dabbled, none of those companies had failed yet.


    ofo is currently valued at 250 million US Dollars, Mobike at 190 million US Dollars, and Panda at 320 million US Dollars.


    And then there''s NIO, still in its infancy, with no achievements yet, but with a luxurious lineup of investors.


    JD, Tencent, Xiaomi, Redwood, and Tianxing, almost born with a golden spoon in its mouth.


    Though valued at only one hundred million dollars, with such a lineup, it could easily be sold for several times more.


    If the companies Lu Liang invested in went public, it would surely attract a swarm of individual investors following the trend.


    Old Zeng hoped that Ningde could bring in Lu Liang,


    to join forces and push Ningde towards listing.


    "Ningde Era? I''ll have someone look into it."


    Lu Liang appeared thoughtful, waiting until the end of the month to update net worth. His new energy ecosystem plan was also about to unfold.


    If he could get original shares during the financing stage, it would certainly be more cost-effective than acquiring them on the secondary market, but it was hard to know if Ningde was as good as Li Bing had claimed.


    Lu Liang could tell that Li Bing wasn''t earnestly speaking on Ningde''s behalf. After all, with a net worth of several billion, he wouldn''t so easily advocate for others.


    Unless there was profit to be made, some plan to be devised, otherwise, unless there was a signed document in black and white, any spoken words could be completely dismissed as hot air. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lu Liang was unclear about what exactly Li Bing was after. Was he seeking personal connection? Or forcing him to make serious commitments in the new energy sector?


    Li Bing seemed to perceive Lu Liang''s thoughts and said softly, "The bigger the market, the better for all related practitioners."


    New energy wasn''t exactly a novel concept, it had existed for a long time before, but traditional capital had always been inactive.


    Hence, the government had to issue command after command, favoring new energy and bringing in Tesla, the catfish.


    They lashed out not only at car companies but also at capital.


    Though capital can be detestable, economic and corporate development cannot do without it.


    Take the bike-share craze of last year: in the first half of the year, it struggled, and by the second half, it exploded.


    By February this year, bike-shares of red, yellow, blue, green, and cyan covered the nation, with the market still expanding.


    However, capital tends toward profit and shuns harm. The new energy industry still doesn''t show promises of profit to them.


    And naturally, they won''t invest; without capital investment, the market can''t develop.


    But Lu Liang was different; he represented emerging capital and had the boldness to lead the way.


    If he could ignite the new energy sector, he might stimulate the market several years earlier.


    Bringing results sooner might also let people like Li Bing see whether this path is correct and if it''s worth persisting.


    After all, not every new force is like Tesla, crowned and endorsed by the state, destined to succeed.


    "I''ll consider it. How''s Mobike doing lately?"


    Lu Liang smiled indifferently. Although Li Bing praised himself highly, Lu Liang didn''t quite believe him but had no better explanation and had to take his words at face value for now.


    Li Bing sighed, not continuing the original topic, "I hear they''re about to enter C-round, right?"


    Lu Liang chuckled, "I''m asking if you and Shen Peng have found a buyer."


    "Shen Peng said that Wang Xing is quite interested, but I don''t really want to sell."


    "Because the money''s too little?"


    "Right."


    Li Bing had always been researching new energy and hadn''t managed Mobike much, inadvertently reaching a valuation of 190 million US Dollars.


    He felt that the market''s potential had not been fully tapped, and it should be possible to reach 1.9 billion US dollars, or even more.


    Anyway, Meituan, Redwood, and Tencent all had loads of money, and he planned to fleece them for as much as he could.


    Lu Liang said with a smile, "Let me know when you''re ready to sell, I believe I still have some shares."


    Tianxing Capital held 3% of Mobike, and after the B round, still had 2.7%, which should also sell for a lot of money.


    "Rest assured, I will let you know."


    The two chatted and laughed as the Tesla parked in the workshop was disassembled and studied by engineers.


    "I''m leaving, no need to see me out."


    Lu Liang didn''t mind, as he wasn''t interested in driving anyway.


    After saying goodbye to Li Bing, he returned to his company, instructed Wen Chao to pull up Ningde Era''s information, and then headed to the trading room.


    Following the acclaimed delivery of the Model X, Tesla''s stock opened with a significant increase of 5.5%, with the share price rising to 362 US dollars per share.


    They had completed building their position during the significant drop a few days earlier, acquiring 420,000 shares, and had made a tidy profit of over 20 million US dollars.


    Blue-chip stocks like Apple, NVIDIA, and Microsoft followed suit with gains, accumulating a total profit of over 44 million US dollars.


    Approaching midnight, Lu Liang returned to his office and reviewed the financing report of Ningde Era.


    Ningde Era had a valuation of 30 billion, and planned to finance by offering 10% of its equity.


    As a non-internet company planning to raise 3 billion dollars, this sum was quite extravagant.


    Because traditional companies would typically file for an IPO with valuations of a few billion and couldn''t sustain financing figures as high as 3 billion dollars.


    Ningde Era dared to finance in such a manner, naturally it had the confidence to do so; its predecessor was the lithium battery leader ATL, primarily manufacturing consumer batteries for phones, computers, cameras, and other electronic devices.


    Old Zeng was one of the founders of ATL, and five years ago, he took the power battery division and started anew, thus founding Ningde Era.


    In the first year, they participated in the largest global demonstration project for wind and solar energy storage and transportation¡ªthe Zhangbei Storage Project.


    In the second year, they reached a cooperation with Huachen BMW to develop a power battery system for a pure electric SUV.


    In the third year, they began developing power batteries for buses for Yutong Group, the world''s largest bus manufacturer.


    In the fourth year, they directly ventured out of Asia and established a wholly-owned subsidiary in Germany to develop technology for recycling used batteries.


    They made a mark each year,


    Stepping up a level every single year.


    In just five years, Ningde Era had rapidly risen to become one of the leaders in the domestic power battery industry and gained a foothold in the global market.


    "Old Li wasn''t just boasting."


    As the bells tolled in the early morning, Lu Liang''s eyes widened in disbelief, "Five years? A trillion in market value?"


    [On May 31, 2021, Ningde Era''s stock closed at 434.1 yuan per share, with a market value of 1.01 trillion yuan.]


    Lu Liang gasped in shock, scratching his head.


    He began to doubt if he had heard wrong, or if money had become worthless.


    Currently in Big A, including the Hong Kong market, only five companies had crossed the trillion market value mark; Tencent was the only private enterprise, with the other four being the top four banks.


    Even considering the distant US stocks, adding Ali, there were only six: four banks and two internet giants.


    Ningde Era must be exceptional to reach a trillion in market value as a battery manufacturer.


    "Perhaps it''s not Ningde being exceptional, nor money becoming worthless," Lu Liang pondered, stroking his chin.


    This message revealed a very important piece of information.


    The future development and prospects of the new energy market were faster and larger than anyone could have imagined.


    Ningde Era, now focusing on power batteries, would likely maintain this as their main strategy for at least the next five years.


    A battery supplier breaking the trillion market value threshold suggested that the new energy market could rival the internet in size.


    Shallow waters cannot raise big fish.


    "Five years, it happened so quickly."


    Lu Liang furrowed his brow, as Li Bing had said that it would be at least three years before NIO''s vehicles could go into mass production.


    This meant that it would take at least three years from establishment to mass production.


    Ningde Era planned to go public within the next two years; taking a conservative estimate, even if it were a year and a half, that would be the second half of next year.


    The rise of the new energy market would not start until after 2018, leaving him perhaps less than two years.


    It was time for Lu Liang to begin making his plans as well.

 Chapter 162 - 161: Investing in Ningde Era

    The following day, Lu Liang called Li Bing to express his desire to talk to Old Zeng of Ningde Era.


    Although Tianxing Investment couldn''t produce one billion dollars, the two funds under Tianxing Assets had nearly ten billion dollars in cash.


    He planned to initially list Ningde''s shares under the funds'' names, and, several years later when he had the funds, transfer them to his own name.


    This process would result in a loss of some share premium, but it didn''t matter much since Ningde wasn''t going to go public soon; it was treated as interest on a loan.


    Through Li Bing''s networking, Lu Liang soon got in touch with Zeng Minqun, confirming the time and place for their meeting.


    Two days later,


    Zeng Minqun led his team to the New International Building.


    "Mr. Zeng, good to see you. Was your trip here smooth?"


    Lu Liang, with a smile on his face, also met this doctoral expert in physics from the Chinese Academy of Sciences Institute of Physics who enjoyed special allowances.


    His first start-up overcame the challenge of battery swelling, making ATL a benchmark in the mobile phone battery industry.


    In his second venture, he founded Ningde Era and in five years, climbed into the top three worldwide in sales of automotive batteries.


    "I knew that commuting during peak hours in Modu was congested, so we purposely avoided those times."


    Zeng Minqun responded with a hearty laugh, sizing up Lu Liang, whose very existence was something of a miracle.


    After all, who could have imagined that a man selling houses last year would suddenly turn into a financial magnate?


    The term "rising star" seemed inadequate for Lu Liang, especially since even the renowned Soros had been bested by him.


    As everyone knows, the only ones who could defeat Wall Street institutions were other Wall Street institutions.


    Yet, Lu Liang''s emergence broke this rule. The Wall Street Journal declared that his arrival marked the beginning of Wall Street''s decline, which was no exaggeration.


    "Everybody, let''s not just stand around chatting at the door. Please come this way."


    Tang Caide, all smiles, was fully energized knowing this was a deal worth one billion dollars.


    Even in her previous role at Redwood, she had rarely dealt with such a massive project, and when she had, her role was more supportive.


    She had never imagined she would have the honor of participating in and leading such a project.


    "Mr. Zeng, right this way."


    A group of eight people entered the company''s reception room, with Chen Jinchun serving tea and Wen Chao helping distribute Ningde''s materials.


    Lu Liang also received more detailed information; Last year, Ningde Era sold a total of 2.4 GWh domestically.


    A gigawatt-hour, a common unit of energy in storage sectors, is equivalent to one million kilowatt-hours.


    Battery manufacturers typically use GWh as a unit of shipment volume, where 1 GWh is roughly 20,000 lithium batteries.


    2.4 GWh amounts to 48,000 lithium batteries. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Considering only 250,000 new energy vehicles were sold nationwide last year, this number, making up 19.2% of the national market, was actually quite substantial.


    After perusing the data, Lu Liang understood how Ningde Era achieved a market value of a trillion in five years.


    Li Bing had mentioned that batteries for new energy vehicles were expensive, often accounting for more than 35% of the total vehicle cost.


    With 24.5033 million gasoline vehicles sold last year, should the sale of new energy vehicles reach 10% of that figure,


    A market share of 19.2% for Ningde Era breaking one trillion in value seemed not so far-fetched.


    "This tea is really good. Mr. Lu, are you also into tea?"


    Zeng Minqun asked with a smile, raising his cup to his nose, his demeanor relaxed as if he were the investor himself.


    Lu Liang closed the brochure, smiling back, "I''m not much for tea myself, but I have a friend from Chaoshan who is quite into it. He''s the one who sends me these teas."


    "No wonder. In terms of studying tea, aside from Chaoshan people, only Hu Jian could outcompete them."


    Zeng Minqun laughed, uncritical and unhurried, seemingly considering the financing for Ningde Era merely a step towards going public.


    And indeed, this was the case. The major difference between manufacturing and internet companies was creating a large number of jobs and owning substantial assets. With these in place, and a fair performance, securing bank loans wasn''t difficult.


    Although both industries could create abundant jobs, manufacturing positions were generally accompanied by essential insurances, unlike delivery drivers, rideshare drivers, and online retail workers.


    Workers with full insurance are financially secure; businesses are then accountable to their employees, stabilizing society.


    Workers without the "five insurances" stop working as soon as their hands stop, and their mouths stop too, easily becoming a destabilizing element in society.


    This is the most fundamental difference between the two.


    A company that can always secure loans from banks makes it difficult for venture capital firms to control.


    Old Zeng was aware of this and also wanted to make it clear to Lu Liang that financing was just the icing on the cake for Ningde, as they were not really short of money.


    They were sincerely looking for collaborators for the IPO and hoped that Lu Liang would reciprocate with sincerity and maintain an attitude of equality.


    After pondering for a long time, Lu Liang put forward two conditions, and Zeng Minqun nodded slightly, concealing his smile, "I am all ears."


    Lu Liang said, "First, we want to lead in the IPO round, and second, we want a seat on the board of directors."


    Zeng Minqun''s brow furrowed, he could agree to the first condition, if it weren''t for the prior agreement with Zhao Yin International, he would have preferred Lu Liang to take all 10% share.


    Ningde Era was a mature company, and their original team held more than 50% of the shares; even if they gave away 20%, it did not matter.


    Moreover, the more shares Lu Liang held, the more attention he would pay to Ningde Era, and the more devoted he would be during the IPO.


    But as for the board seat, he wasn''t sure whether Lu Liang wanted to be an executive director or a non-executive director.


    If it was the latter, it could be negotiated,


    but if it was the former, it was absolutely impossible.


    Who knows how many companies have been destroyed by investors acting as executive directors, the amateurs directing the professionals.


    Lu Liang simply smiled, "A non-executive director will do, to participate as an overseer but not engage in decision-making."


    The first condition was purely because he wanted to earn more; after all, the future market value was in the trillions, and the more shares he held, the more he would earn.


    The second condition was privately beneficial; he wanted to get into car manufacturing, and since the power battery was the core of a vehicle, getting inside Ningde would also allow him to access the latest information.


    Zeng Minqun appeared contemplative and then nodded in agreement, "Mr. Lu, we also have a condition."


    "Please speak," Lu Liang said with a smile.


    "After your company invests in ours, you are not allowed to transfer the shares before the IPO."


    Zeng Minqun intended to use Lu Liang''s fame, forming a powerful collaboration to list on the A-share market.


    Therefore, he did not want Lu Liang to exit halfway, at least not before the IPO.


    Lu Liang, smiling, said, "Mr. Zeng, it''s a pleasure to cooperate."


    Although private equity has a one-year term and agreeing not to transfer shares might complicate settlements, it was not without solutions.


    It was simply a matter of mortgaging them, exchanging them for some money, and then redeeming them; an extra step in the process was no big issue.


    "A pleasure to cooperate."


    Shortly afterward, Zeng Minqun and his team left the New International Building, and the news that Ningde Era had secured one billion dollars in financing for a 3.33% stake from Tianxing also spread within the circle.


    "Is Lu Liang not speculating anymore but investing?"


    "It''s about time, as speculation isn''t a sustainable practice. Often walking by the river, one cannot avoid getting wet."


    Although speculative profits are high, they pose high risks, just like JPMorgan Blackstone Quantum, losing billions of dollars overnight.


    Lu Liang displayed a sense of crisis, diversifying funds and engaging in value investments, earning high praise from industry insiders.


    Meanwhile, various capitals began to mobilize.


    Because in a sense, Lu Liang had become a weathervane for the finance industry, heavily invested in the new energy sector, funding NIO and now investing in Ningde Era.


    He seemed genuinely bullish on the new energy industry, not just paying lip service but making substantial investments.


    It made venture capitalists reconsider and reassess the new energy market with an annual turnover of only 250,000 vehicles.


    Capital was eager, and many decided to increase investment in the new energy vehicle market the following quarter.


    Companies like Weiliao, LeTV Car, and others suddenly became the darlings of the industry because investing in new sectors meant investing in new enterprises to maximize benefits.


    Investing in long-established companies like BYD, SAIC, FAW didn''t offer the same lucrative returns.


    "I think the whole industry should erect a monument to me and sing my praises."


    Li Bing thought to himself with a gleefully narcissistic smile.


    Although it was Lu Liang who ignited the industry''s fuse, it was he who had placed that fuse in front of Lu Liang.

 Chapter 163 - 162: Falsely Claiming One Billion Dollars

    The long-awaited 25th had finally arrived.


    A week earlier, Lu Liang had shorted the British Pounds, confronting three renowned Wall Street institutions and bringing them down.


    This led to JPMorgan losing 1.75 billion dollars, Blackstone Fund losing 1.82 billion dollars, and Quantum Fund losing 320 million dollars.


    Rumors were that he had scooped up one billion dollars overnight.


    But Lu Liang did not come forward to confirm, and Little Wang only hinted in a live stream that maybe it was true.


    Whether it was true or not remained a question mark.


    Now it was finally going to be revealed.


    Although the 25th was the day to announce the net worth of the first private equity phase, it was possible to estimate the profit made from shorting the British Pounds that night from the net value of the second phase.


    With the first phase at 100 million dollars and the second phase at one billion dollars, multiplying the earnings of the first phase by ten would essentially confirm the earnings of the second phase.


    Though there might be variations due to the different timings of the two updates, they should not be far off.


    Just after twelve noon, Wen Chao''s office phone started ringing incessantly.


    No sooner had he hung up, another call came through, continuing non-stop for a whole half hour.


    The net value of the first phase spread quickly.


    On the 25th of last month, the net worth was only 1.035, but this month it had more than doubled, reaching 2.224.


    This also meant an earnings of 189 million dollars for the month.


    Multiplying this figure by eleven amounted to 1.3079 billion dollars.


    It confirmed that scooping up one billion dollars overnight was false.


    It was actually 1.3 billion dollars, a bit more than a billion.


    Upon receiving the news, most people stuck to the goal of making a fortune quietly. However, the Wall Street research institutes couldn''t help wanting to know how much money Lu Liang had made from them by shorting the British Pounds that particular night.


    On the international financial stage, even a penny drop was Wall Street''s concern; whatever Lu Liang earned represented their loss.


    There were threats and bribes, and inevitably someone couldn''t help but disclose the net worth situation, with a current net value of 2.224 and an estimated profit of 1.3 billion dollars.


    As soon as the news got out, Wall Street was in an uproar, posting several articles late into the night, severely criticizing Lu Liang, portraying him as a financial butcher.


    He was blamed as the chief culprit for the twelve percent plunge of the British Pound, and the 46 million Britons should remember him as the one who devalued their wealth.


    The news went round and round internationally and finally reached domestic shores.


    "Incredible!"


    "Financial butcher, kind of cool~"


    "I remember Old Suo''s peak record was about one billion dollars, right?"


    "Just to add, he used over ten billion dollars at that time to make a billion."


    "11 billion in principal to earn 13 billion, that''s seriously fierce."


    "It''s not about being fierce, he''s too ruthless, definitely used more than ten times leverage."


    "With such a huge amount of money and such high leverage, Mr. Lu should really consider checking if he has hypertrophic cardiomyopathy."


    "Wow, 1.3 billion dollars, that''s enough for everyone in the country to have two bottles of Coca-Cola."


    Netizens were abuzz, all marveling at Lu Liang''s strong heart; ordinary people would have had heart attacks playing like this.


    Once again, a million people volunteered, hoping that Lu Liang wouldn''t just lead the wealthy but also give them a chance.


    Ever since he frequented foreign networks, Lu Liang, unexpectedly online on Weibo, responded, "Will consider."


    The responded netizen widened their eyes in disbelief; they had actually been noticed by Lu Liang.


    What surprised him even more was the implication of the statement; was Lu Liang considering involving himself in Public Funds?


    Once the message was released, it rapidly climbed to the top of the trending searches.


    Shortly after, even the Director Zhao of the Modu Human Resources Bureau called to inquire about the specifics.


    They dared not invest in private equity, but public funds were different, being supervised and thus without concerns.


    But the voice over the phone seemed a bit noisy, "Mr. Lu, is it inconvenient to talk on the phone right now?"


    "Is it better now?" Lu Liang asked Little Wang to turn off the box music and went to the restroom to take the call.


    "Mr. Lu, are you considering getting involved in public funds?" Director Zhao asked politely.


    "I''m considering it," Lu Liang said with a smile.


    "Mr. Lu, if you encounter any difficulties, just let us know, and we will assist you as much as possible to overcome them."


    "Thank you in advance, Director Zhao."


    "Then you carry on."


    Lu Liang washed his face and walked out of the bathroom.


    Little Wang was being hugged left and right, playing a silent game of poker with the girls.


    Suddenly his phone rang. He picked it up, looked at it, and chuckled, "The gold content in these four characters of yours is really high."


    Setting up a public fund meant that from now on, everything needed to be steady and sound, with little opportunity for speculation, which made some people anxious.


    "A public fund is a public fund, and a private fund is a private fund," Lu Liang chuckled, feeling it was time to get back down to earth and get some real work done.


    Setting up a public fund didn''t mean he would give up on private funds. As long as there was an opportunity for speculation, he would still strike hard.


    "You saying that puts my mind at ease."


    Little Wang breathed a sigh of relief, inevitably curious, "Why the sudden interest in setting up a public fund? Are you playing at being a savior now?"


    Lu Liang picked up his glass, took a sip, and laughed, "Do I look that noble?"


    "Not really." Little Wang was brutally honest.


    "That settles it then."


    Lu Liang smiled, offering no further explanation.


    The public fund was just for the service of the new energy industry ecosystem, while the private fund was a cash cow.


    He wouldn''t give up on either. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Let''s go, I''m going back to sleep."


    Lu Liang said his goodbyes and was about to leave when Little Wang suddenly stopped him, "Zhuang Xiaoting is planning to come over, aren''t you going to see her?"


    They were spending the evening at someone else''s bar, and hearing that Lu Liang was also present, she had come specially from home to join for a few drinks.


    It seemed a bit inappropriate for Lu Liang to leave so suddenly.


    "You''re here, just tell her I had to leave for something."


    Lu Liang chuckled, waved his hand, and didn''t take a cloud with him.


    Tomorrow, he was off to Beijing to help Douyin pull in investments, hoping to have a fighting chance before Watermelon Video launched.


    After all, holding a 40% stake and being considered a co-founder, it would be embarrassing if Douyin died a terrible death.


    The next morning,


    Lu Liang boarded a ten o''clock flight to Beijing.


    Douyin, which had been online for 80 days, had a registration count that had surpassed one million, and an average daily active users count over seven days of 78,000.


    If it wasn''t for the Damocles sword of Watermelon Video, even Douyin without Byte''s backing could have been a company with promising market prospects.


    The first round of financing was valued at ten million dollars,


    out of which Lu Liang''s presence probably accounted for 50%.


    After all, it was his investment, however bad, they still had to save face. Shen Peng from Redwood, Zhu Hu from Golden Sand River, and Zhang Lei from Zhang Lei all showed up.


    A dozen venture capital bigwigs from top-tier domestic firms were there just for the chance to fight over an investment quota of 1.5 million dollars - probably only Lu Liang had that kind of clout.


    Yang Zhenyuan bowed deeply and passionately spoke about Douyin''s future developments and the goals after the financing.


    Zhu Hu glanced at Lu Liang, and asked with a grin, "Are you going to manage things? If you''re not, I''ll start playing for real."


    By playing for real, he naturally meant giving a capital lash to the start-ups, pushing them to develop as hard as they could.


    If they failed to meet the expected goals, they would have to return the invested capital along with the profits.


    After all, with Byte''s Watermelon Video about to launch, nobody really had high hopes for this emerging company.


    "Whatever, I don''t really care," Lu Liang said nonchalantly, signaling Old Zhu not to worry about saving his face and to just do whatever needed to be done.


    In the crowd, he spotted a familiar figure and quickly approached, "Mr. Zhang, long time no see, how have you been?"


    Zhang Yiming gave a smile that didn''t reach his eyes, "Thanks to Mr. Lu, work has been smooth and everything''s going well."


    "Mr. Zhang, don''t be so stern. Who knows, we might have a chance to cooperate."


    Lu Liang said softly, smiling, suggesting that while Douyin and the upcoming Watermelon were separate entities, they might not remain so indefinitely.


    He was somewhat pessimistic about Yang Zhenyuan''s team because ByteDance''s tech lineup was too powerful. So, changing his strategy, he planned to find an opportunity to set history back on its proper course.


    Let Douyin return to the arms of Byte.


    And naturally, he''d keep his slice of the pork, leaving a layer of grease and thus securing a stake in Byte.


    Zhang Yiming was taken aback, glanced at Yang Zhenyuan on the stage, and squinting his eyes, asked, "Does Mr. Yang know?"


    "Does it matter?" Lu Liang retorted with a smile.


    Zhang Yiming was silent for a long while before sighing, "It doesn''t matter."


    Lu Liang held 40% of the shares, and the investors present had come merely to give him face. When the day came, Yang Zhenyuan''s opinion wouldn''t matter that much.

 Chapter 164 - 163: Li Xiang Cars

    "Douyin is still not up to par."


    Zhang Yiming was outspoken, but he didn''t oppose the idea.


    After all, ever since Douyin was launched, he and his team had been paying close attention. If it hadn''t been for Yang Zhenyuan and Lu Liang, he would have wanted to acquire it long ago and make it his own.


    The algorithms and push system of Douyin were simply too terrible, utterly wasting the brilliant concept of Musical.ly.


    Fashion, music, beauties¡ªit was far superior to Kuai Shou, which only knew how to cater to lowbrow tastes; it already had the elements to conquer the nation.


    "Then let''s talk when it''s up to par."


    Lu Liang smiled broadly, a trick he had learned from Li Bing; that''s how he had dealt with Mobike and Hu Weiwei.


    However, he was kinder than Li Bing. He would try his best to secure a good position for Yang Zhenyuan, such as the general manager of Byte Douyin.


    Zhang Yiming couldn''t help but shake his head and sigh. These capitalists deserved to be strung up on street lamps; otherwise, it wouldn''t quell public anger.


    Others'' dreams were merely tools for their profit-seeking. He could already imagine how desolate Yang Zhenyuan would be on that day.


    Yet as a collaborator,


    he didn''t really have the right to criticize others.


    Zhang Yiming kindly advised, "Tell Mr. Yang to restrain himself a bit, stop riding on political and social hot topics. It''s easy to run into troubles."


    He didn''t want to find that Douyin had already made the blacklist of the Internet Information Office by the time they took over.


    Lu Liang laughed, "The pressure from Watermelon is great, but I''ll remind him to be cautious."


    After Zhang Yiming left, the angel round of financing for Douyin also came to a close, securing one and a half million US Dollars in financing funds for 15% equity from Golden Sand River and Redwood.


    Yang Zhenyuan was all smiles and full of vigor, coming up to Lu Liang, "Mr. Lu, what were you and Mr. Zhang talking about just now?"


    People who undergo their first round of financing often have an illusion, mistaking valuation for value. Without a doubt, he also fell into this mindset.


    3 million turned into 38.28 million¡ªYang Zhenyuan felt that leaving Byte and starting a business with Lu Liang was an extremely correct decision.


    "Just came to see, and had a casual chat." sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lu Liang smiled, offering no explanation but changing the subject, "I heard you received a warning from the Internet Information Office last week?"


    Yang Zhenyuan''s face showed embarrassment; he knew all too well that riding on political and social hot topics was risky. But without doing so, Douyin definitely wouldn''t have developed so quickly.


    "Rein it in a bit. Watermelon is a mid-length video platform, and there''s no direct competition with Douyin for now, so don''t feel too pressured."


    Lu Liang had already found a buyer for Douyin, and naturally, he hoped it could stabilize itself to avoid an eventual ban.


    Yang Zhenyuan nodded. Now with one and a half million US Dollars in financing funds, he could also launch a multi-million short-video creator support program.


    Douyin had also started off on the right foot and naturally needed to pay attention to core values, supervise public opinion, and regulate platform operations.


    "Mr. Lu, won''t you join us for a simple meal?"


    Seeing Lu Liang about to leave, Yang Zhenyuan hurriedly requested, as the company''s entire staff had been working almost restlessly for months, always motivated by Lu Liang''s reputation.


    If Lu Liang didn''t join them for a meal, he might find it difficult to explain to the company''s staff.


    Taken aback, Lu Liang chuckled and thought it over, then agreed, "Let''s have something, but I have an appointment later."


    "No worries, just making an appearance is enough."


    At the company lunch, attended by 23 people in total, Lu Liang truly just made an appearance, using tea instead of wine for a toast.


    After leaving the restaurant, Lu Liang traveled to Zhongguang Village in Beijing, where Li Xiang Motors had its headquarters.


    Li Xiang and Li Bing''s development paths were extremely similar, both transitioning from automotive platforms to new energy.


    Because Wen Chao had contacted Li Xiang early on,


    Lu Liang received a warm welcome.


    "Mr. Lu, it''s an honor to have you here. If there''s any neglect in our hospitality, please forgive us." Li Xiang was all smiles, forming a stark contrast with his reputed fiery temper.


    After all, a fiery temper also depends on whom one is dealing with.


    Lu Liang was extremely optimistic about the new energy industry and had first invested 10 million US dollars in NIO, followed by 1 billion RMB in Ningde, solidifying his status as a major financial backer.


    He dared to confront colleagues, the media, and technicians, but he never dared to confront his financiers, especially since Li Xiang was particularly short of funds.


    "Mr. Li, you don''t have to be so polite. I just came by to take a look." Lu Liang said with a smile, noticing a slogan on the wall that read "Creating a mobile home."


    This phrase also set the tone for Li Xiang''s motor vehicles, focusing on medium-to-large luxury SUVs.


    This positioning was quite good. If Lu Liang were driving, he would also prefer an SUV.


    Though sedans offered a better view, he had the illusion that sitting higher allowed him to see farther.


    Li Xiang laughed, "Mr. Lu, according to our research, people in our country especially love SUVs. There''s a saying, ''Bigger is better, longer is stronger.''"


    "Therefore, our country also has many special edition cars, often larger and longer than the standard models in Europe and America, which are very popular with consumers."


    Although Lu Liang said he was just casually looking, he couldn''t miss such a great opportunity to explain Li Xiang''s car-making philosophy.


    Creating a luxury family car brand, providing safe and convenient products and services for family users through innovative technology.


    The first concept car was to be a medium-to-large luxury SUV, eschewing frivolous honors that waste time.


    Lu Liang was surprised and chuckled, "Mr. Li, are you referring to NIO when you mention frivolities?"


    "Yes, Mr. Lu, forgive my bluntness," Li Xiang retorted, "in my view, Li Bing''s NIO is purely a waste of time and money."


    Li Xiang nodded with a look of disdain for NIO, copying Tesla, merely picking up scraps from others.


    Now that the country was so committed to promoting the new energy market, engaging in such frivolities, he personally despised it on the record.


    Lu Liang smiled, "Each company has its own philosophy. Right or wrong, only time will tell."


    He suddenly thought of making movies. Li Bing''s choice was to start with art films to build reputation and win awards.


    Li Xiang''s choice was very straightforward, directly making commercial comedies, explicitly aimed at making money.


    Li Xiang''s smile was full of confidence, "Mr. Lu, time will prove that my choice is correct."


    Lu Liang suddenly laughed, "Mr. Li, I like your confidence. When is the A Series funding round?"


    Li Xiang also smiled, "This May."


    "Remember to send me an invitation then."


    "Definitely."


    Despite Li Xiang''s arrogance, he had considerable personal charm.


    Since Lu Liang had already invested in NIO, he didn''t mind investing in Li Xiang as well; it couldn''t hurt to hedge his bets.


    "Sedans, medium-to-large SUVs, and Xiao Peng''s compact SUVs."


    On the way back, Lu Liang looked up in contemplation, finding it difficult to stand out in vehicle types.


    After much thought, it seemed the only path left was autonomous driving: "Did Tesla actually get it right?"


    Lu Liang thought about the Model X that had been disassembled after less than ten kilometers of driving.


    Tesla rarely focused on configurations, concentrating primarily on developing its autonomous driving system.


    To be fair, the interior was indeed rubbish.


    "Another iOS?"


    Lu Liang gradually realized that he should start with vehicle systems and autonomous driving technologies.


    Because neither NIO nor Li Xiang had core technologies; essentially, they were just stacking features.


    If you have core technology, it''s never too late to enter the market, even letting brands like NIO and Li Xiang test the technology for him first.


    "Go to Huaqing University."


    Lu Liang stayed in Beijing for three days and used 20 million US dollars to fund the construction of a new energy laboratory at Tsinghua University.


    The main focus would be on vehicle systems and autonomous driving technologies, unsure of success but willing to plant the seed.


    If successful, it would be a profitable investment; if not, it would merely be tuition fees, a chance to gain experience.

 Chapter 165 - 164: The Wealth Code

    Liang invested a hefty sum in the establishment of the Tianxing New Energy Research Institute at Huaqing Hao, news that quickly spread and was confirmed by the university administration.


    The reactions from various powers were mixed. Investing in NIO and the Ningde Era could be categorized as venture capital or value investment.


    But to build a new energy research institute from scratch was an act of investment in its own creation.


    Liang, was he planning to enter the fray himself?


    Soon, a new energy technology company named Tianxing Technology came into public view.


    Registered with a capital of 20 million US Dollars and with the same amount paid in full, the company was associated with the Tianxing New Energy Research Institute at Huaqing University, primarily engaged in the technological development within the new energy and intelligent system technology sectors.


    The company was entirely owned by Lu Liang, who also served as its legal representative. It became one of only two companies where he held this position and had full ownership¡ªthe first being Tianxing Investment and the second, Tianxing Technology, clearly representing the heart of Lu Liang, known to all.


    He had truly entered the arena.


    "Does new energy really hold such great allure that even Lu Liang would step in himself?"


    This question surfaced in everyone''s mind.


    The state granted subsidies and policies, indicating a resolve to develop the new energy industry.


    But after all, last year''s sales volume was only 250,000 vehicles, not even a fraction of a fraction of fuel-powered cars.


    Even if he were to monopolize the market, the estimated annual profit wouldn''t exceed the remainder from his short-selling of British Pounds that one night.


    Even if the future prospects were promising, entering the market now, gambling on an uncertain future, seemed unwise. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The various forces were not optimistic, with some even thinking that Lu Liang felt making money was too easy and wanted to add a difficulty coefficient to his life, scoffingly suggesting he was stuffed yet pressing on.


    However, that very morning, as the A-shares market opened, it viciously swelled the faces of the doubters.


    The new energy sector surged 2.55%, skyrocketing by 68 points.


    "Lu God, when the whole world was pessimistic about Old England''s Brexit, he resolutely short-sold the British Pound, with the results speaking for themselves. He always ends up right. Moreover, now with the state actively pushing the development of all new energy industries, why wouldn''t we support him?"


    A self-media blogger, nicknamed Little Yang, made this statement, which was liked by tens of thousands of netizens.


    "Brothers, I''m charging in."


    Yang Xiaoxiao posted a selfie with a sweet smile, accompanied by a screenshot of her owning full-stock shares in BYD: "As long as Lu God continues to be bullish on new energy, I will keep holding the related stocks."


    The beauty retail investor always received special favor from netizens: "I declare, starting today, Little Yang is my 108th ''Honey.''"


    Public opinion was astir, as Lu Liang for the first time showed to the citizens his unparalleled dominance in the domestic financial market.


    Unlike those stock gods who relied on inside information, Lu Liang tore open a gap from the suffocating Wall Street with his own strength.


    In the domestic financial market, he was the king without a crown, and there were practically none who could suppress him with their personal capability.


    Approaching noon, the net asset value of the second phase of the private fund updated.


    Last month''s net value was only 1.055, but this month it more than doubled, reaching 2.34.


    This month''s earnings were 1.285 billion US Dollars, firmly solidifying his gains of over 1.3 billion US Dollars from short-selling the British Pound.


    In the afternoon, as the stock market began, the new energy segment opened high and continued to rise, closing with a gain of 5.85%, inflating the sector''s market cap by a whopping 80 billion.


    "What is ''His word is law''? This is ''His word is law.''"


    Seeing such a spectacle, the doubters, as if silenced, fell collectively mute.


    They had underestimated the influence of the top figure in the domestic financial field, as well as the fervor of Lu Liang''s fans.


    "It''s not madness. Suppose you missed the opportunity to short-sell the British Pound during David Cameron''s re-election, and again missed the chance during Old England''s Brexit referendum¡ªwould you still miss this third opportunity?"


    Someone calmly stated the reality.


    The wealth codes were missed the previous two times, whether due to disbelief or the high barriers of the foreign exchange market being the main reason.


    But new energy was different; anyone over eighteen could easily open an account at any broker found at the roadside.


    Out of the 54 stocks that made up the new energy sector, the lowest-priced one was merely 6.5 yuan, which meant that with just 650 yuan, one could buy a lot.


    In essence, there were no barriers at all.


    Capital from all corners surged forth, the state actively encouraged it, and the leading figure of the financial sector personally entered the fray, giving them all the more reason to join in.


    Top headhunting firms received invitations en masse, brandishing their digital hoes as they targeted engineers from joint ventures or traditional car companies.


    Parents in their forties, upon seeing related news, were inspired to encourage their high-school seniors to apply for majors related to automotive engineering.


    It was foreseeable that, in four years, a large number of talents with expertise in the automotive field would join the new energy industry.


    Meanwhile, the very instigator of all this was accompanying a girl on a shopping trip in Wangfujing.


    "Beijing is rather cold, are you getting used to it?"


    "Don''t forget, I''m a Northeastern girl. Where we come from, the temperature can drop below negative thirty degrees."


    "Is it that extreme? Let me test it out."


    Lu Liang wore a mischievous smile as he suddenly reached out, slipping his hand past Zhang Tian''ai''s shoulder, gliding down her collarbone, and into her pocket to feel the warmth of the Heart Protectors.


    Zhang Tian''ai shivered with cold but, with pedestrians around, she didn''t dare scream out. She pleaded softly, "Take it out quickly, I''m freezing~~ Although it''s over negative thirty degrees back home, the indoors are heated, and I get cold easily, you know."


    Lu Liang grinned, unmoved, "Little Love, why do I feel like you''ve become a bit plumper recently?"


    Zhang Tian''ai wore a look of indignation, her eyes brimming with sulky resentment.


    Lu Liang chuckled, pinched her cheek, and looked towards the storefront of LV, "Don''t be mad, let''s go in and pick a few things."


    Zhang Tian''ai huffed a little, coquettishly complaining, "Maybe it''s because I haven''t been on screen recently and don''t feel so much pressure, I''ve been eating quite a bit more."


    It''s a fact that both the big and small screens add weight, explaining why stars are so thin.


    She was now engaged in theatre acting, and being too thin wouldn''t look good when facing the audience directly on stage.


    "No wonder. So now I shouldn''t get bruised by bumping into you, right?" Lu Liang said, his eyes gleaming with a deep meaning.


    Zhang Tian''ai''s cheeks suddenly flushed, and she grumbled annoyedly, "Didn''t we agree not to talk about that?"


    She recalled the premiere night of Crown Princess Consort, where she had been quite excited due to impressive statistics across the board.


    Which led her to be a little wilder than usual.


    Back then, she was quite slim, with a height of 165 cm and weighing less than 100 pounds, and Lu Liang, caught in the thrill, hadn''t noticed.


    It wasn''t until the next morning that he realized his belly, three inches below the navel, had turned bruised.


    "Alright, alright, we won''t talk about it."


    Chatting and laughing, they entered the mall, where a warm current of air surrounded them, feeling rejuvenated.


    Lu Liang took Zhang Tian''ai to the second-floor LV store, "Have a look around, just grab whatever you want."


    Zhang Tian''ai beamed with joy, like a bee buzzing into a garden of flowers, selecting a coffee-colored purse, "Does this look good?"


    "The color''s a bit common."


    Lu Liang glanced up and noticed a white one on a shelf that seemed quite nice, "Let''s take a look at that one."


    Zhang Tian''ai followed his gaze and before she could reply, the sales assistant was already beaming, "Right away, sir."


    "How about it? Is it nice?" Lu Liang, unsure, pinched it casually as if he were checking a watermelon.


    Zhang Tian''ai squinted her eyes and smiled sweetly, "As long as it''s a gift from you, I love it."


    "Such sweet talk."


    Lu Liang''s lips curved in a smile as he pulled out his bank card, not bothering to check the price, "Let''s take this one."


    When shopping, he rarely looked at prices; after all, there''s a limit to how expensive things can get.


    His card usually had a casual balance of twenty million, which was enough to cover almost anything without maxing out.


    After buying the purse, they strolled leisurely around the mall. Zhang Tian''ai spotted an Audemars Piguet store, "Liang, how come you never wear a watch?"


    "I don''t like wearing them."


    Lu Liang had never gotten into the habit of wearing watches, initially because he was always on the move.


    Come the summer heat, he''d rather strip off his skin than wear something that added discomfort.


    Now, he simply hadn''t thought to wear one when he first got money, and at this point, he didn''t need luxury goods to assert his taste.

 Chapter 166 - 165: Doing Good Deeds Should Be Known

    "How long do you plan to stay in Beijing?"


    "Leaving tomorrow."


    Liang was sitting at the entrance of the milk tea shop, holding Zhang Tian''ai in his arms, gently pinching her earlobe with his thumb and index finger, "Staying another day is just to see you."


    He had originally booked a flight for 9:30 in the morning, but just before setting off, he suddenly thought of Zhang Tian''ai.


    The last time they parted had been over two months, and he didn''t know how she was doing at Mahua Theater, so he came to see her.


    "It''s pretty good, Mr. Zhang and Mr. Shen, and many theater teachers all take good care of me."


    Zhang Tian''ai was slightly disappointed, having hoped and waited so long for Liang, only to spend a single day together.


    The feelings were there to some extent, but more so, she had already experienced the benefits of having a strong backer.


    As Liang''s fame grew, Zhang Chen''s attitude towards her improved as well.


    In just two and a half months of joining the group, she was already able to play one of the lead roles in a stage play.


    Everyone she met were good, kind people, willing to help her.


    Had she not struggled for years in Hengdian, she might have almost believed that all was peaceful and orderly.


    Zhang Tian''ai knew it all stemmed from Liang.


    Liang asked, "Is Mahua having a performance tonight?"


    Zhang Tian''ai thought for a moment, "There''s one, but I''m not the lead. I''m just a supporting actress and bow out after the second scene."


    She was just a supporting actress, and besides, the play was dominated by male roles, which is why she managed to take a leave and was free to hang out with Liang.


    Liang smiled and said, "I''ve grown up so much and it seems I''ve never watched a stage play, let''s go watch it tonight if there''s nothing else."


    Zhang Tian''ai was stunned, moved, and embraced Liang''s neck with her arms, her eyes watery with deep affection.


    She clearly understood that Liang was going to see the play purely to support and bolster her.


    "Let''s go, and stop by to talk to Zhang Chen to see if there''s any new movie project."


    Liang smiled lightly, kissed Zhang Tian''ai''s cheek, making no attempt to hide that it was all for her.


    He was not so high-minded; he believed in letting the beneficiary know of the good deeds.


    If the beneficiary doesn''t acknowledge his kindness, then the good deeds he did would be in vain.


    Liang thought of an egg project, which Tang Caidie had almost finished reviewing, just waiting for his signature to authorize.


    Leaving Wangfujing, Liang called Zhang Chen, and then the two headed to the Mahua Theater in the Xicheng District.


    "Mr. Lu, why are you here all of a sudden, we weren''t prepared at all."


    Zhang Chen panted as he ran out from the inner theater, his face beaming with a radiant smile.


    His eyes fell on Zhang Tian''ai as he said with a rueful smile, "Tian''ai, Mr. Lu is here, why didn''t you inform us in advance?"


    "Mr. Zhang, you''re too kind, no preparation needed. It was just a spur-of-the-moment decision to come over."


    Liang patted Zhang Tian''ai on the back of her head with an intimate gesture, "You have a leading role in a play later on, go get ready."


    "Liang, Mr. Zhang, you guys talk. I''ll go ahead and prepare," Zhang Tian''ai obediently nodded.


    Her attitude towards Zhang Chen remained as respectful as usual, not using Liang''s presence to throw her weight around.


    Zhang Chen smiled genuinely, pleased, "Mr. Lu, you really are a benefactor to Mahua. Tian''ai has always been very diligent; she''s quickly becoming one of our theater''s beauties."


    Liang smiled broadly, "Individual effort is definitely helpful, but in the face of a stage to display ambitions, it counts for little."


    "You flatter me, Mr. Lu."


    Zhang Chen beamed joyfully, seizing the opportunity to invite, "Tonight''s play is called ''Friends'', starting in an hour. Why don''t you rest in our reception room first?"


    Liang nodded, following Zhang Chen through the large theater to the administrative area behind, which also housed the Mahua''s main headquarters.


    People coming and going, a few of whom seemed like film and television actors, looked vaguely familiar to Liang, but he couldn''t quite place them.


    Zhang Chen introduced with a smile, "This is Mr. Lu from Tianxing."


    "Mr. Lu, hello..."


    Upon hearing their boss, everyone widened their eyes, their expressions filled with shock.


    Because the new energy sector surged by 172 points today, Lu Liang once again made the hot search on Weibo.


    It was hard to imagine that a legendary figure in the financial world had actually appeared before them.


    Contrary to the mature appearance rumored among the folks, he looked to be only in his late twenties or early thirties.


    "Um, hello."


    Lu Liang gave a slight smile, and Zhang Chen noticed his lack of interest in these people, quickly waving his hand: "Go back to what you were doing."


    He then turned to Lu Liang and said, "Mr. Lu, this way, please."


    A group of employees awkwardly smiled until Lu Liang and Zhang Chen entered the office, and then they suddenly remembered the company''s rumors.


    Zhang Tian''ai, who had joined the Mahua Team due to the viral web series last year, seemed to have a vague relationship with Lu Liang.


    The Crown Princess Consort was an investment by Lu Liang, Zhang Tian''ai was the female lead; she was able to leave Xitian Media without being blacklisted after the series'' success.


    This was enough to prove that she had someone behind her, someone with a background far stronger than Xitian Media.


    If it was Lu Liang, it explained why Zhang Chen dared to take the risk of offending Xitian by accepting Zhang Tian''ai.


    Lu Liang''s appearance today was like an invisible thread, connecting all the disparate pieces together.


    The director of "Friends" casually said, "Little Love has suddenly decided not to take the night off and to come back for the performance."


    Everyone looked at each other, and the case was solved.


    They began to reflect on whether they had ever offended or made things difficult for Zhang Tian''ai; this girl had a terrifying background.


    Although Lu Liang wasn''t on the wealth rankings or the Hu Run elite list, no one dared to question his capabilities and his network. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Not to mention Tianxing Private Equity gathering the nation''s top elites, Lu Liang''s personal ability was also a presence not to be overlooked.


    Yesterday, he invested 20 million US Dollars to establish a new energy research institute at Huaqing University; today, the sector soared by over eighty billion yuan.


    Last year, the film industry''s output barely broke the hundred billion mark.


    The new energy sector today, simply because Lu Liang decided to enter the field personally, directly increased by eight times the total output of films.


    There were many in various industries across the nation stronger than Lu Liang, definitely not the practitioners of the film industry.


    Inside the office, after Zhang Chen exchanged a few pleasantries, he gradually moved onto the main topic: "Mr. Lu, I have something I''d like to consult with you about."


    "Feel free to speak."


    "Last year, our Mahua was listed on the New Third Board."


    With the hit of Xia Luo, Zhang Chen also took advantage of the market''s still existing heat to push forward with listing on the New Third Board.


    But since the New Third Board had poor liquidity, coupled with the unprecedented four-day two circuit breakers at the start of the year, financing became exceedingly difficult.


    That made him consider delisting from the New Third Board and transitioning to the Growth Enterprise Market, but the audit was never passed.


    Among the various requirements for re-listing on the Growth Enterprise Market, Happy Mahua met them all except for lacking a lead figure.


    Lu Liang was silent, flipping through the documents, as Happy Mahua had a market value of 4.32 billion yuan on the New Third Board.


    Last year alone, Xia Luo brought in 1.95 billion yuan in revenue for Mahua, accounting for 51.8% of the annual total revenue.


    This year, by mid-January, they issued 1.52 million shares at the price of 24 yuan per share, which was successful.


    But just two months later, issuing 2.84 million shares at 106 yuan per share turned out to be a failure.


    Lu Liang closed the documents and smiled slightly: "Mr. Zhang, haste won''t get you hot tofu, so it''s normal for the Growth Enterprise Market audit not to pass, as Mahua''s revenue is too unstable."


    Without Xia Luo, with Mahua''s annual revenue not even reaching 200 million yuan, how could they justify a market value of 4.3 billion yuan.


    Zhang Chen''s mistake was knowing about the poor liquidity on the New Third Board, yet still rushing to finance¡ªa failure was foreseeable.


    Displaying an obvious fundraising intention, the Securities and Futures Commission wasn''t foolish enough to let him pass the Growth Enterprise Market audit.


    The lead figure was merely a facade.


    Since there has always been a rumor online,


    On January 7, the night of the second circuit breaker.


    Mr. Xiao from the Securities and Futures Commission had called Lu Liang, asking for his opinion on the introduction of the circuit breaker mechanism.


    What they discussed then was unknown.


    Thus, there was a rumor that Mr. Xiao finally decided to cancel the circuit breaker mechanism because of Lu Liang''s remarks.

 Chapter 167 - 166: Withering Away for Her

    "Mr. Lu, we also know that the company needs stable revenue."


    Zhang Chen showed a look of worry, sighing helplessly, "But the production cycle of movies is just too long, too long."


    Even if every movie becomes a hit like Xia Luo''s, just the settlement process alone requires an entire year. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If Lu Liang could help them list on the Growth Enterprise Market, they would even be willing to hand over 20% of the shares as a gift.


    After all, someone who can converse with the bigwigs at the Securities and Futures Commission and whose suggestions are adopted must be extraordinarily capable.


    Although Old Xiao, an old acquaintance, is no longer around, Lu Liang is in a phase of rapid development and must still have some connections.


    "Mr. Zhang, if we can''t stack quality, then let''s stack quantity, maybe that will also lead to success."


    Lu Liang showed a smile, with no intention of doing them this favor.


    Although he didn''t know whether his influence at the Securities and Futures Commission was as mystical as rumors on the internet made it out to be.


    But one thing was certain, in the domestic and international financial sectors, he could be considered someone with a modest reputation.


    Invariably, any enterprise he invested in saw its market valuation rise, to a greater or lesser extent.


    Currently, none of them were listed companies.


    One could imagine that once a company he invested in went public, its stock price would inevitably be inflated by retail investors in the market.


    This was an excellent opportunity, if used well, his reputation would rise a notch; if not, it would be a shameful waste.


    Lu Liang needed to cherish his reputation, and good steel should be used for its cutting edge, like Ningde Era, the most promising to go public soon.


    Happy Mahua was just one entertainment company with an easily foreseeable limit, not worth wasting his reputation on.


    Zhang Chen''s mouth turned bitter as he naturally heard the implied meaning and quickly changed the subject: "Mr. Lu, we plan to wrap up ''Donkey Gets Water'' at the end of the month and have decided to continue working with Wanda."


    Even the most sincere offer within their capabilities was not enough to pique Lu Liang''s interest.


    They had no choice but to let the matter go.


    As if nothing had happened, Lu Liang smiled and said: "Working with Wanda is good too, after all, we have the experience from last time."


    "Exactly, that''s what we think as well," Zhang Chen replied with an ingratiating smile, not daring to blame Lu Liang for his reluctance to help.


    During their conversation, Zhang Chen''s assistant knocked on the door to inform them that the play would start in a few more minutes.


    "Mr. Lu, this way please." Zhang Chen arranged for Lu Liang to be seated in the best position, right in the center row.


    He smiled and said, "Mr. Lu, please enjoy the show. If you''ll excuse me, I''ll leave you to it."


    Zhang Chen had received a message from his assistant that Zhang Tian''ai''s part in the play ended after the second act.


    She would probably leave the backstage early to join Lu Liang for the rest of the show, sparing him from being a third wheel.


    Lu Liang nodded slightly: "Mr. Zhang, go ahead with your work."


    "Friends" was Mahua''s ace project, telling a series of hilarious stories about a star voluntarily going to jail to find inspiration.


    Zhang Tian''ai played a female prison guard¡ªdressed in pure black prison-chic, leather pants, knee-high stilettos, a black fitted long-sleeve shirt¡ªshowing off her graceful figure, with fair skin, beautiful looks, fiery red lips, and a prison guard hat adding a touch of mature femininity.


    Seeing this costume, Lu Liang thought of Wen Shanshan. She seemed to be more suitable for it, after all, with a Hong Kong-style filter''s enhancement.


    The pace of the plot was fast, and the second act ended quickly. Zhang Tian''ai also changed into regular clothes and quietly slipped from backstage to the front.


    She bowed her head and leaned over, sitting down quietly beside Lu Liang, and asked softly, "Liang, how was my performance just now?"


    "Not bad at all, the outfit looked good too," complimented Lu Liang, although slightly less than Wen Shanshan''s, but still very beautiful.


    Zhang Tian''ai flushed with joy and whispered, "I have a spare set of the same outfit at home."


    Right after she left backstage, she felt that suddenly, everyone''s gaze towards her had changed.


    If it was polite and enthusiastic before, now it was respectful and somewhat ingratiating.


    Though it felt like some friendships had soured, she didn''t mind the change and knew what Lu Liang had brought her.


    "Shall we go?"


    Lu Liang''s lips curled into a teasing smile, believing no one could say no to a female prison guard.


    "Wait a minute, it''ll be over in more than an hour."


    Zhang Tian''ai pouted and pleaded.


    She wanted to be a long-lasting star, otherwise, she wouldn''t have given up the opportunity to make quick money from a hit to join Mahua and hone her acting skills.


    Every production is the hard work of the creative team, deserving of respect¡ªespecially "Friends," which is an excellent work.


    "Alright, let''s finish watching it then," Lu Liang smiled and refocused his attention on the stage until the performance ended and the curtain call was over.


    At a little past nine in the evening, following the exiting crowd, Lu Liang left the theatre and headed to the nearby apartment that Zhang Tian''ai had rented.


    As a second-tier actress, she had joined Happy Mahua with Lu Liang''s support, and Zhang Chen had given her a pretty good deal.


    A base salary of thirty thousand a month, with a total of roughly one hundred twenty thousand in comprehensive performance fees, her living conditions were not bad at all.


    On the 22nd floor of a mid-to-high-end apartment building, she had rented a two-bedroom apartment with an area of about 80 square meters.


    "It''s a bit messy for one person."


    Zhang Tian''ai hadn''t expected Lu Liang would want to visit her place, so she hadn''t tidied up the room in advance, and now she was hurriedly blushing, cleaning up the empty beer bottles from the table.


    As a Northeastern girl through and through, she enjoyed blowing through a few bottles quietly by herself when the night grew deep.


    "It''s okay, not as messy as I imagined."


    Lu Liang casually smiled, toured each room, and finally entered the kitchen to open the fridge.


    Half of the refrigerator space was crammed with beer, while the other half contained neatly organized portions of fruits.


    "Want a drink?" Lu Liang opened a bottle of beer; although the weather outside was cold enough to nearly freeze the ground, he always felt that beer, like cola, tasted better icy cold.


    "Wait, I''ll go take a shower and change."


    Zhang Tian''ai said flirtatiously, winked.


    She darted off into the bathroom and then suddenly popped her head back out, all smiles as she handed over her phone, "I just ordered late-night snacks, if someone calls, could you help me fetch it?"


    After saying this, the sound of water trickling followed. She didn''t want to make Lu Liang wait too long as she still had to put on makeup.


    Lu Liang chuckled, taking the beer into the living room, he turned on the TV and discovered Zhang Tian''ai was somewhat self-absorbed.


    She was following Crown Princess Consort and even had the bullet comments turned on, seemingly very concerned about other people''s opinions of her.


    Not long after, the ordered takeout arrived.


    It could only be delivered to the ground floor, so Lu Liang had to go down to pick it up.


    When he returned with the takeout, Zhang Tian''ai had already changed into a female prison guard costume, her lips fiery red, eyeliner sharp, seemingly even wearing blue contacts to enhance her enchanting look.


    She was half-reclining on the sofa, casually dangling one leg, holding in her hand the half-finished beer that Lu Liang had left.


    Zhang Tian''ai''s eyes were sultry, she took a small sip from the bottle and licked the rim, making a popping sound.


    Lu Liang, surprised, laughed, "Don''t get too fired up yet, come over and eat something first, to line your stomach."


    Zhang Tian''ai pouted with indignation, mouth jutting out, her heels clinking crisply against the tile floor.


    She pouted and complained, "Hmm~ I''ve dressed up all hot and gorgeous, and this is your reaction?"


    She was very satisfied with her look, even fantasizing while doing her makeup that Lu Liang would pounce like a hungry tiger upon seeing her.


    Zhang Tian''ai had planned to play a defiant female prison guard to spice up their interaction.


    It felt like hitting cotton with a punch.


    Suddenly, her arm was seized.


    Lu Liang pulled her into his embrace, smiling, "So this reaction, does it satisfy you?"


    Even through the leather pants, Zhang Tian''ai could feel the restless force. She smiled, laying her head near Lu Liang''s ear, "Of course, I''m satisfied~"


    Lu Liang teased, "A long night stretches ahead, we''ll eat and drink, and when the mood is ripe, things will naturally fall into place."


    "But what if I skip the first two steps?" Zhang Tian''ai''s eyes were brimming with amorous desire, overflowing like a flood.


    It had been over two months since their last parting, a day apart felt like an age; it seemed to her as if a century had passed.


    "You are so hot~" Lu Liang suddenly felt his blood surge, his hand firmly grasping her uplifted butt, which felt even firmer and more shapely through her leather pants.


    "There''s hotter to come," Zhang Tian''ai''s eyes were alluring as she bit her lower lip gently and began to slide under the table.


    Her long legs slowly spread apart, in a complete split, showing her dedication, never regretting it even as her sashes loosened.


    Lu Liang squinted his eyes, unable to refrain from admiring, "Have I ever told you that I really like you?"


    Zhang Tian''ai''s eyes widened with surprise, "Hmm~ Have you said that before? If so, I would remember it for life."


    Lu Liang held Zhang Tian''ai''s cheeks in his hands, "Is it too late if I say it now?"


    "It''s not, as long as it''s from Liang, it''s never too late~"


    Zhang Tian''ai beamed with a knowing smile; she was well aware of her strengths, being young and beautiful, in an entertainment circle famous for its chaos.


    Between accompanying one or many, she believed that anyone would choose the former.

 Chapter 168 - 167: Xiao Chen Goes Online, Promoting Douyin

    The next morning, under the lingering gaze of Zhang Tian''ai, Lu Liang boarded a plane back to Modu.


    Upon arriving at the company and walking through the office area, he stopped in his tracks and looked at Chen Jinchun, who still had a student-like innocence.


    "Come with me."


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but chuckle, wondering if he sometimes protected his subordinates too well.


    After all, despite working for over half a year, Chen Jinchun''s eyes still revealed a clear stupidity, devoid of any sophistication.


    By contrast, Wen Chao, who followed him everywhere dealing with all matters big and small, public and private, had grown increasingly mature.


    Yet Chen Jinchun''s childishness could now be useful, and Lu Liang planned to help her transition into a new role.


    Looking dumbfounded as usual, Chen Jinchun was taken aback because usually when Lu Liang returned, he first called for Tang Caide; why had it suddenly changed to her?


    However, she still followed Lu Liang to his office with utter sincerity, where Lu Liang asked, "Do you know how to make short videos?"


    "Uh¡ªMr. Lu, what kind of videos are you referring to?" Chen Jinchun frowned, not quite understanding his question.


    Lu Liang sighed, "Go download Douyin and see how others do it. From tomorrow, start making some videos around the company."


    Before the New Year, he had promised Yang Zhenyuan that if Douyin''s user registration exceeded five hundred thousand, he would personally help promote it.


    Now, as the registration count on Douyin had surpassed one million, Lu Liang needed to fulfill his promise.


    So, on the flight back from Beijing, he had been figuring out the better ways to promote it.


    He suddenly noticed that someone had been sharing their daily work videos on Douyin, with each video often hitting over a hundred thousand views, becoming a top figure on Douyin.


    Lu Liang thought they could do the same.


    By capturing the daily operations of a top domestic venture capital firm¡ªhis company¡ªit should attract a good number of people.


    With this idea in mind, Lu Liang began looking for potential subjects, hoping to boost promotion while positively advertising the company.


    His style was rather aggressive; he needed someone softer, and the first person who came to mind was Chen Jinchun.


    Chen Jinchun looked baffled, "Mr. Lu, you had already instructed me to use Douyin before, but how exactly should I film?"


    Lu Liang smiled and said, "Just maintain your style and start filming, but don''t go next door and leak any company information."


    Chen Jinchun let out an "Oh" and pondered for a long time, then couldn''t help but ask, "Mr. Lu, what style do I have?"


    "Cute and clumsy assistant struggles at top investment bank. Just the title sounds like it will get a lot of traffic."


    "¡­"


    Chen Jinchun widened her eyes in disbelief, was that cute and clumsy description about her?


    Lu Liang looked up with a stern expression and coldly said, "Isn''t it clear enough to understand?"


    He was feeding her the answers, and if she still couldn''t understand, it wasn''t an issue of character but intelligence.


    "I... I have an idea now."


    Chen Jinchun started, sensing trouble as this was a sign of Lu Liang about to lash out, and hastily added, "Mr. Lu, if there''s nothing else, I will step out and think it over."


    "Go and call Mr. Tang."


    Lu Liang looked helpless, called Tang Caide over, and decided to delay the addition of an "egg" charity project for a while.


    This was explained by letting Chen Jinchun shoot regular corporate operations for Douyin to help increase user registrations.


    Tang Caide thoughtfully nodded, "When the time comes, it would seem more sincere for Assistant Chen to personally engage in the charity work." S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Chen Jinchun held a special position in the company; although she graduated from a second-tier college and was among those with the lowest educational qualifications in the company.


    As Lu Liang''s assistant, strictly speaking, she was employee number two, having interviewed an hour earlier than Tang Caide.


    For her to lead the team and personally deliver donations and supplies to those in need would be quite fitting.


    Lu Liang''s delay of the charity project was evident¡ªto have Chen Jinchun first shoot some routine company videos to somewhat lay the groundwork, so it wouldn''t seem too contrived later.


    "Exactly."


    Lu Liang showed a satisfied grin, contemplating the gap between people, which sometimes seemed even larger than that between a person and a pig.


    Chen Jinchun was the first employee he had interviewed; while not very capable, her attitude was impeccable.


    But as time passed, she increasingly failed to keep up with the company''s pace. Unwilling to give up on her, Lu Liang just let her do the busywork, being fortunate to finally find a suitable position for her.


    Tang Caide couldn''t help but remark, "Assistant Chen meeting someone like Mr. Lu as her benefactor is the biggest fortune in her life."


    Lu Liang was startled, then laughed, "Tang, when did you also learn to flatter?"


    Tang Caide looked serious, "Mr. Lu, I never flatter."


    The existence of Chen Jinchun was perhaps the best testament to the idea that opportunity often trumps effort.


    She met the right person at the right time and made the correct choices.


    To put it rather bluntly, if she were to interview now, she probably wouldn''t even qualify as a receptionist.


    This wasn''t meant to disparage Chen Jinchun; it was simply a fact¡ª their receptionists all came from top universities.


    "Tang, you can go back to your tasks now."


    The next day at noon, Lu Liang logged onto Weibo and updated his status: "Unveiling a corner of the mystique of investment banking."


    The random post left many curious netizens puzzled, lacking context to even begin understanding.


    "What''s going on? Has someone hacked Lu Liang''s account? Starting to play games like ''See You on Monday'' too?"


    "According to statistics, Lu Liang had registered on Weibo for six months and had posted a total of 9 updates: 2 with giveaways, 4 calling people out, and 3 for advertisements. This one is the 10th update¡ªany guesses what he''s up to this time?"


    "Does he post this frequently? But why do I feel like he''s posted a lot more updates?"


    "Because he rarely posts updates, he mostly replies in the comment section, so it gives that illusion."


    A netizen revealed the truth and was then retweeted by Lu Liang who replied, "You guessed right, it''s another ad."


    Three o''clock in the afternoon, the stock market closed.


    Lu Liang updated his Weibo again: "Tonight at seven, Tianxing Investment is joining the Douyin platform, unveiling the mystery of domestic investment banking to those interested."


    "I knew it, another ad."


    "You can also choose not to accept it."


    "But I can''t help myself."


    "This is a straightforward plot."


    After all, Lu Liang was the famous distributor of wealth secrets. Even if people didn''t like him, they still wanted to dig for these wealth secrets and see how an investment bank operated daily.


    Moreover, netizens also wanted to see firsthand the daily life of workers who reportedly earned an average monthly salary of 21,000 yuan.


    Meanwhile, at ByteDance in Beijing.


    Zhang Yiming was fuming, "Lu Liang really has no shame."


    It was agreed that Douyin and Watermelon would develop peacefully until an appropriate time to merge, but Lu Liang backstabbed them, even though he had previously mocked, claiming Douyin wasn''t qualified.


    But Lu Liang shouldn''t be playing like this,


    Not only supporting Douyin but also having his company establish a presence there.


    The recent surge in the new energy sector was still fresh in his mind.


    Lu Liang had the ability to turn decay into magic, his strong reputation might compensate for Douyin''s algorithm and funding shortcomings.


    Xie Xin sighed, "Even if we criticize him as a social media celebrity, what can we do? It doesn''t impede his transcendent status in the financial circle."


    Indeed, this did lower the classiness of a financial mogul, but he was just having fun, what could others do about it?


    Even if he mimicked streamers with kitschy calls, the next day he would launch the third phase of a private equity fund and tons of people would still wave their cash, begging to get in.


    Prestige was earned by oneself, not given by others.


    Li Liang whispered, "We need to get Watermelon online as soon as possible, we can''t let Douyin take hold, otherwise, we''ll be at a disadvantage."


    Although they had agreed to wait for the right time for a strong alliance, that was just one possible future path.


    Without a clear contract, it was all empty talk, it was still necessary to target Douyin when needed.


    In a blink of an eye, it was nearly seven o''clock in the evening.


    The new Tianxing Investment account, without having posted a single video in a day, had accumulated over a million followers.


    Yang Zhenyuan looked at the back-end data and couldn''t help but be amazed, one Weibo post from Lu Liang equated to three months of their efforts.


    As seven o''clock arrived, Douyin''s user registration count had already broken the 2 million mark.


    During the current time slot, there were as many as 620,000 online active users, all waiting for the video to be released.


    In the evening, at seven o''clock sharp.


    Tianxing Investment released their first video.


    "Hello everyone, I''m Mr. Lu''s assistant, you can also call me Assistant Chen."


    A girl with a cute, dumpling-like face suddenly appeared in front of the camera, smiling and waving cheerily.


    "This is where we work, Tianxing Investment. There''s another company on the left, but Mr. Lu won''t let me go there, I can only take you to look around the right side."


    "This is the office area, but my desk isn''t here, Flomi, follow me, right here."


    "Three desks, the one on the left is mine, the middle one is Secretary Wen''s, and the right one is for the driver."


    "This room here is Mr. Lu''s office."


    "Ah, seems like we''re out of time."


    "That''s all for today, see you tomorrow, bye~"


    In just fifteen seconds of video, it felt like they saw something, yet saw nothing. Hundreds of thousands of netizens came confused, and left still confused: "That''s it?"


    "I even took my pants off for this?"


    "Is this girl Lu Liang''s assistant or his daughter?"


    "Daughter, plus one."


    "The vibe of this investment bank is too playful, suddenly I''m filled with despair for my future job."


    "I actually think it''s pretty good since an investment bank is also a company, just in a different field."


    "To be fair, it''s damn short."


    "Really short."


    One video, half an hour.


    The number of comments reached over a hundred thousand.


    If you didn''t read the comments section and just looked at the data, there was no doubt it was a success.

 Chapter 169 - 168: Three Trillion Support Plan

    Lu Liang flipped through the comments section on Douyin, with Chen Jinchun looking tense, her mood reminiscent of waiting for college entrance exam results.


    The fifteen-second time limit was quite restrictive¡ªshe intended to use a serialized approach, showcasing the whole company over three to five days.


    Although the video''s play data was very good, even becoming the most liked, commented, and shared video on Douyin.


    She knew all too well that the netizens were here for Lu Liang, and since he wasn''t in the first segment of the video, she wasn''t sure whether this filming method was a good idea.


    "Not bad."


    Lu Liang expressed his approval, paused, and then said, "Next time, don''t have Shiyu help you hold the filming equipment. If you''re short-handed, just hire a couple more yourself, whether internally or externally."


    Whether the plan to promote Douyin had been achieved was still unknown, as it was only the first day of video release.


    But as for softening the company''s image, that was well done¡ªChen Jinchun''s harmless appearance was quite persuasive.


    Though some netizens doubted her as a nepotism hire, or suspected she was his goddaughter, Lu Liang, being upright, wasn''t afraid of skewed shadows.


    She might be as cute as a bun,


    But cuteness pales in comparison to sexiness.


    "Thank you, Mr. Lu. I will keep trying hard," Chen Jinchun said excitedly, bowing in gratitude.


    "Filming the work is fine, but don''t shoot my face."


    Lu Liang suddenly reminded her, as he wanted to enjoy some peace for a while, not keen on being in the public eye just yet.


    "Got it!" Chen Jinchun nodded earnestly. Since the company''s inception over half a year ago, only two people had been fired.


    Though officially, the firings were due to ''philosophical differences'', everyone knew that leaked photos of the boss originated from them.


    Sources revealed that they had a tough time after being dismissed, struggling to find jobs and forced to return to their hometowns for government exam preparation.


    After all, they were in venture capital, patrons of various industries. While Lu Liang hadn''t delved into it, no one wanted to risk offending him and take them in.


    Thus, an unspoken rule formed¡ªexisting employees would also tell newcomers that accidentally offending Lu Liang was okay as he was very magnanimous, often letting it slide with a smile, but secret photography was absolutely forbidden.


    The next day, Xiao Chen from Tianxing logged in again.


    Continuing where she left off, she went straight into Lu Liang''s office, showcasing the working environment, which lacked its owner''s presence.


    This left many netizens disappointed; they were eager to see clear images of Lu Liang, but unfortunately, they didn''t get their wish.


    However, it revealed quite a few subtle messages, such as the office not being large, just over a hundred square meters, no golf facilities, no calligraphy on the walls, not even a pretentious bookshelf¡ªjust filing cabinets, emphasizing simplicity and modesty.


    Still, sharp-eyed netizens noticed that it wasn''t as modest as it appeared, such as the tea table made of golden camphor wood, and a bull figure that seemed to be made of pure gold.


    Thus, Little Wang registered with his real name to get online and clarify: "No need to doubt, it''s pure gold because I gave it as a gift."


    Yang Zhenyuan also pushed the video through streaming. As long as users opened Douyin, within three videos, they were bound to come across Tianxing Investment.


    After all, with Lu Liang and his company''s clout, the conservative estimate for the promotional fee he devoted to promoting an app was an eight-figure sum.


    He treasured this opportunity. If used properly, it might create a snowball effect before Watermelon Video even came online.


    At the same time, Lu Liang headed to the high-speed railway station. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As the Lunar New Year was almost over, Su Wanyu also left her family home, preparing for her postgraduate retest in mid-March.


    "Long time no see, did you miss me~?"


    With a beaming smile, Su Wanyu dropped her suitcase and outstretched her arms for a hug.


    A girl always has special feelings for her first man, and considering how impressive Lu Liang was, she could still see news about him every day online, even while at home.


    "If you didn''t come out, I was about to go to your house to fetch you," Lu Liang said with a smile, lifting Su Wanyu in his arms and spinning around in place.


    Su Wanyu laughed joyously, resting her chin on Lu Liang''s shoulder, and said softly, "During the New Year, I told my mom that I have a boyfriend."


    Lu Liang was startled and asked with a smile, "And what did my mother-in-law say?"


    "Who''s your mother-in-law," Su Wanyu blushed shyly, squinting with laughter, the corners of her mouth curving up involuntarily.


    She said softly, "It''s like mom already knew, she just told me to be careful not to get cheated."


    Lu Liang joked, "Didn''t you say you''ve already been cheated?"


    "Stop it~ You wouldn''t cheat me."


    "I meant in other ways."


    "Hmph~"


    Wanyu''s cheeks turned red, but she understood the other meaning, and said proudly, "If I''m willing, it cannot be called deception."


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but laugh, as he placed her luggage in the trunk: "Let''s go, let''s go home and take a look, I too haven''t been there for a while."


    "Ah~ Then all my flowers must be dead."


    Lu Liang said with a smile, "I still go to water them every other week, and they''re growing exceptionally well."


    Of course, he didn''t have the leisure for that, but instead hired a cleaner to clean and care for them on a regular schedule.


    Leaving the high-speed train station, the two took a ride to the Scholarly Splendor District in University City.


    As soon as they entered the door, Wanyu sensed something was off: "You lied to me."


    It was too clean. Based on her understanding of Lu Liang, there was no way he would clean it himself.


    "Watering the plants doesn''t necessarily require me to do it personally."


    Lu Liang embraced Wanyu from behind, whispering, "I didn''t really want to come here without you."


    "Alright, I''m not blaming you," said Wanyu, holding onto Lu Liang''s hand: "Now I''m back."


    Suddenly, she reached out her hand: "Right, give me your wallet."


    Wanyu took out a folded triangle talisman from her bag with a smile and said, "This year, our village held the super-large street temple fair that comes once every twelve years, and I got a peace charm for you."


    She placed it solemnly in the wallet compartment, specifically instructing, "Don''t lose it, we have to go back next year to offer thanks."


    Lu Liang laughed, "Are you that superstitious?"


    "It''s not superstition, it''s a place to put one''s hopes," Wanyu said earnestly.


    She knew she couldn''t be of much help to Lu Liang, the only thing she could do was not to cause him trouble.


    But she also hoped to contribute a little, which was why on the day of the temple fair, she went to pray and get a talisman with her mother at five in the morning.


    Lu Liang fell silent, holding Wanyu in his arms, whispering, "I''ll take good care of it."


    "Last time you went to Lu Island, didn''t you say you liked the fried oysters and vinegar pork? I learned how to make them over the New Year. Let''s go to the supermarket later to buy some ingredients, and I''ll try cooking them for you to see if the taste is authentic."


    "If it doesn''t taste good, I''m going to spank you."


    "Isn''t there any justice left?"


    "Do you have any objection?"


    "None~"


    When Wanyu returned to Modu, Lu Liang spent a few days with her, then went back to the office to work.


    The middle and beginning of March passed uneventfully until Li Bing dropped a bombshell in the automotive circle.


    NIO was set to launch a new electric vehicle in London on March 31, securing the leading position among the new powerhouses in car manufacturing.


    A dark silhouette of a car went viral online, with Li Bing proclaiming that it would be the fastest electric vehicle in the world.


    As the founding investor, Lu Liang also received more detailed data: four high-performance motors paired with 4 independent adjustable gearboxes, capable of producing 1,360 horsepower, accelerating from 0 to 200 kilometers in 7.1 seconds, with a top speed of 313 kilometers per hour.


    The entire vehicle was priced at 1.2 million US dollars, with only six units produced in the first batch, likely to be the only six ever made, one for each shareholder in the group.


    "Li Xiang may be arrogant, but he''s pragmatic."


    Lu Liang muttered to himself, after reviewing the new vehicle''s proposition document, which was full of empty words.


    In his view, you''d probably need a new set of batteries and motors after just one lap, and not a word was mentioned about the battery life.


    This kind of car was only suitable to be a showroom face or a toy in the garage, hardly practical for actual road use.


    Li Bing thought so too, which is why the EP9 didn''t even go through crash testing and wasn''t intended for mass production.


    It was purely a show of performance, determined to claim the title of the first domestically new-force produced, fastest electric supercar in the world.


    Lu Liang just glanced at it and didn''t care much, instead focusing on the newly announced government subsidies for the new energy industry.


    In total, they could be divided into four categories: purchase subsidies, installation subsidies, generation subsidies, and tax incentives.


    Over the next five years, three trillion yuan of funding was to be invested in support.


    As soon as the policy was announced, the new energy sector took off instantly.

 Chapter 170 - 169: A Complete Mess

    "Money truly does breed money."


    Since he shorted the British Pounds, Lu Liang had taken a long rest, merely engaging in stock investments according to the 532 distribution pattern.


    He had thought the profits would be less than 10%, but unexpectedly, a governmental decree was issued, and the new energy sector collectively surged.


    The act of taking advantage of the system wasn''t limited to ordinary people. Some enterprises did it more fiercely and even established systems for this purpose.


    With three trillion in support funds, anyone, human or ghost, wanted to get a piece of the action. The financial markets led the charge, with the entire sector soaring by 6.55% that day.


    Of the new energy constituent stocks Lu Liang had bought, nine out of ten hit the daily limit, and even those that didn''t were close.


    The 5.8 billion invested in the A-shares earned him over 4 billion just for today, and as expected, Tesla would probably rise even more fiercely tonight.


    Lu Liang suddenly understood why NIO''s originally scheduled autumn release of the ep9 was abruptly moved forward by nearly half a year.


    It seemed that Li Bing was aware that if Tesla continued to lead uncontested, it may well become the Apple of the automotive world.


    He didn''t want to see a future market with only two types of new energy vehicles: one Tesla and the other all the rest.


    It seems Old Wang from Dizi also understood this point, announcing a mid-next-month new car launch event, named the Dynasty Series.


    Once the news was released, the entire network was abuzz, because Dizi was different from other car manufacturers. With their strong industrial system, new cars could be mass-produced three months after being launched.


    The name "Dynasty Series" was also quite intriguing, suggesting both dominance and that these would be a range of models.


    One day later, He Xiaopeng publicly stated that the Xiao Peng G3 would meet everyone in the second half of this year, please look forward to it.


    Although it was only the end of March, at least half a year away from the second half, with everyone making noise, if Xiao Peng remained silent, investors might think they were about to drop out first.


    If you don''t speak out, you can''t get things done,


    Even if you''re lagging, you can''t afford to lose momentum.


    Li Xiang from Ideal also showed his ambition, announcing an imminent Series A funding round with a valuation of 620 million US Dollars.


    Following closely was Old Jia from LeEco, raising the banner of subverting the traditional automotive industry and declaring that supercars were ready for mass production.


    Boss Xu from Hengchi also loudly proclaimed the establishment of the Hengchi project, with an expected investment of ten billion in R&D over five years.


    Suddenly, the automotive world was thrown into chaos.


    Under the stimulus of three trillion in support funds, the entire new energy industry was like last year''s sharing bicycles, hitting the fast-forward button.


    Then, out of the blue, Old Zeng from Ningde Era called Lu Liang, his tone full of helplessness: "Mr. Lu, look at the fine mess you''ve created."


    "What fine mess have I created?" Lu Liang looked bewildered.


    He''d been behaving these past days, resting on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, accompanying Su Wanyu on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, and spending weekends with Li Manli.


    He''d been practicing a balance of work and rest, not even making a move on Weibo, quietly sitting back and watching.


    He had noticed something interesting: it seemed that LeTV was about to implode, as Boss Jia had been sued by the court.


    "National Bank, Xiangyang, CIC, they''re all urging us to go public as soon as possible."


    Sighing deeply, Zeng Minqun said, Lu Liang''s investment in the New Energy Research Institute of Huaqing University had completely ignited the new energy industry.


    To his knowledge, the three trillion support plan was supposed to be rolled out in the following year or the year after, but it had been enacted right away.


    Now the whole automotive circle was a mess, everyone wanted to join in the fray and take a swipe at the state''s wool.


    As one of the only two top-tier domestic power battery manufacturers, they were also being urged by investors to list early and take advantage of the current tailwind.


    Zeng Minqun intended for Ningde to go public, but not now; they weren''t prepared, so he used Lu Liang''s opposition as an excuse.


    Lu Liang looked intrigued, pondering for a long time: "Then just say it was my idea. Right now, Ningde isn''t suited for going public; all hype and no performance will not make for lasting success on the stock market."


    Zeng Minqun looked relieved: "Mr. Lu, you''re sensible. Sorry for the offense earlier, please excuse me."


    He felt the same; unlike Lu Liang, Ningde Era couldn''t convert fame into actual revenue.


    To go public, they at least needed to wait another year or so, until various new energy vehicles were launched and mass-produced.


    That would be the ideal time for them to go public.


    Lu Liang was distracted: "I didn''t expect my unintentional actions to stir up such a storm."


    "History rolls on irresistibly, beyond the control of any individual. One day, Mr. Lu''s name will inevitably be recorded in the annals of new energy development."


    "I just hope it''s a good name, not a curse." Lu Liang smiled bitterly.


    The flap of a butterfly''s wings in the Amazon rainforest in Brazil might cause a hurricane thousands of miles away.


    Now, his influence wasn''t just that of a butterfly; perhaps from the moment he invested in the new energy research institute which caused the sector to explode by eighty billion or more.


    The direction of the entire new energy market had been altered beyond recognition; news regarding new energy could only be used as a reference, not the definitive answer anymore.


    After ending his call with Old Zeng, Lu Liang furrowed his brow and fell deep in thought: "Does Ningde still have a market cap of a trillion?" S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He ultimately reached a conclusion: it absolutely did. Ningde had core technologies, and he wasn''t involved in the management.


    His interventions proved to be more effective the less frequently they occurred.


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but turn his attention to Douyin, where he had also interfered quite a bit.


    Chen Jinchun had posted eight videos to date, each garnering at least 500,000 views.


    That also indicated at least five hundred thousand daily active users.


    "Old Yang, put up a fight, will you? If you keep this up, I might really sell you off, and then you''ll end up working for Zhang Yiming again."


    The time left for Douyin was running out; at most, it had just over a month left.


    Because next Thursday, Watermelon Video would launch, and as Zhu Hu had explained, ten billion in video support funds had also been approved.


    A month after launch, victory or defeat would be apparent.


    If Douyin could compete with Watermelon, that would be ideal. If one waned as the other waxed, then in the next round of financing, Lu Liang would opt to cooperate with Zhang Yiming.


    Because for the next round of financing, Lu Liang would also seek Redwood and Golden Sand River to continue investing and increase their stakes.


    This way, the two firms would hold at least 25% altogether, plus Lu Liang''s own shares, which would already exceed a majority.


    Whether or not to merge wouldn''t be up to Yang Zhenyuan anymore.


    Approaching noon, Wen Chao brought over the confirmation letter.


    As of the 25th this month, the net value was updated to 2.435, a growth of 0.211 from last month, slowing slightly.


    The main reason was that this month didn''t present many speculative opportunities; profits were purely from the natural growth of stocks.


    Once the news spread,


    The investors didn''t express any dissatisfaction.


    They knew that opportunities like shorting the British Pounds didn''t come every month, or else they wouldn''t be called black swans.


    They should be content, as even the world''s most famous fund, Vanguard, only had a total return of 32.4% last year.


    In contrast, Tianxing Phase One had a monthly profit rate of 21.1%, leaving them with no grounds for complaints.

 Chapter 171 - 170: High-End Gameplay

    At the end of March, during the EP9 launch event in London.


    Because a Douyu streamer had live-streamed adult content, the related video went viral across the internet, attracting the attention of the "Anti-Pornography and Illegal Publications" office.


    A sudden internet crackdown swept across the entire web, investigating and shutting down over 2,500 illegal websites.


    Douyu received special scrutiny, and the heads of several other leading live streaming platforms were successively called in for talks by the relevant departments.


    "My dear Liang, help me~~"


    That afternoon, Wang Xiaocong rushed to the company, seeking financial assistance from Lu Liang.


    He had always been extravagant with money, and so had his company, of the thirty million US Dollars he''d raised, barely anything was left.


    He had hoped to start Series B funding in May, but the sudden internet crackdown had completely disrupted all plans.


    The state''s heavy-handed approach targeted just the top platforms like Douhu Cat, ordering the closure of over 3,500 live streaming rooms.


    Venture capital firms also downgraded their expectations for the live streaming industry; Panda, originally valued at four hundred million dollars, was now cut down to just two hundred and fifty million.


    With the current situation, the temporary Series B funding plan set for mid-May would likely be canceled, and money was extremely tight.


    Lu Liang replied with disinterest, "Tianxing Phase One''s lock-up period has ended; you can now request redemption."


    Little Wang still had eight shares, each worth two million US Dollars, easily able to cash out a hundred million dollars with little effort.


    Little Wang''s face darkened, licking his face in desperation, he said with a forced smile, "How about you lend me some money to tide things over?"


    "Sure," Lu Liang said with a smile. Little Wang was elated, but before he could celebrate, Lu Liang added, "I''d lend you, even ten billion if you want, but to Panda, no."


    The internet crackdown swept across the network, and he wasn''t blind; various institutions were implementing a 40-60% valuation markdown.


    Even if he was bullish on the live streaming industry, he had to consider market conditions, and besides, he wasn''t confident in Little Wang''s entrepreneurial skills.


    Little Wang had always epitomized the saying ''doesn''t know the cost of firewood and rice until becoming head of the family''; no sooner had he come into a bit of money than he wanted to get involved in every field.


    Although he had certainly made a splash, his ability to withstand unknown risks was almost nil¡ªas evidenced by the current situation.


    Wang Xiaocong smacked his lips and sighed, "Then I guess I''ll have to figure it out on my own."


    The company was the company, and he was himself; because of Panda, he had already taken on a thirty million dollar bet.


    It would be insane to pour more money into it.


    Lu Liang suddenly said, "How about I show you a clear path?"


    Little Wang was startled, and although he guessed what Lu Liang was suggesting, he would''ve rejected it outright before; but now, he hesitated, "Let''s hear it."


    "Find a suitable opportunity to cash out."


    "We''ll see when the time comes." S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Take care."


    Lu Liang chuckled to himself, noticing a change in Little Wang''s attitude.


    Some people won''t turn back until they hit the south wall, and when they do, they want to break through it; Little Wang represented the former half of that sentiment.


    Since returning home, he''d had smooth sailing until now, the internet crackdown completely messed up his original plans, igniting a desire to withdraw.


    In short, his spirit was broken.


    "After all, with dad being so rich, wouldn''t it be great to just relax as a super-rich second-generation?"


    Lu Liang couldn''t understand; countless examples show that ''outdoing the master'' happens only in a minority of cases; the common scenario is that they end up embarrassing their parents instead.


    "It seems Douyin has also been hit hard." Lu Liang suddenly felt that Byte might really have some destiny on its side.


    Tomorrow Watermelon Video was going online, and this cleanup was like clearing obstacles for them.


    Because of the crackdown, not only live streaming, but all entertainment and social platforms across the network were required to self-inspect or were called for talks.


    Douyu was specifically taken care of in the live streaming field, Kuai Shou particularly so in the short video field, especially with its crackdown on illicit behavior.


    Unwittingly, Lu Liang''s image in Yang Zhenyuan''s mind became even more imposing.


    Douyin was merely warned to avoid crossing lines in the future. If it hadn''t already abandoned current affairs and social hotspots, it would have faced a heavy blow too.


    That evening, Lu Liang received a massive package.


    Half an hour ago, NIO ep9 held its new car release event in London, earning the nickname "Mai Kai Wei".


    The remaining five limited edition supercars were also delivered to the company entrances of every founding investor.


    With a blue body and falcon wing doors, it indeed looked even cooler than the Pagani Zonda by a fair margin just from the exterior.


    Lu Liang had no intention of driving it, so he simply snapped a photo to upload to Weibo and Twitter before tossing it into the parking lot to gather dust.


    After all, not even crash tests were done, and besides, Li Bing had said in the group chat that he didn''t recommend they drive it¡ªit was meant as a keepsake.


    Lu Liang didn''t have a death wish, so why would he go seek his doom?


    Right after the ep9''s release event in London concluded, the company''s market valuation skyrocketed by 20 times, hitting two billion US dollars in an instant.


    Lu Liang also gradually understood this play: it was way more sophisticated than mere fundraising for development, with much more enormous returns.


    To say NIO was valued at two billion US dollars wasn''t because it genuinely had that valuation; it was because they wanted it to be valued at that.


    Because the institutions bumping up the valuation were Redwood, Tencent, Tokyo, and Gaoling¡ªall of whom were NIO''s founding investors.


    Only when they invested did other institutions and the market investors believe NIO''s valuation.


    What they, as founding investors, needed to do was to keep talking it up and investing money before it was recognized by the market.


    Until NIO''s valuation was accepted by the market and even went public, becoming a real market value.


    Lu Liang owned 10% of NIO, and for the next round of two hundred million dollars in funding, if no outsiders followed suit,


    These few venture capital firms would need to pool together the full two hundred million dollars according to their shareholdings to solidify NIO''s valuation.


    Until NIO was recognized by the market,


    They could then retire triumphantly and simply wait for the IPO.


    NIO wasn''t the only one playing this game; Li Xiang operated similarly, and probably Xiao Peng from afar off in Yangcheng was on the same track.


    The difference was that over at Li Xiang''s, some couldn''t afford to play and wanted to bow out mid-way, which is why Li Xiang turned to Lu Liang to take over.


    In the next round of funding, Lu Liang could get involved by just contributing 1% of the capital for 10% equity.


    Because those who couldn''t afford to play had to pay the price; with this mode of operation, you couldn''t just come and go as you pleased.


    Unless it was recognized by the market and someone took over, giving up midway on following up with the funds meant losing everything.


    The next day, on the 1st, Watermelon Video launched on schedule.


    Byte''s in-house jokes, Toutiao, and Feishu all vigorously promoted Watermelon Video''s one billion dollar support plan.


    The amount of capital invested was a hundred times that of Douyin''s, and in just half an hour after launch, user registrations broke the hundred thousand mark.


    Approaching noon, registration numbers already breached one million, and the platform was brimming with all types of short and medium-length videos.


    Lu Liang also contributed one registered user using his company''s phone, browsing the edge-skimming content he loved most on ordinary days.


    "Damn this network purification."


    Lu Liang sighed heavily, ever since the cleaning of the net, the ladies'' outfits had become more conservative, no longer revealing as much as before.


    Now they even covered their chest while bending over to prevent wardrobe malfunctions, whereas before, they almost couldn''t wait to show off to the audience.


    Ten minutes later, Lu Liang also experienced the terrifying nature of Byte''s algorithm and recommendation system.


    He had merely liked a few posts,


    Spending a bit longer on them than others.


    And it kept pushing the same type of content creators to him.


    It was irresistible, making one want to keep watching.


    He also realized how big the gap was between Douyin and Watermelon.


    Because Yang Zhenyuan had said that cultivating a user''s viewing habits required at least two hours of algorithm simulation, but Watermelon only needed ten minutes.


    "That''s at least a 12-fold difference."


    Lu Liang marveled, exclaiming that it was terrifying, effectively issuing a critical condition notice to Douyin.


    Now his only hope was that Douyin could last a little longer, so he could sell it for a nice price.

 Chapter 172 - 171: Spring Has Arrived

    Watermelon Video came in with a fury, and the industry cried out that the wolf had come.


    However, among the original video platforms, the biggest impact was not on Douyin or Kuai Shou, but on Bilibili, which had been seeking a transformation.


    ByteDance had clearly conducted an in-depth market research and found short videos were too short, long videos were too long, so they finally chose mid-length videos of 1-20 minutes.


    Bilibili was known for its long videos, and somehow, it seemed the longer the video, the better.


    After babbling on and on without ever getting to the point, Bilibili had already caused much dissatisfaction among users.


    There were also a bunch of self-righteous original second-dimensional users who looked down on this and that platform and were very resistant to outsiders, causing a lot of grief for many bloggers.


    A large number of video creators, having received the news, began to shift platforms, and if it really came down to choosing sides, they would likely abandon Bilibili without hesitation, unless they couldn''t make money on Watermelon.


    Chen Rui was an innocent victim, crying and fainting in the bathroom.


    Approaching noon, Lu Liang signed and confirmed the documents, updating the net value of Tianxing II private equity.


    This month''s net value was only 2.534, only a 0.194 increase from last month, and a 1.7% fall compared to the first phase.


    But this was a fund with an initial capital of one billion dollars, so even a 0.194 increase in net value amounted to earnings of 194 million dollars.


    If there were such earnings every month, the total annual earnings would be 2.28 billion dollars, a return of 228%.


    With such a high rate of return, who needs a bicycle?


    In short, Lu Liang had exceeded the annual performance target by shorting the British Pounds.


    Even if he stopped now and didn''t earn another penny.


    Even if there were losses, as long as the net value was above 2 at settlement, there would still be plenty of people waving their cash eagerly wanting to come in for the next phase.


    It wasn''t just about turning one dollar into two, but turning one billion dollars into two billion dollars.


    Vanguard led the world because they managed assets in the trillions of dollars, achieving a minimum annual return of 15.5% over the past five years, representing 155 billion dollars.


    The more funds there are, the harder it is to manage.


    "The total asset scale is 2.776 billion dollars."


    "US stocks took up 1.388 billion dollars."


    "A-shares took up 832.8 million dollars."


    "There is still 5.552 million dollars."


    "I invested 156.7 million dollars in Ningde."


    "That leaves 398.5 million dollars."


    With nearly four hundred million dollars in liquid funds, Lu Liang thought about how to spend it.


    Money not spent, just lying in an account, would only depreciate, which was a form of despicable waste.


    Regarding the new energy industry, apart from the financing agreed with Li Xiang next month, he didn''t want to invest in anything else for the time being.


    The market was overheated at the moment. Even the valuation of Ai Bao electric bicycles had been inflated by 30%.


    The national three-trillion support fund had a profound impact, driving the whole market into a frenzy.


    Now, at the peak of the tide, even nearly bankrupt LeEco had raised one billion dollars, making him cough up blood in astonishment.


    Who knows how many enterprises like LeEco there still are - if one wasn''t cautious with investing, they could end up buying in at the peak.


    Lu Liang shifted his focus internationally. The citizens of Old England couldn''t afford to play the game, personally feeling the negative effects of currency devaluation.


    A million people marched in the streets, applying to initiate a second national referendum; this time, they definitely wouldn''t vote for Brexit again.


    However, at the time of the vote, out of over thirty-three million voters, 17.17 million had voted for Brexit, far surpassing the opposition by 1.22 million.


    David Cameron hadn''t taken it seriously, stating it was just temporary pain, darkness before dawn, a bright future was waiting for them.


    Right now, he was like a woman who had initiated a divorce, with the decision already made and being implemented, determined to prove that her choice was correct.


    He was gambling that the EU, this big family, would fall apart without Great Britain, as if the divorced woman always felt she was very important.


    As long as the EU crumbled, even if it was just a facade of unity, they could return to the exalted status they had before marriage, sought after by many.


    Unlike the divorced woman, however, Old England could afford to wait.


    This process might take ten or even fifteen years, but he believed time would prove everything.


    All day long, Lu Liang had been perusing related news, until the clock struck midnight.


    "So stubborn."


    Silence filled the air; not a sound could be heard.


    This also meant that his idea of going long on British Pounds after Old England''s second referendum had fallen flat.


    The next day, Lu Liang received a phone call from Liu Mingxuan inviting him to his home.


    "Are you free this evening?" he asked, having cooked up a feast of four dishes and a soup, very sumptuous.


    "Nothing much."


    Lu Liang was puzzled, the house was practically empty, as if no one had lived there for a long time, and couldn''t help but ask, "Where''s your wife?"


    "She''s gone back to her hometown to prepare for childbirth, the due date is roughly early next month." S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Liu Mingxuan smiled, opened five or six bottles of beer, seemingly ready for a good, hearty drink.


    "What''s happening today?"


    The puzzled look on Lu Liang''s face intensified.


    "Both she and I are only children, it''s not ideal to keep staying in Modu. If something happens to the elders at home, I''m afraid we might not even have someone around to care for them."


    Puffing on a cigarette and sipping his beer, Liu Mingxuan talked about how he had already sold the house, and he had a high-speed train ticket for the next morning, but before leaving, he wanted to meet with Lu Liang for one last drink.


    Lu Liang remained silent, drinking most of a bottle himself, and after a long while, he asked, "Have you figured out what you''re going to do back home?"


    Liu Mingxuan laughed and said, "Her family has a small factory, and there are some connections, I plan to go back and get into e-commerce."


    Lu Liang pondered for a moment, then said, "You might want to keep an eye on Pinduoduo; it seems to have quite a bit of growth potential."


    Last year, Pinduoduo had launched, and amidst a nearly solidified e-commerce market, it forcefully carved out a slice of the pie for itself.


    And it was currently in a state of wild growth, far easier to make a name for oneself than in the established systems of JD and Taobao.


    Although it''s synonymous with ''cheap,'' nearly 600 million people in the country still have a monthly income of less than 1,000 Yuan.


    When Taobao started, it went through the same process, and Jack Ma was even called the king of knock-offs, only just this year he became Ma Ba Ba.


    It was a pity that Lu Liang came into money too late, missing the A and B rounds of financing; currently, Pinduoduo''s valuation had reached 18 billion US dollars.


    With the financial and traffic support from Tencent, he saw no chance for himself to enter the fray.


    "I will go take a look," Liu Mingxuan said earnestly, after all, not many people received personal advice from Lu God.


    "Wishing you a safe and prosperous journey."


    Lu Liang raised his glass; having been in Modu for so many years, he was accustomed to the departures of friends and didn''t have much else to offer in the way of help.


    Liu Mingxuan probably wasn''t short on funds, because the house had been bought back when Lu Liang helped him get ahead in sales.


    With the real estate market now booming, it should be worth more than five million.


    He initially made a 70% down payment, nearly a full payment, and the mortgage was paid off by 2012, pocketing over five million.


    "Once a young man with ambitions everywhere, envying the geese flying south~~" Liu Mingxuan suddenly began to hum a tune.


    Lu Liang''s face darkened, and he glared, "Can you not be so melodramatic?"


    "Liang, Liang, the one I can''t let go of is you," Liu Mingxuan said with a face full of sorrow.


    "Don''t make me smack you down."


    "Bring it on; after this, even if you wanted to hit me, you''ll not get the chance."


    Lu Liang glanced over, took out his phone, and opened Weibo: "This one, and this one too, I''ve slept with them."


    "Damn, you''ve even scored with my Ai Bao."


    Liu Mingxuan''s face darkened, then suddenly he grinned, trying to butter up, asking with a sycophantic smile, "Was it good?"


    He understood Lu Liang; the people he would brag about were not the ones he truly cared about.


    Liu Mingxuan was no exception.


    In the past, when Liu Mingxuan casually mingled, he''d even take sneak photos of the full backside of his jogging buddies and send them to Lu Liang to show off his charm with women.


    As for his now wife, it wasn''t until his wedding day that he introduced her very formally to Lu Liang.


    Lu Liang grinned wickedly: "Your Ai Bao used to be thinner, she''s gained some weight, fairly plump."


    "Go to hell, drink up."


    Liu Mingxuan appeared indignant, the wheel of fate turns, no one is spared by heaven, and now it was his turn to defend.


    They drank until after two in the afternoon, with Liu Mingxuan practically passed out, ending up asleep on the table.


    Lu Liang had five bottles but was still standing,


    He helped him up to the sofa and covered him with a coat.


    Leaving behind a red envelope of 2000 Yuan for his soon-to-be-born nephew, or niece.


    Lu Liang walked out of the house and found it was raining, a fine mist in the air with a kind of sticky feel.


    "Spring is here, another new year."

 Chapter 173 - 172: Wealth Brings Firepower Coverage

    The next day, Liu Mingxuan sent a message, "I''m leaving, thank my son for your red envelope."


    "Safe travels."


    Lu Liang received it, replied with a message, and then ignored it.


    When a relationship reached a certain level, even if they only met once a year, they could quickly regain the old times'' feeling.


    He and Liu Mingxuan had that kind of relationship.


    On April 7, Watermelon Video had been online for a week.


    The data was extremely impressive, with registration volume breaking the ten million mark.


    Initially, most came for the "wool," but Byte''s algorithm was exquisite, and the "wool" wasn''t for everyone to exploit.


    Gradually, some creators'' data weren''t favorable, and they gave up on their intent to exploit, thus staying on Watermelon Video.


    Although Douyin''s user base had reached five million and was considered a modestly successful app, Watermelon Video''s sudden rise put Yang Zhenyuan under a lot of pressure, making him sleepless night after night, his broad forehead even more prominent.


    That day, he rushed from Beijing to Modu to discuss with Lu Liang, planning to use clause twenty-one of their contract early.


    Clause twenty-one stated he had the right to suggest that all shareholders dilute their shares to pool 5-10% into an equity incentive pool, but this needed a 66.7% majority to pass.


    Even without Series A funding, his holding was only 60%, so he needed Lu Liang''s support.


    Yang Zhenyuan knew where Douyin fell short compared to Watermelon, so he planned to poach several industry bigwigs.


    Real bigwigs couldn''t be swayed by money alone; the price Douyin could afford, others could easily outbid.


    Equity was the sole tether.


    Originally, it was because of this that Yang Zhenyuan included clause twenty-one in the contract.


    He just never thought he''d have to resort to it so soon, but there was no choice¡ªthe algorithm of Watermelon was too strong.


    Douyin couldn''t even see its competitor''s back.


    "Wait a bit longer, if we use it now, we won''t have another chance."


    Lu Liang reviewed Douyin''s various data from the past week; although both the user base and daily active users had increased, the quality had clearly declined.


    Before Watermelon appeared, Douyin''s average daily active users were about 250,000, with an average online duration of about 72 minutes.


    Since the launch of Watermelon, in just seven days, the average daily online time had forcibly reduced to 66 minutes, with a downward trend.


    Yang Zhenyuan sighed bitterly and couldn''t help feeling a bit pessimistic, "If we don''t use it now, will there ever be another chance?"


    "There will be."


    Lu Liang''s brow was tightly furrowed, and Yang Zhenyuan''s pessimism was not a good sign.


    If Douyin couldn''t rise up, how would he ever sell it at a good price?


    A spirited competitor and a beaten cur by the roadside were incomparable in price.


    "Let''s do this, first recruit a large number of engineers, attract talent by offering salaries 150% above the industry average."


    "Don''t worry about financial issues, just ensure the funds are put to good use, and if money is insufficient, I''ll figure something out."


    Lu Liang pondered, if plan A failed, they only had to change tactics and pave a golden path with money.


    If history hadn''t changed, by mid-November next year, Toutiao would expend one billion dollars to acquire Musical.ly for Douyin, resulting in a merger.


    For Byte to invest such a large sum in Douyin, its valuation must exceed one billion dollars, conservatively estimated at two billion dollars.


    Lu Liang still had nearly four hundred million dollars in cash, worrying about nowhere to spend it¡ªhe could engage in a real battle with Zhang Yiming.


    According to Zhu Hu, Byte''s liquid funds were just over two hundred million dollars, already spending one billion to promote Watermelon Video.


    Though not disbursed all at once, including Byte''s funds, it wouldn''t exceed two hundred million dollars.


    Nearly four hundred million dollars, couldn''t he overpower them, completely undercutting their foundation?


    After all, times had changed, and as the saying goes, the poor must interweave tactics, while the rich cover with firepower.


    Lu Liang now possessed the capital for covering with firepower; Zhang Yiming had better come over honestly to negotiate peace, or Lu Liang wouldn''t mind fighting him to the end.


    "Thank you, Mr. Lu. You are our anchor. With your words, we can rest assured."


    Yang Zhenyuan was overjoyed. It was good to rely on a big supporter; equity was important, but real gold and silver were more essential.


    The real tech moguls were out of reach, but they could produce volume, through massive piles of shitty code, simulating algorithms.


    They could at least reduce the gap in algorithms from a factor of 12 to within a factor of 6, that is, building user profiles in one hour.


    Yang Zhenyuan didn''t realize that Lu Liang''s heart wasn''t in it; he was solely focused on electric vehicles, and this move was merely a tactic for seeking peace through battle.


    In the afternoon, Yang Zhenyuan returned to Beijing with Lu Liang''s promise, and then the whole Beijing Circle''s internet giants exploded.


    Baidu, the old employer, took the brunt, offering a salary 150% higher than the current rate to poach an entire tech team.


    Next were ByteDance and Kuai Shou, who continuously lost more than fifty people who formed a research team of over one hundred members.


    "Holy shit, has Yang Zhenyuan gone mad?"


    "Raising 1.5 million dollars in Series A, could that make him so aggressive? Jumping over, it''d be hilarious if he ends up broke."


    "My cousin works at Douyin, heard Yang Zhenyuan just got back from Modu, seems like he went to meet Lu Liang."


    "Lu Liang... isn''t he into new energy? What''s he doing meddling with short videos?"


    "New energy is current, but earlier he saw potential in short videos; it''s said that it was because of him Yang Zhenyuan left Byte to start his own thing."


    "No need to say ''it''s said'', Lu Liang is the founding investor of Douyin, still holding a 33.25% stake even after the Series A financing."


    "Damn, Byte''s in for it now; when it comes to splashing cash, who nowadays can outspend Lu Liang?"


    In some place in Zhongguang Village, several big company employees were chatting idly, when it came to splashing cash, nobody could outspend Lu Liang, that was almost consensus.


    After all, the first quarter of this year isn''t over yet, and Lu Liang''s two private equity funds already earned 1.3 billion dollars.


    Even if he decided to spend 300 million dollars just for fun, and even if it all went down the drain, investors wouldn''t dare complain.


    In contrast, Byte is just an unprofitable internet company; talking about splashing cash, they really can''t compete with Lu Liang.


    As evening approached, Zhu Hu suddenly called: "Has Yang Zhenyuan gone crazy? Was this really your idea?"


    "Yes, it was my idea."


    Lu Liang smiled, paused, then added, "If you don''t want to follow, I can take back the shares from Golden Sand River."


    Zhu Hu pondered for a long time, then suddenly asked, "How much of a premium are you planning to pay?"


    "How about 10%? Making some interest isn''t bad."


    Zhu Hu turned gloomy, gruffly retorted, "Can you be any more ruthless?"


    "Does that mean you''re in?" Lu Liang asked with a smile.


    "I''m in for whatever amount; I think Shen Peng feels the same, don''t think about leaving us behind."


    Zhu Hu was fiercely resentful; by now, no one would question Lu Liang''s insight in investment or speculation.


    As a victim, he had particular authority.


    Sometimes, he couldn''t help but wonder if Lu Liang had calculated it all.


    Otherwise, how could he have timely withdrawn from ofo, letting him voluntarily pay a 20% premium to take over.


    Although ofo''s valuation reached 500 million dollars, management issues and financial problems were continuously revealed.


    Especially Dai Wei, this guy seemed determined to carry the Enfeoffment Decree through to the end, planning to bring Jingwei Capital into the Series C financing and even give up another veto right.


    Hearing this news, Zhu Hu was extremely frustrated, already discussing with Ali about exiting the deal even at a loss.


    Lu Liang exiting in Series B was admittedly very timely, as if he had predicted it.


    Now, Golden Sand River holds shares in Douyin, and Lu Liang let Yang Zhenyuan go ahead and provided financial support.


    It seemed he was very optimistic about Douyin''s development; despite Byte''s looming threat, Lu Liang was a man adept at creating miracles.


    He insisted on staying to the end,


    even if it meant losing money.


    Lu Liang felt somewhat disenchanted: "If you''re in, then fine, I''ll ask Shen Peng''s opinion."


    After ending the call with Zhu Hu, Lu Liang phoned Shen Peng, who answered almost identically.


    He laughingly said, "Just tell us the shortfall directly, as long as you''re still in, Redwood will keep following."


    Even though he too couldn''t grasp Lu Liang''s thoughts, losing a few hundred million was still something he could afford.


    He trusted Lu Liang''s vision. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 174 - 173: The Flames of War Spread Outwards

    "Wait until Douyin spends all the money in its account, then raise another 10 million US dollars,"


    Lu Liang sighed helplessly, suddenly understanding what it meant to be burdened by fame; this was the burden of fame.


    Fame is a double-edged sword, you can call to arms and countless people will charge with you, but everything you want to do is scrutinized.


    Moving quietly into the village, no gunslinging needed.


    That would be basically impossible from now on, either lay the groundwork in advance, or go in openly. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "No problem."


    Shen Peng was all smiles, in a very good mood.


    Not only the netizens wanted to make a fortune with Lu Liang, but they also wanted to join him in making big money.


    Now, even if Lu Liang said poop was chocolate flavor, there would probably be people who couldn''t resist trying it out.


    The caveat was that Lu Liang needed to taste it first.


    Just like Douyin now.


    ByteDance is strong, experienced, and has the technology, but the probability of it dominating the original video market is definitely not as high as that of Old England leaving the EU.


    Old England leaving the EU, such a low-probability event, yet Lu Liang dared to use all his capital, even deploying at least ten times leverage.


    Call him a gambler or a maniac, but he bet right, and so far, he hasn''t lost a single time.


    Once or twice could be good luck, but five or six times, it''s about strength, so Shen Peng and Zhu Hu are willing to play along with Lu Liang.


    After a few days, three institutions pooled together 10 million US dollars and injected it into Douyin, resulting in a reallocation of shares.


    Lu Liang invested 3.4 million US dollars, his 34% stake remained unchanged.


    Golden Sand River invested 3.52 million, and Redwood invested 3.08 million US dollars, each holding 16% and 14% stakes respectively.


    Yang Zhenyuan''s 51% ownership could have remained undiluted, but he couldn''t come up with 5.1 million US dollars.


    Fortunately, after dilution, he still held 36% of the shares, still the largest shareholder of Douyin.


    Lu Liang''s lips curved into a smile as he murmured to himself, "After the next round of financing, Douyin will take the Lu surname."


    He could have actually taken over Yang Zhenyuan''s diluted shares, but there was no need. Once he became Douyin''s major shareholder, Yang Zhenyuan would probably be wary of making any abrupt moves.


    Lu Liang didn''t want Douyin to become another ofo, and moreover, Shen Peng and Zhu Hu invested in Douyin again because they trusted him.


    Having the shares in their hands was no different than in Lu Liang''s; it just meant earning a little less in the future.


    Another critical point was that both Redwood and Golden Sand River were Byte''s shareholders.


    When Zhang Yiming didn''t want to make peace, Shen Peng and Zhu Hu would also push his head down and facilitate a merger of both parties.


    Ever since Douyin received the ten million dollars, it suddenly became aggressive, no longer shrinking back, but taking the initiative to strike.


    Increasing offers and quantity, it launched a billion-yuan creator incentive plan and then lifted the medium video restrictions, directly targeting Watermelon.


    For a time, it went back and forth with Watermelon, and the battle gradually spread throughout the original video industry.


    When the big dog fights the second, sometimes it''s the third that gets killed ¨C this happens often in the business world.


    Because the third party, while eating popcorn and watching the drama, fails to realize that the first and second''s user growth comes from sucking the third''s blood.


    Watermelon is not the industry leader, nor is Douyin the second in line, but nobody wants to become the third, drained by others.


    Therefore, Kuai Shou and Bilibili also refuse to show weakness, launching their billion-yuan creator incentive plans overnight.


    One after another, all claiming to invest a billion yuan.


    But how much they actually invested, outsiders wouldn''t know. However, outsiders saw that the self-media bloggers'' spring seemed to have arrived.


    Because the published videos were free content, they basically didn''t involve product promotion; uploading a video onto four platforms and benefiting from all four was basic practice.


    One day, a blogger couldn''t resist sharing their earnings, revealing that a video with over 100,000 views on four platforms had a total revenue exceeding 4,000 yuan.


    Once announced, it caused a sensation across the internet; overnight, self-media became the hottest emerging profession.


    Soon, the war of self-media spread beyond the industry.


    It''s said anybody could enter the self-media industry, but at the very least, a slightly clearer imaging device was needed for shooting.


    OPPO was the first to react since they specialized in photography smartphones. They caught this lucrative wave perfectly and launched the R9 model.


    That month''s sales, beating Apple and kicking Xiaomi, made Chen Mingyong''s mouth crooked with joy; fortune had fallen from the sky while he sat at home.


    Seeing this, other smartphone brands panicked.


    Although the autumn launch was still half a year away, they rallied and joined the fray with this year''s new models.


    If need be, they''d develop another new phone in the fall.


    Even if they couldn''t catch this immense wave of wealth, they definitely couldn''t let OPPO shine alone.


    Because since the advent of the smartphone era, it''s been difficult to innovate upon existing functionalities, with the only option being to optimize and re-optimize them.


    Camera capabilities became almost the unanimous next target for all smartphone manufacturers, also serving as the entry ticket to the high-end flagship market.


    If OPPO captured all this traffic wave, from then on, when people thought of camera phones, they''d think only of OPPO.


    Then they''d be eating dust.


    "Mr. Lu, everyone in our competitor''s chat group is cursing you," Lei Jun couldn''t help but complain in the group.


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but laugh and cry, "Then, Mr. Lei, did you curse me too?"


    He hadn''t expected that merely backing Douyin and Watermelon would spark a wildfire on the grassland in the dry season. The fire grew more and more uncontrollable, spreading across the country and affecting the mobile phone industry.


    Lei Jun was silent for a long while, then sent a sighing emoji, "I should be the one who cursed you the most."


    "???" Lu Liang was utterly confused.


    Not until the next day, when the entire internet was abuzz with Xiaomi''s newly introduced concept phone, did he understand why Lei Jun had said that.


    The Xiaomi MIX, the world''s first full-screen phone, featuring a front side devoid of physical buttons, an astounding 91.3% screen-to-body ratio, and a visually stunning ceramic body design.


    Upon its release, it caused a national sensation.


    "Xiaomi''s ambition isn''t ordinary at all."


    Lu Liang was shocked, finding it much better looking than the Apple 6s, and thinking he should probably avoid Lei Jun next time, lest he get beaten up.


    After all, such an epoch-making phone was likely scheduled to debut at the end of the year to impact the high-end flagship market, but it got leaked so much sooner.


    Even he felt a bit regretful.


    In the meantime, the online discussions were rampant.


    However, when netizens discussed how much longer Xiaomi MIX would be playing monkey tricks on them, they always brought up Lu Liang.


    "Tsk tsk, at that time and at this moment, who could have imagined they''d be so alike?"


    "It''s uncannily similar. This situation is just like last year''s bike-sharing craze, sparked by Lu Liang''s first shot, which then suddenly swept the nation."


    "This guy has a strong knack for causing trouble. I''m quite looking forward to electric cars now. When will Lu Liang step in?"


    "Don''t even think about new energy vehicles without three to five years, that''s just the R&D cycle. Bike sharing had quick success because it''s simple to manufacture, and the smartphone market is already a battlefield of many contenders."


    A netizen with keen insight spoke the truth.


    But one had to admire Lu Liang''s ability to attract traffic. In whichever industry, he could stir great waves.


    Wang Xiaocong''s position as the top internet celebrity in the country might be overtaken, especially since without Wanda, Little Wang is nothing.


    In contrast, Lu Liang rose to prominence in an era where grassroots success stories are nearly extinct, always making a big splash.


    Battling in the original video content sector, he could even spread the war to the smartphone arena; it was as if absurdity''s mother opened the door to more absurdity, bringing absurdity right to home.


    At this moment, in Beijing, ByteDance.


    Zhang Yiming narrowed his eyes, muttering to himself, "Does he really want to go head-to-head with us, or is he just looking to sell at a good price?"


    He couldn''t quite understand Lu Liang''s actions. After all, causing such a commotion, if it was just to negotiate a truce, seemed like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut.


    But if it wasn''t for negotiating a settlement,


    what was Lu Liang''s purpose?


    Could he truly believe that Douyin could beat Watermelon?


    Although Yang Zhenyuan poached quite a few engineers, Byte''s R&D team was centered around him.


    As long as Zhang Yiming was there, Byte would always be able to perform dimensionality reduction attacks on Douyin on the algorithmic technology level.


    He suddenly felt lost.


    After much thought, he decided to call Zhu Hu, planning to gauge Lu Liang''s intentions through him.


    If it was to grow the market, then everyone should just focus on doing well, instead of this life-or-death struggle.


    Why not just merge when the time is right.


    Zhu Hu laughed, "I don''t know what he''s thinking either; I just feel that he has good judgment, so I''m just playing along."


    "¡­"


    Zhang Yiming was at a loss for words, but Zhu Hu added, "Why think too much? If you don''t understand, just ask him directly."


    Zhu Hu said, "In a few days, Li Xiang Auto will be securing funding, and he should come to Beijing. I can set up a meeting for you guys to have a good chat, how about that?"


    Zhang Yiming pondered for a long while, "Thank you, Mr. Zhu. I''ll personally seek out Mr. Lu and ask him then."


    Lu Liang had money, but Byte didn''t; every penny of theirs was earmarked for a specific purpose.


    If it''s about playing with technology, Zhang Yiming is confident to push them all in together, but when it comes to capital, they really can''t compete with Lu Liang.

 Chapter 175 - 174: Vehicle System 3.0

    In early May, before heading to Beijing, Lu Liang casually attended Panda''s financing meeting.


    With a valuation of 280 million US dollars, Panda offered 25% of its shares and received 446 million dollars in financing funds from five venture capital firms including LeEco, Golden Sand River, and Chenhai.


    As soon as Lu Liang arrived, he encountered Jia Yuetting, who was all smiles and chatting cheerfully, seemingly rejuvenated after securing a billion in financing to clear some loans and get the court case dismissed.


    It seemed that LeEco was leading the investment again, fiercely throwing 158 million RMB into Panda, as if to declare to outsiders that LeEco was still standing strong, and Old Jia was still spirited.


    "Mr. Lu, I heard you are going to invest in Li Xiang?"


    Boss Jia looked slightly resentful. NIO invested, Li Xiang invested, but why not invest in his LeSEE?


    If he could get Lu Liang''s investment, he could raise another three billion, possibly giving him a second shot at life.


    The financial situation at LeEco was actually much more severe than people imagined, severe enough that he booked a flight to the United States every day, ready to seek opportunities there.


    "Last time I went to Beijing, I had a pleasant conversation with Li Xiang. I am quite optimistic about the new energy industry." Lu Liang smiled.


    "What do you think of our LeSEE?" Jia Yuetting asked.


    "It''s quite promising, the connected car ecosystem has great potential, perhaps it will be mainstream in the future," Lu Liang expressed his admiration undisguised.


    Jia Yuetting brightened up, sensing an opportunity, "Mr. Lu, our LeSEE is going to have its Series B fundraising next week."


    "LeSEE is a good project, but it shouldn''t be under the LeEco name. We prefer to invest in startups."


    Lu Liang maintained his smile, sharing his company''s investment philosophy, which was also a tactful way of declining LeEco''s fundraising invitation.


    A company can be entangled in lawsuits for failing to pay suppliers or for other reasons, but should not be sued by banks for loan defaults.


    The reasons for failing to pay suppliers can vary, such as substandard quality or delayed delivery, which cannot satisfy inspectors.


    But there''s only one reason for failing to pay back bank loans and that''s simply having no money.


    And Lu Liang was also telling the truth, he preferred to invest in developing companies, wanting to save his first substantial investment for Ningde Era, to help Ningde break through to a trillion market value sooner.


    "Well, coincidentally, Mr. Lu, you might not know this, but I founded a new energy vehicle company called Faraday Future in Las Vegas two years ago."


    Jia Yuetting was excited, feeling he found a like-minded person, and decided to start anew as he thought LeEco was past the point of return.


    A hint of speechlessness flashed in Lu Liang''s eyes. Old Jia really thrived on the slightest of positivity. He turned to Little Wang, "Mr. Jia, let''s find another time to talk in detail; Mr. Wang seems to be looking for me about something."


    "Ah, alright, alright."


    Jia Yuetting nodded repeatedly, watching Lu Liang walk away, and suddenly felt this opportunity was half successful.


    Lu Liang, more famous in Europe and America than domestically, dominated the Wall Street scene for so many years. Few could make Wall Street bow down.


    Just like NIO unveiling a concept car, the EP9, and it being hyped to a valuation of two hundred million dollars, which was generally considered overvalued in Europe and America.


    A bit high?


    That meant that just a slight reduction would make the valuation reasonable. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A high-performance assembled car valued at two hundred million.


    Jia Yuetting''s eyes turned red with envy.


    He was well aware that this had something to do with Lu Liang.


    Li Bing knew too damn well where to hold the new car launch, in London, right after Lu Liang had shorted the British Pounds.


    With Brexit causing the Pound to plummet, Lu Liang might not have earned the most, but he certainly was the most dazzling.


    Li Bing, during an interview with The Times, also carefully chose his words, saying their NIO vehicle was the project Lu Liang had invested the most money in over the past year.


    His statement wasn''t wrong; a single investment of tens of millions of dollars was indeed the major investment Lu Liang made last year.


    The venture capitalists, loving both the house and its crow, felt that NIO vehicles indeed had something to offer.


    Man''s reputation, like a tree''s shadow.


    Hating Lu Liang didn''t mean they didn''t respect him.


    Boss Jia secretly decided, as long as Faraday could secure an investment from Lu Liang, he would flee directly to the United States and lay low for several years.


    After achieving results, he planned to make a triumphant return, so he wouldn''t have to constantly battle the severe internal strife due to LeEco''s finances.


    "What''s up?"


    Wang Xiaocong was completely confused, seeing Lu Liang quickly approaching, while the person talking to Little Wang tactfully smiled, greeted, and left.


    "Just came to see." Lu Liang shook his head and chuckled; Old Jia was too enthusiastic, he was a bit hard to handle.


    Wang Xiaocong didn''t ask much and began to talk about the details of the financing, mainly signing a stock repurchase agreement.


    Three years later, if they couldn''t meet the listing requirements, they would need to repurchase 25% of the equity raised this time at a 10% premium.


    "Is it Panda, or is it you?" Lu Liang asked.


    "It''s Panda," Wang Xiaocong said softly.


    He thought it over and decided to follow through to the end. If they couldn''t be listed in three years, he would simply apply for bankruptcy.


    By then, sell what needed to be sold, at most compensate a hundred million or so, and then live peacefully as a rich second generation.


    Lu Liang heard his plan to go all in and sighed, "Don''t be too ambitious, stabilize until you get listed before you stir things up."


    His equity had been diluted in two rounds, left with only 9.56%, even if Panda applied for bankruptcy, the responsibility wouldn''t fall on him, it would just mean a loss on the initial investment.


    "When the money is spent, if there are still no results, I''ll go seek out Tencent or Ali."


    Little Wang showed a helpless expression, after being beaten down, he had gotten honest. Internet entrepreneurship was impossible to go through without dealing with these two giants, and Lu Liang wasn''t willing to support him like he supported Douyin.


    Without major capital backing and unwilling to get close to Ali or Tencent, entrepreneurship was damn hard.


    "Tencent is reliable, Ali has money."


    Lu Liang left these words and then left the venue.


    He would support Douyin because Douyin could bring him benefits, but supporting Little Wang, he couldn''t see any benefit.


    That noon, Lu Liang took a flight to Beijing to attend a financing meeting for Li Xiang. This financing amounted to two hundred million dollars, with Tianxing Assets contributing twenty million, acquiring 10% equity in Li Xiang.


    This time it was said to be financing, but it was actually a follow-up investment, some couldn''t keep up, inviting Lu Liang to take his place, only needing to provide 1% of the funds to gain 10% equity.


    But they still called it financing because it was a good opportunity to raise the valuation.


    After the meeting, Zhu Hu found Lu Liang and mentioned that Zhang Yiming intended to meet him for a chat.


    "The recent moves you''ve made have really made a big impact."


    Zhu Hu said with a smile.


    With the support of Lu Liang''s funds, Douyin''s recent valuation had soared, nearly reaching eighty million dollars.


    If they now removed restrictions and allowed outsiders in, numerous people would wave their money and line up to join, unlike the falsely inflated two billion dollars valuation of Liang and NIO.


    "That was not my intention," sighed Lu Liang.


    In the mobile phone industry, he knew Lei Jun, which he had also met through NIO. Now with the mobile sector creating a buzz around the city, and even blaming him as the instigator, where could he go to argue his case.


    "The greater your ability, the larger your responsibility," Zhu Hu reflected.


    "That doesn''t sound like something you would say," Lu Liang said in shock.


    Zhu Hu laughed, "Maybe I''ve been with Shen Peng, that bastard, for too long, and he''s rubbed off on me."


    The two of them chatted and laughed, preparing to leave.


    Li Xiang suddenly stopped Lu Liang: "Mr. Lu, is Huaqing''s research institute developing Vehicle Machine 3.0?"


    Vehicle Machine was a shorthand, which could be called an automotive computer, or smart control system, or onboard navigation, but Vehicle Machine was simpler and more straightforward.


    The concept of Vehicle Machine was first introduced in the 1980s. Vehicle Machine 1.0 only had tape playback and radio functions. Vehicle Machine 2.0, which is the mainstream in today''s market, included DVD, MP3, and navigation features.


    Arriving at Vehicle Machine 3.0, the third-generation product needs to incorporate a driver assistance system, a 360¡ã 3D panoramic driving visual assistance system, and a new smooth UI 2.0 information aggregation desktop.


    Globally, only Tesla''s Vehicle Machines have reached 3.0; this is one of the reasons why Tesla dares to ask for high prices with its bare interior, much like Apple.


    Lu Liang nodded in acknowledgment, "But at the moment, I''ve only just assembled the research team."


    He was also planning to visit the research institute to check how well the team was being organized. After all, having invested twenty million dollars, one can''t just listen to the noise.


    This money was his own.


    "Mr. Lu, if the research institute achieves results, please make sure to inform us promptly," Li Xiang said sincerely.


    He understood Lu Liang''s intentions; Vehicle Machine was like the mobile systems of the past, once widely accepted and setting the standards, he would just need to lie at home and collect money.


    Li Xiang also had the idea of developing Vehicle Machine, but research is a money pit, they didn''t have the energy or funds to waste on it.


    If there were a mature Vehicle Machine system available, Li Xiang wouldn''t mind cooperating with Tianxing Technology, and that could bring him even closer to Lu Liang.


    The current new energy vehicle industry is like the mobile industry of ten years ago when just assembling phones was enough, who cared about the system?


    Surely, Li Xiang''s future would involve in-house development of Vehicle Machine, but right now, the company''s main task was to survive.

 Chapter 176 - 175: Suitable for Douyin?

    "No problem, it''s a trivial matter."


    After saying goodbye to Li Xiang, Lu Liang and Zhu Hu left the company. Unable to restrain himself, Zhu Hu asked, "Do you really see such great potential in new energy?"


    Although Lu Liang had also invested heavily in Douyin, he always felt that Lu Liang treated Douyin almost the same as he treated ofo.


    In contrast, he was especially attentive to new energy.


    Due to national support, the total sales of the new energy market reached 74,000 vehicles in the first quarter of this year, an increase of 32% year over year.


    But even if steady growth is maintained, the total annual sales would only reach 296,000 vehicles, an increase of 46,000 vehicles from last year.


    What of it?


    Data do not lie; on average, a vehicle can only earn 12,000, including national and local subsidies.


    If the country were to cancel the subsidy program, every sold vehicle would result in a loss. No matter how you look at it, it''s a losing deal.


    Lu Liang didn''t seem like someone who would farm subsidies from the government; after all, earning a small amount of money by farming subsidies is less appealing than playing the stock market.


    Lu Liang showed a smile. "It''s the same idea as Golden Sand River investing in Li Xiang and Redwood investing in NIO."


    He had initially just wanted to engage in some industrial activities to let himself ''walk on two legs,'' firmly grasping both finance and industry.


    Later he learned that in five years, Ningde Era''s market value had broken through a trillion, which only made him more determined about new energy.


    Zhu Hu frowned tightly, as Lu Liang''s nature of investment clearly differed from their type of investment.


    Lu Liang didn''t want to explain, and Zhu Hu didn''t continue to ask. He informed him of the meeting location. "Zhang Yiming should have arrived."


    "See you in a bit."


    Lu Liang smiled and waved his hand as they each got into their cars and headed to Lanting Restaurant in the western part of the city.


    Zhang Yiming was waiting in a private room of the restaurant. Lu Liang took the initiative with a smile, "Mr. Zhang, we meet again."


    "Yes, Mr. Lu, how have you been recently?"


    Zhang Yiming also extended his hand, and a smile appeared on his face.


    "Not bad, everything''s going smoothly."


    After exchanging pleasantries, Zhang Yiming directly asked, "Mr. Lu, regarding what you said at the Douyin financing meeting, does it still hold?"


    Lu Liang smiled, without a second thought, "Of course, it still holds."


    Zhang Yiming breathed a sigh of relief. With Lu Liang putting it this way, it meant he didn''t want to compete fiercely to the end with them; there was room for a turnaround. He pondered for a moment, "I think it''s almost time."


    Lu Liang inquired, "Mr. Zhang, how do you plan on cooperating? Who will take the lead, and who will assist?"


    Zhang Yiming naturally stated, "Of course Watermelon will lead, and Douyin will assist."


    "No, that won''t work," Lu Liang shook his head.


    Zhang Yiming''s expression soured, and he couldn''t help but look at Zhu Hu.


    How much had Douyin invested, and how much had Watermelon invested?


    To have Watermelon play a supporting role to Douyin? Does Douyin deserve that role?


    Even if Lu Liang is wealthy, it wasn''t fair to bully them like this, right?


    It was no longer a matter of a snake swallowing an elephant but an ant stepping on an elephant.


    Even if he agreed, would Byte''s shareholders agree?


    From the conversation between the two, Zhu Hu also understood the situation.


    He quickly offered a placating smile, "Mr. Lu, why don''t we discuss the specifics of the cooperation plan again?"


    Both Douyin and Byte had investments from Golden Sand River. Although they held more shares in Douyin, he also felt that Douyin wasn''t qualified.


    "Mr. Zhang, Mr. Zhu, don''t worry."


    Lu Liang''s lips curved up suddenly as he asked, "If the technology of both companies were the same, which product, in your opinion, has more developmental potential, Douyin or Watermelon?"


    "Well~" Zhu Hu appeared conflicted, as he really didn''t understand this area and didn''t have a habit of watching videos daily.


    Zhang Yiming furrowed his brow and fell into deep thought. After a while, he sighed, "It should be Douyin."


    With his experience of founding startups five times, his judgment was that Douyin''s name and product concept were undoubtedly of the world''s top standards, only held back by lagging algorithm and systems technology.


    Zhang Yiming suddenly looked at Lu Liang with a resentful gaze.


    If it weren''t for Lu Liang''s visit to Byte that day, Yang Zhenyuan might not have resigned, and perhaps Douyin might have become their product of Byte.


    Each time he thought of this incident, he felt a pain so profound that he couldn''t breathe, leading to many sleepless nights, causing Byte to strictly ban anyone from visiting for a long time.


    Lu Liang coughed a few times and chuckled, "Mr. Zhang truly has a background as a top technologist, your assessment is quite objective."


    Zhang Yiming said irritably, "Mr. Lu, stop beating around the bush and just say what you want to say."


    He suddenly felt like he might have misunderstood something¡ªWatermelon being the complement to Douyin was purely from a cooperative perspective, not about the ownership after the merger.


    The next second, Lu Liang''s words confirmed Zhang Yiming''s suspicion, "Douyin''s management rights, decision-making rights, even calling it Byte Douyin, I have no objections, but it must be centered on Douyin."


    Since learning that Yang Zhenyuan''s Douyin was underperforming compared to Zhang Yiming''s Watermelon, Lu Liang had decided to facilitate a merger between the two parties.


    However, blood relation and adoption were different, so he needed Byte''s assurance that they would treat Douyin as their own. The best way was to have Watermelon support Douyin.


    Zhang Yiming pondered for a long time. Watermelon was just a month old and didn''t yet carry a brand effect¡ªproviding support to Douyin was feasible as long as the sovereignty was in his hands, "Mr. Lu, how do you propose we cooperate?"


    Now he saw that Lu Liang had no emotional attachment to Douyin, his interest was purely financial.


    "Both parties should disclose their data and have a third party verify it, then reallocate the shares based on the valuation."


    "Agreed."


    Douyin''s valuation was around 0.7-1.2 billion US dollars, while Watermelon''s was between 1.8-2.2 billion US dollars.


    No matter what, Watermelon was firmly in an advantageous position, and securing the leading role was already a certainty.


    "Mr. Zhang, a pleasure doing business with you," Lu Liang said with a smile.


    "A pleasure doing business."


    Zhang Yiming smiled slightly, then curiously asked, "Mr. Lu, how do you plan to arrange for Yang Zhenyuan?"


    "Mr. Yang, although from a technical background, seems more suited to be an operations officer."


    "Zhenyuan is indeed quite skilled in operations."


    Zhang Yiming nodded but did not inquire further on how Lu Liang would convince Yang Zhenyuan¡ªit wasn''t his concern.


    Zhu Hu suddenly stood up and clapped, his face beaming, "Only by strong unions can we be invincible."


    He felt like it was overkill¡ªLu Liang had caused such a stir over Douyin, upsetting numerous smartphone manufacturers¡ªwas this really a perfect ending?


    It seemed slightly unrealistic.


    What happened to bringing them all fortune?


    Just this?


    The return was quite meager.


    Lu Liang said cheerfully, "Without Mr. Zhu''s matchmaking, Mr. Zhang and I wouldn''t have had the opportunity to collaborate."


    "Mr. Lu, you flatter me," Zhang Yiming also laughed, his eyes flickering with a hint of perplexity.


    Could it be that last year, when Lu Liang visited Byte and he had rejected Lu Liang''s investment, Lu Liang had taken offense?


    And thus, this whole series of events?


    If so, then Lu Liang was frighteningly petty.


    But if not, he couldn''t think of a better explanation.


    Could handing Douyin over to them really transform it qualitatively? There was a possibility, but it seemed unlikely.


    After dinner, Zhu Hu suggested going out for fun, but Zhang Yiming politely declined¡ªhe knew what "fun" entailed, but he was a serious person.


    "Just as pretentious as Shen Peng."


    Zhu Hu scowled, then turned to Lu Liang, winking and grinning with a smile that only men could understand.


    Lu Liang laughed, "I ''m going to talk with Yang Zhenyuan."


    "Do you need authorization from Golden Sand River?" Zhu Hu knew that Lu Liang held only 34% of the shares, whereas Yang Zhenyuan had 36%.


    "Let''s talk first."


    Lu Liang smiled mildly, opting not to exert pressure with shareholdings right away; better to start with negotiation and proceed from there if necessary. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At 8:30 pm, the office floor of Douyin was as bright as daylight.


    "Mr. Lu, you should have let us know in advance that you were coming."


    Yang Zhenyuan was startled, mainly because his current appearance was somewhat disgraceful.


    Greasy and disheveled, his already sparse hair clumped together, revealing his scalp with a glance.


    "I came here today for the financing of Li Xiang."


    Lu Liang entered the company and glanced at the office area. Dozens of programmers looked worn out, with heavy eye bags, clearly having worked overtime for many days.


    The floor was littered with cigarette butts, empty Red Bull cans, and snack wrappers. A peculiar odor permeated the air, taking him back to the dark internet cafes from over a decade ago.


    "Mr. Lu, let''s talk outside,"


    Yang Zhenyuan rubbed his hands together and smiled nervously. He too felt the office environment was somewhat dirty and shabby¡ªhe didn''t mind much for himself, but he worried about slighting Lu Liang.

 Chapter 177 - 176: The Evil Capitalist

    "Let''s give everyone the night off tonight, go for a bath, get a massage, and relax; I''ll cover it."


    Hearing Lu Liang''s words, Yang Zhenyuan was shocked. He was about to refuse when he met a pair of eyes eager as hungry wolves.


    Especially those partners who had been with him since the start of the venture, some of whom hadn''t even gone home for the New Year.


    For half a year, they hadn''t taken a single day off, nearly spending their entire lives in the company.


    After hesitating for a while, Yang Zhenyuan left a few team leaders on duty: "Don''t you want to thank Mr. Lu quickly?"


    As soon as he finished speaking, the office erupted into excited howls: "Thank you, Mr. Lu~ Mr. Lu, we love you."


    Although they received overtime pay and subsidies, their physical appearance had noticeably thinned after several months. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Everyone was working overtime, and even if they wanted to ask for leave, they felt embarrassed to do so; Lu Liang seemed like a deity descended to earth at that moment.


    Lu Liang smiled and instructed, "Old Yang, give those on duty an extra two thousand RMB each."


    "Sure, Mr. Lu," Yang Zhenyuan nodded.


    Lu Liang had Wen Chao contact the Hilton Hotel where they stayed to send three business vehicles.


    Dozens of people made a grand entrance at Beijing''s largest bath center, the Hot Mansion, reportedly built at a cost of six hundred million RMB.


    With over fifty thousand square meters, nearly five hundred spa technicians, and an average consumer spending around two thousand RMB.


    Lu Liang led everyone to the reception and pointed at the crowd behind him: "Put all their expenses on my tab."


    The lobby manager was startled but quickly put on a flattering smile and hurriedly had his colleagues distribute wristbands.


    He then looked at Lu Liang: "Sir, may I have your surname?"


    "Lu."


    "Mr. Lu, what are you expecting to spend? I need to arrange things for your colleagues."


    The lobby manager rubbed his palms together, his face all smiles, instantly recognizing most of them as programmers.


    It was too easy to tell since eight out of ten were greasy-haired, bespectacled, and clad in checkered shirts.


    Lu Liang turned to face everyone, a slight smile curving his lips: "Guys, how much do you think we should spend tonight?"


    From the crowd, someone bravely shouted: "Since Mr. Lu is treating, the higher the spending, the better."


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but smile: "Taking me for a big spender, huh?"


    He thought for a moment: "As long as it''s nothing illicit, anything goes, up to ten thousand each¡ªeat well, drink well, rest well."


    All in all, including Lu Liang''s driver and secretary, there were 46 people, totaling 460,000 RMB, still less than what he and Little Wang had spent at a bar one evening.


    "Mr. Lu is awesome~~"


    Suddenly, more exuberant howls erupted.


    Some from the north gleamed with excitement; they had scrubbed themselves for nearly thirty years, and their bathing expenses over those years might not have reached ten thousand.


    A jubilant crowd signifies one man''s loneliness.


    Yang Zhenyuan was deeply worried, sensing something abnormal¡ªand ominous.


    "Please take good care of these colleagues."


    Lu Liang patted the manager''s shoulder and then reserved a business pool for fifteen thousand eight hundred RMB.


    In a private room, he changed into a bathrobe, and he and Yang Zhenyuan, in slippers, went to a secluded outdoor hot spring.


    In early May, Beijing''s temperature was still quite low, over twenty degrees during the day, dropping to teens at night.


    The weather was just right for an outdoor hot spring.


    Lu Liang entered the water, closed his eyes, feeling the warm currents envelope his body, and after a while, suddenly said, "Just now, Zhu Hu and Zhang Yiming wanted to meet."


    Yang Zhenyuan opened his eyes, his face showing surprise, waiting for Lu Liang to continue, Lu Liang said, "He wants to facilitate a merger between Douyin and Watermelon, saying that together we have the highest chance of success, and if it came to a fight, all investors would suffer losses."


    Since Zhu Hu wasn''t there, Lu Liang kept pushing the responsibility onto him, but even if he were, it wouldn''t matter.


    Yang Zhenyuan remained silent, his voice slightly hoarse after a long pause, "Mr. Lu, what do you think?"


    "I proposed to Mr. Zhang that Douyin should lead and Watermelon supplement," Lu Liang said unhurriedly.


    Yang Zhenyuan was stunned: "Mr. Zhang probably won''t agree."


    Clearly, he misunderstood, looking up at Lu Liang with newfound respect. His Mr. Lu still loved him.


    No matter how strong Zhang Yiming''s team was, as long as Lu Liang continued to provide financial support, the gap between the two sides would eventually close.


    "At the time, Zhang Yiming indeed did not agree."


    Lu Liang spoke slowly, and just as he finished, Yang Zhenyuan suddenly felt uneasy¡ªthis meant there must be a ''but''.


    Lu Liang sighed, opened his eyes, and stared directly at Yang Zhenyuan, showing a strained expression, "Old Yang, the Douyin brand can be retained, and in the future, Watermelon will become an auxiliary tool for Douyin."


    Yang Zhenyuan''s heart trembled, revealing a bitter smile, "But have you given up the decision-making power, the management rights, including yourself?"


    He had once been a member of the Watermelon development team and knew how much hope Zhang Yiming and ByteDance had pinned on Watermelon.


    Being able to make Zhang Yiming accept the terms that prioritized Douyin and used Watermelon as a secondary tool meant that Douyin would be left with nothing but a shell.


    Lu Liang looked displeased, "What kind of person do you think I am, Lu Liang? Since I''ve invested in you, I wouldn''t just abandon you."


    He said, "If you are willing, you can still be the general manager of Douyin. Byte is merely a technical supporter."


    Yang Zhenyuan fell silent, seemingly lost in deep thought, swallowing back the words he was about to say.


    Initially, he thought of Zhu Hu, but then gave up the idea knowing that Zhu Hu had set up the arrangement.


    He then thought of Shen Peng, but realized that Shen Peng had invested in Douyin just to give face to Lu Liang.


    Suddenly, Yang Zhenyuan felt suffocated, like an insect that had carelessly fallen into a spider''s web.


    It seemed he had no choice.


    Though decisions like mergers and restructuring required more than two-thirds of the absolute votes to proceed.


    Tianxing, Redwood, and Golden Sand River together accounted for only 64%. As long as he disagreed, it wouldn''t pass.


    But what could he do if he disagreed?


    Once Douyin ran out of funds, it would die, and with the three top domestic capitals blacklisting it, who else would dare invest?


    Once Douyin went bankrupt, he would have to repay the $1.5 million in financing from Redwood and Golden Sand River from the Series A investment.


    Although Lu Liang was to cover 40% of Douyin''s liabilities, the debt remaining on his head would still be $900,000.


    $5.74 million RMB, plus the initial investment of $3 million, would lead to nearly a total loss of ten million.


    And there were the software developers recently hired at high salaries, each on a three-year contract, requiring at least a million in compensation.


    Just that item alone would amount to over $30 million in compensation, with Yang Zhenyuan having to pay at least $18 million.


    This left him with just one house and a car, losing everything else.


    His child was still in elementary school and his wife had resigned from her job to become a housewife for the sake of his startup.


    Yang Zhenyuan weighed his losses and gains and after a long time, asked, "Mr. Lu, may I ask you for a promise?"


    "Go ahead."


    "If I am fired within two years, I hope the company will buy back my shares at a valuation of 10 million dollars."


    Yang Zhenyuan sighed and bowed to reality.


    If it were ten years ago, he might still have had the courage to take on capital to the end, but not now; he had too many concerns and too much to consider.


    "You may."


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but laugh, though he didn''t explain why.


    Clearly, Yang Zhenyuan mistook his continuation as general manager of Douyin as merely a placating measure.


    Much like ancient times when surrendering wasn''t killed outright - rewards were plentiful, promotions and honors granted, but how many actually enjoyed those privileges?


    Instead, just when one felt secure in their position, they would be purged for the minor infraction of entering a door left foot first.


    Yang Zhenyuan was securing his backup plan; a $10 million valuation for a 36% stake equating to $3.6 million¡ªover 20 million RMB¡ªenough for a comfortable retirement.


    "Thank you, Mr. Lu."


    Those words seemed to drain all of Yang Zhenyuan''s energy as he shrank back, disappearing into the depths.


    Douyin had revitalized him in his midlife, even his wife praised him for being more vigorous and wanting another child.


    But now, he felt deflated again.


    Lu Liang, unable to help but laugh, stood up and helped Yang Zhenyuan to his feet, opened a chilled beer, and handed him one.


    After clinking glasses, he downed half the bottle in one gulp, letting out a satisfying burp, "Old Yang, what kind of person am I in your eyes?"


    Yang Zhenyuan asked, "Can I speak truthfully?"


    Lu Liang smiled and replied, "You can say whatever you like, tonight''s memories end here with you."


    Yang Zhenyuan chugged down an entire bottle in one breath, pointed at Lu Liang''s nose, "Damn it, the epitome of evil capitalists. I suddenly recall, during the Series A financing with Zhang Yiming, you probably had already agreed, but the conditions offered by Zhang Yiming were not satisfactory to you then."


    He let out a long sigh, feeling instantly better, his frustration swept away.


    "Feeling much better now, aren''t you?"


    Lu Liang sat on a nearby rock, took a sip of liquor, and nodded with a smile, "Indeed, we didn''t reach an agreement at that time."

 Chapter 178 - 177: A New King is About to be Born

    "Old Yang, what do you think of my judgement?"


    "Very strong, badass, and impressive!"


    After a few beers, Yang Zhenyuan had completely let loose, his face showing admiration, he gave a thumbs up.


    Anyone, including himself, could question Lu Liang''s character, but no one would question his judgement.


    Yang Zhenyuan was a talent, and Lu Liang didn''t want him to fall from grace, speaking earnestly, "Don''t be too resistant to Byte; the philosophy of Douyin combined with the technology of Byte, it''s definitely not just one plus one, it could be one times ten, or even one times a hundred."


    "You might not quite believe me, but one thing is absolutely true, both I and Zhang Yiming hope that you will continue with Douyin."


    "Maybe in less than two years, at most a year, or even half a year, you will definitely be glad about the choice you make today."


    Yang Zhenyuan was silent for a long time, then he took another bottle of beer from the ice bucket and drank more than half of it, "I''ll try to convince myself."


    Lu Liang smiled slightly and said nothing more, patting Yang Zhenyuan on the shoulder, "Mr. Zhang will bring people over at noon tomorrow, you should get a good night''s rest tonight."


    He wrapped himself in a bathrobe, stepped out of the business pool, mingled with the employees of Douyin, and even joined their card game.


    "Short one player? Count me in, and let''s not bet too high, ten or twenty is fine," Lu Liang joined the mahjong table with a smile on his face.


    Seeing this scene, Yang Zhenyuan could only force a smile, he actually had no choice but to trust Lu Liang. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    They played until late into the night, and though the limit was ten thousand per person, the final tally for the 46 people was less than 250,000 yuan. Excluding Lu Liang''s expenses, each person spent less than five thousand on average.


    The next day at noon, Lu Liang and Zhang Yiming arrived at Douyin.


    Zhang Yiming looked at the office area with nostalgia in his eyes, "Byte was like this when it first started, I still remember eating instant noodles for over three months."


    Lu Liang glanced at him and teased, "Isn''t ByteDance Mr. Zhang''s fifth entrepreneurial project? How could conditions have been so tough back then?"


    Zhang Yiming suddenly fell silent, smacking his lips, not sure how to continue the conversation; he just wanted to express the difficult feelings of entrepreneurship.


    The two entered the company, and it was extremely awkward for new and old owners to meet - not just for Yang Zhenyuan, many former Byte, now Douyin employees felt the same.


    They were puzzled, not knowing why Zhang Yiming suddenly appeared, walking with Lu Liang, and also receiving enthusiastic hospitality from Yang Zhenyuan.


    "Mr. Lu, Mr. Zhang, this way please," Yang Zhenyuan forced himself to appear calm; he was the most embarrassed one.


    Seven months after resigning from Byte, and after being passed around, Zhang Yiming had become his boss again.


    "Zhenyuan, don''t be too formal. Business is like this, with constant changes and, after all, it''s not your fault."


    Zhang Yiming wore a smile, suddenly glancing at Lu Liang, it was obvious who was mainly to blame.


    Lu Liang''s smile lingered on his lips, seemingly indifferent, fiddling with a lighter in his hand while waiting for Shen Peng and Zhu Hu to arrive.


    This collaboration was the merge of Watermelon and Douyin; Watermelon was a wholly-owned subsidiary of Byte.


    For the Watermelon side, just Zhang Yiming''s presence would suffice, but for Douyin, they needed to wait for Yang Zhenyuan, Tianxing, Redwood, and Golden Sand River to gather.


    Soon after, Shen Peng and Zhu Hu rushed over, with a third-party assessment report of both companies.


    Douyin was valued at 90 million US dollars; Watermelon was valued at 200 million US dollars, with a size 2.22 times that of Douyin.


    After merging into Watermelon Douyin, Watermelon owned 69% of the new company''s equity, and Douyin owned 31%.


    Douyin''s 31% equity was redistributed according to Yang Zhenyuan''s 36%, Tianxing''s 34%, Golden Sand River''s 16%, and Redwood''s 14%.


    Eventually, Yang Zhenyuan owned 11.16% of the new company, Tianxing held 10.54%, Golden Sand River had 4.96%, and Redwood had 4.34%.


    "Now we''ve finally shaken hands and made peace, it''s a win-win situation," Zhu Hu said with a smile, clapping his hands in approval.


    The merger of Douyin and Watermelon was surely a case of one plus one being greater than two, with a minimum combined valuation of 350 million US dollars.


    Golden Sand River had made two investments totaling 4.32 million US dollars, obtaining equity valued at 17.36 million US dollars.


    A fourfold return, which although not worth mentioning compared to Lu Liang''s past achievements, was better than nothing.


    Yang Zhenyuan managed a strained smile on his face; seven months ago, his investment of 3 million turned into 39.06 million US dollars.


    An 83-fold increase, with the technology backed by Byte, and the finances supported by Tianxing, Redwood, and Golden Sand River.


    This was definitely a company with boundless prospects, and that was the only consolation he could give himself.


    After redistributing the equity, Zhang Yiming exercised his right of absolute control for the first time, calling a shareholders'' meeting.


    Taking full control of Douyin''s technology department, Douyin''s original employees would only be responsible for routine maintenance and operations.


    Without major decisions being implemented, they would retain as much independence as possible, placing great trust in Yang Zhenyuan.


    Zhang Yiming didn''t know how Lu Liang had persuaded Yang Zhenyuan, but now that Yang Zhenyuan had agreed, he would be responsible for the future.


    Yang Zhenyuan was astonished, thinking of Lu Liang''s words from the night before, which seemed to be no deception, but he wondered if it was just a soothing tactic.


    After the meeting, Lu Liang found Zhang Yiming for a one-on-one chat, "Mr. Zhang, I''m very optimistic about Douyin and hope that Byte will pay more attention in the future."


    "Rest assured, Mr. Lu, so do I."


    Zhang Yiming looked serious, Byte held 69% of West Melon Douyin''s equity, having achieved absolute control.


    In his view, Yang Zhenyuan had simply gone out for a while and brought him a very good product and investors.


    He would not look at Yang Zhenyuan and Douyin with any prejudice.


    After ending the conversation with Lu Liang, Zhang Yiming had a private chat with Yang Zhenyuan where he made the same assurances.


    A few days later, Douyin rolled out a version update, this time optimizing the algorithm and integrating the backend of Watermelon.


    As soon as the news broke out, the whole internet was in an uproar.


    "Isn''t this way too fast?"


    "Have Douyin and Watermelon merged?"


    "Douyin as the main, Watermelon as auxiliary?"


    "Has Zhang Yiming gone crazy?"


    Netizens were discussing fervently, and those most worried were the video creators who had invested in social media.


    The battle royale situation had lasted less than a month when it suddenly turned into a three-way stand-off.


    They feared that past incidents had proven that the more chaotic the situation, the more advantageous it was for industry practitioners.


    Like the great war of a thousand groups, one US Dollar lunches were common, and the ride-hailing wars had made one US Dollar rides nothing out of the ordinary.


    Now, Meituan nearly monopolizes the food delivery market, and DiDi nearly monopolizes the ride-hailing market, with the price per order climbing sharply.


    There''s also the current fierce battle of shared bicycles.


    Some overwhelmed competitors exited the market, while others quietly raised their prices, from riding for one hour for one US Dollar to a new price of thirty minutes for one US Dollar, without any notice.


    Those beautiful days are gone, never to return.


    Watermelon and Douyin made a joint statement, asserting that it was just normal business cooperation and their respective creative incentive projects would not interfere with each other.


    Luo of Hammer Technology, with a belly full of grievances, updated his Weibo: "Lu Liang, are you playing around with Hammer?"


    Hammer phone was already in a difficult position, hoping to make a comeback with the M1 phone, a close imitation of the Apple 6s.


    However, due to the self-media era suddenly initiated by Lu Liang, their plans were completely disrupted.


    Small companies are inherently less capable of weathering risks, adding insult to injury for families that were already not wealthy.


    If it were beneficial to one at the expense of another, it would be acceptable since that''s just business, but the key issue was that it did not significantly benefit one''s own interests while harming others.


    All the fuss only to end in a merger, it seemed that ultimately, Zhang Yiming''s interests were maximized.


    Luo was extremely aggrieved.


    Once the news was released, it quickly shot to the top of trending searches, as he was the first entrepreneur to publicly criticize Lu Liang.


    Before Lu Liang could respond, Little Wang stepped up to speak for him: "What else is there to play with besides Hammer? CrookedSmile.JPG"


    "Mind your own business; without your daddy, what are you bragging about?"


    Luo was really upset and suddenly went full throttle in his attacks.


    Lu Liang, he dared only to grumble about, but Little Wang was fair game¡ªthe self-made generation could completely overpower the second-generation rich.


    Just recently, after Little Wang mocked Lei Jun''s poor English, claiming it embarrassed the nation, he had to hastily apologize and explain that same night.


    In the eyes of the older generation, Little Wang was truly nothing more than a braggart.


    The verbal battle escalated and threatened to spread across the entire internet.


    Over the past year and more, Lu Liang had offended quite a number of people, but due to his strength and prestige, they had not dared to speak out.


    Now that Wang Xiaocong dared to be the spokesperson, they might not dare to criticize Lu Liang, but who said they wouldn''t dare to attack Little Wang?


    Suddenly, Little Wang found himself under siege by a group of entrepreneurs, and the netizens enjoyed the drama, happily watching from the sidelines with popcorn in hand.


    Just when the situation seemed to be spiraling out of control, a graph went viral that, like a flood, instantly doused the flames of conflict.


    In the past 24 hours, Douyin topped the user stickiness ranking with an average daily active duration of 128 minutes.


    If there were a hundred thousand daily active users, then their average viewing time would be over two hours.


    This set of staggering data, particularly after those in the know learned that Douyin''s duration was only 62 minutes last week.


    To judge the success of an app, not only the number of daily active users matters, but user stickiness is also a crucial indicator.


    The higher the stickiness, the more one can charge for advertising, and after the update, Douyin''s numbers had doubled.


    For a moment, the entire internet fell into a deathly silence.


    Luo fell silent, no longer interested in clashing with Little Wang, as this clearly wasn''t a simple addition problem.


    This was all in just one day.


    Such was the magnitude of change.


    "I apologize, this is freaking awesome."


    After updating his status, Luo went offline.


    His way of thinking was too small; Lu Liang''s vision, still so keen.


    The philosophy of Douyin combined with Byte''s technology was simply unbeatable; Kuai Shou was already in danger, a new king was about to be born.

 Chapter 179 - 178: Information Gap is Advantage

    "Tsk, tsk, technology is the core competitive power."


    Lu Liang, browsing through the optimized TikTok, suddenly understood why Zhang Yiming dared to make such bold claims.


    If it''s about technology, Byte isn''t afraid of anyone.


    Their use of algorithmic recommendations had reached a state of perfection to the point where many aspects were incomprehensible in how they were achieved.


    For example, while Lu Liang was watching a video of a blue knitted garment, he opened the comment section, and the name of the broadcaster immediately appeared at the top, with just one click leading to their page.


    Another example, when a gaming video appeared, Lu Liang didn''t understand the meaning of ''cpdd,'' but upon clicking the search bar, a line of gray text ''what does cpdd mean'' appeared immediately.


    A mere ten-second video, coupled with Byte''s algorithms, is akin to digital poison¡ªone keeps scrolling for the momentary thrill, and it''s endlessly satisfying.


    Unbeknownst to him, an hour had passed.


    "Old Yang, what do you think?" Lu Liang put away his phone and looked at Yang Zhenyuan, who was also scrolling through TikTok.


    Yang Zhenyuan remained silent for a long time before sighing, "Thank goodness Watermelon Video chose to focus on longer videos."


    What he thought was a back-and-forth turned out to be his wishful thinking; if Watermelon Video had focused on short videos, they would have stood no chance.


    Perhaps there was one option to continue burning cash, luring in those who are after freebies until there was nothing left, which would be the end of TikTok.


    Before introducing Byte''s algorithms, Yang Zhenyuan always thought that time and sufficient funds could bridge the gap between them.


    But after adopting Byte''s algorithms, he realized how narrow his view was¡ªhe found it incredibly difficult to catch up.


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but chuckle, "Don''t sell yourself short. I reckon even Zhang Yiming didn''t foresee the immense power of short videos combined with their algorithms."


    Yang Zhenyuan stayed silent for a while, his face showing admiration, "Perhaps Mr. Zhang didn''t expect it, but you must have, right?"


    At first, to the public, this acquisition seemed like a loss for Lu Liang, since Byte, although strong, had limited power.


    After much effort and many complications, in the end, Byte still obtained 69% absolute control.


    That''s why Luo would grumble and fiercely criticize, but the results spoke for themselves¡ªMr. Lu was always right.


    Lu Liang replied with a faint smile, without confirming nor denying, "Let''s give it a try, there''s not much to lose anyway."


    He didn''t know precisely when TikTok was born, but he knew that from its inception to when Toutiao spent one billion dollars to acquire Musical.ly for it, it took less than two years.


    One billion dollars was not just a valuation; it was cash, and even with share swaps involved, at least three to five hundred million had to be put forth.


    Zhu Hu had once said that Byte''s liquid assets amounted to at most two hundred million dollars, and they had already splurged five hundred million RMB on Watermelon Video.


    The funds at their disposal were extremely limited; that''s why Zhu Hu had to organize a gathering to facilitate the merger to avoid a cash-burning war.


    So the question arose, with promoting Watermelon Video nearly draining Byte''s cash flow, where did they find the funds to help TikTok acquire Musical.ly?


    The answer was obvious: it relied on TikTok.


    To raise three to five hundred million dollars, the valuation couldn''t be less than two billion dollars, and it had to gain market approval.


    Information disparity was Lu Liang''s advantage.


    He patted Yang Zhenyuan on the shoulder, smiling, "Just cooperate well with Mr. Zhang in the future. Maybe one day, TikTok will become what you imagine it to be."


    Yang Zhenyuan had once said that the future TikTok could be like Meituan, Taobao, or WeChat.


    Lu Liang was looking forward to that day, as well as to TikTok growing to break the monopoly of Shuangma Group.


    Yang Zhenyuan, with a serious face, nodded vigorously; as long as Zhang Yiming would tolerate him, he vowed not to leave.


    After leaving TikTok Company, Lu Liang headed to the last stop of his trip to Beijing: Huaqing University.


    During his last hurried visit, he hadn''t had the chance to truly explore this top national institution. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Considering faculty strength, there are a number of universities in China that are considered on par with Qingbei.


    Such as Fudan and Jiaotong University in Modu, and Zhejiang University, but the status of Qingbei was unparalleled.


    Even in the eyes of many Chinese, there were only two categories of universities: Qingbei and all the rest.


    Lu Liang was accompanied by Wen Chao and Fang Shiyu, strolling down the shady path by the Tsinghua Pond.


    He suddenly looked towards the rows upon rows of bright yellow shared bikes, "I heard you have to apply seven days in advance to get the deposit back now?"


    Wen Chao said, "Ofo updated that notice last week."


    Lu Liang mused to himself, "It''s about to blow up."


    Limitations on deposit withdrawals meant that ofo''s funds were stretched thin, and their leverage was high.


    To lend an umbrella on a sunny day and take it back on a rainy one wasn''t the exclusive practice of banks; ordinary people also have this sense of crisis.


    For ofo, it was just one spark away from disaster.


    Shared bicycles are now expanding haphazardly, and even in Lu Liang''s hometown, a small city far beyond the fifth tier, the sight of Little Huang bikes during the New Year''s visit is enough to illustrate the point.


    "I hope Old Zhu can find someone to take over," someone said.


    Lu Liang and a few others circled around Huaqing Pool and prepared to head to the New Energy Research Institute on the northern campus.


    Suddenly, a careless female student collided head-on with them; she bent down to pick up some materials, apologizing while bowing as if she was a scene straight out of a melodramatic TV show.


    "I''m sorry..."


    When she saw Lu Liang''s face, she suddenly froze, hesitated for a long time, and couldn''t help but ask, "Are you Mr. Lu from Tianxing?"


    "Yes, it''s me." Lu Liang smiled and nodded, helping to pick up the scattered files on the ground when he saw a document with her name and class on it, a junior in journalism named Xu Huiqi.


    "Wow, I finally met someone in person."


    Xu Huiqi''s eyes widened with excitement, then she glanced at her watch with a bitter expression, "It''s over, I''m going to be late."


    "Mr. Lu, I hope we meet again," she said hastily, waving her hand and taking off like the wind, coming in haste and leaving just as quickly.


    Lu Liang''s smile grew at the corner of his lips, squinting his eyes as he watched her departing figure, "Did she mistake me for Daqiang?"


    High-end headhunters often appear in the guise of prey, and he did not believe in so-called coincidences.


    Such a coincidence to run into her, to recognize him, and also such a coincidence that Lu Liang saw her class and name.


    A female student from a top-tier university majoring in journalism hardly looked like someone who was easy to deal with.


    The three men reached the northern campus.


    They met with Zhao Jiaqun, a professor at the School of Computer Science and also the director of the New Energy Research Institute.


    Upon seeing Lu Liang, Zhao''s face was all smiles as he hurriedly greeted him, "Mr. Lu, your visit graces us. Sorry for not meeting you further away."


    Lu Liang said with a smile, "Director Zhao, you''re too polite. I came to Beijing on some business and thought to drop by."


    Where there are people, there are rivalries, and elite institutions are no exception. Some focus on research while others build their networks.


    Zhao Jiaqun was one of the latter, which was why he could be the director of the institute, responsible for team-building and daily operations.


    Lu Liang liked dealing with these kinds of people because he could satisfy their desires, and they understood his needs.


    Because the 20 million dollars was not transferred in one go, only 2 million were sent in the first installment. If he wasn''t satisfied, it could become the last installment.


    "Mr. Lu, let me give you a tour," Zhao Jiaqun said, beaming as he led Lu Liang into the institute.


    He introduced the project''s review members, led by two computer science professors, four Ph.D. students, and ten masters students.


    They were all teachers and students from Huaqing University. Zhao Jiaqun hoped to keep Lu Liang''s interest and develop this project long-term.


    Therefore, his own skills might not matter, but the expertise of his subordinates was crucial. Otherwise, it would be challenging to retain Lu Liang.


    "Ladies and gentlemen, I may not know much about technology, but I believe in leaving professional matters to professionals."


    Lu Liang said with a smile as he presented his requirements.


    Whether professors or students, he hoped that someone could deliver a satisfactory plan within three months.


    He was only interested in capability, without regard to seniority.


    Open to all the university''s teachers and students, whoever passed the review could receive a research grant of one hundred thousand yuan.


    And this was just the beginning. Tianxing Technology had several positions with annual salaries in the millions, awaiting their rightful owners.


    As his words resonated, the students all started breathing quickly.


    After discussing dedication for over a decade, someone was finally straightforward about benefits, and they suddenly found themselves liking Lu Liang a bit more.


    The point of studying was to achieve something,


    And success was often equated to salary,


    The higher the annual income, the more successful one was considered to be.


    Lu Liang''s face showed a satisfied smile as he liked the crowd''s reaction.


    He did not trust in seniority or so-called experience; instead, he felt that young people had more imagination and creativity.


    After all, the computer industry had only been developing for a decade or so, so the notion that the older one gets, the wickeder one becomes, did not apply here.


    Twenty-somethings and those just over thirty were in the prime of their careers.


    Moreover, through the merger of TikTok and Watermelon Video, Lu Liang deeply understood the benefits of having technology on his side.


    He wasn''t concerned with short videos; that was not his interest, but new energy was crucial for his other endeavors to thrive.


    In-car systems were one of the core elements of new energy, and this technology, even if it cost one billion or ten billion dollars, he would see it developed.

 Chapter 180 - 179: Fishing, Two Movies

    "Mr. Lu, won''t you stay a few more days?"


    As Lu Liang prepared to leave, Zhao Jiaqun tried to persuade him to stay and expressed his desire to show him around.


    The last time Lu Liang was here, it had been snowy and the ground was frosted over, so there had been no chance to show him the campus scenery.


    The two best times to visit Beijing are early summer and early autumn, neither cold nor hot, the climate pleasant.


    Although Hua University receives substantial funding every year, nobody would complain about having too much money. Perhaps if Mr. Lu was in a good mood, a generous donation of hundreds of millions might be forthcoming.


    These were the achievements that could advance his career.


    "I just looked around."


    Lu Liang smiled in response, his mind set on leaving; he had already stayed long enough in Beijing and it was time to go back.


    "Mr. Lu, let me see you off then," Zhao Jiaqun said, a hint of disappointment in his eyes as he led a few people out of the research building.


    "Director Zhao, please hold on."


    As Lu Liang was about to leave, he suddenly stopped, catching sight of a girl in a yellow hoodie by the Huaqing Pool.


    At the moment, she was following a teacher and a group of students emerging from another research building.


    Xu Huiqi was delighted, very happy to see Lu Liang again, and waved cheerfully, "Hello, Mr. Lu, we meet again."


    "Just made it in time, I hope," Lu Liang nodded and smiled.


    Xu Huiqi widened her eyes and gestured for silence; she had arrived late, but fortunately, the teacher hadn''t noticed.


    She then playfully winked at Lu Liang. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Zhao Jiaqun, thoughtful, asked with a smile, "Mrs. Li, are you planning to attend today''s debate competition?"


    "Yes," Mrs. Li nodded, her attitude respectful. She looked at Lu Liang, "Who is this?"


    "Mr. Lu from Tianxing."


    Mrs. Li was surprised and greeted him, "Hello Mr. Lu, I''m Li Juan from the Law School, and these are my students."


    The students who were with her, upon learning who Lu Liang was, introduced themselves one after another, "Mr. Lu, my name is Xu Huiqi."


    "Mr. Lu, my name is Zhou Xin¡­"


    Huaqing is a top university nationally, and these students were among the best of their peers, a pride of their elders.


    However, comparisons are often daunting, and even on an international scale, Lu Liang ranked among the very top, a small elite group.


    His past achievements were well-documented and exceptionally impressive; even the famously successful Soros had suffered setbacks against him, his prowess undeniable.


    Moreover, they were students of the law school; knowing more wealthy people could only be beneficial without harm.


    "Mr. Lu, would you be interested in sitting in?"


    Li Juan talked about today''s topic of genuine goodness; they represented the proposition that goodwill was genuine goodness, while the opposition believed that good deeds represented genuine goodness.


    Lu Liang was about to decline when he suddenly saw Xu Huiqi''s expectant look and smiled, "Sure, let''s listen."


    He had once heard about Daqiangzi''s escapade in Columbus and suddenly wanted to experience what it felt like to be ganged up on.


    Daqiangzi was born in ''74, 11 years older than Lu Liang, while Milk Tea Girl was born in ''93.


    Having just turned 22 last year, the pair had married, a situation even more outrageous than Huang Mingming marrying Yang Tianbao.


    It was all fun until Qiang took it seriously.


    Despite cashing out his shares before marriage and mortgaging his salary for ten years, certifying all his assets so he would only receive one dollar a month for the next ten years,


    Lu Liang still couldn''t understand how it had come to marriage - was milk tea really that tasty?


    Without practice, there would be no say.


    He wanted to experience Qiang''s emotional journey; if it turned out to be a trap laid by a woman, he''d concede entirely.


    "Mr. Lu, right this way," Zhao Jiaqun, overjoyed, invited Lu Liang to today''s debate hall.


    With not a few students and teachers sitting in, Lu Liang declined the seats Zhao Jiaqun had arranged for them, choosing instead a neglected corner.


    The two teams prepared briefly, then started their heated debate, focusing on the topics of goodwill and good deeds.


    Xu Huiqi, representing the proposition, discussed that genuine goodness starts with an inherently good mindset, which is the true, essential goodness.


    The opposition argued that regardless of the motives of those who perform them, good deeds carry positive social significance, promoting positive social impact.


    "The opposition, we are discussing what constitutes genuine goodness, not its social meaning," Xu Huiqi seized the crucial point and heavily criticized.


    Not to be outdone, the opposition retorted, "Universal good deeds represent true goodness, so we believe that good deeds are genuine goodness."


    Lu Liang stroked his chin, his eyes reflecting admiration; he wasn''t too focused on the topic, the process, or the outcome.


    In his view, such debates were pointless.


    They were purely exercises in public speaking and mental agility, a competition to see who could better grasp and attack the opponent''s arguments.


    "If Lu Liang was truly to be convinced of an idea, from a benefit-oriented perspective, he would agree that charity of the affirmative side is right."


    "Because Chen Jinchun had already gone to the Southwest Mountainous Region to help the company deliver charitable contributions and materials to those in need."


    "Since a good deed was done, it must be acknowledged as an act of kindness, otherwise, the good deed would have been done in vain."


    "Lu Liang had always been paying attention to Xu Huiqi, young and beautiful, brimming with youthful energy, her face full of confidence, a spirited presence."


    "People generally have two attitudes toward beautiful things."


    "The first is to cherish, the second is to destroy."


    "Daqiangzi probably belongs to the first category, Lu Liang considered himself the second, wanting to break this aesthetic."


    "Because he wanted to know, could she maintain such overflowing confidence when she is underneath in pleasure?"


    "Zhao Jiaqun fell into thought, then suddenly had a bright idea, whispering a few words to Li Juan."


    "During a break in the debate, he approached Lu Liang, ''Mr. Lu, let me forward Xu''s contact information to you.''"


    "Thank you," Lu Liang smiled but did not refuse."


    "As the thinking and pausing time of the opposition grew longer, the debate competition concluded with a victory for the affirmative side."


    "Lu Liang clapped his hands, offered a look of approval, and walked out of the council hall. He messaged Xu Huiqi to meet at the entrance."


    "After a while, Xu Huiqi hurried over, her face beaming with the joy of victory. ''Mr. Lu, how did we do?''"


    "''As long as everyone has kindness, the world will have a beautiful tomorrow.'' Lu Liang invited her to dinner that evening."


    "''I have plans with my classmates for dinner tonight~'' Xu Huiqi hesitated, leaving the decision to Lu Liang."


    "With a slight smile and a meaningful expression, Lu Liang replied, ''Then we must wait for another time. I am returning to Modu tomorrow.''"


    "Xu Huiqi tried to persuade him, ''Won''t you stay a few more days, Mr. Lu? There''s still a lot to eat and enjoy in Beijing.''"


    "Lu Liang shook his head, ''The business is done, and it''s time to leave. After all, there are many official matters to attend to in Modu.''"


    "After much thought, Xu Huiqi said reluctantly, ''Mr. Lu, how about I treat you next time you visit Beijing?''"


    "''That''s fine, goodbye.''"


    "''Bye-bye~~ Have a safe journey.''"


    "Xu Huiqi watched Lu Liang depart with a smile until his figure completely disappeared, gradually losing her smile."


    "Milk Tea Girl is a legendary figure at Huaqing University and her life mentor. If she had agreed to have dinner with Lu Liang tonight, she would have seemed cheap, just being on display."


    "Just like fishing, releasing and pulling, playing hard to get."


    "Unbeknownst to Xu Huiqi, the moment she refused, the fishing line had already snapped."


    "Lu Liang was not in the mood to play house; there would be no next time since she declined tonight."


    "Old Meng put it well, the world is not devoid of beautiful women, hanging oneself from one tree is the dumbest thing to do, when one isn''t without options."


    "Leaving Huaqing University, Lu Liang visited Mahua Headquarters; ''Donkey Gets Water'' had been released during the May Day Golden Week."


    "As a product considered even inferior to Xia Luo, still, Shen Teng and Mary had gained some fame by appearing on the New Year''s Gala stage, with only Ren Susu, who had previously played in stage dramas as the lead."


    "With an investment of 10 million, it amassed 70 million in box office revenue in five days, though not on par with Xia Luo, it was widely praised for its depth and realistic themes."


    "Being a low-budget dark comedy, it undoubtedly qualified as successful, and Happy Mahua once again demonstrated their powerful box office appeal and fearsome starmaking ability."


    "''Mr. Lu, this year we plan to launch two movie projects, take a look,'' Zhang Chen said, beaming, as he handed over two documents, one titled ''Shameful Iron Fist,'' the other ''Xihong City''s Richest Man.''"


    "One featuring Mary as the lead and the other Shen Teng, though they are a golden pair, it was uncertain what the effect of splitting them up would be."


    "But since Mahua aimed to be listed on the Growth Enterprise Market, they needed to maximize their fame, to test their capacity to carry major roles."


    "The investment for both films was about 200 million, and Lu Liang''s share was reduced to 15%."


    "Observing Lu Liang''s expression and fearing his dissatisfaction, Zhang quickly explained, ''Mr. Lu, Mahua''s investment only accounts for 30%, with Xinli and Maoyan joining this time.''"


    "Mahua hits the jackpot with every film they shoot, and many covet their share. With Xinli backed by Tencent and Maoyan representing Ali."


    "They dared not refuse but had to reduce the share of Mahua''s investment and that of Lu Liang''s original portion."


    "''I understand.''"


    "Relieved by Lu Liang''s response, Zhang then brought up that Zhang Tian''ai was planned to be the leading lady for ''Xihong City''s Richest Man.''"


    "Although Mary was initially confirmed, their childhood friends relationship in the script would make the ending consistent."


    "However, since Mary had to shoot ''Iron Fist'' and could not manage the schedule, and with Mahua planning one movie for the next summer and another for the next National Day holidays."


    "Script changes were necessary, and assigning Zhang Tian''ai as the female lead was also a gesture of goodwill to Lu Liang, to apologize for the reduced share."


    "''You guys decide.''"


    "Lu Liang was very satisfied with Zhang Tian''ai''s performance, and now that there was an opportunity for her to be in a 150 million big production, he certainly was not opposed."

 Chapter 181 - 180: ofo Exploded

    In the rest area for Mahua Staff, Zhang Tian''ai propped her cheek with one hand, aimlessly swiping on her phone out of sheer boredom.


    Liang approached, his lips suddenly curving upwards as he discovered that Zhang Tian''ai was browsing the comment section of his Weibo.


    Seeing complimentary comments, she''d give a like to show support; facing negative ones, she''d dive in to clash directly.


    She was very cautious, having once been a secondary actress herself, so she created a small account named "I Am Lu Liang''s Treasure~"


    "Why bother with them?"


    Sitting beside her with a smile, Liang wrapped an arm around Zhang Tian''ai''s neck, his fingertips gliding across her delicate and fair cheek.


    Whether it was because she was acting in plays and had a more regular schedule, or because she was living a wealthier life, her skin had become increasingly better.


    "But when I see them cursing you, I just get angry."


    Zhang Tian''ai was visibly indignant, turning into a pianist, using the T9 keyboard with both thumbs flying furiously.


    "What the eye doesn''t see, the heart doesn''t grieve over."


    Liang patted her head, then said, "Get ready for the recent developments. Zhang Chen will probably want to have a chat with you."


    "About what?" Zhang Tian''ai asked quizzically, and Liang, with a smile, said, "Naturally, about the role of the female lead in the upcoming movie."


    He had read the synopsis of ''First Rich''. Although it was a standard hero-centric film with the female lead''s role not being particularly remarkable, the role had plenty of screen time.


    Appearing from start to finish, as long as Zhang Tian''ai didn''t act too awkwardly, being a somewhat talented vase would suffice.


    As long as the movie was a box-office hit, it would significantly raise her fame and rank.


    After all, this was a massive production with over a hundred million invested, perfectly embodying the saying, "better to be the tail of a phoenix than the head of a chicken," within the entertainment industry.


    With the experience of being the female lead in a big production, her future paychecks and brand endorsement fees would also rise substantially.


    Zhang Tian''ai was thrilled, never expecting happiness to come knocking so suddenly, her eyes brimming with affection: "Liang, thank you."


    "This is what you deserve. Let''s go eat somewhere; I have to return to Modu tomorrow."


    Liang chuckled lightly; he was always generous with his own people, mainly because his social circle was still small as his career had only recently begun to develop.


    As such, as long as it didn''t diminish his own interests, he was willing to favor those he was close with.


    "Mhm~" Zhang Tian''ai gave him a secret peck on the cheek, then put on her mask and left the Mahua Theater with Liang.


    Through their time together, she had understood a principle: Liang could give, but she shouldn''t actively ask.


    As long as she behaved, didn''t trouble Liang, and quietly remained his secret lover.


    Liang would think of her when an appropriate opportunity arose.


    Wen Shanshan just didn''t understand this point; perhaps she regarded their relationship as a pure transaction.


    RESULT: The web series tanked, and Liang no longer wished to deal with her. She could only vent on Weibo, declaring Beijing the place of her sorrows, saying she was leaving and wouldn''t return.


    Zhang Tian''ai felt fortunate that Wen Shanshan hadn''t figured it out; had she done so, Zhang Tian''ai may not have had this opportunity.


    ...


    The next afternoon, Liang concluded his trip to Beijing and returned to Modu to dive back into work.


    A few days after his departure, a sudden piece of news from Beijing arose: ofo was sued by a supplier for unpaid goods.


    Rumors quickly spread that ofo was about to collapse, and if the deposit wasn''t withdrawn soon, it would become impossible to do so.


    Although 99 yuan wasn''t much, its sudden disappearance would cause anyone distress, after all, it could buy two meals at KFC.


    Even more so for those users who registered after the deposit increased earlier in the year; their loss was even greater at 199 yuan.


    All at once, millions of users flooded ofo to request deposit refunds, which caused the website to crash due to immense traffic.


    While the website crash was due to the surge in visitors, in the customers'' eyes, it seemed like a sign of impending doom.


    More and more people got the message and wanted to take their deposits back, further complicating the website''s recovery efforts.


    Dai Wei urgently made a statement: "Dear users, please don''t believe baseless rumors. Ofo''s financial situation is very stable, and our delayed payments are not intentional but due to the factory parts not meeting our delivery standards.


    The website crash is simply due to a sudden influx of users causing server overload. Our team is working overtime to fix it, and we expect it to be back up by eight o''clock tonight.


    If you need to request a deposit refund, please try to do so after eight tonight. The deposit will be returned to your payment account within the specified time.


    Finally, the internet is not outside of legal jurisdiction, and we will pursue legal responsibility for each person spreading rumors, according to the law."


    The official statement was of a high caliber, and in the end, a screenshot was shared showing 255 million yuan in liquid funds in the public account.


    Saying a thousand words is no match for abundant capital, which can move hearts more effectively¡ªa balance starting with a two, and nine digits, provides a strong sense of security.


    Ofo had 13.5 million deposit users, some paid a 99 yuan deposit, and others a 199 yuan deposit.


    The public account lazes with 255 million yuan in liquid funds; rumors of a crash seem truly to be groundless.


    "There must be a mastermind behind this."


    Liang reflected that he wouldn''t be surprised if Mobike handled things in such a way, but ofo''s reaction clearly had a master''s guidance.


    Having met Dai Wei a few times, he sensed an air of youthful success and the arrogant pride of a wild horse in fresh attire.


    Born of noble roots, a Beijing University student and student council president, he launched ofo during his first venture at university.


    This couldn''t really be blamed on Dai Wei; with such a background, anyone would be prone to arrogance and complacency.


    "What would I do in this situation?"


    Liang pondered, the sudden storm of public opinion entangling ofo surely indicated someone stoking the flames behind the scenes.


    It could be Mobike or perhaps some other competitor, but there were certainly numerous individuals who wouldn''t mind seeing ofo die.


    Liang, with a cigarette in his mouth, attempted to see things from their perspective when a bizarre expression surfaced; it seemed he might get dragged into this mess.


    The next second, as if to confirm his suspicions.


    A financial big V on the internet revealed: "Someone actually isn''t optimistic about ofo''s future. He cashed out and left the scene at a high during the B-round of fundraising."


    Once this statement was released, Dai Wei wrote a long article, and the public opinion that had just been pacified exploded once again.


    Although the big V didn''t name names, if this information was true, it meant that person joined either during the A round or the angel round.


    That was basically naming names as if saying this person is 31 years old, male, with a company name related to the heavens.


    Because only two institutions joined ofo during the A round, Golden Sand River and DiDi, both institutions invested more in the B and C rounds; therefore, they definitely weren''t the ones who cashed out at a high point.


    There was only one participant in the angel round,


    That was Lu Liang''s Tianxing Investment.


    "Damn, if even Lu God isn''t optimistic about the enterprise, is there any hope left?"


    "Danger¡ªrun, if you don''t cash out now, you''ll really never get your deposit back."


    The recently restored website was on the brink of collapse yet again.


    This time, the users'' rush to refund was unprecedentedly resolute.


    After all, without ofo there''s still Mobike, Kuqi, Yong''an, but if the deposit is gone, it is truly gone.


    Dai Wei was shocked and at a loss. Suddenly he thought of Lu Liang and made a call: "Mr. Lu, did you really transfer the equity?"


    Liang responded indifferently, "I was in need of money at the time, and Mr. Zhu was interested, so I just transferred it to him straightforwardly."


    Dai Wei felt a lump of old blood stuck in his chest, and though he had curses on the tip of his tongue, he swallowed them back down: "Then I''ll have a talk with Mr. Zhu."


    "If there really is 255 million yuan in liquid funds, there shouldn''t be such a panic."


    Liang stroked his chin, contemplating a possibility.


    The public account''s screenshot that Dai Wei showed could have been tampered with; there might not actually be 255 million yuan.


    If that was true, ofo only had seven days left.


    If they could not return the deposits in seven days, then ofo would be finished.


    A while later, Zhu Hu called: "Lu my brother, who do you think is targeting ofo?"


    He hadn''t ruled out Lu Liang, but upon deeper consideration, the likelihood seemed minimal, though he could not completely dismiss the possibility, so he opted for a less offensive inquiry.


    Liang chuckled, perceiving the subtext: "Whoever benefits from it, is the pusher behind the scenes."


    He did hold equity in Mobike, but after dilution from the B and C rounds, only 2.168% remained.


    Even though Mobike''s valuation had reached 400 million US dollars, that bit of equity was worth less than ten million US dollars.


    Even doubled, it was just under twenty million; he definitely wouldn''t engage in such actions.


    Zhu Hu also heard the implication and dismissed his suspicion completely, sighing, "Ofo is probably done for."


    "The public account is falsified?"


    "Right."


    Zhu Hu''s headache worsened; after all, there isn''t a single bicycle-sharing company that hasn''t misappropriated deposits.


    Dai Wei''s little tricks may fool the users, but they certainly can''t deceive industry insiders.


    It is just that misusing deposits has become an unspoken rule; rival companies dare not criticize publicly for fear of burning themselves and attracting national regulatory attention.


    If a company''s finances come under national scrutiny, it would be a fatal blow to the entire industry. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Whether it''s ofo or Mobike, the operational logic of all shared bicycle enterprises is to use deposits to expand the market, then finance to develop, and continue to misuse deposits.

 Chapter 182 - 181: King Qin Sweeps the Universe

    "May Lord Guan bless me, Amitabha Buddha~"


    Lu Liang felt that he absolutely had to arrange for a few beautiful girls next time Zhu Hu came to Modu on a business trip.


    One yellow, one white, one black, to definitely keep his spirits high as he entered the room and support his waist as he left.


    This was a really good man, who bought back the equity at a high premium and took disaster in his stride. He deserved to be treated to the blessings of the Temple.


    "Damn it, if you really want to help, give me back my money or reinvest in ofo."


    Zhu Hu''s face darkened; as a traditional man, his own kind was yellow, the enemy was white, and black was something he just couldn''t deal with.


    "It seems like there''s an incoming call, so let''s leave it at that. Next time I come to Modu, I''ll definitely satisfy you."


    Lu Liang chuckled and hurriedly hung up the phone, but not as an excuse. There really was another call coming in. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "You really sold ofo''s shares during the Series B financing?" Little Wang was curious about who it was sold to.


    The rumors circulating online were mostly about Lu Liang, and since he wasn''t into gossip, it had been bothering him for a long time.


    "$72 million US Dollars, a 20% premium."


    "Holy shit, who''s the big sucker?"


    "I''d advise you not to dig into this gossip; you could get into trouble."


    Lu Liang smiled indifferently and didn''t reveal who he had sold them to.


    Golden Sand River was Panda''s investor, and although Zhu Hu didn''t look as easygoing as he seemed, he was still approachable with Lu Liang.


    If Little Wang spread rumors online and offended Zhu Hu, Golden Sand River could make things difficult for Panda in a minute.


    As a result, Panda''s already not-so-rich family would be hit even harder.


    Lu Liang suddenly asked, "Xiaocong, what do you think about me becoming sworn brothers with Jianlin? Otherwise, it always feels slightly awkward to keep looking out for you."


    Little Wang didn''t react at first, and suddenly, with a dark face, retorted irritably, "Go to hell."


    "Not considering it? Opportunities don''t come back once they''re gone~"


    Lu Liang teased with a smile. Since Liu Mingxuan left, he''d been bored and making fun of Little Wang had become a source of amusement.


    However, his response was a series of busy tones. Lu Liang sighed, "No appreciation for the finer things."


    Soon, his attention was drawn to the international news of the day, "A businessman has become a candidate?"


    The news broke, and the S&P index, Nasdaq, and other financial sectors surged by 1.2% in response.


    Investors expected that his election would bring massive tax cuts and relaxed financial regulations.


    Especially the industrial and tech sectors, which soared by 5.4%, because he had said he wanted to bring all the overseas factories back home.


    Although he seemed out of tune, even having participated in WWE with staged fights, having such ideas meant he could be a good leader.


    "What a truly free country."


    Lu Liang was curious about the conditions for candidacy, so he did some research and found he didn''t stand much of a chance; one had to be a true-blooded American.


    Moreover, even if a person of Chinese descent held a high position, they were almost always squinty-eyed; they say there''s no discrimination, but that''s just lip service.


    "The first phase produces the party''s delegates, the second phase battles for the White House, and the third phase is the ultimate showdown."


    Lu Liang understood the election process and found it was still over half a year until the third phase; it was still early.


    However, with the businessman becoming a party delegate, the US stocks they held saw a small surge in the market.


    Three days later, on May 7th, the time left for ofo was less than 100 hours.


    Despite online claims that their deposits had been returned, they were incapable of making an impact.


    A credit crisis was like a crumpled piece of paper; even if smoothed out, creases would remain.


    Furthermore, ofo had yet to smooth out, and unless they could ensure the return of deposits to the tens of millions of users after May 11th, perhaps then the users might give them a chance to rebuild the trust system.


    Days passed, and before long, it was May 10th.


    There was less than 24 hours until ofo users started applying en masse to get their deposits back.


    While the public''s attention was focused on ofo, with users hoping for their deposits to be returned, netizens online enjoying the spectacle, and competitors kicking them while they were down.


    BYD in Shenzhen announced the Dynasty Series'' first car, the BYD Qin, firing the opening salvo in the new-energy vehicle market.


    Equipped with BYD''s self-developed super hybrid system, it boasted the highest thermal efficiency in the world at 43.04%,


    Putting Mazda, which has always prided itself on natural aspiration engines, firmly underfoot and giving them a good squeeze.


    Thermal efficiency, put simply, is the engine''s ability to combust every drop of gasoline. The higher the value, the better the fuel economy.


    0-100km/h acceleration in 7.3 seconds, a maximum range of 1245 kilometers with a full tank and battery, the official price is between 250,000-290,000, and the price after subsidies is around 150,000.


    The press conference had ended, and topics related to it quickly surged to the top of the hottest searches online, overshadowing the news of ofo nearing a financial explosion.


    "BYD''s ambition isn''t small at all, to dare to use such a name. Do they really think themselves as King Qin sweeping across the six states?"


    "I''ve already pre-ordered the all-electric version, with a down payment of sixteen thousand. You can get a license in any major city across the nation, and a full charge only costs 30 yuan for 300 kilometers. Using it for taxi service is simply too appealing."


    "Perhaps that''s the meaning of Qin, not that it''s luxurious or expensive, but rather to absolutely crush in terms of quantity."


    "Damn this sucks, I''m done with shaking for car plates for so many years. If it''s electric, then so be it, I''ll just drive it around the city."


    "I should have bought an electric car a long time ago. You can drive one home for just 30,000."


    The country''s push for the new energy vehicle industry is all-encompassing, from manufacturing to landing on the road and getting loans, the green light is on in almost every aspect.


    The price of the BYD Qin is so people-friendly, unlike a Tesla that easily costs over a million, a price of tens of thousands is acceptable to most people.


    Besides not being able to drive back to your hometown without ridicule, spending tens of thousands on an electric car, this car seems almost flawless.


    What''s more, some people openly say that if the new energy industry can develop in the country, BYD would have made the greatest contribution. This car is just too suitable for opening up the market.


    Lu Liang agrees with this and has posted two screenshots on Weibo, reserving two models, one all-electric and one hybrid.


    He had Wen Chao rent a warehouse of over six thousand square meters in the outskirts of Modu, planning to use it exclusively for storing cars in the future.


    Every time a new model hits the market, he bought one, in order to integrate the best features of everything and create his own new energy car.


    "Damn it, I might be sued for manipulating stock prices, huh?"


    Seeing the comments online, Lu Liang looked a bit upset.


    His original intention was to help Dizi open the market and let netizens not be so prejudiced against electric cars.


    The larger the market, the better for practitioners, just like Li Bing recommended he invest in Ningde Era.


    But netizens think he''s again benefitting from insider knowledge; BYD''s stock surged 6.52% due to the new car release, maxing out at an increase, with a market value soaring by 22.1 billion.


    And the key point is, Lu Liang had indeed bought Dizi''s stock,


    and not just a little, about 1.5 billion worth.


    This was also the first time that he publicly expressed optimism about a listed company, presumably not even three limit-up halts could contain it.


    "I just hope that Dizi can show some mettle."


    Lu Liang could only pray inwardly that tomorrow''s first-day sales would be explosive, so it couldn''t be considered stock price manipulation.


    The next day, news came from Beijing: ofo was saved and had received 30 million US dollars in financing from Ali Group.


    Golden Sand River withdrew from ofo''s board of directors, transferring all equity to Alibaba along with its veto power.


    A week earlier, users who applied for a refund of their deposits had gradually received their money back, as if ofo had safely passed through its crisis.


    That night, Zhu Hu came to Modu and found Lu Liang: "You said you''d arrange a Three Kingdoms Battle for me."


    "No problem, that''s a small matter. I can even drain you dry afterward, but what''s really going on?"


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but smile, suddenly understanding Little Wang''s sentiment; gossip is the fourth innate human instinct.


    In his view, ofo shouldn''t have been able to make it; how did things suddenly get better? Although Ali is known for making sometimes unwise investments, it shouldn''t be this foolish.


    As far as he knew, ofo had nothing left but a pile of bicycles, with just suppliers bearing 1.5 billion in bills.


    "Old Ma is a bit ambitious, and the Dai Family has an interest in rescuing their venture, so the two sides just clicked."


    Zhu Hu took a sip of his drink, reluctant to delve deeper into the topic, but his face said it all about the profit and loss: "I''ve really been working for you."


    All the equity held by Golden Sand River was valued at 80 million US dollars and transferred to Alibaba Group.


    The equity that Lu Liang once held was bought by him at a valuation of 72 million US dollars, a 20% premium on the purchase.


    Setting aside the sunk cost, altogether, he lost more than six million US dollars, more expensive than sleeping with International Fan.


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but chuckle, calling Old Wu to bring people in, three girls, and an Ethiopian black pearl.


    He murmured a few words to Wu Tianzheng, then turned and said with a smile, "Hu, have fun, it''s all on me."


    Zhu Hu had his eyes on that black pearl immediately, a height of about 170cm, with a stunning figure.


    Embracing the woman, he pondered why her skin was so black, yet so smooth.


    Seeing that Lu Liang was about to leave, Zhu Hu suddenly asked, "Where are you off to?"


    "I can''t simply watch you have fun, can I?"


    "Well, it''s not impossible."


    "I don''t swing that way."

 Chapter 183 - 182: Meituan Takes Charge

    "Whoever benefits is the puppet master behind the scenes."


    After bidding farewell to Zhu Hu, Lu Liang walked out of the hotel and suddenly thought of this phrase, muttering to himself, "Could it be Ali?"


    Ali had entered the scene personally, holding at least 30% of the share, making every competitor sweat profusely.


    Not many people knew that Lu Liang had transferred his shares, but Ali definitely did, as Zhu Hu had been connecting Ofo with Ali for some time, so it was not surprising that Ali knew.


    "What''s the agenda? Political capital?"


    Lu Liang couldn''t figure it out, but he knew that Mobike and other friendly competitors were in for trouble, at least Meituan wouldn''t stand by idly.


    Army against army, general against general, since the big capital had entered the scene personally, it suggested that the final battle was nearly upon them.


    The next day, Lu Liang was waiting for a call from someone. After waiting for a long time without a call, he instead received Qin''s sales figures.


    In the first day, 24 hours, the total bookings were 25,200 units, almost 28% of the entire market''s sales volume for the first quarter.


    Dizi had a complete industrial system and could mass-produce within three months, unlike Tesla, which was secretive and mournful.


    As a result, the company''s stock soared, achieving a "three-day winning streak", bringing its market value to 2.74 trillion Yuan, thereby boosting the sector by 2.43%.


    "New energy credits, 2400 Yuan each, invaluable, Dizi is going to dominate the market."


    "The shabby car companies, their good days are over."


    "Dizi, charge for me~~"


    "Looking forward to 500 billion!"


    A group of retail investors predicted that starting this month, the entire new energy industry would enter a rapid development phase.


    Just as the mobile phone circle wouldn''t allow OnePlus to excel alone, the car circle wouldn''t allow BYD to excel alone either.


    Moreover, there was also the new policy of carbon credits.


    The calculation method for the new energy credits was 0.012xR+0.8, where R represented the driving range.


    Using the pure electric version of Qin as a standard, with a top configuration of 300 kilometers range, it could generate about 4.4 credits.


    The country had set a cap of 5000 Yuan per credit, but since it was not yet time to settle accounts, no one needed them yet and no one was selling, with the market price hovering around 2400 Yuan.


    So when Old Wang said that a car only earns 5000 Yuan, it wasn''t just boasting. After all, selling cars only made a bit of money, but selling credits and subsidies later on would be the bulk of earnings.


    According to the current situation, surplus new energy credits could be sold at the end of the year.


    Except for BYD, there was also Tesla. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was now like a classroom with a new transfer student with excellent grades, and a classmate was also silently trying hard, obviously waiting to hit them hard next year.


    A group of car companies cried wolf: "The wolf is here."


    That afternoon, Lu Liang finally received the call he had been waiting for, a call from Hu Weiwei, "Mr. Lu, Meituan has parachuted in."


    After Ali entered the scene, Meituan couldn''t sit still either, Li Bing reached an agreement with Shen Peng, who in turn reached an agreement with Wang Xing.


    So, Meituan sent people to parachute in, completely sidelining her authority, and Wang Xing even planned to merge Mobike into Meituan.


    "What are you thinking?" Lu Liang asked.


    Hu Weiwei was silent for a long time, full of melancholy, and sighed, "I really don''t know now."


    Although there had been confusion before, there was always something to look forward to, a direction to know where to go, thinking that everything was for Mobike.


    But now that Mobike was essentially Wang''s, she was completely lost, even if she wanted to keep busy, she didn''t know what the point was.


    Lu Liang pondered for a long time, then suddenly said, "I mentioned before that I saved a position for you, do you remember?"


    "I remember."


    "If you''d like, then head to Beijing, Tianxing Technology still lacks a deputy general manager in charge."


    Hu Weiwei had been a car journalist for ten years and had even founded the tech media ''Geek Auto''.


    When Lu Liang invited her, he had already thought of the position for her, a deputy general manager in charge, with a status equal to Tang Caide.


    "Beijing, the car circle..."


    Hu Weiwei was bewildered for a moment, after going around in circles for over a year, it seemed she was about to return to the starting point from more than a decade ago.


    She had always thought Lu Liang was joking and was surprised when he actually reserved a very suitable position for her.


    Hu Weiwei thought for a long time.


    Lu Liang knew she was weighing her options and wasn''t in a hurry.


    He leisurely lit a cigarette, basked in the smoke, and patiently waited for her final answer.


    After a while, Hu Weiwei took a deep breath and suddenly made up her mind, "Mr. Lu, give me three months to sort things out at Mobike, then I will head to Beijing."


    She knew this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and if she refused, there wouldn''t be a next time.


    Even considering it for a few days wouldn''t work due to the dynamics of playing hard to get, which only existed when the parties were of equal standing.


    The gap between Lu Liang and her was even bigger than between her and Li Bing, and there were too many people to choose from.


    "Three months, four months, all fine; just give me a call when you''re ready," Lu Liang said with a satisfied smile on his face.


    He was relieved that Hu Weiwei was aware of her situation and didn''t bring up welfare benefits or even stock options.


    Because discussing those matters now was too premature.


    Soon, news started spreading online.


    It was rumored that Meituan was investing $465 million to take over Mobike, making Mobike a part of the Meituan conglomerate.


    The news was quickly confirmed by Li Bing, Hu Weiwei, and Wang Xing from Meituan.


    Once it broke out, public opinion was in an uproar.


    Netizens complained, "That was way too fast."


    The entrance of major capital not only signified that the ultimate battle was about to begin but also meant that, regardless of who won or lost, low-cost rides were a thing of the past.


    The Thousand Group War, the Ride-Hailing War, countless incidents were proving this point: the fiercer the competition, the greater the benefits to the public.


    Conversely, once the market was down to the last two or three companies, they would reconcile and stop burning cash to seek profits.


    First market, then money; this has been the pattern for internet companies for over a decade.


    At the same time, Li Bing also approached Lu Liang, full of regrets, "Hu Weiwei is resigning."


    "Rain falls and women marry; who can stop that?" Lu Liang said with a smile.


    Li Bing sighed, "This, I have wronged her."


    Initially, he had urged Hu Weiwei to establish Mobike, planning blueprints for her, pulling in investments, introducing suppliers, and ultimately bursting her bubble himself.


    Lu Liang joked with a laugh, "In business, there''s no real concept of wronging someone unless there''s more than business between you two."


    "Stop spreading rumors," Li Bing glared, he and Hu Weiwei were purely old acquaintances.


    Decades ago, when the automotive market wasn''t as large and auto journalists were few, he founded Yiche and frequently dealt with auto journalists; gradually, they grew familiar.


    The year before last, Li Bing saw the potential in the sharing market but was busy building compact cars, so he thought of Hu Weiwei.


    "I was just joking," Lu Liang was taken aback.


    "I know you were joking, but I truly have wronged her," Li Bing sighed, detailing this only in hopes that Lu Liang would treat Hu Weiwei better in the future and personally vouch for her.


    Lu Liang''s main business was in finance, and investing in new energy was merely out of interest, but his core business was NIO, which left no room for Hu Weiwei.


    He always felt quite sorry for Hu Weiwei because he didn''t provide her with a fallback plan, and these past few days, he had barely dared to meet with her.


    Fortunately, Lu Liang offered her a refuge.


    "It still depends on her capability."


    Lu Liang smiled and didn''t make any definite promises.


    While Hu Weiwei was experienced, if she lacked capability, in the end, no one''s words would help.


    Li Bing hesitated to speak and finally sighed, swallowing his words and pulling out a contract to change the subject, "Take a look, if there''s no issue, sign to authorize."


    Meituan was to use $465 million for a full takeover, which he managed, and Lu Liang held 2.168%, currently valued at $10.0812 million.

 Chapter 184 - 183: Image Spokesperson

    Lu Liang had joined during the Series A funding when Mobike was valued at ten million US dollars, and he invested just three hundred thousand to acquire a 3% stake.


    After numerous rounds of stock dilution, his 3% had dwindled to 2.168%, a decrease of 0.832%, yet the value had increased by 33.6 times.


    "It seems like a considerable gain," Lu Liang muttered quietly, though Li Bing still heard him despite the volume. Suppressing the urge to roll his eyes, he remarked, "It''s mainly because you have a good eye."


    The returns on venture capital are high, often reaching multiples of ten or even a hundred, but failing is often the norm.


    Lu Liang was an exception; whatever he aimed at usually hit the mark.


    It was thought that ofo would make him stumble, but unexpectedly, the guy ran faster than a rabbit.


    He had early on sensed issues with ofo''s business strategy and discreetly cashed out during the Series B funding.


    The profit wasn''t substantial, but it was undoubtedly the best timing.


    With a valuation of seventy-two million dollars, not too high but not too low, it was just the right price for quickly recirculating capital.


    Lu Liang had a sharp eye, and because of his cash-out, ofo was on the verge of a breakdown, which was hardly unjust.


    Out of so many bike-sharing companies, he had specifically chosen Long Yi and Long Er, and always managed to come out whole.


    Netizens blindly trusted him, and from the perspective of a Monday morning quarterback, none could find fault in his choices.


    "It''s just a coincidence, and such opportunities will only decrease from here on," chuckled Lu Liang, seeing clearly that the days of low investment for high returns had passed.


    Just this year, he barely invested in projects worth less than ten million, mainly focusing on those worth tens or even hundreds of millions. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As the scale of capital increased, minor investments could no longer contain him, forcing him onto a path of high investments for high returns.


    Li Bing forced a bitter smile, not knowing how to continue the conversation.


    He couldn''t understand that feeling, although having assets worth eight billion, the capital he could mobilize was only a few billion.


    Lu Liang controlled nearly one hundred to two hundred billion dollars in actual cash flow, how could he comprehend?


    "Mr. Lu, NIO has finalized the mass-production model, named the ES8."


    Li Bing instructed his assistant to secure the buyback agreement and talked about NIO''s second car, a mid-to-large size all-electric SUV.


    Ever since the EP9 set the record for the fastest lap at the Nordschleife during testing in Germany.


    At the same time, the racing team they sponsored won the first annual championship for drivers in the International Electric Formula Championship.


    "NIO" had gained a slight reputation in the European and American car circles.


    It was almost time to develop their second model, and also the first that could go into mass production.


    Both Li Bing and Li Xiang agreed on targeting the family car market, fitting it with refrigerators and big-screen TVs, and going directly for the high-end market.


    Because once electric vehicles become common, the industry will expand and costs will plummet drastically, so they decide to start high and lower gradually.


    It''s easier to move from top to bottom than the other way around.


    "All electric? No hybrid models?"


    Lu Liang was puzzled; he favored BYD''s development path.


    Hybrid models, offensive when advancing, defensive when retreating.


    Electric in the city, fuel out of town, undoubtedly the best choice when charging stations are not widely available.


    Li Bing''s face stiffened slightly: "We''re not considering hybrids for now, we plan to collaborate with Ningde to launch a battery-swap model."


    Lu Liang understood upon seeing the pricing, and said with a laugh, "This market is just developing, and indeed, everything must be tried."


    NIO isn''t avoiding hybrid models,


    not that they don''t want to, but because they can''t.


    The ES8 is expected to be priced at $448,000, similar to the BMW X3, Audi Q5L, and Mercedes GLC.


    But the contract manufacturer is Jianghuai, primarily a maker of light trucks and large vans, with limited expertise in internal combustion engines.


    A luxury car worth over four hundred-thousand with an engine worth only a few ten-thousands, or even less, would simply degrade its value; better not to have one.


    In contrast, the BYD Qin''s on-the-road price is just over a hundred-thousand and even if equipped with a three-cylinder engine, people would still praise it.


    At this price, including the license, there''s no need for bicycles.


    Li Bing gave a forced smile and then added, "Mr. Lu, NIO plans to conduct Series A fundraising this Thursday."


    The production base is currently undergoing its second phase of construction, and Jianghuai has constantly been asking him for money; the initial one hundred million US dollars is nearly spent.


    If NIO gets off to a good start, as long as the ES8 is accepted by the market and goes into mass production, preparations for public offering can begin.


    Investors can''t wait for too long, but backers can; they can accompany NIO until it profits.


    Just like JD, which even to this day incurs losses of ten to twenty billion annually, it didn''t hinder its listing in the US, with a current market value of 38 billion US dollars.


    "When the time comes, send me NIO''s financing plan."


    A valuation of two billion dollars was a price they had inflated together, so they would have to foot the bill as well.


    When NIO''s valuation was accepted by the market, that''s when they could retire successfully.


    Tianxing held 10% of NIO''s shares, needing to contribute twenty million US dollars for this round of financing, totaling two hundred million dollars.


    After seeing off Li Bing, Lu Liang encountered Chen Jinchun at the company''s entrance, who had just returned from the Southwest Mountainous Region.


    "Mr. Lu, I''ve returned," Chen Jinchun waved excitedly.


    From a white steamed bun, she had turned into a wheat bun, her skin a shade darker, no longer possessing the glamor of a city beauty.


    "Hard work pays off, come in and let''s chat."


    Lu Liang smiled, calling Chen Jinchun over to make her some tea, ready to listen to her experiences over these past days.


    He had seen the project''s proposal, which seemed to be located in Guizhou, but where exactly, he couldn''t recall.


    "Thank you, Mr. Lu," Chen Jinchun respectfully took the teacup with both hands and slowly began to recount her experiences.


    Though it was the Southwest Mountainous Region, the country had never forgotten them, offering several policies and substantial aid.


    Except for a few families, hardly anyone was so poor they couldn''t afford food; it was more a feeling of helplessness.


    There were too many children left behind; in several villages they visited, almost no young adults could be seen, with 90% being left-behind children.


    "The help we can provide is really limited."


    Chen Jinchun sighed, her biggest realization from this trip was understanding just how fortunate she was.


    She had always thought that everything she had was a given, only to suddenly realize that her life was an unreachable dream for others.


    If she hadn''t been born in Six Dynasties Capital, if her parents weren''t both wage earners, if she wasn''t an only child, if her first job after graduation hadn''t led her to meet Lu Liang...


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but smile, "This doesn''t sound like a charity mission, rather more like taking part in a transformation plan."


    "True indeed," Chen Jinchun said earnestly, then suddenly stood up and bowed deeply, "Mr. Lu, thank you very much."


    Lu Liang, smirking modestly, replied, "Work hard, that''s the best thank you to me."


    Chen Jinchun nodded firmly.


    She bid farewell to Lu Liang and returned to her workstation to edit videos.


    "Hello everyone, I''m Xiao Chen from Tianxing, today we came to the Southwest Mountainous Region."


    When she had initially taken on this new job, she spent a whole night discussing it with Tang Caide.


    Tang Caide was her mentor and a sagacious advisor, who straightforwardly identified the role of this position.


    Simply put, it was to be the corporate spokesperson, though she wasn''t sure why private equity needed a spokesperson.


    But Lu Liang had his reasons, and all they needed to do was to execute.


    Thus, Chen Jinchun decided to create a 30-minute video, divided into three parts: national, familial, and corporate social responsibilities.


    The first stage was to praise abundantly, even remote mountainous areas had access to water and electricity, with well-developed infrastructure.


    Though it might hint at exploiting patriotism, she believed it was the reality, as these were her firsthand experiences.


    The second stage revolved around the village''s left-behind children, a social issue stemming from rapid economic growth, which led to the third stage about a company''s sense of social responsibility.


    "Our Mr. Lu has decided to establish a charity foundation, investing no less than thirty million annually, with dedicated funds, fully transparent financial details, and we welcome oversight from all sectors of society."


    "That''s right, I almost forgot, we don''t accept any channel of donations, so be careful~beware of fraud."


    "Bowed down!"


    In just thirty minutes, the video let numerous netizens witness Chen Jinchun''s transformation from a white steamed bun into a wheat bun.


    The video was made with great care, especially the second part about the left-behind children, which greatly resonated with netizens.


    They had also been through similar situations, and now followed in their parents'' footsteps, moving south to work in factories.


    Although many were aware that these corporations engaged in charity primarily for tax reduction purposes,


    the difference between heartfelt effort and lack thereof was crystal clear.


    After all, some enterprises, too lazy to even pretend, treated charity as if they were dismissing beggars.


    In contrast, Lu Liang''s Tianxing Investment felt like a breath of fresh air, and not to mention, Chen Jinchun was so adorable.


    As a result, the video unsurprisingly exploded in popularity, and along with it, the registrations on Douyin also surged significantly.

 Chapter 185 - 184: Knocking

    The next morning, Meng Changkun rushed to the company, looking like he had something to say but was hesitating, stammering over his words.


    Lu Liang felt puzzled and couldn''t help but laugh, "Mr. Kun, just say what you want to say, no need to look like you''re constipated."


    "I''ll just say it then, don''t get angry too quickly, and let me clarify, these aren''t my words, I only heard about it."


    Meng Changkun had heard that someone was plotting against Lu Liang, spending money on charity and even publicizing the financial details, which had touched on certain people''s interests.


    Some people were counting on this "fat of the land" to make a living, and while Lu Liang had earned himself a reputation, he had put the entire industry on the hot seat.


    Lu Liang chuckled, "So, what are they planning to do to me?"


    Meng Changkun said, "They probably wouldn''t dare to confront you openly, but I guess they might resort to some mean tactics."


    After all, Lu Liang was no ordinary person, if they wanted to mess with him, they''d have to ask if they agreed to it first.


    Gradually, Lu Liang sensed something was off, feeling that Old Meng''s hints seemed more like a warning than just a heads-up.


    "It''s no big deal, worst comes to worst, we go our separate ways." He said nonchalantly, planning to probe Meng Changkun''s intentions.


    It was clear from Lu Liang''s attitude that he was sensitive, unable to bear even the slightest grievance.


    If it came to it, he''d simply dissolve the fund and go it alone, believing that the world was his oyster.


    Meng Changkun was taken aback, met Lu Liang''s gaze, and sighed, "It doesn''t have to come to that, it''s not that serious."


    Lu Liang was very perceptive, this time it was indeed more of a warning than a reminder, but it definitely wasn''t his true intention. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Whose idea was it?" Lu Liang asked.


    Meng Changkun shook his head, "Let''s just say it was mine."


    Lu Liang''s brow furrowed, and after a long moment of contemplation he said, "There''s no such thing as a free lunch."


    The comment was meant for Meng Changkun, but it was also intended for the person behind him.


    If they wanted him to continue making money, they''d have to clean up after him, even if it was a mess he started himself.


    Meng Changkun nodded in agreement, though he didn''t disclose who exactly had asked him to do it.


    Lu Liang looked thoughtful, and after a long time, in a calm tone said, "Mr. Meng, is there anything else?"


    Meng Changkun seemed to have anticipated this, a hint of melancholy flashing in his eyes, as he forced a smile, "No, that''s all."


    Lu Liang brewed some tea, poured a cup for Meng Changkun, and after they finished drinking, he did not offer more tea.


    Meng Changkun took the hint, "Mr. Lu, if there''s nothing else, I''ll be leaving now."


    "I''ll see you out."


    "No need."


    Lu Liang smiled and watched Meng Changkun leave until his figure disappeared at the end of the hallway, sighing to himself.


    He knew there must be some unavoidable difficulties, but since it had been done, he couldn''t pretend that nothing had happened.


    The dragon''s reverse scale, touch it and meet death; if he gave in because of soft-heartedness, it would be like giving up one city today, and ten cities tomorrow.


    "Who exactly is it?"


    Lu Liang returned to his office and lay straight on the couch, sometimes finding the sofa more comfortable to sleep on than a bed.


    He browsed online news, as the video released by Chen Jinchun yesterday had made the company''s reputation exceptionally good.


    After all, a company that showed outward "harvesting" and inward charity was really easy to attract followers.


    They even publicized the financial details, causing countless charity organizations to be called out and derided by netizens.


    Online public sentiment, although fast to come and go, the internet still had a memory.


    Corruption cases from 2008 and 2012 were still unresolved mysteries.


    "Is he afraid of being exposed for past deals, so he had Old Meng come and warn me?"


    Lu Liang muttered to himself thoughtfully, but didn''t take it too seriously after thinking it over.


    Having only Meng Changkun deliver the message, instead of someone else, showed that the influence of those involved was limited.


    Considering Old Meng''s stature, if it had been a warning from Wang Xiaocong, or the financial magnates Shen Peng and Zhu Hu, then Lu Liang would have taken it very seriously.


    One was the son of the richest man, the other two were heavyweights in finance, and the person capable of convincing them to risk offending Lu Liang had to be even more influential.


    After a while, Lu Liang got up and checked the business plan; Li Bing''s electric replacement proposal from yesterday had given him a wake-up call.


    The new energy market was not yet mature, it wasn''t time for him to enter, but some supporting industries could be prepared in advance.


    Charging stations are the gas stations of the future. Everyone knows how dominant the two top oil companies are, and the development of new energy is bound to drive the rise of new industries.


    Battery swapping is one aspect, and charging piles are another.


    Although it''s unclear which market has a broader audience, casting a wide net first is never a mistake, especially when there''s a sufficient margin for error.


    Come nightfall, Lu Liang arrived at Scholarly Splendor.


    Celebrating Wanyu''s successful entrance into graduate studies, from now on, she would be a graduate student at Tongji.


    "Isn''t there a saying, ''The first sword strikes the beloved one upon reaching the shore?''" Lu Liang teased with a smile.


    "Nonsense, there''s no such thing." Wanyu, dissatisfied, wrinkled her nose ¡ª she would never strike her beloved.


    "Let''s celebrate properly tonight. You were all plump and well-fed by me, but now you seem to have slimmed down again."


    Lu Liang pinched Wanyu''s smiling face. She had been preparing for the retake exams recently, visibly worn out, almost returning to the slim figure she had when they first met.


    He didn''t like girls being too thin. A bit of chubbiness was best, making for a comfortable embrace.


    "You''re the one who''s been well-fed and plump. But indeed, it''s definitely time to celebrate properly."


    Wanyu smiled slyly, stealthily pulling out a string of beads from her pocket and placing it directly onto Lu Liang''s wrist: "Happy Birthday."


    She had secretly checked their astrological compatibility; Lu Liang was a Taurus man from May, matching perfectly, 100%, with her, a December Capricorn woman.


    "In the blink of an eye, I''m already 31," Lu Liang stared at the black and white beads that looked like the Nine-Eyed Sky Bead from the Tibetan Region.


    "So what if you''re 31, didn''t they say, ''a man is a flower at thirty-one?''" Wanyu reassured repeatedly.


    Thinking that Lu Liang, like girls, would be sensitive about his age, after all, they had an eight-year age difference.


    "It really isn''t a big deal." Lu Liang said with a smile, wrapping his arms around Wanyu''s waist, but his mind drifted back to last year.


    At that time, he had sold his house, quit his job, and was in debt by hundreds of thousands, having invested all his funds into the stock market.


    In just one year, he possessed a car, a house, several close girlfriends, and an estate worth over a billion.


    The experiences of the past year were a hundred times more exciting than those of the previous twenty-nine years.


    Suddenly, Wanyu slipped out from Lu Liang''s arms, took small steps to the kitchen, and came back with a cake lit with candles, singing the birthday song.


    Lu Liang smiled, setting a romantic mood by turning off the main lights, leaving only a dim table lamp.


    "Make a wish," Wanyu said, hands supporting her cheeks, eyes full of expectation, curious about what wish Lu Liang would make.


    "I hope for world peace and for everyone to have enough food and clothes," Lu Liang brought his palms together seriously.


    After saying this, as he prepared to blow out the candles, Wanyu covered his mouth: "Don''t blow it out; that''s so insincere, choose another."


    "Is it just insincere, or do you not like hearing it?" Lu Liang asked with a grin.


    "Hmph, both," Wanyu retorted, tilting her chin up proudly.


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but laugh, brought his palms together again, closed his eyes, mumbling something, then suddenly blew out the candles.


    Wanyu, full of curiosity: "What wish did you make?"


    "If I tell, it might not come true. Are you sure you want to hear it?"


    "Does it involve me?"


    Lu Liang thought for a moment and nodded: "Yes."


    Wanyu was torn, curious yet hoping it would come true: "Maybe just give me a little hint?"


    Lu Liang smiled and shook his head. Wanyu made a pouting face, squirming in his arms like a worm: "Come on, even a hint will do."


    Lu Liang grinned, unyielding.


    Wanyu, frustrated, suddenly opened her mouth wide, sucked fiercely on his cheek, and left a mark like a red cherry.


    Lu Liang''s smile turned mischievous: "You want to play this game with me?"


    Recalling past events, Wanyu felt uneasy: "Let''s not play, let''s eat the cake instead; I was wrong."


    "Too late."


    "Help~"


    As always, Lu Liang was fair; the red cherry on his face had almost faded, but Wanyu''s neck sported several fresh strawberries.


    Wanyu''s eyes brimmed with tears, and Lu Liang, leaning close to her cheek, chuckled softly: "My wish is that you can become a mother right after you graduate."


    Wanyu, delighted, her internal discontent evaporated instantly, blushing yet sneakily raising two fingers: "Then I want two, preferably an older brother and a younger sister."

 Chapter 187 - 186: One Sentence Causes the Yen to Plummet

    "There are still two months left,"


    Lu Liang, with a pensive look on his face, instructed Sun Yutao and Zhang Jing to arrange for the withdrawal of 2 billion US dollars in cash before July if possible.


    He was being closely monitored by too many people, both domestically and internationally, and it was no longer appropriate to use high leverage due to the high probability of position disclosure.


    To earn more, one could only increase the capital investment. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Mr. Lu, from which market specifically should we withdraw?" Sun Yutao asked.


    The entire trading team, after over half a year of integration, saw him become the second-in-command of the trading floor, managing all traders and second only to Lu Liang.


    The two funds now almost reached a total size of 3 billion US dollars, and withdrawing 2 billion within a month and a half was not a difficult task.


    Because they had always implemented a 532 allocation scheme: 50% in US stocks, 30% in A shares, and 20% in liquid assets.


    With four to five hundred million dollars in liquid assets regularly on the account, they only needed to withdraw another 1.5 billion.


    But as for how exactly to withdraw the funds¡ªwhether evenly from all markets or from a single one¡ªhe needed Lu Liang''s instructions.


    After much thought, Lu Liang decided: "Withdraw from the US stock assets."


    Despite the southern affairs causing the A-share market to be sluggish, the country''s firm stance would ensure a strong stock market performance.


    In the short term, the A-share market had even greater potential to rise compared to US stocks, especially since they held a large position in new energy constituent stocks.


    The name "King Qin" was gradually gaining recognition in the market.


    Everyone was waiting for the first batch of deliveries in early August. If the market''s reception was good, BYD''s stocks would inevitably see a minor rally, which would in turn drive up the entire new energy index.


    In contrast to the US stock market, even though businessmen had become representatives within the party, and the industrial technology sector had taken off, with a strong performance in the financial markets,


    they were not very optimistic about the businessman, given that his electoral rival was Kling''s wife, who boasted a rich political legacy.


    And the businessman, much like the supermale specimen of Old Wang and Little Wang, was mockingly called Joker by supporters of the opposing party. Some even bluntly said that his election would be a tragedy for the United States.


    When weighing the benefits, Lu Liang decided to withdraw funds invested in US stocks, while temporarily retaining the A-share assets.


    After arranging the tasks for the next month and a half, he stepped out of the trading room and logged into his Twitter account.


    Since successfully shorting the British Pounds against three major players and coming out victorious, Lu Liang''s Twitter followers had long surpassed the ten million mark.


    And not just celebrities and politicians from across the Strait, three locations, his comment section was flooded with languages from China, Japan, Korea, Britain, and other countries.


    Besides domestic fans, those from Japan and South Korea were the most numerous, nearly 3.2 million, as naturally gambling-prone countries like these two were very similar to Xiangjiang, where leveraging is a trend.


    If there were only one hundred retail investors worldwide, China would have thirty, Japan and South Korea combined would have another thirty, and the other countries forty.


    Lu Liang pondered for a while; the southern event had not yet reached a boiling point, and speaking out now would be too obvious in its intent.


    Moreover, the so-called freedom of speech, much like racial discrimination, is just lip service, and picking sides could easily lead to being banned.


    This time, Lu Liang hoped that the more people who joined, the better, to facilitate the withdrawal of funds, requiring the influence to continue to ferment.


    After much consideration, he decided to start by criticizing Anshan''s governance policies and expressed a pessimistic view of the future of the Yamato people''s economy.


    He mockingly hinted, both overtly and covertly, for them to mind their own national affairs and not to think they still dominated Asia as in the past.


    "Lu, are you planning to make a move on the yen again?"


    "The army has yet to move, but public opinion precedes it. Ding Xie now gives off more and more of a big-shot vibe,"


    Lu Liang''s remarks on doubting the Yamato economy quickly spread from Twitter worldwide, even making headlines in the Wall Street Journal and The Times, sparking heated discussions among global financial practitioners.


    Astute net users noticed that Lu Liang''s bearish sentiment on the Yamato economy was likely in preparation to short the yen, a strategy that was very much in line with Mr. Suo''s techniques.


    But a good tactic doesn''t age¡ªwhat works is what matters.


    As soon as the news broke out, the US dollar to yen exchange rate dropped three hundred basis points, as Lu Liang once again demonstrated his unparalleled financial influence, far surpassing the long-revered elders.


    After all, Mr. Suo, in his eighties, was already knee-deep in dust. The China collapse theory he had proposed since the early 2000s had proven wrong. Over the past decade or more, not only did China''s economy not collapse, but it also surpassed the Yamato economy to become the world''s second-largest.


    His predictions had been wrong more than once or twice.


    But Lu Liang was different. In his early thirties, strong and vigorous, he had not made a wrong prediction yet, and they often came to pass within the following few months.


    "Oh, the sky is falling," the Yamato people thought, wondering why everyone wanted to short the yen. Had they violated some heavenly law?


    Even though there were historical hostilities between China and the Yamato people, those were the sins of generations past. They were a new generation¡ªwhy should they bear the brunt of repaying the old sufferings, which had nothing to do with them?


    Many citizens, feeling aggrieved, decided to protest on the streets, directing their anger at Anshan; if Lu was critical of the governance, then change the leader¡ªafter all, it''s not as if one can''t be replaced.


    International media were all taken aback upon hearing the news; the thought processes of the Yamato people apparently differed considerably from those of other nations.


    Without responding to the evolving rumors, Lu Liang was laying low, waiting for the judgment to come down in that period of time.


    At two o''clock in the afternoon, Lu Liang arrived at Hongqiao Airport to take a flight to Beijing, invited by Zhang Yiming.


    He waited in the VIP lounge at the airport, feeling bored, as his travels had been rather frequent in recent months.


    He was contemplating whether to purchase a private jet.


    Although the high-speed train took over five hours and the plane just two hours, the overall time spent was roughly the same.


    Trains are rarely late, but flight delays are common, wasting a lot of time waiting at the airport.


    "Buy it."


    Lu Liang suddenly decided, turned his head to inform Wen Chao to inquire about the models and prices, and to place an order first.


    Delivery for luxury cars normally takes one to two months, but a private jet requires even more time¡ªtypically at least half a year.


    Lu Liang could also follow Old Ma''s tactic of buying a plane with his own money and then renting it to the company at a high price for his own use.


    If a plane was valued at three hundred million dollars, he could sign a ten-year lease with the company worth one billion dollars.


    Thus, he would not only make a hefty profit of seven hundred million dollars but also have the company cover the daily maintenance costs of the plane.


    Old Ma had always been cunning in finding loopholes, a strategy worth in-depth study for Lu Liang.


    By five-thirty in the afternoon,


    Lu Liang arrived at the hotel booked by Byte.


    The inaugural capital raising dinner for Watermelon Douyin attracted countless domestic and international capital magnates.


    Since Douyin was taken over by Byte, Zhang Yiming advocated for development both at home and abroad, competing with Kuai Shou domestically and progressing in step internationally.


    This time, offering 15% of the company''s shares at a valuation of six hundred and fifty million dollars, they aimed to raise ninety-seven million and five hundred thousand dollars in capital.


    They planned to use seventy million dollars to expand internationally, intending to take on foreign competitors first and gauge their depth.


    If they could outfight them, they''d beat them; if not, they''d adapt the strategy. The target was naturally deemed the legitimate Musical.ly.


    However, enterprises require the assistance of foreign capital to go overseas, which is why many international investors were present today.


    Although today was the financing event for Watermelon Douyin, Lu Liang''s presence immediately turned him into the focus of the entire gathering.


    A single statement caused the yen to plummet by three hundred basis points, prompting masses to spontaneously take to the streets and impeach the prime minister.


    Although it was also related to Anshan''s unpopular governance in recent years, the incident was ultimately triggered by Lu Liang.


    Looking at the international scene, the last person of such prowess was Soros in ''97.


    Back then, promoted by Wall Street as their spokesperson, his influence was formidable and unrivaled.


    During that period, his achievements were ferocious.


    Without the relentless lifesaving inflow of funds from the mainland, Xiangjiang would have faltered long ago, and Russia would have perished if it hadn''t played dirty.


    Without any background support, countries like Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and Japan each suffered severely.


    Now, Lu Liang was even more remarkable.


    Zhu Hu approached with a beaming face and gave a hearty embrace, "Lu, how can you be so cool?"


    He seemed to understand better than Meng Changkun who intended to use the name of a charity fund to give Lu Liang a good lesson.


    But Lu Liang''s tweets and the subsequent influence had frightened them one by one into quails.


    Facing such an impressive godly figure, not just they but even their predecessors together might find themselves in trouble.


    "Zhu, if you hadn''t brought it up, I would have almost forgotten about it, did I choose the wrong time?"


    Lu Liang truly hadn''t taken the matter to heart, but recalling Zhu Hu''s words, he suddenly felt that he''d spoken too soon on Twitter.


    He should have waited a bit longer to speak up, at least to see first who was trying to mess with him, and then wipe them out.


    Suddenly dealing with unclear foes that disappeared just as obscurely left his mood quite depressed.


    Zhu Hu could only smile wryly, "No need, as the old saying goes, ''Better to reconcile than to persist in hostility.'' From now on, no one will dare to mess with you."


    He looked at Lu Liang with eyes full of admiration; some people are replaceable, others irreplaceable.


    Both he and Shen Peng fell into the former category.


    But Lu Liang was in the latter, his influence internationally far more significant than his ability to make money.

 Chapter 187 - 186: One Sentence Causes the Yen to Plummet

    "There are still two months left,"


    Lu Liang, with a pensive look on his face, instructed Sun Yutao and Zhang Jing to arrange for the withdrawal of 2 billion US dollars in cash before July if possible.


    He was being closely monitored by too many people, both domestically and internationally, and it was no longer appropriate to use high leverage due to the high probability of position disclosure.


    To earn more, one could only increase the capital investment. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Mr. Lu, from which market specifically should we withdraw?" Sun Yutao asked.


    The entire trading team, after over half a year of integration, saw him become the second-in-command of the trading floor, managing all traders and second only to Lu Liang.


    The two funds now almost reached a total size of 3 billion US dollars, and withdrawing 2 billion within a month and a half was not a difficult task.


    Because they had always implemented a 532 allocation scheme: 50% in US stocks, 30% in A shares, and 20% in liquid assets.


    With four to five hundred million dollars in liquid assets regularly on the account, they only needed to withdraw another 1.5 billion.


    But as for how exactly to withdraw the funds¡ªwhether evenly from all markets or from a single one¡ªhe needed Lu Liang''s instructions.


    After much thought, Lu Liang decided: "Withdraw from the US stock assets."


    Despite the southern affairs causing the A-share market to be sluggish, the country''s firm stance would ensure a strong stock market performance.


    In the short term, the A-share market had even greater potential to rise compared to US stocks, especially since they held a large position in new energy constituent stocks.


    The name "King Qin" was gradually gaining recognition in the market.


    Everyone was waiting for the first batch of deliveries in early August. If the market''s reception was good, BYD''s stocks would inevitably see a minor rally, which would in turn drive up the entire new energy index.


    In contrast to the US stock market, even though businessmen had become representatives within the party, and the industrial technology sector had taken off, with a strong performance in the financial markets,


    they were not very optimistic about the businessman, given that his electoral rival was Kling''s wife, who boasted a rich political legacy.


    And the businessman, much like the supermale specimen of Old Wang and Little Wang, was mockingly called Joker by supporters of the opposing party. Some even bluntly said that his election would be a tragedy for the United States.


    When weighing the benefits, Lu Liang decided to withdraw funds invested in US stocks, while temporarily retaining the A-share assets.


    After arranging the tasks for the next month and a half, he stepped out of the trading room and logged into his Twitter account.


    Since successfully shorting the British Pounds against three major players and coming out victorious, Lu Liang''s Twitter followers had long surpassed the ten million mark.


    And not just celebrities and politicians from across the Strait, three locations, his comment section was flooded with languages from China, Japan, Korea, Britain, and other countries.


    Besides domestic fans, those from Japan and South Korea were the most numerous, nearly 3.2 million, as naturally gambling-prone countries like these two were very similar to Xiangjiang, where leveraging is a trend.


    If there were only one hundred retail investors worldwide, China would have thirty, Japan and South Korea combined would have another thirty, and the other countries forty.


    Lu Liang pondered for a while; the southern event had not yet reached a boiling point, and speaking out now would be too obvious in its intent.


    Moreover, the so-called freedom of speech, much like racial discrimination, is just lip service, and picking sides could easily lead to being banned.


    This time, Lu Liang hoped that the more people who joined, the better, to facilitate the withdrawal of funds, requiring the influence to continue to ferment.


    After much consideration, he decided to start by criticizing Anshan''s governance policies and expressed a pessimistic view of the future of the Yamato people''s economy.


    He mockingly hinted, both overtly and covertly, for them to mind their own national affairs and not to think they still dominated Asia as in the past.


    "Lu, are you planning to make a move on the yen again?"


    "The army has yet to move, but public opinion precedes it. Ding Xie now gives off more and more of a big-shot vibe,"


    Lu Liang''s remarks on doubting the Yamato economy quickly spread from Twitter worldwide, even making headlines in the Wall Street Journal and The Times, sparking heated discussions among global financial practitioners.


    Astute net users noticed that Lu Liang''s bearish sentiment on the Yamato economy was likely in preparation to short the yen, a strategy that was very much in line with Mr. Suo''s techniques.


    But a good tactic doesn''t age¡ªwhat works is what matters.


    As soon as the news broke out, the US dollar to yen exchange rate dropped three hundred basis points, as Lu Liang once again demonstrated his unparalleled financial influence, far surpassing the long-revered elders.


    After all, Mr. Suo, in his eighties, was already knee-deep in dust. The China collapse theory he had proposed since the early 2000s had proven wrong. Over the past decade or more, not only did China''s economy not collapse, but it also surpassed the Yamato economy to become the world''s second-largest.


    His predictions had been wrong more than once or twice.


    But Lu Liang was different. In his early thirties, strong and vigorous, he had not made a wrong prediction yet, and they often came to pass within the following few months.


    "Oh, the sky is falling," the Yamato people thought, wondering why everyone wanted to short the yen. Had they violated some heavenly law?


    Even though there were historical hostilities between China and the Yamato people, those were the sins of generations past. They were a new generation¡ªwhy should they bear the brunt of repaying the old sufferings, which had nothing to do with them?


    Many citizens, feeling aggrieved, decided to protest on the streets, directing their anger at Anshan; if Lu was critical of the governance, then change the leader¡ªafter all, it''s not as if one can''t be replaced.


    International media were all taken aback upon hearing the news; the thought processes of the Yamato people apparently differed considerably from those of other nations.


    Without responding to the evolving rumors, Lu Liang was laying low, waiting for the judgment to come down in that period of time.


    At two o''clock in the afternoon, Lu Liang arrived at Hongqiao Airport to take a flight to Beijing, invited by Zhang Yiming.


    He waited in the VIP lounge at the airport, feeling bored, as his travels had been rather frequent in recent months.


    He was contemplating whether to purchase a private jet.


    Although the high-speed train took over five hours and the plane just two hours, the overall time spent was roughly the same.


    Trains are rarely late, but flight delays are common, wasting a lot of time waiting at the airport.


    "Buy it."


    Lu Liang suddenly decided, turned his head to inform Wen Chao to inquire about the models and prices, and to place an order first.


    Delivery for luxury cars normally takes one to two months, but a private jet requires even more time¡ªtypically at least half a year.


    Lu Liang could also follow Old Ma''s tactic of buying a plane with his own money and then renting it to the company at a high price for his own use.


    If a plane was valued at three hundred million dollars, he could sign a ten-year lease with the company worth one billion dollars.


    Thus, he would not only make a hefty profit of seven hundred million dollars but also have the company cover the daily maintenance costs of the plane.


    Old Ma had always been cunning in finding loopholes, a strategy worth in-depth study for Lu Liang.


    By five-thirty in the afternoon,


    Lu Liang arrived at the hotel booked by Byte.


    The inaugural capital raising dinner for Watermelon Douyin attracted countless domestic and international capital magnates.


    Since Douyin was taken over by Byte, Zhang Yiming advocated for development both at home and abroad, competing with Kuai Shou domestically and progressing in step internationally.


    This time, offering 15% of the company''s shares at a valuation of six hundred and fifty million dollars, they aimed to raise ninety-seven million and five hundred thousand dollars in capital.


    They planned to use seventy million dollars to expand internationally, intending to take on foreign competitors first and gauge their depth.


    If they could outfight them, they''d beat them; if not, they''d adapt the strategy. The target was naturally deemed the legitimate Musical.ly.


    However, enterprises require the assistance of foreign capital to go overseas, which is why many international investors were present today.


    Although today was the financing event for Watermelon Douyin, Lu Liang''s presence immediately turned him into the focus of the entire gathering.


    A single statement caused the yen to plummet by three hundred basis points, prompting masses to spontaneously take to the streets and impeach the prime minister.


    Although it was also related to Anshan''s unpopular governance in recent years, the incident was ultimately triggered by Lu Liang.


    Looking at the international scene, the last person of such prowess was Soros in ''97.


    Back then, promoted by Wall Street as their spokesperson, his influence was formidable and unrivaled.


    During that period, his achievements were ferocious.


    Without the relentless lifesaving inflow of funds from the mainland, Xiangjiang would have faltered long ago, and Russia would have perished if it hadn''t played dirty.


    Without any background support, countries like Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and Japan each suffered severely.


    Now, Lu Liang was even more remarkable.


    Zhu Hu approached with a beaming face and gave a hearty embrace, "Lu, how can you be so cool?"


    He seemed to understand better than Meng Changkun who intended to use the name of a charity fund to give Lu Liang a good lesson.


    But Lu Liang''s tweets and the subsequent influence had frightened them one by one into quails.


    Facing such an impressive godly figure, not just they but even their predecessors together might find themselves in trouble.


    "Zhu, if you hadn''t brought it up, I would have almost forgotten about it, did I choose the wrong time?"


    Lu Liang truly hadn''t taken the matter to heart, but recalling Zhu Hu''s words, he suddenly felt that he''d spoken too soon on Twitter.


    He should have waited a bit longer to speak up, at least to see first who was trying to mess with him, and then wipe them out.


    Suddenly dealing with unclear foes that disappeared just as obscurely left his mood quite depressed.


    Zhu Hu could only smile wryly, "No need, as the old saying goes, ''Better to reconcile than to persist in hostility.'' From now on, no one will dare to mess with you."


    He looked at Lu Liang with eyes full of admiration; some people are replaceable, others irreplaceable.


    Both he and Shen Peng fell into the former category.


    But Lu Liang was in the latter, his influence internationally far more significant than his ability to make money.

 Chapter 188 - 187: Each Harboring Ulterior Motives

    "There might be a next time if not for this one."


    Lu Liang had a tough attitude and put on a determined look as if he wanted to investigate the matter to the end, until Zhu Hu repeatedly persuaded him to drop the idea.


    True or false, but at least one needs a fearless mindset to minimize the trouble.


    Zhu Hu understood, so he didn''t expose it.


    He even actively cooperated and helped Lu Liang finish playing their double act.


    The effect was good, the two argued with a bit of noise attracting attention, and many people heard them, so the news spread quickly.


    As the host, Zhang Yiming hurried over with a big smile on his face and said, "Mr. Lu, Mr. Zhu, harmony brings wealth, doesn''t it?"


    Ever since Zhang Yiming learned of Lu Liang''s strong international appeal, he felt fortunate that Lu Liang wasn''t interested in short videos.


    Byte had the technology, but Lu Liang had the money and fame and didn''t like to meddle, posing a great temptation to entrepreneurs.


    Yang Zhenyuan was the best example¡ªif the competition continued, who knew how many more Yang Zhenyuans would emerge.


    They would likely all come from Byte''s core team.


    So, he reached out to Lu Liang, and initiating the merger before the money-burning war was definitely the most correct choice of the year.


    Lu Liang and Zhu Hu exchanged glances, both smiling tacitly, "No hard feelings, just making small talk."


    Lu Liang walked over to the side, picked up an orange juice from the table, and added ice cubes, "Mr. Zhang, who are you planning to bring in for this round?"


    "Softbank and Temasek both want to lead the investment, but we''re still selecting other partners."


    Zhang Yiming squinted, confused about the play these two were putting on.


    But since both Lu Liang and Zhu Hu were shareholders, he didn''t avoid the topic and analyzed the advantages and disadvantages of the two institutions leading the investment.


    It was unnecessary to elaborate on Softbank''s fame; after all, it was with Sun Zhengyi''s funding that Ali took off.


    Temasek was like Singapore''s State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission, and before ''97 was HSBC, which had been extremely keen on investing in the Chinese market in recent years.


    The former would facilitate entry into the Japan and Korea markets, but Softbank''s conditions were rather numerous and demanding. The latter would help in entering the Singapore and Malaysia markets, and Temasek hadn''t set any conditions.


    Zhu Hu asked, "So, what do you think?"


    After a long thought, Zhang Yiming planned to give each company 7%, so as not to offend either side, and the remaining 1% would be dispersed.


    Shen Peng came over, chastising, "How can you divide it like that? Not offending both means offending both."


    Zhang Yiming''s face darkened; even if his decision was wrong, there was no need for such disrespect.


    He frowned, looking at Lu Liang, who was sipping his drink, "Mr. Lu, do you have any better suggestions?"


    Redwood and Golden Sand River both had shares in Byte and Douyin, and he urgently needed a powerful ally to balance them.


    Shen Peng and Zhu Hu looked at each other with serious expressions and then turned to Lu Liang, all waiting for him to take a stand.


    This was a small matter, not even a dispute, but it involved the struggle between investors and founders.


    Previously, they had consistently pressured Zhang Yiming, but with Lu Liang joining Zhang Yiming''s camp, the situation would change.


    Lu Liang glanced over the three of them, chuckling, "It''s up to Byte to decide how to do it, but Mr. Shen makes sense."


    Shen Peng''s face stiffened; Lu Liang had picked Zhang Yiming. Although supporting him, Lu Liang had first declared Byte''s right to speak.


    The order determined the priority.


    Zhang Yiming was delighted, smiling openly, and repeatedly apologized, "Mr. Lu is right, I''m sorry Mr. Shen, I indeed didn''t consider thoroughly."


    He paused, then added, "Then let''s have Temasek lead the investment. After all, Douyin''s international headquarters is based in Singapore, where there are many relevant technical talents, most of whom are Chinese, making communication more harmonious."


    Lu Liang narrowed his eyes and spoke softly, "It seems Mr. Zhang has already done his research; Temasek would be more suitable."


    The sudden thorough consideration and quick decision by Zhang Yiming made him suspect that Zhang was perhaps deliberately enticing him, aiming to balance Shen Peng and Zhu Hu.


    Zhang Yiming hurriedly explained, "Whether Temasek or Softbank, we''ve conducted in-depth research on both. Despite Softbank''s fame, their demands are too high, and they''ve been declining in recent years, plus the island nation''s economy isn''t doing too well."


    Although he had intentionally enticed Lu Liang, it was mainly because the capital side led by Redwood and Shen Peng was too aggressive. Partnering with Lu Liang was undoubtedly the best choice.


    Lu Liang pondered for a moment and smiled, "Looking at it this way, Temasek does seem to be the more suitable choice."


    The last statement that Zhang Yiming made was essentially a declaration of his stance. If Lu Liang supported him now, he would support Lu Liang in return. Going forward, they would be like brothers from different mothers.


    Shen Peng watched the pair exchanging glances and spoke in a deep voice, "Since Mr. Zhang has made his decision, it wouldn''t be appropriate for us to say anything more."


    Zhu Hu shrugged and said, "Mr. Lu, Mr. Shen has already spoken, so we at Golden Sand River have no objections either."


    His good relationship with Shen Peng was genuine, but personal feelings aside, accounts must be clear, and he now favored Lu Liang more.


    In his view, Lu Liang and Shen Peng were fundamentally similar, and Zhang Yiming''s actions were akin to seeking the skin of a tiger.


    Should the day come when his relationship with Lu Liang evolved into what it currently was with Shen Peng, it wasn''t an impossibility.


    Aligned interests made allies, misaligned interests made enemies, but relationships weren''t absolutely solid ¡ª they were only temporary.


    "Gentlemen, take your time chatting. Temasek''s Mr. Li seems to be coming over. I''ll go have a look," Zhang Yiming excused himself and left.


    Shen Peng looked at Lu Liang, his gaze complex, and after a long while, he sighed, "Mr. Lu, I don''t understand."


    He didn''t know what Lu Liang was planning. Obviously, if the investors were on the same side, their benefits could be maximized.


    Lu Liang''s mouth curled into a smile, "Mr. Shen, I''m not interested in the power struggles over Byte or Douyin, but you''re being too assertive, which might scare Mr. Zhang into inaction."


    He didn''t expect Zhang Yiming to be of much help, he simply didn''t want to see Douyin, at its most critical stage of growth, fall into endless internal strife due to disputes over control.


    There''s a saying that goes well here; he was here to join the family, not to break it up. As long as the family was doing well, so was he.


    Lu Liang was willing to play the role of peacemaker to foster a delicate balance between the investors and the founder.


    Shen Peng was left speechless; although he didn''t think Lu Liang had such noble selflessness, he didn''t know how to argue against it.


    Zhu Hu coughed a few times, his expression odd, "Mr. Lu, isn''t there a new term on the internet, something about ''tea-fumed air''?"


    Lu Liang showed displeasure, "Am I ''tea-fumed''?"


    He had spoken sincerely, so why was the world so superficial? If Douyin were to be ruined by their handling, who would go and acquire Musical.ly the following year?


    Zhu Hu laughed, "A little."


    Shen Peng joined in, "More than a little."


    The two exchanged smiles. Although they disagreed, it didn''t affect their relationship.


    Over the years, Redwood and Golden Sand River had jointly invested in at least thirty overlapping companies. There must have been at least a hundred if not eighty disagreements over business matters, but both men kept a clear distinction between business and personal.


    Shen Peng treated Zhu Hu and Lu Liang in the same manner and didn''t let temporary differences of opinion lead to an embarrassing fallout.


    As the three conversed, the topic shifted to Xiaomi.


    So many top international venture capitalists had gathered today, not just for Douyin''s financing round, but also because of Xiaomi.


    "A $55 billion valuation? Is it really that high?"


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but doubt. Although Xiaomi was preparing for an IPO and had been the top-selling mobile phone brand for three years,


    jumping from $45 billion to $55 billion in value, not even internet companies had surged as fast. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was as if a cow had taken flight, its awesomeness soaring.


    Zhu Hu teased, laughing, "Mr. Lei is very good at marketing. Never mind $55 billion, he''s even shouted slogans for a $100 billion valuation."


    Shen Peng added, "A $100 billion valuation is just talk, making it much easier to accept something between $50 and $60 billion."


    He saw clearly. Lei Jun was drawing a pie in the sky for investors ¡ª a mobile phone manufacturer following a low-end strategy.


    Being the sales leader only proved a solid base, but it didn''t mean Xiaomi could achieve an exorbitant 85 times price-earnings ratio.


    Such a high price-earnings ratio was fitting for a rapidly growing internet company, but not for a smartphone manufacturer with slowing sales growth.


    Shen Peng suddenly looked at Lu Liang, his expression odd, "You''re not interested as well, are you?"


    Lu Liang nodded and said directly, "I was interested before the new year, but now, not so much. The valuation is ridiculously inflated."


    He was in the process of raising funds, planning to short the Japanese yen and didn''t have the extra capital to invest in Xiaomi.


    Moreover, for a manufacturing enterprise, an 85 times price-earnings ratio was indeed excessive; Ningde Era''s ratio was only 15 times.

 Chapter 189 - 188: Straight Hooks and Salty Baits, Clear Objectives

    "New energy vehicle special license plates, it is said that after approval, they will be issued on a pilot basis in places like Shenzhen and Modu starting December 1."


    "I''ve seen the sample, green background with black lettering, kind of ugly."


    "The traditional fuel vehicle''s blue background with white lettering isn''t much better. It''s just that we''ve grown accustomed to it over time."


    While they chatted, Yang Zhenyuan stepped onto the podium to represent Douyin and Byte, delivering a speech on financing.


    Zhang Yiming treated him well, not only appointing him as the general manager of Douyin but also as the vice president of Byte.


    Not far away, Zhang Yiming was enjoying a pleasant conversation with the head of the Temasek Fund, leaving Sun Zhengyi with nothing to do but stare.


    Softbank had declined over the years so much that even their brilliant move of investing in Ali was now chalked up to mere luck.


    However, in Lu Liang''s view, Softbank''s decline was intricately linked to Sun Zhengyi''s family background.


    With ancestry from Hu Jian, a Korean of Japanese descent who grew up in America, his family background was undoubtedly layered.


    Before becoming strong and influential, a complex background could indeed navigate favorable currents and provide support.


    Yet once one aimed to enter the most core circles, a complex family background could lead to exclusion.


    In America, he was Asian; in Japan, Korean; and in Korea, he was Japanese. The top-tier circles in any country would not accept someone who wasn''t purely from their nation.


    Coinciding with Japan''s economy progressively declining, the core circles tightened further, leaving even less cake for outsiders.


    "Where lies the opportunity in the depreciation of the yen?" Shen Peng asked.


    "The Anshan economic theory really doesn''t work; it''s just like the shocking therapies of the north."


    Lu Liang smiled, still only targeting Anshan, revealing none of his true thoughts.


    Hearing this, Shen Peng fell into contemplation and did not pursue further.


    Suddenly, Zhu Hu nudged Lu Liang''s shoulder, a knowing smile on his face, "Mr. Lu, you seem to be quite the ladies'' man."


    Lu Liang was puzzled, following Zhu''s gaze and saw a familiar figure from Huaqing University, Xu Huiqi.


    She, dressed in an evening gown, was following a young male. Upon seeing Lu Liang, she grinned broadly and waved.


    "Xu Xiaojun of Chenyi Investment," Shen Peng said to Lu Liang, gesturing to Zhu Hu to move elsewhere.


    Zhu Hu grinned broadly; having finished discussing official matters, they certainly didn''t plan to be third wheels.


    Seeing Lu Liang left alone, Xu Huiqi pulled at her gown, took long strides, and, getting ahead of others, reached Lu Liang''s side.


    She said with a smile, "Mr. Lu, we meet again."


    "Indeed, it''s fate."


    Lu Liang looked toward Xu Xiaojun, smiling back.


    He was aware of Chenyi Investment and had met Xu Xiaojun once last year during the fundraising for Tianxing II.


    Xu Xiaojun subscribed for two shares; at the time, Lu Liang was touring the northeast with Su Wanyu, and Little Wang had called explicitly to ask for them, mentioning that his mother highly recommended it.


    Xu Xiaojun and Xu Huiqi, judging by their last names, even if they weren''t siblings, they were at least cousins.


    Xu Xiaojun hurried over, his smile as warm as a spring breeze, "Mr. Lu, it''s been a while, do you know my sister?"


    "Recently at Huaqing University, we met a few times," Lu Liang maintained his smile.


    He remembered clearly; last time, Little Wang had said that the $40 million were pooled by several families.


    Chenyi Investment was their shell company, and Xu Xiaojun was their spokesman.


    "Huiqi didn''t cause you any trouble, did she?"


    Hearing her brother''s words, Xu Huiqi''s face showed displeasure as she retorted coquettishly, "That time at the debate, Mr. Lu, you even praised me for speaking well."


    Xu Xiaojun couldn''t help but smile as he spoke of today''s trip for Douyin''s financing, mentioning that his sister insisted on coming along to see for herself.


    "Broadening one''s horizons is indeed good."


    Lu Liang commented neutrally, showing no interest in continuing the conversation with the siblings.


    After being refused a dinner invitation last time, he lost interest in Xu Huiqi. And knowing Xu Xiaojun was her brother diminished his interest even further.


    If Daqiangzi being won over by Milk Tea Girl was just easy mode, then once Lu Liang got involved in this situation, he would be facing hard mode.


    Old Wang is the perfect example¡ªhe''s a real estate tycoon who has traveled far and wide, come rain or shine, with only Little Wang, his only son, who either couldn''t or didn''t dare.


    Xu Xiaojun furrowed his brow, thinking that his arrival had disturbed the conversation between his sister and Lu Liang.


    So, he quickly found an excuse to leave, giving the two some space to be alone and cultivate their affections.


    Xu Huiqi wasn''t aware of the change in Lu Liang''s attitude and smiled as she said, "Mr. Lu, is Tianxing also participating in Douyin''s financing?"


    "No, just came to take a look."


    Lu Liang replied, adding that Douyin was seeking foreign investment for its expansion into international markets this time.


    The two chatted casually, with Xu Huiqi trying to find topics to discuss: "I heard about a second-year graduate student who single-handedly secured several sponsorships for a new energy project." S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "By himself? Doesn''t he have a team?"


    "Apparently not."


    Lu Liang suddenly became interested. "What''s his name?"


    He personally oversaw the new energy project and had picked up quite a bit of knowledge through involvement.


    A superb tech development team needs the elite of the elite to lead a group of other elites.


    Taking Byte''s team as an example, Zhang Yiming was among the elite of the elite, and Yang Zhenyuan was just one of the elites.


    To be able to develop independently and secure multiple sponsorships, if it wasn''t due to connections, he must be an impressive tech mogul.


    "His name is Li Jiahui, a super scholar from the School of Computer Engineering, currently in his second year of postgraduate studies. In his sophomore year, he''d found a flaw in Microsoft and received an invite from them, but he declined it to continue his studies."


    Xu Huiqi was thrilled, finally having something that caught Lu Liang''s interest, and spilled all the information she knew as if pouring out beans.


    "Li Jiahui." Lu Liang remembered the name, recognizing anyone remembered by Microsoft would certainly be a tech expert.


    Half an hour later, Yang Zhenyuan stepped onto the stage and declared the public financing round closed.


    Temasek Fund invested 65 million US dollars for a 10% stake leading this round. Softbank from Japan and Monroe Venture Capital from North America jointly subscribed to a 5% share.


    It''s worth mentioning that Monroe Venture Capital held 18.2% of Musical.ly and was also its second-biggest shareholder.


    Zhang Yiming had likely already prepared for all scenarios: if they could out-compete, they would go all in; if not, they''d opt for a merger.


    With the financing round over, Lu Liang planned to leave.


    Xu Huiqi looked around and suddenly received a text message that made her stomp her feet in frustration, visibly upset: "That guy Xu Xiaojun, saying he needed to discuss something with a friend, left me here and took off first."


    "Xu, I''ve got to get going too," Lu Liang said, his lips curling slightly as he walked off with Wen Chao.


    Being straightforward with ulterior motives, dealing daily with sly old foxes was one thing, but he disliked having to be on guard even in intimate moments.


    Xu Huiqi blinked, standing there dazed, unable to respond in time, and watched as Lu Liang gradually walked further away.


    Biting her back teeth in frustration, when had she ever been so humble struggling to find topics, and hinted so obviously.


    All Lu Liang had to do was offer to escort her, taking the chance to invite her to dinner, and she would definitely have agreed.


    But Lu Liang not only showed no appreciation, he also lacked any gentlemanly demeanor, leaving her standing there by herself.


    On the other side, Lu Liang left the venue and happened to meet Zhu Hu, who was waiting for his driver.


    Zhu Hu was surprised: "Alone?"


    Lu Liang smiled with a hint of meaning: "Being alone offers freedom."


    "Being alone indeed offers great freedom, to play as one pleases, without constraints."


    Zhu Hu suddenly smiled too, having guessed the Xu family''s intentions the moment he knew they knew Lu Liang, but he had no obligation to warn him.


    Fortunately, Lu Liang was also astute, knowing the kind of trouble a woman from such a family background could present, sticky as an adhesive plaster, impossible to shake off, and likely branding him with a political label.


    He and Shen Peng thrived domestically precisely because they only invested and did not take sides, embracing the government while staying away from politics.


    The driver approached, and Zhu Hu opened the car door, smiling, "Are you free tonight? How about a drink?"


    He was growing more appreciative of Lu Liang, foreseeing that Tianxing could surpass Golden Sand River and even Redwood, and it was just a matter of time.


    "I''ve got plans already, maybe next time," Lu Liang declined with a shake of his head.


    The "First Rich" project was greenlit, and Zhang Tian''ai was preparing to start, but upon learning he was coming to Beijing for work, she had delayed a few days.

 Chapter 190 - 189: A Hundred Flowers in Bloom

    That night, Lu Liang stayed overnight at Zhang Tian''ai''s place.


    Entering the film set meant he couldn''t leave for at least a few months.


    Zhang Tian''ai was very attentive, and although Lu Liang wasn''t in Tokyo, she made him feel very warm and allowed him to experience the ultimate bubble bath.


    The next morning, Lu Liang went to Huaqing University, planning to meet the super academic achiever Li Jiahui.


    When Zhao Jiaqun found out, he admired Lu Liang''s well-connectedness and praised Li to the skies, "Mr. Lu, Li is our School of Computer Science''s trump card. International corporations like Microsoft and Huawei have offered him annual salaries of over a million RMB."


    "Why didn''t he agree?"


    As Lu Liang looked through the materials, Zhao Jiaqun might have been exaggerating, but Li Jiahui was indeed very capable.


    At 24 years old and still a second-year graduate student, his resume was already more extensive than could fit on an A4 sheet of paper.


    His hands were sore from collecting awards and rankings in all sorts of math competitions since childhood, and he scored 665 on the college entrance examination but was directly recruited by Huaqing University on special terms.


    He barely wrote an essay, but received full marks in mathematics, physics, and chemistry. After entering Huaqing University, it was like he was on a roll; over the past six years, he had been involved in over a dozen projects, each receiving excellent evaluations and significant scholarships.


    "Maybe the conditions Li proposed were a bit high," Zhao Jiaqun said with a strained expression, hesitantly revealing the truth.


    Li Jiahui wanted to be solely responsible for a project and also wanted the special privilege to use the supercomputer at any time.


    However, when it came to research outcomes, he wouldn''t make any commitments or guarantees, so naturally, nobody was willing to engage him.


    After all, no matter how talented, he was still just a second-year graduate student; even the fellows of the National Engineering Academy of the Chinese Academy of Sciences wouldn''t dare to make such demands.


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but laugh, suddenly very interested, "Director Zhao, please invite him over then, I want to meet him."


    "Mr. Lu, Li has a bit of a straightforward personality. If he unintentionally offends you later, I hope you won''t hold it against him."


    Zhao Jiaqun proceeded to give Lu Liang a heads-up.


    Lu Liang laughed, "Genius always comes with its quirks."


    "Mr. Lu is truly understanding," Zhao Jiaqun said with a forced laugh.


    He hurried off to contact Li Jiahui.


    Twenty minutes later, a boy with hair that looked like it had been slicked back with water and wearing glasses appeared at the doorway.


    "Mr. Lu? You look much younger than what''s circulated online."


    Li Jiahui examined Lu Liang curiously, the ordinarily unflappable expression in his eyes finally revealing a hint of excitement.


    Among the sixty thousand students at Huaqing, he might have been a legend in their eyes, but Lu Liang was a legend to billions of people.


    "Many people say that," Lu Liang said with a smile, asking how the planning for the new energy project was going.


    Li Jiahui glanced at Zhao Jiaqun and replied with a naive smile, "Actually, it''s done; I was just worried that if I finished it too quickly, it wouldn''t be taken seriously, so I haven''t submitted it yet."


    Lu Liang was startled, then asked with a smile, "How do you view Tesla''s smart driving system then?"


    Li Jiahui thought for a long time, "Tesla has taken a purely visual approach, relying on cameras to collect and process environmental information to achieve autonomous driving. However, Lidar technology can provide high precision and high-resolution environmental data in complex conditions."


    "So do you think the future of smart driving will move towards Lidar?" Lu Liang asked again.


    Li Jiahui shook his head, "It doesn''t necessarily have to focus solely on one technology. Visual collection and Lidar are not in conflict."


    As he spoke, he gradually became more animated, mentioning that domestically there was an unrivaled technological advantage in big data collection.


    Gaode was already beginning to implement it, and could infer journey time through user information.


    "Mr. Lu, I don''t know if you''ve noticed, but Gaode''s estimated journey times are very accurate; as long as there are no accidents en route, even if you suddenly speed up, the arrival time differs very little."


    "I haven''t paid much attention to that," Lu Liang said thoughtfully, informing him that the NIO ES8 would be unveiled at a new product launch in December, but the vehicle''s system had yet to be officially determined.


    Li Bing was more cautious than Li Xiang and did not want to use someone else''s system, nor did he want to train algorithms for others for free.


    But he had to give Lu Liang face.


    So they agreed that before the new car launch event, whichever company provided the better car OS performance, the ES8 would use that system.


    Lu Liang wanted to know if they could have something presentable by December if he provided the necessary funds and personnel now.


    "There''s less than seven months left," Li Jiahui muttered.


    Although he didn''t know what the NIO''s OS was like, except for Tesla, it was probably based on an Android framework. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Since it was an Android architecture, there was no need to write basic code; the timeline was tight, but it wasn''t impossible.


    And NIO''s car OS technology can''t be that advanced; it''s probably just an improvement on the second generation.


    Zhao Jiaqun hurriedly expressed his support, "Li, all members of our research institute can assist you with the project."


    He wasn''t sure about Li Jiahui''s ability to lead, but he saw that Mr. Lu thought highly of Li Jiahui.


    This was a good opportunity, no matter the consequences, they had to get the remaining 18 million US Dollars in sponsorship first.


    Li Jiahui pretended not to hear, his face serious as he looked at Mr. Lu, "Mr. Lu, I want to try, but I can''t make any guarantees."


    Mr. Lu smiled and said, "As long as you''re willing to try, even if there are no results, you can learn from the process. Money is a minor issue."


    A talent coveted by giants like Microsoft and Huawei, even if it takes twenty million US Dollars to play along with him, it''s a pretty good deal.


    Technology is the primary productive force. If Douyin had technology on par with Byte, he wouldn''t have to give Douyin back to Byte.


    Li Jiahui nodded solemnly, "Mr. Lu, I will give it my all."


    "From now on, whether it''s life or work, if you need anything, talk to Director Zhao."


    Mr. Lu smiled, turned to Zhao Jiaqun, and informed him that he would send someone with the 18 million US Dollars in a few days.


    His preferred choice was actually Hu Weiwei, but Hu Weiwei was still processing her resignation at Mobike. It was estimated it would take a few months before she could take over the work here.


    Zhao Jiaqun was overjoyed, patting his chest in a hurry, "Li, just let us know whatever you need."


    In total, twenty million US Dollars, converted to 130 million RMB, the position of vice chancellor seemed within easy reach.


    "If there''s anything you can''t handle, you can also call me."


    Mr. Lu left his private number, had lunch in the school cafeteria, and then left.


    He rested in the hotel for two hours.


    In the afternoon, he went to the headquarters of Li Xiang.


    The Li Xiang ONE was about to be launched, and Li Xiang was preparing to feature the new range-extended electric technology.


    Range extension is a type of hybrid technology; it''s considered high-tech, but simply put, it''s using oil to charge, not requiring particularly advanced internal combustion engine technology.


    From another perspective, range-extended vehicles also addressed Li Bing''s concerns; there''s no need to worry about matching a high-cost vehicle with a cheap internal combustion engine.


    Li Xiang and Li Bing both had the same concern, it''s just that the two companies chose different solutions.


    If the internal combustion engine technology wasn''t up to par, it was replaced with a generator.


    If there were no widespread charging stations, they would adopt a battery-swapping strategy.


    Li Xiang took Mr. Lu to the lab, where the prototype vehicle had already come out, but it hadn''t passed all the tests yet.


    "Mr. Lu, what do you think?"


    Li Xiang asked with pride, inviting Mr. Lu into the car.


    "It really is like a moving home," Mr. Lu admired.


    Panoramic sunroof, leather sofas, massage chairs, mini fridge, large color TV, they installed whatever equipment they could. Ignoring the vehicle''s performance, it was indeed pretty good.


    Li Xiang smiled and said, "With such expensive housing prices everywhere, buying a car becomes both a mode of transport and a home."

 Chapter 191 - 190: Mother and Daughter Making a Scene

    Lu Liang had to admit that for a moment, he had indeed been persuaded by Li Xiang.


    If the performance of the car was set aside, this was undoubtedly a comfortable and good car.


    But after all, it was a car, and the most important thing was performance.


    However, Li Xiang''s concept wasn''t bad, either; these configurations initially existed only in luxury cars costing over one million.


    Taking last year''s SUV sales king, the Honda CRV, as an example, a car priced at two hundred thousand wasn''t cheap, but even the LCD screen had to be added for an extra charge.


    In contrast, Li Xiang ONE, expected to be priced at 349,800, had refrigerators, colored TVs, panoramic sunroofs, and massage seats all arranged.


    So what if the performance was slightly inferior?


    After all, driven by an electric motor, it could outpace most fuel cars in the market from the start. As for high-speed driving, as long as it could exceed 150 km/h, that was enough; too fast wasn''t necessary.


    "My friend~" Hearing Lu Liang''s analysis, Li Xiang''s eyes brimmed with tears, deeply moved; that was exactly his thought.


    Those so-called branded cars had been too comfortable for too long; the birth of new forces was intended to overthrow them.


    Even if electric cars were abandoned by the market in the future, the price of family cars would definitely be driven down since they existed.


    Just like the current shared bicycles, Mobike''s Hu Weiwei was about to be ousted, and ofo''s Dai Wei was struggling; but their existence indeed solved the "last-mile" problem.


    "Electric cars won''t be abandoned."


    Lu Liang was silent for a long time before suddenly looking to the south.


    During this time, he had been collecting data, and the reasons and consequences of the yen''s sharp fall were becoming clearer.


    If ordinary people were on the first level, Li Xiang on the third, and him on the fifth, then national strategy was standing in the stratosphere.


    Energy security, industrial upgrading, and intending to the Middle East were just three advantages. Once the development of new energy vehicles kicked off, Japanese cars would be the first to suffer.


    Taking BYD Qin as an example, costing as low as 0.1 yuan per kilometer, the traditionally fuel-efficient Japanese cars, what could they compete with, especially when including the license plate, exemption from purchase tax, and policy subsidies?


    Moreover, Japan''s ambitions were vast; they had been quietly laying out hydrogen energy and held many related patents, planning to harvest globally.


    As a result, both China and America tacitly struck back with new energy. Hydrogen energy, having technology but no market, would inevitably be abandoned by capital due to eternally distant profitability after decades of research.


    The issue to the south should be an opportunity; major countries wouldn''t easily engage in hot wars, and Japan would likely be used as cannon fodder. As for the Philippines, they didn''t even have the credentials to be cannon fodder.


    "What''s the thermal efficiency of the range extender?" Lu Liang suddenly asked.


    Although range extenders used fuel to generate electricity and then drive, which sounded redundant,


    it wasn''t absolute because using fuel to generate electricity, despite more intermediate processes, often had higher thermal efficiency, commonly known as energy-saving and fuel-efficient.


    "42.2%."


    Li Xiang''s expression was somewhat unnatural because BYD Qin was a plug-in hybrid while theirs was a range extender hybrid.


    Logically, the thermal efficiency of a range extender should be higher than that of a plug-in, but essentially, their technology fell short.


    Lu Liang just smiled and said no more.


    Li Xiang couldn''t help but ask, "Mr. Lu, are you seriously considering entering new energy?"


    He had discovered that Lu Liang knew much more than average; normal investors wouldn''t bother to understand these; they would focus on data, sales volume, and the market, excluding technological issues from their considerations.


    Lu Liang chuckled, "Mr. Li, isn''t it obvious from my behaviour?"


    "Indeed it is very clear. Are you planning to enter the field yourself?"


    "Let''s wait a bit longer, the market isn''t mature yet."


    Lu Liang was still researching.


    Sedans, off-road vehicles, purely electric, plug-in, extended-range, family cars, luxury cars; he hadn''t decided yet.


    Anyway, there was still time; he''d let the new forces pave the way while he observed slowly behind them.


    Lu Liang believed that he wasn''t alone in this thought; at least Lei Jun thought the same.


    Li Xiang smiled bitterly, his face showing envy, holding substantial capital, they could enter the market anytime.


    Unlike them, who could only rely on financing to progress, whipped forward by capital, serving as pioneers in the new energy industry.


    Just like the first Europeans who set foot on American land, good luck could bring wealth, bad luck could mean dying from yellow fever in a strange land.


    After a few idle talks, Lu Liang planned to leave, but before leaving, he instructed to send him one of the new cars when they were released.


    Li Xiang patted his chest, "It''s no big deal."


    Lu Liang had stayed in Beijing for two days doing nothing much.


    Zhang Tian''ai had also joined the group, and he had been alone in an empty house for several days until finally, the E+ round of financing came through for Xiaomi.


    Temasek really had some serious money, they just invested 65 million in Douyin, and then threw 2 billion US dollars into Xiaomi right after. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Xiaomi acquired a one-time financing of 55 billion US dollars and became the third global company after Ali and Facebook to have financing exceeding five billion dollars.


    "An 85 times price-to-earnings ratio, and still there are takers," Lu Liang marveled, no wonder netizens called Lei Jun the chosen one.


    Xiaomi, established in 2010, had reached a valuation of 55 billion US dollars in just six years, and was preparing to go public in Hong Kong.


    Apart from marveling, there was only marveling.


    "Mr. Lu, you are no inferior," Zhu Hu said with a curious expression, he didn''t know how Lu Liang dared to admire someone else.


    Lei Jun was a genius and had caught the perfect timing, successively experiencing key moments in reform and opening, the internet, and mobile communications.


    In comparison, Lu Liang''s journey was even more unbelievable; just over a year ago he was still unknown, and suddenly his career skyrocketed.


    Lu Liang smiled and said nothing; he had finished his business in Beijing and could just catch the housewarming celebration back home.


    Then he would make a trip to Ningde to talk with Old Zeng about financing and the subsequent IPO.


    On the 23rd, the eighth day of the first lunar month, it was suitable for moving house and housewarming.


    Lu Liang, together with his cousin and Wen Chao, took a flight from Beijing back to his hometown.


    From afar, they smelled the strong scent of gunpowder and saw the ground covered in red firecracker paper.


    The exquisite and gorgeous three-and-a-half-story western-style house stood out strikingly among the rural villas.


    The chefs in charge of the banquet had set up tents at the entrance, with the head chef vigorously wielding his spatula.


    "Brother, your house is really beautiful."


    Fang Shiyu didn''t envy Lu Liang for his frequenting upscale places or for having many beautiful girlfriends.


    He only envied that Lu Liang could build a new house in their hometown and that it was so beautiful, making their elders proud to live there.


    Lu Liang smiled and said, "Yu, if you want, your family can start building next year too."


    "That won''t be so soon; I''ll need to work at least another two years," Fang Shiyu responded naively, giving serious thought to the matter.


    His monthly salary had risen to 25,000; with the year-end bonus, it should exceed 400,000, and another two years of work should do it.


    Lu Liang laughed and patted his shoulder, "Come on, let''s go inside and take a look; it''s been many years since I''ve been to a banquet."


    They came by plane and had only driven an Audi A8, so the family likely didn''t know he was back yet.


    As soon as they entered, they heard loud scolding coming from inside. Lu Liang frowned deeply when he saw his former mother-in-law.


    "Oh, Lu Liang is such a heartless man; gets rich and then abandons his wife," she sobbed sitting on the ground.


    Lin Wenjing stood beside her with her head lowered, silent; last month, unable to stay in Modu any longer, she had reluctantly returned home.


    Only to hear upon her return that Lu Liang had struck it rich, driving a luxury car worth millions and spending millions to build a new house, even donating two million to build a sports center for the village, quickly becoming the renowned gentleman in the area.


    Rumors were, he had won several hundred million from the lottery.


    The more Lin Wenjing thought about it, the angrier she got, feeling she also deserved a share, so she came with her mother on this day to settle scores.


    Lu Liang darkened his face and sternly rebuked, "Aunt Lin, don''t make a scene here. Lin Wenjing knows very well what she has done; do I really need to spell it out for you?"


    After all, they were once relatives, and she didn''t want to make things too embarrassing, especially since today was the big joyous day of moving into the new house.


    "Look, my daughter is such a sensible and well-mannered child, what wrong could she possibly do? It''s all because Lu Liang that bastard forced¡­"


    The woman was in tears and trying to gain sympathy from the neighbors and villagers around, but before she could finish, her left cheek took a slap.


    A crisp sound.


    The mother and daughter were dumbfounded; the onlooking villagers were stunned as well. They had always heard that Lu Ya, Lu Tiechui''s eldest daughter, was formidable.


    It turned out the rumors were true; indeed, she was formidable, harsh in action but not in speech, she delivered a slap that stunned everyone.


    Lu Ya, holding back her anger, tried her best to speak in...

 Chapter 192 - 191: Money, Power

    "Lu Jiancheng''s daughter, Lu Liang''s sister, is a murderer~"


    The old woman''s tears streamed down her face as her wails grew louder, as if she had not just been slapped, but stabbed, and she lay on the ground thrashing about wildly.


    "Lu Ya, you actually dared to hit my mom."


    Wenjing glared furiously, her eyes flaming with rage, and the last bit of guilt in her heart had vanished at that moment.


    At that moment, she embraced her identity as the victim, determined to seek justice from the Lu Family and Lu Liang at all costs.


    At this time, a burly man, 175 cm tall with a face full of scars, stood in front of the mother and daughter: "Lu, I know you''re a local, but we in Yumu Village won''t be bullied either."


    Wenjing and her mother, daring to make a scene at the housewarming banquet in someone else''s village, naturally did not come alone¡ªthey had brought some helpers.


    Four men and a woman stood out, all cousins or relatives of the Lin Family.


    When one person succeeds, everyone related benefits¡ªif Wenjing could get millions from the Lu Family, it wouldn''t be unreasonable for these relatives and friends who came to help to get tens of thousands each.


    Lu Ya laughed in anger, facing them without the slightest fear: "I''m bullying you? You really have the nerve to say that. Isn''t it because you despised my brother for having no money before, and now that you see he has money, you want to come over and see if you can get a share?"


    Since they had chosen to cause trouble today, it was simply to make it widely known, hoping that they would pay money to resolve the issue.


    But how could she possibly comply with their wishes, as this was not just about money, but also about her brother''s reputation.


    Lu Ya showed no mercy, puncturing their intentions.


    As her words finished, Wenjing and her relatives, one by one, found it hard to save face.


    To ask for money, one must find a clever pretext.


    Lu Ya made it clear, cutting off their retreat¡ªnow, even if they were right, it wouldn''t matter, especially since they weren''t right.


    The 175 cm tall burly man couldn''t hold back, raising his hand to hit someone, cursing: "Fuck you, stop spouting so much bullshit."


    Lu Ya didn''t have time to react and could only close her eyes, prepared to take the hit.


    The village chief''s eyes were red with fury: "What the fuck, stop it, daring to hit someone in our village."


    As a child, Lu Liang had been quite active in the village, but after beginning his studies, he gradually faded from the villagers'' sight.


    Now that he had money, the villagers only talked about how Tiechui was making a fortune outside, and that Lu Tiechui would now be able to enjoy his life.


    Apart from some relatively close relatives and friends, few people remembered that Tiechui''s real name was Lu Liang, and Lu Tiechui was Lu Jiancheng.


    A while ago, the village chief''s son, who worked in the city, sent him a photo.


    A blurry candid shot, which, up to this point, was the only verifiable front-facing picture of Lu Liang.


    Although a bit blurry and the background somewhat dim, the village chief had just dealt with Lu Liang during New Year''s and could recognize him at a glance.


    His son educated him on all things Lu Liang.


    Rumors of fortunes in the tens of billions, managing funds in the hundreds of billions, the hot Douyin was one of his investments, and the omnipresent Little Yellow Bikes and Little Red Bikes in town were also his endeavors; even the son of the current First Rich was just one of his followers.


    The village chief was shocked; not sure exactly how many digits were in tens or hundreds of billions, he knew that Old Wang had surveyed their city two years ago.


    Clean-up started three days in advance, and it was almost as if a leader was visiting, barring the lack of road closures and city-wide alerts.


    If Old Wang was so impressive and Little Wang, as his only son, was willing to follow Lu Liang, then Lu Liang''s strength, even if not half of Old Wang''s, must be substantial.


    His family was moving into a new house on this auspicious day, and there were people causing trouble at his doorstep, with his own sister being hit.


    The village chief didn''t dare to dwell on it too much, feeling as if the sky was falling.


    Suddenly, a figure, like a small mountain, burst forth from the crowd, like a demon from the heavens or a tyrant of the mortal world.


    The 175 cm burly man was strong, but next to a 195 cm tall hulk, he was like a frail little chick, easily sent flying.


    Fang Shiyu rushed out, standing in front of Lu Ya, majestic without anger, his broad chest exuding an invincible aura.


    Yet, when he suddenly cracked a smile, it revealed his inherently honest and simple nature: "Ya, I''m back with Liang."


    "Tiechui is back?"


    The voice was soft, but many heard it, and faces among the onlookers¡ªguests and villagers alike¡ªshowed excitement.


    Abandoning a humble spouse, relatives causing a stir at home, the host''s elder sister striking back, now the person in question appears.


    Damn, this is much more exciting than just attending the feast.


    After today, this incident will circulate in the village for at least three to five months, becoming a hot topic of conversation for every household.


    Lu Liang appeared with a smile, calm and composed.


    He stepped out of the crowd, not even glancing at the woman sprawled on the ground causing a scene, or at the shocked Wenjing.


    Lu Liang walked up to Lu Ya, grinning and giving a thumbs up: "You''re really something, Ya. Absolutely amazing."


    Lu Ya glared displeasedly and said nothing further; she walked up to the two children, patted their little heads, and whispered, "Don''t be afraid, don''t be afraid, your uncle is back now."


    Being the eldest daughter and with Lu Liang away from home, people came to make trouble. She had to stand up and take charge to avoid people saying her family lacked authority.


    Now that Lu Liang had returned, she gratefully stepped back from the limelight.


    "Continue saying whatever you want to say. Now that I''m back, let''s lay everything on the table."


    Lu Liang ignored everyone''s stares and walked straight to Lin Wenjing, as calmly as if he were facing a stranger.


    Presence is a feeling, a unique spiritual business card that, although invisible and intangible, undoubtedly exists.


    Although Lu Liang only managed a bit over a hundred people, there was almost nothing over the past year that could make him bow his head and yield.


    Moreover, those who encountered him always made concessions, extremely cautious in their speech and behavior, fearful that any misstep might upset him.


    As a result, he emitted an air of extreme self-confidence.


    His heart thundered with conviction, yet his face was as serene as a still lake.


    However, in contrast to the self-assured and composed Lu Liang, Lin Wenjing seemed a bit flustered, and, steeling herself, she roared, "I came here today with my mom to get an explanation from you."


    "What kind of explanation?" asked Lu Liang.


    "Did you already strike it rich when you were with me, and pretend to be poor just to get a divorce?"


    Lin Wenjing, seething with rage, yelled at the top of her lungs, as though only by doing so could she feel more confident.


    Lu Liang chuckled lightly, "No."


    "Then where did your money come from?"


    "Don''t think this will end until you explain clearly."


    "I''ve never seen someone so vicious."


    "Don''t think just because this is your village that we are scared of you."


    Seeing that Lin Wenjing was at a disadvantage, her relatives, sensing trouble, boldly stood up against Fang Shiyu to support her.


    Lin Wenjing couldn''t get money from the Lu Family, and their appearance fees were also in jeopardy; to protect their interests, they couldn''t allow her to back down.


    "Such a racket."


    Lu Liang''s expression grew colder as he looked at the people around him. He only recognized two faces; the rest were strangers to him.


    At that moment, outside the house, there was the sound of roaring engines.


    Lu Liang looked outside; Wen Chao had returned, accompanied by several local law enforcement vehicles.


    The police captain pushed through the crowd and bellowed, "Who is causing a disturbance here?"


    With a calm demeanor, Lu Liang pointed to Lin Wenjing''s relatives in front of him: "Today is the housewarming feast for our new home, and for some reason, these people came to cause trouble."


    Although he had no investment projects or connections in his hometown, his partners did, which meant he did as well.


    The year before last, Old Wang planned to invest 1.5 billion in the city to build a new Wanda Square.


    Even though it was just a commercial plaza, Wanda Group''s influence was significant, and Wanda Square was touted as the central hotspot and a new landmark of the city.


    Especially for some small cities without tourist attractions, scenery, or commerce, the impact was exceptionally great.


    Because it could drive up the surrounding real estate prices, and the sale of land often made up nearly half of a small city''s annual fiscal revenue.


    Therefore, the city''s leadership team went out in full force, accompanying Old Wang for half a day of sightseeing before finally locking down the project.


    Lu Liang had Wen Chao contact Little Wang, who then contacted Old Wang, who got in touch with the person in charge of the local Wanda Square.


    The process wasn''t complicated¡ªit was just three phone calls.


    The whole affair probably didn''t even take three minutes.


    Wen Chao whispered in the police captain''s ear, who then looked at Lu Liang with newfound solemn respect.


    He put on a stern face, showing impartiality, and pointed to the troublemakers: "Take them all away."


    He had just been about to eat when suddenly, city leaders called, reaching directly to their station chief.


    Thus, before Wen Chao even arrived at the station, they were ready to go and followed him over.


    The onlookers were stunned, viewing Lu Liang with a hint of awe.


    Although the team leader appeared to be the police captain, Lu Liang simply had to say a word for them to take the people away.


    Without any objections, it was clear proof that Lu Liang knew higher-level leaders.


    Wealth and power cannot be equated. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 193 - 192: Once and for All

    Ordinary people have an instinctive fear of law enforcement.


    Before Lin Wenjing could react, she was sandwiched between two police officers and immediately plunged into panic, struggling and crying, "It''s not my fault, I didn''t want to come here, they coerced me to come."


    "It was me who didn''t want to stay with Lu Liang anymore, I was the one who initiated the divorce, it has nothing to do with Lu Liang, please let me go."


    Lin Wenjing cried her eyes out, regretting her decisions deeply, she thought Lu Liang was just wealthy, never realizing he also had such connections.


    She exposed herself, hoping only that Lu Liang would spare her.


    In public, able to command the police officers, what inhuman treatment would she encounter once at the police station?


    Thinking of her past interactions with Lu Liang and his family, she was truly frightened.


    Lu Liang seemed indifferent, smiling as he approached the police captain while Wen Chao quietly introduced him and his position.


    Lu Liang smiled, "Captain Liu, hello, the banquet at home is about to start, why don''t I have Secretary Wen accompany you first, and I''ll come over in the afternoon?"


    Although he didn''t know whom Little Wang had contacted, a county official outweighs the immediate manager, and the captain, who leads police across several towns and villages, deserved respect.


    "That''s fine, it''s not a big deal anyway, Mr. Lu. We''ll be going then, you carry on."


    Captain Liu''s face broke into a smile, obviously pleased, and he even bowed to offer his congratulations before leaving, "A joyous housewarming, may good luck follow."


    "Thank you for your kind words."


    The crowd automatically made way, Lu Liang walked to the door, watching the law enforcement vehicles drive away.


    Suddenly, the atmosphere seemed a bit too quiet, the guests still immersed in shock.


    "Third Uncle, Uncle Chun, you all too, don''t just stand there, please take your seats and let the feast begin."


    With a smile, Lu Liang picked up the cigarettes on the table and distributed them in order from the older to the younger generation.


    Brother-in-law Luo Haitong, too, upon receiving a cue from Lu Ya''s eyes, took out cigarettes to help entertain the guests.


    Soon after, the lively atmosphere returned, though people still occasionally stole glances at Lu Liang.


    In their village of slightly over a thousand residents, it seemed a significant figure had emerged.


    Lu Liang made a round in the courtyard, greeted friends and family, then headed back inside.


    Six tables were set up, five outside and one in the living room, the main table.


    His mother, feeling sympathetic, tentatively asked, "Liang, what are you planning to do about Wenjing and Juan?"


    "What else can I do but scare them a bit, to deter them from coming back?"


    Lu Liang picked up some noodles with chopsticks; he especially enjoyed the noodles steamed under crabs, so flavorful.


    "That''s for the best."


    His mother''s face lit up with joy, her mood greatly improved.


    After today''s event, Lu Liang had finally cleared his name, no longer labeled as someone who abandoned his wife when she fell out of favor.


    His father, also in a good mood, didn''t care that it was only midday, poured a shot of white liquor, and clinked glasses with his son-in-law.


    Lu Ya, holding her young daughter, was peeling shrimp for her; hearing this, she glanced at Lu Liang but said nothing.


    After the luncheon, Lu Ya carried her daughter back upstairs to their room, chuckling, "Children get sleepy after eating."


    "That means she''s growing." Lu Liang rested awhile, had a few cups of tea, then prepared to visit the police station.


    "What do you plan to do with them?" Lu Ya asked quietly.


    "Nowadays, it''s a society ruled by law, what I say doesn''t count," Lu Liang said with a smile.


    Lu Ya hesitated then sighed, "Don''t go too far."


    "Just teaching them a lesson."


    Lu Liang had just phoned Wen Chao, learning what could be done with these people; at most, they could be detained for fifteen days for causing trouble.


    He stepped outside, bumping into the village chief, who was all smiles, "Liang, the community center is finished, do you want to check it out?"


    "Uncle Bo, I trust your work, maybe next time, I have to step out."


    He had heard over dinner that the community center, invested with two million at the start of the year, was partly embezzled.


    The contractor was the chief''s brother-in-law, but he wasn''t too bothered; after all, generosity can pacify many an issue.


    Today''s performance was satisfactory to him; at the very least, no one would dare harass his family in his absence.


    The village chief, all smiles, responded, "Then you go ahead and get busy."


    Lu Liang, joined by Fang Shiyu, drove to the town''s police station.


    Chief Zhou''s surname was Zhou, and upon learning that Lu Liang had come, he personally accompanied him to take his statement.


    "Nowadays, there are too many people who are blinded by greed."


    Chief Zhou was visibly indignant, firmly taking Lu Liang''s side.


    Lu Liang smiled, "Fortunately, we have Chief Zhou and our hardworking frontline police comrades."


    "Mr. Lu, you give us too much credit; it''s simply our duty," Chief Zhou responded righteously.


    As they talked, they didn''t avoid Lin Wenjing and her daughter, and Lu Liang was telling them not to mess with him without a good reason.


    This matter would pass with just a few days of detention, but if there were a next time, Lu Liang would make their lives perpetually miserable.


    Seeing how well Lu Liang got along with the chief, Lin Wenjing''s face turned ashen, and she resigned herself to her fate.


    Yet, she had one lingering question, one that, if unanswered, would not let her rest in peace even in death, "Liang, we were once husband and wife; can you tell me if you became wealthy before or after our divorce?"


    "Does it matter?" Lu Liang asked with a chuckle.


    "It matters a lot to me."


    "After the divorce."


    Lu Liang left them with that response and walked away.


    Lin Wenjing fell silent, unable to hold back her tears; she completely lost her spirit and slumped to the ground, powerless.


    Lu Liang sighed, but before leaving, his heart softened, "Chief Zhou, let the mother and daughter go tonight."


    "Right, it''s not a major issue."


    Chief Zhou nodded, a hint of respect flashing in his eyes.


    Indeed, none who succeed are pushovers; even in dealing with his ex-wife, he was ruthless.


    This time, a total of seven people were detained, including the mother-daughter pair and their friends and family.


    By doing this, Lu Liang undoubtedly put them through the wringer, as the main schemer got away, while the accomplices were detained.


    The censure from friends and family alone could drown them, and they likely wouldn''t dare show their faces in their hometown again.


    It was a meticulous plan to cut them off for good.


    After leaving the police station, Lu Liang drove around the village and saw the community center he had sponsored.


    Covering three acres, it had a basketball court, a table tennis room, and dozens of other sports facilities.


    The village kids, under the blazing sun, were freely sweating on the field, filling the air with bursts of laughter and cheer.


    Lu Liang''s lips curled into a satisfied smile; managing to achieve all this with two million was quite impressive.


    Even if there was greed, it was minimal. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Back at home,


    Lu Liang went up to the third floor of his new house for the first time.


    The first and second floors housed his parents and sister''s rooms, while the third floor was his private space, featuring three bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a living room, without a kitchen, furnished with only the best brands.


    Lu Liang lay on the couch, squinting his eyes, feeling a peace that the big city lacked.


    Gradually, the sun set.


    Lu Liang heard a crisp ringing of bells, and a chubby little hand patted his cheek, "Uncle, wake up, it''s time for dinner."


    Lu Ya stood at the door with a loving smile, letting her little daughter bounce on Lu Liang.


    She asked with a smile, "Are you satisfied?"


    "Definitely satisfied."


    Lu Liang rubbed his eyes and suddenly, playfully, grabbed his niece under his arm and ran downstairs with her, "Off we go, let''s have dinner."


    Their laughter, crisp as bells, echoed down the spacious corridor, and Lu Ya, smiling, followed them downstairs.


    Having stayed at home for two days, during which Lu Liang visited the municipal office to chat with leaders in charge of business operations.


    "Leader, if there''s a chance in the future, I''d definitely invest in some industries back home."


    Apart from real estate or man-made marvels, Lu Liang couldn''t think of anything else to invest in.


    He could only outline a potential opportunity to the city''s leaders for now; the chances were there, just not yet ripe.


    The leaders were understanding, considering that as a small city without specialties, nestled between the Yangtze River Delta and Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau,


    it was hard to retain talent or industry and develop anything, especially since Lu Liang worked in finance.


    Having the intention to think of the hometown in the future was enough to satisfy them.

 Chapter 194 - 193: Tit for Tat

    On the afternoon of the 25th, Tianxing Phase One updated its net value.


    The net value this month still hadn''t broken 3, and even the growth rate for the month had hit a new low, not even reaching 10%.


    However, a host of investors were very patient, since Lu Liang''s comments on Twitter indicated he was considering a move against the yen.


    It wasn''t the most opportune moment yet; perhaps the current calm was the quiet before an impending storm.


    Meanwhile, the brother-in-law drove his father-in-law''s Volvo, dropping off Lu Liang and a few others at the nearby high-speed rail station.


    The family home was less than three hundred kilometers from Ningde, which was best accessed by high-speed rail¡ªit only took an hour and a half.


    "Brother-in-law, you can go back, we''re about to enter the station,"


    As Lu Liang watched his brother-in-law leave, he suddenly remembered that his sister''s family seemed not to have a family car, just a delivery van.


    By contrast, in his Modu warehouse, he had seven or eight vehicles that were operable or not.


    Just Tesla Model X alone he had two, because Li Bing took one apart, so he ended up with two.


    But as for pure electric ones, Lu Liang was not quite convinced by their reliability, and Lamborghini and Ferrari seemed a bit too flashy.


    Wen Chao seemed to have picked up on Lu Liang''s thoughts and said softly, "Mr. Lu, the company still has an A4 that Mr. Tang gave up."


    Lu Liang''s eyes brightened, and he smiled approvingly, "Then contact them to arrange for someone to drive the car here."


    As far as he knew, Tang Caide''s A4 might not even have 3,000 kilometers on it, having been swiftly exchanged for a Panamera.


    Since then, it had been collecting dust in the parking lot.


    He would let Lu Ya drive it for a while, then later put on a crippling discount sale for her.


    Just giving it to her outright probably wouldn''t be accepted, and he might even suffer a lashing from her.


    At 2:30 in the afternoon, the high-speed train arrived in Ningde.


    Ningde Era sent several cars to pick them up, accompanied by a vice president named Su Boyuan.


    "Mr. Lu, that across is the West Factory, our main production base; we''re now heading to the engineering center,"


    Upon reaching Chijian Lake, Su Boyuan warmly introduced everything, noting that the lakeshore stretched with their industrial parks.


    Ningde was the name of a city, and their daring to call themselves Ningde Era naturally stemmed from the support of the local government¡ªthey wanted to showcase Ningde''s powerful strength.


    Lu Liang laughed, "Recently I visited Shenzhen and noticed that many city buses there have switched to electric power."


    His visit was for the financing of Ningde Era, and he planned to take on all the subscription shares by himself.


    The valuation of Ningde was between 33 billion and 36 billion US dollars, Su Boyuan hoped for the higher end, while naturally, Lu Liang aimed for the lower.


    Hu Jian was in a coastal province, and Ningde was a coastal city where the economy is hardly poor.


    If he let him brag, it''s as if Ningde was born for Ningde Era, then the valuation would certainly be maxed out.


    Su Boyuan wasn''t in the mood to feel embarrassed about being seen through: "BYD has been established for 21 years now, with power batteries, complete vehicle manufacturing, and rail transit being among their main businesses."


    Ningde Era had been established for just five years, yet they had already become one of the top three power battery suppliers globally.


    If they were given another sixteen years to develop, their achievements might well surpass BYD.


    "The pace of technological replacement is incredibly fast," Lu Liang remarked.


    Once formidable Nokia''s cellphone division alone was valued at 300 billion US dollars, but recent news suggested a plan to sell off the entire division for 3 billion US dollars.


    A dynasty could disappear just like that¡ªin sixteen years, the president could have changed four times.


    Caught off-guard, Su Boyuan became momentarily speechless; sixteen years could indeed change a dynasty, and there were indeed many uncertainties.


    Luckily, the car stopped, and they arrived at the engineering center.


    Zeng Minqun greeted them with a smile at the entrance, with a red carpet and banners, while employees lined up to welcome them.


    "Mr. Zeng, long time no see, today''s setup seems a bit over the top," Lu Liang teased with a smile.


    Old Zeng shook his head slightly, his smile still present: "Not excessive, there may be opportunities for cooperation in the future."


    Clearly, he also believed the rumors as Lu Liang had first invested in NIO, then Li Xiang, and even established a research and development project team.


    This wasn''t typical investor behavior, it could only mean that Lu Liang intended to get personally involved in car manufacturing.


    "I hope everything goes as Mr. Zeng wishes," Lu Liang chuckled.


    The group followed Zeng Minqun into the engineering center, visiting the R&D department, the battery division, and the production department in turn.


    Lu Liang had spent a week at Ningde Era, during which a steady stream of colleagues from Modu came to join in the corporate audit.


    This was an investment project exceeding 3 billion, presumably the last round of financing before Ningde Era went public.


    If all went smoothly, they could kick off the IPO process by the end of the year, then conduct roadshows, aiming for a listing on the A-shares market the following year.


    Originally, Ningde wanted to list on US stocks, and they were even on the verge of finalizing a 3.5 billion US Dollar deal with Ford.


    Last year, Ford was prepared to invest 3.5 billion US Dollars to establish a Lithium Iron Phosphate battery factory entirely at its expense, while Ningde Era was responsible for providing technology and service support to this factory, in simple terms, Ningde Era would provide the expertise while Ford would provide the funding.


    However, the move was curbed by the state, and Ningde''s path to listing in the United States was abruptly cut off, leaving A-shares as the only option.


    "We''ll need at least 500 million US Dollars."


    Lu Liang planned to invest in US Dollars, an offer too tempting for any company to refuse.


    Especially for Ningde, who had no hope of listing in the United States, they probably needed this US Dollar investment even more since they had been establishing labs around the world for the past few years.


    "The issue is where the money will come from."


    Lu Liang had a bit of a headache, even though the two funds he managed had a combined total asset value of over 2.85 billion US Dollars.


    But it was already June 3rd, and in less than 40 days, the results of the situation in the south would be made public.


    The funds they had prepared, including the reserve funds, amounted to only 1.25 billion US Dollars, 7.5 billion short of the 2 billion target.


    If they were to invest 500 million US Dollars in Ningde Era, the funding gap would widen to 1.25 billion US Dollars.


    It was uncertain whether they could gather the complete amount by early July.


    After much deliberation, Lu Liang decided to delay the investment into Ningde Era, at least until the end of July.


    After all, he could offer financing in US Dollars,


    and that meant the terms could be negotiated further.


    The next morning, both parties engaged in intense discussions.


    The main point of contention was the valuation of Ningde Era.


    Ningde''s side naturally wanted the highest valuation possible and presented the new energy sales report from the first quarter of the year.


    Both new and old car manufacturers were gearing up, and capital from all quarters was eager to break into the new energy industry.


    As one of the world''s leading power battery suppliers, they naturally expected an explosive increase in future sales.


    Analysts predicted that this year''s shipments should reach over 7.0 GWh, equating to 140,000 lithium batteries.


    Tang Caide rebutted, "According to our company''s investigation, Ningde''s power batteries make up 19.2% of the national market. So, does your company believe that this year''s new energy vehicle sales will reach 700,000 units?" Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "The sales volume for the first quarter of this year was only 78,000. Is your company suggesting that for the following three quarters, there will be an average sales volume of 200,000 units each quarter?"


    Teams from both sides were at loggerheads, arguing with sound reasoning, and trimmed the valuation to between 33.5 and 34.5.


    Though there was only a difference of one billion, this round Ningde was offering 10% of its equity for financing.


    With each additional billion in valuation, Tianxing Investment would need to put up an extra ten million in financing funds.


    And that was just for one billion.


    Lu Liang and Zeng Minqun sipped tea on the side, chatting and laughing carefree, but whenever they touched on matters of national importance, they inevitably circled back to the situation in the south.


    "This time, there''s absolutely no giving in, nor can we afford to."


    Zeng Minqun''s expression turned stern, utterly resolute.


    If they gave in this time, decades of progress since the reform and opening up would vanish into thin air, because wealth without the backing of military strength is nothing but castles in the air.


    Much like the neighboring country to the east, they are at the mercy of the United States'' cuts, something Lu Liang surely could relate to, as he was reportedly one of the harvesters himself.


    Lu Liang agreed, "We definitely can''t and won''t back down, the question is whether the United States will."


    Zeng Minqun pondered for a long time, "Whether the United States will back down depends on whether our stance is firm enough."


    He couldn''t help but reflect, "If we had the ambition of the strategic shifts from years past, even the United States wouldn''t dare affront us, no matter how bold or daring."


    Lu Liang also sighed, "Back then, we had nothing to lose, the barefoot were not afraid of those with shoes. Now, we have families to consider."

 Chapter 195 - 194: Are They Going to Run Away?

    As the two of them conversed, the negotiations next to them were also nearing an end.


    Tang Caide, seeing that the negotiations were about to conclude, played the trump card given to her by Lu Liang, offering investment in US Dollars.


    Redwood was known for its strength as the "big brother" of venture capital, not only for its keen insight but more importantly, for its dual-currency fund characteristic, able to provide enterprises with US Dollar investments. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Although it''s no longer like before when enterprises considered foreign exchange earnings as their top priority, most companies still faced a scarcity of foreign exchange.


    Especially industrial technology companies, which often needed to import high-end precision equipment from abroad, had an even greater need for foreign exchange reserves.


    Although the state provided support for high-tech companies, Ningde could always apply for interest-free foreign exchange loans from banks anytime.


    However, loans still needed to be repaid and the procedures were cumbersome.


    Coincidentally, Tianxing too was a dual-currency fund.


    With financing of 520 million US Dollars, Su Boyuan could only agree to value Ningde at 33.228 billion yuan.


    However, in this round, since only Tianxing Institution was involved, naturally, they would dictate how the matter was communicated externally.


    Tang Caide smiled, expressing no objections.


    Before financing, she naturally hoped for a lower valuation as it would mean less capital investment.


    But after financing, everyone was part of the same team, and the higher Ningde''s valuation, the higher their notional profits appeared on paper.


    Both parties finalized the cooperative details, and the funds would be transferred into Ningde''s account within the next 60 business days.


    Su Boyuan raised no objections; after all, over 500 million US Dollars was not a small amount, and two months was already quite fast.


    "Mr. Zeng, it''s a pleasure doing business with you."


    Lu Liang showed a smile, as after this round of financing, they would hold 13.33% of Ningde''s shares.


    Even though the IPO next year might dilute it slightly, they would still hold at least 11.997%.


    Given time, once Ningde went public and its market value surpassed one trillion, these shares would be worth 119.97 billion yuan.


    Once Lu Liang had the funds, he would transfer the shares from Tianxing Assets to Tianxing Investment.


    In this way, relying solely on Ningde''s share assets, he could become a bona fide hundred-billionaire.


    "Mr. Lu, a pleasure doing business."


    Zeng Minqun also showed a smile, feeling quite pleased.


    If all went as expected, Ningde Era would become the first listed company in Lu Liang''s investment portfolio.


    Lu Liang''s acumen needs no further praise; after the merger of Watermelon and Douyin, it quickly swept across major cities in the country.


    Even Kuai Shou, known for dominating the three northeastern provinces, saw a breach, with user numbers breaking the eighty million mark.


    In the domestic short video sector, it had truly become a rising supernova, second in market share only to Kuai Shou and unmatched in user stickiness, unchallenged by any.


    The merger of the two companies, according to professional assessment agencies, was worth at least a hundredfold.


    Those who had initially criticized Lu Liang for being a fool had now changed their tune, praising his unparalleled foresight.


    His investment insight was unmatched, and his market judgment was even more exceptional.


    They at Ningde had decided to go public on the Growth Enterprise Market, and Old Zeng was already eager to witness the grand scene on that day.


    Once the collaboration was finalized, the groups headed to a restaurant by Chijian Lake, funded by the investment of Ningde Era.


    Meanwhile, news that Ningde had secured a valuation of 35 billion yuan through an investment of several hundred million US Dollars by Tianxing spread quickly.


    The head of Public Relations at Ningde stepped forward to confirm the news.


    And noted, this financing round would be their last before going public; they would now focus entirely on preparing for the IPO, planned for the end of this year or early next year. Interested investors should stay tuned.


    The moment these words were announced, the new energy sector surged, with lithium raw material suppliers skyrocketing.


    In February this year, Lu Liang had invested one billion yuan in Ningde, and just over four months later, another thirty-some billion.


    These two investments of over forty billion far surpassed the total of his past investments, practically broadcasting his optimism on new energy.


    Domestic funds took Lu Liang as a benchmark; after all, it was easier to follow him than to laboriously research the market.


    You should know, institutions that had followed suit in buying into new energy at the beginning of the year, had now seen at least a 20% return.


    Seeing Lu Liang doubling down, they adjusted their holdings, increasing their investment in the new energy sector.


    Institutions followed suit, and so did retail investors.


    Further driving the rise in the new energy sector.


    The new energy index had now become the most influential sector in the Big A market, thus propelling the entire market upwards.


    "Folks, quick, come back; the village is giving out gold bars, the silver party has started."


    "If the bull turns its head, there must be a reason; it looks like a 6000-point rally," he said.


    At that moment, the retail investors in the market teared up, as if they had seen last year''s crazy bull market, and some turned their attention to the international market, mainly focusing on the yen exchange rate.


    They had not forgotten that Lu Liang had predicted a downturn in the Japanese economy, likely planning to short the yen.


    Following Lu Liang had become the consensus for countless domestic and international investors and speculators.


    After resting for a night in Ningde, early the next morning, Lu Liang took his team on the high-speed train to Modu.


    He had just arrived at the office when Wang Xiaocong came over, smelling the gossip and planning to savor this juicy piece of news.


    An ex-wife showing up and turning into an enemy, he suddenly realized that Lu Liang''s life was spectacularly dramatic.


    "Is Panda not done yet?" Lu Liang gave him a harsh look, showing no kindness.


    "How could it be? The clean-up is just a breeze; it passed and everything''s fine."


    Little Wang was smug, with the last fundraising of 446 million slowly trickling in, he had safely weathered the clean-up storm.


    Now sitting as the third top player in the live-streaming industry, he suddenly felt he could speak loudly again.


    "Be careful, or joy may turn to sorrow," Lu Liang scoffed, Douyin and Live Tiger had Tencent''s support, Panda had nothing.


    In his view, given that the business was still running well, they should consider cashing out.


    Like Little Wang, thinking of cashing out when broke, suddenly becoming ambitious once well-off, being indecisive will lead to downfall sooner or later.


    "You think I don''t want to? Just can''t manage to get free," Little Wang sighed. Even if he felt lofty again, he wouldn''t dare show it in front of Lu Liang, just couldn''t find the right person to take over.


    Lu Liang paused to ponder, then smilingly said, "LeEco is a big fool, you might try talking to Old Jia."


    Last week, while attending Douyin''s financing meeting in Beijing, he discussed LeEco with Shen Peng and Zhu Hu, their thoughts nearly aligned.


    LeEco''s financial situation must be serious, but to avoid exposure, they could only act boldly.


    Because there''s a saying that goes, when everyone thinks he''s rich, he becomes rich even if he isn''t.


    And when everyone thinks he''s broke, he becomes broke even if he isn''t.


    Little Wang looked furious, "Look for what, the last round of funding from Chenhai and Golden Sand River came through, only LeEco didn''t, still talking about foreign exchange settlement, delaying another month."


    Lu Liang was surprised, "Did he really say that?"


    "What else?"


    "Hold on."


    Lu Liang looked bemused, phoned Wen Chao, and asked him to investigate the assets LeEco had mortgaged to the banks.


    Because he recalled that when he was back in his hometown, Old Jia had tried to contact him about investing in Faraday Future.


    But he had declined due to being busy, and now Panda''s funding was being continuously delayed.


    A thought suddenly struck Lu Liang; could Old Jia be planning to flee?


    "Something wrong?" Little Wang was puzzled.


    "Perhaps."


    Lu Liang looked grave, his mind elsewhere, suddenly receiving breaking international news; the South had escalated, Korea had entered, agreeing with the United States to place a Saman on their territory.


    Upon the news being announced, it sparked a heated discussion online, almost instantly stirring a boycott Korean products frenzy.


    It was like digging a massive hole in their own backyard.


    Lu Liang browsed related news, well aware that the southern situation had started to move from behind-the-scenes to the forefront.


    Right then, Wen Chao knocked and entered. He had just discovered that LeEco had a loan of 530 million using equity as collateral.


    Lu Liang pulled up the stock price chart for LeEco, coincidentally, last month LeEco''s stock price had plummeted, and its equity was on the verge of insolvency.


    At that time, by choosing to lead Panda''s investment, the stock price had surged, safely navigating through the insolvency crisis.


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but chuckle, laid out all the data, looked up at Little Wang, "See what''s happening now?"


    "The 158 million from LeEco leading Panda''s investment is gone?"


    Little Wang looked shocked, disbelief coursing through him.


    Lu Liang had practically spoon-fed him, even a fool should see what this meant.


    Old Jia used Panda as a stepping stone, most likely a disposable one at that.


    This so-called foreign exchange settlement was merely a pretext.


    He probably never intended to invest in Panda from the beginning, just exploiting the First Rich''s son and Lu Liang''s renowned participation to boost LeEco''s stock price, thus overcoming the insolvency crisis.

 Chapter 196 - 195: Liangzi, Stop

    "You better not get your hopes up."


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but laugh. When LeEco had led the investment in Panda, he had felt it odd but hadn''t thought much about it.


    Panda''s last name was Wang, not Lu; Li Manli''s ties to Panda might even be deeper than his.


    Even if things turned sour, he would only lose eighteen million, which wasn''t a huge problem and he didn''t particularly care.


    Now, it could only be said that Accountant Jia''s calculations were spot on; Little Wang would likely be exploited for nothing.


    If LeEco''s liabilities hadn''t been falsified, then a guaranteed debt of ten billion wouldn''t make a difference of slightly more than a hundred million to Panda.


    In his anger, Wang Xiaocong suddenly had a brainwave, "Lu, do you think Old Jia might take over Panda?"


    Although LeEco''s stock price had been steadily falling since the end of last year''s bull market, even dropping below a hundred billion last month and soon to lose its position as the top on the Growth Enterprise Market,


    a dying camel is still bigger than a horse. He wanted to sell Panda to LeEco in exchange for stock equity and then cash out from the secondary market.


    Once Panda joined LeEco, its stock price would surely soar. As long as it lasted till the six-month lock-up period, he could easily cash out.


    Not only could he repay the thirty million US dollars he owed to Golden Sand River and Qihu, but he might also make a huge profit.


    Since he had seen Tencent''s determination to dominate the market, he had silently given up the Eastern Disneyland plan.


    Lu Liang was surprised, "When did you get such a brain?"


    "Being close to vermilion gets one stained crimson."


    Little Wang chuckled and didn''t argue with Lu but eagerly asked, "Will this work?"


    Lu Liang pondered for a long time, "It seems workable, but it would take at least six months to complete the process."


    "Putting aside whether LeEco can last that long, do you think you can outplay Old Jia?"


    A man who could suffocate for his dreams and walked at the forefront of business, as Shen Peng had said, he might doubt the authenticity of LeEco''s financial reports but never doubted Boss Jia''s capabilities.


    On the other hand, looking at Little Wang¡­


    "Do you really look down on me?" Little Wang said indignantly.


    Lu Liang nodded seriously; he did not want to play games with Boss Jia because he was unsure how deep the pit of LeEco was.


    Little Wang still thought about conspiring with the tiger, but it seemed like sending warmth over a thousand miles, he would probably end up bedridden.


    Little Wang walked away angrily, his face full of fury.


    Lu Liang chuckled and had no intention of persuading him.


    He logged into Twitter to post derogatory comments about the Japanese economy, preparing for his upcoming shorting of the yen.


    Meanwhile, Korea''s agreement with the United States to deploy shamans on its territory was still fermenting.


    Weibo and Tieba, as the internet''s most famous women''s and men''s restrooms, had stood unshaken for many years.


    Due to their keen sense of watching, they knew what would disrupt unity should not be discussed, but beneficial things could be freely spoken.


    Seeing that Weibo, Tieba, and other major forum platforms were not banning the spread of the shaman news.


    The influential online personalities also understood the authorities'' stance and joined in analyzing the dangers of shamans.


    "Going into battle with justified reasons, taking the initiative."


    Lu Liang sighed, "Troublesome times."


    Taking a firm stance needed public support, allowing influencers to analyze dangers was essentially brewing momentum.


    Lu Liang only knew to take a hard line and knew that the situation would make this international incident''s first sacrifice.


    But he was unclear about the consequences of being so resolute, and how the United States would respond to their firmness.


    He was a businessman, not involved in military industries; other countries could be messy, but he didn''t want his own to be.


    In June, amid the wave of boycotting Korean products, and by early July, all comments online had suddenly stopped.


    As Lu Liang guessed, allowing influencers to spread the word was essentially building momentum; once the task was completed, it naturally ended.


    If nothing happened, then everything would remain as usual.


    If something happened, people would suddenly realize how it came to be that way.


    That day, Lu Liang went to the adjacent trading room; after a month and a half of fundraising, he had successfully earmarked two billion US dollars.


    The current USD/JPY exchange rate is 104.4600.


    Over the past month and a half, the yen has surged by 9000 basis points.


    Apart from the significant drop of 300 points on the first day when Lu Liang advocated for a bearish stance, there was a feeling that the more he talked down the currency, the more it rose.


    Countless international speculators who trusted Lu Liang were repeatedly cut, and Lu God was about to turn into Liangzi.


    That afternoon, Lu Liang visited State Street Bank.


    He invested 20 billion US dollars, used 10 billion as initial capital, and using four times leverage, he acquired a short position of 41.784 trillion yen.


    For every 1 basis point increase in the price at 104.46, there would be a profit of 3820 US dollars and assuming it dropped to 113.15, there would be a profit of 332 million US dollars.


    Even if he took full advantage of this market move, the overall profit was still less than a third of what he had earned from short selling the British Pounds, but Lu Liang was already very satisfied.


    Old England''s Brexit was a political black swan event, impacting not only Old England but all of Europe, and such events were rare and unpredictable.


    The decline in yen was probably due to the automotive industry being impacted by the new energy industry, with the influence of the two not even comparable.


    Approaching the 12th, turmoil reemerged in the South.


    The US Army, with one aircraft carrier, two fleets, around 150 various-warplane types, about 10 warships, forced their way into our doorstep for what was about to be announced.


    Domestically, there was a swift reaction with three major fleets, totaling over a hundred main warships, all dispatched, and four generals personally commanded on the front lines, though it was announced as just a combat exercise.


    More than a hundred main warships represented their entire capacity and also a posture of a fight to the death.


    Over Qiong Island, there was an air of grim solemnity.


    Meanwhile, the internet was all abuzz about Disney investing 5.5 billion US dollars, covering 1.16 square kilometers, and taking 17 years to build the super theme park, which was set to open that Saturday.


    The topic swamped the entire internet, and the disclosed military operations in the South were squeezed into a small corner of the news, garnering no interest.


    TV Station, always ahead of its time, was currently airing "With You at the Same Table," and C1 was also showing the animated series "Panda on the Loose."


    The public sentiment seemed calm as though nothing had happened.


    Compared to the online frenzy, influential figures, even those with slight fame, consciously kept silent.


    Little Wang, heeding advice from his elders, stayed low-key, avoiding online confrontations and staying away from bars at night.


    During this time, he always found reasons to visit Lu Liang''s company, intending to hear his opinions.


    "What can I think? Isn''t the attitude obvious?" Lu Liang remained composed.


    Little Wang sighed deeply, "If it really comes to war, it might just be the preseason of S3. Can''t we just step back?"


    The real estate and entertainment industries thrive only in prosperous times; once a war begins, both Panda and Wanda would suffer heavy losses.


    Having studied abroad, he deeply understood how hard-earned today''s peace was. Moreover, with his ways of operating domestically, in the United States, he would probably have been long taken down by American corporate raiders.


    Lu Liang sneered, scorning Little Wang''s naivety, "How to step back? Today you cede one city, tomorrow ten. Only those unafraid to die deserve to live."


    While he also did not desire war, there was no retreat.


    In his discussions with Old Zeng, once they retreated, decades of achievements would be undone. The Silk Road''s international strategic plan would not be feasible either, as no nation would trust the promises of a country that couldn''t even protect its own doorstep.


    Besides, for someone like Lu Liang, who often hedged against Wall Street funds, he likely faced a difficult choice.


    Lu Liang''s current comfort was inseparably linked to having the backing of a strong country.


    Had he been from Japan and South Korea, he would likely have been swiftly dispatched to Wall Street, to either submit or die.


    Samsung next door was the prime example, making up 25% of the national GDP, it could diplomatically be called an overlord, yet it still frequently had to pay its dues to the United States.


    By contrast, Lu Liang wished he could shove his size 45 shoe into their faces, constantly targeting them for special attention.


    Had he not been in his own country, he probably would have been shot eight times in the back and declared a suicide.


    That day, the local stock market remained depressed, and gold prices suddenly skyrocketed, breaking through 350 RMB per gram.


    Meanwhile, the RMB exchange rate continued to fall, breaking past the 6.5 mark before the 12th.


    In the comments section on Twitter, traitors filled it with mockery, "Liangzi, give it up. The yen hasn''t fallen, but the RMB has dropped a lot. Your foresight isn''t that great." sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Netizens from the Land of the Rising Sun also left messages, "Mr. Lu, come to Tokyo. We, the Yamato people, welcome you. The US Army is a powerful and invincible force."


    Unlike the domestic low-key approach, foreign media, especially from Japan and South Korea as the leaders, loudly declared their unconditional support for the Philippines, resolutely standing with the United States.


    And the underlying logic of Lu Liang''s bearish stance on the Japanese economy, intentionally short selling the yen, was also exposed by the Wall Street Journal.


    He stood with his country, firmly believing his nation could overcome this crisis and thereby implementing countermeasures.

 Chapter 197 - 196: One Against Eight

    Time ticked away, second by second.


    Suddenly it was the afternoon of the 12th.


    The results from the south were out, and the spokesperson reacted promptly, stating that the outcome was nothing remarkable, just a piece of worthless paper, and that no one could impose a judgment on them.


    The picture reading "Not a penny less" circulated online.


    "Not a penny less!"


    Lu Liang also shared the image, indicating he was officially entering the fray.


    He began short-selling the yen, and a fierce battle played out in the foreign exchange market between the bulls and the bears.


    "All accounts, reserve 20% of positions, sell the rest at the price level of 102.5200." S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lu Liang entered the trading floor with a solemn expression, issuing the latest trading instructions methodically.


    Meanwhile, Wall Street''s capital from all quarters converged on the foreign exchange market, entering the fray and taking positions against Lu Liang.


    Mr. Suo, interviewed by the media, declared loudly, "Resisting to the bitter end is a dead-end street."


    His words not only targeted Lu Liang as an individual.


    This time, the Quantum Fund was also investing more than five billion dollars, intending to completely crush Lu Liang.


    They were prepared, once more, to proclaim to the world who the true uncrowned king of the international stage was.


    Lu Liang was merely a meteor.


    What right did he have? He was not even qualified to be mentioned in the same breath as them.


    The head of JPMorgan Fund''s third group also stepped forward, saying, "Mr. Lu has a good eye, but unfortunately, he has made the wrong choice this time. Emotion should not overcome rationality; he may be a qualified patriot but is no longer a qualified speculator."


    Wilson was thoroughly persuaded by Lu Liang, both intellectually and emotionally, willingly addressing him with respect, but their navy was the most powerful military force in the world. The only thing that could defeat half of the United States'' navy was the other half.


    This time, there was no doubt that Lu Liang was bound to lose. JPMorgan Fund mobilized more than 3.5 billion dollars, taking a position against Lu Liang.


    A businessman in the race also stepped out to ride the wave of public interest, "Maybe I''ve never told you, but I''ve always admired Lu Liang from China. It''s a shame that in my heart, his score has dropped from a 97 to an 82."


    In recent years, the United States had been focusing on the Middle East, exhausting both the people and the treasury, while the Eastern Country had been developing quietly and had become a force that they could no longer ignore.


    Whether he or Mrs. Kling came to power at the end of the year, their strategy towards the Eastern Country would not change.


    After all, the world''s resources were limited. Nearly 1.4 billion people wanted to live well. What then should the remaining 300 million do?


    It would be best if, as before, they helped produce low-cost goods like clothing and shoes, and having food to eat would be good enough.


    Wall Street''s major institutions stepped forward to state their positions one after another, with as many as eight institutions participating in the yen hedging.


    According to incomplete statistics from the Wall Street Journal, the capital they invested this time exceeded thirty billion dollars.


    Even if Lu Liang used the total assets of both his funds, it amounted to no more than three billion dollars.


    If he didn''t use leverage, that was fine. He would only be left with a loss of three to five hundred million dollars. But if he dared to use high leverage, with twenty billion hedging against three billion, his defeat was certain.


    "The storm is coming, just like a century ago, at that moment, as it is at this moment."


    "Damn it, this is no longer about money. Lu God, we support you."


    "Three billion hedging against thirty billion, what are you counting on to hold up?"


    "Disperse already. It would be better to short-sell the RMB or to go long on gold. Chaotic times are upon us, and earning more money is also good for self-defense."


    A sense of powerlessness enveloped everyone''s hearts. They were not Lu Liang''s die-hard fans, just speculators looking to make money.


    The eight Wall Street institutions of great repute united to attack; who in the world could compete?


    Soon, Lu Liang responded on Twitter.


    "Who claims to be invincible? Who dares to say they are undefeated?"


    The capital Lu Liang used was actually more than three billion; after leveraging, it turned into four billion dollars.


    Four billion dollars hedging against thirty billion dollars wasn''t entirely without a chance of winning.


    The competition between the bulls and the bears in the international financial market was like a battlefield with enemy forces on either side.


    On the battlefield, there weren''t just these two forces; there was also a third party that was often overlooked yet immensely powerful.


    Xunzi once said that water can carry a boat but can also capsize it. The same logic applies to the financial market. The third force is retail investors.


    If the power of retail investors could come together, let alone eight institutions, even the whole of Wall Street combined would not be able to win.


    Lu Liang knew he was now in a perilous position with no allies and did not expect anyone to join him in going against the current and short-selling the yen.


    He only hoped, as much as possible, to buy some time, so that the wavering market participants would not make a hasty, wrong choice.


    "Maybe... let''s just wait a bit longer."


    Lu Liang''s commanding statement made those who were about to make a choice, once again, patiently opt for a wait-and-see approach.


    Despite seeming stubborn, he was, after all, the Lu Liang who had fought three at once and had yet to taste defeat.


    After much consideration, they were inclined to place a bit of trust in him, unanimously deciding to wait, to wait for the moment the results were announced.


    By then, they might earn a bit less, but at least they could ensure they wouldn''t face huge losses.


    His original supporters became even more resolute.


    "Damn it, at worst I''ll just find a job, I still have over seven thousand in fixed deposit interest every month anyway."


    At this time, Little Yang in Tianfu, fully aware of the tough situation Lu Liang was in, broke her own financial planning after much thought.


    She pooled all her capital meant for starting a business, 800,000, along with 1 million in high-risk investment, into the foreign exchange market.


    She decisively used a 50 times leverage, amplified her capital to 45 million, to support Lu Liang with her actions.


    Although her "Lu God" didn''t take her seriously at all.


    When they first met, he seemed interested only in exploring whether the rumors were true.


    But without Lu Liang, she would''ve hit rock bottom.


    It could be said that the car and house she now owned were all thanks to Lu Liang, a favor from a person, remembered for a thousand years.


    At this moment, in Tianxing''s trading room.


    "How much of our position is left?" Lu Liang inquired.


    "Mr. Lu, we have 30% left, with available funds already less than 130 billion yen."


    "What''s our current loss?"


    Lu Liang looked towards the yen exchange rate, about to fall below 100, their losses should be significant.


    A basis point equals a gain or loss of 3,280 US Dollars, and it had fallen over forty thousand points to date.


    "16.685 billion yen."


    Sun Yutao was full of concern; since he had joined Lu Liang''s team, he had never seen such large losses.


    16.685 billion yen, calculated at the settlement exchange rate, amounted to a loss of 164 million US Dollars, accounting for 16.4% of the decline in investment.


    Lu Liang looked southward, pondered for a long time, and made a decision, "Continue to increase the investment, until all our chips are played."


    Now it was five in the afternoon, and although summer days were longer, there was less than an hour left before darkness fell.


    If they were to act today, the yen exchange rate would not have just a 7.55% drop.


    When Zhong lost his cool, Good Day would bear the first brunt, undoubtedly settling both new and old scores at once.


    Lu Liang was resolute, reinforcing his positions.


    More and more onlookers in the foreign exchange market grew, and the eight major institutions, despite their reluctance, could only reduce their capital input.


    As they said, speculators should be rational, not emotional, no matter how formidable the US Army might be.


    "Couldn''t he have hit the mark again?" JPMorgan Manager Wilson murmured to himself, a flicker of fear crossing his eyes.


    Because he remembered the terror of being dominated by Lu Liang, five months ago on the night of the Brexit vote in Old England.


    Although he was confident in the strength of the US Army, Zhong was no longer the Zhong of the past.


    Once, with nothing to his name, he had managed to rout a five-star general.


    What more now.


    And there were many who shared this sentiment.


    A sense of unease gradually spread in the market, on what basis was Lu Liang so certain? Had he heard some insider tip?


    For a moment, Lu Liang, playing the bear, faced eight to one, holding off pressure from eight Wall Street institutions.


    Suddenly, the Flower Society updated their news with a picture showing a Hong Liu patrolling over Yan Shi Island.


    It seemed to hint that the coordinates had been exposed; an aircraft carrier might be strong, but it had a fatal weakness, once discovered, it could be destroyed.


    Before long, more news came.


    The US Army had withdrawn from the territorial waters; the silent contest between both had been decided in secret.


    Upon this news breaking out, the yen plummeted.


    Gold also instantly fell back to its previous gains.


    Withdrawal meant backing down, it also meant Zhong had triumphed in this skirmish; next was the moment for settling scores.

 Chapter 198 - 197: Unpredictable Process

    On the other side of the ocean, a pale dawn broke on the horizon, and the first rays of the morning sun fell upon Wall Street.


    Amid the blistering summer heat, a new day was about to begin, but the participants from the eight major institutions couldn''t feel the warmth of the sunlight.


    Years of planning for the "Return to Asia-Pacific Strategy" had failed, and the so-called Invincible Fleet, the Li Gen, had retreated.


    Upon hearing this news, the participants'' hearts chilled instantly as if someone had doused them with cold water on a freezing day.


    Cold in body, and even colder in heart, a bone-chilling cold emerged from the depths of their souls, and everyone felt their scalps tingle as calamity loomed.


    Lu Liang had only been developing for one year, holding just two funds, with all told maybe thirty billion dollars in assets.


    But they had been developing for many years, managing assets that were at least ten times, or even a hundred times, more than Lu Liang''s, if not more.


    The yen was only part of the battlefield; if Lu Liang hadn''t been involved, they would have invested just a few billion dollars at most.


    After all, the funds had to go where they were needed, like International Crude Oil, International Gold, Offshore RMB, and even major trading commodities like soybeans.


    After all, with a GDP of 74 trillion and a 6.5% annual growth rate, being touted as the world''s second-largest economy, there was simply too much to harvest, even more so than with Japan back in the day.


    The total capital they invested was at least one zero more than thirty billion dollars, perhaps even more.


    However, the Invincible Warship Li Gen that had such high hopes pinned on it had fled, scared off.


    They no longer had time to worry about Lu Liang; the only thought in their minds was to close positions, stop losses, and take the opposite side of the trades.


    Once the market caught on, the unaffiliated third parties would raise their scythes and harvest their wealth.


    But they could also strike first; better for a Daoist friend to die than to die poor themselves, to become harvesters rather than the harvested.


    So-called allies were just temporarily in agreement; once opinions differed, it was time to see whose scythe was sharper.


    At this moment, in the building where the Quantum Fund was based.


    Soros''s gaze was complex, watching the fund managers busy about, with hoarse shouts of anger often ringing in his ears.


    He did not blame the others for their loss of composure because he had been far crazier when he was young, fortunate not to have encountered Lu Liang.


    Soros let out a deep sigh, silently walked out of the trading room; he no longer had the energy to monitor the markets personally and had just come to see the turn of events.


    Looking out the window at the slowly rising sun, he suddenly said, "Andy, I''ve looked into it, and I think the saying shouldn''t be ''dynasties change, new talents arise,'' but rather ''the waves behind drive on those before, with the foremost ones to die on the beach,'' right?"


    His Chinese-American assistant remained silent for a long while; "Sir, maybe my Chinese isn''t that good."


    "It''s your mother tongue; you should study more when you have the time, as China''s development has become unstoppable."


    Soros was filled with mixed emotions; he had a premonition that this event might be a crucial turning point for the world order. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Running away happens either once or countless times. Once the Li Gen retreated, the Return to Asia-Pacific Strategy became a joke.


    At least the smaller countries in Asia wouldn''t believe the slander anymore; the Philippines was the best example, with the Americans fleeing, Japan and South Korea followed suit.


    They were probably breaking out in cold sweats now, thinking of how to apologize, and how they might be forgiven, since the trouble down south had been stirred up under their names.


    The female assistant nodded firmly; "I will, sir."


    She suddenly wanted to visit her ancestral home in Funan and to meet that legendary Lu Liang.


    What kind of person could force the globally dominant short-sellers into feeling emotions usually reserved for pondering retirees?


    ...


    The news of the US Army''s retreat was very secret, so far it had only spread within a small circle, and had not reached the outside world.


    But as the yen''s exchange rate suddenly collapsed, and gold prices plunged, opportunistic investors realized that Lu Liang seemed to have won again.


    A mass of institutions closing their positions at the same time meant that, except for a few individual investors, there was no longer any sign of advocates for a stronger yen in the market.


    Their will to long the yen was as strong as their current determination to short it; they had to explain to their investors.


    Since Lu Liang talked down Japan''s economy and shorted the yen, they would lend him a hand and make a bigger issue out of it.


    If they couldn''t take down the Eastern Country, they''d hit the two smaller countries in the East; after all, they had to recoup their losses.


    The big three Wall Street credit rating agencies, Pu''er, Moody''s, and Fitch, took the lead in attacking with an "objective and fair" stance, citing China''s initial success in developing new energy industries as the reason to criticize the automobile industry of Japan and South Korea for potentially facing a catastrophic blow.


    He listed various factors, describing the annual export volumes and economic shares of Japanese and Korean cars, as well as the proportion of imports in China.


    He predicted that next year''s export volumes would drop by 15% compared to the same period, and within the next five years, Korean cars might be abandoned by the Chinese market, and sales of Japanese cars would halve and then halve again.


    The three articles, totaling nearly 50,000 words of research reports, could essentially be summarized in one sentence: the economies of these two countries were not doing well, and their national credit ratings were set to be downgraded.


    As soon as the articles were published, a large number of institutions caught wind of it and unreasonably swooped into the foreign exchange markets of both countries, brandishing their scythes and feverishly reaping the wealth of the nationals.


    At that moment, in the Tianxing Trading Room.


    "I can always guess the outcome, but not the process."


    Lu Liang''s face showed melancholy as he thought Zhong was starting to settle scores, but it turned out to be infighting, with Japan and Korea being sacrificed.


    But on second thought, it made sense. They had just repelled the US Army, and if they started settling scores directly, it would undoubtedly cause others to be wary.


    Moreover, the principle of the Silk Road was joint development and breaking US Dollar hegemony. If they settled scores, wouldn''t that be just like the US Army?


    "Managing a large country is like cooking a small fish; one must not act impetuously."


    A sly smile curled the corners of Lu Liang''s mouth, revealing his not-so-kind intentions. Zhong might not be able to show his face, but that didn''t mean he couldn''t.


    He glanced at the USD/JPY exchange rate, which had dropped 10.12 yen, a daily loss of 8.75%, already exceeding predicted figures.


    The eighteen accounts they managed had all turned losses into profits, with nearly 20 million dollars in earnings for each account.


    Lu Liang thought for a moment, then forwarded the short-selling articles from the three major rating agencies, accompanied by a photo of the Hong Liu surveillance aircraft over Yan Shi Island.


    He wanted to know where the floor was for the yen''s fall, whether it would break below 120, or even more.


    The moment his status updated, Lu Liang''s smile was still unwavering; he hadn''t had the chance to read the comments and messages from netizens around the world.


    The smile on his face abruptly stopped as a system notice alerted him that his account posed a risk and was temporarily banned for 72 hours.


    "Screw you."


    Lu Liang was uncontrollable in his anger, realizing after much thought that he seemed to have no countermeasures.


    "Damn Twitter, if I use it again, I am a dog."


    The more Lu Liang thought, the more stifled he felt. He took a screenshot and sent it to Little Wang, asking him to help repost it, then stormed back into the trading room, fuming.


    "Liquidate everything! Don''t worry about the market impact, don''t leave a single contract."


    Since they miffed him, he might earn less, but he was determined to make others feel discomfort as well.


    Eight institutions had jointly invested 30 billion dollars. Lu Liang estimated it wasn''t quite that much, but there should be 20 billion.


    They hedged against Lu Liang at the 104 level, which was now up to 114.52.


    That meant a loss of at least 2 billion dollars.


    Now, they were short selling at the 110 level. If the short selling capital was double that of the long capital,


    they would need the price to rise to 120 at least to recover the cost.


    As Lu Liang began selling off without regard for the cost, the yen''s exchange rate started a rebound from its lows.


    It rose 100 basis points every second, forcibly curbing the downward trend.


    Numerous people cursed aloud, but had no choice but to begrudgingly buy in and support the market.


    The market operates on momentum; a decline after the initial push, then exhaustion on the third try.


    If they didn''t buy Lu Liang out, allowing him to continue his massive sell-off leading to a yen rebound, the losses they had incurred from going long previously would solidify from paper losses to actual losses.


    Once the market momentum was gone, not to mention stopping losses, even closing positions would be exceedingly difficult.


    "Asshole."


    Countless people cursed Lu Liang in their hearts. With such market conditions and him holding so many chips,


    aside from the Japan Central Bank, probably only Lu Liang had such power.


    Unlike the Japan Central Bank needing to issue public announcements when they wanted to spend money to save the market, Lu Liang didn''t need to do that.


    He could have left quietly, but instead, he made a spectacle; after filling his own plate, he flipped the whole table, utterly inconsiderate of others.

 Chapter 199 - 198: Great Fortune

    "The market''s gone."


    Lu Liang chuckled as he read the statement from the Japan Central Bank.


    His Water Ghost strategy seemed to have worked; all the institutions, without exception, had been dragged into the fray by him.


    Little Wang wasn''t one to merely roll with the punches. Dirty and tough jobs were tolerable only when profitable.


    The failure of the US Army''s return to the Asia-Pacific strategy was one thing, but now meddling with their profits¡ªsomething even the most tolerant uncle couldn''t stand, let alone the aunt.


    The Ministry of Internal Affairs in Japan stepped forward to issue a statement, promoting the development of domestic industries like automobiles and semiconductor equipment among five sectors.


    The government provided a decade-long tax incentive program where enterprises could avail up to 20% income tax relief each fiscal year.


    In common parlance, a price reduction.


    The three major rating agencies, citing the development of new energy sources in neighboring countries, predicted that the export volume of Japan''s cars would significantly decline.


    So, they would start reducing prices from the source.


    This move was not only a response to the international institutions shorting the market but also a countermeasure against China''s burgeoning new energy industry.


    Because only by containing the growth of new energy could they buy enough time for their hydrogen-powered vehicles.


    Last year, Japanese cars performed exceptionally well in China''s market, with sales surging, accounting for 22% of the total yearly sales.


    Out of the total 24.5 million fuel vehicles sold that year, 5.39 million were Japanese makes.


    Popular models like Xuanyi, Corolla, CRV, and Accord were often subject to price markups in most regions.


    The Ministry of Internal Affairs was well aware of the status of Japanese cars in neighboring countries; after years of development, they''d become a national brand.


    Developing new energy would take time and might not even be successful, but they were confident that this move would stump the institutions that were shorting the yen.


    The US dollar to yen exchange surged in response, halting the downward trend and showcasing a dramatic revival.


    "How much do we still have left to close?"


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but admire the strong foundation of the Japanese cars.


    Despite the active push for new energy development domestically, it would take at least a decade, if not more, to threaten the status of Japanese cars.


    After all, among the older generation, the wealthier drove German makes, the average person drove Japanese, and if not that, then Korean or American, with domestic cars coming in last.


    As for new energy vehicles, they were almost unheard of, probably on par with some low-end electric cars made for senior citizens.


    Sun Yutao nodded as he listened to the data coming through his headset and quickly compiled the figures: "There''s still 8.25 billion yen."


    They held contracts worth 417.84 billion yen, nearly all cashed out, with about 2% of the position remaining.


    "Close it all out, and then give me a report," Lu Liang said, glancing at the market, where the US dollar to yen rate was 114.5300.


    If calculated at the current price, each pip move was worth $3,820, perhaps resulting in a $400 million profit.


    However, it likely wouldn''t reach $400 million since there was still 2% of the position open, so at least eighteen million had to be deducted.


    Lu Liang stepped out of the trading floor, his phone receiving a signal and a message from Little Wang: "Damn, I got blocked too."


    He laughed and made a call: "Not bad, you lasted a half-hour longer than me."


    Fifty minutes earlier, Lu Liang had sent Little Wang a screenshot message.


    Feeling a sense of mission, as though bearing some sacred duty, he resolutely helped Lu Liang forward the message.


    With 16.12 million followers, the global internet celebrity had his account suspended without warning, sparking heated discussions among netizens worldwide.


    Many sympathized with him; they might be involved in selling followers or smuggling arms, but the United States was founded on the principle of free speech.


    They broke the law, and Fu Bole could arrest them, so why block their social media accounts? That''s dictatorship.


    Though Little Wang was disdainful to associate with them, he took great joy in fanning the flames of secret conflicts, averaging a post every ten seconds for heated back-and-forth exchanges.


    Moreover, since he was posting messages on behalf of Lu Liang, he also gained the support of Lu Liang''s fans.


    Thus, he led thousands into battle against America.


    Globally speaking, when it came to malicious comments, Japanese and Korean netizens were unmatched, but for the ability to hit vulnerabilities, Chinese netizens were invincible. They had emerged from a battleground of hundreds of millions, each capable of taking on hundreds alone.


    Under Little Wang''s lead, they almost planted Red Flags across every US media website and the social accounts of those human rights advocates clamoring for freedom.


    "Tsk tsk, you didn''t see the prosperity just now, if there is such a thing next time, be sure to find me."


    Little Wang lingered on the thought, his tone filled with nostalgia.


    Fondly referred to as the silly son of a wealthy but foolish landlord, he never imagined that he would be able to command such a high-quality, formal elite force.


    Though those people weren''t taking action for his sake, he could somewhat appreciate that feeling described as "calling upon old troops to the battlefield, brandishing flags to slay the King of Hell with a hundred thousand men."


    "Good grief, you really deserve to be banned, no injustice at all."


    Lu Liang couldn''t help laughing and crying, surprised that Little Wang could cause such a big commotion. He suddenly had a bad feeling, worrying that he might end up having to clean up the mess.


    "Er... That shouldn''t be the case," Little Wang said with a guilty conscience, hurriedly changing the subject, "Did you make a good profit today?"


    Lu Liang took the audit report that Wen Chao handed over, looked down, skimmed through it, and said after a while, "Almost 388 million."


    "That little?" Little Wang''s eyes widened, today''s uproar was no less significant than Old England leaving the EU.


    Once the news spread domestically, he suspected that Lu Liang might be worshipped by many, offerings burned for him.


    "Little? It''s enough to buy a Panda outright and have change to spare," Lu Liang said gruffly, he wasn''t getting carried away, so where did Little Wang get the nerve to be so buoyant?


    After all, the exchange rate in the market almost broke a hundred at one point, luckily he anticipated potential targeting and only used a leverage of four times.


    Had he been brasher and used leverage above ten times, he might not have lasted until the US Army retreated, his positions would have been blown up during that interval.


    In the future, if there are more opportunities like this, Lu Liang might not even use leverage again because the risks were getting higher and higher.


    Tonight, he had made enemies of several institutions, and he figured he must be on every Wall Street institution''s blacklist by now.


    Little Wang chuckled nervously, his face full of sycophancy, "So, are you done with your work now? How about going out for a few drinks?"


    The business down south had wrapped up, and naturally, the family''s ban on him was lifted.


    He had caught a disease common to the ordinary man¡ªwithout drinking, clubbing, or women, he might drop dead at any moment.


    "No time, maybe next time," Lu Liang refused decisively.


    Because he was checking his missed calls, he saw an unexpected name, Zhou Yongjiang from the Beijing Foreign Exchange Office, who had called him half an hour ago.


    "Director Zhou, hello, I was busy just now and didn''t see it."


    "Most of the work is almost done, yes, I did it."


    "Mm, okay, I''ll be more cautious next time."


    The benevolent reminder from Zhou Yongjiang stated that their funds had been targeted during the withdrawal but they had dealt with it.


    At the same time, Director Zhou also expressed his admiration not only for him, but his leadership also said it was a great fortune for the nation.


    A very high praise indeed.


    Director Zhou sounded envious when he said those words.


    "Director Zhou''s leadership..." Lu Liang murmured to himself, that must refer to a few of the top leaders in charge of the economy.


    Night fell, Lu Liang stayed in his own office, going nowhere, eating his supper, and browsing international news.


    Lu Liang saw global financial derivatives moving erratically and suddenly realized that he might have really screwed them over.


    London Gold skyrocketed from 1576 to 1740, just to swiftly plunge back to 1590.


    Brent Crude Oil prices soared from 36.28 US dollars per barrel to 51.82 US dollars per barrel and then back to 37.25 US dollars per barrel.


    It could be said that the globally traded commodities all went through a round of dramatic fluctuations within a short period.


    "After all, it was the most dangerous, the largest-scale naval standoff between the two most powerful nations in the world since the Cold War."


    Lu Liang also saw discussions about the incident on international military forums.


    Someone said that dozens of Dongfeng "Express" missiles were already nocked and ready to be delivered that afternoon. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Another person, still shaken, recounted that there was a strategic nuclear submarine deep in the Pacific, aiming at the American continent.


    Others speculated that a four-star general had actually given the order to launch a war, but it was only the inquiry to Congress by his deputy that ultimately halted the conflict.


    Everyone had their say, opinions were diverse, containing both truth and fiction, it''s just unknown how much was true and how much was false.


    However, one thing was certain, the situation in the afternoon was indeed fraught with danger, on the brink of accidental discharge at any moment.

 Chapter 200 - 199: New Staff Line-up

    The next day, C1 discreetly declared the exercise had ended.


    With war clouds gathering and no fear of powerful enemies, dozens of missiles were poised and ready to launch, casually narrated in just a few brief sentences.


    The piece that took up the main news broadcast did not last a minute, its tone was light, as though reporting a trivial matter.


    Those netizens eagerly anticipating Disney''s opening the next day were completely unaware that the day before, they had stepped on the edge of war.


    "Don''t show off, pretend nothing happened."


    Lu Liang pondered for a moment, then called Little Wang, instructing him to forget yesterday''s events and to watch his words during live broadcasts.


    He saw the neighboring country''s news where the Philippines'' pro-war faction and all members of the arbitration tribunal had been taken down by Old Du, citing various reasons, and demanded that the US Army cover the expenses.


    Whether it was about money or not wasn''t the point; demanding payment was a way to show an attitude that the relationship with them was purely transactional.


    Furthermore, Old Du proclaimed the two countries'' friendship would last and planned to appoint his predecessor as a special envoy for a visit.


    The Flower Website also updated its status, still featuring the Hong Liu but quietly switching from "combat ready patrol" to "normal cruising." Regarding the south, there was no longer any need to be discreet; after all, the territory belonged to them since ancient times.


    The Silk Road initiative, which initially had to beg nations to join, now saw many countries along the route voluntarily expressing interest: "Zhong, you know me well; I''ve always been interested in this project. Set the time and place, and I can be there."


    This victory was complete; there was no need to care about the false reputation. After all, they followed the path of strategic alliances; being too aggressive might lead others to mistake them for a second United States.


    "Do I look like the type who likes to show off?"


    Little Wang looked mortified and indignant.


    He had genuinely considered hosting a live stream in the evening to boast about yesterday''s heroic accomplishments.


    Life is but a few decades; not even his father might have had the chance to partake in such a historic turning point.


    "Hang up." Lu Liang had no desire to lecture him.


    He stepped out of his office and into the neighboring reception room, where Hu Weiwei had already resigned from Mobike.


    Lu Liang greeted her with a smile and poured her a cup of tea, "Mr. Hu, I thought you might not come."


    Mobike was sold for $465 million, and after several rounds of financing, Hu Weiwei still had a 9.75% stake.


    She had nearly three hundred million RMB, truly becoming a beautiful rich woman; the world was hers to roam.


    Hu Weiwei gave a wry smile and sighed, "I''ve thought about finding a nice place to rest and recuperate for a few years, but I just don''t feel quite content doing that."


    Lu Liang chuckled, "Once physical needs are met, people seek spiritual fulfillment. Like many small business owners, they like to stay at the office for seemingly no reason, they enjoy holding meetings, because the taste of power is captivating."


    Hu Weiwei was taken aback and fell silent for a long while, "Mr. Lu, you just understand life too well."


    She had said before that she felt emotionally drained every time she went home late from work, having to reconstruct herself each morning was a never-ending, torturous cycle.


    But the joy wasn''t completely absent; in the past year, the funds passing through her hands had grown from millions to tens of millions and finally to hundreds of millions.


    Mobike had gone from a company with a registered capital of 10 million yuan to making multiple quantum leaps within a single year; the sense of achievement was indescribable.


    Perhaps, as Lu Liang had mentioned, the taste of power was too enticing to give up just yet.


    "What''s wrong with living life with a clear understanding?"


    Lu Liang smiled nonchalantly and motioned for Wen Chao to come over, pulling out a contract prepared for Hu Weiwei, "Mr. Hu, please take a look."


    The position of vice president at Tianxing Technology Company, with a provisional annual salary of five million, and after a three-year term, a 5% stake.


    Hu Weiwei glanced over it briefly and indicated she had no objections, "Mr. Lu, there''s also someone else who would like to join me."


    "Who?" asked Lu Liang.


    "The CEO of Mobike, Wang Xiaofeng." S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Hu Weiwei hoped Lu Liang would accept Wang Xiaofeng, since at Mobike, they made a great team.


    She was the COO, responsible for the company''s product operations, while Wang Xiaofeng was the CEO, managing all aspects of the company.


    Over the past year, Mobike had been expanding rapidly and hadn''t spiraled out of control like ofo, largely thanks to Wang Xiaofeng''s key role.


    "Mr. Li, you haven''t found a good position for him?" Lu Liang expressed his surprise.


    Hu Weiwei shook her head, realizing her wording was off, "Mr. Li, it seems a bit too focused on NIO."


    Actually, calling it obsessed would be more appropriate, but Li Bing was, after all, her benefactor, so it wouldn''t be right for her to say too much.


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but laugh, "Weiliao and the other two, after all, NIO is ranked first, which puts a lot of pressure on Mr. Li."


    Li Xiang ONE and Xiao Peng G3 were both models ready for mass production, while only NIO EP9 was used to score victories in the international market.


    NIO should be the leader amongst the new powers, yet it ended up trailing behind, causing Li Bing to wonder if there was an issue with his strategy.


    Therefore, he could only work overtime, focusing solely on developing the ES8, striving to release a new concept car soon and catch up with the progress of ''Li Xiang.''


    Hu Weiwei whispered softly, "Ten years ago, when I first knew Mr. Li, he had the ambition to build cars, and now he can finally fulfill his wish."


    Lu Liang looked down at Wang Xiaofeng''s profile, pondering for a moment, "Mr. Hu, ask him to come over; I''d like to meet him first."


    A top talent from Lu Island University, class of ''97, he joined Google China after graduation, then moved on to become Vice President at Tencent''s advertising department, and served as General Manager at Uber, before finally being invited by Li Bing to join Mobike as CEO.


    An invincible resume, a very professional career manager, Lu Liang had also met him a few times but hadn''t had an in-depth conversation.


    "Alright, I''ll contact him; he should be quite available right now."


    Hu Weiwei showed a look of joy. Meituan was too dominant; once it had a stake in Mobike, from top to bottom, a thorough purge ensued.


    All significant positions were occupied by Meituan''s management, making both her and Wang Xiaofeng''s situations extremely tough.


    However, she was slightly better off than Wang Xiaofeng, as Lu Liang had extended a job offer to her, so she had submitted her resignation early.


    Wang Xiaofeng responded to the message, and two and a half hours later, he arrived at Modu, travel-weary from Hang City.


    Lu Liang had reserved a private room by the Pujiang riverside, had dinner with Hu Weiwei, and waited for his arrival.


    "Mr. Wang, sorry to have you make the trip so late; please, have a seat and a cup of tea," Lu Liang greeted with a smile.


    After conversing for a few minutes, Lu Liang learned that he didn''t have his own set of beliefs; his strength was in managing the company.


    Simply put, he was a utility person, capable of handling all sorts of trivial issues that a startup faces.


    This included, but was not limited to, organizing the company structure, personnel dispatch, and managing various daily affairs.


    "Mr. Wang, once you''ve wrapped up your work at Mobike, head to Beijing to assist Mr. Hu in setting up the framework."


    Lu Liang thought for a moment, "You and Mr. Hu will be at the same level, both vice presidents, and for now, let''s set your annual salary at 5 million."


    He didn''t mention the stock option incentive plan, nor did he make any promises; it was simply a high-paying job offer.


    There would be stock incentives, but not right now; after all, they''d only met a few times, and though his abilities were apparent on paper, they still needed to be proven in practice.


    Wang Xiaofeng pondered for a moment, then responded with a smile, "Mr. Lu, I''m honored by your generous offer; I should be able to head to Beijing in about a month."


    He was very interested in Lu Liang; shared bicycles, short videos, new energy, all were like industry mudslides, causing chaos wherever one went.


    Since there was no place for him at Mobike anymore, he might as well follow Lu Liang to see what sort of waves he could make in the new energy sector.


    "Vice President Wang, Vice President Hu, from now on, Tianxing Technology is relying on you both," Lu Liang said with a smile, standing up to raise his glass.

 Chapter 201 - 200: Lu Liang? Lu God!

    Tianxing Technology, with Hu Weiwei as the lead and Wang Xiaofeng as the auxiliary, was about to unveil their new car release. Until then, Lu Liang would remain temporarily behind the scenes.


    It was a little past eight in the evening when Lu Liang returned to Tangchen.


    As the car came to a stop, he looked out the window where a silver Pagani was parked in the garage, a knowing smile spread across his face.


    He left the Daniu at the company, driving it around leisurely now and then, while he let Li Manli take the Pagani.


    Ascending to his floor in the elevator, sure enough, as soon as he walked in the door he saw Li Manli sprawled on the sofa, engrossed in a game.


    An agricultural pesticide game launched by Tencent towards the end of last year had taken the nation by storm upon its release, becoming yet another cash cow for Tencent.


    If he remembered correctly, the revenue from this game for just the first and second quarter had totaled a staggering 5.958 billion RMB.


    He had worked hard for half the year, and as of yesterday, he had only made 2.168 billion US Dollars, which converted to 13.875 billion RMB.


    It might just be this year''s total revenue that a Tencent game''s half-year earnings were already close to half his own, and likely to surpass him by year-end.


    Suddenly, Li Manli looked up and caught sight of Lu Liang, her eyes crescent-shaped with mirth, "Liang, hang on, I''ll be done with this round soon."


    "Aren''t you live-streaming tonight?" Lu Liang sat down beside her, casually resting his hand on her firm, upturned behind.


    With money to spare and time on her hands, Li Manli took great care of her figure, often doing yoga or Pilates.


    Women over thirty, with proper care and exercise, could easily pass for twenty-somethings.


    Li Manli, already a twenty-year-old girl herself, had muscles that flowed smoothly and were plump, yet retained bounce, from her hips to her thighs, down to her calves.


    A black garter was hidden beneath her coffee-colored pleated skirt, which made her look even more enticing.


    Li Manli couldn''t help but let out a soft moan. She no longer cared whether she finished the game or not, and decisively locked her phone screen and tossed it aside.


    Wrapping her arms around Lu Liang''s neck, she cooed, "I missed you."


    "Why? You want to join the buzz tomorrow too?" Lu Liang couldn''t help but chuckle as he remembered that tomorrow was Disney''s grand opening day.


    Little Wang loved the excitement, having booked the presidential suite at the Disney hotel more than a month in advance, and had also booked one for him.


    He had originally planned to take Su Wanyu there for a stroll, but since Li Manli brought it up first, it was just as well that she would go.


    "I love you love you love you~~" Li Manli was thrilled, turning into an emoticon spree as she smothered Lu Liang''s cheek with fervent kisses.


    Amid her excitement, she sneakily observed Lu Liang''s expression and suddenly asked out of the blue, "Liang, what if I were pregnant..."


    Lu Liang was surprised, "When did it happen? How many months along?"


    "I''m not, I mean if~~"


    Li Manli quickly explained, even patting her flat stomach as proof.


    They always took great precautions, she herself was still a baby and wasn''t thinking of having one so soon. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lu Liang gave her a look and said irritably, "Obviously would keep it, can you not ask such silly questions?"


    "I''m sorry, I was wrong to ask that," Manli apologized with a flower-bright smile, acting cutesy and seeking forgiveness.


    "What''s up?" Lu Liang asked.


    He didn''t have many girlfriends, and only two and a half had been acknowledged by him: Su Wanyu, Li Manli, and Zhang Tian''ai as the half.


    Li Manli had always been obedient and sensible, and although their first meeting hadn''t been particularly pleasant, he had long since put it out of his mind.


    As long as her vanity was satisfied, she behaved like a sweet cat, flattering, charming, and never inquisitive.


    For her to ask such a question today,


    was very strange in itself.


    "I just think you''re amazing."


    Li Manli went on to tell him about a message she read online, learning about an international event in the south that Lu Liang had a hand in.


    "You actually pay attention to these things?" Lu Liang widened his eyes in more surprise than when he''d heard about the possibility of Manli being pregnant.


    As far as he knew, Li Manli''s daily routine consisted of only three things: streaming, cosplay, and gourmet food.


    Li Manli, not satisfied, "It''s four, actually."


    Lu Liang, holding her in his embrace, the warm and fragrant lady in his arms, asked with a chuckling smile, "What else is there?"


    "And you, of course!"


    "What a sweet talker."


    "Mu~a~ sweet?"


    "Pretty fragrant, average sweetness."


    "Hmph, next time I''ll apply some beeswax."


    Li Manli pretended to be fierce and bit Lu Liang, who then realized she had come across related content on BÕ¾.


    Although Lu Liang had reminded Little Wang that the nation was planning to implement a magnanimous strategy, given their sensitive identities, they should avoid standing out and showing off,


    there are no impermeable walls in the world, especially since so many people had followed him in conquests just the day before.


    There will always be those who believe they''re the only sober ones in a world of intoxicated people, those who can''t stand the ignorant netizens who indulge in entertainment to death.


    Consequently, some couldn''t resist making a video that detailed how war was merely a step away from them just yesterday.


    As Li Manli played the video, it also narrated that Lu Liang had been bearish on Japan''s economy for months, discreetly supporting on the battlefield without the smoke of gunfire. With his sharp financial market instincts, it was impossible for him not to be aware that shorting the RMB would be even more profitable than shorting the yen.


    "Perhaps, as JPMorgan Fund manager Wilson described, Lu Liang is a qualified patriot but not a qualified speculator¡­"


    Today, Li Manli only streamed for two hours, one of which was spent looping this 15-minute clip.


    She watched it over and over again, using the bathroom as an excuse to secretly change her underwear twice.


    She was too excited, too thrilled.


    If only she didn''t know that Lu Liang didn''t want their relationship exposed, she would have loved to boldly proclaim to the hundreds of thousands in her live stream,


    "I''m Lu Liang''s girlfriend. We''ve been dating for a year, and this week, we even spent two nights together."


    "Liang, is what he''s saying true?" Li Manli''s eyes were filled with admiration, a subtle sense of inferiority flickering in them.


    "More or less," replied Lu Liang with a furrowed brow. The vlogger wasn''t crystal clear about his affairs since it was mostly conjecture, but their guesses were pretty accurate.


    The problem was the news from the south; this blogger knew way too much, down to the specifications of warships and submarines, and how many nuclear warheads they carried, including their range.


    Lu Liang even began to suspect whether it was an inside publicist at work, given that even he wasn''t certain about the truth of some news.


    Yet, the blogger presented evidence and explanations with confidence.


    Even the background music was somewhat provocative, full of passion and pride.


    It seemed to declare that from now on, the world order had changed; it was no longer a unipolar world, but a bipolar one with multiple strong countries.


    The video had been released at four in the afternoon, and within six hours had already broken ten million views on BÕ¾.


    It had successfully gone viral, trending on Weibo, with its popularity skyrocketing, almost overshadowing Disney''s park opening.


    "I''m in Qiong Island. Recently, there have been many military vehicles with caterpillar tracks and trucks wrapped in camouflage tarps on the roads."


    "I''m only finding out about this now? Turns out the world has never been peaceful; we''re just living in a peaceful country."


    "Lu Liang is this badass? Little Wang finally did something significant. Why didn''t anyone let on sooner? I''d have loved to join."


    "Lu Liang? More like, Lu God!"


    "Lu God, I love you! I want to have your babies~"


    Little Yang also jumped into the fray, bluntly sharing a screenshot of her profits, which soared from 1.8 million to 4.23 million.


    Following Lu Liang led to profit; she felt it was time to replace her BMW mini, at the very least with a Porsche Macan.


    Otherwise, it wouldn''t suit the status of a millionaire.


    Soon after, Little Wang sent a message too, with an air of elation, "I didn''t say anything, alright~"


    While the netizens'' praise was just a byproduct, those heartfelt comments were enough to make him feel like he was on cloud nine.


    After all, the petty scandals of the entertainment industry couldn''t hold a candle to the sense of achievement from participating in international affairs.


    Who knows, Zhong might rise from now on, and he could even leave a small mark in history.


    Lu Liang didn''t bother replying, but eventually, he saw the term he disliked the most, "red capitalist."


    He wasn''t against shorting the RMB; it was just the risk was too high. He didn''t know when the market might explode; yesterday''s fluctuations were at least 3,000 basis points.


    Those institutions and speculative money that shorted the RMB yesterday all took a severe beating.


    Wall Street was in a frenzy,


    with ambulance sirens blaring all day long.


    Lu Liang just wanted to make money steadily; he truly didn''t want to be labeled a "red capitalist."


    He didn''t have a head big enough to wear such a hat.

 Chapter 202 - 202: Running for real: Episode 201

    "If it really was the internal propaganda team taking action, what were their intentions?"


    Lu Liang had a feeling, as if it were directed at him, with a 15-minute video in which he occupied one third of the duration.


    Although it was a positive image, he wasn''t sure whether they were worried he would leave, planning to tie him down, or both.


    Lu Liang thought it over and decided to execute the three no''s principle: not initiate, not refuse, not take responsibility.


    Let the uproar be as loud as it may, he would turn a deaf ear.


    Things were fine as they were now, everyone doing their own thing, nothing to do with each other on regular days. He would step in and help whenever he could, but he wouldn''t be co-opted.


    A cat''s meow snapped Lu Liang back to reality.


    Li Manli sat in front of him, her legs in a W shape, blinking her adorable big eyes, gazing at him with dewy eyes, her manicured nails lightly scratching the sofa, making a creaking noise.


    "What''s wrong? Do you have a fever?"


    "Meow meow~" Li Manli nodded heavily, her eyes shimmering like clear autumn waters, full of tender affection.


    "At least let me go take a shower first."


    "No, you can''t, you mustn''t~"


    ...


    The next day, a little after nine in the morning, Lu Liang took Li Manli to Puxin Disneyland.


    He wore cooling sleeves on his arms and his glances were unfriendly. Last night she was like a cat in heat, wildly scratching at him, leaving his arms and back covered in nail marks that probably wouldn''t fade for a couple of days.


    "The cooling sleeves are for sun protection." Li Manli giggled, pinching her earlobes, looking resigned to any scolding or beating.


    Lu Liang wouldn''t actually hit her, but occasionally he would poke her forehead to see if there was the sound of waves inside.


    After checking into the hotel, he ran into Little Wang and his girlfriend, greeted them with a smile, and didn''t interact further.


    Mr. Wang, after all, was a major internet celebrity. Lu Liang didn''t like to show off, and naturally, Mr. Wang wouldn''t want to bother him.


    "Xiaocong, who is that man? And the girl beside him, why does she seem familiar?"


    Little Wang''s new girlfriend was also part of Shanghai''s internet celebrity circle. Although Li Manli wasn''t dressed in her signature Lolita style today,


    just simple jeans and sneakers, complemented by a white off-the-shoulder top, her figure looked great ¡ª curvy in all the right ways.


    But she still felt familiar, like she had seen her at Panda''s year-end gala but suddenly couldn''t remember her name.


    "Friend, don''t ask what you shouldn''t."


    Little Wang looked at Lu Liang''s retreating figure, full of mixed emotions.


    Last night, his mother had specifically called him, advising him to keep in touch with Lu Liang whenever possible.


    Lin Ting had a keen political sense and immediately recognized the internal propaganda''s involvement, with major platforms tacitly cooperating in the publicity.


    It wasn''t out of fear that Lu Liang would flee, thus morally binding him, but rather, they were forging a gilded image for him so that he could conduct business and act with more ease.


    A person like Lu Liang was more fitting outside the party than within it.


    Just like a financial nuclear weapon, if not in the wild and relying on its independent development, it would lose its deterrent power.


    After all, having a background makes a difference as opposed to having none.


    It''s like a college student who always claims to be self-supporting through hard work but is actually from a rich family ¡ª that basically collapses their personal image.


    If they intended to co-opt Lu Liang, it probably wouldn''t be a questionable internal propaganda move, but rather CCTV taking a stand and speaking out personally.


    "Let''s go play."


    Li Manli sprayed on some sunscreen, helped Lu Liang with a bit as well, and put on a mask and hat, excitedly charging into the park.


    When going out with Lu Liang, she preferred wearing a mask and hat. After all, as a minor internet celebrity with millions of followers, if she was recognized, it could cause quite a bit of trouble for Lu Liang.


    At ten o''clock sharp in the morning, the beating of drums and the sound of firecrackers filled the air, announcing the official opening of the Disneyland that was invested with 55 billion US Dollars.


    At the same time, one plane flew from Modu to Beijing, another from Beijing to Xiangjiang, then on to Singapore, and finally to the United States.


    The former was Hu Weiwei; she left Mobike to join Tianxing Technology in Beijing, ready to start the second act of her life.


    The latter was Dai Wei; ofo was rotten to the core, ruined by his self-righteous Enfeoffment Decree.


    A board of directors, each with a veto right ¡ª if the enterprise could maintain normal growth, there would be peace.


    But now, things were clearly not normal. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Meituan powerfully took over Mobike, with Tencent assisting on the side.


    Shared bicycles had become integrated into the lives of hundreds of millions of people, and it was time to raise the prices and start making a profit.


    The two companies shared the same goal, to end this costly war of attrition, to help Meituan consolidate resources, and then to embark on the road to an IPO.


    In contrast to Tencent, which supported ofo, Ali''s biggest difference lay in its fondness for sending executives to meddle in the businesses it invested in.


    UC, once strong, was literally played to death by Ali, and Youku had been played until it was half-dead, now barely clinging to life.


    Dai Wei didn''t want to follow in their footsteps, so he took the initiative to use his veto right, which opened Pandora''s box.


    The four veto rights were used in turn, rendering the execution of any project impossible, and the company fell into endless infighting.


    Mobike took advantage of their weakness, urging suppliers to demand payment, and disclosed that Little Huang''s loss rate was as high as 22.5%, meaning for every 1,000 bicycles, 225 were lost due to various reasons.


    Then there was the group that came out of nowhere.


    Every night, under the cover of darkness, they would drive trucks around, collecting Little Huang''s bikes and dumping them in some deserted groves.


    This led to a significant decline in daily active users and revenue.


    Dai Wei suspected Mobike was behind it, but he had no evidence, and neither did he have the energy to pay attention to these matters anymore.


    Because the $30 million was spent again.


    The chaotic management system also made Ali lose interest in further investment, as did DiDi and Jingwei, the other two major financiers.


    ofo, the industry leader with over 22.5 million users, collapsed like a mountain, with funds less than $5 million on their accounts, not even enough to pay next month''s salaries, let alone the billions in unpaid bills.


    Dai Wei had thought of many solutions and even asked his family for help, but the news of the four veto rights had already spread far and wide.


    A business bound to lose money, nobody wanted to take over this mess, so he decided to go abroad in search of a solution.


    Soon, Lu Liang also received news of Dai Wei''s departure.


    He couldn''t help but be stunned, "He''s just running away? Won''t the Dai Family help?"


    Zhu Hu gloated, "Would Iron Boss invest in a privately-owned enterprise on the verge of bankruptcy? Especially when the founder is his own son¡ªdo you know how many eyes are watching this unfold?"


    Although he had taken over Lu Liang''s shares and lost a few million US dollars, discovering that someone had invested tens or even hundreds of millions for nothing made him feel better.


    "He should still come back."


    Lu Liang appeared thoughtful. He had learned from Zhu Hu that, in fact, ofo was on the verge of collapse more than a half month ago, and Dai Wei had been put on the court''s list of enforcees.


    Somehow, he managed to get another $20 million and stubbornly hung on for another twenty-something days.


    Lu Liang suddenly realized, because just over twenty days ago, there was a crisis in the south, and choosing to flee at that time would drag his whole family down with him.


    After all, deserting before the battle was rare and would label him a traitor, but now, he could go abroad under the guise of finding solutions.


    He hadn''t burnt all his bridges; there was still room to maneuver.


    "If he finds money, he''ll definitely come back, as all his family connections are here, but without money, what can he do even if he does return?"


    "True, but what about the users'' deposits?" Lu Liang suddenly became curious. After all, there were at least 20 million people.


    "I heard Ali went to Meituan and conceded defeat, deciding to raise the hourly rate simultaneously since they still owe so many people their deposits. From now on, ofo has to fend for itself, making money each day and refunding deposits in the order they come in, until the day Little Huang''s bikes completely disappear from the market, turning it into bad debt."


    Zhu Hu shook his head with a sigh, "Young people just can''t hold up. They could have toughed it out, but running away changes the nature of things. No matter how nicely it''s put, fleeing is fleeing."


    Lu Liang lamented, "This does indeed set a poor precedent."


    He suddenly thought of Old Jia. He initially thought he would be the first to flee; he did not expect Dai Wei to beat him to it. Now with a precedent set, if Old Jia also entertained such thoughts, it would probably be too late to run.


    "I heard Hu Weiwei joined Tianxing Technology?"


    Zhu Hu was beating around the bush, showing interest in the projects Lu Liang had invested in, chuckling as he spoke, "If you''re short of funds, just let your Hu know."


    "Hu, I''ll remember your words. When it''s time for fundraising and I invite you, don''t you play dumb," Lu Liang teased with a laugh.


    Zhu Hu also responded with laughter, "Just ask, I might not have anything else, but I''ve still got some money."


    Ending his call with Zhu Hu, Lu Liang slumped onto a bench in the rest area of the amusement park like a salted fish.


    Li Manli stood behind him, massaging his shoulders and hands, coquettishly urging, "Let''s go play a little more, huh?"


    "I''m tired, let''s rest for a while."


    Li Manli nodded, flashing a sweet smile, "Then you rest, and I''ll go buy you an ice cream cone, okay?"


    "Sure."


    Lu Liang scrolled through Weibo and saw Old Jia furiously blasting Dai Wei, publicly revealing the ofo collapse.


    As he watched Old Jia break down, he couldn''t help but laugh out loud, murmuring to himself, "Could it be that Old Jia wants to run too?"

 Chapter 203 - 202: Start Arranging

    The ofo spokesperson quickly stepped forward to clarify and explain that General Manager Dai Wei''s trip to the US was merely a market inspection in Europe and America, planned to last a month. There were no sudden disclosures to speak of, and he hoped that users wouldn''t be misled by those with ulterior motives.


    Certainly, they would refund the user deposits, but, as always, it would require a week''s time for review.


    Old Jia also received a warning promptly to take care of his own LeEco and not to meddle in other''s affairs without cause.


    "It''s none of your damn business. This wretched fool is walking the path I was supposed to take," Old Jia muttered resentfully.


    If Dai Wei didn''t come back, individuals like him who posed a high potential risk surely wouldn''t be able to apply for exit for a short time.


    He could only try to hold out for another year or half, at least until Dai Wei''s influence from escaping had dwindled to its lowest.


    Meanwhile, remaining shared bicycle companies like Mobike and ofo tacitly raised their prices.


    From the previous rate of 1 yuan for 30 minutes to 1 yuan for every 20 minutes, they declared an end to this costly war, for the moment.


    One person ran off, and the whole industry had to clean up his mess. There was no point in continuing the competition; winter was coming in a week.


    But they were too optimistic.


    It didn''t even take a week.


    "Weren''t we agreed on a week? How come it''s been a week, and my deposit refund is still stuck in review?"


    "Same here, it''s been eight days."


    The day after Dai Wei left the country, multiple topics about ofo users being unable to withdraw their deposits aggressively hit the top of the internet''s hot searches.


    The spokesperson came out again, this time to apologize to the vast number of users, admitting that indeed the company was facing difficulties in its operations.


    Dai Wei''s trip to the US was, in fact, to seek a solution, and he hoped the users could give them a bit more time.


    Assuredly, the deposits of a total of 202,012 users would be refunded in full, but it would require just a little time, a little patience.


    Half an hour after the declaration was published, someone suddenly discovered that the deposit refund interface began showing the queue number.


    "Damn it, 8,250,124 in line, who can help me count how many zeros this is? The ''in this lifetime'' series?"


    "Just over eight million and you can already snicker. Look at me, 16,023,502nd in line¡ªthat''s what you call the ''in this lifetime.''"


    "No way, this can''t be happening. Is there a glitch in your queue interface? Why am I at number 825?"


    "Showing off, dog. Drag him out and chop him."


    Dai Wei''s escape and ofo''s thunderous collapse, leaving deposits unrecoverable, became an established fact. Netizens could only use sarcasm to mask their sadness.


    Thus, more and more people saw the news and logged onto the app to apply for their deposit refunds.


    ofo might as well have given up, directly informing every user wanting a refund of their specific place in line. They would refresh the ranking every day at midnight, and the top place was more than 20 million.


    They also claimed that they had abolished the rule preventing the use of bikes during the deposit refund period, hoping users would ride more and thus help expedite the deposit refund.


    They weren''t refusing to refund; they just needed some time.


    "Your mother, give back the money!"


    "Damn, doesn''t anyone care?"


    "Click this link to move up in the queue."


    Suddenly, ofo''s official comment section became a haven for chaos, as Pinduoduo users also jumped in for the fun.


    Since receiving an investment of five hundred million dollars from Tencent, Pinduoduo''s ''slash price'' strategy spread across the internet like a virus.


    Unbelievably, netizens'' ridicule turned prophetic, and it wasn''t long before ofo introduced a link to Pinduoduo''s store.


    They held a ''slash price'' event that could speed up the refund queue.


    "Holy sh*t, this is absolutely ludicrous."


    "Who''s running ofo? They''re really good at stirring things up?"


    "The core team and investors have all given up. Apparently, it''s been entrusted to a professional manager."


    All of a sudden, an internet unicorn company degraded to a third-rate enterprise full of tomfoolery.


    Countless netizens also vented their frustrations in the comment section, their 99 yuan or 199 yuan seemingly gone for good. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Purely throwing in the towel."


    Lu Liang chuckled to himself, quietly opening the deposit refund interface. Since he applied later, he was ranked after the 20 million mark.


    Then he opened the Mobike app, and sure enough, Meituan''s management had grasped this tremendous surge in traffic.


    If Mobike users needed seven days to refund their shared bicycle deposit through the Mobike app, with the Meituan app, it only took one hour.


    Sometimes it took just a few minutes or tens of minutes to swiftly refund the 299 yuan deposit.


    Such efficiency was in stark contrast to that of ofo, much like the contrast between the poor student and the top student in class, winning countless internet users'' praise.


    It could be said that Meituan didn''t spend a dime and gained several million users, not only securing a strong market reputation but also smoothly incorporating Mobike into the Meituan fold.


    They became the biggest winner from ofo''s implosion.


    "Has ofo really gone under?" Little Wang asked in a daze.


    Just last month, ofo was valued at five hundred million US dollars; now it was worth less than a hair.


    "Who would dare to take it over now?" Lu Liang couldn''t help but snicker.


    After all, taking over meant shouldering the responsibility of refunding the deposits of more than twenty million users and billions in accounts payable.


    At the very least, you''d need to shell out forty to fifty billion in one go, and for such a vast sum of money, you''d only receive the notoriously troubled ofo.


    Any sensible person wouldn''t invest in it, and the previous investors like DiDi, Ali, and Jingwei could only curse their bad luck under their breath.


    Especially Ali, solidifying its reputation as the harbinger of doom for industries, which many startups both covet and fear for its investment.


    Wang Xiaocong was silent for a long time before suddenly asking, "Panda, could it end up like this too one day?"


    Seeing Lu Liang shake his head, Little Wang was overjoyed but before he could celebrate, he heard Lu Liang say, "ofo still has 1.3 million shared bicycles, which could last at least a year or half, even without logistical maintenance."


    Little Wang''s face turned ugly: "Does that mean, if it were Panda, it might not even last that long?"


    "Isn''t that obvious?" laughed Lu Liang, stretching lazily, planning to leave Disneyland today.


    These past couple of days, with throngs of people coming and going, he suddenly longed to return to his company for some quiet, solitary time.


    Little Wang stopped Lu Liang and anxiously asked, "What do you think about my proposal from last time?"


    "To introduce LeEco?"


    Lu Liang pondered for a moment: "Now, it might actually be plausible, with Dai Wei as a precedent, Old Jia likely wouldn''t dare to flee for the time being."


    "However, I would still not recommend doing so. Panda isn''t so poor that it''s struggling to make ends meet; there''s no need to partner with LeEco."


    Little Wang hesitated and watched helplessly as Lu Liang walked away. Without Lu Liang''s support, he had lost his biggest bargaining chip.


    This July was quite eventful.


    On the one hand, there was ofo''s collapse, and on the other, BYD Qin''s early car deliveries.


    Unlike Tesla, which had to ship its cars across the ocean and scrape together fifty cars for delivery,


    BYD Qin had a first batch of 3,000, announcing that from the next month onwards, they would deliver over twenty thousand units per month.


    There was a reservation volume of 64,000 for this model, and they planned to complete all locked orders'' delivery by October.


    Lu Liang also received a plug-in hybrid and an electric car. Apart from the unsightly interior and design, the kinetic performance was very impressive, accelerating as well as any premium sports car.


    The intelligent driving system was another highlight of the car: lane-keeping, adaptive cruise control, and yielding to pedestrians and non-motor vehicles.


    Previously, these features may not even be found in luxury cars costing hundreds of thousands, yet now they appeared in cars costing just over a hundred thousand.


    After receiving the car, Lu Liang had Wen Chao drive it; the two went to the NIO experience center. Even though the showroom was no longer empty, it only displayed one ep9.


    As soon as he arrived, Li Bing hurried to greet the engineers, ready to disassemble the car and study it thoroughly, grumbling, "Why are you always able to get in on the first batch?"


    If Tesla''s delivery was to ride on Lu Liang''s fame, then BYD didn''t need to do so, and there was no point in it.


    After all, it was just a sedan worth tens of thousands.


    "Maybe I''m just lucky," Lu Liang replied with a smug smile, quite pleased with himself. Out of the 64,000 reservations, only 3,000 cars were in the first batch, and he had snagged two of them.


    This was pure luck outclassing all.


    Lu Liang also learned from NIO engineers that intelligent driving levels in the world today range from Level 0 to Level 5.


    Level 0 has no autonomous driving capabilities, such as an eighty thousand yuan van, where all operations are controlled by the driver.


    Level 1 has assisted driving features, such as adaptive cruise control, which automatically adjusts speed and braking based on the distance and speed of the vehicle in front.


    Level 2 involves partial automation, achieving functions like automatic lane changes, parking, and following.


    The intelligence level of BYD Qin''s driving system fell between Level 1 and Level 2.

 Chapter 204 - 203: $2.245 Billion Dividend

    "They must have mastered L2-level intelligent driving but just don''t want to put it in the Qin."


    Li Bing, in conversation with several engineers, could be considered a semi-expert after so many years in the automotive industry.


    His prediction was that if BYD Qin''s sales were pleasing and its reputation was good, they would soon launch the next model, most likely an SUV aimed at the mid-range market.


    The low to mid-range market, while coveted by several new forces, was out of reach for them to engage in a price war with BYD.


    After all, BYD boasted that they could produce even a nut on their own, while their competitors still needed to have others manufacture for them.


    If they had to compete with BYD in the future, they definitely wouldn''t outcompete them and would have to target the high-end market, winning with quality.


    Listening to their conversation, Lu Liang absorbed knowledge like a sponge, feeling as if he had gone back to the days of learning foreign languages last year.


    Li Bing was engrossed in the discussion, yet he did not dare to neglect Mr. Lu, "Mr. Lu, how is the development of the car machine going?"


    "It''s estimated that in another three to four months, there will be a basic version 1.0."


    Since Hu Weiwei went to Beijing, Lu Liang had been at ease, basically not worrying about the matters there.


    And her first task after joining Tianxing Technology was to integrate the project data into a report that Lu Liang could understand.


    Li Jiahui was a genius, but still mortal, even though he had Tsinghua University behind him, often guided by academicians of the National Engineering Academy, along with thirty-five professors, doctors, and masters from the field of computing to assist.


    But with only half a year''s time, to develop a completely autonomous car machine system was obviously unrealistic. However, Lu Liang''s requirement was just to have something that was up to the mainstream market''s standard, with gradual improvements to follow.


    After consideration, they decided to adopt Android''s basic architecture while drawing appropriately from Tesla''s public patents.


    After all, Tesla disclosed all their patent technology either to become the industry''s benchmark or to nurture the industry, letting all companies help train their algorithms for free.


    But since they were starting from scratch with nothing, it was okay to borrow a little when necessary.


    Taking the best of others and compensating for their own shortcomings.


    Lu Liang did not object, as these were open technologies, but reminded that while borrowing was fine, they must not rely on the other party''s framework and needed to distinguish primary from secondary.


    After all, if the other side wants a unified industry while they play the role of the Martial Arts Alliance Hierarch, if you use their technology, later on, they can also use yours.


    If the progress bar was 100%, they were currently at 10%.


    However, it took over a month to progress from 0 to 1%, but only two weeks from 1 to 10%. Another three to four months should be enough.


    "It''s quite fast, I hope the Tianxing Car Machine can surpass our NIO Car Machine," Li Bing said, a trace of worry flashing in his eyes; envy naturally arose at the thought of the advantages of having money.


    The progress of Lu Liang''s development team was catching up from behind, almost equal to theirs, and the contest of car machines in December was still an unknown outcome.


    Lu Liang smiled indifferently and softly said, "Mr. Li, it''s not about who surpasses whom, it''s all for the good of the ES8."


    He reminded Li Bing as an investor that NIO could develop a car machine, but the focus should still be on the ES8.


    Research and development is a bottomless pit. If NIO insists on going its own way, they might have to reconsider whether to continue investing in NIO.


    "Yes, it''s all for the good of the ES8," Li Bing quickly smiled apologetically, obviously picking up on the reminder from Lu Liang.


    For a moment, he nearly forgot that Lu Liang was not only a competitor in the car machine arena but also one of the founding investors of NIO.


    Even if everything went smoothly, NIO would still be in a severe cash crunch over the next two years.


    You can''t afford to offend the financier.


    "I''ll leave the car here. It''s not worth much, don''t bother with any of that ''borrow one, owe two'' business." Lu Liang planned to leave.


    The pace of development in the new energy industry was faster than he had expected, and it was time to expand the scale of his assets a bit more.


    The next day at noon, invitations were sent out from the company to all fund investors.


    The first fund was distributing its second dividend, the second fund its first dividend, and discussions for the establishment of the third fund.


    That day, business magnates from all over the country, including Zhu Hu and Lei Jun from Beijing, Shen Peng and Guo Changguang from Modu, along with the Li Guo Zheng trio from Xiangjiang, all gathered together.


    Before the meeting, people chatted in the reception room and saw many familiar faces, each with countless thoughts in their hearts.


    These people, including themselves, were all part of Lu Liang''s network.


    It''s no exaggeration to say that, should a terrorist attack occur at this moment, the nation''s economy would likely be set back by at least three years.


    "Mr. Lu, it''s always the same with you, liking to keep people in suspense," someone couldn''t help teasing with a laugh.


    Today is the 24th, and by tomorrow at noon, Sky Star One would update its net worth for the month, which would also reveal how much Lu Liang had made from shorting the yen last week.


    Yet, he had chosen today and even sent out invitations three days in advance, nearly hooking them all by their eager lips.


    Xu Xiaojun, dressed in a tailored suit, joined the crowd and started a conversation with a smile, "I heard it''s something like 300 to 500 million dollars."


    This figure was what he had heard from Little Wang¡ªgiven their relationship, it should be quite convincing.


    As he looked at the group, his eyes were full of sentiment. If Lu Liang became his brother-in-law, these people would become connections of his family too.


    Unfortunately, Lu Liang wasn''t interested in Xu Huiqi, and even that day, his sister had to take a taxi home by herself, for which he was scolded a long time.


    "More than the dividends of one and two, I care about the fundraising scale of three," someone else suddenly said.


    If it were only about dividends, probably not so many major players would have come today. The key issue was the initiation and negotiation for fund three.


    Without a doubt, the management scale of fund three was expected to far exceed the combined capital of fund one and fund two.


    "Why bother speculating here when Xiaocong is over there? Just ask him and save the trouble."


    This person knew Wang Xiaocong well and gestured for him to come over, prompting Little Wang to hurry over, "Mr. Zhou, long time no see." S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Xiaocong, you have a good relationship with Mr. Lu. What''s the situation with fund three?" the man asked with a smile.


    Little Wang looked embittered: "Mr. Zhou, to be honest, he considers me a loudspeaker and refuses to divulge anything to me."


    The day he received the invitation, he had rushed to find Lu Liang, but despite all his talking, Lu Liang simply wouldn''t reveal any details.


    After a pause, he added, "Mr. Lu seemed to still be considering the scale at that time, and the amount involved must be substantial."


    Upon hearing this, Mr. Zhou laughed, "Even if it''s 2 or 3 billion dollars, it wouldn''t be enough to go around for everyone present."


    In the middle of the month, Lu Liang shorted the yen and even if the profit was 300 million dollars, the minimum profit for the two funds would be 2.2 billion dollars.


    With the principal doubling in six months, even if fund three aimed to raise 5 billion dollars, there would be plenty of people eager to invest.


    Hearing this, everyone nodded and agreed, each asserting that money wasn''t the issue.


    Suddenly, someone in the crowd shouted, "Mr. Lu is here."


    Lu Liang donned a suit, which he rarely wore, and smiled and waved to the crowd, "Everyone, please come inside."


    He was grateful that he had leased a 3,800-square-meter office space in one go last year; otherwise, he would have had to find a new venue this year.


    While larger spaces do not necessarily mean better or more beautiful, if the space is too small, the flaws become glaringly amplified.


    The two-hundred-square-meter conference room,


    easily accommodated seventy to eighty people.


    Lu Liang greeted the audience and then took a seat, allowing Wen Chao to go up and recount the investment journey of the past six months.


    "Ladies and gentlemen, good day. Nine months have passed since the launch of fund one."


    "In December last year, we carried out our first dividend distribution, handing out 286.4 million dollars."


    "The yield of the dividend cycle at that time, I believe, was unmatched by anyone else globally."


    "Half a year has passed, and we have gathered once again, adding 23 investors to fund two."


    Initially, Wen Chao was a bit stiff in front of all the big shots but gradually became comfortable and spoke with ease.


    Although he said a lot, seemingly unnecessary pleasantries, it was all done with Lu Liang''s blessing.


    Because he needed them to realize that money doesn''t just fall from the sky. They pay high management fees, and even the shares they acquired through connections have been worth it given the returns at this moment.


    After speaking at length for over ten minutes, he finally got to one of the topics everyone was most concerned about: the amount of the dividend and the total assets of the two funds.


    The combined assets of the two funds were 3.345 billion dollars. They planned to reserve 1.1 billion dollars of the principal, distributing the remaining 2.245 billion dollars of profit as dividends.

 Chapter 205 - 204: Half Step to Ten Billion

    "2.245 billion dollars?"


    "All the earnings taken out for distribution?"


    The entire room erupted into murmurs, everyone exchanging glances.


    Although everyone expected a substantial amount of money to be distributed, no one anticipated that Lu Liang would choose to distribute all the earnings.


    The investors of Fund II had personally experienced what the investors of Fund I felt during last year''s distribution.


    Taking Fund II as an example, with each share being twenty million dollars, even after deducting a 20% management fee, the dividends amounted to 32.6545 million dollars each.


    In just six months, the enormous asset management scale of one billion dollars achieved a return rate of 226.545%.


    No wonder Wen Chao looked so proud, boasting that their company''s profit cycle rate was unmatched globally.


    The investors from Fund I felt envious, but that was all, as this was already their second distribution.


    Originally a twenty million dollar share, the first distribution yielded 5.728 million dollars, and now another 3.2654 million dollars.


    In nine months, with two distributions totaling 8.9934 million dollars, the return rate reached a frightening 349.67%, and their principal was still intact.


    If there was any dissatisfaction, it was probably the resentment of not being formidable enough to earn Lu Liang''s favor.


    Like Guo Changguang and Yu Shirong, they had managed to secure two authorized contracts just like Wang Xiaocong and Meng Changkun.


    For Little Wang and Old Meng, partners of Lu Liang, receiving authorized contracts for two funds was not surprising.


    But Guo Changguang and Yu Shirong also managed to do so, clearly indicating that Lu Liang had flexible eligibility criteria for subscription.


    The notion that if you subscribe to Fund I, you shouldn''t subscribe to Fund II to give others a chance, was all bullshit.


    Ultimately, it boiled down to not enough capability; they lacked what was necessary for Lu Liang to make flexible decisions.


    At that moment, Lu Liang also had two authorized contracts, not just as the fund manager but also as an investor.


    Subscribed to sixteen shares in Fund I, earning dividends of 52.2464 million dollars, and five shares in Fund II, earning dividends of 163.2 million dollars.


    A total of 215.4 million dollars in dividends.


    If one considered the sixty percent management fee of approximately 24.4909 million dollars for Fund I, and the eighty percent fee of about 326.5 million dollars for Fund II, Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    after today, Lu Liang''s liquid assets would amount to 566.3 million dollars, equivalent to 3.624 billion RMB.


    Clearly, he wasn''t the only one who realized this. His seatmates, Little Wang and Old Meng, were also aware.


    If you added the capital in the funds and Lu Liang''s haphazardly invested industries, his net worth was nearing five billion.


    Just short of ten billion.


    Little Wang genuinely envied this.


    Taking Shen Peng as an example, he became the founding and executive partner of Redwood China in 2005.


    After 11 years, he only amassed a fortune of 13.2 billion; Golden Sand River''s Zhu Hu had even less, at 6.2 billion.


    It wasn''t that Zhu Hu was much worse than Shen Peng, but rather that before taking over Redwood, Shen Peng was a founder of Ctrip and Home Inn.


    However, their current role as fund managers meant they managed wealth, and consequently, they could mobilize even more funds.


    Redwood took 11 years, Golden Sand River nine years, but Lu Liang had matched them in just one year.


    Wang Xiaocong sighed, wearing a sorrowful expression, and the playful nickname Little Wang might follow him for a lifetime.


    Moreover, it was highly likely that soon others would intensely envy him, as not everyone was privileged enough to be affectionately called "Little Wang" by Lu Liang.


    Thinking about this made him feel even worse, considering he was the son of a billionaire, a national husband, and an integrity officer in the entertainment industry. When had he ever needed to envy anyone?


    Meng Changkun put away his complicated expression and silently signed his name on the two authorization contracts.


    Not a day went by that he didn''t regret his initial decision, but if given the chance, he would do it all over again.


    Over the years, he had accrued too many debts of gratitude, some of which might take a lifetime to repay.


    Lu Liang, composed as ever, sipped his steaming tea until the last person in the meeting room stopped writing.


    He had Wen Chao gather the contracts and approached the podium, "Ladies and gentlemen, I believe you are quite satisfied with these returns."


    Everyone exhibited a friendly smile. Receiving the principal back on the first dividend distribution was already satisfying. If they weren''t content, nothing would satisfy them.


    "This gathering was organized not only for distributing dividends but also to discuss preparations for Fund Three."


    Fund Three wasn''t as wild as everyone imagined; it wasn''t a one-time capital raise of ten billion dollars but rather five billion dollars.


    However, many changes were made in the details such as the period and the management fee which were either extended or increased.


    As soon as these words were spoken, the brows of those present furrowed, expressions varied, and chatter ensued.


    One year turned to three years. If there was a 100% profit, profit sharing would occur at least once a year.


    They had no objections to this change; in fact, they were quite pleased, as it indicated that Lu Liang had altered his investment strategy. He would now focus on medium-to-long-term investment projects and reduce short-term speculative activities.


    A proverb says, "Often near the river, one''s shoes are bound to get wet."


    This decision was undoubtedly wise, and it reassured the investors of Fund One. They didn''t have to worry about being excluded due to insufficient capabilities based on Lu Liang''s flexible standards.


    The point that caught everyone''s attention was the increase in management fees, from an initial 2+20 to 5+25.


    Fund Three, with its five billion-dollar asset scale, was still divided into 50 parts, each amounting to one hundred million dollars.


    Although it seemed a lot, when Lu Liang launched a new fund and established a new company, they did the same.


    One hundred million dollars is a lot, but when broken into five or ten parts, it becomes significantly less.


    Those who obtained subscription shares could use this opportunity to make more friends. For instance, by paying for subscriptions themselves, they could give some distant relatives a share of the profit distribution.


    When Lu Liang later distributed profits to them, they would distribute it further to those individuals, thereby broadening their network.


    This would create a pyramid effect, with Lu Liang at the apex, dividing it into fifty parts, which then subdivided into five hundred shares, forming a large interest group.


    However, 5+25 was somewhat excessive.


    Taking out five million dollars as an entry fee per share, they had no objections, considering it a reasonable amount for a three-year period.


    The key issue was the 25% profit management fee. If, in the future, profits were 100%, they should have received 80 million dollars, but now only 75 million was left.


    That''s a loss of five million more and a rounded up loss of ten million, calculated in dollars¡ªor about 64 million RMB, rounded, is approximately one hundred million.


    Murmurs of dissatisfaction rang around, but Lu Liang smiled and stayed silent. Accepting 5 and 25 was just a matter of time.


    Li Zhikai, deep in thought and discussing with his friends, was the first to stand up and state, "Mr. Lu, our three companies can accept it. We hope to subscribe for ten shares."


    The previous generation of Hong Kong Capital was rather arrogant, which made it difficult for the current generation to integrate into the mainland circle.


    Although Lu Liang did not explicitly say, his attitude was clear¡ª subscriptions for Fund Three would be preferably selected from Fund One and Two.


    Now it was their time to express support. If they hesitated, there might not be much left for them.


    Even with an additional 5% in management fees, a six-month return of 226.54% was worth it.


    A 5% increase would make Lu Liang think about giving more for more work.


    Xiaochao took the lead, even before Lu Liang could respond, one by one they shouted, "Mr. Lu, we have no objections."


    Although fifty billion dollars was a large amount, there were 37 investors present, and Lu Liang himself would surely co-invest.


    If allocated according to Fund Two''s subscription scheme, Lu Liang would hold five parts, Hong Kong Capital ten.


    Thus, only 35 shares were left, insufficient for each person to hold even one, and they wouldn''t accept that.


    Lu Liang''s lips curved into a smile, "Since everyone agrees, then it''s settled."


    Later, he informed them about the subscription plan for Fund Three and the necessary conditions for subscribing.


    They still used a "random" selection mode, with the intent to subscribe set for the morning of the 27th.


    However, asset verification was required first; each share needed a financial proof of at least seventy million dollars.


    Lu Liang gave investors with less than one hundred million dollars in liquid assets three days to raise funds.


    He didn''t want anyone signing the subscription contract without being able to produce the necessary funds during the capital-raising period.


    One hundred million dollars was not a small sum after all.


    Everyone looked speechless, not because of the asset verification¡ªas that was common practice.


    It was Lu Liang''s "random" allocation method most found ironic; essentially, it still involved selecting based on personal preference.

 Chapter 206 - 205: Half-Brothers with Different Fathers

    After the meeting, Shen Peng, Zhu Hu, Lei Jun, and Guo Changguang exchanged smiling glances, sitting steady as if they were calm anglers waiting for their catch.


    They were well aware that they would inevitably be randomly selected because strength, too, is a form of luck.


    In contrast, the investors of fund number one were in a panic like old dogs, each seeking out Meng Changkun, hoping he could put in a good word for them.


    Someone said, "With your relationship with Mr. Lu, if we together subscribe for three shares, that shouldn''t be too big of a problem, right?"


    "Three shares might be a bit too few, let''s try to get five," another person suggested, as three shares were not quite enough to go around for the eleven of them.


    Meng Changkun''s face showed difficulty, internally struggling, as he confidently said, "I''ll do my best."


    He dared not tell everyone the news of his deteriorating relationship with Lu Liang, because once he did, he would inevitably be squeezed out.


    After all, with personal fortunes ranging from several hundred million to tens of billions, if it weren''t for the connection with Lu Liang, why would they be so eager?


    At that moment, Wen Chao walked over with a smile, "Mr. Meng, Mr. Lu invites you to his office with Mr. Wang."


    "Alright, I''ll head over now."


    Meng Changkun nodded, while others gave him subtle looks, as if he carried the hopes of an entire village.


    He could only smile wryly and sigh.


    Meanwhile, in Lu Liang''s office.


    "I won''t accept it, why only three shares?"


    Wang Xiaocong was indignant and loud, totally shameless. Little Wang is Little Wang, but as long as there''s money to be made, he wouldn''t mind being called Lu Ankou.


    After all, he was only three years older; as long as he wasn''t younger, that was fine.


    "Ah, bitten by the hand that feeds you," Lu Liang sighed, "If you can come up with 350 million US dollars by the 27th, I''ll give you five shares."


    Lu Liang had considered giving Little Wang three shares, since the required capital verification of 210 million wasn''t a small amount.


    Little Wang revealed a satisfied smile and, looking sideways, said, "Old Lu, do you look down on Wanda and the Lin family that much?"


    Their family had a trust fund in Xiangjiang, managing nearly one billion dollars of family assets for a long time.


    "You trust me so much? You''re willing to shell out your entire fortune?"


    Lu Liang was surprised, as he thought Little Wang would just use it for socializing, like Xu Xiaojun and the others, so he didn''t reserve too many shares for him.


    "Trust is only one aspect," Little Wang said, his face showing an uncharacteristic seriousness, but he didn''t continue because Old Wang hadn''t made things clear to him. He could only vaguely sense some inexplicable crisis looming.


    The best way to deal with a crisis is to earn more and save more. With food in hand, your mind doesn''t panic.


    Lu Liang pondered for a long time and realized Little Wang wasn''t joking, "If it''s not enough, just let me know; I can give you up to seven shares."


    He himself didn''t plan to invest much this time, subscribing for three shares totaling 315 million US dollars.


    Setting aside 251.3 million for year-end tax settlement and investment into new energy vehicle technology.


    The dividend income of 566.3 million dollars, with a base tax rate of 12%, would mean an expense of 67.95 million dollars.


    That was a legal red line Liang wouldn''t cross; the remaining 13% was to be spent fiercely, to offset as much as possible.


    Facing the tax settlement, 141 million dollars had to be reserved, leaving only 110 million for the company and R&D.


    Investing in an additional share would make life uncomfortably tight; Lu Liang was used to living large and couldn''t cope with constraints.


    "Liang, from now on, we are brothers from different fathers and mothers."


    Little Wang''s tone was earnest, giving him so much face he could almost bear to hug Lu Liang and plant several kisses on him.


    "Stop disgusting me."


    Lu Liang''s face was filled with revulsion.


    Just then, Meng Changkun knocked and entered the room, and on seeing this scene, he laughed heartily, "Have I come at a bad time?"


    "You''ve come at just the right time," Lu Liang responded with a smile, as if their relationship was still like before, as if nothing had ever happened.


    He signaled to Secretary Wen Chao to bring over the fund number one''s equity dividends paperwork, with each person holding a 20% stake, earning 8.1636 million US dollars.


    Little Wang didn''t even glance at the document before signing his name, and Meng Changkun did the same, exclaiming, "Another eight million-plus US dollars."


    "I reckon this is one of the last such payouts."


    Little Wang took over the conversation, "There''s only three months left before this fund closes its curtains."


    Liang had hooked up with State-owned Xiao Xin. In this red land, no connection is harder than one with State-owned Xiao Xin.


    This extra income was about to slip through his fingers.


    Liang glanced at him and, too lazy to bother with Little Wang''s gripes, asked softly, "Old Meng, how many shares do you need?"


    Meng Changkun paused for a moment, then replied, "Four shares, I guess."


    He could see that Liang was the type to honor old ties. Even if he had asked for seven or eight shares, Liang would have agreed.


    Meng Changkun was content with four shares even though others hoped he''d get five, but he didn''t want to fulfill their expectations.


    Because this was likely the last time.


    Liang looked towards Wen Chao, instructing him to remember, "Secretary Wen, reserve Mr. Meng''s four shares."


    Meng Changkun spoke gravely, "Thank you. If there''s ever anything you need in the future, just let me know."


    Liang smiled and nodded, saying no more. He knew it was a genuine offer¡ªOld Meng was good in every aspect, only too heavily swayed by personal relationships.


    He also knew that it might have been beyond Old Meng''s control initially, but the different stands they took made it impossible for him to forgive.


    "If there''s nothing else, then I''ll take my leave," Meng Changkun said, altering his usual casual demeanor for a more respectful one.


    "Take care, no need to see me out."


    The terse exchange between the two, hinting at their distant relationship, caused Little Wang to subconsciously restrain his smile.


    After Old Meng left, he joked, "Which one of you stole the other''s corner?"


    Liang, recognizing the jest, lamented, "It''s not about who stole from whom; it''s just that Old Meng was lured away."


    Little Wang widened his eyes in surprise, "Who has the ability to steal your corner? Has Old Meng lost his senses to agree to that?"


    "It''s not a matter of ability''s size..."


    Liang looked at the eager Little Wang, words almost leaving his lips, then swallowed them back, "You''re still young; you''ll understand when you''re older."


    Little Wang''s face darkened, his back teeth grinding with a creak as he maintained a strained smile, "Interested in some boxing practice?"


    He really wanted to beat Liang up fair and square, but Liang slowly shook his head, smiling indifferently, "Not interested."


    In a blink, it was the 27th. Over the past three days, Tianxing Asset Management had distributed dividends again, concerning funds amounting to 2.245 billion US Dollar, as if it were an insignificant matter, not worth mentioning to outsiders.


    Those who needed to be in the know were aware, and whether they were direct or indirect investors in the fund, each chose to quietly make a fortune.


    That afternoon, Wen Chao and the others completed the capital verification and statistics work, receiving in total 64 subscription letters of intent.


    It also meant that, should Liang wish to change the total capital raised for fund number three, he could control 64 billion US Dollar in a very short time.


    Together with the assets managed by funds one and two, he could instantly reach a staggering 75 billion US Dollar, equivalent to around 480 billion RMB.


    Insiders marveled repeatedly¡ªlooking at the A-share market, there were only 168 listed companies with a market value exceeding 45 billion RMB.


    And there probably are only a few top state-owned banks and the Double Ma Group that could manage a cash flow of 480 billion RMB.


    Zhu Hu looked at Shen Peng, teasing with a smile, "Old Shen, it looks like your seven-year title as the best investment person is going to change hands."


    Even Redwood, in terms of the scale of funds managed, was only marginally better compared to Tianxing Assets now.


    Moreover, Liang was a newcomer, and newcomers always receive special treatment. Next year, all the titles belonging to Shen Peng would probably fall upon Liang.


    "So what?" Shen Peng said with a smile, playing along, "I''ve held it for seven years, I''ve become numb to it. Perhaps it''s you who is envious." S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He didn''t pretend not to care about these empty titles, aware that where there''s a ranking, no one is indifferent.


    Even Mr. Wang of Wanda, who constantly claims not to care about the title of First Rich among the Chinese, still secretly enjoys the thought.


    It''s only human nature.


    Just as Shen Peng said, after having been the nation''s top investor for seven years, the sense of achievement had become somewhat muted for him.


    On the other hand, Zhu Hu, who was perennially second or sometimes third, would bring it up, showing his envy.


    "What''s there for me to envy?" Zhu Hu, seemingly pricked to the core, darkened in the face and left in a huff.


    Shen Peng chuckled, looking towards Liang''s office, squinting his eyes, "With so much capital, how do you plan to manage it?"


    A private fund scale of 75 billion US Dollar was not a small figure by global standards.


    If the funds were not made to flow, to generate more money, then they were devaluating every day.

 Chapter 207 - 206: Just Making a Friend

    "64 choose 50."


    Every time it came to this, Lu Liang would get a headache. It was supposed to be random, but it couldn''t really be random.


    He had to categorize based on the closeness of relationships and the magnitude of influence. Lu Liang personally got three shares, Little Wang got five, and Old Meng got four.


    As the first tier, Little Wang was a relative, Old Meng was a promise, followed by State-owned Xiao Xin''s ten shares.


    Shen Peng, Zhu Hu, and Guo Changguang each had their five shares cut down to two. Lei Jun and Daqiangzi''s five shares were also reduced to two.


    Xu Xiaojun also received two shares. Although he hadn''t slept with his sister and couldn''t become family through marriage, everyone was still friends.


    Little Superman represented the three families from Xiangjiang, Li Guo Zheng, and was the first to support Lu Liang''s management fee increase, so their ten shares couldn''t be reduced.


    The remaining six shares were allocated to a few new friends like Ningde''s Old Zeng, Hengtai Xu, and Baidu''s Old Li.


    Zeng Minqun temporarily held 23.22% of Ningde''s shares, and no matter how diluted the shares became, he would still be a future billionaire.


    Old Xu personally called, expressing his long-standing admiration for Lu Liang, and mentioned he owned a dance troupe renowned for its elegant choreography.


    Lu Liang wanted nothing more than to make a friend. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Even though Baidu''s Old Li had seen a severe dip in stock price early in the year due to the Putian hospital scandal, damaging his reputation significantly,


    Li Jiahui and Yang Zhenyuan had mentioned that Baidu''s computer research team was among the top five in the country.


    Among the original BAT internet giants, Baidu was ranked first and had deep foundations and substantial investments.


    Thus, Lu Liang planned to first befriend Old Li, then find a time to visit their company.


    From the afternoon until late into the night, he meticulously picked fifty shares. Although it wasn''t absolutely fair, it was relatively fair.


    In the end, Lu Liang also made a bonus distribution plan, since there was still US$73.05 million in tax credit quota. It couldn''t all go to charity without remembering his own employees.


    Ensuring his interests were unharmed, he always chose relations over logic.


    In the trading room, each of the eighteen people received a minimum of one million in bonus, and the salary for all employees including janitors was increased by 50%.


    "Tomorrow, go and get Mr. Tang''s signature."


    Lu Liang handed the plan to Wen Chao, packed up his things, and left the office, suddenly noticing Chen Jinchun still at her workstation.


    "Why haven''t you left work yet? What are you doing in the office at this hour?" He glanced at his watch ¨C it was 10:20 pm.


    Chen Jinchun, with a dazed expression and slow to react like a student daydreaming in class, hurriedly stood up, pointing at the screen, "Mr. Lu, Mr. Yang asked me to help with a live broadcast."


    Lu Liang suddenly realized, recalling Douyin''s last financing, Yang Zhenyuan seemed to have mentioned launching a live broadcast feature.


    Perhaps this was why Little Wang felt a sense of crisis, continuously trying to collude with Old Jia to harvest retail investors in the secondary market, though Lu Liang had stopped them.


    After all, with Douyin''s users having surpassed 80 million with extremely high user stickiness, since entering the live broadcasting field, the leading live broadcast platforms all cried wolf.


    Lu Liang walked over, avoiding the camera, and saw the live room had tens of thousands of users, the screen filled with comments.


    "Xiao Chen, how could you speak ill of Mr. Lu?"


    "Xiao Chen, it''s better not to go solo; jobs are hard to find these days."


    Chen Jinchun, on the verge of tears and feeling aggrieved, said, "Mr. Lu, they are slandering me; I really didn''t say anything."


    Lu Liang chuckled, not taking the matter to heart, "Don''t work too late, go back and rest earlier."


    With that, he left, with Chen Jinchun watching until Lu Liang''s figure disappeared at the end of the hallway.


    She plopped down into her chair, her face full of resentment, "I''m so mad, almost lost my job, I''m going to end the stream."


    "Xiao Chen, chat for a bit longer, didn''t we agree on 11:00?"


    The online audience pleaded, her expression as doughy as ever, now even more so.


    Through this incident, they could see that Chen Jinchun wasn''t feigning innocence, she genuinely was.


    They were now curious about more things, how one of the top VCs in the country could tolerate such a na?ve sweet girl.


    After all, Lu Liang was a financial magnate, unlikely to have such an odd taste to favor a cute-faced girl.


    "You are the na?ve ones."


    Chen Jinchun, annoyed, took out her work badge, covering all information except her work number.


    "Open your eyes wide and see clearly, I am 003, 001 is our Mr. Lu, that''s the real value."


    She spoke with pride, strictly speaking, her number should have been 002, but since Tang Caide had helped her during the hiring process, she ended up with 003.


    Chen Jinchun intended to end the broadcast, but gradually got distracted by the audience''s comments, "Does Mr. Lu work this late every day?"


    "Pretty much, this time is still considered early; pulling all-nighters is quite common, given he has to manage such a large company."


    "Is Mr. Lu good looking?" Chen Jinchun fell into a deep thought, then suddenly realized, "Don''t ask¡ªit''s Daniel Wu."


    "Does Mr. Lu have a girlfriend? Hey hey hey, can you guys stop screwing me over? I really need to get off work..."


    Leaving the company,


    Lu Liang headed to the She Mountain villa area on the outskirts of Modu.


    Li Manli had recently become obsessed with pesticides and couldn''t pull herself away even at eleven at night, still live streaming and playing games.


    Suddenly, she received a text message from Lu Liang and decisively unplugged the power to end the broadcast, "Power outage, see you tomorrow."


    Dressed in silky pajamas, like a little duck, she quickly rushed out of the room headfirst.


    At the doorway, seeing Lu Liang, her eyes were like crescents, squinting slightly, "Liang, why did you come over tonight?"


    Li Manli leapt up and jumped onto Lu Liang''s back, wrapping her arms around his neck, cheek to cheek, the joy apparent on her face.


    The last time he had come over was last year when he helped her rent this studio, and he hadn''t come since then.


    "I missed you and wanted to come see you," Lu Liang said with a gentle laugh, his hands supporting her buttocks as they strolled leisurely through the villa area.


    "Me too," Li Manli said with a beaming smile, biting him hard¡ªkissing couldn''t express her joy enough.


    Then, she got a solid slap on the butt.


    Lu Liang looked at her disapprovingly, "Thinking of it again?"


    He still remembered last time, his arms and back scratched with more than a dozen marks, which took two days to fade.


    "I didn''t use much force this time," Li Manli said sheepishly.


    Suddenly, she realized that Lu Liang seemed to be purposefully walking through the villa area, "Liang, where are we going?"


    "To find a place to sell you," Lu Liang joked, still carrying Li Manli, treating her 96 pounds as weight training.


    "Don''t~"


    Li Manli squinted her eyes, lying on Lu Liang''s back, her lightly swinging legs, and sandals that could fall off at any moment all conveyed her inner joy.


    In the late night and the cool breeze, Lu Liang carrying her around the sparsely populated villa area was a kind of romantic gesture.


    After walking for about fifteen minutes, they arrived at a brightly lit villa entrance. Lu Liang entered the password and unlocked the security lock.


    Li Manli''s eyes widened in surprise, speechless, "Liang, did you just buy this house?"


    "Smart, from now on you''ll move here to live stream," Lu Liang said, nodding with a smile.


    Su Wanyu has one, and Li Manli should have one too; he couldn''t play favorites.


    Suddenly, Li Manli fell silent, not uttering a word for a long time. Lu Liang looked back and saw the tear shimmer in her eyes.


    Lu Liang placed her on the table, looking straight into her eyes with a smile, "What''s the matter? Aren''t you happy?"


    Li Manli hastily shook her head, her tears falling, filled with hope, "Liang, will this place be our home from now on?"


    Before the New Year, she had argued with her dad and hadn''t gone home during the Spring Festival. For five whole months, her family hadn''t called her once, as if she didn''t exist.


    A few days ago, she couldn''t help but call her mom under the pretense of sending money, but once her dad found out, he scolded her harshly again.


    The words were hurtful, his temperament as foul and unyielding as stones in a toilet pit, even preferring rumors to spending time trying to understand the industry she worked in.


    There''s nothing more devastating than depression.


    She knew, she no longer had a home.


    "Of course, otherwise why would I buy it?"


    Lu Liang smiled warmly, wiping Li Manli''s tears, "This will be our home from now on."


    The moment he finished speaking, her red lips met his, and he could even taste a few salty tears, "Don''t cry, you still have me."


    Li Manli nodded firmly, her expression serious, "The whole world can abandon me, but as long as you don''t give up on me, I have the whole world."


    "Let''s go upstairs and take a look."


    Lu Liang caressed her hair, and the two went to the rooms upstairs, spanning three floors and covering 328 square meters.


    "This master bedroom will be our room, and this secondary bedroom will be our future baby''s room."


    Li Manli''s face was filled with anticipation, tirelessly roaming from room to room, already imagining their wonderful future life.


    Lu Liang said with a light laugh, "Let''s go back for now. I just bought it, it hasn''t been set up yet; from now on, I''ll leave its arrangement to you."


    "Okay~"


    Li Manli, holding onto Lu Liang''s arm, looked back three times with every step, reluctant to leave their home.

 Chapter 208 - 207: Cant Hide It Anymore

    The early morning sunlight was as gentle as silk, slipping through the gaps in the curtains and sprinkling across the bedroom floor.


    A foot suddenly stretched out from the thin covers, all five toes flexibly wriggling.


    Li Manli rested her chin on her hands as she lay on the bed, staring blankly at Lu Liang. Gradually, her lips curled into a silly smile.


    Because she saw a set of keys on the bedside table and a note with a password written on it, She Mountain Villa 177, which would be their home from now on.


    Li Manli actually knew she was not the only one for Lu Liang, but she also knew that Lu Liang definitely liked her and cared for her.


    Otherwise, he wouldn''t have helped her establish a studio and plan out her career; he could easily, like the platform''s vanished streamers, spend some money each month and keep her like a canary.


    She remembered clearly all the kindness Lu Liang had shown her. Moreover, being by his side, she felt a sense of security and belonging that she had never experienced at home.


    Therefore, she was also willing to feign ignorance.


    "Now this is nice," Li Manli murmured to herself and, unable to resist, stole another kiss on Lu Liang''s cheek.


    After who knew how long,


    sudden frantic footsteps came from outside the door.


    Li Manli had a bad feeling and, before she could grab her phone to call and halt the action, the next second came a loud knocking: "Manli, are you awake? We''re going to the Bund for a photo shoot soon."


    She hastily got out of bed, barefoot, and scrambled to the door, whispering, "You all go ahead and get ready; I''ll come by myself later."


    The assistant was confused but didn''t ask further. "Hurry up, don''t be too late. Liangliang, Zhouzhou, and I will head there first."


    "Mhm, go ahead," Li Manli sighed with relief, tiptoed back to the bed, and carefully lifted a corner of the duvet.


    Lu Liang, half-asleep, stretched out an arm around her waist, feeling the girl''s delicate skin: "What are you going to the Bund for?"


    "The platform is hosting a summer event recently; they want me to take a series of promotional photos."


    Li Manli smiled, and once again snuggled into the covers, draping the bedding only halfway across her chest, revealing the faint blush of cherry red.


    She hurriedly added, "The platform''s event isn''t going live until the day after tomorrow, so it''s okay to shoot tomorrow."


    Her work wasn''t important; as long as Lu Liang had time, she was always available.


    "After breakfast, I''ll take you there," he said.


    Lu Liang pinched her cheeks, rich with collagen, and Li Manli, eyes squinting, thoroughly enjoyed it before suddenly giving a mischievous lick.


    He let out a soft laugh and picked up his phone to see a message from Wen Chao; the new energy and film industries were all extending olive branches.


    News that Tianxing Assets held five hundred million dollars had already spread, and countless enterprises were eager for his investment.


    Rumor had it that the third fund''s settlement cycle was three years, which also indicated that Lu Liang had a high probability of making medium- to long-term investments.


    To gain his favor, they needed to cater to his interests. New energy was an industry he was bullish on, followed by the film and TV industry.


    Lu Liang rubbed his eyes, pondering for a moment, and replied, "Set aside the new energy projects for now, organize the rest into documents, and I''ll look over them when I return to the company later."


    He did favor the new energy sector, but as it was currently overheated with excessive premiums, it wasn''t suitable for investment.


    At the very least, he would have to wait until the end of the year, or perhaps the following year, because with the official start of autumn next month, a large number of new cars would be launched.


    Despite the industry''s boom, the market was not hot.


    The second quarter''s sales were only a hundred thousand units, and it was expected to surpass four hundred thousand for the year, but it was still a case of too many wolves and not enough meat.


    With over a hundred years of established base in fuel vehicles, businesses eager for quick profits were doomed to fail and the industry as a whole was about to experience its first cooling.


    That would be Lu Liang''s time to buy in.


    He put down his phone and suddenly noticed that Li Manli was staring intently at him. Lu Liang chuckled, "What?"


    "You look so handsome." Li Manli moved all her limbs, wrapping around Lu Liang like an octopus, inexplicably thrilled.


    "Handsome doesn''t fill the stomach; time to get up," Lu Liang laughed, heading to the bathroom, "Do you have any toiletries?"


    "I do; I''ll get them for you."


    Li Manli picked up her nightgown from the floor and slipped into it. Her bare thighs flashed in and out of sight, making her seem even more alluring than if she wore nothing.


    Lu Liang glanced over and realized it had been a while since he carefully observed her, not knowing when she had started exuding a sense of maturity.


    "What is it?"


    Li Manli had a toothbrush in her mouth and cocked her head. The bathroom was spacious enough for two people to freshen up comfortably.


    "Did they grow again?"


    Lu Liang wondered, the once immature little apples seemingly slowly turning into ripe juicy peaches.


    "Can you tell?"


    Li Manli was surprised but then beamed with pride and said, puffing out her chest, "My old clothes are all too small now."


    Though she had a touch more maturity in her bearing, her youthful physique remained¡ªtight and perky, with sharp contours.


    "Look how proud you are," Lu Liang said with a mischievous smile, flicking a red bean, which earned him a scolding glare from Li Manli.


    After freshening up, Li Manli was the first to dash out of the room, sneakily checking out the situation downstairs like a thief. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Fortunately, the house was empty, the videographers, assistants, and social media operators had all headed to the shooting location.


    "Don''t act like a thief," Lu Liang grumbled, to which Li Manli cooed, "I just don''t want to cause you any trouble."


    Lu Liang ate a simple sandwich and suddenly asked, "Are you still uploading videos on Bilibili now?"


    "Not much, mostly just clips from live streams."


    "And Douyin?"


    "Clips as well. Mr. Long doesn''t really want us to go there. Someone tried and ended up being throttled."


    Panda might have been founded by Wang Xiaocong, but the general manager and person in charge was Long Fei, a career manager.


    Lu Liang chuckled lightly and said, "Don''t worry about him. You signed a live streaming contract; just put a bit more effort into Douyin."


    Little Wang''s initial rejection of Tencent''s olive branch was a mistake that left him in a difficult position now.


    Above, there were two behemoths supported by Tencent, and Douyin was eyeing them covetously. Below, he had no way down, no cushion to fall back on.


    Despite the recent spike to a valuation of five hundred million dollars, last month''s valuation of ofo was even higher, and now they could only rely on their million-plus bikes to slowly pay off their debts.


    But a lean camel is still bigger than a horse, capable of demanding a higher price and pleading for sympathy, all the while maintaining a definite will to repay the debt.


    These days, their daily active users had surged back to the top tier, and Lu Liang''s refund queue had reached 19 millionth place.


    "Then I''ll mention it to the operations team later."


    Li Manli nodded, trusting Lu Liang unconditionally.


    Stepping outside, Lu Liang''s Bentley had been waiting for a while, and Li Manli waved enthusiastically, "Yu, long time no see."


    Fang Shiyu grinned sheepishly, "Miss Li, hello."


    After dropping Li Manli at the Bund, on the way to the office, Fang Shiyu hesitated for a long time before suddenly saying, "Bro, I need to take a few days off."


    Last night, he had received a call from his mother. His grandmother had taken a fall a while ago, and lately, her consciousness had been fading; it might just be a matter of days.


    "Afterward, go back and pack your bags. I''ll have Wen Chao book your flight."


    Lu Liang recalled how, during the New Year''s visit, his uncle had complained about how his brother-in-law was no good, indulging in all four vices and lazing around.


    His aunt was the eldest daughter at home. If Fang Shiyu''s grandmother passed away, the responsibility of managing the funeral would likely fall on his uncle''s shoulders.


    Lu Liang transferred him 200,000 yuan and said softly, "Come back when you''ve settled everything. Don''t worry about work."


    Fang Shiyu''s grandma was just his own grandmother, while his own, Lu Liang''s grandmother, had passed away many years earlier.


    Fang Shiyu was slow to react, and it took a while before he uttered, "Bro, thanks."


    "In a lifetime, we''re like brothers. ''Thank you'' is too formal," said Lu Liang with a smile, patting him on the shoulder.


    That very afternoon, Fang Shiyu set off for home.


    In the office, Lu Liang was browsing through investment-seeking projects when he suddenly called Wen Chao over, planning to hire a few more security personnel.


    His appearance seemed to be getting harder to hide. After all, Tianxing Assets had now surpassed Golden Sand River and was on par with Redwood.


    The Internet was abuzz, spreading his high school and university graduation photos. The netizens were digging with increasing excitement, unstoppable in their frenzy.


    Lu Liang thought it over. Rather than keeping the public in suspense, which made them excessively curious and left a lasting impression, it might be better to find an opportunity to expose himself proactively and then downplay the situation.


    After all, there were plenty of photos of Shen Peng online, but if he walked down the street, most people would still not recognize him.

 Chapter 209 - 208: Investing in War Wolf 2

    "Have there been any interview requests recently?"


    Upon hearing Lu Liang''s words, Wen Chao was taken aback, knowing that Lu Liang disliked being in the public eye, so such invitations were usually outright rejected.


    He thought for a moment and answered, "Forbes magazine has been wanting to interview you, and there''s also the municipal commendation ceremony."


    The former wanted to interview this year''s best investor. After all, Shen Peng had won the title for seven consecutive terms. Everyone had speculated that if it wasn''t Shen Peng this year, it would at least be Zhu Hu. Unexpectedly, Lu Liang had emerged suddenly as a strong contender.


    The latter was due to last year''s tax settlement, where they had contributed a one-time tax payment of 51.2 million yuan, becoming a tax pioneer in Puxin District.


    Although Puxin District is full of hidden dragons and crouching tigers with enterprises paying billions in taxes every year, they had achieved over 50 million yuan in taxes in their first year of establishment, with more expected the following year.


    The title of tax pioneer was well deserved.


    Wen Chao continued, "Director Zhou from the municipal publicity department also mentioned that if Mr. Lu, you are willing to personally receive the award, they would also grant you the city''s Top Ten Outstanding Young Persons Award, and next year, you may even have the chance to compete for the National Top Ten Outstanding Young Persons."


    The municipal publicity department also cared about appearances, and if Lu Liang personally attended, then the award would definitely be his, no one else could take it. If Lu Liang decided not to show up, then it wouldn''t concern him.


    After pondering, Lu Liang said, "Tell Forbes I will first accept the municipal commendation, then their interview."


    He previously didn''t want exposure, so whether it was official or media reporter invitations, he had Wen Chao turn them all down.


    Now wanting to take initiative in gaining exposure, an official platform was undoubtedly the best choice, and with the official commendation and Forbes'' interview, there should be slightly fewer people paying attention.


    Wen Chao was taken aback, then quickly responded, "Alright, then I''ll contact the municipal officials first."


    "Go ahead."


    Lu Liang flipped through film projects, noticing War Wolf 2, Mermaid Legend, and Monkey King.


    He was drawn to War Wolf 2''s investment list; Little Wang had also invested 20 million yuan.


    The previous film had good reputation and box office results, so by reason, a sequel shouldn''t lack investment. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, Wu Jing had screwed up; the original production cost of 110 million yuan, due to various reasons, had risen to 210 million yuan, an investment cost increase nearly approaching 100%.


    Generally, a film''s production cost multiplied by three was necessary just to break even, meaning the future box office needed to exceed 630 million yuan to be profitable.


    A sudden funding shortfall of 100 million yuan forced Wu Jing to leave the production crew and return from Africa to the mainland in search of investors.


    The plot of the film was not complex, akin to a typical commercial blockbuster promoting individual heroism, like Captain America, coupled with the influence of the red flag in Africa.


    Lu Liang was interested, but one billion was not a small amount. After some thought, he called Little Wang, "Hello, I heard you invested in War Wolf 2?"


    "It seems the project has circulated to you."


    Little Wang laughed, having anticipated this, as investors able to spare one billion yuan for a film in the mainland could be counted on one hand.


    Shen Peng and Zhu Hu could easily come up with the money, but they weren''t interested in films. Nowadays in the mainland, the investors who had both the capability and interest were narrowed down to Lu Liang.


    Little Wang added cheerfully, "The plot feels quite impactful, mainly because Wu Jing has good judgment."


    "What do you mean by that?" Lu Liang was puzzled.


    "He initially invited me to play the secondary male lead, that wealthy factory heir¡ª isn''t that evidence of good judgment?"


    Little Wang was proud; Wu Jing had invested one million yuan inviting him to perform, but he didn''t want to go to Africa, a place he disliked.


    So in a good mood, he invested 20 million yuan.


    Lu Liang, with a teasing face, speculated, "Is there a possibility that he''s setting a trap, and the old man''s intent isn''t in the wine?"


    Little Wang was at a loss for words, suddenly angry, "If you keep being so scheming, you''ll end up without friends."


    Lu Liang chuckled, ready to hang up, but Little Wang quickly called out, "Keep an eye on it, the project is desperately short of funds, I heard Wu Jing is even planning to sell his house."


    "You are so kind-hearted?" Lu Liang was surprised.


    Little Wang replied resentfully, "He set me up, I need to find someone to cushion the blow, plus the project is genuinely good. Don''t you think it''s a potential way to promote the benefits of the Silk Road?"


    Lu Liang paused, musing, "I''ll consider it."


    Following that, he reviewed several other projects, during which Wen Chao returned to inform him that the commendation ceremony was confirmed for this Thursday, with Forbes'' visit scheduled for Saturday.


    The next day, while Wu Jing was at the bank processing the mortgage of multiple properties to continue filming, he suddenly received a call from his agent, "Jing, hurry back, we''ve found a financier."


    "Who is it now?" Wu Jing sighed, his eyes weary, having no more hope.


    He had looked everywhere for institutions, but now all the investments were from small investors who provided little money and created a lot of trouble.


    They''d invest a few hundred million and either want to harp on the unwritten rules with the female lead or have their own children or lovers play significant roles.


    Wu Jing wanted to curse; he genuinely didn''t want to deal with them.


    All he wanted now was to quickly mortgage his house, obtain enough capital, and then rush back to Africa to resume filming, as the production crew sitting idle each day was costing him millions.


    "Guess what," his agent said excitedly.


    "Guess my ass, spit it out if you have something to say."


    Wu Jing spoke harshly. If his agent had been standing in front of him, he would''ve given him a piece of his mind.


    The agent smiled awkwardly, "Jing, calm down, it''s Lu Liang who contacted us."


    "Tianxing''s Lu Liang?" Wu Jing was surprised. Even though he had been busy with "War Wolf 2" recently, he had heard of Lu Liang''s big name.


    In his early thirties, with a cash flow of several hundred billion, unchallenged in the international market, a real financial mogul.


    "I just took a chance and reached out to Mahua''s Zhang Chen, asking him to recommend our project to Lu Liang."


    The agent was extremely excited; he thought it was a long shot, but unexpectedly, Lu Liang''s secretary got in touch with him, inviting them to Modu for a detailed discussion.


    If Wu Jing could persuade Lu Liang to invest, the one billion funding gap would be just a drop in the ocean for this mogul. There wouldn''t be any need to look for other investors.


    "Holy shit, why didn''t you say so earlier? When are we going to Modu?" Wu Jing asked urgently.


    He decisively put away the house deeds; it was always better to let others invest if possible.


    If he mortgaged the house and the movie flopped, decades of effort might go down the drain.


    "An hour and a half later, I''ll meet you at the airport. We''re scheduled to meet Mr. Lu at three o''clock in the afternoon."


    "Wait for me; I''ll be right there."


    The two headed to the airport from different locations and arrived at the New International Building half an hour early at half-past two.


    Wu Jing''s face was tense, and he couldn''t help but jitter his leg to relieve his anxiety, the agent by his side was no less anxious.


    After all, they were about to meet the most mysterious and legendary financial mogul in the country.


    It had just turned three o''clock.


    Lu Liang arrived at the reception room right on time, with a smile on his face, "Mr. Wu, Mr. Li, hello, have you been waiting long?"


    He sized up Wu Jing; the first time he saw him on screen was during middle school summer break, in the film "Little Li Knife," starring Jiao Enjun.


    Decades had passed, the once fair-skinned young actor had now turned into a dark-skinned, crew-cut strong man. It was hard to imagine that next year, he would make a historic mark with "War Wolf 2."


    With a box office of 5.494 billion, it was more than double that of last year''s champion "Monster Hunt," which even involved money laundering.


    A film involved in money laundering only dared to circulate 2.4 billion. Mr. Lu was curious about how a clean film managed to make it to 5.4 billion at the box office.


    "Mr. Lu, hello, we just arrived too," the agent said with a big smile plastered on his face, Wu Jing was also sizing up Mr. Lu.


    His first thought was how young he was, then he quickly averted his gaze, as staring was impolite.


    He was still hoping to secure Mr. Lu''s investment.


    Lu Liang pondered for a moment, smiled, and said, "I''ve looked at the synopsis of the movie. It''s very good."


    He bluntly asked, "Is one billion enough?"


    The two exchanged glances, seeing surprise in each other''s eyes. Mr. Lu''s offer was unexpectedly generous.


    These words from Mr. Lu clearly indicated his decision to invest and even suggested the possibility of adding more funds.


    Are all moguls this straightforward?


    Or perhaps, was one billion just a number to him?


    Possibly, considering the rumors that Mr. Lu currently controlled cash flows amounting to several hundred billion.


    The agent was about to say it was enough when Wu Jing scratched the back of his head, his face showing an embarrassed smile, "Mr. Lu, if we could get a bit more, the quality and storyline of the movie could be improved even further."


    Mr. Lu chuckled, "As long as it''s a project I believe in, no amount of money is a problem. So, Mr. Wu, just boldly name a figure."

 Chapter 210 - 209: Selective Picking

    "Mr. Lu, 120 million, what do you think?"


    Wu Jing pondered seriously. A total investment of 210 million would barely cover the completion of the entire film, but if he had an additional 20 million, he could arrange a few more large-scale live-action scenes.


    At the very least, he could rent several more tanks, avoiding the need to skimp and scrap using obviously fake CG effects, and producing shockingly better results when shot.


    Lu Liang smiled at the corner of his mouth, "Mr. Wu, think it over carefully, you only get one chance."


    "Mr. Lu, I''m sure, 120 million is already enough, any more would just be a waste of funds." Wu Jing didn''t dare to ask for more; he believed that a box office of over 1 billion would be considered a success for War Wolf 2.


    As long as Lu Liang agreed, the total investment for the project would reach 230 million, with an estimated break-even box office of 690 million.


    The remaining 310 million, after deducting the box office share, would guarantee at least a 15% return on investment, which should satisfy the investors.


    Lu Liang nodded with a smile and called for Tang Caide and Wu Jing''s agent to speak, "Mr. Wu, the crew is still in Africa, right? You can go back to filming at ease. I''ll have Mr. Tang transfer the funds to your account as soon as possible."


    "Oh, okay." Wu Jing was stunned, momentarily daydreaming; previous encounters with investors involved haggling over tens of millions.


    This was an investment of 120 million in real silver, and it took less than ten minutes to finalize?


    It seemed simpler than having a meal.


    "Mr. Wu, don''t have any worries."


    Lu Liang wore a smile, and although Wu Jing was 11 years his senior, it didn''t matter as he patted Wu Jing''s shoulder.


    The reason he could invest so decisively was also due to the future message received last night.


    [On September 28, 2017, War Wolf 2 ended its run with a total box office of 5.694 billion.]


    As soon as Lu Liang received the message, he immediately had someone investigate whether the movie was involved in money laundering.


    Having ruled out the suspicion of money laundering, the investment became natural; the higher the investment stake, the larger the profits.


    Tang Caide giggled, "That''s Mr. Lu''s style. As long as it''s a project he favors, even tens of billions would be the same."


    To date, the highest single investment of their company is probably the 520 million US dollars in Ningde Era.


    At that time, because they were the sole investors and due to the large sum of money involved, Ningde Era had been established for some time, so they took a week to investigate the financials.


    But film projects are similar to real estate developments; essentially, a new company is built for each project, and if they are willing to open the data, the investigation doesn''t even take half a day.


    Wu Jing was suddenly taken aback, his expression serious, "Mr. Lu, rest assured, I will deliver a performance that will satisfy you."


    "Just do your best."


    Lu Liang chuckled and said no more.


    They had been buying up US stocks and A-shares lately, still having 32.3 billion in capital; an investment of a bit over one billion was nothing but a drop in the bucket.


    If it weren''t for the astonishing 5.4 billion box office results and the fact that the movie market is difficult to manipulate,


    Even if Lu Liang intervened, the situation would develop positively; for example, his fame could cause the box office to rise further.


    If not for these reasons, this message might have been ignored by Lu Liang like the few before it.


    After all, his capital was too large now, and too many people were watching; he could no longer pilfer as surreptitiously as he wished.


    Just like last month with Sanjiang Shopping, thanks to Ali''s entrance, the stock price soared tenfold, like it was injected with adrenaline.


    Lu Liang knew the price would increase tenfold beforehand, but even after a tenfold increase, it would only grow from 1.8 billion to 18.2 billion, with a market circulation share of 25%.


    If he joined, it might even reach 30 billion, but there was a high probability he would become a long-term shareholder of the company.


    So often, he chose projects that were hard to influence, rather than blindly following trends.


    Suddenly, Wu Jing had an idea, "Mr. Lu, why don''t you play the role of Zhuo Yifan in the film?"


    Last year, he invited Little Wang not because he thought Little Wang had a particularly good image, but because he was the super internet sensation of the year.


    His film had all its budget allocated to filming, with actor salaries accounting for less than 8%, and desperately needed the addition of big names.


    Undoubtedly, Lu Liang was a more appropriate choice; it was said that this year, his popularity had already surpassed that of Little Wang, becoming the number one internet sensation.


    The agent, sweating profusely, hurriedly offered an apologetic smile, "Mr. Lu, please don''t take offense, Jing works so hard he seldom goes online."


    Lu Liang''s preference for remaining out of the spotlight had become a well-known secret, otherwise, the internet wouldn''t still be without a clear portrait of his face.


    Wu Jing''s invitation for him to act was akin to dancing in a minefield; if it upset Lu Liang, the 120 million investment could evaporate in an instant.


    Lu Liang didn''t mind and just laughed it off, "Maybe next time. The role has too many scenes, and I can''t handle it."


    Wu Jing obviously wanted to say more, but his agent pinched his palm, so he could only leave with a resigned air.


    At four o''clock in the afternoon, the two walked out of the building, the agent cradling the contract, feeling as if it was all a world away.


    One hour, to lock down 120 million in film investment, as long as Tianxing''s financial review found no issues.


    Within three days, the money would be wired into the public account.


    Wu Jing''s face was full of indignation, "Why didn''t you let me speak just now."


    With Lu Liang''s involvement in the movie, he was confident the projected box office could go up to 1.5 billion, or even more.


    To let such a big publicity opportunity slip away.


    "Don''t be ungrateful, Mr. Lu doesn''t like showing his face, even if you offered him 200 million in remuneration, he wouldn''t take on the role."


    The agent glared at him irritably, speaking of Lu Liang''s various personas, the secretive speculative tycoon being just one among many.


    It was one thing to ask him to play a role, but to expect him to go abroad? Who didn''t know that Lu Liang had repeatedly clashed with Wall Street funds and taken them down.


    To go to some godforsaken place in Africa, a backstabbing bullet might suddenly appear. If anything happened to Lu Liang, his investors would surely tear Wu Jing to pieces as a sacrificial offering to the heavens.


    Wu Jing was taken aback, not expecting there to be these reasons. He laughed awkwardly, "I can''t thank you enough, Brother Zeng. Please book a ticket for me, I''ll return to Africa tonight, and I''ll leave logistics headquarters to you."


    In the night, Lu Liang met Little Wang at a riverside bar.


    Little Wang looked perplexed, "You''re going to the city''s award ceremony tomorrow?"


    Lu Liang had covered the remaining investment for War Wolf 2, which didn''t surprise him at all; given Lu Liang''s capabilities and his previous investments in several film projects.


    But the key was Lu Liang planning to attend the award ceremony and deciding to step out from behind the scenes. That was what truly surprised him.


    "Your information is quite up to date?" asked Lu Liang, astonished.


    Little Wang snorted proudly, "I''m no big deal, just last year''s top ten outstanding young entrepreneurs of the city, next year I''ll be one of the country''s top ten." S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lu Liang frowned, and a smug Little Wang said, "I''m just one year your senior, so how about calling me ''senior''? That wouldn''t be too much, right?"


    Lu Liang glanced at him and drank his drink, a look of dejection on his face, "Isn''t the honor a bit too trivial?"


    He had been looking forward to it, the last time he received an official honor was for coming third in high school sprinting.


    Hearing that Little Wang was also an awardee, and one year his senior, and that he was about to be recognized as a national outstanding young entrepreneur, Lu Liang suddenly felt less enthusiastic, as if he wasn''t particularly looking forward to it anymore.


    Little Wang''s eyes flashed dangerously, but he could only sigh helplessly in the end, "Lu, do you know, everyone else calls me Mr. Wang or Mr. Wang''s son; if nothing else, they just call me by my name."


    Only this damn jerk Lu Liang.


    Calling him Little Wang all the time, and the worst part was, he became desensitized and seemed to have accepted the nickname.


    "Is that so? I hadn''t noticed," Lu Liang teased with a smile.


    "Forget it, I won''t hold it against you."


    Little Wang suddenly relaxed and with a forced smile said, "Hellos Goddess is planning for a second season, are you interested in being a judge?"


    "Not interested," Lu Liang rejected without a second thought, decisively.


    He was trying to avoid exposure, not wanting to be dug into too deeply by netizens, leaving too profound an impression, and he would try to reduce exposure as much as possible in the future.


    Unless it was really time for him to step out as a spokesperson, and quite clearly, Little Wang''s Panda wasn''t up to par.


    Little Wang''s face darkened, the rejection too blunt, and he started cursing, "Believe it or not, I''ll leak your scandals."


    Lu Liang smiled nonchalantly, "And do you believe, you won''t be able to leak them, or that they just won''t get around?"


    Little Wang was suddenly lost for words, silent.


    He took the bottle and began guzzling his drink.


    He believed.


    Mid-last month, the unofficial video had elevated Lu Liang to a very high status.


    Once Lu Liang stepped out from behind the scenes, his protection would only improve; so-called scandals were probably impossible to leak.


    "Little Wang, take your time drinking, I need to get up early tomorrow, so I''ll head back to rest."


    Lu Liang was in high spirits, giving Little Wang a pat on the shoulder and waving to the distant bodyguards.


    There were four of them, from a professional security company, each tall and strong, towering around 1.8 meters.


    Little Wang was fuming, and he lost the mood to drink anymore. Bars were suited for old people; for someone as vibrant as him, he should be at a club, enjoying the dazzling nightlife.

 Chapter 211 - 210: I am Lu Liang

    The next morning, Lu Liang got up and took a shower.


    He was still a bit self-conscious about his image, after all, it was his first public appearance through an official platform, which was bound to be reported in the media.


    He needed to work on his image, so he chose a light blue casual suit, applied some mousse to his hair, and put on some BB cream to enhance his skin''s glow.


    Usually, Lu Liang did not use these products and did not even own makeup. He simply used Li Manli''s, who naturally became his stylist.


    "How do I look?" Lu Liang stood in front of the mirror, his lips slightly curved upwards, quite satisfied with his outfit for the day.


    Li Manli''s eyes brimmed with affection, almost palpably so, as she held her phone with great expectation, "Can I take a picture?"


    Lu Liang was handsome, only he usually did not care much about his appearance. A little dressing up turned him into the true definition of a powerful executive.


    With a demeanor gentle as jade, his every action exuded an air of calm and indifference that made people fall for him.


    She was moved to tears.


    "Go ahead and shoot, but can you not act so exaggerated? You''re a host, not an actor," Lu Liang said with a laugh.


    "Don''t slander me, I really am not acting, you just look very handsome," Li Manli retorted, yet her hands never stopped moving.


    She took out her phone and continuously snapped photos from various angles.


    Wang Xiaocong was already called the National Husband, and Lu Liang was clearly much more handsome than him, not to mention being a rich second generation with immense financial power.


    He was much more suited to that nickname.


    Unfortunately, her ''National Husband'' was bound to become public, and she did not know how many admirers he would attract in the future, to share her love.


    The path of love was tough, Little Li sighed.


    At nine in the morning, Lu Liang arrived at the city government.


    Wen Chao had come over for the rehearsal the previous day, knew the procedures, and pinned a small red flower on Lu Liang''s chest.


    Today, many businessmen, mostly around thirty, attended the event at the city government, men outnumbering women, totaling over thirty people.


    The commendation ceremony at the city government was scheduled to start at ten, and the leadership had asked them to arrive early, intending for these young entrepreneurs to network.


    During their interactions, an idea might spark, potentially leading to the birth of a new unicorn company.


    Lu Liang made a round to see if he could find a few promising stocks up close.


    After the circuit, he lost all his enthusiasm. The majority were founders of e-commerce and cross-border e-commerce vertical platforms, followed by P2P, which, according to Old Ma, belonged to fintech, commonly known as lending.


    Lu Liang had borrowed from P2P lenders and knew that even Ali barely touched the edge of fintech; though they had indeed broken the banks'' monopoly,


    Back then, inter-bank out-of-town withdrawals required a fee; now, that had become a thing of the past, and indeed their contribution was significant. But that did not mean they could label lending as fintech.


    Lu Liang sat in a corner, waiting for the leadership to come over, while not far away, someone else also sat alone in a corner.


    Unlike Lu Liang, who smiled and looked at ease, the person nearby looked rather deep in despair, with a gloomy expression.


    The two men conversing passed by Lu Liang: "Poor Sun Ying, he was originally promised a spot in the Outstanding Young Entrepreneurs Award, but was suddenly told it was cancelled."


    "P2P Lending House causing trouble?" the other softly inquired.


    "It''s not related to the company. Apparently, his slot was squeezed out by someone."


    "They can squeeze someone out last minute? Who is that impressive?"


    "Not sure, keep it down, though."


    The man scoffed, "They squeezed him out, not us, which shows we are more valued by the city government."


    "That may be, but it''s best not to provoke him, especially when he''s upset¡ªno need to..."


    Lu Liang''s face showed a peculiar expression; if nothing unexpected, he was probably the person who squeezed him out.


    The commendation ceremony had been decided half a month ago, and he only decided last week to attend.


    By him attending, naturally, someone else was eliminated.


    However, Lu Liang did not feel much of a psychological burden, just as those passersby had mentioned, squeezing him out but not them spoke volumes.


    At nine forty, the leaders started to arrive one after another.


    Director Zhou from the city propaganda department searched through the crowd and, upon spotting Lu Liang, his face lit up with delight.


    The responsibility of the city propaganda department was to publicize municipal policies, and as an official platform as formal as they come, it rarely attracted much attention.


    With few people paying attention, the publicity was rendered ineffective, like working in isolation; therefore, last year they had invited Wang Xiaocong.


    The effect was significant; the web traffic on the city propaganda website surged dozens of times, and the promotion of new policies also saw great success.


    The city''s propaganda department received commendation from the authorities, so this year they planned to replicate the success by inviting Lu Liang.


    However, Lu Liang initially did not accept the invitation, which left Director Zhou feeling quite disappointed. He had thoughts of reprisal but didn''t dare act on them.


    Officials could afford to be slow, but their instincts must not be dull.


    In mid-July, the video that went viral online prematurely donned Lu Liang with an unauthorized yellow mandarin jacket. Although it wasn''t officially sanctioned, the yellow mandarin jacket was still quite significant.


    Some people are replaceable, ready to be substituted at any moment; however, some are irreplaceable.


    Lu Liang belonged to the latter category, and he kept a low profile, unlike Old Ma who was always lecturing, criticizing either the system or specific individuals.


    Being low-profile yet powerful meant that no one dared to offend him.


    Unexpectedly, hope emerged just when all seemed bleak.


    Director Zhou and Lu Liang exchanged glances across the distance, both of them smiling faintly and nodding, a gesture which also revealed that Lu Liang was the one who had edged out Sun Ying.


    As the leaders arrived, a group of promising young talents also began to enter the awards hall.


    Lu Liang looked toward the center of the second row where a card with his name was placed on a table.


    He was just about to head there when someone approached him with a broad smile, saying, "Brother, how may I address you?"


    After all, society is not like a school where a student valued by the teacher is not only not ostracized but treated with sincerity by classmates.


    Suddenly, someone noticed Lu Liang''s seat and couldn''t help but exclaim softly, "Lu Liang is here?"


    In institutions, seat arrangements also reflect a hierarchy, such as placing higher status on the left or placing men above women.


    There were five rows of seats in this hall; the first row was for the leaders and the second row for the youth entrepreneurs about to receive awards.


    The seat in the center of the second row prominently displaying Lu Liang''s name left no doubt that he was indeed Tianxing Lu Liang.


    The whispers of discussion were incessant.


    Sun Ying, whose spot had been taken, suddenly laughed.


    There were many attendees today, but there were only ten spots for this year''s outstanding young entrepreneurs of the entire city.


    Previously, according to what he knew, the strongest candidate was Mao Wenchao from Little Red Potato, who had upgraded from community services to e-commerce, completing a business cycle and securing tens of millions in US Dollars from Redwood and Jiyuan Capital, amassing a fortune worth hundreds of millions.


    If nothing unexpected happened, Mao Wenchao would likely stand out just as Wang Xiaocong did last year, eclipsing all others.


    However, an unexpected turn of events occurred; Lu Liang''s arrival effectively diminished everyone else''s significance.


    After all, which provincial outstanding young entrepreneur boasted wealth of four to five billion and managed hundreds of billions in cash flow?


    While his net worth could be speculatory, hundreds of billions in actual cash flow were genuine, dwarfing the combined reach of the other nine.


    Sun Ying, whose spot had been taken, was resentful, yet what could he do?


    With Lu Liang''s wealth and social influence at this time, he was more than qualified to compete for the national title of outstanding young entrepreneur.


    Just see, getting to know his true self had everyone craning their necks in anticipation, wanting to glimpse his real face.


    After all, he was one of the leading venture capitalists in the country. Aligning with his interests and having an engaging conversation could mean an investment of several hundred million without a second thought. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And the person who had approached Lu Liang also attracted attention.


    Suddenly he came to his senses, staring blankly, "You wouldn''t happen to be Mr. Lu, would you?"


    There were quite a few others with the same thought, counting on Director Zhou''s distinctive regard which seemed reserved for none other than Lu Liang.


    Numerous intense gazes converged on Lu Liang, and faces around him registered shock, for he looked much younger than rumored.


    Standing tall at about 180cm, his posture erect and commanding, it was evident that he worked out regularly, his chest rather robust.


    Lu Liang smiled at everyone and turned to pat the man''s shoulder, "Hello, I am Lu Liang."

 Chapter 212 - 211: #Personal Appearance#

    "Mr. Lu, hello, I am Chen Qi from Mogu Street."


    The man was astonished, quickly regained his composure, and with a full-faced smile, he took out his company''s business card, introducing his business which is mainly engaged in an e-commerce platform dealing with women''s clothing, shoes, and hats.


    "Mr. Chen, hello." Lu Liang nodded with a smile and took his seat arranged by the municipal government.


    Everyone looked at Chen Qi with envy, jealousy, and hatred in their eyes, as meeting Mr. Lu was not an opportunity that came every day.


    Even just leaving an impression was good, for when they met again, they would no longer be strangers, and cooperation would be easier to discuss.


    After all, a familiar face would be favored over a complete stranger by any normal person.


    This is also why many grassroots entrepreneurs, even if they had to go to great lengths, would try to squeeze into high-end business gatherings.


    Reality is cruel, but this is the truth; a word from a big shot is more effective than anything they could possibly say.


    Unfortunately, Lu Liang had already taken his seat, and it would be presumptuous and impolite to approach him now, which could backfire.


    "Mr. Lu, hello, I am Mao Wenchao from Little Red Potato."


    Lu Liang sat in the center; on his left was Mao Wenchao from Little Red Potato, and on his right was Cai Haoyu from Miha You.


    Both men had radiant smiles as they took the opportunity to provide their business cards.


    "Mr. Mao, Mr. Cai, hello."


    Lu Liang wore a smile and chatted leisurely with them, learning that one was involved in a women''s community and the other in anime-themed games.


    Wang Xing had said that the purchasing power of young girls surpasses that of children, young wives, the elderly, dogs, and men, and it wasn''t a random order but in descending sequence.


    At that time, someone argued that men also had strong purchasing power, but it depended on what it was for; for instance, men were willing to spend generously on games.


    Little Red Potato and Miha You each had captured the key markets for men and women, and from a product positioning standpoint, they should have considerable potential for development. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lu Liang also distributed his own business card, a very simple white card with only the company name and his and Wen Chao''s numbers.


    They took it seriously and carefully put it away; who knows when it might come in handy.


    As soon as it was ten o''clock, leaders took their seats in turn and went to the stage to speak according to their rank.


    It could be summarized in a single sentence: Reflect on the past, strive in the present, look forward to the future.


    During this time, Lu Liang went on stage twice.


    Once was to represent the company to receive the Pioneer in Tax Contribution plaque; another time was to accept the honor certificate of Outstanding Young Entrepreneur.


    Each time Lu Liang went to the stage, the last row of the auditorium would erupt in a series of shutter sounds, creating a stark contrast with other business representatives or young talents.


    This was what they couldn''t envy, and they could even imagine that once Lu Liang''s photo was uploaded online after the event, it would create quite a stir.


    #Lu Liang himself appears in photo#


    There was no doubt that it would soar to the top of the trending search list; unless a major event occurred, it would stay there for several days.


    Indeed, just a few days ago, and even earlier, when Lu Liang''s high school and college graduation photos were revealed, they immediately topped the trending search list. Now, with the person himself appearing, it would undoubtedly be the same.


    Realizing these two events, many people had a sudden epiphany and understood why Lu Liang, who had always been reluctant to reveal himself, suddenly made an appearance.


    Because it was almost impossible to keep hiding, it was better to take the initiative and pierce through the mystery, at least to be prepared in advance on how to face public opinion without being caught off guard.


    The commendation meeting lasted until eleven-thirty, and Lu Liang followed everyone to the municipal government''s cafeteria for a meal of government provisions.


    Meanwhile, the news photos that were supposed to be uploaded at three o''clock in the afternoon were hurriedly processed by the municipal propaganda department and uploaded ahead of schedule.


    After half an hour''s fermentation, a photo of Lu Liang receiving an award spread from the official municipal website and strongly topped the hot search on the entire network.


    "???"


    "Fake, right?"


    "Lu Liang is so young?"


    "Didn''t they say he was very anxiously looking?"


    "His features are sharp, his gaze deep, giving off the vibe of a suit-and-tie gangster. Is this the Mr. Lu you were talking about?"


    "Xiao Chen really wasn''t just flattering; although he''s not as handsome as Daniel Wu, he has a special charm."


    "I''m almost embarrassed to break it to you guys, are you craving his body? Clearly, you''re coveting my husband''s money."


    Mr. Lu Liang''s award photo was exposed and sparked a nationwide debate, instantly turning Wang Xiaocong into "National Ex-Husband Brother."


    The official camera is known as the "demon-revealing mirror." High-definition cameras can show everyone''s true appearance, unretouched.


    Those who can withstand this scrutiny are not necessarily handsome or beautiful, but at the very least have symmetric features that are pleasant to look at. Not to mention, Mr. Lu looked quite handsome under the lens.


    At thirty-one, Mr. Lu was in his prime, a self-made billionaire owning tens of billions in assets and holding hundreds of billions in liquid capital.


    To keep calling Little Wang, a second-generation rich kid, the "National Heartthrob" just didn''t seem fitting anymore, a view unanimously agreed upon by countless girls.


    Last month Mr. Lu''s Weibo post suddenly turned into a national beauty contest, with female guests from all over the country sharing their own beautiful photos.


    Some saw the situation clearly: "Wake up, girls. The older generation may be impressive, but they''ve fought and struggled through hardships. Most are inherently indifferent. Don''t indulge in those unrealistic fantasies. Little Wang is more your type."


    Such sober comments were plenty, but no one seemed to take them to heart.


    Gradually, professing love to Mr. Lu became a trend, a battleground for all the beautiful internet celebrities to outshine each other.


    Meanwhile, in a small factory in the south,


    Lin Wenjing stared blankly at the photo. Ever since that incident, she couldn''t stay in her hometown.


    With mother and daughter safe, the relatives and friends who had come to support them ended up detained for three to fifteen days.


    The verbal abuse from their relatives was enough to drown them. They had no choice but to depart overnight with the whole family, fleeing their hometown.


    She couldn''t have imagined that Mr. Lu, whom she had lived with for three years, had become a tycoon?


    And all of this happened within just a year and a half after leaving her, practically starting from scratch.


    ...


    News of Mr. Lu appearing in person caused an uproar online, but the reaction offline was rather muted.


    There were quite a few people who knew Mr. Lu and had seen him, but they were only surprised that he had stepped from behind the scenes to the forefront. That was it.


    After all, as Mr. Lu''s business grew and he managed more assets, it was only a matter of time before he appeared in the public eye.


    At that moment, Wen Chao received a call from the Weibo operations director and relayed the message in Mr. Lu''s office, "Mr. Lu, Weibo is asking if you need help suppressing the heat on your trending topic?"


    Mr. Lu chuckled, "Thank them for their kindness, but there''s no need for now. Let it be lively for a while."


    The day after tomorrow, he had an interview with the Forbes editor scheduled, along with a cover shoot, which was bound to stir discussion again.


    Let the netizens make a fuss for this period. Once their curiosity is spent, they won''t pay excessive attention to him in the future.


    But things don''t always go as planned, and Mr. Lu''s careful plans couldn''t keep up with unforeseen changes.


    Late at night, sudden breaking news swept across the internet, overshadowing Mr. Lu''s trending topic - Wang Bao had released a divorce announcement, revealing his wife''s affair with her agent.


    In an instant, it had over a hundred thousand shares and a million comments.


    Finance was too distant for ordinary people; Mr. Lu was like a star out of reach. Although people paid attention, looking up for too long would make their necks sore.


    Although Mr. Lu was self-made, Wang Bao had a better public image, unpretentious and simple, like a mirror to countless people.


    Moreover, Wang Bao was more famous; the previous Xu Sanduo, Mr. Tree, Feng Yuxiu had made a deep impression in people''s hearts.


    Stepping back ten thousand steps, a wife cheating with an agent was explosive news when the husband himself disclosed it on Weibo.


    The eager gossips, Little Wang, called in no time: "Did you do this?"


    "Do you think I have nothing better to do than feed you gossip?" Mr. Lu replied curtly.


    The entertainment industry has always been known to shield itself with high-profile figures whenever a social hot topic emerges.


    Including himself, he also wanted to do so, but there was no need just yet as the Forbes interview hadn''t started.


    It wasn''t surprising that Little Wang would suspect him.


    "Really, it wasn''t you?"


    Little Wang was doubtful and at the same time excited.


    If it had nothing to do with Mr. Lu, he could just enjoy the show and make comments on the side.


    But what answered him was a dial tone.


    "Seems it truly wasn''t him."

 Chapter 213 - 212: Blessing Friends and Relatives

    "None of my business."


    Lu Liang sighed. That day, he had also received many calls and messages from relatives and friends inquiring about him.


    Even the class group, which had long been silent, reduced to a battlefield for Pinduoduo''s slash-a-thorn campaign, showed 99+ messages.


    Although the vocational college students from ten years ago had some value, if they hadn''t caught the wave of the times around 2007, they were pretty much the same as the current ones.


    At that time, those who were going to prosper already had, and those who hadn''t probably never would in this lifetime.


    Unexpectedly, the legendary concept of accumulating knowledge and experience over time happened to their class, and it was one of their classmates who exemplified it.


    With a fortune of several billions and control over hundreds of billions in liquid assets, there was no doubt that Lu Liang had become the most badass person they knew.


    "I remember Lu Liang once pursued Zheng Xiuqin, right?"


    "That was probably eleven years ago, I guess everyone has long forgotten about it."


    "Now, the only person who still has contact with Lu Liang is probably Liu Mingxuan."


    "Forget it¡ªhe''s gone home with his earnings and is now dealing with mini electric cookers. Anyone interested can get in touch."


    Liu Mingxuan suddenly chimed in, sharing a product link. He was instrumental in turning the class group into a battlefield for Pinduoduo''s slash-a-thorn campaign.


    "Mingxuan, our company is planning to hold an event for new and returning customers for Mid-Autumn Festival. Can we make a custom special order?"


    Big Huang, Huang Lihui, who had been notably generous at Liu Mingxuan''s wedding banquet, replied first. She messaged Lu Liang privately, apologizing for an earlier issue, but Lu Liang didn''t respond.


    The more Big Huang thought about it, the more uneasy she felt. Although the chances were slim, what if Lu Liang was the type to hold grudges?


    A casual comment might result in her building materials company having no place in Modu.


    So, she thought of an indirect approach.


    Although Big Huang liked to show off, she wasn''t foolish. She knew well that men''s friendships are entirely different from women''s.


    Men''s friendships can be like marriage vows, weathering poverty or wealth, sickness or health, lasting decades without change.


    She figured she''d first get on good terms with Liu Mingxuan, so in case Lu Liang decided to settle accounts later, Liu Mingxuan could at least put in a good word for her.


    As soon as Liu Mingxuan received the message, he forwarded it to Lu Liang with the demeanor of a bystander: "Does this count as relatives and friends sharing their good fortune?"


    Big Huang''s Hongxin Building Materials wanted him to customize 3,000 electric cookers, as long as the purchase price didn''t exceed 30 yuan. There was only one condition: they had to create a new link, upload it to the online store, and price the product above 200 yuan.


    This kind of operation was actually quite common. Not long ago, he had negotiated a similar deal with a local telecom business.


    After all, as giveaways, the higher the price tag, the more prestigious it looked, and there were also kickbacks to be had from the purchases.


    Lu Liang chuckled, seeing right through Big Huang''s intentions, and said with a smile, "If you think there''s a profit to be made, just agree to it."


    Liu Mingxuan replied in a hurry, "Definitely profitable. The cost is only about 16 yuan each. Even if we make 3,000 units, the cost won''t exceed 20 yuan per piece with a new mold."


    "Not bad. A neat little profit indeed."


    Lu Liang''s face lit up with a smile and added, "Seems like you''re doing well in the e-commerce game. Send me your business card. I''ll be visiting the Industrial and Commercial Bank in a few days. They should have a similar event and will probably do me this favor."


    Liu Mingxuan sighed, "Feels a bit like cheating. I haven''t experienced any of the hardships of entrepreneurship at all. Why''s that?"


    Lu Liang, not amused, asked, "Do you want it or not?"


    After all, they had been friends for many years. Back in their school days, they were so poor they would share a single cigarette between them.


    He always kept Liu Mingxuan in mind, willing to help financially or through introductions, which Liu Mingxuan couldn''t possibly refuse.


    "Of course, I want it. Homegrown water shouldn''t flow into outsider''s fields, and we''re certainly not outsiders," Liu Mingxuan laughed.


    Giving a man a fish or teaching him how to fish¡ªhe was over thirty now, a father, not someone incapable of adapting.


    After all, when he had sold his house and saved millions in the bank back in his hometown, the bank manager had been exceptionally attentive.


    Considering Lu Liang had several hundred billion, Liu Mingxuan couldn''t even imagine how the bank holding those savings would repay him.


    This small request was nothing, less significant than a mosquito bite, so of course, it wouldn''t affect Lu Liang, and Liu Mingxuan naturally wouldn''t decline.


    "Should I say something to Big Huang?" Liu Mingxuan suddenly asked, bearing in mind the saying that one is beholden to those who give.


    "No need to say anything, just leave her be," Lu Liang replied. Although he didn''t care, he also wasn''t going to make a special effort to explain.


    He then saw messages from his parents who were thrilled, saying the village ancestral hall was planning to honor him with an inscription.


    He had heard rumors that being an outstanding young entrepreneur could be a stepping stone to the People''s Congress.


    Moreover, since Modu''s administrative status was much higher than that of an ordinary province-level division,


    Even if Lu Liang went elsewhere now, at the very least, he''d be guaranteed a position at the city-level People''s Congress.


    Rounded up, he''d be considered an official.


    Lu Liang just smiled, unsure of what to say, and simply asked if his parents needed more money, offering to transfer some to them.


    "No need, your mom and I are both old now, we have a car and a house, and practically no place to spend money on."


    Dad was beaming with pride; having a successful and wealthy son was a great honor for any parent.


    He then inquired about someone who had brought over an Audi a while back, wondering if it was at Lu Liang''s instigation.


    "Yes, that car was just sitting in the parking lot unused, so I thought my sister could drive it for a while."


    Lu Liang planned to let Lu Ya use it for a year or so, before sending it to the great parking lot in the sky, figuratively speaking.


    Probably it wouldn''t even cost ten thousand.


    "Very good, very good."


    Dad''s face was full of gratification. After chatting about some family matters, he hung up the phone.


    The next day, the divorce scandal involving Wang Bao continued to ferment.


    A male star, whose dirt couldn''t be dug up by either those closest to him or his agent, had become the entertainment industry''s ''White Lotus,'' with public opinion overwhelmingly sympathetic toward Wang Bao. As a result, Lu Liang was left unbothered.


    That day, Lu Liang had an exclusive interview with Forbes, which mainly focused on his investment criteria and decision-making process.


    As expected, OFO was dragged through the mud, given that the next day marked Dai Wei''s annual trip to the US, which was also rumored to be his return date.


    OFO often pulled various stunts due to deposit issues, and as a company with 19 million creditors, its prominence remained high, something Forbes was keen to capitalize on.


    So, they sent their ace reporter, Wang Chuting, a tall, Eurasian beauty, to conduct the exclusive interview.


    Wang Chuting, with a pleasant smile and her 1.2-meter-long legs having no place to rest, had to keep her knees tightly together and slightly offset to one side. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She glanced down at her interview script and smiled sweetly, "Mr. Lu, there''s been an ongoing discussion online saying if OFO''s success was an illusion of invincible capital power, then OFO''s collapse represents the shattering of that illusion. What do you think about this?"


    Lu Liang, who had cashed out at the market peak ahead of everyone else, likely had a unique perspective.


    He pondered for a moment, then answered with a nonchalant smile, "So many analyses, but not one has pointed out the real reason."


    "The demise of OFO ultimately boils down to inexperience on the part of its creators, the chief culprit being the veto power of a single vote."


    OFO had cooled off, and with Dai Wei probably not returning, Lu Liang didn''t mind revealing some insider information.


    OFO and Mobike started on an equal footing, and due to cost reasons, OFO even had an advantage over Mobike.


    Yet, one joined forces with Meituan and achieved success, while the other went to the US in search of answers and was due to return next month.


    This could all be traced back to Dai Wei''s stubbornness and arrogance.


    "When multiple people hold veto power, the seeds for a disastrous outcome were sown from the moment that decision was made."


    Lu Liang was all smiles, speaking freely as he fully embraced the benefit of hindsight.


    After all, he was the only investor to profit from OFO, cashing out at the peak.


    So, even his slightest remark was considered golden.


    "Indeed, a thousand-mile dike can be destroyed by an ant burrow."


    Wang Chuting mused, her interview yielding far more than she had anticipated.


    After all, such details were generally known only to insiders, who were likely reluctant to speak out.


    Only Lu Liang, who had been an insider but now stood apart, could speak so candidly.


    Soon, the fifty-minute interview was over.


    "Mr. Lu, thank you for taking the time to do this exclusive interview with our magazine."


    Wang Chuting stood up, and even in her low-heeled flats, she was almost as tall as Lu Liang.


    Lu Liang chuckled and shook her hand, "Miss Wang is too kind. An exclusive interview with Forbes is something many people are eager for."


    As the world''s first magazine dedicated solely to business news, Forbes had created the marvel of building an empire with just one publication.


    Forbes was about to celebrate its centennial, with celebrities and elites from all over the world taking pride in being featured in its rankings.


    "Indeed, many individuals and organizations are eager, but I presume that doesn''t include you, Mr. Lu."


    Wang Chuting''s face carried a hint of resentment. Since last December, they had extended at least four interview requests to Lu Liang.


    Each time they were met with silence, and when he finally agreed to an interview, he gave his first exclusive to the city''s public relations team.


    "Miss Wang, your expression makes me feel as if I have done you some wrong," Lu Liang teased with a smile.


    Wang Chuting, charmingly annoyed, tucked her hair behind her ear, and coquettishly asked, "How does Mr. Lu plan to apologize, then?"


    "I''ve heard there''s a new French restaurant next to the International Financial Center that''s quite good. Do you have time this evening, Miss Wang?"


    Right or wrong was not the point,


    The key was having a good excuse.

 Chapter 214 - 213: Biting Lighters When Theres No Work

    "I''m flattered."


    Wang Chuting flashed a sweet smile and playfully winked.


    There is an old saying, "When one''s learning is complete, one''s talents can serve the emperor''s home." Perhaps today it can be modified to "When one''s learning in song and dance is complete, one''s talents can belong to the homes of the powerful."


    She started working at Forbes magazine right after university graduation, and for the past five years, she turned down many suitors, choosing to remain alone while waiting for an opportunity to climb the social ladder.


    The celebrities and politicians she interviewed before were either too old or too unattractive, but now, she felt the time had come.


    "Meet me at the restaurant on the 91st floor at 7 PM," Lu Liang said with a smile, watching as the interview crew left.


    He was about to head back to his office when he suddenly felt a resentful gaze behind him.


    Turning around, Lu Liang saw Chen Jinchun hastily tidying up her desk. He approached her and inquired, "Is something the matter?"


    Chen Jinchun appeared sheepish and stammered, "Mr. Lu, our team has hit a creative bottleneck recently."


    The company''s Douyin account had reached five million followers but struggled to grow further, and the viewership had severely declined in the past few days.


    In other words, there was no buzz.


    "So, what then?"


    "Mr. Lu, why don''t we do an exclusive interview with you?"


    Chen Jinchun grew more enthusiastic as she spoke. If Forbes could do it, so could they, and they''d make sure Lu Liang looked exceptionally charming.


    Lu Liang hesitated, sighed, and answered, "If there''s no buzz, hire a few more planners. If all else fails, bite on a lighter."


    Their company didn''t sell any products. Being featured in magazine interviews was one thing, but shooting videos daily was another matter.


    Perhaps when the new product launches and sales flop, that will be the time for him to show his face and attract traffic.


    Chen Jinchun frowned deeply, thoughtfully tapping her teeth with her fingernail, "A lighter shouldn''t be chewable, right?"


    Lu Liang felt a rush of frustration welling up in his chest, unable to help but ask,"How did you even get in here?"


    Chen Jinchun replied confusedly, "Mr. Lu, you were the one who hired me, don''t you remember?"


    "Go to Director Liu in HR and ask her to recruit a few more planners for brainstorming."


    Suddenly, Lu Liang smiled, his irritation dispelled. Having such a naive and sweet mascot in the company wasn''t too bad after all. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Alright then," Chen Jinchun said with a look of regret.


    Lu Liang chuckled, waved for Wen Chao, and instructed him to reserve the neighboring restaurant and book a room in the hotel upstairs.


    Back in his office, he reviewed the documents on his desk, tracking the development journey of Miha You and Little Red Potato.


    Cai Haoyu, a postgraduate from Shanghai Jiaotong University, received a startup fund of 100,000 US Dollars from the local government''s ''Chuying Plan'' in 2011.


    That same year, he co-founded Miha You with two classmates. Over the past five years, they had only secured one million in funding.


    With just that million, Miha You endured hardships until the creation of "Benghuai 1" and "Benghuai 2."


    "Benghuai 1" generated two million in revenue its first year, marking their first profit, but life remained challenging.


    However, the release of "Benghuai 2" coincided with the growth of mobile internet, and last year they saw a revenue of 154 million, entering a harvest period.


    In the gaming industry, once you make a name, money usually follows, and Miha You was no exception, though they had other plans.


    Cai Haoyu sought out Lu Liang with an idea similar to Zhang Chen''s from Mahua: they wanted to go public but were rejected by the Securities and Futures Commission.


    Mahua faced instability in revenue, while Miha You suffered from a lack of income diversity, with 90% of profits coming from a single product.


    They resolved to evolve beyond the Benghuai series, but currently, they faced a funding shortfall of 70 million.


    "190 million US Dollar valuation."


    Lu Liang realized that Miha You sought him out not just for funding but also to share the risks.


    "In the second half of the year, ''Benghuai 3'' was set to launch. Uncertain about its profitability, they planned to seek additional investors before the product''s launch to share the risks.


    If ''Benghuai 3'' failed to generate revenue and their market value plummeted, they would have enough capital to develop new projects, aiming for approval from the Securities and Futures Commission in the next year or the year after.


    Lu Liang put down the Miha You documents and picked up the Little Red Potato file. Compared to Miha You, fundraising for Little Red Potato had gone much more smoothly.


    It raised 3 million US dollars in an angel round from Zhenge Fund, and tens of millions of US dollars from Golden Sand River in Series A and B rounds.


    Valued at 380 million US dollars, in this Series C round they planned to release 20% of their equity for fundraising of 76 million US dollars.


    After some thought, Liang decided to invest in both companies; he had met Mao Wenchao and Cai Haoyu and had a few conversations with them.


    Both companies were mature, one targeting women''s wallets, the other men''s.


    There seemed to be promising prospects. Moreover, Liang trusted Zhu Hu''s judgment¡ªsince there was money to spare, why not follow along and give it a try?


    After finishing his work, Liang picked up his phone and saw a WeChat message from Wang Chuting, checking the transcription of his interview from the afternoon.


    Forbes worried he might be misinterpreted, so they sent him the final version to see if he wanted any changes.


    "Yes, just like that."


    Liang opened Wang Chuting''s social media profile and saw her three main hobbies beyond work: yoga, traveling, and photography.


    Legs that went on for miles, peachy round buttocks, tight yoga pants¡ªeach photo exuded a woman''s allure.


    Scrolling further back, Liang learned from her posts around the Spring Festival that her family hailed from a certain place in Yuzhang; although she had Western ancestry, the family photos showed purely native Chinese, missing a middle-aged male figure.


    Liang had Wen Chao contact the chief editor of Forbes on some pretext to obtain more detailed personal information about Wang Chuting.


    Born in 1990, her father''s name was not known; she had her mother''s surname and grew up in a single-parent family, excelling in academics from a young age, graduated from the Journalism department at Zhejiang University, and had multiple top-three-campus rankings in her major. During her university years, she had applied for a financial aid scholarship for impoverished students, and after graduation, she joined Forbes right after topping the written examination and had been working there since.


    A very hard-working and ambitious girl.


    Liang concluded that, while he had some free time, he should head next door to the International Financial Center mall and bought an expensive necklace.


    Although Li Manli was materialistic and not very intelligent, Wang Chuting was different, consistently a high achiever, and a top one at that.


    If the Forbes information was accurate, and she had been without a boyfriend during her university years and the five years since graduation, her intelligence was frightfully high.


    A man''s first time isn''t worth much, but a woman''s first time is very valuable¡ªif she chooses the right person at the right time, it could secure a life of comfort for the rest of her life.


    Like Su Wanyu, although Liang had recently always used work as an excuse not to see her, he still held a place for her in his heart, and if she graduated, he was willing to pave the way for her.


    At 6:30 in the evening, on the 91st floor of the International Financial Center,


    Wang Chuting arrived, clad in a light gauze white dress that revealed the beguiling collarbones and a subtle portion of her beautiful back.


    The dress had a long train, yet her stature was taller, a pair of Valentino pointy shoes peeking out from under the dress intermittently.


    Occasionally, with a larger movement, her pale ankles were exposed, prompting Liang to think of Li Manli''s interpretation of Japanese yukatas.


    The reason yukatas were designed that way, according to centuries-old Japanese belief, is that a woman''s mature allure was best represented by her fair neck and ankles.


    The thick and modest yukata, with a slightly larger movement from the wearer, would reveal these aspects, massively amplifying the visual impact.


    Although he wasn''t sure if it was just a bizarre superstition, now it seemed that the subtly exposed ankles indeed had a striking impact.


    "Miss Wang, you look truly beautiful this evening," Liang smiled as he approached the entrance, lending a hand to prevent her from falling.


    "Thank you for the compliment, Mr. Lu," Wang Chuting smiled broadly and bowed slightly, glancing at the empty hall, her curiosity piqued.


    "Is it empty today?" she asked curiously, and Liang led her to a table by the window. "Perhaps business isn''t good tonight."


    Wang Chuting covered her mouth as she chuckled seductively and rolled her eyes playfully, "I heard that it''s difficult to get a place here. It must mean there''s an even more esteemed guest tonight."


    "Miss Wang, you really are conceited," Liang joked as he pulled out a chair for her to sit.


    It seemed only natural to then produce a transparently gleaming necklace: "It''s strange, really. I saw it just now in the mall downstairs, and from afar, it seemed as if it could speak, asking me to find its owner."

 Chapter 215 - 214: Tonight!

    "Mr. Lu, I can''t accept this..."


    Wang Chuting was stunned, unable to refuse in time before feeling the unique cold touch of metal against her neck.


    "Miss Wang, don''t move for now, be careful not to pull your hair. Let me put it on for you."


    Lu Liang wore a slight smile as he gently lifted her hair, careful not to touch the skin of her neck, and fastened the clasp of the necklace.


    He took a half-step back, inspecting her carefully, a look of admiration appearing on his face: "It seems it didn''t deceive me. There truly is a destiny that shapes our ends. Precious swords for heroes, beautiful jewels for lovely ladies."


    Her snow-white, flawless neck was adorned with a necklace of sapphires and platinum that complemented each other perfectly.


    Some people wear necklaces and make the necklace shine bright, while others wear necklaces and make themselves shine even brighter.


    Wang Chuting undoubtedly belonged to the latter. Even if nothing happened tonight, this necklace was still worth its price.


    Wang Chuting quickly said, "Mr. Lu, I appreciate your kindness, and I thank you, but I really can''t accept it."


    Lu Liang was too straightforward, which had already caught her off guard, but she didn''t want their relationship to progress so quickly.


    "Miss Wang, just keep it. It''s already bought, and it''s no use to me if you don''t want it."


    Lu Liang''s lips carried a smile, not stopping Wang Chuting from taking off the necklace but instead returning to his seat across from her.


    He picked up his wineglass and swirled the red wine inside: "If you take it off now, there probably won''t be another chance to wear it."


    These words conveyed two messages. First, he did not have a girlfriend, at least not in front of Wang Chuting. Second, it was literal: opportunities swiftly pass by, and once missed, they''re gone forever and won''t come again.


    It''s like fishing; you can bait the fish, but the bait must pay off. You can''t just feed them without getting a bite.


    Otherwise, he wouldn''t be the one fishing; instead, the fish would be catching him.


    Lu Liang wasn''t patient. If he didn''t succeed at once, he would give up on this fishing spot, and he would not return in the future.


    Wang Chuting fell silent, catching the subtext, and ceased her movements, turning to look at the slightly reflective glass.


    She turned back with a smile, full of charm, her pale blue eyes expressing delight: "It''s really beautiful. Thank you, Mr. Lu."


    Although there had been a slip in her plans, she hadn''t anticipated that Lu Liang would be so forthright. However, she didn''t want to let this opportunity slip away, especially since she was already 26 years old.


    A girl''s prime is short.


    Wang Chuting wasn''t sure if she would have another chance to meet someone as fitting as Lu Liang.


    Wealthy and powerful, and most importantly, she found him easy on the eyes.


    "As long as you like it," Lu Liang responded with a casual smile, as if nothing had happened.


    He gestured, summoning a waiter who had been waiting at a distance: "Miss Wang, feel free to tell him any dietary restrictions you have."


    In a high-end restaurant, you dine on more than just the food and atmosphere, you enjoy the service. To avoid overhearing their conversation, the waiters stood far away, but they would immediately come over at a beckon.


    Wang Chuting gave a light smile: "I have quite the appetite; I''ve yet to come across something I can''t eat."


    "Girls still need to eat more. Many colleagues in our company eat only once a day, and it''s easy to get a stomach illness."


    Lu Liang smiled and had the waiter pour Wang Chuting a drink: "Then let the kitchen prepare. I don''t have any dietary restrictions either."


    Wang Chuting spoke with feigned distress: "Eating is joyous, but looking at the weight scale afterward doesn''t make me happy."


    "Eat more, move more, it will digest eventually" Lu Liang raised his glass, gazing out the window: "The night view of Modu is truly beautiful."


    From the 91st floor, without any obstructions in front, the Pujiang River could nearly be seen in its entirety, along with the bustling Bund on the opposite shore.


    "It is beautiful, but this beauty ultimately belongs to the few," Wang Chuting remarked, following his gaze, feeling reflective.


    Back in the day, when Bai Juyi first arrived in Chang''an, he did so as a scholar-official, akin to a county-level official of today; even he lamented the immensity of Chang''an, finding it hard to settle in.


    Let alone people from ordinary families like them. She had lived in this city for five years; no matter how splendid and bright the daytime was, each night she had to endure a subway ride of over an hour to the suburbs because the rent there was cheaper.


    Though her salary wasn''t low, over thirty thousand a month, she needed to save money to polish her appearance and to select a satisfactory groom.


    "This view is indeed one that belongs to the few. Once, I took seven years to measure every inch of this city on foot."


    Lu Liang took a sip of red wine and sincerely exclaimed, "But later I realized that the right choice often matters more than the right effort."


    He was just expressing his feelings on the spur of the moment, reminiscing about the days when he was running solo. But when Wang Chuting heard this, she took it as a hint, and after a long silence, she said, "The right choice does indeed matter more than effort."


    Lu Liang laughed wryly but didn''t explain, because he knew that this mixed-race girl in front of him had already made the right choice.


    As half a bottle of red wine was finished, more dishes appeared on the table, and the two of them also became more conversational.


    Wang Chuting was quick-witted and very intelligent, always able to find common topics with Lu Liang. Usually, he would lead the conversation, but tonight, he was outshone.


    It was undeniable that talking with her was very comfortable, allowing Lu Liang to realize that both her IQ and EQ were quite high.


    But then again, it should be so since Forbes, as one of the world''s top business magazines, interviews the titans of commerce.


    They absolutely would not allow a journalist to ask something as offensive and showing such low emotional intelligence as, "Really? I don''t believe it."


    Such remarks are less like conducting an interview and more like an interrogation, immediately trapping the interviewee into a situation where they must defend themselves.


    Those who say such things are either stupid or malicious.


    As the night deepened and two bottles of red wine were opened, Wang Chuting''s fair skin also started to blush.


    "Mr. Lu, I''m going to the restroom."


    She was about to stand up, and seeing that her balance was shifting, Lu Liang quickly stepped forward to support her, "Miss Wang, let me help you there."


    "Thank you, Mr. Lu," Wang Chuting said, her eyes blurry with intoxication, charming and seductive, standing in her high heels almost as tall as Lu Liang.


    Lu Liang supported her out of the restaurant and into the elevator. Technically, the restroom wasn''t in this direction, and a glint of sobriety flashed through Wang Chuting''s eyes, but she chose to remain silent.


    The elevator went straight to the 100th floor. The International Financial Center had a total of 101 floors, but the top floor was a helicopter pad, making the 100th floor somewhat unsuitable for living.


    Lu Liang had asked Wen Chao to book a room here in the afternoon. Right after he swiped the card to enter, he embraced Wang Chuting''s slender waist.


    The two were almost the same height, which allowed him for the first time to kiss without having to lower his head, and their bodies fitting together in every part was just perfect.


    Wang Chuting, with eyes closed, seemed to realize what was about to happen, suddenly lifted her leg, and used the heel of her high shoe to close the door.


    From then on, there were just the two of them in the space.


    As Lu Liang grew unsatisfied with only kisses through clothing, a hint of panic appeared in Wang Chuting''s eyes, and she almost voiced out from her throat, "Mr. Lu, maybe I should take a shower first."


    She knew that this moment would come sooner or later, but she didn''t expect it to come faster than she anticipated, as if on 64x speed, tonight.


    Lu Liang pursed his lips, still tasting the scent of lipstick, smiled, and said softly, "Go ahead."


    His kissing lacked finesse, strikingly different from the witty Wang Chuting he knew just moments before, and he became more forgiving.


    Wang Chuting, with flushed cheeks, hurried into the bathroom, and just as she breathed a sigh of relief,


    Suddenly a crisp sound came, like a switch being flipped, and the obscured walls of the bathroom suddenly became clear.


    She saw Lu Liang sitting on the sofa, taking out another bottle of beer from the fridge, and waving at her.


    Lu Liang had just discovered this feature as well, enjoying a beer while watching a beauty bathe, quite a surprise.


    Wang Chuting felt both ashamed and angry, but she was helpless and could only glare fiercely, venting her dissatisfaction.


    "Since I''m already here," "the child is still young," "it''s the opening of the year," "it''s not easy for anyone." sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    One by one, these phrases popped into her mind as her clothes were being removed piece by piece.


    First was the gossamer white dress, leaving her with only one garment.


    Because her dress didn''t require it, she mostly used pasties.


    Wang Chuting covered her chest with one arm, standing in Valentino high heels, with likely longer than 1.2-meter legs.


    Lu Liang watched intently at her perfect figure, reminiscent of Venus, lingering on the moment, but still turned off the glass switch.


    Too much was as bad as not enough, and too much offense wouldn''t be good, especially since Wang Chuting was resistant.


    Suddenly the glass fogged over again, and Wang Chuting was surprised to hear Lu Liang''s voice from outside, "Miss Wang, I''m going to use another bathroom to freshen up."


    Upon hearing this, Wang Chuting''s eyes gradually softened, and she muttered softly, "Not too bad, he''s not that malicious."

 Chapter 216 - 215: No Great Generals in Shu, Lu Liang Leads the Vanguard

    During that time, Wang Chuting was constantly keeping an eye on the glass wall, fearful that it might suddenly become clear again. Her heart pounded with trepidation until she finally let out a sigh of relief at the end of her shower.


    She had stayed in the bathroom for quite a long time, probably about half an hour. Had it not been for the occasional sound of the hair dryer, Lu Liang might have considered checking on her.


    Twenty minutes earlier, he had finished his grooming in another room and waited, and waited some more, until the buzz from the wine hit him, and his amorous mood nearly completely waned.


    Not until the bathroom''s sliding door opened, and a pair of sexy, enticing legs stepped out, the height alone definitely exceeding 175 cm.


    The bathrobe was nearly worn by Wang Chuting as a short, connected dress, with her knees teasingly visible now and then. Her fluffy hair cascaded over her face, and with light makeup reapplied, her already delicate features appeared more sculpted.


    Lu Liang''s eyes lit up at the sight, suddenly feeling that the wait was worth it. He patted the spot beside him gently.


    Wang Chuting gracefully made her way over and sat next to Lu Liang, her long, restless legs instinctively pressing close and shifting to the side.


    Lu Liang reached out and circled her slim waist, his fingertips gliding over the flat stomach. Wang Chuting let out a soft moan, her complexion becoming increasingly coquettish.


    Although she was a mixed-race beauty, she did not have the coarse pores typical of Westerners, and her skin was soft and delicate, without any hint of body odor.


    Lu Liang''s smile grew as his hand slowly moved lower, surprise flickering in his eyes. It was fine and soft, scarcely there, reminding him irresistibly of Little Yang.


    He had heard that she had settled down in Tianfu and, as she had wished, opened a boutique coffee shop. Lu Liang had seen her Weibo, which seemed to be located at the starting point of the 318 route into Tibet.


    Rumor had it that the caf¨¦ was doing well, already becoming a beautiful new sight along the 318 route.


    Wang Chuting had an orchid''s elegance and a delicate heart. She was observant and perceptive. Though inexperienced, at this moment, for Lu Liang''s mind to wander suggested he was probably thinking of another girl.


    She felt both shy and angry, and filled with indignation, suddenly straddling his lap, sitting atop and glaring down at him, biting down hard on her lip.


    Lu Liang, surprised, let his palm rest on her thigh, finally seizing the plump clove of garlic and demonstrating his skill to lead and teach the uninitiated.


    Young men liked mature women because they were unskilled; older men favored young girls to pass on their skills in a legacy of knowledge.


    At this moment, that''s exactly what Lu Liang was doing with Wang Chuting.


    Wang Chuting, panting lightly, suddenly realized that they were entering the fray bare, and with a hurtful gasp... she collapsed, limp and powerless, onto Lu Liang''s shoulder.


    She bit his ear fiercely, threatening, "If you ever dare to treat me badly in the future, be careful¡ªI might hex you."


    "What counts as treating you badly?" Lu Liang asked with a smirk, suddenly remembering something from her file¡ªWang Chuting seemed to be not of Han ethnicity.


    "I haven''t decided yet, the final interpretation is mine," Wang Chuting huffed, her forehead beginning to bead with sweat.


    "Then we''ll talk when you''ve made up your mind," Lu Liang said with a wicked smile, embracing his belle and moving the battle to the bedroom.


    Inexperienced, without a clue, it was hard for him.


    ...


    Early in the morning, Lu Liang was awakened by the vibration of his phone. Opening his eyes, he saw the long legs, bare, straight, and slender, with the soft morning sunlight filtering through the curtains casting a golden glow on them, as if adorned with golden stockings.


    The visual impact was indescribable, the faint palm prints littered across her legs spoke volumes of Lu Liang''s affections.


    He admired them quietly for a moment, then picked up his phone, walked out of the bedroom, and into the living room bar to light incense and taste tea.


    Hu Weiwei had just called him. Lu Liang called her back and learned that Wang Xiaofeng had arrived in Beijing and was ready to start preparing the company''s basic personnel structure.


    It could all be summed up in one phrase: he needed money.


    The $20 million was the research and development funding Lu Liang had provided for Li Jiahui''s team, and there wasn''t a penny left in the company''s account.


    When it was just her alone, it didn''t matter much; even if they had to squat in a Huaqing University office, it was doable.


    Now that Wang Xiaofeng had come, even though the company had no products yet, they still needed to complete the basic personnel structure.


    Lu Liang laughed wryly, "How much do you need?"


    After a moment''s hesitation, Hu Weiwei said, "How about $15 million?"


    Apart from the R&D projects, the largest current expenditure for Tianxing Technology was her and Wang Xiaofeng''s salaries.


    Together, the two of them had an annual salary of about ten million. Before any products were launched, five million should suffice for one year.


    When Lu Liang called Tang Caide to check on the financial status, he learned that Tianxing Investment had $235 million in liquid assets in its account.


    After some contemplation, she wired 80 million US dollars to the public account of Tianxing Technology to make up the one hundred million dollars.


    After all, Tianxing Investment and Tianxing Technology were wholly owned by Lu Liang, meaning it was his one-man show.


    NIO and Li Xiang had initial capital of one hundred million dollars, so if others had it, they should too.


    "Mr. Lu, might that be too much?" Hu Weiwei was astonished; they had so much money but seemingly nowhere to spend it.


    A whole 80 million US dollars, if lent out as foreign currency loans, would bring in at least an 8% yield annually.


    "It''s not too much."


    Lu Liang walked out to the balcony, puffing smoke into the air as he looked southward, "Tesla''s new Model 3 is launching next month. If Tesla''s vehicular system becomes established, then it''ll be the next iOS."


    Tesla''s biggest current problem was insufficient production capacity. However, construction was underway for the first phase of their giant Modu factory.


    Expected to be completed around next September, even just the first phase would enable 50,000 cars to roll off the line each month.


    There was also support from Modu''s municipal government and various national funds for new energy industry projects. The runway was cleared; just waiting for Tesla to increase production capacity and then truly take off.


    Once no domestic competitor could stand against it, Tesla would become the next Apple.


    Like half a year ago, with the sudden advent of the era of short videos, seeing OPPO about to seize this sky-opening fortune, all major mobile manufacturers rushed to bring out their most precious products, with Xiaomi even unveiling its full-screen phone.


    All willing to suffer major losses to hinder an enemy, better to sustain a small loss than to let OPPO shine alone.


    The same principle applied to the automotive industry. Although BYD had stepped up, BYD''s car system was truly indescribable, perhaps due to product positioning, they simply didn''t focus much on it. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The old forces were still watching and waiting. Though spurred by policies, sales figures didn''t lie¡ªJapanese joint venture cars and other traditional fuel vehicles still dominated the market.


    Earning money just by lying in the glory book¡ªwhy bother with the exhausting effort of developing new models? Just update a few old models, put in a minimal effort, and call it a day.


    Though the new car-making forces were spirited, they were still playing with concept cars, hearts full but hands tied.


    Thus, with no great generals in Shu, after much reflection, Lu Liang decided to be the Liao Hua.


    They could hold off on making cars, but the car system had to be introduced to give consumers a choice in the market.


    A fiery passion seemed to burn in Hu Weiwei''s chest. Having spent ten years as an automotive journalist, she understood the importance of seizing the initiative. She said solemnly, "I''ll do my best to hurry Li Jiahui and the others."


    "Don''t rush them; this matter can''t be hurried nor can it be pressed," Lu Liang mused, suddenly revealing a nonchalant smile.


    He informed Hu Weiwei that he was going to take a trip to Beijing in the next few days, planning to meet with his new friend, Old Li from Baidu.


    If it''s money they need, they''ll have money. With so many internet giants and talents available, he refused to believe they couldn''t outdo Tesla.


    Hu Weiwei remained silent, and after a long pause, she asked, "Mr. Lu, can new energy vehicles really replace fuel cars?"


    Although the concept of new energy was surging high, data did not lie¡ªthe second quarter shipments stood at 97,000 units.


    Not to mention the three big Japanese mother models¡ªLeiling, Xuanyi, and Corolla, the market''s bestselling heavyweights.


    Even BMW''s X5 luxury model alone outsold the entire new energy market in the second quarter.


    This harsh statistic cast a shadow over the heart of every industry professional; they had no choice but to confront it.


    Even Li Bing often contacted her, beating around the bush, to hear Lu Liang''s opinions through her.


    The future seemed dark, giving way to despair.


    Every midnight was fraught with sleeplessness, her mind racing ceaselessly.


    Had they made the right choice, or the wrong one?


    Did their current efforts mean anything at all?


    "Fuel cars won''t be replaced; consumers will simply have an additional choice," Lu Liang said with utmost conviction. In five years, Ningde, with a market value of a trillion dollars, would be the best proof.


    Currently valued at 35 billion yuan, Ningde Era was expected to go public next year, with an eventual valuation around 50 billion yuan.


    With a battery supplier alone holding such high market value, the new energy market could only grow more prosperous and thriving.

 Chapter 217 - 216: Short Selling the Dow

    Seeing Lu Liang end the conversation, Wang Chuting wrapped herself in a bathrobe, gracefully walked over with bare feet, her posture dignified.


    She quietly sat next to Lu Liang, picked up the lighter and cigarette from the table, lit one, and exhaled a plume of smoke, "The smell of this cigarette is too strong and harsh, but the lighter is nice."


    Wang Chuting recognized the English words "Forever Love" which means eternal love. The elegant and forceful script on the back read ''Smoke less often,'' likely the handwriting of a girl.


    "What do you usually like to smoke?"


    Lu Liang merely smiled lightly without much explanation.


    This lighter had been a gift from Su Wanyu; it was also the first gift he had received in the past seven or eight years.


    He had always cherished it and carried it with him.


    "Probably explode-beads, but you probably don''t like smoking."


    Wang Chuting inhaled sharply, coughing repeatedly, seemingly aggravating a pain as her eyebrows lightly furrowed.


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but chuckle softly, finally taking away the cigarette she held between her fingers, "If you can''t smoke properly, smoke less¡ªor better yet, don''t smoke at all."


    He had started smoking in college, and over the past decade or so, it had become a bad habit; without a cigarette, he probably wouldn''t even be able to use the bathroom.


    But apart from contributing to the "military expenses," smoking had no benefits, so he had been trying to cut down his intake, gradually going from three packs every two days to one pack.


    Lu Liang could tell that Wang Chuting did smoke, but wasn''t proficient¡ªeither she had just learned recently or she wanted to find some common ground with him.


    "Try your best."


    Wang Chuting gave a faint smile and glanced at the time on the wall, "Mr. Lu, please rest easy; I need to go to work now."


    Lu Liang was surprised, "You have to go today?"


    "I only took a half-day off. I have an interview this afternoon with Mr. Li from NIO about his views on you."


    Wang Chuting pulled a white blouse and a business skirt from her bag, quickly dressing herself back into a bright and beautiful urban lady.


    "That''s not what I meant," Lu Liang looked at the couch and carpet, spotting a few drops of deep red, guessing the security deposit was probably gone.


    "What could be the problem?"


    Wang Chuting glared playfully, feeling a bit strange and uncomfortable, but otherwise okay.


    Moreover, she had changed her plan last minute, which gave Lu Liang the space, yet it still maintained an air of tantalizing mystery.


    If she had stayed the night, it would''ve been like being a clingy leech always bothering Lu Liang, something she couldn''t bring herself to do.


    She had her own plans. Since she couldn''t marry into a wealthy family, she would use her relationship with Lu Liang to make herself into one.


    "I''ve booked the room for three days; your clothes can stay here. Come and get them after you''re done."


    Wang Chuting suddenly stopped, "Will you be here then?"


    "I won''t be here; I''ve got things to do; I have to visit Beijing afterward."


    "So, will we still keep in touch?"


    A fleeting look of worry crossed Wang Chuting''s eyes; her plans all hinged on the hope that Lu Liang wouldn''t be the type to leave without a word after getting what he wanted. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If she got nothing out of this, it would all be for naught.


    Lu Liang asked with a smile, "Miss Wang, do you want me to keep in touch, or not?"


    Embarrassed and angry, Wang Chuting regretted her decisions, fully realizing that Lu Liang was just a scoundrel¡ªa man who wouldn''t bite unless hooked, and once hooked, she couldn''t do anything but let him have his way.


    With a smile still playing at the corners of his mouth, Lu Liang approached Wang Chuting, gently caressed her cheek, and kissed her lips, "Let''s have dinner together another time."


    Wang Chuting, with haughty pride, turned her head with a few cold snorts as a way to express her dissatisfaction.


    However, before leaving, she suddenly stole a kiss on Lu Liang''s cheek, cheerfully waving her hand, "Mr. Lu, goodbye."


    Fishing requires a balance between tension and slack,


    but when fishing for Lu Liang, this docile mule,


    one can only keep it tight, very slack.


    Lu Liang laughed heartily, feeling great as he entered the company''s trading room. After resting for about a month, this month, the three funds had an average increase of less than 3%.


    It was time for Tianxing Fund to set sail once again and provide some explanation for the new and old friends of the three funds.


    This time, Lu Liang set his sights on the Wall Street bastion, the Dow Jones Industrial Average.


    [September 1, Dow at 18370.33]


    Although over 18,000 points on the Dow Jones Index was six times that of Big A, it was indeed the number after a crash.


    As of last night, the Dow closed at 19430.16 points, assuming entry now would yield a profit from a decline of 1059.83 points.


    After all, the Dow is not Big A. For Big A, just focusing on declines is enough, but the Dow had many factors to consider, and a decline of over 3% was considered significant.


    Especially since this decline exceeded 5%.


    "How did it fall?"


    Lu Liang had Sun Yutao and others prepare to short the Dow while he sat at his trading desk, browsing international news.


    Although the Dow''s market was large enough to accommodate even $50 billion multiplied by ten times, without understanding the cause of the major decline, he couldn''t be confident.


    "Businessman, did Kling''s wife get knocked off?"


    Lu Liang looked perplexed as he focused on the United States elections.


    In a sense, US stocks served as a financial weathervane for global stock markets; if they fell 5%, markets like Big A, Nikkei, and Hang Seng would plummet even more violently.


    Recently, the only significant event in US politics seemed like this, and with precedents not lacking, Lu Liang''s wild guess wasn''t unfounded.


    Soon, Lu Liang discarded the political factors because the next phase of the race for the White House would not start until the end of September.


    If setting aside political factors, the only thing that could cause such a sudden and dramatic drop in the Dow Jones Index, over 5%, was the economic factor.


    A piece of news caught his eye.


    Since the financial crisis of 2008, the Federal Reserve had implemented a quantitative easing policy lasting eight years.


    By pegging the world to the US Dollar, it forcibly drove up global asset prices, making other countries pay for the financial crisis.


    Starting this year, the Federal Reserve began to reduce its balance sheet, with the ten-year Treasury yield rising from 2.16% to 2.86% within six months, and breaking a 30-year downtrend.


    "Could this be the reason?"


    Lu Liang furrowed his brow, feeling that this was indeed the reason, though it was hard to tell from just one aspect.


    But crucially, he had received another piece of news two days earlier about the domestic real estate market, which he wasn''t interested in and had ignored at the time.


    [September 4, major cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen implement credit and purchase limits...]


    As someone who had been in real estate for seven years, Lu Liang knew exactly what this policy meant.


    Unless there was a surprise, the release of the new policy would lead to long queues at the Ministry of Civil Affairs'' marriage registration offices.


    But not for marriages, rather for divorces.


    Fake divorces for real house purchases, something Lu Liang had seen too often; real estate prices in major cities would face another surge.


    Because purchase and credit limits indicated a heated market sentiment, the more restrictions imposed, the more people believed that house prices would continue to rise.


    Thus, further driving up property prices.


    Combining the two pieces of news, Lu Liang pondered for a long time, roughly guessing the intentions of the nation.


    Rather than being dominated by the US Dollar hegemony, leading to a significant decline in purchasing power, it was better to be dominated by the real estate market, where at least the assets remained in play.

 Chapter 218 - 217: Who Killed ofo?

    Throughout the entire day, Lu Liang was busy gathering evidence and conducting investigations, deducing processes from the known outcomes.


    As some often say, he strikes wherever he points.


    In reality, it''s the opposite; he points wherever he strikes.


    He first identifies the outcome, then deduces the process from that outcome, arranges the causes and consequences, and ultimately strives to maximize benefits.


    With less capital in the past, he could afford to charge in recklessly, but with a significant amount of funds now, he has no choice but to proceed this way.


    In the end, Lu Liang set his sights on the nonfarm payroll and unemployment rate data to be announced at the end of August.


    These two sets of data could be the fuse for the Dow''s big fall; if that were the case, they had only three days left.


    During these days, Lu Liang, accompanied by Sun Yutao, Wen Chao, and others, visited major investment banks such as Citibank, HSBC, and State Street throughout Modu.


    He planned to use four billion dollars to short the Dow, and another one billion dollars to buy London Gold with a five-times leverage.


    It''s an ironclad rule: when the stock market plummets, gold soars.


    Moreover, it was the plummet of US stocks, known as the financial lighthouse, that drove even more capital to seek refuge in the London gold market, further driving up the price of gold.


    With more and more funds at his disposal, Lu Liang could also execute multiple strategies; shorting the Dow was a steady profit, while going long on gold came with high risk and high reward.


    Because he only knew the lowest point of the Dow, but not the highest point of gold.


    The London gold market''s trends could only be determined by his judgment, so he did not dare to engage too much capital with increased leverage.


    He just wanted to make a bit of profit on the side and then make a quick exit.


    While Lu Liang was busy with his preparatory work, two not-so-big but not-so-small things happened on the internet over the past few days.


    The one-month deadline had passed; Dai Wei had not returned, claiming to be still seeking investment, but it was almost certain he had fled.


    Consequently, a bunch of suppliers sued Mobike, and Dai Wei was listed as a discredited individual.


    However, it was of no use; Mobike disclosed its assets, with just over a million in company funds.


    Whoever wanted it could come and take it.


    But if anyone took it and walked away, over a million shared bicycles would be left unmanaged, and the website would be left inoperative, ensuring complete and utter failure.


    A company that''s given up has nothing to fear, as the current vice president merely collects a monthly salary and acts as a monk for a day, ringing the bell for one day''s service.


    The suppliers were indignant but powerless; the larger suppliers even had to help Mobike by persuading the smaller ones not to take the money.


    Taking it would mean Mobike''s bankruptcy would turn into a bad debt.


    By not taking it, at least it was considered a non-performing loan, tiny as the chance of recovery might be, but there was still some hope.


    After all, there were still over a million bicycles.


    As the news spread, over 18 million creditors berated Mobike online once again, along with Dai Wei and his family.


    This gave Weibo quite a shock; they could only forcibly push the hot topic of Wang Bao''s divorce to try to cover up Dai Wei''s news.


    However, Forbes decisively kept the news hot by publishing Lu Liang''s interview "Who Killed Mobike?"


    "This is a case about a single veto right..."


    Through Lu Liang''s account, netizens learned why the once-powerful Mobike collapsed almost overnight.


    During round A funding, Golden Sand River became Mobike''s strategic investor and acquired veto power in the boardroom.


    In round B funding, DiDi also became a strategic investor, gaining veto power as well.


    Including Dai Wei, the company now had three veto powers, but Mobike was still not satisfied.


    During round C funding, they introduced Jingwei Capital, birth to the fourth veto right.


    If the company had been progressing smoothly, with each capital institution counterbalancing the other, Dai Wei would still have been Mobike''s helmsman.


    But when Meituan made a strong bid to take over Mobike, and someone, unwittingly revealed Lu Liang''s high-level cash-out news,


    Mobike had no choice but to bring in Ali, who took over Golden Sand River''s shares and wanted to parachute into the management team. Dai Wei disagreed, so the four veto rights started being used in turn.


    Ali wanted to bring in Softbank, and the originally agreed five hundred million dollar investment was dragged on until it disappeared.


    "Damn, did Dai Wei think he was Emperor Wu of Han, playing around with Enfeoffment Decrees? He really should check out what the United Nations is like."


    "I''ve never done business and even I know companies should avoid having two kings; they ended up with four suns."


    "Heh¡ªWith decisions like that, Mobike deserved to die."


    "Am I the only one who thinks Lu Liang looks even more handsome and youthful than his official photo on the market announcement website?"


    "Stop dreaming. No matter how handsome he is, can you eat that? Or can it help me get my 199 yuan deposit back?"


    "At this point, what can we do? We might as well look forward to Lu Liang''s public fund offering."


    "Don''t you know that public and private funds can''t coexist? Do you have any idea how long the cycle of Tianxing No. 3 is? Three years, by then the flowers will have wilted."


    Seeing public opinion shifting, the operation department of Weibo decisively chose to harm both sides less, opting for the lesser of two evils.


    Dai Family is truly someone you can''t afford to provoke, so they have to apologize to Lu Liang first, and help him look for juicy scandals in the entertainment industry that could be released to deflect public attention from him.


    These past few days, they''ve been very nervous, worrying about receiving an accountability call from Lu Liang.


    However, Lu Liang seemed unaware, as online public opinion smoothed out over the first few days.


    It wasn''t until the divorce incident of Wang Bao reignited and Ma Song began to stir trouble that the focus of public opinion shifted away from Lu Liang.


    "Thanks to Wang Bao and Ma Song."


    The Weibo operations department would have liked nothing more than to erect a monument for them, and they certainly turned up the heat on the Wang Bao divorce incident.


    After all, it''s best to stick to the entertainment industry when it comes to chatter, to avoid getting involved in more complex issues that they couldn''t handle.


    Meanwhile, Lu Liang adjusted to the time difference and adopted a nocturnal lifestyle to prepare for short selling the Dow.


    "Is it failing to break through the 20,000-point barrier?"


    That night, he entered the adjacent trading room and looked at the three major stock indices displayed on the wall, which were Dow Jones, S&P 500, and NASDAQ.


    Although their significance and status are worlds apart, if pushed, you could find their counterparts in China.


    They are the Shanghai Stock Exchange, Shenzhen Stock Exchange, and Growth Enterprise Market Index.


    The Nasdaq corresponds to China''s Growth Enterprise Market, but with relatively low listing requirements, no mandatory profit goals, only the need to meet one of the conditions like net profit, total market value, or net assets to list.


    Companies like Panda, NIO, and Li Xiang, and even the nearly defunct Mobike, would probably choose the Nasdaq if they met one of the criteria.


    However, while the Nasdaq''s pre-listing requirements are lenient, there''s a strict set of standards to follow after listing, unlike Big A, where being listed is pretty much like holding a secure job.


    Nasdaq-listed companies have to maintain an opening price above 4 US dollars for 90 days, afterwards, the price must not drop below 1 dollar, or they risk being downgraded or delisted.


    On the other hand, meeting these standards can propel them to the global market, making them visible to more people and institutions, and financing becomes much simpler.


    By short selling Dow Jones, in a way, Lu Liang was short selling the Shanghai Stock Exchange Index of the United States. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As the world''s largest and self-proclaimed freest market, short selling futures has indeed become a specialized project.


    Forking out only one-thousandth of a percent in stamp duty for a single trade from forty billion dollars, with no other charges thereafter.


    "Base it on the Dow, and when there''s an attempt to break through the 20,000-point mark, place short sell orders on the index while going long on London Gold."


    Lu Liang looked relaxed and leisurely, munching on a pineapple bun and sipping soy milk, having long lost the initial feeling of tension.


    After a year of team coordination, his crew operated with ease, and he just had to steer the ship.


    It probably wouldn''t take long for Lu Liang to step back and, transforming his private fund into a public one, to retire from the private sector and move into public funding.


    If public and private funds can''t coexist, then don''t make them.


    There''s no reason why he couldn''t support a puppet to take the lead, with the private side focusing on overseas and the public side on domestic.


    By 9:30 at night, the US stock market opened, with the three main indexes showing a slight increase ranging from 0.14% to 0.22%.


    The Dow was at 19,850 points, and since the implementation of the quantitative easing policy in ''08, it had been setting new historic highs almost every month.


    In six years, from a low of 6,469 points, it rose to almost 20,000 points today, more than tripling.


    This reminded Lu Liang of a trip to Macau with Little Wang earlier in the year. He remembered a blackjack table that went on a streak of ten in favor of the dealer.


    He heard from the casino gamblers that there was a professional term for this pattern, called "chasing the dragon."


    Lu Liang saw many gamblers start by betting 1,000, then 2,000 for the second round, followed by 4,000 for the third.


    If they kept doubling like this for ten rounds, 1,000 would turn into 1.024 million by the tenth round.


    But by the third or fourth round, they began to bet less and less until the dealer didn''t win anymore, referred to as "cutting the dragon."


    The stock market worked similarly, as fear of heights is human nature.


    Such rapid growth had accumulated a large pool of profits, and the market''s expectation for continuous rises was too high.


    As soon as any unfavorable news appeared, it could shake investor confidence, potentially triggering massive sell-offs.


    And thus, a flash crash could occur.

 Chapter 219 - 218: Good for the Economy, But Not for Capital

    The long night dragged on, and Lu Liang had no idea when the United States'' non-farm employment data and unemployment rate would be released.


    Bored out of his mind, Lu Liang was about to open Twitter when he suddenly remembered how he got banned last time¡ªhe had sworn never to use it again or else consider himself a dog.


    With no choice but to give up cheerfully, Wen Chao was helping to keep an eye on the Labor Bureau''s statistics anyway, so as soon as there was an update, he would be informed immediately.


    Lu Liang was happy to enjoy some leisure time by logging onto domestic forums to see what was happening in various industries.


    Autumn was approaching, and with the harvest season of "golden September and silver October," there would be spending for harvests, and all sides of the auto industry were eagerly stirring.


    Li Xiang fired off the first shot in the new energy vehicle market for September by announcing plans to host a launch event for the Li Xiang ONE on September 5.


    Closely following were Yangcheng''s Xiao Peng G3, then Tesla''s Mao Dou 3, and then the second model of the BYD Dynasty Series named "Song."


    Just as Li Bing had predicted, this model was a compact family SUV, with plug-in hybrid and pure electric versions pre-selling for over 200,000 yuan.


    Even the old forces were beginning to make their move¡ªnot the traditional powerhouses like Beiqi, FAW, and SAIC, but Wuling Automobile, known as the king of minibuses.


    Six years ago, as soon as the Wuling Hongguang was launched, it was hailed as the "Earth Light" and was acclaimed by Forbes and other magazines as a supercar that would go down in history.


    Living up to its reputation, the Earth Light had maintained more than 4 million units on the domestic market after six years of sales, consistently ranking in the top three in terms of domestic car sales and having exported nearly 1.5 million units to Asia, Africa, and Latin America, gaining international acclaim.


    This time, they were rolling out something big: they were about to release a new pure electric sedan called the Hongguang Mini.


    The price was yet to be announced, but the first digit was revealed to be 2¡ªbut clearly not 200,000 yuan, as a standard Hongguang sold for just 50,000 to 70,000 yuan. Looking at the shape, it looked like a shrunken version of the Hongguang without the trunk, resembling a chopped chili fish head.


    The price of this new car would be just over 20,000 yuan.


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but laugh to himself, "Luo''s phrase has been stolen; this is really making ''friends'' on a true sense."


    He pondered for a bit and quickly realized the reason behind it¡ªa car that costs just over 20,000 yuan could only bring in very limited profit.


    An electric bike from Yadi costs thousands of yuan; wrapping an actual car in sheet metal that can go on the road, even if it''s self-produced and sales costs are minimized, the overall cost can''t be too low. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He guessed it was for the end-of-year new energy credit accounting and regional subsidies. With such high sales volumes, the carbon credits generated by Wuling would be astronomically high.


    Though the new energy credits were not yet being bought and sold, the market price was around 2,400 yuan per credit.


    Assuming the Hongguang''s 1.2L engine as a standard, exceeding the national allocation of carbon credits, they would need about 1.8 credits to offset each car sold, which means 4,560 yuan.


    Since the Earth Light was a volume seller, having to buy new energy credits from other car manufacturers would be like working for them.


    Better to try launching their own model.


    After all, it''s called the Hongguang Mini; it''s just a matter of reducing sizes in various aspects, which is not a big deal. If it''s a hit, they''d earn a fortune; if it flops, they wouldn''t lose much.


    "I really want to get one to drive."


    Lu Liang stroked his chin, feeling a kind of excitement he never had even for top-tier sports cars.


    Although he knew that with this design, it probably wouldn''t be fast, and it might not be highway-legal, it was like a big toy.


    It could compensate for every man''s childhood dream of a drivable toy car¡ªwhat a pity there isn''t a convertible version, which would be even more exceptional.


    Lu Liang continued surfing the internet and eating melon seeds, also following up on the later developments of the Wang Bao incident, and couldn''t help but sigh at how tragic it was, almost losing everything, and still not knowing whether the child was his.


    He felt fortunate that because of the pressure from the mortgage, he hadn''t decided to have children so early. Otherwise, having a child as a tie, he probably would be in a mess that could not easily be resolved.


    While he was engrossed in the online gossip, close to ten o''clock at night, Wen Chao rushed in to inform, "Mr. Lu, the US Labor Bureau has published the non-farm data and unemployment rate for the second quarter."


    The number of non-farm jobs in August increased by 228,000, ?far exceeding the expected 190,000 and ?growing by 18.4% year-over-year.


    The society''s unemployment rate had dropped significantly, from 4.8% at the beginning of the year to 4.1%, ?which also indicated the labor market''s improvement and the economy''s growth.


    Without a doubt, both sets of data were good news for the US Dollar, showing that the American economy was very healthy, especially in the labor market.


    Wen Chao couldn''t help but feel concerned; they were shorting the Dow, and this was clearly huge positive news.


    "It''s a positive sign, but it depends on the market."


    Lu Liang slowly shook his head and gave a mysterious smile.


    But a thriving economy does not necessarily benefit capital.


    Because the capital economy has created a term called ''appropriate unemployment,'' which aims to facilitate resource allocation, stimulate labor enthusiasm, and enhance corporate vitality. The control over population production, rational migration, and the adjustment of education policies will all have positive impacts.


    They make it sound as if unemployment is something favorable, but the truth is, if everyone has a job, how could there be a scarce commodity?


    In a capitalist society, labor and talents are commodities, and if the supply of this human commodity exceeds demand, then the price will certainly favor the buyer.


    Maintaining a certain unemployment rate makes it easier for businesses to manage their workers. To put it plainly, if you don''t work hard today, you''ll have to work hard to find a job tomorrow.


    Meanwhile, as two sets of data were released, US stocks rose slightly before swiftly opening the downward channel.


    Not just because the unemployment rate was lower than expected, but also because the Federal Reserve had raised interest rates three times last year, creating monetary policy uncertainty, which put pressure on the stock market.


    More importantly, US stocks had been rising for eight years, and institutions and investors had been chasing the dragon for the same duration. Everywhere they looked, they saw potential threats, any small movement could trigger a chain reaction.


    A large number of institutions began technical sell-offs to prepare for the upcoming market correction.


    But they underestimated the power of the eight-year itch; they were like dominoes, and they pushed over the first one themselves.


    A multitude of investors followed the institutions'' lead, and capital fled, turning the once positive news of low unemployment into a significant negative.


    Super blue-chip stocks like Microsoft, Apple, and Amazon were unable to withstand this wave of selling pressure.


    The crash in blue-chip stocks triggered a reactive selling and buying frenzy in passive funds.


    Leading to a further decline in the three major indexes.


    Outflowing capital entered International Gold for safe-haven investment, causing a sudden surge in gold prices.


    News of the sharp rise in gold prices reached the US Stock Market, attracting a wealth of investors to abandon US stocks and follow the trend to go long on gold.


    As gold soared, US stocks plummeted even more fiercely, with the Dow instantly falling by more than 1%, a drastic 198.5 points.


    Lu Liang''s four billion dollar short position, not having used leverage, had only profited tens of millions of dollars so far.


    At the same time, they also established positions in London Gold at low prices, one billion dollars split between margin and operational funds, with five hundred million dollars leveraged by five times.


    Purchasing at the price level of 1721, with a current increase of 1.25%, the investment in London Gold of one billion dollars yielded returns comparable to shorting the Dow with forty billion dollars.


    Wen Chao admired him immensely; the more he understood Lu Liang, the more he realized his own insignificance and ignorance.


    What the public considered to be good news was only what they thought; Lu Liang always dared to be different, and hindsight always proved him right.


    Little did they know that the virtuous Lu Liang they revered was stroking his chin, pondering how best to take advantage of others.


    As long as the dominance of the US Dollar remains, US stocks will certainly rise, and short-term declines are merely technical corrections.


    Expecting it to halve like Big A did last year is obviously unrealistic. The major uptrend in US stocks is irreversible.


    At two in the morning, the Dow continued to trend downward, currently at 19,405 points, having already dropped 700 points.


    There is still about a 300-point drop to its lowest point, which should complete the correction all at once today.


    Lu Liang and his team should almost be ready to close their positions,


    But before closing, he took a picture.


    Planning later, after closing the position, to send it to Little Wang, to give him the chance to show off.


    Because Lu Liang decided that, after closing the position and going long, he would buy blue-chip stocks at low prices. Through the channel provided by Little Wang, others would know he had been shorting the Dow.


    At that time, they would probably trade against him, helping to raise the price of the stocks he was buying.


    It was indeed killing several birds with one stone.

 Chapter 220 - 219: Shooting Oneself in the Foot

    "Liang, I love you (?¡ä?¨F?)"


    Little Wang received the message, brimming with enthusiasm, rubbing his hands together in anticipation. It was finally time for him to show off again.


    These past few days, he constantly sneered at the adulterous duo Ma Song, yet he felt something was lacking.


    It wasn''t until he received a message from Lu Liang that Wang Xiaocong had his epiphany, realizing what that missing element was.


    He fondly remembered how over a month ago, he spread his banners by the tens of thousands, planting the Red Flag across all major forums and accounts of celebrities and politicians in the United States.


    To hell with them if they said it, he really did it, with such high spirits back then. After being accustomed to dining on an international banquet, he couldn''t stomach the scraps of Domestic Entertainment.


    With decisive action, Little Wang kicked aside the new girlfriend he had just met, hastily threw on some boxer shorts, and hurried to his study.


    He fired up his computer, worth a million dollars and acclaimed as the fourth in the world and the first in Asia, and began streaming on Panda.


    Lu Liang hadn''t restricted him, only allowing him to send out tweets; with such a golden opportunity, he definitely had to help Panda boost its KPI.


    Although live stock trading is not allowed by law, he wasn''t actually trading stocks; he just wanted his brothers in the live stream to see how he showed off.


    As the ancients said, one could skip meals or date fewer girls, but one must never stop showing off.


    At half-past two in the morning, there was no shortage of night owls.


    Once Little Wang''s live stream started, tens of thousands of real viewers flooded in instantaneously.


    After all, he was the second-biggest internet celebrity on the entire network, the son of First Rich, owner of the #10000 live room, with a room named "Tonight, We''re Not Sleeping, Sniping the Dow".


    The earlier gimmicks were all fake, the real reason that attracted viewers to stop by was the name of the live room.


    Little Wang didn''t have the ability, and those who did, both domestically and abroad, could be counted on one hand. Coincidentally, one of them happened to be an acquaintance of Little Wang, rumored to be partners in crime.


    "Cong, is Lu God making a move tonight?"


    "Holy shit, the Dow has been dropping since last night. Could it be the work of my bro, Liang?"


    "That''s enough, don''t be so brainless. One Dow is worth at least ten Big A."


    "Cong, will you say something?"


    The moment Little Wang started broadcasting, he fell silent, opened the three sections of US stocks, and pretended to peruse them over and over again.


    He learned that tonight''s Dow Jones Index suspected of failing to breach twenty thousand points, currently at 19,120 points, had fallen by 4.32%.


    He began to wonder ¨C considering he had witnessed two circuit breakers in just four days at the beginning of the year ¨C was this drop really significant enough to be called a crash? It wasn''t even as much as a single dip in Big A.


    Gradually, he also realized that the current drop of over 1060 points was the highest single-day drop since 2008.


    Calling it a big drop wasn''t an exaggeration.


    The tens of thousands of viewers in his live stream surged to over a hundred thousand, all of them impatient and eagerly awaiting the close of the market in a little over an hour.


    They were extremely eager to hear about Lu Liang''s actions from Little Wang so they could get a piece of the action.


    Leisurely, Little Wang used his phone to log into Twitter. Although he was banned for a week last time, his number of followers had soared as a result.


    After a moment of hesitation, he followed Lu Liang''s instructions and posted a photo of a short position index, not a large amount, just 50 million US Dollars, with a profit of 4.81 million.


    After finishing everything, he turned his attention back to the live stream, continuing to feign sophistication while browsing international financial news.


    He knew the difference between a one-time feast and a regular one. If his account got banned again, he wouldn''t have such opportunities in the future.


    Moreover, this trick ¨C to speak half-truths and leave others hopping mad ¨C was also something Little Wang learned from Lu Liang. The feeling was undeniably good.


    However, he wasn''t Lu Liang; at best, he was just a mouthpiece and predictably the viewers mocked him relentlessly.


    "Piece of shit, pretending to act knowledgeable."


    "Everyone, just disperse, Lu Liang is definitely short-selling the Dow."


    "Tsk tsk, Little Wang is such a coward, streaming while quietly tweeting, and doesn''t even talk, pretending to be a pro."


    "I''m embarrassed to follow such a streamer."


    "Come on, let''s all unfollow and leave."


    A screen full of mockery, what did it matter if he was the son of First Rich or the master of Panda? How about coming through the internet to punch them?


    A little respect referred to him as Cong; devoid of respect, they called him a ''piece of shit,'' and even that was holding back. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "For the love of god."


    With a darkened face, Little Wang was so angry he could hardly find the strength to curse, as a surge of bile stuck in his throat.


    At the same time, the picture of short-selling the index appeared on the desks of major institutions on Wall Street.


    Liang was their major thorn in the side, and Little Wang was also included on their priority list.


    "He, guessed right again?"


    This sentence, emerging in the trading room, hung over everyone''s heads like a dark cloud.


    Old England''s Brexit, an extremely rare political black swan event, he had predicted correctly; the issues down south, a significant international military event, the Li Gen approaching their doorstep, the brink of war, he had called that too.


    Now he had shorted the Dow, and judging by the ratio of investment to profit, it was highly likely that he had preemptively entered the market and had already filled his position at an earlier stage of the movement.


    A sense of helplessness flooded over everyone.


    "Keep calm; don''t listen to what he says; watch what he''s doing," Wilson pondered deeply.


    Over the past year, he had clashed with Lu Liang four times, from his perspective, two wins and two losses.


    The two wins came from shorting the yen and going long on Tesla, the losses from going long on British Pounds and the yen.


    However, those two wins were when their goals aligned.


    It was like a man boasting that at home his word was law when in fact they were of the same mind if the man spoke, it was decided; if opinions differed, what the woman said went.


    If you looked at it from Lu Liang''s perspective, he had been victorious in all four battles and had yet to taste defeat, an unbeatable opponent.


    But they didn''t necessarily have to oppose each other.


    Wilson was a professional fund manager; he didn''t need opponents or allies, only profits.


    The losses in the two encounters had caused the fund he managed to see negative growth, and he was facing an annual settlement in three months.


    He had to turn losses into profits within the next three months, delivering a satisfying report to investors to retain his clientele.


    Following the principle "if you can''t beat them, join them", this time he decisively chose not to oppose Lu Liang, becoming part of the group that shorted the Dow and went long on London Gold.


    Meanwhile,


    There were many others who shared the same thought.


    "Others sleeping beside the couch cannot be tolerated,"


    Though angry, they had not lost their reason.


    The finance world was vast; as long as Lu Liang remained active on the international finance stage, they would inevitably cross paths again.


    Should the timing and location be just right, they could pull the internet plug, lock up funds, and make Lu Liang cough up principal and profits.


    In an instant, a massive number of institutions and retail investors poured into the Dow, shorting the index, causing the stock index to fall even further.


    Lu Liang was confused and abruptly halted his accumulation of stocks.


    With the Dow about to fall below 18,500 points, currently down 1,300 points, it seemed almost headed for a circuit breaker.


    He couldn''t understand why no one was on the other side, not pushing up stock prices; what then was the point of accumulating stocks?


    Lu Liang stopped all buying and selling activities and took out his phone, planning to check the foreign websites to see what was really going on.


    First, he saw a tweet from a businessman: "If the Dow falls more than 1,000 points in a single day, then the current officeholder should be stuffed into a cannon and shot toward the sun at an astonishing speed! No excuses!"


    Next, Lu Liang saw Little Wang''s tweet, no tricks, just a simple, unadorned picture.


    After a quick round on the outside, Lu Liang returned to his Twitter and finally understood where the problem lay.


    In the comments section, one after another expressed their gratitude, hands pressed together thanking Lu Liang for leading them to riches.


    They shared their profits from shorting the Dow, varying from tens of thousands to millions of US dollars.


    Though the amounts were small, the numbers were vast.


    A few thousand people had already become a force that could not be ignored in the financial market.


    Lu Liang pulled up the recent transaction details of the Dow, only to find the net inflow of market funds to be pitifully small.


    A sea of short-sell orders flooded the market, and it seemed no one was interesting in salvaging the market; everyone was short selling.


    Lu Liang''s face darkened as he realized the reason.


    Following the principle "if you can''t beat them, join them", Wall Street institutions were all shorting the Dow alongside him.


    No one was opposing him, which meant stock prices weren''t being driven up; instead, he and the market were on opposing sides.


    Lu Liang accessed his back-end account, excluding the $618.2 million profit from previously shorting the Dow.


    Subsequent bottom-fishing behavior in blue-chip stocks had resulted in a loss of $115 million.


    The only consolation was that the blue chips were relatively resilient, and the harvest from London Gold was not insignificant.

 Chapter 221 - 220: A Big Mouth Eats from All Around

    "What else can we do?"


    "We can only play tough when we''re actually soft."


    Lu Liang sighed, and after a moment of contemplation, the corners of his mouth gradually lifted into a smile that returned to his face.


    These international institutions were more rational than he had imagined, not swayed by emotions. That was bad, but also good.


    It meant they were not united as one; the so-called glory of Wall Street was not worth mentioning before personal interests.


    Since they could unite over mutual interests, it also meant that, as long as their goals aligned in the future, Lu Liang could become collaborators with them.


    Though the tuition was expensive, it was not without its gains¡ª at least Lu Liang did not have to always consider them as hypothetical enemies.


    It also made Lu Liang realize that with his current size and reputation, he no longer was a butterfly; a large trading volume was sufficient to drive the market, a small one could change the market.


    Investing in the future had to be more cautious; tricking people into buying and then killing it could work once, maybe twice, but not a third time.


    The opening price of the Dow today was 19,750.15 points. If it fell below 18,367.65 points, it would trigger the first level circuit breaker.


    The circuit breaker incident in ''97 was too distant, nineteen years have passed, and people could hardly remember the situation at the time.


    However, at the beginning of the year, the A-shares experienced two circuit breakers in four days. Although the two markets are not comparable, there might still be some patterns to be found.


    Taking the A-share market as a reference, it shows that a circuit breaker¡ª be it just one or countless¡ª so-called cooling-off periods, will only make the market even more panicked.


    For the past few decades, it was always like a rabbit trying to cross the river by feeling the stones; today, the rabbit had let someone feel it as well.


    At 3:50 AM, various institutions tacitly stopped their short-selling at the Dow at around 18,400 points.


    There were ten minutes left in today''s trading. Continuing to smash the plates was pointless. It was better to wait and see what tomorrow would bring.


    As the institutions stopped, the whole market also stopped the selloff, and the prices of various blue-chip stocks rebounded.


    Take Microsoft and Apple for example; today the Dow fell by 1,250 points, a decline of over 6.25%, yet they only had a drop of less than 9%. Their resistance to pressure was quite outstanding.


    If tomorrow''s market conditions are poor, at least buying blue chips now won''t result in too severe a drop. Conversely, if there''s a rebound, their upward momentum won''t be inferior to other stocks.


    The 4 AM chimes rang out, signalling the end of today''s trading in US stocks.


    Lu Liang glanced at the profit and loss. They had chosen to hold a large number of blue chips immediately after closing their positions.


    With heavy investments in blue chips at the closing, there was an increase, and the original loss of 115 million US dollars had become a loss of 82.5 million US dollars.


    Tesla''s share price had the steepest pullback, from a drop of -12.51% to -6.55%.


    That was normal. There were differences in the size of blue-chip stocks; Apple and Microsoft were major blue chips, while Tesla was at best a minor blue chip, if it could even be considered one. But Lu Liang had a special affection for new energy.


    However, there was no time to count tonight''s profits, because although the US stock market was closed, the London Gold market was still trading aggressively.


    Since the Federal Reserve implemented quantitative easing policies in 2008, money had become less valuable, and gold had been one of the hottest items in recent years.


    Tonight, US stocks tasted the bitter fruit of quantitative easing, as all three main boards were in decline, the Dow narrowly avoiding a circuit breaker, and uncertainty at the close.


    For the London Gold market, these were all favorable news.


    Last night at eight, they bought 24 billion US dollars worth of gold at the 1721 price level, totalling over 1.39 million lots.


    Up to this second, London Gold had seen a massive surge of 65.5 US dollars per ounce, with a current price of 1786.5 US dollars.


    With over 1.39 million lots, and an increase of 65.5 US dollars per lot, the total profit had reached 91.342 million US dollars.


    "Close the position."


    Lu Liang''s influence was enough to drive the market, but the fundamental logic for the rise in US stocks was the hegemony of the US dollar holding the world hostage.


    Since the Cold War, the United States had always had this mentality; if it needed money, it spent money. If there was no money, they would print money or issue US bonds.


    Anyway, the people of various countries around the world all recognize the US Dollar, as long as the issuance of US Dollars is sufficient, it''ll be enough to offset their expenses and losses over the years.


    As long as the monopoly of the US Dollar hegemony isn''t broken, the logic behind the rise of US stocks won''t change, and all declines will be technical corrections.


    US stocks might not surge tomorrow, but they definitely won''t plummet, and the funds that ran off to London Gold will return to the embrace of US stocks.


    Invest one billion dollars, five hundred million as margin, five hundred million for trading, using a five-times leverage, made over ninety million.


    After deducting the leverage fee for London Gold and the stamp duty generated from trading, it should almost offset tonight''s losses, and there might even be a small profit.


    "Multiline operations indeed can spread the risk; make big money steadily, and small money swiftly."


    Lu Liang was in a great mood, walked out of the trading room, lit incense to enjoy a cup of tea, stretched his waist, and embraced the first ray of morning sunshine, waiting for the inventory report.


    Suddenly, he saw, from the reflection in the glass, what seemed to be a dark camera lens not far behind his head.


    Outside the security check, Chen Jinchun, with a bare face and dark circles under her eyes, held a camera, her face still had traces of a forced smile.


    Seeing Lu Liang approaching briskly with an unfriendly expression, she suddenly couldn''t smile, and with a stiff wave said, "Mr. Lu, good morning."


    "When did you get here?" Lu Liang asked puzzled, as he remembered not seeing Chen Jinchun last night.


    "Probably after two in the morning," Chen Jinchun replied in a daze, quickly pointing to the yellow line on the ground, indicating that she hadn''t crossed it.


    She understood the rules; the trading room was a core area, and without Mr. Lu''s permission, no one could cross the yellow line at the security check.


    "What are you doing here so early in the morning?" Mr. Lu asked, irritated.


    Chen Jinchun looked down at her shoe tips with a guilty face, "Before going to bed last night, I saw Mr. Wang''s live stream and felt there could be material, so I came over to check." S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She had once been Mr. Lu''s assistant, accompanying him through several all-nighters. Though she was still an assistant, her focus had shifted towards short videos.


    She knew Mr. Lu had a habit; every time he finished working overnight, he would stand by the window, look into the distance, and welcome the first ray of morning sun.


    Long ago, Chen Jinchun thought it was particularly cool, and last night when she scrolled upon Little Wang''s live stream, she learned Mr. Lu was up all night again.


    So, on a whim, she decided to come over for some candid shots, although Mr. Lu didn''t like to be on camera now, maybe it''d be different in the future.


    Or it could just be a keepsake.


    "Let me see."


    Lu Liang smiled and had no intention of blaming her; remembering to stand outside the yellow line showed that Xiao Chen still had a sense of measure.


    Chen Jinchun pulled up the photos, five snapshots, one of which had the best angle; Mr. Lu was spreading his arms as if bathing in holy light.


    "Tsk, not bad, send it to me later," Lu Liang said after scrutinizing them, more pleased with each view, planning to use one as a profile photo.


    Accidentally pressing the camera, a photo suddenly appeared of Chen Jinchun swallowing a whole pitaya in one bite.


    He looked bewildered, speaking earnestly, "Xiao Chen, when I told you to bite the lighter last time, it was a metaphor, do you understand?"


    Lu Liang was worried; she might actually bite it, he was unsure which neuron misfired last year, hiring such a blockhead.


    "I know, Mr. Lu, you were joking," Chen Jinchun said, mortified, head low, wishing she could vanish into a crack in the ground.


    Mr. Lu''s look grew even more peculiar, but this was someone''s hobby, perhaps she just liked eating that way, it wasn''t his place to say more.


    Chen Jinchun protested with a childish stomp, "I promised my followers last time, that every time I reach a million fans, I''d perform a talent."


    "This is a talent?" Mr. Lu was shocked.


    "Why isn''t it a talent? Mr. Lu, I can even swallow my fist," Chen Jinchun retorted defiantly, ready to shove her clenched fist into her mouth.


    This was her hidden talent, she wouldn''t have revealed it if not for increasing the company''s Douyin fans.


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but laugh and cry, hastily stopping her, "I believe you, you came just in time, go get some breakfast then."

 Chapter 222 - 221: Losing Silver, Cant Lose Face

    "Mr. Lu, I''ve already purchased it."


    Chen Jinchun timidly raised his hand, when suddenly there was a doorbell ringing, and employees from the nearby Cantonese Restaurant delivered dozens of portions of dim sum.


    "Did you have them issue an invoice?" Mr. Lu asked, startled, seeing the familiar Fuyue Building staff uniforms.


    He had tried their chicken feet and water chestnut cake last time and found the taste quite good; Xiao Chen really did put some thought into it.


    Chen Jinchun nodded quickly, and Mr. Lu smiled, saying, "Distribute it to them later, and after you finish, you go back to rest early too."


    At that moment, Wen Chao came out of the trading room, and Mr. Lu picked up some dim sum as the two headed to the office next door.


    "Alright, Mr. Lu."


    Permitted by Mr. Lu, Chen Jinchun turned into a canteen lady, smiling and standing at the door, distributing breakfast to everyone.


    "Short-sold the Dow for 4 billion, yielding 689 million."


    "Bought into blue-chip stocks for 4.2 billion, a loss of 82.5214 million."


    "Long on London Gold with 1 billion, yielding 91.232 million."


    "Net profit of 697.7 million US Dollars."


    In review, Mr. Lu glanced over the holdings of 4.2 billion US Dollars, plus a contingency of one billion, totaling 15.9 billion dollars in accessible funds.


    The profit of 13.5 percent from last night, though not much, marked a deep dip in the market with significant room for upcoming rises.


    The purchased blue-chip stocks, averaging a rebound of 8 percent, could easily make up a total revenue of one billion dollars.


    After an intense night, Mr. Lu had no desire to sleep at this moment; eating breakfast, he browsed domestic and international news.


    The collapse across all three main US stock boards nearly triggered a circuit breaker as the news spread on the internet since last night.


    Many believed that another financial crisis was impending, worrying about their own pockets.


    At three in the morning, Little Wang''s live-streamed topic flashed across trending searches, associated with Mr. Lu''s short-selling of the Dow.


    Yet unlike before, this wasn''t any good reputation¡ªheadlines like "The evils of Mr. Lu, hard to document," suggested if a financial crisis ensued, he''d be the main culprit.


    Amidst the mounting outcry, Mr. Lu almost became the Soros of ''97, the Lehman Brothers of ''08.


    Some spoke out, saying, "Last night''s US stock plunge has nothing to do with him. The bitter fruits of the Federal Reserve''s quantitative easing policy implemented eight years ago were already sewn, with no chance for a bear market given the high employment and low unemployment rates." Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "It wasn''t until after 2 a.m. that news of Mr. Lu''s short-selling of the Dow broke, yet US stocks began their descent at ten last night."


    "From ten to just past two, over four hours, the Dow continually fell, dropping over a thousand points."


    "If he truly had such influence, he''d either be co-opted or eliminated by now."


    A well-known financial scholar revealed the truth; today, aside from the Federal Reserve, no entity could dominate the US stock market''s course.


    And even the Federal Reserve could only indirectly influence the market through rates adjustments; the market was simply too large.


    Yet, the truth often goes misunderstood, unaccepted¡ªconspiracy theories, self-righteous, dominate the mainstream.


    And the conspiracists divided into two groups¡ªone fervently building a golden statue for Mr. Lu, hoping he was a significant short-seller against the US stocks, boosting our national pride.


    The other group, moral crusaders, wished for global peace, condemning Mr. Lu''s actions as selfish and destructive to the long-standing friendship between nations.


    Amid the verbal battles,


    the clock gradually moved to 9:15 a.m.


    The Shanghai Stock Exchange began its pre-market bidding, and over half of the more than three thousand stocks were lush green, just as retail investors thought today marked another tough battle around the 3000 point mark.


    Big A never disappoints when it comes to disappointing; surprisingly, when everyone is in despair, it always manages some leaps.


    If international stocks rise, I don''t; I''m different from the international markets. If international stocks fall, I fall as well; the international markets affect me.


    Though so, countries recognize US stocks as the international standard, which Big A or Zhong doesn''t acknowledge.


    This is the bitter fruit of the Federal Reserve''s quantitative easing policies¡ªthey couldn''t possibly accept it, nor would they pick up the tab.


    Even holding three trillion US Dollars in foreign reserves, second only to Japan, cannot be considered a major victim.


    But even if money is lost, face must not be.


    With US stocks collapsing all around, led by the United States and its followers, he is not one to follow; he must stand out from the crowd.


    At 9:30 AM, Big A''s stocks opened with a sharp decrease of 2.15%.


    A massive amount of capital poured into the banking sector, swiftly lifting it, which in turn drove up securities, and then real estate sectors.


    The three pillars, at the very outset, exerted their force simultaneously and literally lifted the Shanghai Stock Exchange Index.


    Fifteen minutes after the opening, the Shanghai Stock Exchange Index turned from red to green and continued to rise steadily, painting a glorious picture of the nation''s landscape.


    The 43rd defense of the 3000-point battle was declared victorious even before it had begun.


    Lu Liang sighed and went home to sleep.


    The day after tomorrow, even stricter measures on buying and mortgage restrictions would be implemented to use real estate to hedge against US Dollar quantification. It was unclear whether this was good or bad.


    But there was no other option, only this path to follow. The larger the country''s economical stature, the more significant the impact of US Dollar quantification.


    US Dollar quantification was like financing with the global economy as the main body, with the Federal Reserve as the only investor.


    Rather than waiting passively for equity dilution, it made more sense to invest heavily in hard assets first, then develop light assets. Real estate represented hard assets, whereas mobile phones, automobiles, and other high-tech industries were considered light assets.


    In the evening, Lu Liang woke up in Su Wanyu''s bedroom, seeing a vaguely shaped blue Haima cushion.


    This cushion had a complex history; Su Wanyu mentioned it was a birthday gift from her father when she was 12.


    She cherished it deeply, taking it from her hometown to Modu, from her dormitory to her rental and finally here.


    Every now and then, she would take it out to wash and sun.


    According to her, this cushion could be kept for the baby to play with in the future as it held her motherly scent.


    Lu Liang found it uglier the more he looked at it, out of sheer boredom, he fiddled with its long, curly nose.


    Su Wanyu tiptoed into the room. Seeing this scene, she said indignantly, "Stop playing with it, its nose is about to fall off."


    She wore blue jeans paired with a pink hoodie, blue light-blocking glasses to prevent myopia adorned her nose, and her hair was straight and smooth.


    Lu Liang embraced her tightly, and they tumbled on the bed, causing Su Wanyu to giggle incessantly. Suddenly, he smelled the aroma of food: "Don''t you have classes today?"


    Frowning, Su Wanyu replied with dissatisfaction, "You forgot, I just finished my thesis. I have a two-week summer break now."


    "I slept through it," Lu Liang chuckled, though it was early September, Su Wanyu had just started her summer break last week.


    He checked his phone and saw two missed calls from Fang Shiyu; it must have been something to do with family.


    Suddenly, Lu Liang remembered, he had spoken to his mother the day before yesterday, Fang Shiyu''s grandmother had passed away.


    The elders seemed to have also mentioned they wanted to visit Modu?


    Thinking of this, Lu Liang hurriedly called Fang Shiyu, "Yu, are you back?"


    "Your aunt and uncle are at your apartment now? Okay, I''ll come right over."


    Lu Liang hurriedly got out of bed. Although his mother had mentioned early on that they were just bored at home and wanted to go out for a stroll.


    They wanted him to focus on his work and not worry about them since they still had some savings and the public safety was good.


    But it was the first time the elders had left their hometown to visit the city where he had been living and working for ten years, how could he truly neglect them?


    Seeing Lu Liang getting ready in a hurry to leave, Su Wanyu quickly asked, "Aren''t you eating dinner?"


    "My parents have come over, I need to go there first."


    Picking up his phone, Lu Liang pinched Su Wanyu''s cheek playfully, "You might have to help host them later."


    Su Wanyu''s eyes widened, her face turning a flush red almost instantly, she stammered, "So soon, I''m not ready yet."


    "What''s there to prepare? Just being there is enough." Lu Liang laughed, kissed her cheek, "I''ll go first then."


    "Bye~" Su Wanyu said, her mind a blur, raising her stiff arms, her thoughts tangled, Meeting the parents???


    Meanwhile, on the road, Lu Liang asked Fang Shiyu to take the elders to Linjiang Pavilion; he had just reserved a private room there.


    Forty minutes later, upon arriving at Linjiang Pavilion, Fang Shiyu brought them over.


    Both parents were dressed in brand-new clothes, and although they were financially better off now, they still preferred wearing their old clothes; new clothes were reserved for crucial occasions only.


    However, Lu Liang was somewhat relieved by one thing: they only wore their old clothes because they felt comfortable, not out of miserliness.


    With improved living conditions, they stayed in hotels as usual and wouldn''t pick dingy motels just to save a few hundred dollars.

 Chapter 223 - 222: The Girl in the Dream

    "It''s nice to get out and about."


    Lu Liang called over the waiter, ordered a few dishes, and asked why his sister and brother-in-law hadn''t come along.


    The elderly couple seldom goes out, and with Lu Ya not around, he was still somewhat worried they might get scammed.


    "The older one just started elementary school, and the younger one is going to kindergarten, so we''ve been quite busy lately." His father was relieved because Lu Liang didn''t feel burdened by their visit.


    "How could it be a bother? You can stay as long as you want." Lu Liang laughed and quickly bought a few more properties before the prices went up.


    He planned to set one up for his parents, so if they got bored at home and wanted a change of scenery, they could stay there.


    In Green City Puwan, he had two properties, each around 240 square meters, roughly valued at fifty million each.


    Lu Liang remembered when they sold, it was 3.8 million per square meter, setting a record for luxury apartment prices in Modu.


    But selling was one thing, buying was another, and the total cost of the two wasn''t even one billion.


    Though Lu Liang didn''t always live in those properties, having them helped with the real estate sales promotions, claiming he resided there.


    Just like when he used to market luxury properties, he would mention that some celebrity or champion lived there.


    Moreover, Lu Liang and their boss were friends, Meng Changkun had even participated in both phases one and three of the investment.


    After dinner, Lu Liang took his parents for a tour around his company.


    It was nearly nine thirty, and US stocks were about to start trading.


    "Shiyu, why don''t you show them around? If they get tired, they can head back to the hotel and rest, and we can look at properties tomorrow."


    After giving instructions, Lu Liang went to the trading room next door, just as Tang Caide was getting ready to leave work, noticing the confusion on the faces of the two elderly people.


    Fang Shiyu said, "Mr. Tang, these are Mr. Lu''s parents."


    He also quickly introduced Tang Caide''s role as the company''s vice president, colloquially the second-in-command.


    "Miss Tang, hello."


    The elders looked tense, feeling out of place in their son''s company given its grand decor.


    During all these years, the fanciest place they''d visited was probably the town''s administrative office.


    The New International Building and the nearby buildings often appeared on promotional materials for Modu landmarks, comparable to the city''s administrative buildings.


    "Hello, uncle and aunt. Please, just call me Little Tang."


    Tang Caide greeted them with a smile and excused herself shortly, not wanting to overstay.


    After all, they were Lu Liang''s parents, and she needed to give the proper respects, but getting too close could lead to misunderstandings.


    Having been through similar situations, she understood the parents'' mindset very well. Any slight hint of closeness might have led them to start making wild guesses.


    Could it be that there are feelings involved, each aware but too embarrassed to admit, thus they''d step in to try and set things up?


    Parents are the same everywhere.


    Tang Caide had experienced this before.


    But Xiao Chen wasn''t as shrewd about these life skills. Although she should have left work by now, with no boyfriend, no pets at home, and nothing much to worry about,


    she was also the near-miss for becoming ''002''s 003'', managing the company''s Douyin account, which made her immune to criticism, and she enjoyed staying at the company.


    "Shiyu, you''re back from vacation? Are these your parents?" Xiao Chen asked, tilting her head, her face full of curiosity.


    "These are my aunt and uncle," Fang Shiyu shook his head.


    "Hello uncle and aunt."


    Chen Jinchun puzzled, still curious, "Then what is their relationship with Mr. Lu?"


    Fang Huijuan smiled before he could respond, "They are Mr. Lu''s parents."


    "..."


    Xiao Chen''s pupils dilated, suddenly becoming very behaved.


    "Xiao Chen, you don''t mind if I call you that, do you?"


    "Not at all, not at all."


    "We even came across your Douyin this afternoon."


    "Auntie... I was just playing around."


    Xiao Chen was stunned, completely shutting down.


    The video of her swallowing a dragon fruit had been posted at noon, and as expected, they had seen it.


    It was one thing for colleagues, friends, or classmates to see it, as they''d understand the culture behind it, but for elders...


    She wanted to leave work.


    "Xiao Chen, can you tell auntie what you''re usually busy with at work?"


    Fang Huijuan looked affectionately at her, her face round and cute, exactly the type that appeals to middle-aged women.


    Indeed, Chen Jinchun was considered a breath of fresh air in the online celebrity world. She had very few male followers; most of her followers were moms and dads.


    To this day, many could understand why this na?ve girl was working in a leading domestic venture capital firm.


    Luck was only part of it, another part was her festive appearance, the type that people find hard to dislike.


    The reputation of Lu Liang wasn''t bad,


    but without Chen Jinchun, it would be worse. Her presence had improved it slightly.


    "The main role is to create Douyin videos for the company''s publicity."


    Xiao Chen was earnest; he responded to questions as they came, one by one. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Soon enough, his family''s details, what his parents did for work, whether he had a boyfriend, were all deftly extracted.


    Around 10:30 PM, Lu Liang left the trading room.


    The US stocks market, much as he''d predicted, neither rose nor fell but seemed poised to fluctuate horizontally for a few days.


    Their heavily invested blue-chip stocks had a minor increase of 1-2%, reducing their loss from over eighty million to just over thirty million.


    Lu Liang observed for a while, then instructed Sun Yutao and the rest to reserve 15% of the portfolio for further slow purchases.


    Lu Liang came next door and saw in the company''s lounge area his mother chatting with Xiao Chen, holding onto his hand.


    Xiao Chen stood up swiftly, eyes brimming with tears, a smile spreading across his face, finally seeing his savior: "Mr. Lu."


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but chuckle, "It''s getting late, aren''t you off work yet? Don''t you have an early shift tomorrow?"


    "Getting off work now." Xiao Chen nodded repeatedly, and hurriedly bid farewell to the elders, "Uncle, Auntie, I''ll be leaving first."


    With that, he sprinted off to punch out.


    His mother lingered, not quite satisfied, "We haven''t even exchanged WeChat info."


    Lu Liang laughed, "I can give it to you later."


    "What do you think of Xiao Chen?"


    "He''s quite good, a round face and large mouth, naturally blessed; hard to be poor with a face like that."


    Despite being a bit simple, he had a cheerful appearance; just seeing him could lift your spirits.


    Ideal as a company mascot, much like the solid gold bull on Lu Liang''s desk.


    His mother was pleased but before she could speak further,


    Lu Liang glanced over, "Don''t go matchmaking; I''ll take you to meet the real deal tomorrow."


    His parents had suddenly come from their hometown, and he didn''t believe it was without ulterior motives.


    Fortunately, Su Wanyu was on vacation, so they could meet her. He had plans to travel to Beijing the day after and wouldn''t have time to entertain them.


    The usually reticent father couldn''t help but ask, "How did you two meet?"


    "It''s been a while, almost a year."


    "Where is she from? What does she do?"


    "From Lu Island, she''s pursuing her master''s."


    "Girls from Southern Fujian are nice, gentle, and virtuous."


    Lu Liang was surprised, "Dad, how do you know that?"


    His father briefly stumbled over his words, then hurriedly explained, "I heard it from someone else."


    His mother shot a glance, hinting at a past long gone but chose not to delve further, instead curiously asking, "Does she know about your divorce?"


    "She knows," Lu Liang nodded.


    "Didn''t she say anything?"


    "What could she say? We didn''t have kids."


    Lu Liang barely suppressed a laugh, the older generation thought divorce was catastrophic, but it was now quite common.


    As long as there were no children or financial disputes, it was just like an impulsive relationship.


    His mother breathed a sigh of relief, then turned to Fang Shiyu, "Shiyu, what do you think of Xiao Chen?"


    ...


    Fang Shiyu remained silent.


    Lu Liang was torn between laughter and tears, "Can we not worry about this? Why don''t you both head back and rest?"


    From his observations, his cousin seemed smitten with someone online, often seen grinning foolishly at his phone.


    Lu Liang, a fellow traveller down romance''s road, hoped for the best, but even if it didn''t work out, he was there to show him the ropes.


    Eventually, when the time came, he''d take him home to find a nice girl to marry.


    As the night deepened, Fang Shiyu escorted his parents back to their hotel, and Lu Liang returned to Scholarly Splendor District.


    He informed Su Wanyu about meeting his parents the next day.


    She stiffened, then bravely asked, "What kind of girl do my uncle and aunt like?"


    "Just dress normally, they''d probably like a literary girl like you," Lu Liang assured her as they tangled in the sheets.


    "Tall, slim, and tender, someone who evokes a desire to protect and cherish."


    Su Wanyu, like Chen Jinchun, had the traits most favored by the elders.


    The former was sensible and obedient, while the latter was joyous and adorable.


    Su Wanyu pouted, mumbling softly, "So that''s how you see me?"


    "Why, is that bad? You don''t think you are fierce, do you?"


    "Fierce?"


    "Fierce?"


    Lu Liang suddenly pinned Su Wanyu underneath him, smiling cheekily, "Then show me how fierce you can be."


    Blushing, Su Wanyu fell silent.

 Chapter 224 - 223: Good Design Always Resonates

    The next day, to better match Lu Liang, Su Wanyu wore glasses again, giving her a more mature air.


    However, unlike the previous black frames, she switched to a pair of petite, gold-framed glasses, which imparted a restrained and cold beauty.


    The glasses suited Su Wanyu''s temperament well, as she usually came across as a distant beauty to those who didn''t know her well.


    Lu Liang watched her tirelessly trying on clothes and yawned, "Stop choosing, anything looks good on you."


    "Really?" Su Wanyu couldn''t help but ask repeatedly, the more she cared, the more concerned she became.


    Lu Liang said jokingly, "Have some confidence, you are the Su Wanyu ranked 19th among the 14 high schools in Yangpu."


    Su Wanyu gave him a stern look, the most ruthless method she employed to express dissatisfaction or anger.


    "How about I help you choose?"


    Unable to watch any longer, Lu Liang picked a denim knee-length skirt and a white shirt with letters, "How about this set?"


    Su Wanyu''s face was conflicted, "It looks nice, but it doesn''t really suit these glasses; it''s too schoolgirlish."


    Lu Liang took off her glasses and threw them aside, "Why does a graduate student need to act so mature?"


    "We need to hurry, or we''ll be late."


    "Alright~"


    On the way to the restaurant, Su Wanyu murmured to herself: "Auntie, hello, my name is Su Wanyu, you can call me Su... or Yu, my parents call me that... that doesn''t seem quite right."


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but chuckle, "You''ve already passed your graduate entrance interviews; why so nervous?"


    "Entrance exams are minor; if not passed, one can retake them. But a poor first impression is hard to change."


    Su Wanyu''s face was full of worry, the preemptive effect, although not always correct, was the most striking and largely determined the future course of interactions.


    Seeing Lu Liang''s teasing look, she suddenly became curious: "What would you do if you were meeting elders?"


    "Doesn''t your dad smoke too? Start with a few cigarettes, a couple of drinks, and maybe you''ll become sworn siblings."


    "..."


    Su Wanyu was so annoyed she clenched her teeth, since her father and Lu Liang might indeed end up that way.


    Meanwhile, Lu Liang''s parents were also inquiring about Su Wanyu from Fang Shiyu.


    "Yu is a really nice girl."


    Fang Shiyu was not as articulate as Chen Jinchun, managing only to squeeze out that comment; he couldn''t tell his aunt that compared to Li Manli, Su Wanyu was truly gentle.


    In case his aunt asked who Li Manli was,


    that could lead to serious issues, he was reticent, not dumb.


    Near eleven o''clock, the private room door opened.


    Su Wanyu decided to trust Lu Liang''s taste and wore the white shirt with the denim skirt and a pair of white shoes.


    Her outfit made her look like a college girl, either still studying or freshly graduated, giving off a sense of fresh charm.


    "Uncle, Auntie, hello¡­"


    Su Wanyu smiled, braced herself for introduction; her voice soft and sweet, her ears red from nervousness.


    "Yu, come and sit next to me," the mother said with a beaming smile, while the father also showed a warm smile.


    "How many people in your family?" "What do your parents do?" "Have you thought about what you want to do in the future?"


    A barrage of probing questions came, and Su Wanyu spilled everything like a torrent, leaving nothing unsaid.


    Seeing that all was going well, Lu Liang took the opportunity to say, "I have to make a trip to Beijing this afternoon, and it might take some time; Yu, why don''t you take my parents around for the next few days?"


    Su Wanyu''s pupils contracted, unaware of this plan, Lu Liang said with a smile, "I forgot to mention it."


    Speaking, he called over Wen Chao and took out a set of property deeds, along with related documents and keys.


    "Just bought it, haven''t been over yet, if it''s okay, take them to see the new house this afternoon."


    Lu Liang then looked at Fang Shiyu, "Yu, you stay in Modu for a few days and drive for my aunt and uncle."


    He arranged everything meticulously, Su Wanyu for company and Fang Shiyu as the driver.


    Having both a car and a house meant they could stay as long as they liked, even permanently.


    However, the old mother wasn''t appeased.


    She only had eyes for Su Wanyu.


    Her parents were alive and well, running a factory back in their hometown, and both siblings owned property; their family circumstances were quite good.


    A graduate from a prestigious university, beautiful and gentle, planning to stay on at a top university, such a girl was hard to find.


    Why would the old mother bother about her wayward son?


    Realizing he was superfluous, Lu Liang quickly finished his lunch, "Well then, I''ll leave them to you, I''m off."


    Under the table, Su Wanyu quietly tugged on his shirt, blinking her eyes to convey her reluctance and confusion.


    Lu Liang chuckled lightly and touched her cheek. "Don''t be so nervous, just treat it like you are hosting your own parents."


    Su Wanyu''s face turned as red as a cooked crab, and her mother''s face showed a loving expression. "Go on and do what you need to."


    Despite her strong reluctance, Lu Liang still left.


    Very decisively, leaving her alone. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At three o''clock in the afternoon, the plane arrived in Beijing.


    Lu Liang boarded the hotel''s shuttle, and his phone finally regained the mobile signal. Originally only having five members, the group "Family Doting Family" welcomed a new member.


    "Wow~ Our group finally has a newcomer. Pretty girl, hurry and send your photo and a red packet," Lu Ya teased like a hooligan.


    She was a married woman with a second child, with a careless personality, a typical bully for the innocent Xiao Bai.


    Embarrassed, Su Wanyu could only send a red packet honestly, "Hello everyone~"


    "Just got off the plane."


    Lu Liang squinted his eyes, smiling, and used his group admin authority to kick out Lu Ya.


    It didn''t take long for her to rejoin via an invitation from her brother-in-law, raging, "You dare to kick me?"


    Seeing that Lu Liang didn''t respond, Lu Ya decisively spilled his secrets, which could also be dubbed Lu Liang''s sorrowful history.


    But it was mostly limited to childhood and adolescence anecdotes; after all, he was her little brother, and she couldn''t really speak ill of him.


    Lu Ya kept it appropriate,


    intentionally letting Su Wanyu integrate more quickly.


    On the other side,


    Lu Liang arrived at Li Xiang''s driving experience hall.


    The day after tomorrow, a new car would be released, and the Li Xiang ONE was also showcased at the center of the experience hall.


    There wasn''t much to say about the design, which was standard, but Lu Liang thought the car''s front resembled that of a Bentley.


    The rectangular grid in the central area of the front face had a resemblance to Bentley, almost identical.


    Li Xiang chuckled awkwardly, "A good design always resonates with others, the key lies in the overall driving experience."


    "How much is the fuel consumption?"


    Lu Liang looked at the data, frowning.


    Although it featured a range-extending hybrid system, a 1.2T engine seemed a bit weak, comparable to Wuling Hongguang.


    "Between 6.8-9.6L/100km."


    Lu Liang''s brows gradually relaxed, the range-extending system indeed impressive. Such a large car having such low fuel consumption was a highlight.


    Although he didn''t care about fuel consumption, it was the public''s main concern, or else Japanese cars wouldn''t dominate the market.


    Lu Liang then entered the cockpit for an experience. It was spacious enough, with a fridge, TV, sofa, heating, and massage, all included.


    "Li Xiang mate, open the sunroof, activate heating for the driver''s seat, massage for the co-driver''s seat."


    Lu Liang learned the command instructions, and as soon as he spoke them, Li Xiang showed another awkward smile, "Mr. Lu, currently the car''s system is still being optimized, the commands need to be executed one at a time."


    "That''s fine."


    Lu Liang also experienced the so-called intelligent driving, which was essentially equipped with several driving radars and a 360 camera.


    He couldn''t help but sigh, "Intelligent driving is far behind Tesla."


    Basic forward collision warning, automatic lane change, lane keeping, and consistent speed with traffic were all absent.


    Li Xiang looked bittersweet, but insisted, "A bit of intelligence is enough, the main focus is still driving comfort."


    He argued confidently, "Mr. Lu, if you put aside intelligent driving, tell me, for a car priced around 300 thousand, which other model on the market has so many features?"


    "Indeed, there isn''t." Lu Liang conceded wryly.


    Despite the Li Xiang ONE''s numerous shortcomings, the fridge, TV, and large sofa at this price point was virtually unbeatable.


    Even a Bentley Moshang didn''t have as many features, and there was still substantial room for future improvements.


    "Regarding the car system, I''ll go over to the research institute tomorrow, there might be a possibility for optimization."


    If Li Xiang''s vehicle system was of this level, Lu Liang was confident their vehicle system could replace it.


    After all, they are far from true intelligence; at most, it''s an intelligent control system, making it run smoothly shouldn''t be hard.


    "That would be excellent," Li Xiang beamed, not as resistant to external vehicle systems as Li Bing.


    After all, financing was truly hard, each penny was split in half to be spent, leaving no room to develop vehicle systems.


    Including the current Li Xiang vehicle system, as long as it worked, intelligent driving wasn''t a priority.

 Chapter 225 - 224: Tesla Model

    New energy vehicles were an endurance test.


    After all, a new product, second only in price to a house, required consumers to be extremely cautious in their selection.


    Both Li Xiang, as an entrepreneur, and Lu Liang, an investor, were prepared to sustain losses for at least three years.


    Having bid farewell to Li Xiang, Lu Liang murmured to himself on the way to the hotel, "Could it be that the Tesla model is the right one?"


    The approach to going public in the United States is quite different from that in Mainland China, where companies need to have proven track records, steady revenue, and even a balance of income before they can list.


    By contrast, in the United States, as long as a company can list, it does so immediately, drawing a blueprint for the market, using market funds to develop itself.


    Tesla was among the best of this group, with consecutive annual losses exceeding 800 million US dollars before listing, with only one electric sports car model, the Roadster, in its lineup.


    It went straight into an IPO, applying for a listing, with an initial offering price of 17 US dollars per share, giving the company a valuation of only 1.7 billion US dollars.


    In six years, it raised over 5 billion US dollars, growing ever stronger, with a current market value surpassing 35 billion US dollars. In short, it operated its car business as a financial product.


    The new forces in car manufacturing all wanted to follow Tesla''s lead, especially NIO''s Li Bing, who was already pondering how to IPO the next year.


    The threshold for listing on the Nasdaq is quite low, requiring only three conditions and one principle to be met for application.


    The first is a prerequisite, which demands the company to have been economically active for over a year and to possess significant growth potential.


    The second, a negative condition, states that the company must have a net asset value of over 5 million US dollars and a company valuation of 50 million US dollars.


    The third, a positive condition, stipulates that after the Securities and Futures Commission''s review is passed, a company needs to have a public shareholder base of over 300 people.


    The fourth is the integrity principle, with a popular saying at Nasdaq: any company can go public, but time will prove everything.


    Compared to the Growth Enterprise Market, which requires at least three years of registration, stable revenue, and balanced earnings, it''s incredibly easy.


    However, as easy as it is to go public, delisting is just as easy.


    A company needs to have a certain social influence; otherwise, going public won''t attract the necessary funding, and the listing is in vain.


    "They lack money; I don''t."


    After much thought, Lu Liang decided to stick to his path and follow BYD''s model, pursuing a fully industrialized strategy.


    Public funds exist precisely for full industrialization, and although there are many restrictions, they have strong liquidity.


    As long as a company is profitable on paper, it can go three to five years without distributing dividends, and even if some sell their shares, others will buy in.


    Fund management fees don''t matter; Lu Liang isn''t the type to covet that small revenue. What he wants is the principal.


    Somewhat similar to the once-popular Blue Sky Plan, yet different, the new energy industry has great potential.


    In the evening, Lu Liang returned to the Marriott Hotel, and just as he lay down on the sofa to rest his eyes for a moment, the sharp sound of the doorbell rang.


    As he opened the door, Zhang Tian''ai stood there with a beaming smile, wrapping her arms around Lu Liang''s neck, "Miss me?"


    Lu Liang replied with a smile, yawning while casually ruffling her hair, "Did you finish filming the movie that quickly?"


    "Not yet; I just got back from Penglai yesterday. I''ll rest for a few days before heading to Lu Island for shooting. They''re still in the preparation phase there."


    Zhang Tian''ai squinted her eyes in pleasure. She was recently shooting Xihong City''s Richest Man, which required traveling to multiple locations for filming.


    Since she had finished the scenes in Penglai and had a few days off, upon hearing that Lu Liang was in Beijing, she hurried over.


    "But I might not have time to keep you company these next few days," Lu Liang said as he headed to the bathroom to splash water on his face, instantly invigorated.


    He had a packed schedule for the next few days, not only to check on the progress of the research and development but also because he had made plans to meet with Old Li.


    Then there was LeEco''s Old Jia, who was like a persistent itch, always wanting to discuss the grand financing plans for FF. It seemed unavoidable, especially since Li Xiang''s new car launch had also invited Old Jia.


    Although LeEco''s stock price continued to slump, it was still the top dog in the Growth Enterprise Market. Lu Liang might look down on Old Jia, but that didn''t mean others would.


    Boss Jia still had a very loud reputation.


    "Anyway, I''d be bored alone at home. If I stay with you at least I''ll have someone to chat with at night."


    Zhang Tian''ai silently took off her shoes and tiptoed behind Lu Liang, embracing his broad arms.


    "Is it just talking?" Lu Liang smiled and, turning around, held Zhang Tian''ai, burying his head in her soft chest, "Have you lost weight?"


    She used to have a bit of fleshiness, but after not seeing her for a while, the plumpness seemed to have disappeared. Now her weight probably fell below one hundred pounds.


    "Being slimmer looks better on camera," Zhang Tian''ai said with a giggle, standing on her tiptoes and nibbling on his ear, "I''ll be careful this time."


    She remembered once using too much force, bruising Lu Liang, an incident he nagged about for quite some time. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lu Liang chuckled, and the two left the restroom, embracing each other, and also talked about investing in Wolf Warrior 2 over the past period.


    Thinking that filming on the African continent would be too arduous, she didn''t even bother to ask Wu Jing for the lead female role.


    Otherwise, the doctor''s role should have been quite a fan magnet.


    Mid-conversation, Zhang Tian''ai passionately offered her red lips, releasing her emotions like an overwhelming flood.


    West Red Persimmon''s Richest Man followed Charlotte and Donkey Gets Water as another strong play by the Mahua Team, with an investment of up to 120 million yuan.


    Since the movie was greenlit, both top and lesser-known actresses had their eyes on the lead role, many even reducing their asking price.


    But as the main cast was announced, no one expected that someone of web drama origin would snatch this huge opportunity.


    Everyone said she was undeserving, but Mahua''s Zhang Chen was clearly protective of her, unwavering despite criticism.


    Zhang Tian''ai was well aware of the reason.


    As long as Lu Liang could still spare her occasional thoughts, what she was receiving now already far exceeded what she had given.


    Before Lu Liang could react, Zhang Tian''ai slipped off her coat and took two pills from her bag, swallowing them.


    Her eyes tantalizingly seductive, she bit her lower lip gently as a warm breeze brushed her ears, and she whispered softly, "Double protection~"


    Who could resist that?


    As night deepened, Lu Liang''s original plan for dining out was abruptly canceled and instead had the hotel staff deliver the meal to their room.


    "Eating so little, won''t you become hypoglycemic?" The shirt that belonged to him was now being worn by Zhang Tian''ai.


    Zhang Tian''ai looked even more stunning in it. The loose shirt just covered the roots of her legs, her collarbone exposed, her thighs barely visible, exuding charm from every angle.


    "I need to accept roles. If my body changes, the director would scold someone," she said.


    Zhang Tian''ai ate with relish, avoiding the skin of the chicken and only having boiled vegetables, complementing her meal with vitamins to ensure she was nourished.


    Lu Liang could only shake his head, standing at 168 cm, weighing 95 pounds, she was already very slim, but she still thought she was too heavy.


    Such a career as a star was too contrary to human nature.


    The next morning, Lu Liang visited Zhongguang Village.


    Due to its proximity to Qingbei, two top universities, Hu Weiwei and Wang Xiaofeng had also rented an office there.


    The company''s office was not large, just over ninety square meters, a modest little space like many start-ups.


    Without insider knowledge, nobody would guess this was a company with a registered capital of one hundred million US dollars.


    The main business was interfacing with research institutes and there were no other operations. Including Hu and Wang, the company had just five people.


    "Mr. Lu, please wait a moment, Li Jiahui will be right here."


    Hu Weiwei said hastily, knowing Lu Liang''s intentions, Wang Xiaofeng had already gone to scout for a suitable new office.


    This office was merely rented temporarily for transition, with a daily rent of only 500, paid by the week.


    Lu Liang, bored out of his mind, looked towards the nearby Baidu headquarters building, having just been briefed by Yang Zhenyuan.


    Before joining Byte, he worked for Baidu for eight years as a senior engineer.


    Lu Liang also learned that Baidu''s research and development departments were on the 19th to the 24th floors. He pondered how to sneak up without giving away his purpose.

 Chapter 226 - 225: Jobs Successor

    Li Jiahui and Wang Xiaofeng returned to the company one after another.


    Lu Liang, not versed in technology, only explicited to Li Jiahui the functions of the car systems currently used by Li Xiang, asking whether they could be optimized on the existing basis, or even surpassed.


    Li Jiahui pondered for a long time, "Millimeter-wave radar and 360 imaging can''t be the measure for intelligent driving; they''re just auxiliary equipment for the car. If you just want a smooth smart control system, achieving that isn''t difficult."


    He also frankly admitted his own shortcomings as well as those of the current R&D team, and informed Lu Liang that there was a team that might be absorbed.


    "Whose team?" Lu Liang was puzzled. Nowadays, both the internet and the vehicular network were in full swing; how could there still be wild teams out there?


    "The development team of SmartisanOS."


    Li Jiahui had a senior brother working as an engineer in that team. With the Hammer phone out of the picture, their whole team was on the brink of unemployment.


    It wasn''t that Huaqing''s R&D team was inadequate, but they leaned more toward academia and hardly considered commercialization.


    If they had help from the Hammer team, he could guarantee that before December, he would present a report that would satisfy Lu Liang.


    Lu Liang asked, "Without relying on an external team, with the current R&D progress, how long would it take to surpass Li Xiang''s car system?"


    Li Jiahui gave a shy smile, "Mr. Lu, our system is just a slight improvement away from surpassing Li Xiang''s car system."


    According to Mr. Lu''s description, the difficulty of executing three commands at once, to put it unflatteringly, a five million outsourcing budget could produce a similar control system in less than two months.


    In contrast, their STOS system, with a 20-million US dollar investment, was aimed at intelligent driving from the start. Even just revealing the basic architecture would be enough to thrash Li Xiang''s control, they weren''t even on the same level.


    "Li, you''re that confident?"


    "Mr. Lu, I can still guarantee that."


    Lu Liang contemplated for a moment, then turned to Wen Chao, "Contact Mr. Li''s assistant; change this afternoon''s meeting to the day after tomorrow."


    He then looked at Li Jiahui, "How much time do you need to prepare? I can take you there now for a direct inspection."


    Li Jiahui replied, "An hour and a half, I''ll go back to the university to collect some things and bring a few installation assistants."


    "Okay."


    Lu Liang called Li Xiang to inform him of the current situation. Without hesitation, Li Xiang expressed his warm welcome.


    A new car launch was slated for the day after tomorrow; if he could optimize the car system a bit, he would have more to boast about.


    It would be best if it could be put into use, but it wasn''t a problem if it couldn''t be. After all, there was still time before mass production began.


    While Li Jiahui returned to the university to prepare, Lu Liang asked Wen Chao to retrieve Hammer Technology''s information.


    His deepest impression of Hammer Technology was Luo Yonghao, and concerning Luo Yonghao, it was the "medium, large, and super large" cups.


    A few months ago, when Lu Liang facilitated the merger of Douyin and Watermelon, Luo had cursed him out, and Little Wang had a heated exchange with him.


    "The first-generation internet celebrity?"


    Seeing the information about Luo, Lu Liang couldn''t help but chuckle.


    Like Jack Ma, he came from a teaching background but managed to become the first-generation internet celebrity by blowing his own trumpet and letting loose.


    After resigning from New Oriental in 2006, he created an elite blog site, also known as niubo, roughly equivalent to the current Zhihu, but it quickly fizzled out.


    However, it attracted a crowd of Luo''s fans, and Luo became synonymous with "sentimentality" and "idealism."


    Six years ago,


    The most popular tech trend worldwide was smartphones.


    As soon as Luo revealed his intentions to venture into mobile phones, a large number of fans supported him.


    "Luo, you just focus on being earnest, we''ll help you win."


    Translated, it meant, "We the leeks are ready for you to harvest."


    And so, Luo naively believed it.


    In the year that Jobs died, proclaiming himself the sole inheritor of Old Qiao''s legacy, Luo established the Hammer phone, aiming to make the best phone in the East Half Ball since Apple was in the western half.


    He also said that Apple was inevitably heading for decline.


    As the only successor to Old Qiao, his responsibility was to refine Hammer Technology, preparing for the future acquisition and revival of Apple.


    But taking things too seriously, the R&D progress was painfully slow.


    For instance, Xiaomi''s updates and iterations were released weekly, while Hammer kept postponing its press conferences, dragging them out for a year and a half until users lost all patience.


    Three years ago, when Hammer''s first phone, the T1, was finally launched amidst great anticipation, full payment was required to preorder, but not even that could deter Hammer Fans from impulsively buying.


    However, the thrill of ordering was fleeting, and waiting for the delivery was akin to waiting for a cremation. Production couldn''t keep up, and even the most devoted fans lost patience.


    Consequently, the rate of order cancellations skyrocketed from 2% to 90%.


    With customers cancelling their orders, warehouses piled up with unsold stock, and funds on the books dwindling, they had no choice but to slash prices by a thousand yuan in promotions.


    And yet, they had previously declared they would never reduce prices and strive to mirror Apple. This reversal of policy led to intense criticism from both media and fans, and corporate reputation plummeted.


    Last year, while all smartphone manufacturers were upgrading to 4G, Hammer was still fixated on 3G, dismissing 4G phones as meaningless gimmicks.


    The pitfalls a start-up should avoid, Luo seemed to have fallen into almost every single one of them, burning through 580 million yuan within three years, leaving no cushion.


    Just this year, there were rumors of Hammer''s bankruptcy six times, potential acquisitions five times, and financial chain breakdowns three times.


    Not long ago, Luo was sued for "business fraud" by users after overstating claims at a product launch, landing the company in legal trouble.


    "He is indeed talented."


    Lu Liang smirked, Luo should have become a motivational speaker instead of an entrepreneur; it would have been more lucrative.


    Although the demise of Hammer phones was imminent, it did not mean that Hammer OS was a failure.


    On the contrary, with its distinctive features, Hammer OS was regarded as one of the most unique smartphone systems in history.


    Since Luo saw himself as the sole inheritor of Jobs'' legacy, Hammer''s mission was to acquire Apple; thus, the OS philosophy aligned closely with Apple''s. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It featured a clean and efficient interface, along with many iconic functions, such as Thought Capsules, voice interaction, and smart voice assistant.


    Li Jiahui endorsed it, particularly interested in Hammer OS''s smart voice assistant, which could nearly be transposed directly onto vehicle systems.


    In this domain, they excelled, and it''s not an exaggeration to say they were among the leaders in voice interaction.


    "With Hammer owing so much and losing so much, but not fleeing, it seems they won''t be easy to deal with."


    Lu Liang muttered to himself. He was interested in Hammer OS''s R&D team, but Luo didn''t seem easy to handle.


    If Luo were in Dai Wei''s shoes, he would be laughing in his sleep at such a wonderful start.


    Conversely, if Dai Wei were in Luo''s place, he''d likely have fled by now. The mess was more serious than ofo.


    Luo''s reluctance to give up suggested that he was a challenging person to negotiate with, and unless absolutely necessary, he probably wouldn''t surrender.


    After consideration, Lu Liang decided to start with Hammer''s investors and creditors. Golden Sand River led the C-round investment in Hammer, and Ali was a creditor.


    As the financing would certainly have involved some form of a betting agreement.


    Golden Sand River had the right to force Hammer to repay its debts, while Ali, having taken the pledged shares from Luo, could just opt for an overpriced transfer. They would likely grant Lu Liang this favor.


    The investors and creditors represented external pressures,


    while Lu Liang would personally handle the internal problems.


    During this time, he could have headhunters poach staff and wait until Hammer was under enough pressure to sell assets, then scoop up the patents for Hammer OS.


    An hour later, Li Jiahui returned from school and before heading to Li Xiang, Lu Liang found Wang Xiaofeng.


    He shared his plan and assigned the task to hollow out Hammer''s R&D members and prepare to take over the R&D team.


    The cost didn''t matter as long as it was reasonable, granting him substantial financial authority.


    Last year, Hammer was valued at 2.6 billion yuan. Taking action then would have been difficult. But this year, its value plummeted to less than 1 billion yuan, with several months of unpaid salaries.


    "Understood, Mr. Lu. I''ll start looking into it right away."


    Wang Xiaofeng nodded, feeling a pang of pity for Luo for a fleeting second. With Lu Liang''s focus, Hammer was doomed whether it died or not.


    With both internal and external troubles doubling down,


    Even the mighty deities couldn''t save the faltering Hammer Technology, let alone Luo.

 Chapter 227 - 226: We Are All Friends

    Zhongguancun may be called a village, but it''s actually a park.


    North to the Northern Fifth Ring Road, south to the West Second Ring Road, the total area is 217 square kilometers, occupying one seventy-fifth of Beijing.


    The Beijing office of Tianxing Technology, even though in the same Zhongguancun as Li Xiang Automobiles, takes over half an hour to drive between them.


    "How''s it going?"


    A group of people surrounded a computer on the car hood, discussing heatedly, and even Li Xiang managed to get a few words in now and then.


    Lu Liang felt like an illiterate when it came to computer technology; he only knew to reboot if something couldn''t be fixed, and if rebooting didn''t work, then to reinstall the system.


    Li Jiahui, always mindful of Boss Lu, stepped out from the crowd and whispered, "Mr. Lu, just as I thought, Li Xiang is using the Linux system."


    Linux is a free operating system available for use and distribution, and his recent claim that it would cost five million to outsource to a team was an overestimate.


    Just offer a million-dollar bounty, recruit a few relevant engineers, and within two months, they''d have the system adapted to the car.


    The degree of smart driving is virtually nil; it''s just a voice control system used mainly for operating functions within the cabin.


    Such as playing music, raising and lowering windows, seat heating, seat massaging, interior lighting, and other auxiliary entertainment functions.


    "So you''re saying our system is better than theirs?"


    Lu Liang didn''t understand, but he heard the arrogance in Li Jiahui''s voice.


    Li Jiahui pondered and explained in terms Lu Liang could understand: "The ONE is equipped with a 14nm Snapdragon 820A chip, if the fluidity of executing the Linux system is rated at 70%, then using STOS would be over 90%."


    The focus was mainly on improving smart driving; with system optimization, they could at least reach 110%.


    Lu Liang understood: "Then I have a clear idea now."


    He didn''t take to heart Li Jiahui''s comment that they were still far from interfacing with the power and braking systems.


    If auxiliary entertainment functions experienced lag or were slow to respond, no big deal, but if that happened when connected to the powertrain, it would be life-threatening.


    Lu Liang didn''t dare let them use it for reasons Li Xiang might not have considered.


    Soon, Li Xiang also stepped away from the discussion, exclaiming, "Mr. Lu, I didn''t expect you to give me such a surprise."


    "Mr. Li, this system isn''t mature yet; it''s merely passable," Lu Liang humbly smiled, appearing quite indifferent.


    "To have such results in just six months is already quite remarkable," Li Xiang said with a forced smile, cursing Lu Liang a hundred times in his heart.


    With less than 48 hours to go before the press conference, he truly wanted the TSOS system to be installed on the Li Xiang ONE.


    He knew very well the nature of the Linux system¡ªif it lagged or didn''t respond during the conference, it would be embarrassing.


    Li Xiang could only brace himself and asked, "Mr. Lu, about the cost, what are your thoughts?"


    "We are friends," Lu Liang said generously, "What need is there for money? Besides, it''s an immature car system."


    Lu Liang was magnanimous, offering everything free of charge, including future system updates.


    As Li Jiahui had said, the current version of the car system may not be able to interface with the power system, but it could act as an observer, collecting driving data, and lay a good foundation for future smart driving.


    Li Xiang saw what Lu Liang intended and chuckled, "If Mr. Lu is being so generous, then we won''t be polite."


    "We''re friends," Lu Liang beamed.


    He was already planning to get his hands on Luo''s Hammer OS as soon as possible, then to properly optimize the central control before finally following Tesla''s lead in offering free access.


    As long as everyone got used to their system, when the smart driving edition was released, they could reap a considerable harvest.


    But there was a prerequisite: they must stay far ahead, encouraging carmakers to think it''s better to buy than to build.


    If the lead in car system performance was not significant, they would definitely choose self-development, like NIO''s Li Bing.


    However, for the next three or perhaps two years, no one would likely bet heavily on this area, giving them enough time.


    Because the new energy market was still small and its prospects unclear, newcomers to car manufacturing spent all their energy just surviving, let alone having spare funds to develop their own car systems.


    Just like the current phone market, it''s only been in recent years that domestic systems like Boundaryless, Pengpai, Xiaomi, and HongMeng have started to emerge; earlier, these manufacturers simply used Android.


    After a while, Lu Liang left Li Jiahui and a few scientific researchers at Li Xiang to assist with system fine-tuning before the press conference.


    He went to Jile Tang in Beijing with Wen Chao and his security entourage, renting out a large pool and waiting for Zhu Hu to arrive.


    "Lu, how come you''re free tonight to invite Hu over for a hot spring?"


    Old Zhu was all smiles, having heard that Lu Liang had shorted the Dow and made a pretty penny; he knew he could worry less this year. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Golden Sand River, like a private equity fund, managed about 2 billion US dollars in assets and had invested two hundred million dollars in Lu Liang.


    If Tianxing could earn more, Golden Sand River could afford to earn less, and the pressure for performance wouldn''t be as great.


    "There must be no smoke without fire," Lu Liang said with a laugh as he waved the service staff away from the poolside.


    Seeing this, Zhu Hu restrained his smile and sat down by the pool to soak his feet. "If you need help, just say the word."


    Lu Liang sat next to Zhu Hu, soaking his feet together. "How much do you know about Hammer Technology?"


    He had arranged to meet Zhu Hu that evening specifically to discuss how they might dismantle Hammer Technology.


    Zhu Hu thought for a moment. "Not much, I just felt Luo was good at stirring up trouble, so I casually invested a bit."


    Luo Yonghao was known for his extravagant style; each time there was an announcement, it would be held at the national conference center.


    Although renting it for a day would only cost hundreds of thousands, laypeople wouldn''t know that. Seeing the name of the national conference center, they would think he was incredibly impressive.


    So even though Zhu Hu knew Luo was just fishing for attention, he took the bait and led the Series C funding with 70 million, which wasn''t particularly a lot.


    "How are their finances now?" Lu Liang asked again.


    "I remember taking a glance last month; there was less than five hundred thousand in the account, and they owed over a billion in payables."


    Zhu Hu was surprised. "You''re not interested in Hammer, are you?"


    If Lu Liang was interested in Hammer, then he would also have to re-evaluate the company.


    Douyin had completely conquered the southern market and threatened Kuai Shou in the north; its international version had also made significant waves in Southeast Asia.


    The market valuation for Douyin was skyrocketing from 800 million dollars all the way to 1.8 billion dollars, already surpassing Byte''s valuation.


    This was enough to prove that Lu Liang''s eye for finance was sharp, and his sense for the internet was top-notch.


    Although the new energy sector he was most optimistic about still looked half-dead, industries always take time to develop.


    Lu Liang was forthright. "I want Hammer''s operating system. What are the chances that Luo would sell the entire team?"


    Zhu Hu asked tentatively, "Planning to switch to car software?"


    Lu Liang nodded, not worried about revealing his intent and sparking a scramble for the target because the mobile phone market landscape had essentially solidified. Surviving manufacturers all had their own systems.


    Whether it was OV, Xiaomi, Meizu, or other brands, if they used Hammer''s system, they''d be laughed to death by their rivals.


    As for the auto industry, the saying still holds: the market is too small and uncertain, so no one would invest significant effort in car software.


    Zhu Hu pondered. "Luo is rather stubborn. Asking him to sell the operating system is tantamount to selling the whole Hammer."


    "So you''re saying there''s no room for discussion?" Lu Liang narrowed his eyes. If words fail, he thought, don''t blame me for getting tough.


    He could just push Hammer Technology into bankruptcy, and then, whether Luo liked it or not, he''d have to sell.


    Zhu Hu coughed a few times. "Actually, Hammer still has some brand value."


    If Hammer went bankrupt, 70 million would be down the drain. Although Luo would lose money, Zhu Hu wondered when Luo could afford to pay.


    The best-case scenario would be for Lu Liang to take over and quickly go public by wrapping it in a shell company. With his influence in the financial market, it could easily turn into 700 million in minutes.


    Lu Liang looked unimpressed and glared. "Pick up a mouse and open an internet cafe?"


    Hammer was in debt for over a billion, the company''s account was empty, except for a warehouse full of outdated stock. The mobile phone ecological niche had been pretty much divided up; he would have to be insane to take over Hammer.


    Zhu Hu coaxed, "Well, you can''t put it that way. You know, the car software, it''s like a phone in a car, there are similarities."


    Lu Liang shook his head outright; he had looked into Hammer''s information. They even outsourced phone production to Foxconn, with no industry to speak of.


    The staff was barely over 400 people; they had nothing, really, except that the system patent might be worth something. The rest was worthless.


    Lu Liang stopped Zhu Hu from going on. "Hu, are you going to help me or not?"


    Zhu Hu was at a loss for words, his reply swallowed back, and he nodded emphatically: "I''ll help."


    The account loss of 70 million was nothing compared to Lu Liang''s friendship.


    After all, when Lu Liang had brought him on board Douyin, with the current valuation, he had made more than five times that amount in profit.


    Besides, Hammer looked beyond redemption, and this doomed investment might as well be a favor to ensure good relations.


    After all, Zhu Hu was still eyeing Tianxing Technology.

 Chapter 228 - 227: Disliked Wherever I Go

    The next day, even stricter real estate purchasing restrictions were piloted in 12 cities, including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen.


    This move acted like an adrenaline shot; new housing developments across major cities saw a surge in prices.


    Those who owned homes were pleased, while those who didn''t were miserable.


    "YunOS."


    Lu Liang had a long conversation with Zhu Hu last night and learned a lot of information beyond the regular data.


    For instance, last year Luo pledged 27.84% of his shares to Ali in exchange for a loan of 350 million dollars.


    Ali was the lender, or you could say the prospective financier.


    Recently, Ali continuously hyped up the Yun system and even took a stake in Meizu, persuading them to use their operating system.


    However, smartphones equipped with YunOS had lackluster market sales, which in turn affected the development of the Yun system.


    A few days ago, Meizu launched this year''s flagship phone, abandoning Ali''s YunOS in favor of their own Boundaryless system.


    Rumors said Ali was very dissatisfied and reluctant, and to improve the subsequent development of their own system and to increase their say in the mobile sector, they were likely to keep betting.


    The existing setup of Hammer Technology was prime to potentially become the next wrapper for the Yun system''s filling.


    Lu Liang wanted the filling, they wanted the wrapper ¨C cooperation between both parties was a possibility.


    "Umm~~ Why are you awake so early?"


    Zhang Tian''ai hummed softly, her eyes bleary and full of a bewildered daze as she clutched the bedding.


    She stretched lazily like a kitten, her long legs lifting high, her skin as pale as ivory.


    With a sharp crack, Zhang Tian''ai''s eyes widened, sucking in a breath from the pain as she rubbed her thigh, rolling back and forth on the bed.


    Lu Liang chuckled slyly, revealing a triumphant smile, "I need to head out early today; you can keep resting."


    "You''re mean~"


    Zhang Tian''ai looked up piteously, lying at the head of the bed...


    After breakfast at the hotel, Lu Liang arrived at the Byte Building.


    Zhang Yiming took his visit very seriously, waiting for him at the entrance early in the morning, guarding closely throughout to prevent Lu Liang from speaking with anyone else.


    Lu Liang could hardly keep a straight face and wanted to ask if all this was necessary, but on second thought, he decided not to ¨C worried that Mr. Zhang might lose his temper.


    Douyin''s valuation had surpassed ByteDance, even though ByteDance held more than half the shares and had control over its managerial decisions.


    It should have been an entirely ByteDance product, but Anyone would feel uneasy knowing that Lu Liang had once had a hand in it.


    Entering the company''s reception room, Zhang Yiming dropped his guard and asked with a smile, "Mr. Lu, what brings you to grace us with your presence today?"


    After some pleasantries, Lu Liang stated his purpose, "I heard ByteDance holds a 14.55% stake in Hammer Technology?"


    The equity structure of Hammer Technology was divided among Luo with 28.46%, Ali pledged with 27.84%, ByteDance with 14.55%, Golden Sand River with 15%, and a number of company executives and small investors collectively owning 14.15%.


    With Ali being too dominant, and Lu Liang coming empty-handed, a direct approach to negotiations would likely fail.


    If he managed to secure the shares from Golden Sand River and ByteDance before negotiating with Ali again, the chances of reaching an agreement were probably high.


    Since the three of them together possessed 57.39% of the shares, exceeding half, Hammer Technology''s shape was practically theirs unless Luo managed to secure 350 million to repay Ali and reclaim his pledged shares.


    Zhang Yiming nodded, "That is the case. Are you interested, Mr. Lu?"


    His expression was strikingly similar to Zhu Hu''s from the previous night.


    Since the M1 phone''s sales setback, Hammer Technology had been given a stay of execution by various financial backers, its eventual burial dependent solely on how long Luo could hold out.


    This was an investment doomed to fail, and Zhang Yiming was surprised that Lu Liang would show interest.


    Lu Liang responded noncommittally, continuing, "Mr. Zhang, would you be willing to part with it for the painful price of 145.5 million, transferring it to Golden Sand River?"


    Not being a shareholder of Hammer, if he managed to acquire ByteDance''s shares, the board of directors'' approval would be needed.


    Admittedly, this would unavoidably arouse Luo''s suspicions, but luckily Zhu Hu was willing to help him out ¨C Golden Sand River, being a shareholder, had the right of first refusal for stock repurchase.


    A gleam flashed in Zhang Yiming''s eyes, "Mr. Lu, I fear that price might not be quite fitting."


    Though he didn''t know what use Lu Liang had for Hammer''s shares, the opportunity to make a hefty sum from him didn''t come every day. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lu Liang smiled faintly, "Mr. Zhang, you must be well aware of Hammer''s predicament. With a valuation of one billion, buying back this share is already a sincere offer."


    Zhang Yiming''s face was all smiles, "I am aware, Hammer''s situation isn''t great, but who doesn''t know Mr. Lu''s sharp vision, calling you ''Golden Touch'' wouldn''t be an exaggeration."


    The chances were slim, but perhaps Hammer was an uncut gem; otherwise, Lu Liang wouldn''t have set his sights on it.


    "Such is the burden of reputation."


    Lu Liang laughed wryly, revealing his real intentions, "I''m only interested in Hammer''s operating system. If Mr. Zhang does not agree, then I shall have to let it go. I could only turn to Mr. Luo to discuss system patent licensing; he would probably be very pleased."


    Acquiring patents from Hammer Technology is the cheapest and most convenient method, but he didn''t want to rent, he wanted to buy them out permanently.


    If everyone thought they could cash in on him, Lu Liang would rather talk to Luo about licensing.


    At most, he would just pay a few more years of patent fees, and wait until Hammer naturally went bankrupt, then take the patents into his hands.


    Whether or not Hammer Technology would go bankrupt, and when it might file for bankruptcy, was currently an unknown.


    Like QVOD, a few years ago, it was jointly strangulated by Youku, iQiyi, and Tencent; the company received a suspended sentence, the founder was imprisoned, but up to now, it still hadn''t gone bankrupt.


    Lu Liang didn''t want to wait for this uncertainty. The best strategy was to acquire controlling shares, force Hammer into bankruptcy, and force Luo to sell off his assets.


    Zhang Yiming showed a thoughtful expression, unsure whether Lu Liang''s words were true or false, but Lu Liang seemed genuinely disinterested in talking further, even frequently glancing outside, as if he had designs on the scientists from his company.


    Zhang Yiming sensed trouble and quickly said, "Mr. Lu, it''s not that there''s nothing to discuss; we can talk some more."


    Lu Liang pondered for a moment, then gave Mr. Zhang a way out, "Mr. Zhang, how about a 10% premium on one billion dollars?"


    "Fine." Zhang Yiming agreed without hesitation. A matter of tens of millions was small, but face-saving was significant; he was waiting for this opportunity.


    Afterward, Lu Liang contacted Zhu Hu, asking him to send someone for negotiations. Zhang Yiming smiled and said, "Mr. Lu, it''s getting late now; let''s find a place to eat?"


    Lu Liang was a danger to have around; he didn''t want Lu Liang to stay at the company any longer, only wishing to send him away quickly.


    Lu Liang looked displeased. It wasn''t even eleven. Why would he eat now? Was he that undesirable? He sighed, "Mr. Zhang, let''s wait until later, I haven''t even digested breakfast."


    Zhang Yiming laughed it off, "That''s true, perhaps it''s just that we''re used to having an earlier lunch in our family."


    Lu Liang''s face was expressionless.


    After a while, since Zhu Hu had nothing urgent, he came over personally, and both parties signed the stock transfer agreement.


    Golden Sand River invested 1.605 billion yuan and acquired a 14.55% stake in Hammer Technology held by ByteDance.


    With that, Golden Sand River''s ownership reached 29.55%, surpassing Luo as the largest shareholder of Hammer.


    Thus, Lu Liang also obtained power of attorney from Golden Sand River.


    Zhu Hu asked, "What are you planning to do next?"


    Obligations were one thing; accounts had to be clear.


    Helping out was a matter of good will, but this favor was not to be given for free.


    Although Lu Liang hadn''t put in any money himself, he had promised Zhu Hu that Tianxing Technology would give up 10% of its shares in return afterward.


    This was also due to Old Zhu''s high regard for Lu Liang, as they had collectively invested 1.605 billion yuan and shares worth 70 million yuan.


    A total investment of 2.3 billion only for 10% of Tianxing Technology''s shares, indicating an inferred valuation of the company at 23 billion yuan.


    Keep in mind, Lu Liang only invested 640 million yuan, and despite not having achieved any results yet, his name alone had added a premium of 1.66 billion yuan.


    "In the afternoon, I''ll swing by Baidu, and after Li Xiang''s press conference tomorrow, I''ll head to Hang City to talk with Ali."


    During the meal, Lu Liang also briefly outlined the schedule for the next few days.


    "A visit to Baidu?" Zhu Hu showed a curious expression.


    "What about it?" Lu Liang asked, puzzled.


    "Nothing."


    Zhu Hu shook his head, and Zhang Yiming also had a mysterious smile.


    Lu Liang was clueless.


    It wasn''t until he arrived at Baidu Building in the afternoon that he understood why those two had those expressions.


    Li Yanhong had received the news early and was standing at the entrance of the company, watching him like he was guarding against a thief.


    No chance to even see the 19th to 24th floors¡ªLu Liang was directly taken to the top office by Old Li.


    After drinking tea for two hours, besides Old Li, his assistant, and secretary, he didn''t see anyone else.


    Lu Liang felt very aggrieved and later found Zhu Hu to inquire about the reason; what on earth had he done to warrant such animosity?


    Why was he treated with disdain everywhere he went?


    Zhu Hu laughed heartily, "This really isn''t your fault, the story about Yang Zhenyuan has spread too widely."


    A senior architect earning an annual salary of three million, after encountering Lu Liang and then going for a spin outside.


    In just over nine months, returning to Byte''s embrace, his status and wealth soared like a rocket.


    Becoming a co-founder of a unicorn enterprise valued at 1.8 billion US dollars and holding 10.45% of the shares.


    Such temptation was irresistible to anyone.


    If it was said that Yang Zhenyuan was a legend, then Lu Liang was the guide on the path to legendry.

 Chapter 229 - 228: The Annoying Sticker

    "Old Li, he really lacks vision," Lu Liang said with indignation, Zhu Hu nearly spat out his beer: "Everyone knows that Baidu is brimming with talent. Xiaomi has poached from them, Byte has done it, and so has Meituan. Mr. Li is now like a startled bird. Bro, you might as well give up on your scheming."


    "If subtle approaches don''t work, then we''ll have to be overt."


    Lu Liang had heard that while others were still developing smart driving systems, Baidu had already taken a step ahead with their autonomous driving project.


    The project was named Apollo and included four major modules: high-precision mapping, localization, perception, intelligent decision-making, and control.


    In the field of navigation, Baidu Map is the only company that can compete with Gaode Map, giving Baidu a natural advantage in the development of autonomous driving.


    Lu Liang was truly envious; he had money now, but no people, otherwise, he wouldn''t have gone to such lengths with Hammer.


    Out of curiosity, Zhu Hu asked, "How do you plan to do this overtly?"


    "Let''s get Hammer''s matter out of the way first."


    Lu Liang didn''t want to talk more about it, and Zhu Hu didn''t ask further, but he could guess that aside from throwing money, there seemed to be no other way.


    Because Lu Liang''s advantage was his wealth, but as long as he was willing to spend money, and spend it where it should be spent, it was not impossible to bite off a chunk from Baidu.


    Baidu had been established for too long, and they had been listed for too long as well, with the internal hierarchy already solidified and stock incentives mostly carved up.


    Those who joined later could only endure the bitterness of hard work, picking up the scraps and leftovers from the established beneficiaries.


    The longer an enterprise has been established, the more serious this situation becomes, creating opportunities for outsiders.


    The next day, Lu Liang drove Zhang Tian''ai to the airport; her vacation had ended, and she was off to Lu Island for filming.


    This meant that they wouldn''t be able to see each other for at least two more months.


    Thus, there was still an hour and a half before boarding.


    The car bore the brunt of their cramped and impassioned space, and Lu Liang found that he had been bruised again.


    Zhang Tian''ai giggled, her cheeks flushed, with fine beads of sweat still on the tip of her nose. Taking advantage of the fact that Lu Liang wasn''t angry yet,


    She quickly kissed his cheek, then put on her hat and mask, grabbed her suitcase, and dashed off with her head down.


    "Watch where you''re going, don''t trip!"


    "I know~~"


    Lu Liang chuckled and sighed; he could only return to the hotel to change into a new set of clothes before heading to the National Convention Center.


    Meanwhile, Zhang Tian''ai sent him a message, with pitiful emoji: "I think it''s leaking out."


    Lu Liang teased with a laugh, "Then you should take more antipyretics."


    "I took them before and after."


    "¡­"


    Lu Liang fell silent.


    Women, when they catch fire, can really push the envelope.


    She was born in ''90, and Lu Liang felt like he couldn''t keep up with her.


    ...


    At one o''clock in the afternoon, at the National Convention Center.


    Today, Li Xiang was holding a new car release event for their one model, having booked the entire A1 area, and many news media were present.


    Li Bing was also there to show his support, chatting with He Xiaopeng. Rumors were spread that NIO, Weiliao, and Li Xiang had a mutual help group; it seemed the rumors were true.


    As soon as Lu Liang appeared, he immediately became the focus of the whole venue, and the sound of discussion within the conference room subconsciously quieted down by several degrees.


    Not only because it was his first public appearance but also due to his active support for the new energy industry.


    Especially Old Jia from LeEco¡ªhis gaze was almost tangible.


    Lu Liang felt a chill running down his spine; just two hours earlier at the airport, the way Zhang Tian''ai looked at him was identical.


    It was one thing with a woman, but with a man...


    He couldn''t handle it.


    Luckily, Li Bing saw him too and hurriedly waved him over. Ignoring Old Jia, Lu Liang walked up to them, and Li Bing introduced, "Mr. Lu, this is Mr. He from Xiao Peng."


    "Hello, Mr. He," Lu Liang said with a smile.


    He started working with computers in 2002 and had personally witnessed the evolution of the internet from the PC era to the mobile era.


    If he had to say which software left the greatest impression on him from the PC era, it was QVOD; for the mobile era, it was UC, or more precisely, UC before it was acquired by Ali.


    Associated with He Xiaopeng, too, there was a natural fondness.


    "Mr. Lu, I''ve long admired your reputation."


    He Xiaopeng humbly smiled, also sizing up Lu Liang.


    Unlike Li Bing and Li Xiang, it was his first time meeting Lu Liang, the man hailed as the biggest financier (currently) of the new energy sector.


    Just in Ningde alone, he had invested more than four billion, not to mention the tens of millions of US dollars in both NIO and Li Xiang, and the hefty sum over one hundred million US dollars in self-developed vehicle systems.


    In fact, the country had long been promoting the development of the new energy industry, but the person who truly made the term "new energy" widely known was Lu Liang.


    Because normally, major national policies are like a drizzle, silently nourishing everything; in the first few years of development, apart from industry professionals, few others were aware.


    It was Lu Liang who ignited this industry. Whether or not the market accepted it was another story, but it was indeed him who made more people aware of the existence of new energy and that the nation was actively pushing forward.


    He Xiaopeng too decided to enter the field early because of Lu Liang, otherwise he would have stayed at Ali for another half a year, carefully observing.


    "Mr. Lu, I heard that Li Xiang''s vehicle is also equipped with Tianxing''s system?" Li Bing asked with a smile, probing indirectly.


    Surprise showed on He Xiaopeng''s face as Lu Liang laughed, "It''s not really a system, just a smart central control."


    Li Jiahui had told him it wasn''t that their system was so incredibly amazing, it was just that Li Xiang''s original system was trash.


    It was like a rushed job.


    Lu Liang could understand; after just completing their Series A funding, it was heard that Li Xiang was out of money again. They needed to produce some results to ensure continued investment.


    "If Mr. Li adopted it, there must be many advantages."


    He Xiaopeng made no attempt to hide his strong interest.


    He inquired whether the system was customized for Li Xiang, or if there was an intention to bring it to the market, expressing Xiao Peng''s great interest.


    Although he wasn''t from an automotive background like Li Xiang and Li Bing, he was from a tech background; it was no disgrace to learn from others where one lacked.


    If Tesla''s patents weren''t so fraught with potential pitfalls, he probably would have borrowed them a long time ago.


    "It''s not yet perfect, we''ve only licensed it to Li Xiang, but we should be able to release the first public version in December."


    As Lu Liang spoke, he turned to glance at Li Bing, whose smile became somewhat stiff, "Looking forward to the official version''s launch."


    Their ES8 probably couldn''t escape; they could only hope that Lu Liang''s vehicle control system wasn''t too impressive, otherwise, they would likely find it hard to justify not using it in the future.


    He Xiaopeng handed over a business card, smiling broadly, "Mr. Lu, if you launch the public version, remember to contact me first."


    "Definitely, definitely," Lu Liang took the card and also took out one from Wen Chao''s bag to return the favor.


    "What are you all discussing here?"


    Old Jia approached, his smile as warm as a spring breeze, climbing the proverbial mountain if it wouldn''t come to him.


    "We were just discussing the in-car control systems, Mr. Jia, you might be interested, too," Lu Liang replied, his smile unchanged but with a silent sigh in his heart¡ªinevitably, what was to come had come.


    "I''m very interested indeed."


    Old Jia rambled on, recounting LeEco''s supercar and the plan to hold a new car launch by the end of the month.


    The others showed odd expressions upon hearing this.


    If we were to consider the founding dates, LeTV Car had a five to six-year lead over them.


    Over the years, the number of new car launch events LeTV had held and the models announced couldn''t be fewer than five, but they all existed only in PPT.


    Till now, as Weiliao''s new cars were emerging with actual products, Old Jia was still pondering concept cars.


    "Mr. Lu, Mr. Jia, I''ll leave you to it; I see an acquaintance," Li Bing said, fearing he couldn''t hold back laughter and recognizing that Old Jia had come for Lu Liang, so he promptly left.


    He Xiaopeng also excused himself, and the two of them left together. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lu Liang''s heart sank as he was left to keep up appearances with a strained smile.


    Old Jia was still talking, "Mr. Lu, I know you''re not like the others, we''re of the same kind, you should understand my thoughts."


    "The current new energy market is too small, annual sales total no more than 400,000 units; it''s not suitable for someone of our size to enter the market. That''s why you began developing the vehicle control system, just as I had thought. We must adapt to a changing market with unchanging goals and firm resolve."


    Mr. Jia found reasons for his PPT car-making; the first batch of new energy vehicles definitely had many drawbacks, and the first batch of owners would undoubtedly regret their current decision.


    For the sake of the consumer market at large, he was waiting for the right moment. It seemed as though there was no mass production, but the technology was constantly being updated and iterated.


    "Mr. Lu, have you heard of the Xiong''an New District?" Old Jia tossed out the bait. This was a soon-to-be trillion-yuan investment to build a supercity, which was also the rising city for LeEco.


    Over the next decade, they planned to rely on the Xiongan New District to create a city of autonomous driving.


    Lu Liang was speechless, his expression saying it all: "Mr. Jia, I''m really not interested, perhaps you should find someone else."


    After playing middleman for so many years, he well understood the difference between school district housing and non-school district housing; no matter how much buzz a new district generated, if it still carried the Hebei license plate, it wouldn''t see the day of success.

 Chapter 230 - 229: Refrigerator, Sofa, Big-screen TV

    "Mr. Lu, sorry to disturb you."


    Old Jia felt embarrassed as Lu Liang was so straightforward, making any further interruptions seem rather shameless.


    After all, he was once the top figure on the Growth Enterprise Market, treated with great respect wherever he went, as if he desperately needed Lu Liang''s investment.


    "Mr. Jia, I apologize," said Lu Liang calmly, watching Old Jia leave. It seemed the rumors were true: LeEco''s financial situation was more severe than imagined.


    Approaching two o''clock, guided by the staff on site, Lu Liang took his seat in the front row of the press conference, flanked by Jingwei''s manager Zhang Ying and Meituan''s Wang Xing.


    Even though it was their first meeting, the three conversed amicably.


    Wang Xing teased, "Mr. Lu, it looks like Mr. Li plans to leverage your golden signboard."


    He glanced at the photographer on stage, whose lens often paused on Lu Liang, or swept past him.


    Clearly, Li Xiang intended to use Lu Liang''s fame to launch Li Xiang''s new car with a bang.


    "Just use it then."


    Lu Liang smiled indifferently, having anticipated this scenario¡ªthe new Li Xiang car was equipped with TSOS, after all, they ought to pay some advertising fees.


    Suddenly, a resentful gaze came from behind, sounding almost like a ghost, "Mr. Lu, don''t neglect one for the other."


    Li Bing regretted to the core; NIO was even more in need of money than Li Xiang because they were building battery swap stations.


    Such an excellent opportunity had slipped away, making him feel he had lost out on a possible few hundred million in valuation.


    Lu Liang chuckled helplessly, "When the new NIO car is released, I''m willing to go up and host it myself."


    Said in jest, yet taken seriously by those around, including He Xiaopeng¡ªthese words suggested that NIO was soon to launch another new car.


    And it wasn''t a supercar, it had to be a mass-produced vehicle.


    Two o''clock arrived.


    Li Xiang, with a beaming smile and flanked by Li Xiang oen, appeared at the center of the stage. With the reveal of the interior, it was officially declared that cars were entering the era of refrigerators, TVs, and large sofas.


    While the press conference was still ongoing, photos and video clips had already spread online, sparking hot discussion across the net.


    The luxurious interior of the Li Xiang oen was nearly on par with that of a Toyota Alphard, perhaps even surpassing it.


    But the front face of the car, which resembled a Bentley, inevitably became the subject of mockery, earning it a new nickname, ''Binli''.


    Lu Liang''s attendance at the press conference also sparked discussions online, with netizens joking, "He''s not hiding anymore, planning to debut?"


    In the second half of last year, and in the first half of this year, he was famed as the most mysterious man on the internet. Recently, he''s been seen more frequently, prompting netizens to tease that he is officially debuting.


    "Just debuting my ass, he''s just addicted to getting free publicity."


    "If it weren''t for Lu Liang''s investment in Li Xiang, and if Li Xiang weren''t equipped with STOS, do you think he would come?"


    "No way, don''t tell me there are people who don''t know STOS stands for ThestarsOS."


    "Nowadays, every Tom, Dick, and Harry are developing infotainment systems and putting them in electric cars¡ªeven saving their cremation money."


    "I agree that Tom, Dick, and Harry shouldn''t develop infotainment systems, but you''re wrong about electric cars¡ªthat is a totally ''pants-down'' car."


    "Range extender hybrid technology sounds good, but it''s just using gasoline to generate electricity which then powers the car, and the equipment that generates electricity from gasoline is called a range extender." sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I''m really curious if there''s a way to skip the range extender and directly drive the car with gasoline?"


    "Ha ha ha~ Is it something that, once you put it into the tank, the car can run?"


    "Can it also be divided into 92, 95, and 98?"


    "Can it be divided into manual, semi-automatic, and automatic?"


    "Stop being sarcastic, the range extender isn''t that bad¡ªit does improve fuel efficiency. The claimed fuel consumption figures of 6.8-9.6L/100km have to be true."


    The Le Xiang OEN, equipped with a range-extender hybrid system, became the center of online discussions once its fuel consumption data was publicized.


    A mid-to-large size SUV that can achieve 6.8-9.6L per hundred kilometers is bound to sell well; after all, a fridge, a flat-screen TV, and a large sofa are the dream vehicles for married men and travel enthusiasts.


    The only requirement is that it can''t be a laughingstock.


    Netizens were fervently discussing, but the buzz was there, and the goal of Le Xiang''s new product launch was achieved.


    After all, it would be a year and a half before the official presale, so it was important to leave an impression with the public, good or bad, so that it wouldn''t be mistaken for a no-name car when the time came.


    Li Bing was extremely envious, as their own EP9 launch hadn''t even made a splash.


    Sports cars might earn you prestige, but if you want to make money, you have to develop SUVs.


    After the meeting, he hurried off, his desire to advance the release of the NIO ES8 stronger than ever.


    Meanwhile, Li Xiang convened the shareholders of Le Xiang, outlining the plans for the future, aiming to start production by the end of next year.


    He was also hinting that it was time to invest more money.


    Car manufacturing is costly. Despite not having done much and not having even built a production base yet, 600 million US dollars had already been spent.


    This time, the plan was to raise 450 million US dollars in one go, which should last until the OEN officially started production.


    Zhang Ying pondered for a long time before turning to Lu Liang and asking, "Mr. Lu, what do you think?"


    "Should we finance or follow on with additional investment?" Lu Liang asked with a nonchalant smile.


    Le Xiang may become the first new-energy automotive company among the three major players¡ªWeiliao¡ªto start mass production.


    Ningde Era is destined to break through a market value of a trillion dollars, and the new-energy market is forming a scale. No matter the amount, he is willing to make a follow-on investment.


    Li Xiang was overjoyed, quickly saying, "Mr. Lu, we plan to offer up 15% of our equity for financing this time."


    Lu Liang asked with a smile, "Mr. Zhang, Mr. Wang, if you''re not interested, how about Tianxing takes the lead in this round of investment?"


    Zhang Ying and Wang Xing looked at each other. Everyone knew that Lu Liang had a sharp eye for investments, but market data once again proved that the future was uncertain.


    They wanted to trust Lu Liang''s judgment, but they couldn''t because they needed to be accountable to their shareholders. Unlike Tianxing, which was entirely up to Lu Liang''s decisions.


    After much thought, they both agreed, "Mr. Lu, then let Tianxing lead this round of investment."


    Tianxing invested 300 million US dollars to lead this round, holding 18.5% of Le Xiang''s equity, second only to Li Xiang''s 34%.


    This was followed by Dragon Ball''s 17.5%, Jingwei Capital''s 17.5%, and Ming Shi Capital''s 12.5%.


    That night, Lu Liang took a flight to Hang City, planning to meet with Huang Hao from Ali''s mobile division.


    Jack Ma was too busy delivering speeches around the world to pay attention to such trivial matters.


    The reason for investing in OFO was to gain political support, Lu Liang learned from Zhu Hu. Such a typical Western business mindset¡ªit was unclear if it would work in this red land, but if it did, it would pave a totally new path.


    After resting at the hotel for a night, the next day at noon, Lu Liang was invited to Ali Park.


    He met Huang Hao from the mobile division and Zhang Yong, the then COO of Ali who played a significant role in creating the Double Eleven shopping festival.


    "Mr. Lu, hello, Mr. Ma is away on business and can''t return at the moment, please forgive us," Zhang Yong greeted with a smile.


    Lu Liang, with tens of billions in funds, was no minor character. It would''ve only been polite for Old Ma to meet him personally if he had been there.


    Lu Liang smiled and exchanged pleasantries, then got straight to the point, "Mr. Zhang, Mr. Huang, has it been mentioned to you?"


    Zhang Yong nodded, "Mr. Lu, we are indeed interested in promoting the YUN system and the Hammer smartphone is a good carrier for it."


    "Pleased to do business," Lu Liang said with a smile at the corner of his mouth.


    Although Luo was the main character in this event, his consent was not required for this decision.


    In just a few words, the fate of Luo and his Hammer Technology was decided by them.

 Chapter 231 - 230: Comprehensive Ban

    This day, Luo Yonghao would never forget.


    Even after ten or twenty years, the mere thought of it would send chills down his spine.


    That morning, as soon as he arrived at the office, before he even had time to warm his seat, a group of people marched into his office.


    "Yaowen, don''t tell me the system crashed."


    Luo Yonghao joked with a smile. Even though the company''s account was empty and a handful of ignorant people online were spreading rumors of bankruptcy, a charismatic leader needed to face everything with a positive, optimistic, and cheerful demeanor.


    If even he, was constantly frowning, then the company wasn''t far from truly hitting rock bottom.


    He must have confidence to instill confidence in his employees.


    Zheng Yaowen spoke solemnly: "Mr. Luo, the system is fine, and the new version is expected to launch on schedule next Tuesday."


    "What''s the matter then?"


    Luo was puzzled. The seventeen people in front of him were all key members of the system development team, and he suddenly had a bad feeling.


    The next second, Murphy''s Law took effect; what he feared most plopped onto the desk¡ªseventeen resignation letters, neatly arranged.


    Luo''s face turned grim: "Old Zheng, can''t you give me some more time? The company will be receiving an investment of five hundred million soon."


    Although they hadn''t paid salaries for three months, both Suning and Tianfu Municipal had already expressed their intention to invest in Hammer.


    At this time, so many people resigning could lead to a failed loan review and the complete collapse of the company.


    Several people looked at each other. Zheng Yaowen, with a guilty expression, spoke first: "Mr. Luo, I''m sorry, you know my situation. Both of my children just started elementary school."


    He was adamant, and others followed suit: "Mr. Luo, I''m sorry, as you know, I live paycheck to paycheck. Without a few months'' salary, I really can''t hold on."


    "Mr. Luo, you know I just got married and just bought a house. I have to pay over thirty thousand a month in mortgage."


    "Mr. Luo, I''m sorry¡­"


    One by one, they all had their compelling reasons, but the resolve in their attitudes was decisive, seeming beyond persuasion as if resignation was inevitable, even if it meant walking out.


    "Who is it? Byte, Meizu, or Xiaomi?"


    Luo''s face grew darker¡ªhe wasn''t a fool.


    If it had been just one or two people resigning, maybe they were genuinely unable to persevere and couldn''t accompany the company through the low ebb.


    But seventeen key members of the development team leaving indicated that someone was poaching aggressively.


    The intent behind such an act was malevolent, aiming to completely strip Hammer Technology of its engineers.


    Everyone was silent; Zheng Yaowen sighed, "Mr. Luo, let''s not ask about it, and part ways amicably."


    They were bound by contracts and couldn''t reveal it.


    The other party was immensely powerful.


    Although Luo didn''t know why they were targeting Hammer, it was evidently a force he couldn''t resist.


    A stifled frustration built up in Luo''s chest, eager to know who the authoritative and aggressive poacher was who didn''t even allow others to speak.


    He inquired, "Do you really have to go? Is your mind made up?"


    Luo couldn''t hold them back with a contract since the company hadn''t paid salaries for months, already breaching the terms.


    They wanted to leave, and they didn''t even need his permission.


    "Yes."


    Led by Zheng Yaowen, the group had determined looks.


    Even if Luo hadn''t exaggerated, and the five hundred million in loan funds had been received on time, they had already decided to leave.


    Because the inviting company had immense potential¡ªsaying it sat on a mountain of gold and silver was not an exaggeration. In comparison, Hammer was like a mayfly viewing the sky, a frog in a well gazing at the moon.


    Rather than staying with Hammer, waiting for an uncertain future, they preferred to pursue a brighter financial prospect.


    The new company offered significantly superior benefits and had signed a three-year guarantee against salary cuts or layoffs; they had to consider whether this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.


    Luo remained silent for a long while, his gaze sweeping over everyone. The older ones met his eyes unflinchingly, while the younger ones looked down in shame.


    "The rain falls, and a woman marries; if salaries can''t be paid, employees will leave. How could he possibly stop them?"


    All Luo could do was play the pity card, heaving a weary sigh: "If you want to leave, then go. Even if Hammer is no more, as long as I''m still here, I''ll make sure to pay you the salaries you''re owed for these months."


    After speaking, he paused intentionally, but only received thank-you''s and no response like he had imagined.


    Luo remained silent, solemnly signing and stamping the seventeen contracts, officially releasing them from their employment agreements.


    The employees were reluctant, yet no one spoke out. Each of them collected their contract, bowed deeply, and then departed.


    If anyone were to ask, they would definitely say, "We loved Luo, we were devoted Luo''s fans."


    But if given a second chance, they would still choose to resign.


    Talking about money hurts relationships, but talking about relationships hurts money.


    People work to earn money; otherwise, who would want to endure this forced labor.


    Companies that only talk about feelings and ignore money are nothing but hooligans.


    Until the last person had left, the office was filled with crackling sounds.


    After a while, Luo vented his emotions and sat atop the ruin, gasping for breath.


    Suddenly, there was a knock at the door.


    His voice grave, he said, "Come in."


    The assistant, looking at the debris everywhere, spoke bravely, "Mr. Luo, Jingfang Technology and Hongxing Communication are taking us to court again."


    Luo exhaled a murky breath, forcibly suppressing his blood pressure, "What did Mr. Duan from Jingfang and Mr. You from Hongxing say?"


    "The assistants of Mr. Duan and Mr. You didn''t pick up the phone; they told us to contact our lawyer directly," the assistant said, looking displeased.


    Jingfang Technology and Hongxing Communication were two major suppliers of Hammer Technology, currently owed a total of 185 million yuan by them.


    Previously, lawsuits could always be discussed; as long as some part was cleared first, they would withdraw the lawsuit.


    But this time, their attitude was unprecedentedly resolute, refusing even an out-of-court settlement as if they wouldn''t rest until the court enforced judgment on Hammer Technology. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "There''s more," the assistant hesitated.


    Luo gave a wry smile and looked up, "Go ahead and say everything, I can still handle it."


    Hesitantly, the assistant said, "ICBC is also urging you to quickly pay back the 12.05 million yuan for the second phase."


    This year, the company''s financial situation was very bad, and Luo had also signed a personal unsecured guarantee totaling 125 million yuan.


    According to the loan agreement, even if the company went bankrupt, it had to be repaid, and ICBC, concerned about risk control, also required Luo and his wife to sign.


    "I understand, you can leave now."


    After the assistant left, Luo''s expression turned heavy, his agitated emotions gradually calmed, and he understood that he had been betrayed.


    Otherwise, employees wouldn''t resign, suppliers wouldn''t be so resolute, and banks wouldn''t rush to demand repayments.


    Though this year was indeed difficult for Hammer Technology and rumors of bankruptcy or acquisition had surfaced multiple times,


    there was always room for maneuver; blustering could buy some time because those in debt were always in charge.


    But this time, clouds suddenly gathered overhead, and a storm seemed imminent; Hammer was like a solitary leaf on the vast ocean, ready to be engulfed at any moment.


    Luo pondered for a long time and dialed Zhu Hu''s number, "Mr. Zhu, are you busy?"


    "Actually, the company''s funds are a bit tight recently."


    "Oh, okay, okay; then I won''t bother you."


    Luo smiled bitterly. As soon as he mentioned needing money, Zhu Hu directly showed disinterest and reminded him about the 70 million yuan financing.


    This money had also been secured under a personal agreement, requiring repayment to Golden Sand River even if Hammer later filed for bankruptcy.


    Luo then called Zhang Yiming from Byte, who was slightly more tactful, explaining that Douyin was focusing on international market expansion and couldn''t allocate funds temporarily.


    He thought of Ali''s Huang Hao, pondered for a long time, and finally decided to first contact Shen Peng from Redwood to see if he had any investment interest.


    Ali''s ambition was known to all.


    He had already pledged 27.84% of the shares; if he went to Ali now, Hammer would eventually be owned by the Ma family.


    It was a last resort Luo truly did not want to seek Ali''s help, especially since he knew that Meizu''s new flagship was using the Boundaryless, and Ali''s YUN system was looking for a new host.


    When Shen Peng tactfully declined, Luo''s mood sank to rock bottom; even when he invited investment at a very low price, the other party still refused.


    "Who is it?" Luo felt a chill, an invisible pressure engulfing him from all directions, nearly suffocating him.


    Those invisible hands were like a signal jammer, preventing anyone from extending a helping hand to them.


    After pondering for long, holding on to his last shred of hope, Luo contacted Suning''s Zhang Zuofeng, "Mr. Zhang, hello."


    After pondering, Zhang Zuofeng sighed, "Mr. Luo, you should contact Ali."


    He had just received a message from their financial backer, instructing them not to invest in Hammer. Last August, Ali had invested 28.2 billion yuan and became the second largest shareholder of Suning.


    "Alright, thank you for the reminder, Mr. Zhang."


    Luo''s face turned pale; the situation he feared most had still happened¡ªhe was being targeted by Ali.


    He realized that only Ali had the power to orchestrate a comprehensive blockade against them.

 Chapter 232 - 231: The Underworld Hall Press Conference

    "Mr. Zhang, how long do you think it''ll be before Mr. Luo comes calling for help?"


    At Hang City Xixi Resort Hotel, nestled deep in the wetlands, Lu Liang''s lips curled into a smile as he and Zhang Yong enjoyed their tea and incense, speaking freely and laughing heartily.


    That day, the various predicaments faced by Old Luo and Hammer was largely the result of their own orchestration.


    Golden Sand River and Byte were orchestrated by Lu Liang, while Redwood, Suning, and Tianfu Municipal were handled by Zhang Yong.


    Old Luo should feel honored, Tianxing''s money, Ali''s power, both companies taking turns attending to him.


    Such fortune was not something everyone could come upon.


    With an air of calm, Zhang Yong replied with a light smile, "Mr. Lu, in less than a week, the dust will settle."


    They had prepared Hammer''s asset distribution together, Tianxing would take over the system patents, and the rest would belong to Ali.


    Hammer had about 1.255 billion in debt, with Old Luo personally shouldering around 225 million.


    The company''s assets could probably sell for 700-800 million, mainly because of a plot of land in Tianfu that was quite valuable.


    The remaining 200 million in debt, if Old Luo took it on, Hammer would continue; if not, Hammer would be swept into the dustbin of history.


    Of course, he could also run away, provided he could make it out.


    "Then let''s await the good news."


    After saying goodbye to Zhang Yong, Lu Liang took the high-speed train back to Modu, concluding his week-long business trip.


    Yesterday, he learned in the group chat that his parents had finished their trip to Modu and had taken the high-speed train back to their hometown at noon.


    Before leaving, the elders specially instructed Lu Liang, implying, in every possible way, their satisfaction with Su Wanyu as a daughter-in-law.


    It seemed his mother had even binge-watched a lot of Hong Kong and Taiwanese dramas, going so far as to assert that getting married didn''t matter, to "first cook rice to make it mature."


    "Li, such a nice girl, if you let her slip away, you''ll surely regret it for the rest of your life," his mother said with great conviction.


    Initially, because Su Wanyu was beautiful, they carried the stereotype that beautiful girls were not good at managing a household.


    However, after spending a few days together, their impression of Su Wanyu improved significantly.


    Well-educated, gentle and understanding, with a kind temperament, and a graduate of a prestigious university, she was just like the paragon of virtue and grace described in ancient times.


    "Yu''s personality might not stand out, but that''s also her strength; even if we have wealth aplenty, life eventually returns to simplicity."


    Even Lu Tiechui approached Lu Liang for a one-on-one chat, speaking with the tone of someone who had seen all the vicissitudes of life, and seemed to guess that his son was a bit flamboyant and had trouble settling down.


    He pointedly reminded him not to miss out on a good girl.


    At six in the evening, Lu Liang returned to Scholarly Splendor.


    Su Wanyu''s face lit up with joy, she quickly set down her book and threw her arms around Lu Liang''s neck, "I saw you at the press conference."


    She had also followed the release of the new Li Xiang car, and at the time, many online said that Lu Liang developing a car system was overreaching.


    She was really upset, but there were too many people, and she couldn''t argue with them all.


    "Though millions oppose me, I shall prevail~" Lu Liang boasted arrogantly, then suddenly changing his tune, he raised an eyebrow and asked, "Handsome or not?"


    "Super handsome," Su Wanyu replied with a radiant smile. She really thought Lu Liang was very attractive, a charm that was uniquely handsome.


    Lu Liang smiled, embracing his beloved, letting Su Wanyu play with his fingers, enjoying the warmth of the moment.


    No one knows a son better than his father, and although Old Tiechui was usually silent, whenever he spoke, he always touched the soul.


    He hadn''t had his fill of fun, and he didn''t know if he ever would, but that didn''t prevent him from keeping a path to simplicity open for himself.


    Suddenly, Lu Liang pinched Su Wanyu''s chin and selectively shared his parents'' advice, aggressively interrogating, "Tell me, what kind of enchanting soup did you feed them?"


    "Did uncle and aunt really say that?" Su Wanyu''s eyes widened with joy spilling over.


    "They nearly praised you as a woman so rare¡ª''for such a beauty is not often found in this world.''"


    "I''m not that good though~"


    "What, feeling ''fat'' and out of breath?"


    "Can you really tell?"


    Su Wanyu became alarmed and quickly tightened her abdomen.


    She had maintained her figure for a long time, standing at 170cm, floating around 100 pounds. But since meeting Lu Liang, she had gained over eight pounds in a little over a year, and now she even almost had a little belly.


    Suddenly, a pair of wicked hands split into two fronts, one sneakily attacking the armpit, making her deflate and relax her abdomen, while the other hand grabbed the flesh on her belly.


    Gently kneading, Lu Liang said with a grin, "A bit of flesh here, feels quite comfortable."


    He remembered Zhang Tian''ai, still feeling a twinge of pain three inches below his navel, and thinking that Su Wanyu wasn''t a star, gaining another ten pounds would be perfect.


    "Ten pounds? That would be almost 120 then."


    Su Wanyu appeared indignantly offended and decided to start working out; at least she couldn''t afford to gain any more weight.


    "Let''s talk about it tomorrow, I''m starving~ Just got back from Hang City, haven''t eaten anything since noon." Lu Liang''s lips curved upward, revealing a faint mischievous smile.


    "You should have said something earlier when you got back."


    Su Wanyu glared at him, then scurried into the kitchen like a worried mother, rushing to prepare something for Lu Liang to eat.


    ... S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In the following days, bankruptcy rumors about Hammer Technology kept surfacing online, but nobody really took them seriously.


    After all, Mr. Luo was considered a tough survivor in the modern business world, having launched the M1 at the beginning of the year due to the arrival of the era of short videos.


    When the market feedback wasn''t good, there were constant rumors of bankruptcy and acquisition, but Mr. Luo always managed to stand tall.


    However, this time, it seemed to be real.


    On September 11th, the Tesla Model 3 launch was imminent.


    Suddenly, Hammer announced they would hold a press conference and granted live streaming rights to Douyin, opting for an online broadcast.


    Mr. Luo didn''t choose the morning or the more common afternoon time slots, but rather the traffic-heavy eight o''clock in the evening.


    The backdrop featured black letters on a white background, displaying a message.


    [Perhaps the most heart-wrenching press conference in history]


    Mr. Luo walked up to the podium with a solemn expression, clad in his classic black shirt, as if paying tribute to something.


    With its funerary style, as soon as he appeared on stage, he shot to the top of the internet search rankings, attracting millions of online viewers.


    A self-proclaimed heir to the Steve Jobs legacy, who boasted about acquiring Apple, this Joker garnered emotional responses from many, who constantly monitored Hammer''s latest moves.


    "Today, there''s no new product launch, and I see no need to proceed with the planned release of the Nut phone."


    Mr. Luo sported a smile, his lips curling upwards, displaying an ostensibly carefree grin, yet it was laced with bitterness and unspoken sorrow.


    Zheng Yaowen refused to tell him who had poached them, but that didn''t mean he had no way to find out.


    After having people investigate for two days, Mr. Luo found that the seventeen poached employees had all visited the SOHO Building on the 15th floor in Zhongguang Village.


    Further investigation revealed that Block B of the 15th floor, which had been vacant for a long time, had just been occupied by a company.


    This company, with deep pockets, had leased more than 2,800 square meters of office space all at once, and its name was Tianxing Technology.


    When he first heard the news, Mr. Luo felt like he had fallen into an ice cellar; he hoped so much that this Tianxing was not the one he thought it was.


    Then, Hu Weiwei, the former head of Mobike, was photographed. After Mobike was acquired by Meituan, she had joined Lu Liang''s command.


    The results speak for themselves as to why Golden Sand River, ByteDance, and Redwood Capital hadn''t helped him. Everything made sense.


    Adding that Suning had advised him to work with Ali, whereas Lu Liang never showed up, the whole situation started to become clearer.


    Hammer was being targeted by Tianxing and Ali.


    A feeling of powerlessness rose in his heart.


    Hence the farewell press conference tonight.


    "Six years have passed, it''s time to hit the pause button on Hammer."


    Mr. Luo started from the establishment of Hammer Technology six years ago to setting up Hammer phones four years ago.


    Last year, Hammer was valued at 2.6 billion yuan, probably the highlight of his life, but the glory was short-lived.


    Since this year, the company''s capital chain had been extremely tight, several times to the point of breaking.


    "I tried, but it was futile, so I think this is it for now."


    "However, I believe that what doesn''t kill me will make me stronger. The journey through this worldly society is long, and we''ll meet again if it''s meant to be."


    The press conference lasted an hour and a half.


    Throughout, Mr. Luo was reminiscing about the past, talking about the hardships of starting a business over the years, without mentioning the targeting he had faced.


    He was aware that Lu Liang was a co-founder of Douyin and owned a significant share of the company, even after the merger with Watermelon.


    To curse his financier on a platform like Douyin, in front of tens of millions, would probably get him banned.


    And there was another crucial point.


    Lu Liang, this heartless bastard, was not only coveting his Hammer but was about to become his new creditor.


    Because yesterday, Mr. Luo had called Zhu Hu again, revealing Lu Liang''s name, and informed him that he knew the company had lost so many people recently because of Lu Liang''s doing.


    Upon hearing this, Zhu Hu simply stopped hiding it and told him Golden Sand River was just holding shares on behalf of Lu Liang.


    All those shares would eventually end up under Lu Liang''s name, including personal agreements signed with Mr. Luo and the transfer of debt.


    Considering Hammer Technology''s current situation, it was unlikely to meet the gambling targets set during the previous funding round with Golden Sand River.


    The 70 million would have to be repaid with interest, and the payee would now shift from Golden Sand River to Tianxing.

 Chapter 233 - 232: Products Have a Price, Sentiments are Priceless

    "Thank you..."


    Mr. Luo started to speak but suddenly choked on his words.


    Tonight''s launch event was coming to an end, and he was ready to thank the top ten donors in the live stream.


    He had spent all of last night doing calculations. Golden Sand River Venture Capital 70 million yuan, ICBC 125 million yuan; a total debt of 195 million yuan. Unless he fled the country with his family, there was no escaping it.


    This launch event was meant to be a farewell, and making some extra cash would be great, so he deliberately pretended not to know and didn''t turn off the tipping feature in the live stream.


    But Mr. Luo''s face darkened when he saw who was at the top of the list.


    Although number two on the list had donated gifts worth millions of yuan, he couldn''t bring himself to express his gratitude when he saw who was number one.


    Lu Liang had been sending gifts from the start of the event and hadn''t stopped, totaling over six million yuan in donations.


    "Could Lu Liang be one of Luo''s fans?"


    "Luo''s fans my ass, there must be something more to it."


    "You can tell by Mr. Luo''s awful expression."


    The live stream audience was buzzing with speculation.


    Mr. Luo suddenly felt deeply humiliated; he couldn''t curse, couldn''t blame anyone, yet he still had to say thank you.


    He forced a smile, "Thank you for the gifts from Lu Liang, thank you for the gifts from Chen Qiang, thank you for the gifts from Luo''s fans..." S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He quickly rattled off the names of the top ten donors and promptly went offline.


    He couldn''t stand to be in that live stream room for another second.


    It was fucking bullying!


    Lu Liang was pushing it too far!


    The live stream suddenly went black, but the speculation continued.


    Lu Liang and Mr. Luo, two people who had nothing to do with each other, how did they end up together at Mr. Luo''s farewell event? What was Lu Liang''s role in all this?


    There was too much inside information that begged for a deeper investigation.


    The curiosity of the viewers was the drive for the media.


    However, there was no need for reporters to dig deep.


    The next day, Mr. Luo sold the Hammer OS and all its patents to Tianxing Technology for 235 million yuan.


    Moreover, rumors spread that Mr. Luo was negotiating with the head of Ali Mobile Group, planning to sell all the assets of Hammer, excluding its debts, to Ali.


    "A true man faces the music. Even though the Hammer phone has failed, I will not shirk the responsibility. It''s my duty as an entrepreneur. I''m very sorry to all the users who have trusted me over the years."


    Mr. Luo boldly proclaimed on Weibo that he would retain the Hammer Technology brand and would absolutely not file for bankruptcy.


    He would also personally take on all of the company''s debts, paying for his past actions, and would not dodge any payments; he only hoped the creditors would give him some time to earn money.


    A slick apology and acceptance of responsibility resonated with fans, even more so than the entertainment industry.


    "Laugh at the jokes, not the person. Mr. Luo is a real man."


    "Mr. Luo, brave in flight; Luo''s fans forever follow."


    "Mr. Luo, we wait for your triumphant return!"


    Suddenly, Mr. Luo became the synonym for a tragic hero, attracting countless followers. Weibo followers skyrocketed by millions, and the comment section filled with comforting words.


    Ali and Tianxing, the beneficiaries, now became the two major villains forcing the tragic hero into a corner.


    Some crazy fans even stormed Lu Liang''s Weibo page, flooding the comment section.


    Little Wang, despite just trying to help with a few words, suddenly became the target of Luo''s fans'' attacks.


    It was already a public consensus that Lu Liang was addicted to causing trouble and he would absolutely not go online on Weibo unless necessary.


    Lu Liang''s fans were also calm investors, daily sheared by Old A to the point where they had no more temper left; let them curse, it''s not costing them anything.


    "You can''t take advantage and then expect not to be criticized."


    The fans of Luo were like talking into the air, with no sense of achievement. It was better to find Little Wang, the internet addict who frequently engaged in gossip.


    As expected, Little Wang couldn''t handle it.


    "Tsk tsk, finding opportunities in desperate situations."


    Upon learning Mr. Luo''s intentions, Lu Liang was amazed, his face filled with admiration.


    It wouldn''t be an exaggeration to call it the biggest marketing move of the century.


    The 70 million transferred from Golden Sand River Venture Capital to Tianxing and the 125 million loan from ICBC, these two debts wouldn''t be avoidable even if Hammer Technology went bankrupt. Mr. Luo couldn''t escape them.


    After all, he wasn''t Dai Wei, probably getting stopped by law enforcement at the airport, banned from leaving the country, and even possibly put under 24-hour surveillance.


    Mr. Luo knew this.


    Even if he declared bankruptcy, the total debt of 195 million was something he could never pay off in his working lifetime.


    So with the mentality of not worrying about lice when you''re already covered in bites, he might as well shoulder Hammer''s two to three billion in debt as well.


    After all, owing two billion or five to six billion was the same debt. If you could make two billion, making a few more billion wouldn''t be too hard.


    Why not create an image of a responsible, tragic entrepreneur? There might even be a chance to turn things around later.


    Clearly, his plan had worked.


    Phone manufacturers like Meizu and Xiaomi sent invites, offering him positions with annual salaries not less than ten million, hoping he''d come on board as a product manager.


    After all, with tragic entrepreneur Mr. Luo''s endorsement, selling a phone for an extra thousand or eighteen hundred wasn''t too much, right?


    It could also be claimed that it wasn''t the phone manufacturers making money, but money being raised to pay off Mr. Luo''s debts.


    Material goods have a price, but sentiment is priceless; all those fans of Luo couldn''t just talk the talk without showing their support, right?


    However, these invites were all declined by Mr. Luo, citing the need to wrap up Hammer Technology''s affairs.


    Though wrapping up Hammer''s operations was true, what was more important was that he wanted to wait for the best offer.


    He wanted to find an industry that allowed for sustainable development, that could help him pay off debts and enable him to make a comeback.


    That night, Lu Liang arrived at the Skyline Garden neighborhood in Xuhui.


    Before the new restrictions on lending and buying had been issued, he had actually bought three properties, two in Green City and one right here.


    The houses in Xuhui weren''t expensive; getting one for just under 14 million in cash, each average square meter costing no more than one hundred thousand.


    Lu Liang couldn''t be bothered to rent them out and wasn''t lacking money, so he simply gave the residence to the tall, leggy reporter Wang Chuting to live in.


    Whether she could change from a temporary homeowner to a permanent one would depend on her future performance.


    Previously, Lu Liang had always considered himself firmly not a leg man, but at this moment, he hesitated.


    With bottoms up and magical legs, not to mention paired with 1.2-meter long, ultra-sleek beauties.


    For a time, he became the diligent ox, relentlessly cultivating this newly plowed field.


    "Mr. Lu, you should be going to Beijing these next few days, right?"


    Afterward, though Wang Chuting was dripping with sweat, she still helped light a satisfying cigarette for Lu Liang.


    "Yes," Lu Liang slowly exhaled smoke, resting his hand on the seductive, tempting leg.


    With Hammer OS sold for 235 million, although the deal was settled, neither Hu Weiwei nor Wang Xiaofeng could make the call alone; it required him to personally make a trip to Beijing.


    "Then could you introduce me to Mr. Luo? I''d like to interview him," Wang Chuting wheedled and flirted, deploying various schemes as her ankle gently grazed Lu Liang''s leg hair.


    Since Mr. Luo had decided to take on all of Hammer''s debts, he had become the internet''s top influencer, unmatched by anyone.


    Mr. Luo was overshadowing Lu Liang, and even Tesla''s model 3 which had just gone public and announced at a price range of 363,900 to 509,900 yuan.


    The press, countless media reporters, all wanted to interview Mr. Luo to understand his thoughts and get the firsthand news.


    "Tomorrow at noon, just come with me then."


    This was a small favor, and Lu Liang agreed readily because Wang Chuting had made him very happy, so he was happy to reciprocate.

 Chapter 234 - 233: Holding Up a Sign for Tesla

    [December 11th, Tesla, $713]


    The chime rang out at dawn, and Lu Liang fell silent. If he remembered correctly, the day before yesterday Tesla''s stock price was only $368.


    Today is September 12th, less than three months, accounting for only 66 trading days, Tesla''s market value had more than doubled with an increase of over 40 billion US dollars. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He realized he had neglected Tesla for far too long. The company that could be chosen by the state and supported by the municipal government of Modu, to be thrown into the pond as a catfish, was actually the real hidden big BOSS.


    Combining this piece of information, he could reasonably deduce that Tesla''s newly released Model 3 could perhaps be a legendary car on par with the Mercedes from back in the day.


    "Mr. Lu, what''s wrong?"


    Wang Chuting was sensitive and quickly noticed the shift in Lu Liang''s emotions, stopping her ambiguous advances.


    After all, half her body was pressed against him; her 120-pound weight was certainly not light, she thought she was making him uncomfortable.


    "It''s nothing."


    Lu Liang pondered for a moment, then got up to dress: "Let me know when you get to Beijing tomorrow. Once I''m done with my work, I''ll introduce you to Luo."


    Although he had never met Luo and had even driven Hammer to the brink of bankruptcy, he was Luo''s creditor.


    Even if Luo was displeased, he had to show him some respect.


    Wang Chuting''s expression suddenly turned frantic, thinking she had done something wrong: "Are you going to leave now, this late?"


    "I''ve just thought of something, need to go to the office."


    Lu Liang''s slight smile curled, and he ran his hand over her semi-spherical body, reassuring Wang Chuting it was not about her, yet he didn''t say much more.


    This left Wang Chuting playfully pouting, secretly relieved.


    Lu Liang stepped out of the bedroom and made two phone calls, one to Fang Shiyu and one to Wen Chao.


    He asked the former to come by his residence to pick him up and requested the latter to contact Sun Yutao and Zhang Jing to go to the office and await further instructions.


    Half an hour later, Fang Shiyu hurried over by car, and when he returned, he had been promoted.


    He became the deputy chief of security. Other people would now take care of the security work; he need only concentrate on driving.


    "Haven''t rested yet?" Lu Liang glanced at the rearview mirror, where a black Mercedes closely followed behind.


    The minivan often came with four security personnel. The 12-person security team worked in three shifts.


    Fang Shiyu responded with a simple smile: "I was just about to rest."


    As Lu Liang looked out at the night view from the window, he suddenly asked, "How''s it going with that girl?"


    "Which... which girl are you talking about, bro?" Fang Shiyu''s face turned embarrassed, suddenly stumbling over his words.


    "The one from the internet." Lu Liang said impatiently.


    The advancement of communication technology had given countless young men and women a new channel for making friends.


    When he first entered society, he himself had an internet romance and naturally could tell the reason behind Fang Shiyu''s silly grin while holding his phone.


    However, Lu Liang''s own online dating experience wasn''t particularly pleasant. Although the person was indeed a woman and not a tranny, she was just a woman.


    When finally meeting in person, he had been cautious, asking Liu Mingxuan to call no matter what after three minutes.


    If the girl was attractive, he would hang up Liu Mingxuan''s call. If not, he would say he had an emergency and needed to leave.


    "It''s alright," Fang Shiyu grumbled in response.


    "How long have you been talking?"


    "Over three months."


    "How far have you progressed?"


    "What do you mean, ''how far''?"


    "Texts, voice messages, or video?"


    "Texts."


    "..."


    Lu Liang gave a look of disbelief and asked further, "How much have you spent?"


    "Not... not much."


    "Where did you meet her?"


    "Momo."


    "..."


    Lu Liang knew it must have cost a pretty penny, so he only solemnly reminded, "Since we''ve known each other for so long, it''s about time to take our relationship a step further."


    Momo was once again mocked by him and Liu Mingxuan as the "concubine selection menu," where they would open it before deciding on a place to play and pick out a favored red-card technician.


    Decent girls seldom appear on it.


    Fang Shiyu hummed an acknowledgment and parked the car in front of the building''s main entrance, "Brother, go ahead inside. I''ll find a parking space."


    Lu Liang nodded, without trying to persuade.


    Teaching people, if they don''t learn, then let events teach them, they''ll understand after one occurrence.


    Every man must go through a romantic ordeal at least once. If he gets deceived, consider it a tuition fee.


    It''s better to be cheated when you''re younger. At least you don''t have much money, the cost is limited, but the lessons last a lifetime.


    Even if tormented by love to the point of life and death, he still had his brother here, who would certainly not stand idly by.


    At 1 am, the building was brightly lit.


    Modu was a financial city, and Lujiazui even more so a financial district. This building housed numerous cross-border enterprises.


    There were people on duty around the clock, as well as people coming and going for work.


    Lu Liang took the elevator to the company on the 32nd floor, where Wen Chao, Sun Yutao, Zhang Jing, and others had been waiting for some time.


    Calling them over at this hour in the early morning, if not unexpected, meant dealing with international markets. Zhang Jing informed him that there were eight people on duty tonight.


    If more hands were needed, they could call in people right now.


    "No need," Lu Liang shook his head.


    They passed through the security gate and headed to the trading room.


    Lu Liang glanced at Tesla''s stock price, 375 US Dollars, which had risen slightly by 2.42% due to the release of a new car today.


    The increase was quite limited, as it seemed the market hadn''t yet reacted, thinking that today was just an ordinary product launch.


    Lu Liang looked at the Dow Jones Index; after a week of sideways adjustments, it was gradually regaining lost ground and once again challenging the 20,000-point level.


    The blue-chip stocks he had bottom-fished and held were all rebounding from their lows and outperforming the broader market, with an average increase of 8% to 12%.


    Lu Liang pondered for a moment, then turned to Wen Chao, asking him to pull up all the asset details. The three funds had started with a total of 6.1 billion US Dollars and had now turned into 7.315 billion US Dollars.


    Going short on the Dow, short selling, and then going long, they had profited over 1.1 billion US Dollars so far, with 1.237 billion RMB and 1.568 billion US Dollars available in the account.


    Lu Liang thought for a long time, looking at Tesla''s current market capitalization of only 42.1 billion US Dollars. They held 757 million US Dollars in stock, accounting for about 1.8% of the market''s circulating shares.


    They were already approaching the top ten of circulating shareholders. If they were to increase their investment significantly, they would unavoidably appear on the prominent shareholders'' list.


    Once they were on the major shareholder list, they were almost exposed to the institutions on Wall Street.


    However, the temptation to double their money in three months made Lu Liang unwilling to give up.


    Tesla''s trading volume was large enough to accommodate the influx of their capital.


    Lu Liang thought for a long time, and then his eyes lit up with an excellent idea.


    If he sneaked in, he might be targeted, so he decided to enter the market openly and magnanimously.


    If his funds were affected, it would be a resounding slap to the proudly proclaimed free US Stock Market.


    It would certainly have repercussions for the enterprises holding shares.


    "Buy a large amount of Tesla stock. As soon as we reach 5% of the market''s circulating shares, immediately issue a takeover announcement."


    The approach Lu Liang had in mind was to increase the investment until they reached the 5% threshold for declaring a stake.


    This would be his first stake claim in a company. Once the news spread, Tesla''s stock price would definitely surge sharply.


    When the news reached China, Tesla''s fame would grow even further. After all, if he was staking a claim in the company, what reason was there not to buy the stock?


    But for those new forces in domestic car manufacturing, it definitely meant adding insult to injury for families that were not wealthy.


    Including in his own heart, Lu Liang actually didn''t want to contribute to Tesla''s prestige, but to make money, sacrifices were necessary.


    Tesla might become a competitor in the future, but at present, it was a tool that could help him make money.


    These two points did not conflict, and a rational investor should not be swayed by emotions.


    While the benefits of declaring a stake were numerous, the only downside was having to lock up the investment for six months.


    Lu Liang decided to take a gamble; in the following three months, Tesla''s stock price would continue to soar.


    After all, with Modu''s super factory phase one completed next year and a significant increase in production capacity, he didn''t need a huge rise in stock price, at least, it wouldn''t fall too much.

 Chapter 235 - 234: Is This Also Part of His Calculations?

    The buying process went smoothly, largely because Tesla released a new car today, which greatly increased market activity.


    On the other hand, it was due to Musk, who often made outrageous statements, such as threatening to immigrate to Mars, and was hailed as the modern ''Iron Man''.


    Regardless of whether it was good or bad, much like black traffic is also traffic, it at least ensured that Tesla wouldn''t fade into obscurity in the financial market.


    Near three o''clock, Lu Liang and his team bought another 880 million US dollars'' worth of chips, and Tesla''s stock price broke through 390 dollars.


    "3.96%, continue to increase capital investment, no need to worry about exposure of the capital sources."


    Lu Liang worried that delaying could cause problems; it was best to reach a circulating share ratio of 5% before the market closed at four in the morning, triggering the reporting threshold.


    At his command, eight traders rapidly manipulated their mouse and keyboards, absorbing the market''s floating chips like sponges.


    At the same time, Wilson of the JPMorgan Fund, the second-largest shareholder of Tesla, also realized that someone was accumulating shares.


    "Buying at a high price? Who could this be?" he frowned, thinking that the positive news about Tesla should have been fully released by now.


    The other party had used over one billion dollars in funds, definitely not a nobody. Why hadn''t he received any news?


    Wilson turned to his assistant: "When will the list of the top ten circulating shareholders for Tesla come out?"


    With such a large fund investment, they would definitely make it onto the list of the top ten circulating shareholders, and he would know who was accumulating the shares.


    "We''ll have to wait until after 4 o''clock," the assistant replied.


    The other party had taken action only in the second half, so the statistics on circulating shares would only be disclosed after the market closed.


    Wilson contemplated for a while, a smile playing on his lips: "Then let''s sell at 395 dollars, take the opportunity to cash out a portion of the funds."


    JPMorgan was indeed a major player in Tesla''s success, and he personally was very optimistic about Tesla''s future, believing it could become another leading global conglomerate tech company after Microsoft and Apple.


    Holding chips long-term was the strategic goal, but that didn''t prevent them from profiting by buying low and selling high during their ownership.


    Take the JPMorgan investment team three as an example, they held Tesla chips worth 6.4 billion dollars, constituting 14.82% of the circulating shares.


    Normally, 5 billion was the untouchable base position, but the remaining 1.4 billion could be used for trading or market stabilization.


    "Who''s the kind soul giving us these chips?"


    Lu Liang was taken aback and chuckled, noticing that as they increased their investment, the stock price fell instead of rising, indicating that someone was selling off a large number of shares.


    There''s a saying, "He who plants flowers with intent, the flowers will not bloom; he who inserts willows without intent, the willows flourish."


    Initially, he had been worried they wouldn''t complete their stake acquisition tonight for fear of the long night bringing more dreams, but now it seemed he was purely overthinking.


    Approaching four o''clock, Lu Liang looked at the balance in the main account; only 320 million dollars remained, and they were just 0.58% away from reporting their stake. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Even if the sellers stopped offloading their shares, allowing the stock price to jump directly to 400 dollars, their 320 million dollars would be enough.


    Lu Liang smiled, "Pull out three people to sell Apple and Microsoft shares, free up some of the funds."


    Doubling their money in three months, buying more now would simply earn them more, and the extra earnings could help mitigate the risks of the following uncertain three months.


    If people were willing to sell low-priced chips for them to buy, Lu Liang didn''t mind buying more.


    If enough chips were sold off, Lu Liang was even willing to sell all of the Apple, Microsoft, and NVIDIA stocks.


    Even a second reporting of their stake was not out of the question.


    As the two institutions clashed, one buying and one selling, Tesla''s stock price, although hovering around 395 dollars, saw a surge in trading volume.


    If someone were to open the trading volume K-line chart at this moment, they would definitely see a super bullish line that shot straight to the sky.


    "How much did we sell?"


    "We''ve recovered 723 million dollars."


    "..."


    Wilson''s frown deepened as he watched that unknown force continue to aggressively purchase shares, with Tesla''s stock price nearly uncontrollable.


    The smile on his face gradually stiffened, and his eyes showed disbelief as he suddenly got a bad feeling.


    Could they have inadvertently sold too soon?


    That couldn''t be, right?!


    Selling too soon should only happen to individual investors.


    He was the head of JPMorgan investment group three, not someone to misjudge market trends and prematurely sell off stocks.


    Not long ago, Wilson had even spoken with Musk, and other than the new car release, there shouldn''t have been any good news in the short term.


    As they hesitated, Tesla''s stock price broke through 400 dollars per share, creating a new historical high.


    Only ten minutes remained,


    and today''s trading was about to conclude.


    Lu Liang pondered for a moment, then issued another order, "Buy as much as you can before closing at $420 a share."


    The resistance at $395 was no longer there, signifying that those selling had either run out of shares or given up on suppressing the stock price.


    His stake in Tesla was definitely positive news for the market, not to mention, a 5% increase should be expected.


    Buying at $420 or lower was guaranteed to at least break even in the short term.


    However, in the last few minutes before the close, suddenly another force entered the market, competing with them for shares.


    The stock price surged by 7.5%,


    breaking through the $420 mark.


    Lu Liang was taken aback, "Stop, let''s not buy for now."


    He roughly knew who was selling and who was buying again.


    Without any surprises, it should be Tesla''s main backer, a familiar face to Lu Liang, though they had never met in person, but had crossed swords several times¡ªComrade Wilson from JPMorgan''s Investment Group Three.


    He must have realized he''d sold too soon and was trying to remedy the situation.


    Lu Liang''s lips curled into a smile. Suddenly he really wanted to call the other party, to see what his expression was.


    Just now, at 4:03 PM, the New York Stock Exchange detected that an institution''s holdings exceeded 5%, triggering a stake disclosure reminder.


    Tesla was also set to find out who was taking a stake in them; they would then make a public announcement and reveal the details of the stake.


    "Fuck!"


    Wilson''s face darkened. He didn''t actually harbor much animosity towards Lu Liang. On the contrary, he even harbored a small amount of admiration.


    Although the Western world prides itself on civilization, the nature of the world is survival of the fittest, especially so in the capital markets.


    Lu Liang''s victory despite their efforts to shut him out was a living legend, deserving of anyone''s respect.


    Wilson had researched Lu Liang and had collected a lot of photos of him; he even had a magazine with an interview of Lu Liang by Forbes on his bedside table.


    His anger was purely because he''d missed out on the sale.


    Lu Liang held 6.58% of the shares, well above the disclosure threshold, clearly bullish on the future of Tesla.


    Wilson sighed, then his lips curved into a smile. His idol shared his view, bullish on Tesla and willing to put down a hefty sum to back it up.


    In a sense, their spirits were intertwined.


    No one could rival Lu Liang''s foresight, further proving that betting on Tesla was the right choice.


    As Tesla issued its stake disclosure announcement, revealed to be Tianxing from China.


    The news spread, causing a stir on Wall Street, as various institutions began to chatter.


    Each was sharpening their knives, already discussing how to harvest this lost lamb after the six-month lockup period.


    You forsake the path to heaven, yet break through the gateless realm of hell.


    Taking a 6.58% stake in Tesla indicated Lu Liang had invested $2.8 billion of cold, hard cash.


    Tianxing Asset Management currently has three funds, managing assets totaling about $7 billion.


    This investment accounted for 39% of their entire position.


    If they could lock up this portion of funds, even if Lu Liang wouldn''t be finished, he would be severely weakened.


    Yet, immediately someone stood up to oppose.


    Lu Liang had invested $2.8 billion in Tesla, and it would take less than 24 hours for the news to be known throughout the globe.


    If they were to break the rules of the free market, it would undoubtedly be a fatal blow to the credibility of the US Stock Market.


    Losing is one thing, but making money and not being able to leave,


    what would differentiate the US stock market from an illegal gambling den?


    "And don''t forget, behind Tesla stands the United States Energy Department and the space agency,"


    "Doing this would inevitably cause irreparable damage to Tesla''s global strategy."


    "After all, the last Tesla Gigafactory is in Modu, and Lu Liang is in Modu. If they act slyly, couldn''t Lu Liang do the same?"


    "Would Tianxing''s backers stand idly by as their capital was tied up in US stocks?"


    With these words, everyone fell silent.


    Although $2.8 billion was tantalizing, it could cost them the credibility of the US Stock Market and a potentially limitless new star company.


    This deal didn''t seem worthwhile no matter how they crunched the numbers.


    A thought emerged in everyone''s minds¡ªcould this also be part of his calculated plan?

 Chapter 236 - 235: Pride and Prejudice

    "Liangzi Makes Another Move"


    "Tianxing Acquires a Stake in Tesla"


    "With a Massive Investment of 2.8 Billion US Dollars, Tianxing Becomes Tesla''s Fourth-Largest Shareholder."


    "Golden Hand Continues to Raise the Stakes, Will New Energy Emerge from the Winter in the Second Half of the Year?"


    As dawn broke, the news of Lu Liang acquiring a stake in Tesla was circulated by major media outlets and quickly spread throughout the country.


    "Now we have yet another reason to buy a Mao Dou 3."


    "I''d like to buy one, but the half-year waiting period for delivery is just too long."


    "Next year, the first phase of Modu Puxin''s super factory will be completed, and production capacity should greatly increase."


    "Next year... in December, it''ll change to a green plate, and with that design, they dare to market it? Even dogs would shake their heads."


    Netizens were abuzz with discussion; Lu Liang''s news swayed their opinions in favor of Tesla.


    After all, it came from an American technology enterprise and was recognized by Lu Liang, plus the Mao Dou 3 wasn''t particularly expensive.


    If it''s electric, then so be it; a standard-range model with over 400 kilometers is not too bad for city driving.


    Many people had quietly changed their stereotypes and started seeing new energy as their second household car.


    Especially in big cities where it''s difficult to get a license plate, some even chose new energy vehicles as their first option.


    The burgeoning automakers saw the news, and the intensity of their group discussions rivaled that of the netizens.


    "Liangzi, you''ve supported Tesla after all."


    Although they addressed him respectfully as Mr. Lu in public, in this small three-person group chat, Lu Liang was just Liangzi.


    Li Xiang sighed, "There was no other way, given how slow the development of the new energy industry has been."


    He Xiaopeng said, "Including this sum, Tianxing has invested over 23 billion in new energy; he needs to speed up the market." sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It takes at least five years to market a new industry, and there''s no guarantee of success, but Lu Liang had investment pressure; it seemed he didn''t want to wait it out step by step.


    So he chose to support the national policy. The country introduced Tesla to act as a pike to prod the complacent small fish in the pond, stimulating some enterprises to become active and join the market competition vigorously.


    Clearly, Lu Liang was not content with the size of Tesla, the pike; he forcefully injected it with steroids, making it even stronger.


    Li Bing sighed, "Let''s hope it''s a pike and doesn''t turn into a snakehead, which has no natural predators here."


    Facing this foreign pike, the native blackfish at least had the power to fight, but the snakehead had no natural enemies in the country.


    Li Xiang said with a laugh, "Even if it''s a snakehead, there are still fishermen, and Liangzi will eventually get into the fray himself."


    Lu Liang''s intentions were well known; for new energy vehicles, the three most important components are the battery, motor, and electronic control.


    He had invested directly or indirectly in two industries, Ningde, and his self-developed vehicle machine system.


    It was almost an open secret that he would personally enter the fray eventually; the only unknown was when.


    He Xiaopeng wondered, "It''s strange, why has Liangzi never invested in me?"


    "Maybe he thinks you are quite wealthy, after all, you sold UC for 30 billion."


    "Bullfeathers, I sold UC for 30 billion, but that doesn''t mean I made 30 billion."


    Now at a high position, every word and deed of Lu Liang were scrutinized for intent through a magnifying glass.


    Tianxing''s move to acquire a stake in Tesla was commonly understood to boost the new energy market.


    No one thought he was just looking to make more money and that making a big deal out of it was a way to ensure steady profits.


    Meanwhile, Lu Liang took a high-speed train to Beijing.


    He had been busy until 5 am the prior night, hadn''t gone home, and only slept for less than three hours in his office before heading to Beijing.


    Airplane seats were uncomfortable for sleeping, and the airport was a bit far, so he canceled his flight ticket at the last minute in favor of a business class seat on the high-speed train.


    He closed his eyes on the train and, upon opening them next, found himself in Jinmen, with less than forty minutes left in the journey.


    Lu Liang washed his face, ate a dry lunch, and enjoyed a fairly tasty coffee while browsing international news.


    As he had anticipated, Wall Street institutions reluctantly welcomed him to join the Tesla family, noses pinched.


    Pu''er, Moody''s, and Fitch, the three major rating agencies, also raised Tesla''s rating to AA+ following Lu Liang''s move, which was even higher than the national credit rating of the Land of the Rising Sun.


    In the short term, the market was optimistic that Tesla''s stock price would hit 520 US dollars, and they vigorously touted the investment freedom of US stocks and Tesla''s future prospects.


    This should have been a cause for celebration, but Lu Liang wasn''t as happy as he thought he would be: "Still too weak."


    It was like the matter in the south in mid-July, which didn''t really affect the cooperation between the two countries. It wasn''t because they were particularly polite or civilized; fundamentally, it was arrogance, a looking down upon others.


    Whenever they started playing dirty,


    it meant there was a substantial threat to them.


    They could still maintain their righteous facades because Lu Liang hadn''t yet qualified to make them break the rules.


    Next stop, Beijing West Railway Station~


    Hearing the announcement, Lu Liang prepared to get off the train and spotted the film crew led by Wang Chuting, whose sexy, seductive legs were the focus of attention wherever she went, drawing sidelong glances from passersby.


    The two simply looked at each other from a distance, nodded slightly, and smiled on their faces, like familiar strangers.


    At three-thirty in the afternoon, Lu Liang arrived at the company.


    The new headquarters that Wang Xiaofeng had found for the company was on the 15th floor of Zhongguang Village SOHO building.


    Before meeting Luo, Lu Liang always had trouble distinguishing him from the short stocky guy¡ªthey looked similar to him.


    But after meeting him in person, Lu Liang realized that Luo obviously had a more pleasant appearance than the short stocky guy.


    "Mr. Luo, hello," Luo said with a smile, bowing slightly to shake hands, his smile somewhat unnatural.


    By now, he''d figured out why Hammer had caught Lu Liang''s attention. The conspiracy theories and tales of love and hatred online, all of it, were nothing but fabrications.


    The fate of Hammer was like a line from the "Three-Body Problem": "To destroy you is no loss to me." Among the market''s excellent mobile operating systems that were relatively easy to manipulate, Hammer''s was the only one.


    Lu Liang was unemotional, random, objective¡ªnot driven by hatred, purely out of necessity.


    The key was, he had sold his heart and soul and still had to beg Lu Liang to extend the buyback of the 70 million shares for a few more years.


    In this plight, the fact that he could still smile without hurling the ashtray on the table at Lu Liang''s head was extreme restraint.


    "Mr. Luo, what plans do you have moving forward?" Lu Liang said grandly, giving Luo a five-year extension.


    Luo had signed a three-year deal with Golden Sand River to sell 10 million units. If Hammer couldn''t meet its performance targets,


    after three years, they''d have to buy back the 15% stake owned by Golden Sand River at a 5% annual interest on a 70-million-dollar valuation.


    The shares of Golden Sand River were transferred to Tianxing Investment, swapped for 10% of Tianxing Technology''s equity, and the debts were transferred as well.


    Lu Liang had the authority to waive any late fees.


    "Thank you, Mr. Lu."


    Luo showed a genuinely happy smile. "Mr. Lu, have you heard about Mogu Street''s shopping guide model?"


    "I''m all ears," Lu Liang said. He knew Chen Qi from Mogu Street, having met at a city council appreciation event.


    It seemed to be a vertical e-commerce platform focused on women, but he wasn''t too familiar with the shopping guide model.


    "Taobao plans to introduce this model," Luo said with a self-deprecating laugh, feeling like he was living in the past.


    It was all about making money. He planned to join Taobao, sell goods live, and make a commission on the transactions.


    Using his own fame, he would guide potential consumers to spend, but wouldn''t be held hostage by any single brand.


    Once it scaled up, he might even force manufacturers to act or even gain the power to set the price of the goods sold.


    Live commerce was like a supermarket; the supermarket was a channel, and the channel was the ultimate power.


    Even though he, Luo, had left the tech world, he was not content. One day, he would make his comeback.


    "That''s an excellent choice."


    Lu Liang applauded. He always thought Luo was better suited to be a get-rich-quick guru; it turned out he really became one, not selling courses, but products.


    Not being tied down by platforms or single brands was indeed a wise choice, at least it offered some control.


    The products provided could be handpicked, ensuring not to ruin his reputation due to overpriced and under-equipped goods.


    Who knows, he might really make a turnaround, and his 70 million might still have a chance to be recovered.

 Chapter 237 - 236: Making Promises, Mr. Lu is a Professional

    After a brief conversation, Luo closed the documents and contracts. Selling Hammer''s patents was probably still about one billion RMB in debt.


    He planned to go to Hang City personally to talk with Old Ma and see if he could sell himself along with the package for a good price.


    If possible, he actually wanted to follow Dai Wei''s example and just run away, but he simply couldn''t escape.


    Dai Wei had set a bad precedent¡ªnow people like them, high-risk individuals, were under strict surveillance.


    Walking out of the reception room, Luo happened to meet Zheng Yaowen, who approached him with a smile.


    Luo was relieved, feeling some consolation that his old colleague still knew how to greet him.


    However, it was purely his own wishful thinking¡ªZheng Yaowen merely gave him a slight bow and briskly walked towards Lu Liang, all smiles, "Mr. Lu, hello, I''m Zheng Yaowen."


    Yang Zhenyuan was very famous, and Lu Liang was even more so. Although he wasn''t as lucky as Yang Zhenyuan, he wasn''t doing too badly either.


    Even if the outside world didn''t think highly of Lu Liang''s self-developed car systems, no one dared to question his ability to make money.


    Now, joining under Lu Liang''s command, he at least didn''t have to worry about living hand to mouth or being without clothes.


    Faced with Luo, Zheng Yaowen wouldn''t turn his back on him, but it was best to keep a distance from Luo in front of Lu Liang.


    He was worried that Lu Liang might misunderstand.


    From now on,


    living as a Tianxing person, dying as a Tianxing spirit.


    Luo? Hammer? Sorry, not very familiar.


    Luo''s face darkened, suddenly feeling stifled, "Mr. Lu, if there''s nothing else, I''ll be on my way."


    Lu Liang nodded with a smile, then suddenly called Luo back, who was almost at the door¡ªhe almost forgot about Wang Chuting wanting an interview.


    Luo hesitated for a long time, his expression troubled, "Mr. Lu, I''m afraid it''s not quite convenient to accept interviews right now."


    He planned to lay low for a while, feigning despair to gain his fans'' sympathy, waiting for the Taobao guide mode to go online before really making a big splash.


    Accepting an interview now would be contrary to his plan, leading to overexposure, which might diminish the anticipation when he reappeared.


    Just like real actors do not like appearing on reality shows, like Lu Liang does not like being in the public eye, it''s all the same logic.


    "No problem, I''ll just mention it to Mr. Zhang, they should also be happy to leverage Forbes to promote Taobao''s new feature."


    Lu Liang''s expression remained amiable, his tone leaving no room for refusal. What Luo thought was his own business, but Lu Liang had already promised Wang Chuting.


    Whether willing or not, since he had promised Wang Chuting, even if Luo didn''t want to go, he had to.


    Luo was silent for a long time, then forced a smile, "Oh, it''s Forbes. That might actually be okay."


    Now he was prey on the chopping block.


    To refuse, he needed to consider the consequences.


    A satisfied smile appeared on Lu Liang''s face, "Thank you, they should contact you soon."


    "Okay, Mr. Lu, if there''s nothing else, I''ll leave now."


    "Go ahead."


    Lu Liang watched Luo leave and then called over Wang Xiaofeng, Hu Weiwei, and the newly joined Zheng Yaowen.


    Zheng Yaowen was a PhD from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, having worked at Baidu, Sohu, and Hammer, with thirteen years of industry experience.


    He had participated in over ten major projects, including but not limited to the development of Baidu Maps and the Sohu search architecture.


    Four years ago, Luo invited him to join Hammer Technology as the chief architect of Hammer OS by offering him a 10% share dividend.


    "Baidu again," Lu Liang muttered.


    No wonder it stood first among the BAT giants, contributing so many talents to the industry. It''s no surprise it''s known as the Pu Huang Military Academy.


    Tianxing Technology invested one hundred million dollars, with twenty million going to the Huaqing Research Institute, leaving eighty million US dollars, equivalent to 512 million RMB.


    Acquiring Hammer along with its research department cost just 250 million RMB. After subtracting the cost of leasing office spaces and other daily expenses, there was still 255 million RMB left.


    Looking ahead, Lu Liang intended to shift his focus to Baidu¡ªthere was no reason Byte, Meituan, and Xiaomi could poach talents, but he couldn''t.


    After waiting for a while, Li Jiahui hurried over, his face full of admiration as he looked at Lu Liang. He had only made a slight suggestion, and Hammer was no more.


    In less than a month, such efficiency was terrifying, perhaps even beyond what Ali Penguin could achieve.


    The larger the enterprise, the more bloated its internal system becomes, and every important decision always required meeting after meeting.


    In one month, others might not even have completed their planning.


    Lu Liang smiled lightly, "Since everyone is here today, let''s get acquainted and use the opportunity to have a small meeting."


    He restructured again, Hu Weiwei''s position remained unchanged, Wang Xiaofeng retired after his achievements, taking the position of deputy financial director, and for the director position, he planned to appoint someone else through an external hire to prevent Mobike System from taking shape.


    The company''s chief architect position was temporarily vacant, with the deputy chiefs being Li Jiahui and Zheng Yaowen.


    The former had talent and the latter had experience; Lu Liang wasn''t sure whether talent or experience was more important.


    He decided to let them collaborate first, to transform Hammer OS into Tianxing OS and then port it to automobiles.


    Whoever was capable would become the company''s chief architect, enjoying an annual salary of fifty million dollars.


    Besides Hu Weiwei''s three-year 5% vested shares, Lu Liang did not plan to use stock incentives again, at least not for now. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Stock incentives were merely a method used by cash-strapped companies to tie down talent, or by companies at the development bottleneck, to motivate employees to break through their limits.


    Although they were just starting, they were not short of money, and preferred to use less stock rights when money could solve the issue.


    This round of adjustments had satisfied most, and Zheng Yaowen was particularly pleased, couldn''t be more satisfied.


    He thought that Lu Liang had poached him to serve as fertilizer for the new company, but now there seemed to be a chance for advancement.


    Setting aside the future stock incentives, the mere fifty million dollars annual salary laid out before him was sufficient to drive him to work tirelessly.


    Li Jiahui''s face looked grim, his heart felt uncomfortable, yet he had no choice but to accept it.


    He knew very well that his previous importance to Lu Liang was merely due to the lack of better generals from Shu, letting him take the lead.


    Now that the entire Hammer research department had joined, there were more suitable people, and he had become less important.


    Lu Liang, smiling, keenly noticed the change in Li Jiahui''s expression but did not say much.


    Then, he delegated some minor tasks, like targeting Baidu and poaching more talent from the Apollo project.


    After the meeting, Lu Liang asked Zheng Yaowen, Hu Weiwei, and Wang Xiaofeng to leave, keeping only Li Jiahui.


    He walked to the beverage station, "Jiahui, what would you like to drink?"


    "Anything," replied Li Jiahui, distracted.


    He had many things he wanted to say, but wasn''t sure how to say them appropriately.


    Lu Liang poured a glass of iced Coke, joking with a smile, "Still brooding over what I just said?"


    Li Jiahui stared directly at Lu Liang, his eyes filled with a young man''s indomitable spirit, "Yes."


    He had initially agreed to take the lead on this project, but now there was a breach of promise.


    Lu Liang suddenly found him kind of endearing, "Yaowen is different from you; after all, he''s an outsider, and there are so many of his colleagues from Hammer outside. If we don''t make him feel secure, showing him there''s hope, how can he be wholeheartedly devoted in the future?"


    "But you are different; I''ve always had high hopes for you, provided money when needed, more personnel if necessary; when have I ever treated you unfairly?"


    Li Jiahui subconsciously nodded, his stubbornness gradually turning into confusion.


    Lu Liang continued, "But you still lack experience, this is a great opportunity, learn well from Yaowen, and strive to stand on your own soon."


    Li Jiahui, still young and enclosed in his ivory tower, couldn''t be enticed by money alone; he still needed proper motivation.


    Lu Liang''s words implied a clear message, young man, I have high hopes for you, Zheng Yaowen is just a bundle of experience, the future still depends on you.


    Li Jiahui was silent for a long time, then when he looked up again, his confusion had turned to emotion, and he said solemnly, "Mr. Lu, I''m sorry."


    "Let''s skip that topic,"


    Lu Liang chuckled and patted his shoulder, "Jiahui, by mid-November, can you bring out the central control system?"


    The impact of holding signs for Tesla was still fermenting, Li Bing was getting impatient, thinking of holding the new car launch meeting earlier.


    There was still some time before mass production, but NIO hadn''t made a statement in a long time; if they didn''t make a peep, others might think they had gone bankrupt.


    After pondering for a moment, Li Jiahui nodded heavily, "Yes, I can promise you that."

 Chapter 238 - 237: Settlement of Fund Number One

    "A military order isn''t necessary, just do what you can. After all, it''s the release of a new NIO car, and there''s still some time before the pre-sales start. Don''t put too much pressure on yourself."


    Seeing the sincerity in the young man''s eyes, Lu Liang felt a twinge of guilt, but just a twinge.


    After all, he wasn''t one to make the horse run without letting it graze.


    The deputy chief''s annual salary was 8 million, even more than the company''s vice president Hu Weiwei and the financial deputy director Wang Xiaofeng.


    At nine-thirty in the evening, when the US stock market opened, Lu Liang''s influence as a Tesla shareholder began to materialize.


    Tesla''s shares surged 8.55% at the opening and continued to climb, breaking through $450, with a market capitalization firmly over 50 billion US dollars.


    Lu Liang was alone in his hotel room monitoring stocks. Zhang Tian''ai had gone to the seaside to film, and Wang Chuting was preparing to interview Luo. Tonight, he could only keep to his solitary room.


    Approaching ten o''clock, he suddenly received a call from Old Zeng of Ningde Era: "Mr. Lu, we''re planning to go public with an IPO next spring."


    Ningde''s listing application had actually been approved a while ago, but he had been holding off, wanting to wait until the market grew larger.


    But Lu Liang was making waves every day in the new energy market, and he''d even recently taken a position in Tesla, causing their stock to rise sharply.


    Wall Street''s rating agencies were also successively raising their outlook for Tesla, strongly recommending a buy and long-term hold.


    If Lu Liang could wield such influence in the US stock market, which was not his home turf, then Ningde''s share price would surely skyrocket once it was listed on the Big A.


    Lu Liang was very impressive, unbeaten to date, but if one always walks by the river, one will wet their shoes eventually; it was just a matter of when.


    Zeng Minqun couldn''t persuade the board of directors and the company''s senior managers, who were all pushing for a speedy IPO.


    They had to capitalize on the momentum, lest Lu Liang fall from his pedestal and they end up missing the boat despite rising early.


    Unable to convince them, Old Zeng himself was persuaded; Lu Liang''s influence might well compensate for market deficiencies.


    So they decided to prepare for the IPO next spring, aiming for an official listing on the Growth Enterprise Market in summer or autumn.


    Lu Liang pondered for a moment and did not object, "Let me know if you need help."


    He didn''t know when Ningde would go public, but it definitely wouldn''t be next summer or autumn.


    Although history had changed beyond recognition, the rise and strengthening of new energy were inevitable and would not change.


    Lu Liang planned to hold onto Ningde''s stocks in the long term, that wouldn''t change either.


    Early listing, late listing,


    It wouldn''t have much impact on him anyway.


    Zeng Minqun agreed, saying that on the day of the bell-ringing, Lu Liang would definitely be invited to speak on stage.


    After all, it was due to Lu Liang''s fame that Ningde had accepted his financing, and a 13.33% equity stake couldn''t be taken for granted.


    The next day, the Xiao Peng G3 had its new car release.


    He Xiaopeng was rather unfortunate; the relevant news about the new car hadn''t even had time to ferment on the internet before it was completely overshadowed by the buzz created by the spiced fish head dish.


    The Xiao Peng G3''s launch coincided with that of the Hongguang Mini.


    The Earth Light Youth Mini edition made a stunning entrance.


    With a price range of 23,900 to 38,900 yuan, it came with the assurance of a long-established company, no frills in its launch, directly going to market and pre-sale.


    The standard range was 120 kilometers, roadworthy and licensable, and they claimed they only made a profit of 69 yuan per car, which immediately caused heated discussion on the internet. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The Xiao Peng G3 was merely a concept car; whether the brand could survive until the production stage was another matter.


    But the Hongguang Mini opened its pre-sale channel straight away and promised deliveries within the next 12 weeks.


    Thus, any news about the Xiao Peng G3 was swept into the internet''s rubbish pile.


    Xiao Peng''s debut was less than ideal, and He Xiaopeng was devastated in the restroom.


    As Lu Liang had guessed, the Hongguang Mini''s top speed was capped at eighty kilometers per hour, and it couldn''t go on the highway.


    Yet that didn''t stop him from reserving a top-end version, fitted with Ningde''s Lithium Iron Phosphate battery, with a range of up to 180 kilometers.


    Lu Liang genuinely liked it and proudly displayed his order on Weibo: "An adult''s toy car, I suggest Wuling develop a convertible version."


    The first thought in everyone''s mind was, "Liangzi, when did you invest in Wuling?"


    As everyone knows, Lu Liang was addicted to advertising. He rarely came online, but when he did, it was always for a new product launch.


    The idea of him giving a free promotion was unlikely.


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but laugh at the response: "I haven''t received any business endorsements lately, I genuinely like this model from Wuling."


    Wuling also immediately cleared the air, stating there was no cooperation with Tianxing or with Lu Liang personally, but they looked forward to future collaborations.


    An unexpected boon fell from the sky, someone was endorsing their product for free, and they were sure to milk this wave of popularity.


    Suddenly, the Hongguang Mini''s sales soared, with pre-orders surpassing thirty thousand units in just an hour and a half.


    "The standard model only costs twenty-four thousand," cheaper than an Apple full product suite, and it can even use 220V household AC power, no need to install a special charging pile.


    For daily commuting, picking up kids, and short trips, it''s a good choice.


    Most importantly, driving it in the countryside isn''t embarrassing.


    Spending two hundred thousand on an electric car would make you the laughingstock of the village, not as good as a Camry or an Asia Dragon and other Japanese cars.


    But spend a bit more than twenty thousand on an upgraded version of the Hongguang Mini, and you can hit the road; people would just give you a thumbs-up and say you''re really wealthy.


    The former emphasizes practicality, the latter is a big toy; the two can''t be generalized.


    Wuling''s management received the news, overjoyed, and hurriedly ordered the production line to be changed to ensure quality and quantity, absolutely not allowing the cooked duck to fly away.


    The Hongguang Mini single model alone caused the third quarter sales volume in the new energy market to surge by 50%.


    Various established auto companies secretly cursed their luck; Wuling''s move was clearly targeting their wallets.


    Though they hadn''t gotten their hands on a real vehicle, the company''s product analysts made a price estimation report through hardware observation.


    At 23,900, each car only makes a profit of 69 Yuan; it''s really not Wuling bragging¡ªif they did the costing, it would only come out higher.


    After all, Wuling has experience making these boxy minivans; except for the battery, it''s almost a whole industry.


    It''s impossible to make a product without aiming to make money; this indicates the car has other profitable channels.


    They almost instantly thought of new energy credits, with an average of 0.68 credits per hundred kilometers.


    Taking the Hongguang Mini as an example, the standard 120 kilometers can get approximately 0.82 credits.


    With the new energy credit market price fluctuating around 2,400 Yuan, the pure profit from credits alone is 1,968 Yuan, not to mention government subsidies.


    Each car can earn a minimum of 5,000 Yuan.


    This profit, almost on par with the Earth Light.


    Leaders from FAW, GAC, BAIC, and the like made calls to SAIC''s leaders since Wuling belongs to SAIC.


    This year''s new energy targets, they are probably unable to complete; if they go by the new regulations, next year will surely see reduced production and volume.


    Regulations are rigid, but people are flexible; except for BYD, there probably isn''t an automaker that can meet the standard, and BYD isn''t a state-owned enterprise.


    When no one meets the target, it''s as if everyone has met the target.


    They can also join forces to push back against the policy, seeking a grace period or postpone settlement for a few years.


    It was agreed everyone would slack off together, but then SAIC''s Wuling secretly worked hard; where does this leave them?


    SAIC''s leaders were smug, having seen but not responded.


    He is he, they are they, who is they to them.


    When poor, huddle together for warmth; when rich, transform into reapers.


    With such a great opportunity, forget allies; even a biological father would be cut with a knife.


    Considering whether to contact BYD Wang next year to jointly raise the price of new energy credits and make a hefty profit.


    The first day''s sales hit thirty thousand; being bold, aiming for one million by year''s end, should not be too difficult.


    In this way, not only can Wuling help its parent company SAIC offset carbon credits, but it can also sell the surplus credits.


    Meanwhile, a big event happened on the Big A; Buffett announced that he would increase his stake in BYD once again.


    Since buying into BYD in 2008 with a total of 145 million shares, back then the share price was only 8.52 Yuan.


    Eight years have passed, risen to 78 Yuan per share; Buffett has not only refrained from selling but has chosen to buy an additional 45.8 million shares.


    BYD''s stock price surged to the daily limit immediately, with a massive influx of funds unable to enter, turning instead to other new energy component stocks.


    The two stock market giants from the East and the West unanimously see a bright future for the new energy market; retail investors decisively followed suit, buying aggressively.


    Upon hearing this, Lu Liang couldn''t help but sigh, "Accelerating too fast."


    With the new energy market outlook so hot, there''s no telling if it will cool down next spring.


    The chance he was hoping to buy in at the bottom seems to be slipping away.


    However, soon Lu Liang shifted his attention elsewhere.


    After wrapping up his business in Beijing and staying only one night, he hurried back to Modu non-stop because the time of one year had come to an end; Tianxing Phase One Fund was about to exit the stage of history.


    All investments were made simultaneously by three funds, so the overall return rate of Fund Number One over the past half-year wasn''t very high.


    But it was enough to beat other private equity funds, having already distributed dividends twice, with a final settlement of 126 million US Dollars.


    A 26% return rate.


    26 million US Dollars in profit, minus a 20% management fee of 5.2 million US Dollars, leaving 20.8 million US Dollars, issued to each investor along with the original investment of 50 shares.

 Chapter 239 - 238: Panda Transformation

    "This year, it went by so fast~"


    Little Wang''s face was filled with melancholy as he couldn''t resist lighting a cigar, reminiscing about the good old days.


    The first dividend was $5,728,000, the second was $326,540, and the third was $416,000.


    Though each was less than the last, the total was substantial, amounting to $9,409,400 in dividends¡ªthe principal had more than quadrupled.


    He also enjoyed a 20% management fee income, but now, as Fund No. 1 came to a close, it had vanished like smoke in the air.


    It was like a dream, so hard to let go.


    Meng Changkun couldn''t help but glare at him with a look of disgust, "Don''t waste my cigars if you can''t appreciate them."


    It was really hard for him. He had initially subscribed to seven shares, and the total profit for the year was $65,865,800.


    In RMB, that was about 421 million yuan, equivalent to the total revenue of his foreign trade company over the past three years.


    It was tragic and lamentable. Little Wang still had the chance to participate in the fourth, fifth, and sixth phases, but his own hopes were already dashed.


    Though he regretted it, if given another chance, he would make the same choice again. After all, one is often helpless in the face of worldly society.


    "Take a look everyone, if there''s no problem, then sign it."


    Lu Liang gave a faint smile. When the first phase was issued, no one believed in it, but he alone subscribed to sixteen shares.


    This time, he had retrieved $32,000,000 of principal, along with $6,656,000 in profit and $3,120,000 in management fee income.


    That was an additional $41,776,000 of available funds for his personal Tianxing Investment, with cash flow once again breaking $200 million.


    But there was still a distance from $720 million.


    Because Lu Liang wanted to get Xiaopeng car''s shares from Tianxing Assets. Initially, he spent $650 million, and now he needed at least $720 million ready.


    As long as he could transfer 13.33% of shares into his name, Lu Liang would be a future billionaire.


    Ningde Era was now valued at $35 billion, and even Old Zeng himself probably didn''t expect it could aim for a trillion in the future.


    Lu Liang''s personal investment had an 8% premium to transfer shares, and it seemed the fund''s investors wouldn''t have any objections.


    By early December, once Fund No. 2 was settled and the dividends for Fund No. 3 were issued, the capital should be just about right.


    "How could there be a problem." Little Wang smiled cheerfully, setting aside his sorrow and decisively signing his name.


    Meng Changkun didn''t think twice before signing, fully aware that Lu Liang and Little Wang probably had matters to discuss.


    "Mr. Lu, if there''s nothing else, then I''ll take my leave," he said, gathering his materials, ready to leave.


    "Take care," Lu Liang said, nodding slightly.


    Little Wang stayed silent, stroking the pure golden bull he had gifted to Lu Liang, pretending as if he saw nothing.


    If it weren''t for Lu Liang, he and Meng Changkun wouldn''t even know each other, their relationship being genuinely superficial.


    "Has Panda cooled off?" Lu Liang asked with a smile.


    He had heard from Li Manli that Panda''s funds seemed to be a bit tight lately, even delaying her signing bonus of two million for over a month.


    "Cooled off my ass, can''t you hope for something good for me?"


    Little Wang was visibly irate but couldn''t help sighing, "It probably won''t be long now."


    He felt like giving up, constantly investing without seeing any returns, unable to find a buyer to take over.


    If only he had accepted Tencent''s offer back then, now he wouldn''t be stuck in this awkward position.


    "$30 million isn''t something I can''t afford to lose; just let it die a natural death."


    Lu Liang said with a laugh, knowing that Little Wang had signed a three-year bet with Zhu Hu, which was now looking impossible to fulfill.


    Two years later, honestly losing $30 million and living comfortably as a wealthy second-generation couldn''t be more soothing.


    "How could sparrows understand the ambitions of a great swan?"


    Little Wang said proudly. Although Panda was losing money, his Pu Si Investment was consistently profitable.


    Lu Liang glanced over, too lazy to argue.


    If it weren''t for Pu Si''s investment in Tianxing Fund, his investments in those haphazard industries wouldn''t have yielded any profits.


    He almost forgot, there was also War Wolf 2. Pu Si had invested $20 million, and next year it should bring in several hundred million in profits.


    Lu Liang took a sip of his tea, clearly indicating it was time for Little Wang to leave.


    Little Wang hurriedly intervened, "Come on, let''s talk."


    "Talk about what?"


    "New energy."


    Little Wang''s eyes gleamed as Lu Liang kept raising the stakes, and Buffett held more shares in BYD again.


    The stock gods of the East and West had unexpectedly similar thoughts; both were extremely optimistic about the future of the new energy industry.


    Even if only 10% of the market share was taken from fuel vehicles, it would still be a market worth several trillions. The industry''s ceiling was far higher than live streaming, and he was also very interested.


    Panda was out of money, but that was Panda''s problem, not his, as he still had quite a bit of funds at his disposal.


    Leaving it in the bank unused was a despicable waste.


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but chuckle, turned his head, and began to sift through the filing cabinet, finding the expenditure details of NIO from the past year.


    "Take a look, how many rounds do you think you can withstand?"


    Both NIO and Li Xiang started with one hundred million dollars, and then came investing in strategic production bases worth tens of billions.


    In the past year, NIO had received $680 million in financing but now had just over ten million dollars left in their accounts.


    Li Bing too wanted to follow Li Xiang''s footsteps, release the ES8 to give an account to the investors, and then start Series B financing.


    These car companies'' spending speed frightened even Lu Liang, but the key was that every penny could be accounted for; there was no water in the numbers.


    He wouldn''t dare enter the arena without saving up tens of billions in funds.


    Little Wang?


    Forget it; Old Wang might be more apt.


    Little Wang pored over the materials with a grave expression. The more he looked, the colder he felt, and he couldn''t help but wipe the non-existent cold sweat from his forehead.


    No wonder Lu Liang looked down on Panda; the tens of millions and billions of dollars in turnover were enough to buy out Panda.


    However, after investing so much money, not even a mass-produced car was available, and profitability was even further off.


    Investors didn''t even expect the car companies to make a profit; they were all waiting for an IPO to recoup funds from the capital market.


    With a beaming face, Little Wang chimed in, "Liang, with such a big market, there must be some ancillary industries, right?"


    Manufacturing cars required too much capital, which he couldn''t afford to play with, but messing around with peripheral areas was still within his reach.


    Lu Liang suddenly asked, "How about going into electric motor R&D?"


    He had invested in batteries, developed electronic control in-house, and now he was only missing an electric motor.


    He hadn''t found a suitable candidate yet, but when it came to investing in motors, he preferred to invest whenever possible.


    Little Wang stared blankly, then pointed at his nose and asked incredulously, "Do I look like someone who can handle R&D?"


    Lu Liang was at a loss for words, "It''s about time, let''s go grab some food instead."


    "Liang~ Isn''t there an industry suitable for my transformation?" Little Wang pleaded with a melancholy expression, clinging like a woman, knowing Lu Liang was soft on persuasion rather than force.


    Lu Liang looked disgusted but annoyed beyond help, "Then transition to live stream selling."


    "Live stream selling?"


    Little Wang''s eyes suddenly lit up; live streaming was his specialty.


    Lu Liang slowly started to explain, mentioning the guide-shopping model he had heard about from Luo, commonly known as the interactive version of TV shopping.


    He also gave Little Wang Chen Qi''s contact, since Mogu Street was supposedly the first live-stream selling platform in the country.


    Taobao had even borrowed the model, and Luo wanted to make a comeback in the industry; it must have some merit.


    "It seems quite promising," Little Wang mused, suddenly thinking about suppliers. "Who should we collaborate with?"


    Panda lacked everything but anchors; the key was the source of the goods, as he needed a stable channel.


    Lu Liang replied grumpily, "Apart from Pinduoduo, who do you think would partner with Panda?"


    Taobao replicated it directly, JD was arrogant, and Pinduoduo welcomed all comers.


    [On July 26, 2018, Pinduoduo went public with a market value of $24 billion]


    A company established in April of the previous year went public in just 39 months with a market value of $24 billion.


    Lu Liang was envious, but since Pinduoduo was backed by Tencent, it didn''t lack development funds. He had received the news early but missed the earlier rounds of financing; now, he could only watch.


    "Thank you, Liang~" Little Wang suddenly had an idea, picked up Chen Qi''s business card, and left promptly.


    He planned to visit the founder of Mogu Street first and then study the model thoroughly.


    Lu Liang glared disapprovingly, "You''re like a dog, aren''t you?"


    Little Wang grinned, "We''re so familiar, do I need to buy you a meal? Should I also call a few girls to keep you company?" S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "You think you shouldn''t?" Lu Liang sighed in resignation, not in the mood to eat, and headed to Tang Caide''s office.


    He planned to ask her to recommend a suitable director to be parachuted directly into Tianxing Technology in Beijing, to avoid staffing it entirely with people from the Mobike system.


    A triangle was the most stable shape; Lu Liang formed one corner, Hu Weiwei and Wang Xiaofeng another, and another corner was needed.

 Chapter 240 - 239: The Charm of Journalism

    Beijing Tianxing Technology, owned 90% by Tianxing Investment and 10% by Golden Sand River Venture Capital.


    Although Zhu Hu seemingly doesn''t care, allowing Lu Liang to do as he pleases and to just speak up if he runs short on funds¡ªGolden Sand River will neither interfere nor inquire.


    Yet, after all, they had invested over two hundred million yuan in tangible money into the Hammer patents to acquire 10% of the shares in Tianxing Technology.


    Zhu Hu''s silence was a sign of trust and politeness.


    Lu Liang couldn''t afford to take it lightly, especially since the daily expenses at Tianxing Technology were genuinely high.


    Taking Baidu''s T5/T6 level senior technicians as an example, their original monthly salary was thirty thousand yuan, and to poach them, it had to be at least fifty thousand yuan, along with a guarantee of no salary cuts or layoffs for the next three years.


    For small project leaders above the T7/T8 level, their original annual salary was close to a million yuan. To poach them, he needed to offer at least a 50% raise and a lump sum relocation fee.


    Because those at T4 and below were mainly fresh graduates or somewhat experienced technicians, they were not currently within his consideration.


    Now, the primary task was to get the central control system out, and the training of technical reserve talents would have to wait until later.


    It could be said that the minimum monthly salary started from fifty thousand yuan, and currently, there were over forty technical staff, with ongoing increases.


    Each month, just the salary expenses amounted to over three million yuan, making having a competent chief financial officer particularly important.


    When Tang Caide learned why Lu Liang had come, she pondered for a moment, "Okay, Mr. Lu, I''ll contact some people."


    After all, she was a Ph.D. from Shangcai University and had worked at Redwood for eight years, knowing quite a few talented individuals in this field.


    But to avoid any conflict of interest, she wouldn''t make recommendations herself. Instead, she would list all the suitable candidates and let Lu Liang pick.


    As Lu Liang was about to leave, Tang Caide hastily called out, "Mr. Lu, it''s time we established our own salary system."


    After over a year of development, the staff count at Tianxing Investment and Tianxing Assets had already surpassed a hundred.


    As standardization gradually took place, an inevitable differentiation in class, akin to the T-series at Baidu, the P-series at Ali, and levels in games, was forming.


    Without a label of lv99, how could a lv0 newcomer know they were dealing with a level 99 veteran?


    Detailed rankings would provide clear recognition of salaries, positions, and privileges; this clarity would help motivate employees.


    Ordinary salaries, bonuses, and benefits could also be distributed according to rank coefficients.


    "Go ahead and arrange that, and show me when you''re done."


    Lu Liang nodded; he wasn''t opposed to the evolution of hierarchy, though every company promotes equality, true equality did not exist.


    If one day, the security guard downstairs suddenly clapped him on the shoulder with a laugh saying, "Lu is off to work again."


    Unless that person was his father, he''d probably be fired the next day for entering the door left foot first.


    After work, Lu Liang went to Skyline Garden.


    With Wang Chuting, it was like they had just met and were still in the novelty phase of a relationship, mainly because she was a journalist with broad experience and high emotional intelligence, giving them plenty to talk about.


    "Is the interview going smoothly?"


    Lu Liang took a bottle of homemade honey water out of the refrigerator.


    "It''s going alright," Wang Chuting casually grabbed a water glass, added some ice cubes, and handed it to Lu Liang.


    "Just alright? Is Luo not cooperating?" Lu Liang was surprised.


    "He''s quite cooperative, just a bit odd."


    Wang Chuting remembered the interviewing scene with Luo, and it seemed like he knew about her relationship with Lu Liang, displaying a demeanor of resentful silence.


    Lu Liang gave a slight smile, wrapped his arm around her waist, and whispered softly, "A beauty matched with a gentleman, it''s not strange to have guessed it."


    He had invited her so adamantly, and Luo was no simpleton; judging by Wang Chuting''s appearance, he probably had guessed.


    Wang Chuting grinned playfully and blinked, "Aren''t you worried about the negative impact on you?"


    Whenever Luo was interviewed, he always made veiled criticisms, frequently mentioning that an innocent man harbors no ill intentions, but unwarranted possession leads to trouble.


    The resentment almost seemed tangible; if not for Lu Liang being his creditor, he''d have cursed out loud. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "You and I, neither married, even if rumors spread, what of it?" Lu Liang was unconcerned.


    "Indeed, it''s not so great."


    Wang Chuting squinted her eyes and suddenly grinned like a sneaky cat, making a scissors gesture with her fingers, "But I snipped it a few times."


    The part of the interview with Luo was actually quite unfavorable for Lu Liang, invoking phrases like "the crime of not fighting", "weakness is the original sin", and so on.


    Although there was praise, it all seemed to pat himself on the back, claiming Hammer Technology was unmatched, only dragged down by hardware quality control and production capacity.


    Enterprises with vision were destined to shine in the future, those without it were bound to be eliminated by the market.


    Although he didn''t name names, his decision to join Taobao naturally couldn''t be a veiled criticism of Ali.


    Who he was mocking was self-evident.


    Luo was currently the hottest internet celebrity with many topics to his name. Once these contents spread, Lu Liang would likely face an onslaught from Luo''s fans.


    But she had quietly snipped a few times, blurring and even misrepresenting some of the meanings. It made it seem as if Luo was resenting fate and admiring himself lonesomely.


    With the altered content, once it got out, many would probably unfollow him or lessen their sympathy for him.


    They would think he was someone with high expectations but low abilities. Hammer''s bankruptcy seemed inevitable, not occasional and certainly not targeted.


    "Never offend a woman," Wang Chuting said triumphantly, as she dared to say bad things about her man right to her face. That''s seeking death.


    Lu Liang was speechless, "No wonder you studied journalism."


    Wang Chuting mumbled unhappily, her face full of displeasure: "I''m thinking about you like this, and you''re still mocking me?"


    "So, tell me, how should I repay you?" Lu Liang smiled, his arms embracing her waist suddenly squeezed tighter.


    Wang Chuting hummed softly, leaning on his shoulder, whispering in his ear, "Then I want to be on top."


    Thinking of that scenario, Lu Liang with his bent knees, a naughty smile appeared on his face, "That''s not impossible."


    ...


    The next day, after Hammer Technology liquidated, Luo''s first interview content spread across the internet.


    The charm of Journalism was showcased at this moment, just as Wang Chuting had envisioned.


    The content Luo expressed wasn''t under his control but entirely up to the interviewer''s wishes.


    The first part and the last part were left unedited, but why the bankruptcy and liquidation happened was blurred in the middle.


    Mainly blaming the manufacturers, then the hardware, and even the market, blaming consumers for not having enough patience.


    Everyone was wrong, only he was right.


    "It wasn''t an unjust death."


    The relevant topics surged on hot searches, the "tragically idealistic" buff had a layer brutally shaved off.


    After all, this was somewhat similar to what Feng Kuzi said, his movies weren''t garbage, the market and audiences are.


    Feng Kuzi in the entertainment industry, this might make some sense, but in the phone industry, there are numerous high-quality domestic brands.


    Fans of Xiaomi charged forward the first chance they got: "If not for Lei, there wouldn''t be thousand-yuan smartphones. What does Hammer count for?"


    "Established for 4 years, only sold three million phones, a market share of just 0.7%, how dare they say such things?"


    "Competitors are all moving to 4G, only Hammer is still on 3G, yet shamelessly claims manufacturers are just showing off."


    "Hammer phones only collapsed today, we all have an inescapable responsibility."


    Luo just woke up, saw the comments, and almost had a stroke from anger, hurriedly going online on Weibo.


    He typed a status but then deleted it, typed again but deleted again.


    Because his first thought was to curse at bastards and bitches, but if he dared to send it, he would probably be finished.


    He wanted to clarify but didn''t know how to do it.


    He certainly couldn''t tell the public that he was actually mocking Lu Liang but got misrepresented. Pointing fingers at Wang Chuting would likely drag Lu Liang into it, and that too would be a path to doom.


    Forbes is an international top finance publication, and he seemed unable to afford offending them either.


    "I''m sorry, I misspoke in the heat of the moment, just came out from the bank managing a loan extension and related matters, years of hard work went to vain, suddenly felt a bit uncomfortable."


    Luo thought hard, grinding his molars, swallowing them down his belly, nobody could be offended, and he could only carry this black pot.

 Chapter 241 - 240: Panda Online Supermarket

    Luo''s apology statement was dismissed by most netizens, except for a portion of the crystal powder fans.


    He had his own difficulties, luckily the divorce incident of Wang Bao was still providing cover, and Old Song was suspected of being involved in ''Prison Storm 4''.


    For a while, netizens rushed to support Wang Bao, the male star whose agent and spouse couldn''t dig up any dirt on.


    In late September, just before the Mid-Autumn Festival, Panda reached a collaboration with Pinduoduo and launched its live-streaming shopping section.


    The first day saw a small test from ten streamers, and the total transaction volume for goods broke through ten million in 24 hours.


    Even though they only took a 5% commission and had to split that with the guilds, ending up with only 2.5%, which is 250,000,


    it undoubtedly opened up a whole new track, and Little Wang suddenly felt he was back in the game, ready to rise again.


    Proudly, he boasted to Lu Liang, "Boss Lu, Panda''s valuation has jumped back up to 500 million dollars."


    Online shopping has transformed people''s lives, almost replacing 50% of offline store consumption; e-commerce has always been a hot competition track.


    Domestic institutions highly appraised Panda''s transformation, raising their valuations and spiking nearly 200 million dollars.


    Golden Sand River and Qihu both called to express concern and inquire if Panda was short on funds and when their next fundraising would be.


    You should know that not long ago, Little Wang was tirelessly calling them, only to be brushed off.


    From an empty house to a bustling court, all because of a small change.


    "So what?" Lu Liang, barely lifting his head, as the company was planning an upcoming team-building trip.


    With over fifty million left in their tax deduction quota for the year, they were planning to charter a plane and enjoy a few days in Sanya.


    With food and lodging at the highest standards, they allocated a preliminary spending budget of 20,000 per person, planning to spend a total of roughly eighteen million.


    Full of resentment, Little Wang grumbled, "I own 9.65% of Panda, is that not even worth a bit of happiness for you?"


    Lu Liang put away his documents and chuckled, "Well, if you decide to buy back my shares, then I''d be happy."


    The valuations given by institutions are not the same as market value; they rise and fall on a whim and are not very convincing.


    Little Wang retorted in annoyance, "Keep dreaming. I''m still waiting to cash in on your fame when we go public on NASDAQ."


    He suddenly realized that using live-streaming platforms for sales is incredibly suitable. Each streamer has fans to varying degrees. It might be difficult to persuade them to watch live-streaming and give presents,


    but using the streamer''s influence to promote the products and getting them to buy practical items is relatively easy.


    Within Panda''s guild system are over a hundred large and small guilds, and the associated streamers amount to at least ten thousand.


    The ten streamers from yesterday, who sold goods, were insignificant, with follower counts barely breaking ten thousand.


    Usually, their streaming rooms have only a hundred or to viewers, but who knew selling everyday items would be such a hit.


    Once streamers like PDD, Ruo Feng, Thomas, or Li Xiaomeng sell products, the transaction volume could easily break one hundred million.


    "Cong, you''re getting ahead of yourself," Lu Liang laughed but didn''t continue to dampen Little Wang''s spirits.


    The data provided by Little Wang were convincing; it was as if Panda had been given a second life, and going public was no longer a castle in the air.


    According to Little Wang''s new plan, Panda would no longer be called Panda Interactive Entertainment; it would be Panda Online Supermarket.


    Each product would have its dedicated promoter streamers, and Panda planned to start with thirty streaming rooms.


    Because the product linkages came from Pinduoduo, they mainly focused on daily necessities and small household appliances with high cost-performance ratios.


    They were also planning to establish a middleman platform, to put all streamers up with clear pricing.


    In the future, they might go around Pinduoduo, allowing merchants to contact them directly for product promotions.


    "How about that? Not bad, right?" Little Wang was quite proud, extremely satisfied with the plan.


    Panda intended to initiate Series C funding next week, aiming to raise one hundred million dollars first to build the basic infrastructure.


    "Indeed not bad."


    Lu Liang praised and then paused before adding, "But I suggest you keep the latter part of the plan secret. Embrace the big players when you need to, and don''t think of going solo before your wings are strong."


    Little Wang''s move was like when he was a middleman, running around tirelessly only to find a satisfactory house for his client, but then the client went behind his back to deal directly with the landlord.


    This kind of sales model could work for Panda, Douyu, Huya, and even Douyin.


    If they upset Pinduoduo, they would almost immediately stand against Tencent and could be crushed within minutes given Panda''s size.


    "That''s for sure. Besides you, I haven''t told anyone else."


    Little Wang suddenly caught on, his smile meaningful, "It seems you''re interested too?"


    Lu Liang smiled and nodded, "Indeed, a bit."


    As long as he didn''t fret over the failed Eastern Disneyland project, Panda still had a lot to offer.


    At the very least, among the top three platforms in the live streaming industry, Panda was the one with the best reputation among users.


    "I''ll give you a 20 million US Dollar share."


    Little Wang was thrilled, sweeping his hand broadly, very forthright.


    This time, the Panda plan was to get 20% of the shares by raising one hundred million dollars; 20 million was 4%.


    As Lu Liang''s shareholding increased to over 10%, he no longer needed to worry about being restrained by other capital.


    After all, who didn''t know that Lu Liang was his close Friend and Tianxing was a major player in the domestic capital market?


    "Then send me an invitation when it''s time."


    Lu Liang chuckled, though he still hadn''t received any information about Panda''s future. Judging by past experience, Panda''s fate was probably bleak, but the outcome could be changed.


    Live streaming e-commerce had brought in tens of millions in sales on the first day; if focused on this track, there might be a chance to change fate against all odds.


    He didn''t mind lending Panda a helping hand.


    "No problem."


    Like a gust of wind, Little Wang came in a hurry and left just as quickly.


    Before, his life was going nowhere, stuck without progress, but now, suddenly, life had direction, and he was all geared up to go at it full throttle.


    Perhaps, in the future, Wanda would need his support.


    Lu Liang snickered and continued to review documents.


    In the evening,


    Several buses arrived at the base of the New International Building.


    With Sun Yutao and a few duty personnel remaining at the company, Lu Liang and Tang Caide led nearly two hundred people, including family members, majestically to the airport to board the plane.


    "Ladies and gentlemen, today our company is having a team-building event, and our destination is sunny, sandy, and sea-view Sanya~"


    Chen Jinchun was thrilled, like a kid on a spring outing, holding the camera, running from the front of the queue to the back, capturing everyone''s smiling faces. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Suddenly, she came up to Lu Liang and, with a gleeful expression, said, "Mr. Lu, say hi to everyone~"


    Lu Liang smiled and waved his hand, no longer avoiding the camera, noticing it was on record mode, "Why are you alone?"


    This team-building event didn''t restrict the number of participants too much. As long as you reported in advance, boyfriends, girlfriends, wives, and children could join.


    Thus, the company''s hundred-some people became a nearly two hundred strong group, fortunately, the Boeing 747 plane had enough seats.


    "Otherwise?" Chen Jinchun asked with a smile, "Is Mr. Lu making an introduction?"


    "With so many young talents in our company, isn''t there one that catches your eye?"


    Lu Liang glanced towards his cousin, an honest and sunny hunk, and then to Wen Chao, elegant and witty with a sense of humor.


    Chen Jinchun shook her head repeatedly, then whispered, "Actually, both Shiyu and Secretary Wen already have girlfriends."


    "How did you know?"


    Lu Liang was surprised, it was obvious from Shiyu''s online romance demeanor, but he indeed didn''t know about Wen Chao having a girlfriend, as she wasn''t brought along either.


    "I guess Shiyu is probably having an online romance, and I''ve met Secretary Wen''s girlfriend on the street; she''s his high school classmate."


    Chen Jinchun was smug, familiar with the company gossip. Wen Chao didn''t bring his girlfriend, probably because, as Lu Liang''s secretary, he needed to be on standby 24 hours a day.


    It wasn''t convenient, so he didn''t bring her along.


    "You, so young, yet such a gossip, I''m afraid you''ll end up single."


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but chuckle, looking towards Wen Chao, who was discussing the itinerary with the tour guide, his fondness for him increased a notch.


    Due to the special nature of his job, it indeed wasn''t suitable for him to bring a girlfriend along for the team building.


    "If I''m single, then so be it."


    Chen Jinchun was quite upset, but facing Boss Lu, she was helpless and snorted a few times before ignoring him.


    At night, the plane took off from Pu Xin Airport, and the company''s entire staff headed to Sanya to embark on a three-day, two-night team-building retreat.

 Chapter 242 - 241: Tiered Management Fees

    The plane had just landed in Sanya, and the MGM Hotel had dispatched several buses to pick them up from Macau''s He family''s branch at Yalong Bay.


    Being friends, Lu Liang always liked to look after acquaintances; he had booked 102 rooms, the cheapest of which were the 1800 yuan sea-view rooms.


    Close to nine, they finished the hotel check-in procedures.


    With money paving the way and connections to boot, essentials like clothing, food, accommodation, and recreation were all neatly arranged.


    The most exhausting part of traveling, asking for information, was not a concern for them; the hotel assigned ten housekeepers, ten guides, and six drivers to ensure they had a smooth experience.


    Near ten, a large group, dragging kids and luggage, arrived at the hotel''s private beach for an outdoor barbecue.


    Lu Liang even changed into an outfit like Tommy from Vice City.


    Dressed in a blue beach outfit and flip-flops, aside from his slightly pale complexion, he blended in almost perfectly with the locals.


    Xiao Chen widened his eyes and secretly aimed his live-streaming phone at Lu Liang, whispering, "Folks, I''m risking my life here smuggling this footage; not too much to ask for a follow, right? Once we hit 7 million fans, I''ll eat a light bulb candy on camera for you all."


    "Holy crap, Tommy?"


    "Quick, keep Mr. Lu away from the water."


    "True to form, my idol rocks even flip-flops."


    The live stream''s viewership soared as netizens spread the word about this rare opportunity.


    It was a surprise to see such a bigshot so down-to-earth.


    Lu Liang glanced around and changed directions to where Chen Jinchun was standing. She stood up, stuttering, "Mr. Lu."


    "Are you live streaming?" Lu Liang asked curiously.


    Chen Jinchun nodded, and Lu Liang smiled, "Let me have a look."


    As soon as Lu Liang appeared on camera, the number of live viewers spiked again, with the top right corner showing 180,000 online and still rapidly increasing.


    Live streaming was just an additional feature on Douyin; Yang Zhenyuan didn''t fuss over inflated popularity metrics; essentially, what was shown online was the accurate count.


    Wanting to leave after a quick glance, Lu Liang suddenly had an idea, "Go have some barbecue; I''ll take over the stream for a while."


    "Okay." Xiao Chen was stunned and didn''t quite understand, but obediently did as instructed and handed the stream over to Lu Liang.


    "Hello, everyone, I am Lu Liang; we are currently at our company retreat." Lu Liang said, smiling broadly and appearing very relaxed in front of the camera.


    Last year, he had streamed for over a hundred hours on Douyu, and although he didn''t show his face or talk much, the process was mostly similar.


    The viewers were thrilled and eagerly asked the question they cared about the most, "Mr. Lu, is your company hiring?"


    Company retreats were common, and some large companies even held them twice a year, but chartering a flight directly to Sanya was definitely uncommon.


    Although Xiao Chen hadn''t disclosed the budget, just the private beach at Yalong Bay and the full booking at the MGM Hotel suggested that the three-day retreat cost at least ten thousand per person, and many children were seen, indicating that families could also join, a truly generous benefit.


    "Beijing''s Tianxing Technology is always hiring, and our benefits far exceed others in the industry," Lu Liang announced with a smile, sharing how to send in applications.


    He wasn''t streaming out of boredom; recruiting talent was just one aspect; there were at least two more pieces of information he wanted to reveal.


    Lu Liang, being inherently lazy, always had a motive behind his actions.


    "Damn, it''s just a promotional stunt again."


    The viewers immediately cursed and complained.


    Lu Liang grinned, deliberately correcting, "Friends, this is called being eager for talent, not a promotional stunt."


    Tianxing''s live stream session seemed to get a boost from Douyin, with the online viewership almost instantly breaking the 300,000 mark.


    Various comments flooded the screen, covering all sorts of questions, making it unnecessary for Lu Liang to prompt any.


    Even a cursory glance provided him answers he was interested in and wanted to share.


    "When will you start making cars? Let''s wait at least another year."


    "Is the Public Fund still active? Of course, it is."


    "What''s your take on contending for the White House? You look with your eyes."


    Lu Liang sipped his beer and ate barbecue, conducting a casual half-hour interview.


    He also revealed two significant updates: he would personally enter the new energy sector and hadn''t given up on public funds.


    The former isn''t particularly explosive news, as there have been rumors online, but tonight it was confirmed by the person involved.


    The latter is a major event, though. Private and public funds cannot coexist, but Lu Liang brought it up again, indicating he would give up private funds.


    This news made many people restless, and those who weren''t familiar didn''t feel comfortable asking the reason; even those close to him felt the same.


    Everyone was incredibly conflicted. The news kept spreading until it finally reached Little Wang, who has a good relationship with Lu Liang.


    "First off, it''s not me asking, whatever decision you make, just count me in, and I''ll support you blindly."


    Little Wang made a call, firstly reinforcing his trust in Lu Liang, then revealing the individuals who had entrusted him.


    He then expressed the concessions they were willing to make, stating that if Lu Liang wasn''t satisfied with the low management fees, they could be adjusted next time.


    For instance, if the profits were 100%, the management fees might increase to 30% for anything above 100%, and 35% for 150%.


    A maximum of 40%, was within their acceptable range; if not, they could discuss it further.


    But never give up on private funds. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Because public funds represent stability, but also low returns. Used to delicacies, they couldn''t swallow simple food anymore.


    Lu Liang was stunned, not expecting this windfall, and feigned contemplation. "Tell them not to worry, I won''t give up private funds."


    The establishment of a public fund wasn''t for profit, but to position in the new energy industry chain. Private funds were the constant source of cash flow; without this cash cow, his plans for car manufacturing would be indefinitely stalled. How could he possibly give up?


    "That''s settled then." Little Wang was about to hang up, but Lu Liang, smiling, invited him, "Nothing much? Come relax in Sanya for a few days."


    "No time, that bastard Chen Shaojie is copying me, and I''m going to fucking destroy him." Little Wang was uncontrollably furious.


    Panda''s live shopping segment had just been online for two days before Douyu rapidly followed suit with a project, nearly driving him mad.


    With Douyu''s technology, they could launch their platform in no more than three days; Panda needed to urgently secure its lead.


    Lu Liang chuckled. "You called it a supermarket, and it''s normal to have so many supermarkets on the street."


    "It''s normal, but I''m pissed."


    Little Wang''s face was filled with indignation, he couldn''t help rushing, "Hurry back after playing, it''s time to fund."


    If Chen Shaojie lacked sportsmanship, then he should not be pushed to kickstart the funds and poach people. His Pu Si was preparing to reenter the scene too.


    Old Wang put it well; those from Tsinghua and Beijing University are nothing compared to those who dare greatly. Fortune favors the bold.


    If all else fails, they could pull in Wanda Capital. Little Wang didn''t believe they couldn''t outdo those two platforms.


    "When did you become so spirited?" Lu Liang was surprised.


    "Previously there was no hope, but now there''s something to look forward to, I will definitely go at it full throttle."


    "I''ll be back before next Monday."


    "Just waiting for those words."


    Ending his call with Little Wang, Lu Liang joined Tang Caide, observing the crowd, singing joyously, raising their glasses.


    Xiao Chen had also ended his livestream early, taking on the role of a nursery director, playing games with a dozen kids.


    Wen Chao took over Xiao Chen''s duties, holding up the camera, capturing this beautiful scene.


    Lu Liang drank a sip of beer, smiling as he asked, "Why don''t you join them for a bit?"


    "I feel happy just watching from afar; they might be uncomfortable if I joined them."


    Tang Caide''s eyes were tender. The financial world is actually quite chaotic, sometimes even worse than the entertainment industry.


    There''s a movie called "Wolf of Wall Street" that unpacks just the tip of the industry iceberg, but their company was an exception.


    With Lu Liang''s presence, the employees were not stressed, and the funds did not have to be procured through unscrupulous means.


    She liked this company; she liked this atmosphere, and couldn''t bear to join them and break such a harmonious scene.


    In the company, after all, she always played the role of the tough one.


    "Happiness isn''t just seen, it''s felt through participation." Lu Liang led the cheer, urging Tang Caide to sing a song.


    "Mr. Tang, give us a song."


    Lu Liang waved his arms, and the crowd responded enthusiastically.


    Xiao Chen appeared to be tipsy, his face flushed red, excitedly waving and shouting, "Tang, get up here, I love you."


    Tang Caide couldn''t help but laugh and look helplessly at Lu Liang before delivering a song, "Moon Over the Lotus Pond," pushing the evening''s mood to its peak.

 Chapter 243 - 242: Haima Automobile, Chance Encounter

    The next day, everyone went to the nearby Hai Island for snorkeling and sea fishing, while Lu Liang was invited to the municipal building.


    Hai Island is quite large, only slightly smaller than Taiwan by 0.06 square kilometers, separated from the Mainland by an 18-kilometer strait.


    This strait not only separates the two places but also grants Hai Island more administrative autonomy compared to other Mainland provinces.


    Promoting the new energy industry is a significant national policy. Hai Island, due to its geographical location and high transportation costs, has relatively high oil prices. Its wind and solar industries are fairly developed, making it naturally suited for new energy development.


    Hai Island has its own automaker, Haima Automobile, but Haima has faced difficult times. The last new model they launched was the M8 in 2013, and they hadn''t introduced any new products in three years. In the past three years, the M8 had sales of only about 100,000 units.


    Without the provincial government''s continuous support, Haima would have already faltered; although they could help, they couldn''t do so indefinitely.


    It is better to teach a man to fish than to give him a fish. Until the end of last year, Li Xiang had collaborated with Lifan, and NIO had partnered with Jianghuai.


    The provincial government was deeply concerned about this lone seedling of their native industry, constantly contacting Xiao Peng, hoping to facilitate a partnership.


    It just so happened that Lu Liang was very interested in the new energy industry. He had officially decided to personally enter the field, and his company was currently engaged in team building in Sanya.


    They decisively abandoned their sole focus on He Xiaopeng and made a last-minute decision to implement a wide-net strategy. The municipal secretary was already waiting at the hotel entrance early in the morning, inviting Lu Liang to the municipal building for a discussion.


    "Haima Automobile..."


    Lu Liang showed a thoughtful expression, flipping through Haima''s information.


    Since losing the Mazda brand licensing rights ten years ago, Haima Automobile was forced to shift to self-development, subsequently launching the Fumeilai series of cars. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, their lack of R&D strength gradually became apparent; their exterior designs became increasingly non-mainstream, and their sales were consistently lukewarm.


    The 2013 M8 had a total sales volume of 118,500 units over the past three years. It can''t be denied that surviving until now was already a miracle.


    And this miracle seemed to still have a chance to continue a bit longer because the country was currently promoting the new energy industry.


    No matter how poorly Haima performed, it still had a complete automobile manufacturing production line. Although the equipment was a bit old, it was still usable, exactly what the rising new automotive forces needed.


    The investment manager beside him held his breath, absent-mindedly drinking tea and not daring to interrupt.


    If this partnership were confirmed, it would be a strategic project worth tens of billions at least. At that time, the provincial leadership would personally receive them, and he wouldn''t even have the chance to serve tea.


    In the world of officials and businessmen, although "official" comes before "businessman," it also depends on the businessman. Lu Liang, holding hundreds of billions in funds, would undoubtedly be treated with great respect wherever he went.


    "Director Gao."


    Lu Liang closed the information file, and Director Gao hurriedly responded. Lu Liang said, "To be honest, I am indeed very interested."


    Director Gao was thrilled, but then Lu Liang spoke again, "However, I will not invest; I will only acquire, delist, and privatize."


    Haima Automobile is a state-owned enterprise, established for 28 years now. It is not hard to imagine that it has all the typical issues of a state-owned enterprise.


    It''s a publicly traded company with a market value of only 5.8 billion. Lu Liang did not want to deal with all those infuriating trifles.


    If he were to take over, the first thing would be to delist and privatize, and then from top to bottom, perform a major clean-up.


    He would sweep out all those who were warming chairs, the parasites and vampires, without leaving a single one behind.


    Director Gao''s smile stiffened, and the corners of his mouth turned bitter. "Mr. Lu, Haima is, after all, a prestigious enterprise with a 28-year history."


    They had invited Mr. Lu to join their family, not to tear it apart.


    If Lu Liang acquired Haima and it continued production on Hai Island, it would indeed benefit the development of the new energy industry.


    But if he agreed, he would offend many people.


    Privatization would certainly involve removing many personnel, and those connected through nepotism would be the first to go.


    "Being around for a long time doesn''t necessarily mean strong," Lu Liang said with a smile.


    Director Gao gave an awkward smile and then said, "Mr. Lu, what do you think of our Hai Island''s business environment?"


    If they couldn''t save Haima or sell it, they would seek the next best thing¡ªinviting Lu Liang to invest and build a factory here.


    They would definitely treat him with exceptional hospitality, offering him the extraordinary treatments Tesla received in Modu and BYD in Shenzhen.


    Lu Liang pondered for a long time, then said, "Director Gao, I''ve always been very interested in the new energy industry and have invested significantly in related industries, but it''s not yet the right time for car manufacturing."


    There had been ongoing rumors online that Hai Island would soon become a free trade port, which indeed makes it suitable for developing the new energy industry.


    However, its geographical location is the biggest downside, like Li Xiang''s collaboration with Lifan to establish a factory in Su Nan, and NIO''s partnership with Jianghuai in Lu Zhou, which can radiate to the whole country from all directions.


    Hai Island is just an island; behind it lies the vast sea.


    Even with substantial support from the provincial government, it could only radiate in one direction and not flourish in multiple directions.


    After all, the other party was the director of municipal investment solicitation and had received hints from the provincial government. It was not possible to outright reject the other party''s goodwill.


    He had to be somewhat tactful, not shutting down the conversation completely,


    leaving some room for maneuver so they could still be friends the next time they met.


    Director Gao deciphered the underlying message, "Mr. Lu, next time you have an idea, please be sure to contact us."


    "Definitely, definitely."


    Throughout the afternoon, Lu Liang wandered around the municipal government area, and Director Gao also revealed a lot of insider information.


    For instance, the rumors online about the free trade port were true; there were indeed plans for it, and they would be implemented soon, just like the already-approved World New Energy Automobile Conference, which would likely be held on Hai Island.


    All these words boiled down to one thing¡ªthey knew Hai Island had a less than ideal location, inconvenient transportation, and a population not even reaching ten million.


    But the national government had never forgotten them; there was a plan to transform this place into a new energy experiment zone and create a unique national economic free trade port.


    In terms of financial industry jargon, investing now was like holding original shares with boundless potential in the future.


    Upon hearing, Lu Liang always responded very tactfully, indicating he would go back and seriously consider it.


    Director Gao did not persuade further, focusing on taking Lu Liang around for sightseeing and visits, hoping he might get some ideas.


    By nightfall, Lu Liang politely declined the dinner invitation and returned to the MGM Hotel.


    At night, Yalong Bay was bustling.


    While dining at the hotel''s restaurant, suddenly a group of people ran past the door, followed by a group carrying cameras and equipment.


    It was very noisy and disrupted the tranquil atmosphere, causing Lu Liang to frown and look toward Wen Chao, "Go ask, what''s going on?"


    After a while, Wen Chao came back with the information and answered, "Mr. Lu, they are filming a variety show."


    Lu Liang nodded in understanding and did not ask further, knowing that although they booked over a hundred rooms, they hadn''t booked the entire hotel.


    In recent years, reality shows had been very popular, especially the hit shows; filming in one place could ignite its popularity.


    The crew using the venue for shooting and promoting it for free was something no hotel would reject.


    Lu Liang dined alone, enjoying a dish unique to Hai Island; today''s planned activities included snorkeling, fishing, and camping on a deserted island.


    After noon, Tang Caide had gone with her colleagues on a yacht out at sea, leaving him alone in the hotel; hence, he found no one else to dine with.


    Soon, a petite figure dashed swiftly past him, followed by several cameramen.


    Before Lu Liang could turn to see what was happening, he only looked up to see Huang Xiaoming standing in front of him.


    "Mr. Lu..."


    Huang Xiaoming''s eyes widened, his expression dumbfounded; he was also an investor in the fund, though through Little Wang''s channel.


    He was close with Little Wang; last year, during his million-dollar wedding with Yang Tianbao, Little Wang had attended as a groomsman.


    Back then, they had discussed Lu Liang more than once. Huang Xiaoming had always admired and wished to meet Lu Liang.


    He had just never had the opportunity, and he hadn''t expected their first meeting to be under these circumstances.


    "Mr. Huang, what show are you filming?" Lu Liang smiled and nodded.


    "Mr. Lu, you can just call me Xiaoming."


    Huang Xiaoming, looking embarrassed, quickly stated, "Our show is called ''All-Out Team Up.''"


    "Have you eaten yet? Why not sit down and join me for a bit?"


    Lu Liang had never heard of it nor watched it. But he recalled, having heard from Little Wang that there was an episode with a stake from Huang Xiaoming.


    Though it was only $1 million US Dollars, not even a full share, it still made them friends.

 Chapter 244 - 243: Finally Got Hard for Once

    "Mr. Lu, maybe next time. It''s probably not convenient right now; I''m still filming."


    Huang Xiaoming looked conflicted. He really wanted to agree, after all, he could film at any time, but an opportunity to talk with Lu Liang wasn''t always available.


    However, it would be inappropriate and might give off an impression of being unprofessional and overly opportunistic.


    Lu Liang glanced at the camera and said with a light laugh, "Then, let''s do it next time."


    Huang Xiaoming nodded repeatedly, "Mr. Lu, please take your time, I''ll be leaving first."


    Lu Liang nodded and continued to dine.


    Previously, in his mind, celebrities were always surrounded by a mysterious aura, but now, although he hadn''t met many, the sense of mystery about celebrities had long since vanished.


    If he wanted, with any excuse, he could command the presence of most celebrities.


    At that moment, the female guest running ahead also sensed that something was off; logically, Huang Xiaoming was supposed to be pursuing her, but there had been no movement for a while.


    So, she turned back and walked up to Huang Xiaoming, "Xiaoming, what''s going on?"


    Huang Xiaoming looked awkward and pulled her away from where Lu Liang was dining, "Little Ju, didn''t you recognize him?"


    "Who?" Little Ju was clueless; she had been chased haphazardly and hadn''t noticed who was in the restaurant.


    "Tianxing''s Mr. Lu." Huang Xiaoming said seriously, simultaneously turning his head to instruct the crew to cut this segment out.


    Even though Lu Liang had moved from behind the scenes to the forefront, whenever he appeared in public, it was always by his own initiative.


    A rash appearance on a variety show might boost the show''s topicality, but it was unclear what Mr. Lu intended.


    They couldn''t gamble on such uncertain popularity; winning the gamble might add a topic of discussion, but losing could be a cost they couldn''t afford.


    "Mr. Lu," Little Ju was stunned, was such a prominent figure right before her eyes, and she had completely missed him?


    At the same time, as Lu Liang finished his meal and turned around, he also caught sight of Little Ju, a flicker of surprise crossing his eyes.


    He hardly recognized any modern actresses, but this one famed as a ''beauty of four thousand years'' was an exception.


    It all started because of Little Wang. With her sweet look and petite frame, Little Ju was exactly his type. For a while, like a star-struck fan, he had silently liked all her updates, yet never got any response.


    Out of scorn born from unrequited affection, he derided her online daily as a drama queen, eventually even getting blocked.


    Mr. Lu knew about this and had laughed about it for a long time, thus recognizing this rarely seen beauty.


    However, Little Ju wasn''t his type; he preferred healthy-looking girls with a bit of curves.


    Seeing Lu Liang leave, Huang Xiaoming also breathed a sigh of relief and turned to smile, "Little Ju, you have ten seconds to run, after this shot we are wrapping up."


    Reality shows are all about the show; what the audience sees is just what the crew wants to show them.


    "Thank you, Xiaoming."


    Little Ju bowed, lingeringly watching the direction Lu Liang was leaving in, the imagined scene of being flirted with never materialized.


    She felt disappointed and started to doubt her own charm.


    Mr. Lu had scheduled an SAP therapist, enjoying the night breeze and a Thai massage on the terrace, relishing this moment of tranquility.


    Three days had passed in a blink of an eye.


    The entire company staff, along with their families numbering 215 in total, had all arrived and left together.


    The arrangements were very humane; after a three-day corporate retreat, they returned right in time for a festive Mid-Autumn celebration with two days off.


    Originally, the plan was to have the three-day Mid-Autumn Festival off included for the retreat, but Mr. Lu had denied that.


    Returning from a three-day trip and resting for two days made for a better start to the new work week.


    Back at the company, each employee was handed a 2000 RMB celebration bonus, ready to joyfully welcome Mid-Autumn Festival with their families.


    This year, Mr. Lu didn''t go back but chose to spend the festive period with Su Wanyu at home.


    She was a bit socially anxious and didn''t like noisy gatherings; Lu Liang, just back from Hai Island, didn''t want to go out either.


    So, they set up an oversized recliner on the balcony, sliced some mooncakes and fruit, and quietly enjoyed the moon at home.


    The weather was perfect, the Mid-Autumn night was cloudless, and the orange-yellow moon hung high, its light exceptionally bright.


    "Tonight, the moonlight is so beautiful," Su Wanyu commented. She spoke of the moon but her gaze was on Lu Liang.


    Lu Liang gently caressed her cheek, his voice soft and tender, "The wind is also very gentle."


    Su Wanyu''s eyes curved like crescent moons as she kissed Lu Liang lightly, "With this scenery and mood, shall we have a drink?"


    "Aren''t you allergic to alcohol?"


    "How many times do I have to tell you? I''m not allergic; I just can''t hold my liquor well and I don''t get a rash or feel itchy."


    "The Chinese folks who try so hard throughout their lifetime, always undergoing desensitization treatment." Lu Liang couldn''t help but chuckle, but he didn''t persuasively stop her either. Drink slowly, drink a little, there won''t be any problem.


    Mainly because Su Wanyu looked really adorable when tipsy¡ªher skin became smoother, tender, and delicately rosy.


    She already resembled a soft, rosy little bun and, with the boost from her slightly drunken state, looked as though she''d been dusted with talcum powder.


    Lu Liang''s smile deepened playfully, but then his chin was suddenly bitten. Su Wanyu seemed to have read his mind and flushed with a mix of embarrassment and anger, "You jerk, stop imagining things."


    "So do you like it or not?"


    ...


    After the Mid-Autumn Festival, it also came time for Panda''s Series C funding.


    Little Wang, having not seen for a few days, appeared overindulged, sporting dark circles, and still needed to use concealer to cover them up.


    "This is due to overworking. You think everyone is chilling like you, all relaxed with team building and celebrating the Mid-Autumn festival."


    Little Wang bristled with resentment; Douyu''s live commerce segment had launched two days ago, and transaction volume had surged past fifty million.


    Although Panda had also reached a transaction volume of over one hundred million, other streaming platforms such as Huya and Bilibili had announced projects to follow suit.


    Suddenly, it seemed that every major online platform had discovered the method for monetizing traffic, ushering in the era of live-stream commerce.


    As the first mover in live commerce, Panda had no absolute advantage and led by a small margin, placing Lu Liang under significant pressure.


    Lu Liang smiled enigmatically, hinting at something, "We''ve barely just begun, and King and Little Wang are still watching."


    Little Wang was stunned, "Douyin is entering the market too?"


    He caught the implication¡ªKing probably referred to Kuai Shou, while Little Wang was Douyin.


    "I don''t know about Kuai Shou; Douyin is still watching."


    Lu Liang pondered, then added, "If this turns out to be the ultimate destination for traffic, do you think they''ll stay indifferent?"


    How Kuai Shou thought, he was not clear, nor could he be certain.


    But Yang Zhenyuan had long said that Douyin, once well-established, could rival Meituan, Taobao, or even WeChat, and they definitely had plans in this area.


    Little Wang frowned, clearly struggling with some frustration that seemed ready to dissipate.


    Kuai Shou, with its earlier establishment and deep heritage, was called King; due to its style, it found it difficult to penetrate the developed tier-one cities.


    Douyin was different, known as Little Wang but currently poised to sweep across the country, dominating markets from north, south, east, to west.


    Both adopted the lifestyle sharing approach, undoubtedly more suited for live-stream selling and a paradigm shift for all platforms. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lu Liang glanced over and, seeing what Little Wang was thinking, couldn''t resist teasing, "Getting cold feet again?"


    Though Little Wang was not as unbearable as netizens claimed, calling him the foolish son of a landlord,


    he indeed wasn''t cut out for business¡ªsometimes overconfident, other times despondent, his overly fickle mindset was a significant flaw.


    "How could that be? This Series C round is led by Pu Si with a forty million US Dollar investment," Little Wang declared defiantly, his gaze resolute.


    Aware of his shortcomings, he was also trying to overcome them by increasing capital investment to cut off any retreat. If he failed this time, he would gracefully accept defeat and stop striving, thereafter clinging to Lu Liang''s coattails just to collect money.


    "Not bad at all, having such awareness is also worth the twenty million US Dollars I invested to join your venture."


    Lu Liang showed a trace of gratification on his face, like seeing a usually indecisive son finally showing some backbone.


    Little Wang ground his back teeth noisily, his look fierce, "Did I not tell you never to look at me with that expression?"


    "So what?"


    Lu Liang''s smile was full-faced, displaying an air of relaxed ease.


    Little Wang took a deep breath¡ªthe world was so beautiful, yet he was so irritable; this was not good. Lifting his stiff lips, he forced a smile, "How about we find a time to go boxing?"


    He really wanted to give Lu Liang a beating, his current defiance also stemmed from being constantly mocked by him.


    "Go take care of someone else." Lu Liang laughed heartily, knowing when to stop and not to provoke Little Wang further.

 Chapter 245 - 244: Reverse Index Surges

    Panda was raising funds publicly this time.


    Pu Si planned to lead this round with forty million US dollars, partly because Little Wang was determined to go all in.


    On the other hand, the market wasn''t really buying into Panda''s valuation of five hundred million dollars.


    If three days ago, Panda had been the only player in the live streaming marketing game, a valuation of five hundred million dollars would have seen capital flocking.


    But today, three days later, Douyu had rapidly caught up with ferociously rising transaction volumes and support from Tencent Capital, causing Panda to gradually lose its first-mover advantage.


    According to Little Wang''s estimates, including the twenty million US dollars invested by Lu Liang, the total was only around sixty million US dollars. To solidify the valuation, he had to ensure a follow-up investment of forty million US dollars.


    This was why Lu Liang often said that sometimes a company''s valuation is particularly illusive and should not be used as an actual reference standard.


    Just like when Li Xiang ONE was launched, its valuation skyrocketed from two billion to three billion US dollars immediately.


    That number sounded good and looked good.


    But if Li Xiang went to a bank for a loan, he likely couldn''t borrow even one hundred million dollars because only Tianxing, Meituan, Jingwei, and Ming Shi Capital acknowledged that valuation.


    They were all co-founders of Li Xiang, and before the car company was recognized by the market, they had to keep investing money until it went public or the company''s valuation was recognized by the market.


    It was somewhat similar to the rules of trading in antiques and calligraphy.


    An item might fetch five hundred at one auction and five thousand at another.


    Before the value was recognized by the market, the sellers had to shuffle it back and forth until a willing buyer appeared.


    As long as it was hyped up through a few cycles, even a low price could be inflated, due to increasing participation and nobody wanting to be left holding the bag.


    But this was still slightly different; at least Li Xiang had development potential and wasn''t purely a capital game of musical chairs.


    Just past ten in the morning, interested investors had essentially arrived, and Little Wang, dressed in a suited smile, took the stage.


    "Before last May, the market always thought that the e-commerce platform had matured, with all the ecological niches occupied by Taobao and JD. However, Pinduoduo emerged and rewrote the e-commerce landscape."


    "There''s never been a fixed market, just a lack of the ability to sniff out opportunities."


    "Hence, Panda took the initiative to change, combining e-commerce with live streaming and greatly promoting the online guide shopping model."


    "From zero to one hundred million dollars in transactions, Taobao took two years and ten months; Pinduoduo took three months and twelve days, but Panda only took six days."


    Little Wang eloquently spoke, continuously adding glitter to Panda.


    As an industry leader, a reform pioneer, and so on.


    Old Ma once said, seeing JD rise, he was relieved because the existence of Taobao was to cultivate more companies like JD.


    This statement originated when Old Ma and Qiangzi were bantering, but that didn''t stop Little Wang from applying it to Panda.


    If Taobao was the 1.0 e-commerce model, and JD the 2.0, then Panda, with its live shopping, was the 3.0 e-commerce model.


    Blow the trumpet as one might, many words could be summed up in one sentence: five hundred million dollars, won''t buy you a loss, won''t deceive you.


    With Ali valued at two hundred and forty billion US dollars, JD at thirty-eight billion US dollars, the 3.0 e-commerce Panda was projected to have a baseline value of twenty billion US dollars in the future, now offering a forty-fold return on investment.


    "Mr. Wang''s speech does indeed have some substance, and he must have done his homework, but this model is too easy to replicate, and Douyu has more potential, with Huya and Bilibili following suit."


    "And Kuai Shou and Douyin must have noticed as well."


    Despite Wang Xiaocong''s flowery claims, the lack of interest in the subscription room showed that the investors present were not convinced.


    There''s an unspoken rule in the venture capital industry: invest in either the leader who dominates the field, or the second in line who has the potential to surpass the leader.


    Or invest in the last in line, for low investment and high returns.


    Panda being third was somewhat awkward, especially facing competitors who were both backed by Tencent.


    Under Tencent''s grand entertainment strategy, it was inevitable that the two companies would merge and go public, leading to a monopoly.


    Panda, in third, was in danger!


    It was understandable that investors were not optimistic.


    Little Wang''s expression was slightly troubled, although the round was tentatively set at sixty million, with Pu Si leading with forty million, topping up to exactly one hundred million.


    But with no competitors, apart from Lu Liang, the investors might propose some outrageous conditions.


    They might even retract at the last minute, as the rule of buying high and not chasing low is almost universal.


    Lu Liang grinned, unwilling to let his friend Cong be caught in a dilemma, and turned to instruct Wen Chao.


    Wen Chao nodded and headed straight to the subscription room.


    Being Lu Liang''s assistant, many recognized him around.


    Seeing him processing to the subscription room, the minds of the investors started buzzing.


    Wang Xiaocong and Lu Liang were friends, true, but Lu Liang was known for being a very sensible investor.


    Like in the last round, and the round before that, when Panda was facing an almost broken capital chain.


    Lu Liang, as a co-founder of Panda, firmly didn''t invest a cent, indicating business is business, despite relationships.


    And this time, he did invest.


    Lu Liang''s insight was undeniable, among so many present, no one dared to say they had a better vision than him.


    Could it show that Panda''s launch of the online guide shopping model, despite facing the huge challenges from Douyu and Huya, still had potential?


    Soon, Wen Chao walked out of the subscription room.


    The funding subscription office went from deserted to bustling, all because Lu Liang had invested.


    Upon witnessing this scene, Little Wang cast a grateful glance, though his eyes conveyed an indescribable difficulty. On stage, he had talked and talked, yet none of his words had matched the impact of Lu Liang''s simple act, filling him with frustration.


    Lu Liang patted his shoulder, smiling reassuringly, "It''s just that there was a need for a leader."


    Little Wang felt slightly better. Lu Liang''s words weren''t always hurtful; he could indeed say something nice occasionally.


    The next second, he promptly retracted that thought as Lu Liang, still smiling, said, "But being that leader is even more crucial."


    Little Wang turned grim, then quickly switched to a smile, "Indeed, being the leader is crucial."


    He repeated in his mind ten times that Lu Liang was a freak. So many bigwigs had floundered before him.


    He was nobody in comparison; just a change in perspective was enough to brighten his mood.


    Lu Liang felt a slight sadness, sighed and said, "Xiaocong, recover yourself a bit. I''m not used to this version of you."


    Wang Xiaocong gritted his teeth, his gaze unfriendly: "Are you asking to die?"


    Little Wang was joking, but Xiaocong took him seriously; after all, in his mind, Xiaocong was his junior. The founder of a company valued at five hundred million dollars¡ªsuch tolerance was beyond expectation.


    "That''s more like it," Lu Liang grinned.


    The Series C funding for Panda,


    attracted investment from twelve institutions.


    Pu Si led this round with thirty million US dollars, closely followed by Tianxing and Qihu, each investing twenty million US dollars.


    The remaining thirty million US dollars were divided among nine institutions or individual investors.


    Post the Series C funding, Tianxing''s stake in Panda rose from a diluted 8.2% to 12.2%, ranking it fourth after Little Wang, Qihu, and Pu Si, along with Golden Sand River.


    Now at an approximate investment of twenty-five million US dollars, they held a stake valued at sixty-one million dollars, seemingly more than double.


    But as always, valuation is valuation and value is value. The company has not yet listed; it''s all unreal.


    Lu Liang planned to leave, uninterested in Panda''s upcoming internal meeting; he knew all he needed to know.


    Just as he was leaving, he was stopped by the Red Robed Sect Leader.


    The 360 at the start of Go, the infamous ''3Q War,'' and even surpassing Tencent in public opinion back then. Now infamous and known as the lending King, Zhou Hongwei played no small part in it.


    "Mr. Zhou, good day."


    Lu Liang paused, chatting casually with Old Zhou.


    Seeing how bullish Lu Liang was on the new energy market, the financially robust Qihu showed interest as well. They had been discussing with Fang Yunzhou from Chery recently, planning to invest in setting up a new energy brand named Nezha, and asked Lu Liang if he was interested in investing.


    "Mr. Zhou, I''m sorry, I have no plans to invest further for now."


    Lu Liang shook his head, politely declining. NIO and Li Xiang were still in early stages with numerous expenses; investing in similar products would be too much for him.


    "That''s all right then."


    Old Zhou''s eyes flashed with disappointment. Qihu had the full capability to support Nezha alone; involving Lu Liang was merely for added security. They would welcome it, but didn''t push for it.


    360 wasn''t LeEco; they weren''t short on cash.


    That night, Lu Liang returned to the office to follow the second phase of America''s presidential race¡ª the race to the White House.


    Every time he thought about how the next leader would emerge from one of these two, he marveled at the freedom in the United States.


    One was a real estate tycoon climbing to the pinnacle of power; the other was the first female since the founding.


    Whomever it ended up being, it was bound to be full of discussion.


    To really stir things up, one had to look at America; no sound until a big bang is made.


    "Businessman, it might be difficult," Lu Liang suddenly sighed upon seeing the ''Businessman inverse index'' spike.


    The ''Businessman inverse index'' was similar to domestic A-shares focusing on new energy or AI intelligence themes¡ªa concept born specifically for businessmen.


    It included the Mexican peso and the ten-year US Treasury yield.


    The former because the businessman advocated driving out millions of illegal immigrants annually, banning illegal drugs entries, and even claimed he would build a border wall.


    Going to America and illegal drug production had become significant economic activities for Old Mexico.


    The political declarations of the businessman would clearly break both of Old Mexico''s arms, thus affecting the value of the peso.


    The ten-year US Treasury yield rises because the businessman also favored imposing import tariffs, bringing capital and industries back to the United States.


    Not all corporations and funds would embrace this; take for example an employee, earning three thousand yuan versus three thousand US dollars.


    Any sensible business knows the right choice, but they couldn''t resist, thus the capital flowed into financial markets like US Treasuries in quiet protest. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The surge in Mexican peso and stocks like the US stock market getting stronger were the market''s strongest indicators for Larry winning the debate.


    "Businessman, what do you have to win?"


    Lu Liang mumbled to himself, waiting for dawn.


    Though the businessman''s actions were somewhat extravagant, his sense of ethics and governing policies resembled a normal person, truly considering the nation and its citizens, earnest and loyal not an exaggeration.


    Yet, in this world influenced by power, his rival was supported by the husband of a former presidency, and the full support of the previous leader.


    Together, they had sixteen years of political legacy. Compared to that, the businessman had nothing but money; he was virtually empty-handed.


    The gap between the two sides was bigger even than between eight hundred thousand versus six hundred thousand.


    What did the businessman have to win? It wasn''t surprising that the market generally favored Larry to win this election.

 Chapter 246 - 245: Patriotic Sentiments

    "In this lifetime, just witnessing history."


    The sound of the midnight bell startled Lu Liang, as this year''s Black Swan events were exceptionally frequent.


    [November 9, the businessman won 304 electoral votes.]


    In America''s fifty states, each state holds different sway, some states have more votes, others have fewer, and still others cast abstention votes.


    Looking at the previous 522 votes and the 522 votes from the session before that, just surpassing 270 votes generally gives a 98% likelihood of winning the election.


    The businessman surpassing 300 votes pretty much meant a sure victory, since no election in history had reached a total of 600 votes.


    "The peso could be worth a shot, at least for the next year, US stocks will re-enter a crazy bull market."


    The ''businessman''s reverse indicator'' was Lu Liang''s forward indicator for speculation, but the businessman''s political declarations couldn''t be taken entirely at face value.


    Elections are like wooing a woman; sweet promises are made before sleeping together, but afterward, you might go from a little sweetie to Mrs. Niu.


    However, the first and the fourth year should see the fulfillment of political declarations, one acting as a role model, the other seeking re-election next term.


    All night, Lu Liang planned the direction accordingly, like betting on the peso crashing and gold soaring a month later.


    This swan wasn''t as black as Old England''s Brexit, but it was at least a grey swan with many profitable interests to be schemed.


    Both the peso and gold could be opportunities for short-term speculation while US stocks and other risk assets are worth holding in the mid to long term.


    "After finishing this deal, that should be just about it."


    Lu Liang reviewed the asset details which currently showed a total of $7.58 billion in domestic and foreign assets. The initial capital was $6 billion, and the two funds had increased by only 26% over the past six months.


    Compared to other funds, this was indeed quite a profit, even surpassing the annual total earnings of most private funds.


    But he was Lu Liang, after all, the one who made dividends of over $9 million a year on investments of $2 million.


    The settlement for the second phase was due early in December, along with the dividends for the third phase, others had high expectations of him, and he had demands of himself.


    At least before the dividends, there had to be over 50% in returns, which would make just the management fees around $500 million.


    He also then had the money to transfer the shares of Ningde.


    As dawn broke and with the second debate concluded, scandals about the businessman burst forth explosively.


    Within just one day, at least ten women had accused the businessman of sexual assault.


    The latest polls showed the businessman had only a 42% approval rating, trailing far behind Larry''s 49%.


    No one expected him to become the deciding authority in the next term.


    "Truly inspiring," Lu Liang said with a smirk upon learning this.


    Too bad he wasn''t in North America, or he would have definitely added fuel to the flames to make them burn even more fiercely.


    The greater the public opposition, the more effective the outcome once it emerged, causing more severe market fluctuations.


    Just like with Brexit, when Lu Liang stood against the whole world, he made over $1 billion overnight.


    He hoped to replicate this success, but that was only a hope, as the businessman still had a 42% approval rate.


    Unlike Brexit, which had almost a 0.1% chance of happening, yet the miracle happened, and David Cameron was just as adamant.


    The upcoming week of the national holiday saw Panda taking the lead in initiating a major battle among livestream platforms.


    Panda directly recruited two of Douyu''s ''Three Sillies'', and Huya''s Miss and Hai were poached as well.


    Little Wang leveraged his network in the entertainment industry, inviting top stars such as Chen Chichi, Lin Gou, and Huang Xiaoming to join the platform for a genuine all-star live streaming competition.


    Although it was triggered by livestream-based sales, Little Wang didn''t target this aspect directly initially; he decided to grab traffic first, expand the base, and then move onto livestream sales.


    During the national holiday, Douyu suddenly announced another investment of $150 million from Tencent, taking an offensive approach, and challenging the whole industry.


    Panda''s hosts were the first to be targeted, and Li Manli''s Mengmengda Studio also received an invitation from Douyu.


    A three-year contract with a signing fee of $6 million might have been appropriate a year ago, but this year, it was far from enough.


    "$18 million, your value has risen quite fast," Lu Liang exclaimed, almost catching up with the signing fees of second-tier stars.


    It was Douyu that made the offer to Li Manli, proposing $6 million for the first year and agreeing to pay a $4 million penalty to Panda on her behalf.


    Li Manli responded in a muffled voice, "I don''t want to go."


    After livestreaming for over a year, she was no longer a novice; the contract amount offered by Douyu was high.


    But it came with conditions, requiring 150 hours of livestreaming per month and 700,000 in revenue.


    Unlike originally with Panda, which was content with just 90 hours a month on Lu Liang''s account and didn''t require revenue.


    She felt it was enough as long as she had enough money; too much was of no use.


    After all, at 20 years old, she occasionally stayed in the 60-million Tangchen Yipin, often lived in the 50-million She Mountain villa, and drove a 26-million Pagani.


    Besides the annual post-tax contract fee of 800,000, she also had a monthly income of about 100,000 to 200,000 from gifts, which she could never fully spend.


    Over the past year, the most expensive thing she had bought was a watch for Lu Liang, worth 1.2 million.


    Now, four months had passed, and her bank savings had once again hit a seven-digit figure, beginning with a two.


    When she wanted to buy something, she could generally do so without looking at the price, following her whims, buying whatever she wanted. Gradually, she lost her craving for money, and now livestreaming was just a way to pass the time when Lu Liang was away.


    "Even if I don''t go, I might mention it to Long Fei and ask him to raise the three-year contract fee to 10 million."


    Lu Liang smiled and did not insist, although he seemed to hold 90% of the shares of Mengmengda Studio.


    But the few million in contract fees on the account had never been touched, used only to pay for utilities, management fees, and employee salaries.


    During the National Day holidays, Lu Liang stayed at home, celebrating the festival with Li Manli since Su Wanyu had gone to her hometown, Wang Chuting was out on an interview, and Zhang Tian''ai had not returned from filming.


    Meanwhile, they went to see a movie, and Lu Liang had an idea why next year''s War Wolf 2''s box office would explode.


    This year marked the first year of transformation for domestic films, where movies starring "little fresh meats" and "damsels" completely flopped at the box office. The dominance of Hollywood blockbusters also waned as Mekong River Action surged to the top, becoming the king of box office during the National Holidays.


    "War Wolf 2, coming at such a good time; once nostalgia is over-consumed, admiration turns into scorn."


    Capital seeks profit and desires stable returns; the explosive box office of Mekong was unexpected by anyone.


    Though the patriotic sentiment of Mekong had sold well, and many projects of various types were greenlit, producing a final product took time.


    Contrastingly, War Wolf 2, which was finished filming and in post-production, was expected to be released next summer, taking full advantage of the market trend.


    Once a multitude of patriotic movies crowded the market, even if the films were good, with excess viewing, it could lead to nausea and vomiting.


    Moreover, as capital hurried the process, poorly made, illogical movies just aiming to cash in on patriotism were sure to be plentiful.


    A good theme, likely ruined within two years.


    "But over five billion is just too much; could next year''s international situation really change that drastically?"


    Lu Liang furrowed his brows, pondering deeper reasons. Last year''s Monster Hunt reached over two billion on hype alone; the second place was Lost in Hong Kong, a sequel, and the third was Xia Luo.


    This year''s Mermaid achieved over three billion, promoted under the premise of owing Zhou Xingxing a movie ticket, which was then settled, owing no more.


    Though China''s film market was rapidly increasing, Wu Jing seemed to have no explanation for the sudden leap from three billion to over five billion.


    Surely some frustrating international event had occurred, prompting people to participate in retaliatory viewing.


    International incidents could influence the global market, affecting forex and Gold, indicating profitable opportunities.


    Lu Liang thought for a long time but could not pinpoint the reason, so he decided to stop thinking about it, as there were still ten months left.


    In the beginning, there would surely be signs, and by then, it wouldn''t be too late to think about it.


    The entire October passed in mundane daily routines, mundane being relatively speaking.


    The Hongguang Mini,


    Toward the end of October, underwent massive deliveries.


    Suddenly, the "spicy fish head" design of the cars appeared on streets nationwide.


    Lu Liang''s car also arrived, and when driven on the road, it was photographed, essentially providing free promotion for Wuling.


    Consequently, numerous internet celebrities, seeking to jump on the trend, bought one each and covered them in extensive graffiti.


    Adding a few different colors to the stark black and white roads, they attracted a large number of fans to purchase.


    In 40 days of its release, the Hongguang Mini had over 180,000 orders, leading all major automotive charts, undisputedly.


    Owners of the cars, eager to show off, became like faucets, praising the benefits of new energy vehicles. At less than one cent per kilometer for electricity, it hanged Japanese cars out to dry. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Old stereotypes were slowly changing; orders for BYD Qin and Song, as well as Tesla Model 3, all surged.


    By November, the new energy market accelerated once again.

 Chapter 247 - 246: First is Not Only Honor, But Also Responsibility

    In November, internet forces began to enter the field, with 360 partnering with Chery''s Fang Yunzhou to establish Hezhong New Energy Automobile and create the sub-brand Nezha.


    Alibaba threw in five hundred million dollars to invest in Xiao Peng Car, and Baidu announced loudly that they would no longer be late to the game by investing two hundred million dollars in Weima and developing their autonomous driving technology.


    The sales of the Wuling Hongguang Mini were so good that they drove up the sales of BYD and Tesla, making it seem as though the era of new energy vehicles had already begun.


    Internet giants are also considered new forces; they do not carry the psychological burdens of traditional enterprises. After all, in new industries, it''s just about investing money.


    If others invested and they did not, they could be eliminated from the market if the new energy market were to take off.


    If everyone invested and the market did not take off, they would all lose together, which meant no one really lost.


    Sometimes, the market is not about who does better, but about who does worse¡ªand them not doing as badly.


    Li Bing could not contain himself and hurriedly found Lu Liang to inquire about the progress of the Tianxing OS development.


    Their NIO''s new car launch had been scheduled, set for November 8th, just before Double Eleven.


    Last year, Taobao''s Double Eleven transactions reached 91.2 billion, and this year it was bound to aim for one hundred billion. If they could break through one hundred billion in a single day, the news would likely be all about Double Eleven by late November.


    NIO had been quiet for too long; there were even rumors online that they were pulling out of the competition.


    Li Bing could not stand it any longer.


    "Has the ES8 come out?" asked Lu Liang with a smile.


    "It came out a long time ago."


    Impatient, Li Bing pulled out a miniaturized version, a 1:300 replica model weighing eight kilograms.


    And he informed them that they planned to start introducing a battery-swapping scheme to address the slow charging and the scarcity of charging stations.


    Battery-swapping stations represented a significant investment; NIO had an extra expense compared to Li Xiang, thus requiring more capital injection.


    "I''ll ask around."


    Lu Liang knew that research and development could not be rushed, so he had never inquired about the situation in Beijing.


    Through a phone conversation, he learned that the Tianxing OS, which had origins in Hammer OS, its Version 1.0 had already taken shape.


    It was more mature and stable than when Li Xiang One was launched, though it was still being tested.


    Li Jiahui couldn''t help but mention that the design of Hammer OS was exquisite, as if it were made for vehicle systems, and its voice execution capability was unmatched.


    During the conversation, he also recorded a short video and sent it to Lu Liang. The system''s carrier was still the Li Xiang One.


    Although Li Xiang One had not yet started mass production, like the NIO EP9, each of the co-founders had one.


    The one belonging to Lu Liang was left in Beijing for Li Jiahui and their research institute to experiment with.


    "Li Xiang student, open the sunroof shades, activate the passenger seat massage, set the air conditioning to 23 degrees, and play ''South Mountain South.''"


    Li Jiahui issued four commands in one breath, and the smart voice control system executed them without any hiccups.


    "Mr. Lu, it''s good enough."


    Li Bing''s eyes widened, almost drooling.


    It was worth the high price that had bankrupted Hammer compared to developing their own¡ªsignificantly stronger.


    And now, the vehicle system interface was more straightforward, smoother, and more aesthetically pleasing than when Li Xiang One was launched.


    Although Tianxing OS had been licensed to both Li Xiang and NIO, other than these two, no one else knew about it yet.


    The new Tianxing OS, originating from Hammer OS, was more like a completely new vehicle system.


    Once loaded onto the NIO ES8, and changing the wake word, unless he mentioned it, others would mistake it for their in-house system.


    This was also a gimmick.


    The new forces in new energy vehicle manufacture were not afraid of being called pretentious; they were afraid of being ignored.


    Trying not to smile, Lu Liang informed him that they decided to reveal NIO ES8 earlier on the 8th and inquired how long the system test would need.


    Li Jiahui pondered for a long time: "System tuning needs three days, and with only four days for testing, some bugs might not be detected."


    Lu Liang asked a rather silly question: "What bugs are there?"


    "I don''t know," Li Jiahui replied, half amused, as that was exactly why testing was necessary to see if there were any command conflicts.


    Lu Liang repeated exactly what had been said. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Li Bing cleared his throat several times: "Mr. Lu, these are minor issues; I can stick to the script."


    Even though command conflicts were still being tested, he could emphasize some of the commands that had been tested, like those in the video.


    Lu Liang bowed his head, "Alright, I''ll let them know, and NIO will send the car for testing then."


    Next, he inquired about mass production issues. Weiliao, after all, was ranked first in line.


    Although the mass production car was confirmed rather late, the Luzhou factory was continuously under construction and should be the first to start mass production.


    Li Bing pondered for a long time, "Mr. Lu, that''s actually the second reason I came to see you."


    By the end of the year, the first phase of the factory would be complete, and Jianghuai was ready to go, deciding to follow the example of the Hongguang Mini by announcing and launching it.


    Lu Liang furrowed his brows, "Crash testing, safety testing, can it pass in such a short time?"


    The NIO ES8 differed from the Hongguang Mini, which could launch quickly because of the experience with Earth Light.


    And they were very clear about their product positioning, an advanced version of ageing joy, with a speed limit of 80.


    Lu Liang had driven it and also floored it once; it started to drift over 70, making it a bit hard to drive.


    But the NIO ES8 was different, with a maximum power of 400kW and a horsepower of 544, it could sprint up to 200 kilometers per hour.


    At speeds over 120, any minor problem could lead to a catastrophic accident, so safety performance testing was absolutely necessary.


    "If we follow the normal process, it would take at least two years."


    Li Bing didn''t want to wait. No matter the consequences, he wanted to seize the title of the first mass-production car company.


    This could significantly boost NIO''s reputation. There might be safety risks, but he was willing to bet on the odds.


    "Mr. Li, this is a car, not a smartphone."


    Lu Liang''s expression grew colder.


    Last month, the Samsung Note7 had exploded, leading to a ban by various national aviation departments, but an exploding phone would at most cause burns to hands and faces.


    Cars were different. Even at a speed of 70, it was enough to kill someone, and Li Bing was actually willing to gamble with people''s lives on performance.


    Although accidents occurred with any car model, those were rare incidents that happened after safety testing.


    Lu Liang couldn''t accept it. Li Bing''s deliberate choice, which could be done yet wasn''t, was just to rush for the top spot.


    Especially now, during the market development stage, one bad apple could spoil the bunch.


    "First place is not just an honor, it''s also a responsibility," Lu Liang said solemnly. "Mr. Li, perhaps reconsider this."


    Li Bing had his response on the tip of his tongue, but seeing Lu Liang''s icy gaze, he swallowed his words, "Alright."


    After some small talk, Li Bing left. He had to lead his team to Beijing to tune the car''s system.


    Lu Liang leaned back in his chair and sighed deeply, "Rapid market development doesn''t seem to be entirely beneficial."


    He remembered when he first met Li Bing, who had unconditionally introduced him to the Ningde Era to promote the new energy market.


    Hoping to leverage Lu Liang''s fame so more people would know about the industry, enlarging the market would benefit everyone involved.


    First place is not just an honor, it''s also a responsibility, and Li Bing surely knew this, yet he still wanted to proceed.


    It showed that the past year''s rapid development and associated pressures had compelled him to overlook his original intentions and choose a risky path.


    "Does Li Xiang and He Xiaopeng also harbor similar thoughts?"


    Lu Liang''s brows furrowed. He had equity in Li Xiang, which he could potentially influence.


    But Xiao Peng, and the emerging various forces, lay beyond his control.


    "Troubled times."


    Lu Liang rocked in his chair, suddenly thinking of BYD Wang, the vice-president of the New Energy Automobile Association.


    He made a call to express his concerns, "Mr. Wang, healthy market development benefits every practitioner."


    He hoped that Old Wang could bring forward suggestions next year, like tightening approvals and enforcing periodic safety tests.


    First place isn''t just an honor, it''s also a responsibility ¨C a principle that applied equally to Lu Liang.


    Having gone to great lengths to promote new energy, many people had embraced new energy vehicles because of their trust in him, and he had to assume some responsibility for market regulation.


    Old Wang''s brows were furrowed, Lu Liang had the duty to supervise the market, but they at BYD had an even greater responsibility.


    After pondering for a moment, "Mr. Lu, why don''t you come to Shenzhen when you have the time? I recommend you join the association."


    The headquarters of the New Energy Automobile Association was in Beijing, but its main office was in Shenzhen. Shenzhen was not only a key trial city for new energy but also home to their BYD.


    BYD had begun to take over Shenzhen''s rail transit, expected to completely replace fuel buses in ten years.


    BYD could be considered the ruling party, while Lu Liang could be seen as the opposition; both powers exerting influence simultaneously.


    The upper management had to consider their decisions carefully.

 Chapter 248 - 247: Old Xu Strikes

    "I''ll make time for a trip there."


    Lu Liang thought about it and a smile played on his lips. Clearly, Old Wang didn''t dare to act as a one-man roadblock to the industry.


    But since he brought it up, leaving Old Wang to take the heat alone seemed a bit unkind.


    Lu Liang called Wen Chao over to book a flight to Shenzhen.


    He also wanted to understand the comparative advantages and disadvantages between plug-in hybrid and range-extended electric vehicle models.


    The vast size of the country, long-distance trips home over a thousand kilometers, chronic traffic jams during holidays, and reduced battery life in frigid regions¡ªall these factors contribute to ''range anxiety,'' which exists now and will continue to exist. Even if charging stations become ubiquitous throughout the country, even in every village, there will still be range anxiety.


    Refueling a gas tank takes, at most, two minutes.


    Charging, even with fast chargers, takes at least half an hour to reach 80% battery capacity.


    NIO''s battery-swap strategy is a solution, but lately, shared power banks have hit the market and in some popular areas of Modu, they''re still hard to come by.


    For purely electric vehicle models, one starts to worry about charging once the range drops below 150 kilometers, both due to exaggerated claims and the possibility of not finding an available charging station at your destination.


    But it''s different with fuel vehicles. Even if the fuel gauge shows only 50 kilometers remaining, there''s no panic, because you are guaranteed to get fuel at the next station.


    Not finding a gas station within 50 kilometers, or a station running out of fuel, is an exceedingly rare event, the kind you might never encounter in a lifetime.


    Although Lu Liang was optimistic about the new energy industry, he wouldn''t deny the sense of security that comes with fuel vehicles.


    Therefore, the popularity of hybrids was inevitable. Even if you get addicted to driving electric daily, you might not use more than two tanks of gas a year.


    But if the opportunity arises just once, it would prove that choosing a hybrid at the time was absolutely the right decision.


    Lu Liang already had a strategy. Prioritize pure electric first, because it represents purity and high-end, then downwardly compatible with hybrids.


    It''s just that for hybrids, he hadn''t yet decided whether to opt for plug-in hybrids or range extenders.


    He planned to learn from the BYD folks in Shenzhen and, better yet, to meet a few top-notch talents.


    BYD had plenty of talent. As a newcomer to the industry, it was necessary for him to help BYD share the burden of talent.


    The next day at noon, the plane arrived in Shenzhen.


    Lu Liang traveled light, with only a secretary, a driver, and two bodyguards.


    Shenzhen''s market support for BYD was unbeatable, even the airport tug and the express buses to the city center used BYD''s self-developed railway transportation.


    From Anbao Airport to Nantian City, Lu Liang saw what seemed to be new energy vehicles, at least three times more than in Modu.


    It''s still difficult to distinguish the new energy vehicles now because they all share blue license plates, only recognizable by familiar car models.


    However, starting next month it will be much easier because the new energy exclusive green plates will be officially introduced.


    It''s just that one wonders what the designer was thinking¡ªthe green plates for new energy vehicles look increasingly ugly the more one looks at them.


    Although Shen Peng once said that the current blue and yellow plates aren''t much to look at either, it''s just a matter of getting used to them.


    On this point, Lu Liang disagreed. At least he felt that the white plates for official cars and the black plates for Hong Kong vehicles were nice-looking at first glance, even if they weren''t familiar.


    Upon reaching Nantian City, Wen Chao just finished the hotel check-in process, planning to visit BYD''s headquarters in Pingshan the next day.


    Not long after, Lu Liang received a phone call from Hengtai Xu, "Mr. Lu, why did you sneak off to Shenzhen without making a sound? Didn''t we agree that if you had time to come to Guangshen, I would surely show you a good time?"


    "Mr. Xu, it was a spontaneous decision, and I didn''t want to impose by bothering you," Lu Liang replied with a laugh.


    Being a significant internet celebrity, it wasn''t surprising that Old Xu learned about his trip to Shenzhen without any hide-and-seek.


    "How could it be imposing? We''ve only been in touch over the phone, and I''ve wanted to meet you for a long time," Old Xu laughed heartily and asked, "I happen to be in Shenzhen. Where are you staying? Do you have plans later?"


    Lu Liang, caught between laughter and tears, informed him of the hotel address, "For today, I have no plans."


    "Alright then, see you later."


    "Okay, see you later."


    Forty minutes later, Wen Chao knocked on Lu Liang''s door, "Mr. Lu, Mr. Xu has arrived."


    "Let''s go then," Lu Liang couldn''t help but laugh, surprised at how quickly Old Xu was moving, as if afraid he might run away.


    "Where is he?" Lu Liang couldn''t help wondering, because as they entered the elevator, Wen Chao did not press for the first-floor lobby but for the 53rd floor at the top.


    A puzzled look also appeared on Wen Chao''s face. "Mr. Lu, didn''t Mr. Xu just clarify with you? He came over by helicopter."


    Lu Liang laughed, remembering how Old Xu had gotten close to Hong Kong Capital and picked up their habit of helicopter travel, which suddenly didn''t seem so strange.


    Back in ''08, when Hengtai faced a severe crisis, Old Xu headed south to Xiangjiang and spent a month playing cards with the big shots, eventually securing 20 billion in capital.


    In the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau area, they likely played the card game "Digging up the Earth," also known as "Big Two." Playing cards wasn''t just about the game; it was crucial to have the time for in-depth conversations. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Just as the card game Gan Dang, recently popular in Modu, is favored by the tycoons of the Yangtze River Delta, mainly because this game doesn''t involve gambling money, but rather pits intelligence and strategy against each other.


    So much so that there''s a saying, "No Gan Dang after dinner, is like a meal eaten in vain."


    A few rounds before and after meals served to pass the time and refine one''s sentiments, avoiding awkward conversations.


    When Lu Liang reached the 53rd floor, the first thing he saw was the dazzling gold of a Herm¨¨s bag, and then Old Xu''s smiling face.


    He glanced at the helicopter outside and made a joke with a smile, "Mr. Xu, your entrance method is quite unique."


    "The main thing is that helicopters are convenient, they go straight to the point, and it''s relatively easy to get to where you want to go," Old Xu beamed with joy.


    "Mr. Xu, where are we planning to go?" Lu Liang asked with a light smile, understanding Old Xu''s mood.


    This year marked the first year of rapid development for the Hengtai Group, with total revenues in just the first three quarters breaking the trillion mark, up 78.8% year-on-year, and a cash balance of over 300 billion on their books.


    Indeed, with success like the wind at one''s back, Old Xu had the right to be showy, as he had the capital to do so.


    Considering that Wanda seemed to be facing a crisis of both stocks and debts, and in the coming year, the likelihood was great that the title of First Rich''s son, held by Little Wang, would change hands.


    And the person to whom it might go was likely to be Old Xu''s son.


    "We''re heading to Yangcheng, just a 25-minute flight."


    Old Xu was all smiles, personally picking up Lu Liang, concerned that he might be afraid to fly in a helicopter.


    Aircraft poses the smallest yet biggest risks, and his personal accompaniment was meant to spare Lu Liang any worries.


    Old Xu cared a great deal about Lu Liang, even though Lu Liang''s personal wealth didn''t even come close to matching his.


    However, the social impact and capability to mobilize funds of a fund manager cannot be measured by personal wealth alone.


    Just like the initial Tianxing III Fund, with a 5 billion-dollar scale, each subscription amount was a staggering one hundred million dollars.


    Such an exaggerated subscription amount wasn''t about investors choosing him, but about him choosing the investors.


    And there was also a rule set that if the funds weren''t transferred within three days, he wouldn''t wait any longer and would charge a 3% breach-of-contract fee, highlighting an arbitrary and unreasonable stance.


    But Lu Liang''s arrogance was backed by solid capital, reliant on his terrifying profit-making ability.


    Since its establishment half a year ago, as of last month, Tianxing III Fund had already made a profit of 1.425 billion dollars.


    What''s more, Lu Liang had more than once expressed his desire to venture into public funds, and with his influence, raising one or two hundred billion in a short period should be no problem.


    One or two hundred billion in cash available at will, even the cash king, Tencent, would have to weigh their options.


    Every company has its downfalls, even the currently thriving Hengtai Group.


    Better to cultivate relationships in advance rather than seek salvation in a crisis.


    Lu Liang, along with Wen Chao and Fang Shiyu, followed Old Xu into the cabin and put on noise-cancelling headphones.


    The helicopter was no ordinary model; it was a large, luxury helicopter with six spacious seats, hardly feeling cramped at all.


    Old Xu, looking unimpressed, said, "Mr. Lu, when you have time, I''ll take you on a ride on Hengtai''s private plane. Now, that''s luxury."


    "I''m very much looking forward to it," Lu Liang replied with a smile; he had indeed been planning on buying a private plane, but after some consideration, he decided to put the idea on hold for now.


    The current economy was not yet stable, and there were no plans for long-haul travel, plus travel schedules were quite unpredictable.


    Flight plan applications took too much time; it was easier to just go to the airport, pick an upcoming flight, and leave whenever one wanted.


    Old Xu hadn''t lied; it took just 26 minutes from the center of Shenzhen City to Hengtai Center in Yangcheng City District.


    They landed on the helipad on the 43rd floor of Hengtai Center.

 Chapter 249 - 248: Using This as a Test for Cadres?

    Hengtai Center is located in the heart of Zhujiang New City, and it''s also the place where the so-called "rent-collecting lord" of Yangcheng made his fortune online.


    The building covers an area of about 7,000 square meters, with a total of 43 floors, of which floors 41-43 are the private club of the Hengtai Group board of directors, as well as the group leadership''s offices.


    The entire 43rd floor, excluding the helipad, swimming pool, and golf training field, is Old Xu''s personal office, occupying more than three thousand square meters.


    The interior is splendidly decorated, with murals of colorful Chinese thoroughwort peaking, and no fewer than ten pure and glistening crystal pendants. Even the imperial courts of ancient times would not have been any different.


    To say it''s extravagantly luxurious is by no means an exaggeration.


    "Mr. Lu, welcome to my office~"


    Old Xu, with a smile on his face, confidently led Lu Liang on a small tour of the office while talking about his daily routine.


    Although this is his office, it is also his home. In his dedication to Hengtai, he has worked tirelessly, day and night, not knowing how many dawns he''s witnessed here.


    "It''s really tough," Lu Liang laughed it off.


    He believed that what Old Xu said was true; when it was busy, one really would lose track of day and night, as he had experienced it himself. But to say it was like that every day was pure nonsense.


    Lu Liang was in international markets and was in the office at most three to five days a month, sometimes longer, perhaps seven or eight days, but not every month.


    Furthermore, Old Xu was in real estate projects¡ªif he was that busy even ten days a year, it would be impressive. More likely, he couldn''t bear to leave.


    Here, after all, he was the king of his domain, and just openly, he had eight assistants to serve him and help with his office work.


    Who knows how many more there might be out of sight?


    However, one thing surprised Lu Liang¡ªeveryone was a handsome male assistant.


    This was seriously inconsistent with Old Xu''s reputation.


    "Lu, what suddenly made you think of going to Shenzhen?"


    The two had just sat down, intending to chat casually since it was still early.


    Suddenly, a small door opened, and several tea mistresses dressed in light blue long gowns, with smiles on their faces and graceful bearing, came over, carrying a complete set of tea utensils.


    "I''m planning to go to BYD to talk to Mr. Wang about something."


    Seeing the tea mistresses gracefully performing the tea ceremony, Lu Liang''s doubts were lifted, and he showed an understanding smile. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It had to be Old Xu who knew how to play the game. The male assistants on the surface were probably the eunuchs by the emperor''s side.


    If they were all women, it would be easy to get into unnecessary trouble if something unintentional happened or if they were seduced.


    Men tend to be more rational, including Lu Liang now, who began preferring male employees.


    The idea that women are more meticulous than men is just a concept instilled to promote gender equality.


    Except for giving birth, which only women can do, what women can do, men can also do¡ªit''s just a matter of appropriateness.


    Just like the current tea mistresses, women performing the role may be more pleasing to the eye, but that''s about it.


    Old Xu looked thoughtful but didn''t ask Lu Liang what he was doing at BYD. It was nothing more than discussing new energy, nothing beyond the obvious.


    He cheerfully introduced the water for brewing tea and the tea leaves.


    Today, he merely wanted to meet with Lu Liang to deepen their relationship.


    In making friends, it is best to avoid being superficially friendly while speaking about deep topics.


    "Mr. Lu, please."


    "Then I won''t be shy."


    Lu Liang picked up the teacup, tasting the mineral water that cost thousands per bottle, flown in from Switzerland, which wasn''t worth anything if not drunk within 48 hours, and the tea leaves that were said to cost millions per pound.


    Old Xu, full of anticipation, asked with a smile, "Mr. Lu, how is the taste?"


    Lu Liang tasted it carefully and smiled faintly, "It''s alright¡ªit tastes like tea."


    He genuinely couldn''t tell any significant difference, and there was no need to flatter Old Xu deliberately.


    If Old Xu''s status were higher than his, then today it would be Lu Liang inviting Old Xu to his office in Modu, rather than him inviting Lu Liang to his office in Yangcheng.


    Old Xu''s smile stiffened momentarily, and then he laughed again, giving a thumbs-up, "Mr. Lu, you''re truly authentic."


    To ease the awkwardness, he added quietly, "Actually, I can''t tell the difference either. It''s mainly about being unique."


    "Haha..."


    Lu Liang burst out laughing. As they conversed, suddenly a male assistant came up to Old Xu and whispered a few words.


    Old Xu nodded slightly, turned his head with a smile, and said, "Mr. Lu, it''s getting late, how about we go downstairs for a meal? Everything has already been arranged."


    "Let''s go then."


    Taking the elevator down from the 43rd floor to the private club on the 42nd, they were greeted by decor that was just as lavish as the one above, if not more so.


    The grand hall was resplendent with lights, circumferenced by Swarovski crystal light strips, and floored with imported marble.


    And unlike the 43rd floor''s male staff, here, they saw nothing but beautiful female attendants, no fewer than thirty of them.


    As Old Xu walked, he explained that the club had a restaurant, cinema, bar, karaoke, bathhouse, and other entertainment facilities¡ªincluding a special stage for performances.


    "Our Hengtai''s ethnic dance troupe has performed on the Spring Festival Gala and provincial satellite TV many times, receiving critical acclaim. Mr. Lu, you''ll have a good opportunity to appreciate them later."


    Old Xu''s face was full of smiles as he greeted the security at the entrance and led Lu Liang into the dance hall.


    The vast dance hall featured only a performance stage and a single dining table, on which rested bottles of fine, decanted wines.


    "Mr. Lu, let''s drink to the music and savor the splendor of life."


    Old Xu invited Lu Liang to take a seat, clapped his hands, and the lights in the dance hall nearly dimmed completely, leaving only a few above the dining table.


    Suddenly, a misty and lingering background music started to play, as if it were reaching out from ancient times.


    Lu Liang suddenly looked up to find that three high-definition, oversized screens were positioned directly above the dining table, angled towards the stage to offer a variety of perspectives to enjoy the dancers'' movements.


    Old Xu''s mouth quirked upward as he whispered, "Mr. Lu, this piece is called ''The Peony Hymn,'' and it has won multiple international golden awards."


    A half-minute intro drew everyone into the atmosphere.


    A dozen actresses in light gauzy dresses, revealing collarbones and slender waists, their faces stunning and their manners graceful, stepped out from backstage amidst the dry ice fog, performing a dance entitled ''The Peony Hymn.''


    Lu Liang suddenly understood why, a few years back, Old Ma had splurged 1.2 billion yuan investing in Hengtai football and said it was to pay for some ''tuition'' to see what the people inside were up to.


    Despite having seen the world over the last year, today''s experience still shocked him deeply.


    Those senior players really knew how to live; not like the younger generation who only knew how to throw flashy parties.


    ''Beauty like flowers'' was no longer just a figure of speech.


    A dozen actresses lay on the stage, forming a circle, revealing nearly identical contours of their enticing buttocks, as high-definition cameras above the stage captured the literal ''beauty like flowers.''


    As the piece concluded and Lu Liang thought the performance was over, the music suddenly became more vigorous. Slowly, three large drums rose in front of the stage.


    In groups of three, hand in hand, the most beautiful actresses stepped lightly as if ascending to immortality upon the drum skins.


    Their dance was as vivacious as that of sprites, with feet like hammers striking the drum skins in a beautiful Dunhuang dance piece.


    As the music reached an even more intense crescendo, the three actresses swiftly bent their knees and crouched down in an enticing squatting dance.


    Old Xu stole a glance at Lu Liang, the corners of his mouth curving into a smile, and discreetly gestured under the table.


    This gesture wasn''t meant for Lu Liang but rather for the actresses, indicating that they could proceed with the next plan.


    When the performance ended and the music stopped, Lu Liang''s gaze lingered, unconsciously revealing a hint of regret.


    He could suddenly understand why everyone was saying that the aesthetics of Domestic Entertainment had degraded, unable to see what made the pale, young, and thin attractive.


    Healthy figures, slender waists, plump buttocks, with a touch of softness¡ªthese were the characters embodying the true classical beauty of the East.


    The next moment, the actresses who had danced on the drums floated like fairies, playfully handling their water sleeves as they cheerfully approached Lu Liang.


    Old Xu introduced them with a smile, "Mr. Lu, these are Qingqing, Xiuxiu, and Jingjing."


    "Mr. Lu, Qingqing offers you a toast."


    "Mr. Lu, Xiuxiu offers you a toast."


    "Mr. Lu, Jingjing offers you a toast."


    The three actresses, different in their voluptuous and graceful beauty, had voices rippling like running water, soft and tender.


    Just a minute ago, they were dancing gracefully on the stage, showing off their beautiful moves.


    Now, they were by Lu Liang''s side, giving him the feeling of breaking through a dimensional barrier and seeing his dreams realized in front of him.


    One wonders which official could withstand such a temptation.

 Chapter 250 - 249: Celestial Fairy Descends to the Mortal World

    "Mr. Lu, please enjoy your meal. We''ll come back later~"


    Several actresses, having taken their turns toasting, left with eyes that seemed to reject yet invite, like devils with hooks that could stir one''s heart, but they didn''t linger for too long and dispersed to change their clothes backstage.


    After all, having danced for over forty minutes, their dance dresses were becoming more clingy, outlining their figures more clearly.


    Even though the wet, enticing look made them more alluring, they didn''t dare stay too long, for fear of leaving a bad impression on Lu Liang.


    Covered in fragrant sweat, which was only tolerable right after one has perspired, but as carbon-based beings when they dry, there would be an odor.


    And fishing requires a give and take,


    a brief separation was also to make the next meeting even better.


    They left, but the dance troupe''s leader came over. Old Xu introduced with a glowing face, "Mr. Lu, this is Mr. Bai."


    "Good to meet you, Mr. Bai," Lu Liang nodded slightly. The insect that had almost climbed into his brain had resettled in its place.


    He silently recited the Heart Clarity Spell several times to quell the lascivious thoughts rising within him.


    "Mr. Lu, you radiate a majestic presence, with a demeanor so lofty. Dandan has always heard of your deeds, and she truly admires you."


    Mr. Bai, with her strikingly beautiful face and large, watery eyes that seemed to speak, was full of admiration.


    She was pretty, but as a leader, she needed to be not only attractive but also have high emotional intelligence ¨C and her soothing words did make one feel very comfortable.


    The softness of a Southern belle manifested in her at this moment.


    Her gaze was so sincere it almost made one unable to discern truth from pretense. Lu Liang''s reputation was well-known, and her admiration wasn''t just for show.


    "Mr. Bai, feel free to order. I am not great with my alcohol,"


    Lu Liang replied with a smile, picked up his glass, and took a small sip.


    Old Xu''s eyebrows knitted together, sensing that their plan might be going awry, and he hastened to strike while the iron was hot, "Mr. Lu, how about we go sing some songs later? Jingjing and the others will be ready soon."


    "Sure," Lu Liang nodded, his smile natural, but under the table, he quietly made a sign.


    Wen Chao was waiting four meters away, having followed him for so long, he would definitely understand the signal.


    Although it was still a bit forced, experiencing this was enough; if they pushed him, he wouldn''t dare refuse. It was clear that the dance troupe was Old Xu''s personal network expansion tool.


    Had it been earlier, when they stepped out of their world to invite him, Lu Liang would most likely have given in.


    But they should not have given him time to think.


    Lu Liang was new to this and wasn''t an official without such privileges. He didn''t want to gamble, even with a one in a ten thousand chance.


    A few minutes later, Jingjing and the others changed into sexy, glittering short skirts, like fairies descending to the mortal realm, their aura no longer concealed.


    "Mr. Lu, this way, please," Old Xu led the way, with everyone preparing to head next door to sing.


    Just then, Wen Chao suddenly took a call and quickly walked over to whisper to Lu Liang.


    Lu Liang''s face changed slightly, and he turned to say, "Mr. Xu, I am really sorry, I''ve got an urgent matter to handle."


    Old Xu frowned deeply, quickly asking, "Mr. Lu, what''s the matter, do you need help?"


    "No need to bother, I can handle it."


    "I''ll arrange a helicopter to take you back."


    "I''m not too used to flying; just send a car."


    "Alright then."


    Old Xu and Bai Dandan stood downstairs, smiling broadly as they watched Lu Liang gradually go off into the distance.


    "Dandan, do you think he really had something urgent or was it an excuse?" Old Xu''s smile faded as he suddenly asked.


    The leader of a dance troupe not only needs to be competent but also has to manage the group well.


    Diligently guiding them, as a girl''s youth doesn''t last many years ¨C it''s better used to secure a bright future than wasted.


    In essence, Bai Dandan was his right-hand person.


    Bai Dandan furrowed her brows lightly, pondering for a while, "I think it''s mostly an excuse; he still has some reservations about you."


    She didn''t dare to be too certain because, from the stage, she could see that there was a moment when Lu Liang seemed to be moved.


    But due to her miscalculation, letting Jingjing and the others go change their clothes, they missed that fleeting opportunity.


    Old Xu sighed helplessly, "I figured as much. Even though we''re all in finance, those who can make a name for themselves internationally are always stronger than those bank idiots who only know how to take money."


    He had also realized that Lu Liang, just like Old Ma, came to see what games they were playing.


    They won''t make bets with stakes, even if there''s just a one in ten thousand chance.


    Moreover, with Lu Liang being so young and wealthy, he could play with any woman he wanted. Key to note, he was also divorced; having a few girlfriends was merely a moral issue.


    Bai Dandan spoke softly, consoling, "Mr. Xu, don''t lose heart. If there''s a first time, there can be a second. Once the relationship develops, things will naturally fall into place."


    "That''s true," Old Xu chuckled.


    Meanwhile, the borrowed Maybach was leaving Yangcheng.


    There were only three people in the car: Lu Liang, Fang Shiyu, and Wen Chao.


    "Distant waters can''t quench immediate thirst."


    Lu Liang''s face showed sorrow; he was a bit upset by the provocation. It was just Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau; he didn''t often come here and seemed to lack resources.


    "You have it tough, Little Lu. Just endure it for now, and don''t do something in the heat of the moment you''ll regret for life."


    An hour and a half later, back at the hotel in Shenzhen, Lu Liang drank several more bottles of beer before he could finally fall asleep peacefully. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The next morning,


    they set out for BYD Road in Pingshan.


    The entire street was about seven kilometers long, and both sides were lined with BYD''s industry or related enterprises.


    Lu Liang also saw the newly turned-fifty-year-old Boatman Brother at the entrance of the Hexagonal Building.


    As the market digested the news of Buffett''s increased holdings, BYD''s market value also broke through the 300 billion threshold.


    According to public information, Old Wang, who held 17.85% of the shares, saw his personal fortune also surpass the significant mark of fifty billion.


    The substantial 300 billion market value of BYD meant they could walk into a bank and secure a loan of a hundred and eighty billion at any moment if the days turned tough.


    Self-produced and self-sold throughout the whole production chain, they comfortably occupied the leading position in China''s new energy sector and were among the world''s top suppliers of power batteries.


    The direct and indirect job opportunities they created numbered more than a million, far too substantial for companies like NIO and Li Xiang, which were mere shells, to even touch.


    "Mr. Wang, hello, I''ve long admired your reputation."


    Lu Liang''s face was full of smiles, quite gratified.


    Obviously, his notorious reputation in Beijing''s internet circles had not spread to the Pearl River Delta.


    Mr. Wang''s first stop was to show him BYD''s patent wall, which boasted over twenty thousand patents.


    A dense array of certificates surrounded the eight characters "Technology Reigns Supreme, Innovation is Fundamental."


    "Mr. Lu, this is the result of twenty years of accumulated investment of over 100 billion by our 100,000 research and development personnel," Mr. Wang said pridefully. There were few privately-owned domestic enterprises like theirs that were willing to invest so much in research and development.


    However, he suddenly realized that there was something in Lu Liang''s gaze beyond admiration, a kind of indescribable implication.


    It was a pity that Zhang Yiming was not there; otherwise, he would surely have reprimanded him with the anguish of someone who had seen it all and was unable to forget the past.


    Clearly, Lu Liang had set his sights on something.


    "Mr. Wang, could we take a look over there?"


    Lu Liang cleared his throat a few times and found an excuse, "I saw from the overpass earlier that there''s a collision test happening today?"


    "The new Tang model is going to be released." Although Mr. Wang was older, he was still vigorous and immediately led Lu Liang to have a look.


    Major domestic automakers rarely poached talent, comfortably counting money from joint ventures, while new energy upstarts were still playing at faking car production with empty pockets.


    BYD''s benefits were not too shabby, and over time, naturally, there was no sense of crisis.


    Lu Liang watched at the testing ground as several engineers pointed and took notes on relevant data.


    He did not presumptuously approach to disturb them, merely silently remembering their names; one was called Lin Dongyao, the other Wu Lei.


    Mr. Wang hadn''t realized that these two strong players had been marked by Lu Liang, who chuckled and asked, "Mr. Lu, what do you think of the new Tang model?"


    "Want to hear the truth?" Lu Liang asked with a smile.


    Mr. Wang smiled, "What''s the point of lies?"


    "Couldn''t it be a bit more sporty, a bit more fashionable?"


    Lu Liang sighed. BYD''s car models all looked the same, not particularly outstanding nor particularly bad, mainly plain and simple.


    Mr. Wang smiled without being offended and hinted, "Traditional styling represents stable mechanical structures, aerodynamic coefficients, and safety tests. It can easily pass without adjustments. New designs require time for validation."


    "But some people can''t wait," Lu Liang heard the implied meaning in Mr. Wang''s words - this was also the purpose of his visit.


    A worried expression also appeared in Mr. Wang''s eyes as he suddenly asked, "Mr. Lu, how long do you plan to stay in Shenzhen?"


    Lu Liang thought for a while and answered, "NIO is releasing a new car on the 8th. I should stay for about three days."


    After consulting with his assistant about the schedule, Mr. Wang discussed, "How about the day after tomorrow? I''ll take you to meet a few people."


    "Sure, I''ll follow your lead," Lu Liang nodded, planning to scout a few more suitable candidates.


    With the right leverage, there''s no corner that can''t be dug.


    Going out to work is all about making money, and he too aimed to raise the industry''s average salary.


    Sacrificing one to benefit millions in the industry, Lu Liang always found the right justifications to convince himself.

 Chapter 251 - 250: Defeating Magic with Magic

    Lu Liang talked a lot with Old Wang and gained much knowledge about automobiles.


    In terms of performance and intelligent driving systems, those could be added gradually later, but for now, the focus should be on crafting the shell and the frame.


    Creating a car is like painting a picture; first, you splash the ink to sketch a basic outline, then you add landscapes and unique rock formations.


    Old Wang also talked about his decisive errors, mentioning his somewhat outdated views, which led to the rejection of many novel designs.


    It''s like how the older generation thinks that square and grand is beautiful, but young people today don''t think that way; they pursue dynamism and fashion.


    Whether it''s Apple or Tesla, they are both following this trend.


    BYD is also feeling their way forward, only they got up early and ended up late to the marketplace.


    If Lu Liang had an idea and was willing to invest money, he shouldn''t just wait for the intelligent driving systems to emerge.


    Preparations should be made now.


    Although this market is small, it has great potential for growth, enough to accommodate three to five leading companies.


    Lu Liang was so dedicated to promoting this market, Old Wang hoped he wouldn''t waste his precious time in vain.


    Lu Liang, pensive, then asked about the pros and cons of hybrid plug-in and range-extended models.


    "Hard to say," Old Wang thought for a long time and slowly shook his head.


    Which is better or worse would have to be decided by the market; even the best technology is useless if not accepted by the market.


    BYD chose plug-in hybrids from the beginning, so before the market made a choice, they would keep focusing deeply in this direction.


    Of course, they also developed range-extended models but didn''t invest much money in them, mainly serving as a safety net.


    Research and development are costly mainly because there is no specific direction¡ªyou dab a bit here, a bit there, casting a wide net.


    It''s like BYD; initially, they hadn''t even planned on making cars, and even if they did, it was merely symbolic.


    Otherwise, they wouldn''t have only released five car models before 2012, the year the state promoted new energy.


    Their focus was mainly on batteries and rail transit, but it just so happened to coincide with the national initiative to promote the new energy industry.


    So, they shifted their focus to car manufacturing.


    Old Wang paused and asked, "Not going pure electric?"


    "Do both, but not just pure electric," said Lu Liang.


    Old Wang imparted everything he knew, which made Lu Liang feel a bit embarrassed about troubling him. He decided firmly to only contact Lin Dongyao and Wu Lei moving forward and to return to Modu to plan further.


    Because next spring, the first phase of the Tesla Gigafactory would be completed, possibly bringing many engineers to oversee the project.


    As the fourth-largest shareholder of Tianxing Assets, visiting and touring would likely not be refused by Musk.


    As they walked around, they arrived at an automobile showroom, and BYD''s "Spicy Fish Head" was about to hit the market.


    The sales of the Hongguang Mini were terrifyingly high, surpassing 200,000 units last week alone.


    Just one company, one model, accounted for 31.3% of the total sales in the entire new energy vehicle market.


    Although they only made a profit of 69 yuan per car, with 0.82 new energy credits and government subsidies, the guaranteed profit per car was 4500 yuan.


    A microcar with a standard price of 23,900 yuan, having a net profit margin of 19%, was simply unbelievable.


    Every major carmaker was jealous, but none could reduce their costs below 24,000 yuan.


    Even BYD, manufacturing and selling on its own, could only reduce the price to 56,900 yuan, but they managed to increase the range to 300 kilometers.


    Power batteries were a weakness for Wuling, despite the involvement of Ningde Era; but Ningde was ultimately out to make a profit.


    Fortunately, power batteries were BYD''s strength, with a range over 180 kilometers, which should level the price difference.


    Old Wang, smiling cheerily, joked, "Mr. Lu, interested in taking it out for a few spins?"


    The high sales of the Hongguang Mini were indeed closely linked to Lu Liang.


    "The same models as major influencers, followed by minor ones, gradually endear fans."


    Thus, sales exploded.


    Lu Liang shook his head repeatedly, "I was just about to go ask Wuling for some advertising fees."


    "Are you going to Liuzhou?" Old Wang asked, surprised.


    Lu Liang smiled and said, "Since I''m out, I might as well visit different places."


    Last week, the sales of the Hongguang Mini had broken through 200,000 units, and Wuling had sent him a letter of thanks.


    Lu Liang disliked these empty honors, so he took the opportunity to promote his own Tianxing OS system.


    Coincidentally, Wuling had seen the growth potential in the new energy market and was preparing to launch a colorful version of the mini next year.


    Originally, there were only two versions, one with a range of 120 and another with 180, with barely any interior or auxiliary features.


    Therefore, they planned to add a new version that, while increasing the range, would also include features like an LCD display and other electronic controls.


    Adding more flashy features would be more profitable, and with the free car machine delivered to their doorstep, they could hardly find a reason to refuse.


    After all, Wuling had never entertained the idea of developing car machines. Earth Light, with total sales of over five million units, had car machine functionalities limited to playing media and receiving radio only.


    After spending a day at the Hexagonal Building,


    walking around and observing, Lu Liang became increasingly convinced of the idea he had in mind, that he could no longer just sit back and wait.


    By nightfall, Lu Liang returned to the hotel in the downtown area.


    He called Hu Weiwei, asking her to go to Modu tomorrow to set up a research and development center.


    Lu Liang had seen the local support and planned to build the factory in Modu in the future, competing for attention with Tesla.


    After all, Tesla is purely foreign-funded and the only car manufacturer in the country fully invested by foreign capital.


    This was also one of the conditions when Modu City and the national government had invited Tesla to set up there. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    NIO, although also based in Modu, had Li Bing choosing to collaborate with Jianghuai, with the contract manufacturers located in Luzhou, and the company merely registered in Modu.


    If Modu had another competitive local enterprise in new energy vehicles, Modu''s municipal government might show slight partiality.


    Originally, introducing a powerful competitor was meant to drive out the smaller ones, but if the small fish turned into big fish, then the powerful one would lose its purpose.


    The next morning, Lu Liang made a trip to Liuzhou, had a chat with Wuling''s Lv Botao, and confirmed the cooperation principles.


    He returned to Shenzhen the same night.


    The trips were very rushed because, before the 8th, Lu Liang needed to settle the affairs here and then get back to Modu.


    Not only because of NIO''s new car launch but also because the 9th was election day.


    He had prepared for over a month, almost reallocating all the funds he could, waiting for that day to short the Old Mexican peso and long International Gold.


    On Saturday, through an introduction by Old Wang, Lu Liang met with the president of the New Energy Automobile Association, who was also the local deputy leader.


    They warmly welcomed Lu Liang''s involvement.


    They also informed that the New Energy Automobile Association would soon be renamed the World New Energy Automobile Association, planning to hold its first conference next year on Hai Island.


    "First-rate companies set standards, second-rate companies build brands, third-rate companies make products," this saying applies to countries as well.


    The nation had put so much effort into promoting the new energy industry, even granting Tesla the privilege of full foreign ownership, all to lead the sector and establish standards that benefited itself.


    Facing the Western world''s introduction of carbon neutrality and eco-friendliness, they were merely using the situation to their advantage.


    Zhong was best at joining the rules, understanding the rules, and eventually using the rules to defeat their creators.


    The West claims developing nations pollute severely, thus introducing concepts like environmentalism and carbon neutrality to curb their progress.


    They then embraced these concepts, promoting the development of the new energy industry, upgrading industries, and ultimately reversing the situation.


    If the West rejects new energy, it''s seen as non-ecological and against carbon neutrality, contradicting the natural order.


    "Magic is the only way to defeat magic."

 Chapter 252 - 251: Sudden Accident

    "This market has just developed; it''s still a sprout that can''t withstand any negative news. If we don''t raise the threshold, I''m afraid there will be many companies scamming subsidies to make up the numbers."


    Lu Liang''s expression was grave as he shared his concerns with the leaders. This matter was indeed inconvenient for Old Wang to mention first.


    If BYD were to raise the issue first, it would probably leave a bad impression of being narrow-minded and closing doors as soon as they got on board.


    They just want to block the road and ensure their company, their family prospers for eternity.


    If Lu Liang were to mention it, there wouldn''t be such worries because he only wanted to enter the market, but hadn''t yet.


    Raising the review threshold for new energy vehicles now was a restriction for him, but he didn''t mind.


    Seeing this, Old Wang quickly agreed, "Mr. Lu''s worry is not without reason."


    As a leader in the finance industry, Lu Liang knew very well that new energy was the hottest topic at the moment.


    Take Big A for example. At the end of last year, there were only 53 new energy stocks, but that number has now surged to 115.


    The amount has more than doubled, and companies, regardless of their relevance, all want to shamelessly latch on, just like internet companies that, no matter their previous specialty, ended up offering everything.


    But cars are different from other industries. If we don''t raise the review threshold, it might lead to major disasters.


    A young tree that isn''t pruned doesn''t grow straight. Now is the golden period for market development, and we must regulate our actions more."


    "This is indeed a problem."


    The leaders showed contemplation and indicated they would go back and discuss it, to introduce more regulated provisions.


    The biggest difference between leaders from the south and the north is that southern leaders really listen to the opinions of enterprises.


    They also don''t indulge in excessive social drinking. Usually, after discussing business and a little chit-chat, they eat and go their separate ways.


    At the door, he saw off the leaders.


    Old Wang asked with a smile, "Mr. Lu, are you heading back to Modu?"


    Lu Liang nodded, "The NIO ES8 is launching tomorrow."


    "Equipped with Tianxing OS?"


    "Mr. Wang is really well-informed."


    Old Wang chuckled, "It''s not that I''m well-informed, but NIO''s Mr. Li can''t stay idle."


    Since yesterday, the internet had been bustling as digital armies began to vigorously promote the upcoming NIO vehicle.


    All sorts of rumors flew everywhere, with numerous supposed insiders revealing to media that NIO''s vehicle system was far ahead, enough to match or even surpass Tesla.


    Li Bing, this guy, may fool outsiders, but he can''t fool industry insiders.


    Although the car system hasn''t been launched yet, hyping it up as a selling point indicates that there must be something commendable.


    NIO was simultaneously developing a new car, building factories, and constructing battery exchange stations, advancing on three fronts.


    According to available data, to date, NIO only had 680 million US Dollars. Where would they have the spare money to develop vehicle systems unless, predictably, it was Lu Liang''s doing?


    Lu Liang asked with a smile, "Mr. Wang, is BYD also interested?"


    Old Wang glanced and said indifferently, "DiLink has been in development for several years, and if that fails, there''s always Huawei''s HongMeng next door."


    "HongMeng? Is Mr. Ren also planning to enter the fray?" Lu Liang''s brows furrowed; his biggest fear was coming true.


    These smartphone manufacturers also plan to enter the new energy market and take a slice of the pie. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Once they enter, they will directly compete with Tianxing OS.


    "There''s always more than one burrow for a cunning rabbit."


    Old Wang gave a slight smile, his tone tinged with a teacher''s instructiveness, "These big companies won''t miss any opportunity, whether there''s a rabbit or not, they will take action first and ask questions later."


    Hearing this, Lu Liang fell into deep thought.


    Every company wants eternal prosperity. As long as there''s money, they''ll cast a wide net, hoping for success somewhere if not everywhere.


    Old Wang''s words were a wake-up call.


    Recently, Lei Jun had mentioned wanting to visit Tianxing Technology in Beijing.


    Was his idea similar to his?


    The more Lu Liang thought about it, the more likely it seemed. Beyond smartphones, Xiaomi had already reached out into the appliance sector.


    Xiaomi''s development path was almost identical to LeEco''s, except that Lei Jun was action-oriented while Old Jia was all talk.


    Once the market picked up, Xiaomi entering car manufacturing was inevitable.


    "Mr. Lu, I''ll take my leave first." Old Wang smiled warmly.


    Two days ago, he had taken Lu Liang to visit the Hexagonal Building. Afterwards, someone had told him a story.


    A search architect, after having been away for over nine months, returned and became the founder of a unicorn company.


    As a result, two rumors circulated within the Beijing Circle¡ªthe first among leaders of major companies: secure against fire, theft, and Lu Liang.


    The second, among senior management of major companies, to trust Lu Liang was to get rich quickly, with Yang Zhenyuan being the prime example.


    Old Wang wasn''t sure if he was letting the wolf through the door that day, but it didn''t stop him from trying to give Lu Liang some trouble.


    The idea of Tianxing OS was common knowledge, but compared to tech companies, it was like the light of fireflies against the bright moon.


    "Mr. Wang, take care,"


    Lu Liang said with a smile, waiting for Old Wang to leave before the smile slowly faded from his face.


    He realized that Old Wang was causing him anxiety, but was also indeed giving him a warning.


    If Hongmeng had ideas, then surely Pengpai, Boundaryless, and Le Chu did as well.


    They would be more advantageous in developing vehicle systems, although Weili and Wuling were equipped with Tianxing OS.


    But on a national scale, these three companies were insignificant, with only Wuling having started mass production.


    Smartphone manufacturers could easily collaborate with established automakers to launch their vehicle systems.


    Time was running out for Tianxing OS.


    "Next year is going to be a brutal one."


    By nightfall, Lu Liang caught a flight.


    He reached Modu by 2:30 a.m, walking out of the cabin, he involuntarily shivered and sneezed several times.


    Although Modu is a southern coastal city, compared to Shenzhen, it might as well be in the north, with chilling winds and drizzling rain in mid-November, the temperature barely in the single digits.


    Fang Shiyu drove out of the parking lot, "Brother, where are we heading?"


    "Let''s go home."


    Lu Liang''s voice was nasal, and he felt a bit dizzy and couldn''t help but cough a few times.


    He had felt off since returning from Liuzhou yesterday. After sleeping on the plane, his nose suddenly got blocked, and his throat was constantly itchy.


    Fang Shiyu asked, "Which home?"


    Lu Liang had several homes¡ªTangchen, She Mountain, Scholarly Splendor, and lately, he frequented Skyline, which also seemed to count as one.


    If Lu Liang didn''t clarify, Fang Shiyu really wouldn''t know which one was truly his home.


    After a pause, there was no response in the car.


    He couldn''t help but turn his head to look back, under the dim light, Lu Liang was breathing rapidly, and his complexion unusually flushed.


    Fang Shiyu touched Lu Liang''s forehead, then hurriedly called Chao, who had already reached home, "Chao, Mr. Lu seems to have a high fever."


    "I just left the airport, take Mr. Lu to the hospital immediately, we will meet there, I am now contacting the hospital to prepare," Chao said calmly.


    "Okay, I''m on my way."


    Hearing this, Fang Shiyu changed from the usually stable driving mode to a furious one.


    He learned to drive in the military, although he usually drove steadily, it didn''t mean he only drove slowly.


    From the airport to the hospital, a 20 kilometer distance, he got five speeding tickets and, due to excessive speed, attracted the attention of night patrol law enforcement.


    Fang Shiyu chose to ignore the warnings, stepped on the accelerator, and in the city area, shot up to 130 km/h, and was eventually pulled over not far from the hospital.


    The officer looked ahead at the building top''s red lettering and asked, "Is there a patient in the car, needing to get to the hospital?"


    Fang Shiyu hurriedly nodded, the officer thought for a moment and said, "Follow us, we''ll go do a statement together later."


    It didn''t matter whether the car was good or bad, or who was in it. When it came to human life, even if it were a taxi, they would lead the way.


    "Thank you."


    Fang Shiyu showed gratitude, drove into the hospital, and the medical staff were all waiting outside, but Chao was nowhere to be seen.


    He almost single-handedly lifted the 150-pound Lu Liang out of the car and placed him on a medical wheelchair.


    The officer saw Lu Liang, somehow feeling he looked familiar, but couldn''t quite place him, though he felt he was very famous.


    Because the moment Lu Liang got out of the car, a few exclamations arose from the bystanders.


    Although the emergency room at three in the morning wasn''t as crowded as during the day, it was certainly not empty.


    The officer, seeing the crowd gathering, frowned, "Sir, please inform other family members to come, then come with us."


    Fang Shiyu called Chao, finding out midway that he had been in a car accident, stuck in traffic, and completely immobile.


    Chao thought for a moment, "Shiyu, hand your phone to the officer, I''ll talk to him."


    "Officer, hello, the person just now is our Mr. Lu, Lu Liang from Tianxing Investment, I am his secretary, my name is Chao. Could you perhaps wait half an hour for me? There was a car accident on Tiantong Road, and I''m stuck."

 Chapter 253 - 252: Has Lu Liang Gone Mad?

    "Secretary Wen, hello, maybe you could contact some other people to come over? It''s really inconvenient right now."


    If there hadn''t been an audience, he probably would have agreed, but at the moment, there were at least dozens of onlookers.


    What''s more, some had already taken out their cell phones, ready to record the collusion between government and business, a scene of bending the law for personal gain.


    He wanted to agree, but he didn''t dare.


    "Sorry for the trouble." S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Wen Chao''s words reached his lips but were swallowed back; he couldn''t say much more. Although he was Lu Liang''s secretary, he had just graduated a year ago and had never been involved in using his position to bully others.


    He could only ask Fang Shiyu if he knew anyone who was particularly close to Lu Liang and could come over quickly.


    He had already found someone to help drive, was walking away from the congested accident site, and then taking a cab over.


    Without hesitation, Fang Shiyu called Su Wanyu. He only had her number, and Yu had even met his aunt and uncle before, likely the cousin closest to him.


    Twenty-odd minutes later, Su Wanyu hurried over and, after getting the full picture, said, "Shiyu, you go ahead and give your statement. I''ll keep watch here."


    After that, she followed the medical staff to the ward where the ward director informed her, "Miss, Mr. Lu has acute pneumonia. We''ve already given him preliminary treatment. If Mr. Lu wakes up, please be sure to let us know immediately."


    "Okay, okay, thank you all," Su Wanyu sighed in relief, having been startled when she first heard Lu Liang was hospitalized.


    Fortunately, it was just acute pneumonia, not some serious or complicated disease that would require surgery or leave sequelae.


    "Always so busy with work, living irregularly, and fond of smoking..."


    Su Wanyu sat in front of the hospital bed, looking at the always dynamic Lu Liang, who now lay with his eyes closed tightly, coughing unconsciously, and felt an inexplicable heartache.


    "I''ll definitely make you quit smoking this time. Keep it up and later on, you won''t even be able to have kids. Then you''ll be scared."


    Su Wanyu muttered softly, following the doctor''s instructions to moisten his lips with a cotton swab and timely replace the towels to reduce his fever with physical cooling.


    Not long after, Wen Chao also hurried over. Seeing Su Wanyu caring for Lu Liang in the ward, he breathed a sigh of relief.


    He didn''t dare to leave first and exchanged a silent greeting with Su Wanyu, keeping vigil at the hospital ward''s doorway.


    Ten minutes later, Wen Chao''s expression changed dramatically when he saw a pretty, hurried-looking girl.


    His heart cursed silently.


    Fang Shiyu was setting him up, but not like this.


    He was asked to contact one person, so why reach out to two?


    Was this heading towards a chaotic scene?


    "Secretary Wen, I finally found you. I just saw on Weibo''s trending topics, which ward is Mr. Lu in?"


    Li Manli looked panicked, having recently been addicted to King of Glory, streaming until two or three in the morning each night.


    Just as she was about to end the stream, her chat flooded with comments that Lu Liang was done for.


    At first, she thought they were joking until she saw the real-time trending list on Weibo.


    Lu Liang in a car accident?


    Lu Liang''s life hung by a thread?


    Lu Liang was done for?


    Related trending searches quickly soared into the top ten, along with numerous on-site photos.


    Lu Liang being carried by Fang Shiyu, then pushed in a wheelchair by the medical staff into the hospital, throughout the whole time, his eyes remained tightly closed.


    In a panic, Li Manli tried calling but got no answer. Once she learned that Lu Liang was at the city hospital, she didn''t even remove her makeup before rushing over.


    Wen Chao glanced at the ward and reluctantly said, "Miss Li, Mr. Lu isn''t in any serious danger. How about you head back first? I''ll explain the situation to Mr. Lu later."


    Although he had a girlfriend, she was his high school sweetheart. They had a strong relationship of six years and planned to marry. He really didn''t know how to deal with this situation.


    But one thing he was sure of, he absolutely couldn''t let the two girls meet each other, or else it would be a disaster.


    "He''s fainted, how could he not be in serious danger?"


    Li Manli didn''t listen, just pushing into the ward.


    She suddenly froze upon seeing Su Wanyu sitting by the bed, carefully wiping the sweat from Lu Liang''s forehead.


    Their eyes met, and seeing Su Wanyu''s puzzled expression, Li Manli suddenly understood.


    A trace of desolation flashed in her eyes as she quickly bowed in apology, "Sorry, I walked into the wrong room."


    She knew she wasn''t Lu Liang''s only one, but she never expected to encounter a romantic rival in this way.


    Li Manli remembered the font on the lighter and a Nine-Eyed Sky Bead that had appeared out of nowhere.


    With a girl''s sixth sense, she felt these items were all gifts from the cool-tempered girl before her.


    She knew Lu Liang treasured them, and she knew about her and her, thus she also knew where she stood in Lu Liang''s heart, which was weightier.


    "No problem," Su Wanyu, with her delicate brows slightly furrowed and her big eyes filled with confusion, watched Li Manli turn and hurry away.


    Wen Chao tried to smooth things over, "Miss Su, I just accidentally dozed off, please don''t tell Mr. Lu, please?"


    "It''s getting late, why don''t you go back and rest? I can handle things here," Su Wanyu struggled to keep her smile.


    "No problem, I''ll just wait outside. If anything happens, just call me," Wen Chao said with a smile plastered on his face, closing the room door.


    Suddenly, Su Wanyu said, "Secretary Wen, could you please look after Lu Liang for a moment? I''m going to the restroom."


    Although she didn''t want to admit it, she had seen the loneliness flashing through that girl''s eyes. It was unmistakable.


    She wanted to know why. Could it really have been that Wen Chao dozed off and she walked into the wrong room?


    Could such a coincidence happen?


    Wen Chao nodded, relieved, thinking he had narrowly escaped the impending chaotic scene.


    The next second, his face turned pale.


    Obviously, the private ward had its own restroom, yet Su Wanyu had walked out of the ward.


    "Mr. Lu, save me~"


    Wen Chao''s eyes widened, and his heart suddenly turned cold. Looking at Lu Liang with his eyes tightly shut, he sensed big trouble looming.


    Wake up quickly~ my Mr. Lu.


    Su Wanyu chased out of the ward and after searching around, saw Li Manli wiping her tears in the corridor.


    She stopped in her tracks, held her breath, and summoned the courage to offer a tissue: "Do you know Lu Liang by any chance?"


    Li Manli was startled, her expression panicked as she hurriedly explained, "Who is Lu Liang? I don''t know a Lu Liang."


    Su Wanyu looked into her eyes. Her heart felt as though it was being tightly squeezed by an invisible pair of hands. She fell silent for a long time: "I feel like you were here to see him."


    "Sis, you must have felt wrong about it."


    Li Manli forced a few laughs, her glance evasive, quickly fabricating a story about her dad being in a car accident, just entering the operating room, his fate uncertain.


    "Thank you for the tissue. I just heard wrong; it''s actually the building across," she said as she wiped the corner of her eyes and hurried away.


    "You really like him, don''t you?"


    Su Wanyu shouted toward the staircase, and Li Manli paused briefly before continuing on without looking back.


    Su Wanyu remained silent, returning to the ward quietly, sitting in front of the bed without uttering a word.


    Her face was deathly pale, revealing a hint of bitterness: "Is it money? But I feel like it''s not about money. That girl seemed to really like you a lot. Such an expression can''t be faked."


    Wen Chao shivered, completely lacking his usual composure.


    He suddenly very much wanted to call his girlfriend and ask how to handle this situation.


    Staying in the ward didn''t feel right, but leaving, he worried that Su Wanyu, out of love turned to hate, might harm Lu Liang.


    Who will come to my rescue~~~


    Fang Shiyu, you bastard, why haven''t you come back yet.


    "Lu Liang, actually, I should have guessed earlier, but I always didn''t want to believe it or think about it," Su Wanyu murmured.


    "Treat her well. She likes you more than I do. She can accept it, but I can''t."


    Su Wanyu''s heart ached so much she could hardly breathe, leaning down to kiss the corner of Lu Liang''s mouth, leaving two trails of tears on his face.


    She bowed her head and walked out of the ward.


    "Su..."


    Wen Chao''s words reached the edge of his lips but were swallowed back, as he watched Su Wanyu leave helplessly.


    Suddenly feeling somewhat relieved, Su Wanyu had left peacefully, and that meant it was no longer his problem.


    Having survived the danger.


    Half an hour later, Lu Liang woke up.


    In the ward, a violent coughing fit erupted.


    Wen Chao quickly handed over a cup of warm water, asking with concern, "Mr. Lu, how are you feeling now?"


    "It''s okay," Lu Liang, his throat so sore he didn''t want to speak, instinctively touched his cheek, feeling a bit oily and sticky.


    Why was it sticky?


    His mind was a mess, and he didn''t want to think about it.


    Wen Chao''s headache returned. Seeing Lu Liang''s state, he didn''t know whether to speak up now.


    Suddenly, the door swung open, and Fang Shiyu returned after finishing his police statement. He asked in confusion, "Where''s Yu?"


    Lu Liang''s eyebrows furrowed: "Yu was here?"


    "Miss Su came by, and so did Miss Li."


    Wen Chao spilled everything he had witnessed, as if pouring out beans.


    Fang Shiyu''s eyes widened, and he quickly explained, "I only contacted Yu."


    Lu Liang grunted, fell silent without a word, touched the slightly sticky spot on his cheek again, and then closed his eyes.

 Chapter 254 - 253: Snatching Food from the Mouths of the Two Oil Barons

    As soon as dawn broke, Wen Chao''s phone wouldn''t stop ringing with investors calling to inquire about Lu Liang''s illness.


    At the hospital entrance and the lobby of the first-floor payment hall, there were many people obviously not family members of patients.


    Rumors spread that Lu Liang was staying in this hospital, everyone came to try their luck, hoping to get firsthand information.


    They didn''t have the guts to go upstairs to disturb him, nor dared to ask about Lu Liang''s condition, but they still had the guts to ''casually'' inquire.


    "Mr. Lu, you should pay more attention to your diet and stabilize your daily routine, remember to eat less spicy food, and quit smoking and drinking..."


    Acute pneumonia wasn''t a serious disease, a few IV drips the previous night had already brought down Lu Liang''s high fever.


    What remained was to take medication on time and slowly recuperate, under normal circumstances, he could recover in 7-10 days without any residual effects.


    Wen Chao made a mental note of the doctor''s advice and indicated he would remind Lu Liang to take his medicine on time, after talking to the doctor.


    He walked to the bedside, crouched down, and asked softly, "Mr. Lu, Mr. Li just called."


    According to the original schedule, they were to go to the exhibition in Modu at ten in the morning to attend the NIO ES8 new car launch event.


    "Can I be discharged now?" Lu Liang muffled a cough with his hand, feeling itchy in his lungs whenever he spoke.


    "It is possible, but the hospital recommends that you stay for observation for 12 hours."


    "Come back later then."


    Perhaps due to his regular exercise, Lu Liang felt fairly well. Except for his limbs feeling weak and an uncontrollable urge to cough, which caused lung pain accompanied by thick phlegm.


    His mind was clearer than ever, feeling as if a lot of junk information was cleared, and his CPU was running faster.


    Unable to persuade him otherwise, Wen Chao asked the doctor again about the precautions needed for discharging now.


    Soon after, Lu Liang put on a mask and walked out of the hospital door under the escort of security personnel.


    As soon as he got into the car, he coughed violently and couldn''t help exiting, "Change the car."


    His mind was clear, and his sense of smell was exceptionally sharp; there was a faint smell of smoke in the car that nauseated Lu Liang as soon as he smelled it.


    He got into the business Mercedes of the security personnel and after a moment said, "Let''s go to the exhibition first."


    Business matters were urgent, and Lu Liang had neither the time nor the energy to deal with Su Wanyu''s matter now.


    One thing at a time, there was the United States election tonight, he just couldn''t spare the time.


    By past nine, Lu Liang arrived at the exhibition, and a large crowd of reporters with cameras, like sharks sensing blood.


    Seeing Lu Liang, the rumor of his critical injury and illness circulating online self-destructed.


    Li Bing rushed over, looking concerned, "Mr. Lu, you really must take care of yourself."


    Waking up to hear that Lu Liang was in a coma and hospitalized had made him feel like the sky was falling.


    Why fall ill just before the NIO new car launch, especially being captured in photos during hospitalization.


    If it was a minor illness, it would have been fine, but a serious one? The Xiao Peng G3 launch colliding with the Hongguang Mini would meet the same fate as the NIO ES8 launch.


    If something serious had happened, he wouldn''t know whom to turn to replace Lu Liang''s position for the financing after the launch.


    Fortunately, heaven had answered his prayers, allowing Lu Liang to safely come and attend the launch of the new car in the morning.


    "No worries," Lu Liang was sparing with his words, Wen Chao explained, "Mr. Li, Mr. Lu finds it difficult to speak at the moment."


    "Understood, understood." Known it was pneumonia, Li Bing quickly invited Lu Liang to rest in the lounge for a while.


    As long as Lu Liang showed up, even if he didn''t say a word, just making an appearance was enough.


    Lu Liang was always trending; admitted to the hospital last night, and today attending the NIO new car launch. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    What good car was it that garnered his support so strongly, all filled with topics of discussion.


    Li Bing cleared out section one of the lounge for Lu Liang, making sure he wasn''t disturbed.


    Lu Liang also picked up his phone, replying one by one to messages from friends and relatives from last night.


    His mind was clear, but it was just his illusion.


    Just earlier in the car, seeing his phone screen, Lu Liang felt very dizzy and had no intention to look.


    There weren''t many messages on WeChat, just around ten people, after all, the incident was sudden and during the late night.


    Mostly were night owls like Little Wang or Liu Mingxuan waking up in the middle of the night to care for their baby: "If you''re still alive, give a squeak?"


    "Squeak~"


    Lu Liang uniformly replied, thanking everyone for their concern.


    His gaze finally rested on two people¡ªLi Manli and Su Wanyu¡ªeach of their last messages were sent at three and four in the morning, respectively.


    Li Manli initially sent a dozen voice messages, and eventually, she seemed to have reached the hospital, so she did not inquire further.


    "I''m okay now," Lu Liang replied to her.


    Li Manli almost instantly responded, "You scared the hell out of me."


    The chat interface kept showing "typing," and after a while, a voice message of fifty-something seconds came through.


    "I''m sorry..." she started talking about last night, about Su Wanyu chasing after her, and things Wen Chao did not know.


    "That woman, so elegant, so beautiful, and so smart."


    Li Manli felt a bitter sorrow, unable to hide her own insecurities.


    Su Wanyu was the type of girl everyone admired at first sight, beautiful and intelligent.


    Just like her class monitor during her senior year of high school¡ªpretty, academically excellent, with a well-off family.


    Unlike her, with poor grades, working right after high school, naively letting herself be taken advantage of.


    Had it not been for her good fortune in meeting Lu Liang, she might have ended up like her former colleagues.


    Nightclubs had easily corrupted many people''s moral compass; bartending and tips made her barely seven to eight thousand a month.


    But accompanying guests for drinks and tolerating occasional touches on the thigh, she could easily make a five-figure sum each month.


    And if one was willing to play even freer, a six-figure monthly salary wasn''t too difficult to achieve.


    A colleague from early in the year had even bragged to her about being wealthy now.


    As the gap between them widened, they gradually lost contact.


    Until a couple of months ago, that colleague suddenly contacted her, asking to borrow money for an abortion.


    Li Manli transferred five thousand to her, then permanently blocked her.


    It was from that moment that she truly grasped how fortunate she was.


    "You''re not bad yourself, you haven''t slept all night. Get some rest early."


    Lu Liang turned his attention to Su Wanyu.


    At four in the morning, she sent a message with just a sad emoji of a yellow bean.


    Looking up through earlier messages, still from yesterday.


    "Have heard that the flu is rampant in Shenzhen, be sure to take care of yourself and drink plenty of water."


    "It''s gotten colder in Modu, remember to wear more clothes when you come back."


    "Got some good news, I scored eighth in the whole school in the last joint exam, hehe~"


    "My tutor even wants to recommend me for an exchange in England next year, but I declined."


    "I was asked about my plans for the future, and I said I want to have two babies after graduation, then we''ll see. I still remember her expression."


    "She almost pointed at my forehead and said, ''Six years in primary, three in junior high, three in high school, four in university, two for a master''s... eighteen years of hard study, just to be a housewife...''"


    "But who cares, as long as I''m happy~"


    Su Wanyu''s messages revealed her anticipation for the future, she knew Lu Liang was busy and not often responding, but that didn''t stop her from cheerfully sharing snippets of her life every day.


    Suddenly a severe coughing fit echoed throughout the rest area.


    Lu Liang covered his throat, his eyes bloodshot, feeling like he was about to cough up his lungs.


    Wen Chao quickly passed him a cup of warm water: "Mr. Lu, have some water to ease it."


    Lu Liang looked somber, put away his phone, drank some water, closed his eyes, and seemed to fall asleep.


    Until Wen Chao reminded him that it was time for the press conference, and they needed to take their seats.


    Lu Liang nodded, arrived at the front row of the venue, half-asleep as he listened to Li Bing boasting onstage.


    The latest Lithium Iron Phosphate battery from Ningde Era, accelerating from zero to a hundred meters in 4.9 seconds, with a vehicle length over five meters, and a wheelbase over three meters.


    Constructed entirely from aluminum alloy body and chassis, standard equipment includes active air suspension and dual electric motors with all-wheel drive.


    "To address range anxiety, we plan to set up battery swap stations nationwide, offering an energy acquisition experience that surpasses refueling gasoline vehicles."


    With the battery swap plan announced, applause thundered and exclamations filled the venue, marvelling at NIO''s bold move.


    If electric vehicles were widely accepted, NIO could secure a significant market share.


    The prospects of the battery swap project were absolutely imaginative, as it represented seizing food from the mouths of the oil giants, currently the best and relatively perfect solution to resolve range anxiety.

 Chapter 255 - 254: A Chance to Escape

    Li Bing spoke passionately on stage, discussing the battery exchange plan, which indeed was very innovative, with a far smoother vehicle system than Li Xiang.


    The advantages of the NIO ES8 were too numerous to be encapsulated in just a sentence or two; however, a common issue with new automotive forces was only talking about their considerable lead.


    Yet, when it came to specifics regarding when mass production would start and when the new car would roll off the assembly line, not a word was mentioned.


    The cameraman also understood live streaming well, and the camera unintentionally always focused on Lu Liang''s pale face.


    His drooping eyelids no longer showed his usual vitality, and although it was heartbreaking, it did not stop the netizens from making fun.


    "Is there no end.JPG"


    "He''s almost dead, yet still not off work.JPG"


    "I really don''t want to work this job.JPG"


    Before the press conference ended, twelve animated GIFs filled with workplace negativity featuring Lu Liang were quickly created.


    Rolling his eyes, yawning, coughing a few times.


    These various weak expressions looked just like their usual sick, yet unavoidable work mode.


    "Although it looks pitiful, these GIFs are hilarious."


    In just over a year of becoming a top internet celebrity, Lu Liang also saw the creation of his 25th set of featured photos today.


    Some people indeed worried about Lu Liang tonight since it was the United States'' election night, and the international market was bound to be turbulent.


    Given Lu Liang''s personality, he likely had made preparations, but in his current state, was he still capable of operating?


    After the meeting, Li Bing gathered NIO''s shareholders for a meeting to discuss a prospective $700 million in funding, receiving the news with mixed feelings.


    The advantage was clear; it would no longer go unnoticed, but the disadvantage was also clear; all attention was concentrated on Lu Liang.


    "You guys go ahead and discuss, just send me the financial plan later," said Lu Liang, his voice raspy as if his throat was filled with sand.


    "Sure, Mr. Lu, then I will see you off."


    $700 million was no small amount, and Li Bing did not expect to secure the funding today.


    It was merely to inform everyone that approximately so much money was needed to keep going until mass production.


    Lu Liang returned to his car, let out a long sigh of relief; the car had just been cleaned, leaving no trace of cigarette smell.


    Fang Shiyu whispered, "Mr. Lu, are we going home?"


    Lu Liang shook his head, "First to the company."


    He had Wen Chao contact the hospital to arrange for a home visit.


    Planning to get another IV drip to support himself, he needed to at least last until tomorrow noon.


    By 7 p.m., all fifty states in the United States would begin progressively announcing vote counts, with the final winner decided by 10 a.m. the next day.


    A week ago, he had already moved $4.3 billion US Dollars, mainly divided into two parts: one billion in peso and three billion in Gold.


    For the peso, to not disclose any intentions, Lu Liang only used a five-times leverage, but for the London Gold, he used ten-times.


    From the $3 billion US Dollars, half was for margin, half for trading, turning $1.5 billion through leverage into $15 billion.


    The remaining $300 million was reserved, ready to provide logistical support to both markets at any moment.


    In early next month, the second phase of settlement and the third phase of dividends were due, to ensure the following plans weren''t affected.


    Tonight, a profit of over $1 billion was essential, so collapsing now was not an option.


    On the way to the company, Lu Liang asked in a low voice, "Little Wen, are you from Fudan''s Finance Department?"


    Wen Chao responded softly, "Yes, Mr. Lu."


    He knew that a sick person''s senses were heightened.


    A normal tone of voice might now seem like a piercing noise, so he spoke very gently and quietly.


    "If the businessman is elected, where do you think we can profit?"


    Lu Liang suddenly thought this could be an opportunity, perhaps a chance to step away from private equity.


    Because tonight was the vote counting day in the United States, but back home, everyone already knew he looked half-dead.


    Even focusing was difficult, let alone engaging in high-intensity market speculation.


    If he could still turn a huge profit tonight, he could also signal to the outside world that private equity didn''t need his direct involvement; just steering the overall direction was sufficient.


    "Offshore Renminbi."


    Wen Chao was taken aback, for compared to Old Mo''s peso and International Gold, he cared more about the Offshore Renminbi.


    Should the merchant be elected, first and foremost, the peso would definitely plummet and Gold would soar, but there was an even more important market¡ªthe Offshore Renminbi.


    Having followed Lu Liang for so long, he could not understand why, several times when there were excellent opportunities to short the RMB, Lu Liang selectively ignored them.


    From Old England''s Brexit at the beginning of the year, to the issues in the south at mid-year, and now, assuming the merchant was elected, all were negative news for the RMB.


    Just within nine months, the RMB to US Dollar exchange rate had risen from 6.38 to 6.58 now, and if the merchant were elected, it could even break 7.


    Because he advocated for the return of capital and job positions, from where would they return? Naturally, from East Country back to America.


    Foreign exchange is a magical market; a slight increase is called good news, a sudden large increase is called bad news, inflation.


    "Yes, I''ve ignored the Offshore Renminbi for a while." Lu Liang chuckled, then suddenly couldn''t help coughing.


    "Mr. Lu, the doctor suggested you should speak less; your illness will heal faster," Wen Chao softly reminded.


    "Wake me up at seven."


    Upon returning to the company, Lu Liang lay in the resting room.


    Hooked up to an IV, he dozed and woke, then slept and woke again, spending over six hours in a dazed state.


    Until the evening at seven, Wen Chao squatted by the bed and whispered, "Mr. Lu, it''s already six forty-five now."


    Lu Liang, groggy, had regained a fair amount of energy, but his throat still felt as if it were being cut by a knife.


    He sat on the edge of the bed for a long while, his face breaking into a smile, pushing through the fatigue, he moved to the adjacent trading room.


    After preparing for more than a month, eighteen traders were all ready to go, but on the eve of the great battle, their leader had fallen ill.


    Each face showed concern, Sun Yutao could not bear it: "Mr. Lu, perhaps you should rest this time."


    Lu Liang was their mainstay; they had never feared facing three or even eight opponents initially.


    It was all because of the strong confidence that Lu Liang gave them, undefeated to this day, he was the uncrowned king of the financial market. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The once high-spirited man was now utterly devoid of vigor, looking sickly.


    Although it might sound unpleasant, it truly dampened their spirits and easily made people apprehensive. Were the decisions now still correct?


    "Business as usual," Lu Liang shouted loudly, his face breaking into the confident smile of the past.


    Though his throat felt as if it had been elbowed, he knew he could not show any sign of weakness now.


    "Received."


    "Received."


    "¡­"


    The team members all showed smiles; sick or not, Lu Liang was still the same confident Lu Liang.


    One by one, people went back to their stations to make final preparations, for this was to be a grueling battle lasting over 14 hours.


    Lu Liang also took his seat at the main position, but unlike before, this time, he used the computer screen to block most of his body.


    He called Sun Yutao and Wen Chao over, cleared his throat, and said, "I will be watching from here, this time, Wen Chao will take the lead, and Yutao, you will assist."


    Both men''s faces showed shock, Lu Liang swallowed and continued, "With the merchant''s election as a premise, you should be as bold as possible."


    He looked up at Wen Chao, "Do you have confidence?"


    Although Sun Yutao had over a decade of experience, when he was recruited, there was no consideration of him making decisions; his role was purely that of a utility person.


    But Wen Chao was different, Lu Liang had always treated him like a successor, always having him by his side, never avoiding him in decisions.


    After more than a year, it was time for a major test.


    Considering the merchant''s election as a given, with a full score of one billion US Dollars, he was very eager to see how many points Wen Chao could score.


    Wen Chao suppressed the excitement in his heart, clenched his teeth, his eyes determined: "I''ll give it my all, without holding back."


    "Move the computer over here, sit next to me," Lu Liang said with a smile, unable to suppress a muffled cough, very satisfied with the answer.


    Sun Yutao widened his eyes. Are today''s young people all this fierce, not even hesitating for a moment?


    He couldn''t help but look towards Lu Liang, 4.3 billion US Dollars, truly comfortable handing it over to a young man?


    Lu Liang looked at him: "Yutao, do you have any questions?"


    Sun Yutao quickly shook his head: "No."

 Chapter 256 - 255: What is Not Forbidden by Law is Permissible

    "Let''s begin."


    Lu Liang looked up at the screen, feeling a touch cold as though he had a fever, and instinctively tightened his wool coat around himself.


    It was just past seven, in the live broadcast room for the United States election, a map of fifty states with a gray pattern showed the first Blue State appearing.


    The results for New York had already been announced, with Larry securing 57.3% of the votes, and the businessman securing 42.7% of the votes.


    Although New York is a standard Blue State and a stable stronghold for Larry''s party, it didn''t hinder a promising start.


    The moment the news was released, the "Businessman Inverse Index" surged significantly.


    Wen Chao nodded firmly, held his breath, cleared his mind of distractions, and took charge on behalf of Lu Liang, "Group one, buy Gold at 1750.12, Group two, short the Peso-US Dollar at 18.21."


    "Group three..." Wen Chao couldn''t help but glance at Lu Liang, intending to mobilize half of the reserve funds.


    That is 150 million US Dollars, divided into two parts of 75 million each, one for the margin account, and one for the operations account.


    75 million US Dollars, leveraged twenty times, would amount to 1.5 billion US Dollars, betting on a rise in the RMB against the US Dollar.


    Lu Liang covered his mouth coughing violently, took a sip of water, cleared his throat, "What isn''t prohibited by law can be done."


    Whether shorting or longing, both were market activities¡ªhe had previously opted not to, but that didn''t mean he couldn''t.


    Going forward, he planned to focus on his career; concerning money matters, he would only direct the strategy, everything was acceptable as long as it wasn''t illegal.


    Perhaps it was self-deception, but from now on publicly, the private funds would no longer be managed by Lu Liang, and whatever happened would have nothing to do with him.


    Empowered, Wen Chao''s confidence soared, "Group three to withdraw 150 million US Dollars, use 20 times leverage, and long the RMB."


    Compared to Old Mo''s Peso and International Gold, he was actually more optimistic about the RMB''s continuous strong performance.


    East Country had been overlooked by America for too long, regardless of who would take office, they would face targeting.


    Thus, a short-term surge and a long-term continuous rise in the RMB against the US Dollar was inevitable. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At 7:32 PM, the first Red State emerged.


    It was just the stronghold of the businessman''s party, and it wouldn''t have much impact on the financial markets.


    What really would be decisive should be the ongoing announcements of Swing States at three twenty in the morning.


    With the orders from Wen Chao, a total of 4.15 billion US Dollars flowed into three major markets: Peso, Gold, and RMB.


    Among these, the Peso market was the smallest, although Old Mo had a territorial area of 1.96 million square kilometers and a population of 122 million.


    But it was too far from heaven and too close to the United States, also the final barrier used by the United States to fend off South American refugees.


    Last year''s GDP just barely broke through one trillion US Dollars, only one-twelfth of East Country''s, one-eighteenth of the United States'', and one-fifth of Japan''s.


    Their GDP per capita was only 8,644 US Dollars, just 518 US Dollars more than East Country, likely to be overtaken by next year.


    Thus, although the election of the businessman would impact Old Mo''s Peso foremost, Lu Liang had only invested one billion US Dollars.


    That included five hundred million for margin and five hundred million for operation, leveraged five times to make two and a half billion US Dollars.


    But 2.5 billion US Dollars was not a small number; as the funds entered the market, they were immediately noticed due to the small size of the Peso market.


    Everyone looked up and saw, suddenly a massive unknown force emerged, drawing too much attention.


    "Who?"


    Lu Liang''s old friend from JPMorgan''s Group Three, Wilson, was also involved, alongside Blackstone, Vanguard, and other well-known Wall Street investment banks; they had entered the Peso market early too.


    It wasn''t a coincidence; any investment bank on Wall Street had control over hundreds of billions of US Dollars.


    If funds sat idle, they would depreciate, so wherever there was any movement globally, they would definitely be involved.


    "Is it Lu Liang?" someone asked.


    Over the past decade, Wall Street had always been a backstage supporter of the Red State, but this time, they abandoned the Red State, not optimistic about the businessman winning.


    Because the businessman was a real estate magnate, who didn''t lack political donations, hadn''t taken their money, and if he won the big prize, he was unlikely to help them.


    Otherwise, there wouldn''t be the creation of the "Businessman Inverse Index," the word "inverse" alone was indicative enough.


    Over the previous 44 elections, although there were election weather forecasts, there had never been an "inverse" index.


    Only the businessman was unique, also indicating that Wall Street was not optimistic about him.


    Thus, they all chose to long the Peso.


    Because Larry was a traditional Democrat, who embraced diversity and advocated for compassion to all living beings.


    Once elected, the Peso would definitely rise sharply.


    "It doesn''t quite seem like his style, but we can''t completely rule it out."


    Wilson frowned severely; just yesterday afternoon, he received news of Lu Liang being hospitalized.


    He was deeply worried for a long time, fortunately, by last night, he saw the news of Lu Liang attending a press conference.


    Although not as spirited as usual, likely unable to concentrate and engage in market investment activities.


    But it couldn''t be entirely ruled out.


    When they heard this, their faces broke into smiles, and they felt relaxed, "As long as it''s not Lu Liang, it''s fine."


    That Lu Liang really is somewhat sinister, having faced him so many times and never reaping any benefits.


    This caused everyone to naturally be tentative when opposing Lu Liang; if it wasn''t him personally, it would be a different matter.


    "It''s definitely not him, that guy is an extreme racist." Suddenly, someone spoke up.


    They had a large amount of capital invested in Offshore Renminbi, and at the same time, there were unknown forces entering the market.


    From the style, the trading methods of these two forces were extremely similar, likely the same organization.


    As everyone knows, Lu Liang, though often accurately assessing the international situation, always deliberately ignored the world''s second largest market.


    He was also dubbed a racist, and if it was Lu Liang, he would never short his own country''s currency.


    "Is it really not him?" Wilson murmured to himself.


    If it was Lu Liang''s doing, then he would need to reconsider whether to continue basing market investments on Larry''s anticipated victory.


    The last time he followed the trend and shorted the Dow, it had been profitable, sweetening the previous losses incurred from going long on British Pounds.


    The feeling of winning effortlessly was just too good.


    Time ticked by, nearing midnight, with results from 23 states now public¡ª12 from Blue State, 11 from Red State, with a narrowing gap between the two parties.


    But generally, they were the strongholds of each side, and the market still believed Larry would win the election.


    Next was a two-hour break, as it was the United States'' lunch break, so all states would stop counting.


    Lu Liang''s face turned flushed red as he quickly walked out of the trading room, unable to help but cover his chest as he coughed heavily.


    Coughing in the evening was usually a bit worse than during the day, he habitually pulled out a cigarette.


    But after thinking it over, he threw it directly into the trash bin and opened the window to let in some air: "It''s time to quit."


    There''s nothing sadder in life than living without money, but clearly, Lu Liang didn''t need to worry about that.


    He planned to take this chance to quit smoking, to live a few more years, to enjoy a few more years of lavish nightlife.


    Suddenly his phone rang, he received a message from Li Manli: "I cooked some pear and white fungus, do you want to try it? It can moisten the lungs."


    Lu Liang replied: "I''m still at the office."


    "I can bring it over to you."


    Li Manli suddenly got excited, worried about disturbing Lu Liang''s work, she added: "Or Shiyu can pick it up downstairs."


    All day, she was so worried that Lu Liang might leave her for that ''sister'' that she couldn''t even focus on eating.


    Now, at midnight, Lu Liang was still at work, which at least meant he wasn''t with that ''sister''.


    She hadn''t been abandoned, at least not yet.


    "Then bring it up."


    "Okay, I''ll be there soon."


    Li Manli was probably at Tangchen, it only took her twenty minutes to call and come up to the office.


    It was her first time at Lu Liang''s company, her eyes filled with curiosity, always sneaking glances.


    Lu Liang patted her head, then led Li Manli to his office: "If you get sleepy, there''s a lounge inside."


    Li Manli quickly waved her hands, her head shaking like a rattle: "After you drink, I''ll go back."


    Lu Liang looked at her, patting the seat next to him, and Li Manli obediently, quietly sat beside him.


    Lu Liang drank the pear and white fungus soup, feeling the searing pain in his lungs being soothed: "Skilled craftsmanship, tastes good."


    Li Manli squinted her eyes, grinning broadly: "I''ll go back and cook some lily soup later, you can eat it tomorrow morning."


    Lu Liang stroked her head for a long time, Li Manli enjoyed herself greatly until Lu Liang suddenly asked, "Would that make you angry?"


    Li Manli fell silent, hesitating for a long time, she bit her lower lip and whispered: "I won''t be angry, just a little scared, scared that you don''t want me because of that ''sister''."


    "Of course not."


    Even if Lu Liang liked Su Wanyu a lot, he wouldn''t give up the whole forest for her, and neither would Li Manli.


    If he really had to make a choice, he would only give up the person forcing him to choose.


    "Hehe, then I''m not worried."


    Li Manli''s smile bloomed, she hugged Lu Liang tight, not even worrying about whether pneumonia could be contagious, just wanting their faces close together.


    "You should head back and rest early," Lu Liang chuckled, used to Li Manli''s way of expressing love.


    If his body wasn''t ailing at this moment, Li Manli would probably wish to experience what a fever of 38 degrees felt like.


    Clumsy, but also very sincere.

 Chapter 257 - 256: Creating a Legend

    "Bye-bye, I''ll go first."


    Li Manli watched as Lu Liang finished his sugar water, looking back every few steps, hesitating for a long time before finally saying, "Don''t work too hard."


    Lu Liang was probably going to pull an all-nighter; he was clearly ill, and clearly wealthy enough not to need to do this. She didn''t understand, but besides feeling sympathetic, there seemed to be nothing she could do.


    Lu Liang touched her cheek and said with a gentle laugh, "See you tomorrow morning. Be careful on your way home."


    After seeing off Li Manli, he headed to the reception room where several medical staff members specially invited by the hospital had been waiting.


    After receiving another IV drip to slightly alleviate his condition, Lu Liang forced himself to stay alert and entered the trading room next door, crossing his arms and staring at the brightly colored screens with a weary face.


    Wen Chao glanced at him and relaxed a bit inside. Even if Lu Liang did nothing, just having him there was reassuring.


    The two hours of rest passed in a blink, and the market started to become restless again as the results from the first swing state were about to be released.


    Wisconsin was the first, with Businessman at 50% and Larry at 49%, securing a narrow 1% advantage to take the first swing state.


    Upon the announcement, the market reacted swiftly.


    Mexican Peso against US Dollar surged, RMB against US Dollar surged, and International Gold prices also soared significantly.


    Among the fifty states, only seven were swing states, the outcome of which was always filled with uncertainty and could determine the winner of the election. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Wen Chao''s face showed excitement, "Use 150 million dollars of the contingency fund, divide it into three parts, and stabilize the three markets."


    As the results of the first swing state were announced, the scales of victory began to tilt towards them, and towards Businessman.


    Although Businessman was still trailing by twelve electoral votes from one state, securing the first swing state was enough to close the gap.


    As the medication began to wear off, Lu Liang fought off sleepiness and in a drowsy state, glanced at the total accounts for the three trades.


    RMB earned 32.21 million US dollars, Mexican Peso earned 232 million US dollars, and the most was put into International Gold, which also had the largest increase.


    Breaking 1800 per ounce, they had invested 1.5 billion US dollars and used a 10x leverage; now, their profits exceeded 420 million US dollars.


    Given the current situation, they probably wouldn''t need to wait until 10 AM; around 6 or 7 AM would likely suffice.


    With seven crucial swing states, securing half would mean the rest of the time was insignificant.


    Meanwhile, institutions on Wall Street were furrowing their brows, as there were quite a few black swans this year.


    Polls had consistently shown Larry far ahead; the question was how Businessman managed to make a comeback.


    "The polling audience was different; Businessman shifted focus towards the internet," a professional research firm quickly provided a preliminary analysis.


    Elections were one person, one vote, but for many years, young people had typically abstained.


    Larry was still using traditional methods to canvass votes, but Businessman leveraged new media channels.


    This engaged voters who typically didn''t care and would have abstained, to participate in this election and support Businessman.


    At 4:05 AM, the number of Red States surpassed the Blue States, capturing the second swing state.


    Businessman was now sitting with "half a butt" on that supreme throne, and the market quickly reacted.


    Mexican Peso rose to 19.2500, International Gold increased to 1850 US dollars, and RMB also broke through the 6.5 mark.


    "Wait until the third swing state turns Red to firmly establish the victory before cashing out,"


    Wen Chao was very composed, aware that a segment of the market still believed in Larry''s supporters who were stubbornly resisting.


    When they gave up or shifted their policies to start operating under the assumption of Businessman''s election,


    That would be their best moment to cash out because there would be someone to take over, maximizing their returns.


    Wen Chao glanced over; since after midnight, no more of Lu Liang''s coughing could be heard in the trading room.


    It wasn''t that he had recovered, but rather his coughs had been replaced by snores which, due to his illness, were quite loud.


    Many traders were sneakily looking this way, their faces no longer displaying nervousness but replaced with admiration.


    Now with a 75% chance of victory, Lu Liang''s snores brought at least 15% confidence.


    Dealing with speculation involving billions of dollars and still being able to sleep indicated unmatched confidence.


    Obviously, they didn''t know that all trading orders tonight were issued by Wen Chao, with Lu Liang hardly speaking.


    At 5:45 AM, although the third swing state turned Blue, Larry was already without hope.


    With only eight states left to report, Businessman held 265 electoral votes and was supported by 24 states.


    Remaining eight states, including Kentucky, a traditional Red State for over a hundred years, possessing eight electoral votes.


    This meant, no matter what, the businessman securing support from over 25 states and over 270 votes was already a done deal.


    The probability of winning the election had skyrocketed to 99.99%.


    Unless aliens invaded Earth, unless East Country suddenly attacked, unless the businessman suddenly died, respecting these uncontrollable factors, there remained a 0.01% chance.


    "Damn America~~"


    "These Red State Party members should perish for letting a Joker rise to power."


    "It''s just like us, truly free, truly democratic, we''ve made history once again."


    Above New York State, the clouds were dense, the more developed the area, the more it leaned towards Blue State.


    Because in their view, the Red State Party was just a bunch of crude, redneck laborers.


    In America culture, this wasn''t a compliment but specifically referred to southern rural whites, equivalent to white trash.


    Defined in media and mainstream culture as poor, backward, dirty, uneducated, with a tendency towards racism.


    Meanwhile, on Manhattan''s Wall Street, the clouds were even denser. One by one, the participating market investment banking institutions couldn''t help but feel depressed.


    They had bet wrongly again.


    This was the third time this year.


    Although losses were cut in time and they went long on Gold instead, there was still a bit of profit. However, the gain was absolutely incomparable to that of the mysterious forces that had made the right choice from the beginning.


    "Has anyone found out? Who is it that can make the right decision amidst such chaos?"


    Just moments ago, that batch of capital had massively withdrawn, choosing the timing very cleverly, only taking 80% of the market movement and leaving 20%.


    They were forced to stabilize the market for the remaining 20%, reluctantly helping the other party to exit smoothly.


    After all, everyone had thought Larry would win, betting on the wrong direction, and they had to absorb 20% of the market movement to hedge their bets.


    "Number 1, HK Garden Road." Wilson''s eyes widened upon hearing the news.


    Immediately, silence ensued.


    Number 1, HK Garden Road was the address for the Bank of China Building, indicating that this capital came from HK. They had heard this name more than once; the last time was when Old England exited the EU and during the southern incident.


    Lu Liang''s entry into international financial markets was mainly channeled through Number 1, HK Garden Road.


    They knew the channel of funds, but could do nothing, as East Country''s Foreign Exchange Administration also routed many funds through this channel.


    East Country''s Foreign Exchange Administration, as of last quarter, controlled over thirty trillion dollars in US treasury bonds, making them dare not play any tricks.


    Wall Street institutions, even if just using the force of an institution could suppress many countries, definitely did not include East Country.


    "Is it Lu Liang again?" A sigh expressed the sourness in everyone''s hearts.


    So much so, they began to speculate that Lu Liang''s hospitalization was fabricated simply to make them lower their guard.


    "It''s Tianxing, but it shouldn''t be Lu Liang, the real operator must be someone else." Wilson said gravely.


    Only an enemy truly understands one''s self; he had replayed many times the past transactions conducted by Lu Liang.


    Aggressive, biased, nearly synonymous with Lu Liang, the person operating tonight was clearly more cautious than Lu Liang.


    If it had been Lu Liang, he wouldn''t have left them 20% of the market movement, considering a 5% wiggle room cause for celebration.


    Sometimes he wouldn''t even give them that 5%, instead pondering how to trap them.


    Wilson shared his speculation, "He''s probably planning to exit the private fund market."


    According to East Country''s financial law, public and private funds cannot coexist, Lu Liang had more than once expressed his intention to establish a public fund.


    Tonight, perhaps was a signal, a signal Lu Liang gave to investors, that even if not operated by him personally, the fund could still profit.


    As his words fell, someone immediately exclaimed in frustration, "Damn it, so you''re saying we''ll never be able to beat him head-on?"


    Everyone was silent, recalling a legendary figure, Bruce Lee, who died suddenly in the most glorious period, creating a legend.


    If it were as Wilson speculated, after tonight, Lu Liang would completely retire backstage, signifying his 100% success rate in the international markets.


    All the institutions present would forever become the supporting cast in the grand narrative of Lu Liang''s unparalleled reputation, and lose any chance of turning the tide.


    Wilson gave a bitter smile, "Maybe that''s what he''s planning."

 Chapter 258 - 257: Throwing Dirty Water, Useless!

    "Different from usual, every settlement was accompanied by cheers, for it represented another victory for them.


    This time, everyone tacitly suppressed their excitement, worried about disturbing Lu Liang''s rest.


    Wen Chao took a deep breath and gently shook Lu Liang''s shoulder, ''Mr. Lu...''"


    "''Is it done?'' Lu Liang struggled to open his eyes and felt completely drained.


    That weakness was even more intense than when he was young and had managed eight times in one night.


    Wen Chao nodded and handed over a partial settlement report for Lu Liang to review.


    He had settled only in pesos and gold, planning to hold onto the RMB for a bit longer.


    Despite the RMB exchange rate reaching 6.55, he believed there was still market movement to anticipate, since their new hypothetical enemy was the very one they faced now.


    Lu Liang glanced at the settlement report, profits from international gold reaching 825 million US dollars, and from pesos, 385 million US dollars.


    Combining the two markets, the profits surpassed one billion US dollars; Wen Chao had delivered an impeccable result.


    Lu Liang took a sip of water and summoned Sun Yutao, looking at them, ''How do we plan to allocate the funds next?''


    After a moment of thought, Wen Chao said, ''Use 50% of the funds to enter the US stock market. If the businessman firmly implements the political declaration, the US stock market should experience some volatility before entering a slow bull trend.''


    Lu Liang hummed in agreement, ''Let''s proceed with that for now.''


    The rise of the US stock market was the base tone for the coming years, though he had received messages of significant drops along the way.


    But now, he only wanted to lie in bed, think of nothing, and rest well for ten days to a fortnight, to recover from his illness.


    With the first rays of dawn, Lu Liang returned to the Tangchen District, not far from the New International Building.


    He hadn''t slept all night, and neither had Li Manli, who had been making sweet soup in the kitchen before dawn.


    ''I haven''t finished cooking it yet.'' Li Manli, looking dazed, hurriedly came forward to support Lu Liang.


    ''Then we''ll drink it when I wake up.'' Lu Liang swallowed some pills and went back to the bedroom to rest.


    His head barely touched the pillow, still in his clothes, when heavy breathing could be heard.


    Illness struck like a falling mountain, forcibly enduring an all-nighter when he most needed rest.


    Now, the task was finally complete. Though not as severe as snapping a string, it was nearly as bad.


    ''Liang, shall I help you wipe down your body?''


    Li Manli spoke softly and repeated her offer several times, but Lu Liang did not respond.


    Suddenly, she smirked cunningly and, with the excited steps of a duck, happily ran to the bathroom to fetch a bucket of warm water.


    She started by wiping his face and arms, the parts exposed, and finally helped him remove all his clothes, not even sparing Little Lu, lifting and wiping it left and right.


    ''Smells good.'' She sniffed, detecting no bad odor, stealthily kissed him, then helped Lu Liang into comfortable pajamas.


    ''I''m exhausted.'' Li Manli was sweaty and out of breath; she weighed only 95 pounds, while Lu Liang weighed 150 pounds.


    Turning him over, being very careful not to disturb his rest, was no less demanding than a major surgery.


    ''He''s sick, business is also wrapped up, so he should rest well these days and not go out, right?''


    Li Manli suddenly grinned, showing a silly smile. She could already imagine, in the coming days, Lu Liang would belong only to her.


    Thinking this, she picked up her phone, drafted a message to her fan group as well as on Panda, ''Got to go back to hometown, taking a half-month leave.''


    After sending the message, she decisively logged out.


    Though live streaming was just a job, just a way to pass idle time, she always felt embarrassed taking leave, feeling like she was letting her fans down.


    But between Lu Liang and her fans, she would always, without a doubt, choose Lu Liang, hence out of sight, out of mind.


    ''Oh no, my sweet soup, I hope it hasn''t scorched.''


    Li Manli hurried out of the bedroom, thankfully the sweet soup hadn''t dried up and there were still two bowls left."


    She set the water heater to conservation mode, humming a tune, hopping and skipping towards the bathroom to wash up.


    She removed her makeup, as well as the accessories on her wrists and neck, and changed into a couple''s bathrobe.


    Li Manli tiptoed back into the bedroom, taking off her slippers at the door and quietly slipping under the covers, lying next to Lu Liang.


    Even just gazing at him, her heart felt inexplicably satisfied until sleep overtook her, entering her dreams with a sweet smile.


    Dawn broke, and it was eleven o''clock at night Eastern Standard Time in the United States. Every state''s voter and electoral votes had been completely tallied.


    The businessman secured 304 electoral votes from 28 states, whereas Larry had only 232. The businessman won the election by a nearly overwhelming advantage.


    At half past eleven in the evening, according to a spokesperson, Larry had followed procedure and conceded defeat to the businessman over the phone.


    Thus, the real estate magnate, a political novitiate, just had to get through the next month without any incidents.


    Next January, he would be the ruler of this land of America for the next four years.


    The news spread domestically, and the idea of a free election system threw the intellectuals into a frenzy.


    "What is democracy? Democracy is equality in the face of opportunity, but on the other hand¡­ ah, forget it."


    "Shut up about it already. If any of them actually went out and saw, they''d know there''s overwhelmingly negative feedback, with only a rare few still advocating for this system." S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "To be fair, not to praise the intellectuals, but my father-in-law truly inspired me, and just like that, he climbed to the top."


    "Cut the crap, it was actually my father-in-law."


    Domestic netizens always had unique focal points. When the businessman won the election, the first to gain popularity was his immediate daughter.


    Born in ''81, at the ripe age of 35, standing tall at 180cm, her long legs, blonde hair, blue eyes, and cute face made her the epitome of an American beauty.


    This caused those who had never heard of the businessman to develop a favorable impression upon seeing his daughter.


    "It''s truly death by entertainment. They ignore what should concern them; last night, the RMB broke 6.55."


    "Isn''t currency appreciation good? It means the RMB is becoming more valuable."


    "Are you an idiot? A spike like that overnight, and you think it''s good news?"


    "I earn 3000 a month; what does it have to do with me?"


    "It actually does affect those earning 3000 because it indirectly makes the things we buy more expensive."


    "Do you know why so many people went to Tokyo to shop early this year? It was because the yen had plummeted. Our money was the same, but it bought more foreign currency, like when the news covered the Chinese aunties sweeping through Tokyo''s toilets."


    "Though they mock the aunties for not being worldly, who wouldn''t be tempted if they previously could only buy a toilet but now could also afford a sink?"


    "If you were a shop owner, what would you do? Without a doubt, you''d raise the prices, hence spreading the cost to everyone."


    Last night, the RMB plummeted, and companies engaged in export trade woke up feeling like the sky had fallen.


    Especially those exporting textiles to Asia, Africa, and Latin America, who generally operated on low profit margins with high volumes.


    The RMB had dropped by 0.12 overnight, meaning if they settled accounts now, they would be operating at a loss.


    Suddenly, rumors emerged that Lu Liang had somehow been involved in the RMB''s spike, profiting immensely from it.


    "Damn them; I always said those capitalists have dark hearts. Capital is capital, there''s no good or bad."


    "It must be a rumor. Lu Liang was hospitalized in a coma early yesterday morning, attended the NIO new car launch looking near death by noon, and then he supposedly stayed up all night keeping an eye on the United States election? He must have a death wish."


    "I''m a nurse at that city hospital, and I heard from the next department that Lu Liang had acute pneumonia, there''s no faking that."


    "There''s an old saying, if you want to spiritually destroy a nation, start by slandering its heroes."


    "I guess last night, Lu Liang heavily cut into their gains again, they lost, felt pissed, so they started slinging mud."


    Three months ago, that video "The day CCTV broadcast Panda Bear¡­" garnered Lu Liang a lot of public sympathy.


    So much so that when the truth surfaced, the majority of netizens were skeptical, thinking that foreign forces were slandering Lu Liang.


    "Freaking hell¡­"


    Meanwhile, in an office on Wall Street, a voice cursed in furious frustration.

 Chapter 259 - 258: The King of Mobile Phones

    Rumors ran rampant online, yet discerning the truth from falsehood was challenging.


    Because sometimes black could be turned into white, and white could be claimed as black, especially when there was no evidence to support casual gossip.


    Wen Chao felt a chill of fear, as he had been closely monitoring the market and the public sentiment. At the moment the news broke, he decisively liquidated his positions, investing $150 million and securing a profit of $52.21 million.


    Also that evening, he promptly called Lu Liang to inform him that he''d settled his positions in offshore RMB.


    The sway of public opinion mattered, but it was the sudden upheaval in the market that was more significant. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ever since the businessman had become a central figure and made a political declaration, a massive surge of capital had instantly flooded the market, thwarting the rise of the RMB.


    Just when it was about to break 6.6, it suddenly fell back to 6.55, reminiscent of a market maker manipulating stock prices at high levels.


    Such market conditions, Wen Chao had seen similar cases in textbooks, like the 1997 Xiangjiang financial defense battle.


    The RMB was bound to appreciate in value, perhaps even surpassing 7 in a very short period of time, but it couldn''t be because of extraneous forces.


    He also remembered what Lu Liang had once said, "When the world rises, I don''t; I am different from the world. When the world falls, I fall too; the world has an influence on me."


    The international market, as perceived by most countries, implied the United States, but East University Market couldn''t and shouldn''t see it that way.


    Unless the Federal Reserve adjusted interest rates, being hijacked by the US Dollar was an irresistible force, otherwise, East University''s market was destined to follow its independent trajectory.


    It could rise, but not now, otherwise, it would just become a lackey of the United States.


    "Just sold it then," said Lu Liang succinctly, instructing Wen Chao to spread some news that they had conducted market operations the previous night and had reaped substantial rewards.


    No explanations were given, nor did he wish to elaborate; it was enough for people to know that they had definitely participated.


    "Alright, Mr. Lu." Wen Chao''s mind was restless, and he couldn''t calm down for a long time, suddenly entertaining a ridiculous idea.


    But it should be, well...unlikely.


    Meanwhile, when Lu Liang woke up, he realized even his underwear had been removed, leaving him momentarily dumbfounded as a smile slowly crept onto his lips.


    After washing up, he stepped out of the bedroom and saw Li Manli lying on the couch, engrossed in her tablet and phone once again.


    After this midnight, it would be Double Eleven, and tonight Tianmao was hosting a grand carnival in Shenzhen.


    Manli''s tablet broadcast the Tianmao event live, while her phone was open to a shopping site, ready to place an order at the first opportunity.


    For the sake of breaking through a hundred billion in single-day turnover, Tianmao had made extensive preparations, bringing in guests like Kobe, Beckham, and Scarlett - truly a luxurious lineup.


    The camera panned over to the electronics salesperson, and Lu Liang spotted Luo, his face revealing an odd expression.


    Luo, always priding himself as a successor to Jobs, seemed to have finally achieved his wish, selling phones and tablets on Tianmao.


    The brands he peddled included, but weren''t limited to, Apple, Xiaomi, Meizu, OV, rounding up to a veritable king of phones.


    Lu Liang cleared his throat, which was still a bit sore, but felt substantially better after sleeping off the night before.


    Hearing the noise, Li Manli immediately sat up cross-legged, her large eyes filled with concern, "You''re finally awake, are you hungry?"


    Lu Liang had slept a solid thirteen hours, and from the tenth hour, she had been frequently checking on him in the bedroom, genuinely worried that he might fall asleep and never wake up.


    "Not really hungry, let''s eat later," Lu Liang chuckled softly, stroking his aching head, and sat down beside her.


    Seeing more than thirty items in the shopping cart, he couldn''t help grinning, "The delivery is going to be slow these days, why not buy them some other time?"


    "Double Eleven is cheaper~" Manli wiggled her hips and squirmed closer into Lu Liang''s embrace.


    Seemingly remembering something, she suddenly slipped away to pour a glass of warm water, returning with a packet of medicine, "This afternoon, Secretary Wen asked Shiyu to bring this over and reminded me to make sure you take it on time."


    She coaxed like one might with a child, "It''s not bitter, take your medicine like a good boy, and you''ll get better quickly ¨C illness, illness~ fly away~"


    Lu Liang laughed, opened his mouth, and waited to be fed.


    Just 53 seconds past midnight, Tianmao''s Double Eleven sales broke ten billion. Within seven minutes, it exceeded a hundred billion, and the total daily turnover reached 120.7 billion, accounting for 81.87% of the total online transactions for the day.


    The news of the day''s turnover surpassing a hundred billion became a powerful solo performance and continued to ferment over the subsequent days.


    Lu Liang also rested at home for a few days and on the 16th of November, he went to the hospital for a check-up.


    The inflammation in his lungs had nearly dissipated, but the doctor advised that he should still be cautious in his daily life.


    "I could really use a smoke."


    Lu Liang smacked his lips, his pneumonia healed, breathing was smooth, yet he always felt his mouth was bland and tasteless.


    The hardest part of quitting smoking wasn''t nicotine; it was the mental craving and habit ¨C without smoking, he didn''t know what to do with himself.


    "Brother, are we heading back to the company?" Fang Shiyu asked.


    "Let''s go to Scholarly Splendor."


    Lu Liang threw two pieces of chewing gum into his mouth. Now that the illness had passed and the work was done, it was time to see how Su Wanyu was doing.


    Fang Shiyu was startled and drove off, hesitant, he said, "Yu called me yesterday."


    "What did she say?" Lu Liang was surprised.


    "Just asked how you were doing, if you were better from the illness?"


    "What did you tell her?"


    "Alright, just still coughing a little."


    "And what did she say?"


    "There was a long silence, but she said nothing."


    "She didn''t tell you not to tell me?"


    "No."


    Fang Shiyu thought for a while, then added in a muffled voice, "Yu seemed very sad."


    Lu Liang hummed in response and opened the car window to let the winter breeze pour in.


    Half an hour later, they arrived near Scholarly Splendor District in University City.


    Lu Liang fumbled at the fire hydrant at the doorstep; the key to the house was still in its old spot. Upon opening the door, he found the inside clean and tidy, as if someone had tidied up but no one had lived there.


    He walked to the balcony, where three rows of small potted plants had been well-cared for¡ªone of them had even sprouted a new shoot in the winter.


    From the distance Tongji Campus''s sports ground seemed to be having an 800-meter trial, clusters of boys and girls chatted and laughed together.


    Lu Liang sent Su Wanyu a message to let her know he was back and waiting for her at home. Soon, the message was replied: "My class ends at 3:30 PM; I''ll probably arrive by 4:00 PM."


    "I''ll wait for you."


    Lu Liang took out a lounge chair from the storage room, set it up on the balcony, and laid there, enjoying the sight of energetic young men and women.


    He thought he understood Su Wanyu''s mindset, teetering between sensibility and naivety, undecided between the two.


    After waiting for more than an hour, Lu Liang yawned and, in a drowsy state, heard footsteps behind him.


    "You just recovered from the illness; take care to not relapse," Su Wanyu''s cool voice arose.


    Lu Liang turned around to look back. Su Wanyu''s makeup was immaculate as if she had dressed up specially.


    She wore a loose white sweater with black high-waisted wide-leg pants, having significantly slimmed down.


    Unlike Li Manli''s style of dress, she seemed to want to make herself appear more mature.


    "I just went to the hospital for a check-up; it''s just a bit of a cough left, it needs to be slowly taken care of."


    Lu Liang talked about his condition and patted the spot next to him. With her eyebrows slightly furrowed, Su Wanyu hesitated briefly before sitting down beside him: "It''s best if you quit smoking."


    However, she only sat halfway because the lounge chair was bought by her; sitting completely down would make it easy to sink in again.


    "I''m already quitting. When I want to smoke, I chew two pieces of chewing gum," Lu Liang said with a chuckle.


    "Quitting is good for your health¡­"


    Su Wanyu''s words reached her lips, then swallowed them back; she thought of the lighter.


    After quitting cigarettes and finding a substitute, naturally, one wouldn''t need a lighter anymore.


    She took a deep breath, took out a bunch of keys from her bag, and two property deeds for Pujiang Green City apartments.


    Though Lu Liang had bought them for her parents, they hadn''t taken them when they left last time, asking her to keep them safe.


    Finally, she took out a car key and a black gold credit card from an industrial and commercial bank, murmuring, "I''m returning these to you."


    "How much do you weigh now?" Lu Liang suddenly asked.


    "Why are you asking that?"


    "You seem to have lost a lot of weight."


    Su Wanyu looked down, silent. After a long time, she uttered as if the words struggled out of her throat, "Yes, I''ve lost weight."


    It was as if she used all her strength, her shoulders trembling uncontrollably, and suddenly she looked directly at Lu Liang, "Why can you be so calm?"


    For the first time, Lu Liang saw her eyes and knew that tears didn''t need to be brewed; just like that, they could naturally fall.

 Chapter 260 - 259: Given Time, Affection Will Develop

    Lu Liang remained silent.


    He didn''t know why he was so calm, perhaps it began when their marriage certificates turned from red to burgundy, or maybe it was from the moment they married in a confused rush.


    However, one thing Lu Liang could be certain of was that he couldn''t bear the thought of Su Wanyu leaving. Over the past year with her, he had experienced feelings he had never known before.


    The rain of youth described in TV dramas and novels, the unforgettable emotions, ultimately belonged to the few.


    At least, Lu Liang had never experienced them; he didn''t start his first relationship until after he had left school.


    But that relationship only lasted a little over a year because his partner was transferred to a different place, they were both too busy and rarely in touch, and they naturally drifted apart and broke up.


    At the time, Lu Liang wasn''t overly troubled. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was like two lonely souls meeting in a strange city, whose paths crossed and fit perfectly together for a moment, but then the connection faded, and they gradually went their separate ways.


    That night, he simply called up Liu Mingxuan, had some drinks, got a foot massage, and woke up the next day to the same sunlight.


    The things we can''t have in our youth often haunt us for a lifetime, be it objects, people, or emotions.


    "Goodbye."


    Su Wanyu turned around resolutely.


    She was leaving, worried that if she didn''t go now, she would find it too hard to leave.


    Lu Liang grabbed her wrist, and Su Wanyu''s body stiffened unexpectedly, unable to turn and face Lu Liang: "She really likes you."


    At that moment, her heart was in turmoil; on one hand, she wished Lu Liang would make her a promise¡ªeven a false one would do¡ªbut on the other, she knew Li Manli really, truly liked Lu Liang.


    She felt that she wasn''t as fond of Lu Liang as Li Manli was.


    "What about you?"


    Lu Liang set aside his guilt and, no matter what, was determined to keep Su Wanyu with him, but he was not willing to let go of Li Manli either.


    There''s always a way out of a mountain, and a bridge will straighten at its end, he thought. Regardless of what happens later, the goal was to keep her here for now.


    To like is to possess, and to love is also to possess.


    Leave the so-called selfless love to those moral saints.


    Su Wanyu was silent for a long time: "I don''t know."


    "If you don''t know, then don''t make choices lightly. Give each other a chance," Lu Liang gently persuaded.


    "...Do you know you''re an asshole?" Su Wanyu gritted her teeth and suddenly bit down hard on Lu Liang''s arm.


    She felt so wronged. She had constructed this scenario in her mind a thousand times before and had considered many possibilities.


    But from the moment she saw Lu Liang, all her preparations turned out to be worthless, a world away from the scenarios she had envisioned.


    Lu Liang easily held Su Wanyu against him, letting her keep biting his arm without letting go.


    "Doesn''t it hurt?"


    Gradually, Su Wanyu loosened her bite and looked at the two neat rows of teeth marks on his arm, where the second to last one was almost bleeding.


    "When I think of how you''ve felt during this time, it doesn''t seem to hurt much," he said softly, reaching out to wipe the tears on Su Wanyu''s cheeks and noting the delicate makeup was there to cover the shadows under her eyes.


    The weight of her sitting on his lap also felt significantly lighter; she seemed to have lost much weight in the past week.


    He sighed, kissing her cheek, the corner of her mouth, and then her lips. Su Wanyu wanted to dodge but couldn''t avoid him.


    The kissing lasted a long time, starting with Lu Liang initiating and gradually becoming more eager from Su Wanyu, almost enough to break their lips.


    Just as Lu Liang was ready to go further, Su Wanyu snapped back to reality and pushed him away with a complex look in her eyes.


    "At first, I thought about how I could keep you by my side," she whispered.


    "But I thought for a long time and couldn''t find a way to do so."


    "You just take advantage of me liking you to keep bullying me."


    Su Wanyu clutched her hair, in agony and struggling.


    How she wished she hadn''t gone after him that night, pretending she knew nothing so she could carry on as usual.


    But she did go after him, and knowing about Li Manli''s existence, she couldn''t pretend anymore.


    "I need some time to think things over," Su Wanyu suddenly said.


    She would accept her advisor''s recommendation to go to England for an eight-month student exchange.


    If time could heal everything, then let it be.


    Let them be passersby in each other''s lives.


    "Going away to clear your head might be good."


    Lu Liang hesitated, then put the two sets of real estate documents and the three sets of keys back into Su Wanyu''s bag.


    As long as she had the items, they were bound to meet again someday.


    Su Wanyu suddenly let out a weak moan, filled with both pain and helplessness, grumbling resentfully, "I really want to bite you to death."


    Lu Liang held her, soothing her softly, "Next time, okay? You''re still sick, and an infection at this stage wouldn''t be good."


    "Deserve it," Su Wanyu murmured quietly.


    It was as if nothing had happened between the two of them, their relationship unchanged, spending time eating, chatting, watching movies...


    The next day, Lu Liang personally drove Su Wanyu to the high-speed train station.


    She was going home first to get her parents'' authorization, then she would start preparing the documents for studying abroad.


    She left decisively, not hesitating like she used to, not constantly looking back in reluctance.


    This left Lu Liang uncertain whether such behavior was childish or mature, but it ultimately didn''t matter to him.


    What mattered most was that he liked her and couldn''t bear to let go.


    "Sometimes, it''s better to be simple and direct."


    Lu Liang took a pill from his pocket and tossed it into the trash, a mischievous smile spreading across his lips. He had switched them for vitamin pills, unsure if this ruse would work twice, but it was a backup plan nonetheless.


    Eight months from now, regardless of whether Su Wanyu agreed, he intended to bring her back.


    Even if it meant being the villain, possessing her only in body, he was prepared to do whatever it took.


    Love can grow over time, especially when there''s already feelings involved.


    "Go to Tongji."


    Lu Liang contacted the head of Tongji University, investing two million US dollars from a private fund in Xiangjiang to establish an overseas study support program.


    Purportedly to cultivate outstanding talent for the motherland, the program promised overseas students who met academic standards a scholarship of 20,000 to 50,000 US dollars per semester.


    Lu Liang also mentioned to university officials that students transferring from the foreign language department over to Tongji with excellent grades and possibly facing life or academic difficulties should receive extra support.


    Considering the few transfer students from the foreign language department to Tongji, and even fewer with outstanding grades, it was almost as if the support was tailored for a specific individual¡ªlike wrapping dumplings for the sake of a single dish of vinegar.


    Lu Liang viewed himself as both a scoundrel and a cad, yet he would treat her as gently as the spring rain, softly and quietly.


    The university officials, catching his drift, presented him with several files for review, and Lu Liang lingered long over Su Wanyu''s file.


    The official understood, this girl was a key focus, he could assist, but must never let her know.


    ...


    "After a few days of rest, it''s time to go out, to avoid giving the impression that I''ve given up."


    Back at the company, Lu Liang saw an invitation and slowly smirked, instructing Wen Chao to arrange a trip to Wuzhen.


    The third World Internet Conference was imminent, and as a co-founder of Douyin and a renowned venture capitalist, he too had received an official invitation.


    That night, he got in touch with Little Wang, and the next day at noon, they both set off for Wuzhen.


    "It''s miraculous, I thought you''d be home recovering," Little Wang said, his face full of wonder.


    In his mind, Lu Liang wasn''t one to join in on the hustle and bustle, especially such a grand international affair.


    Among domestic guests, there were founders from top internet companies like BAT, JD, Xiaomi, Qihu, Meituan, while the international guests included a visiting professor from Stanford, an AI era leader named Jason, and the Asia-Pacific heads of global corporations such as Ericsson and Cisco.


    Not to mention countless homegrown internet enterprises from the second and third tiers like Douyin, Kuai Shou, Douyu, and Panda.


    And that was just the business community; the number of political attendees was even greater.


    The organizers in Wuzhen, to ensure the conference took place under sunny skies, had been launching rain-dispersing rockets into the atmosphere since the previous month.


    The goal was to induce rainfall early, ensuring clear weather for the days of the conference.


    "Am I not welcome here?" Lu Liang asked, beaming. His presence was not just to take part in festivities; he primarily wanted to chat with Double Ma about business.


    And perhaps to check out Cisco''s progress in vehicular network technology and see if they needed help sharing talent.


    "Hmph," Little Wang turned his head in a haughty manner, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.


    Lu Liang''s presence truly delighted him, especially attending the World Internet Conference in Wuzhen.


    Without Lu Liang, he would probably be relegated to the kids'' table at meals, but accompanying Lu Liang might just get him into the most elite dinners.


    "Watch it, or I''ll smack you. Don''t you dare give me that disgusting look," Lu Liang said, narrowing his eyes menacingly.


    "You were so cute back then," Little Wang sighed, sending Lu Liang several emojis of his own face.


    Photos from the NIO new car launch that were screen-captured, showing a ghostly pale and listless expression.


    Then, Little Wang got hammered.

 Chapter 261 - 260: Party A and Party B

    Wuzhen''s geographical location is very special. It is just over a hundred kilometers from Modu and just eighty kilometers from Hang City, at the core of the Yangtze River Delta.


    With over two thousand years of history, it is also a famous ancient water town and the birthplace of several modern literary giants.


    A very typical southern Yangtze River Delta ancient town, ever since its first conference in ''14, it has become the permanent site of the World Internet Conference.


    As the conference was about to commence, security was exceptionally strict.


    External vehicles could only park a few kilometers outside the ancient town and switch to tour buses to enter the town.


    At the entrance of the old town, Lu Liang saw an acquaintance. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Wang Chuting wore a blue ribbon around her neck and a press pass on her chest, listing her name, ID number, and affiliated organization.


    She was busy greeting her colleagues, taking pictures to record the domestic and international guests attending the conference.


    Wang Chuting also noticed Lu Liang, and they looked at each other from a distance, her eyes conveying deep concern.


    Lu Liang nodded slightly, his lip movements seeming to say, "It''s okay."


    Little Wang squinted his eyes, his voice emitting a low murmur of resentment, "Did you get involved with her?"


    "Ah, those with evil thoughts speak dirty words," Lu Liang looked away with disdain.


    They had simply collided a few times when their souls were in perfect harmony, when things naturally fell into place.


    A girl with a healthy figure is really comfortable, unlike Little Wang, who''s still a kid and only likes them young and thin.


    "Heh heh~~"


    Little Wang sneered and bent his head to sign and receive the entry pass.


    Soon, the news that Lu Liang had arrived at the ancient town reached the ears of Director Liu of the conference''s organizing committee.


    "Mr. Lu, are you well?" he hurried over, offering warm greetings and a face full of concern.


    For first-time participants of the conference, special care was always warranted, although Little Wang was also a newbie, his status evidently was not high enough.


    On the 15th, there were rumors that on the night of the United States election, Lu Liang had made his move again, scooping up several billion US Dollars overnight.


    Although such hearsay is unreliable, informed sources who wished to remain anonymous disclosed that this month, Tianxing''s No. 2 and No. 3 funds had a net value of at least 1.6, possibly even more.


    Without clarification from Tianxing Asset Management Company, the rumor essentially was confirmed.


    Last month''s net value was only 1.31, and reaching 1.6 this month indicates that scooping up several billion US Dollars overnight was not without foundation.


    Despite only a 29% increase in that month, the cumulative gain over nine months was also only 60%.


    But with an original investment of 6 billion US Dollars, 3.6 billion US Dollars, or nearly 24 billion RMB, had been earned in nine months.


    Setting aside the 2.8 billion US Dollars used to take a stake in Tesla, now valued at 3.5 billion US Dollars, Lu Liang still had at least 6 billion US Dollars in liquid assets.


    The market valuation of Panda Interactive Entertainment was around six to seven hundred million US Dollars, whether someone would take over was another matter entirely.


    The funds held by Lu Liang were sufficient to buy ten Pandas, so naturally, his treatment could not be spoken of in the same breath.


    "Thanks to Director Liu''s blessing, I''m almost fully recovered."


    "The weather has been quite unpredictable recently, Mr. Lu, you should take good care of your health at all times."


    "Yes, Director Liu, you are right."


    After a brief chat, Director Liu did not linger long; he had come merely because he valued Lu Liang highly.


    For such a world-class conference, as one of those in charge and at least a level five administrative official, he naturally couldn''t be a local escort, making small talk with Lu Liang the entire time.


    However, before leaving, he didn''t forget to greet Wang Xiaocong: "Mr. Wang, you''re here too."


    "Yes, Director Liu, take care."


    Little Wang''s face showed a stiff smile.


    Such an acknowledgment was almost better not offered.


    While chatting with Lu Liang, there was concern and warmth, but with him, it was like: Oh, you''re here too.


    As if he was dispensable.


    Lu Liang smiled and didn''t strike at Little Wang further. He turned his attention to the volunteer arranged for them by the conference.


    "Mr. Lu, hello, my name is Ding Junyi, and I will be your guide for the next four days."


    A good-looking young boy handed over the materials, his face filled with excitement, yet his actions were very polite.


    This conference had over 1,600 guests participating from more than 110 countries and regions,


    including, but not limited to, deputy heads of state from Comoros and Cambodia, and leaders from organizations like the United Nations and the World Economy Forum.


    However, only 600 volunteer spots were released to the public, and students from the East China Eight Schools fought tooth and nail to secure a position.


    After all, it was the World Internet Conference; even if they couldn''t meet the celebrities and politicians in attendance, having volunteer experience would be a brilliant addition to their personal resumes.


    Moreover, the man he was in charge of was Lu Liang, a man so impressive that only injury could defeat him.


    "Mr. Ding, hello. This is my secretary Wen Chao. You two can discuss the schedule for the next few days."


    Lu Liang wore a smile as he glanced hurriedly at Ding Junyi''s information.


    What Zhong cared about most was face; the selection process for volunteers from prestigious universities for such a conference was probably as difficult as getting into defense studies.


    He was very confident.


    "Let''s go, let''s check in at the hotel first."


    Little Wang was visibly disgruntled. Without a tour guide, he was evidently treated by the conference''s organizing committee as Lu Liang''s accompanying personnel.


    For a moment, he questioned whether coming with Lu Liang was the right choice.


    Lu Liang was too dazzling, obscuring him from others'' view.


    And here, no layperson wandered; even as the son of the First Rich, there were plenty of others who looked down on Old Wang.


    Soon, Little Wang dismissed his doubts.


    Following the staff, he entered Zhen Shui Hotel, and right at the entrance, he encountered Shen Peng, Zhu Hu, and Zhang Lei¡ªmanagers from Redwood, Golden Sand River, and Gaoling respectively.


    It could be said that any Chinese internet company that hadn''t received their investment was not a firm worth mentioning.


    "Mr. Lu, we were just discussing whether you would attend the conference today." Shen Peng smiled as if bathed in the spring breeze.


    Zhu Hu strode forward and gave Lu Liang a big hug, patting his back. "Not bad, still feeling strong."


    Lu Liang was caught between laughter and tears, feigning a cough. "Mr. Zhu, a few more pats, and I might start feeling weak."


    Zhang Lei greeted him: "Mr. Lu, long time no see."


    "Mr. Zhang, you go ahead, I''ll come down later."


    "We''ll wait for you in the B-section restaurant."


    Lu Liang, all smiles, greeted a few other acquaintances before finally heading upstairs with Little Wang.


    Little Wang frowned, coughing awkwardly. "Maybe I shouldn''t go."


    His goal was already achieved; at least people knew he came with Lu Liang.


    Not only did Lu Liang invest in Panda, but their private relationship was also very good.


    Below now were all the venture capital bigwigs, including Mr. Lu, making four in total, three of whom were Panda''s clients.


    As the representative of the contractor, Little Wang felt it somehow inappropriate to attend a gathering of the clients, even though he came with Lu Liang.


    "Whatever you want." Lu Liang couldn''t help but chuckle.


    Taking the elevator, he proceeded to the B-section restaurant under Ding Junyi''s guidance and spotted Lei Jun conversing with the others from afar.


    Xiaomi might also be a contractor, but Lei Jun had always been known as the ''Cash King'' of Beijing. Besides, he now controlled Xiaomi, valued at 45 billion US Dollars, ranking just behind the two Ma''s.


    "Mr. Lu, long time no see, how has your health been?" Lei Jun expressed concern with a face full of solicitude.


    "Occasionally my throat feels a bit uncomfortable, but there haven''t been any serious issues."


    Lu Liang chuckled, shifting his conversational approach; the conference wouldn''t start until tomorrow afternoon, and tonight was bound to be a battle.


    He wasn''t sure about the others'' drinking capacities but he had drunk with Zhu Hu a few times¡ªeach with at least half a pound of liquor as a base.


    Lu Liang was just a beer drinker, good for maybe five or six bottles, no way he could outdrink them.


    Best to make his excuses beforehand to avoid being pressured into drinking.


    "Glad to hear it''s nothing serious."


    As the conversation among them unfolded, they discussed the United States election.


    They were Little Wang''s clients, but also Lu Liang''s. However, Lu Liang didn''t seem to have the slightest sense of subservience; if he wished, he could assert dominance at any time.


    "That night, Tianxing did participate, focusing primarily on gold, then the peso, and lastly the RMB."


    Lu Liang took a sip of his tea to soothe his throat. "But I was truly ill that evening and wasn''t overseeing it."


    He also wanted to signal through them that private equity wasn''t indispensable to him; as long as the direction was clear, it could operate as usual.

 Chapter 262 - 261: The Strongest Capital Group

    "The train runs fast, all thanks to the engine at the front, Mr. Lu''s vision is as sharp as ever."


    Zhang Lei complimented with a smile, as several people exchanged glances, all recognizing Lu Liang''s determination to leave the private fund.


    Zhu Hu pondered for a moment before beating around the bush, "Mr. Lu, what are your plans going forward?"


    Supposing Lu Liang was exiting private funds to set up a public fund, he certainly had ulterior motives¡ªand significant ones at that.


    Among the five people present, four were managers of private equity funds, and they were acutely aware of the differences between private and public funds.


    Private funds have a high degree of freedom and management fees, relatively speaking, they are more flexible with fewer strict restrictions, and as long as there is accountability to investors, it''s okay.


    But public funds target the general public, and although they have strong public credibility, the management of assets can increase several times over, even by tens of times, but there are also many restrictions involved.


    With Lu Liang''s ability, it was undoubtedly the best choice to manage a private fund with high management fees serving only a small group of people.


    But he had been keeping a close eye on public funds, probably for the management of assets that could increase by several times, or even by tens of times.


    Given Tianxing''s current reputation, even if they launched a new fund valued at ten billion dollars, there would be plenty of people clamoring to get in.


    With that, asset management could easily break through fifteen billion dollars, close to a hundred billion RMB.


    He wasn''t satisfied with so much money,


    so what exactly did he want to do that required such a large amount of money?


    "I''ve always been very optimistic about the new energy industry."


    Lu Liang laughed and told the truth.


    Although he spoke the truth, few people at the scene believed him.


    The year was nearing its end, and the new energy market had grown quickly, with a year-over-year increase of 100%. But it was merely changing from the forecast 250,000 units to 500,000 units, that was all.


    Even if taking an average, a unit selling at 100,000¡ªlargely brought down by the Hongguang Mini¡ªthe total annual transaction volume of the market was only 50 billion, not even half of Tianmao''s Double Eleven total transaction volume.


    To start a public fund with a guaranteed minimum of a hundred billion for a market worth only fifty billion, it would be a tale no one would believe if told.


    Lu Liang took a sip of his tea,


    quite helplessly, but he didn''t explain too much.


    It was undeniable that new energy had always been a hot topic, but market data always dashed a cold reality in people''s faces.


    The potential was there, but currently, it was a market worth just shy of fifty billion, and that was an indisputable fact.


    At this time, a hearty laughter came from the side: "Gentlemen, what are you discussing?"


    Old Ma, dressed in an orange wool sweater, came striding over surrounded by people.


    "Just saying that Mr. Ma could also be considered half a host here, how come he hasn''t arrived sooner? Could it be he''s playing the diva?"


    Zhu Hu laughed heartily, changing the topic. It was fine for them to discuss this topic amongst themselves, but it was best not to let Old Ma find out.


    Ant Financial, launched in 2014, evolved into a gluttonous behemoth in just a few years, making the market aware of Old Ma''s big ambitions.


    Especially with Tianhong Fund, which partnered with Yu''e Bao, by the third quarter, its user count exceeded 300 million, and its asset management scale surpassed one trillion.


    Zhu Hu was astonished, suddenly turning his head to glance at Lu Liang¡ªperhaps his attendance at the meeting was for this reason?


    In recent years, the P2P lending business of Alipay has developed extremely well, even surpassing Tianmao''s O2O e-commerce model, as well as 1688''s B2B factory direct sales model.


    If Lu Liang was here for Old Ma, and the two embarked on deep cooperation, perhaps a massive financial empire would rise.


    Alipay had three hundred million users with a habit of saving, and combined with Lu Liang''s unparalleled influence in the financial world, the resulting chemical reaction might even rival the merger of Watermelon and Douyin.


    Zhu Hu''s face suddenly turned crimson red¡ªIf he could catch this fast train, maybe, just maybe, he could prosper for eternity, alongside the nation.


    "Everyone seated here is a big shot, who would dare to act like one?"


    Old Ma laughed heartily, his gaze settled on Lu Liang, smiling with squinted eyes: "Finally, Mr. Lu, we meet. The last time you visited Hang City, I happened just not to be there, and I truly regret it."


    He was very interested in Lu Liang because, in recent years, the Ali Group had gradually shifted its focus from e-commerce to Ant Financial.


    Alipay had already changed people''s payment habits and even broken the banks'' monopoly. But he wanted more.


    Just as he mentioned in a forum, the state-owned banks'' systems were too outdated and should keep up with the times.


    If you can''t keep up with the times, then you can only be eliminated.


    Perhaps Ant Financial might produce an amazing chemical reaction with Lu Liang.


    "Mr. Ma, it''s not too late to meet now," Lu Liang said, smiling as he stood up to shake hands with Old Ma.


    He finally got to see the King of E-commerce in person, a figure he''d only ever seen on news and television before.


    Old Ma''s face was full of smiles as he sized up Lu Liang.


    But soon, everyone''s attention was drawn by what was happening behind him.


    At the entrance of the hotel''s restaurant, suddenly there was a buzz of voices, as if a mega-star had appeared.


    Old Ma turned his head to look and chuckled, "There, the real heavyweight has arrived."


    Little Ma, dressed in a suit, entered the restaurant and, upon seeing them, walked over.


    Compared to Ali, Tencent had a significantly better public image, despite its past moniker as "King of Copycats." But that was a thing of the past ¨C poor and they would smartly integrate tactics, rich and they would smash in with capital.


    Tencent now had no need to copy; it simply threw money around, either buying out or investing.


    The key was that Tencent was willing to delegate authority. Little Ma, having been previously hit hard for paying salaries in Q Coins, was now incredibly low-profile ¨C almost the perfect image of a godfather client.


    It was just a pity that Little Ma had a very clear purpose, and no one dared to stop him for a chat.


    Little Ma greeted everyone and finally turned his attention to Lu Liang, "Mr. Lu, hello."


    "Mr. Ma, hello, is today like an offline meet-up for internet friends?" replied Lu Liang with a smile.


    They often chatted in NIO''s group, but it was the first time they met offline.


    "It counts," Little Ma nodded with a smile, his serious appearance in stark contrast to his melodramatic online persona.


    All of a sudden, Shen Peng suggested, "Gentlemen, how about we move to somewhere quieter? There are a few more friends coming over soon."


    Currently, their group included heads of four major venture capital firms, along with Shuangma Group and Xiaomi''s Lei Jun.


    The combination of seven was formidable enough to be called the strongest capital alliance in the country, and it wasn''t quite appropriate to continue dining in the main hall.


    Now, a five-meter radius of vacant space had formed around them, leaving only the faint clink of cutlery and chopsticks in the entire restaurant.


    The restaurant was not only filled with businessmen but also foreign guests and leaders who were arriving. Staying here made them too conspicuous.


    "Sure, Mr. Shen, please make arrangements."


    Everyone unanimously agreed, and they moved to an oversized private room prepared by the hotel, which could easily accommodate 30 people.


    After a while, JD''s Daqiangzi, DiDi''s Cheng Wei, Meituan''s Wang Xing, Baidu''s Li Hongyan, NetEase''s Ding Sanshi, and others also arrived one after the other.


    Some were familiar, some were not, but each one of them was a sharp character; even on first meeting, there would be no awkwardness.


    "Why don''t we pair up and play a few rounds?" Daqiangzi suggested excitedly, opting for the customary game of cards before and after meals.


    In groups of four, there was just enough for three groups. This bad habit of a pre-and-post meal game seemed to have spread from their Su Bei circle.


    Lu Liang found himself in a group with Little Ma, Daqiangzi, and DiDi''s Cheng Wei.


    Suddenly, the dozen or so exhaust fans in the private room seemed insufficient, as almost everyone there was a heavy smoker.


    Especially Little Ma, who although looked gentle and refined, smoked fiercely. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He would often light a new one before the previous cigarette had even finished burning, consuming seven or eight within just over an hour.


    Lu Liang, who had been coughing quietly and was overwhelmed by the smoke, recently recovered and intended to quit smoking, couldn''t stand the smell of smoke.


    Fortunately, the Red Robed Sect Leader, Zhou Hongwei, arrived late, and Lu Liang gave up his seat to him, acting as a roving judge.


    "You still dare to go solo with such play? Aren''t we playing in pairs?"


    "Man, these cards are terrible."


    "Just win with a straight."


    Then, Lu Liang faced everyone''s resistance, unwelcome wherever he went.


    Luckily, happy times always passed quickly, and it was time for dinner.


    "It''s rare for us all to be here today, let''s take a group photo to commemorate this," Lu Liang suddenly proposed. The participants of this meal were from all corners of the country, each busy with their daily million tasks.


    On normal days, it was difficult for everyone to find the time to meet. It was a rare occasion that they were all gathered and happened to be free.


    "That''s a good idea," everyone agreed with flushed faces.


    Tonight, everyone had drunk a bit too much, as it was unusual to meet so many equals with shared topics of conversation.


    Lu Liang called Wen Chao from the door to take a photo of the thirteen of them for a group picture and uploaded it to his Weibo account.


    As soon as the photo was uploaded, while they were still drinking and chatting, it had already caused a stir in the outside world.


    "The strongest meal in the country?"


    "Wow, a trillion-dollar dinner?"


    "A billion is just the entry threshold."


    Enthusiastic netizens calculated that the combined wealth of the thirteen people was merely more than 200 billion dollars.


    But when it came to the enterprises they represented or the capital they held, the figure easily exceeded two trillion dollars.

 Chapter 263 - 262: Dangerous Idea

    This dinner only lasted until after nine o''clock because the conference was to be held the next day.


    Although it began at two in the afternoon, several people were invited as opening guests and had to attend the rehearsal in the morning.


    Seeing that Old Ma and Lei Jun had left, Lu Liang, his face flushed red, also prepared to leave, "Gentlemen, see you tomorrow."


    Even though he had the excuse of just recovering from a severe illness, he couldn''t resist others toasting him continuously, and had to take a small sip occasionally.


    As he sipped, his two-ounce glasses soon emptied, especially Daqiangzi, who could be called possessed by the God of Wine, having consumed at least one and a half kilograms.


    If Lu Liang didn''t leave then,


    he might end up being carried out later.


    As he walked out of the private room, he exhaled deeply, just in time to meet Old Ma strolling in the garden.


    Old Ma, exercising his waist, teased with a smile, "Mr. Lu, you really can''t hold your liquor. Sometimes you still need more practice."


    "It''s just that I''ve recently recovered from a serious illness. If it were before, none of you would have been able to walk out."


    Lu Liang said proudly, refusing to be outdone. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    When it was time to boast, one had to. Outside, one''s face was earned by oneself; showing timidity before a battle was a great taboo in the military.


    Old Ma chuckled and suggested, "How about we go next door and have some tea, talk a bit?"


    "That works."


    Lu Liang nodded and followed Old Ma to the neighboring teahouse.


    In the midst of their conversation, they inevitably talked about the recent US elections.


    Unlike ordinary people who are all talk and no action, Old Ma had truly supported it with actions and funds.


    He was on very good terms with Obama, and in the past year alone, had engaged in cordial talks more than once, which also led him to donate several million US dollars in political contributions to Larry.


    Thus, when Old Ma met with Lu Liang earlier, he genuinely felt regret.


    It''s a pity that the previous meeting was in Tokyo instead of Hang City because if it had been, maybe in talking to Lu Liang he would have recognized a better business perspective and therefore changed his subsequent decisions.


    This wouldn''t have led to him backing the wrong horse, and now he might have to personally apologize next year.


    Ever since Pinduoduo was founded, Ali had successfully shifted the blame for counterfeit goods, but only domestically.


    Ali was still listed on the United States'' "notorious market" list, and this issue continued to trouble Old Ma and Ali.


    He thus wanted to use the political arena to lift the limitations of the US market on Ali Group.


    "Even if it was told, Mr. Ma probably wouldn''t take it to heart."


    Lu Liang sipped his tea, offering a faint smile, having long stopped saying that it was all due to luck.


    Once or twice might be attributed to luck, but three, four, or more times pointed to competence.


    At least to outsiders, he possessed that strength; excessive humility was just arrogance.


    Lu Liang didn''t think that Old Ma telling him the truth about getting the United States to lift restrictions on Ali was the whole story; it was just one aspect, but definitely not all.


    On the other side, Old Ma probably wanted to pursue politics, following the traditional route of Western capitalists.


    Earning money, monopolizing the market, getting involved in politics, benefiting through policies, reflecting back to the market, and then earning more money.


    This wasn''t hard to see, because among all the domestic capitalists and companies, only Old Ma was always traveling abroad.


    Every day either meeting this deputy head or that head, appearing in organizations like the United Nations.


    If it wasn''t for political ambitions, then these actions would be meaningless.


    "It seems so," Old Ma laughed with relief.


    Successful people are basically stubborn; once they''re set on something, even with only a one in ten thousand chance, they go down that path alone.


    Otherwise, there wouldn''t be the saying that the road to success is always lonely.


    Old Ma brewed the tea, then paused and asked, "Mr. Lu, is the Public Fund confirmed?"


    "Pretty much," Lu Liang nodded.


    As they chatted, he suddenly realized that their goals were remarkably aligned; they were both seeking collaboration, though their purposes differed.


    Old Ma hoped Lu Liang would take over Tianhong Fund and attract more funds to facilitate Alipay''s entry into the water and electricity market among other public services.


    Lu Liang sought collaboration simply to channel public fund inflows through Alipay''s traffic channels.


    Compared to Old Ma''s idea, he felt like a little child playing with mud in a pond.


    Lu Liang was astonished and had always heard of Old Ma''s great ambition; now he truly understood what ambition meant.


    If Old Ma was not boasting excessively, then Alipay''s target would essentially be Huaxin + Ping An.


    One was the uncrowned king of the domestic public service market, the other could be the fifth, or even sixth, among the state-owned banks since there was another called Citic.


    Benchmarking against Huaxin alone was preposterous since it was directly supervised by the Ministry of Commerce under the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission.


    Old Ma even wanted Alipay to benchmark against both and to become a super conglomerate that surpasses them.


    "Mr. Ma, you''ve had too much to drink," Lu Liang said quietly.


    He felt that such a dominant powerhouse was not allowed in the country, especially one that was privately-owned and assetless.


    Alipay''s existence was in itself a miracle with registered capital of only two billion US Dollars but had hundreds of billions in saving funds.


    Such a company, and Old Ma still thinking of inviting Lu Liang to join, raising more funds, and even considering going public.


    If a scandal erupted, he would be liable for two billion US Dollars, while the rest, hundreds of billions, would be left for society to take over.


    Just like the public fund, the reason for its numerous restrictions is because it''s accessible to millions of ordinary people.


    Once there were issues with the funds, it could affect thousands of ordinary families, and could even lead to social unrest.


    However, from a certain perspective, their ideas aligned as both aimed for the ultimate goal of building something too great to fail.


    But Lu Liang, after all, was considering investing in the new energy industry and had fixed assets with strong resistance to pressure.


    Old Ma purely thought of marching into space by stepping from one foot to the other, trying to achieve something out of nothing.


    Old Ma stopped mid-sentence, swallowed his words, exhaled a breath smelling of alcohol, and said with a smile, "Indeed, I did drink a bit much."


    "Mr. Lu, if you ever have any ideas, feel free to contact me; the doors of Ant Financial are open for you."


    After finishing, Old Ma also walked away,


    leaving Lu Liang alone in the tea room, immersed in deep thought.


    He couldn''t frankly tell whether it was just boastful prattle and pie in the sky, or a spontaneous truth revealed under the influence of alcohol.


    If it was false, so be it.


    But if it was true, what could Old Ma have gone through to harbor such expansive thoughts?


    "Will it succeed?"


    Old Ma was an exceptional orator, his words compelling Lu Liang to ponder deeper.


    If it succeeded, it would be like Samsung.


    "This idea is too risky."


    Lu Liang lay back on the soft tatami, closed his eyes to clear his mind, yet decided to stick with his own plans.


    "One can walk on two legs in finance and industry; perhaps let Old Ma explore first. If feasible, joining later wouldn''t be too late."


    Suddenly, the curtain behind him was drawn, and Lu Liang opened his eyes to see a pair of striking, long legs.


    "I just saw you and Mr. Ma come in, and saw Mr. Ma leave, so I came to check on you."


    Wang Chuting smiled slyly, took off her high heels, knelt beside Lu Liang, and reached out to touch his forehead, "Is your illness better, drinking now?"


    "It''s almost better," Lu Liang turned to see, legs wrapped in flesh-colored stockings.


    He stretched out his nail-bearing index finger and thumb, plucked a few elastic fibers, and asked with a smile, "Busy today?"


    "Not really, but I will be tomorrow," Wang Chuting glared playfully, swatted Lu Liang''s naughty hand away, and slightly lifted to hide the damaged area under her over-the-knee skirt.


    Lu Liang grabbed again, then suddenly stood up, leaned to Wang Chuting''s ear, and whispered, "I''m staying in room 5102 on the fifth floor."


    White blouse, grey skirt, flesh-colored stockings¡ªan ordinarily professional outfit for women, but on Wang Chuting, it always carried a hint of uniform temptation.

 Chapter 264 - 263: Thrilling Sensation

    "Tomorrow will be another busy day,"


    Wang Chuting''s face showed a hint of shyness, while Lu Liang chuckled, his fingertips gliding across her cheek, "Then I''ll wait for you."


    After that, he too left the tearoom. Wang Chuting wrinkled her nose and huffed towards the direction Lu Liang had gone.


    She returned to the hotel outside the ancient town; though Zhen Shui Hotel is a resort with a large guest capacity, it hosted even more visitors.


    Like the staff and volunteers of big conferences such as theirs, they were all accommodated in hotels outside the ancient town.


    Wang Chuting packed the clothes she would need and informed her colleagues that she had to step out and would meet with them at the entrance of the ancient town the next morning.


    Just as she stepped out of her room and was waiting for the elevator, she bumped into colleagues staying on the same floor.


    "Mr. Wang, what a coincidence, there''s a new restaurant next door that seems pretty good."


    A gentleman in a high-neck sweater had been waiting at the elevator for some time, holding a bouquet of flowers and smiling broadly.


    Wang Chuting was beautiful, her figure arguably surpassing that of world-renowned models, and she was a Forbes editor and reporter to boot.


    She had a certain amount of fame in the domestic media industry, with suitors numerous enough to stretch from Hang City to Beijing.


    "Chief Editor Wang, I''m sorry but I have to go out."


    Wang Chuting stepped back half a step, wearing a smile that kept people at a distance, greeted him, and left quickly.


    With her qualifications, she could easily find a more-than-adequate eligible male and have a normal relationship.


    But she was not content to be someone else''s appendage, accustomed as she was to being among various directors and leaders on a daily basis.


    Wang Chuting wanted to carve out her own place in the world; her beauty was her capital, and she had staked her most important ''first time'' on Lu Liang.


    "Then maybe next time..."


    The man didn''t finish speaking when the elevator closed slowly, and he sighed, a touch of bitterness on his lips.


    At this moment, around the corner of the corridor, a man emerged, saying with an amused smile, "Rejected again?"


    The gentleman in the high-neck sweater sighed, "I''ve invited her many times, why can''t she see my intentions?"


    The other man laughed quietly, "Is it possible that Wang Chuting did see, but her rejection is also quite clear?"


    "Why?"


    "Either you''re not her type, or you haven''t met her standards." The man was contemplative; he had once been a suitor of Wang Chuting but had since seen through it.


    Such a beautiful girl, who had been in the industry for over four years, had yet to have a boyfriend. Normally, a girl as lovely and intelligent as Wang Chuting, even if undecided, would at least ''harbor the fish in her pond.''


    By leveraging her beauty and intellect, she maintained a delicate balance with every male, maximizing her own interests.


    But she didn''t do so and, instead, kept a distance from every male, discussing work and not private matters.


    Excluding the possibilities of her being asexual or lesbian, she either had a very strong sense of self-respect or grand ambitions.


    She needed herself to be clean, and her circle too.


    In any case, she was someone they couldn''t handle.


    "Then who can?"


    "Someone on the inside."


    The man in the high-neck sweater followed the gaze and saw the flickering lights atop the Zhen Shui Hotel.


    He sighed helplessly, "Drink something?"


    "Let''s go."


    On the other hand, Wang Chuting, composed, made her way back to the Zhen Shui Hotel in the ancient town, feeling quite nervous. She really didn''t want to come, as it was the World Internet Conference with high-profile guests galore.


    If she were to be seen, it would not be good, so she messaged Lu Liang in advance, "Open the door first, I''ll be there shortly."


    Lu Liang laughed softly, "It''s not locked."


    Stepping out of the elevator, Wang Chuting quickly arrived at room 5102, didn''t hesitate, and pushed the door open.


    Even though she was careful, she was still spotted, by a chubby figure with glasses at the end of the corridor.


    Just as he was about to go downstairs for some food, he squinted, grinding his teeth, "Definitely an affaire."


    Luo had no right to stay in Zhen Shui, but since he was tagging along with Old Ma, he also stayed on the fifth floor.


    Since the launch of the NIO ES8, he had come to understand why Lu Liang had targeted him.


    Although Li Bing didn''t mention the source of the vehicle''s infotainment system, they simply used NIO''s system for the product introduction. Luo instantly recognized that the system NIO used was in fact derived from Hammer OS.


    The feature of Hammer OS lies in its ability to display only the selected application on the screen, hiding all other apps.


    The infotainment system in the NIO ES8 carried this feature forward, making the interface look especially minimalist and imbued with a sci-fi feel.


    At the time of the new car launch, netizens who were unaware praised the NIO system to the skies, touting it as surpassing Weiliao and leading the market, on par with Tesla.


    Hammer OS seemed to be made for car infotainment systems, like the team who initially developed Viagra intended it for treating cardiovascular diseases.


    Then they stumbled upon a side effect that, ironically, became a blockbuster drug, grossing over a hundred billion US Dollars for Pfizer in the two decades before the patent expired.


    Luo watched this unfold, heart bleeding.


    Had he discovered this untapped market, perhaps Hammer Technology wouldn''t have met its downfall.


    There''s no cure for regret; Hammer Technology was done for, and he was left with a debt of over 500 million.


    70 million of which was owed to Lu Liang.


    They say that the borrower is the master, but he had never felt like a master in Lu Liang''s presence.


    As if 70 million were nothing to fret about,


    It would be good to have it, but it''s no big deal otherwise.


    And now, running into this couple flirting on their date, Luo became angrier the more he thought about it, nodding on the spot, and with a bang, shut the door, no longer in the mood to eat.


    In room 5102, seven or eight doors down, Wang Chuting entered and swiftly shut the door behind her with the heel of her foot.


    Lu Liang laughed, pouring Wang Chuting a drink, "Why does it always feel sneaky whenever I''m with you?"


    Wang Chuting put down her handbag, gracefully twisting her willow-slim waist, and stretched out a long arm, draping it over Lu Liang''s shoulder.


    "Isn''t it thrilling?" she said with a smile, her expression tender and alluring, her eyes like pools of autumn water.


    Even in low-heeled shoes less than four centimeters high that wouldn''t interfere with driving, her height almost matched Lu Liang''s.


    "It''s definitely exciting."


    Lu Liang, smiling, wrapped an arm around her slender waist and led Wang Chuting to sit in the living room.


    The night was long, and adequate foreplay was essential for ultimate pleasure.


    Wang Chuting stretched lazily and lay across the sofa, her calves exposed, casually flipping off her high heels.


    Resting her head on Lu Liang''s thigh, she played with his palm or compared it with her own, talking about interviewing him next year.


    Next year, Lu Liang would likely be laden with awards like the Forbes Young Rich List, Best Investor, Best Fund Manager...


    As long as he wanted, it wouldn''t be difficult to line up an array of trophies and certificates of honor all at once.


    Lu Liang chuckled, pinching her delicate chin, "According to your research, how much is my wealth now?"


    "It should be 7.317 billion," Wang Chuting replied promptly, having seen the statistics beforehand.


    "How did you come up with such an exact figure?" Lu Liang asked in surprise, for he wouldn''t have asked Wang Chuting if he knew.


    Mainly because he was also unsure, having invested in a multitude of companies, it could take three to five years for them to be liquidated.


    Wang Chuting laughed mischievously: "We''re guessing."


    For example, Douyin was valued at 2.2 billion US Dollars, with Tianxing Investment holding 9.25%, making their stake worth 203.5 million US Dollars.


    Then there was Tianxing Technology, which saw its valuation surge to 381 million US Dollars with Golden Sand River''s investment, with Lu Liang''s 90% stake valued at 342.9 million US Dollars.


    And then Panda Interactive Entertainment, valued at 580 million US Dollars, with Tianxing Investment holding 12.2%, worth 70.76 million US Dollars.


    Lastly, Tianxing Asset Management, being too secretive and not disclosing its assets publicly, they could only symbolically add a further 500 million US Dollars to Lu Liang''s wealth.


    "You guessed fairly accurately," Lu Liang muttered to himself.


    At the beginning of next month, the second fund would be settled and the third would be disbursed, and once he secured the shares of Ningde, his wealth would increase by another six or seven hundred million US Dollars. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lu Liang sighed deeply, "Just over seventy billion, I thought I''d broken a hundred already."


    Wang Chuting was at a loss for words, tilted her head, and playfully bit Little Lu through the pajamas, "Is that even something a human would say?"


    Although it was just over seventy billion, Lu Liang''s current status and influence clearly couldn''t be measured by wealth alone.

 Chapter 265 - 264: The Richest in the World

    "You''re already getting busy this early?"


    The next morning, Lu Liang leaned against the headboard, his eyes full of appreciation as he watched the beauty dress.


    Wang Chuting came out of the bathroom after her shower, wrapped in a towel and walking barefoot on the carpet.


    She took out a pair of newly unwrapped silk stockings, folded them neatly, slipped them onto her toes, and slowly pulled them up.


    Her graceful movements were a delight to the eye; of all the girls Lu Liang knew, Wang Chuting was the one who loved stockings the most.


    Particularly fond of flesh-toned ones, and made of high-quality material that could ladder from a gentle tug, unlike some inferior nylon stockings that felt plasticky and wouldn''t tear.


    "Today, our department is responsible for recording six exhibition halls," Wang Chuting said as she applied a BB cream and then a light-colored lipstick.


    Her purse, which was about a foot in size, was like a treasure chest containing everything. She took out a curling iron to style her hair.


    "It really is hard work."


    Lu Liang stretched languidly, turned his head to look at the time, 8:30 AM; the opening ceremony was at 2 PM.


    There were still five and a half hours; plenty of time.


    "Hehe, you still know how to be concerned about me?" Wang Chuting''s eyes held a playful accusation, recalling last night, feeling her calves still a bit soft.


    She couldn''t help but silently criticize, "People say that after recovering from a serious illness, there are usually some sequels, but why haven''t I seen any?"


    "So you''d be happy if I have sequelae?"


    Lu Liang''s lips curled upwards, he suddenly got out of bed and, holding Wang Chuting by the waist, they both lay down on the bed again.


    Wang Chuting pounded on his chest, her eyes petulant, "Stop it, my clothes will get wrinkled again."


    She dashed away swiftly, standing in front of the mirror to check herself from all angles and swiftly decided to leave, "I''m off, not playing with you anymore."


    Wang Chuting opened the door, looking around like a thief, and left through the service corridor while nobody was around.


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but chuckle, "I should get up as well."


    The conference lasted for four days and was divided into three phases: exhibition, discussion, and summary.


    The highlight was the forum to be held tomorrow. Lu Liang had a tourist''s mindset: after attending the opening ceremony, he''d just stroll around the exhibition.


    His targets were Baidu''s autonomous driving technology and Cisco''s connected car technology.


    The former had an exhibition area of 1200 square meters, of which a large urban street scene model took up more than 400 square meters.


    A number of white cars equipped with mini-radar, mainly visual tech supplemented by lidar, and other technologies like decision-making and precise positioning, simulated the vehicles'' experience in autonomous driving, including potential incidents and how to resolve them.


    Many people were watching, and the staff enthusiastically presented the Apollo project, aiming to sell it to tycoons from the Middle East.


    Wearing a cloth headdress as a mark of wealth, the Saudi Sovereign Fund managed assets of over two trillion US dollars.


    They were like oversized penguins who simply invested without meddling in the daily operations of businesses, shining wherever they went.


    Soon, Old Li from Baidu received a message and rushed over, his old face creasing into smiles.


    One could imagine that the top patron from the Earth''s live broadcasting room must have tipped generously.


    Lu Liang lost interest after a few glances.


    The staff responsible for the presentation was just that, presenting; the real tech experts were all hidden away by Old Li.


    Even if he were keen to wield his shovel, he couldn''t pinpoint any targets.


    Just like the last time he visited Shenzhen, Lin Dongyao and Wu Lei from BYD had said they''d consider and then there was no follow-up.


    It wasn''t entirely without effect ¡ª not long after, he heard that all BYD engineers got a 20% pay raise.


    He went, and then the other side increased salaries; there probably wouldn''t be a next time.


    In the 21st-century talent is expensive, everyone is a treasure and it''s best to cultivate one''s own talent.


    Lu Liang planned to leave, but suddenly Old Li chased after him, panting, "Mr. Lu, may I have a word with you?"


    Lu Liang was curious, but nodded and followed Old Li to the VIP reception room where they met a rich man from the Middle East.


    "Mr. Lu, this is Mr. Sergey."


    Old Li, brimming with enthusiasm, introduced them to each other.


    Sergey, smiling widely, said in his imperfect Mandarin, "Mr. Lu, I saw you just now, but was too embarrassed to disturb you. That''s why I asked Mr. Li to help introduce us."


    He had long heard of Lu Liang''s fame and held him in high regard.


    The capital and enterprises of the East Country weren''t fully aware of Lu Liang''s international influence and reputation.


    It''s like how the public doesn''t understand why, in some countries, people are scared of fireworks or instinctively raise their hands when they see police.


    Wall Street capital has been traversing international waters for many years, shorting countries or enterprises has developed into a mature pipeline.


    First, a wave of media generates hype, then the three major rating agencies downgrade the credit rating, causing market panic, and finally capital strikes, creating a flood-like momentum for harvest.


    There have been few failures over the years; even if they don''t accomplish their goals, they can still significantly weaken the opponent, leaving them on edge.


    Lu Liang was an exception; with each counter-move, no matter the process, the outcome always led to victory.


    It was like slapping Wall Street in the face each time; to the smaller countries, it seemed like a deity had descended.


    "Mr. Sergey, nice to meet you." Lu Liang was puzzled; he didn''t seem to have any business dealings with Middle Eastern tycoons.


    Sergey glanced at Old Li, who immediately understood: "The two of you have your chat, I''ll go check on things outside."


    After he finished speaking, he took the assistant and the receptionist with him, leaving the two men alone in the room.


    "Mr. Lu, I''ve always admired you."


    Sergey got straight to the point and inquired if Lu Liang had any plans to issue new funds, expressing their keen interest.


    "Mr. Sergey, we do indeed have plans to issue new funds, but we are not going to issue any private funds for now."


    Lu Liang pondered for a moment and revealed the truth. Private funds would be issued in the future, after all, they were his cash cow.


    Recently, however, he had no plans to issue private funds; his focus would first be on public funds.


    Only after sorting out the public fund matters would he consider launching new private funds.


    Lu Liang also honestly informed Sergey that if Tianxing Assets were to issue private funds again, they would not be initiated under his name.


    Sergey''s expression remained the same, and his smile did not diminish, "Mr. Lu, as I just said, we have great respect for you."


    Whether setting up public or private funds, as long as Mr. Lu had an idea, they were prepared to provide a minimum of 1 billion and up to 10 billion US Dollars at any time.


    They did not impose hard profitability conditions; management fees, settlements, and dividend cycles¡ªall would be based on Mr. Lu''s discretion. They simply wanted to make friends with him and also had faith in Mr. Lu''s investment insights.


    "..."


    Lu Liang was rendered speechless for a moment.


    There was a time when he felt he would never again bow before the seduction of money.


    Now, all he wanted to say was, "My dear sir, please come in~"


    A patch of cloth over the head, truly treating money as if it were nothing.


    Just last year, according to Forbes'' ranking of the top ten richest people in the country, Ding Sanshi, in the tenth position, had a personal fortune of only 63 billion Yuan. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    10 billion US Dollars at the current exchange rate amounted to 65.5 billion Yuan, and that was cash readily available to use.


    "Overwhelmed by your generous offer, I am deeply grateful."


    Lu Liang thought for a moment, then decided to share a bit of insider information with the top-ranked leader.


    "Mr. Sergei, in recent years, our country has been promoting the new energy industry."


    "I''m aware; you''ve always been very bullish on the development of the new energy industry, hence you also set up a technology company."


    Sergey nodded, how could he not know? East Country was the world''s largest oil importer.


    Developing new energy and reducing dependency on oil dealt a significant blow to those countries that relied on selling oil.


    However, he could understand, given East Country''s enormous and exponentially growing demand for oil each year.


    Like them, they were seeking transformation, aiming to reduce dependency on oil exports.


    "Our establishment of a public fund is also for the development of the new energy industry."


    Through his words, Lu Liang conveyed his optimism about the new energy industry.


    Even if the current annual sales were only 500,000 units, he believed it would soon break through the 5 million mark, or even more.


    The trillion market value of Ningde gave him enough confidence.


    A company focused mainly on power batteries could have such a high market value.


    Five years later, the overall market would definitely see an exaggerated increase in volume. After all, the market wasn''t limited to Ningde; there was also BYD, Tianneng, Chao Wei, and other power battery manufacturers.


    Ningde Era only accounted for about 19% of the market; there was still an 81% share available.


    The most critical component of an electric vehicle is the battery; any ambitious enterprise would aim to self-produce and self-consume, building a complete industry chain as the ultimate dream.


    Wuling''s ability to disrupt the market with 20,000-plus pricing relied on self-production and self-consumption. BYD could sell the "Qin" at a price below 150,000 for the same reasons.


    With such a large population in East Country, no matter the industry, as long as the market took off, it would reach extreme heights.


    Self-production and self-sales were a strong ace; even without a price war, they could maximize profits without being dependent on others.


    What''s more important was the technology; good products and new technologies were priorities for internal use, while older generations leaked out.


    Especially for leading enterprises like Ningde Era, it was well-known that Lithium Iron Phosphate was their flagship product.


    However, if Lu Liang weren''t a shareholder, he would not have known that they were also developing a super-performance battery named Qilin.


    This battery was said to be between lithium ternary and lithium iron phosphate, with high volumetric utilization and greater energy density, both indicators of longer-lasting and stronger endurance.


    If Lu Liang personally went into car manufacturing, he was confident that he could persuade Old Zeng to bring out the latest technology for him.


    After all, he was a shareholder of Ningde and an idle board member; Old Zeng would grant him this favor.


    Sergey listened, and his heart remained stirred for a long time.


    He trusted Lu Liang''s vision. If the growth of the new energy market was indeed so rapid, then time was running short for them.


    As a small country, they had no power of choice and couldn''t restrain the actions of larger nations. When the tide of the times came rolling in, their only option was to adapt and not be left behind.


    He thought about hedging risks; besides investing in Lu Liang, perhaps they could also invest in other new energy industries in East Country.


    Investing in Tesla was a must, considering Lu Liang had taken a stake, and its share price had even surpassed 600 US Dollars.


    BYD was also a consideration, as well as investing in some of East Country''s new energy rising forces.


    It was not a lot of money, so might as well cast a wide net.


    Even if the investments failed, it would be a good thing, signifying that new energy had not taken off, and oil remained the absolute mainstream.

 Chapter 266 - 265: Top of the Earth List

    Liang was taken aback, he hadn''t expected to be able to bring investments to NIO and Li Xiang. However, seeing Sergey so interested, he shared Li Bing and Li Xiang''s contact information with him.


    Afterward, the two parties discussed the details of future collaboration. They planned to go all in, with a guaranteed investment of no less than 5 billion US Dollars.


    The specific amount would be based on Lu Liang''s decision, essentially showing him ample trust and support.


    They talked until evening, when Sergey returned to his hotel to change his clothes, preparing for tonight''s banquet.


    "Plans cannot keep up with changes."


    Liang watched them leave,


    his heart filled with mixed emotions.


    He hadn''t seen Cisco''s connected car technology, but he had pulled in a strong and powerful base.


    With strong public circulation, a base was needed to act as a steadying anchor to prevent sudden incidents that could cause a fund squeeze.


    Initially, this base was reserved for the Modu Human Resources Bureau and State-owned Xiao Xin, among other state institutions.


    He planned to sign a five-year contract with them, forbidding early redemption before settlement to ensure that they wouldn''t withdraw funds abruptly.


    But now, Lu Liang had changed his mind. State money wasn''t easy to take, especially funds related to people''s livelihood.


    He planned to bring in a sovereign fund, letting them hold a major share to counterbalance the Modu Human Resources Bureau and State-owned Xiao Xin.


    Creating an impression of rare goods availability to prevent the authorities from flipping the tables, thinking Lu was taking advantage of them.


    In reality, it was Lu giving them an opportunity, not them giving Lu one. They needed to understand their position.


    "Mr. Lu, it''s seven o''clock."


    At that moment, Wen Chao stepped forward to remind him.


    The first day of the conference, Wuzhen would host a welcome banquet, starting at 7:30 tonight and lasting for an hour and a half.


    "Let''s head back."


    Liang nodded slightly and returned to the hotel to change into a dark suit.


    The guests numbered over a thousand, gathering together, among them not lacking officials of rank six or higher.


    Old Ma made an appearance, instantly becoming the brightest star there, surrounded by foreign leaders and treated exceptionally well.


    Little Ma was wealthier and his company was larger, yet he didn''t receive Old Ma''s treatment, because Tencent internationally didn''t have the same influence level as Ali.


    Liang ate his dinner, having talked with Sergey all afternoon. He had no time for food earlier, and had just come down after a quick shower and change at the hotel.


    "Why are you eating alone here?"


    Suddenly, a laugh sounded from behind;


    such words could only belong to Zhu Hu.


    "Want to join me?" Liang turned to look at Zhang Yiming not far away. Zhu Hu had just come from there, where Mr. Zhang and the representative from Temasek were in a heated conversation.


    "Ran out of saliva talking."


    Zhu Hu sighed, picked up a glass of juice, and drained it, then started talking about his recent conversation with them.


    This half of the year, Douyin was conquering territories in East Asia and was about to expand into Western markets when suddenly faced a legal roadblock.


    Musical.ly accused them of plagiarism, suing them for 350 million US Dollars and demanding a public apology.


    Thus, Zhang Yiming was planning to discuss with Temasek to bring in some more foreign support and simply acquire the other party outright.


    Zhu Hu said, "Mr. Zhang is still wrangling with them, let me come over and ask if you have any good suggestions."


    "A minor issue, just acquire it then; can''t just obediently pay up, right?" Lu Liang laughed without a word.


    The next year''s issues were occurring now.


    According to the acquisition schedule, it might even be advanced by half a year.


    His butterfly, the changes he initiated were getting bigger and bigger, and he hoped everything was positive. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Lu, you were talking so enthusiastically with Sergey, maybe ask him if they''re interested."


    Zhu Hu chuckled, revealing his intentions.


    Douyin already had sufficient state funds, but to develop internationally, they needed foreign investments, including acquiring Musical.ly, which required foreign aid.


    Temasek was one, Monroe Venture Capital another, yet Monroe Venture Capital held shares in Musical.ly and planned on a share swap, not intending to invest money.


    Though Temasek was wealthy, they didn''t want to fund it alone, the risk was too great for them to bear by themselves.


    Softbank Group was indeed interested, but Sun Zhengyi was always looking to enter the board and participate in decisions.


    Zhang Yiming was still hesitant.


    Lu Liang expressed surprise, "You''re well-informed?"


    "Well-informed my foot, everybody knows about it."


    Zhu Hu openly teased, laughing, "Today''s biggest news is that Old Li is guarding the gate for you."


    He raised his eyebrows and quietly asked, "How much money did you circle from Mr. Rich this afternoon?"


    Baidu negotiated a 500 million US Dollar project with a sovereign fund, with Old Li helping guard the gate, while Liang had been discussing with Mr. Rich for an afternoon, the amount involved was probably much larger.


    Liang smiled, "In a little while, everyone will know."


    "Acting mysterious." Zhu Hu expressed his distaste.


    At that moment, Sergey made his entrance, greeted the conference leaders, and headed straight towards Liang.


    "Mr. Lu, good evening."


    Sergey was all smiles, as they had discussed not only the public offering in the afternoon but also the priority subscription rights for future private offerings.


    The thought of their funds turning into sickles reaping through the United States gave them a feeling of serfs overturning the old order through song.


    Making money was a minor matter, but the thrill was significant.


    "Zhu Hu, a renowned venture capitalist in our country," Lu Liang introduced with a smile, also mentioning the international version of Douyin.


    "Mr. Zhu, hello," Sergey''s smile faded, his warmth and trust reserved for Lu Liang alone.


    They had money, but they weren''t fools; Lu Liang''s track record was publicly known, earned through genuine battles.


    Now, Wall Street would change color at the mention of Mr. Lu, and no one could ensure they''d outplay him without resorting to extraneous tactics.


    Others'' words would need extreme caution.


    After all, their money wasn''t delivered by gales, and even picking money off the streets required some effort.


    "Hello Mr. Sergey."


    Zhu Hu''s face was brimming with smiles, hurriedly summoning Zhang Yiming to stop chatting with Temasek.


    If terms were agreed upon with Sergey, any amount of money was possible; let Temasek, Softbank go to hell.


    Upon introducing everyone, Lu Liang gracefully stepped back.


    How they negotiated and whether they could seal the deal was up to them; his role was now complete.


    Lu Liang found a quieter spot to continue dining.


    Yet his meal was uneasy.


    At the welcome dinner in Wuzhen, secrets were nonexistent.


    Before he knew it, news had spread.


    Thanks to Lu Liang''s networking, Douyin secured a $1 billion investment from the sovereign fund.


    Consequently, the looks aimed at Mr. Lu turned predatory, as if they wanted to devour him.


    Having money was one thing, but having such robust connections and being buddies with the universally acknowledged top boss was another.


    "Liang~" Little Wang suddenly appeared, tenderly caressing the back of Lu Liang''s hand.


    His Panda also needed the top boss''s support.


    "Don''t even think about it. It''s not going to happen."


    Lu Liang grimaced, quickly shaking off Little Wang''s hand.


    "Why not?" Little Wang looked pitifully hopeful, wasn''t their relationship close enough?


    "Cut the bull; you and I have nothing to do with each other."


    Lu Liang''s gaze was stern, warning Little Wang to keep the gossip at bay.


    He was willing to facilitate connections for Douyin partly because he was a co-founder and ought to assist.


    On the other hand, the sovereign fund had relevant business interests, and a potential partnership with Douyin indeed existed.


    When both parties had the possibility to collaborate, that was facilitating connections, but forcing an unsuitable match would end up fruitless.


    Little Wang''s Panda, if it weren''t for the goal of going global and using the US Dollar for valuation in financing estimation, they wouldn''t even consider it.


    There were plenty of live streams abroad; Sergey would invest in YouTube instead of Panda.


    Little Wang smacked his lips, "That makes sense, but why does it feel so unpleasant coming from you?"


    Lu Liang couldn''t be bothered to talk further, wiped his mouth, and moved towards Zhang Yiming to see how their discussion was going.


    "It''s settled." Zhang Yiming was visibly excited, looking at Lu Liang, any previous resentment vanishing.


    Boss Lu was disgraceful, shameless, and scheming, but deep down, he wasn''t bad at all¡ªthe addition of Mr. Lu to Douyin was like wings to a tiger.


    "That''s good to hear," Lu Liang squinted, his gaze ominous. He always felt Zhang Yiming was cursing him internally.


    Then, Shen Peng also came over to inquire about the situation; the progress of Douyin had clearly exceeded his expectations.


    Once Douyin acquired Musical.ly and penetrated the European and American markets, it would no longer be just an app but a tool for public opinion.


    The Western world spared no effort to slander them, and they were powerless because all mainstream media globally was in their opponents'' hands.


    Military strategies suggest: siege warfare is inferior to winning hearts, and the battle of public opinion is the best strategy to subdue the enemy without fighting.


    After all, some people simply from textbooks or certain magazines assume that the air overseas is sweeter and the moon rounder.


    The country had always been contemplating solutions, and if Douyin could take on this role, its status might be elevated, gaining some covert support.


    "It''s hard to say whether it''s good or bad."


    Lu Liang was pensive, not holding much hope.


    Considering how a businessman had recently been elected by abandoning traditional media and paving a new path through the internet to rally young voters around him.


    The businessman was well aware of the internet''s influence, long surpassing traditional media.


    He would be in charge for the next four years.


    If Douyin didn''t thrive, well and good; if it did, it could either be tamed as a pet or become a target.


    Upon hearing this, everyone fell silent.


    Seeing this, Lu Liang chuckled, "Why think so much? There isn''t even a start, and you''re already worried."


    Where there''s a will, there''s a way. When the time comes, a solution will emerge.

 Chapter 267 - 266: Childlike Nature

    After ending the conversation with Shen Peng and others, Lu Liang found Little Ma alone in the corner of the banquet.


    Perhaps due to his technical background, his nature was relatively introverted, or perhaps it was because the status gap was too vast, which deterred people from approaching him for a chat.


    Lu Liang got straight to the point and stated his intention; he hoped that his future Public Fund would interface with WeChat''s Tenpay.


    Little Ma pondered briefly before agreeing readily; compared to Alipay, their Tenpay had always been lukewarm.


    Mainly because users treated WeChat as a chat app and Alipay as a finance app.


    Alipay''s success as a finance app stemmed from platforms like Taobao Tmall and 1688.


    Tencent had realized the importance of payments early on and had also dabbled in e-commerce with platforms like QQ Online Shopping and Paipai.com. However, despite not having shut down, they had basically flat-lined to date.


    Hence, they now supported Pinduoduo without reserve.


    Lu Liang''s Public Fund needed a traffic interface, and Tenpay also needed to draw in more savings users.


    Even if they were just acting as a transfer agent, there was a very high chance of retaining some portion of users'' savings.


    For instance, when making a withdrawal, besides transferring to a bank card, a new option to withdraw to a WeChat balance could be added.


    Even if only one in a hundred did this, it would still be a considerable sum.


    Because Lu Liang was organizing a Public Fund, the assets under management would definitely not be less than 50 billion US Dollars; otherwise, it would be better to just continue with private equity.


    Although this was a win-win deal, Little Ma wanted to win even more; for example, by discussing with Lu Liang to make their WeChat the exclusive subscription channel.


    As for terms, anything was negotiable; if the Public Fund needed money, they could help subscribe for a hundred or eighty billion.


    Since last year''s launch of the game "King of Glory," the total revenue of the past year had reached a whopping 9.8 billion US Dollars.


    Making the already wealthy Tencent even richer.


    Looking across the country, Little Ma could confidently say that there probably wasn''t any private enterprise wealthier than them.


    Every day, upon opening his eyes, he was thinking about how to spend money.


    A hundred or eighty billion was merely a drop in the bucket.


    Lu Liang apologized with a full face of regret, "Sorry, Mr. Ma, we''ve already been in touch with ICBC and Ali."


    Little Ma''s wish was pretty, but even if he gave up WeChat''s traffic, he absolutely would not let WeChat become the sole channel.


    Once agreed, even though it was free now, they would probably start charging a toll in the future.


    Little Ma gave a sheepish smile and did not say more.


    Lu Liang approaching them was harmless to WeChat; compared to that, WeChat could not provide any other help but traffic.


    After making small talk with Little Ma, as it neared nine o''clock, the guests gradually left, and Lu Liang also returned to his room upstairs.


    Wang Chuting was busy today, needing to live-edit news related to the conference; thus, Lu Liang could only stay alone in his room, conserving his energy.


    The second day of the conference was the highlight, with 8 non-stop forums and 20 related topics.


    Lu Liang attended one public forum and three private forums.


    These were not much related to him; he was mainly there as an observer, watching the big wigs spar verbally on stage, openly mocking and subtly deriding each other.


    At the public forums, with journalists and media present, everyone spoke politely and refrained from exposing each other''s flaws.


    But at the private meetings, cursing and swearing, even spitting while debating heatedly, were common occurrences.


    Lu Liang found it thrilling and so he participated in three sessions in a row. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    On the third day, the conference conducted a phased summary, during which stage was mostly for the leaders to give speeches.


    Lu Liang merely went through the motions symbolically and left the ancient town to return to Modu overnight.


    Passing the She Mountain rest area, he decided on a whim to exit the highway and head to the villa area of She Mountain.


    "Contact the investors of the second and third phases tomorrow; notify them to come over for a meeting on the 1st."


    Before getting out of the car, Lu Liang instructed Wen Chao to inform about the settlement of the second phase and the dividends of the third phase the next day.


    Starting from December, it was bound to get busy, so taking advantage of these few days of rest, he wanted to spend more time with Li Manli.


    During his illness, Li Manli had been constantly by his side, trying every day to cheer him up and cooking him various meals.


    Before that, between Su Wanyu and Li Manli, Lu Liang would lean towards the former; after all, she came from a good background, had a pleasant personality, high education, and she was his first¡ªmen often have a complex about virgins.


    By contrast, the process of getting to know Li Manli wasn''t as idyllic; she was a proud and capricious fairy, both vain and materialistic according to the popular online lingo.


    But as time went on, the true nature of people became apparent.


    Lu Liang gradually stopped thinking about how they met and got together initially.


    Now, his heart leaned a bit more towards Li Manli, while for Su Wanyu, it was just liking and wanting to possess.


    "Mr. Lu, Shiyu and I will take off now."


    Wen Chao nodded, and he and Fang Shiyu drove away.


    But just before leaving, Wen Chao glanced at the rearview mirror, and a curious expression emerged on his face.


    Boss Lu didn''t take the conventional path, he strode over the fence into the courtyard like a thief.


    With a smile playing on his lips, Lu Liang looked up to the second floor, seemingly at the location of the bathroom, where white steam billowed from the window.


    The house, bought by him, he knew the front door would make a crisp mechanical noise upon opening, piercing in the deep quiet of the night.


    The surprise had to be carried through to the end.


    As soon as he entered, the whole house was heated. Just by stepping past a door, it was like going from winter to summer.


    Li Manli had told him, as this was their home, she didn''t vacate the studio.


    It was usually just her living here.


    Lu Liang took off his jacket and sneaked up to the second floor, testing to find that the bathroom door wasn''t locked.


    He pushed the door ajar and quickly slipped in, into the fog-filled bathroom with soothing music playing, punctuated by sounds of splashing water.


    Li Manli, with a face mask on and eyes closed, lay back in the tub, her slender legs moving erratically up and down.


    Her nails, dyed a pale pink at some unknown point, glistened under the light''s glow.


    Smiling, Lu Liang approached the tub, curious when she would notice him.


    Yet a girl''s sixth sense is extraordinarily keen; no sooner had he sat down beside her, Li Manli suddenly opened her eyes.


    She let out an unconscious scream but quickly recognized Lu Liang, a hint of surprise and slyness in her eyes.


    Li Manli hugged her chest, swiftly moving to the other side with a look of terror, "Who are you? What do you want?"


    Lu Liang, taken aback, caught on that this was part of Director Li''s script, shrugging off his clothes with a villain''s sneer, "What do you think?"


    Li Manli struggled and cried, continually splashing water, "Please don''t come any closer, I''ll give you any amount of money, I won''t call the police."


    "I sleep with you, the money is mine anyway, right?"


    "I''m going to shout."


    "Even shouting until your throat breaks will be useless."


    Li Manli got into the role, her eyes reddening, tears of humiliation beginning to flow.


    For a moment, the tranquil surface of the water became like a sudden storm, splashing wildly, waves surging.


    Li Manli tried repeatedly to climb out of the tub, only to be pulled back in by Lu Liang each time.


    After a while, Lu Liang, tired of playing, lay in the tub soaking, chuckling, "Okay, stop playing."


    "Alright," Li Manli''s expression transformed, she draped herself over Lu Liang''s neck with a beam, half of her body floating on the surface.


    Curiously she asked, "I saw you on the news this afternoon, how did you come back so soon?"


    "It was nothing much, so I came back."


    The biggest takeaway from this Internet conference for Lu Liang was meeting the top-ranking brother and securing an upcoming collaboration.


    With his support, the next steps would undoubtedly be easier, but the public fund side might be a bit trickier.


    Even though Tesla''s stock price had risen to 612 US dollars, with another potential increase of 100 dollars, it didn''t make much of a difference.


    Their shareholding, plus a lock-up period of over four months, were decisions made by Lu Liang himself.


    To convince them that Lu Liang could leave the private equity and still earn exceptionally high profits, another market rally would be required to prove it.


    "Feeling comfortable?" Li Manli asked, giggling mischievously.


    She drained nine-tenths of the water in the tub, covered herself in shower gel, sliding over Lu Liang like a mermaid.


    The soft touch of her feet always managed to brush against that spot, annoying Lu Liang.


    A couple of crisp slaps, red finger marks appeared on the plump August moon.


    "Stop it, I''m thinking," Lu Liang glared at her, standing up to shower. He then heard a message from the future.


    "Alright~"


    Li Manli feigned the look of a grievously wronged little wife, rejected by Lu Liang, which hurt even more than a spank on the butt.


    Lu Liang chuckled, walked over to her, and patted her head, "I''m hungry, what can we eat at home?"


    "I bought a lot of stuff at the supermarket this afternoon."


    Li Manli''s mood instantly brightened as if the clouds had parted, her smile unfurled across her face. She quickly rinsed off and dashed out in her bathrobe.


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but chuckle, "Still such a child at heart."

 Chapter 268 - 267: Second Phase Settlement, Third Phase Dividends

    "Raising interest rates for the third time right before Christmas, they clearly don''t want people to have a good holiday."


    Lu Liang changed into shorts and pajamas, entered the study, and recorded the future information he had just heard at dawn.


    "December 23rd, the Federal Reserve conducted its eighth cycle of interest rate hikes, raising from 1.25% to 1.50%."


    Since the millennium, the Federal Reserve had executed three cycles of rate cuts and two cycles of rate hikes.


    Currently, during a cycle of rate hikes, including the previous two, this round was the third hike.


    "Is this to cooperate with businessmen or a welcoming gift for them?"


    Lu Liang pondered, the Fed''s interest rate hikes meant that the interest on deposits had increased.


    This would reduce the supply of US Dollar funds in the market, expected interest rates and returns would rise, and some of the transboundary flowing funds would flow back.


    It also aligned perfectly with the businessman''s governance philosophy¡ªbringing back funds, factories, and more jobs all to the United States mainland.


    "But why the sudden rate hike?"


    Lu Liang furrowed his brows; he always felt that businessmen and the Shadow Government shouldn''t get along.


    After all, those elected by political donations are easier to control once they are in office; the presidency is just a job.


    Serve eight or four years, then retire, write books, give speeches everywhere, and leisurely pass the second half of life.


    Just like the Afro-American, graduated in ''91, entered politics in ''96, within 12 years of politics, he had barely paid off his student loans the year he was elected.


    The interest on student loans in the United States is very high, truly turning this educational assistance project into a lucrative business, unlike back home where the focus is on "assisting education."


    The top three mainstream loans in America are, first is mortgage, second is student loans, and third are various credit cards.


    The student loans have a minimum annual rate of 6%, and private student loans even soar above 15%.


    Graduating with a high-interest debt burden and taking ten, or twenty years to pay off, is quite normal.


    People perpetually short on money can hardly be expected to serve the nation selflessly; it''s clearly unrealistic.


    Moreover, the Afro-American is a typical coconut¡ªblack on the outside, white on the inside.


    In contrast, businessmen are not short of money; he had published autobiographies quite early and also spoken at various universities¡ªhis electoral pledge, if true, likely signifies loyal service to the nation.


    If truly a loyal servant of the United States, he ought to target institutions on Wall Street.


    Certainly, they couldn''t be completely eliminated¡ªafter all, they are foundational to the nation¡ªbut they could be regulated to return some benefits to the people.


    Yet the third rate hike was a done deal.


    "I can''t figure it out."


    Lu Liang shook his head, too lazy to think of any deeper reasons.


    Not in the position to make policy.


    He should think about how to profit from this.


    Suddenly, a gentle knock came at the door, and Li Manli whispered softly, "Liang, the midnight snack is ready~"


    "Got it."


    Lu Liang hummed in response, erased the information on the paper, tore it up, and flushed it down the toilet.


    Stepping out of the study, he smelled a strong scent of sauce and a hint of rice wine.


    "Wait for me."


    Li Manli ran to the dining table ahead of him and lifted the casserole lid: "Ta-da~ Guangdong''s famous dish, chicken and oyster pot. Just before serving, I drizzled a ring of rice wine around the lid; it''s the finishing touch."


    Lu Liang chuckled lightly, patted her head to flatten her cowlick, and tasted a large oyster, genuinely admiring, "Your cooking skills have really improved."


    In the past, Li Manli''s cooking was more of a feast for the eyes than the stomach, usually all show and no substance, but now it was flavorful and appetizing.


    Lu Liang usually didn''t eat carbs in the evening, but seeing this dish, he felt it would be unjust not to have it with rice.


    Li Manli tilted her chin up, a proudly playful look on her face: "Humph~~ they call me the No.1 B-station little chef lady."


    She squinted joyously, brought over a bowl of bitter gourd and minced meat clam soup, and proudly said, "Normally, bitter gourd clam soup doesn''t require minced meat, but after my modification, adding some meat turns the soup milky white and tastier."


    Lu Liang looked towards the kitchen, and noticed an aquarium fish tank that hadn''t been there before; while others kept goldfish or dragon fish, Li Manli had stocked up on a variety of seafood and shellfish.


    "Tell me whatever you want to eat, I''ll help you fetch it now."


    Li Manli, rolling up her sleeves, pointed at a large lobster: "How about having another steamed one?"


    Lu Liang laughed and shook his head: "No need, one dish and one soup are enough. Aren''t you eating?"


    "I''m nearly 100."


    Li Manli rested her cheeks in her hands, a worried look on her face; she wasn''t tall, just 163 cm, while other girls were around ninety or eighty pounds, only she was heading towards one hundred.


    She envied tall and slender figures like Su Wanyu''s; unable to change her height, she had to work on her weight.


    "You can''t even tell, have some if you''re hungry."


    Lu Liang said smilingly, like a devil whispering temptation¡ªthere was no noticeable difference from when he first met Li Manli.


    The extra pounds, seven or eight, had all gone to the right places like her buttocks and chest.


    Normally, a girl her age would not have a fuller behind, but since she started practicing yoga and dance moves, her figure had improved tremendously.


    A bit chubby, but comfortable to hug.


    "Really?"


    "Really!"


    "I''ll just eat less."


    Li Manli was delighted and added half a bowl of rice, eating with more gusto than Lu Liang. She just couldn''t control her eating, which was why she had quickly gained seven or eight kilograms.


    "Eat more," Lu Liang said with a smile, serving her some vegetables.


    ...


    The next day, Wen Chao called all the fund investors to inform them of the settlement and dividend distribution on December 1.


    "It was bound to happen."


    "What is the allure of public funds, really?"


    "Private funds charge management fees of up to 3+25, what is Lu Liang still dissatisfied with?"


    "Could it be true, as the rumors say, that Lu Liang is cherishing his reputation, considering retirement with public funds?"


    The biggest difference between public and private funds lies in investment restrictions and management fees.


    Private funds can set their fees however they want, even with tiered pricing, as long as the parties agree and no one intervenes.


    But public funds have limitations, the product management fee cannot exceed 1.2%, even if the annual returns surpass 13%, the cap is just 2%.


    That means, even if the public fund initiated by Lu Liang exceeded one hundred billion in scale and had a 100% profit for the year, the final annual earnings would not exceed 20 billion.


    A management fee of 20 billion might be a lot for other fund companies because they are nibbling away at the clients'' principal, with an average annual return of less than 8%, with many indeed operating at a loss, mainly profiting off the fund clients'' money.


    But Lu Liang was different; even as of the first of this month, a net value of 1.31 represented a semi-annual return of 31%.


    Based on a standard of 60 billion dollars, it earned 18.6 billion dollars.


    Taking 25% of that, which amounts to 3.72 billion dollars, as the management fee.


    Moreover, Tianxing also expected additional earnings of over one billion dollars from betting on the US elections mid-month amidst market fluctuations.


    With the current charging model, the company''s management fee earnings were directly aiming at seven or eight hundred million dollars.


    In half a year''s time, collecting fifty billion in management fees, not even Tianhong Fund with assets of a trillion would compare.


    "I just don''t understand, really don''t understand. Giving up a watermelon for a sesame seed, is it for fame?"


    "Maybe that''s it. I think private fund management will change hands and cool down soon. I also have some spare cash recently and could help redeem the third phase''s subscription shares if anyone is interested."


    "Damn, such a cunning plan; I can hear it all the way in Beijing."


    "Maybe not love, but don''t hurt; contact me if you want to redeem, there''s a 5% premium after dividends."


    Investor''s curses are one thing, but talking about redeeming their principal is a different matter entirely.


    Lu Liang merely wanted to exit private fund management, but that did not mean he was giving up on private funds completely.


    His past achievements could at least give them confidence for two or three months.


    Even if next month''s net value update shows a loss.


    As long as the loss isn''t too severe, they would patiently wait another two or three months.


    After two or three months, if he couldn''t deliver a satisfactory report, they would challenge Lu Liang.


    To come back or to redeem.


    On December 1, the special license for new energy vehicles began its trial issuance in key cities such as Modu and Shenzhen.


    Public aesthetics are unanimous, the new energy vehicle owners who just got their plates today, complained online expressing their frustrations.


    All car owners conveyed one sentiment through not so subtle hints: my new car is not clean anymore; the blue background with white text looks better and better, the green background with black text uglier and uglier.


    "Who the hell designed this?"


    "And they want to promote new energy with this?"


    "Without changing the vehicle license plate, I will never buy."


    "Already losing face with an electric car, now with a green plate, it looks even more like an electric car."


    Tesla owners found it hardest to accept, proclaiming that the green plate alone devalued their beloved cars by at least 20%.


    "Is there a possibility that Tesla''s big price drop wasn''t because of the green plate, but due to Modu''s super factory first phase completion, which will significantly reduce costs next year?"


    "Just 20%, giggle now, by next year this time, Mao Dou 3''s selling price will definitely drop to 300,000, a straight cut in half."


    "Buying a new energy car now, just don''t think about whether it will depreciate, you can refer to early cell phones."


    "Buy early to enjoy early, buy late to enjoy discounts, the ''wait-and-see'' group, once again embracing victory."


    With the official rollout of the new energy green plate, there was significant online discussion, as many had already tasted the benefits of electric cars.


    With the RMB appreciating, inflation gradually showing, most apparent in the oil prices, rising from 6.35 RMB to 6.65 RMB.


    In comparison, electric cars consume only ten RMB per hundred kilometers, the charging stations offer a multitude of discounts for the first charge, in addition to exempting purchase tax and free licensing.


    Electric cars might lose face, but these are real discounts and benefits that can make their wallets feel less deflated.


    If people weren''t considering buying electric cars, the green new energy vehicle plate might not have provoked so many curses online.


    Cursing, after all, is a sign of care.


    Meanwhile, magnates from north to south of Tianhai also received invitations, and they came to the New International Building in Modu.


    Like Lei Jun, Guo Changguang, Hengtai Xu, Baidu''s Old Li, even those who were extremely busy found time to come look.


    After all, this time it wasn''t just about the second phase settlements and third phase dividends, there were also rumors about Lu Liang exiting private funds, which hadn''t been confirmed by him or the company yet.


    So, they all came to see what was really going on. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 269 - 268: Announce It

    The dividend distribution meeting was scheduled to start at two-thirty in the afternoon; it was nearly two o''clock when Lu Liang leisurely arrived at the company''s conference room.


    He asked Wen Chao to distribute to the investors of Tianxing II and III the investment projects from the past half-year as well as this month''s latest net asset value.


    As of yesterday, the latest net asset value was 1.68, indicating that the return on investment over the past six months had reached 68%.


    Last month, the updated net asset value was only 1.31, which also means that the return on investment for the past month alone was as high as 37%.


    If we take a base capital of sixty billion US Dollars, last month that would have earned a whopping 22.6 billion US Dollars.


    Seeing the net asset value, everyone was stunned into a trance.


    This was not just raking in one billion dollars overnight; it was clearly over twenty billion dollars.


    To exaggerate a bit, even saying thirty billion dollars wouldn''t be too much. Some money is always lost with the inflow and outflow of capital. As long as there are profits, inflating the number a bit doesn''t do any harm.


    "Ladies and gentlemen, Tianxing II will officially conclude today. Are you all satisfied with this earnings report?" Lu Liang asked, his face breaking into a smile, offering no explanation.


    That night, shorting the peso, gold, and RMB had only netted 11.8 billion US Dollars. The remaining 10.8 billion came from the growth in Tesla''s stock.


    Initially, they had spent 27.6 billion US Dollars to buy a stake in Tesla, holding a 6.58% share of the market''s circulating stock. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The cost per share was 408 US Dollars, and as of last night, Tesla''s stock price closed at 592 US Dollars, an increase of 45.12%.


    The holding value of 27.6 billion US Dollars


    had now become 38.4 billion US Dollars.


    The conference room was silent for a long time until Little Wang''s face turned red with excitement, and he decisively stood up to applaud. The next second, thunderous applause erupted.


    In just six months, a return on investment of 68%,


    Who wouldn''t be satisfied, who the hell could not be satisfied.


    Lu Liang, wearing a smile, did not stop the applause, rightfully enjoying several seconds of clapping hands.


    After a while, he raised his hand gently, indicating a reduction in volume, and the applause in the conference room gradually subsided.


    Lu Liang turned to the investors of Tianxing II, "If you find no issues, I would trouble you to move to the next meeting room and sign the settlement contract. Once signed, your capital along with the dividends will be transferred into your company''s account within the next three business days."


    The total assets of Tianxing II and III amounted to 100.8 billion US Dollars, and now was the time for divestment and settlement.


    The principal and dividends of Tianxing II totaled 16.8 billion US Dollars, with 6.8 billion being the final dividend earnings.


    The management fee, which is 25% of the earnings, started from Tianxing III. The management fee for Tianxing II was still charged at 20% of the earnings.


    That amounts to 1.36 billion US Dollars.


    Asking them to go next door to sign the settlement contract was simply a polite way of asking them to leave.


    This was because many of Tianxing III''s investors had invested in Tianxing II, but some of Tianxing II''s investors had not invested in Tianxing III.


    Their fate with Tianxing II had ended, and what followed was a meeting for Tianxing III Private Equity Fund investors only, which the investors of Tianxing II were not entitled to participate in.


    For instance, Zhuang Xiaoting, the mistress of a big shot from Beijing, and Liu Qing from DiDi, neither of them qualified to participate.


    Led by Tang Caide, a few people left their seats and went to the adjacent meeting room to sign the contracts.


    Though they were reluctant, such was reality.


    If they had had enough strength or deep enough backgrounds, they wouldn''t have been excluded from Tianxing III.


    After a few people left, the door to the conference room closed again.


    Lu Liang''s smile did not diminish as he instructed Wen Chao to distribute the dividend report for Tianxing III to everyone.


    Tianxing III had a total asset size of 84 billion US Dollars, and the plan was to distribute all earnings as dividends, with the management fee being 25% of the earnings, totaling 8.5 billion US Dollars.


    Between the Tianxing II settlement and Tianxing III dividends, the management fees totaled 9.86 billion US Dollars, plus the initial subscription fee of 1.5 billion US Dollars.


    11.36 billion US Dollars, even if 20% was to be paid out.


    Lu Liang would still have 9.088 billion US Dollars in his hands, which was almost 60 billion RMB when converted.


    Many people had already mentally calculated the exact amounts, and their eyes revealed a glint of envy.


    But it was just that¡ªenvy.


    In the past six months, for every 100 million US Dollars they had invested, they had earned a profit of 51 million US Dollars.


    Essentially doing nothing but waiting for the money.


    The vast amount Lu Liang had made was all rightly his.


    Guo Changguang''s brow furrowed as he didn''t rush to sign and seal the document; instead, he stood up and raised an objection, "Mr. Lu, if we distribute all the profits as dividends, won''t we be left with no funds for subsequent operations?"


    The Tianxing III Private Equity Fund held 6.58% of Tesla''s circulating shares, currently valued at 3.84 billion US dollars. It also held 13.33% of Ningde Era''s equity, approximately valued at 670 million US dollars.


    Adding the two together, the total was already 4.51 billion US dollars, not to mention the 380 million US dollars invested in NIO and Li Xiang.


    If all the current profits were distributed as dividends, then there would only be 110 million US dollars of liquid funds left in the account.


    Many people came to realize upon hearing this, and turned their gazes to the balance of liquid funds, suddenly enlightened by Lu Liang''s intention.


    After all, once dividends were distributed, there would be no money left in the accounts, so it might as well let his subordinates take charge while he himself stepped aside to focus on public funds.


    After all, among the equities held, only Tesla''s could be cashed out the soonest, but that would also take more than four months.


    An entire four-month gap,


    Given Lu Liang''s impatience with idleness, that seemed only natural.


    Yet there was another question that seemed inexplicable: they didn''t understand why he would want to venture into public funds if there was no money to initiate a new private fund phase.


    Lu Liang calmly smiled, having already thought of an explanation, "Mr. Guo, there''s no need to worry about liquidity, as we will soon have a capital inflow."


    The funds he was referring to were naturally the sale of the 13.33% stake in Ningde Era, valued at 670 million US dollars.


    After the dividends were distributed, Lu Liang would sell the shares at a 10% premium for 737 million US dollars, pocketing the proceeds. The liquid funds in the account of 110 million US dollars would thus surge to 847 million US dollars.


    With just under one billion dollars, Lu Liang felt quite at ease letting Wen Chao and Sun Yutao handle it since Tesla could always be relied upon as a safety net.


    Because of the voice forecast, Tesla''s share price was predicted to reach 713 US dollars on the 11th, but with Lu Liang''s stake, causing a chemical reaction and pushing it to 750 dollars was not difficult.


    With the latest share price at 592 US dollars, valued at 3.84 billion US dollars, an increase of 26% would equate to 4.838 billion US dollars.


    It was safe to say that as long as they held on to Tesla shares, even if Lu Liang did nothing, the Tianxing III fund would not suffer any loss.


    Not to mention the stakes in NIO, Li Xiang, and the imminent transfer of the 13.33% stake in Ningde Era.


    Furthermore, Lu Liang''s departure was only from the public face of things; it did not mean he was truly out of the picture.


    Guo Changguang came to understand and had no further objections.


    Lu Liang was the manager, and it was his prerogative how he conducted his business; they only needed to ensure their profitability.


    With the last objection addressed, everyone silently signed their names on the dividend confirmation letter.


    Once Wen Chao collected all the documents,


    Everyone eagerly awaited Lu Liang''s next move.


    After so much preliminary preparation and constant build-up, it was time for the main course to be served.


    "Thanking each and every one of you for taking the trouble to travel from all over to attend today''s meeting, there''s one more matter I would like to announce,"


    Lu Liang said, smiling at the corners of his mouth as he called upon Sun Yutao, intending to appoint him as the new fund manager, "Manager Sun has joined us since last October, and his outstanding market reactions and keen sense have repeatedly averted major crises..."


    Sun Yutao smiled naively, his dark skin making it impossible to see if he was blushing at all.


    Anyway, the audience felt embarrassed for him listening to the praise.


    Although it was Lu Liang talking about the barely known Sun Yutao, everyone automatically replaced the protagonist in their minds with Lu Liang.


    Thus, in their imaginations, it was Lu Liang on stage boasting about his many accurate speculations and daring gambles.


    Even though it was true, it wasn''t something one praised oneself for, right?


    They really wanted to ask, isn''t he embarrassed?


    But it seemed that Lu Liang wasn''t one to feel shame.


    Zhu Hu coughed awkwardly, with a wry smile, "Mr. Lu, staffing changes are a company matter. If there''s nothing else, we''ll take our leave."


    What Lu Liang made clear by ''making an announcement'' could just as well be understood as ''notifying''. The choice of ''announcement'' was just more tactful.


    Even if they disagreed, what could they do?


    The contract had explicitly stipulated that investors could not interfere with the manager''s decision-making nor inquire about investment details.


    Faced with Lu Liang stepping down from private equity and declaring he would no longer hold any positions under Tianxing Assets,


    Their only option was to request redemption.


    But what concerned them was the timing of the redemption.


    If Lu Liang still pulled strings behind the scenes, then that would mean they''d have effectively sold their stocks just before a surge.


    With Lu Liang''s pettiness, he might later refuse their subscription requests because of this redemption, so there was not much left to say.


    They left everything to time.

 Chapter 270 - 269: Being Handsome Solves Everything

    Zhu Hu''s thoughts were shared by everyone.


    However, Lu Liang was well-prepared, with Tesla being the last line of defense; even if there were losses, they wouldn''t be significant. He was free to tinker as he pleased.


    Time would test everything. If, after three months, the returns did not satisfy them, or there were losses,


    they would then force Lu Liang to abdicate, giving him two options: return or redeem.


    Soon after, the conference room door opened.


    Lu Liang sent off the crowd with a smile, and Little Wang, who trailed at the end, followed him to the adjacent office.


    "It''s calmer than I had expected." He collapsed on the couch without any regard for his image, propping his legs up.


    Without any reservations, he grabbed a bunch of grapes from the desk and started popping them into his mouth.


    "Everyone''s waiting to see the hare before releasing the hawk. It''s normal to have this kind of reaction."


    Lu Liang chuckled lightly, also signing the report; the management fee was 908.8 million US dollars, and the principal for phase two was one hundred million US dollars.


    Tianxing Investment had an additional 128 million US dollars in their account, making Lu Liang''s personal funds a total of 1.1368 billion US dollars.


    At this time, Wen Chao knocked on the door to inform that Old Zeng from Ningde was waiting for him next door. Lu Liang nodded: "I''ll go over now."


    He gestured for Wen Chao to leave first, then turned his head to look at Little Wang, who was hesitantly speaking: "Is there something you need to discuss?"


    "A little."


    Little Wang suddenly sat up, his expression one of hesitation: "Next year, we might redeem five shares."


    He hurried to explain that it was not a matter of mistrusting Lu Liang, but that the regulator had serious reservations about Wanda''s acquisition of overseas assets.


    This year marked the second year that Old Wang had become the First Rich. Using that status, he embarked on a buying spree in various countries overseas.


    At first, it was going well until Wanda planned to wholly acquire an eminent American production company, DIC, for one billion US dollars.


    They faced unprecedented resistance, mainly due to the national regulatory approval issues, with banks freezing the funds, which also led to strict control over six of Wanda''s overseas projects.


    Afterward, the Securities and Futures Commission began inspecting Wanda''s credit risk, resulting in a catastrophic "stock and bond double-kill" with their stock value evaporating by 18 billion over three days.


    With the bank stocks pledged by Wanda not covering debts and the banks stalling the lending process, Wanda faced the risk of a financial collapse.


    Next year, if Old Wang couldn''t sort things out, they would likely have to pay out of their pockets for self-rescue.


    "When the time comes for redemption, just let me know."


    Lu Liang nodded slightly, understanding and bearing no blame towards Little Wang.


    He had seen the related news and discussed with Shen Peng, being aware that the acquisition of DIC faced obstructions, which was just a pretext.


    What really entangled Wanda Group wasn''t like the rumors suggested, that Old Wang wanted to follow Superman Li''s example and cash out to flee.


    Rather, it was the Dama City project, it was the group''s strategy.


    In recent years, Wanda had frequently ventured overseas, declaring their intent to "export culture globally," and portraying themselves as the will of the state while planning to compete with China Railway and Tokyo JR for the Dama City project.


    The Dama City project in Malaysia was essentially the bridgehead for the Maritime Silk Road. China Railway was negotiating just fine until Wanda Group nearly intercepted them.


    A wealthy individual worth 200 billion, donning ''The Emperor''s New Clothes,'' merely borrowed funds from the government and banks.


    Old Wang got carried away, and hence the heavy consequences.


    Little Wang forced a smile, struggling to find words: "When the time comes, we might not actually redeem. I just wanted to give you a heads-up so that if it does happen, you''re prepared."


    The five hundred million dollars invested in Tianxing III were from their family''s trust fund and also their ace in the hole.


    Unless Wanda was in a situation where a little assistance would turn things around, they would definitely not utilize it.


    "Don''t be stubborn. If it''s time for a heroic amputation, do it. They won''t let it come to the worst."


    Before sending Little Wang off, Lu Liang patted his shoulder comfortingly, reminding him of the booming national real estate market.


    Wanda still had over 70 million square meters of land reserves, along with a bundle of cultural and tourism projects; selling a few for tens of billions wouldn''t be a problem.


    As long as they had the resolve for a heroic amputation, they had a considerable chance to land safely and weather the crisis.


    After seeing Little Wang off, Lu Liang headed to the office next door,


    to discuss equity transfer matters with Old Zeng.


    He planned to cash out on his Ningde shares; though it was just moving money from the left hand to the right since they belonged to different companies, he still had to inform the board.


    Old Zeng had no objections and talked about passing the stock market listing review, with plans for an IPO in spring next year, approximately in May, listing on the Growth Enterprise Market.


    There would be four roadshows, taking place in Beijing, Modu, Shenzhen, and Lu Island, and they hoped Lu Liang could be present to support the event in Modu.


    "No problem, just let me know a few days before the roadshow starts," Lu Liang said with a smile, readily agreeing.


    After the conversation, he called over Sun Yutao and took a 13.33% stake in Ningde Era for $737 million, a 10% premium.


    Although the $1.1368 billion in his account instantly shrank to $399.8 million, Lu Liang was very happy and comfortable.


    Holding 13.33% of Ningde Era''s shares, even if he decided to just lie low, he could become a hundred-billionaire in a few years.


    In the following days, Lu Liang was busy preparing for the Public Fund, also moving Tianxing Asset Management Company from next door.


    Though still under his behind-the-scenes control, he made the nominal change of moving from the 32nd floor to the one below on the 22nd floor. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The vacated 1800 square meters next door, Lu Liang planned to use for the Public Fund''s office space.


    He asked Tang Caide to start hiring, aiming to have at least 30 people each for auditing, finance, and traders.


    Meanwhile, Lu Liang completely withdrew from Tianxing Private Equity, no longer holding any positions, apparently shifting to public funds.


    The news sent shockwaves through the outside world, instantly topping searches across the internet, with netizens buzzing with comments.


    Private equity has always been an investment channel for a small group of people, and Lu Liang''s private equity was even more niche.


    Rumors had it that even DiDi''s Liu Qing was kept out, indicating just how high the threshold was, though it wouldn''t exclude the possibility that Lu Liang simply disapproved of the Liu family''s ''loyal and good'' image.


    In any case, it was tough for ordinary people to get in.


    But Public Funds were different. As long as shares were released, everyone had a chance to invest, with entry thresholds around three to five hundred or, at most, a couple of thousand.


    "Holy shit, has Lu God finally remembered us?"


    "A hundred thousand people ready to go all in."


    "Any bros know how to subscribe? Give a shout-out!"


    "I''ve got a connection, DM''d you."


    For a time, scammers roved Lu Liang''s Weibo.


    Forcing him to come forward to clarify, "The Public Fund is still in preparation; anyone who contacts you proactively is a scammer."


    Lu Liang did not disclose too much because promotions are not allowed for financial products and their derivatives.


    Currently, they had identified three subscription channels, namely the Industrial and Commercial Bank, Alipay, and Tenpay.


    However, the products haven''t been launched yet; the materials are being submitted to the Silver Supervision Committee for review due to the large sums involved.


    During this time, Lu Liang met with Hu Weiwei, who had temporarily rented an office floor in the Pudong High-tech Park.


    Beijing would handle research and development of Tianxing OS for car systems, while Modu would be responsible for developing the car frames and models, as well as subsequent factory constructions.


    Lv Liang had only one demand for the appearance of the car; it had to be handsome and striking.


    One must not think like a plebeian when making luxury cars; it doesn''t matter if it''s useful or not, just being handsome was enough.


    Like the bison''s ground-projected door lights, these definitely needed to be included, as well as the bull''s automatically rising rear spoiler.


    The spoiler existed to reduce drag at high speeds, which might be unnecessary for driving within the country.


    Still, the mindset should not be to forego something just because it''s not practical; the main purpose was to serve the cool factor.


    If it weren''t for the prohibition of flip-up headlights in the country, Lu Liang would have wanted to include them too.


    "Imagine this, in a dimly lit parking lot, the car owner hits the key fob, the flip-up headlights automatically turn on, the tail spoiler adjusts, the driver''s door opens, and a clear, bright logo projection appears on the ground. Doesn''t that feel impressive?"


    Listening to Lu Liang''s description, Hu Weiwei visualized the scene and nodded subconsciously, "Full of ritual and maxed out on emotional value."


    "Exactly, that''s what we''re aiming for, emotional value and a sense of ceremony."


    Lu Liang snapped his fingers, smiling as he said, "The design department can hire more fresh graduates; young people have more imagination for new models."


    "Just produce more than a dozen designs, coupes, SUVs, whatever, just get the models out, then adjust based on drag and safety factors."


    Lu Liang hoped the first car would stand out, even if it divided market opinion, but it should not be mediocre.


    In an era where grabbing attention is key, mediocrity won''t lead to a surge in popularity, it will just result in silent, unnoticed death.


    And they did not have the luxury of time to build slowly; five years at the latest, and who knows when at the earliest.


    The era of new energy was on the horizon.


    As the boatman said, once it picks up, it''s going to be a super market of over ten trillion.


    Those internet giants, smartphone makers, even real estate developers, they definitely won''t just stand by and watch.


    Though it might seem like fear-mongering to put pressure on Lu Liang, he knew the boatman was right.


    When Ningde Era''s market value exceeded one trillion, the entire new energy vehicle market would, at a minimum, be worth ten trillion.

 Chapter 271 - 270: The Young Sister Cannot Bear It

    Tianxing Technology (Modu) Company had few employees, including Hu Weiwei, totaling only 12.


    Upon witnessing the big boss visiting the company, every young face was filled with excitement.


    "The company has just been established, and there''s nothing much at noon, so let''s all go out for lunch together."


    Lu Liang wore a smile as he talked to Hu Weiwei, mentioning that he had found a very experienced director who he would introduce to them later.


    At the time, Tang Caide had recommended three people, all of whom were finance professionals with over a decade of experience; Lu Liang had selected Liu Pei.


    A male, 42 years old, a graduate of Shangcai, had worked at Bank of China for nine years as a deputy director, and had never been promoted.


    In mid-October, he had accepted their job offer very promptly, and had recently completed his work handover.


    Hu Weiwei nodded and said with a smile to everyone, "Everyone, hurry up and thank Mr. Lu."


    The position of financial director in Beijing had been vacant, and at the time, she knew that a third candidate would be parachuted in.


    After all, she and Wang Xiaofeng were old acquaintances, both had previously worked together at Mobike and had now joined Tianxing together.


    It was quite normal for Lu Liang to be wary of the growth of the "Mobike system," though Mobike seemed to no longer exist, becoming part of Meituan instead.


    "Thank you, Mr. Lu!"


    The crowd cheered exuberantly and headed to a restaurant outside the park.


    Approaching noon, Liu Pei, a middle-aged man with a slim build and slightly sparse hair, received a message and hastily arrived.


    "Director Liu, how smooth was the handover at Bank of China?" Lu Liang asked with a smile, recalling Tang Caide''s reminder.


    A third-party background check could only verify academic and career credentials, but not determine if someone is a qualified accountant.


    The easiest way to judge if the person was a qualified accountant was to see if he could resign smoothly.


    For example, the handover of a financial director normally takes two to four months and might sometimes take longer, but a deputy director generally takes one to two months.


    If he couldn''t resign within the stipulated time, the likelihood of underlying issues was high.


    After all, should a company face issues, the founder might or might not be implicated, but the financial officer definitely would be.


    In a joint-stock company, which is like collective property, the financial director, as a supervisor, would face criminal charges for negligence or misconduct if the circumstances were severe.


    If the accountant was merely a freeloader in the company, then he and the company were tied together, and even if he wanted to flee, he wouldn''t be able to.


    Even with a single murky transaction, he definitely wouldn''t be able to depart smoothly from his former company.


    Liu Pei smiled faintly, "It went quite smoothly."


    He turned to Hu Weiwei, "Mr. Hu, hello, I''m Liu Pei. I look forward to working with you."


    "Let''s look out for each other." Hu Weiwei responded with a radiant smile, feeling relieved with Liu Pei''s addition to the team.


    The company only had two senior members, both from the Mobike system, so she felt significant pressure, and was somewhat hesitant in her actions.


    Liu Pei''s arrival was like drawing a clear red line for her and Wang Xiaofeng.


    Now, they wouldn''t have to worry about inadvertently crossing Lu Liang''s red line without their knowledge.


    "Director Liu, stay here for a while to help Mr. Hu build the company structure, then report to Beijing later."


    While Lu Liang was talking to them, Wen Chao came over to inform him that Tesla''s Gigafactory Phase One had passed inspection and acquired production qualification.


    Tesla''s Chairman, Robin, indicated that the Gigafactory would begin pilot production and start formal production by the end of the year.


    It was expected that by the end of January, right before the Chinese New Year, the first batch of domestically produced Model 3s would begin to be delivered.


    "I understand."


    Lu Liang''s face appeared slightly grim, noting that Tesla had moved up their schedule.


    It seemed likely that Musk was aware that the domestic new energy market was rapidly growing and he needed to quickly capture the high-end market.


    Once NIO, Li Xiang, Xiao Peng started mass production, or if BYD entered the high-end market, their competitive advantage would be weakened.


    Liu Pei puzzled, "Mr. Lu, what''s wrong?"


    "It''s nothing." Lu Liang smiled and shook his head.


    Besides watching helplessly, it seemed he had no other choice.


    However, it was foreseeable that tonight, Tesla''s stocks were going to surge again.


    That afternoon, news of Tesla''s Gigafactory Phase One passing inspection, acquiring production qualification, and entering pilot production were released.


    Like three depth charges dropped all at once into the calm surface yet turbulent undercurrents of the new energy market.


    An hour apart, NIO announced that its Series B financing had been successfully completed.


    This round valued NIO at 3.5 billion US dollars, releasing 20% of its equity and raising 700 million US dollars. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The Saudi Sovereign Fund led the investment with 350 million US dollars, with Tianxing, Tencent, Xiaomi, Redwood, and JD also following up.


    Thus, Tianxing Asset Management now held 10% of NIO''s equity due to initial dilution and subsequent increase in holdings.


    That evening, Tesla''s stock price momentarily surged past $600, experiencing a rise of $24.56, and the market value broke through $80 billion.


    Throughout December, Lu Liang was constantly walking in and out of the Silver Supervision Committee. Getting the license was not difficult for him, yet the challenge lay in its immense scale.


    "Mr. Lu, how about we start with 50 billion to test it out first?" Sun Yongbin, the office director who was also the main person responsible for the review.


    For this matter, they had gathered many times, holding several large and small meetings. If it were someone else, the approval would have passed by now; such an exaggerated amount would likely lead to fundraising failure.


    But Lu Liang was different.


    Even if the figure was exaggerated, there was a high probability of success.


    Lu Liang sighed. If it was only 50 billion, then why bother initiating a public offering? It would make more sense to start a private offering again.


    He could only indirectly leverage the Saudi tycoon''s influence: "Director Sun, Mr. Sergey from the sovereign fund plans to invest 10 billion US dollars. If the cap is only 50 billion yuan, how can we call it a public offering?"


    "Not to mention, Director Zhao from Magic City''s human resources and Director Zhou from Beijing''s state-owned assets, they also show a strong willingness to invest."


    "...Let''s discuss this further," Sun Yongbin''s scalp tingled. All named individuals were too influential to offend.


    Such a big deal wouldn''t likely be an exaggeration by Lu Liang. If Mr. Rich''s investment came through, perhaps a straightforward approval was possible.


    By evening, Lu Liang walked out of the Silver Supervision Committee, stretched lazily, and looking towards the sunset, he sighed, "What a hassle."


    He already knew that the public fund was going to be troublesome, but he hadn''t anticipated just how troublesome it would be; it had been half a month and still under review.


    Wen Chao ruefully smiled. The license had long been in hand; if only Boss Lu lowered his demands, the approval would have already passed.


    "Let''s go home."


    After getting into the back seat of the car, Lu Liang picked up his phone out of boredom and checked the US stock market.


    Over the past half a month, Tesla had seen a super bullish run of ten consecutive profitable days.


    As of last night, the stock price had broken through $800, spiked, and then receded, finally closing at $782.


    Even without capitalizing on the news of the interest rate hike before Christmas, he could address his investors at the beginning of next month.


    This month alone saw a rise of 32.12%, turning $3.84 billion held into $5.073 billion.


    However, only a fool would leave money on the table. Tianxing Assets had $830 million in liquid funds; shorting gold should yield a decent return.


    "Wen Chao, let Yutao keep an eye on the price of international gold; it feels like there might be a downtrend soon."


    Since resigning from private equity, Lu Liang didn''t find it appropriate to show his face directly, and now Wen Chao acted as his speaking trumpet and physical surveillance.


    The private equity firm had moved to the 22nd floor and he was on the 32nd floor, overseeing remotely to ensure timely delivery of the latest updates.


    Wen Chao nodded, mentally noting the task, planning to inform Sun Yutao once he returned to the office.


    Upon reaching Tangchen District, Lu Liang prepared to head upstairs.


    Wen Chao glanced at the driver''s seat and hesitated slightly before hurrying forward, "Mr. Lu, Shiyu has been in a poor mood lately."


    Though Fang Shiyu was his colleague, Wen Chao''s service was dedicated solely to Lu Liang, who was also Shiyu''s cousin.


    After some thought, he decided to inform him.


    Lu Liang glanced at his cousin without any visible reaction, his expression as stern as ever, "Did he experience a breakup?"


    "It seems so," Wen Chao quickly nodded.


    "Got it, you can head back first."


    Lu Liang called Li Manli to inform her that he wouldn''t be home for dinner, then slid back into the car''s rear seat.


    Shiyu asked curiously, "Bro, where are we going now?"


    "Head over to Dingyuan Road in An District."


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but laugh,


    observing his cousin''s expression through the car''s rearview mirror.


    He had been too busy recently to attend to him, but upon closer inspection, Shiyu did seem a bit worn out by love.


    A true man should not be without a wife. The best way to mend a broken heart is to meet a few more girls; naturally, the pain will fade.


    Lu Liang found Wu Tianzheng''s contact and discreetly informed him to arrange a few mature and sexy models.


    They''d go out for dinner and maybe sing some songs tonight.


    His cousin had joined the military straight out of high school, and after returning, worked as a truck driver, never hearing any news about a girlfriend.


    It wouldn''t be surprising if he was still a virgin.


    Young girls wouldn''t be a good fit; rather, more mature, kind-natured ''misses'' who could handle a bit of roughhousing would be better.


    Given his height of nearly two meters and a weight of 200 kilograms,


    normal young girls probably couldn''t handle it.

 Chapter 272 - 271: Must Capture Within Three Steps

    The traffic jam lasted over forty minutes, and it was past seven in the evening when they arrived downstairs at Good Dream Production Co., Ltd.


    From afar, Lu Liang saw Wu Tianzheng approaching with a sycophantic smile on his face, breaking into a jog, "Mr. Lu, good evening."


    Old Wu was filled with mixed emotions, reminiscing about their first encounter a little over a year ago.


    Back then, Lu Liang was an insignificant figure, and even making his acquaintance required going through Meng Changkun.


    Time flies, and today, Lu Liang had become a personage that not only Meng Changkun but also many others looked up to.


    He was someone even beyond their reach.


    "Mr. Wu, it''s been a while, how have you been?"


    "Thanks to Mr. Lu''s blessings, very well, very well."


    "It''s like this..."


    Lu Liang opened the car door, stepped out of the vehicle, avoided his cousin, and pulled Wu Tianzheng aside to explain the situation.


    "What in this world is true feeling, it commands one to willingly embrace life and death, Mr. Lu, please rest assured, I''ll handle everything."


    Wu Tianzheng thumped his chest with a pound, pound sound. Handling such matters was his specialty, and he quickly came up with a plan.


    Within three steps, he would surely capture the prey.


    The two men went next door to the restaurant.


    Lu Liang gestured to his cousin to join in, "Yu, come over and join us, Mr. Wu is no stranger."


    "So, you''re Mr. Lu''s cousin, what a pleasure to meet you, really a person of impressive appearance and bearing," Wu Tianzheng praised shamelessly, starting to toast with a beaming smile.


    Fang Shiyu hurriedly waved his hands to refuse, "Mr. Wu, thank you, sorry, but I don''t drink."


    "Just have a little to accompany Mr. Wu. I''ve had a stomachache recently and I''ll drive later."


    Lu Liang, smiling and sipping on juice.


    Fang Shiyu looked troubled, but it wouldn''t be good to refuse again.


    However, it was clear he had never drunk liquor before; after one or two cups, he gulped it down, quietly saying, "It''s done."


    "Brother Yu, nice tolerance."


    Wu Tianzheng was stunned for a moment, then quickly applauded in praise.


    The clapping sounded like some kind of signal,


    Suddenly, someone knocked on the private room door.


    Three women in their late twenties entered, faces radiant with smiles as if adorned with peach blossoms: "Mr. Wu, we''re here."


    At the end of December, Modu''s temperature hovered in single digits, but they were all wearing tight-fitting mini skirts and flesh-toned silk stockings, their feet in Valentino stiletto shoes, shoulders draped with fluffy jackets or loose down coats.


    They looked exceptionally lovely.


    "Don''t be shy, everyone, please take a seat."


    Wu Tianzheng watched Fang Shiyu''s expression, noticing that his gaze fell on a girl in a purple mini skirt and silk stockings.


    When the girl looked at him and offered a smile, he immediately turned his flushed face away in shyness.


    Old Wu chuckled, instantly understanding, "Wenqi, go sit over there, I have some things to discuss with Mr. Lu."


    "Hi there, handsome, I''m Liang Wenqi, really happy to meet you."


    Liang Wenqi had a smile on her face, sitting down with ease next to him, extending her fair and delicate hand¡ªan impeccably manicured hand so soft it seemed water could be squeezed from it.


    "Hello~" Fang Shiyu''s face suddenly turned red, subconsciously looking towards Lu Liang for help.


    Lu Liang was deep in conversation with Wu Tianzheng and didn''t pay him any heed, "Has War Wolf 2 wrapped up yet?"


    "Just got back from Africa last week. Wu Jing has lost a lot of weight. He''s planning to get his health back before visiting you."


    "Still decided to release it during the summer slot?"


    "That''s the current plan."


    "Handsome, won''t you tell me your name?"


    Liang Wenqi pouted with a look of wistful longing, her eyes watery as though brimming with spring water.


    "I''m Fang... Fang Shiyu."


    Fang Shiyu introduced himself awkwardly and haltingly.


    "Shiyu, I see you''re really strong~ Did you used to be a soldier?"


    "Yeah, I served for a few years."


    "Wo~ That''s amazing, I''ve always admired soldiers since I was little. Was the training very tough?"


    "It was okay, just the recruit training was quite hard." Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Can you tell me about the things you did in the recruit training?"


    "We would get up before five in the morning for a five-kilometer force march, followed by an hour of marching drills..."


    "Wo~ I really admire your perseverance."


    Liang Wenqi wore a face of admiration, occasionally letting out exclamations of surprise, her gaze fixed on Fang Shiyu.


    That kind of look is more than most men can resist, let alone a young man in the prime of his youth.


    "Come on, everyone, have a drink. Mr. Lu isn''t feeling well, so he''ll stick to juice."


    Wu Tianzheng was all smiles, seemingly an old hand at this, very adept at stirring up the atmosphere.


    Sure enough, Fang Shiyu was still drinking straightforwardly.


    He quickly suggested, "How about we go sing some karaoke?"


    There''s no such thing as drunkenness leading to debauchery,


    Honestly, a truly drunk person can''t even rouse themselves.


    If they got Fang Shiyu completely drunk, then tonight''s effort would''ve been in vain.


    The best scenario would be to keep him in a state between being half-awake and half-dreaming.


    Everyone instinctively turned toward Lu Liang, though he acted like an onlooker, indifferent to the drama unfolding.


    But the name Lu Liang, wherever he went, could not be ignored.


    Holding his juice, Lu Liang smiled and nodded, "Singing songs isn''t bad, it''s been a while since I went."


    Six people, two cars, the night continued at a KTV.


    Old Wu really knew how to pick a spot¡ªbelow was the karaoke space; above, a hotel, with rooms already booked. He quietly handed the room card to Liang Wenqi.


    Lu Liang chuckled, unable to help but give a thumbs-up; looking for Old Wu was indeed the right choice for handling such matters¡ªa job for the professionals.


    Once at the karaoke room, the three ladies went full throttle, launching an offensive at Fang Shiyu¡ªtwo striking while one defended, solidifying Fang Shiyu''s good impression of them even further.


    When Fang Shiyu couldn''t keep up, they even drank for him.


    Seeing this, Fang Shiyu hurriedly snatched the glass, "Wenqi, I can drink it, you should drink less."


    His tolerance wasn''t bad, but even he was quickly overwhelmed and began to sit and stare blankly.


    "Shiyu, let me help you upstairs to rest."


    Liang Wenqi whispered gently, encircling his neck with her arm.


    "No, I still need to take Mr. Lu home."


    Fang Shiyu shook his head, trying to force himself to stay alert.


    Lu Liang approached Fang Shiyu and patted his shoulder, "Just enjoy tonight, I''ll make my own way back later."


    After that, he didn''t pay any more attention, grabbed the microphone, and belted out a Cantonese song, "Boundless Seas and Skies."


    Not afraid that one day it''ll be just you and me~


    After finishing, Lu Liang looked back to see that Fang Shiyu had disappeared from the sofa. Wu Tianzheng, cuddling another model, said smilingly, "Mr. Lu, they''ve already gone up."


    "Old Wu, I''ll leave this to you."


    Lu Liang laughed too, took a piece of watermelon from the fruit platter.


    Wetting his throat, "I''m tired, so I''ll be off."


    Wu Tianzheng hurriedly stood up, chasing out of the room, "Mr. Lu, let me escort you."


    "Stay, you don''t need to."


    Lu Liang paused, then advised, "Afterward, give the money where it''s due, provide resources where they''re needed, just don''t let my cousin get entangled in this. Old Wu, I appreciate your hard work on this matter."


    "Mr. Lu, rest assured on that account."


    Wu Tianzheng''s face was all smiles as he bowed repeatedly, respectfully watching Lu Liang drive away.


    He''d been in the film business for most of his life and knew that Lu Liang''s refusal of an escort was one thing, but it was another for him to lack manners.


    The next morning, Lu Liang drove to the company alone.


    Seeing Fang Shiyu sitting at his desk, lost in thought, with Chen Jinchun chattering nearby about who knows what.


    Getting closer, Lu Liang discovered Chen Jinchun was bragging about the company''s account breaking through 9 million fans.


    At 7 million, she''d eaten a dragon fruit, and at 8 million, a light bulb-shaped candy.


    Now she was fretting about what stunt to pull next, "Maybe buy a can of surstr?mming? I hear it''s quite smelly?"


    Fang Shiyu replied distractedly, "Anything''s fine."


    Lu Liang laughed, a bit annoyed, "The company hasn''t set you any targets; don''t harm yourself for no reason."


    "Mr. Lu, good morning."


    Seeing Lu Liang, several people promptly stood up to greet him.


    Lu Liang bowed his head in return, walked to his office, then suddenly doubled back and called his cousin in as well, pouring him a cup of tea.


    Sitting at the tea table with a smile, he inquired, "What time did you get home?"


    Fang Shiyu''s face turned red and after a long hesitation, he muttered, "Around 7, I guess."


    "Did you enjoy last night?" Lu Liang asked with a smile.


    Fang Shiyu''s face grew even redder, which was quite noticeable even on his dark skin.


    Seemingly recalling the previous night, his first time felt shameful because it was over too quickly¡ªthankfully, the girl had been comforting.


    But the second time, ah...


    It was his first encounter with such gracefulness, and he felt his life was suddenly worthwhile.


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but snicker; even without speaking, his cousin''s expressions said it all.


    He took a sip of his tea and softly spoke, "It''s fine to have fun, but don''t take it seriously; those girls aren''t the good sort."


    Fang Shiyu looked stunned and flushed as he stammered out a few words, "Wenqi, she wouldn''t..."


    "Are you sure that''s her real name?"


    Lu Liang smiled and patted his shoulder, "Do you have her contact information? If so, try calling her now."


    Fang Shiyu took out his phone, dialed the number, and a voice prompt indicated it was switched off. He blankly mused, "Why is it like this?"


    In a quiet voice, Lu Liang said, "In the future, if you want to date, find a serious girl¡ªones found online are unreliable; mostly scammers."


    Fang Shiyu looked dazed and mute for a long while before saying in his hometown dialect, "Brother, thank you."


    "No need for thanks between brothers for a lifetime; everybody''s young once, don''t take women too seriously."


    "As long as a man has money, he needn''t worry about finding women. Focus on your work, and come year''s end, I''ll give you a bonus to renovate your house back home."


    "Give your uncle and aunt something to be proud of."


    Lu Liang''s face beamed with a smile, his arm draped over his cousin''s shoulder.


    He didn''t know how much his cousin had been scammed out of through online romance, but it must have been a fair amount.


    But what was done was done, consider it tuition fees.


    With him as an older brother, his cousin had nothing to worry about.

 Chapter 273 - 272: The Universe is Undetermined, Everything is Possible

    "Take a sip of tea and relax, then head out," Mr. Lu said with a smile, well aware that his cousin Liangzi wasn''t eloquent and was the kind of honest man who couldn''t even get a word out if prodded.


    Expecting him to utter lofty statements about offering his undying loyalty till death was clearly unrealistic.


    "Brother, then I''ll be going," Fang Shiyu struggled to say what was on his mind and swallowed his words, nodding firmly. He silently etched the kindness of his cousin deeply into his heart.


    Mr. Lu was busy dealing with official business in his office when, close to noon, Sun Yongbin from the Silver Supervision Committee called.


    He informed Mr. Lu that the public fund had passed the audit and inquired when Mr. Lu planned to start fundraising.


    "Let''s do it on the 25th, which is a Monday," Mr. Lu said, barely containing his excitement. After the discussion, he immediately set the date for the following Monday, five days later.


    This month, aside from research, there had been more research; he had almost taken no action, all in anticipation of the public fund''s audit approval.


    Now that his wish had finally come true, he was eager to move on to the next phase of his plan.


    Soon the news that Tianxing Mixed Fund had been approved spread like wildfire within financial circles.


    Mr. Lu transitioning to public funds wasn''t surprising, as he had been warming up to the idea for half a year now, and it seemed like a natural progression.


    But the moment they learned the amount of the public fund, all professionals were astounded and thought it was a hoax.


    "300 billion for Phase One?"


    "How could he dare?"


    The entire industry fell silent; a first phase fund size of 300 billion RMB was unprecedented, and it was doubtful any would follow.


    Mr. Lu was known for his audacity.


    Otherwise, Tianxing Phase One would not have set the unit price at 2 million US dollars with an annual dividend of 9.4 million dollars.


    Turning one hundred million US dollars into one billion on the international stage was theoretically possible but came with corresponding high risks.


    The fact that one hundred million could become one billion indicated that one hundred million could also be lost in an instant, or even more.


    Since risk is proportionate to reward, it wasn''t hard to guess that Mr. Lu''s everyday investment style was extremely aggressive.


    To say he was flirting with danger wasn''t an exaggeration.


    Initiating a public fund of 300 billion seemed preposterous, yet he indeed had the nerve to do it.


    But the Silver Supervision Committee had agreed!


    That was truly terrifying.


    It meant the state believed Mr. Lu could manage 300 billion effectively. They were also confident about entrusting him with the savings of the general populace.


    This kind of trust was what others envied the most.


    "He''s defying the heavens!"


    Shen Peng and Zhu Hu, who knew Mr. Lu, were flooded with mixed feelings upon hearing the news.


    As venture capitalists, both big and small, they were acutely aware of what it meant to hold 300 billion in liquid funds.


    Exaggeration aside, even Tencent, valued at 1.77 trillion Hong Kong dollars, would suffer greatly under Mr. Lu''s scrutiny, perhaps not to death but certainly severely.


    However, such a scenario, akin to Guan Yu battling Qin Qiong, was impossible, as mainland public funds were single-currency funds.


    Therefore, the capital could only circulate domestically, unable to go overseas, meaning investment was limited to the A-share market.


    In the A-share market, apart from a few state-owned big banks, there were virtually no companies that could withstand an assault from 300 billion.


    One could say that whichever company Mr. Lu set his sights on would have no choice but to "take the Lu surname," without any space for resistance.


    In the financial market, cash is king, and Mr. Lu, with 300 billion in liquid funds, was the true uncrowned king.


    That very afternoon, the worst fears of domestic financial practitioners came to pass.


    Somehow, word of Tianxing Mixed Fund''s approval leaked to the outside world.


    "Damn, Liangzi''s public fund is finally here."


    "Tsk, tsk, a 300 billion scale, who but him." sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "This time, there shouldn''t be any issue with subscribing, right?"


    "Heed my command, pull back the funds, and wait for the issue."


    "Charge~~~"


    Following the leak, the A-share market plummeted as public fund companies scrambled to process a massive number of redemption orders.


    Retail investors and fund members alike withdrew their capital from the market, waiting for the issuance of Tianxing Mixed Fund.


    Before, they had no choice and couldn''t choose, but now they just want to cling to Lu Liang''s coattails.


    Even if he fools them, they''re willing to be fooled.


    Meanwhile, at the starting point of the Sichuan-Tibet 318 Line,


    the weather turned cold, and the number of adventurers heading to Tibet plummeted. Little Yang spent her days idly playing video games in the shop.


    Upon hearing that Lu Liang''s public fund approval had passed, with an initial scale reaching 300 billion yuan,


    she decisively allocated all her capital, leaving only 200,000 yuan for the daily operation of her small shop, and 2 million yuan in government bonds. In total, she prepared 4 million yuan, rubbing her hands and waiting eagerly for the public fund to be issued.


    If it weren''t for Lu Liang, she would have lost everything long ago and resorted to prostitution. How could she now own a house, a car, a business, and still have several million yuan in savings, becoming a little internet celebrity on the 318 Line this year?


    "Ah~ Lu God, he has probably forgotten about me. Should I go to Modu to find him?"


    Little Yang propped her chin with her hands, her gaze unfocused, staring blankly, looking at the drooling husky at the entrance of the shop.


    This year, she opened a coffee shop and was hyped by the media, becoming an indispensable part of the scenery on the 318 Line.


    She met many wealthy young heirs and talented artistic youths, not lacking suitors at all.


    She had thought about getting a boyfriend and then blocking Lu Liang, completely leaving her past behind to start a new life.


    But every so often, news of Lu Liang bombarded her, making it impossible for her to forget.


    Every time she tried to socialize, the image of Lu Liang would appear in her mind; she had slept with such an awesome and blustering man.


    To sleep with these ordinary people, she always felt something was missing.


    "Maybe I should find someone to father a child?"


    Little Yang chuckled, her mind filled with mischief.


    Being alone was a bit boring, but having a baby would not be boring. She had money, enough to raise a child alone.


    Suddenly, her attention was drawn to the dog at the shop entrance: "You dog, chewing on my shoes again, how many pairs have you ruined this month?"


    ...


    On the plane to Beijing, Lu Liang had just left the Modu Human Resources and Social Security Bureau and immediately rushed to the airport to catch his flight.


    A scale of 300 billion yuan would likely require 50% base cash to ensure that any sudden news would not cause a stampede-like redemption.


    Just like just now, before he boarded the plane, he saw that the Tianxing Mixed Fund was about to be issued, and hordes of investors, even those who didn''t care for the returns, were redeeming their initially invested funds.


    A lot of fund companies were cursing, only being able to use the base cash to ensure that a stampede-like redemption would not affect their operation.


    This is an uncontrollable factor, which is why typically public funds need to reserve a substantial amount of base cash or need to apply for redemption a week in advance.


    The Saudi Sovereign Fund contributed ten billion dollars, the Modu Human Resources and Social Security Bureau invested 40 billion yuan, and State-owned Xiao Xin needed to contribute at least 45 billion yuan to achieve the 50% base cash target.


    On the phone, he had already agreed with Director Zhou.


    State-owned Xiao Xin would subscribe to 50 billion yuan, and Lu Liang''s trip was to sign the contract, to clarify future investment directions, and to accept the other party''s financial supervision.


    As soon as the plane landed, there was a car waiting to take Lu Liang directly to Beijing''s State-owned Xiao Xin office.


    Director Zhou greeted him with a smiling face, warmly receiving him: "Mr. Lu, you must be tired from the long journey."


    Lu Liang smiled and said, "I''ve been idle for half a month, just waiting for the approval to pass. It can''t really be considered hard work."


    Compared to Director Zhao of the Bureau of Human Resources, he preferred dealing with Director Zhou.


    Even though Director Zhou was also in charge of a state-owned enterprise department, he had been involved in numerous business investments for many years.


    There were hardly any bureaucratic airs, and he could be treated like a big shot with a lot of funds at his disposal.


    After some pleasantries, Director Zhou cut straight to the point, "Mr. Lu, our conversation on the phone yesterday wasn''t very clear. Could you please briefly and concisely explain the future investment direction?"


    Lu Liang nodded: "Director Zhou, this fund could also be called Tianxing New Energy Mixed Fund, mainly engaging in investments in the new energy industry in the future."


    He had delivered this speech three times now, each time more proficient than the last.


    As soon as the funds arrived, he would apply for land in Modu to build a new energy industrial park and invite major enterprises to move in to build a complete new energy ecological industry chain.


    Just like Pingshan BYD in Shenzhen, 60% of the enterprises in Pingshan have direct or indirect cooperation with BYD.


    Director Zhou pondered, a glint of insight flashing in his eyes, "Mr. Lu, who will become Modu''s BYD?"


    "It could be Tesla, could be NIO, could be Li Xiang, and of course, it could also be Tianxing."


    Lu Liang''s smile carried confidence, he dared to bet and could afford to lose.


    Director Zhou looked astonished, pondering for a long time before seemingly coming to an understanding, clapping in approval, "What a bold move."


    With this move, Lu Liang could be said to be making a wedding dress for himself, but also possibly for others.


    This was the stage he had built with his own hands; whoever had the ability could become the master of this stage.


    "The future is not set, everything is possible."


    Lu Liang smiled calmly, if he was not as skilled as them, if he couldn''t compete with them, it would show he wasn''t truly fit for industrial development.


    And he would willingly and gladly play the role of a referee.

 Chapter 274 - 273: Auspicious Snow Foretells a Bountiful Year

    The $50 billion cooperation was settled, just like State-owned Xiao Xin, Modu''s Human Resources and Social Security Bureau, and the Saudi Sovereign Fund.


    They would all transfer their funds into the company''s public account on the 25th, the day when the Tianxing Mixed Fund was launched.


    Stepping out of the office building, although it was just past five in the afternoon, the streetlights had already been turned on one by one.


    Lu Liang looked up at the sky as snowflakes began to fall, covering his clothes with a layer of silver frost.


    "It''s snowing," he said, his eyes filled with curiosity, as he took off his gloves to feel the chilly touch of the snowflakes.


    In Lu Liang''s memory, it seemed he had never experienced a snowy scene.


    Back home in the south, where the climate was even warmer than Modu, at most there was a frost.


    Last year, he did go to Ha City with Su Wanyu.


    The snow was thick and everywhere was blanketed in white.


    But they didn''t encounter any snowfall.


    Snowing, like raining, doesn''t happen every day.


    If it did, it would become a disaster.


    Director Zhou walked out to see him off, her eyes full of expectation, "A timely snow promises a good harvest, I hope next year will be a good year."


    Lu Liang discerned the underlying meaning and comforted her with a reassurance, "It will be, it will be a good year."


    This year was full of events and next year was destined to be turbulent, but they must face it with hope.


    There are 21 developed countries globally, with a population of about 1.09 billion. Excluding the two East Asian countries, the population of Europe and America and other developed countries is about 912 million.


    Without plundering, without colonization, nearly 1.4 billion people all wanting a good life is bound to be fraught with difficulties.


    The events in the south in July had already shown strength and determination, now they cannot slacken, next will come direct competition.


    "Director Zhou, no need to see me off."


    Lu Liang smiled and waved goodbye, then got into the car, brushing off the snowflakes from his clothes.


    Wen Chao informed him, "Mr. Lu, just received the news, most flights have been delayed."


    "Then cancel tonight''s flight ticket," Lu Liang thought for a moment, not wanting to wait at the airport amidst uncertainty.


    He looked out the car window as the light snow gradually turned into a heavier snowfall, guessing that the flights would probably go from delayed to canceled.


    Lu Liang remembered seeing news that First Rich had probably wrapped up their shoot, and Zhang Tian''ai was back in Beijing, so he called her.


    "Unfortunately, I''m trapped by the heavy snow in Beijing, nowhere to go tonight, can the kind lady offer shelter for one evening?"


    "Sure~ I''m home waiting for you, Ming City Apartment, 22nd floor, 2210~"


    After ending the call with Zhang Tian''ai, Lu Liang''s smile had yet to fade when he received a call from Lu Ya.


    "What''s the deal with Yu, how come she''s studying abroad now? Did you two have a falling out?"


    Lu Ya talked about just scrolling through Su Wanyu''s WeChat Moments, where approximately an hour ago, she posted her location in Edinburgh.


    So, she reached out to her and found out Su Wanyu had gone abroad to study. When she mentioned Lu Liang, Su Wanyu was evasive and changed the subject.


    "Young people wanting to go see the world, isn''t that normal?" Lu Liang frowned, he hadn''t received any news about it.


    "Normal?" Lu Ya retorted, with her 33 years of experience as a woman, she was sure the two had fought.


    "Very normal, don''t worry about it."


    Lu Liang hung up on Lu Ya and tried to call Su Wanyu but got no server response, so he sent a WeChat video call instead.


    Su Wanyu answered, sitting in the car, on the other side was sunny with clear blue skies and white clouds, she asked puzzlingly, "What''s up?"


    Edinburgh was 7 hours behind Beijing time. It was about six in the evening in Beijing, so around eleven at noon there.


    "How come you suddenly went over there without saying a word?" Lu Liang remembered, the school term in England starts around January or February.


    Su Wanyu''s face beamed with a smile as if she had moved past her sorrow, "Staying in Modu with nothing to do, so I thought why not come over early and get acquainted."


    "Getting used to it?" Lu Liang inquired.


    "I just got off the plane, now heading to the university to register. I think I''ll get used to it."


    "That''s good to hear, if you''re not happy or feeling unwell, come back."


    "Got it, gotta go, I''m at the university now."


    Su Wanyu pointed the camera towards the University of Edinburgh and right before hanging up she suddenly said, "It''s a heavy snow in Beijing, take care of yourself."


    After that, she quickly ended the call, Lu Liang was momentarily stunned, then slowly smiled.


    She was always keeping up with his itinerary.


    "Let''s head to Ming City Apartment."


    Humming Xiao Qu, Lu Liang''s mood was quite buoyant, and even the scenery outside the window seemed exceptionally beautiful to him.


    Arriving at Zhang Tian''ai''s apartment, when the door opened, she appeared to be drenched in sweat.


    "Urgent room cleanup?"


    Lu Liang looked toward the floor, there were still a few water stains left.


    However, the entire house had floor heating, and the water stains were disappearing at a speed visible to the naked eye.


    "It''s been a while since I''ve tidied up, and I have some free time today, so I cleaned up a bit."


    Zhang Tian''ai was stubborn, giving a coquettish glance as she poured Lu Liang a glass of water: "You sit for a while; I''m going to take a bath."


    "Aren''t you going to take me with you?"


    Lu Liang''s mouth curled into a smile, and he suddenly picked Zhang Tian''ai up, provoking her to laugh girlishly: "Then let''s go together."


    The bathroom had a bathtub, but it was very small, only big enough for one person¡ªLu Liang. She turned on the shower head, placed a small stool beside it, and took out a scrubbing towel unique to her hometown, meticulously helping Lu Liang scrub.


    Strands of hair, wet from the water, clung to the cheeks, collarbone, and shoulder blades, revealing a different kind of charm.


    Lu Liang closed his eyes, enjoying the service: "If there is time in the next few days, let''s go look at houses, get a bigger one."


    "Okay~" Zhang Tian''ai smiled with her eyes squinting, she wouldn''t actively demand anything, but she wouldn''t be falsely modest about what Lu Liang gave her.


    "How''s the shooting going?"


    "It''s going smoothly. The crew takes good care of me and even goes out of their way to avoid intimate scenes for me."


    Zhang Tian''ai''s eyes brimmed with tenderness; the bigger Lu Liang''s fame grew, the more care she received.


    Especially lately, since the news of Lu Liang planning to raise 300 billion had spread, Zhang Chen could hardly wait to pamper her.


    After all, the total movie market last year was only 44 billion; 300 billion was 6.8 times the entire industry''s size.


    "This movie has intimate scenes?" Lu Liang suddenly opened his eyes and pulled Zhang Tian''ai into the bathtub with him.


    The bathtub was tiny, and with both of them stacked up in it, it was almost full. He asked with a smile, "Is it that intimate?"


    "Hmph~ It''s not a triple-X movie, at most it''s just a kiss." Zhang Tian''ai pouted, huffing and puffing.


    Her red lips were pouty and tempting; Lu Liang couldn''t help but capture them...


    A water fight was on the brink of erupting.


    This heavy snowfall lasted for three days, and Lu Liang stayed in Beijing for three days, glued to Zhang Tian''ai.


    During this time, he invested 28 million in a new development in the city center named New City District, buying her a 210 square meter large flat.


    That same day, Zhang Tian''ai moved in excitedly, and the two of them left their marks in the living room, bathroom, and even the kitchen.


    Lu Liang made another trip to Mahua Headquarters, where Zhang Chen informed him that President Lin from Wanda hoped they could push the movie release to the Spring Festival slot.


    Wanda Movie indeed belongs to the direct line of Wanda, and if the movie is a big hit, Wanda''s performance in the financial market could be outstanding. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It could also help lift Wanda''s stock price, mitigating the impact of a debt-and-equity downturn, buying Old Wang some more time.


    "Is there enough time for that?" Lu Liang inquired.


    They were friends, and as long as his own interests weren''t harmed, he was more than willing to lend a helping hand.


    You help me today; I''ll help you tomorrow. It''s in situations like these that relationships are deepened.


    Zhang Chen gave a bitter smile: "Post-production could be finished in time, but there wouldn''t be much time for promotion, and the competition for the Spring Festival slot is a bit fierce."


    This year''s Spring Festival slate was crowded with blockbusters, including Zhou Xingxing''s Evil Suppressing Chapter, Han Han''s Riding the Winds, and Wang Bao''s Danao Tianzhu.


    Evil Suppressing Chapter is this year''s sequel to the champion movie Demon-Conquering Chapter. Han Han, as the leading contemporary young author, brings with him countless fans. Not to mention Wang Bao, the entertainment circle''s hottest topic in the latter half of the year, due to the Song Ma incident, which also won him a lot of public favor.


    Last year, the Spring Festival box office total was only 3 billion. The Spring Festival market pie is only so big, and there are three formidable opponents.


    "If you have confidence, go for it; if not, steer clear of their edge," Lu Liang casually remarked.


    "How about, Mr. Lu, you speak to President Lin for me?" Zhang Chen made a placating smile, he had chickened out and didn''t want to gamble.


    It wouldn''t be too bad if First Rich exploded at the box office, but if it failed, Happy Mahua''s path to listing could very well be halved again.


    "I can''t." Lu Liang shook his head.


    Wanda was the Wang family''s lifeline, whether it was Little Wang or Lin Ting, all were doing their utmost to rescue it.


    He wasn''t foolish enough to meddle in such matters.


    First Rich had a production cost of 125 million, and he only held a 15% stake, less than 20 million in investment.


    Whether it succeeded or failed, for such a paltry sum, it wasn''t worth muddying the waters.


    A bitter expression crept across Zhang Chen''s mouth. Without Mr. Lu stepping in, First Rich could only be moved up for release, joining the Spring Festival competition.


    After all, even in the face of a debt crisis, Wanda was not an entity to be defied by their single movie production company.


    "Try to be optimistic, maybe it''ll break through." Lu Liang smiled as he consoled him, suggesting he try the promotional channels of Douyin.


    As of last month, Douyin''s users had surpassed 180 million, with 80 million daily active users, overtaking Kuai Shou to become the industry''s top player.


    "Hopefully."


    Zhang Chen sighed and stopped complaining. Since they''d decided to move up the release, it was time to start preparing the promotion.

 Chapter 275 - 274: Make Some Pocket Money on the Side

    "Mr. Lu..."


    Zhang Chen suddenly had a devious idea and set his sights on Lu Liang. If he could play a cameo role, the effect would surely be explosive.


    Lu Liang was startled, "Hasn''t the film already wrapped up?"


    "Even though it has wrapped, we can still shoot additional scenes."


    Zhang Chen was delighted to see Lu Liang''s attitude softening, seemingly very interested, and hurriedly suggested, "Mr. Lu, there''s a financial host in the movie, and I feel like the role is perfect for you."


    The scene was set in a broadcast studio, with just a crowd of spectators at the edges of the frame, a one-man show lasting half a minute, and reshooting it would be effortless.


    Moreover, the original actor, although an economist, seemed to have endorsed some products that defrauded many people and had even whitewashed Guo of the Red Cross.


    Zhang Chen suddenly despised him and very much regretted letting him play the role, as he must have been out of his mind at the time.


    "..."


    Lu Liang chuckled, unwilling to burst Zhang Chen''s bubble.


    Previously, there hadn''t been another option, but now there was a much better choice available.


    Even if the original actor entered the room leading with his left foot, Zhang Chen would likely find him unsuitable.


    "Let''s see, there should be some sample clips, right?"


    "Of course, of course."


    They comprised thirteen lines of dialogue with a duration of half a minute, entirely a one-man show without interaction.


    "Let''s give it a try, though I can''t guarantee how well I''ll perform."


    Lu Liang read through the lines and character setting, feeling somewhat tempted, because the role he would play was that of a famous financial commentator.


    Over the past year, he had been criticized by such ''experts'' numerous times. Eventually, their faces were metaphorically swollen, and they fell silent, not daring to speak up anymore.


    Zhang Chen was overjoyed, "Mr. Lu, then familiarize yourself with the lines of the role, and I''ll have someone prepare the shooting location."


    The broadcast studio was available right in Mahua''s theater.


    Just throw on a green screen, no need for props.


    As for the audience in the film''s show, with so many actors in Mahua, plus the crew, a few could just make cameo appearances, since their faces wouldn''t be fully visible anyway.


    "Wow, you''re going to make a cameo?"


    When Zhang Tian''ai received the message, she hurried over; she was assigned to do Lu Liang''s makeup and teach him acting.


    "Yes, I''m preparing to debut and will act in romance dramas with you in the future."


    Lu Liang joked with a smile, which made Zhang Tian''ai''s heart flutter, and she squinted her eyes with a smile, "If you say that, I might just take it seriously~"


    "Japanese romance action movies, just one camera and we can start shooting, right?" Lu Liang held Zhang Tian''ai''s waist.


    "Stop it, this is Mr. Zhang''s office, you better memorize your lines right now."


    Zhang Tian''ai struggled to run away, in case someone saw them; she didn''t care, since everyone knew she was with Lu Liang.


    But it would reflect poorly on Lu Liang, especially being such a formidable finance mogul; the filters might shatter entirely.


    Lu Liang thought acting was easy, until he actually stepped into it; a half-minute scene took two hours to shoot.


    Shoot one take, keep one take,


    then shoot another, and it continued.


    "How does your first acting experience feel, newbie?"


    Zhang Tian''ai squinted her eyes, as she had been watching the monitor the whole time, finding Lu Liang''s committed acting very endearing, especially when he accidentally misspoke and apologized to others.


    "Warning you, don''t look at me like that, otherwise I''ll turn your butt swollen," Lu Liang said with a stern look, always believing the description ''cute'' was only suitable for girls and children.


    He, a grown man, being described as cute was undoubtedly an insult.


    "Come on, come on."


    Zhang Tian''ai grinned, hands on hips, sticking out her rear end, swaying like Donald Duck.


    Lu Liang didn''t hold back and delivered a slap.


    Suddenly, he looked out the window, "The snow has stopped."


    "Yes, it''s stopped."


    Zhang Tian''ai, feeling a bit sorry for herself, rubbed her butt and followed his gaze, a hint of disappointment flashing in her eyes.


    The snow had stopped, and so Lu Liang would be leaving.


    "What shall we eat tonight?" Lu Liang asked.


    Zhang Tian''ai instantly brushed off her gloomy mood, tightly clutching Lu Liang''s arm, "How about we go eat hot pot lamb? I know an old shop in the hutongs that''s really delicious."


    "Let''s go then, it''s good to have lamb to warm up in this cold weather."


    His business concluded in Beijing, the weather cleared up as well, and Lu Liang caught a flight back to Modu.


    With the Richest Man deciding to join the Spring Festival lineup, the Mahua Team also began investing funds for promotion.


    The first leaked movie clip naturally featured Lu Liang in his cameo as a financial pundit.


    "What? The conscience of the capital market? Liangzi, is he talking about himself?"


    "Spending a billion in a month? I need to check it out, just to compare, exactly how much is Liangzi''s three hundred billion in fundraising?"


    "Can''t comprehend the numbers? Eleven digits after the three, the more I think about it, the more outrageous it gets. It''s even a digit longer than my mobile number."


    "Three hundred billion in a public fund isn''t really that much, Tianhong of Alipay is in the trillion range."


    "Tianhong took 12 years to reach today''s trillion scale. Tianxing started with three hundred billion and it seems headed for failure."


    "Exactly, failing would be best, don''t compete with me, anyone who does is a loser."


    Xihong City''s Richest Man was a hit before it even aired, given that the hottest topic right now is Lu Liang''s three hundred billion public funding.


    But the fundraising scale really seemed exaggerated, people wanted to be optimistic but were also scared to be.


    Even if the entire national population participated, each person would still need to contribute at least 220 yuan.


    Could Lu Liang''s prestige really pull in three hundred billion?


    Amidst the discussions, the date moved to the 23rd.


    The eve of Christmas, also the day when the Federal Reserve would raise interest rates.


    Lu Liang sat alone in the office on the 32nd floor, facing three monitors, two of which displayed the trading room on the 22nd floor.


    The other was for monitoring the gold market.


    The Federal Reserve was about to announce an interest rate hike, aligning with the politician''s governance policy; one was about to take office, the other was the Federal Reserve, both in the same trousers.


    It was foreseeable that a large amount of US Dollar funds would inevitably return, favoring US stocks but depressing gold.


    Since the beginning of the year, the international situation had been turbulent, starting with the Black Swan event of Old England''s Brexit, followed by major country confrontations, and finally the Grey Swan event of a businessman winning the election.


    It had only calmed down recently.


    London Gold had risen from 1715 US dollars per ounce at the beginning of the year to 1892 US dollars now, an increase of over 10%.


    A minor correction was long overdue.


    Though selling his holdings in Ningde Era brought in 727 million US dollars, subsequent investments in NIO left only 767 million US dollars in the account.


    Wen Chao had prepared the operation plan in advance and submitted it to Lu Liang for approval; he and Sun Yutao decided to withdraw 700 million US dollars.


    The operation fund was split in half with an 8x leverage, enlarging 350 million US dollars to 2.8 billion US dollars to short London Gold.


    Lu Liang felt the leverage was a bit too low, seeming to waste this market opportunity, but since he had decided to delegate authority, he agreed.


    "Since I''ve separated from private equity and the public offering hasn''t been issued yet, I seem to be an independent speculator now."


    Lu Liang''s mouth curled into a smile, recalling in Xiangjiang, there was also a family trust fund invested under Lu Ya''s name.


    It started with just 130 million Hong Kong Dollars, but he went all-in on Tencent''s stock, which had risen from 1.35 trillion at the beginning of the year to 1.77 trillion now, an increase of 31%.


    The 103 million Hong Kong Dollars had also become 134 million.


    He then injected another 50 million US dollars into it, the fund''s assets now exceeded five hundred million.


    "It seems like a good opportunity to make some pocket money."


    Lu Liang, thinking this, immediately took action, withdrawing 40 million US dollars, the operation fund was split in half.


    The 20 million US dollars with a 30x leverage turned into 600 million, beginning to short London Gold at the 1890 price point.


    He sold 317,600 contracts without leaving any positions open.


    Market concepts of ''contracts'' varied globally and among institutions.


    But in Lu Liang''s view, A-shares, US stocks each counted 100 shares as one contract; London Gold was one ounce per contract.


    Holding 317,600 contracts, every one dollar drop per ounce would earn Lu Liang 317,600 US dollars.


    Conversely, each one dollar rise would cause a loss of 317,600 US dollars.


    The 20 million US dollars margin, of which 70% was the mandatory liquidation line, also equating to a 14 million loss.


    This meant that if the price rose by 44 dollars to 1934 dollars, Lu Liang would be forced to liquidate.


    "Yifan, go buy some late night snacks."


    Lu Liang picked up the desk phone and dialed the secretary''s number at the door.


    Having managed hundreds of millions, even tens of billions of US dollars, now playing with tens of millions, the thresholds had been infinitely raised.


    He felt no tension at all, his stomach even somewhat hungry.


    "Mr. Lu, what would you like to eat?"


    A twenty-something young man entered, pushing the door open, his looks somewhat resembling Hu Ge. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The moment he was interviewed, Lu Liang took a liking to him.


    Lu Liang thought for a moment and said, "There is a nice congee place in Expo Garden, go get some, and bring back eel congee."


    Once Wen Chao passed this test, he would be placed to manage a private fund together with Sun Yutao.


    He also needed to train a new secretary, tentatively Zhuo Yifan, 24 this year, a recent graduate with a master''s from Fudan''s School of Economics and Management.

 Chapter 276 - 275: Standing on the Shoulders of Giants

    The night deepened, and the office filled with rustling sounds.


    Lu Liang was eating clay pot porridge, but the eel congee wasn''t very tasty.


    The flavor was just average, yet it could nourish yin and yang, which is why it sold for 800 yuan per jin.


    The Federal Reserve typically released key data such as interest rate decisions around 2 to 3 p.m., which was around 2 to 3 a.m. Beijing time.


    Lu Liang could only kill time online, like reading netizens'' comments about his cameo in a movie.


    The reviews were unanimously high¡ªwhether his acting was good or not was another matter, but his presence could bring in over one billion at the box office.


    He then checked Little Wang''s Weibo, as he always had the latest on big and small news online.


    But since Wanda had suffered from a double blow in stocks and bonds, he seemed to have quieted down, and hadn''t been online for a long time.


    Lastly, he looked at Tesla''s stock price, which after peaking, was now hovering around 700 US dollars.


    "Nearly 500 billion yuan, that''s still a bit outrageous."


    Lu Liang could understand the logic behind Tesla''s price increase, but it was still hard to accept.


    If BYD hadn''t been restless recently, breaking a market cap of 300 billion, one Tesla could buy two BYDs.


    "Should it go public in the future?" Lu Liang pondered, considering the future development path of Tianxing Technology.


    He had invested in Li Xiang and NIO, and was very aware of their development plans¡ªready to go public as soon as conditions were right.


    Despite the rapid growth of the new energy market, the current profits simply couldn''t sustain enterprise development.


    Not to mention the lack of profits, they were like children dragging investments all over, not wanting to continue such days even for a day.


    Going public had become their common goal, taking money from the market rather than grappling with venture capital.


    Although Lu Liang was part of a venture capital firm, he didn''t deny that venture capital was like a usurer with a whip.


    Any company slightly lagging in development or on the verge of market elimination would be savagely lashed with a barbed whip.


    Li Bing was a prime example¡ªvisibly gaunt after more than a year in the sector; if he didn''t have genes resistant to baldness, he''d probably have gone bald already.


    "It''s too early to consider, as the idea isn''t even on paper yet."


    Lu Liang opened his empty email inbox and laughed at himself.


    He was considering going public without even a draft sketch, more outrageous than Old Jia''s PowerPoint car-making.


    As he leisurely browsed, the time reached 2 a.m.


    Just after two ten, the Federal Reserve announced a third increase in the interest rate from 1.25% to 1.50%.


    Once the news was released, US stocks surged across the board, and safe-haven currencies like gold started to decline.


    Wen Chao and Sun Yutao weren''t like Lu Liang, who, every time he entered the market, almost shouted to the world, "Here I am, come and get me."


    So there was always a counterpart.


    But they were different, coming quietly, like not wanting to get shot.


    Even using leverage, their total capital was only 1.8 billion US dollars.


    In the London Gold market, where leverage was rampant and daily transactions exceeded 20 trillion US dollars, 1.8 billion dollars was just a drop in the ocean.


    Once the interest rate news was released, the market fluctuated drastically, almost instantly, Each ounce fell by 32 US dollars.


    In those few seconds, Lu Liang''s account went from loss to profit, showing a gain of 10.16 million US dollars.


    He wasn''t in a hurry to sell now since Wen Chao and others also hadn''t sold, all waiting and watching for the opportunity.


    Gold had risen by 10% that year, and this wave of the market needed to spit out at least 3%, if not more.


    At the price of 1858, it wasn''t the bottom yet, and those looking to profit by targeting the longs weren''t just them.


    They had positioned themselves ahead of time and could maximize benefits by exiting before the next drop.


    From two ten, they waited until nearly three, when someone couldn''t resist and began to further suppress the gold price.


    Neither Lu Liang nor Wen Chao mattered much alone in the market¡ªtheir trades couldn''t impact the market.


    But it was different for them, with tens of billions of dollars turning into hundreds or even thousands of billions through leverage.


    To cash out, the market had to continue to fall, and they had to silently exit during the downturn.


    So apart from unusual black swan events, whether it was a significant rise or fall, it always had a stair-step appearance.


    During the second wave, it dropped another 13.5 US dollars, Lu Liang no longer hesitated and decisively closed the position with one click.


    He simply wanted to earn some petty cash, since he had so many girlfriends outside, including covering expenses such as Li Manli''s mansion and Zhang Tian''ai''s flat tonight.


    Given the minimal funds Lu Liang employed, the trading process had virtually no loss, with a profit of 31.76 thousand US dollars per point at 45.5 points, totaling 14.45 million US dollars.


    Lu Liang transferred the funds back to the trust fund. His total assets reached 623 million Hong Kong Dollars. He planned to find time to buy Tencent''s stocks and then continue to hold them long-term.


    Just as Lu Liang was tallying up the profits, Wen Chao seemed to have started closing their positions as well.


    18 operators, transforming into pianists, smoothly settled one transaction after another.


    Lu Liang glanced at the market situation for the London Gold, which had fallen again by 8.1 US dollars.


    Tonight, Wen Chao and his team should have a profit of 53.6 US dollars.


    Assuming they also bought in at the price of 1890, their profit tonight should be 80 million US dollars.


    "Not just that!"


    Lu Liang raised his eyebrows, suddenly remembering the surge in US stocks, with Tesla soaring once again in this market trend.


    Instantly up by 5.85%, shooting up by 41 dollars, the stock price hovered around 743 dollars.


    "I should be able to give them a short brief now."


    Lu Liang calculated this month''s earnings in his mind¡ªTesla had risen by 28.5%, earning 10% from Ningde Era.


    Their asset value there should be exceeding 60 billion US dollars, with a net worth update next month expected to be 1.2, an annualized return of 20%.


    He waited until 3:30 AM. In the surveillance footage of the trading room, Wen Chao''s figure was no longer visible.


    A few minutes later, Zhuo Yifan called to report, "Mr. Lu, are you resting?"


    "Let him come in."


    Lu Liang looked at Wen Chao with a smile, "The earnings tonight should be good, right?"


    Wen Chao nodded emphatically; his cheeks still had a trace of flush that hadn''t faded away: "Managed to fulfill the mission."


    Although last time he too issued commands, Lu Liang was right beside him, appearing asleep and uninvolved.


    But this time, it was entirely based on his and Sun Yutao''s decisions, with him taking the lead in sending all the transaction orders.


    The feeling from the two experiences was incomparably different. It''s no exaggeration to say his heart was pounding throughout the entire time, and his heart rate must have soared to 180.


    "It''s good to feel your heart race; it indicates high concentration which greatly enhances sensitivity to information."


    Lu Liang smiled, very satisfied with Wen Chao''s performance tonight. He didn''t know if Wen Chao was nervous,


    but at the very least, he didn''t show any weakness and displayed the demeanor of a great general. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lu Liang checked the settlement report Wen Chao handed over; they had invested a total of 700 million US dollars tonight, yielding a profit of 92.75 million US dollars, a net gain of 13.25%.


    The current total asset value was 62.42 billion US dollars, including 6.58% of Tesla''s circulating stocks worth 49.33 billion US dollars, available liquid funds of 859 million US dollars, and NIO Li Xiang''s stock rights valued at 450 million US dollars.


    It''s 2.42 billion US dollars more than what Lu Liang had estimated.


    The day after tomorrow is Christmas, and the US stock market will be closed.


    In a few days, it will be the new year.


    For the short term, Tesla''s stock prices might not fluctuate much. His first month after disengaging should still yield about 25%, which should be satisfying for them.


    "Next operation can be slightly more aggressive."


    Lu Liang handed the settlement report to Wen Chao to have it signed and stamped by Sun Yutao, marking the end of this project.


    Officially, Sun Yutao was the manager and also the general manager of the fund. Lu Liang and the private fund were separated by Tianxing Investment.


    He wholly owned Tianxing Investment, and Tianxing Investment held 80% of Tianxing Assets, so he was not directly connected.


    The public fund being issued the day after tomorrow would also be through Tianxing Investment; Lu Liang was merely acting as the managing director.


    Wen Chao nodded, his eyes eagerly looking at Lu Liang, hoping he would point out any shortcomings in their operation.


    Lu Liang chuckled, "Everyone has a different style, what works for me might not work for you, you''ll figure it out over time."


    He came from a rough background without systematic learning, just cruising through on his plugins.


    But Wen Chao and Sun Yutao were different, they were academically inclined with very solid theoretical foundations.


    As long as he slightly disclosed some critical information, together with Sun Yutao, they actually had abilities surpassing Lu Liang.


    Lu Liang even admitted this, putting it nicely, he played mysterious to allow them to gradually find their style, but in reality, he had nothing much to teach them.


    Standing on the shoulders of Lu Liang,


    they would only go further and perform even better.

 Chapter 277 - 276: Cant We Just Enjoy Ourselves?

    It was barely dawn when Lu Liang returned to Tangchen District.


    Tonight was Christmas Eve, and Li Manli probably took a short holiday again, decorating the house with a festive atmosphere.


    A two-meter-tall Christmas tree was hung with lanterns.


    It was unclear what time she went to sleep last night as she lay on the couch, her shirt rolled up to her chest and pant legs up to her thighs.


    Her fair, soft belly was exposed.


    A warmth blanket had rolled into a ball and fallen to the floor, thankfully the house had heating, or she would definitely have caught a cold sleeping like that.


    Lu Liang shook his head and sighed softly. He picked up the blanket from the floor and gently covered her with it.


    Although he didn''t have children and wasn''t old, since meeting Li Manli, he had prematurely taken on the role of ''godfather.''


    Not only did he help plan her live-streaming career, but he also cared for her as one would care for a child.


    "Liang, are you back, or am I dreaming?" Li Manli muttered softly, half-asleep, her eyes squinted to slits.


    "You''re still dreaming, go back to sleep." Lu Liang spoke softly, coaxing her back to sleep before he returned to the bedroom to wash up and rest.


    When he woke up, it was already the evening of the 24th.


    He was awakened by a phone call from Tang Caide, informing him that the $10 billion from the Saudi Sovereign Fund had arrived ahead of schedule.


    ICBC, Alipay, and Tenpay''s finance section would launch their fund on time at noon tomorrow.


    "Mr. Lu, how many shares should we release on the first day?" Tang Caide asked.


    The Saudi Sovereign Fund, Modu People''s Social Bureau, and State-owned Xiao Xin had together subscribed for 160.5 billion yuan, but there were still 139.5 billion yuan shares available.


    She didn''t doubt Lu Liang''s influence, but to be cautious, it would be best to create a scarcity illusion on the first day.


    Hunger marketing was necessary; what one couldn''t get always caused unrest, and if the subscription were too easy, it might seem cheap.


    Since the fundraising period was a whole month, Tang Caide suggested releasing the subscription shares in batches.


    Lu Liang felt it made sense as people were expecting much from him, and if the fundraising failed, it would be rather laughable.


    He pondered for a moment and said, "Let''s start with 30 billion."


    This time, Lu Liang did not intend to invest money, even though Tianxing Investment had nearly four billion US Dollars in liquid assets.


    This was because the settlement cycle would last as long as seven years.


    The three institutions had all signed a contract with the company stating that they could not redeem their principal early within the next three years if the annual return reached 12%, no matter the reason.


    This was destined to be a project with a very long investment cycle and not high returns, and Tianxing''s funds had more important uses.


    Ending the call with Tang Caide, Lu Liang got out of bed, suddenly feeling a bit tasteless in his mouth.


    That Friday, he had a full-body checkup at the hospital, and his lung inflammation had completely healed, breathing very smoothly.


    It was because his body was uncomfortable that he had developed an aversion to the smell of smoke; after quitting smoking for over a month, he suddenly missed the sensation of emitting clouds of smoke and being enveloped in them.


    Suddenly, the bedroom door cracked open, revealing a brown furry reindeer antler, accompanied by Li Manli''s soft voice, "Liang, dinner is ready, are you awake?"


    Lu Liang walked out of the bathroom and couldn''t help but give a wry smile.


    Li Manli was dressed as a Christmas reindeer today.


    With brown antler headgear, a red scarf with bells around her neck, a red and white colored outfit with a short skirt and gloves, over-the-knee white stockings, and a pair of red and white cotton snow boots.


    "Ding dong dang~" Li Manli, beaming with joy, hopped in front of Lu Liang to show off her outfit for the day.


    The bells around her neck jingled, the antlers even lit up, and she clutched her cheeks, batting her large eyes, "Cute, right?"


    "Cute." Lu Liang nodded, flicked the bell, and Li Manli playfully responded, "Yo-ho~" S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but grin, reading her mind, "Let''s eat early, and we''ll go out tonight."


    "Mhm~" Li Manli''s face lit up with smiles, nodding continuously like a pecking chicken.


    At 8 PM, a Lamborghini roared out of the underground parking lot.


    Speeding through the People''s Tunnel, passing Sixteen Piers, and then traveling along the Bund.


    Modu had a particular fondness for holidays like Christmas and Halloween, decorating everywhere, appearing as festive as the New Year.


    But every year on this day, there was also a lot of criticism online about how the city, historically a foreign enclave for ten years, was too eager in celebrating foreign festivals.


    There might be some over-admiration for foreign things, but Lu Liang thought, it was more about releasing long-suppressed emotions.


    Stopping and going, half an hour later, the red Lamborghini arrived at Ruijin Road, next to the Sinan Mansion by the tax bar.


    On a street 1.9 kilometers long, home to 120 bars, Zhuang''s tax bar firmly occupied the prime spot.


    "Haven''t been to a bar in a long while, have you?"


    Lu Liang called Zhuang Xiaoting; the street was too crowded, and the car couldn''t make its way through.


    "I haven''t been since I met you."


    Li Manli''s smile was a bit forced, lacking her usual spirited demeanor.


    She had always despised her background; if she had gone to college initially, if she hadn''t worked at nightclubs, maybe she wouldn''t feel so insecure now.


    So, she practiced dance tirelessly, paid attention to her speech, strived to enhance her quality and cultivate a sense of grace, to make herself more presentable.


    But the past was indelible.


    "This is a cellphone."


    Lu Liang pondered, suddenly placing his phone on the dashboard under the streetlight glow, "Whether it''s objects or people, all yearn to bathe in the sun, but where there''s light, there are shadows."


    "Light and shadow are complementary, inevitable, and ever-present, as shadows are also a part of life."


    The world isn''t perfect, and many people try desperately to hide their flaws and dark pasts, forgetting these too are parts of life.


    Lu Liang had his fair share, especially his previous marriage, but he had reconciled with himself and was able to face it. He didn''t want Li Manli to dwell on it anymore.


    "Liang, that lady seems to be looking for you," Li Manli said with a naive smile, gesturing for Lu Liang to look outside.


    With a broad smile, Zhuang Xiaoting hurried over, "Mr. Lu, come with me, there''s an access way here and a parking space."


    She signaled to the bar''s security, removed a road bollard, and cleared a passage exclusively for Lu Liang.


    Tonight was Christmas Eve, and the bar had gone all out by inviting several celebrities. Naturally, they had prepared early for this.


    The spending of one wealthy person could match a hundred, a thousand ordinary patrons¡ªthey deserved special treatment, a green light all the way.


    Big Bull followed Zhuang Xiaoting into the parking lot, and Lu Liang handed his car keys to the valet, then turned and shouted, "Let''s go."


    "Coming~" Li Manli hummed, helping Lu Liang pick up his phone from the dashboard.


    She silently followed behind Lu Liang, then suddenly took out her own phone and snapped a photo of the shadow she had mentioned earlier.


    A trace of bitterness appeared at the corner of her mouth. After all, objects are just objects, unlike people, they aren''t scrutinized under a magnifying glass.


    "Mr. Zhuang, it doesn''t seem like the right time tonight."


    Lu Liang looked up and saw posters at the entrance of the bar with Zhang Jie, Yue Yunpeng, and a few other stars he didn''t recognize very well but must be of significant status.


    No wonder they had been stuck two hundred meters away.


    "Mr. Lu, you jest, how can that be?"


    Zhuang Xiaoting covered her mouth with a coy laugh, complimenting him, "Your arrival is right on cue, otherwise Christmas Eve would have been rather dull."


    She led Lu Liang upstairs, pointed to a private room not far away, and loudly asked, "Mr. Lu, Mr. Wang is also here. Would you like a private room for yourself, or shall we join him?"


    "Xiaocong?"


    "Yes."


    "Let''s go then, we''ll join tables."


    With a smile, Lu Liang said that going out was all about having fun in a lively crowd.


    He glanced at Li Manli, feeling she was still a bit reserved, took her hand, and pushed open the private room door.


    Little Wang was playing a game of eating fries with a few internet-famous beauties when suddenly the room door swung open.


    His face darkened, ready to explode in anger, but then he saw it was Lu Liang.


    Little Wang paused, rushed forward for a hearty hug, all smiles, "What a rare guest, what brings you here tonight?"


    "Can''t I come?" Lu Liang asked with a smile.


    "It''s not that you can''t, but isn''t there that thing tomorrow? If word gets out, it might not look so good."


    Little Wang hurriedly explained that there was a public offering tomorrow, and Lu Liang partying at the bar the night before might send out a bad signal.


    "It''s no big deal, good if it works, fine if it doesn''t." Lu Liang was nonchalant, if you believe, show up; if not, don''t.


    He was in business, not a government office; no need for self-imposed moral shackles.


    The local atmosphere wasn''t great¡ªthe wealthy and capable were expected to be moral models.


    Lu Liang didn''t want to be morally hijacked.


    He earned his money rightfully, every cent was taxed and traceable; why shouldn''t he enjoy it?


    Little Wang, lost for words, could only raise a toast, "Here''s to you."


    His thinking aligned with Lu Liang''s, but lacking the means, he preferred to stay secluded, coming out only on Christmas Eve for a breath of fresh air.


    The beauties in the private room also recognized Lu Liang, eyes sparkling with interest.


    Two of the three had already set their alarms, ready to buy shares at noon tomorrow.


    This was the man soon to control three hundred billion; not just Little Wang, even Old Wang had to step aside.


    Their eyes nearly glued to Lu Liang~


    Li Manli''s brows furrowed, sensing a threat; she dismissed the shadows from her mind and subtly moved half a step closer to Lu Liang, declaring her claim.


    This was her man, at least while she was around, he was hers, and no one could take him.


    Suddenly, outside there was a cheerful cheer, accompanied by a tune resembling an erhu.


    Small Wang, with a beauty in his arms, grinned, "Exploring Qing Shui River DJ version, Xiao Yueyue singing, quite energetic."


    "Let''s see just how energetic it is."


    Lu Liang followed out of the private room, they had a great view from the second floor, the dance floor bustling beneath them.


    The melodramatic Xiao Yueyue, as soon as he hit the stage, instantly ignited the audience''s enthusiasm.


    But the main singer wasn''t him, it was Zhang Jie, leading to even louder and sharper screams piercing the sky.


    "A lonely orphan''s sky~"


    Zhang Jie''s distinctly magnetic voice instantly permeated the bar, the combination of opera and DJ vibrantly unique, very intriguing.


    Li Manli gradually relaxed, swaying to the music''s rhythm, echoing the stage''s lead singer, and raising her hand to shout, "The girl''s tears stream down..."


    With a smile, Lu Liang leaned against the railing, raised his glass towards the bar where Zhuang Xiaoting was, and drew a circle towards the dance floor.


    Zhuang Xiaoting nodded, understood, and grabbed the microphone, during the opera''s break, to broadcast a message, "A Martini on the house for everyone, thanks to our Mr. Lu."


    "Thank you, Mr. Lu~"


    The crowd shouted excitedly, some even cried out for Liangzi.

 Chapter 278 - 277: 30 Billion in 18 Minutes

    The next day, Lu Liang''s night out at the bar soared to the top of the trending searches.


    "The public fund is being released today, and yet he was out playing at a bar until after 2 a.m. last night?"


    "Liangzi, we''re talking about 300 billion in twelve digits, not just three thousand. Is this how casually you treat it?"


    "Someone in their thirties, can''t they be a bit more serious? How can investors feel secure entrusting their money to him?"


    "Speak for yourself. These days, chaos in the financial sector isn''t anything new."


    "By the way, who was that woman with Liangzi last night? Does anyone recognize her?"


    "It must have been Little Wang who called her over. Isn''t she that female livestreamer from Panda, Li Xiaomeng?"


    "The cute god? Did she get ruined by Liangzi?"


    "What else, then? Cosplaying as a little reindeer on Christmas Eve and going to a bar with Liangzi, she must''ve definitely been ridden hard."


    "I don''t believe it. The cute god lives in a villa, drives a Pagani¡ªshe''s so rich, why would she fall for Lu Liang?"


    "To be fair, Liangzi isn''t bad-looking, and standing next to Little Wang, he even appears more handsome."


    "Also, it''s not like there isn''t a precedent. Milk Tea Girl with Daqiangzi is the most classic example."


    "I don''t believe it."


    A horde of die-hard fans stormed Li Manli''s Weibo, angrily demanding whether it was her at Lu Liang''s side last night.


    Li Manli woke up to find her phone almost smoking from the deluge of Weibo messages.


    She still had the deer antlers from last night on her head, and with its dull tip, she poked Lu Liang''s chin.


    Because Lu Liang said he liked little reindeer, she never took them off again.


    "What''s wrong?"


    Lu Liang yawned, checked the time, and found it was just past nine, he closed his eyes for a bit more rest.


    Although the fund was being released at noon, everything that needed to be prepared had already been taken care of.


    As long as he checked in before 12 o''clock at the company, there was no need to go over so early.


    "Liang, take a look at the news online."


    Li Manli jabbed him again with her antler.


    Lu Liang glanced at it and, utterly indifferent, turned over and continued to hug the blankets, sleeping: "Let them gossip."


    He didn''t want to expose himself before because of Su Wanyu, but since Su Wanyu found out and ran off abroad, it didn''t matter anymore.


    If you dare to do something, you should dare to own it, although he still had two girlfriends, but both Zhang Tian''ai and Wang Chuting were very self-aware.


    One wants to stay famous and become a big star, and the other''s intentions aren''t clear yet, but she probably has no small ambitions.


    Li Manli hesitated for a long time before editing a nine-grid photo post to show to Lu Liang, and she asked cautiously, "Liang, can I post it like this?"


    A Christmas tree and her cosplaying a little reindeer, and wishing her fans a Merry Christmas.


    Though she didn''t openly admit it,


    there was a strong implication.


    Lu Liang hummed in response, picked up her phone, and sent it straight away, then tossed it aside.


    He had partied a bit too hard last night, having mixed three types of alcohol, and now his head was still a bit sore.


    Li Manli''s smile blossomed like a flower, and she suddenly sprawled on top of Lu Liang, hugging him and planting fervent kisses: "I really, really love you."


    "Hmm~"


    After resting for more than half an hour, Lu Liang got up, washed up, had breakfast, and arrived at the company.


    The Tianxing Assets that used to be to the left of the entrance had moved to the 22nd floor, and now it was replaced by Tianxing Fund Management Co., Ltd.


    In the beginning, Sun Yutao and Zhang Jing followed Lu Liang, the former becoming the private fund general manager and the latter the public fund deputy general manager.


    "Everything''s alright with the channel through ICBC, right?"


    Lu Liang called Zhang Jing to inquire about the details, as there was still thirty minutes left before the public fund went online.


    Zhang Jing replied, "No problem. President Liu from ICBC has specially opened up five large transaction channels for us."


    Despite the online discussions about Lu Liang going to bars and sleeping with internet celebrities seeming tumultuous, in reality, they had no impact at all. Morality and capability should never be judged by the same standard.


    On the first day, they released 30 billion worth of subscription shares, and according to their forecast, a guaranteed 10 billion would flow in within the first hour.


    ICBC had long been ready with personnel. It''s heard that they even pulled staff from surrounding branches, totaling over 300 people, to ensure the funds were handled accurately.


    As time ticked by, Lu Liang listlessly watched media predictions about the dual credit balances of various car companies.


    Six days remained until the end of the year.


    Apart from SAIC, BYD, and Tesla which had positive credits, all the other car companies had negative ones.


    SAIC had amassed 185,000 new energy credits thanks to the Wuling Hongguang Mini, a single car model, comfortably topping the credit leaderboard.


    Offsetting SAIC''s 80,000 negative credits, there was still a surplus of over 100,000 credits.


    As the year-end was approaching, it was time for stock-taking.


    The price for new energy credits had shot up, from 2,400 yuan to 3,200 yuan.


    It was predicted that by the official reconciliation in March next year, the price could rise to 4,000 yuan each.


    If SAIC Group were willing to sell new energy credits, they could earn a revenue of 450 million yuan just by selling the credits alone.


    BYD ranked second with 142,000 positive credits, although their batteries have a higher capacity, producing more credits.


    But their sales were far less than the Hongguang Mini, with the Qin and Song models going to market and totaling sales of only 72,000 units to date.


    Tesla was third with 22,000 positive credits, mainly suffering from insufficient production capacity.


    With recent pilot production, if they could increase production capacity and fulfill 70,000 pre-orders, they should be able to overtake BYD.


    The other automakers like FAW, Beiqi, and Guangqi, all Chinese and joint venture car businesses, started with negative credits of at least two hundred thousand.


    FAW mainly produces Volkswagen, Toyota, and Audi, with the best sales, directly incurring 540,000 negative credits and steadily sitting at the bottom.


    Under the new energy policy''s restrictions on car companies, if the 540,000 negative credits aren''t addressed, next year''s sales volume is destined to fall by 15%.


    The policy cuts the upper limit.


    Taking FAW''s sales of 5 million units this year as an example, without addressing the negative credits, next year''s cap would be 4.25 million.


    Exceeding the cap, for every additional fuel car sold, they would face hefty fines ranging from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands.


    Whether it''s self-production or importation, as long as they handle the sale of fuel cars, carbon credits are generated.


    "Now the leaders who set the new energy policy must be very troubled," Mr. Lu said with a furrowed brow, feeling the pressure.


    Of the three companies with positive credits, Tesla is fully foreign-owned, BYD is privately-owned, and only SAIC is state-owned.


    There''s a saying, "the law does not punish numerous offenders," and with only one and a half qualified students in the class, the teacher must weigh his options carefully.


    If enforced strictly, it''s likely to cause a public outcry.


    But if turning a blind eye or granting leniency, with the nature of those car companies, they would not take it seriously.


    The joint venture car enterprises are all the same, dragging their feet and regressing unless faced with a major crisis; they certainly won''t jump into action.


    "Mr. Lu, the fund is live," Zhang Jing suddenly shouted.


    Lu Liang looked at the screen in front of him, which hesitated for a few seconds, then the figures leaped from zero to nine digits, still skyrocketing.


    Of the three fund subscription channels, the most capital flowed in through ICBC, followed by Alipay, and lastly Tenpay.


    In 29 seconds, the subscription capital reached 1 billion yuan.


    In two minutes and fifty-two seconds, it hit 10 billion yuan.


    At eight minutes and twenty-two seconds, it reached 20 billion yuan, and the speed of capital growth began to slow.


    But the slowdown was only relative.


    At 12:17:31 PM.


    The 30-billion-yuan subscription was full.


    Most people had just gone to lunch or used the restroom, only to return and discover the originally bright orange subscription font had suddenly turned grey.


    The news swept through the internet like a storm.


    "Watt?"


    "What''s going on?"


    "Less than 18 minutes¡­"


    "Weren''t they all saying Liangzi wasn''t reliable? Playing games with a public fund of 300 billion?" S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "You guys are something else, one set of rules to my face, another behind my back, I wasn''t even done shitting and the 30 billion was gone."


    "Brothers, this is about giving money away, not robbing it; does it need to be this exaggerated?"


    "So fast? It''s too fake, right? Is there really 30 billion?"


    Suddenly, someone doubted, accusing Lu Liang of fraud, deliberately creating a false impression of supply not meeting demand.


    Tianxing Mixed Fund actually had limitations too, such as being over 23 years old, and each identity ID could only subscribe a maximum of 2 million.


    This was also why Lu Liang set a cap on the funds, to give more people a chance to participate.


    But now it''s being questioned.


    Even with a maximum of 2 million per person, that would still require at least 15,000 individuals. Are there really that many people who could come up with 2 million?


    "Just because you don''t have it doesn''t mean others don''t."


    Before the official response came out, someone had already posted screenshots directly. He, his wife, and his father, three accounts totaled 6 million.


    "Actually, integrity is one thing, and Liangzi''s strength is there for all to see."


    One of the netizens who had been most vocal in the morning.


    Casually posted a screenshot of 1.2 million.


    "I can''t believe it, you real dogs, all quietly subscribing yourselves while telling others not to?"


    "This comrade, how can you speak like that, this is called strategic deception, but still, Liangzi managed it, 30 billion in just 18 minutes."


    At that moment, a financial blogger who was very clear about the operation of public funds said earnestly, "Everyone, cherish the upcoming few subscription opportunities.


    A scale of 300 billion will definitely not release 300 billion because it needs to have large institutions'' capital for reserve.


    Normally, they account for 50%, meaning that subscription capital put out will not exceed 150 billion yuan."

 Chapter 279 - 278: Hundred Billion Project [Come and See]

    A single word stirred up thousands of waves, crushing doubts.


    300 billion, 18 minutes.


    Considering the current situation, the next time the subscription channel opens, if the scale is still 300 billion, the time required will only be shorter.


    For the next subscription, the investors who were still watching became more decisive and retrieved the funds they had invested earlier.


    Domestic small and medium-sized fund companies were all trembling, feeling a great disaster impending, 300 billion in scale¡ªeven if only 150 billion was released, it was draining their blood.


    Because capital does not appear out of thin air, the birth of a behemoth fund meant inevitably, there would be corpses strewn beneath its feet.


    These public fund companies, which hadn''t turned a profit and relied solely on their clients'' gains, were among those metaphorical corpses.


    "Mr. Lu, should we change the plan?" sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Zhang Jing looked towards Lu Liang, his eyes filled with admiration, like a relentless river.


    They had estimated 300 billion; the fastest would take three and a half hours.


    Lu Liang truly lived up to his reputation and couldn''t be judged by ordinary standards.


    17 minutes and 31 seconds¡ªthis record, besides them opening the subscription channel next time, it was unlikely anyone else could break it.


    "Let''s not change it. Let''s stick to the original plan."


    It was indeed faster than Lu Liang had anticipated.


    It seemed his previous concerns were purely unnecessary.


    However, he did not plan to change the plan because of this. Public offerings were unlike private ones; they couldn''t move ahead of schedule as all procedures needed to be precisely followed. If the fundraising was set for a month, it was a month.


    The remaining 1,095 billion would be released every four working days in increments of 200 billion, with the final 95 billion released, summing up to 20 working days, just in time three days before the fundraising period ended.


    This coincided with holidays like New Year''s Day and the Spring Festival, continuing until the seventh day of the Lunar New Year.


    If moved ahead, the timing might be too tight, and Lu Liang would not have time for a little Spring Festival break.


    After giving some instructions, he went to the Industrial and Commercial Bank and obtained a proof of funds of 1,905 billion yuan.


    An hour later, Lu Liang arrived at the municipal office, explaining his intentions to the relevant officials.


    "Mr. Lu, you plan to invest hundreds of billions in building a new energy industrial park in Modu?"


    Zeng Shaofang widened his eyes, thinking he had misheard.


    A political achievement falling from the sky at the end of the year?


    If a trillion yuan project could be finalized and implemented smoothly, once the higher-ups visited Beijing, he would be the new key figure.


    "Yes, as soon as we gather the funds, we will immediately implement the relevant plans."


    Lu Liang gave a calm smile, instructing Yifan to bring out the financial proof document from the Industrial and Commercial Bank. The twelve-digit balance, one more than a mobile number, almost filled the display.


    "Mr. Lu, please have a seat. For such a massive investment, we really need to plan this out."


    Zeng Shaofang took a deep breath, barely containing his excitement. Lu Liang''s bringing the proof of funds indicated a very strong intent to cooperate.


    "Director Zeng, no hurry. Such a massive investment needs careful planning, as the funds are not yet in place."


    Lu Liang smiled, subtly hinting at his itinerary for the coming days¡ªhe planned to visit a few central cities.


    This included, but was not limited to, the Thirteen Grand Protectors'' Jinling and Su City, as well as nearly first-tier cities like Ningbo and Wuhan.


    Although Modu was the best choice, it could not be the only choice.


    Shopping around; highest bidder wins.


    With equal policies, or slightly inferior ones, Lu Liang would definitely choose Modu, but if the differences in offers were too significant, he would decisively change his affections.


    "Yes, what Mr. Lu said is right."


    Zeng Shaofang smiled broadly, nodding repeatedly.


    He was the head of Modu''s investment promotion office, and hadn''t dared to be so bold in many years, yet a genuine hundred billion project undoubtedly qualified to challenge him.


    At that moment, Lu Liang was no longer just Lu Liang; he was the stepping stone for key provincial-level officials.


    Once he knocked on that door, his career path would be bright.


    After talking for over an hour,


    Lu Liang left the municipal office.


    He wanted to see a detailed plan by the seventh day of the Lunar New Year; they had a little over a month to prepare.


    In the following days, Lu Liang visited Jinling, Su City, Ningbo, Wuhan, and other four cities.


    Giving them a month''s time as well¡ªwhichever offered the best terms and greatest support, the hundred billion project would go to them.


    It''s worth mentioning Su City,


    Truly worthy of being Su Daqiang, indeed very strong.


    That day, he welcomed Lu Liang and the others at the Municipal Office, and without a second word, he unfolded the entire city''s map.


    No need to wait a month¡ªjust point out the land you''re interested in and announce it, offering the most exceptional policy support imaginable.


    Last year, Modu granted 1,300 acres to Tesla''s super factory, and they directly quintupled it¡ªfeeling embarrassed to propose anything less than 6,000 acres.


    The locations weren''t isolations like uncouth outskirts; some were near Modu, some near Jiaxing, and some near Wuxi.


    Even aiming near the city center was possible, albeit with slightly smaller areas, but not entirely unmanageable.


    As long as Lu Liang was willing to bring a hundred-billion project to Su City, they could relocate factories for him without him paying an extra cent.


    Such supreme treatment, absolute respect, were it not for Modu being Lu Liang''s first choice.


    He almost agreed on the spot.


    He could only suppress his inner eagerness, planning to wait a month before making a decision after shopping around.


    During this period, Tianxing Mixed Fund once again opened a new round of subscription opportunities. This time, 200 billion was subscribed in just five minutes¡ªany hesitation, and it meant failure.


    "Already impressive, and now holding so much capital, what exactly does Lu Liang plan to do?"


    The voices of doubt completely vanished, with the 300 billion fundraising a success soon to become reality.


    The public''s attention shifted from whether it could succeed to, after success, where the funds would go.


    Such a massive amount of funds pouring into any industry would be extremely positive news.


    It''s said that when one finds the way, even the dogs and chickens ascend to heaven.


    "What else but what Liangzi has always been optimistic about¡ªthe development of the new energy industry?"


    "True, but the new energy market is currently minuscule; can it accommodate so much capital?"


    In an instant, opinions were diverse, but the five cities Lu Liang had visited were tight-lipped, completely sealed off.


    A hundred-billion project, with only five competitors; theoretically, a 20% chance¡ªthey didn''t want others knowing and coming to compete.


    Meanwhile, it was late night in Edinburgh.


    London time, seven hours behind Beijing time, was counting down to the new year, while it was already daylight in China.


    "Bastard..."


    Su Wanyu sat at the edge of the bay window, her eyes brimming with tears, blankly staring at the bright moon in the sky.


    Alone in a foreign land, every festive occasion doubles the longing for family, and lately, she was feeling quite unwell.


    ...


    On New Year''s Day, Lu Liang gave himself a day off, having visited five cities in four days and not returning to Modu until late last night.


    He was tired and wanted to rest for a day.


    Although it was New Year''s Day, there were still many people on duty at the company, especially the private equity firm on the twenty-second floor.


    Sun Yutao consulted with Wen Chao, then, as usual, called the investors to inform them of the latest net value for the month.


    1.27, up 27% over the past month.


    $50 billion in capital had turned into $63.5 billion, a profit of $1.35 billion for the month.


    The investors, upon hearing this, fell into silence.


    Each had their remarks ready, but suddenly there was no place for their prepared words.


    Since there had been a dividend distribution last month, they had also seen the specific investment details.


    They had early categorized the $1.115 billion profit from the rise in Tesla''s stock price into their mental expectations.


    Unexpectedly,


    There was an additional $235 million profit.


    Although it was unclear what stocks Lu Liang had cashed in on, neither Li Xiang, NIO, nor Ningde could have yielded such a high premium.


    It was enough to show that last month, after Lu Liang left Tianxing Private Equity, the firm had made moves again.


    That time, they had profited at least $150 million.


    Investing is for making money; whether with or without Lu Liang, the private equity could still profit¡ªwhat more could they say?


    However, some quietly commissioned headhunting firms, planning to poach Sun Yutao and use it as a test.


    If it was Sun Yutao''s judgment and he personally managed it, then he surely wouldn''t be content under others forever.


    On the contrary, likewise.


    The outcome was clear¡ªSun Yutao declined the headhunter''s offer without a second thought and informed Lu Liang of the news.


    "These old foxes, each with countless schemes."


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but laugh, clearly perceiving the probing intention.

 Chapter 280 - 279: Who Can Cure Him?

    A new year ushered in a fresh batch of rankings.


    Forbes magazine fired the first salvo of the New Year, promptly updating the list of the top ten richest people in the country.


    After reigning for two terms, surpassing Superman Li last year to become the world''s wealthiest Chinese, Old Wang saw his assets plummet by 12.1 billion US dollars, dropping him from the top three of the list.


    The Shuangma Group remained a fixture in the top three.


    Take Old Ma as an example, last year he was second on the list with 28.2 billion US dollars. This year he grew by 10.1 billion US dollars, but still remained in second place, with Little Ma perpetually in third place.


    Last year''s eighth-placed Hengtai Xu soared this year, with a fortune of 42.945 billion US dollars, inheriting all of Old Wang''s titles and powerfully seizing the top spot of the rich list.


    A photo of him with a seductive stance and a beaming smile as he walked went viral on the entire internet and successfully popularized the Herm¨¨s belt.


    Beyond becoming a focus of attention, netizens didn''t forget about Lu Liang, the newcomer who entered the scene in the past two years.


    But flipping through, they couldn''t find Lu Liang''s name anywhere.


    The last spot on the list went to Xue Xiangdong of Donghua Computer, he and his family, with a fortune of 2.28 billion US dollars, became the gatekeeper of the domestic rich list.


    Clearly, Lu Liang, who had been causing a stir over the last two years, hadn''t reached a fortune of 2.28 billion US dollars.


    Fortunately, Forbes understood what the netizens of this era liked and quickly updated the global billionaires list as if lightning had struck.


    The threshold for this list was merely one hundred million dollars. There were 2,257 billionaires on the list globally, with 325 new additions this year.


    The United States led with 640 people on the list, maintaining the top spot with an absolute advantage. China was second with 351 people.


    Lu Liang, Little Wang, Douyin''s Yang Zhen, Byte''s Zhang Yiming, and Pinduoduo''s Huang Zhen and others made the list.


    Lu Liang, with a fortune of 1.335 billion US dollars, ranked 642nd among global billionaires.


    "Damn, with more than two thousand people, my eyes almost went blind looking for him. Was Liangzi this underrated?"


    "1.335 billion US dollars, not even ten billion RMB. Even a dog would shake its head."


    When Lu Liang heard the public opinion, he was speechless.


    In reality, Forbes'' list wasn''t accurate; his actual wealth was probably more than a hundred million dollars above the amount listed.


    Round it off, and he''s a billionaire.


    Aside from those who inherited family wealth, he must be the youngest billionaire in history.


    These damn people,


    How dared they say, "Even a dog would shake its head?"


    They showed no respect at all,


    To him, the newly minted billionaire. Luckily, several other non-wealth rankings immediately vindicated Lu Liang.


    He topped lists like the global top ten fund managers, the 30 most influential investors domestically, the ten most influential business figures of the year, as well as the country''s best venture capitalists, claiming number one or entering the top three.


    Baidu''s personal entry promptly added more than a dozen social honors, calling him the hotshot in the investment world was not an overstatement.


    "That''s more like it."


    Lu Liang revealed a satisfied smile,


    Everyone has vanity.


    Those who loudly claim not to care about so-called rankings are all hypocrites, and all fake.


    Because influential rankings are not just vain notoriety; they represent social honor and social status.


    Take Wanda''s Old Wang as an example. This year his fortunes plummeted by 12.1 billion US dollars, and once the list was updated, banks would inevitably reassess Wanda''s credit system.


    After all, Wanda had pledged a lot of equity for loans. If their assets could not cover their debts, banks would demand additional collateral.


    This made Wanda''s already tough situation even tougher, yet Lu Liang waited for a long time without hearing any news about Little Wang wanting to redeem his fund shares.


    From this, he inferred that either it was too difficult, and they were giving up, or it wasn''t as hard as imagined.


    Amidst various discussions, when the 8th arrived, Tianxing Mixed Fund opened its third funding subscription channel.


    The scale was still 20 billion yuan,


    In four and a half minutes, it was once again sold out.


    More inside information was also exposed by those in the industry; Tianxing Mixed Fund indeed invited several institutions to join.


    They were the Saudi Sovereign Fund with 65.5 billion, Modu Social Security Bureau''s 45 billion, and the State-owned Xiao Xin''s 50 billion yuan.


    With a fundraising scale of 300 billion yuan, these three institutions directly accounted for 160.5 billion yuan, over 50%, leaving only 139.5 billion yuan for the public.


    So far, the subscription channel has opened three times, the first time with 30 billion yuan and the second and third with 20 billion yuan each, now only 69.5 billion yuan remains.


    Based on the amounts from the second and third subscriptions, theoretically, subscriptions will open four more times before the fundraising period ends.


    Once the news broke, there was a public uproar.


    Shareholders and mutual fund investors scrambled to redeem government bonds or funds; their time was running out.


    Several small and medium-sized fund companies, gnashing their teeth in hatred, joined forces to lodge a protest with the Silver Supervision Committee and Securities and Futures Commission.


    They accused Tianxing Investment of disrupting market order and engaging in vicious competition, hoping for justice from above to properly sanction them.


    Financial and derivative products are not allowed to be promoted.


    But Lu Liang was shameless, possessing such strong market appeal and still playing the hunger marketing game like Xiaomi.


    Every four working days, releasing tens of billions in shares, each time like a flash sale.


    Sold out as soon as they went live, and each time, faster than the last.


    Without needing active promotion, netizens and investors spontaneously propelled it to the top of trending searches.


    Thus, more people who were unaware also learned that Lu Liang was launching a Public Fund with a minimum threshold of only 200 RMB.


    What the fuck, what''s the point for them to even try, working hard all year to sell funds, just barely making the annual performance target, ready to sit down together and share the spoils.


    However, the appearance of the Tianxing Mixed Fund with an initial size of 300 billion directly caused most small and medium-sized fund companies to cancel year-end bonuses.


    Last year they met their targets and even exceeded expectations; that''s true, but the first quarter of the New Year will definitely see a precipitous decline.


    Whether their own fund companies can last until the end of next year is questionable, so how could the managers give out bonuses to the staff.


    "There''s chaos where waters are shallow, and demons thrive in small temples."


    Lu Liang gave a scornful smile but did not step forward to respond.


    He simply had a Mr. Zhang, who wished to remain anonymous, leak the news that Tianxing Mixed Fund was being targeted by certain individuals and businesses within the industry.


    Subsequently, investors who heard the news were uncontrollably enraged, completely trashing those fund companies.


    "Fuck''s sake, Wanjia Fund didn''t even have a bad market last year, finishing with a loss of -8.25%. I don''t know how they managed that, now they have the cheek to criticize others?"


    "And there''s Dacheng Fund, with a scale of 20 billion, losing 2.986 billion last year, yet they still planned to distribute 500 million in dividends as a reward at year''s end, I suggest the Securities and Futures Commission launch a thorough investigation to see if someone is lining their own pockets, mixing public and private interests."


    The average pay in the financial industry is very high, though it''s seldom disclosed, it''s definitely at the top across all industries.


    If they made money for investors, then high compensation would be acceptable, but even with funds losing money, still paying such high salaries is something countless investors cannot tolerate.


    Tianxing Mixed Fund might be a new product, but its manager is Lu Liang, with a track record that dazzles any naysayer.


    Investors see Lu Liang as the industry''s savior, and if the Securities and Futures Commission were to be swayed by the slander and take measures against Tianxing Fund, it would undoubtedly be cutting off their financial means.


    They can''t excel by themselves and don''t want others to either.


    If these deceitful villains succeed and they don''t force them out of the market, they would lose their path to wealth.


    Cutting off someone''s livelihood is like killing their parents; the animosity of the investors is terrifying. They are determined to allow Lu Liang to lead them in making money.


    They don''t just talk; they take action.


    Suddenly, the fund companies, filled with resentment, found themselves forced to hastily retract their accusations and admit their errors. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Because behind-the-scenes redemption orders were skyrocketing, almost reaching the threshold for delisting.


    Countless fund company managers let out a helpless wail: "Who can manage him?"


    They had not failed to consider more unorthodox strategies, but Lu Liang was not an ordinary public fund manager.


    He was once the manager of a bi-currency private fund with over six billion dollars in assets, and the fund''s investors included top elites from across the strait and the region.


    Although he has left private equity, apart from Tianxing Investment having indirect equity, he''s no longer connected with private equity funds.


    But anyone with a clear sight knew that Sun Yutao was just a puppet, and behind the scenes, it must still be Lu Liang managing the private funds.


    This meant that the private fund''s investors would still protect Lu Liang''s safety, ensuring he could continue to make money with peace of mind.


    If any of them dared to have ill thoughts about Lu Liang, they would definitely be thrown into the sea to feed the sharks.


    Now, Lu Liang had moved to public funds, gaining the support of countless ordinary people.


    Unless myths no longer existed,


    or the state intervened, no one could really manage him.


    But fulfilling these two conditions was very difficult.


    Unless Lu Liang went completely against the market and was ultimately proved to have made the absolute wrong choice.


    Otherwise, it would be hard for the myth to collapse, even if his choices weren''t particularly accurate. But those who followed blindly would help him turn choices into the right ones.


    The financial industry is almost the most herd-like of all industries because finance is about investing in the future, and no one can say for sure what the future market will be like.


    So, the market favors people who have already achieved fame, and with Lu Liang''s influence in the market, even if he favored a lump of shit, it would be hyped up to the price of gold.


    And the country has indeed made a move.


    A day later, an official statement was released advocating for environmental protection and early global carbon neutrality, announcing the establishment of the World New Energy Automotive Conference, planning to host the first session on Hai Island.


    58 board members from around the world were confirmed, and besides the leadership of domestic and joint-venture car companies, there was one more new face.


    Among the board members averaging 48 years old, Lu Liang, having just turned 32 even if counting the new year, looked particularly youthful.

 Chapter 281 - 280: Ideology, Business

    "At age 31, a key industry player and a board member of a world-class conference¡ªwhat does that even mean?"


    "People who don''t understand can look to the World Internet Conference held in Wuzhen, where even Double Ma is just a board member."


    "No way, is that for real? Liangzi''s position in the automotive industry is equivalent to Double Ma in the internet industry?"


    "To be precise, it''s the new energy automotive industry, and it isn''t that far-fetched for Liangzi to serve as a board member."


    "After all, over these past few years, besides the government, who else has contributed more to the new energy industry than Liangzi?"


    "I mean, I only bought a Mao Dou 3 because Liangzi took a stake in Tesla."


    "Speaking of which, when will the domestic Mao Dou 3 actually go into production?"


    "I heard they already finished trial production, and the first batch should be delivered before the Spring Festival."


    Lu Liang becoming a board member of the World New Energy Conference wasn''t as unacceptable as one might imagine.


    Although his young age was a bit of a sore point, he had spared no effort over the past year to push the development of the new energy industry.


    His contributions were clear for everyone to see.


    So, like BYD Wang and Ningde Era Old Zeng, being board members of the World New Energy Automotive Conference seemed to happen quite naturally.


    At the same time, he was also nominated out of the ordinary by the Modu City Government for the People''s Congress.


    Upon hearing this, a host of fund companies fell silent, quietly withdrawing their complaints against the Tianxing Mixed Fund.


    It was like a soccer match where the players, referees, and spectators were all on the opposing side, and you were far from their equal in strength¡ªwhat chance did you have to compete?


    "It seems that the higher-ups are really determined to promote the new energy industry."


    Lu Liang smiled at the corners of his mouth; he had already received news last month about being appointed as a board member, so he wasn''t surprised.


    What did surprise him, however, was the official stance.


    The establishment of the New Energy Automotive Conference was only the main content announced today, but there were three other secondary points that would also have a profound impact on the entire new energy industry.


    Firstly, the aim was to achieve carbon peak by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2060.


    You need principles before you can do business.


    You must have this determination to host and lead the development of the world''s new energy automotive industry.


    The implication was also clear: even if you don''t have a single qualified student in the class, the new energy dual credit policy must be resolutely carried out and implemented.


    In the new year, vehicle manufacturers with negative points had only two choices: either reduce production or buy points from others to offset them¡ªthere was no third option.


    Once the news was released, the price of new energy credits shot up, each at 5,000 US Dollars, and they were in short supply.


    If it weren''t for the cap at 5,000, the price might have risen even higher.


    Secondly, there was a push for healthy development and the standardization of industry standards, adopting the suggestions put forward by Lu Liang and the Boatman.


    New vehicles must pass various safety tests and at least a minimum of 150,000 kilometers of durability testing.


    Due to Lu Liang''s efforts, the development of the new energy industry accelerated much faster than expected; in order not to let a single bad element spoil the whole batch, it was time to slow things down.


    Thirdly, there would be an increase in the industry threshold, tightening the issuance of production permits for car manufacturing.


    The easy days, when just about anyone with a bit of money could obtain production qualifications, were over.


    LeEco''s stock price hit the limit down, falling below 80 billion, handing over the top spot on the Growth Enterprise Market.


    Old Jia felt as if the sky had fallen; the second and third points were clearly aimed at LeTV Car.


    Originally planning to secure a good sum of money under the guise of establishing new production bases, and then to pursue the dream in the United States, this now likely needed to be pushed up the agenda.


    Because there was an additional clause to the third point¡ªnot only did previous qualifications count, but starting from this year, car production qualifications also required a financial security deposit ranging from tens of millions to several hundred million.


    The main aim was to prevent just anyone from scamming subsidies.


    If we look at the long term, it''s a positive for the entire industry, but in the short term, it''s bearish news for the market.


    On the day of the announcement, the A-share market''s new energy sector, except for BYD and Dizi core members, took a major dive, entering a de-bubbling phase.


    Even SAIC Group, which was firmly at the top of the new energy positive points list, couldn''t avoid a small fall of -2.55%.


    SAIC Group is huge; even selling all 200,000 new energy points would only fetch 1 billion, which is a drop in the bucket.


    "Really nice."


    Liangzi grinned happily as he gazed at the spot of red among the sea of green in the new energy sector.


    He had been somewhat worried before, fearing that storming into the new energy industry next year with 300 billion, and setting up the whole industry chain, might make the already overhyped market even more inflated.


    Now, it seemed he had been overly anxious; the state had realized the market''s overvaluation and bubble status, and had decisively made a cut, slashing prices themselves.


    This undeniably made his plans for the new year, proceed even more smoothly~


    Approaching noon, Tang Caide knocked on the door and entered, informing him of the results of the conversation with Yang Weifeng.


    Yang Weifeng was the property manager of New International Building, and also the landlord for the three Tianxing companies.


    Mutual funds were different from private equity, especially when it came to matters like hostile takeovers, which required even more staff.


    Recently, the company had recruited nearly a hundred new employees¡ªmore than a thousand square meters of office space was clearly insufficient.


    They didn''t feel like moving, so they had asked Tang Caide to talk to the landlord, offering some extra money to have the neighboring tenants move and take over an entire floor of 7800 square meters.


    Tang Caide handed over the lease contract: "The daily rent is 8 yuan, and the property management charges a monthly rent of 20 yuan. Mr. Yang gave us a discount of 7.8%."


    Liangzi couldn''t help but chuckle, "Indeed, being reputable and wealthy increases the chance of encountering kind people."


    Tang Caide smiled, clearly catching Liangzi''s jest, and pulled out the plan for the annual meeting and the financial approval.


    Last year, there were 85 employees on the job, with a total of 2.3 million allocated for activity expenses, averaging 27,000 per person.


    This year the number of employees had risen to 328, and she planned to follow last year''s example, setting the activity budget at 9 million.


    "After all, it''s for the whole year¡ª9 million is a bit meager, let''s add a bit more."


    Liangzi glanced at the figure and added a number, causing Tang Caide to laugh and cry: "This way, you''ll spoil them easily."


    The ''bit'' Liangzi referred to was not added at the end, but at the beginning¡ª9 million became 19 million. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The per capita award standard of 27,000 turned into 57,000, not including the year-end bonus, which was merely the expense for the evening of the annual meeting.


    The year-end bonus was calculated separately, with full-year employees getting six months of salary.


    Those with less than a year of service would be awarded one to three months of salary based on the job level coefficient, even interns received one month''s salary.


    "It''s not exactly spoiling them, besides, the company''s tax deduction limit next year is at least 800 million."


    Liangzi smiled. They had finalized the second phase last month, and with the third phase''s dividends totaling 900 million US Dollars, they expected to pay 225 million US Dollars in taxes.


    Of that, 108 million US Dollars were unavoidable expenses, but 117 million US Dollars could still be offset by spending.


    Rather than contributing it to the treasury, it was better to bless the employees; they would at least earn a good reputation. If he wasn''t worried about possibly causing public indignation due to excessive generosity, Liangzi would have liked to hand out even more bonuses and prizes.


    "By the way, send this standard to Liu Pei."


    Liangzi thought of Tianxing Technology; although it was currently only incurring expenses with profit still far in the future,


    as a member of the Tianxing System, they couldn''t favor one over another. After all, Old Zhu from Golden Sand River was helping to shoulder 10% of the burden.


    "Okay, Mr. Lu," said Tang Caide, not adding anything further. She was about to leave when Liangzi called her back.


    "Also, Shiyu... Never mind, forget it."


    Liangzi then thought of his cousin, but it was too much trouble to go through company accounts; it was better to just transfer the money himself.


    Directly awarding him 1 million personally, he had said it would only take a year to build a new house back in his hometown, and it would be just one year.


    Having delegated the trivial year-end company affairs, Liangzi now had time to focus on the new car shell.


    Following his last visit, Hu Weiwei had heeded Liangzi''s instructions and hired many new graduates from automotive design schools.


    The ideas of these young people were always boundless, especially when they were tasked solely with the design, not yet considering aerodynamics and structural mechanics.


    All kinds of odd and unusual car model sketches filled his inbox, including but not limited to supercars, coupes, and SUVs.


    "Focus on sedans first, followed by SUVs."


    After much consideration, Liangzi settled on the sedan as the first model to be produced.


    Although he personally preferred SUVs, market research results showed that sedans were more popular.


    With the target set, the entire design department of 28 people began to select the appropriate designs from the sketches.


    They decided to use 3D printing technology to first create a series of miniature model cars for Liangzi to review, before moving on to the next step.

 Chapter 282 - 281: 82-point Man

    "Mr. Hu, Mr. Liu, I''ll leave this place to you."


    Lu Liang made a round at the company, becoming familiar with the place, and then set off for Beijing.


    At the end of the year, all companies started to take stock and anticipated the future, planning for the coming year.


    Lu Liang was invited to attend a Douyin shareholders'' meeting, and NIO Li Xiang had also issued an invitation, but he declined on the grounds of leaving private equity.


    NIO Li Xiang''s investments were all in the name of private equity, only Douyin, as well as Ningde and Panda, were investments made personally by Lu Liang.


    Because of this, Li Xiang had complained to Lu Liang, "Mr. Lu, why go through so much unnecessary formality as if no one knows."


    Lu Liang laughed off the accusation, quite seriously diverting the blame, "Familiarity aside, if you speak carelessly, I can still sue you for defamation."


    Sometimes formality is important, otherwise, it''s openly violating national securities laws, easily giving others leverage over you.


    Rules needed to be followed and upheld.


    Lu Liang spent a week in Beijing, attending the Douyin shareholder meeting and, incidentally, the premiere of First Rich.


    Primarily because Zhang Chen found out Lu Liang was working in Beijing, he shamelessly invited him to watch the movie together.


    The lineup for this year''s Spring Festival was quite strong, he felt somewhat nervous and didn''t want to miss any opportunity to promote.


    Because the performance of First Rich could decisively determine whether Mahua''s journey to go public was successful, one of the vital factors.


    Going public is the ultimate dream of every company, even more so for film and television enterprises.


    Once public, it meant they would no longer need to desperately seek investments, officially becoming members of the entertainment industry''s capital base.


    "Alright then."


    Lu Liang agreed, thinking there was nothing much else.


    Once he was done in Beijing, he only needed to return to Modu for the annual meeting and his tasks for the year would be complete.


    That afternoon, he was invited to the premiere of First Rich, where he met Zhang Tianai, Shen Teng, and others, including some stars and investors from the entertainment industry.


    Upon his arrival, Lu Liang immediately became the focus of the entire venue, with cameras swiftly moving from the main crew and focusing on him.


    Yesterday, the final phase of the public offering of Tianxing Mixed Fund ended. £¤95 billion was cleared in 1 minute and 28 seconds, marking the official end of the fundraising period for the £¤300 billion fund.


    In a few days, the Securities and Futures Commission review should be finished, and Lu Liang should be able to start using this money.


    He was, after all, a tycoon with £¤300 billion at his disposal, usually only appearing at corporate press conferences or official platforms.


    It was hard to imagine,


    that he would attend a movie premiere.


    The sound of camera shutters was endless.


    "Mr. Lu, hello, long time no see."


    Shen Teng was extremely respectful, with a broad smile on his face.


    He considered his developments in the past two years not bad, having made Xia Luo a top-tier film star with an overload of resources at her disposal.


    But compared with Lu Liang, it was like a minor witch seeing a great sorcerer, the light of a rice grain not daring to contend with the bright moon.


    The inheritance his character received in the film was only £¤30 billion, he couldn''t grasp what £¤300 billion signified.


    The Huayi Brothers who were also invited stared wide-eyed, with big grins, "Mr. Lu, hello, my name is Wang Zhongjun."


    "Mr. Shen, Mr. Wang, hello,"


    Lu Liang slightly bowed his head, returning the greeting with a smile.


    Huayi Brothers were listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange, with a market value of £¤31 billion, known as the leaders of the film and television industry, and the dominators of the entertainment circle.


    But to him, that was it. The scale of the industry dictated a company''s upper limit, unless they could develop into a Disney. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The last company that wanted to turn into a Disney now concentrated solely on live streaming and direct selling, having abandoned impractical dreams.


    The so-called dominators of the entertainment circle, in Lu Liang''s eyes, were just that. In contrast, he was more concerned about Zhang Tianai, "Why don''t you wear more clothes?"


    Clad in a light blue high-neck gown, immaculately made up, dressed formally, her appearance was indeed stunning, outshining everyone, but today''s temperature in Beijing was three degrees below zero.


    Wang Zhongjun''s smile stiffened, slightly embarrassed. He was used to overlooking others, but today he tasted what it was like to be ignored.


    However, facing Lu Liang, he didn''t dare say much, gave a forced smile, and found an excuse to retreat to his seat in the cinema.


    "It''s okay, it''s just a bit cold outside, I have a down jacket backstage."


    Zhang Tianai stood tall and cheerful, her face blooming like a flower. She was very susceptible to cold but couldn''t help it; female stars had to wear evening gowns to such events.


    Everyone went through this, she had specifically chosen a high-neck gown for warmth, some actresses wore outfits that exposed their shoulders and backs, ending up with purple skin after an event.


    Lu Liang nodded slightly, said no more, and followed a staff member''s direction to take his seat in the first row of the cinema.


    The road was her own choice, if Zhang Tianai chose this path, he would not interfere with that choice.


    "Thank you all for attending the premiere of First Rich..."


    Zhang Chen on behalf of Mahua, stepped up to the podium to give a speech, his mouth corners lifted, never coming down, inviting Lu Liang had indeed been the right choice.


    "As expected, First Rich''s preview took the headlines tonight, its publicity was spot on, and now it was time to see the quality of the movie.


    Zhang Chen quickly finished his speech and handed the stage over to the movie.


    The Dragon logo flashed, and the movie began.


    Lu Liang had read the synopsis, but he hadn''t seen the finished film.


    Putting aside some logical flaws, the story was very interesting and had many humorous moments. Shen Teng proved he could carry the main role, and Zhang Tian''ai was a fitting ''flower vase.''


    But when Lu Liang saw himself on the big screen, he felt somewhat weird.


    Especially playing a character completely different from himself, he also felt a strange sense of dissonance.


    Was this character really played by him?


    The movie lasted 118 minutes and ended with the sound of the male and female leads calculating the costs of raising a child.


    The applause in the cinema was thunderous, and the creative team, smiling broadly, took the stage.


    A preview screening usually invites the media, celebrity guests, and lucky audience members.


    Besides some lucky audience members, the first two groups generally had a higher threshold for humor.


    But during the two-hour viewing period, laughter erupted more than ten times, giving them full confidence.


    However, when the creators took the stage, the reporters and media were all eagerly looking at where Lu Liang was sitting.


    Lu Liang had also played a role in the movie, although less than a minute long, but he was an actor too¡ªwhy wouldn''t he go up?


    On stage, Shen Teng, with a look of helplessness, could only awkwardly try to keep things light: ''What did everyone think of the movie?''


    ''Um, it''s good.''


    If Lu Liang were not present, this would indeed be a film worth interviewing and delving into.


    But with Lu Liang there, apart from some paid journalists, most people had no interest in the creative journey of the main creators.


    If given the choice, they would prefer to interview Lu Liang, even if only to ask some trivial questions.


    Celebrities attract attention, but relatively speaking, Lu Liang, holding 300 billion in funds, undoubtedly drew much more.


    Zhang Chen looked pleadingly at Lu Liang, his eyes saying: ''Boss Lu, save me.''


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but chuckle, and under everyone''s gaze, he walked confidently onto the stage from the side.


    Shen Teng, as well as the director, were overjoyed and quickly offered him the central spot and the microphone.


    ''Hello everyone, I am the rookie actor Lu Liang, playing an unidentified financial pundit in the movie.''


    Lu Liang stepped up with a smile, not shy at all, nor showing the consciousness of a rookie actor, and stood directly in the center.


    Instantly, thunderous applause filled the air. Some celebrity guests clapped their hands almost raw, hoping to catch Lu Liang''s attention.


    ''As expected of our Mr. Lu, the effect is awesome,'' Shen Teng said with a beaming smile, slapping on flattery.


    ''Mr. Shen, you''re teasing me.''


    Lu Liang laughed, with no airs about him, explaining he was a bit tied up later, which was why it had been inconvenient to come on stage.


    But since everyone had been looking forward to it, he couldn''t just leave without a word.


    At that moment, the journalists'' desire to interview soared, arms waving high hoping to be favored.


    Lu Liang picked one, looking at a relatively pleasing reporter.


    The excited reporter asked, ''Mr. Lu, on a scale of 100, how would you rate your performance in the movie?''


    ''82 points,'' Lu Liang said without hesitation.


    82 points was an inside joke from when he shorted the yen, an eight-against-one, with businessmen scoring him as being overconfident.


    Although unsure how the score was calculated, netizens later interpreted the remaining 18 points as a sequence of 666.


    Lu Liang was also humorously known as the ''82-point man.''


    Laughter broke out from the audience, clearly picking up on this joke, and the reporter still earnestly asked, ''Why 82 points?''


    ''I don''t know.''


    Lu Liang shrugged, smiling, ''Next question.''


    ''Mr. Lu, what are your box office expectations for First Rich after its release?''


    ''Twenty billion,'' Lu Liang confidently said, his smile wide, even though the release had been moved up half a year and there had been a change of female lead.


    Although Zhang Tian''ai''s role was meant to be just eye candy, it likely wouldn''t affect the projected box office of 2.547 billion.


    Even with a change of female lead and a slight alteration of the storyline, his participation should compensate for any shortcomings.


    Twenty billion in box office revenue should not be difficult.


    At this, the crowd was in an uproar.


    Twenty billion in box office, spoken of so casually by Lu Liang, put immense pressure on the creators. Their boldest estimate was to match Xia Luo, but now that Lu Liang had set the expectation, they had no choice but to accept it head-on."

 Chapter 283 - 282: Eight Trillion Market Value

    "Mr. Shen, how much do you think the box office will be?"


    Journalists still remembered that today was the premiere of First Rich, and members of the main creative team like Shen Teng, Yan Fei, and Zhang Tian''ai were the main focus, while Lu Liang just had a minor role.


    "2.5 billion at the box office."


    Shen Teng, with his chin up and neck stiff, struck a pose of daring loyalty, which successfully made everyone laugh.


    It wasn''t that a domestically produced film hadn''t reached 2 billion at the box office, but it was difficult, thus far only Demon Brushing Records and Mermaid had.


    Even he didn''t quite believe in a 2-billion box office, but Lu Liang had put out the word, and he would have to back it up even if it meant his face got slapped swollen.


    After all, his misprediction would be better than a mistake from Lu Liang.


    Worldly society wasn''t about fighting and killing, but about interpersonal intricacies. Having been in the entertainment circle for so many years, he knew it didn''t matter if he was embarrassed, but he definitely couldn''t let his golden goose backers be embarrassed.


    Lu Liang looked at Shen Teng in surprise, gave a faint smile but said no more.


    Suddenly, a journalist raised a sharp question, targeting Lu Liang and Zhang Tian''ai.


    The first time the public knew about Zhang Tian''ai was because of the drama series Crown Princess Consort.


    The web series just happened to be produced by Lu Liang.


    Now that she was again the leading lady in a film produced by Lu Liang, the question arose whether the two were dating.


    Lu Liang laughed lightly, "Perhaps, Director Yan is better suited to answer this question."


    Yan Fei grinned, "Tianai is suitable for this role, and that''s why it''s hers."


    "Also, this friend here, Mr. Lu has also invested in Xia Luo and Donkey Gets Water, and seemingly even Wu Jing''s War Wolf 2."


    His implication was clear, letting Zhang Tian''ai play the lead in this movie was solely because she was fit for it, with no other motives.


    If they were truly in a relationship, with Lu Liang''s capability, he could let her be the leading lady in any film he invested in.


    "Suddenly, I''m so happy¡«"


    Zhang Tian''ai cocked her head, winked at Lu Liang, and playfully said, "Mr. Lu, why don''t we stir up some scandal? The scandal about Mr. Shen and me seems to be fizzling out."


    Instead of hiding and sneaking around, better to mix truth and fiction, so if their relationship got accidentally exposed later, it would be mistaken as just promoting a scandal.


    Shen Teng, looking indignant, said, "What are you saying? Just think, over a decade ago, I was also the heartthrob of the military art academy."


    "That''s fine, then I''ll go and chat with Mr. Zhang about the promotion fees." Lu Liang said with a smile at the corner of his mouth, getting ready to leave.


    Zhang Tian''ai waved goodbye with a smile, then shouted loudly to Zhang Chen, "Mr. Zhang, remember to give more money."


    "What money, does stirring up a scandal with me bring you shame?" Shen Teng looked displeased.


    Zhang Tian''ai grimaced, hesitating, "Mr. Shen, it would be nice if you were a bit thinner."


    A wave of laughter erupted in the theater, and amidst the laughter, Lu Liang left the stage of the premiere.


    He departed, and soon after, the premiere concluded, but the related news quickly fermented online.


    Lu Liang''s personal appearance and participation in the premiere was a hot search term that the production company couldn''t have bought for any amount of money.


    Not to mention him going onstage for an interview.


    Although it''s often said that Lu Liang is addicted to publicity, he promotes mostly his own investments.


    If you wanted to pay him for promotion, it would cost at least nine figures, and more likely Lu Liang wouldn''t even consider it.


    "666, an ''82'' score man."


    "These journalists are no good, they totally missed the joke."


    "A 2-billion box office? A 2.5-billion box office? Damn, each more daring than the last."


    "No way, does Ai Bao truly like Liangzi? Those eyes, they were practically melting."


    "The ultimate dream of female stars is to marry into wealth, and Liangzi is Tang Seng''s flesh; If I were Zhang Tian''ai, I''d have delivered myself already."


    "While it''s undeniable that many actresses think this way, it definitely doesn''t include Ai Bao. A hard-working girl like her, who gave up a chance to become a second-tier star after her web series exploded, and focused solely on honing her acting skills to earn this role."


    "The act of vomiting, did she shout your name when playing poker with others, defending her like that?"


    All at once, news about First Rich filled the air, outpacing Riding the Waves, overshadowing Journey to the West: Demons Subdued, and far ahead of Danao Tianzhu.


    Initially, only slightly notorious, First Rich became the hottest movie of the Spring Festival file because of Lu Liang''s participation and attendance at the premiere.


    With such high popularity, as long as the plot was passable and suited for family viewing during the Spring Festival, recouping the 150 million investment was no issue¡ªit was just a matter of how much profit would be made.


    Wu Jing was so envious that he was practically drooling.


    Had he known that Lu Liang''s participation would bring such explosive publicity, he would have spared no expense even domestically to build a Green View greenhouse exclusively for Lu Liang.


    As night fell, the airplane arrived at Pu Xin Airport.


    Zhuo Yifan informed that Tesla would be holding a delivery ceremony for Mao Dou 3 the next day.


    Musk would also arrive in Modu early tomorrow morning to personally preside over the delivery ceremony of the first batch of 30 vehicles.


    He knew that Lu Liang had divested from the private equity fund and was no longer a shareholder of Tesla, but he still hoped to meet him.


    "What time tomorrow?" Lu Liang asked.


    "Four in the afternoon, Shangri-La Hotel."


    "Alright, got it."


    Deep into the night, Lu Liang held Li Manli until the chimes of midnight rang out, startled, silent, and finally closing his eyes to digest it all.


    Li Manli blinked, her brows tinged with an indelible sadness, "Liang, are you asleep?" S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Hmm?"


    "Dad asked me to come back for the New Year."


    "That''s good, you won''t be alone this year."


    "But I don''t want to go back."


    Li Manli was downhearted, having been in a cold war with her family for almost a year.


    During that period, only she would initiate calls home; otherwise, no one would call her. She even found out about her brother''s wedding in August through social media.


    Recently, her dad had called her out of the blue, apologizing and hoping that she would come home for the new year.


    She was delighted and bought lots of gifts in advance until her mom called to inquire whether she was dating Lu Liang.


    Lu Liang sighed softly, wiping the tears from the corner of her eyes, "It''s fine if you go back, and it''s also fine if you don''t. I support you either way."


    Li Manli made a sound of acknowledgment, curling up and squeezing tightly into Lu Liang''s embrace, "Goodnight, Makabaka~"


    Sometimes, she truly felt suffocated, but then she would think of having Lu Liang, and it all seemed to matter little.


    "Goodnight," Lu Liang kissed her forehead.


    ...


    Tesla really knew how to pick the time.


    Mao Dou 3 chose to be delivered on the twenty-third day of the twelfth lunar month.


    The end of the year approached, but it wasn''t yet the vacation period. All companies were busy with inventory checks. Aside from production companies promoting films for the Spring Festival slot, the mobile phone and automotive industries had no new releases, leading to a brief public opinion vacuum.


    From Musk''s arrival in Modu at five in the morning, the whole internet talked about Tesla and the delivery of Mao Dou 3 all day long.


    Lu Liang had a favorable opinion of Tesla and Musk, as it was a leading new energy automobile company in the world.


    It was a pure admiration for power.


    However, there were too many filial and wise fans online, saying things like, "Fortunately, technology is in civilized hands," "What use are refrigerators, color TVs, big sofas when simplicity represents technology?", and even Liangzi was subservient to Tesla.


    It seemed like everything was rose-colored, and this really irritated Lu Liang. He sighed, "Old Zeng, stand up for yourself, don''t be outdone by Su Daqiang."


    Lu Liang silently relaxed his investment requirements for Modu. As long as the gap wasn''t too large, he was determined to invest in Modu.


    Even though he knew that Su Daqiang, in order to secure a hundred billion investment, would spare no efforts and offer the highest courtesies.


    But money was not an issue for Lu Liang; as long as the policy incentives were reasonable, he was determined to compete with Tesla.


    Although annoyed, he was past the age for youthful rivalry; it was mainly about that lavish display of wealth.


    [November 3, 2021, Tesla''s market cap reached 1200 billion US dollars]


    "Eight trillion RMB market cap, tsk tsk..."


    Lu Liang''s mouth watered; initially, he thought the current market cap of 80 billion US dollars was already high, little did he know it was still at the bottom.


    If he didn''t plan to personally enter the fray, he would probably continue to buy more of their stock like Ningde and become a long-term shareholder.


    But since Lu Liang decided to make cars, he couldn''t just stand by. With such a giant shadow cast over him, who else could stand out?


    Modu should be one of Tesla''s great expansion locations, if not the only one, definitely one of them.


    Lu Liang needed to seize the opportunity from them, and that meant starting to undermine them now.

 Chapter 284 - 283: A Dead End, Switch Careers as Soon as Possible

    "Activities like these are best left to the Americans."


    Tesla was hosting a delivery event for their locally produced Mao Dou 3 and live broadcasting it on Douyin. Before the event started, Musk, with a smile on his face, passionately performed a rendition of "YMCA."


    Although originally a gay anthem, time has transformed this song into a symbol of positive and united spirits.


    Musk''s dance moves were so enchanting that they could rival any merchant''s, and as the emotion deepened, he became a master accordion player.


    "It''s truly liberating."


    Lu Liang remarked, this time without any hint of teasing.


    Musk held a 26.5% stake in Tesla, which, with the current market value, meant his net worth exceeded 130 billion RMB.


    If wealth were the measure of status, that would probably put him on par with Shunfeng''s Wang Wei, for whom it might be humiliating to dance like that on stage.


    But Musk carried no such burden; he squinted his eyes, his expression full of enjoyment, utterly intoxicated.


    The main reason was that he was genuinely happy, after all, enjoying the enormous industrial system and demographic dividend of the East Country.


    The cost of producing a Mao Dou 3 in the United States was close to 46,000 US Dollars, around 300,000 RMB.


    But for a Mao Dou 3 rolling off the production line in the Modu super factory, the material cost was only 200,000 RMB.


    Moreover, if the production capacity were to increase, costs could be further compressed.


    The profit margin soared from just under 5% to 31%.


    Such profitability would make anyone happy, and not only because they would earn more but also because they had the power to lower prices.


    While watching the delivery event, Lu Liang reviewed Tesla and Musk''s information to prepare for the upcoming meeting.


    As it approached three o''clock, Zhuo Yifan knocked on the door to remind them that the car was ready, and they should set off to the hotel to meet Musk.


    The news of Musk''s stay had already spread, and many media journalists were squatting at the hotel entrance.


    "11288, is that Lu Liang''s car?"


    "Damn, it actually is."


    "Musk? Lu Liang? This is going to be huge news!"


    In an instant, reporters swarmed at the entrance, but luckily, the business Mercedes following the Bentley quickly stopped upon seeing this.


    Six security personnel jogged to the Bentley, opened the back door, and escorted Lu Liang for his departure.


    "Mr. Lu, are you here to meet Mr. Musk?"


    "Mr. Lu, you''ve already left private equity, so in what capacity are you meeting with Mr. Musk today?"


    Reporters, with their cameras and microphones, surrounded Lu Liang, each trying to capture breaking news.


    In some ways, Lu Liang and Musk had a lot in common.


    Though Tesla prides itself as a tech company, it''s also labeled as a financial firm, and Lu Liang, whose main business was finance, was also planning to personally enter the automobile manufacturing industry.


    Just standing together, the two of them were a topic-rich scene.


    "We are friends," Lu Liang said with a calm smile.


    Upon receiving the message, Musk rushed to the hotel entrance, all smiles, with his arms wide open.


    Though they had never met before, it did not prevent them from embracing warmly like old friends upon their first meeting.


    Leaving the media journalists on site


    with a precious photo of their hug.


    "Lu, ni hao," Musk said in his broken Chinese.


    He had started attempting to learn Chinese since he began dealing with Modu''s municipal government the year before last, but alas, he really lacked a knack for languages and just couldn''t get the hang of it.


    "Hello, there are a lot of people here, let''s go inside first," Lu Liang replied with a smile, also in his broken English.


    His level of English was clearly a notch above Musk''s Chinese, though he lacked a speaking environment. Su Wanyu had said more than once that his spoken English had a Tokyo accent.


    This made her feel quite responsible as a teacher.


    However, Lu Liang didn''t mind; as long as he could listen, speak, and read, that was enough. A heavy accent only troubled the listener, what did it have to do with him?


    Besides, just last year, Little Wang mocked Lei Jun for his heavy accent and embarrassed himself internationally, only to end up apologizing sincerely and deleting Weibo posts.


    The two arrived at the reception room prepared for them at the hotel.


    "Lu, I didn''t get the chance to meet you when I visited China the year before last. It''s a real pity," Musk said with a smile brimming across his face.


    He had visited Modu once before, at that time for the first delivery event of the Mao Dou X.


    Back then, he had really wanted to ride on the coattails of Lu Liang''s popularity, but it seemed Lu Liang had caught on to his intentions.


    Lu Liang said with a laugh, "Back then, we were just getting started and quite busy. I really couldn''t make the time."


    Musk couldn''t help but sigh, "Indeed, the East Country''s new energy market has developed really fast these past two years."


    He involuntarily looked toward Lu Liang, knowing that the market''s speedy development owed much to him. In his eyes, Lu Liang would not be out of place as a vice chairman at the first World New Energy Vehicle Congress held this July.


    "Elon, you didn''t invite me here today just to sing my praises, did you?"


    Lu Liang wore a smile on his face, but inside he couldn''t help but scoff at whoever spread the idiotic belief that Westerners are always straightforward and never bother with polite chit-chat.


    Musk''s scheming was almost on par with Old Ma''s. The chairman''s spot for the World New Energy Vehicle Congress had been confirmed¡ªreserved for a national vice leader.


    Even BYD''s Wang didn''t qualify for the vice chairman''s position, what more right did he have?


    Musk broke into an awkward smile, "Of course not. The main thing is, I wanted to talk about the future development of the market." sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Last year, the East Country sold a total of 512,000 new energy vehicles, with global sales totaling 595,300.


    Although Tesla''s market cap had risen to 80 billion USD and had been recognized by the market, he was still puzzled.


    What use was a high market cap? It was simply the market''s expectation of a company''s or an industry''s future.


    If those expectations were not met, the higher they were held up now, the harder they would fall later.


    Global annual sales of less than 600,000 units did not give him a clear view of the industry''s future. He could only force himself not to think about it or to accept the market''s expectations of Tesla.


    His visit to China this time was partly for the delivery of the Mao Dou 3, but also to seek answers from Lu Liang.


    Perhaps even Lu Liang was not aware of how highly the Western world regarded him.


    If he were willing to embrace Wall Street, he would receive the same treatment as Buffett and Soros.


    "Wilson has talked to me about you many times. Every time he speaks about you, it''s as if he is describing God," Musk said.


    Wilson was the investment head of JPMorgan''s third group. He was the one who advocated investing in Tesla from the beginning, determined to make it the next Microsoft or Apple¡ªa tech giant leading the world.


    Wilson''s reputation on Wall Street wasn''t much inferior to Buffett''s. It was just that he typically represented JPMorgan, so people remembered JPMorgan and overlooked his role.


    After many years of investments with few failures, Wilson''s myth had shattered upon encountering Lu Liang, receiving blow after painful blow.


    In the six confrontations they''d had, the only two times he''d profited were once when Lu Liang was on his side and another when he had actively chosen to ally with Lu Liang.


    As adversaries, he had never won, leading to his current reverence for Lu Liang akin to that for God.


    A win once or twice might be luck, but triumph six or seven or eight times showed a testament to sheer strength.


    Lu Liang was silent for a while before he spoke softly, "Elon, don''t listen to what others say, watch what they do."


    More than once, people had asked him this question, including Li Bing, Li Xiang, and others.


    The financial market had high expectations for the new energy sector, almost wanting to lift them to the heavens.


    But the real offline sales, like cold water, repeatedly reminded them that this was the current state of the market.


    They feared that electric vehicles would not be accepted by the public, fearful that the industry wouldn''t meet the lofty financial market''s expectations.


    In that case, everything now would be castles in the air.


    Ningde with a market cap in the trillions, Tesla with a market valuation of eight trillion USD.


    Lu Liang was well aware of the potential this market held.


    He really wanted to tell Musk to give it up, that electric cars were dead in the water and that Tesla might as well switch industries now.


    But if he truly believed it was a dead end, why would he keep pouring money into it?


    And regardless of whether Lu Liang spoke up or not, Tesla would continue to move forward unwaveringly because it had already been pinned with so much hope.


    It was like Li Erfeng¡ªmaybe initially, he had no ambition to capture the throne, but later on, it became a situation where not contesting meant death; those who supported him would die too.


    Since he couldn''t change Tesla''s developmental path, he might as well extend a favor by going with the current.

 Chapter 285 - 284: Airdrop into Tokyo

    Musk left Modu and went to Beijing to pay his respects.


    "This trip to China, talking to Lu Liang, has been the happiest thing for me, bar none."


    Before he left, he gave an interview to numerous media, praising Lu Liang to the skies, inside and out.


    As for the past when Lu Liang shorted Tesla, nearly driving them to their wit''s end, he diplomatically referred to it as normal market behavior.


    "Mr. Lu, what did you guys talk about?" Li Bing hurried into Lu Liang''s office.


    Yesterday afternoon, Lu Liang entered the hotel around four o''clock and didn''t leave until after nine at night.


    For five hours, no one knew what they discussed, but Musk seemed inspired. Otherwise, he wouldn''t have showered Lu Liang with such overflowing praise, as if he were an enlightening mentor.


    "Just chit-chat."


    Lu Liang chuckled lightly, not discussing any specifics.


    Musk himself is a person of strong subjectivity; his words only made Lu Liang more certain of the direction he was heading.


    The same words, coming from someone you respect, feel completely different than from someone you don''t.


    It''s like an e-commerce worker getting encouragement from a friend versus Old Ma; it''s incomparable.


    Although the gap between Lu Liang and Musk wasn''t as exaggerated, the idea was more or less the same. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Was it really just casual chat?"


    Seeing the domestic Tesla Model 3 officially come off the line, Li Bing felt a sense of crisis because they were preparing to mass-produce their ES8.


    "Mr. Li, our company is hosting an annual meeting this afternoon, would you be interested in attending?"


    Lu Liang changed the subject. He told the truth, but if Li Bing didn''t believe him, there was no need to explain.


    "I''ll pass this time, I''ve been quite busy lately." Li Bing didn''t ask further, though his expression showed a touch of melancholy.


    The new energy policy of the new year, "One Main Three Times," targeted not just LeEco.


    All the new forces in the industry faced indiscriminate suppression. The production of ES8, planned for March, might now be delayed by a few months.


    And there was a rumor going around that the second and third clauses were suggestions put forward to higher-ups by Lu Liang in collaboration with BYD Wang.


    "Well then, I should go check out the venue too."


    Lu Liang smiled. Even if the entire industry knew he had made the proposal, what of it?


    The Tianxing Mixed Fund had passed its financial review with a budget of three hundred billion, who would dare to act rashly?


    "Alright, you''re busy, so I''ll be on my way if there''s nothing else."


    Li Bing was at a loss for words, unable to describe Lu Liang''s current invincibility aside from believing that, with 300 billion at his disposal, nothing was standing in his way.


    If there were more days left in the year, Tianxing Fund''s doors would likely be swarmed.


    Every company needed money, and it just so happened that Lu Liang was extremely wealthy.


    Li Bing left a New Year''s gift box and departed.


    He inquired on one hand, but mostly, he came to maintain his presence in front of Lu Liang.


    "With so much alcohol, it could stock a bar."


    Lu Liang sighed, looking helpless.


    Other fund companies sent gifts to investors during the holidays, but for them, it was the other way around.


    Since the 20th of the last lunar month to today, the New Year''s gifts Lu Liang had received could fill a thirty-square-meter warehouse.


    Each gift consisted of at least two vintage bottles of Moutai.


    Though Lu Liang repeatedly emphasized not to send gifts, it was his business whether he received them; the act of giving them was a matter of attitude.


    Lu Liang called Fang Shiyu over: "Yu, take a look, just pick whatever you want."


    "Bro, I don''t want any." Fang Shiyu hurriedly shook his head.


    He had already taken one million from Lu Liang and sent it back home, ready to build a new house come spring and not daring to ask for more.


    "Just take it when I say you can take it, grab as much as you can, enough with the nonsense." Lu Liang gave him a stern look.


    To sell them? He didn''t need that little money,


    And he wouldn''t be able to finish drinking them himself; his friends and family would have to suffer.


    Lu Liang hesitated whether he should return to his hometown for the New Year.


    Previously, he had no experience, but now he did.


    He could meet the girl''s family, but he definitely couldn''t let the girl meet his family. His parents kept asking how things ended up with Little Li and what would happen with Su.


    Lu Liang''s head ached.


    Running away is shameful, but effective.


    "Yu, you''ve worked hard this year, take some time to visit your aunt more."


    Lu Liang had made up his mind, he was going to let loose this year and not return home for the New Year''s celebration.


    The heavy responsibility of filial piety to his parents was thus left to Lu Ya and Fang Shiyu.


    Fang Shiyu was clueless, "Bro, where are you going?"


    "If auntie asks, just say I''m working."


    At five in the afternoon, Lu Liang arrived at the Hilton Hotel.


    This year marked a year of significant growth for the company, having only arranged 11 tables last year, but this year, it had quadrupled.


    They had reserved a banquet hall capable of accommodating five hundred people, with the grand prize having upgraded from a BMW 3 Series to a Tesla Model 3.


    There were a total of twenty grand prize slots, and Apple family bundles were piled up like a small mountain. With an average of 57,000 yuan per person excluding the venue, everyone was guaranteed at least 50,000 yuan.


    Last year''s 3,888 yuan universal prize had also evolved into an Apple family bundle.


    Two hours of wild giveaway frenzy,


    And it all wound up with Lu Liang belting out a song to declare the end.


    On the 29th of the year, the company went on holiday, and Lu Liang, along with Little Wang and a few girls, hopped on a flight to Tokyo.


    Not going home this year, Lu Liang hadn''t thought of where to go, and Li Manli had no opinion, as she had already spent a week at home last year.


    So, Lu Liang approached Little Wang, who just happened to have plans for a New Year''s vacation too. He assured Lu Liang everything was on him and guaranteed a trip they wouldn''t want to end.


    "National sentiments run deep during the New Year''s. Even if you go to Hai Island, it won''t be much fun. You have to go abroad."


    Little Wang was experienced. This was Lu Liang''s first year not returning home for the New Year, but Little Wang never went back.


    As he reasoned, why limit yourself to the New Year holiday when you hardly see Old Wang a few times throughout the year.


    It''s rare to have some time truly at ease to enjoy a leisurely holiday, so why bother going back home to be nagged at.


    "That kinda makes sense," said Lu Liang with a helpless laugh.


    "Lu, you''re just not used to it yet. We''re young people. Let''s not act like those old antiques."


    Little Wang was pompously proud; earning money, he couldn''t outdo Lu Liang, but when it came to living it up and enjoying life.


    Ten Lu Liangs put together wouldn''t match him.


    As he said this, he glanced at Li Manli, who was seated nearby. It would have been more fun without the girls, just two guys.


    Lu Liang just smiled and didn''t join in.


    Having left Li Manli alone in Modu for New Year''s last year, she was pitiable enough, and now she was completely estranged from her family.


    If Lu Liang had gone home for the New Year, it would have been one thing, but it would have been heart-wrenching to think about leaving her behind this time.


    "Mr. Wang, is Tokyo fun?" Li Manli asked excitedly, this being her first overseas trip.


    "It''s really fun; you can just call me Cong from now on."


    Little Wang smiled. He wasn''t sure what Lu Liang was up to; he seemed like a total cad, and yet, not quite that cad-like.


    After all, since he knew Lu Liang, Li Manli had always been by his side. Now, bringing her along for New Year''s, she must have some weight in his heart.


    "Tokyo¡­"


    Lu Liang looked out the plane''s window, the outline of Tokyo growing clearer; it was also his first time traveling abroad.


    Little Wang seemed to sense Lu Liang''s worry and reassured him, "Don''t worry. Considering you''re a board member of the World New Energy Vehicle Conference and nominated for the People''s Congress, the more famous you are, the safer you''ll be."


    Originally, in the middle of the year when the Japan-U.S. exchange rate had stabilized, it fell again to 118, and Lu Liang was undeniably instrumental.


    Over the past two years, Lu Liang had been accused more than once by the Tokyo Daily of being the big hand shorting the yen.


    But times were different now. Lu Liang had multiple buffs; not only would he be safe, but he would be exceptionally secure.


    After all, being a board member of a world-class organization with a nomination from East Country Modu for the People''s Congress, his status was no less than that of a small nation''s leader.


    The East Country folks have a unique characteristic, a strong admiration for power, a trait common to all, but particularly strong among them.


    Little Wang could guarantee that as soon as any significant corporations or institutions caught wind of Lu Liang''s visit, they would bring out all the stops, with boisterous celebrations and fireworks, providing the sort of exceptional treatment reserved for heads of state.


    Safe to say, his safety meter was at full.


    "I''m not thinking about that," Lu Liang chuckled.


    He was very much aware of his own weight; he wasn''t nearly important enough for people to go to war over.


    If making money through shorting meant reprisal, then Soros wouldn''t still have been around into his eighties.


    "What are you thinking about then?" Little Wang asked, curious.


    If safety wasn''t the issue, then he was likely thinking about making money.


    Panda live-streaming product sales had brought in a new revenue stream, but it was still in desperate need of money to grow, as was Wanda also in need of cash.


    Going abroad for the New Year was his yearly ritual, but this year was different. Mr. Wang had lost the title of the First Rich, and there were even whispers of him turning from First Rich to First in Debt.


    No matter how carefree he was, he couldn''t just ignore it, so he had canceled his original plans to go abroad quite early.


    It was only because Lu Liang had ideas that Little Wang changed his plans again to accompany him for a tour, to play around, and see if they could catch the opportunity to glean some secrets to wealth.


    "It''s nothing," Lu Liang shook his head, preferring not to elaborate. He fastened his seat belt, readying himself for the descent into Tokyo City.

 Chapter 286 - 285: Mitsui Sumitomo

    "Mr. Wang, welcome to Tokyo."


    Little Wang often visited Tokyo for leisure, owning not just a car and a house here but also having his personal local guide.


    As soon as they left the airport, a group of people hopped into a business van and headed to Chiyoda in the Six Districts of the City.


    "Although Tokyo has the essence of a capital, it lacks the name of one, because the Sakura people generally believe that wherever the Emperor resides, that is the capital."


    Li Yang, a Chinese national residing in Japan, had long been familiar with Lu Liang''s renowned name. Knowing that it was his first visit to Tokyo, he enthusiastically introduced everything along the way.


    Li Manli excitedly looked out of the car window and noticed many Chinese signs in the shops from the airport to the city, feeling a sense of closeness.


    Especially the numerous "free information centers," which looked a bit frivolous with their flashy colors: "What are those?"


    Li Yang smiled and explained, "Miss Li, ''muryou'' means free, and ''annai'' means guide. But those places are generally fronts for adult entertainment recommendations."


    "..." Li Manli blushed but kept peering outside as they passed another upscale bubble bath store.


    She had seen movies and knew what it meant, having even tried it on Lu Liang before, but she was unclear about the official proceedings.


    Knowing that the Spring Festival holiday was spent traveling to Tokyo, besides sightseeing, she also embraced a learning attitude, given that this was the land of Cosplay.


    "First, we''ll stay in Tokyo for four days, then head to Hokkaido for three days. How does a week and then back home sound?"


    Little Wang discussed the itinerary with Li Yang. To him, Tokyo was not unfamiliar, but the key thing was that it was Lu Liang''s first visit.


    Li Yang was a full-time guide, and he was almost one himself, with everything organized to prioritize Lu Liang''s enjoyment.


    "Anything works, you guys decide."


    After lunch at the hotel and a short rest, the group headed to Akihabara in the afternoon.


    Although Little Wang thought it was rather uncool to go shopping in Akihabara while visiting Tokyo,


    it was like someone who had never been to Beijing¡ªif they didn''t go to TAM, it would be a wasted trip.


    Li Manli was thrilled and bought seven or eight expensive cosplay costumes and over a dozen exquisite anime figurines.


    She had never had a clear concept of money; in Modu, she had a car and a house and with tens of thousands of dollars in monthly income, she never needed to worry about money.


    Generally, if she liked something, she would buy it without caring about the price. After all, since she already owned the big-ticket items¡ªa car and a house¡ªnot much else could top that in expense.


    However, as she was in the midst of shopping, she suddenly realized her bank card was maxed out, and she could only give Lu Liang puppy dog eyes.


    She had already blown through her $50,000 limit and couldn''t swipe a dime more.


    "Use mine," Lu Liang couldn''t help but chuckle, pulling out an ICBC Global Pass supplementary card.


    The main account not only had a balance of twenty million US dollars but could also overdraw up to two million US dollars.


    This should keep her shopping spree going for a while.


    Little Wang''s female companion showed a look of envy; it was true Little Wang was rich, but compared to Lu Liang, there was quite a gap.


    After all, the difference between generation one and generation two wealth was like the Somali Trench¡ªunfathomably deep.


    Little Wang suddenly coughed a few times; as evening approached, Tokyo''s nightlife was about to begin.


    It was time to make a move; continuing with female companions might be inconvenient.


    "How about we go learn flower arrangement?" Dou De''er hinted.


    "Sure," Li Manli said innocently.


    "You guys go learn, we''ve got some things to handle."


    Little Wang took Lu Liang and Li Yang, along with half of the bodyguards, and left Akihabara.


    The two came to Minami Aoyama in Minato District, where Little Wang had invested in a private club.


    "Wanna try something thrilling?" Little Wang winked and flashed a knowing smile typical of men.


    Investing was the entrance fee; Tokyo''s mistresses were famous, and they too could experience the treatment a master received.


    "Let''s see," Lu Liang raised an eyebrow, looking at the ''menu'' without changing his expression.


    Over two hundred active female participants were listed, including the heavyweight from the underworld, Heavenly King Mikami.


    Lu Liang wasn''t fond of Mikami, always feeling he relied too much on his looks and lacked sincerity.


    By contrast, he preferred Takahashi Seiko.


    "What''s next?" Lu Liang asked.


    "Just wait," Little Wang also picked someone and stretched lazily.


    He suggested Lu Liang book a hotel himself since when they were out having fun, safety was paramount.


    If it were on someone else''s turf, there would always be the worry of surveillance, preventing them from fully enjoying themselves.


    But in a hotel room of their choice, these concerns wouldn''t exist.


    "You seem so professional; why not stay here instead, live streaming has no future."


    "Get lost."


    Lu Liang, under the guise of security personnel, booked a luxurious suite in Minato District.


    He and Little Wang parted ways in the elevator.


    After waiting for around forty-five minutes, the doorbell rang.


    "Private Marseilles..."


    Three hours later,


    Lu Liang and Little Wang left the hotel one after another.


    At a random ramen stall by the roadside, Little Wang grinned and asked, "How did it feel?"


    "Top-notch spa," Lu Liang replied with a smile on his face.


    The experience was remarkable¡ªright from the moment he walked in, he had knelt and respectfully handed over a hospital health report.


    From what he understood, the money earned from one visit was enough to produce two films¡ªthe service was undoubtedly impeccable.


    The water bed bubble bath was the cream of the crop; indeed, it was worthy of a teacher who had won the Dark World''s savior award seven times in a row.


    It was definitely a top-notch 95 scene, but not quite up to a 98.


    Little Wang laughed, "Glad you liked it."


    After finishing their ramen, the two returned to the hotel in Chiyoda.


    Li Manli was fiddling with flower arrangements; seeing Lu Liang return, she excitedly boasted, "How is it? Pretty, isn''t it?"


    "It looks very nice," Lu Liang replied, patting her head, then headed to the bathroom to wash up.


    It was his third bath of the night and, though he didn''t mind, he was still worried about carrying other scents.


    "Strange?" Li Manli said, tilting her head in confusion.


    Suddenly inspired, she changed into the blue swimwear she bought that afternoon and followed Lu Liang into the bathroom.


    "Are you very tired today?" she wondered.


    She had just looked in the mirror and was quite pleased with herself, considering she even surpassed the female lead in the comics.


    But Lu Liang''s reaction was not as intense as she had imagined.


    "Indeed a bit. I just went to discuss some matters and my head still aches a bit," he said.


    Lu Liang coughed a few times. After having a full meal outside, naturally, he wasn''t hungry at home.


    "Then let me massage you a bit."


    Li Manli also stopped teasing Little Lu, went behind Lu Liang, and started massaging his neck and shoulders, "Does it feel better now?"


    Lu Liang hummed in response, closed his eyes, and hid a fleeting sense of guilt.


    Meanwhile, "First Rich" had been released for 24 hours, scoring a box office of 210 million yuan on its first day.


    The media exclaimed in surprise, as the major box office push during the Spring Festival typically arrived after the third day.


    During the first two days, everyone was busy visiting relatives, and only after the third day did they find time for entertainment.


    Last year''s "Mermaid" made only 280 million yuan on its first day but eventually reached 3.391 billion yuan.


    Now, it seemed like "First Rich" had great potential to become this year''s Spring Festival box office champion.


    As the reviews for "Evil Suppressing Chapter" had tanked and the quality of "Danao Tianzhu" was mediocre, audiences were just supporting Wang Bao.


    On the first day of the Spring Festival, the runner-up was born, and unless unexpected, it would be between "First Rich" and "Riding the Waves."


    "Liangzi, still inferior."


    "People regard him as the industry''s guiding light." Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Whatever he invests in makes money¡ªit''s like all the wealth in the world is his alone."


    "But speaking of which, why hasn''t he helped promote it? After all, he invested and even starred in it."


    "He''s busy enjoying himself; who has the time?"


    A photo of Lu Liang and Little Wang with their partners, visiting Akihabara, sparked frenzy online.


    The next morning, the front of the hotel in the Chiyoda District was lined with a row of black Mercedes, much like a movie scene featuring mob bosses making an appearance.


    As Lu Liang and the others were dining in the restaurant, Little Wang gestured with his mouth, signaling Lu Liang to look outside, "Are they here for you?"


    "Probably not," Lu Liang smiled back, but the next second, he was metaphorically slapped in the face.


    A man in his fifties approached their table and courteously presented his business card, "Mr. Lu, hello."


    Coming from Mitsui Sumitomo Bank, Mr. Saito, who greatly admired Lu Liang, had taken the liberty to visit upon hearing of his arrival in Tokyo.


    "Hello, Mr. Saito," Lu Liang expressed surprise. Mitsui Sumitomo was formed from the merger of Sumitomo Bank and Mitsui Group''s Sakura Bank.


    With a total asset of 100 million yen, the bank had become the third-largest domestic bank and one of the top ten commercial banks worldwide upon merging.


    Similar to Ping An or Citic back home, but Mitsui Sumitomo held even higher status, being the product of two major financial groups'' merger.


    Lu Liang wondered; they didn''t seem to have any direct dealings unless the other party had been an opponent in past transactions.


    After all, in the past year, he had shorted the yen twice, involving Wall Street forces, which naturally involved local powerhouses as well.


    But he did not know who exactly was involved.


    "Mr. Lu, may I have a word with you in private?" Mr. Saito asked with a smile, possibly making himself appear more amiable.


    Though they had indeed been opponents in the market and had even suffered significant losses, he wasn''t there to settle scores.


    He paused and added, "Mr. Ma is here as well."


    "Ali''s Mr. Ma?"


    "Yes."


    Lu Liang thought for a moment and then turned to Little Wang, "You guys go and have fun; I''ll go with them for a walk."

 Chapter 287 - 286: A Cunning Rabbit Has Three Burrows

    Chiyoda District, Yorletown, 72nd floor of Mitsui Sumitomo Headquarters.


    "Alone in a foreign land I am a foreigner, every festive season I miss my kin all the more, Mr. Lu, long time no see, happy New Year."


    When Old Ma saw Lu Liang coming over, he wore a bright smile and personally brought over a plate of dried fruits and snacks, "Let''s seek some good fortune."


    "Joyful together, joyful together," Lu Liang smiled, casually taking a sour plum, knowing that some places had this custom.


    During New Year visits, the host had to present a plate of dried fruits and snacks as a sign of respect to the guests, and regardless, guests had to eat a little bit to show their respect in return.


    But this was an act of hospitality from the host; Old Ma seemed to be more than just a simple guest of Mitsui Sumitomo.


    Lu Liang looked to the side where there was a man in his early forties; Old Ma introduced him, "This is Mr. Ota Ling."


    The rotating chairman of Mitsui Sumitomo Bank, because it was a merged bank like the two-party system in the United States, the role rotated periodically.


    To this day, Mr. Ota had been the chairman for seven years; under his leadership, Mitsui Sumitomo maintained a growth rate of 12% annually, and internally nobody could compete with him.


    "Mr. Lu, hello, I''ve always heard your name, and today I finally have the chance to meet you."


    Mr. Ota spoke in fluent Mandarin, a level of fluency that could make Lu Liang feel inferior.


    "Mr. Ota, hello."


    Lu Liang shook hands with him, and while they conversed, he looked towards Old Ma to ask how his talks with the businessman went.


    Last Monday, the businessman took office as the 45th, and by Thursday, Old Ma had departed for the United States for a visit.


    He also became the first Chinese person to meet with the businessman after his election, discussing small business development and employment issues.


    Over the next four years, Ali Group planned to add 1 million small business jobs in the United States, particularly servicing the businessman''s major stronghold, the Midwest.


    Although netizens jokingly called it a flat plain.


    But Lu Liang knew, this was a mistake Old Ma made to support Larry.


    However, it seemed to turn into a blessing in disguise because by offending the businessman, an apology was offered, the businessman accepted the apology and reciprocated with goodwill, allowing Ali to be removed from the blacklist and enter the European and American markets.


    "The result is good, but the process, goddamn it almost got screwed over."


    Old Ma was one of the entrepreneurs Lu Liang knew who loved to swear the most. He warned Lu Liang that if he ever met with the businessman in the future, he had to be extremely careful.


    The businessman might have been a political novice, but he was an extremely successful real estate mogul, often mocked for even bankrupting a casino, but in essence, it was to avoid debts.


    After all, which entrepreneur had gone bankrupt six or seven times but had wealth growing faster each time?


    He was exceptionally smart and adept at utilizing rules, receiving high praise from Old Ma.


    Old Ma suddenly took pleasure in misfortune, "Mr. Lu, you better be careful, he seems to have his eyes on you."


    During the conversation, they talked about Lu Liang; the businessman appeared to highly admire him. It was one thing for ordinary people to admire someone, but being admired by the 45th was not necessarily a good thing.


    "Meet force with force, counter water with earth."


    Lu Liang just smiled and didn''t take it too seriously.


    The United States was a bully, and the businessman was the biggest of them, with seventy to eighty entities and people targeted by them.


    Compared to that, Lu Liang was more curious about how Old Ma got involved with Mitsui Sumitomo and why he had invited him?


    It surely couldn''t just be to give a warning?


    Old Ma looked at Mr. Ota, they caught each other''s gazes, and started discussing the idea of inviting Lu Liang to join and establish an international fund.


    Mitsui Sumitomo would hold 40%, he and Lu Liang would each hold 30%, but Lu Liang could join with his capabilities and didn''t need to put in money.


    The registered capital of this company would be 300 million dollars, and if Lu Liang agreed, he would gain 90 million dollars for free.


    "Mr. Ma, Mr. Ota, I need some time to think about this," Lu Liang frowned, feeling that this matter was not as simple as it seemed.


    He did not, unlike Old Ma, lecture around the globe with political intentions written all over his face.


    Once overseas, he represented not only himself but should carefully consider the issue of positions.


    "Mr. Lu..." Mr. Ota was very sincere, but as he was about to speak, Old Ma gestured with his hand to stop him.


    Old Ma said with a smile, "Mr. Lu, it''s getting late, why don''t we find a place to catch up?"


    "As you wish." Lu Liang shrugged his shoulders and bid farewell to Mr. Ota.


    The two went to Old Ma''s luxury apartment in Ginza, purchased for 28 million dollars.


    1,800 square meters, with chefs, maids, and cleaners; there were seven visible staff members, but its level of luxury was still somewhat inferior to Old Xu''s.


    "Mr. Lu, this way please."


    Old Ma, all smiles, changed into a casual outfit and led Lu Liang to the dining area.


    He liked the restaurant here, located in Ginza, the busiest part of Tokyo, where he could dine quietly while enjoying the cityscape of Tokyo.


    The floor wasn''t high, just on the ninth floor.


    Because the entire country was in a long-term earthquake zone, city regulations stipulated that the tallest buildings could not exceed ten floors.


    Without high-rises and swarms of tiny ants, one could even make out the expressions of pedestrians on the street when looking down.


    "Mr. Lu, would you like a drink?" Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The waiter continuously brought up plates of delicious food; Old Ma got up and headed for the liquor cabinet, while Lu Liang shook his head, "Thanks for the kind offer, Mr. Ma, but let''s not drink at noon."


    "The soup tastes very nice."


    Old Ma smiled and then started talking about the collaboration discussed at the headquarters of Mitsui Sumitomo, "Mr. Lu might want to consider it."


    Just now, Ota Ling from Mitsui Sumitomo had been there, and there were some things he couldn''t say openly.


    Old Ma probably guessed Lu Liang''s thoughts, wanting to firmly grasp both finance and industry, which was nothing to fault.


    But he shouldn''t waste his capabilities; the focus of domestic development wasn''t on the financial sector, and Lu Liang shouldn''t put all his eggs in one basket; a wise rabbit has three burrows.


    Looking at those entrepreneurs, like Little Ma, Lei, and Qiangzi, and even like the father of Lu Liang''s friend, Little Wang.


    They had all set up a large number of properties in Xiangjiang, Tokyo, and Singapore, just to leave a way out for themselves.


    The national situation of the East Country was too unique, the opening-up was only a matter of the last few decades, after all, it''s still socialist, not capitalist, and one must be cautious.


    "Thanks for the high regard, Mr. Ma, I will consider it carefully."


    Lu Liang pondered for a long while, his attitude slightly softened compared to his earlier decisiveness; no matter what Old Ma''s intentions were, the perspective of having three burrows wasn''t wrong.


    Just like the family trust he had set up in Xiangjiang, that was one burrow, but it wasn''t enough.


    Tokyo, Singapore, it would be best to set up some more assets there; that would be truly sleeping without worries.


    "Mr. Lu, how long do you plan to stay in Tokyo?"


    Old Ma was smiling, not saying much more; Lu Liang was a smart person, and he would agree sooner or later.


    He didn''t have any special intentions; primarily, he just wanted to bring Lu Liang into the group to increase his own value.


    Not long ago, during a trip to the United States, Old Ma realized just how well-known Lu Liang really was.


    Including with Ota Ling, although the two had an old acquaintance, they weren''t close enough to partner up and establish a company.


    The key was that he knew Lu Liang and could help make connections, and so he could share in the benefits.


    Capitalist society is a social environment prefixed by capital, which clearly shows the value of capital.


    Hot wars won''t easily break out; economic wars, financial wars, will become the mainstream in the future.


    After the meal, the two went to nearby Fujian Mountain and played several rounds of golf.


    Lu Liang didn''t know how, just swung a club randomly. He was very aware that being able to play wasn''t important at all because a golf course isn''t a place for playing golf but a site for socializing.


    With a swing, the ball flew tens of meters away, the club was handed to the caddy, and the players walked on the boundless lawn, chatting as they walked; this was the true purpose of golf.


    Old Ma was very talkative, pulling effortlessly from historical and contemporary anecdotes from China and abroad; there was never a lull in conversation when chatting with him.


    Since having lunch, he hadn''t mentioned the matter of collaboration again, instead talking about some trivial matters.


    Successful people, without exception, all have a strong proactive nature; mention it once, and they would ponder deeply.


    Mention it too often, and it would backfire.


    Until the evening, Lu Liang bid farewell to Old Ma and planned to meet again back in the country; he returned to the hotel in the city.


    Little Wang was very curious, "What did you talk about?"


    "Adult stuff, kids shouldn''t ask too many questions."


    "Damn it~"


    At night, Lu Liang locked himself in the study.


    After a long time, he finally called Old Ma; he agreed to join the partnership but wouldn''t appear in person.


    Just like managing a private fund now, he would only arrange for a trusted person to handle the single-line contact.


    "Let''s just make a good connection, hoping there''s never a need to use it," Lu Liang muttered softly to himself.


    Old Ma had said that rapid social development could cover all shortcomings, but development wasn''t limitless; there would eventually come a day of stagnation, even deflation.


    By then, class solidification and the widening wealth gap would cause frequent incidents, and social resentments would breed.


    It was always necessary to sacrifice a few to quell public anger; Lu Liang wasn''t sure if it would be him, but it didn''t hurt to be prepared.

 Chapter 288 - 287: Sign Holding Frenzy

    In Tokyo until the third day of Lunar New Year, two couples went skiing in Hokkaido, and on the sixth day, they boarded the flight back to their home country.


    As soon as Lu Liang returned home, he received good news: he seemed to have been nominated for the Best Newcomer at the Baihua Award. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Before the third day of Lunar New Year, "First Rich" and "Riding the Waves" were still neck and neck at the box office.


    "First Rich" was the top grosser for two days, and "Riding the Waves" for one day; the battle was intensely close, and the victor was yet undecided.


    However, from the third day of Lunar New Year onwards, "Danao Tianzhu" received continuous negative reviews, and not even Wang Bao could save it, as filming significantly decreased.


    Wanda argued forcefully, shifting the reduced screening times entirely onto "First Rich," thus "First Rich" entered beast mode.


    During the seven-day Spring Festival holiday, it aggressively raked in 1.255 billion in box office revenues, creating a gap of 313 million from the second-place "Riding the Waves."


    It completely dominated,


    becoming the absolute ruler of the Spring Festival period.


    Maoyan and other film media predicted that the final box office might reach 2.452 billion.


    The film was of high quality, packed with engaging content¡ªenough to even turn historical figures into terms of deprecation.


    The presence of Lu Liang was also a major factor.


    Consequently, all major awards wanted to ride on Lu Liang''s popularity, nominating him for Best Newcomer.


    If Lu Liang were to attend the ceremony to accept the award, it would definitely be his; if not, it was merely for amusement.


    Since Lu Liang had acted in the film, the awards had the right to nominate him.


    "I want to go, but I don''t have time."


    Lu Liang sighed, well aware that they were leveraging his popularity, but there was nothing he could do.


    If he had the time, it would be best to accept the awards personally and diminish their perceived value.


    But he did not have the time,


    on the first day back at work in the morning,


    he stood at the doorway handing out red envelopes.


    Lu Liang then received five phone calls, from officials from the commerce offices of Modu, Su City, Wuhan, and others.


    Jinling, Wuhan, and Ningbo were the first to be eliminated, as compared to the others, they simply had no advantages.


    As expected, Su City showed the most sincerity, approving 15,000 acres of land and offering a maximum of a 10 billion interest-free loan for five years.


    This loan was not for Lu Liang personally but for the new energy-related companies that would soon settle in the industrial park.


    Public funds could not invest in offline industries; they could only invest in the capital market, such as stocks, bonds, funds, etc., earning returns through these financial products.


    However, Lu Liang could influence corporate decisions on the financial level, and bring them together to create a hundred-billion-level new energy industrial park.


    Thus, he needed to find a suitable city for these companies and secure an ideal location for the future Tianxing Technology.


    Of course, this location might not necessarily be for Tianxing Technology; it could be for Tesla or tailored for other businesses.


    "Modu still bets on Tesla."


    Lu Liang sighed. He was already leaning towards Modu, willing to choose it despite slightly worse policies.


    But Modu did not favor him; for a project of a hundred billion magnitude, only 4,800 acres were approved, relocated to Jinshan Guard.


    Neither here nor there, clearly sending him off to break new ground. And to make matters worse, they allocated so little land.


    His heart instantly cooled.


    "Daqiang, Daqiang, I''m here."


    Lu Liang no longer hesitated, contacting Zhou Yi, the director of commerce in Su City, expressing willingness for further discussions.


    After ending the call with Zhou Yi, Lu Liang contacted the responsible persons of the other four cities to express his regrets.


    Throughout February, Lu Liang took no action; 300 billion lay dormant in the regulatory account of the Trade and Industry Department.


    Meanwhile, the Hongguang Mini deluxe edition was launched, equipped with Tianxing OS, becoming the ultimate version of enjoyment for the elderly.


    Wuling never considered developing their car machine on their own, unlike NIO, which didn''t even bother with a fa?ade.


    At the new version''s launch event, they openly stated that this was Tianxing Technology''s car machine and promoted it on their behalf.


    Lu Liang endorsed it for free, and Tianxing Technology provided the car machine for free, along with future updates; they rightfully expected a reciprocal gesture.


    Consequently, people began noticing how Tianxing Car Machine looked increasingly similar to what was showcased at the NIO ES8 launch event, the so-called NIO car machine.


    Li Bing had no choice but to step forward and clarify that the NIO car machine was indeed a collaborative product with Tianxing Technology and acknowledged that it was an exceptional car machine system.


    With authorization from Lu Liang, after bidding farewell to Mobike, Hu Weiwei once again emerged in the public eye.


    This time, she appeared as the CEO of Tianxing Technology, hosting a new product launch event.


    She stated that this was a mature car machine system, and that any interested companies could contact them.


    Not only was it provided for free, but it also came with permanent after-sales rights, and priority use of their smart driving system would be possible in the future.


    "LeTV Car is very interested."


    After the conference, Old Jia remotely supported the event on Weibo, stating that he and Lu Liang were close friends and would support the Tianxing Car Machine no matter what.


    The past six months had definitely been the hardest for Old Jia, with LeEco''s market value falling from its peak of 160 billion to now 60 billion.


    The once first brother of the Growth Enterprise Market had become a thing of the past, entangled in various lawsuits, with rumors that the LeEco Empire was about to collapse.


    In the financial market, Lu Liang was a golden signboard; he was shameless now, wanting to rub shoulders no matter what.


    However, his so-called close friend soon brutally stabbed him in the back.


    February 26th, it was a calm day.


    Big A was playing around at over three thousand points as usual, hard to go up, but easy to come down.


    At nine-thirty in the morning, the stock market opened, and the new energy sector suddenly erupted.


    BYD, Tianqi Lithium, Jiangte Motor, Great Wall Electric, and other twelve stocks nearly instantly hit their price limit.


    Following them was a massive influx of capital into the new energy market, with a net inflow of funds reaching 50 billion in just a few minutes.


    The huge amount of capital continued to pour in, just in one morning, during two hours of trading.


    The new energy index was thoroughly in the green, surging by 6.65%, with all stocks either hitting their upper limit or on their way to it.


    It must be known that since the new energy policy was issued last month, the state had actively been degassing.


    The new energy indices had fallen from 3300 points to over 2600 points, and had been continuously declining.


    This round of market trends came out of nowhere.


    "One should know, it has been a long time since Liangzi made any noise."


    "Also, he holds 300 billion in capital."


    "Furthermore, when this guy is silent, he is often up to something big."


    The netizens of this generation understood Lu Liang very well; one could say, this was his consistent style.


    Throughout February, Lu Liang had been very quiet, except for a sighting of him in Hokkaido at the beginning of the month, it seemed as if he had vanished from the world.


    Not just him, but even the 300 billion public fund had entered a one-month lock-up period, with no one knowing what he was up to.


    Once the public fund had successfully raised funds, to prevent the news of position building from leaking, it usually entered a 1-3 month lock-up period.


    Hence, people speculated that this morning''s upheaval in the new energy sector was intricately linked to him.


    With such a formation and the deployment of such massive funds, apart from the National Team, only Lu Liang had the capability.


    But when the National Team usually joined the market, it only chose traditional sectors like banks, securities, and steel.


    Considering Lu Liang''s consistent interest in the new energy industry, this suspicion was logical and convincing.


    Time ticked away by the second.


    The entire new energy sector was almost at its peak, only heading downhill.


    Even the twelve stocks that drove the trends, the tremendous locked-up capital, also instantly retreated.


    "Damn, the entire index is experiencing a Sky Floor?"


    "A sight to behold, worthy of my Big A, this magical land."


    "Stock disaster is coming, run~~"


    A large number of uninformed retail investors, believing in the rumors that a stock disaster was really coming, began selling their chips frantically.


    Yet the massive outflow of funds did not impact the overall market trends of the sector.


    By the closing at three o''clock, the twelve stocks that drove the market trends capped the price limit once more.


    This time, the attitude was more resolute than ever before.


    Market retail investors were like fools, led around by the nose, crashing everywhere.


    It wasn''t until four o''clock in the afternoon that the twelve companies leading the market trends published today''s explanation for the price limitation.


    Announcements varied, but they all disclosed one message; they had been acquired.


    The one taking over them was the Tianxing Mixed Fund managed by Lu Liang.


    A single statement set off a thousand waves,


    A one-time acquisition of twelve companies was an unprecedented feat.

 Chapter 289 - 288: Universal Surge

    "Fuck, these market makers are real bitches."


    "Damn, I sold too early again."


    "I''m so mad¡ªat least three limit-ups!"


    "Hehe, thanks to the boss for the last-minute meeting, I didn''t notice Jiangte Motor''s momentum, it''s gonna soar~~"


    As everyone knows, if you hold more than 5% of the market''s circulating shares, you have to disclose it publicly, notifying of your shareholding activities, and then enter a lock-up period for six months.


    For the next six months, you can only buy, not sell, so a sudden withdrawal of capital at the end of the session, or even dumping stocks causing market panic to forcefully break the limit, is definitely not Lu Liang''s handwriting.


    Who is orchestrating all this is quite obvious, none other than the main force, market makers, or speculative institutions that had insight into the shareholding ahead of time.


    The incident happened so suddenly that it could also be said that Lu Liang hid it too well; for more than half a month, not a single piece of news leaked out.


    Just today, all of a sudden, there was a frenzy of shareholding, and in one go, 12 companies were targeted.


    They didn''t have time to build positions, so they could only spread rumors, create the illusion of a stock market crash, and grab as many low-priced chips as possible.


    "Tsk tsk, just three limit-ups? You''ve got a small vision, who are you looking down on? The gains should at least be a double."


    Since the middle of September two years ago, the new energy sector began its first wave of activity, with the sector index rising from 1450 points to 2980 points. Since then, Lu Liang vanished from the A-share market.


    Rumors had it that he was warned by the authorities or amiably ''expelled'' from the country.


    There were many theories, but anyway, since then, Lu Liang didn''t appear in the domestic market and started to campaign internationally.


    Facing three or even eight opponents at once, he was surrounded multiple times by international capital, and each time he fought his way out, building a formidable reputation.


    Last year when Buffett increased his stake in BYD, it nearly doubled BYD''s stock price and pushed the company''s market cap to 300 billion.


    As the local stock market legend from East Country, Lu Liang''s influence in the financial markets is not weaker than Buffett''s.


    "Speaking of which, didn''t Old Jia say ''dear friends and family''? Why did the Tianxing Mixed Fund not target LeEco?"


    A bunch of netizens flocked to Boss Jia''s Weibo, posing the soul-searching question: Is it a plastic friendship or is Boss Jia''s presumed close friendship unbeknownst to Liangzi?


    Although LeEco also hit the daily limit today and its market cap went back over 60 billion, the absence of a shareholding announcement just now meant it was merely riding the wave of the sector''s momentum.


    New energy sector leader BYD was targeted.


    Tianqi Lithium, number three, was targeted.


    Jiangte Motor, number four, was also targeted.


    Only LeEco, number two, was overlooked.


    Whoever is missing, that''s who is embarrassed.


    If Boss Jia doesn''t give a reasonable explanation, when the market opens tomorrow morning, today''s gains might all be coughed up, possibly even leading to a devastating break.


    After all, why target the number one, number three, and number four dragons, as well as a whole bunch of new energy constituents and uniquely ignore LeEco¡ªcould it be that LeEco, as rumored, has some serious issues?


    "Lu Liang, you''ve wronged me!"


    Boss Jia cried out in despair, sensing a crisis looming, he disregarded everything else and bought a plane ticket to Xiangjiang that very night.


    Since last year, the LeEco Empire has been teetering; he tried his best and exhausted all means.


    But in the end, it was all for naught.


    Old Jia decided he couldn''t keep fighting internally. If one path doesn''t shine, try another. He decided to start afresh and rise again.


    Faraday Future is his future. Staying with LeEco, staying in the country, there''s no future at all.


    Meanwhile, on the 32nd floor of New International Building.


    The busy scene at Tianxing Fund was explosive, nearly two hundred employees bustled about as if someone had hit the fast-forward button.


    The staff of the Silver Supervision Committee and Securities and Futures Commission, alerted by the news, were also busy as ants on a hot pan, not touching the ground with their feet.


    Public funds inherently require more regulated operations, let alone shareholding in the market, and especially when it''s multiple companies all at once.


    As with fund companies, they need to provide complete shareholder information, including the number of shares held, the percentage of shares, and the purpose of the holdings, etc.


    The Securities and Futures Commission also needs to review the materials to ensure there are no insider trading or fraudulent transactions, and so on and so forth.


    "Mr. Lu, this time, your move is a bit big," said Zhao Jisheng, taking a hurried break to drink some water, just as Lu Liang came out of the trading room, he couldn''t help but smile wryly.


    He was an old acquaintance of Lu Liang; he was the person in charge of the Teli A case back in the day. As times changed, he was transferred from the leader of the investigation team at the Securities and Futures Commission to the Director of the Review Office.


    A one-time shareholding in 12 companies was unprecedented, and the intensity of the review work far exceeded the past.


    Without any surprises, for the next half month, he and his 22 colleagues in the review team would have to eat, drink, and do everything else right here.


    "Director Zhao, please bear with us; I know it''s tough."


    Mr. Lu smiled, his face showing not a hint of guilt.


    The company''s operations were reasonable and compliant, only the number of shares acquired were a bit high and the timing focused, but that was it.


    "It''s our duty," Zhao Jisheng replied with a forced smile, merely grumbling without daring to place blame.


    "Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for your hard work. There''s a restaurant on the fifth floor; you''re welcome to dine and rest there anytime."


    Mr. Lu knew the coming months would be busy, so he had already asked Zhuo Yifan to speak with the manager of the fifth-floor restaurant.


    He arranged for them to be open 24 hours, for the next two months, they would treat it as their canteen.


    Having said that, he greeted Zhao Jisheng and returned to the adjacent office. Since the seventh day, following negotiations with Zhou Yi from the Su City Investment Promotion Office, they began to build their positions.


    The 12 enterprises were carefully selected, all dedicated to the new energy industry from the get-go.


    They weren''t like companies such as LeEco and Hengtai, which jumped on the bandwagon halfway, just to cash in on the new energy theme and to add luster to themselves.


    The total market value of the 12 companies was about 1.89 trillion, and Tianxing Mixed Fund spent a total of 112.252 billion to acquire shares.


    The amount wasn''t the standard 94.5 billion because some companies had reached ownership stakes of 6% or 7%.


    Regardless of their future development, in the short term, they were sure to profit by more than 50%.


    "There''s still 187.748 billion."


    Mr. Lu pondered how to spend the remaining funds.


    Public funds have rules; you can''t leave the fund uninvested, and before the end of the lock-up period, the position cannot be lower than 80%.


    This meant that in the coming month, Mr. Lu needed to spend all of the 127.748 billion.


    Then launch the fund, classified under new energy, facilitating buying and selling for fund investors.


    "Spending money is also a headache."


    Mr. Lu looked thoughtful, playing with a four-leaf-clover lighter, as clicks and clacks echoed in the office.


    Although he had successfully quit smoking, the lighter gifted by Su Wanyu remained with him.


    Because he intended to use this lighter to coax Wanyu back from Edinburgh.


    Mr. Lu lay back in his chair, swaying, when he suddenly thought of Ningde Era.


    Last Tuesday, Old Zeng seemed to have said that Ningde Era was preparing for an IPO roadshow.


    With a valuation of 41 billion, they would release 15% equity for IPO financing and then go public.


    "Hello, Mr. Zeng, is Ningde IPO short of funds?"


    Mr. Lu called Old Zeng, planning to take on half of the fundraising capital, making Ningde a part of Tianxing Mixed Fund. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He was going to feast on the profits and let the supportive fund investors also nibble on some, saving them from always falling prey to junk funds in the market.


    "That''s possible. Why don''t you come down to Modu the day after tomorrow, and we can find time for a meeting?"


    Ningde, listing at 22.5 times price-to-earnings, didn''t lack funds, but they needed long-term partners.


    Old Zeng obviously wouldn''t pass up the opportunity to become closer with Mr. Lu, expressing willingness to have a good talk.


    They could also discuss Ningde Era''s roadshow in Modu, and have Mr. Lu help endorse the event.


    "There''s still over 124.7 billion."


    Mr. Lu called Zhou Yi; the trillion-level industrial park project could be initiated and bonds issued.


    The Tianxing Foundation would subscribe at the earliest opportunity, providing development funds for companies settling in the park.


    The next morning at nine,


    the much-anticipated A-share market opened for business.


    The new energy index was completely in the green, with the 12 companies that were acquired all hitting the price ceiling during pre-market bidding.


    Each stock was bolstered by hundreds of millions, or even billions, of capital, which was reassuring.


    Inside were people, jubilant,


    wrapping up today''s trading in the first second as the market opened.


    They threw themselves into their work, full of joy.


    Those on the outside could only watch helplessly.


    The new energy stocks were nearly all green, the smallest increase being 1.22%, with only one company showing a green decline, unmoving on the floor.

 Chapter 290 - 289: Iron Rice Bowl Broken

    "Where''s Old Jia? Hurry up and save him."


    Seeing others make money is even more painful than losing your own; this statement couldn''t be more appropriate to describe LeEco''s individual investors.


    The entire new energy sector was on the rise, only LeEco showed an independent trend, a sight that individual investors with holdings watched anxiously.


    With the sky-high trends of the market, if missed, there might have never been another chance.


    However, in the past six months, Old Jia, who had always been active on Weibo, had been offline for 8 hours.


    No one from the company side had come forward to respond.


    Just when everyone thought Old Jia and LeEco were playing dead to avoid the issue,


    suddenly, there was a rumor that someone saw Old Jia on a flight from Xiangjiang to Los Angeles last night.


    "Damn it, Old Jia chooses to leave the country at this time? What does he mean? Is he trying to pull a Dai Wei?"


    "Ofo refund, the 15,200,00th person passing by~ Probably never in this lifetime series."


    "How can that be possible, didn''t LeEco just receive 15 billion from Rongchuang at the end of last year? How can he do a Dai Wei."


    For a time, the internet was filled with various speculations until someone stood up and leaked that the 15 billion invested by Rongchuang, originally meant to save LeEco, had been cashed out as 7 billion by Old Jia for personal gain.


    The rumors grew more rampant, and a supposed former LeEco financial controller stepped forward with revelations that the finance department had long been sidestepped by Old Jia.


    Since last March, all of LeEco''s financial auditing and cash management involving monetary operations had been personally handled by Old Jia and his team.


    The subtext being, for the past year, or perhaps even longer, all financial projects associated with LeEco, including the quarterly financial reports of the listed company, could all be fake.


    Old Jia''s departure, the company''s silence, and the supposed former financial controller''s leaks pushed LeEco to the forefront of public debate.


    Originally just a stock lying on the floor taking a brief rest, occasionally managing a few jumps, now completely plummeted to a trading halt.


    Institutions, major players, and hundreds of thousands of individual investors were locked in.


    "No way, he ran away so fast?"


    Lu Liang was shocked and immediately called Zhu Hu.


    There were too many true and false messages on the internet, including those about the supposed former financial controller, I couldn''t be sure if they were authentic.


    After all, it was a message circulating from Zhihu, and those in the know understand, "Zhihu, where you share the story you just made up."


    "The situation in the Beijing Circle is now in complete chaos, I can''t say I know the specifics, but one thing is certain, Old Jia has indeed left Xiangjiang to go abroad."


    Zhu Hu was deeply concerned; Old Jia was not like Dai Wei. LeEco''s scale was at least fifty times that of ofo.


    LeTV Group was established in 2004, and after 13 years of development, it became a super large enterprise, even holding the title of the top player in the Growth Enterprise Market just last year.


    If Old Jia had really fled, I believed the entire business world would be rocked by an earthquake, and various industries would also be affected by the aftershocks.


    "Lu, do you know something?"


    Zhu Hu suddenly asked. Over the past two years, Lu Liang had met Old Jia several times and had even shared the stage a few times.


    Old Jia had always been promoting PPT car manufacturing, and Lu Liang had always been optimistic about the new energy industry; logically, they should have intersected.


    It was strange though, Miha You, Little Red Potato, Mogu Street, and others who Lu Liang had only seen once at an awards ceremony, he symbolically invested tens of millions in them.


    But when it came to Old Jia, to LeEco, he avoided them like the plague.


    Even in September last year, when the new energy index surged, Lu Liang only made a quick in-and-out trade then promptly cashed out and left the market.


    It was said that Old Jia had looked for Lu several times, sometimes for LeTV Car, and other times for Faraday Future.


    You don''t look at the monk''s face, you look at the Buddha''s face; everyone was in business and must deal with each other sooner or later, but Lu stubbornly didn''t invest a penny.


    "You guys said before that there was something off about LeEco''s finances," Lu Liang said without hesitation, promptly shifting the blame onto Zhu Hu and Shen Peng.


    "Since you all felt something was off, and I don''t mix with the Beijing Circle, and have no dealings with him, I didn''t want to take the risk."


    Lu Liang squinted his eyes and chuckled: "Tsk, tsk, now it seems I''ve had a stroke of luck from this misfortune."


    [July 21, 2020, LeEco share price closes at 0.18 yuan, delisted from the Growth Enterprise Market.]


    The A-share system is problematic; once listed, it''s like holding an iron rice bowl, and you''ll never have to worry about food and clothing again.


    However, LeEco managed to smash even the iron rice bowl.


    Eventually leaving the market with the disgraceful stock price of 0.18 yuan per share.


    Today''s trading halt, LeEco''s share price was still at 48.12 yuan. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If one were to buy in now with 100 shares, spending 4812 yuan, then in three years, only 18 yuan would remain. This kind of plummeting makes the phrase losing all one''s capital tangibly realized.


    Lu Liang''s head hadn''t been squeezed by a door; even with all his wealth, he wouldn''t treat tens of millions of yuan like nothing.


    Moreover, tens of millions of yuan were nothing to Old Jia, so it was better not to invest at all.


    "You''re the smart one," Zhu Hu sighed ruefully.


    When you''re in worldly society, you''re not always in control. He, too, had invested a few hundred million.


    They could only pin their hopes on Old Jia, hoping he just went out to clear his mind and would soon come back to deal with the mess at LeTV.


    "Will he come back?" Lu Liang asked with a smile.


    Zhu Hu was silent for a long time, then suddenly let down his guard, cursing, "Motherfucker, come back my ass, the news about the 7 billion he embezzled is true."


    Living in the United States, with a grip on several billion US Dollars.


    Would one swagger around overseas, or return home to handle LeTV''s mess that no one knew could be fixed?


    Any sane person knew what to choose.


    The likelihood of Old Jia not coming back was very high.


    Because he had exited from Xiangjiang.


    If there really was no issue, why didn''t he leave openly from Beijing?


    It gave people the impression of protesting too much.


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but chuckle, then asked again, "Hu, does LeTV still have any quality assets?"


    After a whale falls, all manner of life thrives; LeTV Group was once the top of the Growth Enterprise Market, surely there had to be some assets left.


    "Forget about it, what''s left is all trash, the quality assets have all been mortgaged for 15 billion in funding."


    As a member of the Beijing Circle and a veteran venture capitalist, Zhu Hu had access to much more information than Lu Liang.


    Rongchuang wasn''t stupid either; they were sharpening their knives, eager for the kill when LeTV was in such trouble.


    If LeTV really ended up filing for bankruptcy, Rongchuang might even make a fortune because the actual value of the assets they accepted as collateral far exceeded 15 billion.


    "Seems like it," Lu Liang sighed.


    Just as he was about to hang up the phone, Zhu Hu suddenly asked, "By the way, how''s your Public Fund doing, still smooth?"


    "Pretty smooth."


    "How long are you planning to stay?"


    Zhu Hu was beating around the bush, implying that he saw through it; the Public Fund was not Lu Liang''s ultimate destination.


    He was now like a mercenary, dabbling here and there, with no one knowing what he was truly scheming.


    Lu Liang''s mouth curved into a smile, openly admitting, "A year or two, probably not much more than that."


    Zhu Hu''s description was apt; previously, he had been able to withdraw from a private equity fund, and naturally, he could exit from a public fund in the future.


    When the new energy industrial park project was finalized, that would be the time for him to leave the Public Fund.


    At 8:30 in the evening, after being offline for 15 hours, Old Jia logged back onto Weibo.


    "Rumors, rumors, all rumors! The internet is not beyond the law, ladies and gentlemen, be careful with your words."


    Old Jia immediately issued a clarification announcement, stating there were two reasons for his trip to the United States. One was to advance the business of LeTV Car, and the other was to discuss financing issues with Faraday Future.


    Having already secured one billion dollars in funding from an institution, once the project negotiations were finished, he would return to the country to deal with LeTV affairs.


    He spoke with deep emotion, LeTV was his child; could any parent abandon their own child?


    He was convincing, rational, and forceful,


    Much more so than Dai Wei last year.


    "Believe in LeTV, believe in Mr. Jia."


    "After all, Mr. Jia has weathered so many ups and downs in the business world; what storm has he not seen?"


    "Believe!"


    A large number of stars and directors came out in support, such as Yimou, Xiao Si, Sun Li, Deng Chao, Hong Lei, and others.


    Nineteen prominent directors and stars collectively halted the rumors of LeTV''s bankruptcy and Old Jia''s flight.


    "Prostitutes without affection, actors without loyalty, alas, the public investors are the ones who suffer."


    Lu Liang, visibly annoyed, decisively logged onto Weibo: "First clarify the whereabouts of the 7 billion before anything else."


    They were simply trying to use the stars'' clout to make the public investors believe that Old Jia would return and LeTV wouldn''t go bankrupt.


    That way, they would have enough time to pull out, leaving hundreds of thousands of uninformed retail investors to pick up the tab.


    Lu Liang was disgusted by these bastards¡ªinstead of going down together, they''re using the public to cover their retreat. What kind of behavior is that?


    "Mr. Lu? Are you saying Old Jia won''t come back?"


    As soon as the message was posted, a large number of onlookers and LeTV shareholders flocked to Lu Liang''s Weibo to inquire.


    They didn''t know jack about celebrity artists; this guy was the real big shot, not having invested a single penny in LeTV.


    If Lu Liang said Old Jia wouldn''t come back, then he definitely wouldn''t return, and LeTV would be truly finished.


    "Not clear, don''t understand, don''t know," Lu Liang replied promptly for the first time.

 Chapter 291 - 290: Billionaire

    #Lu Liang''s Views on LeEco#


    #The 7 Billion Ownership#


    #Old Jia Heads to America#


    #Second Dai Wei#


    #Ofo''s Deposit#


    Related topics quickly surged to the top of Weibo''s hot search, sparking heated discussion across the net.


    Various institutions and speculative investors were itching with irritation.


    They all heard that Old Jia cashed out 7 billion from LeEco as a lifeline, so the intent was clear.


    That bastard Lu Liang, not only did he save his own skin, he also leaked the news, so how could they escape now?


    Absolutely unfilial.


    They had no choice but to step up efforts, hiring cyber armies and buying off financial experts and professors, persuading them to speak out for LeEco and explain the allocation of the 7 billion.


    LeEco could die, but definitely not now, because they still had a large amount of capital locked in there.


    Once their funds were safely withdrawn, they couldn''t care less about the life or death of LeEco and Old Jia.


    As night fell, Lu Liang no longer paid attention to the online public opinion.


    He had said enough, and if others took offense or if they were enlightened without being influenced by subsequent comments, it was now entirely up to their own fate.


    Lu Liang contacted Wen Chao as well as Ota Ling from Tokyo, telling them to focus on international crude oil for the following month.


    [March 24, Brent Crude Oil $64.74 per barrel]


    There are three major crude oil benchmarks in the world: Texas Light Crude Oil, which is a more commonly used type of crude oil futures in North America.


    And Brent Crude Oil, whose price mainly reflects crude oil prices originating from the Middle East and exported from there to Europe.


    Finally, the Dubai crude, reflecting the demand for crude oil in Asia, and the price of crude oil exported from Dubai.


    The current market price of Brent Crude Oil is $52.52 per barrel.


    In a month''s time, it had risen by $12.12 per barrel.


    Such a situation in the past indicated either OPEC announcing production cuts for the next quarter or new conflicts breaking out in the Middle East.


    Either way, it was profitable for Lu Liang.


    However, he only spoke about paying attention to international oil prices and did not specify which benchmark.


    He wanted private equity to set up first, lying in wait, and when they were almost ready, then he would inform Mitsui Sumitomo.


    Even though they agreed on 300 million dollars, who knew how much Mitsui Sumitomo might quietly invest once they were informed.


    Old Ma had plenty of tricks up his sleeve, Mitsui Sumitomo''s intentions were unclear; although they were partners, he still needed to be cautious, it was better to be safe than sorry.


    Lu Liang turned off his computer, erased his messages, and walked out of the study.


    "Ta-da, do I look good..."


    Li Manli, with pink blush smeared on her face like a shy girl from the comics, wearing wooden clogs and a kimono, and with an exquisite hairpin in her hair, fluttered her sleeves as she approached Lu Liang.


    Seemingly unaccustomed to the wooden clogs or hindered by the kimono, she accidentally took a nosedive, sprawling flat on the carpet.


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but chuckle, "The New Year''s almost over, even if you give me a grand bow, I''m not handing out red envelopes."


    "I''m so mad~ These shoes are so hard to wear." Li Manli huffed, about to throw them away but somewhat reluctant.


    Because the kimono was expensive, half of her five thousand US dollars had been spent on it.


    "Just wear it at home, don''t wear it out, and don''t take pictures, careful not to get scolded."


    Lu Liang chuckled and sat down next to her, quite interested in studying the structure of the kimono.


    After dinner, he had sequestered himself in the study; the only time he came out, Li Manli was fiddling with the kimono, seemingly taking two or three hours to wear it.


    "I wouldn''t want to show it to someone else."


    Li Manli suddenly knelt and bowed, whispering, "Private Marseilles, sir, you''ve worked hard."


    After that, with her head tilted and looking up at Lu Liang, she grinned, "Does it feel like ''Sakura Girl''?"


    "Ow, why''d you hit me?"


    Suddenly, Li Manli covered her forehead, looking aggrieved.


    "Change already, let''s go out for a late-night snack."


    "I just put it on, okay~"


    ...


    The next day, the new energy index soared for three consecutive days, and of the 12 companies that were targeted, all but BYD hit their trading limits at the opening.


    BYD''s market cap had reached 390 billion, inching ever closer to 400 billion. The bigger the company, the harder it was to see a price rise.


    However, it still opened high at 7.55%, occasionally touching the ceiling and tantalizing the hearts of countless retail investors.


    The whole sector''s celebration was the loneliness of a single enterprise.


    LeEco opened with a drop limit, its market value falling below 50 billion, and it could barely hold on to its position in the Growth Enterprise Market''s top ten.


    The main players and speculators locked within knew it without saying, planning to drop for three consecutive days to diminish the impact of Lu Liang''s remarks.


    They knew that Old Jia would not come back with at least a 90% certainty, but the market''s retail investors didn''t know that.


    So there was still room to maneuver.


    First, a drop for three to five days, then a sluggish sideways market for a few days, and finally a violent pull to attract retail investors to pick up the slack and speculate on the low.


    After all, retail investors are like leeks that don''t remember the lessons of loss; losing 30% numbs them, while a gain of 5% overjoys them, almost identical to the gambler''s nature.


    By then, they would be able to make their getaway smoothly.


    ...


    Lu Liang, at the company, waited until the afternoon when Old Zeng from Ningde Era and the roadshow team came to visit.


    They planned to go public with an estimated value of 41 billion yuan, offering 15% of their equity for IPO financing.


    They anticipated raising 6.15 billion yuan, with a tentative offer price of 23.5 yuan per share and a total share capital of 1.744 billion shares.


    The initial plan was to hold three roadshows in Beijing, Modu, and Ningde''s hometown.


    Each roadshow would offer 87.2 million shares for IPO subscription, about 5% of the total share capital. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, after Mr. Lu spoke up, they decided to cut the shares of all three roadshows in half after discussion.


    At a price of 23.5 yuan per share, they would sell 130.8 million shares to Tianxing Fund for a total of 3.073 billion yuan.


    Lu Liang chuckled, surprised, "Mr. Zeng, I thought you might raise the price at the last minute."


    The offer price of an enterprise''s IPO is actually indeterminate before each roadshow begins.


    It may be adjusted based on market reception and enthusiasm.


    After all, with a total share capital of 1.744 billion shares, even a one-cent increase would result in an extra 1.744 billion in market value.


    Old Zeng coughed a few times, "Mr. Lu, we haven''t started the roadshow yet. The price might not stay the same by then."


    Lu Liang personally held 13.33% of the shares, and now Tianxing Fund was also subscribing for the IPO, which clearly showed how much Mr. Lu believed in Ningde Era''s future development.


    Their plan, after completing this transaction, was to increase the offer price by 1 yuan, directly surging the market value by 17.44 billion yuan.


    Lu Liang smiled faintly, "1 yuan is a bit low, Mr. Zeng. Be bold, for example, round it up to an even 25 yuan per share."


    He suggested that before the official IPO, they could claim that Ningde Era and Tesla were initiating a deep collaboration.


    Tesla would abandon LG Chem and Panasonic, and the domestically-produced Tesla would extensively use Ningde''s batteries in the future.


    Zeng Minqun was stunned; they hadn''t started any collaboration with Tesla. Wasn''t this fabrication?


    Lu Liang smiled and said, "Mr. Zeng, just because it didn''t exist before doesn''t mean it can''t exist now. Tesla is willing to give Ningde Era a fair chance to compete."


    Publicly and privately, he was a shareholder of Ningde Era; he couldn''t just invest money without doing anything.


    Ningde Era was not short on cash; after all, it was a company named after a city, and the local municipal government, no matter how poor, would absolutely never let Ningde struggle. However, they lacked connections.


    And Mr. Lu just happened to have such connections.


    Tesla had already tasted the benefits of localization, and even if he didn''t suggest it, sooner or later, they would switch to domestically-produced power batteries.


    BYD and Ningde''s power batteries aren''t just the leaders in China''s power battery industry, but even on the international stage, they hold a prominent position.


    But BYD makes its own cars, and though it takes a low-end route, it could eventually enter the mid-to-high-end market in the future, directly competing with Tesla.


    Therefore, Ningde would become the best choice for Tesla as long as the price was right, and the technology was solid.


    Musk was also willing to do Mr. Lu this favor.


    Zeng Minqun, coming to a realization, turned to instruct his assistant to secure the domestic Tesla order, even if it meant launching the first generation of Kirin Batteries ahead of schedule.


    He then informed that Bank of China and Zhongtai, the underwriters of the IPO, decided to raise the offer price of the new shares from the original 23.5 yuan to 25 yuan.


    After a while, Old Zeng asked, "Mr. Lu, on the afternoon of March 16th at two o''clock, Ningde will have its roadshow in Modu. Will you have time then?"


    After all, Ningde was going public on the Growth Enterprise Market with a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.5 times, which might not be much for internet companies but was an ultra-high P/E ratio for a brick-and-mortar business.


    According to the IPO subscription formula, it''s necessary to lock in funds at least 22 times higher during the subscription period, otherwise, it would be below market expectations and detrimental to institutional assessments after listing.


    "No problem, I''ll definitely be there."


    Lu Liang answered with a full smile, patting his chest.


    After the listing and IPO financing, his 13.33% ownership would be reduced to 10.664%.


    This would be the final number, with no further dilution in the future.


    As long as Ningde developed smoothly and broke through the trillion-yuan market value, his 10.665% stake would then be worth 106.65 billion yuan.


    Lu Liang would become a genuine hundred-billionaire, and it was only right to put in extra effort and help promote however he could.

 Chapter 292 - 291: The Newly-Minted Billionaire

    At the beginning of March, during the roadshow preparations for Ningde Era, word got out that the new Kirin Battery had surpassed LG and Panasonic, becoming the exclusive power battery supplier for domestic Teslas.


    Before the Spring Festival, the first batch of 30 domestic Mao Dou 3s was delivered, and over the past month, a cumulative total of 1,200 pre-orders were delivered, making it the uncontested king of the mid-to-high-end new energy market, with no competitors.


    In the future, the factory will roll out 3,000 units every month, and there are still 13,500 pre-orders pending delivery.


    Tesla also broke the 100 billion US Dollar market cap at this time, and at this moment, Ningde became the exclusive power battery supplier for domestic Teslas.


    Various institutions have uniformly raised their expectations for Ningde Era, and it can be said that Ningde Era had already gathered a group of investors waiting for its IPO before even going public.


    Also on this day, "Xihong City''s Richest Man" reached its one-month mark since release, raking in 1.255 billion at the box office during the seven-day Spring Festival holiday. After the holiday, the first weekend and the weekend when a large number of students returned to school brought another peak period for box office sales.


    The single-day box office repeatedly hit new records, reaching as high as 263 million, with a cumulative box office total of 23.42 billion to date, earning it the title of the undisputed box office champion of the Spring Festival.


    Wanda Cinema bet successfully, and its share price rose for a week straight. As a member of the Wanda Group, it vigorously bought Wanda Group some breathing space.


    "Not redeeming it anymore?" Lu Liang asked with a smile.


    There were rumors that Wanda was negotiating with Rongchuang to sell 76 hotels and 91% of the stock in 13 Wanda Culture and Tourism Cities, involving more than 60 billion in transactions. If the deal was reached, it would resolve a significant part of Wanda''s crisis.


    It has to be said that Old Wang''s decision-making was rather decisive. While others act with lingering attachments even in desperate bids for survival, he was willing to cut off his entire arm without any hesitation.


    The Culture and Tourism City is Wanda''s most core project, roughly equivalent to Ali selling Tianmao, or Tencent selling WeChat.


    "For the time being, there''s no need to redeem it," Little Wang sighed.


    His father, truly lived up to being his father.


    As soon as news of the sale of the Culture and Tourism City project came out, the crisis of a double hit on Wanda''s stocks and bonds was largely alleviated.


    As long as the project was secured and Rongchuang took over with the funds transferred, Wanda''s crisis could be almost entirely eliminated.


    Because there''s an unwritten rule in the business world: where possible, show mercy, and do not push someone to absolute ruin.


    Wanda Group had already amputated its own limb, paying for the mistakes it had made. Whether it was competitors or at the national level, they would likely be shown leniency.


    Moreover, Old Jia was in America, and LeEco was on the verge of collapsing. If Wanda also collapsed, it would have a significant impact on this year''s domestic economy.


    "Why do I feel like you''re somehow disappointed?"


    Little Wang retorted, "Am I?"


    Lu Liang glanced at him and teased, "Could it be that you think you can be called upon in this crisis to save the day, to prove to the world that a tiger father can indeed sire a dragon son, that blue comes from indigo but surpasses it?"


    "...You''re a ghost," Little Wang''s eyes widened.


    The more impressive Old Wang was, the harder it was for him to surpass, and he would live in that shadow for life.


    Just thinking of a ''heroic entrance'' script sent shivers of excitement down the spine.


    Lu Liang shook his head with a smile, moving past the topic, "How is the live-streaming e-commerce going recently?"


    Without an advantage, even if he were in Old Wang''s position, he wouldn''t necessarily be as decisive.


    Though the ''heroic entrance'' script was thrilling, not everyone could be that hero, especially not Little Wang.


    "It has a lot of potentials."


    Little Wang''s eyes suddenly lit up, his enthusiasm returned; his entertainment industry network finally had a chance to shine.


    At first, some played coy, thinking it beneath them for stars to compete with internet celebrities in live commerce.


    But actors, having dignity is just an illusion.


    It all comes down to whether the money is right. As long as the cash is sufficient, they''d welcome everyone with open arms and a big smile.


    Chen Chichi achieved a sales volume of 135 million in one night, thanks to giving face to Little Wang, becoming the first star on Panda to try live-stream sales.


    The platform also did not participate in the revenue sharing, giving him the full 10% commission offered by the merchants for publicity''s sake.


    A 90-minute live broadcast, earning him a 13.5 million commission, enough for a top-tier star to shoot a full drama series or join a prime-time variety show.


    Even with revenue split with the platform, it would be 6.75 million.


    And Chen Chichi was not even a super top-tier star.


    If he could do it, others could do better.


    Consequently, they rushed into the realm of live-streaming sales like blood-thirsty hounds.


    Panda, as the first company to dive into this field, naturally made a fortune in this live commerce frenzy.


    After accounting for losses, they turned a profit of only 1.51 million in the first quarter, becoming the first live-streaming business to realize profits in the industry.


    Valuation estimates for Panda by various institutions unintentionally reached 1.45 billion US Dollars.


    Little Wang still held a 53.25% stake in Panda.


    Personal wealth surpassed the 50 billion threshold.


    "No wonder," Lu Liang was rendered speechless.


    When people get rich, they tend to get carried away, which is why he had such unrealistic ideas, fantasizing about taking over from Old Wang in a moment of crisis.


    At this time, Zhuo Yifan knocked and entered, "Mr. Lu, Su City''s Director Zhou, Tianqi''s Mr. Zhang... they''ve all arrived."


    "Understood," Lu Liang nodded slightly, turned to Little Wang, "What are you standing around for? Waiting for me to invite you to eat?"


    Little Wang had a displeased expression, "Lu, don''t you have anything else to say?"


    If you add up the assets of Pu Si, his total wealth actually exceeded Lu Liang''s.


    No need to round up, it was already over ten billion.


    A prominent newly minted billionaire, he felt no respect whatsoever in front of Lu Liang.


    Even if you don''t respect a prominent new billionaire, at least respect the profits on paper.


    Lu Liang''s early investment in Panda was basically negligible; later, he only invested twenty million US Dollars.


    Currently holding a 12.2% stake in Panda, valued at approximately 176 million US Dollars, his wealth increased by 150 million US Dollars.


    There should be at least a little respect.


    "Do you want me to kowtow to you?" Lu Liang said.


    "No no no... I''m off, I''m off."


    Little Wang left with annoyance, the crisis at Wanda was basically resolved, and he became a newly minted billionaire.


    He had finally seen through it; showing off should be done in front of others, Lu Liang simply didn''t buy his act.


    Lu Liang smiled indifferently, watched Little Wang leave, and then turned to the reception room next door.


    Su City Government''s Zhou Yi, beaming all over his face, was chatting enthusiastically with them.


    According to Lu Liang, out of the twelve companies present, aside from BYD, basically all agreed to settle in the newly built industrial park.


    Each company would establish a new branch, with a minimum investment of no less than one billion, covering the entire new energy industry.


    Even though BYD wasn''t settling in, lacking a power battery manufacturer, there was still Ningde Era.


    Old Zeng of Ningde planned to invest 3.5 billion, relocating his Yangtze River Delta factory to the new industrial park in Su City.


    Once the industrial area was completed, various parts would be delivered to the park, and what came out would be a complete vehicle, creating at least a hundred thousand high-paying jobs, indirectly generating over a million jobs.


    Without exaggeration, once the industrial park was finished, Su City''s GDP would jump from 1.54 trillion to over 2 trillion.


    By then, Su City would surpass Yangcheng, becoming the nation''s fourth city to reach the two trillion level.


    At that time, Nan would just be little Nan,


    and Mr. Hu would just be so-so.


    No one could stop their determination to build an airport.


    Not even Mr. Hu!


    After all, for a city with a national GDP ranking in the top six and a population of over ten million, not having an airport would make even a dog shake its head.


    "Director Zhou, Mr. Zhang... how is everyone''s discussion going?"


    Lu Liang entered with a smile on his face.


    He was only responsible for setting up the scene and paying; he didn''t concern himself with anything else.


    Everyone nodded and smiled broadly, it was apparent the conversation went very well.


    After all, there were 27 second-level fiscal systems in the country, and Su Province''s Thirteen Grand Protectors accounted for thirteen of them.


    The second-level fiscal systems only needed to hand over to the national treasury, the rest of the money was their own, with no need to report up to the provincial level.


    Therefore, they possessed significant financial autonomy, and the investment promotion could offer more preferential policies to the enterprises settling down, not inferior to the ultra-first-tier cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen.


    After talking with them, Lu Liang sent off everyone one by one, leaving only Su City Government''s Zhou Yi.


    Although the new energy industrial park was said to be a hundred-billion project, it was likely to far exceed that in the end.


    After the conversation with Zhou Yi, Lu Liang decided to initiate a 130 billion bond based on the industrial park. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The Su City Government subscribed for 30 billion, and Tianxing Mixed Fund subscribed for 100 billion. This money would only be invested in the park, aiding the development of the enterprises settling in the park.


    A new industrial park should not expect profits for the first few years, as continuous investment is essential, so it would only see returns in the third year.


    The bond of 100 billion had an annual interest rate of 8.2%,


    and a contract was signed for a total of seven years.

 Chapter 293 - 292: The Fund Redemption Frenzy

    "There''s still 87.7 billion left."


    After some contemplation, Lu Liang picked five more stocks from the 115 constituent stocks of the new energy sector.


    As per convention, he first purchased 3-4% of the circulating shares from the primary market and then gradually acquired the remaining shares in the secondary market before finally completing the shareholding announcement.


    These five companies were merely the best of the worst, as the higher quality companies with good operating conditions had already been picked in the first batch.


    The current market was too small; Tianxing Fund''s two successive purchases of 17 stocks had assets that accounted for 7.29% of the sector''s market value.


    The new energy sector''s total market capitalization was only 1.92 trillion, and they held assets of about 140 billion.


    Half a year later, when the lock-up period ended, as long as the National Team didn''t interfere, essentially, they would have a say in this market.


    On March 12th, Tianxing Mixed Fund ended its one-month closed period. All information including the top ten heavyweight stocks, latest net value, and asset allocation details were disclosed.


    BYD firmly took the top spot, with Tianxing Mixed Fund holding a 7.42% equity stake valued at 28.223 billion yuan.


    Tianqi Lithium followed closely, holding a 6.82% equity stake valued at 4.122 billion yuan.


    There were also Jiangte Motor, Xiangdian Shares, and others, with shareholdings valued between 1-3 billion yuan.


    But these weren''t important because the news about the shareholding announcements had already caused a huge stir; even if the fund didn''t disclose it, people already knew which stocks they were.


    Net value was the number that investors were most concerned with because it allowed them to see their profits most directly.


    "1.27, why does it seem a bit low?"


    "Aren''t all the stocks, except for BYD, basically doubled in price?"


    "Where''s the money? Where did it all go?"


    During the fundraising period and the closed period, it totaled precisely two months.


    If you had subscribed for 100,000 yuan at the time, now you could earn 27,000 yuan by selling it; with one million, that''s 270,000 yuan.


    For the first time, investors tasted such a big sweet deal, earning 27 points in just two months, which in the stock market would be more than two limit-up halts.


    They just didn''t understand, even with the other stocks nearly doubling, why they only saw a 27% return.


    Where did the other at least 50% go?


    "Ah, greed is endless, it''s too exhausting to explain to you, go look at the fund''s asset allocation details."


    "What the heck? Tianxing Mixed Fund subscribed to 100 billion yuan in bonds for Su City''s Lou Shui New Energy Industrial Park?"


    "Lou Shui New Energy Industrial Park, what kind of pie-in-the-sky project is that?"


    "I just found out that Su City launched a 130 billion yuan bond issue, backed by 15,000 mu of land, with an annual interest rate of 8.2% for seven years, mainly for the construction and support of Lou Shui New Energy Industrial Park. The Su City Government invested 30 billion yuan, and Tianxing Fund invested 100 billion yuan."


    "What backwater place? Lou Shui is amazing; it''s located in the middle of Yangcheng Lake, which ''passes through'' billions of crabs every year."


    "Our Lou Shui needs to rise, no matter Mr. Jing or Mr. Hu, all step aside, from now on, call me Mr. Lou!"


    "Damn, Liangzi must have had his brain squeezed by a door, not buying stocks but bonds, and even 100 billion yuan?"


    "An annual interest rate of 8.2%? That''s not even enough to cover one limit-up halt, and you don''t even get the money until the third year!"


    "Even if we''re super optimistic about the new energy industry, you can''t use our money like this?"


    "I''m out of here, earning 27 points now is enough."


    "I redeemed it, made a tidy profit of 30 points, smooth as can be."


    As soon as Tianxing Fund''s asset allocation details were disclosed, it immediately sparked a redemption frenzy among the investors.


    Some financial experts said: "Lu Liang has become arrogant, even if he''s optimistic about the new energy industry, he shouldn''t do this, a 100 billion yuan bond issue is a mistake among mistakes."


    Others said: "It''s understandable, he wants to build the largest new energy industrial park in East China or even the whole country, but the current new energy market is too small, and the time is not ripe."


    "It''s a pity, Tianxing Fund had the potential to challenge Tianhong Fund for market dominance, but now that seems difficult."


    Condemnations poured in like a tide, incessant and overwhelming.


    Despite Tianxing Mixed Fund earning 27% profit, it was as if they had committed some outrageous offense.


    A perfect illustration of ingratitude.


    The investors weren''t just talking the talk; they also took concrete actions by applying en masse to redeem their funds.


    Planning to use this as a threat to force Lu Liang to capitulate.


    How they treated those small and medium-sized fund companies two months ago was now how they treated Tianxing Fund.


    "Feeling good, feeling good."


    "What goes around comes around, nobody''s spared by heaven."


    The fund managers who missed out on bonuses last year were gloating as if the feeling was akin to drinking a cold cola on a hot summer day, refreshing from head to toe.


    "Liangzi, Liangzi, who knew you''d have such a day."


    Old Luo, and Old Jia far in the United States, people who bore grudges against Lu Liang, were secretly delighted.


    After more than a year of success abroad, Lu Liang, who had forged an invincible aura, might face his first Waterloo back home.


    At the same time, the tense Deputy-General Manager Zhang Jing hurriedly rushed into Lu Liang''s office, forgetting to even knock on the door.


    Lu Liang, with a smile on his face, was sitting by the tea table with his legs crossed, brewing tea, and showed no signs of reproach, "Zhang Jing, have some tea first, take it easy."


    "Mr. Lu, many people are applying for fund redemptions."


    Zhang Jing swallowed hard, with beads of sweat forming on his forehead, the volume of requests for fund redemption was enormous.


    "Has it broken a hundred billion yet?"


    Lu Liang asked with an unfazed smile.


    He had anticipated this, or else he wouldn''t have set the empty position line so perilously close to 20%.


    60 billion in funds was enough to handle this situation.


    The three institutions had invested a total of 161.5 billion as the fund''s permanent capital. As long as the annual return exceeded 12%, they could not request early redemption for any reason over the next three years.


    That was the stabilizing anchor. The actual externally subscribed capital was less than 140 billion, and with 60 billion reserved, that was more than enough to deal with the redemption of over 40% of retail investors.


    "Not yet, it''s currently 6.155 billion." Zhang Jing gradually regained his composure, Lu Liang''s equanimity was reassuring.


    "That little?" Lu Liang was surprised.


    He pondered and said, "Then let the ICBC know not to hold up the verifications; as soon as an application is approved, release the funds. Also, announce that anyone who redeems their entire position cannot subscribe again for half a year."


    Zhang Jing''s eyes widened, hesitatingly said, "Mr. Lu, maybe we should skip the announcement."


    It''s possible to quietly keep such a gray list and simply have their subscription applications fail next time.


    Lu Liang laid it out directly, intending to fully confront them¡ªit seemed a bit too bold.


    "Just word it diplomatically, come up with a few reasons, like divergent investment views or such, you handle it."


    Lu Liang had no intention of backing down; his public fund was not like other public funds that took money directly from investors'' pockets.


    A hundred billion in bonds, with an annual return of 8.2%, was already not low, especially when a normal five-year national bond yield was only 4.39%.


    Furthermore, according to statistics, last year the national average annual return for public funds was only 6.25%.


    Complaining about an 8.2% annual return now was purely being dazed by the 27% yield.


    Lu Liang had this confidence,


    So it was take it or leave it¡ªif they didn''t want in, it wasn''t his loss.


    Should it lead to a larger scale of fund redemptions, he could simply bring in a few more institutions. Recently his relationship with Su City was pretty good; an 8.2% annual return, the Su City Human Resources and Social Security Bureau was nearly salivating.


    "Okay, Mr. Lu."


    Zhang Jing forced a smile but dared not say more.


    Clearly, Boss Lu had brought the temperament he had managing private funds over to the public fund. To him, whether public or private, if he was in charge, he was the party on top.


    A little over an hour later, the redeemed funds massively hit accounts, leaving the fund investors dumbstruck.


    "What''s going on, 1.27 million arrived so quickly?"


    "My 67,500 also seems to have arrived, wasn''t there a three-day review period?"


    "Damn it, why can''t I subscribe again suddenly?"


    "Quick, check the Tianxing Fund''s announcement."


    A significant number of investors flocked to the Tianxing Fund''s official website, and then they saw a pop-up announcement: "We thank investors for their support... Due to incompatible investment philosophies, we express our deepest apologies...


    We hereby urge regulatory banks to expedite the verification process so that the redeemed capital and profits can be swiftly returned to the subscription accounts..."


    Though it was an apology, not once did it admit any mistake, attributing everything to a mismatch between the fund company and the investors'' philosophies. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In the end, it was stated clearly, for the consideration of the investors'' funds, anyone who had redeemed their entire position was prohibited from re-entering for the next half year.


    "Damn, typical Liangzi, tough as nails!"


    "Tough, my ass. If he''s so brave, why doesn''t he turn away all those who kept a minimum position as well?"


    "He wouldn''t dare, because that wouldn''t be following the rules."


    "To be honest, it is quite arrogant, as if they''re the only public fund in the market."


    "Liangzi might be arrogant, but he has the grounds for it; the market is full of pits, and Tianxing is just a bit more reliable."


    "Tsk tsk, lucky I kept a two-hundred minimum position."


    "To be fair, an 8.2% annual yield really isn''t a small amount, don''t be greedy."


    The gray subscription font was like a bolt from the blue, leaving those who had redeemed their funds stunned. They had only intended to bluff, little did they know Lu Liang would stand so firm, not giving in an inch.


    As everyone knows, there are many pitfalls with funds¡ªthey don''t rise as fast as stocks during the bull market, and they fall harder than stocks in a bear market.


    Finally, such a fund appeared, managed by none other than Lu Liang, they were not ready to let the cooked duck fly away.


    Don''t make an enemy of money, they say.


    So, they started subscribing again using their family members'' identities, only to suddenly discover they were unable to.

 Chapter 294 - 293: Dreams Continued

    "Guys, why can''t we subscribe?"


    "It seems locked, is Liangzi that tough?"


    The onlookers were stunned; full redemption, no re-entry for half a year could somewhat be classified as malicious subscription that disrupted the market, and the fund company indeed had authority in this matter, but locking the position exceeded the rights of a public fund.


    Lu Liang acted with complete overreach, disregarding the Securities and Futures Commission as if a player had usurped the referee''s power.


    When the regulatory team of the Securities and Futures Commission was informed, they also made a call to the fund manager at the first opportunity and, after learning of the details, provided clarification, "Tianxing Fund Company did not engage in any illegal operations."


    "Since there''s no illegal operation, then what''s the situation?"


    "Eliminate all the impossibilities, then whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth."


    "This means that after experiencing a large amount of redemptions, there were substantial funds that came in to fill the void you left."


    "You say that each user has a limit of two million, aren''t you guys pretending to be poor online?"


    "Individual users have a limit, but institutions do not, like Modu Social Security, State-owned Xiao Xin."


    This generation of netizens seemed like contemporary Sherlocks, piecing together the truth of the matter bit by bit.


    Just moments after Tianxing Mixed Fund''s public announcement, the Su City Social Security Bureau hurried over upon hearing the news.


    As the domestic population structure gradually aged, every social security bureau across various provinces was under significant pressure.


    Zhou Yi from the commerce office facilitated connections, hoping that Su City Social Security Bureau would join as well, and Lu Liang, considering the future factory settlements in Su City and inevitable interactions with them, naturally took the opportunity to grant a favor by reserving sixty billion of the sixty-two billion shares quota for them.


    The remaining just over two billion shares were swiftly swept up in the market, leading naturally to a suspension of subscriptions.


    "Liangzi, Mr. Lu, Lu God, I was wrong, please let me in."


    "For each user, a slot; unless the fund suffers massive losses, don''t even think of getting on board."


    The crowd of melon-eating onlookers was delighted; some didn''t have the money to subscribe and were purely revelling in others'' misfortune, while another segment was comfortably lying within the fund, scoffing at their overestimations.


    It was the first time they had seen someone smash their own foot with a rock¡ªthey smashed their own livelihood no less.


    Before redeeming, they didn''t use their brains to think it through.


    Lu Liang was not so-called star fund manager; he was one of the top ten global investors, dubbed by businessmen as an 82-point man.


    Even private fund investors, upon hearing of Lu Liang''s departure from private equity, would cautiously observe for a few months, watching subsequent profits and losses, before deciding whether to apply for redemption or not. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    These people, slightly urged by public opinion, redeemed without a second thought¡ªpurely brainless, thinking they were more professional than those investors?


    They didn''t stop to think¡ª8.2% annualized return had already surpassed 90 percent of public funds in the market.


    Indeed, one cannot earn beyond their level of understanding; even if they miraculously make money, they''ll eventually lose it back due to sheer competence.


    Even though outside public opinion was making a ruckus, Tianxing Fund did not come forth to respond again.


    Because Zhao Jisheng had phoned Lu Liang, subtly indicating that the public fund was, after all, a product for the masses, and that Lu Liang would do well to slightly temper his temper.


    At the end of the call, he specifically clarified that it was just a small piece of friendly advice, merely representing himself and not the Securities Commission.


    Lu Liang relayed the exact words to Zhang Jing, suggesting reducing public announcements as long as they don''t involve legal issues on regular days.


    Zhang Jing responded with a wry smile, "Alright, Mr. Lu."


    He was very balanced; the biggest instability factor was Lu Liang¡ªas long as he didn''t mess around, there would be no trouble.


    The next day, Friday, was also the last working day of the week.


    The positive news of seventeen stocks in the new energy sector being targeted finally depleted.


    The spectacle of dozens of stocks hitting their upper limit simultaneously also became a beautiful memory in people''s minds.


    With the entire new energy sector stabilizing and inclining steadily, Tianxing Mixed Fund also welcomed its first update.


    Net value: 1.3106, attributed to the statistics from yesterday''s surge with seventeen mentioned stocks once again hitting their upper limits simultaneously.


    Despite the tumultuous uproar in Su City''s Lou Shui New Energy Industrial Park, which even triggered a fund redemption frenzy, it was fundamentally positive news for these enterprises deciding to settle in the park.


    With 130 billion as the park''s development capital, they, the settling enterprises, were also the biggest beneficiaries.


    Another day saw a 3.22% increase,


    The fund redeemers from yesterday were literally crying, passed out in the bathroom.


    They were once part of the crowd who reaped the profits, but they squandered that opportunity themselves and now can only watch longingly.


    Fate is sometimes quite bizarre; when you make one mistake, you often keep making more.


    Like them, they can''t subscribe to the Tianxing Fund anymore, but they can still buy new energy stocks.


    So, following the asset allocation details of Tianxing Fund, they bought into stocks like BYD and Tianqi Lithium.


    They call it, "trash funds, not even a dog would buy them. They don''t rise as much as the stocks do, and they fall more than the stocks do, it''s purely the middlemen making a profit off the investors."


    However, in the Big A market, a slight drop on Friday is a norm, and after the new energy sector had risen so much, it was due for a correction and there were also looming major risks.


    LeEco exploded.


    Old Jia held a press conference in Los Angeles, announcing that FF had secured an investment of one billion US Dollars, and the dream would continue.


    During the interview, he also mentioned LeEco, stating he would definitely take responsibility until the end, and would return to the country to deal with related matters, as it''s a social responsibility of an entrepreneur.


    But right now, he simply doesn''t have the time; he should focus on more important matters.


    Like, Faraday Future,


    This is not just his future, but also LeEco''s future.


    "What the hell does he mean by that?"


    "Let me translate it for you: He''s not coming back for now, but he will definitely return eventually. As for LeEco, just deal with it yourselves."


    "Why the hell is he talking so much crap, I''ll summarize it for you: Sacrifice the present for the future."


    "How the hell is this any different from Dai Wei?"


    "Ofo is lining up for refunds, passing by at the 11,200,000th spot~"


    "Still a bit different, Dai Wei was stubborn for a while and then completely disappeared, but Old Jia is still hopping around."


    "Does it make any difference?"


    One netizen used expletives excessively, showing extreme irritability and anger.


    Because the news reached domestic shores, LeEco, which had barely seen some recovery after several days of hitting the limit-down, was once again pinned down to the floor.


    LeEco hitting the lower limit was one thing, after all, it had been declining for three days straight, but it coincided with a Friday, and also just when the new energy sector was facing a correction.


    This triggered a series of chain reactions, causing the new energy index to plummet like diarrhea, dragging the entire market down with it.


    The new energy index plunged by 5.52%, the Shanghai Stock Exchange Index by 2.12%, everything was in the red, like a lush field of leeks.


    "I was wrong! Someone save me!"


    The stockholders from yesterday''s fund redemption were dumbstruck; they missed out on the gains, but not the losses.


    Although the sector crashed, Tianxing Fund also fell, but the 3.22% rise yesterday was enough to offset the loss from today''s crash.


    But for those who redeemed their funds yesterday, not earning 3.22% yesterday and then losing 10 points today,


    In two days, half of the welcoming gift that Lu Liang had prepared through the public fund was lost.


    Meanwhile, at Tianxing Fund Company.


    "Buy a little, but don''t push the stock price up, minimize the impact on the market."


    Upon hearing the news, Lu Liang rushed to the trading room. He had anticipated that LeEco would explode, but didn''t expect it to happen so soon.


    Old Jia had somehow scammed one billion US Dollars, but didn''t invest it in LeEco, choosing FF instead.


    Clearly indicating that he was absolutely not coming back any time soon.


    The fund company still had 60 billion on its account, and the redemption storm had passed, keeping a reserve of 5-10% of positions was enough.


    Today''s market crash was a perfect opportunity for them to continue increasing their holdings.


    Public funds are easier to operate than private funds, especially when Lu Liang knows that certain industries have potential.


    Just get past the initial six-month lock-up period, then it''s just selling a bit when it rises, buying back a bit when it falls.


    Maintain this rhythm, and there''s basically no need to think hard.

 Chapter 295 - 294: The Panda of the New Energy Industry

    In the evening, Lu Liang arrived at the Skyline District.


    In the past couple of months before and after the new year, Wang Chuting had been bustling around Beijing until she recently returned to Modu.


    In the afternoon, Lu Liang saw her return on his friend''s social media and, thinking about how long it had been since they last met, decided to invite her for dinner in the evening.


    Her 1.2-meter-long legs were truly eye-catching and even in a simple and unadorned women''s suit, there was a hint of a uniform''s seduction.


    "You seem to have lost weight recently."


    "Do you feel I''ve lost weight by pinching my butt?"


    "It''s just a feeling!"


    Right from the start, their meeting sparked an intense connection, leading to an appetizing pre-dinner exercise.


    Afterward, stockings rolled down to her ankles were still provoking Lu Liang''s natural wool pants.


    Wang Chuting, biting gently on Lu Liang''s chest, whispered, "Mr. Hu has returned to Beijing."


    "Did you see him?"


    Hu Weiwei was suited for management with a positive image in the company, but she wasn''t suited for building corporate structures.


    The car system development project in Beijing was on the right track¡ªwith enough staff and funds, the only thing left was the development results.


    The Modu branch was still makeshift, in greater need of the likes of Wang Xiaofeng, a stern but experienced professional manager.


    So a few days ago, at Lu Liang''s suggestion, she went to Beijing with Liu Pei and switched out Wang Xiaofeng.


    "Didn''t you see the article I posted in my social circle?" Wang Chuting glared playfully, clearly displeased.


    She had written an article for Hu Weiwei, titled "Zhejiang University Beauty Amasses Billions, Becomes the Ultimate Winner in Palace Intrigue."


    Ordinary family, high education, ten years drifting in Beijing¡­


    Hu Weiwei''s story was like a big female lead thrilling narrative, with over three hundred million online reads and still rapidly increasing.


    "Billions? No wonder the journalism reputation is so bad."


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but laugh wryly. Mobike definitely had an atmosphere of palace intrigue: Li Bing, Shen Peng, Wang Xing, and himself included; Hu Weiwei, a woman amidst these powers, did well.


    Compared to Dai Wei, who was constantly criticized after his disappearance, Hu Weiwei started and ended well, cashed out, and even landed a promising new job¡ªcalling her a winner wasn''t an exaggeration.


    Lu Liang also had a rough idea of how her article went viral; East Asia went first, using history as its lesson, knowing the rise and fall.


    Domestic feminism also needed to "awaken." Initially inviting Hu Weiwei to join Tianxing Technology, this consideration was also involved.


    Extreme feminazism, but not extreme mascluism, so wooing the female market was essential.


    But amassing billions was an absurd exaggeration; Mobike only sold for so much, and what ended up in her hands was around three hundred million, taxes deducted.


    "Can''t it be a clickbait title?"


    Wang Chuting hummed a few times. A good title, like a pretty girl¡ªif not pretty, then no matter how interesting the soul, no one would bother to discover it.


    "Why suddenly bring this up?"


    Lu Liang stood up, drank some water, and casually twisted his waist; Little Lu moved with him but did not avoid the topic.


    Wang Chuting was very intelligent; otherwise, she wouldn''t have preserved her purity for twenty-six years just to choose the perfect husband.


    Lu Liang liked girls with a purpose, as he could meet their conditions¡ªjust as long as they didn''t talk to him about feelings.


    One Su Wanyu had already made him struggle for a long time, and in the end, against his conscience, he made a decision.


    Lu Liang, now in his thirties, no longer had the energy to engage in romantic relationships.


    When he first toyed with Wanyu, it was just to make up for the heavy rain he missed in his adolescence, a lack that his life also missed.


    One was enough; no need for more.


    "Tianxing Technology is always hiring."


    Wang Chuting also got up, picked up a towel from the floor, and covered Little Lu.


    Talking about recent work frustrations and a desire for a job change, she carefully asked, "What do you think of me?"


    After being with Lu Liang for more than half a year and taking good care of him, the time had come to reap the rewards.


    "Fair skin, beautiful face, long legs, light blue eyes, and an exotic charm."


    Lu Liang smiled, gazing carefully; C size, bowl-shaped, a perfect fit, firm, and bouncy. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Don''t look, so annoying~"


    Wang Chuting playfully scolded, pushing Lu Liang''s face away and picking up a bathrobe lying on the bed''s footer to drape over herself.


    Suddenly in the room, her gasp rang out as Lu Liang held Wang Chuting and fell straight onto the bed.


    In a soft voice, he said, "Go do whatever you want to do; I''ll support you but I won''t bring you into my company."


    Ever since Lu Liang stepped forward from behind the scenes, even though his relationship with Li Manli had been publicly revealed, rumors surrounding him had never ceased.


    At first it was with Tang Caide, then with Hu Weiwei, and even with Chen Jinchun''s scandal, which has never stopped till now.


    Although Chen Jinchun belongs to that cute, flat-chested, big Lolita type, if one likes Li Manli, a type both innocent and desiring, they probably wouldn''t like Chen Jinchun.


    Their styles are worlds apart, but whenever this happens, someone would always say that it''s hard to define the tastes of the wealthy.


    Despite the ongoing public discussions, Lu Liang maintained his integrity; work was work, personal was personal, and he had a clear distinction.


    He wouldn''t entertain thoughts about people at the company,


    and those who he considered were never arranged to join the company.


    It was so now, and it would be so in the future.


    Wang Chuting furrowed her brows lightly, quickly hiding her disappointment, and then excitedly asked, "What do you think about self-media?"


    "It seems pretty good, it''s right up your alley. Start with building up traffic and then see what develops later."


    Admiration flickered in Lu Liang''s eyes. If it was another girl who hadn''t left an escape route for herself, upon his refusal, she might have said, "It was just a joke, don''t take it seriously."


    That would have smashed the conversation to the ground because Lu Liang had directly refused, which still could have resulted in an imperceptible barrier between them.


    Wang Chuting was very intelligent and understood the consequences of speaking that way; thus, once Lu Liang refused her, she promptly switched to plan B, continuing along the topic to avoid any barriers.


    She clung to Lu Liang''s arm, coquettishly saying, "I want to start with a celebrity interview column. Can you find some time to help me schedule an appointment with Mr. Zeng of Ningde Era?"


    As the IPO of Ningde Era was imminent, and the new energy market had been reignited at the beginning of the year due to Lu Liang bringing in three hundred billion, following the stifle of the previous year''s speculative bubble by the state.


    If she could interview Zeng Minqun of Ningde Era as a self-media blogger now, it would definitely be a topic-rich article.


    Moreover, she was very confident in her beauty and figure, certain that she could make a name for herself in this industry.


    As long as she could build up traffic and establish her own brand, or engage in live-streaming sales, all these were good choices.


    Lu Liang looked displeased and coughed dryly, "With such a big flow right here, haven''t you noticed?"


    "I have, but I need to avoid suspicion first. Plus, do you think you can escape it later?"


    Wang Chuting acted cute and coy, her 177 cm model figure making a demure gesture, creating a striking contrast.


    Accidentally, she awakened Little Lu again.


    "I''ll consider it, Mr. Zeng is usually very busy," Lu Liang said sternly, putting on airs.


    Wang Chuting craftily smiled, removed the hair tie from her wrist, and tied her hair up, "What about now?"


    "I can still handle it¡­"


    ¡­


    The weekend vanished in a blink, and come Monday, the A-share market opened, the strength of the new energy sector from the previous week no longer present.


    Because over the weekend, LeEco''s headquarters was swamped with suppliers, and the real financial report was revealed.


    The colossal LeEco had just over fifty million in accounts, with the last quarter''s balance of 1.135 billion had vanished without a trace.


    The current CFO, Yang Jieli, was publicly taken away by the authorities for investigation, confirming unequivocally the financial scandal at LeEco.


    The fallout of Long Er in the new energy sector still ongoing and affecting the entire industry.


    Lu Liang was quietly accumulating shares again, those shooting were unwanted.


    The overall market environment was depressed, with continuing reduction in trading volume.


    At this time, investors of Tianxing Fund once again felt the warmth of home.


    Compared to other new energy funds, which often suffered huge drops of seven to eight points, Tianxing only fell by 2.63%, earning it the title of the most resilient in the industry.


    Those who hadn''t bought in, or who had redeemed their shares, were envious; thousands petitioned, hoping Tianxing would soon launch a second phase.


    This time, they would stand resolutely with Lu Liang, even if it meant taking on the world.


    On the same day, Ningde Era held its first IPO roadshow in Beijing.


    In its debut IPO, they offered 52 million shares at the price of 25 yuan per share.


    Within six hours, 33.8 billion was frozen, attaining a subscription rate over 26 times, causing a major stir in the industry.


    After all, this was just a battery manufacturer, typically categorized under real industry manufacturing, where normal real industry IPOs ranged from three to eight times oversubscribed.


    Capital markets look at prospects, tell stories; the physical manufacturing arena is least associated with storytelling.


    How much revenue it could increase this year, how much next year, rarely any surprises, also seldom any thrills.

 Chapter 296 - 295: One Man Equates to Thousands of Troops

    On the evening of March 15th, Ningde Era''s IPO team made their way from Beijing to Modu.


    Lu Liang warmly entertained them and had a long night''s talk with Old Zeng, mainly to probe if they were holding anything back.


    The powerful Kirin Battery he had been thinking about was soon to be equipped in the domestically produced Tesla.


    If Ningde Era spilled all their secrets just to work with Tesla, that would be a somewhat Pyrrhic victory.


    Zeng Minqun shook his head and grinned.


    Lu Liang was puzzled, "Mr. Zeng, why the laughter?"


    "In technology development, leading companies generally have one generation in production, one in reserve, and another in development."


    Old Zeng shared his insights with Lu Liang, knowing full well that Lu Liang would definitely get into car manufacturing himself and patted his chest, saying, "Mr. Lu, whenever you''re in need, we can supply the one in reserve."


    Looking globally, in the power battery field, Ningde Era is at the forefront, so there''s no need for them to offer their best technology, even the batteries provided to Tesla are two generations behind.


    As an important partner of Ningde Era, if one day Lu Liang personally enters the fray, they would absolutely support him fully and give him the advantage of global first access to technology.


    Lu Liang was speechless and gave a thumbs-up, then raised his glass, "Mr. Zeng, here''s to you."


    He also mentioned that, when that time comes, Tianxing Technology will also offer part of its equity to deepen the relationship between both parties.


    "Mr. Lu, you''re too polite. Cooperation is the key to mutual victory," Old Zeng said, smiling broadly, his eyes filled with admiration.


    Ningde is willing to offer reserved technology, giving Lu Liang the advantage of global first access, which is based on relationships, but it wasn''t a giveaway. Fortunately, Lu Liang understood that well. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The two had a very pleasant conversation, which lasted late into the night.


    The next day at noon, Hilton Hotel.


    "Wow, it was over 26 times oversubscribed in Beijing, I wonder how much it will exceed in Modu?"


    "It should be no less than 30 times, after all, it''s the financial capital."


    "Such a small pattern, feel free to make bold guesses."


    "You seem so certain, brother. Is it because you have inside information?"


    A group of journalists whispered at the hotel entrance, as an IPO roadshow is like a premiere screening of a movie.


    The more celebrities and big names attend, it shows the better standing of the company within the circle, which can also attract more investors.


    For instance, during Ningde''s roadshow in Beijing, Zhu Hu, Lei Jun, Li Xiang and others were in attendance, and it was said that Beijing''s cash king, Lei Jun, even helped underwrite over a billion to join the fun.


    Now that Ningde''s roadshow had come to Modu, Lu Liang was likely to attend, so was Li Bing, and possibly Tesla too, but it was uncertain how many would come.


    "Holy shit, Lu Liang is here so soon."


    The IPO roadshow was scheduled for two in the afternoon, but just past one o''clock, a Bentley with a license plate of 11288 stopped at the hotel entrance.


    Lu Liang appeared with a smile, quickly moving through the lobby to the eighth floor, escorted by security personnel.


    Typically, the bigger the name, the later they would make an appearance, the so-called showstopper, so Lu Liang''s early arrival was a bit beyond everyone''s expectations.


    Just when the media thought there would be bigger heavyweights to follow, there turned out to be no one of higher profile than Lu Liang by the time the roadshow began.


    "Actually, a Lu Liang is enough, and moreover, he arrived so early," someone said softly.


    The Tianxing Mixed Fund still had 20% of its capital position unused, a whopping 60 billion.


    At the Modu leg of the roadshow, they would, unsurprisingly, only offer 52 million shares for the IPO subscription.


    Lu Liang was so optimistic about Ningde Era that even if he used half for subscription purchases, it would hit more than 23 times oversubscribed.


    At this remark, everyone fell silent.


    It seemed to make sense.


    Lu Liang alone was worth a thousand troops. Although he didn''t possess much wealth, the funds he could mobilize were extraordinary.


    Even if he spent all 60 billion, with just a word from him to launch another public fund, he could easily raise several hundred billion more in minutes.


    A petition signed by tens of thousands for a hot search term still hung within the top hundred trending topics on Weibo, with over a hundred thousand names and likes.


    Even if one person subscribed for ten thousand yuan, that would amount to one billion yuan, let alone that everyone will definitely subscribe for more than ten thousand yuan.


    After all, there are plenty of ordinary people without access to investment channels, some of whom want to buy cars, some want to buy houses, and others are getting married. Their capital varies from tens of thousands to several hundred thousand yuan.


    It can be said that as long as Lu Liang asks, their capital would all become a strong logistical force for Lu Liang, charging into battle.


    Meanwhile, at the eighth floor of the Hilton Hotel, which can accommodate a banquet hall for five hundred people.


    Lu Liang was there, just there.


    He came only to support Ningde Era and had no intention of subscribing for shares, as he already held directly, or indirectly, 18% of the equity. Any more and Old Zeng would start to worry.


    "Mr. Lu, the NIO ES8 has passed all safety and related tests and is expected to open for presales next month," said Li Bing, who also came to participate in Ningde''s roadshow, looking haggard but spirited.


    After 18 months and countless days and nights, his NIO was finally about to face its first major test.


    The presale volume of the first day, first week, and first month would determine whether NIO had a future.


    "Do you need my assistance with anything?" Lu Liang inquired.


    Despite holding NIO''s equity through a private placement, he could still offer a hand out of friendship.


    Li Bing shook his head: "Do your best and leave the rest to fate."


    He had done what he could. If sales flopped, he was prepared to accept it.


    Lu Liang gave a slight nod of respect and said nothing further, focusing his attention on Old Zeng who was on the stage.


    Ningde Era had performed very well last year, with the sales volume of its power batteries growing almost in sync with the new energy market.


    The year before last, they only sold 2.4 GWh, equal to about 48,000 lithium batteries, but last year they saw an 82% increase to 4.36 GWh.


    "In this year of rapid market growth, we''ve set a goal of producing 10 GWh..."


    Old Zeng, a man of technology, was not one to boast or make empty promises; he basically listed the data and stuck to the facts.


    Lu Liang silently sighed, applauded for show, and then, as a special guest, took the stage to say a few words.


    He took the microphone, approached the podium from the side, with a smile on his lips and a slightly mocking tone: "To be fair, Mr. Zeng is just bragging about Ningde Era''s position as one of the world leaders in power battery technology and the prospect of an endlessly promising market."


    The investors in attendance could not help but smirk, displaying knowing smiles.


    It had to be Lu Liang, with that unique flavor, he had it just right.


    Because from an investor''s perspective, Zeng Minqun''s remarks were extremely poor.


    They were not there to hear straightforward facts; they came for a story, to listen to the grand blueprints that Ningde painted.


    Capital markets deal in expectations. Two years of success is not considered good. It must be a success for ten or twenty years to be truly good.


    The longer the corporate development timeline, the more grandiose the blueprints, and the greater the potential for appreciation in the future.


    That''s why internet companies can reach PE ratios of dozens, even hundreds of times, which is quite normal.


    Because any internet application targets a market that is nationwide, even worldwide.


    The bigger the market, the greater the room for imagination. Just think, earning one yuan from each of China''s 1.4 billion people would mean 1.4 billion yuan, and it''s 7.4 billion on a global scale.


    Moreover, the subsequent maintenance costs are ridiculously low. As long as the market grows, or even achieves a monopoly like WeChat, the wealth will naturally pour in.


    "However, there is one data point that Mr. Zeng mentioned that is quite good, Ningde Era''s power batteries account for 19.5% of the national market."


    "What does this mean? On average, one in five new energy vehicles on the road carries a Ningde battery."


    "The total sales of new energy vehicles in the country were just 250,000 units the year before last, but last year, that number doubled."


    Lu Liang smiled, pacing leisurely, expounding on a fact: "According to Tesla, BYD, and SAIC''s sales announcements, the first quarter of this year is expected to reach 300,000 units, surpassing 1.2 million for the whole year, becoming a reality."


    "This market is growing rapidly, doubling in size each year. Just imagine, 1.2 million this year, 2.4 million next year, and 4.8 million the year after. It won''t take five years for it to rival the fuel vehicle market."


    "Those who understand the market know that the three key components of new energy vehicles are most important, with the battery being the foremost..."


    Lu Liang was in the middle of his sentence when suddenly someone from below interjected, with a teasing tone: "Mr. Lu, are you solving a math problem? One million two hundred thousand this year, two million four hundred thousand next year, four million eight hundred thousand the year after ¡ª at this rate, the Earth will not be able to contain Ningde Era."

 Chapter 297 - 296: The Wager Stake

    "Friend, the incremental growth of the new energy market is not simply a math problem."


    Liangzi''s smile lingered at the corner of his mouth. It was a good sign when someone questioned him; he had just felt that the roadshow was a bit dull.


    Without stirring up some buzz, how could Ningde Era be listed and directly challenge the top spot in the Growth Enterprise Market?


    LeEco had cooled down and was suspended. A new king had to ascend.


    Just when he was feeling sleepy, someone presented a pillow.


    Liangzi showed his smile and said leisurely, "The development of a market should create a snowball effect, getting bigger as it rolls. This year 1.2 million, next year 2.4 million¡ªin my view, that''s just the most conservative prediction."


    The crowd burst into murmurs, then showed excited expressions.


    An annual growth of 100%, and that''s the conservative estimate¡ªthey were very eager to hear what other ''outrageous statements'' Liangzi would make.


    Even the person who had raised the question was stunned; they couldn''t stand Liangzi, who seemed to them an upstart without any real substance.


    Unexpectedly, after casually spouting some mockery, Liangzi took it in and even explained it publicly.


    Liangzi looked at him, "Friend, what''s your name?"


    The man frowned, a little hesitant to reveal his identity, worried about being targeted by Liangzi later.


    But with so many eyes on him, he couldn''t appear weak.


    So, he straightened his neck and said loudly, "Hongxing Investment''s Lu Ziye."


    Liangzi smiled again and continued, "Mr. Lu, I didn''t expect that we''d be from the same clan. Do you not believe in the rapid incremental growth of the new energy market?"


    Lu Ziye hurriedly shook his head, "It''s not that I don''t believe in it entirely; it''s just that your predicted speed of growth feels somewhat exaggerated."


    If he truly didn''t believe in the new energy industry, he wouldn''t have come to the Ningde Era Modu station''s roadshow today.


    But a doubling every year¡ªnow that seemed a bit far-fetched.


    If things really went according to Liangzi''s statement, then it would take less than five years for Ningde Era, provided their technology wasn''t outdated, to become the sixth stock to break through a valuation of a trillion.


    Liangzi narrowed his eyes, a flicker of surprise passing through them, and chuckled, "Since you don''t believe it, why don''t we make a bet?"


    "A bet on what?" Lu Ziye was momentarily distracted.


    "Let''s bet on the market value of Ningde Era five years from now."


    "And the stakes?"


    "I saw a light show on the Bund before the new year, felt it was quite beautiful and shocking. The loser might as well treat the entire city''s citizens to a week-long free viewing, how about that?"


    Having said that, Liangzi turned to the crowd and asked with a smile, "Friends, what do you think of this bet?"


    The domestic business world never lacked bets, like Miss Dong''s ten billion with Lei Jun, Old Wang''s one billion with Old Ma.


    But no matter the outcome, who wins, it''s always more talk and less action, raised high and let down gently.


    The onlookers had their enthusiasm drained, and in the end, they never really knew whether the bets were honored.


    Liangzi thought betting money was uninteresting, and no one would really pay up; it''s better to bet on something visible.


    Lu Ziye pondered for a moment and then resolutely slapped his chest in agreement.


    A light show on the Bund was only a few hundred thousand, a week would be just a few million¡ªhe could afford the bet.


    Moreover, a bet with Liangzi was sure to become nationally known; either way, it was a no-lose deal for him.


    If he lost, he could still make some noise; if he won, all the better.


    Old Zeng coughed a few times and walked up to the podium timely, his old face blooming with a smile: "How about I act as the guarantor?"


    Liangzi glanced at him and said with a laugh, "Alright, I have no objections."


    Old Zeng got a great deal, and all he could do was comfort himself in his thoughts; he still had a 10.664% equity stake. For every hundred made by Ningde Era, ten belonged to him.


    Before long, in front of all the witnesses, the two wrote down their prediction of Ningde Era''s market valuation on March 16, 2022, and signed their names.


    Five years from now, whoever''s prediction was closer would win the bet.


    "Holy shit..." S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After writing down their predictions, they were announced immediately. Liangzi left nonchalantly, leaving the crowd exchanging glances, each with an expression as if they''d seen a ghost.


    Within just two hours, the Ningde Era''s IPO roadshow in Modu was a massive success, with a subscription rate exceeding 80 times and locked-in capital reaching 104 billion yuan.


    The news spread to the outside world, causing an uproar among the public,


    accompanied by photos of two 4K-resolution notes.


    Not only that, but following the end of the roadshow, Old Zeng accepted Wang Chuting''s invitation for a personal interview lasting several minutes.


    Throughout the interview, Old Zeng squinted, his upturned mouth almost impossible to suppress.


    He took out a sealed photo: "I''ll keep these two notes safe until the day the results are announced..."


    The reason why the bet was made, and what the stakes were, was ''unintentionally'' leaked during the interview.


    Because it was good news for Ningde Era.


    Lu Ziye: 300 billion.


    Lu Liang: 1 trillion.


    "... The big players really know how to play."


    "Now I finally understand how an IPO in the manufacturing industry could get a subscription rate over 80 times."


    "300 billion, I thought that was a very, very bold prediction by Lu Ziye, but who would have thought, Liangzi had the guts to say it. I reckon Lu Ziye must have been stunned at that moment."


    "You might not know, but what does it mean for a company to have a trillion yuan market value? Currently on the A-shares, Hong Kong stocks, including the Chinese concept stocks listed in the US, there are only six companies, which are the four big banks, as well as Alibaba and Tencent."


    "For a manufacturing enterprise that is only focused on the power battery sector, if Ningde Era truly reaches a trillion yuan market value, by then, fuel cars will be essentially swept into the dustbin of history, if not dead, then severely crippled."


    "Did Liangzi get carried away just because he issued a 300 billion public fund? Dare to make such wild claims?"


    "Why not? Just look at the IPO locked-in funds. A subscription rate over 80 times shows there are still people who believe in it."


    "Help, does anyone know when the Ningde Era IPO roadshow will be held, and what requirements are needed to subscribe?"


    "Don''t even think about subscribing at the roadshow event, it''s usually by invitation only. Better keep an eye on the new stock sections of the brokerage software."


    "One at 300 billion, another at 1 trillion, with a current valuation of over 400 billion and a subscription rate exceeding 80 times, it''s not hard to understand."


    "If Liangzi''s prediction comes true, that''s a 25-fold gain, and even if not, with the current hype, once Ningde lists, it won''t be less than three to five times."


    "Speaking of which, am I the only one paying attention to that tall and beautiful woman? Damn, that posture, it''s incredible."


    "That height, must be at least 175cm, tall and beautiful, seems like a mixed-race beauty too."


    "Give me a minute, if I can''t get her full details, I''ll unfollow all of you."


    "Wang Chuting, Media Newcomer of the Year 2015, just resigned from Forbes..."


    "She''s totally my type in terms of looks, I''ve fallen for her."


    That evening, public opinion continued to ferment.


    Because it related to the internet celebrity Lu Liang, and the bet was tangible, a light show for the entire citizenry of Modu was seen as a blessing.


    The betting terms and stakes spread like wildfire, quickly breaking out of niche circles and becoming widely known.


    By eight o''clock that evening, when netizens were most active, they effortlessly topped the trending charts of all major internet platforms.


    The unknown Hongxing Investment''s Lu Ziye, Ningde Era waiting to list on the Growth Enterprise Market, and Wang Chuting who left Forbes to go solo, all became the biggest winners in this bet.


    Wang Chuting''s advantage was particularly evident. With newly registered accounts on Weibo, Douyin, and Bilibili, her follower counts soared past ten million or even a hundred million.


    Beautiful, talented, a mixed-race beauty, who also hailed from the same alma mater as the previously much-discussed beauty from Zhejiang University, Hu Weiwei.


    "Everyone, look at the top left corner of that article with over 300 million views, the author is my wife."


    "Us girls understand each other, knowing it''s not easy to strive alone out there. Upperclassmen and underclassmen help each other out."


    "Mr. Zeng from Ningde Era is at the top of the celebrity column. Does this mean that in the future, there may be interviews with other celebrities?"


    Spending a lot of time with Lu Liang, Wang Chuting had picked up his bad habits and only replied to comments that were favorable to herself.


    She replied, "Friends, it''s not easy being a newcomer in this field, I hope you can click that little red heart to support me. If there''s a celebrity you''re interested in, leave a message in the comments, and I''ll try my best to interview them."


    Wang Chuting showed up in the comments section of Douyin, and instantly, the messages increased by hundreds in just a few minutes.


    Out of every ten messages, seven were about Lu Liang, all hoping Wang Chuting would interview him and perhaps reveal some juicy details.

 Chapter 298 - 297: The Conscience of Capital Markets

    "I told you from the start, she''s a natural traffic magnet."


    Lu Liang watched with a smile as Wang Chuting interacted with her fans in the comments section on Douyin.


    After more than a year of development, Kuai Shou still couldn''t shake off its earthy vibes, whereas Douyin had only grown stronger.


    By the end of last quarter, they had surpassed 450 million users, with a stable daily active user count of 122 million, and their valuation had skyrocketed to 8 billion US dollars.


    They seemed invincible, not only sweeping away all competitors in the industry but also challenging the status of Shuangma Group.


    Ever since the Saudi tycoons invested, Lu Liang''s ownership stake had decreased from 9.25% to 8.325%, now valued at 666 million US dollars.


    He had only made two investments, one of 2 million yuan and one of 10 million US dollars, which had already brought him more than a 66-fold increase.


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but recall the Douyin shareholders'' meeting in Beijing at the end of January when Yang Zhenyuan said that this year Douyin would develop concurrently at home and abroad, head-to-head.


    Domestically, in addition to expanding the market, they would slightly brush against Meituan. If they could outperform them, the next step would be to venture into the e-commerce sector and wage a full-scale war against Taobao and Pinduoduo.


    The international task for this year was to acquire Musical.ly and facilitate its merger with TT, which was Douyin''s international version.


    "The best card, of course, is saved for last."


    Wang Chuting was beaming, draping her arms around Lu Liang''s neck.


    One video had amassed a total fan base of more than 1.2 million across the whole network.


    Next, she planned to set up her own studio and then continue to establish deep roots in this field.


    Doing some product endorsements on the side should sustain the studio, and then she could slowly explore the path she would want to develop further.


    Wang Chuting looked up, eyes full of hope: "Mr. Lu, there''s a project here ¡ª would you consider making a small investment in me?"


    Over the years, she had spent all of her savings on her appearance, and her card balance had never exceeded a hundred thousand.


    Setting up her own new media studio required some capital; she needed to hire at least three employees, buy some filming equipment, and rent office space, among other expenses.


    Moreover, she wanted Lu Liang to take a stake in it, making their relationship even closer.


    "How much do you need?" Lu Liang asked with a smile.


    "400,000 should be enough; I''ll give you 40% of the shares."


    Wang Chuting had thought it through. Considering the current state of her account and her personal value, it should be worth 600,000.


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but chuckle, stroking her hair: "Let me give you 2 million for now, just consider it a loan from me."


    "That works too. But if I can''t pay you back, can I repay you with my body?" Wang Chuting asked playfully.


    "You make it sound as if you''d only offer yourself as payback if you couldn''t return the money," Lu Liang teased with a laugh.


    "It''s different. If I can pay the money back, I can be more proactive and assertive in the future."


    "What would you be so assertive for?"


    "Remove the ''what.''"


    "Such fire."


    "Don''t you like it?"


    "I like that energy."


    ...


    The next day, Lu Liang''s prediction of a trillion market value continued to ferment.


    IPO underwriters like Bank of China and CICC decisively raised the stock offering price at the next roadshow.


    From 25 yuan to 26 yuan ¡ª after all, with 52 million shares, an increase of just one yuan per share would mean an additional 52 million yuan of capital raised, and they would make even more from the price difference.


    Additionally, with a total capital stock of 1.744 billion shares, an increase of one yuan would also increase the post-IPO market value by 17.44 billion yuan.


    Even with a last-minute price increase, Ningde Era''s third and fourth roadshows still froze funds over 51 times and 59 times, respectively. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Out of the 208 million shares made available across the four roadshows, the capital frozen amounted to 286.52 billion yuan, averaging a subscription rate of 44.5 times.


    Although it did not reach Xiaomi''s extreme P/E ratio of 68 times, Mr. Lei dealt in IT and bore some internet flair.


    Unlike Ningde and Zeng Minqun, who hailed purely from manufacturing and technical backgrounds, 44.5 times already made history.


    After 18 days and four roadshows, Ningde Era settled on an offering price of 26 yuan per share and a market value of 453.44 billion yuan.


    He received the code 300733 issued by the Securities and Futures Commission and confirmed April 18 as the listing date.


    Only 29 days remained, and the internet was abuzz with discussions about the potential of Ningde Era after its listing and whether it could immediately challenge the top three ranks of the Growth Enterprise Market.


    Previously, the brightest star of the Growth Enterprise Market was LeEco, but LeEco had fizzled out, with its CFO being publicly taken away, the entire finance department under investigation, and its stock being mandatorily suspended from trading.


    In the five trading days before the suspension, the share price hit the limit down four times, with the remaining day seeing a fall exceeding -7.8%.


    Ten days ago, it had a market value of 620 billion US Dollars, now it had nearly halved to just 362 billion.


    Currently, the number one of the Growth Enterprise Market was Wen''s Shares, with a market value of 118.3 billion, specializing in grain and edible oil.


    And the second place was Lansi Technology, with a market capitalization of 83.2 billion, focusing on electronic communications. The third spot was held by Sanju Environmental Protection, with a market value of 72.4 billion, engaged in chemical materials.


    Ningde Era landed on the Growth Enterprise Market with a market valuation of 45.344 billion, at least securing a top three position and contending for the second.


    Moreover, as long as there was a 44% increase in share price on the first day, followed by a limit up the next day, it was basically set to secure the third chair in the Growth Enterprise Market.


    As for the title of the leader, no one dared to think about it.


    Even though Lu Liang predicted that Ningde could reach a trillion market value, whether it could achieve that or not, it was a matter five years later.


    Ningde Era wasn''t some junk stock; a normal company with a valuation of 2 billion would wish to go public immediately to raise money as long as the conditions were right.


    But Ningde Era had obtained the approval for listing long ago, yet it held back year after year until it decided to go public this year with a size of 45 billion.


    At this size, achieving a 100% increase was very difficult, but a 44% rise on the first day, and a break on the second or third day was not unheard of.


    However, to challenge the throne of Wen''s Shares as the leader, it would require at least a 44% increase on the first day, followed by seven consecutive limit-up days.


    This would propel the market value to 127 billion.


    "44% on the first day, and seven consecutive limit-ups after that, is it possible?"


    Lu Liang questioned himself too,


    and he concluded it was possible, but difficult.


    The key was whether his fans were strong enough and determined enough.


    Since LeEco was confined to the "little dark room," the entire new energy sector had become much more harmonious, with market trends being steady and improving.


    The Tianxing Mixed Fund updated its net value every weeknight at 8 p.m. sharp and had risen to 1.332.


    With a scale of 300 billion, it had arrived at 399.6 billion.


    The increase in the past few days was a bit small, only around 0.08%.


    But the period when LeEco exploded proved it was not for nothing that it was known as the pressure-resistant king in the industry.


    It resulted in any redemptions being released promptly at 8 a.m. the next day, and they wouldn''t last more than two seconds.


    Heads of the Industrial and Commercial Alipay department even complained to Lu Liang that during those times, their servers were like being hit by a DDOS attack.


    Instantly, the number of user visits would often reach hundreds of thousands, if not tens of thousands.


    Hackers wouldn''t have the guts to do that nor use a botnet to attack just for the sake of subscribing to a fund.


    After investigation, they were all veritably living people, eager to enter this warm and harmonious home. The outside world was too frightening, with manipulators and shadow warehouses everywhere.


    At this moment, Lu Liang made an audacious prediction that Ningde Era''s market capitalization would reach a trillion in five years.


    Those who hadn''t managed to buy the fund or had redeemed it might, as a second choice, opt to buy shares in Ningde Era.


    Therefore, their determination was critical; if they held on for the long term, they were sure to profit, possibly even more than they would from the fund.


    Even without winning a lot in the initial public offering, even waiting to buy Ningde after the shares broke the limit, even buying in at a market capitalization of one hundred billion.


    It wouldn''t take five years because according to predictions, Ningde Era would break through a trillion market value by the end of May 2021.


    Four years and two months, a tenfold increase¡ªthat was the real wealth code, far better than speculating in real estate or buying funds.


    After all, Tianxing Mixed Fund was purely Lu Liang''s personal judgment based on the future market values of Tesla and Ningde.


    If this fund could achieve a 100% increase in four years, that would be a blessing. A tenfold increase was beyond imagination.


    In his view, buying Ningde''s stock rather than a fund offered more protection in terms of returns and a higher rate of return.


    "The question is, how many people will be able to seize this wealth code and how many will be able to hold on after four years?"


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but smile, as it suddenly occurred to him that he had played the role of a financial commentator in a tycoon''s cameo appearance, where he said the protagonist of the movie was the conscience of the capital market.


    He was mockingly said to be talking about himself at that time.


    Lu Liang muttered to himself, "Looking back after four years, if I am not the conscience of the capital market, who is, who deserves to be?"

 Chapter 299 - 298: Exceptional Courtesy

    Lu Liang arrived at the company and had a conversation with Wen Chao.


    Today was already the 21st, but the price of Brent Crude Oil had not risen, instead it had fallen¡ªthe current market price was $51.23 per barrel.


    "Keep an eye on it, but expect a short-term rise."


    Lu Liang pondered, learning that he had already used tenfold leverage to open a position, he didn''t ask further, not even showing interest in the base price.


    Mitsui Sumitomo''s Ota Ling had repeatedly invited him, hoping he would visit Tokyo, and Lu Liang was preparing to agree.


    At this time, if he knew about his own private equity base positions, it might not be convenient for subsequent operations.


    Because the visit was likely false, and the real aim was probably to have him stationed there.


    Lu Liang only told them to watch the international oil prices, without specifying which index or whether it was rising or falling.


    They were like headless flies in the market, crashing about¡ªeven with a lot of industry intelligence, they couldn''t judge the market trends.


    "Then I''ll book a flight and have a look."


    Lu Liang chuckled, with only two days left and no market moves, this could only indicate a sudden event.


    Sudden events hinge on the ''suddenly'' part; before they happen, how could they possibly investigate thoroughly?


    "Mr. Lu, if you don''t mind, you can just go straight to the airport; our private jet has already arrived in advance."


    Ota Ling beamed with a warmth that belied his role as the master of a trillion-yen conglomerate.


    Three days prior, when he first called to invite Lu Liang, the private jet had already been parked at Xinpu Airport.


    Every day, they had reserved two international flight routes, just awaiting Lu Liang''s agreement to fly over directly.


    "Mr. Ota, you''re too kind."


    Lu Liang paused, then asked, "What time is the flight?"


    Ota Ling checked with his secretary and then replied, "The closest one is today at four thirty in the afternoon, Beijing time, which leaves in two hours."


    Lu Liang reflected for a moment, "Hmm... I still have some matters to deal with here, and I probably won''t be free until after six."


    Ota Ling suggested further, "Mr. Lu, there''s another flight tomorrow morning at nine. Why not take that one?"


    Lu Liang was at a loss for words momentarily, surprised by the thorough preparations of the other party. He knitted his brows and concocted an excuse, "There might be market movements tonight; I better get there this evening."


    Ota Ling seemed to understand and complimented him, "Mr. Lu''s dedication to his work truly moves me. About what time should I arrange for someone to pick you up?"


    "Let''s see how it goes, I will have my secretary contact you at the time."


    "Alright, alright, we warmly welcome your arrival."


    Private planes carry very few people. The whole crew, including Lu Liang''s party, would likely number less than twenty.


    It was a plane provided by someone else, and fearing for his life, Lu Liang preferred the first-class cabin on a commercial flight.


    The direct flight from Modu to Tokyo was a popular international route from Pu Xin Airport, with each flight carrying at least several hundred passengers.


    The more people there were, the safer he felt.


    Benshan used to say the most painful thing in life is to be alive when your money is gone. And an even more painful thing is when you''re gone before your money''s spent.


    Although unsure whether tomorrow or an accident would come first, most accidents could be avoided.


    A gentleman does not stand under a wall in danger.


    After ending the call, Lu Liang played games in his office until just after five, then had Zhuo Yifan book a flight and negotiate with Mr. Ota''s secretary.


    At nine thirty in the evening, a plane from Modu successfully landed at Tokyo''s Haneda Airport.


    The first batch of travelers to leave the aircraft were wide-eyed and could not help exclaiming, "What''s going on here?"


    Several black Maybachs were parked neatly alongside the airport shuttle bus.


    Those visiting Tokyo for the first time could not help but take photos, marveling, "The trip was really worth it. Tokyo lives up to its reputation as the world''s top metropolis¡ªeven the airport shuttles are Maybachs." sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "¡­" Their companion was speechless and whispered a reminder, "Don''t get carried away; those are obviously here to pick someone up."


    "Who are they picking up? Who can command such grandeur, letting the motorcade drive straight onto the tarmac?"


    "What important figure could it be? I must take a good look."


    The crowd looked towards the first-class exit¡ªif there was a VIP, they wouldn''t be with them in economy class.


    Lu Liang led the way out of the plane, releasing a groan and stretching lazily, "Another waste of three hours of life."


    But as soon as he turned his head, he noticed a group of tourists who seemed to be from China, all staring intently at him.


    Every face looked as if they had seen a ghost.


    "Am I seeing this right? Is that Liangzi?"


    "Does Lu Liang have such strong connections in Tokyo too?"


    After all, being able to drive a welcoming fleet into the tarmac, especially at an international major airport like Haneda, means a lot.


    Having a lot of money is a prerequisite, but one must also have sky-high connections and a powerful background.


    Those who had just returned from East Country to Tokyo saw familiar faces next to the fleet of cars and suddenly widened their eyes, murmuring in a low voice, "Isn''t that Mitsui Sumitomo''s Mr. Ota?"


    Korea has its chaebols, and so does Tokyo. Mitsui Group and Sumitomo Group are two of the six major financial conglomerates.


    In the millennium year, Tokyo''s banking industry underwent a major reshuffle. Mitsubishi teamed up with Japan United to establish Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group.


    To counter them, Mitsui and Sumitomo also established Mitsui Sumitomo Financial Group, and both banks instantly became two of the nation''s big three banks.


    Firmly in first place was Mizuho Bank, also the product of a merger, originally formed by the union of Dai-Ichi Kangyo Bank, Fuji Bank, and Nippon Credit Bank. With an additional bank joining them, their strength increased even more, firmly outpacing the others.


    However, unlike Mizuho and Mitsubishi UFJ, Mitsui Sumitomo had a good reputation in Japan because the largest shareholders of the former two were BlackRock.


    Rumors said they were controlled by Wall Street capital, but the largest shareholder of Mitsui Sumitomo was the Japan Bank, with BlackRock only the second.


    In a ''lesser evil'' marketplace, a firm that wasn''t comparatively as bad was held up by modern youths as a true national bank of Yamato.


    At this moment, Lu Liang also spotted the line of Maybachs not far away and showed a strange expression, only to wave his hand first at the tourists from home: "I wish you all a pleasant journey."


    Then he disembarked the plane, hurried a few steps, and shook hands and hugged the beaming Ota Ling.


    Lu Liang smiled wryly, "Mr. Ota, you''re being too polite."


    He could imagine what kind of story it would turn into once the news reached home, receiving such treatment on his second visit to Tokyo. He guessed it would be considered some sort of under-the-table deal.


    Ota Ling looked puzzled and asked in confusion, "Mr. Lu, have we caused you any trouble?"


    They had investigated Lu Liang and knew he liked to be in the spotlight, so they had treated him with the highest courtesy.


    "It''s not trouble, let''s go."


    Lu Liang was at a loss for words, his lips curling with a hint of bitterness.


    He considered himself to be very low-profile, so why would others think he liked to show off?


    This was definitely a misunderstanding.


    The driver in a black suit and white gloves quickly opened the rear door of the first car.


    Lu Liang gestured and said, "Mr. Ota, please after you."


    "Mr. Lu, you are our guest, you first."


    "Then I will not stand on ceremony."


    As the two of them settled into the back seat, the welcome fleet also left the tarmac through a special passage.


    Just as Lu Liang had predicted, he was still on the road when the news had already spread to the homeland.


    "Tokyo Haneda Airport witness to the arrival of a VIP, and it''s him!"


    "Nine Maybachs breach Haneda Airport¡ªwhat''s the reason?"


    "It''s him, it''s really him..."


    "Pictures don''t lie."


    "Liangzi, why are you back in Tokyo again?"


    "Could it be that over the Spring Festival holiday, you met a lady teacher, so you''re reluctant to leave?"


    "It doesn''t seem so, I heard the man is the president of Mitsui Sumitomo Bank, Mr. Ota Ling."


    "Amazing, this kind of treatment is probably like that of a state leader visiting, I assume."


    Lu Liang guessed the beginning but not the end.


    Netizens were discussing, but surprisingly there was little intense japanophilia rhetoric; only a minority chimed in without making much of a wave.


    The internet remembers. In mid-July last year, the video that went viral across the country earned Lu Liang far too many favorable impressions.


    Someone labeled by Wall Street capital as a nationalist, going to Tokyo, was probably just for official business.


    Being received with the highest honors by the large financial conglomerate, not only would netizens not feel offended, but they would also likely feel a sense of pride by association.


    Just as some enjoy seeing what foreigners think of their country, love seeing them looking like they''ve never seen the world before.


    A sense of pride welled up in their hearts.

 Chapter 300 - 299: Crude Oil Soars

    "Mr. Lu, you''ve had a long journey," Ota Ling greeted Lu Liang as he led him to a private club in Chiyoda District, invested in by their group.


    Even though Tokyo''s population density is five times that of Beijing and twice that of Modu, making it a place where people outnumber available land,


    Mitsui Sumitomo had still managed to acquire 30 acres of land in the bustling city streets to build a private club dedicated to hosting important guests.


    The club was a purely wooden structure with large, staggered arches, a complex combination of large corridors and courtyards, and high roofs that bore a Tang Dynasty style.


    The welcome fleet stopped at the entrance of the clubhouse, flanked by a dozen or more young and beautiful female attendants.


    "Welcome, Mr. Lu, thank you for gracing us with your presence!"


    Each wore a kimono, kneeling and sitting in greeting, their faces displaying a respectful smile.


    Throughout, they kept their heads down, not daring to look directly at Lu Liang and the others, perfectly presenting the nuances of hierarchy and respect.


    "Mr. Lu, this way, please."


    Ota Ling, with a smile, called over the staff and led Lu Liang and the others to the changing room.


    Tokyo, being a maritime climate with relatively high humidity, has average temperatures in the mid-to-late March still in single digits.


    He suggested they first take a dip in the warm springs to wash away the fatigue of travel before enjoying a delicious meal.


    "Then I''ll have to trouble you, Mr. Ota."


    Lu Liang smiled and could not really refuse.


    Each person was accompanied by two female attendants; as they entered the changing room, the attendants closely followed.


    Lu Liang sat on a long bench, one attendant helping him remove his coat and shirt from behind, while another knelt to help him with his shoes and socks when suddenly from the next space Fang Shiyu''s voice rang out, "What are you trying to do?"


    Lu Liang pulled back the curtain and moved to the next room, where he saw Fang Shiyu holding his clothes, with two visibly flustered attendants kneeling before him.


    As if they had been trained beforehand, someone had taught them how to apologize if they accidentally offended distinguished guests from the East Country.


    Both attendants continuously muttered, "I''m sorry."


    Lu Liang asked, "What happened?"


    Blushing and stammering, Fang Shiyu replied, "They were trying to take off my pants."


    "Just let them do it, you''re not a kid anymore," Lu Liang couldn''t help but chuckle, just as the manager, hearing the commotion, hurried over, thinking his staff had caused trouble, and promptly bent over to apologize.


    Seeing the manager''s name tag, Lu Liang smiled and said, "Mr. Saito, don''t worry about it, it''s just that my people aren''t used to it, let''s just forget about it."


    He had Fang Shiyu and Zhuo Yifan wait at the door while he followed the manager to the courtyard''s open-air hot springs.


    As an island nation situated on seismic belts, East Country has abundant hot spring resources. Even in the bustling city streets of Tokyo, there are numerous natural spring sources.


    Steam billowed, accompanied by a faint sulfur smell.


    After waiting a while, Ota Ling arrived, clutching a flask of sake, dressed in a bathrobe, and beaming.


    "Mr. Lu, try this¡ªit''s a pure rice 30% Daiginjo from Hyogo Prefecture."


    He poured two glasses, the sake clear as amber and redolent with a mild bamboo rice fragrance.


    Sake, primarily made from rice, is divided into eight grades, with pure rice Daiginjo being the highest grade¡ªthe lower the percentage, the better the quality.


    A single polished grain of rice, the more its outer layer is removed, the purer the starch left behind, making it more conducive to minimizing off-flavors.


    A pure rice 30% Daiginjo means that 70% of a high-quality grain of rice is milled away, leaving only 30% of the white heart for brewing.


    "Thank you, Mr. Ota, I have other arrangements tonight, so I regret I can''t fully enjoy your company." Lu Liang sipped the drink lightly, finding the taste quite pleasing.


    "What about the dinner?" Ota Ling frowned.


    "Let''s have a celebratory feast after the matter is settled."


    Lu Liang had a well-known penchant for beautiful women, and globally, East Country was particularly noted in this regard.


    However, he hoped to spend the next few nights calmly without any flamboyant distractions.


    Business comes first; he could indulge in revelry after all was done.


    Realizing this, Ota Ling did not insist further and indirectly asked, "Mr. Lu, from what you said, does that mean the market will start moving within these next few days?"


    Since last month, when Lu Liang had them monitor international crude oil trends, they had been investigating to find any clues.


    Yet, they found nothing, as the price of oil fluctuated with the market, showing little substantial change over the month, not yielding any profit.


    If not for Lu Liang, they would have already given up.


    "It could be tonight, or maybe next week."


    Lu Liang smiled but did not disclose the exact time.


    He felt that international trends had been turbulent in recent years, and the crude oil market seemed a bit too calm. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Feelings?" Mr. Ota couldn''t help but laugh, and he didn''t continue to ask. Lu Liang had said it was just a feeling, clearly not wanting to share his rationale, so there was nothing Mr. Ota could do.


    At nightfall, Lu Liang and others left the clubhouse and went to the hotel arranged by Ota Ling.


    The room was large, and it took a long time to check, such as checking for listening devices.


    Several security personnel, including Fang Shiyu, were scanning every corner of the room with detectors.


    Lu Liang stood by the window, admiring the Tokyo skyline, "This place is indeed very nice, worth keeping as a fallback option."


    In a capitalist society, everything was very direct, unlike at home where spending money still required consideration of the common people''s emotions, as if the money had dubious origins.


    This was Lu Liang''s second visit to Tokyo, and he felt it more profoundly, as if having money meant you were always right, and those without money would agree.


    After a while, Fang Shiyu came over and said, "Brother, we''ve checked inside and out three times, everything is fine, you can rest now."


    Lu Liang patted his shoulder and laughed, "Try not to overreact in the future, get used to it, performing is unavoidable."


    Fang Shiyu was his younger brother and had nothing to be cautious about; as long as it was fitting, he should enjoy without reservation.


    "If you have the chance, play more. After enough exposure, you won''t be hurt by emotions," Lu Liang said with a smile.


    Fang Shiyu felt awkward, wanting to speak but stopping himself, and Lu Liang chuckled, "Go back and rest early, I''ll call you if needed."


    Fang Shiyu was relieved, "We''re just next door."


    "Go on."


    Lu Liang took out his notebook to observe the crude oil market stats.


    Today''s increase was only 0.58%,


    The current price was $51.52 per barrel.


    He only watched until 11:30 PM, which was 6:30 PM in Austria, then he went back to his room to rest.


    Mr. Ota had provided a lot of information they had investigated, the Middle East was still fraught with war and clouds of battle.


    In the short term, there were no major scenarios likely to change the war situation, so it must be OPEC stirring trouble.


    OPEC headquarters was in Vienna, Austria, which was five hours behind Tokyo Time.


    As long as he adjusted his schedule to match theirs, he was likely not to miss the moment news was released.


    However, that alone wasn''t safe enough. Lu Liang called Wen Chao to keep an eye out constantly.


    If there were any special circumstances, they were to contact him immediately; if unable to get through, then contact Zhuo Yifan.


    Lu Liang stayed in Tokyo for a day and a night, all was quiet until the 23rd.


    That day, as earlier predicted, Brent Crude Oil surged, and he immediately contacted Mr. Ota, notifying him, "Brent Crude Oil looks bullish short-term."


    It was already morning in Austria, and the Middle East was calm, confirming it was OPEC''s manipulation.


    Thus, the market surge would initiate within the next six hours, there wasn''t much time left to alert Mitsui Sumitomo to prepare.


    "Okay, Mr. Lu."


    Mr. Ota was startled, without time to ponder, he immediately relayed the message to the head of the fund project.


    Not just the 300 million dollar risk fund was mobilized at once, but a massive amount of capital was also moving covertly into the Brent Crude Oil market.


    Today was not like the past; they chose to trust Lu Liang unconditionally, not even considering testing the waters with a small attempt.


    Opportunities like this don''t come often and gone when missed.


    If they missed this market wave, who knew when the next opportunity would be.


    And the next time, Lu Liang wouldn''t personally oversee it.


    After ending the call, Lu Liang contacted Wen Chao, "Be alert, the market is likely to make a move, looks bullish into $61 per barrel short-term, judge the situation for yourselves."


    He was well aware that the mentioned 300 million dollars by Mitsui Sumitomo was just the tip of the iceberg, not knowing how much was quietly invested behind the scenes.


    With the scale of Mitsui Sumitomo, if they trusted him enough, mobilizing over ten billion dollars wasn''t out of the question.


    Thus, he reserved a three-dollar margin to prevent Mitsui Sumitomo from massively closing positions, causing price pullbacks.


    After everything was settled, Lu Liang went to take a shower, contacted the hotel manager, and arranged for a barbecue chef.


    He suddenly craved barbecue¡ªoysters, eel, giant lobsters, paired with chilled beer.


    Though it was a breezy setup, there was pleasure in the pain.


    Tokyo time, 7:10 PM.


    OPEC suddenly announced a reduction in production for the next year, causing the three major international crude oil indices to soar suddenly.


    Among them, Brent Crude Oil had the highest surge, a huge bullish candlestick shooting up, instantly vaulting up $8.25 per barrel.

 Chapter 301 - 300: Showas First Songstress

    "Mr. Lu, have you received the news? OPEC announced a 5.5% reduction in production compared to the same quarter last year."


    Mr. Ota couldn''t wait to call Lu Liang to share the good news, as the three main indices soared, led by Brent Crude Oil.


    Almost instantly upon the announcement, Brent Crude Oil broke through $60 per barrel, with a massive influx of international speculative capital.


    Oil, known as black gold and the lifeblood of industry, often sees conflict in the Middle East precisely because of its abundant oil resources.


    This market, as renowned as gold, has a scale that not only matches but potentially exceeds that of London Gold.


    They had positioned themselves in advance, and even if they were to close their positions at the current price of $60.52 per barrel, they could make a profit of several billion US dollars.


    "Several billion? Mr. Ota, it seems you''ve privately invested quite a sum."


    Lu Liang squinted his eyes, understanding that to earn several billion dollars without leverage, one would need to use at least ten billion dollars in capital.


    "Mr. Lu, at first, we hadn''t anticipated the market performing this well, which is why we thought investing only $300 million might be too modest to capitalize fully on the situation." S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Mr. Ota laughed heartily, openly admitting that not only their partnered hedge funds had invested, but Mitsui Sumitomo''s investment department had also joined in.


    Although there wasn''t an official contract signed, they had bent the rules, so they were willing to offer 20% of their clean profits as an apology.


    Suddenly, Lu Liang said to the barbecue chef, "This lantern flavor is delicious, grill a few more."


    "Lantern?" Mr. Ota was confused.


    Lu Liang smiled, "Mr. Ota, I''m eating barbecue at the hotel, would you care to join me?"


    Initially, he had only ordered oysters and eel, but upon noticing skewered bird lanterns on the menu, he decided to try a few out of curiosity.


    A bit of chicken meat, some chicken fat, plus two undeveloped eggs, bursting with flavor in one bite, had a unique taste.


    "Okay, I''ll be there right away," Mr. Ota realized, took one last glance at his account, and hurried to prepare to head to the hotel.


    Once the call ended, Lu Liang took a sip of beer and smiled, "20%, quite generous."


    He glanced at the market conditions; Brent Crude Oil had risen to $63.55 per barrel.


    Some time passed and Mr. Ota hadn''t yet arrived when Lu Liang received a call from Wen Chao.


    They had closed their positions, selling at $63.42, with their positions originally established at $52.28.


    Using $800 million and leveraged ten times, they had profited $141 million this evening.


    "I understand."


    At that moment, Fang Shiyu knocked and entered, "Mr. Lu, Mr. Ota has arrived."


    Mr. Ota, beaming with delight, quickly approached and gave Lu Liang a tight embrace, looking at him with almost divine admiration, "Mr. Lu, your brilliant strategies are truly admirable."


    By the time they arrived at the hotel, they had also closed their positions, earning profits of $120 million and $1.54 billion respectively.


    The former was from the risk fund jointly operated by him, Old Ma, and Lu Liang, and the latter was from the investment department of Mitsui Sumitomo.


    "Some element of gambling there, lucky it was right."


    Lu Liang spoke nonchalantly, gestured for Mr. Ota to sit, and poured him a beer, "But I''m more cautious, not as bold as Mr. Ota."


    A $10 billion investment, if it were him, would have made him think twice, not excluding the possibility that he was orchestrating the scenario.


    After all, OPEC''s announcement of a reduction in production for the next quarter was an entirely unforeseen event.


    If one hastily entered the market and it turned out to be a blunder, they would lose at least 5% of their capital, perhaps even more.


    It''s easy to put money in, but hard to get it out, especially when there isn''t significant news; one can easily get caught.


    If one got caught, they wouldn''t just get a bruising.


    If Lu Liang had orchestrated it, he would have first moved covertly, then short sold, and harshly cut out a piece from Mitsui Sumitomo.


    Mr. Ota, smiling warmly, "Luckily, I gambled correctly too."


    Lu Liang responded with a calm smile, raising his glass, "Thank you for your trust, Mr. Ota."


    "Mr. Lu, you give too much credit. It was you who gave us this opportunity."


    Mr. Ota did not mince his words and directly stated the profit was still being tallied and would be delivered by tomorrow morning at the latest.


    They had employed $11.8 billion tonight and earned approximately $1.54 billion, of which 20% belonged to Lu Liang.


    Whether dining richly just tonight, or at every meal, they clearly understood, 20% of the profits, not a penny less.


    "Let''s not talk business tonight."


    Lu Liang, with a slight smile, felt he deserved the outcome.


    Mr. Ota squinted his eyes, his face revealing a smile that all men understand, "How can we talk about anything but business with good wine, good food, and beautiful women to accompany us?"


    He had prepared earlier, with one phone call, he summoned two beautiful young girls under the age of twenty.


    She was tall, about 165 cm, which was considered tall among the average height of 155 cm for Japanese women.


    Among them, there was one with a gentle and delicate demeanor, sharing a striking resemblance to Showa''s top songstress, Nakamori Akina.


    She bowed respectfully, her eyes revealing a hint of timidity, "Chairman Ota, Mr. Lu, hello, my name is Sakurada Miyuki."


    The other girl was much more cheerful and lively, smiling warmly, "Hello, I am Matsushima Nanako."


    Ota Ling nodded slightly and smiled, "Why don''t you perform something for Mr. Lu?"


    Both girls were carefully selected, proficient in both singing and dancing, and impeccably presented.


    Two days ago, when Lu Liang had arrived in Tokyo, he should have met them for a significant discussion.


    Unfortunately, he hadn''t even seen their faces at the time,


    after soaking in the bath, he left without even eating.


    Therefore, tonight, no matter what, he had to get them into Lu Liang''s bed.


    Ota Ling was unaware of Lu Liang''s plans to have contingencies in Tokyo.


    Securities law at East Country only governed domestic issues, once abroad, a different set of securities laws applied internationally.


    From Ota Ling''s perspective, Lu Liang''s willingness to cooperate was purely to make some extra money.


    But tonight, having already given them a taste of sweetness, he wanted to develop a long-term cooperative relationship with Lu Liang.


    After much thought, he decided to resort to a strategy of seduction.


    Ota Ling knew the chances of success were low, more likely a scenario where Lu Liang would forget them once he left, but still, even if it left him with a slight concern, it would be worthwhile.


    If they were lucky enough to succeed, it would be more than ideal, at least giving Lu Liang a home base in Tokyo.


    "Please wait a moment."


    The two girls went to the adjacent room to change clothes and prepare their musical instruments.


    Lu Liang glanced at Ota Ling and couldn''t help but chuckle, "Mr. Ota, you''ve gone to great lengths."


    "Mr. Lu, if there''s any inadequacy in hosting you in Tokyo, it would be our oversight."


    Ota Ling''s expression was heartfelt and sincere, concerned Lu Liang might misunderstand.


    They genuinely had no ulterior motives, their only aim was for Lu Liang to enjoy and feel comfortable.


    "Mr. Ota, you are too polite, aren''t we already insiders? Why be so formal?" Lu Liang laughed lightly.


    "Exactly, insiders." Ota Ling smiled with squinted eyes, but then playfully scolded, "Mr. Lu, just call me Ota."


    "Ota, cheers."


    "Cheers."


    A while later, the two young ladies returned wearing their outfits and makeup, pushing open the door.


    They wore blue and white short silk skirts, resembling Xiao Qing and Xiao Bai from Legend of the White Snake, singing songs that were melodious yet incomprehensible.


    Lu Liang relaxed; as long as it wasn''t the geisha dance.


    During the Spring Festival holiday, he and Little Wang had come to Tokyo and also watched the traditional geisha dance.


    Thinking about it still gave him goosebumps.


    Geishas held red folding fans, with their eerie bodily movements and face painted white with red lips, making him think of corpse makeup.


    He couldn''t appreciate it.


    Ota Ling continuously observed Lu Liang, noticing that he seemed more interested in the introverted and shy Sakurada Miyuki than the outgoing Matsushima Nanako.


    "When I first saw her, it felt like going back thirty years, back to the era dominated by Akina."


    Ota Ling was full of nostalgia; thirty years ago, when he was seventeen, the twenty-year-old Nakamori Akina was at the peak of her career, sweeping across Asia.


    The number one songstress of the Showa era, the most beautiful songstress, wasn''t just a fan-given title but recognized by all of Asia.


    Lu Liang smiled, "A gentleman does not compete for love."


    Knowing that Ota was brainwashing him to deepen his impression of Sakurada Miyuki, but he wasn''t familiar with or hadn''t experienced that era.


    If it had been a young Guan Zhilin, that would be another story.


    Being named the number one beauty in the star-filled Hong Kong circle spoke volumes about her beauty.


    Ota Ling shook his head, reflecting, "Akina, she can only be admired from afar, not frivolously played with, otherwise even the most beautiful memories get tainted."


    "Mr. Ota, you too are a man of deep sentiment."


    Lu Liang chuckled, knowing it was a strategy, but still couldn''t help but take a few more glances. Sakurada Miyuki was singing Nakamori Akina''s song Hard Ship, and the LCD screen was displaying its music video.


    He seemed to understand why Nakamori Akina was acclaimed as the top songstress of the Showa era, as even now, the head of a company worth hundreds of trillions of yen spoke of her with eyes full of past memories.

 Chapter 302 - 301: Driven to Become the Archvillain

    "Woken up?"


    Early in the morning, Lu Liang stood beside the bed getting dressed, noticing the slight tremble of Sakurada Miyuki''s eyelashes on the bed.


    Clearly, she had woken up, but she was pretending to be asleep.


    Last night, he only took in one girl, and let Ota Ling take the other one away.


    Lu Liang actually had no particular thoughts, at least not last night, but sometimes, playing along is unavoidable.


    Because Ota Ling wanted him to have attachments in Tokyo, and also hoped to deepen their relationship by this means.


    So Lu Liang chose the girl who looked somewhat like Nakamori Akina, and seemed to have a more compliant personality.


    Sakurada Miyuki opened her eyes, looking timid, and spoke in fluent English, "Sir, are you leaving?"


    "I''m leaving tomorrow," Lu Liang shook his head slightly, but then the doorbell rang and he walked out of the bedroom.


    Sakurada Miyuki clutched the quilt, staring blankly, though it was of her own free will, she felt an inexplicable urge to cry.


    She had given her most precious first time to someone she had never met before, now only knowing his surname.


    "It was tough, please convey my thanks to Mr. Ota," Lu Liang said with a smile as he saw off Ota Ling''s secretary.


    Lu Liang closed the room door and flipped through some documents.


    With a smile lingering on his lips and narrowed eyes, he muttered, "Just as I thought."


    Last night he found it strange that a profit of 300 million dollars was given away so readily; even for a big financial conglomerate like Mitsui Sumitomo, it was a bit too generous.


    Ota Ling had people send the documents explaining that last night''s funds were corporate funds, and any profits or losses belonged to the company.


    He was willing to give Lu Liang 20% of the net profit, and the board of the group was willing as well, but the laws of the country did not allow it.


    So they had a meeting overnight and thought of a compromise¡ªestablish a company in Lu Liang''s name and transfer the entire 308 million dollars into this new company''s account.


    In the future, Lu Liang''s daily expenses and business investments could be conducted through this company.


    The money still belonged to him, it just couldn''t leave Japan for the moment.


    Suddenly his cellphone rang, and Lu Liang received a call from Ota Ling, "Mr. Lu, you should have read the documentation by now."


    Lu Liang nodded, "I have."


    "Should I try to find a way to transfer the funds to your company''s account at East Country as soon as possible?"


    "No need, keeping the funds in Tokyo is also good, I do like this city, and coming here for a vacation now and then isn''t bad."


    Lu Liang chuckled lightly as he examined the remaining two documents¡ªone was real estate certification information, and the other was vehicle purchase information.


    The former was a high-end apartment in Roppongi, 480 square meters, valued at 18 million dollars.


    The latter included three vehicles: a Mercedes Maybach, an Alphard, and a Porsche GT.


    "Mr. Ota, thank you for your gifts."


    The company, apartment, and cars were all well arranged, showing that they really hoped he would stay longer in Tokyo.


    "Just a small token of appreciation, as long as you like it."


    Ota Ling let out a sigh of relief; it was a straightforward strategy, but fortunately, Lu Liang didn''t turn hostile and accepted their goodwill.


    "I''m going back to Modu tomorrow, how about we have dinner together tonight?" Lu Liang asked.


    "The location, do you want to book, or should we?"


    "Let''s do it at the hotel restaurant, I''m not familiar with other places."


    "Okay."


    Ending the call, Lu Liang suddenly heard some noise from the bedroom and turned his head to see Sakurada Miyuki limping into the bathroom.


    He couldn''t help but smile, then he looked down at the documents, among which was a personal file on Sakurada Miyuki.


    Born in ''98, sophomore at Tokyo University, her father had declared bankruptcy and jumped to his death last July, leaving her and her mother with a debt of 280 million yen, approximately 2.37 million dollars.


    The main creditor was Mitsui Sumitomo Group, and among it, 50 million yen was from high-interest loans which Mitsui Sumitomo took over entirely.


    At banquets, only the interest of the 50 million yen in high-interest loans could be waived; there was still a debt of 280 million yen to be repaid.


    Ota Ling transferred the debt to Lu Liang.


    All he needed to do was to get Sakurada Miyuki to sign it, then submit it to the Mitsui Sumitomo Group for review, and the entire debt would be written off.


    "The character ''Liang'' stands for conscience, why must life force me to become a villain."


    Lu Liang sighed, tore up the debt settlement contract, threw it into the toilet, and flushed it towards the Pacific.


    He packed away the company contracts, took out the house and car documents, went back to the bedroom, and quietly waited for Sakurada Miyuki to come out.


    Sakurada Miyuki didn''t expect Lu Liang to be waiting at the door for her, and she was so startled that she sat down straight on the floor. The carpet was soft, but her buttocks hit the step, the pain almost bringing tears to her eyes.


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but chuckle, went over to help her up: "I''ll be returning to my country tomorrow."


    Sakurada Miyuki responded with an "Oh," and Lu Liang continued, "These are the documents for the house and car. When I''m not here, you can manage them for me."


    Sakurada Miyuki looked bewildered, pointing to her nose: "Manage what?"


    "On weekends when the school is closed, you could clean up the rooms, do some maintenance on the car."


    She could use the house and car and would be given a monthly salary of 3 million yen.


    The 280 million yen debt, Lu Liang had already asked Ota Ling to stop accruing interest on it; by working for him for eight years, she could pay it off.


    Sakurada Miyuki remained silent for a long moment, then gave a deep bow: "Thank you, sir. I will treat this job with care."


    She was very aware that she was being treated like a canary, but a monthly salary of 25,000 US dollars was more than she could ever earn even after graduating.


    Lu Liang handed her a bank card, which she could use for house repairs, car maintenance, and daily expenses. All she had to do was to generate a monthly bill and send it to him. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Sakurada Miyuki put away the documents, gathered her courage, and timidly asked: "Sir, I only know your surname is Lu, I still don''t know your full name."


    "Lu Liang."


    "Lu Liang!"


    Sakurada Miyuki''s eyes widened, and she stared in a daze.


    Lu Liang smiled at the corners of his mouth: "Have you heard my name before?"


    Sakurada Miyuki stayed silent for a long while, then looked up and for the first time looked directly into Lu Liang''s eyes, her gaze complex: "My father, last July, diverted company funds to play in the foreign exchange market, that''s why we went bankrupt."


    "Foreign exchange?"


    Lu Liang was stunned, then suddenly narrowed his eyes.


    Although it was not specified which foreign exchange, but it was already very clear from last July.


    If nothing unexpected, it was the action he drove that caused the yen to plummet, killing someone''s father and sleeping with his daughter.


    Ota Ling, this bastard,


    This was to push him into becoming the supreme villain.


    Lu Liang asked, "What do you think?"


    Sakurada Miyuki remained silent for a long time, then softly said, "I don''t hate you, because it was my father who first misused the company''s funds. I need this job, and I have a mother to take care of."


    "Tokyo, I won''t come here often. The job is still yours."


    Lu Liang patted her head: "Rest well today, we can go to Roppongi tomorrow to check out the house and car."


    He was going to settle the score with Ota Ling.


    In the evening, Ota Ling arrived at the hotel as promised.


    "Mr. Lu, I really didn''t mean it, I had no idea that Sakurada Hiroshi went bankrupt like that."


    Ota Ling was astonished. If he had known that Sakurada Miyuki''s father went bankrupt playing with foreign exchange because of Lu Liang, he would not have let the two of them meet at all.


    He had always hoped that Lu Liang would come to Tokyo more often, how could he intentionally make things difficult for Lu Liang?


    "Let''s not talk about that, let''s drink," Lu Liang sighed. He naturally knew that Ota Ling didn''t do it on purpose.


    Managing such a large enterprise, a debt of several million US dollars, if not because Sakurada Miyuki resembled Nakamori Akina, he might not have even been aware of such an incident.


    "How about I find you another companion tonight?"


    Ota Ling was eager to make amends. The beginning was very pleasant, the process also quite enjoyable, who would have known the ending would turn so abruptly.


    "No need, I''m leaving tomorrow." Lu Liang shook his head, he had become an unintended villain, and his mood was very somber.

 Chapter 303 - 302: The Brave Ones Enjoy the World First

    "Take care, see you later."


    As night fell, Lu Liang stood at the hotel entrance, waving goodbye to Ota Ling, his steps light and unsteady as he wavered back upstairs.


    His tolerance for alcohol was still not very good, barely handling the twenty-something-degree sake after they had downed seven pots.


    Back in his room, Lu Liang lay on the sofa and closed his eyes to rest when suddenly a cold towel covered his forehead, prompting him to immediately open his eyes.


    "When you''re drunk... a cold towel on the forehead can be soothing."


    Sakurada Miyuki panicked, like a frightened deer, instinctively backing away a few steps. Lu Liang sat up, patted the spot next to him, and chuckled, "Am I that scary?"


    "No, not at all."


    Sakurada Miyuki obediently sat next to Lu Liang, daring only to perch on the edge of the seat, her back ramrod straight, clearly still very nervous.


    Her attire had also changed significantly from the day before. If yesterday''s was a sexy and spicy skirt, today''s was a white collar shirt paired with a black vest dress, exuding a gentle, docile, girl-next-door vibe.


    Lu Liang watched her as she bowed her head, not daring to make eye contact, when a rumbling sound broke the tranquil atmosphere.


    Lu Liang asked with a smile, "Hungry?"


    "Not at all."


    Sakurada Miyuki shook her head in denial, her physiological reactions betraying her as an inappropriately loud noise sounded again.


    "Want to eat something? I could also use something to line my stomach."


    Lu Liang picked up the menu and realized that besides the two breakfasts he had ordered in the morning, Sakurada Miyuki had not eaten anything else all day.


    It seemed she had hardly touched her breakfast,


    Going hungry all the way until now. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I''m good with anything," Sakurada Miyuki said, her cheeks reddening like a cooked crab.


    "My flight''s at noon tomorrow. I won''t be coming to Tokyo again for a short while."


    Lu Liang wiped his face with the ice towel, walked over to the bar, poured himself a cold drink, and took a hearty gulp.


    He said with a faint smile, "Ota Ling hopes I''ll come to Tokyo often, and I hope he knows I will."


    "That''s where you come in."


    Sakurada Miyuki was indeed a beauty,


    But to say he was fond of her would be an overstatement.


    It was simply that between the two girls, Sakurada Miyuki was more pleasing to the eye, nothing more. Even if it were another girl, he would choose one.


    Sakurada Miyuki was taken aback, her lips turning up in a bitter curve as she whispered softly, "I understand, sir."


    She was a student at Tokyo University, ranked number one in Asia and twenty-fourth in the world, with Tsinghua coming in at twenty-eighth.


    With a little hint from Lu Liang, Sakurada Miyuki understood.


    Choosing her, even developing a long-term relationship, was not because she was particularly beautiful, nor because Lu Liang was particularly fond of her.


    She was like a gift, a gift from Ota Ling to Lu Liang, whether Lu Liang liked it or not, he would keep the gift and place it in a prominent spot to prove their good relationship.


    This gift could be Sakurada Miyuki, last night''s Nanako, or some other girl.


    She shouldn''t consider herself too important.


    The flash of surprise in Lu Liang''s eyes, with a smile on his lips, "Miyuki, you''re very smart. I''m starting to like you a bit."


    Sakurada Miyuki''s cheeks flushed, silent and at a loss, not knowing how to respond to Lu Liang''s ''confession''.


    Right then, the doorbell rang, accompanied by the waiter''s reminder of meal delivery. She eagerly said, "I''ll go open the door."


    ...


    "Get some rest early."


    Late into the night, after having some main course and washing up, Lu Liang went to rest in another room.


    He had a flight booked for noon the next day, and with some time left in the morning, he planned to visit a motorhome in Roppongi, just to get acquainted.


    In the neighboring room, Sakurada Miyuki lay wide-eyed, staring blankly at the ceiling, her mind swirling with thoughts.


    At this moment, she faced a significant life decision, whether to actively go next door.


    By going, she might solidify their relationship, although she wasn''t sure if solidifying the relationship was good or bad.


    But he couldn''t just not go; by the time Lu Liang''s relationship with Ota Ling had developed to the point where gifts were no longer needed to prove its strength, her role as a gift would also become meaningless.


    "Brave people get to enjoy the world first."


    A deep sigh echoed in the spacious room.


    As the night deepened, Lu Liang''s eyelids grew heavy, and finally, unable to stay awake any longer, he put down his phone.


    Somewhere between sleep and wakefulness, the door suddenly cracked open.


    A figure slipped through the gap and wriggled under the covers from the end of the bed, rustling up to the head of the bed.


    Sakurada Miyuki blinked her big eyes and mustered her courage, "Good evening, sir. Good night."


    "Good night," Lu Liang chuckled softly, hugging her as if she were a doll, and fell asleep in each other''s embrace.


    Having wealth and power, sincere and beautiful feelings came naturally. He always told himself not to care about their authenticity but to take them as real for the moment and enjoy the present goodness.


    The next morning, the two of them took a trip to Roppongi.


    Located in the Tokyo Minato District, it''s known for its luxury and elegance, one of the famous wealthy districts.


    The house that Ota Ling had given was next to the Asahi TV Station and the Yahoo Group Building.


    On the eighth floor, a 480-square-meter flat apartment came with five parking spaces, three of which were occupied by three brand-new sedans, an SUV, and a sports car.


    One black, one white, one red - the total price of the three cars must exceed 2 million US dollars, plus the 18 million US dollars for the property.


    The personal gift from Ota Ling to Lu Liang had a total value of over 20 million US dollars.


    "This place is now yours," Lu Liang handed over all the keys and documents to Sakurada Miyuki.


    Sakurada Miyuki couldn''t help but ask, "Sir, when will you be back?"


    The moment she received the bundle of keys, she suddenly understood why so many girls chose to do a ''daddy''s activity.''


    With an average price of 4 million yen per square meter in Roppongi, how many people spend their entire lives only able to live in apartments of a few dozen square meters?


    And here she was, suddenly moving into a luxury 480-square-meter apartment and having the right to use three luxury cars.


    "I don''t have a date for my next visit yet," Lu Liang said with a light laugh, caressing her cheek, "I''m off."


    "Take care, sir."


    At three thirty in the afternoon, the plane arrived at Pu Xin Airport, marking the end of Lu Liang''s three-day trip to Tokyo.


    On the way back to the company, Fang Shiyu suddenly pulled the car into a gas station: "Bro, we''re almost out of gas."


    Lu Liang hummed in acknowledgment and glanced at the gas prices.


    They seemed to have fueled up here last Saturday when the price was 6.78 yuan per liter.


    In just one week, with OPEC announcing production cuts, the price for 92 octane had risen by 0.45 yuan per liter.


    It broke through 7 yuan and hit 7.23 yuan.


    Based on an average 50-liter tank, filling up had gone from 339 yuan to 361.5 yuan, an increase of 22.5 yuan per tank.


    Lu Liang browsed the news; almost overnight, gas prices soared past 7 yuan everywhere, with places like Hai Island even approaching 8 yuan.


    "Good news for new energy."


    For a moment, Lu Liang even doubted whether OPEC''s production cut was related to Zhong.


    But then he thought that the two didn''t really get along, and besides, it was usual for domestic prices to rise along with international hikes.


    The magnitude of this increase was a bit much; it was likely a move to push the development of the new energy market.


    With oil prices universally breaking 7 yuan, wavering potential owners of new energy vehicles suddenly felt surer about their decision.


    The lower-priced BYD and the higher-end Tesla both saw a surge in sales volume.


    Eager not to be left behind, NIO took the opportunity to announce that they would begin trial production on April 5th and simultaneously opened their reservation channel.


    Xiao Peng Car quickly followed suit, saying that after the trial period, they would open reservations for the G3, move to mass production earlier than planned, and guarantee a 12-week delivery.


    Li Xiang also announced almost at the same time that they would hold a delivery event for their first batch of 20 vehicles on April 12th.


    The new energy market surged again, turning entirely bullish.


    Tianxing Fund kept pace with the sector, with its latest net value reaching 1.423.


    The entire sector received another shot of adrenaline, surging yesterday and opening high and going higher today, painting the motherland''s landscape red.

 Chapter 304 - 303: Anxious April

    "Bro, we''re all fueled up."


    "Let''s head back to the office first."


    Lu Liang gave a grunt of acknowledgment, put away his phone, and noticed that NIO and Li Xiang''s WeChat groups both had over 99+ messages.


    Nobody wanted to wait any longer, just like last year when Douyin exploded in popularity and ushered in the era of influencers, prompting smartphone manufacturers to launch photo-centric phones left and right.


    With gas prices breaking the seven-yuan mark, it was an excellent time for EV development. Unlike phones, which were replaced every few years, people didn''t change their cars that often¡ªkeeping them at least three to five years, if not five to eight.


    No one wanted to let BYD or Tesla hog the limelight, and didn''t care if they could mass-produce or not; they''d announce their plans first to give consumers options and buy themselves a little more time.


    For example, if a consumer was considering buying a Mao Dou 3, and suddenly heard that the NIO ES8 and Xiao Peng G3 were about to enter production, they might hesitate and decide to wait and compare cost-performance before making a decision.


    It was foreseeable that the new energy market would become bustling in April.


    As soon as Lu Liang returned to the office, he received a call from Hu Weiwei. Wuling was hoping for another authorization from them.


    The sales of the Hongguang Mini had given Wuling a taste of success, and hungry for more, they planned to launch the Wuling Kaijie and venture into the SUV flagship segment.


    With fuel cars, there''s the worry of engines and gearboxes lagging behind the times, but for EVs, everyone was starting from scratch; there was no reason why others could sell at high prices but Wuling could not.


    The Wuling Kaijie aimed to compete with the BYD Song, and this time, they intended to sell it for over 100,000 yuan, shedding their low-end label and going after the mid-range market.


    "Wuling has really come a long way."


    Lu Liang clicked his tongue in surprise and said with a smile, "Agreed, we''ll handle all pre-sale and after-sale services for free."


    He was looking forward to the launch of the Li Xiang One and the NIO ES8; as long as he had enough data support, the development speed of autonomous driving technology would increase even more.


    In April, the new energy market was a battleground,


    The battle was tense; as one company finished, another would take the stage.


    Even Hengchi, which had nothing but a name, forced its way to the table under the First Rich''s strategy of throwing money around.


    Old Xu made a hefty investment of tens of billions, planning to complete the journey from ''zero to one'' in the field of new energy vehicles within two years.


    Explosive news followed one after the other.


    Before the market could digest Hengtai''s investment of tens of billions to enter the new energy market, or even before the reservation channel for the NIO ES8 was opened,


    Weima, invested by Baidu, sneaked ahead by launching their first mass-produced model, the EX5, and opened reservations.


    "Our Weima always adheres to the ''technology for all'' concept, focusing on the mainstream segment market of 150,000 to 250,000 yuan..."


    Tesla was a foreign player, and outsiders were believed to chant sutras better. They couldn''t compete with them, nor did they have the confidence to win.


    But with BYD Song, they did have the confidence to contend for the mid-range SUV market.


    The Weima EX5 was priced between 149,800 and 199,800 yuan, aiming squarely at the BYD Song.


    Weima might not match BYD''s integration of the three electric systems, but with Baidu''s support in electronic control systems, they were far ahead of the market.


    According to the founder Shen Hun, in the battery domain, they utilized Ningde Era''s lithium iron phosphate batteries, on par with the BYD Song.


    For electric motors, they featured the latest type of permanent magnet synchronous motors with performance power 60% better than the BYD Song.


    In electronic control, with Baidu''s widely recognized technology, it wasn''t an overstatement to say they were unmatched in the country for the current period.


    Not to mention the interior and design, which need no introduction. BYD was notoriously heavy on the plastic feel of their interiors and had lackluster design.


    In comparison, the Weima EX5 comprehensively crushed the BYD Song.


    Upon hearing the news, Li Bing didn''t just swear in the group chat; he also ranted on Weibo, "Fuck Weima."


    NIO and Weima were both based in Modu. Before NIO planned to open their reservation channel on April 5th, Li Bing had personally contacted Shen Hun.


    He inquired politely whether Weima had any upcoming moves, suggesting that if they did, they should coordinate to space out their actions by a few days to avoid clashing and ensure maximum positive publicity.


    At the time, Shen Hun profusely assured him that Weima had no plans in early April, only to turn around and stab him in the back.


    Even though the ES8 and EX5 were in different price brackets, with the price of a Mao Dou 3 in between, their announcement of a starting price at 428,000 yuan the following day¡ªwhen Weima just announced a starting price of 149,800 yuan for the EX5¡ªwas clearly a move to grill them over the flames.


    Li Bing hurriedly sought out Lu Liang, hoping he would attend the press conference the next day to piggyback off his popularity and prevent the buzz around the ES8 from dying down.


    "What time?" Lu Liang asked, unable to hold back a chuckle.


    A starting price of 428,000 yuan was indeed steep, the kind that came with leased batteries at that; choosing the option to purchase a battery would skyrocket the price directly to 579,000 yuan.


    Li Bing was well aware of the high price,


    In fact, he did it on purpose.


    Since NIO''s battery swap stations weren''t widespread yet, they set a high price initially to secure the high-end brand image, aiming to go public in the US as soon as possible. Once listed and funded, they planned to aggressively build more stations and gradually lower prices to seize the market.


    The market was new, everyone was feeling their way through, and it wasn''t certain that NIO''s strategy wasn''t the right one, which is why the investors let Li Bing proceed in this manner.


    "Be at the National Sports Center by 1:30 PM tomorrow; it''s best to arrive half an hour early."


    Li Bing''s brows relaxed into a wide, happy smile.


    With Lu Liang present, there was no need to worry about lacking exposure; and just in case he took a sudden fancy, he might even predict a hundred billion US dollar valuation for NIO.


    That would be insanely awesome.


    "See you tomorrow."


    The corners of Lu Liang''s mouth lifted in a mischievous grin, thinking Li Bing''s ideas weren''t bold at all.


    [NIO''s market value on November 1, 2021, was 98.3 billion US dollars.]


    Not quite a hundred billion, but infinitely close.


    "The year 2021! Four years from now."


    As time passed, Lu Liang received more and more messages. Although fragmented, their sheer volume provided him with an outline of what the future market would look like.


    If it weren''t for his presence, the domestic new energy market was supposed to pick up momentum between the years 2020 and 2021.


    That''s why there was Ningde''s one trillion market value, Tesla''s 1200 billion US dollars, and NIO''s 98.3 billion US dollars.


    At the current time point, that might be moved up, depending on when Ningde''s market value broke one trillion.


    Although not entirely accurate,


    It could still serve as a reference standard.


    The next afternoon, just after one,


    Lu Liang arrived at the National Sports Center half an hour early.


    As soon as he appeared, reporters raised their cameras and lenses to aim squarely at him, a sight he had grown accustomed to.


    Yet, he still wasn''t used to being overshadowed in his own presence; behind him, a commotion arose, and a tide of cameras suddenly shifted, aiming at someone behind him.


    Curiously he looked back, his face reflecting sudden realization; he stopped and waited for a moment before asking with a smile, "Why didn''t Mr. Liu come?"


    Milk Tea Girl, born in ''93, had bore Qiangzi a daughter last year, securing her seat as JD''s lady boss and often representing Qiangdong at various events, a true protagonist in uplifting fiction.


    By comparison, Lu Liang, born in ''85, was an old guy who had stepped out from behind the scenes and whose mysterious aura had vanished.


    "Mr. Lu, hello. Qiangdong had to go on a business trip to Shenzhen and couldn''t make it back today," Milk Tea Girl said cheerily, her demeanor graceful.


    "Mr. Zhang, please."


    "Mr. Lu, after you."


    Both, under the staff''s arrangement, entered the conference hall for the release event, their seats divided by only an aisle.


    "Mr. Lei, it''s been a long time."


    The release conference was boring, with some time left before the official start.


    On Lu Liang''s left was Milk Tea Girl and on his right was Lei Jun; chatting to pass the time with a married woman wasn''t quite appropriate.


    He could only exchange a few off-hand remarks with Mr. Lei, who responded with a smile, "Mr. Lu, it really has been a long time since we last met in Beijing."


    He added, "I''ve heard your recent trip to Tokyo was very fruitful." S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Not bad," Lu Liang replied with a smile.


    The larger a corporation got, the fewer secrets it could keep, and who knows where the news came from¡ªthat Mitsui Sumitomo''s investment department had gone long on Brent Crude Oil and had raked in over a billion US dollars overnight.


    At that same time, Lu Liang was in Tokyo, warmly hosted by Mitsui Sumitomo.


    And coincidentally, on the first of the month, Tianxing Private Equity updated its net worth, deducting Tesla''s gains, and it seemed they had made a few more billion US dollars.


    One coincidence is happenstance, two can barely be called coincidental, but three? Surely, that''s no coincidence.


    Such impressive record naturally was attributed to Lu Liang, and the private equity investors no longer brought up redemptions.


    Lu Liang glanced at the stage and, shifting the subject, asked, "Who''s that female host?"


    For this release event, not only did Li Bing personally attend, but he had also hired a female host to emcee.


    She seemed professional, and yet not, and Lu Liang vaguely felt that her relation to Li Bing was a little odd.


    Mr. Lei, speechless, had not yet spoken when Milk Tea Girl chuckled from the side, "Mr. Lu, you''re right. Miss Wang is Mr. Li''s wife and also a host for the China Central Television."


    Lu Liang had an epiphany but didn''t delve further into conversation.


    He really disliked the look of Li Bing''s wife; not only did she resemble Chinese-American women, but her behavior and manners did too.


    Big open-mouthed, teeth-showing exaggerated smiles¡ªnone of it seemed genuine, but rather contrived, which put him off.


    But after all, she was someone else''s wife.

 Chapter 305 - 304: The Explosive Press Conference

    Wang Yizhi saw a group of people chatting, her face lit up with a smile as she walked down from the platform with a microphone in hand, followed by a camera.


    Having just finished introducing NIO''s development history, Li Bing also came down from the stage, preparing to make a grand appearance with the ES8.


    As a professional host, she naturally couldn''t let the atmosphere cool down; it was a perfect opportunity to interview some of NIO''s investors.


    For instance, Lu Liang with his inherent knack for drawing crowds¡ªif it could be like Ningde''s roadshow and garner massive news, that would be fantastic.


    Even stirring up some trivial matter would do,


    as being ignored was what she feared the most; notorious fame is still fame, after all.


    "Just finished introducing NIO''s development history, and now it''s time to introduce to everyone NIO''s steadfast investors."


    Wang Yizhi, all smiles, knelt halfway down in the aisle between Lu Liang and Milk Tea Girl, extending the microphone towards Lu Liang.


    "Hello everyone, I am Lu Liang."


    Lu Liang smiled and waved at the camera.


    Ever since Hammer''s "The World''s Most Heartbreaking Conference", live streaming the conference had become the standard for new car and smartphone releases.


    On one hand, Douyin wished to attract more brands, and on the other, brands needed to leverage Douyin''s traffic for free promotion, resulting in a perfect match.


    However, NIO''s live stream drew only a few thousand viewers, with user comments flooding the screen even slower than some lesser-known internet celebrities'' live streams.


    But ever since Lu Liang appeared on camera, the number of people in the live room had surged.


    Wang Yizhi immediately beamed with joy, "Calling you Mr. Lu seems a bit distant, may I call you Liangzi?"


    Lu Liang was momentarily stunned but then nodded and laughed, "Of course you may."


    Beside him, Lei Jun also seemed a bit distracted, suddenly covering his mouth as his cheeks'' apple muscles quivered slightly.


    Wang Yizhi remained undisturbed, still all smiles as she introduced Lu Liang to the camera, "You may not know this, but Liangzi is the last co-founder to join NIO and the owner of car 006 of the NIO ES8 being launched today."


    "Liangzi, can you share with everyone how you initially became a shareholder of our NIO?"


    Wang Yizhi then handed the microphone back to Lu Liang; if she could see the live chat, she would find that public opinion had already exploded.


    "Holy shit, even though he''s called Liangzi online, if you meet him offline, who wouldn''t respectfully address him as Mr. Lu or at least by his full name? Who has the audacity to call him Liangzi in person?"


    "Li Bing''s doomed, NIO''s doomed; marrying such a dimwit of a wife, didn''t you see Lei Busi''s expression? He''s barely keeping it together."


    "Lei Jun: Don''t cue me; I''m just recalling a happy memory, like my wife is going to have another child."


    "Quick, quick, quick, NIO''s launch event is going to go off the rails."


    Excited netizens spread the news far and wide, eagerly anticipating the unfolding drama.


    Lu Liang was unequivocally forthright, taking the microphone directly he held in his hand, his smile unwavering, "I remember initially, there was a $20 million funding gap. Li Bing came to me repeatedly, and finally, I just casually invested $10 million."


    Wang Yizhi, failing to detect the implication in Lu Liang''s words, still felt that he was belittling her husband, "Liangzi, now that NIO''s doing so well, do you regret your decision at that time?"


    "There''s some regret for sure, but Tianxing has participated in several funding rounds."


    Lu Liang paused, then added, "Mainly because Li Bing assured us, patting his chest, that investing in NIO would definitely be profitable. If not, he''d present his head."


    His last words were emphasized humorously yet seriously.


    She didn''t quite grasp it; Lu Liang didn''t want to entangle with her for too long, practically indicating an investor''s standing in a company.


    Investors, dubbed as ''Daddy'' because they wield the life-or-death power over a company¡ªif Li Bing couldn''t meet their expectations, it wouldn''t be as simple as skinning him alive.


    Because venture capital isn''t just handed out for free; each fund requires a signed betting agreement.


    Such as the recent $700 million financing, stipulating a timeline for going public within two years.


    If the IPO fails, they must repurchase the financed shares along with interest calculated at an annual rate of 6.5%.


    Wang Yizhi''s eyes twitched slightly, suddenly realizing the investor''s status, scrambling to find a graceful way out, she smiled and managed, "Thank you l¡­ Mr. Lu, for accepting our interview."


    Liangzi, she dared not call him anymore,


    suppressing a breath of anger, she turned to interview Milk Tea Girl.


    Lu Liang snorted coldly, glaring once more at Lei Jun, who pursed his lips and coughed lightly, "I''m remembering something joyful."


    Suddenly, Lu Liang heard Xiaotian''s nickname mentioned nearby and found it hard to restrain himself, squinting with a mocking look.


    Before interviewing him, there was a question about whether it was okay to call him Liangzi, but it seemed like done in a huff when interviewing Milk Tea Girl, skipping even the asking part and directly calling out Xiaotian, ostentatiously asserting superiority.


    Fortunately, Milk Tea Girl, although young, managed to maintain a dignified presence and often replaced Qiangzi at significant events, clearly not to be underestimated.


    With a story, Wang Yizhi was left speechless, and Li Bing visited Qiangzi for a week. Qiangzi decided to invest in NIO within just 5 minutes.


    "Women in palace dramas, they really are more interesting to watch."


    Lu Liang squinted his eyes, no longer angry, thoroughly enjoying the drama as it unfolded.


    Although he didn''t say it out loud, Lei Jun, through eye contact, still nodded in agreement, just not expecting¡­


    Their Xiaomi would also suddenly face a disaster.


    Not sure what they were discussing, Wang Yizhi took out his phone, wanting to take a selfie with Milk Tea Girl, and couldn''t help but blurt out, "Oh my, Xiaomi''s fingerprint unlock is so difficult."


    Milk Tea Girl was stunned, turned her head to glance at Lei Jun, narrowed her eyes, and smiled without saying a word.


    Lei Jun''s face turned dark instantly.


    Lu Liang couldn''t hold back any longer and had to look down at his knees, his shoulders shaking violently.


    "Explosive!"


    "Holy shit, this press conference was worth it!"


    "Liangzi, can''t you take care of your image? You''re going to turn into a meme again."


    "Mr. Lei''s expression is hilarious too. What goes around comes around, just look up and see, who does fate spare?"


    "I''m dying of laughter here~~ This woman''s got something, offending three major investors in five minutes."


    "Li Bing: a reckless spender, *****"


    Meanwhile, Li Bing was backstage, all ready, about to go on stage with the ES8.


    Before going on stage, he glanced at the live stream and saw that the online viewer count had already exceeded two million.


    Douyin''s live stream, unlike other platforms that show popularity or audience engagement, basically shows it as it is.


    Li Bing widened his eyes, too rushed to be pleased, and saw netizens furiously commenting, quickly grasping what was happening outside.


    He felt a surge of rage stuck in his chest, nearly dying from anger, hurriedly picked up the communicator, and furiously cursed, "Do you want me dead? Still goddamn interviewing."


    "Hurry up on stage, who knows what mischief that woman will cause if it''s any later."


    Li Bing quickly urged the lift operator, eager to get on stage without any delay.


    The lights in the venue suddenly dimmed, Wang Yizhi forced a smile uglier than crying: "Let us welcome, with warm applause, the dazzling debut of the NIO ES8."


    "Hello everyone, I''m Li Bing from NIO¡­"


    Li Bing showed a smile, bowed deeply, adjusted his breathing, trying hard not to let anger break his composure.


    The recent drama was too entertaining, whether for the guests present or the online viewers, no one was really interested in cars anymore.


    Even when announcing the NIO ES8''s price, 428,000 without the battery, 570,000 with the battery, the audience just ridiculed symbolically: "Dreaming about money."


    Unquestionably, NIO''s launch event was explosively popular, trending in the top ten on Weibo even before it ended.


    But among the top ten topics, nine were about the battle between the NIO lady boss and the three major investors.


    Subjects like Milk Tea Girl''s emotional intelligence, Lu Liang''s memes, and Lei Jun''s sudden predicament online were hot.


    The only one related to cars was still about the absurdly high price, 428,000 without a battery. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With that kind of money, isn''t it better to buy a BMW X3, Mercedes GLC, or Audi Q5?


    When the event ended, Lu Liang, Milk Tea Girl, Lei Jun, among others, were invited to a shareholders'' meeting.


    "Mr. Lu, Mr. Lei, Mr. Zhang, I''m truly sorry; it was my lack of discipline."


    Li Bing showed a bitter expression, bowing deeply.


    The spine he''d stiffened all his life broke at that moment.


    Including himself, NIO had six joint investors.


    A reckless spender, offending three at once.


    Milk Tea Girl and Lei Jun were manageable; one called him Xiaotian, another slightly criticized Xiaomi''s unlock difficulty, not a big deal.


    But the problem with Lu Liang wasn''t so easy. Had he lost his mind, calling out ''Liangzi'' in front of so many people and live stream?


    Li Bing suddenly really wanted to pry her head open and see what was inside. Even calling him ''Liang'' would have been better. Why ''Liangzi''?


    Does she not know this word initially mocked Lu Liang''s overambition, only becoming a term of endearment as time went by?

 Chapter 306 - 305: The Greatest Overt Plot of This Century

    "Mr. Lu, I''m sorry, so very sorry, it was me being somewhat thoughtless with my words. Please forgive me."


    Wang Yizhi was scared; she had just taken a moment to look at the comments on Douyin, and the public opinion had exploded.


    She held an undergraduate degree from the Communication University of China and a master''s degree from Hong Kong University, and it''s true that in terms of education, she was far ahead of Lu Liang, but success in this society isn''t determined by academic credentials.


    Even Double Ma and the newly First Rich from Hengtai, Old Xu, wouldn''t dare to mock Lu Liang to his face, so where did she get off doing so?


    The overwhelming abuse made her fearful.


    "Mr. Li, today''s press conference went quite well," said Lu Liang with a smile, completely disregarding Wang Yizhi.


    Grievances have their rightful claimant; parents pay for their children''s mistakes, husbands for their wives'', it''s beneath one''s dignity to quarrel with a woman.


    So, he placed the blame squarely on Li Bing.


    "It did go quite well."


    Li Bing gave a bitter smile; he had indeed sent Wang Yizhi to Lu Liang to stir up some heat for the press conference, but he hadn''t anticipated things would spiral out of control.


    After pondering for a moment, he said with a sincere attitude, "Mr. Lu, let me handle this matter. I''ll make sure you''re satisfied."


    Lu Liang thought for a moment, slightly nodded, then turned to Lei Jun and Milk Tea Girl, "Would you two like to find a place to dine together?"


    Lei Jun said with a smile, "I don''t often come to Modu, so I''ll follow your lead."


    Milk Tea Girl hesitated slightly and then politely declined, "Mr. Lu, I have some business to attend to back at the company later, maybe next time."


    Lu Liang nodded, greeted Li Bing, and then left the venue with Lei Jun.


    No sooner had they left than Wang Yizhi published an apology on platforms like Weibo and Douyin.


    She apologized for her tactlessness and resigned from her role as NIO''s brand ambassador, hoping to quell the rage of the internet users.


    "Did Li Bing do it on purpose?"


    Lu Liang was puzzled; he thought that even those with low emotional intelligence had their limits.


    If Li Bing aimed to kill two birds with one stone, making a name for the NIO ES8 while also pushing his wife out of NIO management, then everything made sense.


    "It doesn''t seem likely," Lei Jun shook his head.


    He''d known Li Bing for a long time and was the first investor to buy into NIO.


    Wang Yizhi, whom Lei Jun had met a few times before, was just like that¡ªsomewhat arrogant and somewhat ignorant.


    As a host, she had made several mistakes before. Luckily, none were political stance issues, otherwise, she would have been fired long ago.


    An understanding dawned on Lu Liang, he paused, then smilingly asked, "So, by next year when Xiaomi goes public, it should be about time, right?"


    "What should be about time?" Lei Jun was confused.


    With a smile playing on his lips, Lu Liang said, "The new energy market is so hot right now, surely Xiaomi also wants to dive in."


    Everyone said he was bullish on the new energy industry and had invested in many related sectors, but Lei Jun and Xiaomi were no lesser.


    In recent years, investing in NIO, Xiao Peng, Chang''an, as well as Carbit and Hengtai Science with a focus on in-car navigation, and persistent requests to visit Tianxing Technology.


    Lu Liang had made inquiries and the company analysts had also said that with Xiaomi extending its reach into the small and medium-sized home appliance sector, becoming addicted to diversification, and provoking Miss Dong''s daily tirades, they certainly wouldn''t miss out on the lucrative new energy sector.


    The conclusion was that Xiaomi''s lack of activity was probably because the IPO was imminent, with a valuation of 50 billion US dollars, a P/E ratio of 85, and a high chance of breaking issue, leaving no time to focus on anything else.


    At least until after the IPO, and stabilized for a year or so, that would be the time for Xiaomi to enter the new energy market.


    Lei Jun smiled and stopped feigning ignorance and asked in return, "What about you, Mr. Lu?"


    "Next year, it should be about time."


    Lu Liang looked towards Su City; the mutual fund had only recently been established, and Lou Shui Industrial Park had just been approved, existing only on paper so far.


    Like the beginnings of his private fund, he needed to oversee it until its development was on the right track before he could smoothly step away.


    Lei Jun raised his cup, filled with tea instead of alcohol, and toasted, "Here''s to smooth sailing." Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The development of the new energy market was faster than expected, and although he was eager, there was nothing to be done.


    To fend off outsiders, one must first secure the home front¡ªensuring Xiaomi''s successful IPO was the current top priority.


    "Here''s to smooth sailing."


    Neither touched alcohol, they simply shared a quick meal and then went their separate ways.


    That night the public discourse continued to ferment, and the press conference epitomized the notion that all publicity is good publicity, even the bad kind.


    With the reservation system opened, within eight hours, they had received over 500 pre-orders.


    There were those who, just for show, paid a deposit of 5000 yuan, took screenshots, and then asked for a refund.


    Still, at least a third, amounting to over a hundred units, would probably remain on the books.


    If perfection was 100 points, then the report card NIO turned in was at least above 70.


    Everyone was engaging in internet vehicle manufacturing, and while current sales figures weren''t critical, future sales were, but having sales now certainly added luster to the endeavor.


    Even with just 100 units sold, NIO''s position as a high-end car brand could be solidified.


    "Mr. Lu, we can''t lose sight of one thing while chasing another."


    Li Xiang called Lu Liang overnight, begging for him to reserve his schedule on the 12th.


    Lu Liang already owned a Li Xiang One, but Li Xiang suggested personally delivering another unit to make a statement.


    "Mr. Li, I won''t be available that day."


    Lu Liang''s gaze turned unfriendly as he curtly declined without second thought, everyone seemed eager to take advantage of him.


    If he was exhausted, when Tianxing released a new car, perhaps no one would care.


    Furthermore, Li Xiang and NIO took different paths, one embraced pragmatism, the other idealism.


    The former needed to slowly ferment its reputation, while the latter was all about going public to raise funds, they couldn''t be summed up with a blanket statement.


    Unable to persuade him and unable to shift Lu Liang''s decision, Li Xiang sighed, "Mr. Lu, you should get some rest early then."


    "Mr. Li, the same to you."


    After ending the call, Lu Liang browsed today''s news; the entire web was discussing how explosive the NIO press conference had been and how low the EQ of Li Bing''s wife was.


    But in an unnoticed corner, Weima EX5''s first-day reservations broke through the 1,000-unit barrier.


    "Is Baidu finally standing up?"


    Lu Liang contacted Zhuo Yifan to pull up detailed information on Weimar Motors and was more surprised the more he read.


    Unlike Weiliao which touted an internet mindset and initially relied on contract car manufacturing, Weima chose to build their own factory.


    And while Weiliao competed for the high-end market, Weima went for the middle market, biting off a chunk from BYD.


    Reserving an ES8 might be for show, to boast with a screenshot, but 90% of those who reserved the EX5 genuinely wanted to buy it.


    Originally valued at only 3.5 billion yuan, Weima''s value skyrocketed by a hundred billion within 24 hours of the EX5''s launch.


    The three-legged race of Weiliao shifted to become the "Four Small Dragons," with Weima upsetting the ranks and vaguely threatening to take the lead among them.


    "Keep a close watch."


    Lu Liang squinted his eyes, feeling pleased, having finally found a target to aim for in crossing the river.


    Reviewing the development history of Weima Motors, it closely resembled the plan in his mind.


    The biggest difference might be that Weima wasn''t as wealthy as he was and couldn''t mobilize as many resources.


    Comparable development trajectories meant more attention and caution could prevent future mistakes.


    The next day, Lu Liang set out for Su City.


    Leaving Modu, traveling more than eighty kilometers north past the outskirts of Kunshan, he arrived at Lou Shui.


    The location was ideal, left to Su City District, right to Kunshan City District, with Yangcheng Lake to the north and Cheng Lake to the south.


    15,000 acres, but only 12,000 were wasteland, the remaining 3,000 plus acres consisted of two nearly new industrial parks.


    The initial investment attraction had cost a good deal, but Su City was resolute with its compensation policy, relocating everything.


    After numerous meetings, city leaders convened; all plans and projects were to revolve around the Lou Shui New Energy Industry Zone.


    Seventeen listed companies moved in, with a total investment of 130 billion yuan; though BYD didn''t join, Ningde did.


    On the surface, there were 17 enterprises, but they were all tier-one suppliers, with second, third, and even fourth-tier suppliers beneath them.


    To be near the water for an early advantage, or to cut transport costs, subsidiary suppliers would also move when the time was right.


    Just within the Industrial Park, thirty thousand direct high-paying jobs would emerge, not to mention the countless indirect and service-related jobs around.


    They had to seize this extravagant opportunity.


    Once assimilated, in the Yangtze River Delta, they would become the undisputed Number Two.


    No helping it, Modu''s status was too extraordinary; even if Shenzhen from the south were in the Yangtze River Delta, it would still only ever be the perennial runner-up.


    Only Beijing could firmly outpace Modu within the country.


    In the afternoon, Zhou Yi led Lu Liang around and suddenly pointed across the Wusong River, "Mr. Lu, there''s another 1,450 acres over there."


    Ever since the Lou Shui Industrial Park project got underway, the surrounding property prices had soared from 18,000 yuan per square meter to more than 28,000 overnight.


    With so many enterprises moving in, a significant influx of top-tier talent would also settle there.


    The 1,450 acres over there was one of the last remaining wastelands in the area, just a river''s width away from the Industrial Park, less than 400 meters across, with bridges on both sides making it no more than a 20-minute drive.


    The New Energy Industry Zone had just been established, and top developers like Hengtai, Country Garden, and Huaxin were eyeing that land.


    But Su City delicately refused everyone, reserving it specifically for the future Tianxing Technology.


    After all, at this point,


    Lu Liang''s ambitions were widely recognized.


    It was for this very "vinegar," they were preparing this "dumpling" feast.


    Officially, the goal was to build the largest new energy industry cluster in East China, serving other car manufacturers like Tesla, Li Xiang, and NIO.


    But actually, it was for their own full industry chain development, circumventing public funds'' restriction on solid investments in the financial market, engaging in buying up stocks, and investing through bond purchases.


    Bringing self-serving to the extreme,


    logically, Lu Liang should have been sent away to tread the sewing machine board.


    But greed needs a proper target; Tianxing Fund and Tianxing Technology had not a penny''s worth of financial exchange.


    Two subsidiaries, one in Beijing focusing on intelligent driving system R&D, and the one in Modu rumored to recruit fresh graduates and even design car shells, seemed to have no intention to enter the market.


    Like an unselectable target.


    If someone wanted to send Lu Liang to tread the sewing machine board, they wouldn''t know on what grounds; they couldn''t use hypothetical future actions as justification.


    That would be like using a bygone dynasty''s sword to behead a current official, even if the complaint was sent to the Securities and Futures Commission, others would hardly bother with it.


    Things that haven''t occurred can''t be construed as facts.


    Blurring the line between public duty and private gain, it could be called this century''s greatest open secret.

 Chapter 307 - 306: Ningde Era Goes Public

    "Thank you, Director Zhou, but I''m not considering any moves in the short term."


    Lu Liang knew Zhou Yi was reciprocating a favor, but he wouldn''t contemplate it at least not this year.


    Zhou Yi beamed with a smile, "Mr. Lu, whenever you are ready, just give the word."


    Although there was a suspicion of interest conveyance, they could entirely organize an open tender with Tianxing Technology''s qualifications setting the rules for winning the bid. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As long as Tianxing Technology got off the ground and showed even a slight improvement, even if it wasn''t top tier, they would support it unconditionally, allowing it to become Su City''s Tencent, Ali.


    "Thank you."


    Lu Liang looked towards the east, in the direction of Modu.


    He felt increasingly certain that throwing his lot in with Su City was the absolutely right choice.


    Modu would never offer him such strong support because it was the favored one and thus fearless.


    That evening, Lu Liang dined with the Su City leadership. Zhou Yi introduced him to everyone¡ªadministrative, law enforcement¡­


    Lu Liang stayed in Su City for five days, and during that time, all the local news media reported on him.


    Using netizens'' words, it was "success comes fast like galloping horses."


    Over these days, every outing was accompanied by one leader or another.


    Su City might as well declare to the world that from now on, Lu Liang''s last name was Su, and no one else should consider him.


    After all, before this, Su City''s GDP was among the top six nationwide, but its leading enterprise was Hengli Group, specializing in textiles.


    Though often ranked among the top ten private enterprises nationally, with annual revenue exceeding 600 billion, it lacked fame unlike mentioning Hang City brought Ali to mind, or Shenzhen brought Tencent.


    They needed a high-tech company that could create jobs, make money, and sounded impressive when mentioned.


    Lu Liang''s Tianxing Technology fit this bill perfectly. Although it hadn''t yet launched, it had already brought them an investment of 130 billion and the entrance of 17 listed companies, creating a new energy full industrial chain tech park.


    If the project proceeded smoothly, Su City would gain yet another nickname: the City of New Energy Technology, alongside Silk City and the Garden City.


    The title was dashing, suggestive of high-end and classy prestige.


    Lu Liang left, departing amidst city-wide fanfare, but he didn''t return to Modu and instead traveled south to Shenzhen.


    Next Monday, Ningde Era would debut on the Growth Enterprise Market. Old Zeng had invited him to join in ringing the bell in Shenzhen.


    Lu Liang thought about returning to Modu just to check on the progress of the car shell research and decided to join the bustle.


    It was a good chance to visit BYD, chat with Captain, whom he hadn''t seen in a long while and missed dearly.


    "Hm? Why go back to Modu?"


    "There''s no airport in Su City."


    "¡­"


    By 4:30 PM, Lu Liang had arrived in Bao''an, Shenzhen.


    "Old Zeng, how come you look more polished every time I see you?"


    Lu Liang couldn''t help grinning; it had only been a little over a month since they last met, yet he felt Old Zeng''s hairline had noticeably receded by at least a finger''s width.


    "Sleeping just over three hours a day, you''d go bald too if you were me."


    Old Zeng glared at him, mentioning there was a dinner tonight with many familiar faces.


    "Mr. Li, Mr. Zheng, Mr. Guo from the Hong Kong circle, and the head of Northbound Capital will be there."


    He had worked in Xiangjiang for a while and was a permanent resident there. With Ningde Era going public, many friends from the Hong Kong circle had come to congratulate him.


    "Better to be lucky than early, and get a free meal."


    Lu Liang checked into the hotel. As night fell, he followed Old Zeng to a restaurant in Futian.


    "Mr. Li, President Zheng, Mr. Guo, long time no see," Lu Liang greeted Li Zhengguo.


    Beside them was a man in his forties, Li Zhikai with a bright smile, introduced, "Mr. Lu, this is Liang Bingtian from Xiangjiang Central Clearing Company."


    "Mr. Liang, nice to meet you." Lu Liang smiled. Xiangjiang Central Clearing Company was the legitimate Northbound Capital.


    They, along with Central Huijin, Zhengjin Company, and the Social Security Fund, played a pivotal role in the A-share market.


    Whenever there was a major market shake-up, they would intervene to stabilize, acting as an indispensable backbone of the A-share market.


    Lu Liang had seen the shareholder structure of Ningde; Xiangjiang Central Clearing was the largest shareholder with an 18.25% stake.


    "Mr. Lu, I''ve long admired you from afar, it''s a pleasure to finally meet you," Liang Bingtian said with a smiling face, inviting Lu Liang to sit.


    During the conversation, they mentioned private funds. Although they were also part of the National Team, unlike the mainland, they were receptive to some high-risk speculative activities.


    "Mr. Liang, I have no plans at the moment, but I will definitely invite you next time."


    Li Zhikai and the others exchanged glances, feeling inevitably regretful.


    Lu Liang had such a strong talent in finance; he should truly maximize it to its fullest extent.


    If mainland regulations were too strict, then he could entirely move to Xiangjiang and become the Eastern BlackRock.


    Lu Liang smiled and shifted the topic, "Ningde debuts tomorrow, so let''s skip the drinks tonight."


    "Yes, the listing of Ningde is a top priority."


    Liang Bingtian nodded in agreement and chimed in.


    Li Zhikai asked, "Everyone''s guessing if Ningde can become the leader on the Growth Enterprise Market. Mr. Lu, what do you think?"


    Lu Liang shook his head with a laugh, "I can''t guess."


    Li Zhikai puzzled, "Didn''t you predict Ningde''s market value could exceed a trillion in five years?"


    "Ningde''s development follows the footsteps of the new energy market. In the future, reaching hundreds of billions, even a trillion, is not an issue, but it''s difficult right now, although I can''t dismiss the possibility of heated market sentiment."


    Lu Liang dared to boast because he had future insights, but when Ningde would become the leader of the Growth Enterprise Market.


    That, he really didn''t know.


    It definitely would in the future, but it''s hard to say in the short term, and it didn''t much concern them either.


    As initial shareholders, there was a six-month lock-up period post-IPO; even if the stock rose ten or twenty times, they couldn''t cash out.


    In the short term, such increases were meaningless.


    "Come, come, everyone dig in."


    Old Zeng raised his brows and quickly spoke up to interrupt.


    "Dig in, dig in." Lu Liang felt puzzled, sensing there was something he did not know about, and decisively skipped the topic.


    "Mr. Lu, try this, the Cantonese cuisine here is very authentic." Li Zhikai sighed inwardly, thinking that if Lu Liang could reveal something, they would be more confident.


    The meal lasted an hour without drinks, and everyone parted ways after finishing.


    Old Zeng approached Lu Liang to reveal the truth: "Mr. Lu, this is also my fault for not giving you a heads-up in advance."


    They were original shareholders, but Li Zhikai was not. Last month, their three companies subscribed for nearly five billion at the Shenzhen station.


    Based on the subscription rate of 44.5 times, they should have won over a billion, under the circumstances where the initial circulating shares were only 15%.


    This amount of money was enough to sway the market.


    Speculating in IPO stocks was one of Hong Kong Capital''s most fervent pursuits, and it was unknown how many stocks they had ruined through speculation.


    Lu Liang chuckled lightly: "Mr. Zeng, there''s no need to worry. True gold is not afraid of fire; you should have faith in Ningde. You don''t think that a market value of a trillion is just a stunt to aid the IPO, do you?"


    "Isn''t it?" Old Zeng looked bewildered.


    Lu Liang was speechless, his face serious: "Tianxing Fund has reached the lock-up period, and might adjust positions appropriately, but the 10.664% I hold will not be sold until it reaches a trillion market value."


    Old Zeng was astounded, feeling that Lu Liang was not joking: "Do you really have such high hopes for our Ningde?"


    "I''m optimistic about Ningde, but I''m even more bullish on this market."


    Lu Liang stretched lazily, feeling sleepy after the meal, and he wanted to go back to rest: "Mr. Zeng, see you tomorrow."


    "See you tomorrow."


    The next morning at eight o''clock, Lu Liang, along with Liang Bingtian and the main creative team of Ningde, arrived at the Shenzhen Stock Exchange.


    After a brief rehearsal, they donned red ribbons, held a small hammer, and struck the gong punctually at 9:30.


    Not surprisingly, the first day saw a 44% increase.


    The issue price was 26 yuan, which soared instantly to 37.44 yuan, increasing the market value from 453.33 billion yuan to 652.95 billion yuan.


    During the four hours of trading that day, the net outflow of funds was less than a million. Everyone knew that at least for the first three days, Ningde''s stock wouldn''t break.


    Just holding it for one day would yield a 10% return.


    It was said that the Securities and Futures Commission intended to change the fluctuation limits of the Growth Enterprise Market to 20%, but it was just rumors, not yet implemented.


    The next day, the market opened and hit the limit immediately.


    The stock price reached 41.18 yuan, and the market value was 718.19 billion yuan.


    Recently, Sanju Environmental Protection, the third brother of the Growth Enterprise Market, saw its stock price drop a few points, not reaching 700 billion.


    On just the second day of listing, Ningde replaced them and became the third brother of the Growth Enterprise Market.


    The goal of "maintaining third, striving for second" was half achieved.


    That day, the outflow of funds suddenly surpassed ten million.


    Those who had just sold their holdings immediately regretted it, but still bragged about it: "Winning a single lot, a small profit of 7000 yuan is enough."


    Then they were mocked to the point of deleting their accounts: "Damn, when given the chance, you can''t even make use of it, ''7000 yuan is enough'', utterly lacking in ambition."


    "This is Liangzi''s first business holding an IPO. If it doesn''t break, I''m definitely not leaving."


    "+1!"


    "+2!"


    "+10086!"


    "Are you all dogs? Why did I subscribe to one million and not win even a single lot?"


    "Who is really winning these lots?"


    ...


    On Wednesday, the third day of Ningde''s listing.


    The market opened at the limit, steady as a rock,


    The stock price was 45.29 yuan, market value 790 billion yuan.


    On Thursday, it continued at the limit,


    The stock price reached 49.81 yuan, market value 869 billion yuan.


    Today, Ningde officially surpassed Lansi, becoming the second brother of the Growth Enterprise Market.


    Accordingly, the outflow of funds for the day exceeded a hundred million.


    The goal of "maintaining third, striving for second" had been achieved,


    Another day at the limit would double the stock price.


    No matter how much Lu Liang liked it, he couldn''t change the fact that Ningde Era was a manufacturing enterprise.


    Sure enough,


    On Friday, the last workday of the week.


    Although Ningde Era opened at the limit, it broke soon after, dropping from a 10.12% increase to 2.35% within minutes.


    In just a few minutes, the outflow of funds exceeded ten billion, and many retail investors realized they had hit a peak and started a stampede to sell.


    Lu Liang returned to Modu, still observing the market conditions, as reaching a market value of a trillion yuan would make him a billionaire.


    Seeing this situation, he couldn''t help but sigh: "It''s always one brilliant move that rules them all; can''t they see it''s a trap?"


    The retail investors were still complacent, winning a single lot worth 13,000, now selling for 24,000, with a gain of nearly 90%.


    They didn''t realize at all that they had been washed out.


    Ningde Era broke,


    Existing only for five minutes before hitting the limit again.


    The stock price was 54.79 yuan, the market value 955.9 billion yuan,


    Starting its sprint towards the throne of the Growth Enterprise Market''s top brother.

 Chapter 308 - 307: Net Worth Soars by 20 Billion

    On Friday, a minor stock disaster struck.


    Since last year''s four days and two circuit breakers, followed by swift policy changes, something seemed off with the Big A market.


    Every now and then, there would be a drop. The highest point from the year before last, at 5178.19 points, felt like a dream that could only be reminisced.


    With the overall market situation not looking great, stocks that hit the daily limit would decisively band together, especially Ningde Era, which was at the heart of the whirlwind.


    The funds sealing the price ceiling soared from 125 million to 358 million. Major players, institutions, and retail investors were all exceptionally resolute in defending the price ceiling.


    After all, there were still three hours of trading left today, and instead of picking uncertain stocks out there, it was better to stick with Ningde. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ningde pooled together the hottest topics and personalities of the moment, its only downside being its physical manufacturing sector, but this was a minor flaw in comparison to its merits.


    Moreover, as a new stock with a small circulation, it was even more suitable for speculation.


    "Damn it, I sold too soon."


    "I was wrong, let me back in."


    "Fuck, the market manipulators are inhuman!!!"


    Retail investors were caught off guard, suddenly realizing that the chips they had spent half their lives lucky to get were successfully swindled by manipulative dealers.


    Whether Ningde could hit another two days of price limits and challenge for the top spot on the Growth Enterprise Market remained uncertain.


    But it would probably break through a market cap of one hundred billion next week.


    Because of the drop on Friday and the strong closing on the price ceiling by Ningde, the news after fermenting over the weekend would likely heat up even more.


    Once the market cap broke one hundred billion, it could at least bring about two hot topics. One was joining the one hundred billion clubs, becoming the 70th stock on the market with a valuation over one hundred billion. The other was whether it could surpass Wen''s Shares to become the top stock of the Growth Enterprise Market.


    "Look, you were all anxious, and you got tricked by the manipulators, didn''t you?"


    "One may question Liangzi''s character, but not his foresight."


    "Lucky I stood firm, will not leave unless it hits a limit-down."


    "Hurry up and break the limit; I wish it would hit a few more limit-down. Just sold two properties in Yangcheng, with twenty million ready to go, preparing to buy at the low and hold for five years, waiting for the day when the market cap breaches one trillion."


    "Landlord, do you really believe in Liangzi''s prediction? Go check out the top ten shareholders of Ningde Era."


    "Liangzi, you''re raking it in."


    At three o''clock in the afternoon, the stock market closed, ending the week''s trading.


    Ningde Era became the most dazzling star among the more than three thousand stocks in the entire market.


    With a market cap close to breaking one hundred billion, people started to wonder how many new millionaires this company would create.


    Upon a closer look, it was quite a shock. Among individual shareholders, Lu Liang held 186 million shares, amounting to 10.664%.


    Trailing just behind the founder Zeng Minqun''s 21.85%, and another founder Huang Shilin''s 12.85%.


    Ranked third.


    "If we go by the current market value, holding 186 million shares of Ningde alone, the total value is 10.19 billion yuan."


    "And there''s Douyin with 9.25%. After acquiring Musical.ly and entering the European and American markets, it''s already valued at over one billion dollars."


    "The value of Panda''s stock is negligible, as is Tianxing Technology''s; just Ningde and Douyin alone, Liangzi''s wealth has already surpassed 16 billion."


    "Did he ride a rocket or what? I remember back in January, on the Forbes billionaires list, wasn''t Liangzi only worth 8.7 billion yuan?"


    A week after Ningde Era was listed, its market value was about to break the one hundred billion mark, but it was Lu Liang who became a sensation.


    No matter how much Panda was overlooked, it still had a valuation of 1.5 billion dollars. According to public information, Lu Liang held a 12.2% stake.


    Not to mention Tianxing Technology, in which Lu Liang personally invested one hundred million dollars. The Golden Sand River spent 1.606 billion yuan in cash and Luo''s 70 million in debt rights to exchange for a 10% stake.


    A conservative estimate already puts it at 2.3 billion in valuation, with Lu Liang holding a 90% personal stake. The two combined exceed 3.1 billion yuan.


    Just a few months ago, he was mocked for his investments, which often amounted to several billion dollars overnight, scooping up several billion dollars and launching a 300 billion public offering.


    But as soon as Forbes published the billionaires list, Lu Liang''s personal wealth was less than ten billion, only 1.335 billion dollars.


    In the blink of an eye, a few months passed, and his wealth more than doubled, surpassing ten billion on his way to twenty billion.


    "19.1 billion, thanks to the netizens."


    These past few years, Lu Liang''s investments were so scattered that sometimes he couldn''t even keep track of how much money he had.


    But netizens, one after another like Holmes reincarnated, debated back and forth, directly saving him the time to tally it up.


    Lu Liang just needed to count the one billion from the Xiangjiang Trust Fund and nearly four billion dollars in assets in Tokyo.


    To come up with exactly how much wealth he had.


    22.5 billion, not a penny less.


    "Still short by 260 billion. Everyone says it''s First Rich''s turn, but when will it be my family''s turn?"


    Lu Liang sighed, feeling that his pace of making money was already not slow, averaging 11 billion a year over two years.


    But looking at Old Xu''s 283.1 billion and Old Ma''s 252.7 billion, suddenly he couldn''t feel happy.


    Even if their fortunes stopped growing, chasing them at this rate would take 23 years.


    Not to mention the world''s richest man, Bill Gates, who has 567.6 billion yuan, more than twice that of Old Xu.


    "Man, your name is greed."


    Wang Chuting couldn''t help but roll her eyes; having worked at Forbes for five years, she was very clear about the exponential growth of wealthy people''s fortunes.


    It''s not simply adding tens of billions each year; just like five years ago, the country''s First Rich had only 68.2 billion.


    Today, five years later, it has become 283.1 billion, partly due to inflation and the rapid development of society.


    If Lu Liang didn''t make any major mistakes and kept developing methodically like this, he would, at the latest, reach the summit within ten years.


    "Ten years?" Lu Liang muttered to himself.


    "But for you, there''s a faster way."


    Wang Chuting then talked about Buffett, who owns a fortune of 68 billion dollars and is ranked second in the world, known as the ''Omaha Prophet.''


    His developmental path is very worthy of Lu Liang''s emulation, especially as Lu Liang is not only exceptionally good at investment but also famed as the Soros of East Country.


    If he did not engage in public funds or new energy industries and focused solely on the financial sector, Lu Liang''s future achievements would only be higher than theirs.


    "The national conditions are different," Lu Liang said with a slight shake of his head, standing up and heading to the bar to pour a glass of beer.


    Wang Chuting paused for thought, "True, they are quite different."


    Over the past ten years, six First Rich have emerged domestically, some in technology, some in real estate, and some in beverages, but none in finance.


    That''s because finance is directly linked to capital, and although East Country has reformed and opened up for many years, the term capitalist is still taboo, hence the term entrepreneur arose.


    Industry is king, and finance is just rootless duckweed; no matter how many assets one has, they are just a string of numbers on an account.


    Just like when Lu Liang visited Su City a few days ago, the leadership team of one of the top six cities in the country swapped out people every day to accompany him on tours.


    If Lu Liang were just a manager of a public or private fund, he would definitely not receive such treatment.


    After all, a fund company can, at most, create three to five hundred high-paying jobs.


    Even if everyone in the company earns a million a year, can they buy ten houses? Can they eat ten breakfasts?


    If there are two enterprises, one creating three thousand jobs with salaries of one hundred thousand a year and the other creating three hundred jobs with salaries of a million a year,


    any city leadership truly wishing for the development of their city would choose the former.


    Not to mention Lou Shui New Energy Industrial Park, which is conservatively estimated to generate thirty thousand jobs with salaries over one hundred thousand a year.


    Lu Liang squinted, a satisfied smile spreading across his face as he wrapped an arm around Wang Chuting''s neck and asked, "Want a drink?"


    Wang Chuting glared at him irritably,


    Lu Liang came back to himself and laughed, "You haven''t left yet?"


    Her body was uncomfortable, and she couldn''t drink, "How could it be so fast? I just arrived yesterday and can leave today; didn''t I tell you? I was even wondering why you would come over."


    "I heard, so I came to see how you were."


    Lu Liang drank his beer, caressing Wang Chuting''s hair, "You wouldn''t think I reached out to you just for that, right?"


    He was actually a bit lonely; the people he could talk to, he couldn''t talk much with. And those he could talk a lot with didn''t understand his thoughts.


    Wang Chuting was the only one who was knowledgeable, able to have a good conversation with him without any conflict of interest, and she was on his side.


    Wang Chuting huffed proudly, "At least you have some conscience."


    Lu Liang asked, "Didn''t you say yesterday you were at death''s door? How are you feeling now?"


    "Much better, I''ve gotten used to it."


    Wang Chuting sighed; for 15 years, every time the first day came, she was in so much pain she wanted to hang herself but could only suppress it with some painkillers.


    Lu Liang questioned, "Is it normal to be in so much pain?"


    "It shouldn''t be normal, but I''ve had many check-ups, and they all show nothing." Wang Chuting''s words reached her lips and then she swallowed them back.


    Lu Liang, puzzled, "What were you going to say?"


    Wang Chuting shook her head, "Nothing."


    Lu Liang''s eyebrows raised, even more curious, "Can''t you tell me?"


    Wang Chuting hesitated, stammering, "The doctor said I should have kids earlier, that might solve the problem."


    Lu Liang pursed his lips, trying not to chuckle, "Sounds like something I''ve heard before. It does seem to be a theory."


    "You sure know a lot," Wang Chuting said sarcastically.


    "Maybe try harder next time?"


    "Aren''t you afraid I''ll hold you to it?"


    "Not afraid."


    "We''ll see."


    Wang Chuting was delighted, squinting her eyes; there''s a difference between not wanting to take responsibility and not daring to take it.


    She was satisfied with Lu Liang''s response, but her career was just getting started, and she really hadn''t thought about that aspect yet.


    Wang Chuting, hugging Lu Liang around his waist, cooed, "Could you get me in touch with Mr. Wang from Wanda?"


    For her interviews in the Hall of Fame, she currently only had Zeng Minqun, and for the second one, she planned to interview Old Wang from Wanda. As for Lu Liang, she''d wait a bit longer¡ªas they say, save the ace for last.


    "Old Wang? What''s up with him?" Lu Liang was confused.


    "You haven''t heard?" Wang Chuting was more puzzled. A big event happened in the business world, and Lu Liang hadn''t heard of it.

 Chapter 309 - 308: Network

    The news of Lu Liang''s wealth doubling was only trending for half a day before it was overtaken by Wanda.


    Old Wang decided to transition to a light asset model and reached a 637 billion century transaction with Rongchuang Group.


    In this transaction, Wanda sold off 13 Wanda Culture and Tourism Cities and 77 hotels, and sought a suitable buyer for over 60 million square meters of land reserves under Wanda''s name.


    Once the news was announced, the news that Lu Liang''s personal wealth surged by seventy to eighty billion was not worth mentioning.


    After all, who would have thought, Old Wang, who topped the global Chinese richest list last year, would be reduced to making drastic survival decisions this year.


    Moreover, among the numerous domestic real estate developers, the public had a relatively good impression of Wanda, primarily since it main dealt with commercial real estate and had virtually no unfinished buildings.


    While Old Jia from LeEco repeatedly announced "I will return to the country next week," Old Wang stayed to deal with debts, further enhancing the public''s favorable view of Wanda.


    Old Wang''s lifetime reputation, the only blunder might be Little Wang. However, in recent years, Little Wang had changed and focused on live streaming commerce and esports teams, barely qualifying as half a prodigy.


    Thus, the public predominantly supported Wanda''s strategy of drastic survival measures, with very few kicking them while they were down or being sarcastic.


    Old Wang also knew that his troublesome son had finally brought him peace of mind in recent years, largely thanks to Lu Liang.


    Close contact with gold will make one gold; close contact with ink will make one black; remaining close to Lu Liang, who was only focused on making money, also made him more ambitious.


    Old Wang was also willing to respond in kind, pushing aside all mainstream media interviews after reaching the deal with Rongchuang to first accept a personal interview with Wang Chuting from self-media.


    A new week, Lu Liang arrived at the company early.


    At nine in the morning, with half an hour until the market opened, he turned on Douyin and watched Old Wang''s interview video with leisure.


    Old Wang visibly showed signs of wear, but his tone was calm, "It''s nothing much, just experienced some turbulence and endured some hardships¡­"


    Lu Liang opened the comment section and couldn''t help but chuckle; the top liked comment was "network," receiving hundreds of thousands of likes from netizens.


    During Ningde Era''s IPO, Lu Liang spoke boldly, and the hot topic at that time was Ningde, with Wang Chuting interviewing Zeng Minqun immediately.


    Recently, with Wanda''s drastic survival measures and reaching a 637 billion century transaction with Rongchuang, Wang Chuting also interviewed Old Wang immediately.


    Despite being a self-media personal account, she always managed to capture the crest of public discourse, interviewing business tycoons, and besides "network," netizens didn''t know how else to describe it.


    "Just two or three more recommendations should be sufficient."


    Wang Chuting wanted to create a celebrity column, Lu Liang took the initiative to help her contact four or five celebrities, which should be sufficient. Afterwards, she could manage to contact others herself.


    After all, with Ningde''s Old Zeng and Wanda''s Old Wang, any subsequently invited celebrities would think about her background.


    Once they discovered it traced back to Lu Liang, if they weren''t busy and intended to send certain signals to the outside, they would still be very willing to accept interviews.


    Just like this time, even if not accepting Wang Chuting''s interview, Old Wang would have accepted other mainstream media interviews to tell the public that Wanda would not go bankrupt and he, Old Wang, would not flee, hoping the public would give some confidence and more time.


    "We plan to complete the adjustment within one or two years¡­"


    Lu Liang also advised Wang Chuting that to last, the most important aspect was sticking to objective facts, and that initially misrepresenting Luo to trap him should not be repeated.


    Even if there were grievances with the other party, how it should be reported, so it should be reported, as he feared no one.


    At 9:15 AM, the highly anticipated Ningde Era began pre-market bidding, with the price hitting the limit up one second and limit down the next.


    The stock fluctuated unpredictably.


    But at the moment the market opened, the dust settled.


    The stock price rose by 10.05%, reaching 60.26 yuan, with a market value of 105.149 billion.


    For a time, Tonghuashun and East Money competed to report that A-share''s 70th stock with a hundred-billion-level market value had emerged spectacularly.


    Ningde Era was listed with a market cap of 45.3 billion, its stock price surged by 44% on the first day, and it continued to hit the upper limit for five consecutive days, breaking through a market value of a hundred billion.


    Affected by the broader market, the languishing new energy sector became revitalized, triggering widespread gains and thereby boosting the overall market.


    Tianxing Mixed Fund heavily invested in eighteen new energy stocks, and within the top ten list, Ningde Era''s position weight even surpassed that of Tianqi Lithium, becoming the fund''s second-largest weighted stock.


    The fund''s net value updated to 1.495 that day and, as a public fund issued less than three months ago, had already achieved a profit of 49.5%.


    Tens of thousands of fund investors felt for the first time how delightful it was to be investors in Lu Liang''s fund.


    "Who go out and tell Big A, I''m never returning in this lifetime, if I die, I''ll die here."


    "Damn, trying to trap me into giving up my spot, don''t even think about it."


    "5% premium, buying Tianxing Mixed Fund''s debt, can negotiate more for a larger volume."


    "Looking down on who, I bid 10%."


    "Mr. Lu, I won''t call you Liangzi any longer, please issue another public fund phase, take care of the kids, the kids were fooled by Big A."


    Tens of thousands petitioned for Lu Liang to launch another public fund project, even if the scale reached 500 billion yuan, they would be ready to sell their houses, cars, and even blood to fill it.


    However, unlike last time, this time, no mutual fund company stood up to criticize Lu Liang''s faults, nor would they foolishly escalate things to the Securities and Futures Commission.


    With the Lou Shui Industrial Park project unveiled, Lu Liang''s plans and layouts were also laid bare for all to see.


    He wasn''t really interested in staying in the public fund industry; instead, he wanted to use the public fund''s capital to arrange for the new energy industry chain.


    Lu Liang was well aware that private fund investors wouldn''t agree and couldn''t wait so long; hence, he opted for a public fund, where only the general public had the patience to wait until the industrial park bloomed and bore fruit.


    Tianxing Mixed Fund was the first and also the last public fund issued by Lu Liang. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    They also didn''t need to provoke someone powerful who wasn''t a long-term competitor.


    Just let Lu Liang have his way; after all, the public fund wasn''t going to be his final stop.


    After Lu Liang left, it was still them who had the final say in the market, sovereignty was just temporarily handed over.


    On Tuesday, the name King Ning resonated throughout the market.


    The stock once again hit the daily limit,


    with a share price of 66.28 yuan and a market value of 1156.1 billion.


    It surpassed Wen''s Shares, decisively claiming the top spot in the Growth Enterprise Market, earning the era of Ningde a new level of respect.


    The entire Growth Enterprise Market turned red, celebrating the new king''s ascension; the era of Ningde was aligned with the new energy market and seemed poised for a long reign.


    Gongs and fireworks resounded; the entire Big A market focused on the era of Ningde, eager to see how far it could go.


    Various financial influencers started predicting continuity¡ªten, twelve, even fifteen consecutive limit-ups were discussed widely.


    A flood of positive news overwhelmed some veteran investors, causing them to lose their sense of self and their ability to judge.


    With a 44% increase on the first day and six consecutive days hitting the upper limit, the price-to-earnings ratio silently soared to 113 times.


    For listed companies in manufacturing, a normal P/E ratio ranged from 5 to 10 times; Ningde had surpassed this by more than tenfold.


    The hype from financial influencers was a signal itself, signifying that the major players were preparing to exit and were looking for a sucker to take over.


    The name King Ning existed only for two hours.


    By one o''clock at noon,


    after a break of one and a half hours, trading resumed.


    Billions in capped funds suddenly withdrew; the rise plummeted from 9.98% to just 3.53%.


    "Damn, the door''s finally open; it''s time to get in."


    Seeing this, retail investors were overjoyed, observing a situation identical to last Friday''s break.


    Coinciding with many positive signs indicated that the major players were baiting again, suggesting at least three more days of limits.


    Masses of retail investors entered the market with their capital, just as they had predicted, and the era of Ningde was capped at the daily limit again.


    "King Ning is awesome."


    The stock bars cheered, celebrating a victory for those retail investors.


    However, this cap lasted only for ten minutes before breaking again, though this time the drop wasn''t as severe as the first.


    From a drop of 9.98% to 6.85%, it was somewhat consoling.


    "A new dealer is taking over, building positions at high levels; the boy-who-cried-wolf tactic won''t work; entering now still gives a 3.15% rise, and there''s another 20 points for tomorrow and the day after."


    Retail investors, sounding expert, charged in with their funds, but the anticipated daily limit didn''t materialize.


    Instead, it was a huge oscillation within a 6 point range, rising two points for every one it fell.


    Repeatedly, and as it neared two in the afternoon, the candlestick charts gradually turned from red to green.


    "It''s impossible, you are King Ning!"


    Retail investors were stunned and in the next second, the market reacted; a positive candlestick shot up to the sky.


    1.23%...3.52%...5.43%...


    A massive influx of capital drove the frenzied climb.


    Investors, already on tenterhooks from an hour of manipulation, witnessing this, didn''t hesitate to go all in.


    Then, they experienced firsthand.


    Always all-in, always in tears.


    The still rising candlestick suddenly plunged like freefall, unsupported from below.


    5.43%...2.52%...0.42%...


    -2.55%...-7.52%...


    Finally¡ª


    A flatline like that of a dead person''s heartbeat lay quietly on the floor, motionless.

 Chapter 310 - 309: The Prime Culprit Behind the Disappearance of the Amazon Rainforest

    "I''m sorry, it was my mistake, it was I who bought in, causing King Ning to fall from its pedestal."


    A lifeless trajectory on the trading floor continued until the close of trading at three o''clock in the afternoon.


    The stock plummeted by 10.05%, ending at a closing price of 54.23 yuan, with a market value of 94.634 billion.


    King Ning Calendar existed only for two hours, Ningde Era joined and then left the hundred billion club in just a day and a half.


    "Let it fall, let it fall even more."


    Lu Liang withdrew his gaze; regardless of his personal or fund holdings, all his stocks were in a locked state.


    Now, rises and falls didn''t concern him.


    The greater the fall, the better, after all, last year Ningde Era had total revenue of only 18.9 billion yuan and a profit of 4.3 billion yuan ¨C they didn''t deserve such a high market valuation.


    Lu Liang turned his attention to the car models on his desk, a total of 13 models, 8 sedans and 5 SUVs.


    From over a thousand drawings, he finally chose 13 to be made into car models using 3D printing.


    Lu Liang rubbed his head, suddenly conflicted.


    Wang Xiaofeng had asked him to pick two models from each category to customize the car shells and then proceed with chassis tuning, and various tests for safety and aerodynamic drag.


    Lu Liang felt that they were all decent; the designs were quite attractive. His initial thought was to launch all of them at once.


    But before he could voice this idea, it was already shot down by Wang Xiaofeng; their team was not able to simultaneously test that many cars.


    Two sedans and two SUVs were already the limit, and even during subsequent research and development, it was necessary to distinguish between the primary and secondary models.


    After much thought and unable to make a choice, Lu Liang decisively picked up the desk phone: "Yifan, find me ten men and ten women aged 25-30 from the company, and have them come to my office."


    He intended to price the first car model at around 300,000 yuan, targeting a consumer base that was somewhat affluent and included younger professionals.


    Instead of racking his brain, it was better to go directly to the consumers ¨C and it just so happened that the company was full of these young professionals.


    In less than ten minutes, Zhuo Yifan led 20 people into the room, among them was Chen Jinchun.


    She grinned at Lu Liang. Although she wasn''t exactly qualified by age, by status she was the company''s employee number 003, managing the Douyin account with millions of followers.


    Zhuo Yifan offered a wry smile; even as Lu Liang''s secretary, he was ranked outside the top hundred in employee numbers.


    He didn''t dare mess with the big sister of employee number 003.


    Lu Liang chuckled: "Yifan, close the door. Jinchun, collect all the communication devices from everyone."


    "Yes, Mr. Lu," Chen Jinchun was excited, as she collected colleagues'' phones and smartwatches with a small basket.


    "You have two hours to score these model cars, mentioning at least two strengths and two weaknesses from a design perspective."


    Lu Liang had Zhuo Yifan distribute an A4 sheet to everyone and glanced at his watch: "It''s now twenty past three, the timing starts now."


    Having said that, everyone began to circle the display tables, occasionally picking up the model cars to inspect them closely and jotting down notes.


    Each of them showed excitement; barring any surprises, their decisions would determine Tianxing Technology''s first car model.


    It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for them, 25-30-year-olds who had just recently entered society.


    This was their most direct interaction with Lu Liang and possibly an opportunity to make a good impression on the boss.


    Chen Jinchun''s status was extraordinary; though she only graduated from a second-tier college, in the company, she encountered almost no obstacles.


    To a large extent, this was because she and Tang Caide were among the batch interviewed and personally recruited by Lu Liang.


    It was also because of this connection that before the company registered a Douyin account, there were times when Chen Jinchun had trouble keeping up with the company''s pace.


    Lu Liang had sustained her, giving her opportunities and time, allowing her to gradually find her role in the company until she became the company''s ambassador to the public.


    For the rest of the hundreds of employees that followed, only ''close ministers'' like Sun Yutao, Zhang Jing, Wen Chaozhuo, and Zhuo Yifan received the privilege of being personally interviewed.


    Most of the others may have been at the company for over a year, and Lu Liang might not even remember their names.


    If the boss can''t remember your name,


    Promotions and salary increases are naturally out of reach.


    They treasured this opportunity and dared not be careless.


    Lu Liang was contented, sipping his tea, scrolling through Douyin.


    Rather than agonizing over it himself, it was better to let others do the agonizing, in the end choosing the few models with the highest composite scores was the way to go.


    But to his surprise, the two models he was quite optimistic about did not make it into the top four.


    The criticisms were almost unanimous, the lines of the models were too sharply defined, a bit too ostentatious.


    "Yifan, Jinchun, stay back for a moment."


    Doubting himself, Lu Liang called them over and brought out his two favorite models, "Are these two cars really that flamboyant?"


    Zhuo Yifan hemmed and hawed, reluctant to say, "Uh... Mr. Lu, actually, it''s not too bad."


    Chen Jinchun blurted out without thinking, "Definitely flamboyant, like the ghost fires of the automobile world."


    "Ghost fires?"


    A surge of anger rose in Lu Liang''s chest as he looked at the bewildered Chen Jinchun and waved his hand with a bitter smile, "Go on, get out."


    He called in another 20 employees to re-evaluate.


    Lu Liang''s two most favored cars were consistently in the lower-middle range of the scores, sometimes not even passing the threshold.


    Looking at a pile of evaluation reports, he selected the four with the highest combined scores and sent them to Wang Xiaofeng, sighing to the heavens, "I''m getting old, can''t keep up with the times."


    ...


    On Wednesday, Ningde Era''s stock hit its limit down, suspecting that speculative funds had entered, attacking the hundred billion market value once again.


    But Lu Liang had lost the desire to pay attention, for April was ending and the data for the first quarter were rolling in.


    This April, Weima launched the EX5, NIO the ES8, Wuling the Kaijie, Li Xiang the ONE, Xiao Peng Car the G3, BYD the Tang, along with Tesla continuously upping production.


    Different forces took turns in the spotlight, one after another, with new product launches every few days. Stimulated by various brands, more and more people were choosing electric vehicles, becoming new energy vehicle owners.


    Especially taxis on the road, at least three out of ten had switched to new energy.


    For drivers earning from this trend, looks or functionalities were secondary, saving money was key.


    The running cost of BYD Qin was less than 0.1 yuan per kilometer, making it the godlike choice for taxi drivers.


    The data for the first quarter was quite brilliant too, total sales of new energy vehicles reached 330,000 units, a 91% increase year over year, with the potential to break through 1.2 million for the annual total.


    Thus, ''Lu''s algorithm'' trended hotly.


    During the Ningde Era roadshow, Lu Liang had said, last year 600,000, this year 1,200,000, next year 2,400,000.


    Setting aside whether next year''s 2,400,000 can be met, there''s a good chance this year''s 1,200,000 will be achieved. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Just entering May, and the golden September and silver October of the car industry had not yet arrived, that''s when a surge in sales was expected.


    Now joint venture car companies, domestic car manufacturers, and imported car enterprises were all getting anxious. Last year, the total sales volume of fuel vehicles was 23.59 million.


    In just the second year of new energy vehicles'' formal development, they were poised to take a 5% market share. What''s more, in a few more cycles, all bets would be off.


    Beiqi Group was first into the fray, establishing the new energy subsidiary brand Jihu, signing a strategic cooperation agreement with Xiaomi to empower Jihu.


    Guangqi Group followed suit, setting up its new energy subsidiary brand Aion, even though they had also supported Xiao Peng Car.


    But Xiao Peng Car, after all, was not their own offspring, not as endearing, and even sought to outsource to Haima, practically emblazoning disloyalty on their foreheads.


    Luxury brands like BBA quickly joined in, announcing plans to launch their own hybrid or pure electric models.


    BMW said by 2027, the Munich factory would cease the production of fuel vehicles, switching entirely to electric vehicles.


    Mercedes claimed that by 2030, 50% of the models they sell would be electric vehicles.


    Audi stated that by 2033, it would stop the production of existing fuel vehicles, and by 2050, it would be fully electric.


    They were very averse to joining the new energy movement since BBA were undoubted kings in the realm of fuel vehicles, but entering new energy meant starting from scratch, losing the advantage of internal combustion engines.


    But they had no choice, for Zhong performed a magic attack on them, raising high the flag of carbon neutrality and environmentalism.


    If they didn''t follow suit or agree, at best they would be seen as environmentally unfriendly, at worst, the culprits behind the Amazon rainforest''s disappearance.


    Political correctness wasn''t very popular in East Country, but was already becoming a trend in the West, and BMW and Mercedes had paid hefty fines as a result.


    Zhong had also learned the spell, so even if they didn''t wish to follow, they had no choice but to hold their noses and join the wave of new energy.

 Chapter 311 - 310: Suspicions

    "NIO, Li Xiang, Xiao Peng, Weima, Jihu, Aion, Nezha, Hengchi..."


    Lu Liang carefully counted, there had been 28 new energy car brands established in the past two years, and countless others were still watching and waiting.


    He predicted that next year the number could surpass 40, but according to the industry''s 90/10 rule, only about 8 of those 40 would survive in the end.


    Just like the early days of mobile phone brands, such as Jinli, Tianyu, Coolpad, Lan Mo, etc., some were acquired, while others went bankrupt.


    The car circle was even more brutal because the foundation of brands like BBA was still very solid, and BYD and Tesla would take up at least two spots.


    Thus, of the 40 Chinese car brands, only five or six might remain, a testament to natural selection in its fullest expression.


    "If the new car is launched, it must make a big impact to avoid quick iterations and getting dragged into the fray."


    Lu Liang murmured to himself, "Must slow down, can''t be hasty."


    The reservation channel for the 17th model NIO ES8 had just opened, and Li Bing had already started preparing for the 18th model, expected to release this autumn.


    No car owner wants to buy a product that''s already outdated; the release of the new ES8 is bound to backstab the owners of the older models.


    Releasing two generations in one year, with the new model being better, the owners of the older model would likely feel like they''d been taken for a ride.


    Li Bing was aware of this, but with technology upgrading so rapidly, they had to keep up or lose their competitive edge in the market. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Li Xiang was facing the same dilemma with Li Xiang; however, he opted to delay iterations to avoid betraying the trust of his existing car owners.


    After all, since the launch of the NIO ES8, due to its high price, there were only about 500 reservations.


    In contrast, the Li Xiang ONE had already reached 1500 orders with 100 delivered, and its market reputation was quite good.


    For a little over three hundred thousand yuan, one could get amenities that typically came with luxury cars worth millions, such as refrigerators, televisions, big sofas, which were especially popular among some e-commerce entrepreneurs.


    E-commerce was a new industry, and online shop owners were young; unlike the older generation, who only recognized BBA as luxury cars, they had a strong ability to accept new brands and new things.


    At this moment, Zhuo Yifan knocked and entered, "Mr. Lu, the CEO of Good Dreams and Teacher Wu Jing have already arrived."


    "Mm, got it."


    Lu Liang nodded slightly and followed Zhuo Yifan to the adjacent reception room.


    "War Wolf 2" had a total investment of 230 million yuan, with Tianxing Investment owning a 52% share. Earlier in the year, after Wu Jing returned from Africa, he had been eager to visit his golden sponsor.


    But at that time, Lu Liang was busy setting up a Public Fund, and during the Spring Festival holiday, he went to Tokyo for a vacation. Upon returning, he was occupied with allocating 300 billion yuan.


    Wu Tianzheng and Wu Jing had come over several times, but each time they couldn''t get an appointment, until recently when Lu Liang finally had some free time.


    They planned to show Lu Liang the finished film and to discuss the release date and distribution issues.


    "Mr. Wu, Director Wu, sorry to keep you waiting."


    Upon Lu Liang''s entrance, both men stood up immediately, and Wu Tianzheng said with a smile, "No worries, we''ve only just arrived ourselves."


    "Mr. Lu, hello."


    Wu Jing''s face was all smiles; in all these years, he had met many investors, but very few had a heart as big as Lu Liang''s.


    With an investment of 120 million yuan, if it wasn''t for the monthly need to submit expenditure details to Tianxing Finance Department and get a signed feedback, he might have thought Lu Liang had forgotten about it.


    "Let''s go to the meeting room; there''s no projection system here."


    Lu Liang was very interested in the film and wanted to see what a movie that grossed over five billion yuan at the box office actually looked like.


    The film was 123 minutes long, and aside from the performance of a wealthy second-generation character who had originally been intended for Little Wang but got rejected, which was a bit awkward, the rest of the cast was on point, and big scenes were well crafted with limbs and arms flying all over the place.


    Especially gripping were the scenes of roaring in anger with tears in one''s eyes while firing guns, and carrying the national flag through a war zone, an exhilarating and thorough venting of pent-up frustrations.


    Two hours later, the curtains and lights in the meeting room came back on, and Lu Liang clapped and laughed, saying, "Very good, very thrilling."


    Wu Jing was delighted by Lu Liang''s approval, feeling a weight lifted from his heart, and Wu Tianzheng took the opportunity to say, "Mr. Lu, after discussing with Wanda, we decided to allocate 50 million yuan for marketing and promotion."


    The original arrangement was that the 210 million yuan included the film''s initial marketing costs, with production costs around 180 million yuan, squeezing out 30 million for marketing.


    But with Lu Liang''s involvement and his generous contribution of 120 million yuan, Wu Jing didn''t have to pinch pennies during the filming process.


    The entire 230 million budget was spent, leaving only 8 million, with a shortfall of 42 million for marketing.


    If it was according to the 52% investment share, Lu Liang should contribute another 21.84 million yuan.


    "Of course, when do you plan on releasing it?" Lu Liang asked without hesitation.


    The First Rich''s final box office was fixed at 2.756 billion yuan, temporarily leading the year''s rankings.


    Tianxing Investment had only a 15% stake, investing 22.5 million yuan and earning a return of 118 million yuan.


    This money was about to mature, and Wanda was almost ready to pay up, which was perfect for the marketing of "War Wolf 2."


    Wu Jing promptly said, "Mr. Lu, we plan to release it in late July during the summer schedule."


    "Not bad, just in time for the lead-up to Army Day."


    Lu Liang was momentarily lost in thought as he suddenly remembered Su Wanyu. Her eight-month exchange program seemed to be coming to an end.


    He had been busy with various matters recently and hadn''t been in contact with her for a long time; the last time seemed to have been around Chinese New Year.


    It was just a brief message, wishing a happy Spring Festival, after all he took Li Manli to Tokyo for fun.


    The news was buzzing online.


    "Mr. Lu, is there a problem?" Wu Tianzheng asked cautiously.


    "No problem, I''m just reminded of something else."


    Lu Liang shook his head, summoned Tang Caide, and had her take care of the subsequent contract signing.


    After speaking, he returned to his office.


    Wu Jing could only offer a wry smile, "Mr. Lu really is straightforward."


    Aside from the two hours watching a movie, their interaction with Lu Liang didn''t even add up to ten minutes.


    Securing an advertising fee of 50 million was as simple as drinking water.


    If only all investors were as straightforward as Lu Liang.


    "Mr. Lu is an exception."


    Wu Tianzheng said with a smile, continuing on, others might spend billions or even hundreds of millions and would keep having meetings to discuss.


    But Lu Liang spent 300 billion of Public Fund in just one month.


    For those unwilling to redeem their shares, he didn''t indulge them; he simply transferred 6 billion in shares to the Su City Human Resources and Social Security Bureau, displaying sheer dominance.


    In the office next door, Lu Liang''s office.


    He washed his face and tidied up his appearance before video-calling Su Wanyu.


    The call didn''t go through; it was cut off immediately, and Su Wanyu sent a question mark: "In class."


    "How have you been lately? Is your study going smoothly?"


    Lu Liang pondered, looking at the wall clock.


    Because he often dealt in the international markets, his office wall featured three clocks, showing Beijing time, New York time, and London time.


    Beijing time, three o''clock in the afternoon,


    London time, eight o''clock in the morning.


    University of Edinburgh was in the United Kingdom, so it matched London time. Would students have classes at eight in the morning there?


    "Life is going pretty smoothly, it''s just that my studies are a bit tough. I have to work hard to keep up with the pace here."


    Su Wanyu went on to say that the so-called happy education in Europe and America did exist, and it covered 95% of the area.


    But the remaining 5% of elite education was highly competitive; ever since she arrived, she felt like she was back in her senior year of high school.


    "Oh, and I almost forgot to tell you, I even got a study-abroad fund of 50,000 US Dollars per semester~"


    Su Wanyu suspected it was Lu Liang''s doing because she had asked a senior student, and there wasn''t such a fund in previous years; it only started this year.


    And the scale of the financial aid was unprecedented, with a minimum of 20,000 US Dollars per person per semester, up to 50,000 US Dollars.


    In the past, only domestic students studying abroad had such benefits, but now they, the overseas students, could enjoy them too.


    Lu Liang''s lips curled into a smile, "Who''s the generous soul funding this, not afraid that you won''t come back?"


    "How could that be possible, Britain has decided to leave the EU, and it''s been noisy on the streets every day."


    The public vote ended last year, the queen signed the contract, and now the process is underway¡ªthe Brexit is a done deed.


    Lu Liang then asked, "What about you, when are you coming back?"


    "Probably not until the end of the year; I haven''t completed all my credits yet, and I''m just shy of failing one course."


    Suddenly, Su Wanyu said, "Can''t talk now, I think the professor has seen me using my phone."


    "Let''s talk another time."


    Lu Liang''s brows furrowed as he made a call to the director of the International Office at Tongji University.


    He obtained Su Wanyu''s grades from last month, they were mostly A''s, excellent, with just a few B''s, good.


    "Mr. Lu, there is another matter, Su also applied for special consideration at the University of Edinburgh, as well as an extension of her student visa through our school," the director said.


    "What does that mean?" Lu Liang wondered.


    "Last year, a female overseas student from our university named Liu Jiao also applied for these two items. Later, it was learned she was preparing for childbirth." The director hinted at the possibility but didn''t dare spell it out.


    If it was Lu Liang''s, that was fine.


    If not, the matter could be quite serious.


    After all, donating 2 million US Dollars every year to set up an overseas study fund was a strategic move with ulterior motives.


    Lu Liang was silent for a long time before responding gravely, "I understand, Director Sun, I hope the school can avoid disclosing this to the outside as much as possible."


    "Understood, understood," Director Sun reassured him repeatedly.

 Chapter 312 - 311: Mahua Wants to Go Public

    "Mr. Lu..."


    The quiet office was suddenly interrupted by a knock on the door.


    "Come in!"


    With permission, Zhuo Yifan pushed the door open, informing that the contract had been signed, and they only needed Lu Liang''s signature and authorization to proceed with the remittance process.


    Lu Liang reviewed the contract details, signed and stamped it, then stopped Zhuo Yifan, who was about to leave: "Go downstairs and call Wen Chao up."


    Zhuo Yifan nodded, just as he turned around, Lu Liang stopped him again, simultaneously pulling out Su Wanyu''s file: "You go instead, take a trip to Edinburgh for me to investigate."


    He added, "Don''t disturb her, nor let her know. I want to know everything that has happened over the past six months."


    If it had been ten years earlier, he would have likely booked the nearest flight to Edinburgh without a second thought to see what was going on.


    But now, he was accustomed to planning his moves carefully, investigating and understanding quietly before making plans, to avoid being the passive party.


    Zhuo Yifan looked at Su Wanyu''s file, slightly overwhelmed. Lu Liang asked, "Any problems?"


    Zhuo Yifan quickly shook his head: "No problems, Mr. Lu."


    He left with the funds given by Lu Liang for the trip, proceeded to handle an expedited visa. Lu Liang gave him a month, stating that if the situation proved true, he would personally go as well.


    That evening, Lu Liang went to the Mahua Theater next to the City God Temple.


    Zhang Chen was desperate to go public, having already applied to the Securities and Futures Commission to delist from the New Third Board in full preparation to list on the Growth Enterprise Market.


    Due to the failure of the last review, he realized that just explosive box office returns were not enough; they needed diverse revenue, so he recently took the Mahua Team on a national tour.


    Shen Teng also turned down several variety shows to fully support Mahua, with Mahua''s listing being his first step from artist to capitalist.


    Zhang Tian''ai was there too; she had messaged Lu Liang the day before, informing him that they had arrived in Modu and would stay for three days.


    Lu Liang thought he might as well go and see her.


    Just as he reached the entrance of the theater, he ran into Zhang Chen: "Mr. Lu, long time no see. Why didn''t you let me know before coming over?"


    Zhang Chen''s face was all smiles. The Modu tour had five shows, originally without any roles for Zhang Tian''ai, or at least roles that could be replaced.


    But after much deliberation, he decided to bring Zhang Tian''ai, primarily to meet with Lu Liang.


    Half a month since Ningde Era went public, although the market value soared and then dropped, it was still hovering around a hundred billion.


    Lu Liang''s forecast of a trillion market value played a crucial role, once again proving his incomparable appeal to the world.


    Zhang Chen wanted to discuss the listing with Lu Liang.


    Xia Luo, explosive box office.


    A Thought on Heaven, a small hit.


    Donkey Gets Water, critically acclaimed, modest box office.


    First Rich, another explosive box office.


    Currently holding Shameful Iron Fist, which has made over a billion yuan just from box office revenues in the past two years.


    He could not understand why every time they submitted for an IPO, it was rejected; Mahua simply couldn''t figure out what was wrong, and the Securities and Futures Commission wouldn''t clarify.


    Zhang Chen was helpless, only resorting to using Zhang Tian''ai to allure Lu Liang, hoping he could help inquire about the reasons.


    Lu Liang chuckled in resignation: "I''ll ask them for you."


    "Thank you, Mr. Lu!"


    Zhang Chen was delighted, bowing repeatedly in gratitude.


    Lu Liang stepped aside to call Director Zhao Jisheng of the Securities and Futures Commission: "Director Zhao, hello, sorry for the interruption."


    "It''s nothing major, just someone asked me to inquire why Mahua''s IPO applications are consistently rejected?"


    "I see, mmhmm, alright, I understand. Thank you. Rest assured, it won''t be leaked."


    Zhang Chen invited Lu Liang to the office, continually pouring tea and offering water, his eyes filled with desire.


    Lu Liang pondered for a moment, then softly spoke: "Mr. Zhang, you might as well give up, don''t waste your efforts."


    Zhao Jisheng had told him a lot, including the more stringent salary cap on celebrities and the investigation of dual contracts.


    He couldn''t disclose these as they were internal information, and could only advise him to give up the idea of going public for now.


    In recent years, companies in the film and television industry shouldn''t even think about going public, at least not until the investigation is over to see who''s been exposed.


    A blanket ban is lazy governance but simple and efficient. After all, the film industry isn''t a big deal.


    Zhang Chen furrowed his brows, "Is there really no way?"


    "Mr. Zhang, if you don''t believe me, you can also ask someone else to help you check."


    Zhang Chen was startled, then quickly offered an apologetic smile, "Mr. Lu, since you''ve said so, I absolutely trust you."


    He felt helpless and sighed, "Who knows what the situation will be like in a few years."


    "It might be better," chuckled Lu Liang.


    "Fingers crossed," Zhang Chen replied.


    After wrapping up her performance, Zhang Tian''ai saw Lu Liang in Zhang Chen''s office and immediately her eyes crinkled with a smile. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She quietly sent Lu Liang a message, "I''m staying at the hotel next door, freshly showered waiting for you, room 1205."


    Lu Liang replied, "OK."


    After chatting with Zhang Chen for a bit more, Lu Liang suddenly said, "Let''s avoid releasing ''Iron Fist'' during the summer season."


    "''War Wolf 2'' plans to release during the summer?"


    "Yes, just confirmed."


    Zhang Chen''s face showed conflict, "Xinli and Maoyan are hoping it could be released earlier."


    If they skipped the summer box office, this year''s slots would only be left with the National Day holiday. And since it''s currently the May Golden Week, it means holding onto it for nearly half a year more.


    This is highly unfavorable for recouping funds.


    "Handle it as you see fit."


    Lu Liang smiled and shrugged his shoulders, then stood up, planning to leave.


    A terrifying box office of over 5 billion would definitely suck the potential out of the entire slot. Zhang Chen wouldn''t listen, and there was nothing he could do about it.


    "Mr. Lu, let me walk you out," said Zhang Chen smiling broadly, not really concerned about the release of ''War Wolf 2''.


    Four movies, three reaping box office and critical acclaim¡ªMahua Team had proven their box office drawing power time and again.


    Having watched the series ''Zhou Xingxing Subduing Demons'' flop, he didn''t think the ''War Wolf 2'', with an initial box office of only 550 million, would pose a threat to them.


    "Mr. Zhang, no need."


    Leaving Mahua Theater, Lu Liang turned around to go to the Four Seasons Hotel next door and found room 1205.


    Before he could knock, Zhang Tian''ai, dressed in a red spaghetti-strap nightgown, suddenly opened the door and pulled him into the room.


    After closing the door, she clung to him like a spider demon, pressing Lu Liang against the wall while kissing his ears, neck, and cheeks.


    Eventually, she hung onto him, her legs in black high heels tightly wrapped around his waist.


    "Do you have a fever?" Lu Liang asked, his palms supporting her buttocks as he carried her into the living room.


    "Mmm~" Zhang Tian''ai''s chin rested on Lu Liang''s shoulder, wanting to bite him hard: "Who told you not to visit me in Beijing for so long? I had to take matters into my own hands and come to you."


    "There''s no time, always running from one place to another," said Lu Liang, sitting on the couch and holding her slender waist, looking up to examine her carefully.


    Fame really does nourish a person. Compared to when she filmed web dramas, Zhang Tian''ai had become more and more beautiful, blossoming truly.


    Just like International Fan, Yang Mi and the others, not very striking in their twenties, reaching the peak of their beauty around thirty.


    Tonight, Zhang Tian''ai had also put on the makeup that Lu Liang liked¡ªa fair complexion, blazing red lips, glamorous but not kitsch.


    "Busy, huh? It''s good to be busy," Zhang Tian''ai murmured lazily, not keen on bursting his bubble.


    If he really had been that busy, he wouldn''t have gone to Tokyo with his girlfriend over the Spring Festival holiday.


    "Smell any hint of vinegar?"


    Lu Liang smiled, his fingers tracing her smooth thigh, passing over the knee, and down the shin.


    "No, I didn''t smell anything," said Zhang Tian''ai, suddenly hugging Lu Liang''s neck, swaying slightly, trying to mask her body''s instinctive reaction.


    After teasing her for a while and feeling that it was about enough, Lu Liang tapped her legs and said with a mischievous smile, "Get up, I''m hungry. Let''s go eat."


    "Mmm~ No, I want to eat you."

 Chapter 313 - 312: Money is Almighty

    "Regarding dual contracts, how much do you understand?"


    "Pretty common, as long as the artist requests it, you can sign two contracts to avoid high tax rates."


    Having learned that Zhang Tian''ai was becoming popular again due to the First Rich, and recently took on two variety shows and a TV drama, Lu Liang reminded her not to get involved with these things.


    "Absolutely not." Zhang Tian''ai nodded earnestly; she didn''t ask why, assuming Lu Liang would never harm her.


    The next morning, still in her tattered camisole from the night before, she helped Lu Liang straighten his attire, taking a careful look and showing a satisfied smile. Finally, she kissed his cheek. "When you''re free, think of me more."


    Although Lu Liang had told her that as long as there was someone she liked, she just needed to let him know, and they could amicably part ways, ending their relationship automatically.


    But she wasn''t Lu Liang, who got aroused by every beautiful woman he saw. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Furthermore, when girls pick a boyfriend, looks just have to be passable, what matters most is the inside.


    Lu Liang, a man of talent, wealthy and powerful, as a boyfriend, except for being somewhat despicable, was almost flawless.


    Zhang Tian''ai''s feelings for Lu Liang had progressed from initial admiration to dependency, and now to genuine affection.


    That made her harbor some impractical thoughts.


    It would actually be quite nice to keep things as they are.


    Except for not being able to be seen in public, Lu Liang could almost give her everything she wanted.


    "You''re so well-behaved, of course I''ll think of you."


    Lu Liang smiled, touched his cheek, and bade farewell to Zhang Tian''ai.


    Back at the company, Zhuo Yifan had requested a month-long leave, so Lu Liang''s secretary went through a third revision.


    The new secretary was Xu Jiawei, originally a member of Lu Liang''s secretarial team, mainly assisting Zhuo Yifan.


    But just like Wen Chao left and Zhuo Yifan took over, now with Zhuo Yifan temporarily away, it was his turn to step up.


    Suppressing the excitement in his heart, Xu Jiawei reported to Lu Liang, "Mr. Lu, Panda is holding its Series D financing this afternoon, with a valuation of 1.5 billion US Dollars. Mr. Wang plans to offer 10% of the equity, aiming to raise 150 million to prepare for going public."


    Going public was like an obsession for Little Wang. Last quarter, with the help of live-streamed sales, Panda achieved a net income of 68 million yuan.


    Finally meeting the last condition for listing on Nasdaq, he was eager to submit the application.


    Once approved, next year Panda could ring the Nasdaq bell, becoming the first live-streaming enterprise to go public overseas.


    Now was an excellent opportunity, as Tencent''s plan to facilitate the merger and re-listing of Douyu and Huya had been halted.


    If they could seize this moment, they could at least maintain second place in the live-streaming industry and challenge Douyu''s dominant position.


    Just like NIO, who last year was preparing to go public in the US, becoming the first domestic new energy company to be listed.


    Good or bad,


    Being the first would be remembered for a long time.


    "Let''s take a look."


    After pondering for a moment, Lu Liang understood that this Series D financing would likely be Panda''s last round before going public. He was not only a shareholder but also a friend, morally and emotionally, he should go support him.


    That afternoon, Lu Liang arrived in Baoshan District.


    Today''s financing meeting wasn''t held in a hotel but at Panda''s headquarters. After all, with the impending public offering, it was important for investors to see their company management model firsthand.


    Lu Liang took a brief tour around,


    He had been here several times, so he wasn''t too curious.


    "Mr. Lu, hello." Long Fei looked radiantly happy, his face expressing the satisfaction of someone who had weathered difficult times and come out stronger.


    Lu Liang chuckled, "Mr. Long, congratulations. You''ve finally reached the harvest season after all the hard toil."


    "Mr. Lu, you jest. It''s not quite harvest time yet, but we are indeed taking a big step forward."


    Long Fei beamed with joy but didn''t forget to compliment Lu Liang: "If it weren''t for you, Mr. Lu, Panda couldn''t have survived till now."


    "Mutual support," Lu Liang laughed.


    Panda has yet to collapse, and in his view, Little Wang should thank two people, the first being Long Fei, and the second himself.


    The general manager Long Fei, toiled day and night, taking on the responsibilities of the whole company.


    Without him, given Little Wang''s demeanor, always lounging in bars and chasing girls, Panda would have faltered long ago.


    Long Fei paused, then asked, "Mr. Lu, what do you think about Panda preparing to go public?"


    Lu Liang contemplated, "It''s the last opportunity."


    He had talked about this matter with Little Wang before. Douyu and Huya''s merger had failed and Douyin was becoming stronger.


    Panda could only consider going public now; if they waited for Douyu and Huya to revive or for Douyin to gain momentum, the opportunity might slip away.


    "I must try, and regret nothing," Long Fei sighed.


    "Mr. Lu, long time no see."


    Little Wang came toward him with a bright smile, dressed in a tacky white suit, arms wide open, swinging his hips as he walked.


    Lu Liang glanced at him, took a half step back, and let Long Fei stand in front of him, saying abruptly, "You''re this flamboyant in Series D, I can''t even imagine what you''d turn into if you went public."


    Shaking his head gravely, Little Wang said, "One must revel in the high points of life, this is a posture celebrating victory in advance, you wouldn''t understand."


    Lu Liang gave a wry laugh and didn''t bother to dampen his spirits, "Have you found the investors for your Series D funding?"


    "Definitely found them," Little Wang nodded and then suddenly puckered his lips, signaling Lu Liang to look toward the entrance.


    Turning his head, Lu Liang saw a familiar figure from Redwood, Zhou Hongwei smiling and saying, "Mr. Lu, long time no see, how have you been?"


    "Thanks to your good fortune, quite well," Lu Liang responded with a smile.


    Old Zhou suddenly turned to Little Wang, "Mr. Wang, do you mind if I borrow Mr. Lu for a moment to speak privately?"


    "Mr. Zhou, go ahead then, I will go greet some other people with Mr. Long," Little Wang hurriedly said.


    Puzzled, Lu Liang listened as Zhou Hongwei asked, "Mr. Lu, have you heard of Nezha?"


    "Of course," Lu Liang nodded.


    He not only had heard about Nezha but knew that Nezha was recently in talks with Ningde for a collaboration in production.


    BYD cars were selling like hotcakes, and Ningde, another battery supplier, didn''t want to fall behind.


    Full vehicle manufacturing was also in Ningde''s future plans, so they were now testing the waters with a few collaborators.


    Zhou Hongwei mentioned, "Baidu''s Mr. Li approached us, offering to provide the car machine and the entire electrical control system for free."


    "Hmm, that sounds good," Lu Liang said, somewhat lost, struggling to understand what he was trying to convey.


    Zhou Hongwei continued, "However, we prefer the Tianxing Car Machine, as we think Baidu''s autonomous driving system isn''t mature enough."


    "That shouldn''t be the case; Baidu has been deeply involved in the internet sector for many years, any car machine they put forward should be mature."


    "If all those years of cultivation were useful, Baidu wouldn''t have ended up as the tail end among numerous tech companies."


    "Mr. Zhou, what''s your view?" Lu Liang''s brow raised slightly, sensing a hint of what was being implied.


    "There is still significant room for upgrades in Tianxing Car Machine, Mr. Lu, we could collaborate in this area."


    Zhou Hongwei, pride in his expression, spoke of the time before Qihu emerged when there were many antivirus software options in China, but after Qihu''s entry, only Qihu remained.


    Their technology was among the top globally; it''s just that they entered the new energy field slightly late.


    If they joined Tianxing Technology, it would surely be like adding wings to a tiger, surpassing Baidu and Tesla was just a matter of time.


    "Mr. Zhou, what are your plans for collaboration?"


    Lu Liang smiled, already expecting that the collaboration wouldn''t be fair, but he hadn''t anticipated Zhou Hongwei being so bold with his demands.


    He said with a smile, "We''ve done our research; Golden Sand River spent 230 million for a 10% stake, so Qihu plans to invest 2 billion for a 51% equity share."


    "A 4 billion valuation means my 90% stake seems quite valuable."


    Lu Liang squinted, smiling faintly, "Mr. Zhou, do you think I''m short of money?"


    "Any entrepreneur could say they need money, but I believe Mr. Lu is certainly not short of money."


    Zhou Hongwei quickly explained, he still knew the stakes well, "It''s just that technology can''t be resolved with money."


    He really liked the Tianxing system and hoped the system could be further perfected; his intention for collaboration was genuinely benevolent.


    "Mr. Zhou, thank you for your high regard, but Tianxing Technology currently has no plans in this regard."


    Lu Liang''s smile remained, but internally he had already carefully noted Qihu.


    Since the Red Robed Sect Leader said their technology was impressive, he was determined to poach a few people to give it a try.


    Issues at the technological level indeed couldn''t be solved with money alone, but talent acquisition could address them.


    Money is omnipotent; if it can''t solve a problem, it means it''s either not enough or not directed at the right solution.


    Like a saint not corruptible by money, but money can influence his friends and family, eventually swaying his beliefs.

 Chapter 314 - 313: Capital Succubus

    "It''s really a pity."


    Zhou Hongwei heaved a sigh.


    For any project, the hardest part is often going from 0 to 1. Tianxing had an absolute head start, Qihu had the technology, and had they united, they could have swept everything before them.


    But Qihu wasn''t content with playing second fiddle to Tianxing, and Tianxing wouldn''t settle for playing second to Qihu either. Lu Liang was adamant in his stance, and cooperation between the two sides had become impossible.


    Lu Liang just smiled, not responding, and waved to Zhu Hu, who had just come in the door. Zhu Hu approached with a smile brimming on his face.


    "Mr. Lu, Mr. Zhou, good afternoon." Zhu Hu was in a great mood¡ªthe D round, the final round before going public.


    As long as they went public, the 50 million US Dollars invested by Golden Sand River in successive rounds would bring back more than tenfold in returns.


    In fact, whether it''s Golden Sand River or Redwood, as venture capital firms, failure is common, and success is the exception.


    But if even one company they invest in goes public successfully, the substantial profits it generates can offset the failures of the previous 99 companies.


    Because the investment of 50 million US Dollars doesn''t come all at once, it starts with increments of three to five million US Dollars.


    Panda was worth it, which was why they kept raising their bets.


    Most other companies fell at the A-round financing, with losses only amounting to hundreds of thousands or a few million US Dollars.


    "Mr. Lu, are you interested in participating in the D round as well?" Zhu Hu inquired.


    Lu Liang shook his head with a smile, "The IPO is near, what''s most important now is to share. Let''s leave the allocation of this round to others."


    To list on Nasdaq, there are two mandatory criteria.


    First, there must be 400 shareholders holding more than 100 shares each; second, there must be at least three market makers.


    For the former, Panda plans to distribute 5% of its equity into a stock pool for the company, allowing platform hosts and mid-to-senior management to subscribe and fulfill the shareholder requirements.


    For the latter''s three market makers, Panda is planning to bring them in during the D round financing, these being Interactive Brokers, De Mei, and IGH Securities from the United States.


    These three are specialists in market making for Chinese concept stocks, having managed the US listings for companies like NetEase, Ali, and Sina.


    Little Wang was chatting with the blonde, blue-eyed market maker manager, and before long, the two suddenly headed in Lu Liang''s direction.


    "Mr. Lu, Mr. Cruick would like to get to know you," Little Wang said with a wry smile, a look of resignation written all over his face.


    Lu Liang was like a siren of capital, attracting the wealthy and powerful wherever he went, whether at home or abroad.


    The key issue was that he couldn''t refuse¡ªthere were only so many institutions dealing with Chinese concept stocks on Wall Street.


    He had paid out millions in consultation fees and had gone to great lengths to invite them over¡ªthere would be no refunds if the listing failed, and he''d have to buy back their equity holdings from this round with interest.


    It was a humble position¡ªif the Qing Dynasty had not yet fallen, and the Empress Dowager was alive, she would probably just shake her head at the sight.


    But there was no helping it; since Panda wasn''t a unicorn company and still sought to go public in the United States, it was like begging on bended knees.


    "Lu, hello."


    Cruick beamed with a face full of smiles, a marked change from his previous prideful demeanor with Little Wang, now enthusiastic as a puppy who had spotted a bone. If he had a tail, it would surely be wagging like a propeller.


    Little Wang''s eyes twitched as he felt like he was the one catering to a goddess, only to see his goddess catering to someone else right in front of him.


    His heart, suddenly in pain.


    "Cruick, hello."


    Lu Liang said, extending his right hand with light laughter. Cruick hastily gripped it, murmuring to himself, "This is the financial butcher."


    The look in his eyes so affectionate, his grip so firm, Lu Liang could almost feel his perspiration being wrung out and quickly withdrew his hand.


    "I''m sorry, I got a bit excited meeting you for the first time," Cruick said with an embarrassed laugh, his gaze slightly reluctant to let go.


    In the West, individual heroism prevails because ultimately, it''s all about capital sticking together¡ªeven the government is a spokesperson for capital.


    If you offend capital, you could be shot in the back at any moment and then ruled to have committed suicide. That''s why they yearn for superheroes.


    Marvel and DC superheroes are imaginary because no one in reality can challenge the authority of Wall Street capital.


    But then, Lu Liang appeared, facing and defeating three opponents at once, eight opponents at a time, always emerging victorious, and now he was walking away unscathed.


    Cruick, as a spokesperson for De Mei and part of Wall Street capital, couldn''t help but admire Lu Liang.


    Just like those within the system, who know its strength, they understand just how difficult it is to defeat it.


    Lu Liang glanced at Little Wang, who was sulking like a woman confined to her quarters, and asked with a smile, "Cruick, what are the odds of Panda passing the Nasdaq listing review?"


    Little Wang''s eyes lit up with hope as he turned to look at Cruick. It was just like his adoptive father to remember him at a critical moment.


    He had just asked the same question, but the other party, like a wily bureaucrat, kept beating around the bush without revealing the truth.


    Zhu Hu and Zhou Hongwei also perked up their ears to eavesdrop; their companies held a total of 28% equity in Panda.


    If the listing failed, the severity of their losses would be second only to Little Wang himself.


    Though they had signed a repurchase agreement with Panda during previous rounds of financing to recoup their principal plus interest.


    Yet, the logic of capital dictates that if you were supposed to make 10 million but end up making nothing, it''s as if you''ve lost 10 million. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Cruick pondered before revealing the truth to his idol, "Under normal circumstances, the probability of passing the Nasdaq listing review is 77%, but for Chinese concept stocks, it''s around 68%. For Panda at present, it''s only about 55%."


    All these probabilities are based on meeting the necessary hard criteria. Looking back at the Chinese concept stocks that have gone public in the United States, they have been leaders in their respective industries, or at the very least, powerful second-place contenders.


    Panda is only the third in the live streaming field and merely sought to take advantage of Douhu''s failed merger to sneak into the market.


    Upon hearing this, Zhu Hu and Zhou Hongwei''s brows furrowed in worry; a 55% chance didn''t even meet the passing threshold.


    Little Wang was momentarily stunned, and for an instant, his flashy white suit lost its luster, as if it had been covered in dust.


    "Cruick, please help us."


    Lu Liang sighed softly, knowing that a 55% probability was not low.


    Cruick changed the subject, his gaze landing on Lu Liang with a teasing smile, "Lu, if you could step in, the success rate would increase by at least ten percentage points."


    Ever since Tianxing Private Equity had taken a position in Tesla, the company''s market value had risen by 2.35 times.


    In the period after the six-month lock-up expired, Tianxing''s actions were unexpected by the market.


    Instead of selling off to realize gains, they took advantage of the price drop during the lock-up period to acquire an additional 420,000 shares.


    This move helped Tesla''s market value break through a hundred billion US dollars.


    The shares that originally cost 2.8 billion US dollars were now worth over 70 billion US dollars.


    Lu Liang had once again proven to Wall Street his unmatched foresight and market influence.


    The final valuation of Panda''s IPO in the United States would certainly not exceed 2.3 billion US dollars.


    With Lu Liang''s mere appearance and a few shout-outs, the New York Stock Exchange would definitely loosen its listing review.


    "Let''s talk about it when the time comes."


    Lu Liang pondered and didn''t immediately respond, knowing that what Cruick said was true.


    They say East Country is a society built on relationships, where everything is about who you know, but the West is no less so.


    They simply put these hidden relationships out in the open, such as political donations, where money is given openly ¨C it can''t be called corruption.


    Or, for instance, recommendation letters from celebrities for school admissions or job applications, clearly saying, "This person is under my protection, they must be passed."


    These practices are purposely ignored by the informed public, as if blowing up India''s shortcomings and throwing them into an Indian slum for fun for a few nights ¡ª see if that keeps the peace or silences the chatter about the harmonious Indian populace.


    Cruick, still smiling, knew that Lu Liang was one of his kind.


    If one could help, even if choosing to ignore the situation, one wouldn''t help without compensation, since paid services or cooperation better reflect a person''s value and contributions.


    Pretending to be a good person by helping with everything for free would not only fail to earn gratitude but also might lead others to perceive the individual as cheap or suspect ulterior motives.


    Cruick left after exchanging contact information with Lu Liang, insisting that Lu Liang should reach out if he ever visited New York, as many friends, including some of his old acquaintances, were eager to meet him.


    Approaching four o''clock,


    The two-hour financing meeting also came to an end.


    After this round of financing, Lu Liang''s shareholding was further diluted to just 10.98%.


    After the meeting, Little Wang, Zhu Hu, and Zhou Hongwei exchanged glances and tacitly approached Lu Liang. The 55% chance of passing the review hung over them like a dark cloud.


    If they could add ten percentage points, at least it would be above the passing mark, and the likelihood of success would greatly increase.

 Chapter 315 - 314: Observations in Edinburgh

    "Let''s give it a try, but no promises."


    Lu Liang was speechless, knowing their purpose, but he didn''t own the New York Stock Exchange, and couldn''t just get through whenever he wanted.


    Helping wasn''t free of charge, true; but you had to be of actual help to have the right to make demands, otherwise you''re just a Joker.


    "Boss Lu, how about we take a trip to New York at the end of the month? Let''s test the waters," Little Wang suddenly suggested.


    For the past few months, due to IPO audits, they had to run between East and West, so he borrowed a private plane from Old Wang to ensure a worry-free journey.


    "You scout out the situation first, and then I''ll come over later," Lu Liang said.


    He thought of Zhuo Yifan, who should have arrived in Edinburgh by now. Unless something unexpected happened, he would have to make a trip there before heading over to New York to check things out.


    Little Wang looked to Zhu Hu and Zhou Hongwei, who both nodded in agreement with this decision.


    Boss Lu''s appearance fee was bound to be high, and money probably wouldn''t solve it; if there weren''t really thorny issues, it was best to keep him from making an appearance.


    Little Wang nodded: "Alright, I''ll scout ahead."


    Meanwhile, the plane carrying Zhuo Yifan landed at Edinburgh Airport.


    Although it was his first time abroad, he had made meticulous plans ahead of time, contacting a local Chinese guide early and renting an apartment near the University of Edinburgh.


    "Mr. Zhuo, are you here to visit a friend?"


    The Chinese guide was all smiles and very talkative, mainly because Zhuo Yifan was generous, offering a daily fee of five hundred British Pounds, which was about 4100 RMB.


    Just two days of work for him. Even with Edinburgh''s high cost of living, that was enough for a family to live on for a month.


    "Yes, I am here to visit a friend."


    Zhuo Yifan stared blankly at the white clouds and blue sky outside the window, still thinking about how to complete the task Boss Lu had assigned him.


    At first, he considered hiring a private detective, since Boss Lu had provided him with virtually unlimited funds, but after much consideration, he decided against it.


    The hottest new name in finance, both domestically and abroad, had sent him, his secretary, all the way to Edinburgh, just to investigate a girl.


    It was a task so full of imaginative possibilities that, for Boss Lu''s reputation''s sake, he decided to conduct the investigation personally and keep it as secret as possible.


    "Did you have a fight with your girlfriend? She''s ignoring you, so you came looking for her?" the Chinese guide asked with a smile.


    Zhuo Yifan was young, around twenty-five or twenty-six, and looked very much like a student, but the recruiting season was already past.


    If he were a returning student, there would be no need for a guide.


    On business? Zhuo Yifan wasn''t of the age typical for a businessman.


    After eliminating other options, that seemed to be the remaining answer.


    Zhuo Yifan admitted, feeling guilty, "Something like that."


    He hoped Boss Lu wouldn''t blame him; he had adopted this identity for the sake of the mission.


    The Chinese guide laughed heartily: "I''ve lived in England for over ten years. I''ve been to the Sherlock Holmes site on Baker Street a few times and have some basic observational skills."


    "..."


    Zhuo Yifan was at a loss for words. He wanted to say that Baker Street was real, but Sherlock Holmes was not, and the site was just based on the novels.


    Back when he was prepping for his English Level 8 exam, he had practically worn out the original Sherlock Holmes Mystery Collection.


    Then, the guide posed another question, "Which college is that girl in? My daughter also studies there, I could look for her."


    Zhuo Yifan hastily replied, "School of Education."


    Edinburgh was one of the oldest universities in the world and a highly reputed research institution, comprising nine colleges.


    Su Wanyu applied to the School of Education, and from her background, she would likely go into the education field in the future.


    "Damn, my daughter''s there too! Buddy, I''ve always believed education is a lucrative field, especially private tutoring for bilingual Chinese and English speakers. You can easily charge thirty British Pounds per class."


    "That also has a lot to do with our country getting stronger. Chinese people are eager to see the world, and foreigners want to understand the mysterious East Country. You wouldn''t believe it¡ªlast time during the worship ceremony, those foreigners thought we belonged to some voodoo cult¡ªit killed me..."


    Being a guide was a job for chatterboxes, but if someone was introverted, they probably couldn''t be one.


    Zhuo Yifan, needing help, just patiently listened until finally asking, "Uncle, what''s your daughter''s name? Could you introduce me? I have something to ask her."


    "My daughter is Zheng Xiaoxuan. I think she''s off today¡ªI''ll call her to meet us downstairs at the apartment."


    The guide''s face beamed with joy; breaking up a temple is acceptable, wrecking a relationship is not¡ªbeing able to reconcile the feelings of a young couple.


    He was more than happy to receive the guiding fee.


    Zhuo Yifan chuckled, bowing his head to write up his work report.


    He was on a business trip, it''s just that the content of the business was slightly more personal.


    Soon enough, the guide drove to the Romi Hotel Apartments in Edinburgh''s south campus.


    Zhuo Yifan''s eyes widened as if seeing ghosts; two girls were standing beneath the apartment complex.


    One girl with short hair, her boyish face brimming with boredom as she kicked pebbles at the roadside; whenever a dog passed, she couldn''t help but reach out to pat its head.


    Beside her was a girl with flowing long hair, her face painted with resignation, stopping her from acting out of line, cautioning her about being bitten by dogs.


    She wore a white sun hat, a flowing green dress swaying with the wind.


    It was clear to see, her small belly slightly protruding, her delicate and stunning features revealing an indelible look of melancholy.


    "Hello there, I''ll go park the car."


    Mr. Zheng greeted and drove into the parking lot: "Su, that child, really has a hard life, pregnant and doesn''t even know who the father of the child is. Girls should still respect themselves more."


    "Just heard she was shopping with my daughter, also from the School of Education, so I called them over to help you ask around."


    Mr. Zheng parked the car, picked up the luggage, and specifically instructed: "Mr. Zhuo, please don''t mention anything about Su later."


    "I just can''t understand how such a good girl doesn''t even know who the father of her child is."


    "But I heard her due date is supposed to be in August this year, which is odd, given that Su only came here in January."


    "I suspect the child''s father must be someone from back home who only came out to get the Edinburgh registry¡­"


    Zhuo Yifan''s smile was stiff: "Maybe."


    He felt as though he had stumbled upon some incredible secret, suddenly touched. What had he done to deserve such high regard from Boss Lu?


    He was also a little worried. Would Su Wanyu recognize him?


    Although he was a second-generation secretary, he''d attended many significant events with Lu Liang. If she paid even a little attention, she should recognize him as Lu Liang''s frequent companion.


    If Su Wanyu recognized him, then his mission from Boss Lu would be directly doomed.


    A sense of foreboding hit Zhuo Yifan, and he hurriedly said: "Mr. Zheng, I just remembered I left something at the airport. Let''s go back for it."


    Mr. Zheng: "It''s more than eighty kilometers away. The round trip will take another two hours. Why not call the airport staff and ask them to send it over?"


    "Please Uncle, that thing is very important to me, it''s an engagement ring." Zhuo Yifan pleaded, using the power of money.


    300 British Pounds to run back and forth again, 200 British Pounds were for his daughter. He was very sorry to have stood them up.


    "Ah, it''s not about the money. Since it''s something as important as a ring, then I''ll run back with you."


    Mr. Zheng''s face beamed with joy as he silently put the luggage back in the trunk, revved up the engine, and drove out of the parking lot.


    "Thank you very much." Zhuo Yifan''s attitude was sincere.


    He understood the principle of not flaunting wealth.


    But Mr. Zheng had a daughter who seemed to be at the same school and was apparently friends with his target.


    That ruled out him being a bad guy.


    Zheng Xiaoxuan also received a call from her dad, infuriated: "Making us wait for nothing. When we meet, I want half. I''ll take 400."


    "It''ll have to do." She huffed, hung up the phone, and took out 200 British Pounds from her bag. Handing it to Su Wanyu, she said, "Here, this is yours."


    "What happened?" Su Wanyu asked, tilting her head in confusion.


    "That guy forgot the engagement ring at the airport, so my dad has to go back with him."


    Zheng Xiaoxuan couldn''t help but snicker. It was hard to imagine such an unlucky yet lucky classmate knew such a scatterbrain.


    "But he''s quite polite, gave another 500 British Pounds, 300 for my dad, but I scammed 200 out of him."


    "Now 400, we''ll split it equal. Just keep it, consider it a gift from auntie for the baby''s formula money."


    Zheng Xiaoxuan was straightforward and talkative, much like her father, and she suddenly touched Su Wanyu''s belly: "How was the last checkup?"


    "The doctor said the baby is very healthy." Su Wanyu, unable to refuse, had no choice but to accept the 200 British Pounds Zheng Xiaoxuan handed her.


    "And you?"


    "Me? What about me?"


    "Aren''t you going to tell that jerk? Are you planning to have the baby hold a picture of his dad when he''s born?"


    Su Wanyu was silent for a long time: "I haven''t decided yet."


    "Oh~~ finally got it out of you."


    Zheng Xiaoxuan was triumphant, teasing Su Wanyu''s chin with her index finger: "As I said, such a Xiaoguai, how could she not know who the father of her child is."


    "Who is it after all? Get him to come over, if he doesn''t want to take responsibility, I''ll teach him a lesson!"


    Her eyes narrowed, clenched teeth revealing her anger.


    Zheng Xiaoxuan still remembered when she first met Su Wanyu.


    It was raining that day. Su Wanyu didn''t have an umbrella, had no friends since she was new, standing all alone at the entrance of the academic building.


    She kept looking up at the sky, as if waiting for the rain to stop.


    But she waited a long, long time.


    The rain didn''t stop.


    She seemed trapped. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The breaking point for adults can come in an instant.


    For the first time, Zheng Xiaoxuan realized that crying could be silent, a tangible representation of vulnerability.


    As a woman, she could hardly bear it, wanting to hold her tight and protect her. How could that man be so heartless?


    "He doesn''t know, so please don''t ask again, okay?"


    Su Wanyu didn''t want to talk more, and Zheng Xiaoxuan sighed: "We made a little money today, let''s go eat something nice."


    Meanwhile, Zhuo Yifan was back at the airport, frantically calling Boss Lu.


    He reported everything he knew, and the situation he had witnessed, but he hadn''t investigated deeply yet, so the information might not be entirely reliable.


    "I understand, you''ve done well. Continue investigating," was the reply.

 Chapter 316 - 315: Killing the Chicken to Warn the Monkeys, Setting an Example to Deter Others

    "Mid-August."


    After ending the call with Yifan, Lu Liang squinted, feeling a bit strange, realizing he would soon have a successor.


    He wasn''t as excited as one might imagine, because mating rights were significant for the average person but not for him.


    If he wanted, a new progeny each day, and after ten years, a harem of three thousand beauties were not just an adjective anymore.


    However, Wanyu had to come back regardless of her consent.


    But getting her back by his side would require some clever planning.


    Lu Liang pondered for a moment, his lips gradually curving into a smile as he soon came up with a foolproof plan.


    Though Wanyu had a gentle exterior and a firm interior, she still had some feelings for him fundamentally.


    He would wait for the right moment,


    Stride across the rainbow clouds, descending from the sky,


    And seize the opportunity!


    In the afternoon, Lu Liang was invited to Lou Shui in Su City.


    The industrial park was personally supervised by top city officials, and the remaining two small industrial parks were also ordered to relocate.


    Three days ago, 15,000 acres of land had become ownerless, and now was the time to sit down and divide the "cake."


    One acre is about 666 square meters,


    So 15,000 acres was about 9.99 million square meters. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Normally, such a vast area could accommodate 17 corporate factories, but each one wanted more.


    Since a larger area meant more resources and funds could be mobilized, nobody wanted to be left behind.


    Zhou Yi feared he couldn''t hold them off, so he asked Mr. Lu to come and act as the "judge" in dividing the meat.


    Representatives from 17 companies, along with accompanying staff numbering over 70, filled the meeting room like a marketplace.


    Everyone was noisy and uncompromising.


    Some argued, being in the paint and chemical industry, they needed to do better in environmental protection so they deserved more space.


    Others stated they were engaged in precision aluminum alloy die-casting, initially taking up a large area, and monopolizing 900,000 square meters was not excessive.


    And some claimed their company''s market value was so high that it would be embarrassing to have less land than the others.


    The initial land planning was practically useless, and Zhou Yi was nearly talked out, finally looking imploringly towards Lu Liang.


    "Stop arguing; continuing the noise won''t yield any result."


    Lu Liang and Zhou Yi stood aside¡ªafter all, his role was as a special advisor to the New Energy Industrial Park.


    Supporting the Su City investment office''s plan, allocating each company 300,000 square meters of land, with additional applications based on needs later.


    Lou Shui Industrial District was vast but concentrated. Even if two branches were at opposite ends, transportation would not be a concern.


    Having been in business for two years, Lu Liang knew that companies often wasted prime development time in meetings.


    Everyone feared responsibility, aiming for flawless calculations, but things never perfectly align, and there are always various accidents.


    Arguing wouldn''t solve issues; start with a simple plan, then implement, and solve problems as they arise.


    "Does anyone else have questions?" Lu Liang asked.


    Someone inquired, "How will the 130 billion in support funds be managed?"


    "Sixty-forty, we provide six parts and businesses four."


    Zhou Yi timely chimed in, indicating that the funds would be loaned to the companies in the park for constructing their factories.


    Supposing an investment of 3.5 billion, a company would need only to contribute 1.4 billion, with the remaining 2.1 billion provided as an interest-free loan over three to five years.


    Subsequent funding for development or equipment purchase could also be applied for.


    After all, once a part of the New Energy Industrial District, everyone was one big family, helping each other to grow, expand, and strengthen.


    "We have no issues, supporting Director Zhou and Mr. Lu''s arrangements." Sun Boyuan from Ningde Era, cheerfully and decisively signed his name and stamped his company''s seal.


    Noticing the disapproval in Lu Liang''s eyes, others felt uneasy and quickly signed and stamped, "We have no issues either."


    Any new team formation ideally involved no troublemakers, enabling the leader to make an example of any that arose to set a precedent.


    But everyone present was not a fool.


    Mr. Lu''s Public Fund would hold shares in all the companies present, including providing significant developmental funds.


    If someone disobeyed the arrangements, making his role as a referee uncomfortable, he would likely show the authority of the referee.


    Although Lu Liang did not have the qualifications to interfere in the park''s affairs, he attended today''s meeting in the capacity of a special consultant.


    But dealing with them was as easy as drinking water.


    First, expel 17 major league companies, then reduce stock holdings in the name of adjusting positions, and finally announce no longer holding positions.


    Following this process, among these companies, it was estimated that only Ningde could withstand it; the others, if not dead, were certainly stripped of a layer.


    Although the process inevitably caused capital losses for Tianxing Fund, excellent funds feared losses the least.


    Investors could only see the comprehensive data; if money was lost here and earned there, no one knew, nor did anyone care.


    Moreover, they all provided 100 billion for bond subscriptions.


    With only 200 billion, the net value was still 1.498,


    and nobody dared say anything about some losses.


    "Is this really okay?"


    Lu Liang was not convinced and continued to ask as he looked at the person in charge of Jiangte Motor, "Mr. Liu, what did you just say?"


    "We didn''t say anything."


    The person in charge of Jiangte Motor had a flattering smile and repeatedly waved his hands.


    Lu Liang''s brows furrowed, and he turned to look at Xiangdian Shares; the other party''s head was shaking like a rattle.


    "Let''s arrange it like this for now; act quickly, planning mass completion next year."


    Lu Liang sighed, his face showing regret and pity.


    Those who saw his expression felt a chill in their hearts.


    This guy was really planning to kill the chicken to warn the monkeys. Fortunately, they had restrained themselves and held back from provoking him.


    After the meeting, Lu Liang went to Zhou Yi''s office.


    Zhou Yi, with a smile on his face, poured a cup of tea, "Mr. Lu, I don''t know what we would have done without you today."


    This meeting was guaranteed to last three days, and if the project did not progress smoothly, it might continue for a month.


    But Lu Liang''s presence changed the situation.


    A mix of carrots and sticks silenced them all; they obediently signed the contracts, not daring to be troublemakers.


    Lu Liang sighed, "I don''t want to play the good cop; these guys are all slick old hands; give them an inch, and they will take a mile."


    "The effect is pretty good though, and you''ve managed it to just the right extent," Zhou Yi laughed, but suddenly he heard Lu Liang muttering, "Honestly, I was really hoping someone would stand up and oppose."


    Intimidation only worked for a short time, and it was very brief; those guys remembered the benefits but forgot the punishments. He was keen on picking one as a sacrifice to warn the others.


    Zhou Yi was dumbfounded and quickly interrupted, "Mr. Lu, please don''t be impulsive; things are pretty good as they are."


    Lu Liang''s intimidation, followed by his reassurances, would allow the project to progress smoothly and quickly.


    If he got serious, Zhou Yi was worried it might provoke a backlash, creating the opposite effect.


    "I was just talking; with the project progressing like this, we can''t talk about elimination," Lu Liang said with a smile.


    "Exactly," Zhou Yi agreed, putting on a forced smile, remembering an admonition from a certain leader.


    If there''s a problem, find Mr. Lu; if there''s no problem, worry about Mr. Lu; he might become the biggest problem.


    Lu Liang walked to the window and looked at the wasteland opposite, where seven or eight fishermen with a dozen fishing rods caught nothing: "Have they started the bidding over there yet?"


    Zhou Yi asked, "Mr. Lu, do you want it to start?"


    "It''s about time to start, let Wanda win the bid."


    The development of several projects under the Public Fund was progressing faster than Lu Liang had anticipated; after another three months, when those holding companies reached their restriction period...


    If successful, Lu Liang would, like the private equity, exit from the public fund and let Zhang Jing become the fund manager.


    He also had to start planning a car manufacturing project he had been plotting for two years.


    But Tianxing Technology was not yet qualified to take such a large area of land, 1450 acres, about 967,000 square meters.


    Forcing it would give the impression of insider trading, which would not be good for Lu Liang or the Su City Government.


    So, a few days ago, Lu Liang and Old Wang had talked, planning to use Wanda''s qualification to acquire this land.


    The price to pay was, if needed, making a trip to New York to help Panda in its Nasdaq listing.


    Though Old Wang always claimed indifference, how could he truly disregard it when the Wang family had only that one scion?


    Parental love was like the spring rain, nourishing silently.

 Chapter 317 - 316: Introducing a Third-Party Force

    "Wanda?"


    "We have commissioned Wanda to help us with the bidding, and we will take over the project from them afterward."


    "That could not be better."


    Zhou Yi understood immediately, his face breaking into a smile, as having an intermediary could also reduce the dark operations of the bidding conference.


    In the first half of the year, although Wanda was deeply mired in a crisis of both stock and debt and had sold a large number of core projects to protect itself,


    a thin camel is bigger than a horse. Wanda Group, bidding normally, was qualified to compete with Hengtai Country Garden¡ªnot to mention with their support.


    Lu Liang stayed in Su City for two days, then went to Wanda''s headquarters in Beijing to meet with Old Wang and inform him about the bidding meeting in the latter half of the year.


    As long as the preparations were normal, the result was already predetermined; no matter how many companies competed, the winning bidder would only be them.


    "Mr. Wang, please take care of it. As for the expenses, Wanda will pay first, and later, when transferring, we can round up the total."


    Hearing Lu Liang''s words, Old Wang waved his hand with a carefree smile, "Money is a minor matter. Helping to secure 1450 acres might even boost Wanda''s stock price."


    Lu Liang understood and, amidst the casual talk, mentioned Panda, "Cong should be leading the team to New York for the first document review by now."


    "I heard, they seem to have left last night, probably still flying."


    Old Wang sighed, Wanda was headed to Hong Kong, and Panda to America.


    Although the size of the two could not be compared, owning their own business was the most comforting thing for a parent.


    "I hope it goes smoothly." Lu Liang glanced at Old Wang, who, if he remembered correctly, was born in the ''50s and was sixty-three this year. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Last year he was still the wealthiest Chinese globally, with a plump face and a strong, impressive stature.


    But this year, with Wanda suddenly encountering misfortune and falling from grace, possibly due to overworking, he had become drastically thinner, looking as though drained of spirit, and appeared quite aged.


    "I hope it goes smoothly."


    Leaving Wanda, Lu Liang went to Byte, thinking he hadn''t seen Yang Zhenyuan for a long time and decided to visit.


    But Zhang Yiming guarded against him as if he were a thief, "Mr. Yang is on a business trip, he''s gone to Los Angeles."


    After a few words, he directly escorted Lu Liang to a private dining room in the restaurant downstairs.


    Anyway, preventing him from appearing in the company, lest uninformed employees get poached.


    Lu Liang had a bad reputation in the Beijing Circle, and Yang Zhenyuan''s Douyin was just one aspect.


    The development of Tianxing Car Machine System couldn''t be separated from the support of various friendly merchants in Beijing.


    He no longer covertly poached people but rather openly raided them, offering a 50% raise, or if that did not work, 100%, and if not, then 150%.


    As long as they accepted and signed the contract, they would have assured income for the next three years, the better the technology and the higher the position, the higher the resettlement fee would be.


    Now the research team had expanded to 500 people, all engineers from Byte, Meituan, Baidu, and even Xiaomi.


    "Mr. Lu, I think you should carry an umbrella when you go out, beware of sudden flying rotten eggs."


    Zhang Yiming clenched his teeth in anger; this guy liked to take advantage of familiarity¡ªthe closer the relationship, the more people he poached.


    Byte was hit the hardest, followed by Xiaomi and Baidu, who each had dozens of people poached by him.


    But it seemed he had recently set his sights on Qihu, with the Red Robed Sect Leader openly blasting Lu Liang for unfair competition on Weibo.


    "If someone throws a rotten egg at me, it''s definitely either your doing or Old Zhou from Qihu''s."


    Lu Liang smiled, knowing why Zhang Yiming hated him so much; the poaching was one aspect, another was the increased cost of employment.


    They poached people by offering salaries 100% above the industry standard; if companies wanted to retain their employees, they either had to offer stock options or increase salaries.


    According to his knowledge, since the establishment of Tianxing Technology, the average salary of computer professionals in the Beijing area had increased by 42%.


    Those people loved him too much to ever consider throwing rotten eggs at him.


    Zhang Yiming glared at him irritably and sincerely advised, "Mr. Lu, you really need to change this style."


    Lu Liang''s venture into automobile manufacturing was a done deal. Coming from a finance background, he was never short of money and loved to solve problems with money.


    Let the internet companies be smashed; after all, it''s a high-profit, low-maintenance industry where it''s normal for technical staff to have high salaries.


    But once entering the manufacturing sector, where everyone else is earning a monthly salary of three to five thousand, if Lu Liang offers seven to eight thousand or even more, it''s easy for him to stumble.


    "What''s the point of industrial upgrading? Isn''t it to increase the wages of ordinary people?"


    "If the salary was three thousand before the upgrade and still three thousand after, then what''s the point of upgrading?"


    Lu Liang smiled at the corners of his mouth, unconcerned. He could afford it and didn''t care about the money.


    Moreover, his only advantage now was having money. If he didn''t invest heavily, sticking to so-called fair competition, how could he catch up with others?


    Lu Liang always felt that the so-called fair competition was a term invented by those already aboard to block newcomers.


    Competition is competition, there was no such thing as benign or malignant.


    Zhang Yiming sighed, "Kindness bitten by you, you''ll know when the time comes."


    He then asked, "What are you looking for Old Yang for?"


    Lu Liang said with a smile, "I miss him, just came to see him."


    "Do you think I would believe that?" Zhang Yiming was speechless.


    Narrowing his eyes with a smile, Lu Liang revealed the matter, "I also came to ask him to recommend some talents. The car machine development has hit a bottleneck."


    "Damn it, I knew you weren''t holding anything good back."


    Zhang Yiming''s face darkened, suddenly changing the subject, "What kind of talents are you looking for? I can also help recommend."


    When it rains, mothers will marry off, and when employees resign, it''s the same, it''s better to let go than to block. Let Lu Liang hustle others.


    Instead of always targeting their Byte for wool, Lu Liang was almost shearing them bald.


    "High-precision maps, talents in positioning technology."


    Lu Liang didn''t hide it. Byte was weak in this area and was not within his consideration.


    Zhang Yiming blurted out subconsciously, "Baidu... probably not, Mr. Li would probably kick you out."


    His face showed contemplation, then suddenly inspiration struck, "Mr. Lu, don''t always focus on us in Beijing Circle, you can consider the south as well."


    "Think about it, DJ, Huawei, and especially Tencent. Recently, they have been promoting Tencent Maps heavily. There are more talents in the south, and your reputation there is relatively better."


    Lu Liang was displeased, "Is my reputation that bad?"


    "Hehe~~" Zhang Yiming gave a forced laugh.


    "Let''s see later."


    After parting with Zhang Yiming, Lu Liang went to the SOHO building in Zhongguang Village.


    Hu Weiwei informed him that the system''s promotion was not going smoothly, currently only Wuling and Weiliao were in.


    Xiaomi is collaborating with Beiqi to empower Jihu, representing that after internet mega-companies, smartphone manufacturers are also entering the field.


    Tianxing OS was outstanding, ranking first among the many self-developed car systems in China.


    But it wasn''t so outstanding that others couldn''t do without it, after all, it''s just an auxiliary system, not even sufficient for assisted driving.


    Qihu 360''s idea, which was also the idea of most car companies, was that cooperation could happen, but it must be open-source for joint development.


    Data was hitting a bottleneck, and smart driving development was also at a standstill, so there was a need for talents in maps and positioning to break through from another angle.


    Hu Weiwei paused and then said, "Mr. Lu, NIO, Li Xiang, and Xiao Peng have all established their drive technology companies one after another."


    Although it was unclear whether they were taking a jab at him, seeking benefits, or genuinely intending to develop their car systems, it was all a bad sign.


    As long as their R&D pace and the speed of technological updates slightly lagged behind market development, they would be immediately abandoned.


    Even if Tianxing Private Equity was their shareholder, it wouldn''t change that, because cooperation was based on mutual benefit¡ªthe main reasons they were willing to adopt Tianxing OS were that the system was quite good, and also the good relationship with Lu Liang.


    If the relationship with Lu Liang jeopardized the company''s interests, even if they were willing, the other shareholders wouldn''t agree.


    "Relying on others is not as good as relying on oneself," Lu Liang pondered. He thought it was time to involve third-party forces to accelerate car machine development.


    He muttered to himself, "Too strong isn''t good as it could take over. Too weak isn''t eligible. It''s best to be in development, related to automobiles, but not in direct competition with us."


    Hu Weiwei furrowed her brows and, after much consideration, asked uncertainly, "Are you talking about DiDi?"


    She thought it over and felt that only DiDi met the criteria. As of last year, there were a total of 3.85 million rideshare drivers.


    With so many cars running on the roads every day, if they could access their database, the smart driving development would progress as if it were on steroids.


    And the key point was that there would be no need to bear the cost of installing car machines, as the DiDi driver app itself served as a data collector and transmitter.


    "Brilliant, very clever," Lu Liang said with a smile at the corner of his mouth, and asked, "Do you still have contact with them?"


    They were of the same generation, both rare female CEOs, and he had heard that Hu Weiwei had a good relationship with Liu Qing.


    Hu Weiwei said, "It''s been a long time since we last contacted, but if you invite her, Mr. Liu won''t refuse."

 Chapter 318 - 317: DiDi in Trouble

    "Go ahead and contact them in my name," Lu Liang said as he flipped through DiDi''s information, which had developed as quickly as a rocket in the past few years compared to the financing of OFO back then.


    As of last month, they had completed 9 rounds of financing, totaling over 20 billion US dollars, with a valuation reaching 50 billion US dollars.


    They had become the technology company with the highest total amount of financing and the most rounds, yet still unlisted worldwide.


    Zhu Hu''s most famous achievement was leading the A-round investment in DiDi with 3 million US dollars, obtaining a 20% equity stake.


    Even after eight rounds of equity dilution, he still held 5.58% of the shares, worth 2.79 billion US dollars.


    Until now, he had made a 930-fold return.


    "DiDi, Pinduoduo, Meituan, I missed out on each and every one."


    Lu Liang sighed helplessly. His entry into the market had been too late; if he had started earlier, perhaps he wouldn''t have missed these three unicorn companies.


    However, he thought of Douyin, which was somewhat consoling. Among the four unicorn enterprises of recent years, at least he had managed to get a hold of one.


    He had just talked with Zhang Yiming, whose TK was surging in the international market, pushing forward irresistibly.


    YouTube''s foray into the short video segment didn''t even qualify to compete directly with them, getting knocked down without a chance.


    After all, the "King of Gu" trained by seven hundred million users and an almost demonic algorithm had gone international, a form of dimensionality reduction strike.


    Especially abroad, where there were hardly any minors subject to addiction protection, and the scale of operations was particularly large following the acquisition of Musical.ly and the lifting of copyright quality control.


    TK went into wild celebration mode, growing its market more and more, currently with about eighty million international users, directly hitting an average online duration of 4.3 hours per day.


    Under the algorithm''s recommendations, it could be described as electronic opium, enjoyable momentarily with every swipe, continuously enjoyable with continuous swiping.


    Without realizing it, the valuation had reached 12 billion US dollars, and Lu Liang owned a 9.25% equity stake, currently valued at 1.11 billion US dollars.


    After a while, Hu Weiwei finished her call with Liu Qing and came over, saying, "Mr. Lu, Mr. Liu is very eager to meet with you and is very interested in our cooperation. However, Mr. Liu and Mr. Cheng are not in Beijing, and it looks like we''ll have to wait until next Tuesday for their availability."


    "Mr. Liu also said if by then you''re not in Beijing, she would be willing to visit you in Modu."


    "Understood."


    Lu Liang nodded slightly. He had just seen it too, DiDi''s acquisition of Uber was under investigation by the Ministry of Commerce for antitrust reasons.


    After five or six years of fierce competition in the ride-hailing market and as users gradually became accustomed to and accepted the existence of ride-hailing services,


    DiDi was preparing to go public. The last step before the listing was to merge with Uber, achieving unification within the industry.


    But that''s where they ran into serious trouble.


    "Mr. Lu, are you going to wait for them?" Hu Weiwei asked.


    "Hmm, let''s not wait for the time being."


    Lu Liang pondered. The Liu family was so powerful, how come they couldn''t handle an antitrust law.


    Back then, Ali Group was also investigated, also under the name of antitrust, but they resolved the issue quickly and went public in the US.


    He always felt there was a story behind it, but no matter how much he thought, he couldn''t figure it out, so he decisively called up Hu to have dinner together that evening.


    In the evening, Lu Liang went to Hot Mansion.


    He had brought Douyin''s employees here once, and the experience was quite good. Recently he had been feeling a bit itchy, thinking it had been a long time since he had had a good scrub, so he arranged to meet Zhu Hu here.


    Zhu Hu had something to deal with and would come later, so Lu Liang started soaking first, until his head was dizzy.


    Suddenly, a zero-point splash woke Lu Liang up.


    Zhu Hu dived into the water, holding his breath fiercely for a while before finally surfacing, wiping the water off his face, and smiling, "Old Lu, how come you''re in the mood to invite me for a bath tonight?"


    "Night-time celestial observation told me you''ve been a bit stressed lately, so I invited you over to relieve some pressure, relax the mind and body."


    Lu Liang walked to the edge, pulled out two bottles of cold beer, handed one to Zhu Hu, and clinked bottles.


    Draining almost half a bottle in one go, the head befuddled from the hot spring instantly cleared up.


    Zhu Hu took a big gulp, teasing, "So can you tell me, is this situation a blessing or a curse for brother Hu?"


    "Sorry, my master hasn''t taught me that yet."


    Lu Liang, in his damp shorts, sat on the edge, slightly adjusting the crotch to prevent Little Lu from being too conspicuous.


    He sipped the cold beer while soaking his feet, propped on one hand behind him, and looked up at the starless night sky, "I''m hitting a bottleneck in the development of the intelligence driving system, and I plan to involve third-party forces."


    "Who?" Zhu Hu''s eyebrows raised, immediately realizing that Lu Liang was ready to officially enter the new energy field. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He had shamelessly bargained for a 10% stake in Tianxing Technology at a cost of 230 million yuan, assuring them he wouldn''t rush them or interfere with day-to-day operations. Even if Lu Liang wanted to wait until the seas were dry and the rocks crumbled away, Golden Sand River would have no complaints.


    But now that Lu Liang was looking to bring in a third party, not everyone might be as easygoing as Golden Sand River.


    Lu Liang would have to be aware of this.


    Zhu Hu reasonably guessed that Lu Liang was preparing to make a move and was currently getting ready for the final push.


    "DiDi. To accelerate the research and development of intelligent driving, you need DiDi''s database."


    Lu Liang smiled without concealment since Golden Sand River was the only shareholder besides himself.


    "DiDi? That might be difficult."


    Old Zhu furrowed his brows, shifted his seat to the edge, and decided not to soak in Lu Liang''s footbath anymore.


    He sighed and said, "Lu, do you really think DiDi is just under antitrust investigation?"


    "Could there be more to it?" asked Lu Liang, intrigued.


    Zhu Hu glanced at Xu Jiawei not far away, and Lu Liang gestured for him to step out, comprehending the hint.


    Zhu Hu spoke softly, "It''s under suspicion from National Security, hence the guise of an antitrust investigation."


    "How did they provoke National Security?" Lu Liang''s frown deepened, his expression filled with even more confusion.


    Zhu Hu looked troubled, "Apparently, they leaked sensitive information like maximum slope gradients and minimum curve radii. National Security suspects a secret deal with certain foreign forces."


    "Are they insane? Isn''t that like selling out?" Lu Liang''s frown grew tighter.


    The precision of high-resolution maps is generally at the sub-meter level. Taking Gaode as an example, the accuracy could go up to within 10 centimeters if they want. Last year, DiDi also obtained a license for high-resolution maps. Ten centimeters might not seem much, but even Little Lu''s length is more than ten centimeters.


    Moreover, DiDi, as a national-level app, had a total of 5.423 billion rides last year, with more than 200 million users.


    Out of these two hundred million people, some are surely on confidential duties. When they travel, where they pass by, and their destinations are all recorded.


    If enemies get hold of this data, they will know exactly which places to target in case of a war.


    They could even use the information to speculate about secret military fortresses and other restricted areas.


    "I don''t know much more than this," Zhu Hu said, with a helpless sigh. He couldn''t care less about national land security or data leaks. His only concern was whether DiDi could go public smoothly and if he could cash in on the 930-fold return on his investment.


    Zhu Hu paused and added, "Partnering with DiDi is indeed good, but don''t get involved in this mess."


    Take Lenovo, for example, they can secure municipal orders year after year, almost becoming synonymous with government machinery.


    The fact that even the Liu family couldn''t lend a hand with the DiDi fiasco shows just how serious the trouble was.


    Lu Liang took a swig of beer, "Don''t worry, it''s just business. At most, we''ll accept investment from DiDi."


    "Is the public fund in place?" Zhu Hu queried.


    "Pretty much. Just wait another two months to see how things go."


    Zhu Hu heaved a melancholic sigh, "You''ve almost forgotten about private equity."


    "Forgotten? Didn''t you get the notice? It''s at 1.85 this month."


    Lu Liang squinted, having just heard the news the day before yesterday about a huge market move in mid-September.


    Once he withdrew from the public fund, he would launch another private equity round to make a big profit and have the money to build cars.


    Zhu Hu mockingly said, "The gains in recent months have been mostly from Tesla''s rise, with little else in terms of profit."


    "Isn''t Tesla''s rise considered a profit? Don''t dismiss the village chief as an unofficial."


    Lu Liang pulled Zhu Hu up from the pond, shoving him along, "Come on, come on, your feet are all soaked. Let''s go get some late-night food."


    "Late-night food? Isn''t that too austere?"


    "You''re getting older and need to take care of your health. Don''t be out partying every night; beware of impotence."


    "I don''t know why, but I just can''t believe it when those words come from you."


    Zhu Hu looked disgusted and made a direct call to summon his own mistress.


    Two of them, he wanted to have some fun tonight.

 Chapter 319 - 318: Old Friends Reunite

    This is the best punishment for impulsiveness~


    Ah~


    In the KTV room, Zhu Hu belted out a couple of songs, embraced girls on both sides, and was getting ready to head to the hotel upstairs for some business.


    But before he left, he suddenly pushed a girl into Lu Liang''s arms with a mischievous grin, issuing a group battle invitation.


    "Just have fun, I have things to do later," said Lu Liang, caught between laughter and tears, as he handed the girl back to Zhu Hu. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Life is short, you have to enjoy it when you can, don''t always think about work."


    Zhu Hu shook his head, not insisting anymore.


    Struggling to contain his amusement, Lu Liang watched him leave, then asked the room hostess to turn on the lights, and had all the drink-serving hostesses cleared out.


    Eating watermelon, he returned Little Wang''s video call¡ªhis phone had been vibrating non-stop, but he hadn''t noticed because it was on silent.


    A few seconds later, the call connected, and Little Wang''s face filled the screen: "Hello, hello, hello, can you hear me?"


    "What''s up? The review didn''t go smoothly?" Lu Liang asked with a smile.


    It was noon in New York, the sun was shining brightly, but Little Wang had a scowl on his face, looking like he was bearing the world''s greatest grievance.


    "Damn it, not just unsmooth, it''s extraordinarily unsmooth."


    Little Wang was full of grievances. The exchange bastards actually said their live commerce didn''t count as normal revenue.


    They accused them of scamming consumers, saying it was easy to be shut down, and so couldn''t be classified as a company''s normal revenue.


    They could say they were scammers and that was one thing, after all, the United States has always looked at East Country enterprises through colored glasses.


    But if the revenue from live commerce can''t be categorized as normal corporate income, they can''t meet the Nasdaq''s listing standards for net profit and net assets.


    "These people are simply sick. The loan sharks can go public, so why can''t live commerce?" Little Wang said, visibly upset.


    "Loan sharking is the most traditional form of finance, why shouldn''t it go public?"


    Lu Liang, barely holding back laughter, knew Little Wang was talking about recent P2P lending platforms like Pinduoduo, Yiren Loan, and Xin and Fu, which had almost all gone public in the United States over the past few years.


    After listening to Little Wang''s rant, he asked, "What did Cruick say? A direct rejection, or a revision and re-evaluation?"


    "Revision and then re-evaluation. Cruick wants us to find a way to prove that live commerce is a normal business revenue stream."


    "Then come back. It''s pointless to stay there any longer; next month, I''ll go with you."


    Getting listed on Nasdaq is much simpler than on A-shares. A-shares have a three-year review period, but Nasdaq only requires three months.


    As long as it''s not a direct rejection, there''s always a chance.


    Three months, three reviews, pass just once and you can queue up for listing.


    In the best-case scenario, you could go public in six months.


    Little Wang was stunned, skeptical, "When did you become so easy to talk to?"


    He had known Lu Liang for two years, and Lu Liang was always clear about keeping business and personal relationships separate.


    During Panda''s toughest times in the initial net-cleansing campaign, Lu Liang was even willing to lend money, but not to invest.


    Only later, when Panda advanced their live commerce business and ran it successfully, did Lu Liang take an interest again.


    With a smile, Lu Liang hummed a tune: "You have a good daddy, a good daddy~"


    "What did he do?" Little Wang furrowed his brows.


    "He helped me out."


    After a long silence, Little Wang sighed, resigned, "I''ll come back the day after tomorrow."


    A few years ago, he definitely would have disagreed, but now he was more realistic and knew he should utilize his connections.


    If his dad wasn''t Old Wang of Wanda, Qihu and Golden Sand River wouldn''t have invested in Panda, and even Lu Liang wouldn''t have taken the initiative to forge a relationship with him.


    The idea that a rich second generation could make their way without relying on family connections was utterly impossible and utterly foolish.


    "Got it," said Lu Liang.


    He patted his little belly, feeling a bit hungry, but he had neglected fitness lately and the once-gone belly was threatening to reappear.


    "I won''t eat, better to go back to sleep."


    Zhang Tian''ai had gone to Blue Platform to record a variety show and wasn''t in Beijing. During the day, Lu Liang had even stumbled upon her news on Douyin.


    Her role in a phenomenal big female lead web series and as the lead of a 2.75 billion box office movie had firmly cemented her place in the entertainment industry.


    And with the backing of the new dark horse production company Mahua, she had been gaining fame in the entertainment circle and seemed to be aiming to join Li Qin, Guan Xiaotong, and Zheng Shuang as the new Four Little Flower Dandies.


    "It seems like older actresses have more flavor."


    Before sleeping, Lu Liang browsed Douyin again; the big data knew he loved watching these things, so it kept recommending them.


    From the millennium Four Dan Double Ice to Four Dan Double Ying, and now to Four Dan Double Li, he noticed that older actresses seemed to have more flavor.


    He couldn''t help recalling that Liu Mingxuan once said, after finding out that Ai Bao had been defiled by him, his biggest wish in life was to spend a night with International Fan, but now as a husband and father, it probably won''t happen in this lifetime.


    If Lu Liang had the opportunity to experience it, he should remember to share the experience afterward, giving him a sense of participation.


    "This guy, wonder how he''s been doing lately?"


    The very next morning, Lu Liang left Beijing.


    The R&D of smart driving was facing a bottleneck, and whether they could work with DiDi was still uncertain; he couldn''t place all his hopes on them.


    Zhang Yiming was right, in the Beijing Circle, Liang''s reputation was slightly tainted, but it might improve if he went to the south.


    The headhunting company he had commissioned seemed to have poached a mainstay DJ, but that person wanted to meet with Lu Liang and have a chat.


    So Lu Liang first came to Xiangshan because he thought of Liu Mingxuan last night and made a detour to see how his business was doing.


    Afterward, crossing the Humen Bridge to Shenzhen would take less than two hours.


    "I didn''t expect you''d actually find time to visit me."


    Liu Mingxuan grinned broadly, his smile radiant just like it was in their sophomore year, meeting again after the summer vacation.


    "I came over to take care of some business and stopped by to see if you''re still alive," Lu Liang said with a smile, patting his shoulder.


    Initially, Lu Liang felt that stopping by impulsively to see Liu Mingxuan might be too much of a delay, but as soon as he saw him, all his concerns vanished.


    Life shouldn''t just be about doing business. Having money but no time, missing out on family and friends, that''s also very sad.


    Liu Mingxuan laughed, his thumb and forefinger forming a circle as he propped his chin on the tiger''s mouth, "Don''t I look like I''m living the good life?"


    His father-in-law was a respected villager and owned a factory with dozens of employees, making a decent sum of money, and he himself also had several million in startup capital.


    With Lu Liang guiding him in e-commerce, like Pinduoduo, and helping him connect with the industrial and commercial administration of Modu to become a small home appliance supplier.


    After more than a year of development, his e-commerce warehouse now spans over 8,000 square meters, with a steady shipment of about 7,000 items a day, earning a dollar per item, making $7,000 daily.


    Moreover, 10% of the supply to banks could earn about $15 per item, making the monthly income effortlessly over $30,000.


    He even bought two cars, a Cayenne for himself and a BMW series 3 for his wife.


    "All round and smooth," Lu Liang teased.


    Having not seen him for over a year, Liu Mingxuan had grown a circle all over, his belly looking like he was five months pregnant.


    "This is what you call happiness weight."


    Liu Mingxuan took Lu Liang to the most characteristic local restaurant, grinning, "I''ll let you try something you''ve never had before."


    Pigeon and bamboo rats are common, but there''s also the Shenwan rice worms that look like maggots and dragonflies that resemble cockroaches, paired with two bowls of bull''s penis soup per person, and finally, a pot of braised crocodile tail.


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but laugh, "Eating so nourishing in the middle of the day, won''t that cause too much internal heat?"


    "No worries, we''ll drink some herbal tea later to cool down," Liu Mingxuan replied with a beaming smile, sincerely happy.


    It had been a long time since they last met, and he was eager to share the best he had with Lu Liang, just like they used to share their adventures back in the day.


    He paused, then asked, "How about we drink a bit? The deer blood wine here is pretty strong too."


    Lu Liang chuckled, "Pack it up for later, I have some things to attend to this afternoon, need to head to Shenzhen."


    "Okay, I think you haven''t met Youyou yet; I''ll have Lixiu bring him over."


    Liu Mingxuan hesitated; it had been a long time since he felt the joy of being single, and he actually didn''t want to bring his family along.


    But as Lu Liang was leaving in the afternoon, he should let his wife bring the child over for a visit.


    In the midst of their meal, a blue BMW stopped at the door, and a young mother came over carrying a child.


    She greeted with a smile, "Liang, long time no see."


    "How old now?"


    Lu Liang played with the child, teasing his chubby cheeks.


    "He was born on the same day as you, guess how old he is now," Liu Mingxuan teased.


    "Youyou''s almost a year old," Li Lixiu glared at him fiercely.


    "Why glare at me? Even if you didn''t tell him, he''d still know."


    "You guys continue eating; there''s some trouble at the warehouse, so I''ll head off first."


    Li Lixiu knew that old friends reuniting must have a lot to talk about, so she didn''t want to be a third wheel. She left the child and a pack of diapers behind and departed.


    Liu Mingxuan held his child, a proud look on his face, "How about that? Jealous?"


    When choosing a wife, one should seek a wise one, as a virtuous wife blesses three generations. He had a discerning eye for people, the same in choosing friends as in choosing a spouse.


    "There''s nothing to be envious of."


    Lu Liang laughed wryly, and Liu Mingxuan, hesitantly beating around the bush, asked, "Speaking of which, haven''t you scored in the past few years?"


    Logically, Lu Liang should have had his share of women, but why hasn''t there been news of offspring until now?


    "Let''s not talk about the pot that doesn''t boil," Lu Liang replied, annoyed.


    Liu Mingxuan raised an eyebrow, suddenly exclaiming, "Shit, seems like there''s a situation."


    "It''s good that I was worried about your health, specially brought you some nourishing food, spill it, who is it?"


    "Could it be Ai Bao? But I just saw her on a variety show the day before yesterday, she didn''t seem pregnant?"


    "Is it that little internet celebrity?"


    "Or another affair with some girl in secret?"


    "Consider it heard and forgotten, I won''t breathe a word."


    Lu Liang glared at him, letting out a sigh, "You don''t know her, she''s not in China, there''s been an issue¡­"


    He briefly outlined the situation, and Liu Mingxuan proved to be a good confidant.


    "Damn, Liang, you''re really living it up."


    Liu Mingxuan was astonished and then listened as Lu Liang said he had someone obtain Su Wanyu''s pregnancy test report, and it''s a baby girl.


    He decisively held his baby to his chest with a mischievous grin, "Son, quickly call him ''father-in-law'', a genuine opportunity for a princess that could save thirty years of struggle is right in front of you."

 Chapter 320 - 319: Not Polite Enough

    The little baby stretched out both arms with a babbling sound.


    Lu Liang was frustrated but seemed to have no other choice, pulling out a prepared red envelope. "I''m going now."


    "Son-in-law, thank you Father-in-law~" Liu Mingxuan chuckled with a giggling falsetto, making a nauseating baby voice.


    Before parting, he gave Lu Liang two bottles of Deer Blood Wine brewed with precious ingredients like sea horse ginseng, known for significantly enhancing vitality.


    "Have a smooth journey, and come visit Modu when you have time," Liu Mingxuan, holding the baby, stood at the door watching Lu Liang''s car drive away.


    "Goodbye~"


    Lu Liang had a smile on his face, feeling quite good as he traveled to Shenzhen.


    At three thirty in the afternoon, he crossed the Humen Bridge and arrived in the Futian district by four thirty.


    Kerui International specializes in mining high-end talents in IT, pharmaceuticals, and finance, not only ranking at the top in Shenzhen but also quite renowned nationwide.


    They also have branches in Beijing and Modu, and Tianxing Technology had always relied on their services; both parties were strategic partners.


    "Mr. Lu, hello, the candidate''s name is Qin Siyuan. He''s a former chief engineer of the DJ architecture, boasting 19 years of experience. He has participated in the R&D of projects like autonomous cruising and facial tracking, capable of independently initiating a project, and willing to relocate his family to the north."


    "The annual salary has been settled at 2.4 million, which is a 120% increase from his previous salary, including a one-time relocation fee for six months."


    Human Resources Manager, Zhou Juntao, walked and talked concisely, introducing all information about Qin Siyuan to Lu Liang.


    The headhunting industry is quite like the antique trade, where one does not open for three years, but once open, one can eat for three years.


    Taking the Qin Siyuan project as an example, as long as the candidate successfully takes up the position, they could charge 25% of his annual salary as a service fee.


    An annual salary of 2.4 million thus translates to a service fee of 600 thousand, with the person in charge splitting it 60/40 with the company, earning 240 thousand in hand.


    "Mr. Qin, why insist on meeting me?" Lu Liang asked.


    "He wants to discuss his future plans and arrangements with you."


    The higher the talent, the more cautious they are about job-hopping.


    After all, DJ is not a minor company; it enjoys the repute of being an arms dealer on the international stage.


    Hundreds of US dollars per drone converted with explosives become excellent suicide machines, which can also be modified into bombers. It''s low cost and high damage, just like retrofitting a gas cylinder into a rocket launcher.


    Qin Siyuan wanted to discuss with Lu Liang about arrangements for the future; while money was a motive for switching jobs, it wasn''t all about money.


    At barely over forty, he was at the peak of his vitality, seeking a bigger stage to fulfill his ambitions.


    They agreed to meet at five, and at four forty, barely after Lu Liang had arrived, Qin Siyuan hurried over.


    "Mr. Lu, sorry to have kept you waiting," Qin Siyuan quickly said.


    "Mr. Qin, you''re early; we just got here ourselves," Lu Liang said smilingly, shaking his hand.


    Zhou Juntao, with a full smile, introduced the two to each other and discreetly stepped out of the private room to guard the door.


    As soon as Qin Siyuan sat down and took a sip of tea, Lu Liang said, "Mr. Qin, let''s cut to the chase."


    "Mr. Lu, please speak," Qin Siyuan quickly put down his teacup and sat up straight.


    Lu Liang said, "Tianxing Intelligent Driving is currently stuck in a development bottleneck, and we hope you can break through it."


    Qin Siyuan thoughtfully and cautiously inquired, "Mr. Lu, could you tell me where exactly the stagnation is occurring?"


    Lu Liang replied, "The data collection is not comprehensive enough, making it difficult to advance the intelligent driving projects."


    "Mr. Lu, may I know what plans or countermeasures your company has?"


    "We plan to collaborate with DiDi. If the cooperation is finalized, we will need someone to take charge of this project."


    Qin Siyuan suddenly realized, his esteem for Lu Liang rising several notches. Rumor had it that Lu Liang was like a headless fly, bouncing around in the industry.


    Now it seemed that the rumors had underestimated Lu Liang. The millions of drivers at DiDi were like a massive pack of experience, and if the cooperation were confirmed, the research and development progress of intelligent driving would improve by leaps and bounds.


    Lu Liang paused and then said, "However, we can''t rely entirely on cooperation with DiDi¡ªthe success of which is still an unknown."


    "Understood, understood." Qin Siyuan realized that if he could work with DiDi, he would be the person in charge of the project.


    If they could not cooperate, he would have to lead the project development alone and help intelligent driving break through its bottlenecks.


    After pondering for a long time, he stood up and said, "Thank you, Mr. Lu, for giving me this opportunity."


    "I will handle the trivial matters as soon as possible and head to Beijing for the position."


    Having been in the industry for nineteen years, Qin Siyuan knew that when talking with big shots, it was best to make decisions on the spot.


    Because Lu Liang had traveled a long distance to Shenzhen just to meet him, it was a gesture of showing respect to talents.


    If he were to falsely claim that he needed a few days to consider, it would show his ignorance, and Lu Liang would likely replace him.


    From Lu Liang''s perspective, he had come all this way specifically to finalize the partnership, and if the other party still needed a few days to consider, then what was the point of the earlier discussions? It was clear that he wasn''t taken seriously.


    Lu Liang chuckled lightly, passing over Hu Weiwei''s business card through Xu Jiawei, "This is Mr. Hu''s contact info. Mr. Qin, before you come to Beijing, you can contact her, and if there are any difficulties in life, you can also contact me."


    "Okay, thank you, Mr. Lu."


    Lu Liang stayed in Shenzhen for three days and met with seven or eight people. His efficiency in poaching was notably enhanced.


    However, it was inevitable that the hosts would find out.


    The night before Lu Liang left Shenzhen, he received a call from Old Wang.


    "Mr. Lu, why did you come to Shenzhen all of a sudden, and why didn''t you say hello during these days?" S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Old Wang''s tone was clenched with frustration.


    Three chief engineers had been poached, and although they claimed to have two hundred thousand researchers, those who were poached were core technological posts, all of whom were outstanding talents that had been cultivated for over a decade.


    "Mr. Wang, it''s quite a coincidence, I was just about to call you. Let''s have dinner together and chat."


    Lu Liang smiled slyly and issued the dinner invitation.


    Old Wang stifled his anger and asked, "Time? Place?"


    "Seven in the evening, Nanshan Hongyun Restaurant."


    "Got it."


    At seven in the evening, as the guests arrived, Lu Liang stood at the entrance of the private room with a smile, playing the role of a doorman.


    He had invited not only BYD Wang, but also DJ''s Wang Tao and Huawei''s Yu Dongcheng, forming a league of the aggrieved parties.


    He had intended to invite Mr. Ren too, but he was out of town on business, so he had Yu Dongcheng come as a representative.


    "Presidents, I''m truly sorry. Tianxing Technology has been under a lot of pressure lately, and saying that we are desperate for talent is not an exaggeration."


    Lu Liang raised his glass with a face full of guilt, "Presidents, you have big businesses and great responsibilities, please don''t take it personally."


    Since being rejected by companies in the Beijing Circle, he had been reflecting on himself and eventually concluded that he was not polite enough.


    Poaching should be done openly and uprightly, which would also allow them to reflect.


    Was it because they weren''t working hard enough, or was it because they weren''t good enough to their employees? Otherwise, why would they be poached by someone else?


    Lu Liang''s speech, teeming with a tone of righteousness, caused Old Wang to choke on his own frustrations, leaving no room for his prepared defenses.


    The others exchanged glances and Old Yu quipped with a chuckle, "Mr. Lu, just give us a heads-up next time. Look, meeting for the first time like this feels a bit too unfamiliar."


    "President Yu, you''re right. Next time, I will definitely give everyone a heads-up, and I believe everyone would be willing to support a new enterprise."


    Lu Liang''s face showed sincerity, acting as if he couldn''t detect Old Yu''s sarcastic tone, and he planned to maintain his ''innocent'' facade to the end.

 Chapter 321 - 320: The Woman Behind Wang

    "President Yu, you should eat more," Wang Tao suggested with a smile. Born in 1980, he wasn''t old but had deep insights.


    Even DJ''s people had been poached and had traveled all the way to the north, signaling that Lu Liang had offered very generous conditions.


    This poaching back and forth was just normal business activity, better than blaming fate and others, it was wiser to improve employee happiness.


    Human nature is inherently lazy, if they are happy and satisfied where they are, no amount of poaching will entice them to leave.


    "Mr. Wang sure sees things clearly."


    Lu Liang was surprised and couldn''t help but take a few more glances at Wang Tao.


    DJ was a company whose strength and fame were significantly mismatched, so low-profile that almost everyone overlooked its existence.


    If not for the recent Middle East turmoil, with suicide drones making frequent appearances, and Western arms dealers losing business and venting their frustrations by attacking DJ from East Country, trying to shift the problem eastward,


    DJ would not have become so famous, nor would people know that they were the dominators in the drone sector, managing to overtake the US in just three years and holding the top global spot for four consecutively.


    Much like Transsion Holdings, known for their dark PR as the ''king of Africa.'' If it weren''t for the rapid growth of self-media recently, with numerous video bloggers scrambling for content, very few would know of this company from Shenzhen.


    "Mr. Lu, you flatter me too much," said Wang Tao, the epitome of calm, eating and drinking, unaware that Lu Liang had set his sights on him.


    Qin Siyuan had said that DJ, in the year before last when the new energy sector had just begun to rise, had established a related R&D department, the details of which he was not clear about.


    But if in the future, the L3 level intelligent driving technology matured and could be marketed, DJ would definitely have a seat at the table.


    Because their mastery of vision technology in drones even surpassed Tesla''s.


    And there was also a big behind-the-scenes BOSS at DJ, in charge of another research line that really intrigued Lu Liang.


    Old Wang squinted his eyes and said suddenly, "Someone''s tail is about to show."


    Ever since accepting Lu Liang''s invitation, he felt it odd for Lu Liang to invite them to a meal so kindly.


    Now it seemed that the host''s intentions were not in the wine¡ªit was probably the elusive Wang Tao that Lu Liang was after.


    The reason DJ kept such a low profile was closely related to the personality of the founder; Wang Tao rarely accepted media interviews.


    Yu Dongcheng''s brows furrowed lightly, looking back and forth between Lu Liang and Wang Tao, who were roughly the same age.


    Huawei had quietly established the Qiankun Intelligent Driving project, and he was the head of that project. His team had also analyzed the Tianxing Car Machine but to little effect.


    Ever since the launch of the NIO ES8, the Tianxing Car Machine had halted updates after version 2.0. Not that it had stopped, but there were no major upgrades, just optimizations.


    Currently, at version 2.12, they also had no insight into how far Tianxing Technology had developed. If Tianxing really partnered with DJ, what kind of sparks would that ignite? S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Mr. Wang, I sincerely wanted to invite you out to eat, to apologize properly, so don''t always assume malice,"


    Lu Liang said with dissatisfaction. He just wanted to befriend Wang Tao; treating DJ as a fallback in case the cooperation with DiDi failed. He had no ill intentions.


    Wang Tao looked up at Lu Liang, pondered for a moment, and said, "Tianxing''s system architecture is excellent, Mr. Lu, let''s find time to talk."


    "Sure, no problem," Lu Liang agreed with a slight startle, wondering if this was the straightforwardness of a tech guy?


    Old Wang frowned, Yu Dongcheng fell into contemplation, and Lu Liang interrupted their thoughts, smiling, "Come on, let''s all enjoy the meal."


    If he had known Wang Tao was so easy to talk to, he wouldn''t have invited these two mood busters tonight. Now that they were aware, he had needlessly lost a bargaining chip.


    During the dinner, only Wang Tao enjoyed himself thoroughly, everyone else had their own distracted thoughts, ending the evening meal amidst mutual suspicion.


    The next morning, Lu Liang had Xu Jiawei reschedule his flight to the evening; he wanted to visit DJ and talk with Wang Tao first.


    After having breakfast at the hotel,


    They headed to Yuehai Street in Nanshan.


    The land spanning 20 square kilometers was home to hundreds of listed corporations¡ªHuawei, DJ, Baidu...all prominent ones.


    Last year, the GDP of the street exceeded 250 billion yuan, accounting for half of Nanshan District and one-eighth of the entire Shenzhen.


    Since Old Wang and Old Yu found out, Lu Liang didn''t plan on hiding it and openly visited Wang Tao at the Skyworth Building.


    The headquarters skyscraper of ''Sky City'' was still under construction; currently, their office space was rented on floors 5-12 of the building.


    "Lu Liang?"


    "What''s he doing at Skyworth?"


    "Besides DJ, who else is qualified to conduct business with him?"


    "Is Tianxing planning to collaborate with DJ on joint R&D for intelligent driving?"


    On a weekday just after 9 am, during the peak of the work rush, countless white-collar workers saw Lu Liang being invited upstairs.


    They quickly raised their smartphones to spread the word far and wide, also igniting interest in DJ''s drones, which were usually low-profile but meaningful.


    "What is Lu Liang up to?" Zhu Xiaoxin furrowed her brow; she was the chief scientist at DJ and a well-known ''Iron Lady'' in the tech circle, the true woman ''behind'' Wang.


    "I can''t figure it out."


    Wang Tao shook his head. If he had known that Lu Liang had been in contact with DiDi''s Liu Qing, he might have guessed it.


    Unfortunately, he didn''t know that Lu Liang''s fanfare was merely to put pressure on Liu Qing, whom he had yet to meet.


    The great ship of Tianxing Technology was about to set sail. If you wanted to be on board, then when the time came, don''t make too much fuss¡ªjust honestly buy a ticket, exchange resources, good for you, good for me, good for everyone.


    "Let''s meet him, and make sure not to neglect Mr. Lu," Zhu Xiaoxin said thoughtfully as she pondered, planning to play it by ear.


    "Alright, Mr. Zhu," Wang Tao nodded.


    Zhu Xiaoxin was not only DJ''s chief scientist, but also his mentor and a co-founder of DJ.


    Meanwhile, Lu Liang was taken to an adjacent reception room by DJ''s market director.


    Wang Tao hurried over with a smile: "Mr. Lu, sorry, I was just dealing with some affairs."


    "I just got here too," Lu Liang said with a beaming smile, suddenly expressing a desire to visit DJ.


    Wang Tao was taken aback. Just like that?


    Although Lu Liang didn''t have a notorious reputation in the South, as Douyin''s valuation reached 12 billion US dollars, the story of Yang Zhenyuan also spread far and wide.


    Back then, after Lu Liang had visited ByteDance, Yang Zhenyuan resigned and then founded Douyin Technology, seeking investment from Lu Liang.


    As a result, every time Zhang Yiming was interviewed and mentioned Douyin, he would bring up this incident; his resentment toward Lu Liang was almost visible on his face, and netizens teased him, saying he turned Byte''s legitimate heir into an illegitimate one; anyone would remember him for a lifetime.


    At that moment, there was a knock on the door of the reception room, and Zhu Xiaoxin entered with a beaming smile: "Mr. Lu, hello."


    "Mr. Zhu, hello." Lu Liang''s smile grew even broader; he had finally waited for the main character.


    Zhu Xiaoxin was puzzled: "Mr. Lu, have we met before?"


    "No, but I''ve always greatly admired you," Lu Liang said, smiling, and also dismissed the idea of touring DJ.


    A few days earlier, he had been reading through DJ''s materials and came across a very key figure.


    Zhu Xiaoxin, born in 1977, obtained her bachelor''s and master''s degrees at Harbin Institute of Technology and then went to the US to pursue a Ph.D., all in Mechanical Engineering. After her studies, she returned and taught at Harbin Institute of Technology''s Shenzhen campus.


    During this time, she led over a dozen national-level projects and become the dean of the Harbin Institute of Technology Research Institute, as well as a board member of the IEEE International Robotics and Automation Association, which holds the same status as the domestic Internet Conference. She was also the only member from Mainland China to hold a position in that organization.


    When Zhu Xiaoxin was the dean at Harbin Institute of Technology, she managed two research tracks, one of which was flight control systems, developed with Wang Tao, who was a student at the time. Now, this has become DJ, a unicorn enterprise valued at over 50 billion.


    The other research track, which interested Lu Liang the most, was unmanned vehicle radar, leading to the founding of Suteng Juchuang, a robotics technology company driven by AI, focusing on AI, chips, and hardware technology areas.


    Li Jiahui and Zheng Yaowen had both said that Tesla, relying only on vision technology, was essentially walking on one leg.


    Although it was not yet known whether vision or radar was better, Lu Liang''s idea was very simple: why not just use both?

 Chapter 322 - 321: The Pig on the Wind

    "Mr. Lu suddenly asked, "Mr. Zhu, does Suteng Chuangju still lack capital?"


    "Mr. Lu, I''m sorry, we are not short of capital at the moment."


    Zhu Xiaoxin snapped out of it, his furrowed brows finally relaxed.


    Suteng Juchuang was established three years ago when DJ''s Elf series had already been released, becoming the world''s first integrated aerial photography drone, valuing the company at tens of billions of Yuan overnight.


    Based on this, Suteng Juchuang was founded, and everyone knew that with two research lines in her hands, one being the flight control system turned into DJ, and the other being unmanned vehicle radar, could it become another DJ?


    In three years, eight rounds of financing had taken place, with investors including East Money, BYD, Xiaomi, Beiqi, and 23 other venture capital institutions, forming a luxurious lineup; naturally, they were not short of capital.


    Mr. Lu sighed, his disappointment written all over his face.


    Zhu Xiaoxin smiled and added, "Mr. Lu, if Tianxing Investment is interested, you could look into the next round of financing."


    Currently, although Wen''s Shares is still the top dog on the Growth Enterprise Market, Ningde, with a market value of hundreds of billions, has securely taken the second place, occasionally even giving the top spot a run for its money.


    It is just a battery supplier with an annual revenue of 18.9 billion Yuan and a profit of 4.3 billion Yuan; how it deserved a market value of hundreds of billions is a mystery.


    All this cannot be separated from Mr. Lu''s personal shareholding and Tianxing Mixed Fund''s substantial position.


    With Mr. Lu''s influence in the financial market, as long as he is willing to accept, I believe many are ready to give away shares for free.


    Because as long as Mr. Lu holds shares, they could take the opportunity to join the ''Tianxing System'' and enjoy the mindless pursuit of stock investors.


    Suteng Juchuang has true talent and skill; it would not simply give away its shares for cheap, but it is equally welcoming to Mr. Lu.


    Mr. Lu nodded, made a verbal agreement with Zhu Xiaoxin, and their conversation naturally turned to the main topic. He asked, "Mr. Zhu, Mr. Wang, to what extent has DJ''s smart driving research and development progressed?"


    Wang Tao looked at Zhu Xiaoxin, got permission to speak, and pondered, "It has reached a complete L2 level of assisted driving."


    L2 level belongs to partial autonomous driving, where the basic operations are completed by the vehicle, with the driver only needing to take care of peripheral monitoring, ready to take over at any time. The main features include ACC (Adaptive Cruise Control), automatic follow, and automatic parking, etc.


    "Mr. Wang, then what are your plans for collaboration?"


    A smile remained on Mr. Lu''s face, but there was a flash of worry in his eyes.


    Even DJ had developed L2 level assisted driving, whereas they were currently only at L1.5.


    It''s not hard to achieve automatic follow or automatic parking, but the difficult part is the ACC at full speed.


    When the vehicle in front decelerates sharply or brakes urgently, manual intervention and immediate response are needed in case of an emergency.


    Their ACC functionality could only manage up to a speed of 80 km/h and still couldn''t meet the full-speed standard.


    Because the faster you go, the shorter the reaction time, necessitating a response in just fractions of a second.


    "Mr. Lu, we can offer technology and capital, holding a 20% stake and enjoy a seat on the board of directors."


    Zhu Xiaoxin had said that Mr. Lu was very independent; his company was basically not in need of capital, and it was best not to hope to strip him of his control.


    So, after their discussion, they settled for second best and joined Tianxing Technology in the name of investing with technology and capital.


    After all, DJ''s main business is drones, and recently they have been busy with the launch of the ''Yu'' series, not having the heart to care about the rest.


    The development of the new energy smart driving system was only because investors wanted to follow the trend; investing in Tianxing also provided an explanation to them.


    "I''ll go back to Modu and think about it."


    Mr. Lu pondered at length, not in a rush to agree nor did he haggle; he wanted to go back and meet with Liu Qing first.


    Compare whether to let DJ''s technology take shares at a lesser cost, or to let DiDi take shares.


    When caught between two evils, one should choose the lesser; after all, Mr. Lu''s shares were only 90% remaining, and with every additional force, it would be diluted a little more.


    Zhu Xiaoxin looked at Wang Tao and nodded slightly; Wang Tao received the signal and said with a smile, "Certainly."


    Next, although they did not take Mr. Lu to visit the company, they also took him to the testing ground to see.


    They demonstrated their Hive technology, with over two hundred micro-drones taking off at the same time, performing various formations and combinations in mid-air.


    "Mr. Lu, try it out." Wang Tao said proudly, handing the master control computer to Mr. Lu and clapped his hands, commanding all the lights at the testing ground to go out.


    On the master control computer, there were over a dozen patterns, including a long sword, fireworks, shields, and the national flag.


    Mr. Lu only needed to click on a pattern, and the drones in the air would automatically arrange themselves, flashing with different colored lights.


    Wang Tao explained that it was mainly because Mr. Lu was not proficient with technology; if he were a professional operator, he could forgo the preset patterns on the computer and create his drawings on the spot.


    In recent years, fireworks and light shows have been overdone by big cities, lacking in novelty; as a new technology city, Shenzhen plans to try something different.


    The project was independently contracted by them, planning for 2000 drones to take to the skies simultaneously, using the night as a canvas and light as their brush, thousands of drones would form one splendid tapestry after another.


    "Thinking about it is quite shocking," Lu Liang exclaimed sincerely.


    As long as this project was successful, DJ would become a business card for Shenzhen, and even for the nation.


    The nation wanted to develop, to let others know they had grown strong, and military, economic, cultural, and scientific developments were all indispensable.


    This was not a project that was all show and no substance.


    Because drones were synonymous with high technology, let alone thousands taking off at the same time to paint in the night sky, the difficulty and technology behind it were self-evident.


    Subsequently, Wang Tao took Lu Liang to another testing ground where they were developing the Hercules model, which currently had a load capacity of only five kilograms.


    They hoped that without affecting the flight, it could reach a standard of carrying more than ten kilograms, applicable for disaster areas with varying road conditions, to facilitate the transport of materials.


    As for whether it would be used by terrorists for something, that was beyond their consideration.


    After all, their original intention was to serve the people.


    After touring for the better part of the day and having lunch in DJ''s cafeteria, it wasn''t until four in the afternoon that Lu Liang left the Skyworth Building and headed to Bao''an Airport by car.


    On the way, Lu Liang called Hu Weiwei to inform her of the current situation and asked her to inquire whether Li Jiahui and Zheng Yaowen would be more inclined towards a particular type of cooperation. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Boarding now, call me later."


    In the evening, Lu Liang returned to Modu.


    He waited in the lounge for a while until Xu Jiawei informed him that Fang Shiyu had driven the car from the parking lot to the gate.


    Arriving at the airport entrance, just as the car came to a stop, the rear compartment of the Bentley suddenly opened. Little Wang squeezed out, bowing and scraping with a smile on his face, "Mr. Lu, please get in."


    He was very professional, holding the door with one hand,


    and blocking the edge of the door with the other to prevent hitting heads.


    Lu Liang was taken aback, Fang Shiyu said in a muffled voice, "Mr. Lu, when we were in the parking lot, Mr. Wang suddenly popped up."


    He refused to leave in front of the car, insisting on getting in. Having met Little Wang many times and knowing he was a friend of Lu Liang, he simply let him in.


    "Drive, let''s go to the company first," Lu Liang glanced at Little Wang and said with a suppressed laugh, "You seem to have a lot of free time."


    "Free time? You summoned me back, and then you weren''t there. I''ve been waiting and waiting," Little Wang retorted indignantly.


    He had waited until his mouth was full of ulcers. Really not wanting to wait any longer, as soon as he heard that Lu Liang was boarding in Bao''an, he came straight to the airport to wait for him.


    Luckily, he had to choose between Hongqiao Xinpu and another location, and he chose correctly.


    Lu Liang laughed, "It''s no use finding me. What we should focus on is how to normalize live streaming e-commerce as regular corporate revenue."


    "It''s useful," Little Wang said earnestly.


    A few days ago, when he returned from New York, he had a long talk with Cruick, who hinted at him multiple times.


    Pure capital markets always care about making money, how could they care about an industry with blurred definitions?


    Furthermore, they had also thought it through; if Westerners don''t understand live streaming e-commerce, then they could classify it as advertising revenue.


    Thinking back and forth, Little Wang severely suspected that the market makers from institutions like Cruick had been tampering with Panda''s listing review.


    There was only one purpose, and that was to force Lu Liang to show up, to deeply bind Panda with him, thereby exploiting the international market for a large sum of money.


    Lu Liang''s fame was frighteningly vast internationally; if he stepped in, Panda could definitely become the Nasdaq''s ''Demon King.''


    By doing so, the institutions serving as market makers for Panda would undoubtedly earn a lot more money.


    Lu Liang showed a thoughtful look and teased with a laugh, "Going out for a trip and coming back enlightened?"


    Little Wang''s suspicions were not without reason.


    Even if Panda listed, its market cap would not exceed 30 billion US dollars. And in order to list on the Nasdaq, they planned to give up 20% of the equity in the IPO.


    A small trading volume, more circulating shares, were naturally suitable for speculation.


    Now it was like Zhuge Liang waiting for the southeast wind, and Lu Liang was that wind that could make Panda the pig on the wind.


    "All clear now, I''ve become enlightened," Little Wang affirmed with hopeful eyes, looking forward to Boss Lu''s response.


    Lu Liang pondered, "Anyway, there''s still time. After I finish up my current tasks, I''ll accompany you on another trip."

 Chapter 323 - 322: A World That Becomes More and More Magical

    "Liang, have I ever told you that I really love you?"


    Little Wang''s eyes were full of deep affection, making Lu Liang feel a chill, so he pushed the big face away, "Stop disgusting me."


    "We can''t just let those market makers make all the money," he said with a smile, muttering to himself.


    Little Wang suddenly froze, then hurriedly said, "Hey, Lu, take it easy, don''t break the Panda."


    By saying this, Lu Liang implied that he, too, intended to join the ranks of those manipulating Panda''s stock as a speculator.


    "It''s going to get played out sooner or later, whether it''s a day early or a day late doesn''t make much difference."


    Lu Liang gave a nonchalant smile. Panda now resembled the LeEco and Thunder of old; even if they were lucky enough to go public, after rounds of frenzied speculation, in the end, they''d be left in tatters.


    At home, he still had reservations and would hold back somewhat, but abroad, he was like a diligent, earnest farmer.


    Transformed into a scythe, reaping from retail investors worldwide, it simply wouldn''t do if others could harvest while they couldn''t, that made no sense.


    Little Wang found himself at a loss for words, "Can it hold out for half a year?"


    Because when new shares list, original shareholders are locked in for six months, the measure is to prevent them from cashing out immediately.


    Lu Liang laughed, "That will depend on how well Panda performs, to see if you can catch this overwhelming wave of wealth."


    When new stocks are hyped, they can turn out good or bad. Using Ningde Era as an example, after several speculators took turns, its market value spiked to over 150 billion at one point, and it almost broke LeEco''s Growth Enterprise Market record high of 174.1 billion.


    Although its popularity has waned and it has fallen from its highs, Ningde Era still had substantial value, managing to maintain a somewhat stable market value of a hundred billion.


    On the downside, take Baofeng Technology, Lu Liang''s first goldmine, as an example. From its initial offering price of 7.14 yuan, it surged to 327 yuan, and its market value of 860 million was pumped up close to 40 billion.


    But two years later, Baofeng Technology''s market value had halved and then halved again, now a mere 3.8 billion, a tenfold decrease.


    Panda was the project Lu Liang was most deeply involved in. He anticipated its future would undergo a complete transformation; as for how it would develop, he had no idea, Little Wang would have to take care of that.


    After much thought, Little Wang didn''t bother worrying about whether Lu Liang would collude with other institutions to plunder his Panda.


    For him, Panda''s listing in the United States was more symbolic than anything else; as long as it could go public, that was good enough.


    As for whether it would end up in tatters, that was beyond his concern; he''d done his part and left the rest to fate.


    Suddenly, Little Wang tapped on the driver''s seat, "Dude, at the next intersection, just drop me off."


    After getting a clear response, he decisively got out of the car, making a point to remind before leaving, "Next month, on the 12th, the review date."


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but chuckle and said to Xu Jiawei in the passenger seat, "Little Xu, note down the date and remind me when the time comes."


    He looked through the car window at Little Wang and asked with a smile, "Mr. Wang, are you satisfied now?"


    "Bye." Little Wang waved his hand, then turned and got into the Rolls-Royce that had been following them.


    "Let''s head back to the company."


    Lu Liang smiled, took out his tablet, and began reviewing the email from Zhuo Yifan.


    Having spent two weeks in Edinburgh, he had pretty much settled in, sending a work report every three days.


    The last report included Su Wanyu''s prenatal check-up results, confirming not only the baby''s gender but also that she was 26 weeks along, putting the timing around mid to late November of the previous year.


    This report focused mainly on personal connections: Su Wanyu''s best friend at school was Zheng Xiaoxuan, originally from Chaoshan, like Meng Changkun, and now a British citizen of Chinese descent.


    There was also a persistent male Chinese student from back home who kept bothering Su Wanyu, who, despite her visible pregnancy, couldn''t fend off his enthusiastic attentions and daily courtesies.


    Through Zhuo Yifan''s thorough investigation, it turned out that Zheng, the friend close to Su Wanyu, appeared to be a lesbian. However, Su Wanyu seemed unaware of this and simply thought of her as a close girlfriend. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "¡­"


    Lu Liang was at a loss for words, rubbing his brow.


    It was enough that men wanted to move in on his girl, but now even women were trying to do so.


    "Who can blame them when you''re so pretty?"


    He gazed at the photo, his lips curving involuntarily, the tender and tranquil Su Wanyu like a gentle touch amidst the misty Jiangnan rains.


    Next month, on the 12th, he would go to New York to help out for a few days, then make a big show of preparing to return home, before suddenly changing course to fly to Edinburgh.


    As the due date neared, he''d drop in unexpectedly, then have Zhuo Yifan prepare some gifts and scenes brimming with a sense of ceremony.


    Lu Liang squinted, smiling to himself, "With this combo, I''d fall in love with myself if I were a woman."


    To like is to possess; leaving letting go to the moral saints.


    In the evening, just after seven, Lu Liang returned to the company and called Wen Chao up from the private equity office on the 22nd floor.


    "Mr. Lu, I''m here," Wen Chao knocked and entered, surprised to see Lu Liang making tea.


    Since Lu Liang had stepped back from the private equity, they seldom met to avoid conflict of interest, let alone being called to the office.


    "Just brewed it, try it and see how it tastes."


    Lu Liang smiled, inviting Wen Chao to sit down and, with a Huali wood tea clip, placed a cup of tea in front of him.


    Wen Chao held the cup with both hands, cautiously took a sip, and said with a forced smile, "It''s subtly fragrant with a sweet aftertaste; I cannot discern more nuances than that."


    Lu Liang took a sip of tea and suddenly asked, "Little Wen, how have you been at the private equity company these past few months?"


    After thinking for a moment, Wen Chao said, "Manager Sun has treated me very well, and we have been resolutely implementing your policies."


    "I''ve formed a fund company in Tokyo with Mr. Ma from Ali and the Mitsui Sumitomo Group."


    Initially, Lu Liang had told Ota that one of the conditions for him joining was to arrange for his people to manage the fund.


    Ota, along with Ma Yun, agreed, and their last long position in Brent Crude Oil also gave them a taste of success.


    It was time to arrange for staff to take over; he had nearly $400 million in integrated assets there that needed management.


    Lu Liang continued, "Little Wen, you know that our company has only developed for a few years, I don''t trust many people, but you''re one of them."


    "Thank you, Mr. Lu, for nurturing and trusting me, it''s an honor to learn by your side," Wen Chao quickly expressed his stance.


    "Don''t act like a slick old-timer." Lu Liang chuckled and waved his hand dismissively, "They''re short-staffed over there, are you willing to go?"


    Without hesitation, Wen Chao blurted out, "Mr. Lu, wherever you send me, I will go."


    At 26 years old and part of the post-90s generation, to be able to work closely with Lu Liang and become the deputy of a private equity firm was incredibly fortunate.


    Not to mention Tokyo, even if it was to a remote African nation, he wouldn''t furrow his brow in the slightest.


    "Tell Yutao about it tomorrow; you have a week to sort out your personal affairs, then report directly to Tokyo."


    In the context of US dollar quantitative measures, as a dual-currency fund, Tianxing Private Equity only needed to buy US stocks on the dip.


    At least until Lu Liang fully stepped back from the public fund, there would be no significant moves, and the fund could operate normally with just Sun Yutao.


    Just wait until mid-August, when the holding period would end for the eighteen stocks held by the public fund.


    If the market reaction isn''t too strong, Lu Liang could smoothly exit the public fund.


    Then, he could take control of the private fund again.


    "Okay, Mr. Lu."


    After confirming there was nothing else, Wen Chao left the office.


    The night deepened, and Lu Liang was alone in the office until the early morning chime sounded.


    "Trade cooperation in November, an amount of 253.5 billion dollars?"


    Lu Liang''s eyes widened, then his brow furrowed tightly; he suddenly felt uncertain about the situation in the coming years.


    He had previously received a message that the brokerage war would start next year.


    Now, he had suddenly received another message that businessmen were visiting and bringing business worth more than 200 billion dollars.


    These two contradictory and unconnected pieces of information had him doubting his ears.


    "Zhong always follows the principle of not firing the first shot; he definitely wouldn''t unilaterally break the agreement. Does that mean the United States is up to something?"


    Lu Liang recalled that during the Spring Festival holidays in Tokyo, right after Old Ma had returned from meeting businessmen in the United States, he warned him.


    "If you have a chance to meet with businessmen, never treat him like a traditional politician," Old Ma had said.


    "It feels like the world is becoming more fantastical."


    Lu Liang sighed, took out a lighter to ignite a piece of paper, and watched the flames flicker as he destroyed the message he had just recorded.


    He had noticed that since Old England''s Brexit last year, the world had suddenly become quite strange.


    There was the prevailing economic theory in Anshan next door, and even further, a scandal involving a close friend led to imprisonment.


    Not to mention the events across the ocean, Old England''s Brexit, and the rise of a businessman to the pinnacle of power.


    "Should start investing in some real industries; solely relying on finance could leave me vulnerable, with no chance to resist if sacrificed tomorrow."


    Lu Liang muttered to himself as he poured a little water into the ashtray, erasing the last evidence of the paper''s existence.


    Su City would become his biggest support!


    Perhaps one day he too could be indispensable to Su City.

 Chapter 324 - 323: Refusing to Pull up Seedlings to Help Them Grow

    As night fell, Lu Liang returned to Tangchen District.


    The district had begun construction in 2005 and was completed in 2009. It had been eight years since, and although it was well maintained, even the finest houses couldn''t withstand the ravages of time.


    Especially now with the popularity of social media, Tangchen District had nearly become a gathering place for numerous internet celebrities.


    As Fang Shiyu drove into the parking lot, Lu Liang heard an internet celebrity shouting. Living there for over two years, he had, for the first time, entertained the idea of moving.


    Strangely enough, Lu Liang owned five properties in Modu, but the place where he most often resided was rented.


    He glanced at the silver Pagani and knew that Li Manli had given him the night off, so he went upstairs and shared with her his thoughts on moving.


    Li Manli''s eyes lit up as she coquettishly tried to please, "Then why don''t you move in with me?"


    She lived alone in a large suburban villa which she called home, but without Lu Liang, it could hardly be deemed as such.


    "It''s too far, I don''t want to go," Lu Liang bluntly responded.


    He had lived here for two years mainly because it was close to the office. Occasionally, when he didn''t feel like driving, he could walk there in about fifteen minutes.


    Lu Liang took off his clothes and headed to the bathroom, suddenly speaking, "The Sinograin next door seems nice. Check it out tomorrow, and if it''s good, place an order."


    Li Manli sneaked to the bathroom door, cracked it open, and poked her head through, "Are we buying or renting?"


    "Can you not ask such a silly question?"


    Lu Liang gave her a look. Previously, they couldn''t afford it, but now that conditions were relaxed, it definitely made more sense to buy.


    He had just glanced over, and the average price of Sinograin No.1 was about 280,000 RMB per square meter, three to four hundred square meters, barely over a hundred million in total.


    After all, with the company name on it, there was no need for personal funds; it''s purely an investment in real estate.


    "Ok, ok."


    Li Manli agreed with a whisper, quietly closed the bathroom door, removed her clothes, and suddenly appeared behind Lu Liang, wrapping her arms around his waist¡ªit had been a long while since they had been close.


    She peeked her head from under his armpit with a smiling face, "Liang, let me wash your back."


    "Forget it, I have things to do tomorrow, and I need to wake up early."


    Lu Liang quickly finished bathing. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Tang Caide notified him that Liu Qing had been waiting for him for two days and had arranged to meet him at the office the following day.


    "Alright then."


    Li Manli looked a bit dejected, but suddenly a towel was thrown over her head, and Lu Liang spoke indulgently, "Wipe off the water and go to bed."


    "Sure thing." Li Manli''s smile returned instantly, her mood brightening as she happily followed Lu Liang to the bedroom.


    ...


    Early the next morning, Lu Liang arrived at the office. Tang Caide was waiting at the entrance, "Mr. Lu, Mr. Liu has already arrived."


    "That early? I will be right there."


    Lu Liang entered the reception room, "I''m sorry for keeping Mr. Liu waiting."


    "We had arranged to meet at ten, I just arrived early."


    Liu Qing wore a full smile, her short hair crisp and neat.


    She seemed in high spirits, having apparently resolved an issue¡ªthe overt reason was the antitrust investigation triggered by the acquisition of Uber, but it was actually scrutiny from the National Security.


    Liu Qing shook hands with Lu Liang, then returned to her seat, hinting subtly, "Mr. Lu, your trip to Shenzhen must have been quite fruitful."


    "It was alright, I made a few new friends."


    Lu Liang smiled, knowing that Liu Qing''s question meant his visit to DJI had been effective.


    His original intention leaned more towards cooperating with DJI, but news from Beijing arrived that Li Jiahui and Zheng Yaowen unanimously agreed that if there was no hurry to launch the smart driving system, cooperating with DiDi would be the better choice.


    Both partnerships could speed up the research and development of the smart drive, but collaborating with DJI was like trying to hasten the growth of a seedling, because possessing a complete L2 technology might cause overlook in the developmental process, losing potential advancements and also posing compatibility issues.


    However, there were no such concerns with DiDi. Its database was like an experience pack, allowing the smart drive to grow quickly without the negative effect of hastened growth.


    Another important point was that DiDi possessed a high-precision map qualification, one of only twelve enterprises in the country to have it, not including potential competitors like Xiaomi, Huawei, and BYD.


    Having something the competitors didn''t was an advantage; they could borrow it in the future, placing them directly in the same tier as Baidu in the high-precision map domain.


    "Mr. Lu, what are your thoughts?" Liu Qing inquired. DiDi was on the national watch list and needed someone to break the situation.


    Tianxing Technology, though still small, had Lu Liang, a variable who had invested 130 billion RMB to build an industrial park in Su City, aiming high.


    Though DiDi was less than five years old, its valuation exceeded 50 billion US dollars, making it a major enterprise with a high rate of error tolerance.


    The current strategy was whether or not there was a snake, to rustle the grass a bit first, perhaps laying groundwork for a future resolution.


    "Tianxing Technology is still growing and not suited to introduce too many forces; I am still considering."


    Liang respected technology a great deal, and since both Li Jiahui and Yaowen thought that collaborating with DiDi was the better option, he could only abandon DJI and favor DiDi.


    Liu Qing asked, "What are you considering?"


    Lu Liang replied, "I''m considering what terms we should offer as a price to persuade Mr. Liu to make DiDi''s database available solely for Tianxing Technology''s use."


    Liu Qing pondered for a moment and said with a light laugh, "Mr. Lu, you''re overthinking it. The cost isn''t significant."


    Lu Liang responded with a smile, "Since Mr. Liu says so, should I make an offer?"


    "..."


    Liu Qing was speechless. How could a person be so shameless? When she said that the cost wasn''t significant, she meant it as a precondition for their collaboration.


    Lu Liang wanted to buy them out with money¡ªthe database of DiDi, such valuable information, could it really be bought with money?


    She clenched her back teeth, "Mr. Lu, you''re joking."


    "Just a joke to lighten the mood."


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but smile, a trace of disappointment flashing in his eyes.


    If money could solve everything, he truly wished money would suffice, but obviously, it wasn''t a problem that money could solve.


    Unless he was willing to invest 50 billion US dollars to acquire DiDi outright, it wasn''t possible to solve it with money.


    Liu Qing didn''t want to beat around the bush with Lu Liang any longer and bluntly said, "Mr. Lu, 15%, data exchange, technology sharing."


    Lu Liang amusedly replied, "Mr. Liu, I''ve heard about DiDi''s antitrust case, and there''s more to it."


    Implicitly, he was aware of DiDi''s issues but had no interest in getting involved and hoped DiDi wouldn''t trouble them.


    Investing was acceptable. He wouldn''t mind even 25%, but data exchange and technology sharing were utterly out of the question.


    If DiDi lost its senses and, in its rush to list in the United States, handed over all data, they would all suffer the consequences.


    Liu Qing''s eyebrows were tightly knitted, her gaze fixing on Lu Liang, who kept his smile and met her eyes.


    After a long thought, Liu Qing made a concession, "20%, one board seat."


    Lu Liang chuckled, "Mr. Liu, we currently don''t plan to set up a board."


    "In the future, then," Liu Qing said sternly, having backed down time and again. Could you just give some face?


    Lu Liang mulled over it, then nodded, "Let''s go with your suggestion."


    As long as he wasn''t like Dai Wei, who was so self-righteous, granting one veto after another.


    Letting DiDi join the board wasn''t a big deal; if it came to it, Lu Liang would simply reject their proposals.


    If things got annoying, he''d just withdraw the investment; it wasn''t like he didn''t have the funds to buy them out.


    Liu Qing''s expression eased slightly, she paused and then asked, "We still have one issue, when do you plan to enter?"


    "Planned within the next year," Lu Liang pondered, giving a precise reply, "By next June, I should be able to handle all the trivialities and devote myself fully to Tianxing Technology."


    Liu Qing nodded, "Valuation at 550 million US dollars."


    Initially, Tianxing Technology had nothing but Lu Liang''s name; Golden Sand River had thrown 230 million for a 10% stake.


    Now that it had become a partner of Weiliao and Wuling, using a 2.3 billion valuation was obviously inappropriate.


    Several professional venture capital firms had given Tianxing Technology a valuation between 500 to 600 million US dollars. Liu Qing had researched it thoroughly, hence after much consideration, she picked a middle value.


    550 million US dollars, approximately 3.64 billion RMB.


    "Agreed."


    The 550 million US dollars was the valuation for Tianxing Technology; DiDi was not only paying the price to provide the database but also investing 110 million US dollars in funding.


    Because when a company progressed to a certain level, it wasn''t just about the capital choosing the company, but the company choosing the capital. The new players wanting to join had to provide more than just fundamental financial conditions; the key was how much resources they could bring.


    DiDi was bringing Tianxing Technology the data of 3.85 million ride-sharing vehicles as well as the right to use 12 high-precision national maps.


    "Tianxing Technology accepts DiDi''s investment~"


    "DiDi throws 120 million US dollars, officially entering the new energy industry."


    That afternoon, Liu Qing returned to Beijing and held a press conference with Hu Weiwei.


    The two brightest internet flowers collaborating for the first time instantly sparked heated discussion among netizens.


    News reached the ears of the new energy players, each falling into a deathly silence.


    Lu Liang started to introduce a third-party power, which also indirectly indicated that Tianxing Technology was preparing for the game.


    "The market, just quieting down, is about to stir again."

 Chapter 325 - 324: Xuanwu Plan

    "There''s still 72% left."


    DiDi joined under the guise of financing, and Lu Liang''s share in Tianxing, along with Golden Sand River''s, also underwent a 20% proportional dilution.


    Currently in Tianxing Technology, Lu Liang''s Tianxing Investment holds a 72% stake, followed by DiDi at 20%, and Golden Sand River at 8%.


    Shen Peng from Redwood, Zhang Lei from Gaoling, and Lei Jun from Daqiangzi all called one after another to congratulate Tianxing on setting sail, and to ask if more funds were needed? Did they need financing?


    In Su City''s Lou Shui New Energy Industrial Park, a whopping investment of 130 billion was made to build it. Although there is no direct financial interaction with Tianxing Technology and Lu Liang repeatedly stated that it was only for the purpose of connecting the new energy industries of the Yangtze River Delta and becoming the logistic base for new energy manufacturers nationwide.


    Selfless and generous, it sounds better than singing, as if their heart has no self, and as if they are all about the entire industry¡ªtheir current actions are all for the future of the industry.


    But such talk, just take it with a grain of salt,


    Anyone who takes it seriously is a fool.


    If in the future, Tianxing, Tesla, NIO, and even Li Xiang were to compete on the same stage.


    Which of the 17 enterprises in the Lou Shui New Energy Industry Zone


    would support whom?


    The result is obvious.


    Saying Tianxing Technology was born with a golden key does not suffice¡ªit wouldn''t be an exaggeration to say they were born on a mountain of gold.


    DiDi invested just 110 million US dollars for a 20% stake in Tianxing Technology, which left everyone else green with envy.


    "Thank you for your high regard, perhaps next time. Our cash reserves are quite sufficient at the moment, so we don''t have any plans for fundraising."


    Lu Liang replied with a smile on his face, assuring them that he would definitely contact them first if there were plans for financing in the future.


    It seems as if DiDi got a huge bargain, but actually, that''s not the case.


    3.85 million ride-hailing drivers, with a daily average of over 80 million trips, producing data that cannot be measured in value.


    Unlike high-precision maps, this is a unique national driving database, provided solely by DiDi.


    Their cooperation is not about taking advantage of each other.


    Just a few days after the cooperation was confirmed, Hu Weiwei called to inform that someone wanted to meet and chat with Lu Liang.


    "Who?"


    "National Security."


    Hu Weiwei said with a wry smile, they were just about to access DiDi''s database and hadn''t had the chance to implement it.


    National Security directly approached them, hoping that Lu Liang, as the person in charge, would take the time to come to Beijing.


    "Okay, I''ll go in the afternoon," Lu Liang pondered, thinking of the investigation into DiDi.


    National land security is of utmost importance; they were looking to access DiDi''s database, so being interviewed and investigated was inevitable.


    At three-thirty in the afternoon, Lu Liang arrived by plane in Beijing and went to the SOHO building in Zhongguang Village.


    Hu Weiwei had been waiting at the door early and informed him that the National Security colleagues had already arrived, led by a person named Li Junyi.


    Lu Liang followed Hu Weiwei to the reception room and met them. There were six people in total, four men and two women, all well-dressed in suits and tidy, each wearing the national emblem on their chest.


    The leader, a man in his forties, Li Junyi, greeted him with a smile and a warm handshake, "Mr. Lu, hello."


    "Director Li, hello."


    During the conversation, Lu Liang learned the purpose of their visit was to avoid leaking information, and they hoped Tianxing could join the Xuanwu Plan.


    Xuanwu, one of the four divine creatures from mythology, also known as Tortoise Snake, is known in various games as a symbol for high defense.


    The Xuanwu Plan shares a similar principle, aiming to protect national and citizens'' information security and prevent it from being controlled by those with ulterior motives.


    Joining the plan wasn''t just about responsibilities, but also benefits. If Tianxing Technology needed support, they could provide technological assistance.


    Including but not limited to, giving them a firewall system to prevent their automotive data from being tampered with, which could lead to unwarranted accidents.


    Moreover, they would keep Tianxing Technology''s data strictly confidential, serving only to supervise without proactive interference or disclosure.


    "That couldn''t be better," Lu Liang expressed with a smile, having no reason to refuse.


    Unlike the Liu family, who had close ties with the West, joining the plan would only benefit the company without any harm.


    Afterward, Lu Liang stayed in Beijing for another two days.


    Mainly because Qin Siyuan was coming over, so he decided to stay a few more days to wait for the latter to report in.


    On this day, Lu Liang held a meeting. Aside from Wang Xiaofeng, who was far away in Modu, the entire management and core technical team participated.


    Li Jiahui, Zheng Yaowen, Hu Weiwei, Liu Pei, as well as the newly joined Qin Siyuan, were introduced by Lu Liang with a smile, "This is Qin Siyuan, Director Qin."


    As the technical director, he formed a separate project team responsible for DiDi''s database with an annual salary of 2.4 million yuan, slightly more than the financial director Liu Pei.


    "Let''s all give a warm welcome," Hu Weiwei said with a smile, leading the applause. She was well aware of her place within the company.


    Lu Liang was domineering in his actions and blunt in his speech, presumably a trait developed from his time in the fund company, where his word was law.


    However, a corporation is not like a fund. Right is not the only criterion for being reasonable; sometimes it''s necessary to consider the emotions of management.


    The company needed members to create a spirited atmosphere and act as lubricants for the team, and she had assumed this role.


    Lu Liang sat in the main seat, watching everyone shake hands and get acquainted, and after a while, he asked, "Five months, can we develop our own L2-level driving assistance system?"


    He had promised DiDi a year, but in reality, less time was needed, at best three months and at worst not more than half a year.


    Lu Liang had already planned out next year''s schedule and did not want the vehicle-machine development team to hold them back.


    Li Jiahui subconsciously looked at Zheng Yaowen; from his actions, it was clear that he had taken to heart the advice Lu Liang had initially given.


    As Lu Liang''s direct subordinate and a favored talent personally recruited from Huaqing University, Li Jiahui should not see the outsider Zheng Yaowen as an adversary; instead, he should actively learn from him and absorb much-needed experience.


    The future belonged to him, not to Zheng Yaowen.


    Zheng Yaowen pondered for a long time, "Mr. Lu, we''ve just started collaborating with DiDi, and it''s not yet clear how much this partnership will boost our intelligent-driving research and development."


    He paused before turning his head towards Qin Siyuan, "Director Qin, do you think twenty days is enough to verify this?"


    Qin Siyuan furrowed his brow and thought for a long time, "Two weeks, I guess. The schedule might be tight, but it''s not impossible."


    He could tell that Lu Liang didn''t understand the technology and saw that Zheng Yaowen was intentionally trying to prolong the timeline.


    Regarding project deadlines, being early was possible, but delays were not. Being early showed capability, while delays indicated incompetence.


    But since he was new, the last thing a newcomer should do is upset the existing group dynamic, and he also needed to prove his worth for his 2.4 million yuan salary to Lu Liang.


    Lu Liang chuckled. After seven or eight years in the business, he knew very well the ulterior motives of both Zheng Yaowen and Qin Siyuan.


    However, he wasn''t opposed to their tactics. As long as the ultimate beneficiary was him, he cared little about the other details.


    Hu Weiwei noticed that Lu Liang did not object to these antics and so turned to Zheng Yaowen, offering him a way out, "Director Zheng, do you think the time is sufficient?"


    Zheng Yaowen''s expression stiffened, but he nodded and said, "Maybe I don''t fully understand DiDi''s data, but it should be enough."


    "Alright, then it''s decided. In two weeks, I want to know if we can succeed in developing it within five months."


    Lu Liang smiled with the corners of his mouth turned up, he lowered his legs from a crossed position, stood up, clapped his hands, and concluded today''s meeting.


    He walked into the neighboring financial room, where Liu Pei also presented the Beijing company''s expenditures for the past half year.


    Manpower, venue, and equipment procurement accounted for 80% of all expenses.


    Before DiDi''s investment, there was only 22 million yuan left in the company''s account, and as the number of staff grew, they were planning to rent another floor of the office building.


    111 million US dollars, it was certainly a timely aid.


    "In the short term, we should choose to lease wherever possible."


    Lu Liang asked Liu Pei to prepare two sets of financial details to send to Golden Sand River and DiDi.


    There was a plan for a headquarters building, but not for now; at the very least, they would have to wait another two or three years.


    By the end of June, construction began at the Lou Shui New Energy Industrial Park in Su City.


    The biggest fear for construction companies is not receiving follow-up payments, but the contractors for Lou Shui New Energy Industry Zone did not have to worry about this issue.


    With 130 billion yuan lying quietly in the account,


    prompt payment of 50% upfront and settling the remaining balance directly after three months of confirming the completion without errors was an exceptional treatment.


    Among several bidding construction companies, the original 12-month construction period was fiercely compressed to just seven months.


    With sufficient funds, work could continue as if nighttime were daytime, rainy days were clear, and holidays were regular workdays.


    Meanwhile, just across the river, less than five hundred meters from the Lou Shui New Energy Industrial Park,


    a coveted 1450-acre land indulged by property developers began its bidding meeting. Hengtai, Rongchuang, Country Garden, Vanke, and Wanda Group¡ªtop real estate companies assembled.


    The 967,570 square meters of land could be used sparingly to build four large residential communities with ample space to spare.


    Moreover, being right next to the new energy industry zone meant that whether for residential or commercial development, whoever secured this land could not lose. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, what nobody expected was that Wanda, which had faced significant challenges this year, triumphed at this grand bidding event, crowded with major players.

 Chapter 326 - 325: Airdropping into Manhattan

    "Is this the favor you wanted Old Wang to help with?"


    In the VIP waiting room of Xinpu International Airport, Wanda''s private jet was undergoing the final checks before flight.


    "That plot of land, with so many real estate developers competing, wouldn''t I give away the setup if I were to step in directly?"


    After a busy few months, the intelligent driving system had finally re-entered the fast track of research and development. The construction had also begun at Lou Shui Industrial Park, and the 1,450-acre wasteland by the river had been secured with the help of Wanda.


    Lu Liang was due to keep his promise and accompany Little Wang to New York, doing his best to help Panda pass Nasdaq''s listing review.


    Little Wang hesitated, then sighed, "Actually, if you were to bid yourself, no one would dare to say anything."


    "Indeed, no one would dare say anything, but it would be easy to attract gossip and give people leverage over me."


    Lu Liang smiled faintly. Wanda Group was fully qualified and had every right to participate in this land auction.


    If it were Tianxing Technology, even with a green light all the way, just processing the land qualification documents would take three to five months.


    Handling the qualifications for three to five months, then having the Su City Land Reform Bureau initiate the auction, would waste another one or two months of time.


    Dragging it on, by the time the land was in their hands, it would be at least half a year, or even longer.


    Lu Liang didn''t want to wait, so he cooperated with Wanda to establish a subsidiary specifically for development.


    Tianxing Technology held a 90% stake, Tianxing Investment 9%, and Wanda 1%.


    The presence of Tianxing Investment was primarily to make up the numbers; three people constituted a group and nothing more.


    Among them, not only was Wanda responsible for the bidding but also the trivial matters after the auction, dealing with over a hundred households of villagers.


    Even if Tianxing itself participated in the land auction, it still had to entrust a third party to handle these matters afterward.


    Might as well let Wanda handle it all and just pay some extra effort money afterward.


    "Thank you!" Little Wang was silent for a while.


    In his view, this small favor was insignificant for Wanda and Tianxing alike.


    It wasn''t worth Lu Liang personally accompanying him to New York to help Panda pass the listing review.


    Probably Lu Liang knew that at present, Panda had nothing to offer that could excite him.


    So he found an excuse just to accompany him to New York and help Panda pass the review.


    Lu Liang laughed at himself in silence. Little Wang seemed to have misunderstood something, but he couldn''t be bothered to explain.


    They chatted idly for a while before the airport manager came over with a beaming smile and informed, "Mr. Lu, Mr. Wang, the inspection is complete, and you may board now."


    The custody fee for private planes in the country was very expensive, generally charged at 10% of the plane''s sale price annually.


    Taking Old Wang''s Gulfstream G550 as an example, priced at 320 million yuan, the annual custody fee would be 32 million.


    This was an additional income for the airport, creating over a dozen jobs, making them the gold mine for the airport.


    "Let''s go."


    Little Wang''s IPO review team had 11 members, while Lu Liang only had six on his side.


    It was basically him, his cousin, along with Zhuo Yifan, plus three security personnel.


    The group of more than ten people took the shuttle bus to the corner of the apron, where an eighty percent new Gulfstream G550 awaited.


    This model, launched in 2003, was the first in human history to offer a direct flight range capable of flying from Modu to New York.


    With a range of 11,986 kilometers, it could carry 18 passengers and was one of the luxury private jets in the country with the farthest range, best performance, most spacious cabin, and greatest comfort.


    "Once Panda gets listed and has the money, I''ll buy one too."


    Little Wang, leading Lu Liang, took a quick tour and then asked with a smile, "Isn''t it cool?"


    He really wanted to buy one ¨C he already owned what runs on the ground and swims in the sea, only lacking something that flies in the sky.


    "It''s okay."


    Lu Liang smiled. He wasn''t greatly interested in these things; he had considered buying one before, just to show off, but now he didn''t feel the need.


    Private planes were only suitable for long-distance travel, such as this trip from the East Half Ball to the West Half Ball, traversing the Pacific Ocean with a flight time of 12 hours.


    With a resting room, a dining area, a bathroom, and an entertainment room, it truly could help pass the boring time during the flight.


    For flights shorter than five hours, it was hardly necessary as you couldn''t just fly whenever you wanted ¨C flight routes had to be applied for in advance, and it was more convenient to simply buy airplane tickets.


    As the plane entered the runway and slowly ascended until it reached the relatively stable stratosphere.


    Little Wang left the only rest room to Lu Liang and went to check the review materials with Long Fei.


    This was already the second time Tianxing Investment had submitted their IPO application for review, and if they needed to be re-evaluated yet again, there probably wouldn''t be much hope for a third try.


    "Not afraid of the second generation squandering their inheritances, but afraid of the second generation being ambitious."


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but smirk. Compared to when they first met, Little Wang really had changed a lot.


    It was mainly because he had been given hope for success¡ªif he hadn''t seen that possibility, he might have given up long ago.


    Lu Liang scrolled through Douyin while lying on his bed, then dozed off for a bit.


    When he woke up, there were still eight hours left.


    Lying there was indeed boring, so Lu Liang called over Little Wang and Long Fei, then randomly picked someone else to play some Mahjong and pass the remaining eight hours.


    It was also quite miraculous; they had departed at noon and, after flying for 12 hours, they still arrived at noon.


    Even the date was the same, the 12th. It was as if they had earned an extra 12 hours.


    Little Wang wore a speechless expression, "Wait until you are on your way back, then you''ll understand what it means to have a day disappear."


    He had already come once last month and there were employees from the company staying here, the itinerary for these few days was all arranged.


    About a dozen people left New York Airport and headed straight to a hotel in the city. Several brokerage firms including Cruick were waiting for them, and tonight they would attend a dinner.


    It was a welcome banquet specifically for Lu Liang, and the bigwigs of Wall Street, including high-level executives from the exchange, would be there.


    As long as Lu Liang could flatter them just a little, Panda might just pass this IPO review.


    "This kind of treatment, not even Old Ma gets it, right?"


    Little Wang''s eyes were full of envy, and his mouth was a bit sour.


    Although Old Xu was this year''s "First Rich," the most internationally influential figure in the domestic business community should be Old Ma.


    However, unlike Old Ma, who wanted to integrate into Western capital and become one of them, Western capital was inviting Lu Liang to join them.


    "Can''t you see, they''re trying to roast me on the fire?" Lu Liang squinted his eyes with a smile.


    It wasn''t hard to guess that as soon as he attended that so-called banquet, there would be a huge story about it the next day.


    And when that happened, Panda''s IPO review would undoubtedly go very smoothly.


    Some third-rate editor would then concoct some little stories or something.


    "Are you serious?" Little Wang frowned deeply.


    "Regardless of whether it''s true or not, just pretend it is for the moment¡ªstay alert and behave yourself. Don''t mess things up."


    Lu Liang laughed and looked out the car window¡ªit was a vast plain.


    With no mountains in sight and the occasional cluster of rolling tumbleweeds drifting by the sides of the road¡ªsuch plants were rare to see back home because it was only in the great plains that they proliferated, sometimes even to a pestilential extent.


    They drove east for a dozen kilometers; skyscrapers grew denser, they passed by the Statue of Liberty, crossed the Hudson River, and finally arrived on the streets of Manhattan.


    A jagged skyscraper loomed ahead¡ªWang''s team booked their hotel named after a businessman, and it truly belonged to him. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Located on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, it was a towering 68-story skyscraper, also a symbol of the businessman''s real estate.


    The royal suites on floors 58 to 68 each offered an average of over 10,000 square feet of usable space.


    Wang''s team booked two suites, one for Little Wang and one for Lu Liang.


    Little Wang had settled in bright and early,


    And was now waiting at Lu Liang''s room door.


    "Cruick and the others are at the caf¨¦ on the eighteenth floor."


    "Let''s go."


    In a restaurant where all the faces were Caucasian, the few Chinese profiles of their group seemed very conspicuous.


    Little Wang coughed dryly a few times and said in an aggrieved tone, "You told me to watch myself, but you might want to be a bit more careful yourself."


    Lu Liang was such a hypocrite¡ªforbidding him from messing around just moments ago, and here he was, ogling over American beauties.


    "It''s different, I''m simply admiring them. Even if it comes down to the wire, I can restrain myself. But could you?"


    Lu Liang smiled, having had his fair share of experiences with Western women but still couldn''t help himself from taking a few extra glances when arriving in their heartland, though it was purely out of admiration.


    "Heh heh~~" Little Wang turned into a fake smile boy.


    At that moment, the assistant informed them promptly, "Mr. Wang, Mr. Lu, Mr. Cruick and his party are in private room number four."

 Chapter 327 - 326: Acquaintances Meet with Extra Excitement

    Under the guidance of an assistant, Lu Liang followed Little Wang to private room number 4 in the restaurant.


    "Mr. Lu, Mr. Wang, welcome to New York."


    Cruick greeted them with a beaming smile, briskly stepping forward to first embrace Lu Liang and then hug Little Wang.


    This visit was for Panda''s listing review, where Little Wang should have been the main character, but he had grown accustomed to the fact that whenever Lu Liang was present, he could only ever be that inconspicuous leaf.


    "Cruick, who is this?"


    There were four people in the room, including Cruick. The other three were representatives from the commercial institutions.


    Lu Liang had met them during Panda''s Series D funding round.


    One of them, however, a man in his forties dressed in a suit, slightly balding and bearing a striking resemblance to Jason Statham, was unfamiliar.


    The look in his eyes was also peculiar, a mix of excitement, resentment, and helplessness. Such complex emotions, Lu Liang had only previously seen in women.


    "Mr. Lu, this is Kamon Wilson, the head of JPMorgan''s investment department."


    Wilson was supposed to meet Lu Liang at a banquet later that evening, but with more than six hours to go, he couldn''t resist the urge to meet him earlier¡ªthe man who had captivated his dreams.


    "Mr. Lu, hello."


    Wilson, struggling to contain his excitement, approached Lu Liang and extended his right hand. He had been promoted, from being the leader of a group to the head of the entire investment department.


    All of this had something to do with Lu Liang.


    Since Jobs passed away and Apple took over from Microsoft to become the flagbearer of the United States'' global tech cultural outreach,


    countless financial institutions on Wall Street had been looking for who would succeed Apple as the next icon of American technology.


    Wilson had bet everything on Tesla, and with Tesla''s market value breaking through a hundred billion US dollars, gaining an influx of resources, his position at JPMorgan Chase had risen accordingly.


    The fast breach by Tesla into a hundred billion market value was also closely connected with Lu Liang, partly due to his shareholding position last year, and partly because he not only refrained from selling his shares when the lock-up period ended but also quietly bought several hundred thousand more.


    These actions had single-handedly helped push Tesla past the hundred billion mark. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Wilson, hello, it''s a pleasure to meet you."


    Lu Liang''s smile grew even wider as he suddenly understood the origin of that complex look.


    If he were to be defeated by the same person three times and subsequently had to join them, his own expression would probably be even more interesting than Wilson''s.


    "Mr. Lu, we have prepared a grand banquet for you tonight," Wilson said as he briefly regained his composure, briefly introducing the guests who might attend that evening.


    Blackstone, Vanguard, BlackRock, Muddy Water Fund, and even the head of Quantum Fund would be there. Since it was hosted at a merchant''s hotel, he might also come to have a look.


    "They are all old friends now," Lu Liang said with a smile, his own excitement small but palpable, all these unmet old friends¡ªhe anticipated that tonight''s banquet would be quite eventful.


    Meanwhile, Little Wang was conversing with Cruick and representatives from a few other commercial institutions. The second attempt at listing review was likely to go through smoothly.


    The exchange''s listing auditors generally agreed that live commerce falls under advertising revenue and constitutes a legitimate income for a company.


    The first listing review had failed precisely because the income from live commerce was unclear.


    Upon hearing this, Little Wang''s gaze was complex as he subconsciously looked toward Lu Liang, who was cheerfully talking with Wilson.


    He truly saw it clearly now; whether the review passed or the revenue was clear, all was nonsense¡ªas long as Lu Liang appeared, it would be approved.


    "Mr. Lu, do you hold Panda''s platform in high regard?" Wilson suddenly asked.


    "Of course, it''s a company with enormous potential."


    In public, Lu Liang obviously could not let down Little Wang, asserting his optimism and sharing related information.


    "Live commerce might struggle on platforms like YouTube, but in the East Country, there is a natural market for it."


    "For one, the nation''s regulation is not yet in place, and secondly, with a vast population, there''s an inherent blind following of celebrities and stars."


    "That''s what you call a brand effect!"


    "Take an internet celebrity with millions of followers as an example; there must be at least thousands or tens of thousands of die-hard fans."


    "And they could also sign an agreement with the manufacturer for the lowest price on the whole network. The so-called lowest price is just superficially the lowest. It means that no platform or person can sell at a higher price than the livestreaming host, creating the illusion of the lowest price on the net,"


    "Let''s say an item costs 10 US dollars, Wilson, how much commission do you think the platform can take?"


    Lu Liang suddenly asked. Wilson thought about it and tentatively guessed, "10%? That should already be quite high, right?"


    Lu Liang scoffed disdainfully, revealing a startling fact, "10%? The minimum is 20%, and if it''s not a necessity, the commission could be more than 50%."


    Prior to this, he hadn''t paid much attention to how well Panda''s livestreaming sales were doing, only occasionally hearing about it at home from Li Manli, who mentioned it seemed very profitable.


    For this reason, on the flight here, Lu Liang reviewed Panda''s internal material and crammed a lot of relevant information.


    In the past six months, Panda''s livestreaming sales volume had been somewhat exaggerated, reaching as much as 5.8 billion.


    The commission had skyrocketed from 10% before, and something called a "slotting fee" had been introduced.


    Taking a color contact lens product Li Manli had promoted as an example, just the slotting fee alone was 200,000. The cost was two yuan, but they sold it for 19.9 yuan.


    The commission was an astonishing 90%. After splitting it with the platform, she still received 45%.


    Panda was relatively conscientious. They managed product quality control strictly as they were preparing to go public and were afraid of negative publicity.


    As for the two platforms, Douhu and Tencent, since their merger had failed, Tencent didn''t want to support both of them, letting them compete in the market. Whichever survived would receive their support.


    Thereby, situations were born where livestreaming brands became popular, hosts kicked out the merchants to private label the products themselves, or brands passed off inferior goods as high-quality ones.


    They did everything possible to inflate their performance figures.


    Listening to all this, Wilson was taken aback and couldn''t help asking, "Doesn''t your country''s Market Supervision Administration regulate this?"


    With a smile on his face, Little Wang took over the conversation: "Mr. Wilson, the market in our country is still developing, and relevant regulations have not yet been established. It''s just like Ali''s Taobao was in the early days¡ªrampant with fake goods¡ªdid anyone say anything then?"


    Wilson was speechless. Even coming from the land of the free, he felt that the East Country''s market was a little too free.


    He thought of Pinduoduo, said to be the second Taobao. Recently, they were also getting ready to file their paperwork, planning to list on NASDAQ next year.


    Lu Liang paused and then smiled, "But chaos only exists in the early stages. Mid-term brings regulation, and the late phase is stern."


    Wilson nodded. He had a profound understanding of this, as the United States'' market was in the late phase.


    After conversing for about an hour, Cruick and Wilson excused themselves, as they had official business to handle in the afternoon and arranged to meet again at the dinner in the evening.


    Lu Liang and Little Wang prepared to go back upstairs to rest. Having journeyed for 12 hours, although on a private plane, they were a bit tired and planned to rest for a few hours to be fresh for the dinner.


    Especially Lu Liang, who felt the evening''s event was specifically in his honor.


    They had just left the private room when they were greeted by a blonde beauty who was over one meter eighty. She smiled and said, "Mr. Lu, are you satisfied with our hotel?"


    Ivan Kushner, with her father reaching the pinnacle of power, had risen alongside him, becoming an unofficial advisor to the White House.


    At the same time, she also served as the vice president of New York Businessman Real Estate Group and the CEO of Ivan Jewellery Group.


    Foreigners liked to use their names for their brands, and in recent years, this trend had also caught on in China.


    It was still questionable whether Li Xiang''s Ideal could maintain this practice, after all, Li Xiang, Ideal¡ªthat name held some significance. But He Xiaopeng had certainly learned this trick.


    Lu Liang was momentarily taken aback, and then, with a broad smile, replied, "Miss Ivan, hello, we very much enjoy your hotel''s cuisine and decor."


    With a height of 180 cm and wearing high heels, she stood a whole head taller than him. Her figure and skin were well-maintained; it was hard to imagine she was the mother of three.


    "Mr. Lu, my father will be here tonight, and he would like to meet with you then," Ivan said softly.


    At 32 years old, Lu Liang was four years her junior, with a Chinese face¡ªyet he had become a distinguished figure on Wall Street.


    Before, it would have been hard to imagine such a thing happening. Lu Liang, like her father, was a legend.


    So when she heard that Lu Liang was staying at her family''s hotel and planning to hold a dinner there, she canceled all her appointments to meet him.


    Buffett''s funds were only yielding an annual return of 20%, Vanguard was barely 25%, but Lu Liang''s fund could reach more than 50%.


    With Brexit and her father''s election¡ªsuch low-probability events¡ªLu Liang had accurately predicted and profited from them; he was worth getting to know.


    "The honor is all mine," Lu Liang said, his smile unfaltering. He had already heard from Old Ma that businesspeople were very interested in him.


    He was known as "Mr. 82 Percent", a nickname that had spread widely after businesspeople started mentioning it.

 Chapter 328 - 327: The Inescapable Plaster

    "The Grand Princess just left like that?"


    Little Wang couldn''t let go and couldn''t help but take a few more glances at Ivan''s alluring figure.


    He had seen plenty of socialites in the domestic scene, but this was the first time he''d encountered one with such class.


    Having a good figure was one thing, being beautiful was another, but she was also knowledgeable, and not just knowledgeable, she also came from such a distinguished family. Among the 3.5 billion women globally, it was probably impossible to find one with better conditions than her.


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but chuckle, "Who said there aren''t any? What about the one next door? She''s almost driven the Crown Prince to death."


    Little Wang couldn''t help but laugh, knowing who Lu Liang was referring to, "How can that be the same? When she was young, she wasn''t as beautiful as Ivan."


    Lu Liang gave him a look, "Mother of three, still a Grand Princess, do you think you''d still have any thoughts about that?"


    Little Wang thought carefully, then smirked indecently, "I''d definitely have thoughts, but I wouldn''t dare to act on them."


    "The ones nearby are more your speed."


    Lu Liang gave an exasperated look and glanced towards the dining room where they had already caught the attention of many who were watching and quietly observing.


    Ivan is a world-famous model, a super-rich and beautiful American sweetheart, now also a Grand Princess.


    There were few who didn''t know her, and with Lu Liang receiving such treatment from her, others were curious about their identities.


    "Hold it in! Don''t mess around."


    Little Wang took a deep breath, banishing stray thoughts, cautioning both Lu Liang and himself, mentally repeating, "The listing is what matters, the listing is what matters, the listing is what matters..."


    "Let''s go, we''ll come down later."


    The two of them returned to their rooms upstairs.


    Lu Liang lay on the bed, contacting Zhuo Yifan, "I''ll be there around the 15th, so prepare a little bit."


    Having stayed over there for about a month, he should be quite familiar with the surroundings and could help set up the venue in advance.


    New York is not close to the United Kingdom in Europe, requiring a cross-Atlantic trip, with a time difference of five hours between the two places.


    "Lu Liang is here, and tonight is his welcome party, held on the 68th floor of Trump Tower."


    The news spread like wildfire from Wall Street, engulfing all of New York, until by evening, a group of media journalists had already gathered early at the tower''s entrance.


    "Wilson from JPMorgan is here."


    "Cruick from Merit is also here."


    "Look over there, is that Taylor?"


    "Oh my god, is that Soros?"


    "How come Leonardo is here too?"


    Starting from 6:30 pm, the flashes from the reporters'' cameras at the entrance of the tower never ceased, with nearly all notable Wall Street institution heads making an appearance alongside many film and sports stars.


    "Shocking! It''s hard to imagine this is Lu Liang''s first day in New York..."


    As a member of the overseas Chinese community known for keeping up with the times, how could they miss out on such a big event?


    Chinese people at the venue used this as their title to live-broadcast the event on Weibo and tieba with the most primitive photos and text.


    "How come the boss is here too?"


    "Holy crap, Ivan and her husband are here too?"


    "I''m not well-read, don''t fool me, is this Liangzi''s welcome party? Isn''t this some grand banquet?"


    "It seems it really is because someone took photos in the afternoon of Liangzi and Little Wang checking into this hotel. It''s said to be for assisting Panda with the Nasdaq listing audit."


    "Lu Xiaozhi, that''s enough, there probably is this banquet tonight, but it''s not for Lu Liang, stop embellishing his reputation."


    "Then tell me, what event tonight could attract so many celebrities and dignitaries?"


    "If I were qualified to know, would I be here shooting the breeze with you?"


    "Look, the businessman has arrived."


    "..."


    "Holy shit, is that Old Jia? He''s been playing dead for so long? Turns out he''s still alive?"


    The banquet hadn''t even started, yet the related news was already wildly spreading across the Chinese internet.


    There was a lot of discussion, and no one had yet come forward to verify if it was indeed a welcome party for Lu Liang.


    "It''s true."


    Old Ma in Hang City sighed. He had received the news, and he was envious to the point of turning red.


    Tonight was certainly Lu Liang''s welcome party, but most people probably weren''t there for him.


    It might have started as a small gathering of a dozen people, but as the word leaked, many came of their own accord.


    For instance, companies looking to go public need to get acquainted with market institutions, so they would use this as an opportunity to come and attend the banquet.


    Similarly, celebrities wanting to elevate their status and become part of the upper echelons often show up as well.


    As the elderly often say, weddings and funerals are great opportunities for social networking, it doesn''t matter who''s marrying or who''s dying.


    What''s important is that there''s an event that brings everyone together, giving them the chance to chat and talk business.


    At the same time, Lu Liang and Little Wang, both donning bespoke suits, were ready to head downstairs to the banquet.


    Little Wang stood by the window, glanced down at the street below, and regretted with a grimace, "I regret it so much, I shouldn''t have stayed at this hotel."


    Because they lived upstairs, they missed out on the opportunity to walk the red carpet and bask in the flash of the cameras.


    Showing off is trivial, but missing the chance to be seen is a big deal.


    This is why companies wanting to list in the United States like to claim the title of being the first in their industry.


    Because across the Pacific, few local retail investors would care about who''s second or third in the industry.


    If Panda were to go public branded as the leading live broadcasting stock, investors might mistake them for East Country''s YouTube and, by comparison, assume Panda''s market cap at 80 billion US Dollars as YouTube''s, perceiving Panda''s potential for growth as boundless.


    And the name they go by is Panda; black and white, Asian, and vegetarian, arguably the most politically correct creature on the planet.


    "Don''t worry, you''ll have plenty of opportunities to show your face later."


    Lu Liang''s smile curled at the edges, with tonight''s heat, how could he let Little Wang miss his chance to divert attention?


    "Damn it, whenever you smile, I know it''s not going to be good," Little Wang grimaced, looking threatening.


    "Can you take it or not?"


    "Do I have a choice?"


    "Doesn''t seem like it."


    The two took the elevator from the 62nd floor to the semi-outdoor banquet hall on the top floor, where merchants had held many banquets before.


    As soon as they stepped out of the elevator, the two immediately became the center of attention, and the sound of conversation in the room faded significantly. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Even though the guests had various reasons for attending, there was no denying that this was a banquet organized in Lu Liang''s name.


    Little Wang, impeccably dressed in his suit, stood tall and confident, with a slight smile hoping not to show any weakness.


    After all, even Old Wang had never received such an honor; in foreign land, he was one of the main characters.


    Lu Liang, smiling, greeted Cruick and others from a distance, and then, far away, he spotted dazzling blonde hair¡ªa family in conversation.


    The entrepreneur suddenly noticed the situation at the elevator entrance and saw Lu Liang as well. Raising his glass with a wicked smile, his lips seemed to spell out, "Welcome."


    Lu Liang smiled faintly, nodded in response, picked up a glass of white wine from the table, raised it in salute, and prepared to walk over.


    After all, being a businessman, one of the most powerful men in the world, it was only proper, both emotionally and logically, for Lu Liang to take the initiative to greet him.


    Before Lu Liang could make his way there, however, a familiar old acquaintance emerged and stood in front of him and Little Wang.


    Old Jia beamed, "Mr. Lu, Mr. Wang, meeting an old friend in a foreign land is one of life''s greatest joys."


    "Mr. Jia, long time no see, how have you been?" Lu Liang responded without fully processing the situation, misspeaking.


    "Mr. Jia?" Little Wang''s jaw dropped in shock, his expression mirroring Lu Liang''s as if they''d just seen a ghost.


    As if to say, of all people, we run into him?


    As soon as the words left his mouth, Lu Liang regretted it. Since Old Jia arrived in the United States, he''d abandoned all pretense and was climbing the ladder of success, "The development of FF has been less than smooth lately, so I came to New York in search of investors."


    He then turned to Little Wang, eyes filled with envy, "Not like you, Mr. Wang, with Mr. Lu''s backing, you''re almost going public in the blink of an eye."


    Old Jia glanced at the crowd, a cunning glint passing through the corner of his eye.


    Today''s guests include famous politicians from the United States and capital magnates from Wall Street.


    If they noticed him conversing with Lu Liang, appearing to have a good relationship, that would be enough.


    Once Lu Liang left, he could use his familiarity with Lu Liang to lure investors¡ªif he could bamboozle even one out of ten, he''d consider it a win.


    "Mr. Jia, what are you saying? LeEco also invested in Panda, but then you suddenly backed out," Little Wang countered sternly, not as polite as Lu Liang. The agreement had seemed so certain, contracts were signed.


    But after waiting and waiting, the funds never transferred, forcing him to cover the shortfall with his own money.


    "Mr. Wang, I truly apologize; you know what happened afterward," Old Jia said, full of supposed regret.


    Lu Liang, frowning, looked around at everyone present, then back at Old Jia, sensing something off, "Mr. Jia, let''s leave it at that for now, shall we? We''ll have to catch up another time, I still need to greet a few friends over there."


    "Of course, of course. Go ahead with your business."


    Old Jia was all smiles, inconspicuously patting Little Wang on the shoulder, implying a close concern.


    Little Wang''s eyes flashed with disdain, but he said nothing, after all, he had to maintain appearances in public.

 Chapter 329 - 328: A Family of Smart People

    "Don''t get too close to Old Jia."


    Lu Liang smiled as he planned to chat with businessmen, but he made a point of cautioning Little Wang before he left.


    LeEco had been suspended from trading for more than two months, and every now and then news would leak out, all of it without exception bearish.


    Either this project had financial fraud or that project had an auditing error; it was like a colander, full of holes everywhere.


    Although its market value was still 36.2 billion before the suspension, all the institutions had long since downgraded its credit rating, with not one above a 3C level, just one notch above D-rated junk stocks.


    One could imagine that once trading resumed, there would be at least ten continuous limit-downs, not to mention that Old Jia had been forced into execution by the court. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Hundreds of thousands of retail investors were trapped, their pleas going unheard by both heaven and earth.


    Now Old Jia really had no shame left, sticking to people like a dog''s plaster, not only repulsive but also clingy.


    "..." Little Wang''s face turned dark, his expression as uncomfortable as if he had eaten a fly.


    He finally understood why Old Jia had just so eagerly tried to rub up against him.


    With a smile, Lu Liang said nothing more and walked over to where Ivan''s family was.


    Along the way, he grabbed another glass of white wine, still smiling, "Mr. Trump, hello."


    The businessman clinked glasses lightly, all smiles, "Mr. Lu, are you interested in investing in some industries in our country?"


    Lu Liang was startled, then said, "Of course I''m interested, I just haven''t decided yet what to invest in..."


    He was halfway through speaking when the businessman interrupted strongly, raising his hand, "It''s good that you''re interested. Come to the White House to talk tomorrow."


    "If you have the time, that would be perfect."


    Lu Liang''s smile remained unchanged, though he sighed inwardly. It was his first encounter, and the filter of power at the top was so thick that he subconsciously forgot Old Ma''s warning.


    "Let''s aim for around three o''clock in the afternoon. I don''t usually have much time in the morning."


    "Alright."


    "Ivan, Jia Li, why don''t you talk to Mr. Lu for a bit, I must be going."


    The businessman was like a gust of wind, coming hastily and leaving hastily, leaving only the princess and the Prince Consort behind.


    However, his actions also led everyone to raise their assessment of Lu Liang by another level.


    There were over a hundred people present, and when he came, apart from his family, he didn''t converse with anyone else.


    And after chatting with Lu Liang, he left directly, which indicated that he had come tonight only for Lu Liang.


    "Mr. Lu, I''m sorry, my father is like that. Sometimes, he just has to leave due to sudden matters while we''re talking."


    Ivan''s face showed distress as she watched her father''s departing figure, openly playing out a script of filial piety in front of everyone and in front of Lu Liang.


    The son-in-law, not to be outdone, gripped his wife''s hand tightly, his face full of admiration, "Dad works hard, but this country can''t do without him."


    "His spirit is worth learning from."


    Lu Liang managed a grin, though his flesh did not smile. Suddenly, he could understand Little Wang''s feeling of wanting to swear but having to sing praises instead.


    "Miss Ivan, is this your husband?" he quickly changed the subject. It was too awkward, cringeworthy to the point of itching.


    He also had some insight, perhaps this was what politicians were like.


    Knowing exactly what he was doing and aware that everyone else knew why, he still went ahead and did it.


    "Mr. Lu, hello, I forgot to introduce myself." Jia Li smiled, "My name is Jia Li Kushner."


    "Mr. Kushner, hello," Lu Liang replied with a smile. He naturally recognized the other party, but wanted to steer the conversation away.


    If the businessman could be compared to Wanda Wang family domestically, then his in-laws would probably be like the Yang Family of Country Garden.


    Jia Li Kushner''s father was also a famous real estate tycoon, and the marriage of their children was a union of strengths.


    Furthermore, not only was the daughter an informal advisor to the White House, but the son-in-law was a senior advisor and a key member of the staff team.


    Rumors had it that last year''s online media campaign strategy was orchestrated by Jia Li, which became the decisive factor in defeating Larry.


    Neither in this family was easy-going; they were like the enduring influence passed down through six generations of Qin Fen, hence their domination.


    Without the family being full of talented people and wealthy, how could a political novice possibly beat Larry with 16 years of political legacy and summit the pinnacle of power?


    "Mr. Lu, you probably have some industries in mind for investment. I know a few very good real estate consultants."


    Jia Li was all smiles, and with the businessman new in office, advocating for all industrial capitals to flow back to the United States soil.


    Whether it was him or the Kushner family, they were determined to throw their support behind making sure he could turn in a satisfactory report card to the nation in his first year.


    As long as the businessman didn''t slip up during his term, re-election was nearly a foregone conclusion. An eight-year tenure would leave a political legacy for both families, blessing three generations.


    Both families could also complete a class leap to become one of the top-tier family groups not just in the United States but in the world.


    Lu Liang''s mind raced as he pondered for a moment and said, "Maybe I''ll take a look at General Motors in Detroit and try to reach a cooperation agreement with them."


    The three key components of electric cars are the battery, motor, and electric control, while for fuel vehicles they are the engine, transmission, and chassis.


    For both types of vehicles, the only major common component might be the chassis system, which is why Dizi, Chang''an, Great Wall, Geely, and others all have the reputation of shipyards.


    The domestic chassis systems are really not that well tuned. Since Old Te wanted to forcefully make him invest, Lu Liang made no secret of his aim directly at General Motors.


    A century-old automobile company with brands including Buick, Chevrolet, Cadillac, Jaguar Land Rover, and other international marques.


    No matter how tough American cars could be, they still have a foundation. If he could get one or two patents, that would definitely be better than the domestic chassis technology.


    Moreover, General Motors'' headquarters are intriguingly located in Detroit, Michigan¡ªa traditional swing state.


    Although they elected a businessman this time, who they would choose next, no one could guarantee.


    Swing states have always been crucial battlegrounds.


    If he helped Lu Liang get a few chassis technologies, he wouldn''t mind investing a bit to help the businessman secure votes in the swing state.


    "General Motors?"


    Jia Li''s brow furrowed, instantly grasping Lu Liang''s intention¡ªhe was planning to have his father-in-law go toe-to-toe with a century-old car company.


    Ivan squinted her eyes and looked earnestly at Lu Liang, then suddenly smiled and said, "Mr. Lu, perhaps tomorrow you should talk to Daddy and have a good chat then."


    "That''s true, Mr. Trump might have a clearer understanding," Lu Liang said with a smile, casually chattering before moving to other conversations.


    Jia Li watched as Lu Liang mingled with others, his brow tightly furrowed, "Did he think of this beforehand, or was it a spur-of-the-moment reaction?"


    "I''m not sure."


    Ivan showed a slight smile, gently shaking her head, and then instructed, "Remember to speak to Daddy about this later when we get back."


    It wasn''t that Lu Liang''s request was impossible to help with.


    It mainly hinged on what price he was willing to pay and whether it was enough to justify them setting their sights on a century-old automobile company.


    The swing state is a strategic battleground, and General Motors has been entrenched for many years in Detroit, in Michigan. Their influence runs deep.


    They were willing to support the businessman''s election this term because they managed to reach an agreement, but for the next term, there were no guarantees.


    If Lu Liang''s investment was substantial enough to excite them, they might not mind giving him a hand.


    An outsider would generally be easier to control.


    "What were you just talking about?"


    Seeing Lu Liang step away from the businessman''s circle, Little Wang approached with curiosity, sniffing out the scoop.


    The banquet was truly dull; whether talking to someone else or someone else talking to him, the conversation seldom strayed from Lu Liang.


    "It''s nothing." Lu Liang smiled and shook his head, then asked, "Where are the people from the exchange? I should go say hello."


    "They''re over there, surrounding Mr. Suo and a few others." Little Wang gestured with his lips towards an elderly man with white hair.


    The arsonist behind the Asian financial crisis of yesteryears was now 87 years old but only looked to be in his seventies.


    Lu Liang recognized Old Suo; they had exchanged barbs on Twitter last year when Old England went through Brexit, so he had looked into his background.


    After learning the names of the remaining people from Little Wang, he approached with a smile and said, "Mr. Suo, Mr. Bilock, Mr. Gardson, hello."


    "Mr. Lu, are you satisfied with the arrangements this evening?" Mr. Suo beamed, showing a hint of admiration in his eyes.


    "Very much so, but I regret not being able to come earlier to greet you and say hello."


    Lu Liang had heard from Cruick that among the hosts of the evening''s banquet were Wilson and Soros, besides himself.


    The real mastermind behind the 1997 Asian financial crisis wasn''t Old Suo; he wasn''t powerful enough for that.


    After all, he had only made one billion dollars. Even in ''97, that only granted him a seat at the kids'' table during the feast.


    He had merely been pushed forward as a target, drawing the public''s ire from various countries, much like Lu Liang the year before last.


    But times change, and over twenty years, he and Quantum Fund had become a pillar of Wall Street.


    That''s why a welcome banquet initiated by them drew so many celebrities and officials to attend spontaneously.

 Chapter 330 - 329: A Night of Blossoms

    "Panda is a very outstanding enterprise, and Mr. Wang is also a very outstanding CEO."


    Lu Liang showed a smile as he beckoned Little Wang over to help Panda with the completion of its IPO audit, which was currently the top priority.


    Little Wang approached with a big smile, trotting over and standing quietly and obediently by the side, waiting for Boss Lu to help with the recommendation.


    Lu Liang paused, then added, "Mr. Bilock, Mr. Gardson, perhaps you are not aware that live commerce is an industry that has emerged in our country in recent years and has great potential for development."


    "Our country has many excellent products, but most manufacturers do not have enough funds to engage celebrities for long-term endorsements, so they opt for short-term online promotions, which has become their best choice."


    "This isn''t about unpredictable gains, it can be considered as advertising revenue, just like promotions on YouTube."


    Gardson and Bilock exchanged smiles, and Gardson said, "Mr. Lu, in the past month, we have also invited a third-party agency to investigate and follow up. The rejection of the IPO audit last time was indeed due to our negligence without a thorough investigation."


    Little Wang rejoiced and complimented, "This precisely demonstrates the rigor of the Nasdaq audit team and their responsibility toward market investors."


    The Nasdaq listing audit team consisted of 16 members, with Gardson and Bilock being the leader and deputy, respectively.


    Their words indicated that when Panda resubmitted its IPO documentation tomorrow, it was basically a secured deal.


    After exchanging a few casual pleasantries, sensing that Mr. Suo and Lu Liang had matters to discuss, Bilock turned to Little Wang, inviting him aside for a detailed conversation about the subsequent IPO and roadshow.


    "Mr. Lu, there is something I don''t understand."


    Soros looked pensive as he turned to Lu Liang, questioning why he was so certain last year that Old England dared to Brexit.


    At the time, almost everyone worldwide thought it was an impossible task.


    Even if some believed Brexit would succeed, they were merely seen as jesters seeking attention; no one would actually bet all their assets on buying Gold and shorting British Pounds. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Only Lu Liang, from the beginning to the end, believed that Old England would Brexit and resolutely put forth over 50 billion US Dollars, risking it all.


    Last July''s incident in the south was somewhat traceable, as the military strength of East Country wasn''t weak, so there was a possibility that the US Army could be pushed back.


    But for Old England to hold a referendum on Brexit and succeed was an extremely improbable black swan event.


    He thought about it for a long time, unable to comprehend.


    Lu Liang chuckled and said, "Mr. Suo, frankly I can''t quite explain it myself. If I had to say, it might just be a gut feeling."


    "Do your best and leave the rest to fate."


    Soros murmured to himself, unable to resist a laugh¡ªnot deriding Lu Liang''s response, but mocking his own question.


    For successful individuals facing major decisions, not one was without reliance on luck, for what could be done had been done; the rest was up to divine decision.


    Luck is indeed mysterious. Initially, there were three kinds of people who voted for Brexit: those brainwashed to believe the EU was a burden, those who voted just because, doubting it would actually happen, and finally, those who thought since no one else would vote for it, they might as well.


    It actually happened, because the latter two mindsets predominated.


    "This phrase is very standard."


    "It was taught to me by Andy."


    Soros called over his assistant, a thirty-something Chinese mixed-race woman nearby, who smiled slightly, "Mr. Lu, my name is Andy, or you can also call me Huang Yuanzhi."


    "Your persona is like that of a gem among nations; your Chinese name sounds nicer than Andy."


    Huang Yuanzhi paused, her voice soft as she said, "Thank you, this is the first time I''ve known that my name comes from that phrase."


    She was born and raised in the United States, including her parents, and her Chinese name was given by her grandfather whom she had never met.


    At that moment, Cruick came over to greet and told Lu Liang, "Mr. Lu, it''s time for you to speak on stage."


    Tonight''s banquet was initiated in the name of Lu Liang, and with the atmosphere at its peak, it was time for him, the main character, to say a few words.


    "Mr. Suo, Miss Huang, I''ll go up first."


    Lu Liang nodded, gesturing subtly to Little Wang.


    Little Wang understood implicitly; they had come together, and he wouldn''t let Lu Liang attract all the attention alone; he, too, needed to help share the burden.


    "Ladies and gentlemen, good evening, I am Lu Liang."


    Lu Liang walked up to the podium, smiling, and spoke in confident but imperfect English, "This is my first time in New York, and my first time setting foot on the soil of the United States, and I''m very happy to meet so many new friends..."


    As his words fell, everyone immediately stopped their conversations and spontaneously focused their attention on Lu Liang.


    The banquet had been going on for nearly an hour, and whether they came due to various reasons, through hearsay, they had also heard of Lu Liang''s deeds.


    At 32 years old, younger than Mark Zuckerberg, currently unmarried and childless, from East Country, a financial titan crossing international borders, confronting traditional powerhouses of Wall Street repeatedly without a single defeat.


    Five months ago, he launched a 45.4 billion US Dollar fund, each time with shares of about 4.5 billion US Dollars, which were snatched up in less than half an hour, demonstrating his formidable influence.


    For all these years, New York''s elite had never hosted such a grand welcome for a native-born Chinese.


    This was enough to prove his influence in the financial markets, not only in his own country but also recognized by international capital.


    "I have a friend who founded a company that climbed to the forefront of the industry in two years and innovatively changed the current e-commerce model."


    Lu Liang spoke, then suddenly shifted the topic to Panda, "This time, I came mainly to assist a company I am very optimistic about in completing its Nasdaq listing review."


    The review passage was a fait accompli. Next came the IPO roadshow. Lu Liang couldn''t accompany Little Wang everywhere every day.


    Seizing this opportunity, he pushed Little Wang and Panda to the forefront to familiarize everyone and share the burden.


    Everyone present was either a top executive on Wall Street or a cultural and sports superstar.


    Being recognized by them meant Panda wouldn''t have to worry about a lack of interest in the upcoming IPO.


    "Let''s give him a round of applause and encourage him."


    Lu Liang smiled and led the clapping, and the audience very graciously joined in.


    "Damn, he''s lucky."


    Old Jia cursed enviously, his eyes turning red. If Lu Liang had promoted his FF like this, he wouldn''t have needed to struggle for investments and could have just directly gone public.


    Little Wang''s steps were slightly stiff as he walked to the front of the stage, took the microphone, and bowed, "Everyone, my name is Wang Xiaocong, the CEO of Panda Interactive Entertainment..."


    Lu Liang smiled with the corners of his mouth raised, achieving success and stepping back.


    Just back offstage, a group of supermodels and famous actresses naturally gathered around him.


    "Lu, let me introduce myself, my name is Koeler."


    A dark-skinned girl, but without the typical broad nose and large lips, greeted him with a broad smile, extending her slender hand.


    Beside her, there were a few women looking like models, with one particularly noticeable for her thick lips and curvy hips.


    Referred to as the American Fan Binbin, Kim Kardashian, the sisters likely all belonged to the famous New York Kardashian family.


    "Miss Koeler, hello."


    Lu Liang showed a polite yet smiling face, but he hurried off after exchanging greetings.


    He liked healthy girls, not ones artificially enhanced.


    The boyfriends of these three sisters, could form a reinforced squad, especially favored by the athletes within the Black community.


    Sometimes manpower is limited; Little Lu knew his limits.


    Lu Liang wandered around and then came near Cruick, casually picking up a drink from the table to moisten his throat.


    He was the central figure of the banquet, and every place he visited required a few words of conversation; his mouth was nearly dry.


    Cruick grinned, "Really? Passing up such a good opportunity? Just by snapping your fingers, you could have snagged one at least."


    Clearly, he had tried or heard of not just one similar incident; sisters flying together was fun.


    "I like subtle girls," replied Lu Liang with a smile.


    "Subtle?"


    Cruick mockingly tiptoed to scan the venue and sighed with resignation, "I guess, there aren''t any here tonight."


    He smiled that knowing smile of a man, "Tomorrow night I''ll take you to a good place, they''re all the type you like."


    "Then it''s a deal," said Lu Liang with a broad smile. Agreeing was one thing, attending was another.


    "I''ll contact you when it''s time," Cruick squinting happily, pleased that Lu Liang was a kindred spirit.


    Juicy mature peaches are great with their skills, but crisp, tender young apples have their charms.


    Especially Caucasian girls, their bloom time is short, the real prime are those high schoolers.


    Like Scarlett, Hathaway, Megan Fox, etc., their most beautiful time was around seventeen or eighteen.


    Lu Liang coughed and interrupted, "Actually, Hathaway and Megan Fox are still pretty good now."


    "Lu, so you like that type."


    Cruick grinned mischievously, thumping his chest in assurance. Although they didn''t make it this time, if there''s a next time, he would definitely have them freshly showered, lying on a hotel bed.


    "Then it''s settled."


    Before long, applause rang out in the venue.


    Little Wang came down from the stage, and Lu Liang said with a smile, "The response was good; the upcoming IPO will require less effort."


    Little Wang''s smile was slightly stiff as he whispered, "Damn, I''m sweating bullets."


    "Don''t be so tense; think of yourself as the boss, you''re here to deliver money to them."


    Lu Liang hinted with a nod for Little Wang to look around; several well-dressed older men were eyeing them.


    Unless something unexpected happened, tonight, Panda would have its stock issuers settled.

 Chapter 331 - 330: Set Up to Kill

    The night deepened, and the dinner party was nearing its end.


    People leaving solo or in twos, threes, or groups were a common sight. "The Wolf of Wall Street" wasn''t just a movie, it felt more like a documentary.


    During the event, Lu Liang visited the restroom twice¡ªonce he smelled the scent of frying pork fat, and another time he overheard a woman''s soft moan.


    Therefore, claiming to be overwhelmed by alcohol, he had Xu Jiawei support him as he returned to his upstairs room to rest, with Little Wang seeing this and mimicking his actions, following right behind Lu Liang.


    As soon as Lu Liang swiped his card and entered the room, Little Wang followed suit. Lu Liang''s eyes cleared, and he looked at him disapprovingly, "What do you want?"


    "Just squeezing in. I can sleep in the living room."


    With a helpless look on his face, Little Wang pulled out clump after clump of paper from his pocket¡ªeach inscribed with a code.


    "This Black chick''s figure, tsk tsk, you have no idea how fine she is."


    "And this white MILF, damn, busty with a slim waist and a big butt, it''s amazing."


    "And this one is a Victoria''s Secret supermodel¡­"


    Looking pitiful, Little Wang, in for a long night, was afraid he couldn''t control himself if he slept in the next room alone.


    Before he could finish speaking, Lu Liang pushed, pulled, and escorted him out the door, even fastening the door with a security lock: "If you can''t sleep, just jerk off on your own, don''t fucking disturb my sleep."


    "Heartless man," Little Wang sighed softly, looking down at his right hand before silently returning to his room.


    Meanwhile, approaching midday Beijing time, the news about the New York dinner party continued to ferment.


    Normally, pictures from such events rarely leaked, but this time was different, with the internet flooded with photos from various angles.


    These included, but were not limited to, Lu Liang enjoying a lively conversation with the Trump family, with Soros, with the Kardashian clan, with Wall Street top brass, and scenes of him giving a speech.


    "My man Lu killing it, Liangzi truly is the star of the party. Come on, Heizi, time to speak up."


    "With all this grandeur, Liangzi''s name not being on the rich list¡ªForbes really needs to do some introspection."


    "But seriously, isn''t anyone curious about how Liangzi has earned such a grand welcome?"


    "He must have sold some key information, or else he''s just a Wall Street lapdog. What''s so strange about that? Any sane person would choose freedom."


    "Spouting nonsense. What did he sell, and how exactly did he get roped in as a dog? Come out with some real facts."


    Online opinion was divided into two camps: Lu Liang''s die-hard fans and fund investors on one side, and conspiracy theorists on the other.


    The former group thought that Lu Liang''s treatment abroad was enough to immortalize him back home. The last Chinese to receive this level of adoration in the West was Chen Long, who received the Academy Lifetime Achievement Award last year.


    The latter group speculated that Lu Liang must have struck some kind of deal with Wall Street institutions, joining, or even becoming a part of them, otherwise he couldn''t possibly be receiving such high-level honors.


    A tiny fraction of internet users who saw the truth believed this was a set-up to overhype Lu Liang. If the welcome was genuinely that grand, there wouldn''t be so many detailed photos leaking, specifically targeting Lu Liang alone.


    It was reminiscent of a scientist from the last century who was framed after merely meeting a foreign friend and accidentally being photographed, thus raising questions meant to delay a project''s research.


    However, the truth is often drowned out in public opinion, and in the black-and-white world of the internet, it stirs up no waves at all.


    As time passed, an hour later, Edinburgh welcomed the first light of dawn.


    "Umm~~ Why do you wake up so early every day?"


    "I remember my mom telling me that when she was eight or nine months pregnant with me, she wished she could sleep fifteen hours a day."


    Zheng Xiaoxuan sat on the edge of the bed, head drooping, her short hair a mess like a bird''s nest¡ªif not for her ear piercings and the fact her chest puffed out, you''d mistake her for a boy at first glance. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Sorry for waking you," Su Wanyu said apologetically, hand on her waist, face showing the shyness of a young girl.


    She paused, then whispered, "Xiaoxuan, you could actually go home to sleep. You don''t have to keep watch over me every day."


    "What now? Weren''t you the one who said you wouldn''t mind having a ''godmother''?" Zheng Xiaoxuan glared.


    Su Wanyu silently lowered her head and softly said, "Thank you."


    "Thank you for what?"


    Zheng Xiaoxuan smiled warmly, quickly slipping under Su Wanyu''s blankets, basking in the comforting warmth and delicious aroma.


    "So comfortable," she squinted, "I''m on summer vacation recently, and if it weren''t for you taking me in, I''d be dead from boredom delivering goods with my mom every day or acting as a translator for my dad."


    "It''s better living with you, peaceful and undisturbed. Our own little world for two."


    Zheng Xiaoxuan sneaked a peek, hoping to catch Su Wanyu''s reaction, but she seemed not to hear, keeping her head down in silence.


    "What are you looking at?"


    She was very curious, so she stuck her little head out and saw Su Wanyu browsing news on Instagram. "My Meimei, when will she ever come to Edinburgh for a concert?"


    "Wow, even the Kardashian sisters? It''s rare to see them appear together at an event, and businessmen, too? Is there some big event happening in New York?"


    Su Wanyu was silent for a long time before answering softly, "It''s not a big event, it''s a welcome for someone''s arrival."


    "Who is it, to have such a grand welcome?" Zheng Xiaoxuan was surprised because she saw a family of businessmen as well.


    It was hard to imagine who could pull such a crowd, especially since they generally don''t mix.


    "Liang... Lu Liang."


    "Lu Liang? Is he Chinese?"


    "Mm-hmm."


    "What does he do to be so amazing?"


    "The financial industry."


    "The financial industry? I remember now, isn''t he the one who predicted Brexit and shorted British Pounds last year?"


    Zheng Xiaoxuan suddenly got excited. There had been a heated discussion in the Chinese community, with many people angrily criticizing Lu Liang.


    She tends to like what others dislike, so she started following Lu Liang''s Twitter account at that time.


    However, after he was officially banned for three days, he never came back online, and she forgot about him.


    Su Wanyu nodded, with a forced smile on her face, and subconsciously touched her belly.


    "Is the baby kicking you again?" Zheng Xiaoxuan hurriedly leaned in to listen for any movement.


    Su Wanyu whispered, "Not really, I guess it hasn''t woken up yet."


    "Nonsense, I can hear the little heart thumping."


    Zheng Xiaoxuan squinted her eyes and flashed an auntie''s smile. "Have you thought of a name for the baby yet?"


    "I''m still thinking." Su Wanyu hesitated for a while and then slowly said two words, "Siqing, how about that?"


    "I disagree, there''s a song called ''Siqing, Korea''s sorrow~'' It''s not good for the baby to be born sad."


    "Is that how it goes?"


    "Doesn''t matter, it''s just not okay."


    "Then I''ll keep thinking."


    ¡­


    The next morning, headlines all across America were reporting on Lu Liang''s arrival, and a grand welcoming dinner had been held for him the night before.


    "This fuckin'' sucks, was everything I said last night for nothing?"


    Little Wang was furious, rummaging through the Fox newspaper to the New York Daily News and then to the Wall Street Journal.


    In all the front-page pictures, he either had only half a face showing or just had the back of his head visible.


    He flipped through more than a dozen different newspapers and couldn''t put together a single full-face photo.


    "It wasn''t for nothing; you''ve still got ''Panda'', what''s the use of all these empty titles?"


    Unable to hold back a smile, Lu Liang took a sip of coffee and pointed to a few lines in the newspaper.


    ''Panda'' had been mentioned by all the media, after all, his main intention of coming to America was to assist Panda in completing its IPO review process.


    It was foreseeable that the first hurdle for Chinese concept stocks going public in the US would not involve a cold IPO reception that Panda would have to face.


    Little Wang sighed, held back his words, but couldn''t help saying, "Actually, I''m worried about you."


    This was blatant over-exaltation. A Chinese person, coming to America for the first time, receiving such extraordinary treatment was alarming. What exactly were they planning?


    "I''m already here, I''ll deal with things as they come."


    Lu Liang smiled indifferently, let them praise him; he wasn''t particularly concerned. He had anticipated this situation before coming and guessed that it might happen.


    "Aren''t you worried you won''t be able to go back?" Little Wang asked.


    Given the past incident with Alstom and Pierluigi, who was effectively under house arrest for five years, and the multinational corporation was dismantled.


    Lu Liang chuckled, "You must have paranoid delusions. What''s Alstom''s international status when compared to mine? I''m just a guy with some cash, not worth making such a big fuss over."

 Chapter 332 - 331: 5 Billion US Dollars Investment

    Technology is the core competitive strength.


    This, Lu Liang was very clear about, so he dared to come to New York to assist Panda with the IPO review despite having offended so many institutions many times.


    The United States could mess with him by simply finding an excuse to freeze their accounts and, with a delay of three to five months, the fund company would be completely paralyzed.


    "Think about it from another angle, would you still use rule-breaking methods against a target that can be manipulated at will?"


    Mr. Lu said with a smile on his lips, patting Little Wang on the shoulder, planning to head to Washington because the White House is not in New York.


    Little Wang was stunned and hurriedly asked, "Aren''t you coming with us to submit the documents to the exchange?"


    Mr. Lu looked speechless, "You''ve grown up, don''t turn to me for everything."


    After last night''s chat where the name ''Panda'' spread everywhere this morning, now even if Little Wang didn''t want to go public, there was a whole group forcing him to let Panda go public.


    It was a sure-win deal. No one would pick a fight with money.


    "By the way, don''t be polite."


    Before leaving, Mr. Lu specifically instructed, "The valuation can now be set higher, 35 billion US dollars is also feasible."


    NASDAQ is a miraculous market, domestic expectations aside, foreign expectations are even higher.


    With fame already established and potential investors at hand, as long as the story is well crafted, listing at an evaluation of 40 billion US dollars wouldn''t be difficult.


    Having said that, he left.


    At three o''clock in the afternoon, Mr. Lu had an appointment with a businessman. New York is about 350 kilometers from Washington.


    It normally takes three and a half hours to drive, so Mr. Lu wanted to depart early, allowing extra time to understand more about General Motors.


    General Motors, being an automotive company for a century, has a lot of good things, it only depends on whether the businessman dares to make the cut.


    Mr. Lu''s requirements were low, only wanting the platform technology, even if it was one or two generations behind.


    In China, there is no lack of research and development talents, but the direction of research is blocked.


    No matter how they detour, they can''t avoid the patented technology held by Japan, Korea, Europe, and America, they can only choose to develop electric vehicles through other routes.


    "Back in the army, did you ever fight?"


    With 80 kilometers left to Washington,


    Mr. Lu, with nothing else to do, picked up his cousin''s service gun to fiddle with.


    The cold touch and the pitch-black muzzle, even holding it in one''s own hand and pointing it at oneself elicited a heart-wrenching feeling.


    Even emperors and generals, hit squarely on the forehead by a tiny peanut, would still end returning to the earth, a truly equal tool among beings.


    "I did," Fang Shiyu answered.


    "How were the results?"


    "Pretty excellent, I guess."


    "Not modest at all."


    "The results were indeed very good."


    Mr. Lu chuckled, handing the service gun back to his cousin, who was his driver and also a member of the security team.


    Just yesterday after landing, including him, four security personnel applied for gun permits. This morning, they got four in total, one for each person.


    Mr. Lu turned to Xu Jiawei, instructing, "If there''s nothing tonight, find a shooting range to have some fun."


    He wanted to experience the ''dada dada'' sound and see if it emits blue light.


    Xu Jiawei was stunned, "Mr. Lu, tonight, didn''t you promise Mr. Cruick?"


    Mr. Lu scoffed, "If he asks, just say I don''t have time."


    Cruick had put it very subtly, but Mr. Lu still heard the hint of planning to take him to enjoy something fancy.


    But being new here, unfamiliar with life, what if he falls for an immortal jump and ends up disgraced?


    Even if it wasn''t an immortal jump, it would still give someone leverage over him, a cause for gossip.


    What if someday the expose happened, being a foreigner, he would definitely be the first to be targeted.


    This was different from Sakurada Miyuki in Tokyo,


    After all, she was of age, and Mr. Lu was unmarried.


    An unmarried man with money, having multiple girlfriends was at most akin to trying on several pairs of shoes to see if they fit.


    On the contrary, Cruick''s notion of ''flower in high school years'' should be an implicit expression, the actual age probably even younger.


    Abroad, if anything went wrong, one could only cede territories and pay compensations, sign humiliating treaties, and no one could save him.


    He simply needed to stay vigilant.


    At one-thirty in the afternoon, Mr. Lu arrived in Washington.


    He randomly picked a restaurant to grab a few bites, then contacted Mr. Te''s senior advisor, also the Prince Consort, Jia Li.


    After going through numerous security checks, he finally entered the center of power of the United States.


    "Mr. Lu, please wait a moment, Mr. Te is still in a meeting and is expected to be late."


    "Mr. Jia, did you convey my thoughts?"


    Mr. Lu had 3.5 billion US dollars in liquid funds in Tokyo, planning to invest in this project.


    The funds Ota Ling wouldn''t let him take away, but that didn''t mean he had no way to take them.


    Although he had assets in Tokyo, his position was very passive, and he needed a strong third party to intervene to liberate the funds.


    The United States comprehensively suppressed Japan, forcibly dismantling their prized semiconductor industry and distributing it to Korea, without even allowing them to protest.


    That third party force was exactly what Mr. Lu needed most.


    "I''ve mentioned it already."


    Jia Li nodded, pondered for a moment, and then asked, "Mr. Lu, could you reveal how much money you plan to invest?"


    "I plan to invest a total of 5 billion US dollars to create fifty thousand direct jobs. This will be Tianxing Automobile''s only mega factory in Europe and the United States."


    Lu Liang spoke confidently about the plan ¨C after all, what he planned to invest wasn''t necessarily what he had to invest.


    Repeatedly bothered by Old Jia lately, he had also learned advanced entrepreneurial concepts from him, S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Relying on just a few PowerPoint slides to take a company public, even under the identity of a beaten down, fleeing overseas individual.


    Lu Liang saw no reason to be inferior to him.


    It would be best if the factory could be established, but if it couldn''t, they could just package it and go public, creating havoc in the stock market.


    The United States is indeed very free, as he never intended to stay long-term, and could act without much consideration.


    Jia Li was overjoyed, quickly asking, "Mr. Lu, have you already decided on Detroit?"


    If someone else casually mentioned 5 billion US dollars, he would definitely think they were just blustering.


    But Lu Liang was different. With his influence, even in New York, he could initiate nearly 10 billion US dollars in bonds.


    Truly managing to transform his reputation and influence into operable funds.


    "Detroit is indeed more convenient because it is essentially an industrial metropolis."


    Detroit is home not only to General Motors but also to Ford and Chrysler, their headquarters all located there; it was called the world''s car city back in the 1930s.


    At the beginning of the 20th century, Detroit went through a peak period of industrialization and became one of the most affluent cities in the world.


    Although it officially declared bankruptcy four years ago, becoming the largest municipal bankruptcy in the history of the United States, similar to Huaxi Village back in China, a skinny camel is still bigger than a horse.


    A bankrupt city government needs more foreign capital and fresh blood.


    Though Lu Liang had made the worst-case preparation, he hoped for a positive development.


    Jia Li pondered for a moment; suddenly, his secretary knocked and entered, whispering in his ear.


    He said: "Mr. Lu, please have a seat, Mr. Trump has just finished his meeting, I''m going to prepare."


    "You go ahead."


    Another half an hour passed, and Lu Liang, bored, had already drunk three cups of coffee when he suddenly glanced at the iconic spire outside the window.


    "May I take a photo?"


    He turned his head to ask the black man assigned to host him.


    As a Chinese individual coming to the power center of the United States, not taking a photo to mark his visit seemed unreasonable.


    He also needed to prove that no matter where he went, he could be a distinguished guest of that country.


    The black man considered for a moment, smiling, "Yes, but sir, may I take it for you?"


    Lu Liang nodded; anyway, his mobile phone had no signal here, and there wasn''t any confidential information in it anyway.


    He stood by the window, his mouth smiling, showing his teeth, very much in the mindset of a tourist, making a ''V'' sign with his fingers on his chest.


    "Alright, sir," said the black man, his face speechless. This internationally known financial mogul seemed a little frivolous.


    "Thank you," Lu Liang took his phone, checked the photo, and was quite satisfied with his expression management.


    He was here to play and mark this visit, needing to differentiate it clearly, and definitely not appear too reverential, which might lead to misunderstandings.


    Smiling and showing teeth, making a ''V'' sign was just right.


    He had played his part, asserted his status, and did so without inviting criticism.


    After waiting a while, Old Te and Jia Li arrived late, with Old Te immediately giving Lu Liang a tight hug.


    "Lu, sorry to keep you waiting," Old Te said, beaming, a stark contrast to his cold demeanor the previous night, now warmly enthusiastic.


    Last night, he had intended to compel Lu Liang to invest,


    The investment amount and job creation were uncertain.


    But just now, Jia Li had told him about Lu Liang''s plans to invest 5 billion US dollars in Detroit.


    If they could restore even 20% of the city''s former glory, the Swing State would no longer be a swing state.


    Perhaps, years later, they might even need to make space on Mount Rushmore to carve his likeness.


    The two talked for about forty minutes in the conference room.


    Lastly, they reached a consensus that as long as Lu Liang''s 2 billion US dollars in initial capital arrived, he would help negotiate with General Motors.


    Lu Liang also had Wen Chao in Tokyo send the 358 million US dollars kept in Mitsui Sumitomo Bank.


    He didn''t use Tianxing Investment or Tianxing Technology''s name domestically but under the name of Xingheng Investment Company.


    This company was an asset management firm established by Wen Chao in Tokyo at the behest of Lu Liang.


    He had the funds, and if Ota Ling wouldn''t allow it, he''d have Old Te take care of them, giving them dignity if they wanted it, or helping them maintain it if they didn''t.


    Overseas funds were overseas funds, domestic funds were domestic funds; as long as they were clear, there would be no accusations of capital flight.

 Chapter 333 - 332: There Are Always People Trying to Harm Me

    "Alaf America, Alafuchina~"


    Just as the two walked out of the meeting room, a dozen journalists with long and short cameras suddenly emerged at the door.


    Old Te had his arm around Lu Liang''s shoulder, his smile even more victorious than before, with a sense of compelling force.


    Lu Liang felt ill at ease, his smile unchanged as he quickly added, "Alafuchina, Alaf America~"


    The order and stance were very important; he had cooperated with the United States for the sake of profit, not for the sake of the United States.


    Old Te''s smile remained. As a shrewd businessman, setting traps for his partners had become a common practice.


    Since it was about setting a trap, it meant that it might be successful, or it might not; he did not get angry and directly called for a press conference.


    One plan failed, another took its place.


    Old Te, with a broad smile, recounted their just-agreed strategic cooperation plan worth no less than five billion dollars.


    Lu Liang would invest in building a factory in Detroit, Michigan, bringing back the glory of the once-great industrial city.


    "Lu is not only an excellent financier but also a remarkable real-world entrepreneur."


    Old Te looked at Lu Liang with deep affection, almost selling him as Detroit''s hope for the light of industry, an industrial savior.


    He did not forget to boast about himself, claiming his six-month governance plan for capital and job repatriation in the United States was a massive success.


    He had brought many companies back to the homeland and attracted foreign investors like Yao Fu, Ali, and Tianxing.


    "Mr. Trump, that''s too kind. Detroit hosts giants like General Motors and Ford, and a mature industrial chain related to automobiles such as steel, instrumentation, plastics, and glass tires, which are the main reasons for our investment."


    Lu Liang smiled subtly, wishing he could punch Old Te under the table; the total investment of five billion dollars was directly inflated by him to no less than five billion dollars.


    He couldn''t refute this point, nor did he bother to.


    However, the title of Detroit''s industrial hope couldn''t be affirmed, hence he clarified that it was merely for profit, not for fame.


    After all, businessmen go wherever there is profit; there could be no blame in that.


    The title of hope should be left to the genuine natives. He, an outsider, could not take on that responsibility.


    "It''s all the same, all the same."


    Old Te, grinning broadly, warmly draped his arm around Lu Liang, snapping a photo destined to grace the front page of newspapers across the nation tomorrow.


    After the press conference, Old Te had another event to rush to, leaving his prince consort behind to accompany Lu Liang around.


    Hearing that Lu Liang was interested in shooting ranges, Jia Li took him to a professional range in the suburbs of Washington.


    "Mr. Lu, you want to try this?"


    Jia Li, with a strange expression, couldn''t help but kindly remind, "This gun has a very strong recoil, really strong."


    On the table before them lay a heavy sniper rifle about 1.45 meters long and weighing about 20 kilograms.


    It had a resounding name: Barrett.


    "Let''s try it!" Lu Liang was very confident, a spark of excitement gleaming in his eyes, like a child seeing a long-yearned-for toy.


    In his mind, there were two legendary guns: one was the Gatling that spit blue fire, and the other was the legendary cannon, the Barrett.


    He nostalgically remembered when CF first came out; without the Fire Qilin or the Thunder God, the long, dark Barrett was the undisputed god gun, wreaking havoc in biohazard mode¡ªone shot, one little friend.


    "Alright, let''s load Mr. Lu''s gun." Unable to dissuade him, Jia Li could only ask the coach to bring over the special ammo for the heavy sniper.


    Fang Shiyu silently stood by Lu Liang''s side, extending his large, fan-like hand to support his shoulder to prevent injury.


    "Looking down on whom?" Lu Liang''s eyes narrowed. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With a loud bang, he also gave up on the Gatling, prematurely ending today''s shooting journey.


    Meanwhile, Lu Liang''s Weibo was updated with his iconic pointy rooftop, clearly revealing his location.


    "Old Te is living it up, even inviting Liangzi."


    "... Isn''t this totally the reverse Heavenly Gang? It should be said that Liangzi is living it up, he even made it to the White House."


    "HAHAHA, this expression, this gesture, just like my dad traveling and checking in everywhere."


    "Even though, seems Liangzi is taking it a bit too lightly, this is the center of power after all, such a frivolous expression."


    "It does feel like that, Liangzi is still too young, unaware that when overseas, he represents the world''s impression of us; being so relaxed really isn''t solemn enough."


    "Been kneeling too long to stand up, have you? People in their offices eating burgers and drinking cola are just being down-to-earth, but Liangzi shows a toothy smile or makes a hand gesture and he''s frivolous? Not solemn enough?"


    "Do you guys think your American dad knows how much you''re flattering him?"


    The online public opinion was stirring, with waves of controversy.


    Yesterday, netizens were discussing why Lu Liang was so popular and whether he had made some deals behind the scenes.


    Today, a photo caused another uproar.


    The supporters and detractors clung to their opinions, making it hard to separate them.


    It was primarily the aesthetes who were upset; if they had the chance to visit the White House as guests, they would be eager to show off, unlike Lu Liang, who was so relaxed and casual.


    To them, the popularity of Lu Liang was blasphemous, desecrating their spiritual idols and the yearnings of their hearts.


    The zealot''s fighting power was terrifying, especially since it included highly educated individuals. Their allies were losing ground.


    Suddenly, Associated Press updated their China website with an article and a series of photos that pierced their hearts like a blade.


    The first photo shows Lu Liang with Old Te.


    "Yelling, huh? Why don''t you continue yelling?"


    "Tsk tsk, your master doesn''t even take it seriously. Really, the emperors are calm while the eunuchs are anxious."


    "Forbes, come out and take the hits. Didn''t you say he has fewer than 1.4 billion dollars in assets and not less than two billion dollars invested? What''s going on? You''re not up to standard!"


    "Detroit? Liangzi is so tough, tougher than Tesla. Is he planning to take on the big three automakers?"


    "I''m dying laughing. You''ve got to see the original video."


    A large number of netizens flocked to the Associated Press''s official site.


    There, they witnessed Lu Liang''s flawless defensive skills: "Alafuchina, Alaf America~"


    "Lu Liang: There will always be wretches who plot against me."


    "Lu Liang: I tread on thin ice all my life!"


    "Do the dialogues between them have to be this hilarious? Who says Liangzi isn''t serious? This defensive technique is on par with Jordan."


    The relevant clips were recreated by netizens, including memes of Old Te setting traps, Lu Liang guarding tightly, and Old Te looking unhappy.


    The public opinion crisis was invisibly resolved amidst the parodies from netizens, not to mention Douyin fueling the fire.


    "Damn it, if you dare poach my people again, I''ll kill you," cursed Zhang Yiming.


    Yang Zhenyuan smiled without answering; he noticed the anomaly in public opinion immediately.


    In the original video from Associated Press, although Lu Liang explained that he wasn''t the hope of Detroit but rather a profit-seeking businessman,


    The articles and the bloggers analyzing them, whether they were paid or not, deliberately overlooked Lu Liang''s clarifications, emphasizing that he was called the hope of Detroit by business people.


    If public opinion continued to ferment, it would be very detrimental to Lu Liang; he could become the next conscience of America.


    Yang Zhenyuan remembered Lu Liang''s kindness; if it weren''t for Lu Liang, he would have resigned back when Watermelon and Douyin merged, much less become the CEO of a unicorn company.


    Thus, without prior consultation, he pushed for the parody videos and reduced or restricted the subjective analysis videos.


    With the nation''s 500 million users and daily active users over 180 million, Douyin had become a powerful arbiter of public opinion.


    As long as he was in the position and Lu Liang didn''t make principal mistakes, Yang Zhenyuan would always remember the kindness Lu Liang showed him.


    "How is the TK promotion going?"


    Zhang Yiming, full of envy and bitterness, really wanted to challenge Zhou Hongwei to a fight, even if he couldn''t win, just to let off some steam.


    After all, his biological son suddenly became an adopted one; even if he technically belonged to Byte, there was a sense of impurity, and Lu Liang was the culprit behind it all.


    He would remember this for a lifetime.


    "The previous two hundred million dollar incentive worked very well. TK''s user count has already exceeded 150 million, with a stable 80,000 daily active users, but the funds are nearly depleted."


    "Let''s integrate the resources a bit; we can start another round of funding soon..."


    Zhang Yiming pondered, then suddenly smiled slyly, "This favor can''t be for nothing, let Liangzi help us by registering a TK account, for promotion."


    Yang Zhenyuan shook his head, "No need to waste that favor, we can ask Miss Wang for help."


    Douyin''s top influencers were all noted in his book, with Wang Chuting''s fans growing the fastest.


    In four months, starting from scratch, her followers broke the three million mark, making her one of Douyin''s top hundred influencers.


    "Who is she?" Zhang Yiming frowned.


    "Rumor has it that she has deep connections with Mr. Lu."


    Yang Zhenyuan just smiled, not elaborating further.


    Zhang Yiming''s smile was profound, "She''s mixed race, perfect for pushing on TK then."

 Chapter 334 - 333: Starlink, Integrated Die Casting

    On the 13th, Lu Liang made a trip to Detroit and met with the head of General Motors. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Old Te kept up the pressure, seeking their willingness to partake in a technological partnership and to develop new chassis technology with Lu Liang.


    Once the factory was constructed and the new cars were released, they would be branded with the prefix ''General'', similar to the joint-venture vehicles in Modu.


    Lu Liang also made a phone call to mobilize people, instructing Wang Xiaofeng in Modu to send a research team over, striving to utilize General Motors'' technology to develop their own.


    He stayed in Detroit for a day and a night, and the next day, he traveled to Paluo Duo in Californian.


    Back in Modu, Musk had said that if Lu Liang had time on his next visit to the United States, they should meet and catch up.


    Lu Liang had also been calling him these past few days.


    Separated by 12,000 kilometers and a 12-hour time difference, Lu Liang was destined not to visit often, so he took this opportunity to see everyone he needed to see and get everything done in one go.


    "The attitude of the United States towards electric cars is basically laissez-faire."


    During his conversation with Musk and from his observations during the trip, Lu Liang discovered that the United States had a complex and variable attitude toward electric cars.


    The East Country needed to maintain energy security and accomplish industrial upgrading; however, the United States didn''t need to worry about this¡ªas the Middle East was their backyard¡ªleading to their ambivalence towards the electric car industry and Tesla.


    They wanted it to do well and hoped that, following Apple, it would become the third generation to lead the global technology flagship.


    Yet they did not want it to do too well because if electric cars thrived, they would eat into the traditional car market.


    Musk was aware of this and thus planned to increase his investment in the Space Exploration Company in the coming years.


    He had founded the company fifteen years prior, but due to a lack of funds, research and development had been sporadic.


    Now that Tesla was gradually getting on the right track and maintaining steady growth, it was expected to turn a profit for the first time within the next three years.


    He felt it was time to restart the Space Exploration Company''s Starlink Project.


    "Starlink Project?"


    Lu Liang was puzzled, as Musk''s Space Exploration Company mainly dealt in private spaceflight, but the purpose of the Starlink Project seemed undisclosed.


    Musk just smiled and did not elaborate further, "Mr. Lu, if I were to put it in terms your internet companies use, it''s about leveraging high-profile projects to empower the Tesla brand."


    "Is that so?" Lu Liang furrowed his brows, skeptical.


    "Yes," Musk said with a smile and a nod, abruptly changing the subject to inquire about the progress of research and development at Tianxing Automobile.


    Lu Liang temporarily set his doubts aside and answered, "We are still in the early stages of preparation, probably another year and a half to go."


    "I''m very much looking forward to the launch of your new car," Musk paused before adding, "ModelY is also about to be released."


    This was a compact SUV, almost specifically designed for Chinese consumers.


    In his view, consumers bought electric cars essentially for their powerful drive, which didn''t really align with the design concept of SUVs.


    But SUVs were favored by the Chinese, and the East Country was currently Tesla''s biggest market, hence the creation of ModelY.


    "Hopefully, there won''t be any collisions."


    Lu Liang laughed, and after touring Tesla''s headquarters and factory, he bid Musk farewell in the evening and boarded a flight to New York.


    "What exactly is the Starlink Project?"


    Since Musk wouldn''t tell him, he could only leave with his questions unanswered.


    But the trip wasn''t without its gains; at least it had let Lu Liang understand the pros and cons of integrated die-cast car bodies.


    The advantage was that the entire car had almost no welding points; the connection between two surfaces was utterly reliable, giving the whole vehicle structure high strength and very high safety performance.


    The integrated die-cast body required fewer parts and used lighter aluminum, greatly reducing the body weight and, therefore, extending the vehicle''s range.


    It also meant lowered costs, fewer parts, less need for welding points, less investment in molds, increased production capacity, and reduced factory footprint and inventory cycles.


    However, the disadvantage was clear. An integrated die-cast body meant the whole car was one piece, and even minor damage required a total replacement, leading to high repair costs and insurance premiums.


    The biggest risk was the capital investment required to purchase the super-large die-casting machines and related equipment, which were expensive, complex to operate, and came with high risk of failure.


    But this problem wasn''t really an issue for Lu Liang; he considered integration to be a key framework for future new cars.


    In the early hours, the plane arrived at New York Airport.


    Little Wang greeted him with a smile, in a very good mood.


    He smiled and asked, "All done?"


    "Pretty much."


    Lu Liang stretched lazily. Normally, they''d likely hit up a street food stall for some late-night grub.


    But nights in New York, even on the streets of Manhattan, weren''t nearly as safe as those in a small county back home.


    After leaving the airport, the two returned to the hotel and arranged for the chef to deliver some barbeque.


    After his shower, Lu Liang grabbed two bottles of beer from the fridge and tossed one to Little Wang, "Did Panda''s IPO review get approved?"


    "Next, we''ll face three to six months of scrutiny. If all goes well, we could be listing by the end of the year, or next spring at the latest."


    Little Wang downed half a bottle in one go and let out a long breath, his eyes brimming with excitement, his mood exhilarated.


    Submitting the documents twice made him realize just how different it was to have Lu Liang by his side, or not.


    The first review was full of trouble, nitpicky to the extreme, like some tale out of a magazine¡ªa society of law with no room for personal feelings.


    The second time around, it was like a mere formality. He and the review team''s Gardson were like old friends, laughing and chatting as the documents were reviewed.


    Tomorrow, they would head back home.


    Ensuring the market stayed stable for the next six months, they''d consider a slight expansion.


    Live streaming had huge potential. After discussing with Long Fei, they decided once they went public, they would break away from Pinduoduo and go solo.


    By connecting directly with manufacturers, they could cut out middlemen, expand the company''s revenue, and ride out the six-month post-IPO lock-up period.


    After all, the current valuation was at 3.2 billion US Dollars, the planned funding from listing aimed for a 4 billion US Dollar valuation.


    With the current hype, tripling the market cap wasn''t out of the question. Even if it kept 70% of its peak value, that''d still be at least 8 billion US Dollars.


    They could also raise capital from the market, unfazed by offending Tencent.


    Lu Liang, watching Little Wang daydream about a bright future, couldn''t help but smile and suddenly said, "You head back on your own tomorrow. I''m taking a trip to the UK."


    Little Wang stopped short, puzzled, "What for?"


    Lu Liang, distractedly playing with a skewer of beef, replied, "Just bored, need to stretch my legs, clear my head."


    Little Wang, suspicious, cleared his throat and said, "I went to high school in Winchester, college in London."


    "And?"


    "It''s been a while since I visited my old school."


    Lu Liang wasn''t the type to get bored; a mere nod from him could unleash the power of capital.


    Plus, with the stocks that Tianxing Mixed Fund had targeted reaching the end of their six-month lock-up period soon, he needed to be back to oversee things.


    Little Wang felt there was more to the story.


    "Do you know what happens to people who know too much?" Lu Liang asked abruptly.


    "I''d rather not find out."


    Little Wang chuckled, then probed further, "Do you need help crafting the illusion that you''re headed back home?"


    Lu Liang, with an expression of resignation, sighed, "That''d be for the best."


    "No problem, I''ve got it covered."


    The next day, at New York Airport.


    Little Wang suddenly updated his Weibo and Twitter, and took a selfie with Lu Liang, "Mission accomplished, heading back home."


    Just as the update went live, Wanda''s private jet was finishing its final check, while on another runway, a flight to Edinburgh was taking off from New York Airport.


    Lu Liang was right; so much news had erupted during his few days in New York, drawing the nation''s attention. Su Wanyu had no reason to be unaware or uninterested.


    At the first sight of Little Wang''s update, she fell silent for a long while, let out a sigh, feeling an emptiness inside.


    Since Lu Liang''s arrival in New York, she had been keeping an eye on his itinerary, harboring a little hope that he might swing by and discover that he was about to be a father.


    Beautiful as the thought was, reality often begged to differ.


    Day one in New York, day two in Washington, day three in Detroit, day four in Paluo Duo, day five heading home.


    With his busy schedule, it was normal if he didn''t remember.

 Chapter 335 - 334: Setting a Trap Requires Tactics

    Local time one in the morning, the plane arrived in Edinburgh.


    Lu Liang had departed at noon, and the direct flight only took a little over six hours, but there was a five-hour time difference between the two places.


    Before going to New York, he felt like he had gained 12 hours, but upon landing in Edinburgh, he immediately lost a good chunk of that, and he would lose even more after some time when he returned to his own country.


    At the arrival gate, Lu Liang saw Zhuo Yifan holding a sign; he wore a smile and approached to give a hug, "Yifan, have you gotten used to living here recently?"


    "Thanks for your concern, Mr. Lu, there are many international students here and quite a few Chinese supermarkets and restaurants; I''m quite used to it."


    Zhuo Yifan led Lu Liang and the others out of the airport; he had arranged everything including the transportation and hotel accommodations.


    With Lu Liang''s arrival, it also meant that after being exiled overseas for forty-two days, it was almost time for him to pack up and prepare to return to his country.


    "Mr. Lu, the University of Edinburgh is a very ancient institution, quite different from those in our country; its campus is located in the core area of the city center."


    Leaving the airport and heading to the city center, Zhuo Yifan acted like a tour guide, mainly discussing the basics of the city centered around the University of Edinburgh.


    The hotel he had booked for Lu Liang and the others was called the Alison Villa Hotel, less than 1.2 kilometers straight distance from Edinburgh''s College of Education.


    Fang Shiyu, new and unfamiliar with the area and unable to read the signs, the rented black Mercedes was for the time being driven by Zhuo Yifan.


    Passing the Edinburgh campus, he stopped at the third building on the left side of the hotel, an old residential building called the Temair Apartments.


    It was very dark, and the streetlights were dim, making it hard to see the entire structure, but it must have been quite old because there were many climbing vines on the walls.


    Zhuo Yifan whispered softly, "Mr. Lu, Miss Su lives on the third floor of this apartment."


    "Let''s go to the hotel to check in first."


    Lu Liang nodded slightly and looked up.


    It was past two in the morning; there were very few lit rooms, but that did not include the third floor of the apartment.


    After arriving at the neighboring villa hotel and completing the check-in process, Lu Liang took a bath, changed his clothes, and listened to Zhuo Yifan recount the information he had gathered so far.


    Since the end of June when the summer vacation at the University of Edinburgh began, Zheng Xiaoxuan had moved into the apartment where Su Wanyu lived, sharing meals and lodging with her every day.


    Occasionally a young man named Li Shihao would also come over to pay court to her, apparently attempting to pursue Su Wanyu.


    But according to Zhuo Yifan''s observations, there were no intimate actions between him and them, and they had never invited him upstairs¡­


    ¡­


    The night deepened, and Lu Liang fell asleep peacefully after reviewing the information.


    Li Shihao''s existence could be disregarded; the biggest threat was probably Zheng Xiaoxuan, so it was necessary to drive her away.


    Zhuo Yifan volunteered, indicating he would handle it; Zheng Xiaoxuan''s biological father and stepmother were operating a Chinese supermarket locally.


    The father worked part-time as a tour guide, and the supermarket was managed by the stepmother. If they could keep the father occupied and make the supermarket a bit busier, even if she didn''t like her stepmother, she would definitely go home to help.


    The target was 33 weeks pregnant, almost due, and considering Zheng Xiaoxuan''s level of concern for her, she definitely wouldn''t let her go with them.


    This way, the target would be alone.


    The next day at noon, Lu Liang received a call that Zhuo Yifan''s plan had succeeded; Zheng Xiaoxuan had returned to the supermarket to help with stocking.


    According to routine, after a lunch break, around two o''clock, the target would go to the library to read books, usually staying three to four hours, roughly returning to the apartment around six.


    Before returning to the apartment, she might also visit the nearby Rejuvenation Supermarket to buy daily necessities; normally she shopped once every three days, so today she might, or might not.


    Zhuo Yifan, after all, wasn''t a professional, and managing everything personally for over forty days without being discovered or mistaken for a pervert was no small feat.


    After waiting a while in the hotel, until Xu Jiawei stationed downstairs informed him that the target had left to catch a public bus, Lu Liang took a car and headed to the library ahead of time.


    Regaining Su Wanyu was essentially a trap; laying traps required a bit of caution and a few tricks.


    A simple chance encounter at the library seemed too vulgar and outdated, not even qualifying for a primetime slot.


    Lu Liang had a good plan.


    Edinburgh, the city library.


    Su Wanyu got off from the bus and took off her hat, only to see an annoying person smiling at the doorway, her eyebrows lightly furrowed, "Li Shihao, why are you here again."


    "During the summer break, I was thinking of reading some books to enrich myself," Li Shihao said with a smile, suddenly curious, "Where''s Xiaoxuan? Didn''t she come with you?"


    Su Wanyu replied coldly, "She''s busy, she did not come with me today."


    "Wow, heaven is helping me too. That ''light bulb'' has finally disappeared." Li Shihao exclaimed, his face filled with excitement.


    Su Wanyu''s brows were tightly furrowed, and she didn''t know how many times she had said this, "I don''t like you, why can''t you understand?"


    "Liking someone is a very personal matter. You not liking me has nothing to do with me liking you, does it?"


    Li Shihao''s smile did not fade.


    A senior had told him that there are three essentials to wooing a girl: persistence, shamelessness, and persistent shamelessness.


    The ancients also said that the fragrance of plum blossoms comes from the bitter cold; as long as one persists, even an iron rod can be ground into a needle, and a millennium-old iceberg can be melted.


    Su Wanyu gritted her back teeth, really getting a bit angry now, "I have a boyfriend now, and he is also the father of the child."


    She hoped that all sincere people would not be let down, so she always rejected him directly, leaving no room for hope.


    But Li Shihao was an exception, no matter what she said, he wouldn''t listen, to the point that she almost felt frustrated for his stubbornness.


    Wouldn''t it be better to pursue other girls with this sincerity? Why must he pursue her? Why does he have this sincerity, while others do not?


    "Wanyu, you''ve told me eight hundred times that you have a boyfriend, but where is he?" S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Li Shihao''s smile remained on his face, but his eyes showed a hint of heartache as he said softly, "Being a single mother is really not easy, I like you and will accept everything about you."


    "Li, please respect yourself, my child has a father."


    Su Wanyu''s expression grew colder, and she did not want to engage with him, walking straight into the library.


    "Alright, alright, let''s not talk about this topic anymore."


    Li Shihao looked panicked and followed her quickly, noticing Su Wanyu standing still in a daze, he asked, "What''s wrong?"


    "Nothing." Su Wanyu shook her head blankly, then rubbed her eyes and took out some eye drops to put a few drops in.


    Maybe it was a sequel from a previous surgery; she had just thought she saw Lu Liang.


    But Lu Liang couldn''t possibly be here, seeing Little Wang''s Weibo post last night.


    They should be over the Pacific Ocean right now, and maybe in a few hours, they would be back in the country.


    "Here, Plato''s ''Utopia'', you were only halfway through it yesterday."


    Li Shihao still wore a broad smile, continuously trying to please, but Su Wanyu was unappreciative and turned to pick up ''Emile,'' a world-class work on child education.


    Li Shihao was like a persistent plaster, wherever Su Wanyu went, he followed. After Su Wanyu chose her books and found a spot, he sat next to her, separated only by an aisle.


    Suddenly, Li Shihao asked, "Wanyu, are you feeling unwell? You seem a bit distracted."


    Su Wanyu usually focused intently while reading, like a beautiful and tranquil painting, and one could tell she enjoyed reading.


    But today, she suddenly started daydreaming while reading, occasionally looking towards a certain spot on the second floor, and sometimes took out her phone to browse.


    Su Wanyu did not respond, discarded the random thoughts in her mind, and forced herself not to think about those messy issues.


    At this moment, ten meters away on the second floor.


    Lu Liang smiled, leaning against the window, making a phone call to Zhuo Yifan, "How are the preparations?"


    Zhuo Yifan replied, "Mr. Lu, all the necessary permissions from local authorities have been arranged, the materials have been shipped from home, and the venue is set up."


    "Good job, I''ll notify you when it''s time."


    Lu Liang picked up a storybook, crossed his legs, and sat by the railing on the second floor, waiting for Su Wanyu to finish her studies for the day.


    Approaching six o''clock, Su Wanyu closed the book, packed up her stuff, and prepared to go home to make dinner.


    Li Shihao again tried to ingratiate himself, "Wanyu, I drove here, let me drive you home."


    Su Wanyu did not respond, as if she hadn''t seen him, and walked straight out of the library to the bus station.


    She thought she had been too polite to him before, which was why he kept persisting.


    "Then I''ll wait with you."


    Li Shihao beamed with a smile, even the icy chill of the Arctic couldn''t freeze his enthusiasm.


    The two took a bus to the station closest to Temair Apartments, but they still had about 800 meters to walk.


    As dusk fell, Su Wanyu abandoned the idea of shopping for groceries and just wanted to get home as soon as possible.


    As they walked over a small bridge and reached the middle, a slow-moving sedan was following close behind them.


    Suddenly, from afar, sounds rose, and bunches of fireworks shot into air, bursting into brilliant colors against the dim sky.

 Chapter 336 - 335: Everything is Just Right

    A loud bang filled the sky, prompting people within hundreds of meters to all look up simultaneously.


    One, two, three large fireworks exploded in sequence, dazzling like shooting stars, illuminating the entire night sky.


    "Wow, what''s going on tonight? I don''t remember receiving any notice."


    Amidst his surprise, Li Shihao couldn''t help feeling puzzled. This was downtown, and the fireworks were huge and clearly expensive.


    Just shooting them up into the sky like this... hadn''t there been talks about Edinburgh nearly going bankrupt? When had they become so lavish and wealthy again?


    Suddenly, he felt a chill at the back of his neck and instinctively looked back. Several tall and sturdy men, about 1.9 meters high, covered his mouth and grabbed his waist and legs, carrying him away like a big fish and placing him in a van.


    From grabbing to placing in the van, it all took less than five seconds.


    It was as if they had rehearsed it a thousand times. Everyone around was watching the fireworks in the sky, and no one noticed what was happening here, including Su Wanyu who was still immersed in the shock of the fireworks.


    Li Shihao''s eyes widened, not having enough time to panic.


    Then he suddenly heard a familiar voice in Chinese, "This is not a kidnapping, don''t move around, don''t scream. Can you do that?"


    He nodded repeatedly, seeing that none of the men were wearing masks and that they were all suited up like businessmen, all Chinese, each with an apologetic smile on their face.


    Li Shihao immediately relaxed, stopped struggling, and asked in a low voice, "Brothers, why are you taking me like this all of a sudden?"


    One young, robust man, who seemed to be the leader, scratched his head and chuckled sheepishly, "We just wanted you to leave the area, but it seemed too complicated to explain, so carrying you away seemed more straightforward."


    "...," Li Shihao was speechless. What the hell kind of excuse was that? Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Suddenly, he thought of Su Wanyu. If they wanted him to leave, then she was probably the target.


    "Let me go," Li Shihao started struggling again, but in the cramped van, he was just squirming among a bunch of big men.


    Shiyu Fang helplessly pulled him to the van window, "Don''t talk, just watch. And from now on, stop bothering Yu."


    "Yu? Su Wanyu? You know her?"


    Li Shihao looked baffled but didn''t have time to ask further.


    He just saw Su Wanyu staring blankly into the sky, completely unaware that someone had taken his place right beside her.


    The man was about 1.8 meters tall and rather sturdy, but the night was dark, and he was facing away from them, so only his silhouette was visible.


    "The moonlight and fireworks are beautiful tonight, aren''t they?" Lu Liang said softly, placing a hand on Su Wanyu''s shoulder.


    Su Wanyu was startled, not having time to react and thinking it was Li Shihao''s rash action, she raised her hand ready to slap him.


    Bang~~


    A firework called "Galaxy Brilliance" exploded in the sky, like a galaxy falling from the heavens.


    The bridge over this little creek, the best viewing spot, was as brightly lit as if it were daytime.


    She saw the person beside her wasn''t Li Shihao, but a bastard who had haunted her dreams.


    The raised hand gently fell, and she touched her cheek and then pinched it, murmuring softly, "Is this a dream?"


    Lu Liang smiled, turned his head to kiss her palm, and held it in his own, "Can dreams be this real?"


    Su Wanyu fell silent, staring straight at Lu Liang, as if even the starry fireworks could not compare to the man before her.


    Her eyes, bright as stars, gradually became misty. Lu Liang quickly hugged her, coaxing her, "Don''t pull this move; I''m scared."


    Su Wanyu laughed through her tears but couldn''t help choking up, "In this world, there''s something you''re afraid of?"


    "Yes!" Lu Liang said sincerely, softly, "I''m afraid you won''t come back, I''m afraid our child won''t recognize his dad."


    Su Wanyu bit her lip, tears that had just dried re-formed in her eyes.


    Lu Liang wrapped his arms around her waist, looking forward to change the subject, "Beautiful, isn''t it? I prepared it especially for you."


    Su Wanyu nodded vigorously, sweeping away half a year''s gloom with a sweet, charming smile returning to her face.


    Firework after firework launched in perfect order.


    The entire fireworks show lasted over forty minutes, filling the skies above Edinburgh with clouds of white smoke.


    Not until the remote launch site sparkled with red and blue lights did the grand fireworks display come to an end.


    Su Wanyu looked dazedly, "Those are police cars, right?"


    "Should be," Lu Liang said with a smile, shrugging his shoulders, "Let''s go, the gas is harmful, don''t wait for it to drift over."


    In the heart of Edinburgh''s city center, it''s not so easy to get a foreigner to finance a fireworks display.


    It just so happened that a few homeless people found some fireworks shipped over from East Country. They felt like having some fun, and it just so happened that public officers from the fire department, environmental protection, and other departments were all in a meeting discussing, and the 200,000 British Pounds donated by kind-hearted people, so they couldn''t respond in time.


    Everything was just so coincidental.


    Su Wanyu was about to leave when she suddenly remembered Li Shihao, she couldn''t help but ask curiously, "Where is Li?"


    "Where is he?" Lu Liang smiled, asking as well.


    Su Wanyu was puzzled, how would she know where he had gone?


    Suddenly, the van''s door opened and Fang Shiyu got out, scratching his head and smiling goofily, "Yu, long time no see, Mr. Li left a while ago."


    When Li Shihao saw his cousin hugging Yu, he quietly opened another car door and left.


    He was also uninterested in Lu Liang''s identity.


    Liking someone, as long as she was happy, that was enough.


    A person capable of arranging a fireworks show for her in the city, one could tell without thinking that he was very capable.


    "Shiyu, long time no see."


    Su Wanyu waved and didn''t ask further, holding Lu Liang''s hand with much joy and heading to her apartment.


    Walking on the road, she suddenly asked, "When did you actually find out? And weren''t you supposed to have gone back to the country? And that person in the library this afternoon, was that you?"


    She had been swept away by happiness and hadn''t thought about anything, but after walking a little while, she suddenly calmed down.


    "Guess?" Lu Liang said with a smile.


    "Hmph~ I don''t want to guess anymore."


    Su Wanyu tilted her head, in total little girl mode.


    She seemed still to be mad at Lu Liang, but their fingers were intertwined tightly, not willing to let go even for a moment.


    Unable to hold back his chuckle, Lu Liang patted his puffed cheek back in place, "Should we go sit at your place, or at a hotel?"


    "How did you know we''re home?" Su Wanyu pouted, looking at a doorplate less than five meters away, "Let''s go to your place."


    "I''m not living alone, there''s also a Chinese girl living there; her name is..." she started, then suddenly turned to Lu Liang.


    "What''s her name?" Lu Liang asked knowingly.


    "Her name is Zheng Xiaoxuan, she''s been very kind to me. When I first arrived, she was a huge help, and she even agreed to be the godmother to the baby."


    "From what you say, she seems like a nice person."


    "Mhm, a really nice girl."


    Just as they entered the hotel, Su Wanyu''s phone rang. Zheng Xiaoxuan asked excitedly, "Yu, was there just a big fireworks show? I went to Livingston with my stepmother and only caught the tail end, what a pity..."


    Her mouth was like a machine gun, Su Wanyu hadn''t said a word, and she just kept talking non-stop.


    "Invite her over, let''s all have dinner together."


    A smile tugged at Lu Liang''s lips, and though he was far, Zheng Xiaoxuan still heard him, she asked, "Who? Who was that talking just now?"


    "Xiaoxuan, we''re in the next room at Alison''s. Can you come over soon, and call me when you arrive?" Su Wanyu said.


    "We?" Zheng Xiaoxuan''s tone was not pleasant, hurrying along, "Wait for me, I''ll be there in five minutes."


    After speaking, the phone went to a busy tone.


    Su Wanyu couldn''t help but laugh and quickly explained, "She''s always been like this, very straightforward and impulsive."


    "It''s good to have such a friend in a foreign land," Lu Liang smiled. He didn''t reveal the fact that she was the same sex.


    According to Zhuo Yifan''s investigative report, while Zheng Xiaoxuan was of the same sex, her help toward Su Wanyu was genuine.


    If it hadn''t been for Zheng Xiaoxuan, Su Wanyu might have been depressed, especially with being pregnant while studying abroad.


    Any normal person might think she was either living an undisciplined life or trying to automatically obtain residency status.


    Regardless of which type of speculation, it was extremely unfriendly to a girl.

 Chapter 337 - 336: Career First

    "Do you have any dietary restrictions now?"


    Lu Liang didn''t have the habit of foolishly waiting for others, so he took Su Wanyu to the restaurant on the second floor and chose a spot by the window.


    "I don''t have any dietary restrictions..."


    Su Wanyu was halfway through speaking when her face suddenly turned red, "It''s just that I felt a bit nauseous during the first few months, but it''s much better now."


    She had clearly already accepted the strange looks from others, and had even prepared herself to become a single mother.


    But seeing Lu Liang, she suddenly faltered, as if having someone to rely on meant she didn''t have to face everything on her own.


    "Then let''s have something light," Lu Liang said with a smile, ordered a few light dishes, and then handed the menu to the waiter.


    Looking at Su Wanyu''s slightly rounder cheeks, he couldn''t help but smile, revealing a hint of a grin.


    "Why are you staring at me?"


    Su Wanyu glared at him fiercely, her ears burning red as if she was back to when she and Lu Liang had first met.


    "It''s been a long time, I missed you, wanted to take a good look at you."


    "Have I gained a lot of weight?"


    "You were always thin, now you look much better."


    Su Wanyu was quite tall, standing at 171 cm, with her weight hovering around 105 pounds for years. Although there were sayings in China about beauties weighing less than a hundred pounds, it also depended on height and body shape.


    In the past, she was always on the lean side, only during the first year with Lu Liang did she gain a bit of weight, barely breaking 110 pounds. But since the chaotic scene, she had lost weight again.


    Even now, pregnant, she could only be said to have rounded out a bit, but definitely could not be considered fat.


    "You just know how to say nice things to make me happy," Su Wanyu muttered under her breath, but her curved eyes betrayed her joy.


    "I''m just telling the truth."


    During the conversation, Lu Liang also found out that Su Wanyu had visited the hospital again last week. She was 32 weeks pregnant and expected to deliver in about a month.


    It''s a healthy baby girl.


    "Come back with me," Lu Liang said earnestly.


    He didn''t discuss what Su Wanyu would have decided if he hadn''t shown up, or whether she would''ve continued to hide it from him.


    What had happened, had happened; what hadn''t, hadn''t¡ªthere were no ''ifs'' or ''maybes''.


    Talking about it now was simply a waste of time, like choosing between the red or blue pill on a forum, as if making a choice would change anything.


    Before Su Wanyu could respond, suddenly there was a rush of hurried footsteps, growing rapidly louder, the rubber soles striking the shiny floor with a particularly crisp sound.


    Su Wanyu was overjoyed, standing up quickly, and waving, "Xiaoxuan, we''re here."


    Zheng Xiaoxuan paused for a moment, then strode over and sat directly next to Su Wanyu.


    Her short hair was tied up in a small bun at the back of her head, and her pure white T-shirt had accumulated a fair bit of dust. Below her spicy jean shorts were a pair of khaki mid-calf boots.


    She saw Lu Liang and was suddenly stunned; the pieces of her previous doubts seemed to find their threads and linked together.


    "Miss Zheng, thank you for taking care of Yu these past few days."


    Lu Liang smiled, offering his right hand.


    Zheng Xiaoxuan was caught off guard and extended her hand too, but the moment she touched Lu Liang''s palm, she suddenly regretted it.


    In her mind, she had come here intent on fiercely confronting a scumbag, including possibly using physical force.


    After all, she was a black belt in Taekwondo and a member of the free combat club, taking down an adult male was not beyond her.


    But she hadn''t expected the scumbag to be Lu Liang, who had been in a headline alongside businessmen in America just a few days ago, and he was being so polite.


    There''s a saying, "It''s hard to hit someone with a smiling face," and Lu Liang''s politeness left her feeling like she''d punched cotton.


    Lu Liang waved the waiter over and flipped through the menu, "What would Miss Zheng like to eat? Any dietary restrictions?"


    "Anything is fine."


    Zheng Xiaoxuan was sullen, feeling a kind of frustration as if a grade-schooler lamenting their performance in a fight after the fact.


    "Xiaoxuan likes spicy food and doesn''t have any restrictions."


    Su Wanyu whispered, with a smile pointing at Lu Liang, "Now that you have met him in person, are you happy?"


    She said, "Xiaoxuan used to follow your Twitter, but then you stopped updating it."


    "I got banned for a few days, and after that, I just couldn''t be bothered to post anymore."


    Lu Liang chuckled and then ordered spicy shrimp and fried beef with spices among a few other spicy dishes.


    He said, "This suddenly reminds me of a friend from Chaoshan. He can''t eat any spice at all; a few drops of chili oil in clear soup is about as much as he can handle." sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Su Wanyu and Zheng Xiaoxuan becoming good friends was also largely related to their hometown dialects.


    Su Wanyu was from Lu Island, and Zheng Xiaoxuan was from Chaoshan, including Taiwan, they are all part of the Southern Fujian group.


    Lu Liang had talked with Chinese expatriates before; they might not speak Mandarin, but they definitely spoke their hometown dialect.


    Especially among the Southern Fujian Chinese diaspora, the love for their hometown dialect reached levels of pride and honor.


    Zheng Xiaoxuan suddenly said, "My family is originally from Raoping."


    Lu Liang was confused, that couldn''t be right, Zhuo Yifan''s background investigation should have been accurate.


    Su Wanyu couldn''t help but laugh and quickly explained, "Chaoshan and Raoping are about as related as Su Province to the thirteen cities."


    Lu Liang nodded in realization and changed the topic to his experiences in the United States over the past week.


    Su Wanyu, seeing that Zheng Xiaoxuan didn''t like Lu Liang, helped facilitate the conversation, "Xiaoxuan loves Meimei the most."


    Lu Liang smiled, "Then next time, I''ll see if she can sign an autograph for you, and I''ll get you some VIP tickets to her concert."


    Zheng Xiaoxuan resisted the sweet coating, and suddenly asked, "Lu Liang, how long do you plan to stay in Edinburgh?"


    "About three days," Lu Liang considered for a moment and responded.

 Chapter 338 - 336: Career First_2

    Today is the 16th, and he needed to return to his home country before the 22nd.


    BYD, heavily invested in by the fund, would face lift-off restrictions and, in the subsequent ten days, the eighteen stocks held would also be progressively freed.


    As of yesterday, the Public Fund''s latest net value was 1.522, with an asset scale of 300 billion and a six-month increase of 52.2%.


    Even if they used 100 billion to buy bonds, the remaining value of assets in the stock market was still 356.6 billion yuan.


    The entire 356.6 billion yuan worth of stocks being unrestricted means they could be traded freely; even Big A would tremble.


    Although there were still six days left, Lu Liang also needed to go to Tokyo to have a good talk with Mitsui Sumitomo.


    He wanted dignity, so let it be dignified,


    If he didn''t desire dignity, he could only ask the United States to maintain it for him.


    Thus, he would only stay in Edinburgh for three days at most.


    "This period must be quite busy for you."


    Su Wanyu was delighted, recognizing that Lu Liang had managed many affairs in the United States. Excluding flight times, his trip scarcely amounted to four days.


    Four days across four cities, half the continent of America, yet willing to spend three days in Edinburgh with her, she was very happy.


    "Not particularly busy," Lu Liang said with a smile; mainly, traveling took up most of the time, and the actual work didn''t require as long.


    In the investment company, whatever he said went unquestioned; no need for discussions with others, so the office efficiency was especially high.


    The tech companies had two shareholders, but Golden Sand River supported unconditionally, and the agreement with DiDi hadn''t reached its yearly mark yet.


    Zheng Xiaoxuan was vexed, Lu Liang discussed topics too high-end, each project involving investments of several hundred billion to a trillion.


    She couldn''t understand and didn''t want to; she only concerned herself with people she liked: "What about Yu? What are you planning to do?"


    Lu Liang said, "There are seven and a half weeks left until the due date, I plan to bring her back to the country to rest, Miss Zheng, you can come too."


    Zheng Xiaoxuan''s face darkened, suddenly laughing angrily: "At first, you let her come here alone to study, do you know how many rumors she faced? Now that you know she is pregnant, you want to take her back, it''s not that simple."


    Lu Liang turned a deaf ear, looking at Su Wanyu: "Don''t rush your answer now, there is still two days left."


    Su Wanyu quickly nodded, consoling Zheng Xiaoxuan: "We had arguments then, he didn''t know, and I didn''t tell him, you can''t really blame him." Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Zheng Xiaoxuan was furious, seeing that Su Wanyu still had feelings for Lu Liang, likely they would reconcile.


    But from a friend''s perspective, while she fought for Wanyu''s rights, she always ended up defending Lu Liang.


    Zheng Xiaoxuan felt a tightness in her chest: "You guys eat slowly, I haven''t showered yet, so I''ll go back first."


    "Xiaoxuan~"


    Su Wanyu called out, but Zheng Xiaoxuan didn''t react, causing her to helplessly look at Lu Liang with a pitiful plea for help.


    During the study period in Edinburgh, Zheng Xiaoxuan had helped her a lot; letting her leave angry now seemed highly ungracious.


    "I''ll take you back."


    Lu Liang held Su Wanyu''s hand, leisurely following behind Zheng Xiaoxuan, whispering: "Friendship during hardships is precious, I know she is also looking out for you."


    Su Wanyu''s mood lifted, grateful that Lu Liang could understand her plight. Suddenly tiptoeing, she planted a quick kiss on Lu Liang''s lips: "I''ll talk to her and calm her down before finding you."


    "Go, be careful, don''t always be jumping around." Lu Liang smiled and nodded, escorting Su Wanyu to her doorstep.


    "Bye~" Not until she opened the door and entered the house did Lu Liang turn and leave, returning to the hotel to complete his unfinished dinner.


    He picked up a napkin, wiping the corner of his mouth, and phoned Zhuo Yifan: "Yifan, stay for a while longer; these few days, look around to see if there are any upscale apartments close to the school and hospital nearby."


    "Yes, buy one."


    Ending the call, Lu Liang sighed.


    Just now, Su Wanyu hadn''t immediately agreed, probably not wanting to return with him, but he couldn''t stay in Edinburgh for the sake of his love when his children were coming soon.


    He could only put Su Wanyu on hold again, awaiting completion of his urgent tasks.


    Before career, emotions had to wait.


    Su Wanyu disliked money, but doing what she loved always cost money.


    Like tonight''s fireworks show, disregarding the cost, smoothing relations alone had spent nearly a million British Pounds, nearly ten million RMB.


    ...


    On the 17th and 18th,


    Su Wanyu was overjoyed, taking Lu Liang around for sightseeing.


    Great Britain, which once ruled a quarter of the world, remained with prime geographic and environmental resources.


    The British Isles, independently existing, with the English Channel separating it from the European and African continents, became an isolated paradise.


    Edinburgh, located at the mouth of the East Sea in Scotland within the United Kingdom, boasts tourism resources second only to London.


    It''s a good place for vacations and retirement; Lu Liang bought an apartment, 278 square meters, total price 2.19 million British Pounds.


    That afternoon, he led Su Wanyu there, handing her the keys and property documents: "I have to go back soon."


    "I know you still haven''t decided, and I respect your choice, the climate here is indeed nice and quite livable."


    "Consider moving here in the future, next month when it''s your due date, I''ll try my best to come over and accompany you."


    Lu Liang left Zhuo Yifan behind, but hadn''t introduced him to Su Wanyu, just leaving an emergency contact number.


    If she encountered any unsolvable problems and he couldn''t come immediately, she could call Zhuo Yifan.


    Su Wanyu remained silent, really wishing to agree with Lu Liang, to return with him, but thinking of Li Manli made her heart sting.


    Coming to Edinburgh was a form of escape, because here she could forget all the troubles, and Lu Liang belonged only to her.

 Chapter 339 - 336: Career Comes First_3

    Lu Liang held Su Wanyu''s hand and chuckled, "Don''t feel burdened, I''ll be purchasing some properties here in the future, and I might need your help managing them. Having ties overseas can prevent us from being wiped out in one fell swoop." S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Su Wanyu was momentarily stunned. "Have you sensed something?"


    Entrepreneurs from East Country, even if they were flamboyant in their early years, would eventually mellow out.


    It was tied to the ancient traditions, as the saying goes, "The nail that sticks out gets hammered down."


    In recent years, when it came to being conspicuous, Lu Liang considered himself second to none, and doubted anyone would dare claim to be first.


    "Nothing for the time being, just preparing for unforeseen needs," Lu Liang smiled, tousling Su Wanyu''s hair, asking her not to worry too much.


    Su Wanyu fell silent for a long while before asking again, "And our baby, have you thought of a name for her?"


    The child would be born in Edinburgh and probably acquire British citizenship first, with a chance to choose again before turning 18. In the past few days, what they discussed most was the baby''s name.


    Lu Liang said, "Let''s call her Siqing, Su Siqing."


    He chuckled again, "But not the ''qing'' from emotion, as that feels a bit sad, but the ''qing'' from a sunny day."


    Lu Liang was not opposed to the child not having his surname. A surname didn''t represent much, as families with different surnames were common in his country.


    "Okay," Su Wanyu couldn''t help but smile, recalling Zheng Xiaoxuan, who also seemed a bit sad when she first heard the name.


    At five in the afternoon, Lu Liang and Su Wanyu invited Zheng Xiaoxuan to dinner.


    Lu Liang raised his glass solemnly, "Xiaoxuan, I''m about to catch a flight to Tokyo; I''m entrusting Yu to your care."


    Although investigations suggested Zheng Xiaoxuan might be a lesbian, after several interactions, he seriously doubted whether Zhuo Yifan''s investigation was incorrect, or perhaps Xiaoxuan''s lesbian tendencies weren''t that obvious.


    All in all, there was no need to worry about Su Wanyu being whisked away by her in the short term; Zheng Xiaoxuan was trustworthy.


    "You don''t need to say it, I would do so anyway," Zheng Xiaoxuan snorted, her expression revealing delight.


    Lu Liang simply smiled and didn''t say much more, calling over Xu Jiawei and pulling out a document to hand to Su Wanyu.


    Su Wanyu nodded, accepted the document, and tidied up Lu Liang''s clothes, reluctant to part, "Remember to message me when you land, okay~"


    "I know, no need to see me off."


    In front of Zheng Xiaoxuan, Lu Liang bit Su Wanyu''s red lips, causing her face to flush.


    With a look of longing, Zheng Xiaoxuan watched as Lu Liang left in his car, and she curiously asked, "Where have you two been these past days?"


    "We went to the university, to the seaside, and to Holyrood Park..."


    Su Wanyu passionately shared the memories of the places they had visited together, suddenly pulling out the document Lu Liang had given her.


    "Liang said this is for you, so you won''t be mad at him anymore."


    It was an honorary certificate from the University of Edinburgh, issued not only to Zheng Xiaoxuan but to Su Wanyu as well.


    They had visited the university the day before, and Lu Liang, wielding his financial power, donated 2 million British Pounds in their names for campus construction.


    Securing a full scholarship was nearly a certainty, and applying for government-funded study abroad or a PhD would be as easy as drinking water.


    "The wicked capitalist."


    Zheng Xiaoxuan looked indignant, feeling powerless.


    The direct donation in her name left her with no way to refuse.


    "Oh, come on, don''t be like that. Liang also wants to ease the tension between you two."


    Hugging Zheng Xiaoxuan''s arm, Su Wanyu cooed, "Next year or the year after, you could apply to study abroad at East Country. I''ll take you to my hometown then; it''s got lots of delicious food and fun places. It''s not far from your ancestral home, just 200 kilometers away."


    "You''ve defeated me," sighed Zheng Xiaoxuan.


    Looking at the incredibly cheerful Su Wanyu, her joy overcame any resentment toward Lu Liang, and she couldn''t help but stroke her cheek.


    "Let''s go. I''ll show you; Liang just bought an apartment not far ahead. Xiaoxuan, you should move in and live with me."


    Su Wanyu beamed, feeling that something was a bit strange, their closeness seemingly a bit too intimate, but she didn''t think much of it.


    Zheng Xiaoxuan smiled and said, "Then pick a big room for me. As long as you don''t kick me out, I''ll always be with you."


    Liking someone and being liked, sometimes are not the same.


    Li Shihao''s liking meant that if he saw someone could provide the happiness he couldn''t, he would let go and leave.


    Zheng Xiaoxuan''s liking meant she would always silently protect by one''s side, forever, never leaving.

 Chapter 340 - 337: A Spring Night is Worth a Thousand Gold

    "Another day."


    It was just dawning as Lu Liang walked out of Haneda Airport.


    A sudden sense of poignancy struck him, as over the past ten days or so, he''d set out from Modu and circumnavigated the globe with time to spare, running from the East Half Ball to the United States, and back again to Tokyo in the East Half Ball.


    Once things settled down in Tokyo, Lu Liang probably wouldn''t need to leave again for a while. It wasn''t exactly comforting to fly every day; feeling the solid earth beneath his feet gave him a greater sense of peace.


    Wen Chao came to pick him up, having been dispatched by Lu Liang half a month earlier to establish Xingheng Investment Company in Tokyo.


    Previously, while Lu Liang was in Detroit, the so-called investment of 5 billion US dollars was also made in the name of Tokyo''s Xingheng Company.


    "Wen Chao, how are you adjusting here?" Lu Liang asked with a smile, embracing Wen Chao warmly.


    He didn''t know when he had become the very sort of person he used to hate the most. A little token of human care for his employees abroad was worth more than a thousand words.


    "Mr. Lu, good morning." sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Wen Chao, smiling broadly, handed over company documentation and related public account files: "Mr. Ota has been assisting us all along."


    The 358 million dollars in dividends and commissions were lying quietly in an account opened at Mitsui Sumitomo.


    From the initial 360 million, roughly 2 million had been spent setting up the company, recruiting staff, and leasing a space.


    Wen Chao paused for a moment, and then hurriedly asked, "Mr. Lu, shall we go to the company first to have a look?"


    Having been tasked with significant responsibilities one after another for two years.


    Managing a private equity fund was one thing ¡ª after all, it was right under Lu Liang''s watch, and if anything went wrong, he was there to back him up.


    But ever since he was sent to Tokyo to manage so much capital, he felt like a kite bereft of its string, uneasy at heart.


    He really hoped Mr. Lu would visit the company, offer some advice, and provide some guidance.


    A word of approval or criticism would give him a bit of reassurance.


    "It''s not yet fully light outside, let''s wait a bit longer."


    Unable to help chuckling, Lu Liang thought for a moment and then instructed, "First head to Roppongi. Send a car for me at noon, and at three o''clock in the afternoon, schedule a meeting with Ota Ling."


    After a ten-hour flight and seven hours of time difference, he wanted to take a shower and rest properly for a while.


    "Yes, Mr. Lu."


    Wen Chao grinned sheepishly, not as assertive as he used to be.


    Being new to Tokyo, and being young, he could only play the severe judge every day to maintain authority. Now that Mr. Lu was here, he could let his guard down a little.


    "Let''s go, get in the car."


    Lu Liang smiled and patted Wen Chao on the shoulder.


    They left the airport, and speeding along the highway, passed by the Tokyo Tower, arriving at Roppongi''s Third District in forty minutes.


    Lu Liang had a good memory; although he had only been here once, he still remembered where his apartment and the specific floor were.


    Mostly because it was distinctively located and well situated, right next to the Asahi TV Station and Yahoo Group Building.


    Lu Liang arrived at the door and rang the bell repeatedly before finally hearing a timid voice from inside.


    "Who is it?"


    Sakurada Miyuki was full of wariness; she had lived here for over three months, and it was the first time someone had come to visit, especially so early.


    "It''s me," Lu Liang chuckled, glancing up at the monitor.


    "I''m sorry, sir, I didn''t know it was you," Sakurada Miyuki hurriedly opened the door, apologetic and frightened.


    With a bare face, tender skin, sleep lines still on her cheeks, she was dressed in a loose, thin long-sleeved nightgown.


    "Miyuki, are you settling in well here?" Lu Liang asked with a smile at the corner of his mouth as he casually took off his coat and looked around the room''s setup.


    Compared to the finely furnished blank canvas from a few months back, the room had undergone significant changes¡ªan array of cute knick-knacks and potted green plants had been added.


    Like sofa covers featuring the Nozawa family, a giant carpet resembling Xiao Bai, and the original grey curtains had been replaced with light blue ones¡ªthere were touches of life everywhere.


    "Thank you, sir, Miyuki has been quite comfortable living here. Please have a seat, and I''ll help you with your shoes."


    Suddenly kneeling, Sakurada Miyuki helped Lu Liang sit down at the entrance to take off his shoes and socks, and she slipped cartoon slippers onto his feet.


    In the beginning, she was very anxious, not sleeping well at night, always fearful of Mr. Lu''s sudden arrival.


    But after one month, two months, three months, without seeing Mr. Lu or even a phone call from him, her feelings began to shift from anxiety to anticipation.


    A salary of 3 million yen a month, even though 2.5 million went towards paying off debt, the right to live in a luxurious several hundred square meter mansion, along with the use of several luxury cars, made her look forward to Mr. Lu''s visits.


    Sakurada Miyuki was well aware that her contributions did not match up to her current rewards.


    As the saying goes, "A night of springtime is worth a thousand gold pieces"¡ªthe tangible embodiment of which was evident in the incredible deal of a good night''s sleep.


    If word got out, probably every girl in Tokyo would go crazy, competing to spend a night with Lu Liang.


    Moreover, Lu Liang wasn''t just any old man, but an internationally renowned financier who would be treated with the utmost respect even in the United States.


    "Run a bath for me, I need to take a shower."


    Lu Liang took it for granted to accept the service, walked into the kitchen, opened the refrigerator, and found only beverages and some fruits and vegetables.


    Sakurada Miyuki blushed, "I''m sorry sir, I didn''t know you were coming, so I didn''t prepare much."


    "Have you always lived here alone?" Lu Liang grabbed a bottle of soda, which tasted like orange juice and was quite nice.


    Sakurada Miyuki nodded quickly, honestly saying, "Only my mother has come a few times, but each time she left very soon."


    She always remembered Lu Liang''s words, whether it was the house or the car, only she was allowed to use them.


    Lu Liang chuckled. While waiting for the bathtub to fill, he chatted with Miyuki, "Are you not in school now?"


    "Yes, but we are on summer break. Our summer break starts from mid-July and lasts until the beginning of September."


    "How''s your study? Have you been learning Chinese?"


    "I am learning, I know a little bit."


    Sakurada Miyuki hesitated for a long time, then suddenly spoke with the soft accent of a high-ranking officer, stressing the second tone with every syllable.


    "Study hard, you might be able to help me in the future, and you could pay off your loan early."


    Lu Liang said with a smile, reached out and patted Miyuki''s head, when suddenly his phone rang and Xu Jiawei had sent over newly bought clothes.


    "You go get it." He headed to the bathroom, took a quick shower, and soaked in the bathtub, closing his eyes to rejuvenate.


    Tokyo''s life expectancy was the highest in the world, something that couldn''t be unlinked from their love of bathing.


    Occasionally soaking indeed helped relieve fatigue, soothe the mind, and stimulate circulation.


    Suddenly, the bathroom door opened.


    Lu Liang said, "Just hang the pajamas on the door."


    Sakurada Miyuki uttered a small sound, like that of a mosquito, followed by the rustling of movements.


    Lu Liang squinted, took a glance, and saw skin as white as snow, completely bare.


    She was red-faced, tiptoeing around, full of a sneaky thrill.


    "Sir... sir, do you need me to scrub your back?" She spoke haltingly, covering herself in key places with her hands.


    Lu Liang hummed in affirmation, turning his head away.


    Sakurada Miyuki let out a long breath, quickly showered to rinse off, soaking wet, her hair tied up in a high ponytail.


    She extended her slender, beautiful legs into the tub and quietly sat behind Lu Liang, kneading his shoulders to relieve his fatigue.


    Lu Liang laid back, resting on plump collagen.


    Miyuki''s face flushed, and she couldn''t help but let out a light moan because Lu Liang''s hair was a little prickly.


    After about ten minutes, Lu Liang was so relaxed he was nearly asleep.


    Miyuki reminded him with a soft voice, "Sir, it''s time to get up, you can''t soak for too long."


    She took out a small stool, placed it under the shower head; Japanese bathing typically involved washing, soaking, scrubbing, and finally a thorough rinse.


    The comfort of completing this routine surpassed the vigorous scrubbing found in the northeast.


    If one had to point out a flaw, it would possibly be Sakurada Miyuki.


    In a proper bathhouse, there are often big, burly male attendants unless it''s an improper bathhouse women don''t serve men.


    But the soft-spoken, delicate Sakurada Miyuki kept fluttering in front of Lu Liang, her presence unsettling.


    What proper person could withstand such a test?


    The original bath-scrub-clean routine had an additional step inserted, causing the bath time to be extended by over twenty minutes.


    Lu Liang, wrapped in a bathrobe and refreshed, walked out of the bathroom, leaving a nearly limp Sakurada Miyuki to clean up.


    Suddenly, in the empty house,


    a string of Japanese that Lu Liang couldn''t understand sounded.


    It seemed accusatory in tone.


    Passing through the living room, Lu Liang saw a woman, almost forty, organizing the refrigerator and putting away the newly bought meats and vegetables.


    Apparently, because Lu Liang didn''t respond, the woman turned her head instinctively and their eyes met, the air filling with awkwardness.


    Sakurada Miyuki heard the noise, her hair still dripping wet, not even time to dry it, and hurried out.


    "Sir, this is my mother," she introduced stiffly, red creeping up her cheeks once more.


    Both were in bathrobes; anyone normal would know what they had just been doing.

 Chapter 341 - 338: Misunderstanding

    "Madam, hello."


    Lu Liang had the mindset of a host, showing a slight smile as he nodded slightly and greeted her.


    The woman''s expression was stiff as she quickly bowed in apology, "Really a private incident¡­"


    "Sir, my mother apologizes, she shouldn''t have come over without alerting us first."


    Sakurada Miyuki blushed, beautiful yet distressed, as she reluctantly acted as the translator between the two.


    She also apologized to Lu Liang, explaining that because she worried about losing the keys, she had given her mother a spare.


    She hadn''t expected her mother to come over today, and the timing of the visit couldn''t have been more coincidental.


    However, it was a fortunate mishap, as their activities had been confined just to the bathroom.


    Had they been a bit more unrestrained, in the living room, balcony, or kitchen, and her mother had suddenly walked in¡ª


    Merely thinking about the scenario made her want to die. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The two murmured to each other, no one knowing what they were discussing.


    Lu Liang asked curiously, "Why aren''t you translating anymore?"


    Miyuki, cheeks red, replied, "My mother said you look younger in person than in the photos, and very handsome."


    "All that long conversation, and that''s all she said?" Lu Liang was skeptical.


    "She also asked if you understand Japanese. I said no, then she asked¡­"


    Miyuki stammered, her ears turning bright red, "She asked if we were just communicating in the bathroom."


    Lu Liang smiled lightly, "Tell her I like you very much, I will treat you well in the future, and she can be assured."


    Miyuki was slightly dazed, her expression excited and incoherent as she hurriedly relayed Lu Liang''s exact words to her mother.


    She was nineteen, having just come of age, and had never been in a relationship before, always finding it hard to broach the subject.


    Including what she''d told her mother before, merely mentioning that she knew a wealthy man willing to help her family pay off debts, provide a luxurious accommodation, and give her three luxury cars.


    It was all her wishful thinking, just to set her mother at ease, yet it hadn''t been acknowledged by Lu Liang.


    Now that Lu Liang acknowledged it, a purely beneficial arrangement no longer seemed so simple, and it wouldn''t be so hard for her to speak about it.


    More importantly, Lu Liang was unmarried.


    Her status had changed from mistress to a girlfriend not yet ready to be revealed to the public.


    Perhaps it was self-deception,


    but it sounded better when said out loud.


    The woman was so moved she bowed deeply in gratitude, and Miyuki said, "She says, ''Thank you, sir. She won''t come so presumptuously next time, and she will leave for now, if there are no issues.''"


    Lu Liang, while enjoying the tasty breakfast prepared for him, suddenly asked, "What does your mother do?"


    Miyuki answered, "Now she mainly does odd jobs to earn rent and living expenses."


    A year ago, her family was relatively affluent, her father the owner of a small company, earning 50 million yen a year.


    That''s approximately 340,000 US dollars, considered a high income even in Tokyo, an international first-tier city.


    Naturally, her mother became a full-time housewife, never seen working since Miyuki''s birth.


    Over the years, having been disconnected from society focusing only on family life, she had forgotten how to earn a livelihood and could only manage odd jobs.


    Mainly it was because she was older and a woman. In Tokyo, jobs are practically lifetime appointments; nobody wanted her.


    "Still renting?" Lu Liang was surprised.


    "Yes," Miyuki nodded, she was obedient and had not let anyone besides herself reside there.


    Lu Liang smiled and suggested, "There are so many guest rooms here, let your mother move in and stay with you."


    In a 480-square-meter deluxe apartment, besides the primary and secondary bedrooms, there were four guest rooms around 30 square meters each. He was not unreasonable.


    Sakurada Miyuki was overjoyed and confirmed, "Sir, really? I can let my mom stay here as well?"


    Lu Liang nodded, and Miyuki, thrilled, quickly talked to her mother about living together in the future.


    The woman was shocked and did not share her daughter''s happiness; her smile was somewhat forced.


    Miyuki sensed her puzzlement, "Mom, don''t you want to live with Miyuki?"


    "Of course, Mom wants to live with Meixue," the woman forced a smile, inadvertently glancing at Lu Liang.


    She had married her husband and given birth to Sakurada Miyuki right after graduating from university when she was 20.


    Though she was now 39 years old, having been a full-time, well-kept wife for 19 years, she maintained herself well, appearing just over 30.


    Recently, while working odd jobs outside, she often received cards inviting her to enter the film industry, noting that there was a market for mature women.


    Now with Lu Liang unexpectedly inviting her to live with her daughter, it was no wonder she overthought.


    "Thank you, sir. I''m Miyazaki Erii."


    Erii showed a determined expression and no longer hesitated, immediately agreeing to her daughter''s invitation.


    She was filled with regret now, thinking that if she hadn''t hesitated to accept the S1 invitation back then, her daughter might not have met Lu Liang.


    The debt of 280 million yen was originally the responsibility of their elders, and should not have been left to a 19-year-old girl.


    "Miyazaki? Isn''t your last name the same as mine, Sakurada?" Miyuki, full of confusion, hadn''t thought much about it.


    "It''s my former last name."


    Erii showed a gentle expression but did not explain much, hoping her daughter would always remain so innocent.


    "Enjoy your meal, I''m going to rest for a while. Remember to wake me up at noon."


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but chuckle, pulling out a tissue to wipe his mouth, planning to go back to his room to take a nap. He knew what Erii was thinking, but that wasn''t his intention, though he was too lazy to explain.


    Approaching noon, Lu Liang was sleeping soundly.


    Erii walked up to the bedside, crouched down, and gently shook Lu Liang''s shoulder, "Sir, wake up."


    Lu Liang squinted his eyes, picked up his phone to check the time, and realized he had slept for over three hours, and it was now nearly twelve o''clock.


    "Your secretary is waiting downstairs."


    Erii recited this like reading from a script, her words stumbling, as she handed over a warm, moist towel and a cup of warm water.


    "Do you understand Chinese?" Lu Liang asked in surprise, sitting up in bed and wiping his face with the hot towel.


    Erii looked baffled, then suddenly pulled out her phone, which was open to a Chinese-Japanese translation app.


    Lu Liang laughed, and Erii handed him a cup of warm water.


    "Thank you," Lu Liang said with a smile.


    She understood this and quickly responded, "You''re welcome."


    As she spoke, she took out Lu Liang''s clothes for going out, neatly folded, and helped him out of his pajamas.


    The process inevitably involved some skin contact, causing the just-rested Little Lu to unavoidably react.


    Erii, still unfamiliar with Lu Liang and thinking he wanted it, fell silent for a moment before silently closing the door and starting to unbutton her shirt.


    Lu Liang didn''t know whether to laugh or cry. Unable to communicate verbally, he quickly shook his head and gestured with his hands, then dressed himself.


    He walked out of the bedroom, about to ask where Miyuki had gone.


    Erii''s cheeks were slightly red as she pointed to the next bedroom and mimed a sleeping gesture.


    "Then let''s let her continue sleeping."


    Lu Liang called Jia Wei and learned that he and Wen Chao were just downstairs, "I''m coming down now."


    Erii quickly pointed to the food on the dining table, but Lu Liang shook his head, "I won''t eat now, I''m not hungry yet."


    He walked to the vestibule, and Erii hurriedly followed, helping him sit to wear shoes and socks and check his attire.


    Erii''s neckline was very wide, bending over slightly, a trace of white landscape came into view.


    Lu Liang didn''t know whether to laugh or cry and was a bit uncomfortable.


    Li Manli, Su Wanyu, Wang Chuting, and even Zhang Tian''ai, though they all liked him very much, did not serve him like this.


    "I''m leaving, and I might not come back tonight."


    Lu Liang picked up Erii''s phone and typed this sentence into the translation app.


    Erii nodded, a smile appearing on her face as she knelt at the vestibule, respectfully watching Lu Liang leave.


    Lu Liang smiled, "Still have to get used to it."


    Although a bit uncomfortable, he had to admit, the feeling was indeed very nice.


    Suddenly he could understand, working in Tokyo was so oppressive, and how such strong male chauvinism developed¡ªit was all about being spoiled.


    If one doesn''t burst in oppression, one perishes in it, bullied as a nobody outside, but in the home, they are the master, they are the heaven.


    It was like someone who had never tasted power suddenly becoming a parent, some inevitably developed a pathological need to control.


    And this nation was famous for its obsessiveness.


    "What time are you meeting with Ota Ling?"


    Lu Liang arrived downstairs where Wen Chao, Xu Jiawei, Fang Shiyu, and security personnel were waiting.


    "2:30 PM, we''ll meet at our company."


    As the first-generation secretary, Wen Chao naturally took over Xu Jiawei''s duties.


    "Alright, let''s head there then."


    The group went to Ginza in the Central District, where Xingheng Investment Company was located just above the Tokyo Stock Exchange.


    Wen Chao mentioned, "Mr. Ota was planning to provide us with a venue, but I declined."


    The proposed venues were either next to the Mitsui Sumitomo Building or directly inside it.


    Wen Chao felt it was inappropriate, as Xingheng Investment was Lu Liang''s wholly-owned enterprise and should maintain its independence.

 Chapter 342 - 339: Hit with a Stick, Offer a Sweet Date

    The company had a small staff, just fourteen people including Wen Chao. Only two receptionist ladies were Chinese, fluent in Chinese, Japanese, and English, the rest were locals.


    Being Chinese, he understood the Chinese character all too well.


    Especially those Chinese bosses overseas, if there were too many Chinese in management positions, who knows what kind of trouble might arise.


    Wen Chao was not like Lu Liang, didn''t have that high prestige, probably couldn''t hold them down. After much thought, he simply decided not to hire Chinese to avoid their scheming and forming cliques. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Fujiwara, gather everyone."


    Having just arrived at the office, Wen Chao called over the deputy general manager to assemble everyone in the meeting room to introduce them to Lu Liang.


    Everyone''s eyes sparkled upon seeing Lu Liang. As Tokyo''s elite white-collar workers, they naturally had heard of the big boss.


    Even among those potentially hostile to Chinese, a look of admiration couldn''t help but appear when they saw Lu Liang.


    In Japan and South Korea, aside from some racists, most of those hostile to Chinese shared a common trait, they were pro-American.


    And Lu Liang was a man who could stir up storms across America and had been invited to the White House for a cordial meeting with businessmen.


    In their eyes, he wasn''t purely Chinese, thus worthy of their admiration and respect.


    "Hello, everyone." Lu Liang smiled. He didn''t often work in Tokyo, so he needed to maintain Wen Chao''s authority.


    After consulting with him, he decided to let everyone leave work early and have a company dinner that evening.


    Cheers filled the meeting room. In any country, leaving work early for a company-organized dinner was a joy.


    After waiting at the office for a while, around two o''clock, Ota Ling arrived half an hour early and immediately beamed upon seeing Lu Liang, "Mr. Lu, long time no see."


    Back when they shorted Brent Crude Oil, he insisted on giving 20% of the net profit to Lu Liang, despite much opposition.


    Many board members thought Lu Liang wasn''t worth it.


    After all, they had put up ten billion US dollars at risk. Why should Lu Liang receive 20% of the net profits just for providing information?


    However, since Lu Liang visited New York and received hospitality from celebrities and politicians across America, all the doubts had instantly vanished.


    Going to the United States, Lu Liang became a distinguished guest. It was a wise decision for them to collaborate with Lu Liang and Old Ma to establish a risk fund early on.


    A 20% share of the net profit was nothing, the remaining 80% wouldn''t have been earned without Lu Liang.


    "Mr. Ota, you seem to have gained quite some weight?" Lu Liang said with a full smile, inviting him to the reception room.


    He discussed his experiences in the United States, and finally the project in Detroit under the name of Xingheng Investment.


    Lu Liang sighed, "Tianxing can''t allocate so much capital. We''ll need your help to move Xingheng''s funds overseas."


    Ota Ling''s face darkened, he contemplated for a moment, "Leave it to us. Just let us know when you need it."


    Although the funds were Lu Liang''s, they couldn''t intercept them, but they could still try to delay.


    At least until the next speculation, to grab some benefits before letting Lu Liang''s funds go.


    "I knew Mr. Ota would be straightforward."


    Lu Liang''s smile didn''t falter. He called over Xu Jiawei and took out the letter of intent signed with the Detroit government.


    It clearly stated the initial two hundred million US dollars needed to be transferred to Morgan''s account within the next thirty business days.


    The guarantor was Old Te.


    Anyway, Lu Liang''s investment company and proof of funds had been provided. He wasn''t without money, he had money, just that all the funds were in Mitsui Sumitomo''s account.


    If the funds couldn''t be successfully transferred, it would certainly be Mitsui Sumitomo Bank''s fault.


    "Please rest assured, Mr. Lu. We''ll definitely assist your company in transferring the funds within the stipulated time."


    Ota Ling''s expression stiffened when Old Te''s name appeared under the guarantor section, leaving them with only one choice.


    Since Japan''s complete surrender 45 years ago, the first thing every Prime Minister did after taking office was not fulfilling campaign promises or enacting new policies, but visiting the White House.


    Dozens of Prime Ministers, through seventy-plus years of incessant challenges, especially the recent Old Te, had been quite exceptional.


    Recently during his visit to Japan, Old Te publicly showed dissatisfaction towards Anshan, showing his displeasure publicly. If the head of a nation could do such a thing, let alone Mitsui Sumitomo.


    If they dared to displease Old Te, hindering this massive investment in the Swing States, Old Te would 100% retaliate, possibly even venting angrily on Twitter.


    Seeing his goal achieved, Lu Liang maintained a smile.


    Handling tricky situations still required his father''s intervention.


    However, everything should be done in moderation. Now that the deterrent had worked, it was only fair to give a sweetener to ease the situation.


    Lu Liang spoke softly, "Mr. Ota, you might want to prepare some funds¡ªthere''s a really good market opportunity coming next month."


    He didn''t just share this news with Ota Ling, but also with Sun Yutao, who managed a private equity fund in China.


    He asked him to sell some Tesla stocks during this period and mobilize as much capital as possible.


    Ota Ling''s eyes lit up at this, dispelling the gloom on his face, "Mr. Lu, which market?"


    Lu Liang just smiled and said nothing.


    Ota Ling quickly added, "I''m terribly sorry, please forgive my impulsive question, and don''t take offence."


    Lu Liang pondered for a moment and said, "It might be in late August or early September, I''m not entirely sure."


    The next market opportunity was gold. He knew the exact timing and the peak value, but he couldn''t say it outright.


    Ota Ling nodded earnestly, assuring that he would prepare well, and left with a satisfied smile on his face.


    He hoped that Lu Liang would keep his funds in Tokyo because he was worried that Lu Liang might not include them in future dealings.


    For Lu Liang, whether the funds stayed in Tokyo or not wasn''t significant anymore if he was still going to involve them.


    After seeing off Ota Ling, Lu Liang called over Wen Chao.


    "Follow up a bit on the fund transfer for this project."


    Lu Liang tapped his fingertips on the desktop, then added, "When it''s time, I''ll have Wang Xiaofeng contact you. Once the funds arrive, you arrange some manpower to go with them to Detroit."


    He was very keen on General Motors'' chassis technology, so he had already asked Wang Xiaofeng to select a team of talents within China.


    They would head to Detroit together later and use the construction of a factory as a pretext to learn and improve, hoping to acquire their technology soon and develop their own chassis patent.


    The process was going to be long, ranging from three to eight years, and might still end up being a fruitless endeavor.


    But he knew that even a 1% chance of success was better than zero¡ªif they didn''t try, there would be no chance at all.


    At 4:30 PM, the company closed early.


    Not having many people, they didn''t rent a bus and instead took five sedans to Shinjuku, one of the 23 wards of Tokyo.


    Ge Wuji Town in Shinjuku, much like a fusion of People Road, Yellow River Road, and Huaihai Road in Modu, boasts over 3000 entertainment venues and is also known as the largest entertainment and red-light district in Asia.


    There were five female employees among them, so it was natural to avoid inappropriate places.


    After dining in a restaurant, they went straight to a bar where Wen Chao had reserved a large private room.


    Wen Chao coughed slightly and issued a warning, "Mr. Lu, don''t take it personally later; they are all quite capable, but they tend to go wild when they are out."


    Taking the street environment as an example, the streets of Tokyo at 2 AM and at 6 AM seemed like two different worlds.


    During the day, suited-up elite office workers were normal, but at night, urinating anywhere was not uncommon, although everything would return to usual the next day.


    This nation, from top to bottom, was thoroughly abnormal.


    "I have heard of it." Lu Liang smiled lightly¡ªthe craziness at night was essentially an emotional release for the dissatisfied working masses.


    The term "corporate slaves" originated in Tokyo. If Modu was wild at night, Shinjuku was bound to be wilder.


    Despite being prepared, Lu Liang still underestimated the situation.


    After three rounds of drinks, a few of the older employees suddenly took off their suit jackets and trousers.


    Wearing boxer shorts, long socks, and black leather shoes, they stood on the table, linked arms, and sang swaying songs.


    In a fit of emotion, one of them even reached out to invite Lu Liang, "Mr. Lu, come and dance~~"


    Lu Liang shook his head with a laugh, and they didn''t insist but instead pulled another male colleague to dance.


    Nearby, some female colleagues whispered among themselves, and suddenly, they hugged each other and started sobbing, lamenting the challenges of life.


    Lu Liang found it both amusing and unbearable and called Wen Chao over, "I''ll leave this to you, I''m heading out."


    Wen Chao gave a wry smile, "Mr. Lu, let me escort you."


    "No need, you stay here and take care of them."


    Lu Liang left the private room and walked past many booths and other private rooms. Wherever there were suited-up elites who had had a bit too much to drink, the behavior was much the same.


    "Truly damn crazy," he sighed.


    Leaving the bar, he took a ride to Roppongi.

 Chapter 343 - 340: The Unfillable Ravine of Desire

    Roppongi, Kanzaki Apartment.


    Lu Liang returned home, and it was already one in the morning.


    In the living room, a small chandelier was lit. Erii leaned on the sofa, her eyes tightly closed, covered with a small blanket.


    Women in Tokyo were generally of short stature, and Sakurada Miyuki being 165 cm tall had a lot to do with her mother''s genes.


    Erii, nearing forty, perfectly embodied the charm of a woman in her prime, still graceful.


    Her height must have been over 160 cm. Clad in a brown slip nightdress, she appeared slightly disheveled at the moment, exposing a large area of her fair skin.


    Her long legs were curled up, mostly covered by the thin blanket, her contour strikingly attractive. One foot peeked out, the blue veins on her instep visible, the toenails painted red.


    Sakurada Miyuki lay on the other end of the sofa, her big eyes bright and alert. Watching Lu Liang looking at her mother, her face revealed a puzzled expression.


    "Why aren''t you two going to your rooms to sleep?" Lu Liang cleared his throat a few times, averted his gaze, and changed the subject.


    Miyuki said softly, "Mom said we should wait for you to come back."


    Erii''s sleep was light, and hearing the noise, she quickly got up, rubbing her eyes and subconsciously speaking in Japanese.


    "Sir, Mom will go run a bath for you, and I''ll go heat up the food."


    Miyuki also got up, turning on the lights inside the house.


    In the traditional mindset of Tokyo''s women, the male head of the house was akin to the sky, and for Lu Liang, to those living under his roof, he was the sky of skies, king of kings.


    Today, Mom taught her many things, one of which was that no matter how late, as long as Lu Liang was here, they should keep the light on and wait for him to come back.


    Lu Liang quickly stopped the two, "I had a bath in the morning, a quick shower now will do. I also just had dinner outside, not hungry."


    Miyuki translated Lu Liang''s exact words, and Erii pulled out a new set of pajamas: "Sir, the pajamas are in the bathroom for you. If there''s nothing else, Mom will go back to her room to rest."


    "Mhm, go ahead."


    Lu Liang saw Erii bow slightly, seemingly not wanting to disturb them, and chose a very remote guest room to stay temporarily.


    From entering the bathroom to coming out, the whole process took less than seven minutes. Sakurada Miyuki stood by the door, handing him a cup of warm water: "Sir, you must be thirsty after the bath, here~"


    "Thank you."


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but smile, patting her little head.


    Miyuki squinted her eyes, distinctly feeling that Lu Liang had grown much closer to her.


    Mom was right; men indeed liked gentle and considerate girls, so attention to detail mattered.


    She walked with joyfully short, quick steps, following closely behind Lu Liang as they entered the master bedroom.


    Miyuki dove into the blankets, rolling around until finally poking her little head out, grinning, "Now it''s warm."


    Her na?ve, wide eyes increasingly resembled Akina Nakamori from the Showa era, Japan''s top diva.


    Before, Lu Liang didn''t know much about that Tokyo starlet, only searching up her information later.


    Beautifully refreshing, elegantly ethereal, there was a sense of fragility to her. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    No wonder, even after thirty years, today, having become a significant tycoon, Ota Ling still couldn''t stop thinking about her.


    Encountering a similar flower, he would rather hand it over to someone else than pick it himself, fearful of destroying the once beautiful moment.


    Lu Liang sat at the bedside, browsing news, while also making a phone call to Xu Jiawei to book a ticket back home for tomorrow.


    Bored, Miyuki fiddled with Lu Liang''s hand. Her small hand covered by his large one, she was thoroughly enjoying herself.


    Hearing about booking the ticket, she suddenly paused, "Sir, are you leaving tomorrow?"


    Ever since their last parting, she had enrolled in a Mandarin class and, a few months later, could understand some basic phrases.


    Like ''ticket'' and ''flight'', as long as it wasn''t too complicated, she could basically catch the gist by guessing.


    "Yes, next time we can communicate in Mandarin."


    Lu Liang smiled broadly, pinching her cheek, her ability as a student from East Country really was impressive.


    "When will you come next time?"


    Miyuki looked hopeful, although she didn''t yet like Lu Liang, she at least no longer disliked him.


    Since her mother moved in, this place, and Lu Liang, made her feel like she had a home again.


    "In a month or two."


    "Really? Then let''s make a pinky promise."


    "You guys do this too?"


    Miyuki glanced at the children''s Chinese picture book on the bedside, her smile curling her eyelashes, "Learned it from there, it''s a promise."


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but smile, hooking his pinky with hers and pressing his thumb as a seal. Miyuki beamed, "Promise then, one or two months."


    "Promise," Lu Liang nodded.


    Miyuki clung to Lu Liang like an octopus and suddenly asked, "Sir, may I ask you a question?"


    "Ask away, but I might not answer."


    Miyuki hesitated for a long time before quietly asking, "Do you like my mom?"


    Lu Liang was speechless, "Why would you think that?"


    "Because my mom is very beautiful."


    Miyuki was serious. Compared to her mom, she always felt like an ugly duckling.


    Including today when they went out, her mom hadn''t bought new clothes for a long time, so she helped buy a few sets.


    Just a little hairstyling swept away the previous gloom.


    People on the street all looked at her mom and not at her.


    Lu Liang pondered and didn''t hide his thoughts, "I do like her a little, but because she''s your mom."


    The idea of mother and daughter together was thrilling, but like standing atop a skyscraper looking down, sometimes you think about jumping but never actually do.


    If Erii wasn''t Miyuki''s mom, and there was a chance, Lu Liang really wanted to experience, to kiss her once, but because she is, it remained just a thought.


    "One must restrain oneself to truly achieve oneself," Lu Liang sighed deeply.


    Few others could impose restrictions on him; he had to restrain himself and establish psychological boundaries.


    Once mother and daughter are involved, what next? Involve a minor?


    If he involved a minor, what would he play at next?


    The world is full of perverted delicacies and places, all created from continuously breaking boundaries.


    Over more than two years, Lu Liang had completed the accumulation of initial wealth and understood why those rich people, despite being very wealthy, were still obsessed with making money.


    The gorges of desire are hard to fill; if they have no goal to strive for, they would become even scarier than ghosts.


    "I don''t understand," Miyuki said, confused, but she understood they would not be together, which suddenly made her heart happy.


    Holding onto Lu Liang''s arm, she drifted into sleep, murmuring, "Mom really liked dad, and never blamed him..."


    "Go to sleep."


    A soft click sounded, and the bedroom plunged into darkness.


    In the guest room not far from the master bedroom, the beautiful woman stared at her deceased husband''s photo, closed her eyes, and tears trickled down from her eyes.


    ...


    The next day at noon, after saying farewell to Sakurada Miyuki and her daughter, Lu Liang took a plane and, after three hours, returned to Modu.


    "Sweet air."


    Stepping out of the plane and seeing the big sign of Pu Xin Airport, Lu Liang couldn''t help stretching.


    After traveling around the globe and wandering abroad for more than half a month, the traveler finally returned to his country.


    "Mr. Lu, can we take a photo?"


    As he stepped onto the jet bridge, hurried footsteps followed by an excited male voice came from behind.


    Standing before them, Fang Shiyu, at one meter ninety, seemed like an insurmountable small mountain.


    Lu Liang turned back and saw a twenty-year-old young man brimming with excitement; the girl beside him was no less enthusiastic, exclaiming, "Mr. Lu, you''re so handsome."


    Lu Liang smiled, "You''ve got good taste."


    He waved his hand; Fang Shiyu, understanding without words, quietly stepped aside to let the young couple through.


    Lu Liang, with a smile, stood between the young couple, raised his right hand, placed it on his chest, and made a ''V'' sign.


    Before leaving, he didn''t forget to remind, "Beauty, if you ''Photoshop'' the picture, don''t just focus on yourself, take care of our male friends too."


    "Got it, I''ll make sure you look even more handsome than my boyfriend," the girl said with a giggling smile and excitedly stomping her feet.


    Meanwhile, the news of Lu Liang returning to the country spread across the internet like thunder.


    A week ago, Wanda''s private jet arrived back in the country.


    To provide cover for Lu Liang, Little Wang almost announced their flight information to the entire network.


    That day, many people came to the airport to pick them up, most were media reporters, but people only saw Little Wang.


    For the next week, Lu Liang disappeared as if evaporated, and even those staking out the company saw no sign of him.


    Thus, people guessed that Lu Liang had not returned to the country; he was still abroad, just that his whereabouts were kept secret.


    According to past habits,


    When Lu Liang is quiet, he must be up to something.


    Now that he''s back, and from a flight from Tokyo, a new storm is surely brewing.


    Investment funds, new energy businesses, everyone felt threatened because these industries are deeply linked with Lu Liang.


    "These people really have wild imaginations."


    Lu Liang could not help but smile, just going to see the mother of his child, and they conjured up such a drama.


    "But they''re not wrong, a storm is coming."


    He looked at the date, the weekend had just passed, and the 22nd was approaching, the shareholding in BYD was also nearing its lifting period.

 Chapter 344 - 341: The Demeanor of a Great General

    Although it was Friday,


    Lu Liang still decided to make a trip to the company first.


    These days, he had been out of the country and accumulated a lot of financial orders to sign, and had also received many invitations from various people and enterprises.


    The former were all normal daily expenses such as rent, utilities, labor, etc., which Tang Caidie had previously compiled into reports, sent to Lu Liang for review and authorization, and now required his supplementary signature and company seal.


    The latter consisted of over a dozen invitation letters, mostly for financing, new product launches, or financial symposiums.


    Lu Liang could attend if he wished, and likewise, it was fine if he didn''t want to.


    Among them, two caught his attention, both were official invitations.


    The first was for August 7th, a commendation ceremony for the National Outstanding Young Entrepreneurs and the Top Ten Distinguished Young People.


    Spanning two days, the first day would feature an award ceremony in the auditorium, and the second day would be held at Huaqing University, creating a platform for shared exchanges.


    The second was for the World New Energy Vehicle Conference, with dates and location set for August 15th to August 17th.


    Over the course of three days, it would take place on Hai Island in Boao, and Lu Liang was invited as a member of the board of directors.


    That day, many senior leaders would be in attendance.


    "Neither of the invitations can be declined, nor should they be."


    Lu Liang muttered to himself, remembering Su Wanyu''s due date, which seemed to be in the latter half of August.


    There might be a conflict in timing.


    But he had promised Su Wanyu that as her due date approached, he would make time to be with her no matter what.


    Now it seemed he would have to break his word.


    The corners of Lu Liang''s mouth curved upward, sketching a smile, as he found Lu Ya''s number in his contacts: "Sis, what have you been up to lately? How are mom and dad? Are Dabao and Erbao doing well in their studies?"


    Lu Ya was silent for a few seconds before responding succinctly: "Tell me!"


    Having known each other for over thirty years, she could tell, just by the way he perked up, whether Lu Liang needed to take a number one or a number two.


    Every time he sweet-talked her, it never boded well.


    He only thought of her, the older sister, when there was some issue at hand.


    "What do you say to going overseas to relax a bit, if you''re not too busy?" Lu Liang said cheerfully.


    "Don''t you want to tell me the truth?" Lu Ya''s tone was stern.


    Lu Liang chuckled awkwardly: "Actually, it''s nothing much, you haven''t met Yu yet, have you? I''m inviting you to go visit her." S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "..."


    Lu Ya fell silent again, longer this time,


    Then suddenly asked, "Did you get someone in trouble?"


    "Ah, she''s giving birth next month."


    Even over the phone, Lu Liang could hear her heavy breathing, like the precursor to a volcanic eruption.


    Lu Ya remained silent for a long while,


    He couldn''t help but ask, "Sis, are you still there?"


    "I''m not dead yet~"


    Lu Ya took a deep breath to steady her emotions and asked again, "Is she still in the United Kingdom? Not coming back?"


    Lu Liang replied, "She hasn''t finished her studies there. I just got back from Edinburgh, where I spent a few days with her. After our talk, she decided to stay there and have the baby there too."


    "Her studies haven''t finished?"


    Lu Ya clenched her molars so hard they creaked. Unless she was mentally challenged, she wouldn''t believe such a flimsy excuse.


    Considering the timing of Su Wanyu going abroad and the period Lu Liang was entangled in rumors with some online celebrity,


    It wasn''t hard to guess what really happened.


    "When can I go over?"


    Lu Ya tried to control her urge to lash out, calming herself down, constantly reminding herself that this was her own flesh and blood brother, not something picked up from a trash can.


    Lu Liang thought for a moment and said, "You have never been abroad, so it will probably take about two weeks to process a European visa, but I will ask someone to expedite the procedure."


    Lu Ya grunted in acknowledgment, ready to hang up the annoying call.


    After experiencing her brother''s sudden wealth, her tolerance had grown significantly. Now, since the person was reluctant to return, and it would take two weeks to process a visa, fretting over it wouldn''t help.


    Moreover, Lu Liang had just come back from Edinburgh.


    "They should be reconciled by now, and everything is pretty much arranged."


    "Sure enough, my sister is unflappable and confident. You do have the demeanor of a great general," Lu Liang said with a full smile as he buttered her up, then started talking about their parents. Lu Ya interjected directly, "Let''s just keep it from them for now."


    Smiling, Lu Liang said, "True to my sister, blood is thicker than water, and we''re on the same wavelength. We both had the same thought."


    Telling them wouldn''t do any good; it''s better to wait until the end of the year and then surprise them by presenting a chubby baby.


    "Hehe¡ªif you weren''t my brother, I''d really want to slap you to death and drag you down to the river to soak in a pig cage."


    Lu Ya, looking quite indignant, didn''t blame Lu Liang too much. She decided she''d find a suitable excuse to leave the country and try not to let their folks back home catch wind of it.


    A completely unremarkable person for thirty years, suddenly striking it rich after divorce wasn''t hard to figure out; the impact that incident had on him was immense.


    Lu Ya was always willing to be Lu Liang''s wingman, helping him soothe their elderly parents, telling them not to worry or be anxious.


    "But I am your brother."


    Lu Liang, feeling completely satisfied, hung up the phone and summoned Xu Jiawei. He asked him to make a trip back home over the weekend to help Lu Ya with the materials needed for a European visa application.


    Visas for developed countries are tougher to apply for, requiring bank statements and property ownership proofs, unlike in Southeast Asia where it''s easier to obtain.


    Particularly since the treatment of vagrants is so good there. If not strictly scrutinized, many might go and never want to come back.


    At night, Lu Liang visited the Skyline District.


    In the business world, doing good deeds anonymously simply doesn''t exist. You do good deeds and you let people know, remember it.


    Some time ago in New York, Douyin helped him limit the spread of negative news, which Yang Zhenyuan told him about.


    He had also heard that the promotion of TK was not ideal recently, and they planned to support a Chinese top influencer. Wang Chuting would be a good choice.


    In the afternoon, just as Lu Liang returned to the office, he received Wang Chuting''s dinner invitation, so he stopped by on his way to see what kind of medicine they were peddling.


    "What medicine?" Wang Chuting smiled radiantly, her long, slender, snow-white neck adorned with the necklace that Lu Liang had given her.


    Resting her cheek in her hand, her manner was elegant, and then she suddenly, playfully blinked her eyes and extended her pale red tongue.


    "If I had to say, it would only be ''Yuting.''" She looked seductive, her tongue tip touching two small white pills.


    Frequently taking birth control pills is very bad for women, but luckily Lu Liang had always been considerate, not seeking her out every day for poker, so occasional use was harmless and could even help regulate her menstrual cycle.


    "Really?" Lu Liang asked dubiously, then sipped a little red wine to confirm again.


    Among all the girls he knew, Wang Chuting was perhaps most fitting of the petit bourgeoisie ideal¡ªshe could live a bit worse off, even without a car, but her food and clothing had to be good, worthy of her status.


    "Actually, that''s not entirely true. My Hall of Fame series has reached the eighth episode, and for the ninth, I''d like to invite you."


    Wang Chuting, sweet smile on her face, picked up the decanter and poured a little more wine into Lu Liang''s glass.


    She talked about Douyin''s promise to make her the biggest Chinese internet celebrity on TK and heavily supported her Hall of Fame venture, hoping she could introduce domestic entrepreneurs from various industries to the world.


    The former didn''t move Wang Chuting much. Steady and firm, she believed that with her own resources and those of Lu Liang, she could achieve the best results, and gaining international fame was just a matter of time.


    Douyin''s actions were merely aiming to get her to influence Lu Liang¡ªhoping to leverage his international fame to promote TK.


    The latter was a proposal she couldn''t refuse. With such a broad vision, once the project was successful, surely it would reach the heavens.


    No matter which path she chose for long-term development in the future, it would all go smoothly and everything would be as she wished.


    Like Zhang Yimou, who became famous after one Olympic hit and was afterwards revered as a national guru.


    "Mr. Wang, how do you plan to interview me then?"


    With a smile on his lips, Lu Liang wrapped his arm around Wang Chuting''s waist, allowing her to sit on his thigh. She looked stunning that evening, wearing a red silk slip dress that made her skin look even paler.


    "Mr. Lu, how do you want me to interview you?" Wang Chuting invested in a professional smile, right fist clenched, pretending to hold a microphone.


    "Definitely in a simple yet profound way to understand thoroughly," Lu Liang''s hand traced over the skin on her legs.


    Though she wasn''t wearing stockings, her long legs exposed to the air were chilled by the air conditioner, smooth and delicate.


    "Mr. Lu, why don''t we run through a rehearsal tonight? How does that sound?" Wang Chuting lifted her long leg, displaying impressive flexibility, almost in a straight line, sweeping past Lu Liang''s eyes as she shifted from sitting to straddling him.


    "That''s fine."


    Lu Liang, smiling warmly, suddenly exclaimed, "But I must say, you''ve chosen a very good timing."


    Wang Chuting paused, the daze in her eyes returning to clarity as she remembered the rumors online.


    Lu Liang acting so quietly, must be up to something.


    Letting Little Wang provide cover with promotions, while he himself disappeared for a week, with no one knowing where or what he was up to.


    According to Lu Liang, a big event might indeed be on the horizon, and she could once more catch the winds of public opinion.


    The sudden sensation diverted her thoughts. Lu Liang was her first man, the one who transformed her into a woman, and she wasn''t indifferent to that.

 Chapter 345 - 342: Embracing 996

    "Today we''ve come to the New International Building in Modu, and for those friends who might not know, there''s a very famous enterprise here, as well as that person!"


    "Exactly, it''s Mr. Lu Liang from Tianxing Investment that you''ve all been asking us to invite ever since this series began..."


    Wang Chuting''s face shone with a smile, radiant despite wearing an ordinary set of women''s work clothes¡ªwherever she went, she could not be ignored.


    With every frown and smile, she exuded grace and elegance. Taking small steps with a delicate waist, she followed the usual practice and began with a brief introduction of the company that lasted less than a minute.


    As Wang Chuting spoke while walking, she took the elevator to Tianxing Investment on the 32nd floor. The receptionist had been notified in advance and directed them to wait in the reception room.


    Before long, Lu Liang entered, yawning, and said with a smile, "Miss Wang, hello."


    "Mr. Lu, hello."


    Wang Chuting, with a knowing smile, asked in feigned ignorance, "You don''t seem to be in high spirits. Have you been lacking sleep lately?"


    "Just returned to the country, haven''t gotten over the jet lag yet, and had to work overtime last night due to some matters," Lu Liang replied without losing his smile.


    Wang Chuting cast him a glance, not daring to play around with business matters, and quickly changed the subject, "May I take a tour of your company?"


    "Of course, but there might not be much to see. Assistant Chen has probably filmed it over and over."


    Lu Liang called over Chen Jinchun and asked her to join them. One was dubbed the National Darling, and the other was a National Goddess.


    The encounter between the two should be quite a talking point.


    "Miss Wang, this way, please."


    Xiao Chen looked aggrieved but dared not show it.


    She was the company''s mascot, the publicity ambassador, as well as the manager of an account with 15 million followers.


    To her frustration, someone outside the company had scored the first big scoop in the social media field.


    She felt like a salted fish that had lost its dreams.


    "Mr. Lu, today is Saturday. Does your company work overtime as well?"


    Wang Chuting brought up the hot concept of the 996 policy, eager to hear what Lu Liang thought.


    "Double days off are indeed wonderful. One day for rest and one for play, and you can even take short trips. It''s something that should be decisively enforced."


    Lu Liang knew that any statement that could work against him would be cut by A Cut of Plum Blossoms, but he was still accustomed to putting on his armor first to ensure minimal need for editing.


    He continued, "In the midst of rapid development, if you rest while others don''t, falling one step behind means you''ll always be steps behind."


    "So, in my view, 996 is acceptable, as long as the time spent is meaningful and comes with ample rewards."


    "The key is the ample rewards."


    In fact, companies like fund investment firms normally wouldn''t work overtime on Saturdays. It was just that a big move was coming up, and that was why overtime was necessary.


    Lu Liang also believed that most people were eager to work overtime.


    Since the average age at the company was just 29, it was the age when people were most eager for money.


    The salaries started at thirty thousand, and once overtime, overtime pay, and bonuses were included, figures easily reached over fifty thousand.


    With a bit of effort and a couple of years of hard work, one could gather a down payment for a house in Modu.


    This temptation was irresistible to them.


    Wang Chuting frowned slightly and asked softly, "So, Mr. Lu, in your view, working overtime is permissible?"


    She knew that in the financial sector and especially for a highly efficient company like Tianxing Investment, overtime was rare.


    Today was just an exception, not the norm.


    At a time when everyone vehemently despised the 996 policy, she wanted to earn Mr. Lu some good reputation, but didn''t expect him to openly acknowledge it.


    Even though she too believed that as long as the pay was right, not only 996 but even 007 would be acceptable.


    But saying was one thing, and doing was another.


    "Yes," Lu Liang nodded.


    He didn''t want to deceive on this matter because what goes around comes around.


    Financial companies might not need to work overtime, but the car production base that was about to rise in Su City would definitely require overtime, likely even with shifts day and night.


    Instead of resisting 996, it was better to embrace it.


    This was the trend of the times, and it couldn''t be changed by an individual.


    All Lu Liang could do was promote the right value of reaping as one sows, differentiating himself from other ''slave owners.''


    The interview lasted well over two hours,


    but the final edited version would likely be less than 25 minutes.


    Lu Liang invited Wang Chuting and her team to the cafeteria on the 17th floor of the building.


    Since last July, this restaurant had been reserved for their exclusive use for a period of time. Since then, it had basically become their staff canteen, collaborating for the long term.


    Lu Liang would also occasionally come here for lunch.


    "Mr. Lu, should we cut the part about 996?"


    Because there were outsiders present, Wang Chuting still maintained politeness, respect, and a sense of distance with Lu Liang.


    Xiao Chen''s eyes were round and wide, constantly watching them, feeling a bit strange, but she couldn''t quite put her finger on it.


    "No need to cut it, just release it as is."


    Lu Liang shook his head; since he dared to say it, he wasn''t afraid of criticism.


    "Alright then."


    Wang Chuting nodded, then asked about other details such as the New York dinner, business meetings, and investments in Detroit.


    She informed him that, barring any unforeseen issues, the final version of the video would be completed by Tuesday and released during Wednesday evening''s time slot.


    When she mentioned the video release time, she gave Lu Liang a special look, seeking his opinion.


    As of now, Wang Chuting''s social media account had released a total of eight videos, yet she already had 4.75 million followers. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Excluding the gentlemen attracted by her looks and figure, there had been two significant spikes in her follower count. The first was when Ningde Era went public and Lu Liang made headlines with his trillion-yuan valuation.


    At the time, she seized the opportunity amidst the buzz of public opinion, interviewing Zeng Minqun, and one video broke through 500,000 followers, now boasting over three million views.


    The second spike came when Wanda Group sold its core assets, a bold move to tide over bankruptcy, and she seized the opportunity again, interviewing Old Wang, which catapulted her followers past the three-million mark.


    Subsequent interviews, either through her personal connections or by leveraging Lu Liang''s influence, included people like Miss Wang and Chen Rui, but the results were less than satisfactory, and the growth in followers was slow.


    Lu Liang was her trump card; his mere presence could captivate netizens'' attention and even make a splash on TK.


    However, she wanted to wait for a more suitable moment.


    For instance, after Lu Liang''s next big move, releasing the video then would undoubtedly have an even greater impact.


    "Wednesday is good."


    Lu Liang smiled and did not elaborate.


    Wang Chuting understood perfectly,


    After the meal, she took her team and said their goodbyes to leave.


    Lu Liang and Chen Jinchun escorted them to the door. Xiao Chen, watching Wang Chuting''s departing figure, suddenly expressed her envy: "Miss Wang is really pretty and has such a nice figure."


    At a height of 177cm, she guessed that those long legs must be about 1.2 meters, which made her, standing only at 161cm tall, almost drool with envy.


    Lu Liang caught a glance out of the corner of his eye and sighed involuntarily.


    Xiao Chen''s face darkened, but she forced a respectful smile: "Mr. Lu, may I ask what that sigh meant?"


    Lu Liang turned and walked away, leaving a remark: "Pretty much the same as a doctor saying there''s no cure."


    Short arms and legs, flat chest, round face, and a mouth that could open wide¡ªthere was probably no saving her even in Korea.


    "..."


    Xiao Chen felt a lump of old blood stuck in her chest, grinding her molars while staring at Lu Liang''s back. If he weren''t her boss, she would definitely sprint over and give Lu Liang a slide tackle to make him fall flat on his face.


    On Saturday afternoon, Lu Liang made a trip home.


    During the days he was abroad, Li Manli had completed moving from Tangchen to the neighboring Sinograin No.1.


    Although it only had 4 bedrooms, 2 living rooms, and 4 bathrooms with an area of only 330 square meters, costing less than a billion, the environment was better, quieter, and there were no strange internet celebrities coming and going.


    "Am I not strange enough?"


    Li Manli gave a crafty smile, pointing at the tip of her nose.


    White silk shoes, a black and white striped jumpsuit, and her twin ponytails had turned into sleek, lustrous long black hair.


    Her whole attire was indescribably odd,


    probably cosplaying a character,


    but he couldn''t figure out who.


    "It''s okay, I don''t mind you."


    Lu Liang chuckled, patting her head and glanced at his phone: "Let''s go out and see a movie later."


    "War Wolf 2" premiered yesterday. There had been a preview ceremony in Beijing a few days earlier, but he hadn''t attended since he was away.


    He happened to be free tonight and should go check it out, inadvertently generating some buzz for the movie; it was important not to neglect one thing for another.


    Tianxing Investment held a 52% stake in "War Wolf 2,"


    significantly more than in "First Rich" and "Iron Fist."

 Chapter 346 - 343: The Box Office That I Cant Understand

    This summer, many movies were hitting the screens simultaneously, but only two of them truly had substance. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    One was another masterpiece from Mahua Team, "Shameful Iron Fist" starring Mary, and the other was Wu Jing''s "War Wolf 2."


    Benefiting from external and internal challenges in recent years, the public''s patriotic sentiments had continued to rise. Despite Iron Fist holding the advantage with a higher percentage of shows on the first day, its box office lead was just eight million more than War Wolf.


    Although both movies broke a hundred million on their opening day, Iron Fist''s screening rate soared to 43.2%, while War Wolf''s was only at 28%.


    Suddenly, public opinion boiled over.


    To the public, this summer movie season should have been an unbeatable run for Iron Fist, with War Wolf meeting a crushing defeat.


    How could a sophomore director''s second film, especially one with a military action theme, compete against the Mahua Team, whose two movies had already grossed four billion at the box office?


    This was a battle of mismatched strength, and if Iron Fist couldn''t steamroll its competition like a bulldozer, it would equate to a loss.


    As night fell, all netizens concerned about the box office were eagerly anticipating the next day''s figures.


    Liking a movie or a star could create a special sentiment, with hopes of its increasing success as a testament to one''s good taste.


    Friday''s box office cannot ascertain the true strength of a movie; the real surge typically comes on Saturday and Sunday.


    Suddenly, Lu Liang, who hadn''t been active on Weibo for a long time, updated his status with "Good looking, love watching," accompanied by two pictures: one of a movie ticket and another of a bullet covered in threading.


    Over the years, there were quite a few people with a head for business.


    The movie had only been released yesterday, yet today merchandise of the main props in the movie were already being sold at the mall entrance.


    Li Manli joined the hype and spent 58 yuan on one, which Lu Liang then used for his photo.


    "Does it look good?"


    After posting the update, Lu Liang prepared to find a spot with Li Manli for some late-night food before heading home to sleep.


    "It looks good."


    Li Manli smiled sweetly, her simplicity endearing. She didn''t like this genre of films, but she enjoyed spending time with Lu Liang.


    Even though they wore masks to avoid drawing attention, they could both feel the sweetness of their romance.


    Watching movies, shopping, eating, and drinking.


    "What shall we eat?"


    "Hot pot?"


    "You navigate."


    While dining together, the news that Lu Liang was the biggest investor in "War Wolf 2" spread among the netizens.


    "52% ownership?"


    "I thought there''s no smoke without fire."


    "To be fair, Liangzi always seems to have a good eye for things."


    Some netizens recounted that investing in movies is often a hit or miss affair; out of the 165 movies released this year, no more than ten could turn a profit, most would end up losing money.


    Lu Liang seemed to be the exception; whether it was web series or movies, breaking even was an insult to his judgment. At the very least, he always doubled his investment.


    "Good eye my foot; he just chose Mahua, which happens to be very capable."


    Some people were disgruntled and immediately countered, suggesting Lu Liang just got lucky by investing in Mahua.


    "Cool fact: Xia Luo was Mahua''s first movie when they couldn''t find investors until they approached Lu Liang."


    "Another cool fact: The hit series ''The Rise of the Crown Princess Consort'' from that year was a script personally picked by Lu Liang."


    "And here''s a hot fact: Iron Fist is a Mahua production with Lu Liang''s investment, yet he didn''t help promote it."


    Some people explained that Lu Liang owned 15% of Iron Fist but held a 52% stake in War Wolf. The better War Wolf''s box office, the more he stood to gain.


    Others disagreed; as the First Rich, Lu Liang owns 15% of Iron Fist, yet he both starred in and attended its premiere.


    The combined investment in the two movies, First Rich Iron Fist, was two hundred million, with Lu Liang''s share being 15%, amounting to a thirty million investment.


    However, War Wolf 2 alone had a production budget of 230 million, with Lu Liang''s stake at 52%, which equates to an investment of 120 million.


    If one were to gauge enthusiasm for a film merely by the percentage of shares held, the logic clearly falls flat.


    Liangzi wasn''t that shameless.


    Over the years, although he had been teased for endorsing advertisements and only recommending his own investments, his recommendations were never off the mark. At least he didn''t blindly praise or boost numbers indiscriminately.


    Lu Liang''s lack of promotional efforts for Iron Fist only meant that between Iron Fist and War Wolf, he was more optimistic about War Wolf.


    In the midst of these debates among netizens, platforms like Maoyan updated the next day''s box office in advance.


    "Iron Fist" achieved a box office of 1.25 billion yuan, extremely eye-catching figures, with a total box office forecast of 23.52 billion yuan.


    However, the box office for "War Wolf 2" made people want to rub their eyes and take a good look, to see if it was real or fake.


    1.52 billion in box office, with 28% of showings, surpassed "Iron Fist''s" 43.2%, claiming the crown for today''s champion.


    "Those who offend China, no matter how far, will be pursued and punished!"


    "This passport may not ensure you can go to any country in the world, but it can ensure you from any country back to the motherland."


    Online bravado, after all, is only a minority, most people are silent.


    The incident in July last year was vivid in memory, and the lines in the movie were not empty words.


    They made their choices with care.


    At this moment, at the Mahua Headquarters in Beijing.


    Zhang Chen''s scalp was tingling with regret.


    He should have listened to Lu Liang, not to clash head-on with "War Wolf 2," it would have been best to avoid the same release date.


    Although there was also 1.25 billion in box office today, the 43.2% of showings allocated to them by theaters were definitely not safe anymore.


    "War Wolf 2" could, with 28% of the showings, forcefully come from behind to top today''s box office, which meant the occupancy must have been high.


    Given the same venue, roughly the same duration, yet earning more money, theaters too would make their choices carefully.


    Moreover, "War Wolf 2" also had a 3D version, with even higher ticket prices.


    Zhang Chen suddenly felt melancholy, "Iron Fist" should not make a loss, but Mahua could not go public, and the fact of having offended Lu Liang was set in stone.


    He thought of Zhang Tian''ai and wondered if he could slightly ease the tension between Mahua and Lu Liang through her connections.


    Although Mahua was well-known and not lacking in investment, it was still best to maintain a good relationship with Lu Liang.


    At the same time, Little Wang, as one of the film''s investors, was also helping to promote it on Weibo.


    It was foreseeable that with Lu Liang and Little Wang stepping in, the theaters would increase the number of showings, and tomorrow''s Sunday box office would be even more remarkable.


    Early the next day, Wu Jing called, speaking excitedly incoherently; professional media like Maoyan had pushed their box office forecast to 2.75 billion.


    Lu Liang said with a smile, "Only 2.7 billion? Why not be a bit bolder?"


    Wu Jing was astounded, "Mr. Lu, how much do you think it''ll be?"


    When the movie premiered, Lu Liang was on a business trip abroad and couldn''t invite him to attend, and not being able to predict the final box office for "War Wolf 2" was his greatest regret.


    After all, when "First Rich" was released, Lu Liang predicted 2 billion, and Shen Teng, to save Lu Liang''s face, bravely predicted 2.5 billion.


    In the end, to everyone''s amazement, when "First Rich" finished its run, the total box office reached 2.756 billion.


    Both Lu Liang and Shen Teng had predicted wrongly.


    So for "War Wolf 2''s" premiere, if Lu Liang had made even a slight boast, he could have definitely increased the box office expectations by another one or two billion.


    "How about we double it?"


    "..."


    Wu Jing was taken aback, swallowing hard, and said dryly, "Mr. Lu, you''re joking, right?"


    "Director Wu, do you not even have that much confidence?"


    "Mr. Lu, I want to have confidence, but I don''t dare."


    Wu Jing gave a bitter smile, at one point doubting that Lu Liang understood the concept of a 5.5 billion box office.


    The total box office market for this year''s Spring Festival was only 4.5 billion, one movie taking all the box office of an entire period, plus another ten billion.


    He didn''t dare to even think about it.


    "Let''s just say I was joking," Lu Liang said with a wry smile.


    "Mr. Lu, you must come to the celebration banquet," said Wu Jing.


    After asking if there was anything else and there was not, he ended the call with Lu Liang.


    "2.75 billion doubled is 5.5 billion. Is it possible for a single movie to have a 5.5 billion box office?"


    He asked himself, and the probability he came up with was infinitely close to zero.


    "Where exactly is such a high box office coming from?"


    Lu Liang''s face showed contemplation; even though the movie had been released, he still couldn''t understand it.


    Maoyan might often change their predictions, but they were professionals; their total box office predictions were calculated using big data.


    As long as there were no external influences, 2.75 billion, at the most not exceeding 3 billion, would be the final box office for "War Wolf 2."


    But to double their prediction, what external factors could have influenced such an exaggerated increase?

 Chapter 347 - 344: Gold Cross Star

    Over the weekend, the number of showtimes for "War Wolf 2" significantly increased from 28% to 32.7%.


    In a zero-sum game, the showtimes for "Iron Fist" dropped to 37.5%.


    Lu Liang and Little Wang''s promotion efforts on Weibo only played a small part in amplifying the buzz; the real surge in attention came from a boycott by influential film critics and Wu Jing''s spectacular counterattack.


    "War Wolf 2 awkwardly kidnaps the sentiment of patriotism, attempting to mimic Hollywood-style individual heroism, but ends up looking more like a dog trying to imitate a tiger."


    "Director Wu, what do you think about such comments?"


    "Director Wu, the movie''s plot seems to be too far-fetched. The characters in the film seem to be invincible against any amount of beating. Isn''t that a bit fake?"


    At the Beijing press conference, the reporters and influential critics were aggressively confrontational, seemingly anticipating Wu Jing to bow his head and apologize.


    After all, the pen of a writer is often more cruel than the sword of a warrior, and no production company had dared to offend them before.


    Even if criticized, they could only sincerely apologize with a smile and even give a red envelope to the critics afterward, singing their praises.


    However, Wu Jing didn''t indulge them; with a grim expression, he fired back directly, "According to what you''re saying, only foreigners can be superheroes, and our own people can''t?"


    "Isn''t that contemptible? Really, how contemptible!"


    "If you don''t like to watch it, then don''t. Go watch Hollywood movies instead!"


    His rebuttals, without a hint of profanity, left the reporters utterly dumbfounded.


    After the press conference concluded, with no red envelopes received, they immediately took to their pens, disparaging "War Wolf 2" as utterly worthless.


    Yet, the related clips quickly went viral on Douyin, earning millions of supportive likes from netizens.


    "After so many years, someone finally has the courage to speak the truth. Are Hollywood superheroes never far-fetched? When a native actor in a movie takes a few hits from a villain and doesn''t die, it''s suddenly unrealistic?"


    "Jing is awesome! I was never interested in mainstream patriotic films, but now, I have to go see for myself."


    "These dog film critics have kneeled for so long they can''t stand up."


    "Jing is such a badass!"


    The topic continued to ferment, and Douyin cooperated willingly, after all, promoting the spirit of patriotism is never wrong.


    With layers of buffs stacking up, "War Wolf 2" smashed the daily box office record with 2.12 billion yuan, setting an all-time high.


    Media outlets like Maoyan revised their forecasts upward, boldly predicting that the film would surpass "Mermaid" at the box office, reaching 3.5 billion yuan.


    "3.5 billion yuan? That''s not enough!"


    Lu Liang frowned deeply; he had been following closely, curious about how such high box office revenue was achieved.


    Wu Jing''s remarks and the targeted criticism from influential critics could indeed incite a backlash among certain audience members, but that clearly wouldn''t be enough to further increase numbers, more powerful external forces would be needed.


    But he no longer had the time to pay attention,


    As Monday approached and the Big A stock market was about to open.


    Before 9:30 am, trading platforms like Tonghuashun and East Money alerted investors interested in BYD with pop-up reminders.


    "The Tianxing Mixed Fund holds a 7.42% equity stake and will enter the lock-up period today¡­"


    Meanwhile, Lu Liang had already moved to the adjacent trading room.


    Over the next ten days, the 18 stocks held by the Tianxing Mixed Fund would face their respective lock-up periods.


    In the past eight months, BYD first experienced increased holdings by Buffett, followed by Tianxing Fund''s strategic acquisition.


    The market value surged all the way from 250 billion yuan to the current 411.2 billion yuan. Even if they didn''t sell, the speculative investors inside would take the opportunity to cash out at these high prices.


    Rather than watch them cash out and leave, it was better for the Tianxing Fund to take control of the stock first and then sell at an opportune moment.


    "Set the red line at 5%, and just use 2.42% for daily high selling and low buying."


    Lu Liang intended to hold onto the shares of BYD long-term, as it closely followed the lead of Ningde Era, barely a year separating them in achieving a market value of over a trillion yuan.


    In the last ten minutes before the pre-market bidding, Lu Liang communicated with each team leader, setting holding red lines for the stocks they managed.


    Tianxing was on the 32nd floor of the New International Building, with a total of 355 employees from both companies, 240 of whom were staff of the Tianxing Mixed Fund.


    The investment company was Lu Liang''s private domain, also responsible for his peripheral investments outside, which explained why the number of employees wasn''t large.


    At 9:15 am, BYD began pre-market bidding.


    "Control the stock, wait until the official trading at 9:30 am, then lure more buyers in."


    Wearing a headset, Lu Liang was back in command after six months.


    Though they held a 7.42% stake, even using just 2.42% for trading represented a value close to 100 billion yuan.


    Dumping too many shares, which caused a crash in the stock price, would result in the largest losses for them, so they needed retail investors to take the bait.


    But retail investors weren''t fools; various trading apps were blatantly flashing a row of red text, scrolling continuously.


    Almost everyone knew that Tianxing Mixed Fund held 7.42% of the shares, and today marked the six-month lock-up period''s end.


    As long as they took the lead in dumping shares, it would definitely cause a stampede-like sell-off, and once BYD hit the limit down, no one could escape.


    There was a high probability that it would also affect stocks such as Ningde Era, Tianqi Lithium, and Jiangte Motor in the ''Tianxing System''. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    So they needed to take it slow.


    During the ten-minute pre-market trading, under the pressure from Lu Liang''s camp, BYD eventually opened with a 2.25% decrease.


    Lu Liang immediately said, "Lift BYD''s price, lure buyers, and create the false impression that someone is taking the baton in a bidding frenzy."


    Most of the time, the Western media criticized just for the sake of criticism, but they weren''t wrong about one thing. The A-share market is extremely unfriendly to investors.


    Whether it be the priority principle of block trading or the T+1 trading method, it''s all for the convenience of institutions, all for facilitating corporate financing.


    The 195 million individual investors were like playthings at someone''s disposal, to adopt whatever pose they wanted her to.


    The stock operation lasted for an hour.


    During this time, all institutional investors tacitly let Tianxing Fund take full control.


    In this market where capital is king, Tianxing Mixed Fund was the uncrowned ruler of the new energy sector in the Big A.


    Since Lu Liang did not smash the market as soon as trading began, it showed that he was now a suitable fund manager, willing to join the ''Market Maker'' camp. They naturally sold him some face and did not rush to dump shares.


    Approaching eleven o''clock, there was half an hour left until the market closed.


    BYD''s share price steadily rose, gradually turning from green to red, forming the so-called golden cross star.


    A cross star is a basic K-line pattern, one with upper and lower shadows but no real body.


    It is also a classic K-line pattern that many domestic experts and scholars often use as an example to teach their students.


    Based on the direction of the tail of the cross star, whether upward or downward, one can judge the subsequent market trend.


    A few years ago, Lu Liang also believed this, even thinking of using future information to retroactively understand the rules of the A-share market.


    But once he became a major shareholder, even an institution, he never entertained such naive thoughts again.


    Like now, with 10 billion in chips in their hands and 21 billion in reserve funds, they were the deserved ''Market Makers''.


    Those lurking in BYD''s capital and institutions were willing to give Lu a bit of face by not deliberately causing trouble during the lock-up period.


    The individual stocks were completely under their control; not to mention the mere golden cross star, even if the four price points of closing price, opening price, highest price, and lowest price were all equal, creating the extremely rare one-word star, they could do it.


    The K-line charts, trend charts, and transaction details that retail investors could see were just for show by the institutions, and didn''t really mean anything.


    However, very few people realized this.


    Even the seasoned veterans in the stock market, who knew the tricks of Market Makers, would still be fooled.


    What if?


    Gamblers always have a hope-for-the-best mentality.


    Like online gambling, every "gambling dog" knows it''s controlled by a back-end system, but what if there''s a bigger ''bait''?


    For systems monitoring the ''bait'', if you just bet against it, you might be able to snatch a quick profit.


    They had no idea that the so-called ''bait'' was also what the backend wanted to show them.


    "Golden cross star!"


    "Awesome, charge!"


    "Liangzi increased his stake in Tesla during the lock-up period, boosting Tesla to surpass a hundred billion US dollar valuation. Now, he''s doing the same trick here."


    "With the golden cross star fully formed in BYD, this wave is bullish up to 175 yuan, and in the next few days, the market cap will surely break the 500 billion mark."


    At eleven o'' five, the golden cross star had formed, and the trading volume suddenly surged.


    Within minutes, the share price climbed step by step, from 140 yuan all the way up to 149.5 yuan, an increase of 6.62%.


    Each increase was followed by a slight dip, giving the impression that the stock could hit the limit at any time, and if you didn''t get on board now, you''d miss out.


    Little did they know that in just a few minutes, more than twenty billion in capital had quietly flowed out of the market, lifted by the retail investors.


    "18.5 billion has flowed out of BYD, and the selling continues..."


    "Tianqi Lithium has seen 1.2 billion flow out, and the selling continues..."


    "Jiangte Motor has seen 92.35 million flow out, and the selling continues..."


    "..."


    Lu Liang then inquired with each team leader, who quickly reported back the current recouped funds.


    In the next five trading days,


    Their plan was to recapture 50 billion in funds.

 Chapter 348 - 345: Spontaneous Combustion of New Energy Vehicles

    On Monday, the trading team exceeded Boss Lu''s target, recovering funds totaling 11.523 billion on the same day.


    BYD surged but then fell back, closing down 2.25%, with a large number of retail investors buying at high prices and getting trapped with losses of seven to eight percentage points.


    Two hours after the market closed,


    At 5:10 PM, the day''s Dragon and Tiger List was updated.


    The three institutional seats under Tianxing Fund all made it to the top three of the individual stock Dragon and Tiger List.


    Just in BYD alone, the net outflow of funds reached 2.655 billion, not to mention Tianqi Lithium and Jiangte Motor among the 12 stocks that were also lifted from restrictions today.


    The Dragon and Tiger List simply could not accommodate that many stocks, according to financial practitioners, the Tianxing Mixed Fund recovered a total of 10 billion yuan in funds in just one day.


    "Damn, Liangzi with his thick eyebrows and big eyes, is also playing this trick?"


    "It''s heartbreaking, look at the Big A, pushing an internationally renowned financial magnate to conspire with the corrupt."


    "Give me a break, all around the world crows are black, do you actually believe that Lu Liang''s ''Liang'' stands for a conscience in capital?"


    As soon as it was exposed, hundreds of thousands of old brothers in the stock bar erupted in anger, all because they trusted Lu Liang and thus heavily invested in BYD.


    Consequently, Lu Liang played a covert strategy with them, even crafting a false "Golden Cross" at high prices to lure more buyers.


    The joy of one does not resonate with the sorrow of another, the anger of the stock bar brothers became the source of joy for the fund bar brothers.


    Initially worried that Lu Liang would harbor kind intentions towards the retail stock market investors like he did toward them,


    Now it seems that their concerns were completely unnecessary, Lu Liang''s operations had greatly relieved them.


    Mildness does not command an army, righteousness does not conduct business, and now that one has become a ''market manipulator,'' one must ruthlessly harvest leeks.


    On Tuesday, the stock market opened, with the new energy index plummeting by 1.14%, causing the broader market to also be depressed.


    Led by BYD, the ''Tianxing system'' stocks fell sharply, even the newly listed Ningde, which had been on the market for less than half a year, got unfairly implicated.


    Zhang Jing looked at Lu Liang, asking about the next plan.


    He hadn''t expected that holding shares worth a total of 380 billion, offloading just 3%, would cause such a big reaction.


    It''s not clear whether Lu Liang had underestimated his own impact on the market; now, this disrupted the entire plan.


    "Is it chaotic? It isn''t chaotic yet."


    With a smile on his lips, Lu Liang instructed everyone to hold their position, to let the bullet fly for a while and see what happens.


    Recycling 50 billion in funds, unbeknownst to others, was an expectation only he was aware of.


    With BYD still having a market value of 3900 billion, such a large enterprise could not be forced into a limit-down solely because Tianxing Fund''s restricted period had ended.


    Recycling 10 billion might sound like a lot, but considering the fund''s asset size was 3800 billion, it only accounted for 3%.


    This was just a very normal portfolio adjustment, there are always some speculative funds or institutions that opportunistically assume selling 10 billion has met Lu Liang''s expectations and that it''s a good time to establish low positions to absorb more shares.


    Lu Liang always treated everyone equally, after harvesting the retail investors, he started targetting the speculative funds and institutions'' leeks, making them long-term shareholders of BYD.


    As anticipated, everyone thought Tianxing Fund had completed its position adjustment and wouldn''t make any major moves subsequently.


    Near ten o''clock, there was a sudden market fluctuation.


    BYD opened low but went high, gradually reclaiming its position.


    After a ninety-minute lunch break, trading resumed, BYD turned positive, advancing strongly.


    As long as Tianxing Mixed Fund remained in the top three of circulating stocks, it signaled that Lu Liang was still optimistic.


    "Is this even possible?" Zhang Jing was astonished; Boss Lu was taking his fame to new heights.


    "Opened low, soared high, and closed with a gain."


    After observing for half an hour, Lu Liang felt that the capital invested wasn''t enough to push it to the trading limit for unloading.


    After thinking it over, he decided to be kinder to them, maintaining the pattern of opening low and soaring high, preparing for a major sell-off in the next two days.


    Institutional funds and speculative funds were sprinting at full strength, hoping to attract the retail investors trapped the previous day to follow suit and cover their positions.


    However, a price point of 143 seemed insurmountable; there was tremendous overhead resistance that simply couldn''t be broken no matter what.


    BYD, which opened with a 5.52% drop today, rose during trading to 4.35% and ultimately closed with 0.52%, ending the day''s trade.


    At five o''clock in the afternoon, the Dragon and Tiger List was updated once again.


    The top three net outflows of funds from institutions were still the three institutional seats under Tianxing.


    "Damn, is he still unloading?"


    "Fuck, the unloading volume is even crueler than yesterday."


    "He can''t possibly be using Big A as foreign exchange, right?"


    Lu Liang lost the affectionate nickname ''Liangzi''; not only were the stock bar brothers cursing him, but the industry was also filled with complaints.


    With over 100 billion unloaded yesterday and another hundred billion today, totaling more than 250 billion in two days.


    "So, they thought they were dealing with fools?"


    At the same time, Liangzi couldn''t help but wonder, cashing out over twenty billion in two days, what exactly did Lu Liang want to do? Was he no longer optimistic about the new energy industry?


    Wednesday, 8:30 AM,


    There were still forty-five minutes before the pre-market bidding.


    Zhang Jing looked at Boss Lu again, who had hit the individual investors on the first day and the institutions on the second day; who was he planning to hit on the third day?


    "Smash the market and offload as much as we can. Let them cover their positions."


    Lu Liang''s expression was solemn, and just moments ago, Yang Zhenyuan had informed him of a piece of news that forced him to change his plans.


    Around three o''clock this morning, an electric vehicle that was charging in an underground parking garage suddenly combusted, burning down a dozen other vehicles nearby.


    The vehicle was a BYD, which immediately received the news and started managing public relations to minimize negative publicity.


    But Yang Zhenyuan said it was most likely not going to hold, and now they were just waiting for the police investigation report. Once it was determined to be non-human caused, the new energy market would likely enter a cold winter.


    So, he immediately informed Lu Liang to mentally prepare in advance.


    Electric vehicle combustion was a recurring topic, but previously it was always due to accidents causing fires.


    This time, it caught fire while charging, destroying several vehicles in the garage alongside it.


    Even if BYD handled the compensation well,


    It would still deepen the public''s aversion to electric vehicles.


    "How have all the things collided together?"


    Lu Liang had a premonition that he might end up taking the blame.


    After all, right after they had sold off, BYD''s new energy vehicle combusted; the two events would inevitably be linked together.


    Extremists might even suspect it was his doing.


    Wednesday, 9:30 AM, Big A market opened.


    "Holy shit, what the hell does Lu Liang want to do now?"


    "A limit down? Market cap evaporated by 36.8 billion?"


    The pre-market bidding was fine, many people didn''t care much, assuming it wouldn''t fall much in a day. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    They just wanted to know how much more Lu Liang wanted to sell.


    Resultingly, BYD continued to decline after opening.


    The plunging K-line seemed bottomless, touching the limit down board within minutes.


    BYD, being the leading stock in the sector, triggered a limit down, and other stocks couldn''t escape either, each falling by 4-8%, especially the Tianxing System stocks, almost all nearing a limit down.


    Having become a heavy-weight sector in Big A, new energy dropped by 4.52% that day, directly crashing the Shanghai Stock Exchange Index.


    For a moment, individual investors felt like they heard a horn sounding in their ears, as if seeing the three-thousand-point defense battle being fought once again.


    "Lu Liang, what on earth do you want to do?"


    "Damn it, who plays like this?"


    Stock forum bros were furious, pushing Lu Liang into the trending searches.


    The news quickly spread beyond the financial circles.


    "Lu Liang"


    "Shanghai Stock Exchange Index Plummets"


    "New Energy Crashes Big A"


    Half a month later, Lu Liang topped the trending searches again, but unlike the New York banquet, this time it was all curses.


    Big A''s crash was dragged down by the new energy index, the new energy index crashed because the ''Tianxing System'' stocks plummeted.


    Tianxing Fund held 18 stocks, 12 of which had reached their lock-up period release this Monday.


    Today, these 12 stocks,


    displayed almost identical trends within the first five minutes of opening.


    Clearly indicating that Tianxing was the main culprit.


    If it weren''t for their mass selloff, the new energy index wouldn''t have crashed, Big A wouldn''t have crashed, and the umpteenth three-thousand-point defense battle wouldn''t be about to ignite.


    Facing skepticism, Lu Liang chose not to respond and continued to calmly direct the unloading in the trading room.


    Plans had changed; they needed more funds.


    "Electric vehicle combustion isn''t good for the industry, but it seems to be good for me."


    Lu Liang thought for a long time, then suddenly had an epiphany on how to capitalize on this situation.


    Bad for the industry, but beneficial for him.

 Chapter 349 - 346: He Gave So Much to the Industry

    All day, BYD fluctuated between hitting the limit down and not hitting the limit down.


    At five in the afternoon, it made it onto the Dragon and Tiger List for the third time, with a net outflow of funds amounting to 6.752 billion yuan today.


    The three institutional seats under the Tianxing Mixed Fund also dominated the list for three consecutive days.


    On BYD stock alone, the net outflow over three days reached 9.112 billion yuan.


    "Are we still releasing it?"


    Wang Chuting sent a message, according to the plan, Lu Liang''s interview was to be released tonight.


    The 996 system was deeply detested, and Lu Liang''s comments clearly supported the 996.


    If the video was released, it could add fuel to the fire.


    "Go ahead and release it, it''s no big deal."


    Lu Liang dismissed it, paused for a few seconds, and then said, "However, it might clash with other hot news."


    Wang Chuting was startled and quickly asked, "What hot news?"


    "Self-igniting new energy vehicles."


    Lu Liang reported truthfully without any intention to hide.


    An hour before, before the police had announced any details, users had already uploaded videos and images.


    At three fifteen in the morning, a BYD Qin that was charging in an underground garage suddenly caught fire, and the blaze lasted until daybreak.


    Compared to gasoline vehicles, new energy vehicles cannot be extinguished until they burn down to their frame.


    Although BYD had Douyin and Weibo help limit the circulation of the news, that help hinged on the public opinion not having spread widely.


    Now that public opinion was clearly spiraling out of control, helping BYD limit news would only backfire.


    Moreover, there was clearly external forces at work, intensifying the spread of news about new energy vehicles catching fire easily.


    Wang Chuting furrowed her brows, suddenly saying, "Are gasoline vehicles suppressing new energy vehicles?"


    "If nothing unexpected, it seems so," Lu Liang sighed, only competitors harbor such naked enmity.


    The second-quarter data had just been announced not long ago, and the market share of new energy vehicles had risen again, reaching 421,000 units shipped.


    According to automotive media predictions, reaching a total annual shipment of 1.2 million units should not be difficult.


    BYD was far ahead in sales, followed closely by Tesla, then Wuling seniors joy, Weima, Li Xiang, and other major forces in energy.


    Even in old Guangzhou, known as the stronghold of the ''two Toyotas,'' sales of Japanese gasoline vehicles had fallen by 4.12% compared to the second quarter.


    Previously high-demand models like Nissan Xuanyi, Toyota Corolla, and Toyota Leiling, which used to require an additional tens of thousands in pricing, were no longer in a state of more demand than supply.


    Many dealers were lamenting their plight, facing losses of hundreds of thousands each month, and if this continued, they would shut down.


    Pricing up was one of the main revenue streams for traditional 4S shops, even surpassing the financial consultancy fees from auto loans.


    Previously, they could earn 1 million just from pricing up, now only left with 200,000, they were indeed about to shut down.


    The state''s development of new energy vehicles and industry was showing initial effects and had shattered many people''s rice bowls.


    They would definitely not miss such a perfect opportunity and would fervently criticize new energy vehicles.


    "So, should I release it?" Wang Chuting asked quietly.


    "Go ahead and release it."


    At seven in the evening, Wang Chuting''s social media account uploaded the ninth episode of Hall of Fame simultaneously at home and abroad.


    In this series of videos, Lu Liang might not be the wealthiest, but he was definitely the most famous.


    Not surprisingly, the top hot comment was still: "network."


    "network" had become Wang Chuting''s exclusive joke, just like the 25th photo in her life.


    Whenever ''network'' was mentioned, netizens thought of Wang Chuting, and in this field, no one could compete with her.


    She always managed to interview the core figures of public opinion storms, and without exception, they were all business tycoons.


    This time''s interviewee,


    was the much-anticipated Lu Liang.


    Just right, he had made major moves over these three days.


    Once the video was released, in just half an hour, the likes reached over 3 million.


    Many people liked the video before watching it, but after watching, they withdrew their likes.


    "So this is Liangzi''s true nature?"


    "Tsk tsk, so we ordinary people are born to be beasts of burden?"


    "Capitalism''s conscience? That term is a joke. It''s all just a persona."


    "Why can''t we have an eight-hour workday? Why must we work more to earn more?"


    "Working nine hours a day is bad enough, but having to work on Saturdays is inhumane."


    Although there were rational voices who believed that working more to earn more was not wrong,


    If the boss could triple the wages, he would be willing to work overtime every day and treat the company as his home.


    But such arguments hardly made a ripple.


    As of today, Douyin has over 600 million users and 250 million daily active users, standing alongside WeChat as a national app.


    But the user demographic is uneven, ranging from Qingbei experts and professors to first-grade elementary students.


    The nation''s young buds, not yet out of the ivory tower nor exposed to the harshness of society, are still looking forward to life after growing up.


    Especially recently, a new theme that''s been popular online, heavily promoted by Douyin¡ª''TK'', leading to a sudden trend of "Foreign Workers Series."


    Without leaving home, one can open their eyes to the world, with workers in countries such as Switzerland, the Netherlands, and Denmark, all sharing their daily work routines.


    It educates them that an eight-hour workday includes an hour and a half of break time, with actual work only lasting six and a half hours. They can return home before it gets dark and spend the weekends traveling around.


    In contrast, Lu Liang is advocating for the 996 work culture; domestically, 996 truly means starting at nine, working for nine hours, for six days a week.


    Just a few days ago, harvesting the market, and now supporting 996, according to the entertainment industry''s saying, Lu Liang has utterly collapsed.


    "Lu Liang, you finally had it coming."


    Many were reveling in schadenfreude; they had long disliked Lu Liang, who always managed to be in the limelight and still end up with a good reputation.


    And the key was that they couldn''t do anything about him, with reports saying that he was soon to become a representative for national young entrepreneurs.


    Even if they wanted to sabotage him, they didn''t know which level of leadership was appropriate to suppress him.


    If it really came to a head-to-head conflict in the market, hardly anyone could exert financial pressure on Lu Liang.


    To be exact, there was no need to; most were private investors and also Lu Liang''s friends.


    Things have turned around now. What goes around comes around. No one who enters the fray is ever spared¡ªit''s always payback time sooner or later.


    Netizens are very adept at deifying someone, but they are equally skilled at tearing them down.


    Now with such public outcry, and the law not blaming the masses, Lu Liang, even if he wanted to target and retaliate, couldn''t find anyone specific to target.


    "Aren''t you angry?"


    Li Manli was so frustrated she couldn''t even eat, and due to the interview, she also bore a grudge against Wang Chuting.


    If it weren''t for her interview with Lu Liang, bringing him into the glaring public eye, the negative publicity wouldn''t have been so fierce.


    "What''s there to be angry about? Isn''t it the truth?"


    Lu Liang, with a smile on his lips, called Li Manli to him and held her in his arms, "Besides, it doesn''t affect me much."


    Red capitalist, the conscience of the capital market; these were big hats he had wanted to take off a long time ago.


    Making money is just making money. Why talk about emotions, or about serving the country or the people? His consciousness isn''t that elevated.


    "Let the bullet fly a bit," Lu Liang whispered softly.


    Cursing him brought no benefits, while the shares of public funds remained robust and always maxed out.


    But the benefits of boycotting new energy vehicles were substantial¡ªpetrol vehicle practitioners were all beneficiaries.


    The news about BYD couldn''t be suppressed forever; it was bound to burst.


    "What do you mean?" Little Li was baffled.


    "Don''t think too much. It''s a complicated issue; you probably wouldn''t understand."


    "Alright." Li Manli stretched out her fair arm and affectionately wrapped it around Lu Liang''s neck.


    She might as well quit pondering and being upset; that was because of her naivet¨¦ that Lu Liang liked her.


    ...


    As the night deepened,


    The discourse surrounding Lu Liang continued to ferment.


    An article titled "He Has Given So Much to This Industry" suddenly went viral.


    Posted anonymously on Zhihu, the article detailed nearly a thousand words, meticulously organizing everything that happened today. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "The cause was actually a fire. Fortunately, there were no casualties, but dozens of cars were innocently involved."


    The article detailed that early this morning, in an underground parking garage in Yangcheng, a fire was sparked by the spontaneous combustion of a new energy vehicle.


    To block this hot news topic and protect the new energy industry, Lu Liang willingly exploded, using himself to block the gunfire¡­

 Chapter 350 - 347: The Mind is Filled with the Industry

    "He has given so much for this industry..."


    With the article, the footage of the underground parking garage was also uploaded to the internet, causing a public uproar.


    "New energy? It sounds good, but in reality, it''s just electric cars, especially the mainstream lithium-ion batteries of the moment. Once they self-ignite, unless the chemical reaction ends, there''s no way to extinguish them; you can only watch them burn out."


    "Scary. The dozen or so cars parked next to it were really unlucky. How will compensation be calculated afterward?"


    "The homeowner of this building is even more unlucky. Thirteen structural columns were burnt for three whole hours by the fiery blaze. Will it affect the safety of the building? If so, who will provide the compensation afterward?"


    "I''ve always said, you can''t get good stuff for cheap. You really can''t buy BYD; when buying a car, you have to look at the brand. Tesla doesn''t have these issues."


    "Tesla doesn''t have problems? That''s laughable, is Tesla so special? If you just use Baidu to do a bit of research, you wouldn''t have such thoughts."


    "The self-ignition rate of new energy vehicles is 0.44 per ten thousand, which are the official data given. The actual rate should be even higher."


    "Is Lu Liang really taking the initiative to draw fire? Why do I feel it''s somewhat backfired? It seems like exposing the self-ignition of new energy vehicles has helped divert attention away from him."


    "Do you think a video has a greater impact on him, or does the future of the entire industry have a greater impact on him?"


    "Don''t just rant and rave online; it won''t have the slightest impact on him. But it''s different for the new energy industry. Lu Liang''s future development direction, as well as the investment direction of the funds, are all focused on new energy."


    "Poor Liangzi, he has devoted so much to this industry."


    Suddenly, someone posted a cancellation of their NIO ES8 order, decisively forfeiting a 3,000 Yuan deposit: "I might as well buy a BBA. That video made me shiver in this hot weather, sweating cold sweat. Trying new products too eagerly can easily turn one into cannon fodder."


    Someone echoed the sentiment: "Even if the oil prices are a bit high, safety comes first. Let''s wait a few more years for new energy vehicles."


    In one sentence, it triggered a craze of cancellations for new energy vehicles.


    Weiliao, Weima, Tesla, and other car companies were none spared, each suffering dozens or even hundreds of cancellations.


    BYD offers the fastest delivery for new energy brands, but it still takes two weeks, which also gives consumers the chance to change their minds. After all, they could simply forfeit the few thousand Yuan in deposits.


    For a time, there was endless debate on the internet.


    "A troubled autumn."


    In the bright new study, Lu Liang sighed.


    Suddenly, the mobile phone placed on the desk rang. Sun Yutao called: "Mr. Lu, shall we continue selling off?"


    At the beginning of the month, before Lu Liang went to New York, he had instructed Sun Yutao that they could appropriately sell off private equity fund-held Tesla shares.


    They were quietly offloading daily, and after more than twenty days of effort, they reduced their ownership of Tesla from 6.58% to 5.08%, cashing out 1.585 billion US dollars¡ª all while Tesla''s market value was still over a hundred billion.


    New energy vehicle self-ignition incidents, leading to a large number of order cancellations, had also affected Tesla''s market value.


    The market opened tonight with a -6.85% drop, and within a minute, the market value evaporated by 78.5 billion US dollars, dropping below the hundred billion threshold.


    In his mind, Lu Liang''s image grew even more imposing, as if he had foreseen the calamity that the new energy industry would face.


    "Stop the sell-off, hold your positions for now."


    Lu Liang couldn''t help laughing and crying; everything was just a coincidence.


    He was selling Tesla shares only to recapture capital, preparing to profit from the expected rise in US dollar interest rates next month.


    Who would have known that during BYD''s unlocking period, while they were adjusting their positions, they would suddenly encounter a new energy vehicle self-ignition incident.


    Lu Liang pondered for a moment and called Old Wang in Shenzhen to inquire about the latest progress of the case.


    If it weren''t due to human cause or battery pack damage, then tomorrow the new energy sector would crash again.


    Old Wang sighed: "Human sabotage can be ruled out, the specific situation is still under investigation."


    "Mr. Lu, it''s been tough on you; this is really difficult for you."


    He was very aware that if this matter weren''t handled properly, it would be a devastating blow to the entire industry.


    Lu Liang stood up and tried to shift the focus with good intentions, which he appreciated. If it didn''t work, there was nothing that could be done about it.


    "It''s all for the industry; I personally don''t mind," Lu Liang said with great righteousness, as if his heart held no personal considerations, only filled with the entire industry, all for the future of the industry.


    "Mr. Lu, let''s leave it at that. If there are any updates on the case, I will inform you immediately."


    Old Wang had a headache. BYD was the main character of the incident, and the World New Energy Vehicle Congress was about to be held.


    They must quell public opinion as soon as possible.


    "Okay, then you go ahead and take care of that."


    The next morning at nine o''clock, Baiyun Street Police Station updated the case progress at the earliest opportunity.


    It confirmed some of the online discourse, the fire was caused by the spontaneous combustion of a new energy vehicle, and ruled out human factors.


    They also consulted building experts at the earliest opportunity, who indicated that it would not cause damage to the main structure of the residential building.


    In the end, their investigation found that the main cause was unstable electric current, a short circuit occurred between the positive and negative poles of the battery pack, generating local high temperatures, which led to the combustion of flammable materials.


    The police were only responsible for the case investigation and public safety; as for the subsequent compensation issues, they were beyond their jurisdiction.


    Insiders revealed that for this incident, the property management company bore the main responsibility, followed by the car owner''s insurance company. Starting next month, the insurance premiums for new energy vehicles would likely increase significantly.


    Some public parking lots quietly erected signs at their entrances, strictly prohibiting green-licensed cars from parking in their underground garages.


    While some communities did not explicitly ban them, subsequent applications for charging stations were also rejected for various reasons.


    The new energy vehicle combustion incident seemed to end satisfactorily, with every aspect handled appropriately.


    However, the related news continued to ferment.


    Directly reflected in today''s stock market.


    BYD''s stock plummeted 8.55%, with several instances of being halted during trading.


    Over a hundred new energy constituent stocks were not spared, with nearly all of them opening in the red. Only a few newly listed stocks, thanks to their exceptional status upon listing, dodged this severe plunge.


    On Monday and Tuesday, those speculators and retail investors trapped by Lu Liang''s scheme were each seething with frustration.


    They couldn''t bear to cut their losses.


    Entering at a high point, with a four-day drop exceeding 20%, selling now would turn their paper loss into a realized loss.


    To buy more shares felt risky since the event seemed far from over, and there might be further declines; to buy now might mean getting caught midway on a downward slope.


    It wasn''t a big deal for them to lose money. Being in Big A meant unavoidably taking a few hits now and then, whether from one pitfall or another¡ªit was all quite normal.


    But what they couldn''t accept was that the new energy funds saw an average drop of 6%-9% yesterday.


    As the instigator, Tianxing Fund saw only a 5.35% drop yesterday, becoming a benchmark in the industry with the smallest decline.


    "This is the feeling of home~~ so comfortable~"


    Thousands of Tianxing Fund''s investors were overjoyed, although they faced a likely 5-6% drop today, everything is relative.


    While others were losing 7-8 points, their loss was only 5-6 points, which made them feel more at ease. Furthermore, having previously gained 50 points, regurgitating a dozen points or so was no big deal.


    This bunch of troublemakers wasn''t content with just staying put; they went to various forums to mock and ridicule, thereby showcasing their foresight and presence.


    Thus, a petition with tens of thousands of signatures sincerely inviting Lu Liang to launch a new phase of Public Fund shot back up the trending searches.


    Ordinary people have limited investment channels, even middle-class families worth several million or tens of millions of US Dollars.


    Apart from industrial investments, only funds, stocks, and government bonds are available for financial investment. But among the three, other than government bonds being more reliable, funds and stocks all eye the principal in their wallets.


    Despite berating Lu Liang, they still wanted to experience the extraordinary treatment where their value increases more than the stock market and decreases less during downturns.


    As for that, Lu Liang turned a deaf ear.


    He summoned Zhang Jing to inquire, "How much working capital do we have in the Public Fund account?"


    "Originally, there were 21.2 billion US Dollars in reserve funds, over these four days, an additional 45.1 billion were recovered, making the usable funds 66.3 billion US Dollars," Zhang Jing replied.


    Since their total assets had risen to 435 billion US Dollars, the cash reserve ceiling of 20% had also increased from the original 60 billion to the current 87 billion US Dollars.


    "Nearly there."


    Lu Liang appeared thoughtful, suddenly rose to his feet, approached Zhang Jing, and patted his shoulder, "Mr. Zhang, you''ve been with me for two years now. How do you feel about handling the Public Fund from now on?"


    The six-month period had elapsed, and he was ready to withdraw from the Public Fund and return to managing private investments. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    To prevent a redemption wave triggered by his departure, he had specially prepared 70 billion US Dollars in cash for contingencies.


    By the time he left, the new energy vehicle combustion incident should also have settled down. Developing new energy is a national policy, and being a national policy, it wouldn''t be easily changed.


    The 70 billion in funds could then be used for bottom-fishing¡ªit was a gift Lu Liang had prepared for his successor in the Public Fund.


    Investors focus on data; they don''t really care who is managing specifically.


    Just like last year when Lu Liang left the private investment sector; it was a big deal then with everyone wanting to protest and redeem.


    But as soon as they saw that the profits remained stable, they instantly fell silent.

 Chapter 351 - 348: Changing Commanders, Silent Mockery

    "Mr. Lu, I will definitely do my utmost best and not let you down,"


    Zhang Jing''s eyes were resolute; after fifteen years in the business, success had never been this close.


    Boss Lu had already paved the golden path; if he managed poorly or made a blunder, he would have no face to stay at the company.


    "Do what you can, just try your best."


    Lu Liang picked up the financial report, acknowledging that public funds were the most labor-intensive and least profitable projects.


    He had spent over half a year on this project, earning only a 1.2% management fee, which amounted to 3.6 billion yuan.


    Although the cap was 2%, the remaining 0.8% depended on the settlement cycle, only accruing if the annual rate exceeded 13%.


    This was Lu Liang''s last exercise of the general manager''s prerogatives, retaining 600 million yuan for the company''s expenses in the latter half of the year, planning to distribute 3 billion yuan as dividends.


    Shareholders'' dividends from the company, categorized as "interest, stock dividends, and profit income", were subject to a 20% proportional tax rate, resulting in 2.4 billion yuan net.


    Suddenly, it was three o''clock in the afternoon, and trading ended for Thursday; the new energy sector witnessed a net outflow of 130 billion yuan.


    Despite the proper handling of spontaneous combustion incidents involving new energy vehicles, the impact was profound, and institutions were adjusting their projections accordingly.


    If no incidents occurred in the meantime, it was expected that the new energy sector would continue to decline over the next 1-3 months, affecting the entire market and making third-quarter sales targets challenging to achieve.


    At eight in the evening, Tianxing Mixed Fund updated its net asset value for the day and announced a change in fund management.


    Lu Liang was stepping down not only from his role as fund manager but also as the general manager of the fund company.


    These two most crucial positions were to be succeeded by Zhang Jing, the former deputy manager and deputy general manager.


    Throughout the entire company, all active positions no longer bore the name of Lu Liang; he had vanished as if into thin air.


    Upon the announcement, there was an industry earthquake.


    "Holy shit, why leave now and not earlier or later?"


    "Does Lu Liang despise the new energy sector that much, thinking it hasn''t exploded spectacularly enough these days?"


    "Who is Zhang Jing? Can the 300 billion yuan public fund still launch smoothly without Lu Liang?" S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "It''s just a two-day drop of 10.52%, Liangzi come back, we don''t blame you!"


    The forums were boiling, with tens of thousands of fund holders no longer as spirited as they had been days before.


    Over these two days, new energy funds had an average drop of 15%; they only fell by two-thirds.


    Even having fallen by two-thirds, tonight''s updated net asset value was still 1.372.


    For those who hadn''t left the scene halfway, their semi-annual returns reached 37.2%.


    Even for those who joined the fund during the redemption wave, they still enjoyed a return of 10.2% to date.


    When compared across the industry, it could be called a leading performance.


    However, now with Lu Liang''s departure, would Tianxing Fund still remain a fresh stream in the market?


    Everyone was skeptical, and a large number of fund holders posted for advice: "Lu Liang is leaving? Should we leave too?"


    "Leave? Where can we go?"


    "Should we buy a five-year government bond with a 4.39% yield?"


    This soul-stirring question from a netizen abruptly ended the advice thread and silenced the entire forum.


    Apart from government bonds, they had nowhere else to go, but government bonds were term-based, and redeeming early meant forfeiting most of the earnings.


    A five-year 4.39% yield would, after deducting fees for early redemption, leave about 2.26%, which was still less than what could be earned merely storing the money in Alipay.


    Being too greedy is never good; one shouldn''t forget the original intention of buying funds.


    A fund that can outpace inflation and provides immediate cash when urgently needed is a good fund.


    In fact, it''s Lu Liang''s fault for feeding them too well; in the past six months, he directly led them to a return rate of 52%.


    They mistook a somewhat stable fund for stocks, and not just any stocks but the top performing ones.


    "Let''s disperse; there''s nothing to discuss. Lu Liang has completely commanded us."


    "Let''s let the bullet fly a little longer and decide based on further developments."


    Fund managers lurking in the forum widened their eyes in astonishment at this turn of events.


    When did fund holders become so easy to persuade? They were itching to ask, had these people been CPUed by Lu Liang?


    "If I weren''t restricted from buying other funds, I might have already bought them," muttered someone, revealing the truth inadvertently.


    Ultimately, this market is driven by returns; the premise for being ''CPUed'' is to let them taste the sweetness


    Moreover, Lu Liang''s Tianxing Fund wasn''t really ''CPUed''; a net asset value of 1.372 was the best proof.


    Conversely, for them, in such a booming new energy market this year, most funds had a net value below 1.


    Companies that couldn''t even secure the principal had no right to be trusted; considering these, they were lucky not to be told to piss off.


    Silence fell upon the crowd as most fund companies'' profits stemmed from investors'' principal.


    They lacked the courage to compete in the market, but they had plenty of nerve when it came to taking money from investors'' pockets.


    Friday morning, nearing eight o''clock.


    As was customary, Tianxing Foundation would release the previous day''s redeemed shares between eight and eight ten in the morning.


    Many people were paying attention, constantly clicking their mouse, rapidly refreshing the page, waiting for the moment the shares were released.


    Based on the released shares, one could determine how much capital had lost faith in the future of Tianxing Fund.


    "Damn it, it''s so annoying, a broken fund, it''s like grabbing an Apple release."


    "A broken fund? Then why are you here?"


    "Just watching the excitement, okay?"


    The stock bar was especially active early in the morning.


    They had been displaced for half their lives and really didn''t want to monitor the stock market every day, allowing rises and falls to affect their mood.


    The benefit of funds is that you don''t have to constantly watch the market or make trades; just take a glance each day to know if you''ve gained or lost.


    Although it''s commonly said that funds don''t rise as much as the stock market and fall more than the stock market, which has always been scorned by stock investors.


    But Lu Liang''s fund was different¡ªeven now, it still had a 37.2% return rate.


    In the stock market, simply not losing money for the entire year already surpasses 95% of people, and if you can make a 10% profit, that definitely exceeds 99% of people.


    This time, it might be the last chance to get on board.


    The Tianxing Mixed Fund might be the only evidence of Lu Liang''s existence in the public fund arena.


    A thin camel is still bigger than a horse¡ªwhen Lu Liang left private funds to establish a public fund, those powerful investors in the private fund sector didn''t make a fuss, indicating he had kept something in reserve.


    Evidence of this suggests that the public fund also had something held back.


    At 8:07 AM, people refreshing the page suddenly saw the gray icon light up.


    2.752 billion yuan!


    Some people were still thinking.


    After all, a ten-digit subscription balance was more than fifty times the total shares released over the past half year.


    It indicated that indeed many people were pessimistic about Zhang Jing becoming the new manager of Tianxing Fund and they were resisting with their actions.


    Chasing rises and cutting losses applied in any situation.


    With so many people pessimistic, it also made them hesitate about whether to continue buying or not.


    Unlike the stock market, funds had lower risks; most people used up 80% of their liquid assets, even half of their life savings.


    Now that the Tianxing Mixed Fund was changing leaders during a volatile market period, it was bound to have dramatic fluctuations¡ªwhat if they incurred losses?


    During their hesitation, they subconsciously refreshed the page again.


    2.752 billion yuan worth of shares, within seconds, were reduced to just 2.249 billion.


    Those who hesitated were always in the minority; most people were still willing to take the gamble.


    Worst case, they''d lose ten percent and then bail, which for stock traders was just a single limit-down event.


    When you mix in Big A, if you don''t hit a few limit-downs a year, you''d hardly claim you trade stocks.


    At 8:08 AM and thirty-two seconds, it took just one minute and thirty-two seconds for the 2.752 billion shares to be snapped up.


    As soon as the news spread, there was stunned silence in the industry.


    After a long while, someone scoffed with self-derision, "When the whale falls, does everything else thrive? It''s a joke!"


    They were still planning to promote a new fund with only 0.8% management fees, to nicely catch this wave of immense wealth and shelter the injured Tianxing Fund investors.


    2.752 billion yuan, in a terrifying one minute and thirty-two seconds, harshly slapped their faces left and right.


    Lu Liang, silent and not commenting, was like silently mocking them, "Your big bro, is always your big bro."


    What quality fund, and they didn''t weigh their own worth? Wanting to catch his traffic?


    Simultaneously, in the dim bedroom, the phone placed beside the bed vibrated quietly.


    It was as if a silkworm baby was wriggling under the covers, suddenly a tousled little head peeked out from the end of the bed.


    Li Manli looked around with big, confused eyes, "How did I end up over here?"


    She burrowed back into the covers; the bed was large enough for her to circle around Lu Liang from the left side to the right.


    Picking up the phone beside the bed, she leaned close to Lu Liang''s ear and whispered weakly, "Liang, Lu Liang, your phone is ringing."


    Lu Liang hummed in response, glanced at the caller ID, and answered the call, "I know, I''ll be there soon."


    Zhang Jing had called to inform him that the 2.752 billion yuan had been completely snapped up in one minute and thirty-two seconds.


    Last night, late into the night, they had finished tallying, and Lu Liang already knew they would release that many shares, so he had instructed Zhang Jing to let him know once the subscription was over.


    Public funds were not like private funds¡ªwith private funds, there were only dozens of investors, each a giant in their field, capable of independent thinking.


    But as for public funds, they had counted a total of 337,200 individual investors.


    More people meant more confusion and more blind following, especially prone to triggering a bank run.


    Lu Liang was also a bit worried¡ªif they couldn''t achieve the effect of selling out in seconds this morning, there would only be more people applying for redemption today.


    So he instructed Zhang Jing, at the instant of release, to first lock five billion shares to create the illusion of a scramble.


    Now, it seemed his worries were overly cautious; the later release of the locked five billion was also instantly sold out.


    Suddenly, Lu Liang felt an unusual burning sensation in his chest.


    Looking down, Li Manli was lying on his chest, sticking out her tongue, gently gasping for breath, her cheeks flushed red.

 Chapter 352 - 349: Sense of Responsibility, Empty Warehouse Red Line

    "Please take a day off today."


    Liang found the family''s medicine box, prepared a cup of cold remedy, and sat on the bed with a few fever reducers, helping the feverish but still giggling Li Manli sit up.


    "You keep the air conditioning so low every night, like to sleep naked, and can''t keep still in your sleep, yet you still have the nerve to laugh?"


    Liang glared at her, picked up Li Manli''s iPhone 8, entered the unlock code, opened the contact list, and asked, "What''s the name of your assistant at the studio?"


    "Huang Ling."


    Li Manli grinned, still smiling foolishly, lying in bed and blinking her big eyes, "Because I''m happy."


    "Happy even with a cold and fever?"


    Liang looked disgusted, walked to the window, and made a phone call, "Hello, this is Lu Liang¡­"


    "Just happy~"


    Li Manli squinted her eyes, her feet excitedly moving; if she weren''t sick, she wouldn''t know how much Lu Liang cared for her.


    He helped her get dressed, used a towel to cool her down, wiped her palms and soles with alcohol, and even prepared cold remedy for her to take.


    She could finally confirm that Liang really liked her.


    "Little Huang will come over soon, I''ll ask her to take care of you, and if your fever hasn''t gone down by noon, you should go to the hospital to check it out, I''ll come over later."


    Ending the call, Liang returned to the bedside, adjusted the air conditioner to a more suitable 26 degrees, and tucked Li Manli in.


    Li Manli nodded and quickly asked, "Liang, are you going to work then?"


    Liang checked the time, it was nearly nine o''clock, "Later, there''s not much going on today."


    There were quite a few things to do today, including handling handover documents and monitoring changes in the market.


    His departure from the Public Fund would likely cause a more pronounced shrinkage in the recently contracting new energy sector.


    Today was also Friday, and as per usual, market transactions often weren''t very active on Thursdays and Fridays.


    The weekend posed many uncertainties.


    Institutional investors, speculators, and retail investors had all been frightened recently. Unless the market conditions were especially good, they generally preferred to stay out over the weekend to avoid unease.


    "Liang, the company is quite busy, you should go ahead, Lingling will be here soon anyway¡­"


    Li Manli was interrupted by Lu Liang before she could finish, "Close your mouth and eyes, stop making a fuss."


    "No fuss~" Li Manli pouted, looking aggrieved but said no more and obediently closed her eyes.


    Suddenly, her lips curled into a sweet smile; Lu Liang may have been a bit harsh, but he fundamentally cared about her.


    "Border conflict¡­"


    Lu Liang sat on the edge of the bed browsing news, thinking about last year''s maritime dispute. It had been resolved, but recently there had been provocations at the border again. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He could only sigh that there hadn''t been enough logistical support back then; otherwise, they could have marched straight to New Delhi and there wouldn''t be these lingering issues now.


    As the medicine took effect, Li Manli''s breathing gradually grew heavier, and soft snores filled the bedroom.


    Liang fell silent, put away his phone, and turned his gaze back to Li Manli''s delicate face.


    After more than two years, even with her beauty, one would think he''d be tired of it, but the initial thrill had turned into a sense of responsibility.


    Liang was fundamentally a responsible man; as long as the girls didn''t mind, he was very willing to take responsibility for them.


    After all, during these two years, he had always been the one dumped, never actively abandoning anyone.


    And he ensured each girl had a decent future ahead.


    9:15 am, pre-market bidding.


    Liang, not in the office, could only check on his phone.


    While it lacked the detailed data of institutional software, a glimpse was enough to see that today''s market was bleak.


    Taking BYD as an example, in ten minutes of pre-market bidding, the last bid was only a little over ten thousand shares, not even half of the previous day''s.


    Five minutes later, the market officially opened, and the eighteen stocks held by the fund opened low, each down 3-5 percent.


    "Not too bad, not too many."


    Liang chuckled lightly, suddenly the doorbell rang.


    He put away his phone, quietly walked out of the bedroom, informed the complex''s security to let someone in, and went downstairs.


    A twenty-three or twenty-four-year-old girl with thick black-framed glasses perched on her nose curiously surveyed the complex.


    Sinograin Seaview One''s average price was 31 million, a casual apartment cost seventy to eighty million, and it wasn''t uncommon for prices to break a hundred million.


    The studio''s benefits were quite nice, with meals and accommodation included, and a monthly salary of over ten thousand, but even in a year, one couldn''t afford a square meter here.


    Suddenly, she saw Lu Liang standing downstairs and quickly jogged up to him. "Mr. Lu, hello, I''m Huang Ling."


    "Follow me." Lu Liang nodded slightly and led Huang Ling upstairs, briefly introducing the layout of the apartment.


    Eventually, they arrived at the master bedroom.


    Lu Liang gently woke Li Manli. "Someone''s here, so I''ll be going now. Call me if you need anything."


    Li Manli was sleeping deeply but lightly, barely keeping her spirits up. She pecked Lu Liang''s cheek and said, "Bye~"


    "Aren''t you worried about passing it on to me?" Lu Liang chuckled.


    Li Manli, dazed and smiling goofily, said, "Then I''ll take care of you instead."


    Lu Liang laughed softly, touched Li Manli''s cheek, and before leaving, he instructed, "Little Huang, I''m leaving her in your care."


    "Okay, Mr. Lu, take care."


    After Lu Liang left, Li Manli suddenly perked up. Although she was sick, there were still joys to be shared.


    She said with a content smile, "Lingling, this must be your first time meeting Mr. Lu, right? How do you feel about him?"


    Huang Ling thought for a moment and said admiringly, "Mr. Lu, he''s down-to-earth, considerate, and gentle."


    After all, the rumors online about Lu Liang''s relationship with Li Manli were like Little Wang with those internet celebrities; it was thought to be just a casual fling.


    However, given the basin of cold water, the alcohol wipes, and their intimate demeanor at the bedside, things now seemed not quite as rumored.


    "Hehe~ I think so too."


    ¡­


    Close to ten o''clock, Lu Liang returned to the office.


    Zhang Jing and Tang Caide were already waiting at the doorway; one for a work handover, the other for him to sign off on a settlement.


    "Take it easy, Caidie. Please wait for me for a bit, I''ll first go over work things with Zhang Jing."


    Lu Liang entered the office followed closely by Zhang Jing.


    He picked up his thermos from the desk, went over to the water bar, and started making coffee. "How much is in the accounts now?"


    The funds in the market wouldn''t just disappear without reason; so-called evaporation was merely an outflow, no longer in the market.


    The 130 billion outflow from the new energy sector yesterday and 21.2 billion in the past half hour this morning, they too were a part of this outflow.


    "Available funds are 79.2 billion, with 3 billion more before we hit the 20% empty-holding red line," Zhang Jing quickly said.


    Lu Liang thought for a long while and, without making a decision, looked up smiling, "Now that you''re the fund manager, what do you think?"


    Zhang Jing was startled, thinking he was just a puppet, never expecting that Lu Liang actually intended to let him exercise real power.


    "Surprised?"


    Lu Liang''s mouth curled into a smile, then he suddenly sternly said, "Don''t tell me you haven''t considered it."


    Zhang Jing hurriedly nodded, "Yes, yes, yes."


    "Let''s hear it, what are your plans?"


    Lu Liang researched the coffee machine and appeared unfamiliar with the task.


    After hesitating, Zhang Jing carefully said, "To buy the dip, because our total assets are falling, if we don''t buy now and it falls another 2%, we''ll hit the 20% empty-holding red line."


    "When do you plan to buy?" Lu Liang asked.


    "After two o''clock in the afternoon," Zhang Jing replied, "because tomorrow is Saturday and at that time, market activity will be at its lowest, allowing us to leverage the largest market influence with minimal capital and attract investors holding empty over the weekend."


    "And how much capital are you planning to use?"


    "Before two-thirty, start with 15 billion to test how much resistance is there at higher prices and to see if it attracts enough followers."


    "And if there''s heavy resistance?"


    "Stay empty over the holiday and pull up at Monday''s open."


    "And if the resistance is small, but there aren''t enough followers?"


    "Increase the funded investment, aiming to forcibly drive up the market by close of trading, and then pull higher on Monday."


    Zhang Jing quietly observed Lu Liang''s reaction, but he was busy at the water bar, and it took a while before he responded.


    Suddenly he said, "Finally got it done."


    Lu Liang, face beaming, holding a steaming cup of freshly brewed coffee, handed it to Zhang Jing, "Try this, how does it taste?"


    "Thank you, Mr. Lu." Zhang Jing cautiously blew on it and took a small sip, then carefully expressed, "It''s quite layered."


    "If it''s not ground, it''s not ground, what ''clearly layered''?"


    Lu Liang, unable to contain his amusement, after a pause said, "Go ahead then, do as you said."

 Chapter 353 - 350: Introducing Foreign Capital, Becoming Increasingly International

    "Losing over six hundred million all of a sudden, indeed it''s a bit much."


    Right after Zhang Jing walked out of the office, a little while later, Tang Caidie knocked and entered, bringing with her the tax details for a 30 billion dividend.


    The tax expected to be paid was 23%, of which a 13% rate was unavoidable, but an additional 10% could still be manipulated.


    For example, by purchasing houses, cars, raising employee wages, and renting office space to offset a part, although these expenditures were very limited and employee salaries could not be increased further.


    In recent years, their salary increases had been somewhat rapid, aside from the cleaning ladies, starting at a minimum annual salary of 400,000.


    Their efforts, did not deserve the current returns.


    Increasing it further would lead to undesired resentment, so it was necessary to find new ways to account for expenses.


    The fastest and most common method was doing charity, directly dividing with the group from Red Cross who were merely warming their seats.


    With Lu Liang gaining a good reputation, the company could deduct taxes, and they could line their pockets, a win-win for everyone.


    However, Lu Liang was unwilling to ally with them, otherwise, there wouldn''t have been such a fuss last year.


    Ultimately, Chen Jinchun acted as a representative, doing charity face-to-face, ensuring every penny went into hands that needed it.


    But that method was too time-consuming and strenuous,


    also risking offending the people from Red Cross again.


    "Then let''s buy a plane," Lu Liang suggested with a smile.


    He had paid some attention to this market the last time he flew on Wanda''s private jet, Bombardier''s Global 6000 seemed quite good, with a market price of 370 million RMB.


    Like the Gulfstream G550, it belongs to the ultra-long-range business jets capable of flying directly from Modu to New York without stopping, the same model used by Little Ma.


    "Should we reserve one?" Tang Caidie confirmed again, with a cash injection of 30 billion, the company''s cash flow was frighteningly high.


    Although she was the financial director, the actual shareholder of the company was only Lu Liang, so she was more like an accountant in charge of the books.


    All decisions, even those involving funds exceeding ten billion, even a hundred billion, could be implemented immediately as long as Lu Liang agreed.


    "Make the reservation, the standard edition will do, when the time comes, entrust it to Pu Xin Airport to help with the decor."


    Near noon, Lu Liang completed the handover procedures.


    From this moment, he became a free man again, not holding any positions in the fund company, he could openly, without any need to avoid suspicion, go to the 22nd floor of Tianxing Private Equity.


    "Mr. Lu, good afternoon."


    Sun Yutao, all smiles, led the applause, and everyone else stood up in unison, welcoming the swift return of Boss Lu.


    "Good afternoon, everyone, go back to whatever you were doing. I''m just here as a shareholder to look around."


    Lu Liang said with a smile curling his lips, although his words might sound redundant, sometimes procedures are very important.


    "Welcome, Mr. Lu, to our company."


    Sun Yutao got the hint and promptly changed his approach, "Then let me show you around."


    Lu Liang nodded and went to the office originally belonging to Wen Chao, who had been dispatched to Tokyo.


    Sun Yutao did not promote anyone because this office was reserved for himself.


    Now that Lu Liang was back, he automatically demoted himself, and the office originally belonging to Wen Chao now had an owner.


    "Mr. Lu, please take a look, this is the asset detail of the fund, and the net value updated on the 1st of this month."


    In the past half year, apart from mid-March, relying on information from Lu Liang, they made a little over one hundred million dollars in the oil market, apart from that, they only made regular investments in US stocks.


    Old Te, having been in power for over half a year, implementing plans like quantitative easing of the US Dollar, industry fund repatriation, etc., successfully achieved results.


    In the past six months, the Dow Jones Index surged 3180 points, almost an entire A-share market''s increase, creating new historical highs every month.


    The Dow Jones Index grew from 19120 points at the beginning of the year to 22300 points last night, an increase of about 16.6%.


    Their main investments were in blue-chip tech stocks, led by Tesla, supplemented by Apple and Microsoft.


    The average stock gains were about 22.2%, with Tesla showing the most exaggerated increase of 98%.


    The net value also rose significantly, reaching 1.622, with total assets valued at 81.1 billion US dollars.


    At the beginning of the month, through Wen Chao, Lu Liang conveyed that there would be big moves next month, advising him to redirect funds and prepare.


    Apple, Microsoft, NVIDIA, and other stocks were sold at high positions, now apart from Tesla''s 5.08% equity, valued at 50.012 billion US dollars, the remaining 30.088 billion US dollars were available funds.


    "30 billion US dollars still feels a bit less."


    Lu Liang aimed to make more money through acquiring land and building factories, the more the capital, the higher the profits, his gaze was on Tesla, but seeing only 5.08% equity left, he had to relinquish the idea.


    Selling more would necessitate a public announcement of reduced holding, also exposing that they had already quietly sold a lot.


    A voice from the future predicted that in four years, Tesla''s market value would rise to 1200 billion US dollars.


    It''s uncertain in this world, due to Lu Liang''s involvement, whether it would reach that high, but one thing was clear, Tesla had that potential.


    Good steel needs to be used on the blade''s edge, and pigs also need to be fattened until the New Year before slaughtering, he couldn''t bear to cut now.


    Recently, Tesla''s market value fell below one hundred billion, and for the sake of current small profits, ruining it might result in losses of several hundred billion US dollars.


    "Let''s launch a new project," Lu Liang finally decided, after much deliberation, to initiate another private equity fund with a scale of 3 billion dollars.


    The fee structure would be 3+20N, with a basic management fee of 3% and a performance fee of 20%, applying a tiered approach to management fees.


    Based on a 30% profit benchmark, for each increment of 30% in profit, the management fee would increase proportionally by 5%.


    Thus, if the return reached 60%, the management fee would be 25%, 30% at 90%, 35% at 120%, with a cap at 40%.


    Upon hearing this, Sun Yutao was astounded, "Mr. Lu, will they agree to this?"


    "If you had the money, would you invest?" Lu Liang asked with a smile.


    Sun Yutao thought for a moment, then smiled sheepishly, "I definitely would."


    The current fund was a 3+25, and it had already distributed a dividend of 31%, now with an additional return of 62.2%, achieving a composite return rate of 93.2%.


    That is, each 100 million dollars invested had so far made a profit of 93.2 million dollars. Even under the new rule, taking 30% of the profit as a management fee, the investors would still be willing.


    The higher the management fee, the more they earn, and although they might grumble privately, ultimately they would agree.


    "That settles it then."


    Smiling, Lu Liang thought for a moment and added, "This time, we will only release 1.5 billion dollars worth of shares domestically."


    Caught off guard, Sun Yutao asked, "Are you planning to bring in foreign capital?"


    Lu Liang nodded, "I met quite a few new friends in New York; let''s give half of the shares to them as a favor."


    Over the years, he had offended numerous Wall Street institutions, but his recent trip to New York went smoothly, and he was warmly welcomed by the gentlemen there. It was only right he returned the favor.


    From now on in international markets, unless ideological differences between countries were irreconcilable, they would not deliberately target him under normal circumstances.


    Making money together, why not?


    Sun Yutao understood completely and looked at Lu Liang deeply, noticing his style was maturing.


    This maneuver would not only set him on good terms with Wall Street institutions but also help bring substantial US Dollar investment to the country.


    Since their registration was in Modu, foreign investors wanting to subscribe for fund shares would at least have to set up companies in Xiangjiang.


    Although the Hong Kong Dollar is pegged to the US Dollar, when it comes time for dividends, local taxes are inevitably required. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If they weren''t willing to just pay the 20-25% tax, they would need to invest in industries, or offset via purchases.


    That too would drive consumption.


    "By the way, don''t release the news too quickly, let''s hold off for a few days, any time before September 6th would be fine."


    Today is July 27th, and Lu Liang would be traveling to Beijing on August 7th to attend a national celebration of youth representatives, so there wasn''t a rush at the moment.


    By delaying a few days and releasing the news just before his trip to Beijing, it would also gauge the reactions of related agencies.


    Introducing foreign capital, Lu Liang wasn''t sure about the national stance.


    Because this time, the parties involved were essentially model Wall Street institutions like JPMorgan and Goldman Sachs, unlike the Saudi fund''s wealth with no strings attached.


    It also meant that Lu Liang was officially stepping onto the international scene, no longer purely domestic capital.


    Flatteringly, it''s becoming more international.


    Unflatteringly, it''s a bit of pandering.


    ...


    As the two talked, it was already two o''clock in the afternoon.


    There was just one hour left in this week''s trading session.


    The market was exceedingly quiet; in the past ten minutes, the combined trading volume of the three markets, including the Growth Enterprise Market in Shenzhen and Shanghai, didn''t exceed 80 billion.


    As closure neared, everyone had no intention of making moves, only hoping to get through the weekend steadily and peacefully.


    However, the markets didn''t cooperate, and Tianxing System''s stocks, which had been declining all day, suddenly surged.


    Tianxing Mixed Fund''s 15 billion capital violently entered eighteen stocks, including Ningde.


    In just five minutes, all eighteen stocks, which had fallen by 2%-5% on average, turned from red to green.


    The selling pressure accumulated over the past three hours was like fragile paper, easily punctured by the massive influx of funds.


    "The first fire of the new officer is finally lit, charge~~"


    "It''s foreseeable, this is just the start, Liangzi is poised to solve the puzzles today~"


    "Aren''t you worried it''s another lure?"


    "Have you ever seen a lure take place on a Friday at two in the afternoon?"


    Since New Year''s Day last year, with two circuit breakers within four days, holidays had also become perilous, evolving from being limited to the traditional holidays to frequent mini-crashes on regular weekends.


    With the T+1 trading system, once the money was invested on Friday, it would have to wait at least until Monday to sell.


    Zhang Jing''s choice of timing was impeccable, Friday at 2 PM, convincing enough to believe that this time it was not a ruse but a genuine attempt to bottom-fish and save the market.

 Chapter 354 - 351: Public Outrage Has Been Sparked

    "Zhang Jing''s guts are way larger than yours, just smashing 150 billion like that."


    Liang remained on the 22nd floor, not going upstairs to supervise, to avoid putting pressure on Zhang Jing.


    "Zhang Jing really does have more courage than I do," Sun Yutao couldn''t help but laugh while admitting his own timidity.


    The T+1 trading method, still a public fund, still in the domestic market, still in the new energy sector.


    If it were him, he''d only be bolder.


    After all, this was Liang''s private territory; if anything went wrong, he''d be there to help pick up the pieces, and it was unlikely that anything would go wrong.


    "Time to go, see you next week."


    "Mr. Lu, let me see you out."


    In the end, Lu Liang took another look at the market trend before leaving the New International Building to return to Sinograin Seaview One. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Being able to withstand three hours of pressure and break through upward indicated that the capital pressure from above wasn''t as high as imagined.


    Three consecutive days of decline, with an average drop of -15%.


    The market had adjusted quite a bit; it was about time for it to rise.


    The stock price had already turned positive; Zhang Jing''s plan had initially succeeded, so there was no point in continuing to watch.


    Approaching three o''clock, Lu Liang returned home.


    Huang Ling sat writing copy in the dining room, while Li Manli, holding a tray of fruit, lay on the sofa, chuckling as she watched a variety show.


    The show being broadcast featured Zhang Tian''ai and the Mahua Team as guests on Mushroom House, seemingly to promote "Iron Fist".


    Suddenly, Huang Ling stood up, calling out loudly, "Mr. Lu, you''re back."


    Li Manli quickly hid the fruit tray, covered herself with a blanket, and with a muffled voice said, "Liang, is that you back already?"


    "Keep busy," Lu Liang said with a nod, walking to the living room to sit by the sofa, smiling, "Fever gone?"


    "Check for yourself; it feels like there''s a little left," Manli squinted her eyes, coughed uncontrollably, looking utterly muddled by her fever.


    Lu Liang suppressed a laugh, felt her forehead, and much better than in the morning, her temperature had practically normalized.


    Suddenly he pinched Manli''s cheek, tugging it slightly, saying gruffly, "Stop pretending. How do you feel now?"


    Manli yelped in pain, then suddenly sat up cross-legged, rubbing her cheek, and grinned, "Fever''s gone, just a bit of a stuffy nose and a scratchy throat."


    "Rest up, drink plenty of hot water."


    "Mmmhmm~"


    "I''ll send Little Huang to keep you company over the weekend, I need to step out for a bit."


    Manli felt a pang of disappointment, hesitated to say more, but kept quiet; Lu Liang added, "Just a short trip, a day or two."


    "Okay, be careful on the road, stay safe."


    Li Manli beamed with joy, a moment to remember, as Lu Liang began to show concern for her feelings.


    Liang didn''t linger long at home, ate a few grapes, had a drink of water, and left within half an hour.


    His primary reason for returning was to check on Li Manli; since their home was close to the office, he didn''t want to make another trip later.


    Leaving the compound, Lu Liang drove to Baoshan Road in the suburbs, the headquarters of Panda Interactive Entertainment.


    As soon as he saw Little Wang, he didn''t give him a warm welcome, "All talk, is it really that urgent?"


    Since last Friday, Little Wang had been calling him almost every other day, Lu Liang was annoyed to the point of making a personal visit.


    "Liang, we''re about to go public, now we''re just missing your signature and authorization," Little Wang said with an aggrieved expression, resembling a wronged little wife.


    It was just a matter of signing and attending a meeting, yet Lu Liang had put it off for a week, always saying he was busy each time he called, causing the entire process to stall with him.


    "Mr. Wang, you have to understand, Mr. Lu has just returned to the country, and a lot of issues have piled up all at once."


    Zhou Hongwei from Qihu was also there, greeting Lu Liang with a beaming smile as he walked out of the conference room.


    Zhu Hu followed close behind, grinning brightly, "Mr. Lu, all finished with your work?"


    Clearly, he was referring to the brevity of public fund matters, and subtly inquiring about the private fund situation.


    Lu Liang smiled, "Almost done, planning to take a good few days off and think about future plans."


    Zhu Hu immediately understood and didn''t press further, Zhou Hongwei sighed, "Nezha N01 has been released."


    "Have you heard? How''s the response?" Lu Liang was curious.


    Among the pile of invitations he had received last Friday was one for the Nezha N01 new car launch, but it was now past the date, and he hadn''t followed up further.


    Zhou Hongwei had a faint sorrow on his face, "With this lousy name, it was already unpopular, and then there was that BYD combustion incident earlier, so this model is pretty much doomed."


    The launch''s pre-orders didn''t even reach a hundred units, and the misfortune of the new energy vehicle combustion incident led to over thirty cancellations.


    Now they only had two choices: either stop production or revise the model. The new energy market wasn''t as simple as he thought; it wasn''t just about having some money and being able to sell whatever was produced.


    Lu Liang could barely hide his amusement, "Nezha is a great name, Third Prince, a valiant dragon-slaying young hero, comes with its own IP."


    "I think it''s more like it''s getting beaten up. Gao He sounds better than Nezha."


    Zhou Hongwei was indignant, fuming at the mere mention of the name. More than once, he wanted to crack open Fang Yunzhou''s head to see what he was thinking.


    The name was even worse than Xiao Peng. The failure of the N01 launch was inextricably tied to the brand name.


    As they chatted, Little Wang and Long Fei approached with smiles on their faces and said, "Everyone, please come inside."


    Including Long Fei, their combined shareholding exceeded 66.7%, more than two-thirds, making it unnecessary to invite others.


    Long Fei suppressed his excitement, stepped onto the podium, and began with cash flow, indicating there was a reserve of 180 million US dollars.


    They planned to spend it all in the next three months and then initiate the listing phase, with a provisional valuation of 3 billion US dollars.


    Without any surprises, five months later, in January of next year, Panda would land on NASDAQ.


    Long Fei also described Panda''s four main projects: live streaming, esports, original variety shows, and live-streaming with goods sales.


    The initial impractical dream of becoming the Eastern Disneyland had been cast aside by Little Wang. People still had to bow to reality.


    Live streaming with goods sales had already brought sweet rewards to Panda.


    In the next three years, whether it was game live streaming, esports teams, or original variety shows, the essence was to attract traffic, and ultimately, all traffic would flow into live streaming with goods sales.


    In the next five months, they aimed to achieve a sales target of ten billion and multiply that figure several times in the following year.


    Finally, Little Wang also took the stage, his expression sincere, hands clasped together, "Everyone, the next year is extremely crucial. I hope that where there is a need for everyone''s help, you can lend a hand."


    After listing on the Nasdaq in five months, as the original shareholders, their shares would be subject to a six-month lock-up period.


    So, for the coming year, Panda needed their escort, not just for Panda''s sake, but also for their own.


    Lu Liang and the others looked at each other and nodded, their stock holdings'' realization and maximization of benefits were critical.


    The upcoming year was of utmost importance.


    In the evening, they found a restaurant nearby for a dinner gathering.


    Men, when they drink too much, are all the same; they like to discuss military conflicts and international situations.


    After all, to them, women are just things that come when called and leave when dismissed, nowhere near as attractive as international tensions.


    When discussing the international situation, they couldn''t avoid the ongoing tension in the west, with India acting as if it was on steroids, provoking border confrontations one after another.


    Zhu Hu suddenly asked, "Lu, what''s your take on the recent events in the west? Your judgment on last year''s events down south was very accurate. Share your thoughts."


    The bottles had gone around three times, and the flavors of the dishes had been widely savored.


    The conversation had become more relaxed, and they no longer addressed each other formally as Mr. Lu, Mr. Zhou, or Mr. Zhu.


    Zhou Hongwei glared angrily, looking like a middle-aged nationalist, "Decades ago, we should have cleaned them up. A mere joker dares to be provocative."


    Lu Liang pondered for a long time, squinting his eyes, "It''s hard to say; the public anger has been stirred up now."


    As the situation in the west continued to ferment, War Wolf 2''s box office showed an odd trend.


    Previously, without holidays or premieres, the highest daily box office on a weekday was only 73 million.


    But yesterday, on Thursday, War Wolf 2''s daily box office on a weekday quietly breached 100 million.


    In its first week, the cumulative box office reached 1.165 billion.


    If things were normal, a film in its first week, aside from holidays, should be on the decline.


    But War Wolf 2''s box office went against the trend, creating a completely different curve.


    Platforms like Maoyan were baffled and had not updated their forecasts in a long time, afraid of being proven wrong again.


    Continuing to forecast might lead to even losing their jobs.


    Lu Liang observed that the rise in War Wolf 2''s box office actually reflected the public''s attitude toward the situation in the west, as the theme of the movie was: "Those who offend China, no matter how far away, will be pursued and punished!"


    Last year at the same time, the United States came to our doorstep and was driven away; a little India would certainly be dealt with decisively.


    After nearly a hundred years of restraint, the Chinese people seem to have an inexplicable anticipation for war.


    Through this event, Lu Liang also clarified why War Wolf 2 achieved such an exaggerated box office.


    Public anger is the most unreasonable emotion, especially when it''s tied to patriotism.


    While there is talk of painting the enemy three shades darker, the actual situation is that positive emotions far outweigh negative ones in power.


    "War Wolf 2? Lu, seems like you invested in it, right?"


    Zhu Hu was curious. He wasn''t very informed, but Lu Liang must have invested, otherwise, he wouldn''t be promoting it.


    "Yes, I did invest a little," Lu Liang replied with a nonchalant smile, while Little Wang chimed in with a smile, "Owning 52%, that can''t be considered a small investment, right?"


    "52%?" Zhu Hu and Zhou Hongwei''s eyes widened, and suddenly, they sobered up.


    Based on the fact that the production party only receives one-third of the box office revenue, assuming a box office of 4 billion, Lu Liang would make at least 650 million.


    Even after accounting for marketing expenses, the movie''s investment was only 2.8 billion, and Lu Liang probably put in about 1.45 billion of his own money.


    As long as the box office breaks 4 billion, he would have at least a 348% return on investment, far from a minor business.


    "Back then, no one else was investing, and I happened to have some spare cash, so I just threw it in for fun, never expected this," Lu Liang said, smiling.


    His nonchalant look made others want to punch him, just to get some relief.


    Little Wang cleared his throat and suddenly said, "I seem to have also invested over twenty million, about a 9% stake."


    "..."


    Zhu Hu and Zhou Hongwei looked at each other, their faces not looking too good, "Let''s go, time to sleep."


    The conversation about international tensions was going well, but suddenly turned to making money, and damned if they weren''t brought along. What a joke.

 Chapter 355 - 352: Elder Sister Attacks

    "Mr. Zhu, Mr. Zhou, take care on your way out," Little Wang beamed with a great mood, often posturing, but the sense of achievement varied depending on whom he was showing off to.


    Zhu Hu and Zhou Hongwei were both Beijing Circle big shots. A few years ago, just sitting with them would have required the leftover influence of Wanda, let alone daring to show off in front of them.


    "How about checking out the new bar on Huaihai Road? I''ve heard it has a great atmosphere," he looked at Lu Liang, extending the invitation.


    It was past nine, the perfect time to head out feeling slightly buzzed; going home to sleep now would be a waste of youth.


    "You go ahead, I''ve got something to take care of later," Lu Liang said with a bitter expression, rubbing his temples.


    "Zeh? What''s so troubling for you?" Little Wang was surprised, sensing a whiff of gossip.


    "Don''t pry into matters that don''t concern you."


    Lu Liang gave him a stern look, waited for Fang Shiyu to drive over, then took a seat in the back and waved, "I''m off."


    "Take care," Little Wang watched Lu Liang leave, then dialed a few girls, planning to indulge himself wholeheartedly tonight.


    For the coming year, he needed to turn over a new leaf, prioritizing Panda''s listing above all, so tonight, he intended to enjoy himself to the fullest.


    Meanwhile, Fang Shiyu drove across Nanpu Bridge to the other side, arriving at Green City Huangfu Bay.


    He had bought two houses here last year; one for his parents to use as a temporary stay in Modu, and the other for Su Wanyu.


    But his parents had only visited once and never returned, and Su Wanyu had gone abroad for studies at the end of the year, leaving the place empty for over half a year.


    Today, it welcomed a new tenant¡ªXu Jiawei had come back from Lu Liang''s hometown, bringing Lu Ya with him.


    "Shiyu, your sister Ya is here; let''s go up and see her," Lu Liang thought it through; he needed a wingman, even if they weren''t that sharp. Frankly, he was somewhat afraid of being alone with Lu Ya; she was his sister but still daring enough to get physical.


    "Okay," Fang Shiyu''s usually stolid face couldn''t help but show a hint of joy.


    When they were young, Lu Ya had always been the boss, taking good care of all her younger brothers and sisters.


    The two went upstairs, and Xu Jiawei stood at the door like a guardian deity.


    "Is the visa all set?" Lu Liang asked.


    Xu Jiawei nodded, "It''ll be valid the day after tomorrow."


    "You''ve done well, you can go back and rest early if there''s nothing else," Lu Liang didn''t want outsiders around for the following family affairs, to avoid a total loss of face.


    Suddenly, he called out to Xu Jiawei, who was about to leave: "Get in touch with Zhuo Yifan, ask him to come back first."


    Lu Ya was going abroad for the first time and didn''t know English, so Lu Liang was a bit concerned. He planned to have Zhuo Yifan accompany her throughout the trip, even if just to run errands and handle boarding procedures.


    "Alright, Mr. Lu."


    After Xu Jiawei left, the door was unlocked, and Lu Liang led Fang Shiyu inside. As they were changing shoes in the entryway, they heard Lu Ya''s voice coming from the living room.


    "Yu, you really should have told your sister about something so important."


    "Are you settling in okay in the UK?"


    "How about this, I''ll come to see you the day after tomorrow."


    "What, am I not your sister?"


    "That''s decided then..."


    From the corner of her eye, Lu Ya spotted Lu Liang and Fang Shiyu. Lu Liang sheepishly smiled, "Video calling?"


    Lu Ya hummed an affirmation, her attitude rather cold: "That guy''s back; you two have a chat."


    Suddenly, she caught the scent of alcohol and frowned slightly, whispering, "I''ll go make you a bowl of noodles."


    Even if they weren''t on the best terms, he was still her brother. Her coldness was partly personal emotion, largely a front for Su Wanyu''s benefit.


    The young girl was pregnant, studying abroad on her own, while the father of her child was entangled with another girl back home.


    Anyone would feel wronged. Lu Ya was a woman and a mother of two, well aware of the trials of pregnancy and the importance of providing emotional value.


    Therefore, she had to take Su Wanyu''s side, condemn Lu Liang''s wrongdoings, and, as a representative of the in-law''s side, acknowledge and accept the child in the womb.


    Lu Ya turned to Fang Shiyu, "How''s your appetite lately?"


    Fang Shiyu grinned sheepishly, "About the same as before."


    Lu Ya nodded, understanding, took two bundles of dried noodles, and prepared to cook one whole bundle and a fifth of the other.


    The United Kingdom and China have a seven-hour time difference, so it''s now just after two in the afternoon in Edinburgh.


    Lu Liang picked up Lu Ya''s phone and walked to the balcony, "How have you been recently?"


    "I''m doing quite well. Professor Tesding and his colleagues even came to see me specially. Your donation must have made an impact."


    Su Wanyu''s smile blossomed beautifully, the coldness that once characterized her no longer evident, replaced by a glow of motherhood.


    She aimed the camera at her prominently rounded belly and gently stroked it, "Siqing, say hello to daddy."


    She was 34 and a half weeks pregnant, and the baby moved frequently every day. Just then, her belly started to squirm slightly.


    Su Wanyu''s brow furrowed gently, but her face still beamed with a smile, "You don''t know how mischievous she is. I don''t even know who she takes after."


    "She takes after me, who else?" Lu Liang said with eyes full of tenderness, as if he could see through the screen to the tiny life within.


    He was silent for a long moment before saying softly, "I have to attend a new energy conference on Hai Island in the middle to late next month. It''s expected to last a week. Once I''m done, I''ll make sure to come to you as soon as possible."


    "It''s alright. Look, the conditions here are very good, and the hospital is right next door."


    Su Wanyu smiled and lifted her phone, sweeping it around the room.


    It seemed she wanted to prove that she was doing well, reassuring Lu Liang so he wouldn''t worry. He could come over after he had wrapped up his work.


    Lu Liang said softly, "Lu Ya plans to come over to take care of you. She has more experience. I''ve booked a ticket for her the day after tomorrow."


    "Won''t it be a bother?"


    "Of course not. She doesn''t have much to do at home these days, and it''ll be good for both of you to walk around and shop together."


    "Alright then, send me the flight information when you have a chance. I''ll ask Uncle Zheng to pick her up."


    "No need, I have friends there who can take Lu Ya directly to you when the time comes."


    The two made small talk for a while, exchanging details about their daily lives, and finally ended the call.


    When Lu Liang returned inside, Fang Shiyu had finished off a big pot of noodles, leaving just the bowl meant for Lu Liang, with the soup all soaked up.


    "Shiyu, why don''t you go downstairs for a walk and digest a bit? I want to talk to Liang for a moment," Lu Ya said suddenly.


    Her decisive tone made it hard for anyone to consider refusal, leaving Lu Liang with a wry smile, "Go on."


    With Fang Shiyu gone, Lu Ya handed a pair of chopsticks to Lu Liang, "It''s all stuck together, but make do and eat."


    "This is the right creamy texture to eat."


    Lu Liang smiled, flattering without a sound. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lu Ya asked, "What do you think you''re doing, leaving them to wander alone like that?"


    "Wander? Her studies aren''t finished. When they''re done, she''ll return to the country."


    The noodles had absorbed the soup and turned into a noodle cake,


    The temperature was just right, and Lu Liang quickly finished eating.


    "What are your plans for them afterward?" Lu Ya had a bad feeling when she knew the baby''s full name included Su.


    Lu Liang''s smile remained as he suddenly gestured with his index finger in a circle, "This apartment is for mom and dad, and for you to occasionally stay. There''s another one right next door with a bigger floor plan, which I''m keeping for Yu."


    Lu Ya''s face darkened, "I''m not asking about that. Is there nothing else besides this?"


    Lu Liang sighed, "But this is all I have, and all I can offer."


    Lu Ya fell silent, sighing heavily, "So what about your little girlfriend then?"


    "Same approach."


    Lu Liang wore an unabashed smile that made him seem shameless.


    Lu Ya''s eyebrows knitted tightly, looking at him without being able to smile, "Maybe it''s just me who doesn''t understand."


    She said further, "I can activate my visa the day after tomorrow. Arrange my travel for me, please."


    "No problem. Enjoy yourself tomorrow, I''ll arrange a tour guide for you."


    "You remember Wanting, right? She got married to Modu. I want to visit her tomorrow, pick up a few things, and then leave the day after."


    "Let Shiyu drive for you then. You''ve never been to Modu, it''d be better if you didn''t wander around unfamiliar places alone."


    "That works."


    When night fell, Lu Liang left. His connections in Modu allowed him to have homes everywhere, and he headed straight for the Skyline District.


    Before heading upstairs, he said to Fang Shiyu, "Drive for your little sister Ya tomorrow, so no need to come and pick me up."

 Chapter 356 - 353: MCN Institutions, Land

    "Your fan count is increasing so fast."


    Lu Liang had just finished showering and came out of the bathroom when he saw Wang Chuting checking the view count on her Douyin account.


    After Douyin merged with Watermelon Video, Watermelon Video had effectively become a backend application for Douyin, retaining nothing but the name.


    In the past half-year, Wang Chuting had posted nine videos and her account''s fan count had broken the ten million mark.


    "It''s all thanks to your influence."


    Smiling seductively, Wang Chuting stretched out her 1.2-meter-long legs and playfully teased Little Lu.


    Initially, her account only had five million fans, but the video interviewing Lu Liang had doubled her fan count in just two days.


    Ningde, Wanda Wang, they might have a higher social status than Lu Liang, but their online influence wasn''t even on the same level as his.


    "With ten million fans, have you thought about what you want to do next?"


    Lu Liang glanced over and grabbed her foot directly, the light green nail polish reminiscent of leaves on a white grapevine.


    The green made her pale instep look whiter and her pink soles appear even pinker.


    Lu Liang, who had thought he had no particular fetishes, realized he was wrong the moment he met Wang Chuting¡ªher legs were like works of art.


    "Ticklish~" Wang Chuting suddenly screamed. She quickly pulled away, sat cross-legged, and hid her feet.


    She pondered seriously, guarding against Lu Liang''s sneak attacks, "I''m still thinking, not sure whether to go into e-commerce or start an MCN."


    Live-commerce is exactly what it sounds like. Since Panda discovered this path, it seemed like the whole internet found a place to belong.


    Douyu, Huya, and other major platforms quickly followed suit, with Kuai Shou and Douyin not wanting to be left behind. However, short-video commerce had a higher threshold¡ªonly accounts with at least ten thousand fans could enable this feature.


    An MCN, however, is a more advanced game, similar to a talent agency in the entertainment industry, signing up-and-coming talent.


    Wang Chuting, leveraging her own account''s influence, would help them operate their accounts, becoming their boss.


    The former option was more straightforward and didn''t require much thought, but it made her dependent on others. The latter was more complex and troublesome but allowed her to become a part of the capital.


    Lu Liang gave a resigned smile, "With these two options before you, are you still considering which one to choose?"


    If it were Li Manli, she would definitely choose the former; she was already developing in that direction.


    Relying on Panda, she would either do live e-commerce whenever she wanted or just live-stream games carelessly.


    She lived carefree, like a salted fish, never aspiring to climb higher.


    But Wang Chuting was different. With these two choices before her, it was really a multiple-choice question for her. She would always choose to develop herself and reduce dependence on external forces.


    "Is that how you see me?"


    Wang Chuting playfully glared at him and huffed, "Can''t a girl occasionally have the desire to be pampered?"


    "Sure, as long as it makes you happy," Lu Liang said, resting his head on Wang Chuting''s thigh, squinting his eyes.


    As Wang Chuting massaged his shoulders and back, she whispered, "Your company''s Chen Jinchun seems quite promising. How about I sign her to my team?"


    As more users flocked to Douyin, Tianxing Investment, being one of the first corporate accounts to join, fed off Lu Liang''s traffic every day. Though just a venture capital firm, it had twice the number of fans as her.


    Chen Jinchun, who managed the company account, was round-faced, large-mouthed, and a flat-chested loli; her features were strikingly distinctive, resembling the ideal daughter in the eyes of middle-aged people.


    If she ever decided to start a small account, she could definitely break a million fans in minutes.


    ''Xiao Chen, go solo.''


    It wasn''t just a joke from netizens; over the past year, countless MCNs wanted to poach her, as plentiful as fishes crossing the river.


    It could be said, just by nodding and agreeing to switch companies, she could easily get a sign-on fee of three to five million yuan per year.


    "If you want to poach her, just go ahead. The company doesn''t have any contract restrictions on her," Lu Liang said.


    Two years ago, he had personally recruited Chen Jinchun. Initially, she was supposed to be a receptionist at the front desk, but due to staff shortages, she ended up as Lu Liang''s assistant.


    Because they needed to promote Douyin, she was put in charge of managing the company''s account on Douyin and remained under a regular contract.


    As long as she wanted to resign, she wouldn''t even have to pay a penalty fee.


    "If anyone could have poached her, she would have been gone by now," Wang Chuting couldn''t help but criticize.


    Each time Chen Jinchun made an appearance in a video, she wore a No. 003 work badge, and those digits seemed to be embolded and enlarged as if she were proud of being the company''s third employee. If not for Lu Liang''s direction, others would find it nearly impossible to poach her.


    Unable to contain his laughter, Lu Liang remarked, "A fish does not know the joy of fish; maybe she feels quite comfortable this way."


    Wang Chuting sighed and suddenly smiled, "Why not hire me then? I''d like to enjoy that too." Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In recent years, a group claiming to be "awakened women" has suddenly emerged online, using gender equality as a pretext to "throw punches" everywhere.


    Actually, their slogan is not wrong, but it should not be stigmatized. Moreover, they should not throw punches merely for the sake of throwing punches.


    Patriarchy is the essence of society, and if given a choice, she would also hope to grow strong under the shelter of a large tree.


    "I''m worried you''ll cause trouble," Lu Liang said bluntly.


    Wang Chuting, fuming with anger, said, "What about Chen Jinchun, Tang Caide, and Hu Weiwei? Aren''t you afraid they will cause trouble?"


    "I''m not afraid, they wouldn''t dare."


    "Why not?"


    "Because I haven''t slept with them."


    Lu Liang added, "But I have slept with you."


    Wang Chuting fell silent, her face filled with resentment, "Can''t you phrase it more tactfully?"


    "I''m worried you wouldn''t understand," Lu Liang, opening his eyes, looked up at a spherical object.


    Wang Chuting was very clever. If he were tactful with her, she would deliberately play dumb, so he had to be straightforward.


    "I might as well choke you," Wang Chuting decided, suddenly agitated to the point of wanting to suffocate Lu Liang.


    Then, her toes were grabbed by Lu Liang''s hand, sending a current through her body, "Wrong, wrong..."


    "What''s wrong?"


    This time, Lu Liang smiled and did not show mercy; his laughing and shouting continued for over ten minutes.


    Wang Chuting''s hair disheveled, her cheeks flushed, completely drained as she lay on the sofa, only then did he stop.


    Somewhere on the sofa, the color deepened suddenly, and he couldn''t help but exclaim, "Such a strong reaction?"


    Wang Chuting, both embarrassed and angry, rested briefly and then made a sudden, fierce move, like a hungry tiger pouncing on its prey.


    ...


    On Saturday noon, Lu Liang, accompanied by Xu Jiawei, arrived at the Wanda Hotel in Su City.


    The public fund matter had concluded, and he was supposed to retrieve the 1% share from Wanda and reclaim the 9% share of Tianxing Investment.


    "Mr. Lu, the village relocation work above has been completed, please have a look."


    Old Wang looked on enviously, although Little Wang was beginning to understand, compared to Lu Liang, he was far behind.


    Wanda acquired the land without spending money, precisely speaking, Wanda''s agent acquired the land without cost.


    1450 acres of land was provided free of charge by Su City Government for the use of Tianxing Technology, but there were conditions.


    Within the next five years, Tianxing Technology must invest 12 billion yuan on it, and after five years, the annual tax contribution must not be less than 1.5 billion yuan, otherwise, the land would revert to the government.


    Although there were investment restrictions, the contract included an additional clause allowing Su City Government to provide a five-year loan of 15 billion yuan at 3.8% interest.


    This last clause virtually reimbursed all the investment funds, demonstrating Su City Government''s expectations for Tianxing.


    Moreover, after speaking with city construction leaders, it was known that Su City planned to extend Subway Line 5 directly across this land and the Lou Shui Industrial Park separated by a river.


    Exaggeration aside, Su City was rallying the whole city''s strength to support the new energy industry.


    As long as the development of Tianxing Technology in the future wasn''t too poor, at the very least, it would receive the treatment of BYD in Shenzhen.


    "Thank you Mr. Wang, for handling these trivial matters. Please prepare a detailed report of the expenses and send it to us."


    Lu Liang, looking through the documents, noted that although Old Wang said it didn''t cost much, it still involved several billion yuan.


    Su City provided the land for free, but there were initially more than a hundred households on it, and they had to handle it themselves.


    To get them to move so quickly, an overall subsidy of nearly two million yuan per household was provided, at least two billion yuan in total.


    "Alright, I''ll have someone send the detailed information to your company," Old Wang nodded and gladly accepted.


    After all, it was the company''s money, not his. If it had been his money, he definitely wouldn''t have squabbled with Lu Liang.


    Panda was listed with a market value of at least 30 billion US dollars, of which about 12 billion US dollars belonged to his family''s Little Wang.


    Making money was a minor matter; inspiring him to develop a sense of enterprise was more significant, and Old Wang was always grateful to Lu Liang.


    Lu Liang chuckled, "Mr. Wang, you''re too polite. Actually, my trip to New York wasn''t much help; mainly, it was thanks to Xiaocong himself and Panda''s market recognition."


    Old Wang replied with a flattering smile, "Mr. Lu, modesty is good, but excessive modesty isn''t."


    Lu Liang smiled and graciously accepted Old Wang''s gratitude.

 Chapter 357 - 354: Dinner Party, Planning

    "15 billion, they really aren''t skimping," Lu Liang mused.


    After lunch, having seen Old Wang off, Lu Liang strolled aimlessly over the barren land.


    There were some buildings, but they were deserted,


    and there were ponds, but they had fallen into disrepair,


    with only a group of anglers fishing by the riverside.


    As Lu Liang walked along, he approached them and looked across the river at the roiling dust, where hundreds of construction vehicles were coming and going.


    The situation on the other side had been no better than this side, but after a month had passed, the land had been completely leveled, and they were now laying the foundations. Some buildings were even taking shape in the distance.


    It was a multibillion infrastructure project guaranteed by the Su City Government, and they had even paid 50% of the construction fees upfront. If it hadn''t been for traffic management regulations, the hundred-ton king would probably have made a comeback in worldly society.


    "We need to get moving quickly on this side too."


    Lu Liang made two phone calls, one to Wang Xiaofeng and another to Liu Pei, asking them to come over now.


    A 15 billion loan with an interest rate of 3.8%, totaling 2.85 billion in interest over five years¡ªwhy not take it if it''s offered. He planned to loan out the entire amount.


    Headquarters, research buildings, manufacturing workshops, testing sites¡ªwhatever was lacking, he intended to build, all at once.


    If there wasn''t enough money, he had no plans to finance further but to invest more directly.


    If Golden Sand River and DiDi couldn''t keep up, it wouldn''t be Lu Liang''s fault if their stakes were diluted.


    After all, his initial idea was quite simple: to invest a true sum of 10 billion RMB in making cars.


    He had even made many preparations for this, but Su Daqiang was simply too forceful, offering directly a 15 billion loan for five years.


    And with such a low-interest rate of 3.8%, it would really be a shame not to make use of this splendid gesture from the Su City Government.


    "Mr. Lu, they''ve arrived," Xu Jiawei suddenly spoke up softly.


    On the road about two hundred meters away, a few business Audis hurried over and parked at the roadside.


    Several men in suits and white shirts, looking like leaders, got out of the cars and looked around, searching for someone.


    "Let''s go meet them, we''ll be dealing with them a lot in the future."


    With a smile, Lu Liang raised his arm to greet them.


    Before leaving, he tugged at an angler''s fish basket and made a face of disgust: "If you can''t catch any, just buy some at the market, it''s not shameful."


    "It just rained recently, the air pressure is still a bit low..." the angler began, sounding indignant in his defense, but his voice abruptly cut off: "What the hell, Lu Liang?"


    That evening, Lu Liang booked a private room at a restaurant. Led by the local Mr. Liu, more than a dozen leaders from various departments were brought along.


    Among them were leaders from construction, land, environmental protection, labor, tax, finance, audit, and even law enforcement departments.


    "Mr. Lu, this is Director Zhuang... this is Director Wu..."


    With each new acquaintance, Xu Jiawei would whisper in Lu Liang''s ear. As a secretary, remembering names was of utmost importance.


    Although a few months earlier, when a 130 billion project had been confirmed and Lu Liang visited various places, these people weren''t even qualified to accompany him, and if they were, they could only follow behind and flatter him.


    However, the current official was better than the absent one.


    Respect that was due had to be given, which would ensure the project could progress more smoothly.


    The meal lasted for over three hours.


    In the end, it concluded with Mr. Liu''s remark, "Whether it''s the development of the Lou Shui New Energy Industrial Park or the establishment of Tianxing Technology in Su City, they are crucial projects for our city and district. I hope, going forward, every department will cooperate actively to create a green and environmentally friendly Jiangnan Technology City as soon as possible."


    This year, Su City had a budget of 160 billion for infrastructure, and next year, it would be 180 billion, with a quarter of these funds revolving around these two projects. It was expected that a total investment of 200 billion would be made over the next five years to improve the surrounding civilian facilities.


    It''s easy to meet the king of hell, but hard to deal with his minions. Tonight''s dinner was about making the acquaintance of the various departments, not leveraging whatever little power one had to show anyone up, but to clearly distinguish the right targets.


    If these two projects met any delays, even the mightiest would be uprooted without hesitation.


    They might not be eyeing promotions, but Mr. Liu certainly was, as completing these projects successfully would become prominent entries in his career.


    "Thank you all for your hard work."


    With a smile, Lu Liang raised his glass and drained it in one go.


    The crowd also expressed that they were all there to serve the people.


    As night fell, Lu Liang returned to the hotel.


    Wang Xiaofeng and Liu Pei had been waiting in his room since early morning, having rushed over from Beijing and Modu, respectively.


    Drinking lemon water, Lu Liang rubbed his temples and inquired, "How much funds do we still have in our account?"


    Liu Pei answered, "4.35 billion RMB."


    "Let me see," Lu Liang was taken aback.


    He remembered that during DiDi''s financing period, there had been 120 million US dollars in the account, equivalent to 7.92 billion RMB.


    In less than two months, 3.57 billion had been spent¡ªquite a rapid pace, averaging an expenditure of 60 million per day.


    He saw that 90% of the expenses were for scientific research, with multiple supercomputers rented in Beijing and a continuous influx of imported equipment and materials in Modu.


    "Fine," Lu Liang gave a wry smile, having always heard how high the costs of technology research and development were, he now finally understood just how expensive it could be. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Taking the development of smart driving in Beijing as an example, there were now 1273 engineers, each with a monthly salary of thirty thousand, resulting in nearly forty million a month.


    Although it was mostly brainwork with little material wastage, materials and equipment were provided by Modu.


    Car shells and frames that lacked any prior reference were created through copious amounts of materials, tested one by one.


    Spending money like water every day, if he didn''t have some family wealth, he couldn''t have withstood their extravagant spending.


    Lu Liang paused, then turned to Wang Xiaofeng, "How is the progress with the smart driving development after accessing DiDi''s database?"


    "I''ve heard it''s going well." Wang Xiaofeng wasn''t very clear on the details as this project was managed by Qin Siyuan; his responsibilities mainly involved the daily operations and management tasks like personnel adjustments between the two companies.


    "I''ll go to Beijing in a few days and ask him about it."


    Lu Liang summoned Xu Jiawei and took out a stack of documents, saying with a smile, "1450 mu of land, plan it out well."


    Upon hearing the boss''s requirements, Liu Pei and Wang Xiaofeng frowned, the spread seemed a bit too vast.


    A production base, a scientific research building, and a headquarters skyscraper, just the construction costs for these three elements wouldn''t be less than five billion.


    And then there was the cost of equipment purchases and personnel recruitment; money was needed in every aspect, at least ten billion.


    Such a big spend from the start could easily lead to a financial crisis due to a break in the capital chain later on.


    Actually, for ''face projects'' like the headquarters building, it would be possible to postpone them and deal with them later.


    "First, make plans and set a budget to see how much funding is needed, and then we can consider making cuts where appropriate."


    Lu Liang was unconcerned, no matter how fast they spent money, could it be faster than the pace at which he raised funds in the market?


    He had been preparing for this project for two and a half years.


    If he was going to do it, he was going to do it well.


    Li Bing and Li Xiang would pull out their hair every day, ultimately due to a lack of funds and having to cater to the whims of investors.


    The problems they faced weren''t something Lu Liang would encounter, so there was no need for him to learn from their penny-pinching ways.


    Liu Pei and Wang Xiaofeng exchanged glances but didn''t attempt to dissuade him further, beginning to discuss plans for this piece of land.


    They planned to offer a reward of three million to publicly solicit suitable factory layout plans.


    After all, 1450 mu, nearly one million square meters, was equivalent to the size of four medium-sized neighborhoods; if the initial planning wasn''t done well, it would become very chaotic later on.


    The discussion carried on into the wee hours, until Lu Liang, feeling the effects of alcohol, could no longer hold up and let them leave, agreeing to discuss further tomorrow.


    Early over the weekend, Lu Liang hurriedly traveled from Su City to Modu, heading straight for Xinpu International Airport.


    "Sis, this is Zhuo Yifan, my assistant, he''ll be taking you over there this time."


    "Miss Lu, hello, just call me Little Zhuo," Zhuo Yifan said with a smile.


    "Stop with the formalities, just call me Ya," Lu Ya laughed heartily, very familiar in her manner.


    Zhuo Yifan was startled; after all, this was the boss''s elder sister, and it felt somewhat inappropriate to call her by such an informal nickname.


    Lu Liang said with a smile, "Just listen to her."


    Lu Ya''s personality was naturally straightforward, and now that she was married with two kids, the word ''shy'' had probably been completely erased from her dictionary.


    Lu Liang produced a black UnionPay card: "The PIN is my birthday, spend it however you want."


    "Don''t worry, I won''t be saving any for you."


    Lu Ya beamed, intrigued by a bank card of this color for the first time.


    She was two years older than Lu Liang and wasn''t like the older generation who were illiterate about the internet; she had long known her brother was not short on cash.


    When it came time to spend money, she wouldn''t hesitate. Out of curiosity, Lu Ya asked, "How much am I allowed to spend?"


    "Just swipe it without worry; you definitely won''t find yourself short on funds," Lu Liang reassured her with a smile.


    He had deposited three million British Pounds into it and it also allowed for a five million US Dollar overdraft; with a bit of frugality, it would be enough for a family of three to live abroad for half their lives.


    Before boarding, Lu Ya chatted with Lu Liang out of boredom, "I''m okay with the girl taking her mother''s surname, but if the boy takes it too, careful old Lu doesn''t cut you down."


    "It''s just being born in the United Kingdom, he temporarily has his mother''s surname."


    Lu Liang could only smile wryly and explain to Lu Ya.


    Not to mention a surname, children born overseas could change their nationality before they turn 18; he needed time to persuade Su Wanyu to come back first.


    Lu Ya sighed, "My reputation in the village was so good, and now you''ve ruined it."


    As an aunt, she couldn''t just watch her niece and sister-in-law be thousands of miles apart.


    She suspected that Lu Liang invited her to act as a mediator, and the worst part was that she didn''t have the moral high ground.


    After all, Lu Liang was flirting around, and she couldn''t help but feel like she was abetting tyranny.


    "That''s not the case, don''t overthink it."


    Lu Liang beamed brightly, suddenly feeling very happy.


    "Heh, hopefully not. I''m off."


    Lu Ya glared at him fiercely, then followed Zhuo Yifan onto the flight to the United Kingdom.

 Chapter 358 - 355: Raising Soldiers for a Thousand Days, Using Them for a Moment

    Lu Liang left the airport, as an airplane taxied down the runway and slowly took off toward the sky.


    He looked up for a moment and suddenly asked, "Is the Bombardier order scheduled for six months from now?"


    Xu Jiawei replied, "It''s expected to be delivered in 25-30 weeks."


    "Hmm, let''s swing by Zhangjiang on the way."


    Lu Liang simply responded, knowing that even with cars, if they were not in stock at the dealership, it would take at least a week for delivery.


    Private jets required even more time, especially for renowned manufacturers like Bombardier; six months was considered fast.


    Half an hour later, they arrived at Zhangjiang High-tech Park. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Along with Zhongguang Village in Beijing and Yuehai Road in Shenzhen, it was known as one of the top three Silicon Valleys in the country.


    Tianxing Technology had also settled here in Modu, though all of their office spaces were leased.


    Once the production base in Su City was built, the R&D departments in Beijing and Modu would gradually move there.


    In the future, only the financial operations would remain in Modu.


    "Mr. Lu, hello, my name is Zhang Peiqiang."


    A balding man in his forties or fifties, having learned of Lu Liang''s visit, hurried over.


    "Chief Engineer Zhang, hello. Don''t mind me; I''m just passing by to have a look," Lu Liang said with a smile, mentally categorizing R&D into software and hardware.


    Software development was based in Beijing, with key figures like Zheng Yaowen, Li Jiahui, and Qin Siyuan.


    Hardware development in Modu was mainly overseen by Zhang Peiqiang, a professor from the Automotive Engineering School of Harbin Institute of Technology.


    A professor from a flagship major at one of the "Seven Sons of National Defence," receiving a State Council allowance, was certainly not like the riff-raff outsiders would think.


    "All right, Liao Jie, come over and receive Mr. Lu. There''s an experiment waiting for me," Zhang Peiqiang nodded, called over a work assistant, and hurried off without looking back. It seemed as if the experiment was more important to him than meeting Lu Liang for the first time.


    Liao Jie, steeling himself and trying to smile, explained: "Mr. Lu, please don''t take it to heart, this is just how Chief Engineer Zhang is on a regular basis."


    "No problem," Lu Liang chuckled and shook his head, unbothered by formalities: "Let''s go over and have a look, shall we?"


    "Mr. Lu, we are performing a compression test today. We just went to the suburbs two days ago to do a rollover test," Liao Jie said as he led Lu Liang around the test site. Four black car frames, though unpainted, could vaguely be recognized as the four models Lu Liang had initially chosen.


    The current task was to maximize safety performance first and then appropriately reduce it to a reasonable range.


    Starting from the top down is always much easier than from the bottom up, and it facilitates future adjustments or configuration upgrades.


    Lu Liang nodded slightly and followed Liao Jie to the center of the test site, when suddenly there was a loud crash.


    A few tons of iron fell from a height of three meters, striking the jet-black chassis.


    "Dammit, I''ve said countless times to conduct the 20-degree incline test,"


    "That''s the only way to determine how much pressure a single pillar can withstand."


    "Have you ever seen a car accident where the force is evenly distributed on top?"


    Zhang Peiqiang had an expression as dark as water, a stark contrast from when he had greeted Lu Liang.


    A thirty-something engineer was scolded as if he were a grandchild, while the others were silent as the grave.


    "Get it lifted quickly."


    Zhang Peiqiang rushed forward to inspect the damage to the frame, his brows furrowed: "Get a new one and retest."


    Lu Liang''s eyes twitched. He had seen the purchase order; car frames that cost hundreds of thousands custom-made were now only good for scrap metal.


    He couldn''t help but cough a few times and stepped forward to greet him: "Chief Engineer Zhang, you''re busy, so I''ll take my leave now."


    Zhang Peiqiang grunted, still not lifting his head, immersed in the frustration of the experiment gone awry.


    It wasn''t until Lu Liang had left that the corners of Zhang Peiqiang''s mouth turned up, revealing a mysterious smile: "Not bad, he''s quite open-minded."


    The engineer who had just been scolded looked aggrieved: "Teacher, I''ve told you before, Mr. Lu is very generous."


    "Generosity isn''t spoken; it''s shown," Zhang Peiqiang replied with a smile. Both companies have the right to choose their people, and people have the right to choose their companies; luckily, he was a person with that right.


    The company he worked for made him comfortable; he didn''t want a boss with narrow vision, being penny-pinching and causing R&D to face limitations everywhere.


    Lu Liang''s performance had satisfied him. While it was obvious that Lu Liang was a bit pained, he didn''t say a word of blame and chose to turn a blind eye, out of sight, out of mind.


    The engineer looked speechless and couldn''t help but ask, "So, are we going to change this frame or not?"


    "Just because the structural integrity wasn''t compromised, why do you think we should change it? Do you think money grows on trees?"


    Zhang Peiqiang looked displeased as he glared, "The 20-degree tilt test is fine. Next up, the 25-degree tilt test..."


    Another loud crash sounded, and despite being hit twice, the car frame only slightly deformed, with the main support points still intact.


    "Maybe he really can make something special happen," Zhang Peiqiang squinted, his eyes shining with excitement.


    An outsider entering a new field can sometimes succeed more easily than practitioners who have cared for the industry for years.


    Because they don''t know how, they won''t cut corners or just make do; they always want to create the perfect product.


    Cars are products with a very long service life. Sincere efforts will be recognized sooner or later, setting them apart from other brands.


    Meanwhile, Lu Liang returned to the company.


    Even though it was the weekend, there were still quite a few people who had voluntarily chosen to work overtime, like Zhang Jing and Chen Jinchun.


    "Stop right there!"


    As soon as Lu Liang stepped out of the elevator, he saw Chen Jinchun''s figure flash by as if she was specifically avoiding him.


    It made sense for Zhang Jing to be working overtime, as he planned to invest 30 billion tomorrow, Monday, to blow up the new energy index.


    Being newly appointed and wanting to show some results to satisfy the hundreds of thousands of investors in the Public Fund was understandable pressure.


    But Chen Jinchun, the most relaxed person in the company¡ªwhat could her reason be for working on the weekend?


    "Mr. Lu, happy weekend ~~"


    Chen Jinchun came out from behind the door, her face full of reluctant smiles.


    "What are you doing?" Lu Liang''s brow furrowed. Chen Jinchun''s outfit today was a bit peculiar¡ªquite mature business attire. It felt familiar to him, yet he couldn''t place whom it resembled.


    "I''m shooting a skit." Xiao Chen confessed truthfully.


    "The domineering female CEO?"


    Lu Liang suddenly remembered; this outfit was Tang Caide''s most common ensemble¡ªlow-heeled shoes, grey suit, hair up in a bun, with a pair of gold-rimmed square glasses perched on the bridge of her nose.


    Chen Jinchun''s eyes widened in shock, "Mr. Lu, how did you know?"


    Then, with a quick twist of her eye, she decisively shifted the responsibility to her online followers, nobly claiming, "Although I am utterly loyal to the company and even more so to you, Mr. Lu, they keep telling me to go solo. Just thinking of the 20 million followers, I shot a skit to satisfy them."


    Lu Liang walked over to Chen Jinchun''s workstation with a smile, spotting a banner that read "Grand Opening of Jinxing Media" hanging on the wall, an executive chair that seemed to come out of nowhere, along with various plants and a fortune cat arranged in an orderly fashion.


    There were also a few company employees nearby, memorizing lines. They hurriedly greeted him when they saw Lu Liang approaching.


    Lu Liang gave a slight nod, turned his head, and smilingly asked, "Enjoying yourselves?"


    Chen Jinchun''s head bobbed like a rattle drum; she suddenly scratched her head with an embarrassed look, "Actually, well, there''s a bit of fun in it."


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but chuckle. The company had no contractual hold over Xiao Chen; if she wanted to leave, they couldn''t make her stay, and if she didn''t want to go, there was no need to test her loyalty.


    Before leaving, he looked at the work badge on the table, lifted it, and studied it closely, "Why is the font size on your badge bigger than everyone else''s?"


    Chen Jinchun''s face flushed, and she answered stiffly, "Maybe they added more ink when they printed mine."


    Lu Liang laughed, told them to continue filming, and mentioned that he''d assign them a new task in a while.


    Chen Jinchun''s eyes lit up and she quickly approached to inquire, "Mr. Lu, what kind of task?"


    Lu Liang stopped walking, "Have you come across those wilderness construction videos?"


    Chen Jinchun eagerly nodded, "Yeah, especially at night, they pop up all the time."


    "Something like that," Lu Liang said.


    After having "fed the soldiers for a thousand days," it was time for their moment of use.


    When construction began over in Su City, he wanted them to go there every week and record the progress.


    It would also give netizens a good look at how the 965,700 square meters of land evolved from nothing but weeds to burgeoning production workshops, research buildings, and headquarters towering up from the ground.


    The project would span over half a year, and when compressed into a few minutes, it was sure to be impressive.


    Lu Liang always believed that marketing was essential but should be executed correctly. Celebrity endorsements were the most foolish method.


    With that kind of money, it would be better to shoot a big-budget promotional video, to bombard screens in subway stations and at the Global Center in alternating cycles.


    But a nurturing series could work too, like watching a piglet grow, from breeding to fattening, and then being butchered and served on the dining table.


    Watching them grow, eating with confidence.


    "No problem, leave it to us," Chen Jinchun declared earnestly, her tiny chest thumping with promise.

 Chapter 359 - 356: The Public Eye and LeEco Resumes Trading

    "Come on, this project is very important to the company."


    Chen Jinchun''s regular filming team consisted of five people, all handpicked elites by herself.


    They were mostly fresh graduates from last year, who, like her, held a clear but naive vision.


    A simple word of encouragement suddenly made them as spirited as if injected with adrenaline, full of fighting spirit and eager to set off to Su City immediately.


    Lu Liang smiled and went to the neighboring company.


    Do your best and leave the rest to fate, he had disengaged from public funds, and Zhang Jing had taken over, a fact set in stone. No matter what the stock market would do tomorrow, nor the situation of the new energy sector, this result would not change.


    Zhang Jing nodded, "Mr. Lu, I understand."


    "Good, as long as you understand."


    Lu Liang also made a trip to the 22nd floor, asking Sun Yutao to release news tomorrow that a new phase of private equity was about to launch.


    This period''s financing scale aimed for 3 billion US dollars, would adopt a tiered charging model, and would introduce foreign capital.


    Should anyone call, neither confirm nor deny it; specific details would wait until Lu Liang returned from Beijing.


    "Understood," Sun Yutao replied earnestly.


    In the evening, Lu Liang returned to Sinograin No.1.


    Huang Ling returned to the suburban studio, and Li Manli''s cold had also mostly subsided, only with a slight cough remaining.


    She put her hands on her hips, a face full of pride: "Liang, I''m back to life. Let''s go eat hotpot tonight."


    "Eat Cantonese food, something light."


    Lu Liang thought about it, really not much of an appetite, having drunk with that group of drinking warriors for more than two hours the night before.


    Although he hadn''t drunk much, the long duration had upset his stomach.


    "Okay, then wait for me."


    Li Manli hurried to the bedroom to change clothes, freshen up, and put on makeup.


    She had been lying at home for three full days, not washing her hair for two days, feeling greasy all over.


    "Terrifying indeed."


    Bored while waiting, Lu Liang suddenly remembered that it had been a long time since he''d paid attention to the box office of Wolf Warrior 2.


    Due to the box office''s strange trend this week, major cinemas had adjusted their schedules over the weekend.


    Yesterday, Saturday, the scheduling ratio rose by 56%, and Wolf Warrior 2 lived up to expectations, blasting through 378 million yuan in a single day, setting a new record for daily box office revenue.


    Currently, after eight days of screening, the cumulative box office reached 2.058 billion yuan. It was foreseeable that it would break the record of Mermaid''s 3.3 billion yuan box office.


    A self-directed and self-starred film also made Wu Jing a new superstar in the entertainment circle.


    There are many fields of fame and wealth, but the entertainment industry is undoubtedly the most straightforward: if you''re popular, many will fawn over you, but if you''re not, no one cares.


    The moment a poster congratulating the milestone of breaking through 2 billion yuan box office was released, almost half of the entertainment circle was liking and commenting.


    Lu Liang also casually liked it, leaving a comment: "Congratulations."


    "It''s all thanks to Mr. Lu."


    Wu Jing replied almost instantly.


    In his recent interviews, he would mention that during the toughest times of filming, after returning from Africa to seek investment in China and facing one rejection after another, he even considered selling his assets. Eventually, it was Lu Liang who offered him help.


    A 120 million yuan investment was made with no strings attached; the contract was signed, and the funds arrived in three days, no demands at all.


    On one hand, this was genuinely expressing gratitude to Lu Liang; on the other, it was an attempt to forge a closer relationship with him.


    Whenever scandals are hidden in the entertainment industry, or a newcomer suddenly becomes popular for no reason, netizens can only sigh: Capital.


    However, the capital of the entertainment industry is only considered small-scale workshops; behind them are bigger capitals.


    Lu Liang was one of these major capitals, even standing out among them, not just any ordinary big capital.


    Rumors said that Happy Mahua fell out with Lu Liang because of the schedule for Iron Fist, and Wu Jing felt he could replace Mahua.


    Even if he couldn''t replace it, making friends with Lu Liang was also good; future film and television projects needing investment¡ªjust a few hundred million yuan¡ªwould be a matter of his word.


    "Impulsive, seems like just a persona."


    With a smile on his lips, Lu Liang saw Wu Jing''s comment but did not continue to reply.


    As Lu Liang went out to dine with Li Manli, his exchange with Wu Jing became a new hotspot for domestic entertainment celebrities.


    Being popular is a very mysterious thing.


    Some people with connections might not become popular.


    Some with acting talent might also not become popular.


    Being handsome does not guarantee popularity over those who are not.


    In short, popularity has no formula.


    Lu Liang is a mysterious man. His achievements in the financial sector are tremendously impressive, which middle and even top stars might not be aware of.


    But his performance in the entertainment industry is conspicuous; investing in Crown Princess Consort made Zhang Tian''ai incredibly famous, investing in Xia Luo made Happy Mahua embark on a glorious path, and investing in Wolf Warrior 2 needs no further words. Even Maoyan dared not predict the final box office, fearing a slap in the face.


    In the entertainment circle, where praying to gods, cursing voodoos, and practicing superstitions can become a trend, what''s the big deal about rubbing off some of Lu Liang''s good luck?


    It could be said that if Lu Liang just curled his finger, many actresses would willingly receive such a blessing up close.


    Wen Shanshan found out and regretted deeply.


    If she had chosen Crown Princess Consort, if she hadn''t rushed Lu Liang to cash in resources, maybe Zhang Tian''ai''s today could have been her tomorrow.


    Regrettably, life offers no antidote to regret. Ever since she returned to Xiangjiang, Lu Liang has completely ignored her.


    Late into the night, nearing dawn.


    Zhuo Yifan called: "Mr. Lu, we''ve arrived in Edinburgh and are about to head to the city center."


    "Got it, stay safe, and be careful with everything."


    Lu Liang learned of this and fell asleep peacefully.


    Meanwhile, it was five o''clock in the afternoon in Edinburgh.


    "This is the United Kingdom, doesn''t feel all that special."


    It was Lu Ya''s first trip abroad, and to the famed United Kingdom, no less, so she was a bit excited.


    However, her excitement didn''t last long; it seemed, aside from there being a lot of foreigners and few others, there was nothing special.


    "Being on the same planet, how different can it be, and moreover, domestic development in recent years isn''t inferior to it here."


    Zhuo Yifan chuckled. Only those who had traveled abroad could shatter the rose-tinted glasses; Manhattan in New York was just okay, and whether it was much more prosperous than Lujiazui was debatable.


    He collected his luggage from the conveyor belt and led Lu Ya to the parking lot next to the airport. Lu Ya curiously asked, "Little Zhuo, do you have a car parked here?"


    "Just a rental," Zhuo Yifan replied. Lu Ya was puzzled and asked further, "Are you from around here?"


    Shaking his head, Zhuo Yifan paused, then answered, "Actually, Mr. Lu sent me here over two months ago."


    Lu Ya''s face immediately darkened, "You little scoundrel, you lied to me saying you only found out recently."


    Zhuo Yifan was momentarily stunned, then broke out in a cold sweat, realizing he might have said something he shouldn''t have.


    "Don''t worry, I won''t tell my brother."


    Lu Ya glanced aside and chuckled, "Let''s go see how Yu is doing."


    Forty minutes later, the two arrived at a city apartment, where Su Wanyu had been waiting at the door since early in the morning.


    Zheng Xiaoxuan was there too. When she saw Zhuo Yifan, she froze suddenly, "You are?"


    "Miss, hello, have we met before?"


    Zhuo Yifan forced himself to keep calm, suddenly feeling a strong urge to bang his head against a wall. All the effort spent hiding for over two months had come to light in a single day.


    "Xiaoxuan, do you know each other?"


    Su Wanyu didn''t have time to think, as Lu Ya''s enthusiasm exceeded her expectations, "Yu, it''s our first meeting, you''re really cute."


    "No wonder mom and dad like you so much." Lu Ya behaved like a hooliganess, touching Yu''s cheek and hand, clearly delighted.


    Su Wanyu blushed, although she was familiar with Lu Ya''s personality from group chats, suddenly facing her in person left her somewhat overwhelmed.


    Zheng Xiaoxuan glared furiously, gritting her teeth, too preoccupied to recall where she had seen Zhuo Yifan. She cleared her throat to remind them, "Lu, perhaps we should go inside to chat."


    She was jealous. Only she could secretly touch those white and tender cheeks and small hands.


    Lu Liang touching Yu was one thing; after all, he was the father of her child, but Lu Ya, she could tolerate no more.


    "Xiaoxuan, right? I''ve heard Liang mention you."


    Lu Ya squinted her eyes, smiling with ill intentions.


    They said she was a lesbian, but no matter,


    Ya had experience and was confident she could "straighten" her out.


    Zheng Xiaoxuan shivered suddenly; that gaze was even more predatory than a man''s.


    "Little Zhuo, could you please bring up the luggage?"


    Lu Ya greeted him with a smile, affectionately linking arms with Su Wanyu, and they moved aside to whisper.


    Zheng Xiaoxuan, fuming, suddenly turned and unleashed her fury on Zhuo Yifan, "What are you staring at, should I help you?"


    "No."


    Zhuo Yifan appeared weak, helpless, and pitiful¡ªtruly, three women in search of a drama. Boss Lu had sown the seeds; why did he have to bear the bitter fruits? He felt he couldn''t hold up much longer.


    A sigh escaped.


    ...


    July 29th, an unremarkable Monday.


    Countless mutual fund investors and stock traders eagerly anticipated the reopening of Big A after a two-day weekend.


    There was a minor surge at the close of Friday''s market, turning from red to green, but it only closed with a modest uptrend.


    What the market would look like on Monday was anyone''s guess.


    Approaching nine o''clock, there were still fifteen minutes left for the pre-market bidding, and thirty minutes to the official market opening.


    Breaking news: LeEco, locked in the "little black room" for over four months, had finally concluded its investigation and would resume trading tomorrow.


    The investigation report was startling, revealing a decade of financial fraud and deceit in refinancing activities.


    Accountant Jia was thoroughly branded a fraud.


    The Securities and Futures Commission decided to order LeEco to make corrections, issue a warning, and impose a fine of 600,000 yuan.


    Fines amounted to five percent of the raised funds, that is, 240 million yuan, with Old Jia himself being fined 241 million yuan.


    "Go to hell, why did you wait until now, do you even understand what you''re talking about?"


    "Damn it, last year alone they overstated revenue by 1.87 billion yuan, and profits by 1.73 billion yuan."


    "Half a year has gone by, and now they have barely 3 million left, and they''re fined 240 million, do you realize what you''re saying?"


    "He''s in the United States and will return to China next week, we''ve been hearing this for over four months, why don''t you just bring him back?"


    Tens of thousands of frustrated LeEco investors blasted the Securities and Futures Commission, LeEco, and Old Jia to the top of the trending search lists.


    The Commission''s "regulation" should have been enforcing rules, but what use was a fine at this point?


    LeEco needed to have money to pay, and Old Jia needed to return to pay, but did they have the money? Would he return?


    It''s probably like the case with the 18 million ofo creditors, merely becoming bad debt, a hot internet joke. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The news of LeEco''s resumption cast a shadow over Big A''s impending market opening, especially over the new energy sector.


    The market outlook, which seemed clear, became murky; after all, before its trading halt, LeEco was the second dragon of the new energy sector.


    Even though it had long been replaced by Ningde Era, it was uncertain whether it would impact the market.

 Chapter 360 - 357: Ponzi Scheme, Well-Informed

    At half past nine, the moment had come.


    Far in Los Angeles, Old Jia seemed to have known about the punishment from the Securities and Futures Commission against him and LeEco in advance.


    He released a video lasting about ten minutes, claiming that it was filmed at Los Angeles airport.


    "Ladies and gentlemen, long time no see..."


    Old Jia''s face was solemn as he talked about LeEco''s debt, which he would definitely bear, and he had no objections to the penalties from the Securities and Futures Commission.


    However, FF was in a period of rapid development, having secured one billion US dollars in funding, and he really couldn''t spare the time to return to the country.


    Yet his wife, the once-famous actress Zhang Wei, had boarded a flight back to the country an hour ago...


    Suddenly, public opinion was in uproar.


    After all, Dai Wei went to the United States, reportedly opened a coffee shop that seemed to have closed down, and then completely disappeared.


    But Old Jia was different; he was often active on Weibo, frequently expressed his homesickness, and even today, released a video full of ''genuine emotion,'' and had his wife return to the country.


    Once the video was released, it also made many people have expectations of him taking responsibility, mainly because they had to believe.


    It''s like when people are alive, there''s always the possibility of repaying debts,


    But if a person is gone, the debt becomes dead.


    There were also some people who were genuinely touched by Old Jia''s sincere emotions, believing that he would definitely return.


    Shen Peng couldn''t resist calling: "Mr. Lu, you met with him in New York; what do you think about his statement?"


    "If FF succeeds, he will probably return; if not, forget about it," Lu Liang managed to suppress a smile, but did not make a definitive statement.


    The sixteen-minute video, only five minutes of which explained why he couldn''t return, and the remaining eleven minutes subtly promoted FF.


    He repeatedly used Tesla as an example, like how Tesla initially took a low-interest loan of 445 million US dollars from the Energy Department to achieve a stunning comeback, and now has a market value of 98.8 billion dollars, and recently, the Energy Department also visited FF, showing considerable interest in investing.


    Such remarks were numerous, as if saying FF is a stock with potential, the future Tesla, and investing now would definitely not be a loss.


    "Damn it, over ten billion gone to waste."


    Shen Peng sighed. The usually refined man couldn''t help but swear. It wasn''t that he didn''t understand the rhetoric, he just didn''t want to accept it.


    He also thought that creditors who had this idea were not in the minority and perhaps could actually enable Old Jia to raise significant funds.


    Just like a Ponzi Scheme, having invested so much already, investing a little more might just get FF truly up and running, and save LeEco.


    Shen Peng then asked, "Mr. Lu, if it''s convenient, could you tell me how much exactly do you know about FF?"


    "Faraday Future."


    "???"


    "I only know the name."


    Lu Liang laughed, he really hadn''t looked into it, ever since he received the news that LeEco would be delisted following a share price of 0.18 yuan three years later, he never paid any more attention to LeEco, Old Jia, or FF.


    Paying attention was meaningless, FF and LeEco complemented each other; if FF developed, perhaps LeEco wouldn''t be so disastrous.


    It seems FF is probably doomed.


    "Thank you, sorry to bother you."


    Shen Peng expressed his gratitude and had already made a decision, to officially give up on this investment.


    Lu Liang was not only an excellent speculator but also an outstanding investor. If he wasn''t interested in a project, then there was no need to continue investing.


    The urgent matter at hand was for Redwood to focus on Meituan; as long as it could successfully go public next year, LeEco''s losses would be insignificant.


    Meanwhile, Zhang Jing also saw Old Jia''s statement video and couldn''t help but sigh deeply.


    Just now, the Securities and Futures Commission had announced their investigation into LeEco, and he was almost about to call Lu Liang.


    After all, why announce it now and not earlier or later, especially since the news about tomorrow''s recap session was due.


    He almost wanted to curse.


    Once the king of the Growth Enterprise Market, second only to BYD in the new energy sector, Long Er''s recap had a huge market impact, and so many negative news articles were announced.


    Fortunately, Old Jia had thick skin, worthy of being a veteran in business for over a decade, knowing there might be only a slim hope, but still possibly wanting to round up more money.


    This video greatly soothed people''s hearts, and today''s market conditions were likely to get back on track.


    At half-past nine, the A-share market opened.


    Zhang Jing decisively ordered, a flood-like influx of fifty billion funds aggressively entered the new energy sector.


    The ''Tianxing System''s'' eighteen stocks took off, Ningde Era''s stock price hit the daily limit again, vying for the throne as the king of the Growth Enterprise Market.


    That night, Tianxing Fund updated its net value, with a daily increase of 4.28%, and the net value returned to 1.4000.


    The leadership turmoil had quietly resolved.


    At this time, news swept through the elite circles that Tianxing Private Equity planned to issue a new tranche of funds.


    This tranche would total three billion US dollars and introduce a completely new fee model and foreign investments.


    Meng Changkun was contacted immediately by his friends asking, "Old Meng, we''ve all known each other for so many years, and Mr. Lu is rather high up now, he might not consider us anymore. Now, only you can get in touch with him."


    "I''ll try my best, but don''t hold too high hopes¡ªthis time, I''ve heard they are including foreign capitals, and the domestic share is very small."


    Meng Changkun could only offer a wry smile and make a pretense of agreeing.


    Last year, caught between obligations to powerful patrons and Lu Liang, he chose to repay the favors owed to these patrons; hence, he warned Lu Liang to practice his charity not so ruthlessly, to leave others a way out.


    However, Lu Liang dissolved it effortlessly, but Meng Changkun''s decision to step away from Lu Liang was not so easily dismissed.


    Tianxing Private Equity''s third tranche gave him four shares, which was more than enough for Lu Liang to repay the favors he had received at the beginning.


    They were now square, and in fact, Meng Changkun now owed Lu Liang a significant favor.


    Meng Changkun dared not reveal that his relationship with Lu Liang had grown distant and only made excuses to evade.


    Meanwhile, Lu Liang also received calls from Wilson, Cruick, and other Wall Street institutions.


    He joked, "Your information is impressively accurate; the time difference seems non-existent."


    Wilson chuckled, "Sharks can smell blood miles away in the sea, and we are similar."


    Lu Liang directly stated, "That''s the plan, but it''s still in the planning phase, nothing''s finalized."


    Wilson queried, "When might it happen, and how many shares will be available?"


    "In a week, we''ll know. If things go smoothly, you''ll have one billion dollars."


    "Only one billion dollars?"


    Wilson looked conflicted. One firm alone could easily take that, but he knew that was impossible; it would likely be divided amongst seven or eight institutions.


    "No need then, forget it."


    Lu Liang scoffed coldly, not indulging them further, as he had grown to understand these foreigners after a few interactions.


    Western society is direct, doesn''t concern itself with personal relationships or customs¡ªGod knows who started that absurd claim.


    It''s not that they don''t understand; they''re all too aware and fully exploit the misconception that they don''t understand, pretending to be oblivious.


    With them, conversations and business dealings had to be straightforward, to prevent them from pretending not to understand, which could lead to significant losses.


    "We want it, we want it~"


    Wilson hurriedly said, his tone somewhat plaintive, "Lu, you''re not like other Chinese I know; you''re too clever."


    "That''s all for now then, hanging up."


    Lu Liang didn''t take Wilson''s compliment seriously and switched over to Cruick''s call. He roughly repeated the same spiel except Cruick''s tone was more plaintive.


    Cruick reminisced about the other night when he had made arrangements for two young girls from Wulan for Lu Liang, only to be stood up.


    "Lu, it took me a lot of effort; those two are rather famous middle school models."


    Cruick smacked his lips, seemingly still savoring the memory, but Lu Liang was not there to enjoy it; he had to go himself and achieved a double conquest that night.


    The pain had brought tears to his eyes, recalling the scene made him shiver with excitement.


    "Let''s stop there; when the project is launched, I''ll contact you again."


    Lu Liang felt speechless; these foreigners were far more unrestrained than he had imagined.


    Fortunately, he had been cautious that night and hadn''t gone. If any evidence had been left behind, it probably would have ruined his reputation.


    After all, Chinese society is relatively conservative about such matters, laden with moral expectations, unable to accept such perverse behaviors.


    For half the night, Lu Liang spent his time on calls, invariably with friends he had met in New York.


    Among them were Ivan, the grand princess, Sergey of the Saudi Sovereign Fund, and Ota Ling of Mitsui Sumitomo.


    "Mr. Lu, our funds are ready." S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ota Ling wasn''t seeking a subscription quota but was inquiring when the market operations might start.


    This time, they had also prepared over a hundred billion dollars, lying idle in accounts, resulting in hundreds of thousands in daily losses.


    "Just wait a bit longer; the situation isn''t quite clear yet," Lu Liang offered an excuse casually and brushed him off.


    This time, he didn''t want Mitsui Sumitomo to capture the full movement of the market; he planned for them to join midway, just to make a small profit.


    Who knew how much capital they had secretly mobilized and whether it would cause a profound impact on the market?


    Mobilizing too much capital was risky; he could end up digging a hole for Mitsui Sumitomo to benefit from¡ªan uncontrollable source of funds was best left for the critical moment, just to finalize and close.

 Chapter 361 - 358: Hinting, Testing

    Late into the night, Lu Liang was on calls.


    Mainly dealing with new foreign friends, as his old domestic friends knew his nature and wouldn''t bother him rashly.


    [On August 28, the Federal Reserve announced its fourth interest rate increase, raising it from 1.50% to 2.0%, an increase of 50 basis points]


    "This interest rate hike came a bit quickly."


    Lu Liang stayed in his study till late at night, his mind still plagued with several doubts, perhaps a trip to Beijing in a few days would resolve them.


    The underlying logic of the Federal Reserve''s interest rate increase was to explode the economies of countries around the world, banking on their own robust health, as the whole world recognizes the US Dollar.


    Some financially strong countries would naturally withstand the interest rate cycle, but those that couldn''t would simply become harvest targets.


    The sheer size of the United States is too large, so large that the globe could only accommodate their dominance.


    In the past when East Country hadn''t developed, slicing a bit off the European Union, Japan, Korea, and tormenting the Middle East made life somewhat flavorful.


    Now that East Country had developed, forcibly squeezing onto the table meant someone got more while others had to take less.


    Last year''s south and this year''s west all wanted to use the simplest and crudest methods to force them to bow.


    Once military force proved ineffective, they might soon be faced with a situation similar to the old Soviet-US tensions.


    "Investments in Detroit¡­"


    Lu Liang sighed. Once competition was brought into the open,


    his investments in Detroit were likely doomed, and even future travels to Europe and America would need careful consideration.


    As a businessman, Lu Liang naturally wished for world peace and prosperity for all.


    Today making some money domestically, tomorrow earning in Japan and Korea, and the day after in Europe and America, but he knew it wasn''t possible.


    If initially it was merely an internal struggle between the US and Soviet, this time it involved a clash of different civilizations and ideologies.


    ¡­


    On Tuesday, LeEco officially resumed trading and hit the limit down immediately, but it did not impact the trend in the new energy sector.


    Last night someone saw Zhang Wei arriving at the Beijing airport. Old Jia wasn''t boasting ¡ª he really had his wife return.


    After all, the two were married, with a son in the domestic country, making Old Jia''s video yesterday somewhat credible.


    Besides, he announced on Weibo FF''s cash flow, a full one billion dollars, seeming more than just slides this time, this was for real.


    So much so that LeEco''s shares temporarily broke the limit, with many harboring hope vigorously buying the dip, looking to score low-priced chips.


    "The dog would shake its head at this."


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but laugh and cry. Ten years of financial report falsifications, overstated revenue by 1.8 billion, inflated net profits by 1.7 billion, only several million in liquid assets on the books, fined over two hundred million, and the founder absconded.


    Facing such massive negative news yet breaking the limit, it sometimes really isn''t strange why institutions liked to harvest ''leeks'' domestically.


    It was just too easy to cut, and like spring breeze, they grew back again.


    Obviously, it was institutions and speculation funds setting this stage, making retail investors hope, allowing their capital to flow out.


    If retail investors wanted to exit en masse, regardless of the institutions or speculation funds, they would all have to accompany LeEco in its downfall.


    Although institutions had the priority in block trades, the key was the need for someone to buy for them to cash in.


    This might be the last chance for retail investors to exit, yet some still disregarded the warnings, always thinking they had hit the bottom.


    Little did they know, they were caught mid-slope.


    Close to eleven o''clock, in just an hour and a half, LeEco''s trading volume reached 13.5 billion with a turnover rate as high as 68%.


    From the heart-stopping limit down straight line, to a slow rise, almost touching the middle line that would turn it green.


    At this moment, Lu Liang posted an emoji on Weibo "Husky''s wise eyes."


    "A husky? What is Liangzi implying?"


    The netizens were still discussing and guessing why Lu Liang would suddenly post this emoji.


    The institutions behind LeEco''s setup knew, their faces turned grim: "This damn thing, meddling too much."


    Almost instantly, just as LeEco''s stock price was struggling to climb, it was like suddenly stepping into thin air, beginning to freefall.


    The K-line suddenly missing support, below it resembled a vast cliff, plummeting without any support, seemingly only stopping at the floor.


    The retail investors had orders expecting the stock price to fall further, waiting for the right price to enter for maximized profits.


    A daily profit of 20%, the ultimate dream of every retail investor, just the thought of it was exciting.


    However, LeEco''s stock price crashed suddenly, before they could cancel the orders, with the trading software confirming the transactions.


    Thousands, tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands of shares, in an instant, reached the limit down.


    A large number of bottom fishers were once again trapped.


    Over ten billion in funds pressing down, a daunting sight with no hope of breaking the limit.


    "Fuck, did Liangzi just mock us LeEco retail investors with that Husky?"


    "What else? Based on this trend, to be precise, you''ve all basically become shareholders."


    "I''m dying, buying stocks of a fake accountant, and people still think of bottom fishing?"


    "Wait for death then, forget about getting out in this lifetime."


    While the stock bar boiled over, Lu Liang also received a call from Zhao Jisheng of the Securities and Futures Commission.


    He was filled with helplessness and said with a wry smile, "Mr. Lu, someone has complained about you again."


    "Why complain about me out of the blue?"


    Lu Liang''s mouth curved into a smile, feigning ignorance.


    "Manipulating stock prices."


    "Which stock?"


    "LeEco."


    "How did I manipulate it?"


    "Using celebrity influence, spreading comments."


    "What did I even say?"


    "..."


    Zhao Jisheng was at a loss for words, a simple emoticon, what could that prove? Even if it was a mistake, it could be explained away.


    He, of course, knew that Lu Liang hadn''t manipulated anything, but there were just too many complaints, and he had to ask as a routine.


    Zhao Jisheng sighed helplessly, "Mr. Lu, try to stay out of such matters next time, it really puts us in a difficult position."


    Lu Liang was indifferent, laughed, and said, "Director Zhao, how about we go play tennis together sometime?"


    Zhao Jisheng nodded and said, "Sure, you set the time, I''m free on weekends."


    Lu Liang instantly understood, then added, "Sorry for the trouble this time."


    Old Zhao''s willingness to accept his invitation indicated it was really just an insignificant routine inquiry.


    It seemed that the Securities and Futures Commission had no objections to him launching a new private equity fund and bringing in foreign capital.


    Lu Liang called over Sun Yutao, instructing him to set up the new fund, prepare the contracts, and wait for his return from Beijing to immediately issue it.


    Even without the LeEco incident, he would have stirred up something to catch the attention of the Securities and Futures Commission, intending to test their attitude.


    It was just that LeEco happened to fall into the line of fire, giving Lu Liang a reason to probe and even earn a good reputation. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Over the next three days, even with Old Jia''s high-intensity updates on Weibo and Zhang Wei holding a board meeting in Old Jia''s name to soothe the creditors, they couldn''t stop the collapse of the LeEco empire.


    Hundreds of thousands of retail investors were like having reversed IPO lotteries, ending today''s trading at 9:15 AM, moments before official market opening.


    A market value of 36.2 billion yuan, with four more days of limit-down, dwindled in a blink to only 23.75 billion yuan.


    Meanwhile, as Tianxing Fund continued to increase its holdings, Ningde Era announced its second-quarter financial report, showing a 58.6% increase in revenue year-on-year, with expectations of over 70% for the next quarter.


    BYD''s new energy vehicles caught fire, and as a leading power battery manufacturer, Ningde Era naturally became the preferred partner for major new energy brands, breaking through a 20% market share to reach 25.2%.


    For every four new energy vehicles, one was powered by a Ningde Era battery, the company''s market value stabilizing at 120 billion yuan, becoming the top company on the Growth Enterprise Market.


    On Friday afternoon, Lu Liang boarded a plane to Beijing.


    The commendation ceremony and the national conference of outstanding young entrepreneurs were scheduled for the following Tuesday and Wednesday.


    He arrived in Beijing three days early, primarily to check on the progress of the smart driving R&D, and also to attend a shareholders'' meeting at Douyin.


    By 8 PM, Lu Liang arrived at Zhongguang Village, where the office buildings on both sides were nearly all brightly lit, shining like daylight.


    Unlike Modu, the financial capital, Beijing was a hub of internet conglomerates, where 996 was the norm, and 007 not uncommon.


    He arrived at the SOHO Tower, and because the number of programmers had exploded recently, the company''s total staff had reached over 1400 people, prompting Hu Weiwei to rent out both the 15th and 16th floors as well.


    "Are you still at work?" Lu Liang came on a whim, without informing Hu Weiwei beforehand.


    "I have nothing to do at home anyway, so I might as well stay and work overtime with them, see if they need any help."


    Hu Weiwei smiled, they say a career can give a man a second spring, and it''s the same for women.


    Even though after introducing Golden Sand River and DiDi, her 5% stake was diluted down to 3.6%.


    But 3.6%, was clearly more valuable than the 10% at Mobike, currently worth at least two hundred million.


    Although it was equity, not sellable, and dividends far off, it at least gave her a sense of belonging.


    Besides, she had been a journalist in the automotive industry for ten years, giving her best years to the sector, and now had come full circle back to where she started.


    Fate, it was wonderfully indescribable.


    "Qin Siyuan, I still have some things left to do, might come over later."


    Hu Weiwei knew the purpose of Lu Liang''s visit, and hurriedly contacted Qin Siyuan, who was working downstairs.


    "No rush, let him finish his work first."


    Lu Liang informed her that he had secured land in Su City, where Wang Xiaofeng and Liu Pei were still there and wouldn''t return anytime soon.


    Hu Weiwei furrowed her brows, "Once the research building is complete, do we have to move everything from here?"


    She didn''t mind, but some who had obtained Beijing residency might not agree.


    "Once it''s built, moving there is inevitable, if they don''t want to go, they can remain working in this office."


    Lu Liang had considered this issue too, in the future the focus would definitely shift to Su City, and Beijing would gradually decrease.


    There was no need to worry about Modu though, after all, with the cities being just over a hundred kilometers apart, relocation wouldn''t be difficult.

 Chapter 362 - 359: DiDi, The Troublemaker

    "We can only do this," Liang said.


    During their conversation, a knock on the door sounded and Qin Siyuan entered the office, carrying a pot of shrimp and crab congee.


    "Thank you, Director Qin."


    Hu Weiwei hurriedly took the bag and took out the matching bowls and chopsticks, "Mr. Lu, how about we eat together?"


    People working in the internet industry not only had irregular daily schedules but also ate meals at irregular times.


    This meal should have been her first of the day, and her last meal seemed to be yesterday noon. She contacted Qin Siyuan and arranged for him to pick up the food on his way over.


    "I barely ate this evening either."


    Lu Liang nodded. His flight had been in the evening, and although the plane offered meals, the taste was indescribable.


    "After accessing DiDi''s database, how is the progress of the intelligent driving product development?" Lu Liang peeled shrimp and dipped it in broad bean sauce.


    Qin Siyuan had just picked up his chopsticks then placed them back down on the table, sitting up straight as he said, "Mr. Lu, the development progress of the intelligent driving product is rapid. It''s basically reached the L2 standard and is estimated to be ready for use within two more months."


    "No need to be so formal, we can talk while we eat."


    Lu Liang was pleasantly surprised and showed a satisfied smile. It seemed that bringing DiDi in was indeed the right choice.


    Hu Weiwei suddenly said, "Mr. Lu, I almost forgot, there''s something I might need to tell you."


    She paused before continuing, "Director Li Junyi, came by again. He seemed to have something for you but didn''t want to disturb you. He said to inform him as soon as you arrive."


    "What does he want from me?"


    Lu Liang was puzzled. He had only met Li Junyi once before, during the initial phase of integrating DiDi and joining the Xuanwu Plan.


    "It might be about DiDi," Hu Weiwei speculated, sharing the rumors she had heard recently in Beijing.


    Since DiDi came under investigation, its IPO was obstructed, and its founder Cheng Wei had a falling out with Liu Qing.


    Cheng Wei was the true founder of DiDi, but Liu Qing''s entry and the massive resources he brought diminished Cheng Wei''s power, until Liu Qing ultimately took over and became the one calling the shots at DiDi.


    For some reason, DiDi''s IPO was blocked, so Cheng Wei and the other founders seized the opportunity to challenge the status quo.


    "I''m not sure if this is related to why Director Li is looking for you. I''m just guessing."


    Hu Weiwei smiled apologetically, unsure because she had only heard it through the grapevine.


    Although she had been in Beijing for a year, she was not privy to the secrets of a giant corporation like DiDi.


    "Let Director Li know I''m here tomorrow and see how he reacts."


    Lu Liang sucked on a crab leg, his face pensive, feeling there might be a pit ahead.


    He had spent most of this month abroad. Upon returning, he had been busy with a leadership change in the fund as well as the factory in Su City.


    He had been so busy that he had only recently found time to check on the progress of the intelligent driving product development, let alone pay attention to whatever was happening with DiDi.


    "Enjoy your meal, I have other matters and must leave."


    After some thought, Lu Liang decided to arrange a meeting with Old Zhu to better understand the situation, or else he wouldn''t be able to sleep tonight.


    Leaving the SOHO building, he called Zhang Tian''ai, "Get some rest early, no need to wait for me, I might not come over."


    It was already past ten o''clock. Lu Liang was meeting Zhu Hu, who was also busy and wouldn''t be free until midnight. Who knew how long their discussion would last.


    "Then I won''t set the deadlock. The key is in the pocket of the Doraemon door mat," Zhang Tian''ai sounded a bit disappointed, but assured that no matter how late Lu Liang came, she would leave a door open for him.


    "Alright, then get some rest."


    Leaving Zhongguang Village, Lu Liang headed to the International Trade Building in the Chaoyang District, the Golden Sand River''s main office in Beijing.


    At half-past midnight, Zhu Hu walked out of the office looking exhausted, "Sorry for the wait, Lu."


    Rubbing his increasingly balding head, he suggested, "Should we grab a drink?" S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Aside from freaks like Lu Liang and his freakish company, people in finance also faced tremendous pressure.


    Especially those from venture capital firms had to sift through numerous companies clamoring for investment, to identify truly worthwhile projects.


    Every day, they reviewed stacks of documents and information that could pile as high as a person, and headaches were a regular occurrence.


    The only cure for their distress was the finest spirits.


    "You make the arrangements."


    "Not far, right downstairs, let''s walk there."


    Zhu Hu talked as they walked, not wanting to go anywhere far. The barbecue restaurant just downstairs was quite good. At least it used charcoal for grilling, and the ingredients were decent, "Let''s get some thick lambskewers to nourish ourselves."


    Zhu Hu seemed to frequent the place, greeted the owner, and took a previously opened bottle of Wuliangye liquor from the front cabinet.


    He hadn''t forgotten that Lu Liang liked to drink beer. He grabbed a few bottles from the fridge and said with a smile, "Sometimes when I''m busy at the company until late, I like to come here for some barbecue and a few drinks."


    Liang raised his bottle to clink with the small liquor cup. One drank baijiu while the other had beer, creating a rather harmonious atmosphere.


    Zhu Hu gulped down two drinks in succession, devoured several skewers of meat, and let out a long breath, "Finally feel alive again."


    Lu Liang smiled and, after a pause, said unhurriedly, "The person in charge of the National Security''s Xuanwu Plan, Li Junyi, has sought me out."


    "DiDi!" Zhu Hu''s expression stiffened.


    "Really related?" Lu Liang was surprised.


    "I''ve heard, but the information is not reliable."


    Zhu Hu''s eyes lit up, a glint of sharpness in them. He slowed his drinking, nibbled on some peanuts, had a few kebabs, and took a small sip, "Did you hear about DiDi''s IPO being blocked and Cheng Wei, the co-founder, challenging Liu Qing?"


    Lu Liang nodded, "Just heard about it."


    "The Liu family''s butt is a bit crooked; that''s the main reason for DiDi''s IPO troubles."


    Zhu Hu shared what he knew - DiDi had too much foreign capital inside, and it all came from the Liu family''s resources.


    Now with the promotion of a free market, it''s difficult for the state to get involved without causing public criticism.


    Unofficial forces need to intervene so it does not stir up public criticism. Similarly, this action is also permissible in the market.


    "So, it''s me?" Lu Liang understood.


    Piecing together the cause and effect, they wanted him to enter DiDi to support Cheng Wei and counterbalance the Liu family and foreign capital.


    "If Li Junyi is looking for you, then it''s probably you."


    Zhu Hu''s smile was meaningful; he couldn''t help but eagerly drink another two glasses.


    If Lu Liang could succeed in meddling, it implied hope for DiDi''s IPO. His prestigious project might have a chance to be cashed out.


    "Why me?" Lu Liang furrowed his brows, unable to understand.


    With DiDi valued at 50 billion US Dollars, although he could manage to gather the funds to join the board, he didn''t think he was the best candidate.


    In his view, Tencent would be the best choice, being an investor in DiDi themselves. If they wanted him to go east, he would never go west.


    "You''re awesome, that''s why."


    Zhu Hu''s smile conveyed deeper meaning, "Just like the saying goes, ''With the spring breeze comes the swift pace of the horse''s hooves, witnessing New York''s beauty overnight.'' Who else do you think could keep foreign investors from finding reasons to feel targeted?"


    This matter indeed seemed best suited for Lu Liang to handle.


    Over the years, he was the only one who could stir up storms on the international market and receive the courtesy of Wall Street capital.


    If Tianxing didn''t accept DiDi''s investment or collaborate with them, Lu Liang might not have a reason to get involved.


    But now it was a fait accompli, with Lu Liang already linked to DiDi, making him the prime candidate for agitator.


    Sitting in silence, Lu Liang considered what Zhu Hu had speculated and how he might profit from it.


    As Zhu Hu had said, he seemed indeed like the best choice for this matter.


    "I''ve had a bit too much to drink, going to take a bath to relax. You coming?" Zhu Hu patted his belly, his smile brimming with good spirits.


    "Go ahead, Hu. I''ll stay here and think some more."


    "That''s right, think it over," Zhu Hu said warmly, calling his driver to head to the next destination.


    Lu Liang drank his beer, staying alone in the private room until the owner knocked on the door, "Boss, we are closing."


    "So soon? It''s already three o''clock."


    Lu Liang glanced at the time, downed his drink in one go, and headed to Phoenix City near Sanyuan Bridge.


    It had been a while since he''d been here; unfamiliar with the layout, he wandered through the complex, almost mistaken by the security guards for a loiter.


    Thankfully, Zhang Tian''ai was thoughtful. Guessing that Lu Liang was unfamiliar with the way, she sent a message late at night with her detailed address.


    Building 11, Unit 1904. Just as he stepped out of the elevator, he saw an oversized doormat with Blue Fatso on it and his keys tucked inside.


    The lights were bright inside the apartment where Zhang Tian''ai, clad in yoga pants and wearing headphones, bounced about on her yoga mat.


    It looked as if she had been jumping around for a while; some areas were obviously damp with sweat, darkened by the moisture.


    "With your schedule, did you just wake up, or have you not slept?" Lu Liang said, somewhat bemusedly smiling.


    "Liang!"


    Joy sparkled in Zhang Tian''ai''s eyes as she rushed to give Lu Liang a big hug.


    Just then, she remembered that she was covered in sweat and restrained her impulse.

 Chapter 363 - 360: Hooked and Left with a Crooked Mouth

    "I guess you could say I just woke up, or that I haven''t slept at all."


    Zhang Tian''ai suddenly sniffled, catching the scent of alcohol on Lu Liang''s body, and quickly poured him a cup of tea.


    While stretching, she began to talk about what she had done that night, "Slept for two hours past eight o''clock, then your call woke me up. I went back to sleep around midnight for a bit. Woke up with nothing to do, so just did some aerobics."


    These past few days, she had been traveling all over the country with the Iron Fist team for promotions. But due to the overwhelming success of War Wolf 2, the box office performance continued to be incredibly strong.


    In the past week, it snagged another 890 million RMB at the box office and is expected to overtake Mermaid this weekend to become the highest-grossing movie in history.


    With gains and losses, the screen allotment for "Iron Fist" kept dropping, now at only 15%, with a cumulative box office of 1.258 billion RMB, and the total is projected to be around 1.5 billion RMB.


    Zhang Chen had also given up, canceling all subsequent activities.


    These days, she finally got to enjoy a long-awaited vacation.


    "That''s good. You should rest when you need to, no need to wear yourself out," Lu Liang said with his eyes closed, lying on the couch.


    After finishing her stretches, Zhang Tian''ai suddenly took Lu Liang''s hand and led him to the bathroom, "I bought a super sexy nightgown~"


    "How sexy?" Lu Liang asked with a sly smile, enjoying Zhang Tian''ai''s undressing service.


    For now, he didn''t consider the matter with DiDi. Meet trials with solutions and obstacles with countermeasures¡ªit might just be Zhu Hu''s speculation.


    His appearance fee was not low. To ask him to stir trouble and to potentially offend the Liu family and Goldman Sachs in the process would require a very compelling offer.


    "Um~~ let me think, anyway, it''s very sexy."


    Zhang Tian''ai grinned slyly. To retain a bit of mystery, after helping him undress and providing the nightgown, she dashed to another bathroom to wash up, change clothes, and apply makeup.


    It had been a long time, and she wanted to show Lu Liang her most beautiful and stunning self, entirely and utterly.


    Half an hour later, Zhang Tian''ai appeared, lightly made up, wearing a glittery pink robe like those worn during Victoria''s Secret halftime shows.


    However, Lu Liang''s patience had long been exhausted; he was fast asleep in bed, with light snores ebbing and flowing.


    "You''re killing me, you unromantic guy. Who asked you to come back so late?"


    Annoyed, Zhang Tian''ai felt like she had thrown a punch into cotton, a futile effort akin to casting sultry glances at a blind man. The only thing left for her was to crawl under the covers and find a comfortable position in Lu Liang''s arms.


    It wasn''t until the next morning that Lu Liang saw what Zhang Tian''ai''s super sexy nightgown looked like.


    But he was awakened by a phone call, one from Hu Weiwei, which diverted his attention away from how sexy the nightgown was.


    "Okay, around ten o''clock then."


    Just now, Hu Weiwei had told him she was coming to Beijing, and Li Junyi immediately made plans to meet Lu Liang.


    "Are you leaving?" Zhang Tian''ai squinted, stretching lazily like a kitten that had just fallen asleep.


    "You go back to sleep," he said.


    Lu Liang called Fang Shiyu to drive over, then headed to the washroom.


    "Will you come again?"


    Zhang Tian''ai stood at the doorway, her eyes filled with anticipation, oblivious that the pink strap of her dress had slid down her arm.


    The pale, vein-lined skin, mostly exposed to the air and her languid pose, added to her allure.


    Lu Liang wiped his face and helped her fix the strap, touching her cheek and smiling, "I''ll be in Beijing until Wednesday."


    "Okay then, I''ll go back to sleep for a bit."


    Her face lit up with joy; today was only Saturday, leaving them at least five days.


    At ten-thirty in the morning, Lu Liang arrived at the SOHO Building and met Li Junyi, who greeted him with a smile, "Mr. Lu, sorry for disturbing you so early."


    Lu Liang replied with a hearty smile, "Director Li, you''re too kind. I was planning to come to the office anyway."


    "Mr. Lu, Director Li, I''ll leave you to it and get back to my work."


    Hu Weiwei tactfully made her exit. Although curious, she knew this was not her place to pry.


    After she left, Li Junyi asked, "Mr. Lu, after integrating with DiDi''s database, has it been a significant help to your company''s project development?"


    "It has," Lu Liang nodded, and Li Junyi continued, "Your company is developing autonomous driving technology, but as far as I know, apart from data feeding and algorithm training, having high-precision maps would certainly be a powerful boost."


    "I didn''t expect Director Li to be so well-informed, so we''ve been in touch with Siwei Tuxin recently and are planning a deep partnership."


    Lu Liang''s smile remained undiminished, as slick as an eel. He had a guess at what Li Junyi was aiming for.


    He just wanted to turn a task from something he was supposed to do into something he wanted to do, from passive to active.


    That way, their goals would align,


    and the cost would be much less.


    Siwei Tuxin is also one of the owners of the high-precision map license and a pioneer in the field of navigation maps, dynamic traffic information, and customized vehicle networking solutions for passenger cars.


    The Siwei Tuxin they had invested in had even mass-produced the country''s first 32-bit automotive-grade MCU chip.


    If high-precision maps were needed, working with Siwei Tuxin made much more sense than working with DiDi.


    Li Junyi couldn''t help but laugh, "Mr. Lu, let''s cut to the chase, shall we?"


    "Alright, I''ll start."


    Lu Liang, unhurried, discussed Zhu Hu''s speculation from last night, wondering if Li Junyi wanted him to help Cheng Wei achieve a coup?


    He added, "Coup might not be the right word. Perhaps it''s about sharing power, so DiDi is no longer under the sole control of Liu Qing?"


    Li Junyi narrowed his eyes and couldn''t help but clap in admiration, "Mr. Lu, you guessed it, that''s roughly it."


    DiDi was just too big, with 4.28 million drivers last quarter, nearly monopolizing the ride-hailing market.


    Moreover, with many foreign investments involved, there was no way to shut it down, only to weaken Liu Qing''s power and let Cheng Wei take control.


    "With DiDi being so massive and on the verge of going public, how could they possibly let an outsider step in?" Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lu Liang sighed helplessly, knowing it was his duty to help his country, but he was also at a loss.


    With a valuation of 50 billion US dollars, equivalent to 330 billion RMB, the minimum threshold to enter the board of directors would be at least 30 billion RMB.


    And where would he find such capital?


    "Mr. Lu, why not talk to Mr. Cheng? You might find an unexpected gain."


    Li Junyi spoke calmly, taking a sip of his tea, the situation was almost as Lu Liang had guessed, but with one mistake.


    He was a public servant. The state wouldn''t require a company to do something specific, at most it could broker connections and offer quiet support.


    Lu Liang raised an eyebrow, "Director Li, what do you mean by that?"


    "Mr. Lu, it''s getting late, I should be going. Thank you for your hospitality."


    Li Junyi''s smile was as bright as his swift arrival and departure, waving goodbye without leaving a trace.


    At heart, Lu Liang was a capitalist, at most only slightly tinged with red, but not much.


    Capital sought profit, and as long as it was suitable and profitable, they would even sell the rope used to hang themselves.


    He believed that once Lu Liang understood, he''d be interested.


    "Damn it, I ended up being the sucker."


    Watching Li Junyi''s receding figure, Lu Liang muttered under his breath, feeling an itch, as if there were bugs crawling on him.


    "Maybe I should just meet with Cheng Wei to see what the situation is? There''s nothing to lose anyway."


    He knew it was a trap but still fell for it. Not for fame, not for profit, just to understand the situation better and see if he could contribute to national security.


    At two in the afternoon, he bypassed Liu Qing and contacted Cheng Wei, agreeing to meet at a coffee shop on Wangxi Road in Dinghai District.


    Just across the street was DiDi''s 20-story headquarters with a total area of 35,000 square meters.


    "DiDi was founded in 2012 and within five years dominated the ride-hailing market, achieving a valuation of 50 billion dollars..."


    Lu Liang flipped through the materials Zhu Hu had provided. If Tianxing joined, Golden Sand River would definitely support it with both feet.


    They even said that as long as Lu Liang backed Cheng Wei and raised the banner of Clearing the King''s Side, domestic capital such as Golden Sand River, Tencent, Citic, and Zhongping would definitely support him.


    After all, venture capitalism was all about making money. They were on the cusp of reaping the harvest of the IPO, and Liu Qing''s actions did not sit well with investors like Hu.


    Forget about the young woman of the Liu family,


    even if Old Liu himself showed up, they''d still deal with him.

 Chapter 364 - 361: 30% Success Rate

    "Mr. Lu, I''m sorry to have kept you waiting."


    Approaching half-past two, a slightly overweight man wearing glasses hastened towards Lu Liang, who was sitting by the window.


    Cheng Wei was born in ''83, 34 years old this year, and after graduating, he joined Ali''s Alipay department. After working there for seven years, he resigned to start Xiaoju Technology, known today as DiDi.


    Since he and Byte''s Zhang Yiming were born in the same year and both started businesses in Beijing, before 2014, the media was fiercely debating who was the leading entrepreneur born in the ''80s.


    But after May 2014, when DiDi accepted 50 million dollars in funding from Goldman Sachs, and in July of the same year, Liu Qing suddenly joined DiDi as the Chief Operating Officer.


    Since then, the debate over who was the leading entrepreneur of the ''80s seemed to have concluded.


    It was as if Cheng Wei had vanished, still physically present, yet seemingly without any difference to being absent.


    Liu Qing, after taking over, successively helped DiDi secure investments of 700 million dollars, 2 billion dollars, 4.5 billion dollars, and 1 billion dollars from Apple.


    When people mentioned DiDi, only Liu Qing came to mind, who also often represented DiDi at various meetings.


    Cheng Wei''s influence in the company dwindled, as if being the company''s chairman was all there was to it.


    "I''ve only just arrived myself, Mr. Cheng. Fancy a drink?"


    Lu Liang smiled, put aside the documents, and signaled a waiter. Cheng Wei said, "An Americano, please."


    The two had met once before and played cards together at the last year''s World Internet Conference in Wuzhen.


    Lu Liang arranged for a photo of thirteen people, which netizens jokingly called a two trillion yuan mega selfie, including himself and Lu Liang.


    Back then, they had no business dealings, just a one-time encounter as card mates and drinking buddies.


    Lu Liang cut to the chase, "Mr. Cheng, what do you think about the obstacles DiDi is facing with its IPO?"


    He needed to know what Cheng Wei wanted and what he was willing to give up. After weighing the pros and cons, he would then decide whether or not to get involved.


    As for offending the Liu family, that wasn''t within his considerations¡ª you could say it was a very low priority.


    As Zhu Hu put it well, blocking someone''s financial path is like killing their parents; no matter what the Liu family''s daughter was like, even Old Liu would handle it without issue.


    The market pie is only so big; doing business is like rowing upstream, to eat a larger share, someone else must eat less.


    "DiDi doesn''t necessarily have to list in the US. Listing in Xiangjiang can satisfy most investors'' expectations,"


    Cheng Wei stated, setting the tone.


    DiDi''s domestic business was nearing saturation, and in recent years, it had been actively expanding into international markets.


    A US stocks listing would indeed be the best choice, but because the Hong Kong Dollar is pegged to the US Dollar at a rate of 7.8, the issuance of Hong Kong Dollars is just like issuing US Dollar vouchers, making a Hong Kong Exchange listing a second-best option.


    Lu Liang chuckled, "But after all, the Hong Kong Stock Exchange can''t compare to the New York Stock Exchange, right?"


    Cheng Wei nodded, "A regionally focused market naturally can''t compete with a global market."


    International capital generally refers to capital institutions led by Wall Street; the same is true for markets, with only US stocks truly being considered global.


    If DiDi insisted on listing on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, it would face even greater internal resistance, and neutral foreign investors like Temasek and Saudi Sovereign might also have objections and might even take action to stop it.


    "The Hong Kong Stock Exchange is good, but the New York Stock Exchange is undoubtedly better. Everyone wants to rush to a broader market with more potential for development."


    Lu Liang looked thoughtful, pondered for a while, and then asked, "Mr. Cheng, how much do you know about DiDi''s listing on the New York Stock Exchange?"


    Cheng Wei looked slightly upset, sighed, and said with a bitter smile, "Mr. Lu, I''m not afraid of your ridicule; I only know there''s such a matter, with Mr. Liu fully responsible for the big picture and all the details."


    For every major decision in DiDi''s development thus far, he indeed knew that much.


    Liu Qing only gave him the right to say ''yes'' or ''no,'' and though it seemed he had a choice, he could only choose ''yes.''


    "..."


    Lu Liang was speechless.


    He thought of Hu Weiwei; her situation at Mobike had been similar.


    But Hu Weiwei was better off than Cheng Wei because Li Bing was preoccupied with building cars and didn''t focus much on Mobike.


    However, Liu Qing was different; DiDi was her first job after leaving Goldman Sachs and might well have been her pledge.


    The level of commitment was not on the same plane.


    Lu Liang reined in his smile and spoke bluntly, "Mr. Cheng, forgive my straightforwardness."


    "Mr. Lu, please speak." S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "What can I gain by helping you?"


    Lu Liang already had a plan in mind; he couldn''t guarantee absolute success, but the chances of success were no less than 30%.


    It''s just that the cost of entry to DiDi was too steep. Should the plan fail, there was no telling when he might recoup the expenses.


    Hence, he wanted to know: was the price Cheng Wei was willing to pay worth betting on a 30% success rate?


    Upon hearing 30%,


    Cheng Wei''s eyes lit up.


    He pondered for a long time because he knew that every sentence that followed was crucial.


    A slightest mishap in the rewards offered might not satisfy Lu Liang, spelling the end of the discussion.


    "Mr. Liu doesn''t just possess vast resources and a network; her own ability and vision are also exceptional."


    "In April 2015, DiDi completed a massive fundraising of two billion dollars, at which time, the company had over 3.5 billion dollars in cash reserves."


    "Merging with Kuaidi and the acquisition of Uber, calming the market only cost 1.5 billion dollars, and more than one billion dollars were invested into the research and development of autonomous driving technology."


    "Now, after more than two years, DiDi has achieved results in this field, owning patent technology that is no less inferior to Baidu''s Apollo project."


    A few days before Lu Liang came to Beijing, Cheng Wei had already met with Li Junyi several times, and Lu Liang was also recommended by Li Junyi.


    At that time, Li Junyi had said that Lu Liang was innately cold and almost without weakness, a near-perfect person. If there had to be a weakness, it was Tianxing Technology.


    For some unknown reason, he clung to it. Clearly, it was a field he was neither good at nor familiar with, yet all his actions over the past two and a half years, whether directly or indirectly, had benefited Tianxing Technology.


    To convince him to assist, significant returns were just one of the basic conditions; it still had to start with Tianxing Technology.


    Cheng Wei spoke in a grave tone, "Mr. Lu, if you represent Tianxing Technology and join DiDi, DiDi will not only fully open its database but will also permanently and exclusively share all patent technologies and shareable qualifications without charge."


    As long as Lu Liang joined DiDi and helped him counterbalance the foreign capital forces led by Liu Qing, successful or not, DiDi would have no secrets from Tianxing Technology.


    Lu Liang was astounded, narrowing his eyes, "Mr. Cheng, successful or not? Are you authorized to make this decision? Mr. Liu won''t object?"


    "I am the decision-maker, as I am DiDi''s chairman and CEO," Cheng Wei said, his eyes filled with determination, ready to risk it all.


    Lu Liang was at a loss for words and chuckled, "With you there, it''s better than not."


    Cheng Wei''s face stiffened, and he fell into silence; it was the same logic of why Dong Zhuo kept Emperor Xian.


    After all, he was the founder of DiDi and still had some prestige in the company; Liu Qing was just a parachute executive.


    "Let me think about it."


    Lu Liang finished his coffee, brushed off non-existent dust from his clothes, leaving a remark, "I''ll give you an answer before I leave Beijing on Wednesday."


    For success, three elements are essential: the right timing, the right location, and harmonious human relationships. DiDi''s IPO is being obstructed, National Security is connecting the dots, and Cheng Wei is extending an invitation¡ªall seem related.


    In reality, they just seemed to be; otherwise, the success rate wouldn''t be just 30%.


    Moreover, to join DiDi in such a straightforward manner smelled of cutting ties.


    Even if he agreed, it was necessary to wait for an appropriate moment.


    After saying goodbye to Cheng Wei, Lu Liang went to ByteDance to attend Douyin''s shareholder meeting.


    This time the plan was to release 15% of the shares for fundraising 3 billion dollars, with a valuation of 20 billion dollars.


    The funds raised from the financing would be divided into three portions: the development of e-commerce, group purchases, and live-streaming sales promotions.


    Lu Liang listened, feeling drowsy, only aware that after this round of financing, his 9.25% stake would become 7.86%.


    Though his shareholding had decreased again, it had increased in value to approximately 1.572 billion dollars.


    After the shareholder meeting, Zhang Yiming found Lu Liang, smiling as he asked, "Not following this round?"


    Lu Liang replied with a smile, "We''ll see if no one else invests."


    As one of the original shareholders, if no one acknowledged the valuation, they would have to back it. If others recognized it, they could naturally retire with their mission accomplished.

 Chapter 365 - 362: New Energy, Clearing the Kings Side

    "Over the weekend, Lu Liang visited Li Xiang.


    In recent years, among the newly emerged brands of new energy vehicles, Li Xiang and Weima have been the best sellers.


    Although two Weima EX5s can only buy one top-equipped Li Xiang ONE, due to different market audiences, both have broken through the ten thousand unit sales mark.


    If Weima is snatching food from BYD''s mouth, then Li Xiang ONE, with its ridiculed range extender, as well as features like a refrigerator, colorful TV, and large sofa, has carved a path to success.


    "Mr. Lu, the styling of the car isn''t particularly important, the key is the driving experience and comfort."


    Li Xiang wore a full smile, in a very good mood, knowing that Lu Liang was still focused on developing a brand-new car shell and chassis, he couldn''t stand it and shared some of his successful experience.


    The success of ONE represents among the four Weiwei and Li Xiang brands, they have achieved a phased victory.


    According to Li Xiang''s user profile, 90% of ONE owners are around 30 years old with a family.


    These people, not too old yet open to new things, also have to consider family needs.


    So, they also concluded that being handsome doesn''t matter; what''s important is being useful and comfortable.


    For their next mass production vehicle, they also plan not to waste time on styling, and directly use Lifan''s models.


    The focus is on upgrading the interior, configuration, and intelligence to firmly follow the family-oriented car use path.


    "Perhaps, you''re right."


    Lu Liang smiled, though not completely agreeing, he did not object. The future market is going to be huge, enough to accommodate a diversity of thriving developers.


    Li Xiang ONE has achieved a phased victory, but it doesn''t represent the only answer.


    However, at the time of its initial launch, the ridiculed range extender actually had its merits.


    Short trips charge, long trips fuel up, perfectly solving the lack of widespread charging stations and range anxiety problems.


    As for being criticized for not being environmentally friendly, an oddity among electric vehicles, it didn''t even count as a problem.


    ''New energy'' explains it all.


    Environmental protection is just a slogan, like the proclamations of a doomed sky, a rising new power, not worth mentioning just like saying a stone statue sparked a major rebellion.


    The essence is energy security and industrial upgrading.


    The range extender worked without solely depending on gasoline, and Li Xiang ONE made some who would buy imported luxury cars choose it instead.


    Then it is a vehicle that officially qualifies as a legitimate new energy vehicle by official standards.


    "Mr. Lu, how is the Tianxing Car Machine system''s development?"


    "In two more months, L2 level assisted driving will be ready for use."


    After a long silence, Li Xiang awkwardly smiled, "Then please make sure to authorize us to use it first."


    With Li Xiang ONE''s sales breaking ten thousand, he got a bit carried away, so he had secretly decided to allocate some funds in the next financing round for in-house system development.


    Lu Liang''s words hit him hard, realizing that with L2 assisted driving nearly ready, investors would definitely not agree to spend money on developing their own systems.


    Technological research is a bottomless pit, all investment is considered wasted until results are produced.


    With that money, it would be better to invest in factories, increase capacity, improve nominal strength, and thereby boost market valuation.


    "Of course."


    At night, a masked couple wandered around the mall near Sanyuan Bridge Phoenix City.


    Lu Liang bought several bags for Zhang Tian''ai, and as they strolled, he suddenly received a call from Little Wang, "Where are you?"


    "Just walking around outside, find a place and send me the address."


    "Then how about the bar street in Sanlitun? I''m not familiar with other places."


    "Alright."


    After ending the call with Little Wang, Lu Liang phoned Fang Shiyu to prepare the car.


    Zhang Tian''ai cautiously asked, "Are you busy again?"


    "There''s something I need to handle, just go back by yourself."


    Seeing Lu Liang nod, he touched her little head, and before she could even say goodbye, Lu Liang was gone.


    "Busy, always busy, being busy is good."


    Zhang Tian''ai''s gaze turned forlorn as she deeply sighed.


    Elsewhere,


    Lu Liang arrived at a bar in Sanlitun and from a distance saw Little Wang putting his legs up while playing with his phone.


    At the entrance, a few young and beautiful girls whispered to each other, seemingly discussing whether to approach him.


    Clearly, these were ambitious girls, knowing Mr. Wang had a sterling reputation, hoping to get his approval to become internet-famous.


    "Changed your habits? You have a disco and yet you''re soaking in a bar?" Lu Liang smirked as he passed by the girls and approached Little Wang''s table.


    "I swore that, before Panda goes public, I absolutely won''t go to bars."


    Hearing the voice, Little Wang knew who it was.


    He looked up with disdain, "What mischief have you been up to now? Still wearing a mask?"


    "I forgot to take it off."


    Lu Liang smiled and removed the mask, his face filled with satisfaction, "Cong, it''s really reassuring that you''re so sensible." S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The moment Lu Liang took off the mask, the few hesitant and ambitious girls immediately stopped hesitating.


    They walked over elegantly with lovely smiles, "Hello, can we sit here?"


    If Little Wang is the Jack of poker, then Lu Liang is the ace of spades, a top-tier eligible bachelor recognized worldwide.


    The legendary story of Milk Tea Girl hooking up with Daqiangzi and becoming the lady boss of JD, is worth every girl''s study.


    "It''s not convenient, please find somewhere else to sit."


    Little Wang waved his hand with a full face of disdain.


    Although he also became a national outstanding young entrepreneur this year, he was originally supposed to come to Beijing tomorrow.


    But yesterday, Lu Liang, like a soul reaper, hurried him to come over quickly¡ªif it wasn''t something serious, then it must be a ghostly issue.


    "Sorry, we have something to discuss."


    Lu Liang nodded slightly with a smile, polite, which was different from Little Wang''s rudeness.


    "Sorry for disturbing you."


    The girls barely held back their excitement and maintained their composure.


    They walked aside slowly and, once Lu Liang was no longer paying attention, quickly took out their cell phones to snap pictures and upload on Xiaohongshu: "Casually bumped into Lu Liang tonight in Sanlitun, he''s really polite and gentle..."


    "What''s the rush calling me over?"


    Little Wang looked unhappy, cursing Lu Liang ten thousand times in his heart, that bastard, using him as a backdrop again.


    "How soon can Panda go public?" asked Lu Liang.


    Little Wang was puzzled, "Why ask that? Why are you suddenly interested in this?"


    "How soon can it be?"


    Little Wang frowned and reluctantly put aside his confusion temporarily, quickly making a call to Long Fei to inquire about the latest progress.


    After a while, he said, "Long Fei said, even if we start preparing for the IPO now, it''ll take at least three months."


    "Three months?"


    Lu Liang appeared thoughtful. He had already decided to assist Cheng Wei with Clearing the King''s Side, but DiDi''s scale was huge, and the situation was complicated.


    If they back down and list on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, it definitely wouldn''t appease neutral foreign investors like Temasek and Saudi Sovereign.


    Although Xiangjiang was East Country''s financial port to the outside world, its influence was quite limited¡ªit could only radiate across Asia, nowhere near the global reach of the New York Stock Exchange.


    A 30% chance of success, to increase it to 50%, Lu Liang should also suggest listing on the New York Stock Exchange like Liu Qing.


    If they all set their sights on the New York Stock Exchange, given Lu Liang''s cooperation with Sergey, he could at least pull him over.


    After all, the premise of friendship fostering cooperation is that both parties'' interests remain unharmed, so friendships are considered.


    This way, the faction of Lu Liang and Cheng Wei would be on par with the Liu Family and Liu Qing''s faction at fifty-fifty strength.


    But a 50% success rate isn''t secure enough; they need to increase it slightly more.


    The Liu Family, father and daughter, had decades of close relationships with foreign capital.


    In contrast, Lu Liang''s ability to seize opportunities was obvious to all, but whether he could replace Liu Qing and assist DiDi in listing in the US was still a question mark.


    He thought of Panda¡ªif using Panda as a model, successfully listing in the US and achieving good results,


    Clearing the King''s Side''s plan could at least improve the success rate by 10%, even above 20%.


    The balance of victory would start to tilt.


    "Are you in a hurry?" Little Wang couldn''t help but ask.


    "The sooner Panda goes public, the better. If you need help, just let me know."


    "Why?" Little Wang frowned, unable to understand what Lu Liang was scheming.


    "Don''t worry about what I''m plotting. When have you ever seen me harm you?" Lu Liang looked displeased.


    "Come to think of it, never."


    Since knowing Lu Liang, Old Wang has found him more pleasing to the eye, and he stopped bothering about his daily changing girlfriends.


    "There you go."


    Lu Liang appeared righteous, a flicker of guilt flashing in his eyes.


    If Little Wang knew he was using his Panda as a model, if it worked, great; if not, Little Wang might very well want to kill him.


    Rushing out a prototype was like a preemie; it might grow healthy or might suffer from lingering health issues later.

 Chapter 366 - 363: Red Thread, Need

    Tuesday, Lu Liang and Little Wang arrived at People''s Hall almost at the same time for the award ceremony.


    Their presence instantly drew the attention of the entire venue, as it was truly rare for those developed to such a level to still come for accolades.


    Little Wang was still manageable; the valuation of Panda was just over ten billion, less than twenty billion RMB and it hadn''t been listed yet. Although it had passed the listing review, businesses that passed the review but still failed to be listed were not unheard of. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But Lu Liang was different; he was purely a freak with access to both public and private fund currencies, conservatively estimated to command not less than 70 billion US Dollars.


    Though nominally, whether it was public or private funds, they seemed unrelated to him now; his title was only the chairman and founder of Tianxing Investment and Tianxing Technology.


    But who didn''t know that those were just formalities?


    Whenever Lu Liang spoke up, Sun Yutao of the private funds and Zhang Jing of the public funds would absolutely follow him as their leader.


    Lu Liang''s presence made those young entrepreneurs from around the country tremble, feeling as if a novice in the village had encountered a max level boss.


    At ten in the morning, the award ceremony began, the process was exceedingly dull, exactly the same as the one he had attended in Modu last year.


    Leaders took turns to take the stage, looking back at the past, striving in the present, looking forward to the future...


    Then, ten representative young entrepreneurs took the stage in turn, each spoke a few words to thank the country, thank the era...


    This event lasted for two days, Tuesday at the People''s Hall for the award ceremony and receiving certificates, then everyone having dinner together.


    Wednesday, they went to Huaqing University, where in front of hundreds of students, they exchanged ideas.


    But nobody wanted to clash with Lu Liang, as colliding a toy car with a bulldozer could easily shatter one''s spiritual core.


    Instead, Little Wang became the most dazzling star of Wednesday''s symposium: "The ultimate end of traffic is definitely leading goods!"


    He spoke confidently, with a smile on his face, occasionally inserting a few fluent English phrases, and giving Lu Liang several provocative glances.


    Being the founder of Panda Live and a soon-to-be listed company CEO in the US, he was actually very impressive and powerful, but next to Lu Liang, he looked like just another person on the street.


    However, Lu Liang didn''t even look at him,


    his eyes vacant, his mind already wandering far away.


    Unreasonably,


    Why had no one sought him out yet.


    After the symposium ended, a secretary claiming to be Lin Fan found Lu Liang, and his dim eyes finally regained their color.


    Under everyone''s envious gaze, including Little Wang''s, Lu Liang followed the secretary into the carriage, setting off for the relevant departments.


    This secretary, they had met yesterday, standing next to the leader who gave the speech at the award ceremony.


    No one knew where Lu Liang went that afternoon until he returned to the hotel arranged for them by the organizers in the evening.


    "What was said?" Little Wang asked curiously.


    "Not much."


    Lu Liang wore a slight smile, humming a tune, clearly in a very good mood, but did not elaborate further about the afternoon''s discussion.


    Previously, he was like a film director, unsure where the red lines were, hence cautious in experimenting and self-censoring.


    Now, he knew the definite boundaries that must not be touched and the gray areas not yet explicitly defined where he could linger.


    The shackles he had carried before were at least ninety percent shed, no longer needing to worry whether some actions might cross any lines.


    Little Wang looked resentful, Lu Liang hadn''t bothered with him, and left him with a terse comment before walking away: "Get Panda listed as soon as possible."


    Back to the same coffee shop from a few days ago, the same seat by the window, only the person waiting had changed from Lu Liang to Cheng Wei.


    "Mr. Cheng, sorry to keep you waiting." Lu Liang greeted with a broad smile.


    "I also just came over."


    After exchanging pleasantries, Lu Liang disclosed most of the plan, including listing on the New York Stock Exchange and using Panda as a trial for the IPO.


    Cheng Wei''s eyes widened, his face unable to hide his excitement, as he extended his hand, saying, "Mr. Lu, I wish us a pleasant cooperation and swift success."


    Being dominated by a woman for several years without a voice, he finally saw the light of hope.


    "Mr. Cheng, don''t get too excited yet. It''s not the right time," Lu Liang replied apologetically, without shaking hands.


    One must have a justified cause for actions. With National Security investigations and DiDi''s obstructed listing, joining at this time would only make people think he represents the National Team.


    Lu Liang intended to continue mixing in international circles, hence, he could join because of interests or even greed, but he absolutely couldn''t do it just because the state wanted him to.


    Once labeled as part of the National Team, in the future, probably no one would want to associate with him, so he resolutely couldn''t proceed that way.


    Though planning the operation, Lu Liang did not intend to get involved right now. He would wait for the right opportunity, ideally after Panda was listed.


    Cheng Wei retracted his hand, pondered for a long moment, and couldn''t help but ask, "What if the right time still hasn''t come after Panda is listed?"


    "Then we can only keep waiting," Lu Liang replied, his smile unwavering.


    "Mr. Lu, your plan is good. I''m willing to wait for you."


    Cheng Wei pondered for a long time, suddenly understanding Lu Liang''s concerns, and agreed to wait for that uncertain opportunity.


    After all, the other party was the daughter of a former leader of the Taishan Association ¡ª it''s easy to pull out a radish and bring up the mud, triggering a chain reaction.


    Thus, this battle couldn''t be a war of attrition; it had to be a blitzkrieg, ideally a shot to the heart, to avoid unnecessary complications.


    Ultimately, because there was no conflict of interest with Liu Qing, Lu Liang had enough patience to continue waiting.


    "Thank you for your understanding, Mr. Cheng."


    Lu Liang smiled and extended his right hand, unconcerned that by disclosing his plan, Cheng Wei might give up.


    This plan, though not ingenious, was difficult to execute by anyone in the country other than him.


    The whole plan was tailored for Lu Liang; without his participation, the plan wouldn''t exist, nor could it be implemented.


    After bidding Cheng Wei farewell, Lu Liang had a late-night snack but did not return to Phoenix City at Sanyuan Bridge; instead, he went back to his hotel.


    He had stayed at Zhang Tian''ai''s place last night,


    Lu Liang clearly sensed her emotional changes.


    The story of Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai, immortal for a thousand years, became one of the most moving love stories because their deaths were timely.


    Suppose, ten years later, Liang Shanbo remained frustrated, and Zhu Yingtai grew tired of simple meals; would their feelings deteriorate?


    Human emotions are the same; they change over time, possibly for the better or worse.


    In most enduring loves, the so-called great emotions are more likely to deteriorate because survival is an animal instinct, and willing to sacrifice one''s life for love essentially means being carried away.


    It''s like buying unnecessary items online late at night; one might cancel the order the next day, regretting even a few tens or hundreds of dollars, let alone involving life.


    When Lu Liang first met Zhang Tian''ai, she had just finished filming "Crown Princess Consort" and wasn''t sure if she would become famous.


    Two years later, a film "First Rich" by Zhang Chen intended to reciprocate a favor made Zhang Tian''ai rise to fame again and join the ranks of the Four Little Flower Dandies of the entertainment circle.


    According to Maslow''s Hierarchy of Needs, every person''s needs are divided into five levels: physiological needs, safety needs, love and belonging needs, esteem needs, and self-actualization needs.


    Zhang Tian''ai had already met her physiological and safety needs and was probably between love and belonging and esteem needs.


    Simply put, she had obtained a lot but still wanted more.


    Lu Liang knew this but couldn''t be bothered to appease her because his attitude had never changed, only Zhang Tian''ai''s feelings had.


    She needed some time to think properly, to continue the relationship if she understood, and if not, to part ways forever in worldly society.

 Chapter 367 - 364: Fourth Phase of Fund Issuance

    "How have you been lately?"


    At night, Lu Liang video-called Su Wanyu and learned that her due date was in two weeks, but it was unknown whether the baby would come early or late.


    He smiled and said, "I''ll try my best to get there before the 20th, so the baby isn''t born while her mom is still thinking about dad."


    This month, Lu Liang had been a bit busy. As soon as it was past midnight, it would be the 9th, and tomorrow he had to return to Modu to prepare for the new phase of the private equity fund.


    On the 15th, he would attend the first New Energy Vehicles Conference on Hai Island for three days and, as a board member, he couldn''t leave early.


    Before the 20th, he should be able to squeeze in some time to make a quick trip to Edinburgh, though he estimated he wouldn''t be able to stay for very long.


    On the 28th, the Federal Reserve was set to announce an interest rate hike, and they needed to prepare a few days in advance to plan and strategize carefully.


    "Hmph, stop being so smug, who would think about you?" Su Wanyu said with playful arrogance.


    "Feeling pretty good?"


    Lu Liang noticed Su Wanyu was in a good mood.


    "Because of sister, ah, she is so amazing~"


    Su Wanyu chattered away, explaining how life had changed drastically since Lu Ya came over.


    She was a little socially anxious and didn''t like interacting with others. Zheng Xiaoxuan was slightly better, but not by much.


    Before Lu Ya arrived, the two of them were like two autistic children, not even knowing who lived in the neighboring apartment.


    As soon as Lu Ya arrived, even without speaking the language, she quickly became familiar with the neighbors and the shop owners in the area, organizing everything tidily.


    Moreover, Lu Ya was also a mother of two and had lots of experience, knowing about many pregnancy precautions that Su Wanyu was unaware of.


    Even though she was in Edinburgh, the East and West have different races and their approaches to pregnancy also varied greatly.


    Su Wanyu was just there to study abroad, not having grown up there; the practices from back home suited her constitution better.


    "Sister''s husband is a bit dense. Lu Ya manages their grain and oil shop at home; her social skills are top-notch."


    The two chatted for a long time, mostly with Su Wanyu speaking and Lu Liang listening, until the night grew deep.


    "It must be 2 a.m. back home, right? You should rest early too, don''t stay up late~"


    "Mhm, bye."


    The next day at noon, Lu Liang returned to Modu from Beijing.


    As soon as the plane landed, Sun Yutao released news to the public about the establishment of the new phase of the private equity fund, along with its size and a brand-new fee structure.


    "Only 1.5 billion US Dollars?"


    "Mr. Lu, how come it feels like you''re regressing?"


    "Half a year managing a public fund, have you been assimilated by Big A? Lost your nerve?"


    "Didn''t I say? 3 billion US Dollars, with only 1.5 billion from within the country, the remaining 1.5 billion to bring in foreign capital."


    Due to the help of the public fund attracting attention, news of the new phase of the private equity fund circulated only in small circles.


    Aside from the size of assets in this phase and the introduction of foreign capital, the tiered fee model also prompted some criticisms.


    3+20N, based on the domestic scale of 1.5 billion US Dollars, if divided into 25 parts, each subscription requires 60 million US Dollars.


    ''3'' represents an additional payment of 1.8 million US Dollars, a management fee that must be paid regardless of profit or loss. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The industry standard is typically 2+20, but Lu Liang had already raised it to 3+25 in the last phase of the private fund, and nobody objected.


    The key is ''20N'', based on 30% profit, for every 30% increase in profit rate, the management fee proportionately increases by 5%.


    This means at 60% profit rate, the fee is 25%, at 90% it''s 30%, at 120% it''s 35%, capping at 40%.


    "So, if the profits reach 150%, assuming each part earns 9 million, Lu Liang is going to take 3.6 million?"


    "Isn''t this fee model a bit outrageous?"


    "When you ask this question, you''ve actually already accepted it in your heart; you''re just looking to negotiate."


    The new fee model, like a small stone cast into a calm lake, created ripples but not a big splash.


    To hit the 40% cap, there must be at least 150% profit, which leaves 5.4 million after deducting 3.6 million, a 90% net gain.


    With Lu Liang''s current reputation, initiating a private fund worth 10 billion or even 20 billion US Dollars would be a breeze.


    Yet he chose to launch one for 3 billion, with half of that set aside for foreign capital, leaving only 1.5 billion US Dollars for domestic investors.


    And the settlement cycle, unlike the previous phase''s three years, was only one year, making it clear he was aiming for speculation.


    Before long, Sun Yutao''s phone was almost blown up by calls.


    Within a year, turning 3 billion US Dollars into 7.5 billion, achieving a 150% profit rate, entailed very high risks.


    But the first phase settled with a 471% total return, the second phase with 91%, and the current cumulative return of the third phase is 94%.


    Their confidence in Lu Liang was unconditional and blindfolded; even if Lu Liang himself claimed he was not up to par, they would simply think he was being modest.


    Approaching noon, Lu Liang arrived at the private equity firm on the 22nd floor.


    "Mr. Lu, please take a look."


    Sun Yutao hurried over, inviting Lu Liang into the office and providing a list of over fifty individuals.


    The fourth fund was also divided into fifty subscriptions, half domestic and half international, each valued at 60 million US dollars.


    For the international subscription shares, Lu Liang was personally responsible; for the domestic ones, he was in charge of tallying.


    Now, from a list of fifty-four people, Lu Liang needed to pick out twenty-five or fewer for the distribution of shares.


    "Lei Jun, Daqiangzi, Little Ma, Old Ma, Zhang Yiming, Zhou Hongwei... all acquaintances."


    Lu Liang looked troubled and was entangled; with more monks than porridge in this phase, he didn''t know who to choose.


    After much consideration, he decided to use the process of elimination, excluding those like Zhu Hu, Guo Changguang, and representatives from the three big families of Xiangjiang who participated in the second and third phases.


    Then he prioritized new friends who had never participated in the private equity fund, such as Zhang Yiming, Zhou Hongwei, Wang Chuanfu, and Old Ma.


    Next, he picked from those who had invested once in the third phase and had a good relationship with him, like Old Zeng of Ningde, Hengtai Xu, and others.


    "That will do. Send out the invitations, have them come over on the 13th to sign the subscription agreement. The usual rules apply."


    Lu Liang got to work, handpicking from the list, and ultimately designated eleven individuals who would take two shares each, totaling twenty-two shares.


    Aiming for an even distribution of benefits, the remaining three shares, worth 180 million US dollars, he planned to reserve for himself.


    Even though Tianxing Investment''s account still had 480 million US dollars in liquid assets, he wasn''t inclined to invest too much.


    Because the fourth phase of private equity investment didn''t include Little Wang, nor State-owned Xiao Xin, let alone Meng Changkun.


    Yesterday''s conversation with the leadership had enlightened Lu Liang about the higher-ups'' intentions: the new fund''s company, fully owned by him upon establishment.


    Assuming that, in a year''s time, 3 billion US dollars would turn into 7.5 billion, with 1.8 billion in management fees, all would count as Tianxing Investment''s earnings.


    With no one else reaping the rewards and the profits being sufficiently substantial, the smaller share for Lu Liang personally didn''t matter.


    Besides, he also needed to retain some capital for the development of Tianxing Technology and to await the right time to buy into DiDi.


    Having waited for two days in Modu, it was suddenly the 12th, and Lu Liang arrived at Pu Xin Airport to greet a good friend who had come from afar.


    Soon, a luxurious minibus carried seven foreigners and their accompanying assistants and secretaries away from the airport.


    Wilson gazed out the car window, fixated on the tall buildings lining the roads and the intricate network of overpasses.


    After a while, he expressed his heartfelt admiration, "Modu has really changed a lot over the years."


    "Wilson, have you been here before?"


    Lu Liang''s face bore a smile as he stood in the first-row aisle, like a tour guide facing them.


    The seven people present were undoubtedly notable figures from Wall Street, heads of investment banks like JPMorgan and Stanley, investment funds like Blackstone and Vanguard¡ªall directors or presidents of their respective investment divisions.


    "I came once, seven years ago. Back then, Pudong wasn''t as prosperous as it is now."


    Wilson was full of emotion, reflecting that the progress witnessed year after year in Modu was unstoppable, and East Country would surely maintain this unstoppable momentum.


    "In the future, you can always come for a visit whenever you like; you''ll find a whole new world awaits you," said Lu Liang with a grin. After 11 years in Modu, he had once walked every inch of its land.


    Over those 11 years, he had watched Modu transform, as if it had been wound up since 2008.


    To say it was changing day by day was no exaggeration.


    "It''s definitely worth frequent visits," Wilson nodded in agreement.


    Ever since they entered the city, the increase in green license plate vehicles was visible to the naked eye, BYD cars were many, but Teslas were also not uncommon.


    Even if Lu Liang hadn''t invited him, Wilson, being a strong supporter of Tesla, planned to find time to visit in the next few years.


    Half an hour later, the group arrived at the Hilton Hotel in Lujiazui to rest briefly for an hour and a half.


    Lu Liang instructed Xu Jiawei to bring them to the 22nd floor of New International Building to inquire about the distribution of the fund.


    He had released twenty-five shares externally, totaling 1.5 billion US dollars, for them to choose from.


    After exchanging glances, they had already decided on the distribution before their arrival. Wilson said, "JPMorgan, Stanley, and BlackRock will take four shares each; Blackstone, Vanguard, and Quantum will take three each, and De Mei will take four."


    "Since you have already decided on the distribution, let''s go with your arrangement."


    Lu Liang mused, noting from the distribution that JPMorgan, Stanley, and BlackRock belonged to the first tier.


    Blackstone, Vanguard, and Quantum comprised the second tier, while De Mei probably received four shares considering it was a smaller institution seeking mutual warmth.

 Chapter 368 - 365: An Invitation from Wall Street

    "Ladies and gentlemen, if you''re interested, you can also try scanning this," Lu Liang said.


    The assistants accompanying Wilson were busy cross-checking the subscription contract to be signed tomorrow. Meanwhile, Lu Liang was leading a group of foreigners in a leisurely stroll through the nearby International Financial Center.


    Although New York is one of the busiest cities in the world, some things are distinct to East Country, and cannot be popularized in Europe and America in a lifetime ¡ª mobile payments, for instance.


    Up until a few years ago, Lu Liang still made it a habit to carry some cash when he left the house, but without realizing when, he stopped doing that.


    It wasn''t that mobile payments were unique to East Country and couldn''t take off in Europe and America; they could, but they simply chose not to.


    The underlying reason lay in the forces represented by the people Lu Liang was leading; they were impeding the development of mobile payment technology.


    The rise of a new industry inevitably leads to the emergence of new industry giants, which shake the foundations of traditional industries.


    Nobody could guarantee they wouldn''t become the victims of these new industries'' growth, so by not adopting the change, they could avoid making a mistake.


    Furthermore, the credit card systems in Europe and America were well-established ¡ª the interests solidified, and relations were intricate and complex. The inclusion of mobile payment only benefited the public and the convenience it brought was negligible.


    Therefore, no one bothered with this unrewarding task.


    While everyone was experiencing QR code payments, Xu Jiawei came over to Lu Liang and whispered, "Mr. Lu, Director Zhou from the city government office is waiting for you at the company."


    "Zhou Li, what''s he here for?" Lu Liang wondered.


    "According to Mr. Tang, he seems to have come for them," Xu Jiawei said, subtly glancing at Wilson, the representative of the big investment banks and major funds from Wall Street.


    Any one of them, if asked for singly, would be a figure many entrepreneurs and city investment promotion offices could only hope to meet.


    Probably only Lu Liang treated them like ordinary people, casually showing them around as if he were hosting relatives who had come to the city from his hometown.


    "Tell Mr. Tang to inform Zhou Li not to rush. After everything is settled tomorrow, we''ll organize a reception in the company''s name to create an opportunity for them to have a good talk," Lu Liang couldn''t help but chuckle. These people were as cunning as devils, and getting them to leave even a little investment was tougher than reaching the heavens.


    But he couldn''t afford to deny them this courtesy. Modu had an inexplicable longing for foreign investment, and creating opportunities was a simple matter of raising one''s hand.


    Xu Jiawei nodded, stepped aside to contact Tang Caide, and arranged the venue for tomorrow''s reception.


    Wilson came over with a smile and asked, "Lu, what are you whispering about?"


    Mobile payments might be novel, but they weren''t some kind of special high-tech product. After a brief exposure to something not seen before, the novelty quickly wore off.


    Smiling, Lu Liang replied, "Tomorrow evening there will be a reception to welcome and refresh you all after your journey."


    Wilson was taken aback and attempted to decline, "Lu, you should know we''re only here for the private equity fund subscription."


    Suddenly, Lu Liang''s face displayed nostalgia, "I still remember the event in New York more than a month ago, it still moves me."


    He knew Wilson didn''t want to participate; no one liked these social engagements that offered no practical benefit.


    So, he used the New York reception to seal his lips. Lu Liang had attended and so they must attend too, a matter of reciprocity.


    Upon hearing this, Wilson and the others exchanged glances, all showing a bitter smile, "Lu, then please arrange it."


    Night fell, and all the assistants finished cross-checking the contracts and returned to their respective bosses to report the contract details.


    These people had all been bested by Lu Liang, so there were no objections to the 3+20N fee structure.


    Even feeling that reaching a 150% return with just a 40% management fee was incredibly generous of Lu Liang.


    "Lu, with your abilities, if you were to issue a private fund on Wall Street, achieving more than 60% wouldn''t be difficult," Wilson sighed, his words laden with regret. The soil of East Country was just too limiting for Lu Liang.


    Lu Liang should be on a bigger, freer, and more fitting stage to fully unleash his potential.


    "Perhaps," Lu Liang looked a bit forlorn, forcing a smile while a clear sense of unfulfilled ambition reflected in his eyes.


    Seeing this, Wilson''s spirits lifted, and he promptly extended an invitation, "You are always welcome to join our big family."


    Lu Liang showed hesitation as if wrestling with a tough decision, then quickly changed the subject, "Wilson, it''s getting late. You should head back to the hotel and rest."


    Wilson paused but said no more, showing a warm smile, "Good night, see you tomorrow."


    He could tell Lu Liang was tempted,


    but these matters couldn''t be rushed but had to be approached slowly.


    One day, Lu Liang would choose to join them.


    "See you tomorrow."


    Lu Liang watched as Wilson entered the hotel, his smile subtle until the other''s figure vanished.


    Wilson''s words were just to be listened to; Wall Street wasn''t necessarily any freer, and the presence of the Squid Clan was enough trouble for anyone.


    But in his home country, as long as Lu Liang didn''t make any grave mistakes in principle, there were no such restrictions for him.


    Next, Lu Liang would have to assist Panda with its US listing, and potentially DiDi as well.


    He couldn''t appear too firm in his stance; at least until there was no direct competition between the two countries, playing coy was the best choice.


    ...


    The next day, at 2 p.m.,


    Tianxing Private Equity''s fourth fund was launched.


    Originally, there were only 18 investors, both domestic and international, but suddenly over fifty people showed up.


    Those who were invited, those who weren''t, people from Beijing, Shenzhen, Hang City ¡ª everyone who could come did come.


    "Including but not limited to DiDi''s Liu Qing, Xiaomi''s Lei Jun, Meituan''s Wang Xing, Redwood''s Shen Peng, and the Golden Sand River''s Zhu Hu."


    Lu Liang looked around and saw industry veterans everywhere. His mood was gloomy; he couldn''t really evict them, so he had no choice but to host them courteously.


    Suddenly, he spotted Little Wang and decisively approached him, firing away, "You''ve got no stake here, what are you doing here?"


    "Why can''t I come when others can?"


    Little Wang looked disgruntled, seeing that Lu Liang was picking on the weak.


    But he was used to it, and draping an arm around Lu Liang''s shoulders, he said with a smile, "Don''t you find today''s scene all too familiar?"


    Last month, they had gone to New York together, and what started as a small gathering of a dozen people suddenly became a hundred.


    Only unlike their trip to New York, today, the seven people who came represented Wall Street institutions.


    The thirty-some people present all had reasons to invite themselves.


    No need to talk about DiDi''s Liu Qing. Having mixed with Goldman Sachs since graduating from Harvard, he was warmer to these foreign investment tycoons than to his own father.


    Xiaomi and Meituan, both planning to go public next year, really needed to foster good relations with this crowd from Wall Street.


    After all, they''d never had such opportunities before.


    "Don''t worry, they will all owe you favors..." Little Wang suddenly stopped short as Wang Xing passed by, flashing a smile at Lu Liang, "Mr. Lu, my apologies for showing up uninvited, and thank you for giving us this opportunity to have a direct conversation with Mr. Lip from BlackRock."


    "Mr. Wang, you''re too kind. We''re all friends here; it''s normal to help each other out," Lu Liang replied, beaming, a complete change from moments ago.


    Little Wang, still an observer, saw clearly. Lu Liang shouldn''t be frustrated; he should be happy.


    After all, the hard work was on the likes of Mr. Wilson and others, yet it was he who reaped the goodwill. This was a good deal.


    "Right, we are all friends." Wang Xing nodded with a smile, said his farewells, and went off to talk to the person in charge at Vanguard.


    "Fucking two-faced," Little Wang cursed under his breath. Lu Liang narrowed his eyes menacingly, "What did you say?"


    "I''m going to have a chat with Cruick, see if we can speed up Panda''s IPO process," Little Wang replied with a chuckle and quickly made himself scarce.


    As three o''clock neared, the subscription meeting was about to commence.


    Sun Yutao, wearing a helpless expression, sought out Lu Liang, hoping he could think of a solution. Sun dared not offend anyone in this crowd.


    Lu Liang, all smiles, stepped up to the podium and took the microphone, "Ladies and gentlemen, tonight at seven o''clock, our company will host a welcome cocktail party on the eighth floor of the Hilton Hotel. Why don''t we save our discussions for then?"


    "Mr. Lu, you speak the truth," the crowd agreed, and the fifty-some visitors quickly dwindled to just over ten.


    Mr. Wilson and others wore a look of grievance, staring at Lu Liang as if to say, a single event had suddenly turned into two.


    "Close the door and let''s begin," Lu Liang said, coughing a few times and feeling a bit guilty, not daring to meet their eyes.


    He had Xu Jiawei close the door to start the meeting and had Sun Yutao take the stage to review the background, as was customary.


    "In September 2015 and December of the same year, we issued two rounds of private equity funds: one worth 100 million US dollars and the other, 1 billion US dollars."


    "The first and second rounds of the fund have concluded, achieving total returns of 471% and 91%, respectively."


    "The third round of funds, issued one year and four months ago, has a size of 50 billion US dollars, with cumulative returns of 94.5%..."


    Sun Yutao spoke with a smile, radiating pride as he addressed the audience.


    Though he wasn''t a manager, the three projects had achieved amazing results, and as a participant, he shared in their glory.


    Mr. Wilson and the others listened with solemn expressions, looking at Lu Liang with not grievance but profound respect.


    Although they had collected plenty of information, it was not as detailed as what Lu Liang provided himself.


    Admiration for the strong is human nature.


    Others might not know, but they were acutely aware of the great risks involved behind each impressive return.


    Take last February''s shorting of the British Pound, for example. They invested 90% of the fund''s capital and employed an exceptionally high leverage of five times.


    They made the bold decision to short the Pound, betting on the UK''s Brexit in the face of universal bearishness.


    Mr. Wilson didn''t dare imagine the mental pressure faced when making that decision. If it were him, he probably would have had a heart attack from the rapid heartbeat.


    He looked at Lu Liang and couldn''t help licking his lips.


    "Everyone, any objections to the details in the contract?" After Sun Yutao finished, Lu Liang stood up to take the stage for the final confirmation, "If there are no issues, please sign the contract, and the funds should be transferred within three days; a 5% penalty fee will apply for late payment."


    The crowd shook their heads, including Mr. Wilson and his group, who exchanged glances before signing their names and stamping their seals.


    Lu Liang''s statement was just a formality since the contracts had already been sent to the 18 people in attendance at least a day in advance.


    If there were objections, they wouldn''t be attending the meeting today.


    After a while, Lu Liang had Sun Yutao collect the 19 subscription contracts, including his own.


    He personally handed a cocktail party invitation to Mr. Wilson and the six other leading visitors, smiling, "Mr. Wilson, we''re looking forward to your presence this evening." S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "See you tonight, Lu."


    Mr. Wilson found the situation both comical and annoying; even a fool would realize that Lu Liang had handed them out as favors.


    But what could he do? When they hosted a grand welcome dinner for Lu Liang in New York, it was only proper to return the courtesy now.


    Moreover, they had decided together the previous night to court Lu Liang comprehensively.


    The free capital market was his true destiny.


    Much like Jack Ma.

 Chapter 369 - 366: Aloof Status

    An hour later, the office next door.


    Lu Liang had arranged a meeting with Zhou Li from Modu Municipal Office to reserve twenty invitations for tonight''s reception.


    "Director Zhou, I''ve been very grateful for your care over the years. However, Mr. Wilson and his team are visiting China only to subscribe to private equity funds, and their willingness to invest is probably not very high."


    Doing good deeds should be known. Lu Liang could help create a venue for conversation, but he had to speak plainly beforehand: the probability of them making an investment was very low, so one shouldn''t have too many expectations.


    "This is natural, Mr. Lu. Just helping to connect us is already commendable, I wouldn''t dare trouble you further."


    Zhou Li''s smile was brilliant, like flowers blooming in spring, and he continued with a smile, "Mr. Lu, aren''t twenty spots a bit too few?"


    "Director Zhou, I won''t hide from you; due to sudden developments, business leaders from over thirty companies, including Xiao Mi Lei, Mr. Shen of Redwood, and Mr. Zhu of Golden Sand River, will also attend."


    The welcome reception was meant as a favor. Lu Liang treated Mr. Wilson and others as favors to be given away, not to mention the industry giants who showed up uninvited.


    It was possible to include more people, but it wasn''t necessary. Rarity adds value¡ªproviding too many invitations would devalue them, and favors would become cheap.


    "Mr. Lu, Mr. Lei and Mr. Shen are attending too?" Zhou Li''s eyes widened, his excitement clearly overflowing.


    Lei Jun, Shen Peng, and Zhu Hu, well-known investors from home and abroad, would be under one roof, adding another tier of prestige.


    He no longer bothered to ask Lu Liang for more invitations, exchanged a few words, quickly said his goodbyes, and left in a hurry.


    The reception would start at seven, and there were still over two hours to go. The twenty invitations required careful selection.


    Fifteen would be for nurturing new businesses within Modu, and five would be given as favors.


    At night, at the Hilton Hotel on Huashan Road, patrol cars suddenly increased on the street.


    In the hotel lobby, media journalists with keen senses gathered early.


    "Why do I have to join you playing doorman?"


    Little Wang was reluctant as he stood with Lu Liang at the entrance of the banquet hall on the eighth floor.


    "It''s you playing doorman, not me. I''m giving you an opportunity, don''t fail to recognize kindness."


    Lu Liang glanced at him, pulled up a chair to sit down, and smiled, "Believe it or not, just say the word, and founders willing to play doorman could line up from here to Beijing."


    Little Wang was momentarily at a loss for words. He understood the principle, but Lu Liang, being only two and a half years older, made him feel as if he had acknowledged a godfather.


    Next to him, Long Fei couldn''t help but laugh. If Lu Liang were willing to treat him this way, he wouldn''t hesitate to kneel and acknowledge a godfather.


    But since Little Wang was the boss, to spare him any embarrassment, Long Fei swiftly changed the topic, "Mr. Lu, I had a talk with Cruick this afternoon. He also thinks it''s a good thing for Panda to go for an IPO sooner and get listed early."


    There was word from Beijing that short video platforms like Douyin and Kuai Shou, after observing for half a year, were starting a new round of financing targeting livestream sales.


    Panda still had a bit of a head start, but it must seize the opportunity while it still had the advantage, and push for an early IPO before Douyin and Kuai Shou majorly stepped in, otherwise next year''s revenue figures might look grim.


    Long Fei explained, they planned to launch the IPO roadshow in the middle of the next month, one event in Modu and one in New York.


    The listing would value the company at 3.8 billion US dollars, planning to issue 20% of the equity as public stocks, a total equity of 1.92 billion shares.


    The issuing price would be 1.98 US dollars per share, a total of 384 million shares issued, with Modu and New York offering 192 million shares each for subscription.


    Finally, they planned to reserve 5% of the equity for the company''s equity incentive pool, available for their top streamers and executives to subscribe.


    In the final round, a total of 25% equity would be up for financing¡ªif successful, they would raise 950 million US dollars.


    This money would be invested in livestream sales; Douyin had Dou Shop, and Kuai Shou had Kuai Shop; Panda would also have Cat Shop in the future.


    "Two roadshows, if you need help, just say the word, and you''re free to command."


    Lu Liang pondered for a moment. He still held 10.98% of Panda''s equity, which would dilute to 8.235% post-listing, totaling 158 million shares valued at 312 million US dollars.


    His shares were original stocks that couldn''t be traded within six months of listing. However, Tianxing Private Equity had the money and could acquire shares eligible for secondary market trading by winning subscriptions.


    Investment funds far away in Tokyo could also gain enough market-manipulating chips by winning subscriptions.


    With his current ambiguous relationship with Wall Street institutions, they would likely be very willing to let Lu Liang enter the fray and give him a taste of success.


    As long as he successfully aided Panda''s listing in the US, Lu Liang would also have secured a firm footing on Wall Street. If he had a chance to assist Cheng Wei in Clearing the King''s Side, plans would proceed even more smoothly.


    "I''d hardly dare command, Mr. Lu. If you could make an appearance, that would be ideal," said Long Fei, his face breaking into a broad, blooming smile.


    He was Panda''s general manager, tirelessly working day and night for the company. Even after several rounds of fund dilutions, he still held 1.225% of the equity.


    If Panda successfully listed at a valuation of 3.8 billion US dollars and saw even a slight increase later, next year, he could also enter the hundred-million-dollar club.


    The ultimate dream of listing a company is not only to gain recognition of its value but also to create a batch of millionaires.


    "Listing..."


    Little Wang muttered to himself, his expression dazed.


    For over two years since founding Panda, it had sequentially faced purification operations and a broken capital chain, leaving Wanda deeply trapped.


    During this time, he thought more than once about giving up and letting it go, but each time, Lu Liang forcefully pulled him back.


    It wasn''t until they stumbled upon live streaming product sales, a golden path, that Panda once again entered the fast lane of development.


    "Ah, Liang~"


    Little Wang suddenly showed his true feelings, and Lu Liang said with a smile, "Are you moved? How about you kowtow to me?"


    The corners of his mouth uplifted in a smile, he stood tall and proud,


    His palms rested on his knees, ready to accept the gesture.


    Little Wang''s face instantly darkened, "I kowtow to your grandpa."


    Right at that moment, crisp laughter rang out.


    Liu Qing stood at the door with a smile, "Mr. Lu, Mr. Wang, you two seem to have a great relationship, truly enviable."


    "Ms. Liu, long time no see. How has Old Liu been recently?" Lu Liang greeted with a smile, standing up to receive her.


    "Thanks to Mr. Lu''s blessings, my father is healthy and free from worries." S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    While conversing, Liu Qing suddenly brought up, that some days ago, she seemed to have seen Lu Liang talking with Cheng Wei.


    "That day, I intended to visit DiDi to ask Ms. Liu for some tea, but didn''t expect Ms. Liu to be away."


    Lu Liang''s face still wore a smile, having already thought of a good excuse.


    Because Liu Qing was not in Beijing at the time, that''s why he openly met with Cheng Wei.


    Both parties also considered investment cooperation; sneaking around only makes it more suspicious, better to be upfront about it.


    "Sorry, I was a bit busy those days."


    Liu Qing didn''t think too much about it and instead asked, "Mr. Lu, your relationship with De Mei seems quite good?"


    That afternoon at Lu Liang''s private equity firm, she saw that Cruick from De Mei was having an animated chat with Little Wang.


    However, JPMorgan had a more comprehensive strength, weighing the two, she chose to talk with Mr. Wilson.


    How capable Little Wang was, she knew very clearly, it was definitely thanks to Lu Liang that he could talk with Cruick.


    Chinese concept stocks aiming for a listing in the U.S. cannot bypass the three market institutions of Interactive Brokers, De Mei, and IGH Securities.


    Tonight, she came mainly to talk with Cruick from De Mei to see if there was a way to help DiDi go public.


    Lu Liang, with a smile at the corner of his mouth, said nonchalantly, "It''s alright, just a few conversations, and we get along quite well."


    "Mr. Lu, you''re being too modest."


    Liu Qing complimented with a forced smile and suddenly brought up, that recently DiDi''s IPO had faced many difficulties.


    According to her research, De Mei set up an investment firm in Xiangjiang, holding 40%, with the remaining 60% held by Interactive Brokers and IGH, each holding 30%.


    This company injected as much as 250 million US Dollars, but currently had only one business, which was investing in Tianxing Private Equity.


    In essence, Lu Liang had bundled all three major Wall Street institutions dealing with Chinese concept stocks into his personal network.


    This connection was bound to spread soon, and in the future, any enterprise wanting to list in the U.S. would inevitably seek Lu Liang''s help.


    After tonight, Lu Liang''s status inside the country would probably rise another level, being regarded as transcendent wouldn''t be an exaggeration.


    Lu Liang wondered, "Given DiDi''s scale, listing in the U.S. is about winning honor for the country, how could it fail the audit."


    Hearing about "winning honor for the country," Liu Qing suddenly felt like she had a fishbone stuck in her throat and sighed helplessly, "Maybe some people are just too sensitive."


    "Maybe it''s a lack of confidence."


    Lu Liang mused, a glint of cunning flashing in his eyes, suddenly having an idea, "Since DiDi has invested in Tianxing Technology, we are all friends here. Let me know how I can help you."


    He only knew that Liu Qing was backed by Goldman Sachs, but which foreign capital Old Liu was backed by, he was not yet aware.


    If Liu Qing gave up on Goldman Sachs, or no longer depended solely on it, Goldman Sachs would definitely feel discontent.


    After all, constantly asking for his help, then suddenly seeking others, there''s a saying, ''Don''t serve two masters''. Anyone would be displeased.


    When that time comes, the connections introduced by Lu Liang, if suddenly backstabbed, the plan would surely proceed much smoother.


    As the saying goes, when sleepiness comes, a pillow appears. This interaction was Liu Qing walking right into his hands, Lu Liang couldn''t be blamed.

 Chapter 370 - 367: The Young Version of the Business Godfather

    "If you could personally introduce me, that would be fantastic."


    "No problem," Lu Liang said with a smile.


    "Thank you, Mr. Lu."


    Liu Qing''s eyes lit up, completely unaware that Little Wang was squinting at her, looking slightly strange.


    He considered himself to know Lu Liang well enough to rank in the top three if there were a ranking.


    Describing Lu Liang as ''one who wouldn''t wake up early without benefit'' couldn''t be more fitting, as everything he did was highly purpose-driven.


    Yet, Lu Liang''s methods were quite unorthodox, sometimes appearing as the result to outsiders, but for him, it was just part of the process.


    Just like Panda''s listing, he initially disregarded it, then suddenly became eager, something Little Wang still couldn''t understand.


    As time passed, more guests arrived, and Wilson and his group came down from the hotel upstairs.


    The banquet hall, accommodating nearly a hundred guests, was divided into more than a dozen groups, everyone clinking glasses, creating a lively atmosphere.


    "Mr. Mao, Mr. Chen, long time no see. Sorry for the crowd tonight, please make yourselves at home."


    Seeing several familiar faces, Lu Liang also figured out whom Zhou Li had given the 20 spots to.


    Little Red Potato''s Mao Wenchao, Miha You''s Cai Haoyu, Bilibili''s Chen Rui, Ximalaya''s Yu Jianjun.


    "Mr. Lu, will you have some time later?" Chen Rui asked with a big smile, looking like a rookie despite being nearly 40.


    "I should, but it will be a bit later," Lu Liang was about to go and introduce Liu Qing to Cruick.


    "Okay, then you go ahead, and we''ll talk later," Chen Rui said apologetically, nodding and bowing, as in the business world, respect isn''t determined by age, but by achievements.


    "Okay, we''ll talk later."


    Lu Liang nodded and moved towards Cruick''s location.


    As a Wall Street representative mainly dealing with Chinese concept stocks, he was surrounded by people. When Cruick saw Lu Liang approaching, he rushed over like seeing a savior.


    "Lu, the people you''ve invited are really enthusiastic."


    He looked slightly resentful, wanting Lu Liang to acknowledge their hardships despite knowing that Lu Liang had sent them as a favor.


    Lu Liang smiled and said, "US stocks are a global market, if there is a choice, no one would refuse the temptation to list in the US."


    "That''s natural."


    Cruick looked proud and implied, "Not just for companies, but for investors and investment institutions as well."


    "Indeed," Lu Liang murmured to himself, pondering for a moment before changing the subject, "Someone wants to meet you."


    "Who?"


    "Her."


    Lu Liang turned his head toward a corner of the banquet hall, where Liu Qing was watching them with a smile, raising her glass in greeting.


    Cruick smiled back and whispered to Lu Liang, "The DiDi listing is not our problem; it''s yours."


    After Baidu, Alibaba, and Tencent, the new forces of the Chinese internet stage, known as TMD, came into play.


    T for Toutiao, M for Meituan, D for DiDi, with DiDi''s listing catching a lot of attention. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Usually, Chinese concept stocks need to pass East Country''s department review first, followed by the New York Stock Exchange''s review.


    DiDi''s listing was hindered not due to foreign issues, but because the East Country''s department did not approve it, stopping it at the first barrier.


    "Though it might be of no use, still, have a talk, Miss Liu is my good friend."


    Lu Liang looked composed; he had known that DiDi''s listing was blocked because the state wouldn''t allow it.


    Even Wall Street''s mighty financial institutions couldn''t possibly persuade East Country''s respective departments to change their decision.


    But Liu Qing didn''t know; she thought it was just some people being overly sensitive, requiring more external forces to intervene and apply pressure.


    Like villains, who never consider themselves as villains. They just choose a correct, less-trodden path, which is why they''re questioned.


    "Lu, are you very close with Miss Liu?" Cruick asked curiously.


    "Close friends and family, like brothers and sisters."


    Lu Liang said with a smile, recounting the story of Boya and Ziqi, the tale of seeking kindred spirits through high mountains and flowing waters.


    "Do you like her?" Cruick smiled meaningfully, clearly misinterpreting, or perhaps Lu Liang''s English expression wasn''t very good.


    "Mr. Cruick, please show a little respect for me; it''s just a metaphor."


    Lu Liang frowned, almost spitting water in his face, and Cruick chuckled, "Almost forgot, you like them young and beautiful."


    He thought for a moment and said, "Then call her over for a chat."


    They intended to win Lu Liang over using a roundabout tactic, pulling in Liu Qing, his ''close friend and family'', wasn''t a bad idea.


    "Thank you." Lu Liang turned back to look at Liu Qing, nodding slightly, and Liu Qing, delighted, quickly approached.


    "Mr. Liu, Mr. Cruick, you guys talk first; there are others I need to attend to."


    Lu Liang smiled as he saw the two parties meet, decisively extracting himself from the scene, a true sign of his long-standing experience as an intermediary.


    Wall Street was not all harmony, Goldman Sachs had nurtured this "peach" for many years, there would certainly be others who would want to pluck it.


    That''s why Lu Liang said he had a great relationship with Liu Qing, to elevate her strategic status in the eyes of corporate institutions.


    The situation with DiDi was complex, demanding a careful peeling of layers and slow handling, starting with weakening the relationship between Liu Qing and Goldman Sachs.


    By doing so, when moving to the next step, betraying his "dearest friends" for personal gain, it would solidify his alignment with Wall Street''s unsavory ways, marking him a qualified capitalist.


    Lu Liang''s lips curled into a smile as he approached Chen Rui, who had been eagerly waiting for him, "Mr. Chen, I''m sorry to have kept you waiting."


    "No problem at all," Chen Rui smiled broadly, "Mr. Lu, I wonder, how much do you know about our Bilibili?"


    "A very youthful video platform."


    Lu Liang had a peculiar expression, his memories of Bilibili, especially their deal involving ''Crown Princess Consort,'' were vivid. They had gambled on viewership and new member increments.


    Despite eventually raking in 20 million from a drama that cost them over 3 million to produce, it was still deemed a Waterloo.


    After all, they had anticipated a closing viewership of 2.4 billion, but only reached 1.9 billion, with even fewer new members than expected.


    A phenomenal drama that, before the wager, cost 500,000 per episode, reduced to 400,000 afterwards.


    They gambled into loneliness, losing 3.5 million over 35 episodes.


    By then, Lu Liang knew Bilibili was a site with minuscule spending intention, focusing on companionship, splitting revenues without proper expenditure.


    "Right, we primarily nurture the young netizens, the future," said Chen Rui, his eyes twitched and his smile looked worse than crying.


    After all, throughout internet history, Bilibili has been truly unique.


    Even with Douyin aiming for a billion users yet having only 90 million, Bilibili''s large presence stands comparable, often clashing with giants like Douyin, Kuai Shou, Weibo, and Tieba.


    Although exciting, Bilibili, resembling a YouTube disputant, had never lost an argument but also never won a fight.


    Bilibili, with its 90 million users, stood at the forefront in user stickiness but its annual revenue lagged behind many smaller platforms.


    Their CEO, "Mouse Mouse," fretted about this daily, promising a better future which remained uncertain.


    Bilibili planned to go public; earning from young users was tough, so chasing NASDAQ seemed easier.


    Lu Liang chuckled, glanced at Cruick chatting animatedly with Liu Qing, and pondered a moment, "Mr. Chen, I''ll mention this to Mr. Cruick shortly, he''s in charge of Chinese concept stocks at De Mei."


    "Thank you very much, Mr. Lu," Chen Rui exclaimed, clasping his hands together in immense gratitude.


    "It''s a small matter."


    Lu Liang smiled and took his leave from Chen Rui.


    Holding the notion of having multiple friends means multiple roads, he transformed into the social butterfly of the networking event.


    As long as someone was interested and appealing without a conflict of interest, he was more than willing to help connect people, without any charge.


    Today''s guests included investors from funds and twenty slots Lu Liang provided to Zhou Li.


    Modu''s city government had pre-screened these businesses and people, who likely wouldn''t achieve too little in the future.


    Approaching ten o''clock, the event concluded.


    "Mr. Lei, take care."


    Lu Liang stood his final post,


    watching the last guest leave.


    "What are you up to?"


    Little Wang''s voice came from behind, almost causing Lu Liang to reflexively slap him, "Are you a ghost? You walk without a sound."


    "I haven''t answered my question yet."


    "What question?"


    "What are you up to?"


    "What do you mean ''up to''?"


    Little Wang''s expression was complex, he sighed, "Do you know what they call you? The ''Business Godfather'' of youth."


    After tonight, Lu Liang would likely become the fourth generation ''Business Godfather'' in the country, following Old Liu, Wang Shi, and Old Ma.


    The Beijing Circle, Hong Kong Circle, and Yue Circle might not acknowledge, but entrepreneurs in the Yangtze River Delta and Modu would likely agree with this title.


    "''Youth''? Did you add that suffix yourself?" Lu Liang couldn''t help but chuckle.


    "I guess so," Little Wang was momentarily startled, somewhat annoyed, "Is that the point?"


    "Isn''t it?"


    Lu Liang smiled, waved his hand, leaving Little Wang with a view of the back of his head, "Tired from half a night, going home to sleep."

 Chapter 371 - 368: The Long-Awaited Meeting Gift

    "Godfather of Business, that''s a pretty good name~"


    Dusk enshrouded the back of the car as Lu Liang''s whisper resonated.


    He didn''t know whether this was right or wrong, but as there were no drawbacks, he decided to just go with it.


    "Bro, where to?" Fang Shiyu asked.


    "Back to the company."


    Today was the 13th, and the new energy vehicle conference would begin on the 15th on Hai Island, Boao, with many national leaders attending.


    The conference would last three days, going on until the evening of the 17th.


    Unless something unexpected happened, Lu Liang planned to first head to Tokyo on the 18th, then fly directly from Tokyo to Edinburgh.


    By the time he returned from Edinburgh, it should be around the 25th, and the Federal Reserve was poised to announce another interest rate hike.


    The schedule was tight, as the fourth phase of the fund had just finished subscription today, and the funds wouldn''t be fully in place until three days later.


    So, Lu Liang needed to get back to the company to give some early instructions on the preparation of the funds to avoid being caught off guard.


    This time, they planned to enter the foreign exchange market.


    With the Federal Reserve hiking rates again, they were resolutely implementing Old Te''s quantitative US Dollar policy, and global funds were going to flood into the United States; the most direct method was to buy government bonds.


    Good for the US Dollar, bad for all other currencies besides the US Dollar.


    At that time, yen, British Pounds, euros, and RMB were all expected to plunge significantly.


    Lu Liang, with US Dollars in hand, planned to play a different game, opening up four battlefields, using high leverage to go for large gains with small bets.


    "It''s also time to give old friends, new friends, a long-overdue welcome gift," Lu Liang murmured with narrowed eyes.


    Late at night, on the 22nd floor of the New International Building.


    "Leave the Tesla stock alone; even if it hovers around the hundred billion mark, unable to climb higher or fall lower, it doesn''t matter."


    Lu Liang flipped through the asset details, instructing, "Take $3 billion from the third phase fund and combine it with the $3 billion from the impending fourth phase fund, making it a neat $6 billion."


    "Divide the $6 billion into four parts, creating four small teams, eight people each managing a sum, with you overseeing them."


    "While I''m gone these next few days, leverage this money up to ten times its volume through financing."


    "Just like before, spread it out over several institutions, as much as possible, to prevent our funds from being traced."


    Even after more than two years with Lu Liang, Sun Yutao was still used to Lu Liang speaking in half-sentences, leaving half unsaid.


    At least until that day came, Sun Yutao only knew they intended to utilize a tenfold super high leverage.


    As for the specific destinations of the four sums of money,


    whether they were going short or long, he had no clue.


    Sun Yutao nodded; he was accustomed to being the tool-man, with Boss Lu guiding his every move.


    The two conversed until past three in the morning, laying out a preliminary plan and agreeing to adjust the details as needed later on.


    That night, Lu Liang went nowhere.


    He lay comfortably on the leather sofa in his office, where he had always felt at ease, and drifted to sleep.


    The next afternoon, Lu Liang again visited the Hilton Hotel; Wilson and his party were leaving, and he came to send them off.


    At the same time, they set the time for their next meeting: the Panda would have a roadshow in Modu in mid-next month and then in New York at the beginning of the following month.


    Barring any unforeseen circumstances, they would meet at the start of October.


    "Lu, you really do care,"


    Wilson couldn''t help but chuckle, realizing that Lu Liang was clearly reminding them not to forget Panda''s IPO.


    "Mr. Wang is my friend, and even after Panda''s listing, I''ll still hold an 8.235% stake."


    Lu Liang openly acknowledged, with a beaming smile, "With hundreds of millions of dollars at stake, wouldn''t you take it to heart if you were in my shoes?"


    Wilson laughed heartily, "I like your candidness. If you had no desire for wealth, how could you talk about controlling it?"


    "I look forward to your return at the beginning of October."


    Wilson, Cruick, and the others waved goodbye, boarded the coach, and planned to stop by Xiangjiang first, as the international recognition of the RMB was too low, and their companies were all based in Xiangjiang.


    "Have they left?"


    Suddenly, Liu Qing emerged from beside Lu Liang; she too had stayed at the Hilton Hotel the previous night.


    "Mr. Liu, how about a cup of coffee?"


    Lu Liang invited Liu Qing as they moved to the hotel''s restaurant, "How did your conversation go last night?" sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "De Mei JPMorgan are very interested; it''s just not known whether the Ministry of Commerce will approve."


    Liu Qing sighed; she was contemplating whether to bypass the review and go for a direct listing in the United States.


    DiDi was valued at 50 billion US dollars, a valuation that did not materialize out of thin air. In the past five years, DiDi had financed 18 rounds, totaling an investment of 17.5 billion US dollars.


    To secure this capital, DiDi had signed countless wager agreements, which included clauses about when and where to go public.


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but be amazed, this woman''s courage was nothing short of extraordinary, and he couldn''t help but remind her kindly, "One ban, and DiDi ceases to exist."


    "Mr. Lu, that''s a bit of an overstatement, it wouldn''t come to that," she said.


    Liu Qing shook her head slightly and added, "But that''s also a last resort out of desperation."


    Suddenly, she took a call and after a while, she returned and said, "Mr. Lu, I am deeply grateful for your recommendation."


    "It''s just that I have some matters to attend to back in Beijing shortly, so I might not be able to chat with you at length."


    "No trouble at all, Mr. Liu, go ahead with your business," Lu Liang replied.


    Lu Liang stood at the hotel entrance, wearing a smile, and watched Liu Qing''s car drive away until it disappeared completely.


    He made a call to Li Junyi, "Director Li, could you possibly inform me what exactly DiDi has done wrong?"


    If it was just the accusation of providing high-precision maps, it obviously wasn''t worth Liu Qing taking such a risk, even considering bypassing the regulators to list directly in the United States.


    The cost would be too great, nearly pushing DiDi into the fire pit and losing its potential for development.


    ''If you don''t do it, there are plenty of others who will.''


    This saying applied not just to bosses and employees but also to nations and companies.


    After all, DiDi wasn''t like DJI, which stood out alone with its impressive flight control technology.


    If DiDi dared to bypass scrutiny and go public directly in the US, the state would surely strike hard, and companies like Douyin and Meituan would dare to reignite the warfare in the ride-hailing industry.


    E-commerce, food delivery, group buying, online lending¡ªthe happy family bucket of ride-hailing is a target for every internet company.


    Li Junyi fell silent for a moment before suddenly asking, "Mr. Lu, when will you come to Beijing again?"


    "Probably next month, or even later," Lu Liang answered.


    "How about I inform you in person when you are here?" Li Junyi suggested.


    "Hmm, that''s all we can do then."


    After ending the call with Li Junyi, Lu Liang was taken aback, suspecting that DiDi might have committed no small offense, but in this way, the geographical advantage was definitely on his side, leaving the other two elements of timing and harmony yet to be obtained.


    He wondered when he could gather them all.


    In the afternoon, Lu Liang returned to Sinograin No.1 to have Li Manli help pack his suitcase, and he boarded the flight to Hai Island.


    At a little past eight in the evening, the plane landed at Boao Airport, where he met Lei Jun, Wang Chuanfu, and others at the airport entrance.


    "Mr. Lu, the world really is small, we met yesterday and here we are meeting again," Lei Jun said with a smile and a wave.


    Wang Chuanfu also smiled and said, "Mr. Lu, it''s been a long time. How about joining us for dinner later?"


    "The big brother''s arrangements are fine," Lu Liang said with a gesture of respect.


    Old Wang''s expression darkened, and he couldn''t help but curse with a laugh, "Don''t call me big brother, I agreed to it once before, and as a result, you poached dozens of engineers from me."


    "Big brother, let''s not bring up unhappy things, right, Mr. Lei?"


    Lu Liang looked profoundly at Lei Jun, turning his head towards him.


    Lei Jun had silently visited Tianxing in Beijing while he was away, fortunately, most of their employees were poached from other companies.


    Each one had signed a three-year labor and non-compete contract; otherwise, he would probably share Wang Chuanfu''s empathic misery.


    "Mr. Lu is right, Mr. Wang, let''s not bring up unhappy things again," said Lei Jun.


    Feeling embarrassed, Lei Jun chuckled awkwardly, "Gentlemen, although the sea breeze is intoxicating, how about we settle in the hotel first and then have a good chat, what do you think?"


    "You guys~"


    Old Wang shook his head with a bitter smile, feeling world-weary.


    Although Lei Jun didn''t manage to poach from Tianxing, he did poach from BYD, and not only from Tianxing and Xiaomi, but almost every company like Weiliao had poached from BYD several times.


    Eventually, BYD would be plucked clean by these people.


    "Mr. Wang, I''ll see you later then."


    Lu Liang and Lei Jun exchanged glances and an awkward smile, quickly got into their respective back seats, and headed to their destination.


    Twenty minutes later, the car crossed a sea bridge and arrived at the permanent venue of the Asian Forum.


    A naturally formed Hai Island, with an area of 2,600 acres, connected by two sea bridges at each end, guaranteed the highest level of security.


    Be it vehicles or invited guests, everyone had to disembark for inspection, ensuring a worry-free environment.


    Because this was the inaugural World New Energy Automobile Conference, many leaders from Beijing would be attending.


    Hai Island was just the host of the venue; the actual organizers were the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Beijing Municipal Government, the Science Department, the Energy Department, the Market Supervision General Administration, and other heavyweight departments jointly organizing the event.


    The development of new energy was a national strategy, and there was no doubt about that.

 Chapter 372 - 369: Big Shots Gathered

    "East Island..."


    The vehicles and people smoothly passed through security and entered the island via the cross-sea bridge that spanned just over three hundred meters.


    A nearly forkless ocean road stretched for two kilometers, leading directly to the Asian Forum Hotel.


    Past nine o''clock in the evening, the entrance of the hotel was bustling. Li Bing, Li Xiang, and He Xiaopeng also seemed to have just arrived, and they were chatting happily.


    "Tianxing''s Mr. Lu has arrived."


    Suddenly someone called out, and everyone immediately turned their gaze toward the car that had just come to a stop.


    Last night''s social event had catapulted Lu Liang into becoming a bridge for communication between Eastern and Western capital, but he was not a traditional ''comprador''.


    Lu Liang had the strength to directly engage with Western capital and even faintly held an advantage, which was why they would bother traveling all the way to Modu.


    "Mr. He, long time no see."


    Lu Liang flashed a smile as he greeted He Xiaopeng; Li Bing and Li Xiang could wait since they were almost like insiders.


    "Miss Wang, you seem to be everywhere." Suddenly, he turned to look at the media gathered at the entrance to take photos, and Wang Chuting was conspicuous among them.


    "Mr. Lu, I''m a special media invitee for this conference." Wang Chuting replied with a beaming smile, flaunting her access badge on her chest.


    In recent years, as the self-media industry rapidly developed, both domestic and international propaganda agencies had recognized the importance of self-media.


    This conference had invited not only official media from various countries but also many domestic self-media practitioners.


    Wang Chuting had nearly ten million followers on Douyin and several hundred thousand followers on TK.


    Her work in the ninth business Hall of Fame distinguished her from other self-media practitioners, making her an unofficial yet official media person, naturally meriting an invitation from the conference organizers.


    The two exchanged brief pleasantries, without saying much, giving onlookers the impression they were merely ordinary friends.


    "Mr. Lu, how about we have dinner together later?"


    Li Bing was all smiles and very enthusiastic.


    As one of the new energy enterprises invested in by Lu Liang, the media would inevitably compare them, and they would be keen to compete behind the scenes.


    The cumulative sales of the NIO ES8 reached three thousand, which seemed respectable, but it was premature to compare it to the Li Xiang ONE, which had sales figures over ten thousand.


    He was under a lot of pressure, especially since he was short of money lately. NIO''s battery swapping stations were like gold-sucking monsters that never seemed to have enough funding.


    "Just a moment, Mr. Lei from Xiaomi and Mr. Wang from BYD are just behind and almost here."


    Lu Liang asked Xu Jiawei to first take care of check-in procedures and then sat down with the three from Weiliao to chat casually in some spot.


    When it came to the theme of the conference, new era, new transformation, new industries ¨C it could all be summed up in one sentence: accelerating industry development.


    As the permanent venue for the conference, Hai Island aimed to be at the forefront by banning the sale of fuel cars by 2030 in order to transform into a free trade port focused on environmental technology.


    "Congratulations, Mr. He," Lu Liang said to He Xiaopeng.


    Last year, during a company retreat, he had visited Hai Island, which at the time had been invited by provincial authorities hoping for Tianxing to cooperate with Haima.


    But Lu Liang didn''t want to deal with a state enterprise that was beyond redemption, nor did he want to support the useless, so he proposed an acquisition instead.


    The conversation ended there,


    and shortly after, news spread that Haima had entered into cooperation with Xiao Peng.


    Hai Island planned to completely ban the sale of fuel cars by 2030 and create a brand-new free trade port.


    As a ''son-in-law'' who had married into the family, Xiao Peng was expected to be one of the biggest beneficiaries of this new energy vehicle conference.


    Li Bing and Li Xiang wore strange expressions while He Xiaopeng could only offer a wry smile, "Mr. Lu, Xiao Peng''s production base isn''t on Hai Island."


    The business environment on Hai Island was mediocre at best, and after his assessment, he decided, together with Haima, to build the plant in Zhengzhou.


    The ''son-in-law'' who had run off with the only daughter ¨C whether he could now reap the whirlwind of extreme wealth was still a matter of debate.


    "Uh... Mr. Lei and Mr. Wang seem to have arrived."


    Lu Liang was momentarily lost for words; although he hadn''t personally made an assessment, it was obvious that Xiao Peng had managed to drag Haima away.


    One could guess that describing the environment as "average" was an understatement ¨C "appalling" would probably be more accurate.


    "Mr. Lei, you''ve also come?"


    "Talk is talk, but there''s no intention of car manufacturing."


    "But if Xiaomi has no intention of making cars, why would they cooperate with Jihu to develop their vehicle infotainment system?"


    Mr. Lei''s appearance was no less impactful than Lu Liang''s. Back in the day, the launch of the Red Rice at 799 set off the era of thousand-yuan smartphones.


    In recent years, as the mobile phone business has become increasingly saturated, Xiaomi has become addicted to cross-industry expansion, stirring up the industry with its Internet of Things plan that connects everything in one network, living out the dreams once dreamt by LeEco.


    Since Mr. Lei is here tonight, it''s clear he doesn''t want to hide anymore. He is openly admitting that Xiaomi is indeed interested in entering the new energy sector.


    Now that Xiaomi is on the field, it makes one wonder whether other smartphone manufacturers like OV, Huawei, and Apple might be entertaining the same idea.


    The leaders of the joint-venture car companies suddenly felt overwhelmed, with the relentless national promotion and the constant influx of new and old players from various industries.


    The time left for them seemed short, and it looked like they couldn''t count their money while lying on their merit certificates anymore.


    "Mr. Lei''s entrance is indeed extraordinary," Lu Liang quipped sarcastically. Mr. Lei chuckled, not having a chance to respond, when a hearty laugh suddenly erupted, "Tonight is really lively."


    The golden Hermes shone brightly as Old Xu approached with a beaming smile, "How can I, Old Xu, miss out on such a lively scene?"


    Hengtai, which claimed a 20-billion RMB investment in Hengchi cars, had already set up a factory in Jinmen. If all went well, the first car model would be launched next year.


    As the newly crowned First Rich of the Chinese, Old Xu''s appearance prompted a never-ending stream of people greeting and fawning over him.


    After all, unlike his predecessor, Old Wang, Old Xu was known for his generous splurging and easy spending.


    One day it might be a billion-level small project, the next day a ten-billion-level major project¡ªand he could actually afford it.


    Even Li Bing was eager to interact with Old Xu, their company NIO needed such a dupable deep pocket to join in.


    "Mr. Lu, long time no see."


    With a smile, Old Xu made his way through the crowd and came straight up to Lu Liang, "I heard that Modu was even more exciting last night. Alas, I was in France at the time and couldn''t join¡ªthe regret of a lifetime."


    He talked about being busy in the past couple of months, leading a 20-person team through five countries and eight cities, covering a total flight distance of over 50,000 kilometers.


    He had only just returned to the embrace of the motherland.


    "I''ve heard," Lu Liang said with a nonchalant smile, catching Old Xu''s show-offy tone. The news had covered his extravagant spending journey.


    Initially claiming to invest 20 billion in car manufacturing, the factory was not even completed before he had already splashed out 18 billion RMB acquiring various technologies, likely intending to revive the glory of Wan Guozao with Hengchi.


    "But it''s still no match for you, Mr. Lu, with fifty billion US Dollars¡ªwhen you say you''ll invest, you do," Old Xu sighed.


    At the start of the year when he made this plan, he had hoped that it would make Hengchi and his name known worldwide.


    But just as he began implementing the plan, Lu Liang had gone to New York and was treated with exceptional respect.


    Not only was he invited to converse with Old Te in the White House, but he also invested 5 billion in Detroit.


    That''s over 33 billion RMB.


    Compared to Lu Liang, the whole Hengchi seemed to fade into insignificance.


    "Enough with the mutual flattery," Wang Chuanfu said with a grim face. "Let''s find a place to get something to eat." Each person present had at one time poached people from BYD.


    He considered his treatment of employees generous, yet why were his people so easily lured away?


    "Mr. Wang has a point, gentlemen, please come this way," the executives from Weiliao smiled and assented, playing the part of mood makers.


    Outside, they were hailed as new industry giants, but in front of these few, they could only bow and scrape, seeing themselves as errand boys.


    No need to mention Lu Liang, the only born-and-bred Chinese in so many years to make it internationally and get recognized by Wall Street institutions as a financial titan.


    Old Xu, the Chinese First Rich, head of Hengtai, with a personal wealth of over 280 billion. Old Wang, the head of BYD, the old industry stalwart, and a leading figure in the new energy industry.


    Even Mr. Lei, who was known as the "Cash King of Beijing" before Xiaomi was even founded, not to mention now with an estimated valuation of 45 billion US Dollars about to take Xiaomi Group public.


    As the several people departed, they left behind a throng of media pondering deeply, "Such is the life of a great man."


    Though not explicitly said, they knew he was talking about Lu Liang, born in ''85, just 32 years old, conspicuously young among those in their 50s, 60s, and 70s. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Crucially, at his age, he should have been standing like a lackey like Li Bing and Li Xiang, but instead, he was one of the most central figures.


    "Miss Wang, it seems unlikely that anyone else will come now. May I have the honor of joining you for dinner?"


    A journalist refocused his intentions¡ªinstead of envying the unreachable, it was better to focus on the present.


    "I''m sorry, but I have to edit a piece later."


    Wang Chuting gently declined, her glance unconsciously following Lu Liang''s retreating figure, her affections overflowing like spring water, barely concealable.


    She dreaded encountering Lu Liang at these events, because whenever he appeared, he would inevitably become the center of attention.


    She would feel excited and agitated, and had to clench her thighs tightly to hide her overwhelming emotions.

 Chapter 373 - 370: The Responsibilities of Council Members

    As night fell and the dinner gathering ended, Lu Liang washed up and prepared for bed.


    Suddenly, his phone rang, accompanied by a faint knocking at the door. Wang Chuting sent a text, concise and to the point, "Open the door. It''s me."


    As the door opened, Wang Chuting couldn''t wait to embrace him, murmuring to herself, "I''ve taken my bath, been waiting for you for so long."


    No foreplay, very direct...


    "Do you have some kind of weird preference?"


    Afterward, Lu Liang looked perplexed, finding it quite odd, it seemed to be the same last time in Wuzhen.


    Logically, in such serious occasions, one should restrain themselves and not show any hint of impropriety.


    Wang Chuting did the opposite, the more formal and grand the event, the more excited she got.


    Being both unmarried, if someone saw them, they would simply say, Mr. Lu really has personality.


    So Lu Liang didn''t mind.


    "That''s not it. I just thought your room was bigger, so I wanted to come over and see."


    Wang Chuting quickly denied, feeling ashamed since Lu Liang already knew one of her weaknesses from the last time.


    "Is that so?" Lu Liang''s lips curved into a mischievous smile as he suddenly swept Wang Chuting into his arms, his fingers gliding from her calf to her ankle.


    Suddenly grasping her size 38 foot, Wang Chuting at a height of 177 cm, didn''t have small feet, but they were delicate and beautiful.


    She was well aware that her tall stature and long legs were exceptional assets. No matter how busy or tired, she always took care of them with foot masks.


    "No no no, tell tell tell~"


    Wang Chuting felt something was wrong and couldn''t hide her feelings any longer. She spilled the beans, every time she saw Lu Liang at a grand event, receiving all the attention, she got very excited.


    Such a powerful man, willingly under her spell, gave her an indescribable feeling.


    Hearing that, Lu Liang pinned her down, "I''ll give you a chance to organize your thoughts. Take your time and say it."


    "It''s, it''s under my pomegranate skirt."


    Wang Chuting had an arrogant expression, proud of her stubbornness, even though she was the one being pinned down.


    She was confident that over time, in the long-standing tug-of-war, she could turn the tables, a natural advantage of being a woman.


    ...


    The conference lasted three days.


    The first day was the opening performance and speeches by leaders, with fourteen high-ranked officials from different countries giving speeches.


    Among them were African "brothers." Although they faced problems with stable power supply and their fuel vehicles lasted 200,000 kilometers before requiring tuning,


    East Country had the world''s top ultra-high voltage and photovoltaic technologies and the patience to help them develop together.


    Despite the inevitable controversies and the possibility that the efforts could span ten years, twenty years, or even half a century,


    If they didn''t do this, how could they break the century-old technological barriers of Europe and America? They had developed quickly but started too slowly and had to forge a new path.


    Their achievements would benefit the present, their advantages the future,


    Time would prove their choices were correct.


    The second day, a plenary conference was held.


    "New trends in cross-industry fusion of new energy vehicles"


    was one of the key topics of the conference.


    Wang Chuanfu, as a council member and industry representative, spoke on stage, planning to accelerate the electrification of urban transport within five years, starting in key cities such as the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau region this year.


    Lu Liang also spoke as a council member and finance industry representative, proposing concepts like financial technology.


    Unlike Ant Financial, which boasted about new financial technology with its left hand saving and the right hand lending,


    he was genuinely aiming to use the market''s assistance to spur the development of domestic new energy industries.


    By accepting the title of council member, Lu Liang also reaped the benefits and shouldered some responsibilities.


    Simply put, whether or not he had an ownership stake in a company, he could be approached for help with listing and financing.


    "The combination of finance and new energy technology will surely accelerate the development of the industry."


    Originally limited to ten minutes, Lu Liang spoke for fifteen, but no one in the audience raised any objections.


    Because by now, he had the ability and the qualifications to speak on behalf of financial practitioners.


    For businesses, financing was difficult, especially for manufacturing enterprises, and Lu Liang''s words essentially opened a new avenue for their financing.


    On the third day, there were three thematic summits, together with the latest technology displays from domestic and international automobile-related enterprises.


    In a 5000 square meter technology exhibition area, a total of 329 cutting-edge technologies related to new energy vehicles from around the world were displayed.


    The committee selected eight outstanding global technologies, and Lu Liang also met a familiar face, Zhu Xiaoxin from DJI.


    But this time, she wasn''t representing DJI. Instead, she attended the conference as the co-founder of Suteng Juchuang.


    The unmanned vehicle radar technology from Suteng Juchuang received extremely high praise from the committee and ranked at the top of the eight technologies.


    "Professor Zhu, we meet again."


    Lu Liang coveted that technology quite a bit.


    Although it was uncertain whether the vision technology or radar technology for new energy would become the mainstream of the future market,


    it didn''t stop him from deciding to outfit his future new cars with both, even if it meant increased costs.


    First, create the most high-end car, and later, depending on the situation, gradually downgrade it to cut manufacturing costs.


    "Mr. Lu, your speech yesterday was truly eye-opening," Zhu Xiaoxin said with admiration.


    "Professor Zhu, are you teasing me for not cooperating with DJI before?" Lu Liang said with a smile.


    "No, it has nothing to do with the cooperation matter."


    Zhu Xiaoxin was serious, and even though she hadn''t been able to facilitate a partnership between DJI and Tianxing, she had a good impression of Lu Liang.


    In the domestic financial circles, Lu Liang''s status was unmatched, and he was also renowned on the international market.


    Under normal circumstances, someone at his level would inevitably choose to go international and join the global capital.


    Finance and industry were supposed to complement each other, but for some reason, they had gradually become oppositional.


    Those in finance looked down on industry, thinking that making money was too slow and required a massive investment, which was very foolish.


    Those in industry couldn''t see the value in finance, regarding financial people as unable to create any societal value, simply blood-sucking parasites.


    Old Jia''s PPT car-making model emerged during this time, truly a culmination.


    Yet Lu Liang went against the grain, unwaveringly planning and investing heavily in the new energy industry.


    Returning to the essence of finance, to aid the development of the industry, people in technology would naturally have a favorable impression of him. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Professor Zhu, your praise might make my head a little too big," Lu Liang said, turning a bit red-faced and slightly embarrassed.


    Others admired him for his money, which he could understand, but being praised by a national progress award winner made him a bit uncomfortable.


    It was like courting a woman, they could ask him for anything, and as long as he was happy, he would give it, but not to ask for emotional attachment.


    He knew he wasn''t worthy, nor would he accept it.


    "Mr. Lu, you deserve it."


    Zhu Xiaoxin spoke frankly. Lu Liang could only smile wryly and shift the conversation, "Professor Zhu, does Suteng Juchuang''s participation in the exhibition with its unmanned vehicle radar technology mean it''s ready for production use?"


    Zhu Xiaoxin nodded. The reason for participating in the exhibition was, firstly, to find partners and secondly, to seek investment.


    Lu Liang thought for a moment and then gave a friendly reminder, "Professor Zhu, the Lou Shui New Energy Industrial Park in Su City provides financial support for enterprises that settle there."


    Of the initial 130 billion, only 30 billion was used to construct the park, with the remaining 100 billion provided for the development of enterprises in the park.


    He was not familiar with Suteng Juchuang, but a subsidiary line that could rival DJI''s flight control technology and garnered high recognition from the committee must have something worth considering.


    Rather than financing and selling equity at a low price, it''s better to join the Lou Shui New Energy Industrial Park and enjoy low-interest loans for five years.


    Zhu Xiaoxin was doubtful, "Does Lou Shui New Energy Industrial Park really have this policy support?"


    "Yes, but it hasn''t been announced yet."


    Lu Liang smiled slightly.


    This project had always been there, but that area was too busy with 17 listed companies all investing in building factories.


    The local departments were so overwhelmed they were nearly at their wits'' end, so the plan was temporarily hidden and not publicized.


    Zhu Xiaoxin suddenly realized, "Since Mr. Lu says so, then we will give it a try, thank you."


    "You''re welcome."

 Chapter 374 - 371: Offending Old Xu

    On the afternoon of the 17th, the conference declared its conclusion.


    The first New Energy Conference was somewhat hastily organized for two main reasons: firstly, East Country''s eagerness was widely known, resulting in limited participation from other countries.


    Secondly, it was constrained by the industry''s development; if the market could grow rapidly next year, the next conference would definitely be better.


    After the conference, Li Bing approached Lu Liang. Li Xiang noticed and quickly followed suit, as if afraid of missing something.


    "Still no response? I''ve got some things to take care of¡ªit''s a trip to Tokyo, and I should be able to get there the day after tomorrow."


    Lu Liang was discussing the imminent birth with Lu Ya when suddenly two figures appeared behind him.


    "Let''s leave it at that." Startled, he hung up quickly, casting a dark glance, "What do you want?"


    "Why don''t you go first, Mr. Li?" Li Bing and Li Xiang exchanged a glance and a smile as they suddenly deferred to each other.


    Lu Liang frowned and asked impatiently, "What is it, Li Bing? You go first." sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He would soon be rushing to catch a plane to Tokyo. Xu Jiawei had booked a ticket for a little past six,


    from chicken feet to chicken feed, roughly a five-hour journey, likely landing around midnight.


    "Mr. Lu, the board has decided that NIO will officially start preparing for an IPO," Li Bing hurriedly said.


    If it went public in China, with just one model and a little over three thousand in sales, NIO would never make it in this lifetime.


    But US stocks were different; if Old Jia''s PPT company could prepare to go public, then why not them since they had already built a factory and started sales?


    NIO was currently valued at approximately 4.5 billion US dollars, and they planned to release 20% of their equity for IPO financing.


    "Go ahead with the preparations, and let me know if you need any help."


    Lu Liang calculated the time and felt it was about right.


    The seeds he had planted two years ago would bear fruit over the next year or two.


    He turned to Li Xiang: "Does Li Xiang also want to go public?"


    Li Xiang shook his head hastily, smiling sheepishly, "Mr. Lu, Li Xiang plans to hold a Series D financing round at the end of the month."


    Li Xiang''s development path differed from NIO''s; the response to ONE was very positive, and he aimed to increase the valuation before going public, aiming for at least ten billion US dollars.


    But now, the company was running out of funds again, despite the sales breaking ten thousand, with over seven thousand units yet to be delivered.


    Along with investing ten billion with the Lifan Group for a production base, they were about to start building the second phase.


    Money was needed on all fronts.


    Lu Liang rubbed his temples and contemplated for a moment: "Then go ahead with the financing; let me know if you''re short on funds, but I won''t have much time at the end of the month and probably won''t be there in person."


    He suddenly admired Shen Peng and Zhu Hu; with Redwood and Golden Sand River''s large portfolios, they invested in a hundred companies each year.


    Picking out one or two from hundreds, following through until the IPO, and then reaping tens or hundreds of times the investment were truly enviable feats.


    After all, Lu Liang mainly invested in four companies, and other than Douyin, which he handed over to Byte, could slightly relax him.


    The other three¡ªPanda, NIO, and Li Xiang¡ªdidn''t allow him a moment''s peace, especially Panda, which was like being both a mother and a father.


    While they were talking, Old Xu walked over and joined the conversation. Hearing that Lu Liang would soon be heading to Tokyo, he enthusiastically invited, "Mr. Lu, what a coincidence! I was just planning to visit Toyota, how about we go together tomorrow at noon?"


    Last time in Yangcheng, they agreed that Lu Liang must experience his private jet, the mobile palace.


    It''s known that whenever he travels far, several lead dancers from the Hengtai Dance Troupe accompany him to add some artistic flair to the otherwise monotonous trip.


    Lu Liang was taken aback, even imagining the inside of the plane shaking. If he weren''t in a hurry, he''d indeed be intrigued.


    Last year, on the 42nd floor, he had an unforgettable experience with the Dunhuang squatting dances, each squat making his heart tremble.


    But he could only stay in Tokyo for a few days before heading off to Edinburgh; business awaited, and he had to decline Old Xu''s kind offer.


    Lu Liang apologetically said, "Mr. Xu, I''m truly sorry, but I have other matters to attend to and I''m a bit pressed for time. I''ve booked a flight for tonight and, regrettably, can''t accompany you."


    "Well then, we''ll talk next time."


    Mr. Xu frowned, his face already showing signs of embarrassment.


    After all, he was this year''s First Rich, and he even surpassed the First Rich of the East Country, directly becoming the richest Chinese in the world.


    A famous calligrapher even wrote a piece of calligraphy for him that contained an acrostic poem: ''Xu Emperor is outstanding and great''.


    Yet after being repeatedly invited, he had been turned down by Lu Liang, which displeased him greatly.


    Although Lu Liang helped him earn nearly a billion, that was not a reason for Lu Liang to neglect him.


    "Gentlemen, Mr. Li and Mr. Xu, I''ll see you next time."


    Lu Liang couldn''t be bothered to ponder over Mr. Xu''s hidden intentions and, without looking back, he got into the car.


    Whether it was finance or car manufacturing, he was an outsider, but real estate was his destined career.


    Especially now that he knew more,


    The inflated property market was merely to counteract the quantitative easing of the US Dollar.


    A single credit withdrawal forced Wanda to amputate for survival and made Old Wang fall from his pedestal. Mr. Xu, who was so arrogant, would sooner or later face trouble.


    Real estate conglomerates might be formidable, tied to the livelihood of hundreds of millions, but what''s mighty is the industry, not the individuals or businesses.


    If Wanda falls, Hengtai might stand up; if Hengtai falls, it could be Country Garden, Rongchuang, or perhaps Huaxin that rises.


    A group that could be replaced, a First Rich that could be replaced, didn''t intimidate Lu Liang in the slightest. If he offended, then so be it.


    At six twenty, the plane took off from Boao Airport, stopped over at Modu for half an hour, and arrived in Tokyo in the early hours of the morning.


    Wen Chao had received the news early and from eleven p.m., he had been waiting at the airport for Lu Liang''s arrival.


    "How''s the situation in Detroit? Is our cooperation with General Motors still smooth?"


    As Lu Liang walked, he asked. Initially, Ota Ling, that old fox, had detained his assets in Tokyo under the pretext of asset protection.


    He simply went with the flow, investing all the money he earned in Tokyo into the United States, making the father ask his son for money.


    The results proved to be very effective. The two hundred million dollars flowed silky smooth from Tokyo to the joint factory in Detroit.


    Because it was under the name of Xingheng Investment Company, Wen Chao was fully responsible for this matter, and Lu Liang normally didn''t intervene.


    Wen Chao replied, "Mr. Lu, the project is progressing very smoothly. President Trump and General Motors have been looking after us, and the 48 engineers arranged by Vice President Wang also arrived in Detroit smoothly half a month ago, joining General Motors'' R&D project."


    In this period, he had visited Detroit twice.


    The first time was to sign the factory construction contract with the funds, and the second time was to take the 48 engineers dispatched by Wang Xiaofeng to discuss the joint development of a new car chassis with General Motors.


    President Trump was different from other leaders. The first time Wen Chao went there, he was warmly received, and President Trump even took him for a tour around General Motors, as if endorsing him.


    So much so that he felt surprisingly honored.


    Lu Liang smirked and said, "Don''t treat him like a national leader but as a shrewd businessman, and you''ll find that all his actions are traceable, though they don''t conform to our definition of maturity and stability, but he maximizes his own interests."


    He had learned the hard way about preconceptions; thinking a national leader should be mature, steady, methodical, and sparing in speech and laughter.


    However, Trump proved to be an outlier, running the country like a company. As long as there was profit to be made, personal reputation mattered little.


    He knew well that respect is earned, not given by others. Even if he was the capricious and erratic Joker, it wouldn''t change the fact that he was the leader of the mightiest country on this planet.


    Wen Chao pondered, and it did indeed seem that way.


    During their conversation, the two arrived at the airport''s underground parking lot, where Wen Chao and his assistant had brought three cars.


    Two Mercedes and one van; one for Lu Liang, one for the security personnel, and one for himself.


    Lu Liang got into the back seat of the Mercedes and rolled down the window to instruct, "Wen Chao, it''s getting late, you should head back to rest early. Arrange a meeting with Ota Ling for me tomorrow afternoon, tell him I''ve already arrived."


    Having said this, he also told his driver, "Go to the Kanzaki Apartment in Roppongi."


    The last time he left, Lu Liang mentioned he would return in about one or two months; he was not breaking his word, and he wondered how Erii and Miyuki, mother and daughter, were doing recently.

 Chapter 375 - 372: After Entering the Pass, a Great Confucian Will Debate on My Behalf

    "Sir, welcome home."


    Before departing from Hai Island in the afternoon, Lu Liang had informed them; just like Wen Chao, Erii and Miyuki were well-prepared at home early on.


    As soon as he entered the door, he was greeted with an emperor-like reception: one tall and one short, they kneeled on the porch to welcome his return.


    Removing shoes and socks, Lu Liang didn''t have to lift a finger, a warm cup of tea for rinsing his mouth, and a hot towel for his face.


    Miyazaki Erii had been a lady of high society in Tokyo, but her family had fallen on hard times a year ago, exhaustively trying to repay debts.


    Now, without the worry of debts, she had a mansion to enter, a luxury car to drive, and like dusting off a pearl, she restored her former brilliance.


    Lu Liang finally remembered who she resembled, Wan Qian, not incredibly stunning but the more one looked, the more she possessed a tranquil and elegant demeanor.


    Particularly similar were their lips, distinctly M-shaped, sensual yet graceful, with the corners slightly upturned, giving off a warm and soft feeling.


    Yet the way she looked at Lu Liang was complicated, filled with indescribable emotions, partly gratitude and partly resentment, much like the female characters in domestic prime-time ethical dramas.


    "Sir, please go bath first. I will scrub your back for you. Mom doesn''t know when you''ll be here, so dinner isn''t ready yet."


    Sakurada Miyuki, seemingly aware of the reason, didn''t ask for Lu Liang''s opinion for the first time and hurriedly pulled him toward the bathroom.


    The slight wetness of the light yukata revealed the beautiful figure of a young girl; she was even one year younger than Li Manli.


    "Miyuki, what''s wrong with your mother?"


    Lu Liang closed his eyes to savor the moment as Miyuki washed his hair and cleansed his body, carefully supporting him as he stepped into the bath.


    He suddenly realized that he seemed a bit single-minded, always favoring 18-year-old girls, though 19-year-olds were also fine.


    The charm of young girls, easy to coax, with fair, powder-soft skin.


    "After the last time I saw you, mother looked you up on Wikipedia."


    After cleaning herself, Miyuki also stepped into the bath, her delicate back pressed tightly against Lu Liang''s chest.


    Feeling a certain revival, perhaps due to the steam or perhaps due to shyness, a blush spread across her cheeks.


    "So she knows, it was me who caused your family''s bankruptcy?"


    Lu Liang squinted his eyes; there wasn''t much about him on the domestic Baidu encyclopedia, but Wikipedia had very detailed information.


    From the profession he pursued after graduation to the companies he invested in over the years and the international financial battles he took part in.


    Last year, two cases were highlighted: one was in mid-February''s Brexit referendum short sell of British Pounds, single-handedly defeating Wall Street institutions led by Quantum Fund.


    The other was in mid-July''s affair in the US Dollar¨Cyen foreign exchange market, single-handedly defeating Wall Street institutions led by JPMorgan''s black ops.


    During that time, Lu Liang''s actions in the US Dollar¨Cyen foreign exchange market indirectly led to the Sakurada Family''s ruin; Miyuki lost her father, and Erii became a widow.


    "Neither Mom nor I blame you; it''s just that she''s not yet ready to accept it," Miyuki hastily explained.


    She studied economics at JD, very aware that if not for her, Lu Liang might have spent his whole life unaware of this matter.


    Just like the butterfly in the Amazon rainforest, fluttering its wings suddenly, only to cause a hurricane in Texas two weeks later. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Would people blame the butterfly for this event?


    Clearly not.


    At that time, Lu Liang made only about a billion US Dollars; even multiplied a hundredfold to a hundred billion US Dollars, it couldn''t cause the US Dollar¨Cyen exchange rate to fall by 9.81%.


    It was all market behavior; there was no distinction between good and evil.


    If one really had to hold someone accountable, then the responsibility of Tokyo''s three major commercial banks¡ªMizuho, Mitsubishi Tokyo, and Mitsui Sumitomo¡ªwas definitely much greater than that of Lu Liang.


    Capital chases profit; to prevent their assets from devaluing during the yen depreciation, they wouldn''t hesitate to kick them further down, burying millions of National citizens.


    This was also the most classic case in economic textbooks: during economic downturns, the rich get richer, and the poor get poorer.


    Because the wealthy knew when to hedge their funds, even joining foreign capital to short their national currency.


    The poor could only watch helplessly, powerless to fight back, passively suffering with the country, becoming sacrificial lambs of the market.


    Her father was just too greedy; had he done nothing, even if the $340,000 salary became the purchasing power of only $300,000, their family could still live well.


    Lu Liang smiled, pinched Miyuki''s delicate chin, and whispered, "After entering the gate, there will always be great scholars to argue on my behalf."


    He finally understood why the US Army, clearly half invasive and half colonial, still received respect in Japan and Korea.


    Although civilization has developed over thousands of years, its undercurrent has never changed, which is the survival of the fittest, where the strong are honored.


    "What does that mean?"


    Sakurada Miyuki cocked her head, baffled.


    Although she was preparing for her Chinese certification, she still couldn''t grasp some profound phrases.


    Was the "entry" she considered to be that of the Qing Dynasty? And what did "great Confucian debating scriptures" mean?


    "Let''s get up, or your mother will think we''re up to something in here."


    Lu Liang smiled and didn''t explain. He patted Miyuki on the head but accidentally hit her a little too hard as he stood up.


    "If you know, then you know."


    Miyuki grunted a few times and, while scrubbing Lu Liang''s back, her face suddenly turned crimson as she hesitantly said, "Mom told me not to take any more precautions and to have a baby with you soon."


    Her mother had spoken secretly to her about it, but she felt it was a matter for both of them, and she didn''t want to have a baby so soon.


    She hadn''t even completed her studies.


    "Then let''s talk about it later."


    Lu Liang chuckled lightly and suddenly thought of Erii, standing outside the door; clearly, this lady was not as innocent as she appeared.


    Although their living conditions were very good, everything was provided by Lu Liang, and he could take it all back with just a thought.


    The moment Lu Liang stopped liking Miyuki or her, everything before her eyes would vanish like smoke, and she would still have to continue repaying debts.


    But having a child was different; it signified an eternal bond with Lu Liang, indissoluble and incredibly complicated.


    Before long, Lu Liang, dressed in a bathrobe, stepped out of the bathroom.


    Erii quickly approached, with a smile, offering him a cup of water at just the right temperature: "Sir, dinner is ready."


    Her Chinese wasn''t very good and her pronunciation was very heavy, but it was clear she had put effort into learning, only her age didn''t allow her to pick it up as quickly as younger people.


    The dining table was set with four dishes and a soup, not the small yet refined style of Japanese cuisine, but more like the hearty Guangdong Cantonese dishes.


    It was obvious that she had done her research; when one is uncertain about a person''s tastes, choosing Cantonese cuisine minimizes the chance of a mishap.


    As long as the ingredients are fresh, even the lightest dish can be palatable, unlike others that might be too spicy, too salty, or too sweet.


    Lu Liang leaned on the water bar, looking out at the night view of the Roppongi streets through an entire wall of floor-to-ceiling windows.


    He glanced at Miyuki, who was blow-drying her hair in the bathroom, and whispered softly, "Madam, you know that I am Lu Liang."


    Lu Liang wanted to understand Erii''s thoughts; judging by the way Miyuki was brought up, they must have had a very happy life before.


    But Miyuki was still young and bore a striking resemblance to Nakamori Akina, which touched the softest spot in Ota Ling''s heart.


    So even though their family fortune declined, she herself hadn''t really suffered, and her life had gone from good to even better.


    Erii''s situation was different, though; after decades spent alongside her partner, his departure left her, who lacked life skills, wandering for nearly a year, as if falling from heaven to hell.


    Lu Liang wanted to know what Erii was thinking; her attitude would determine his own toward mother and daughter.


    He didn''t want any instability around him; even though he did not often come to Tokyo, he did not want any potential threats lurking.


    Lu Liang looked at Erii, who let out a sigh: "I harbored resentment, but he is gone, never to return."


    "Sir, please don''t call me Madam anymore. You can call me Miyazaki, or Erii."


    When she found out that Lu Liang was the one who had shorted the Japanese yen, indirectly leading to her husband''s suicide, her world seemed to collapse. But as time passed, the affluent lifestyle gradually smoothed over her grudge.


    She was getting older, but her daughter was still young. They both enjoyed their current lives and had learned to reconcile with themselves.


    No blame could be laid on Lu Liang or her husband, because he had only risked all to provide a better life for his family.


    "Sir, there are many things in the world like this, where it''s not necessary to distinguish right from wrong, nor is there always a need to find someone to blame."


    Unconsciously, Erii glanced at Miyuki, her face showing a hint of tender, motherly love: "You treat Miyuki very well and take care of both of us."


    Lu Liang''s mouth curved into a smile, pleased with Erii''s response, and took a sip of water from his cup: "Madam, let''s dine together. Whether it be Miyazaki or Sakurada, you are Miyuki''s mother."


    Erii was momentarily lost in thought, feeling a long-absent respect; her heart warmed, and she bowed gracefully: "Of course, sir. After you."


    With his words, Lu Liang had made it clear: she was Miyuki''s mother, and she would always be his madam.

 Chapter 376 - 373: Bitcoin

    The next morning, Lu Liang had breakfast while browsing international news.


    As the old saying goes, a tender hometown can be a hero''s grave, and this upscale apartment in Tokyo was a perfect illustration.


    The girlfriends Lu Liang had back in China, such as Su Wanyu, Wang Chuting, and Zhang Tian''ai, all had strong individual personalities.


    Among them, Li Manli was the most dependent, but she was young and lacked systematic education.


    Sometimes, her dependency on Lu Liang could only be expressed through lovemaking, hugging, cuddling, and cosplaying as characters to show her love.


    But Sakurada Miyuki was different. She had a mother who had been a housewife for twenty years and knew very well how to make the male head of the household feel comfortable and authoritative.


    She spoke softly and acted so cautiously that even drinking a cup of water or going to the restroom had to be reported to Lu Liang first.


    Not only Miyuki behaved this way, but her mother did as well.


    It gave Lu Liang a sense of control, as if he had a God''s perspective over them.


    Last night was the same. A little pat on the behind was a cue to change positions. When Lu Liang showed signs of being tired, Miyuki would suggest riding on top.


    In short, it was very comfortable, satisfying him greatly both psychologically and physically.


    "Enjoy your meal, I have to go now. I won''t be back tonight as I have to make a trip to Europe."


    Lu Liang picked up a towel from the table and wiped the corners of his mouth. Erii quickly stood up and went to fetch Lu Liang''s suitcase.


    "Sir, I''ve washed, dried, and ironed all your clothes."


    She opened the 18-inch suitcase where three sets of clothes were neatly arranged and separated by garment bags.


    Each bag was labeled with a tag, with the Chinese characters written as if painted on, such as ''black POLO shirt'' and ''blue washed denim jeans.''


    Meanwhile, Miyuki took an iced glass from the fridge and poured some lemon water that could cleanse the mouth and freshen the breath.


    "Thank you."


    Lu Liang grabbed his suitcase, and the mother and daughter stood at the door, watching him leave.


    Not until Lu Liang''s figure had disappeared did Erii turn to ask, "Meixue, did you eat?"


    "I did." Miyuki blushed and nodded, while Erii frowned and asked, "Why?"


    If their daughter could bear Lu Liang a child, it would become their foundation for a secure life.


    She had whispered to Miyuki the night before that if it didn''t work once, try twice or three times; sooner or later, it would succeed.


    Miyuki fell silent for a long while, then suddenly said, "I haven''t even finished my studies, I don''t want to be a mother so soon."


    She hooked her arm through her mother''s, pretending to be cheerful: "Sir gave us two months'' salary. As long as we can pay off our debts in three years, I would have graduated by then and could find a job. I will take care of you from that point."


    "But¡­"


    Erii hesitated, but seeing the stubbornness in her daughter''s eyes, she sighed, her face showing tenderness, "Thank you, Meixue. Mom is looking forward to that day."


    These words were probably only partially true.


    Because Erii, too, had been young once and knew what it meant for a nineteen-year-old girl to meet someone like Lu Liang, who treated her so well amidst utter despair.


    She transformed her dependence on her father to Lu Liang, and through physical intimacy, she gradually developed feelings for him.


    Every eighteen or nineteen-year-old girl has naive and pure thoughts, dreaming of settling down in one city, growing old with one person.


    On the other hand, Lu Liang arrived at the Tokyo Stock Exchange, where Xingheng Investment Company was also located in the same building.


    On working days, there was a surge of people in front of the exchange.


    The Nikkei 225 index, equivalent to the domestic A-share market, had recently experienced a mini bull market. The index rose from 17,982 points, climbing 2,000 points in just a few days, breaking through the 20,000-point threshold.


    Wen Chao smiled and said, "Mr. Lu, stock trading is rampant here in Japan and Korea, somewhat like Xiangjiang back home."


    "Tokyo is still okay, but neighboring Han City is even more fantastical. I heard they''ve been trading something called Bitcoin recently."


    "It''s a new type of virtual currency supposedly available anywhere around the globe within five minutes as long as there''s internet access."


    "Its price rose from over eight hundred US dollars at the beginning of the year to more than two thousand last month, then suddenly plummeted by 45% overnight."


    "It''s now just over a thousand."


    Wen Chao''s eyes revealed a trace of scorn. Although Bitcoin claimed to have a fixed total supply and private transactions to eliminate the risk of inflation and tightening due to artificial money printing,


    he viewed it as no different from private lotteries concocted for scams in South Asian countries; only wrapped in a more high-end package.


    "A pile of shit can sell at the price of gold as long as it''s well packaged, and become sought-after by everyone."


    Lu Liang squinted his eyes, although it was sarcastic, there was no hint of disdain.


    [December 17, 2017, Bitcoin closing price $20,852]


    After the rate hike wave from the Federal Reserve at the end of the month, he planned to enter the market for some fun, the current price being $1,450 per coin, likely soaring to over twenty thousand by year-end to harvest a profit wave.


    He was just not sure whether this market could withstand it, how much capital it could accommodate, or, whether it was just a few big players entertaining themselves.


    Regardless, he would at most throw in one or two hundred million dollars, Liang would not use his own money, and planned to seek sponsorship from Mitsui Sumitomo.


    If he ended up trapped and became a long-term shareholder, he did not care, as it was not his own money, not painful at all.


    After more than a month, Xingheng Investment Company had seen over a dozen new faces.


    Liang came to Wen Chao''s office and suddenly saw a pink cartoon lunch box on the desk.


    It didn''t seem like something a man would use; he smiled and asked, "Did your girlfriend also come to Tokyo with you?"


    Liang had heard from Chen Jinchun that Wen Chao seemed single but actually had a girlfriend, who had been with him since high school for nearly a decade.


    Xiao Chen, this silly girl, known as the company''s gossip queen, had been deceived by online dating with Fang Shiyu daily, and Liang knew about it through her.


    003, without airs, everyday like a Husky, everyone was willing to chat with her more.


    "She did come, she found an internship at a law firm over on Third Street."


    Wen Chao smiled naively, showing a rare shyness, then hurriedly explained, "Her firm has no business dealings with our company."


    He didn''t want Liang to misconstrue that he was mixing personal gains with public duties; he was a master in economics from Fudan, and his girlfriend had a master''s in law from Shanghai Jiaotong.


    With slightly lowered standards, finding an intern position at a Tokyo law firm was relatively easy.


    Actually, she didn''t need to work as since being dispatched to Tokyo by Liang, his salary had directly jumped three levels.


    With properties under Boss Lu''s name, there was nothing to complain about the employee benefits, especially since he was an expatriate.


    His annual salary had skyrocketed from four hundred thousand RMB to five hundred thousand US Dollars, with housing and a car provided by the company.


    His girlfriend didn''t need to work, but she couldn''t just sit idle, specifically helping Chinese and Chinese-Americans with their legal cases.


    Liang chuckled lightly, a look of appreciation on his face: "How many years have you been together, when do you plan to get married?"


    He didn''t care, but Wen Chao''s candid attitude pleased him very much.


    "Almost ten years now, haven''t thought about getting married any time soon."


    They had confirmed their relationship in their second year of high school, spent four years in university, two and a half years for their master''s degrees, and had been working for nearly two years now.


    Wen Chao was momentarily dazed; if Boss Lu hadn''t asked, he might have not even felt it, ten years in the blink of an eye.


    Liang reflected: "There aren''t many decades in a lifetime, you''ve also been with her for so long, perhaps it''s time to consider it."


    A strange look flickered in Wen Chao''s eyes; he had also been Liang''s secretary for over a year and knew Boss Lu had a few too many romances.


    "Cherish a good partner when you meet one, don''t wait until you lose them to regret it desperately."


    Liang just smiled, not explaining too much.


    He hadn''t met the right person at the right time, so he didn''t believe in love, but he believed it existed.


    Just like when Liu Mingxuan got married, Liang didn''t believe he could be happy after marriage, but still wished him happiness.


    Always hoping for wonderful things to happen, even knowing they might never come to him.


    Wen Chao was silent for a long while, sincerely saying, "Thank you for the advice, Mr. Lu, I will consider it deeply."


    Boss Lu truly was a man with many stories, this conversation also letting him know that people are complex, multifaceted beings, not just black and white.


    "Just chatting, not a command, life''s big decisions still rely on one''s subjective judgment."


    Liang said smilingly, "If in the end you end up like me, I''ll just take you to New Field Exclave to unwind, and find you a favorite female teacher to soothe your wounded soul."


    Wen Chao was speechless, but smiled: "Yamakasi Aika seems quite popular recently, known as the ''dark world''s little overlord.''"


    As a considerate subordinate, one might not approve of the boss''s personal interests, but couldn''t afford not to accommodate them. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Especially when the boss was joking, he couldn''t just not play along.


    "A newcomer? I haven''t watched in a long time."


    "Probably is."


    While they were talking, the assistant knocked on the door,


    informing them that Ota Ling had arrived and was waiting in the reception room.

 Chapter 377 - 374: Earning Less Equals a Loss

    "Mr. Lu, I''ve missed you."


    Ota Ling pursed his lips, gripping Lu Liang''s hand tightly, his emotion similar to that of a daughter-in-law who finally becomes the mother-in-law.


    In the past month or two, the Nikkei index had risen by over 2000 points, and they, with nearly ten billion US dollars in their hands, could only stand by and watch.


    Mitsui Sumitomo, one of the three major commercial banks in Tokyo and among the ten largest in the world, had actually missed the boat in its own national financial market.


    This had put him under great pressure and led to some board members questioning him. A slight mishandling, and his next year''s rotation as chairman might be at risk.


    "Mr. Ota, I''ve arrived, haven''t I?"


    Lu Liang showed a smile, bringing good news.


    According to his observations, this big market movement was expected to start in the next few days, at the latest within ten days. However, the way they would cooperate this time would need to change a bit.


    Ota Ling''s brow tightened, "How will it change?"


    Lu Liang gestured for Wen Chao, who was outside the door, to come in and introduced him, "Mr. Ota, this is Wen Chao."


    "I''m acquainted, Mr. Wen manages your assets."


    Wen Chao had been in frequent contact with Ota Ling during his time in Tokyo; their relationship was not unfamiliar.


    He had even invited him to the highest standard of home banquet in Tokyo, which was politely declined.


    "Mr. Ota may not know that Wen Chao is being trained by me as my successor. Before coming to Tokyo, he was also the vice president of our private equity firm and the true person in charge."


    Hearing this, Ota Ling suddenly felt uneasy.


    The next second, Lu Liang''s words confirmed his suspicion, "I hope Wen Chao can join your Mitsui Sumitomo investment department as an informal consultant."


    "As Mr. Ota might know, a few days ago, our private fund issued its fourth phase, raising three billion US dollars."


    "Of the nearly eighty billion US dollars in the third phase fund, a large portion of the liquid assets will be used this time."


    "To avoid capital conflicts and ensure that everyone can make money, my suggestion is to pool the funds and concentrate our efforts."


    Lu Liang, with a smile on his lips, offered his generous suggestion without insisting, leaving it entirely up to Mitsui Sumitomo to accept or reject.


    Ota Ling asked with furrowed brows, "Mr. Lu, if we disclose our positions, what will you do?"


    "Since our funds will be pooled, there can''t be secrets; Tianxing Private Equity should also disclose its position."


    Lu Liang spoke with an air of righteousness and then added, "However, market conditions change rapidly, and there might be some slight delays."


    Ota Ling''s face darkened, almost blurting out that Lu Liang had played a shrewd game.


    The so-called pooling of funds was effectively making them unilaterally disclose their positions.


    If Lu Liang''s judgment was incorrect, they might end up paying him while being sold out.


    Because one point was true, as Lu Liang had said: market trends can change in an instant.


    One second, shorting the market might make money, and the next, it might lose money.


    Especially when he mentioned a slight delay, if everyone together shorted a market.


    By the time Tianxing decided the trend had bottomed and covered their positions, it would surely trigger a rebound. Because of the so-called delay, they wouldn''t cash out in time and would be buried in it.


    Therefore, the capital position of every institution is their biggest secret, as it can reveal whether they are currently profitable or at a loss and whether covering at a certain price point would be profitable or how much they would lose.


    If the institution is confident that covering their positions would result in a profit, then this market trend is likely at its end.


    If the institution is certain to cover at a loss, then there''s probably still a wave of upward momentum to come.


    Institutions, unlike individual investors, do not cut losses unless absolutely necessary.


    Cutting losses means turning a paper loss into an actual loss; not cutting means it''s just a paper loss and there''s a possibility of a rebound.


    Lu Liang said sternly, "Mr. Ota, we are partners, we don''t abandon each other, we don''t give up; this is a matter of principle."


    "Mr. Lu''s strong sense of principle is touching, but we still need to consider it further."


    Ota Ling very much wanted to imprint his size-41 shoe on Lu Liang''s size-43 face but managed to restrain the impulse.


    Lu Liang nodded, "However, I hope Mr. Ota can decide as soon as possible so that Wen Chao can also join early and get acquainted with the situation."


    After a few more exchanges, Ota Ling said his goodbyes and hurried off; he needed to discuss with the board.


    Lu Liang and Wen Chao stood at the company entrance, watching him leave. Wen Chao suddenly asked, "Mr. Lu, do you think Ota Ling will agree?"


    In his view, Lu Liang''s conditions were slightly outrageous, practically asking Ota Ling to strip naked and dance.


    In fact, it might be easier to get him to strip and dance, as after all, when the men in Tokyo had enough to drink, some would dance the Awa Dance in their boxer shorts at the dinner table, which he had witnessed before.


    "Don''t worry, just get ready to accept the advisory position," Lu Liang said, squinting his eyes and smiling.


    He thought Ota Ling wouldn''t have any reason to refuse, since they had already incurred a month''s worth of sunk costs.


    Given the recent surge in the Nikkei index, if they planned to use ten billion US dollars, they would already be facing at least a 5% loss now.


    Earning less means losing; although somewhat illogical, this is consistently how businesses calculate profits and losses.


    As night fell, as Lu Liang had expected, Ota Ling called to inform them that they were willing to accept Lu Liang''s suggestion.


    However, Ota couldn''t get through to either Lu Liang or his secretary Xu Jiawei. He could only reach out to Wen Chao.


    "Mr. Ota, Mr. Lu asked me to apologize on his behalf, he had an emergency and has already boarded the flight back home."


    Wen Chao''s words caught Ota Ling off-guard. He quickly asked, "Did Mr. Lu say how we will proceed with the collaboration?"


    Buying high and selling low is a common human folly. If Lu Liang were too eager, Ota might even suspect that he was trying to set them up.


    But Lu Liang''s indifferent attitude, his readiness to leave without a word of farewell, made Ota feel confident.


    He even began to rationalize, thinking that Lu Liang sought to know their position information simply to strengthen the control over the funds and ensure that they could earn more when the time came.


    After all, just like last time, they would offer 20% of the net revenue to Lu Liang, which, for him, was a considerable sum of overseas funds.


    Now, Ota Ling also understood Lu Liang''s intention; they had restricted Lu Liang''s assets in Tokyo from flowing out, and Lu Liang had turned to the United States for counterbalance.


    However, what Lu Liang was doing was akin to asking a tiger for its skin, because the price he paid was to promise President Trump an investment of five billion US dollars in Detroit over the next five years.


    So far, only two hundred million US dollars had been invested, leaving four-point-eight billion remaining.


    Knowing President Trump''s character, if Lu Liang dared to break his word, he would certainly be ridiculed continually, made a spectacle in front of the whole world, and could even face sanctions.


    This process was likely to last for seven years. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Although President Trump was a political novice, he had a very successful first year in office, and if he maintained his performance, he would definitely be re-elected.


    Lu Liang didn''t want to touch his domestic assets, so due to the shortage of funds, he had to help them earn more and distribute more dividends.


    After pondering, Ota Ling thought that the chances of Lu Liang setting them up deliberately were small, and it was worth the gamble.


    "Mr. Ota, Mr. Lu has entrusted me with full responsibility. All updates will be communicated to me in real time."


    Wen Chao couldn''t help but look out the window, as if he could see through the clouds to the plane headed for Edinburgh.


    A deep admiration was evident in his eyes; this was strategic aloofness, but not everyone had the confidence to do it.


    The next day, at Edinburgh Airport at four in the morning.


    "Can''t you choose a slightly more bearable time?"


    Lu Ya and Zhuo Yifan came to pick him up, and his sister''s undisguised disdain was evident on her face. She might grumble and complain, but if Lu Liang came, she would have to be there or else she probably wouldn''t sleep well.


    "In fact, it''s just a matter of time difference and flight schedules."


    Lu Liang was listless, his face full of melancholy, never before so desperately wishing he had a private jet.


    Although there was first-class on international flights, spending over a dozen hours confined to a few square meters of space made him feel very uncomfortable.


    However, although his Bombardier was reserved, it would take over four more months to be officially delivered. Thinking about another ten-plus hours back home in a few days made his head hurt.


    "Heh, just let Yu come back to the country sooner and you won''t have to run back and forth," said Lu Ya, with an air of annoyance. The root cause of it all was Lu Liang himself.


    "But that still depends on my sister, doesn''t it?"


    Lu Liang winked and smiled broadly: "How''s the ideological work going with her recently?"


    "As long as you break up with your girlfriend, it should be pretty much settled."


    "Is there really no other way?"


    Lu Liang furrowed his brows, unwilling to give up the whole forest for one tree.


    "If you weren''t my brother, I would have slapped you to death by now," Lu Ya''s gaze was unfriendly.


    She sighed deeply: "It''s not that there''s no other way; we just have to wait until Yu completes her studies."


    "I knew my sister is the best." Lu Liang chuckled.

 Chapter 378 - 375: The Best Wingman

    "Planning to stay here for a few days?"


    "I''ve already booked a flight for the 24th."


    "Three days? In such a hurry?"


    "I still have matters to attend to back home."


    Lu Ya fell silent and didn''t ask further. Although she didn''t understand her brother''s business, she understood the challenges of starting and maintaining one.


    In rural areas, fortunes worth hundreds of thousands or millions are constantly eyed by others, not to mention those worth billions.


    As family, they couldn''t help much in business but could only try to avoid causing him trouble and handle some minor matters as much as they were able.


    "Sister, please don''t think like that. Without you, home would have been in chaos long ago." Lu Liang was dead serious, nearly swearing to the heavens, not a single word he said was false.


    After all, he wasn''t a nobody; back in his hometown, he was even known as the First Rich.


    Over the years, other than personally asking Fang Shiyu for help, he never had to worry about the people and issues back home.


    Though Lu Ya didn''t understand, she never interfered but helped pacify their parents.


    She was also very assertive, blocking any pesky relatives right at their doorstep.


    The elders might show sentiment, but Lu Ya would never just laugh along¡ªshe was known for her fiery spirit.


    One could say that if things back home were in order, Lu Ya absolutely deserved the most credit.


    "So you''re saying I seem quite important?" Lu Ya smiled, her eyes narrowing.


    "That''s absolutely for sure!"


    During their conversation, the car left the airport and arrived at an apartment in downtown Edinburgh.


    Lu Liang wondered, "Isn''t her due date upon us? Why hasn''t she moved to the hospital yet?"


    The due date is generally at 40 weeks, he had spoken to Su Wanyu on the phone the day before, who mentioned it was yesterday.


    He had earlier advised her to check into the hospital for childbirth. Even if the apartment was near the hospital, it would still take over ten minutes by car.


    Lu Ya glared at him and said irritably, "The due date is not precise; it''s just an approximate date."


    "Dabao was born at 39 weeks, and Erbao was delayed to 41 weeks. Even the hospital isn''t sure of the exact day."


    "No wonder you''re my sister, always so mysterious." Lu Liang chuckled apologetically, accustomed to flattery.


    "Shut up if you don''t know what to say."


    Lu Ya, unable to calm her anger, smacked Lu Liang''s shoulder hard, "Don''t let Yu know about your flight on the 24th."


    Sometimes, she felt that even she or Zheng Xiaoxuan, compared to Lu Liang, seemed more like a competent parent.


    However, with the accomplishments Lu Liang had now achieved, they were enough to cover his unfaithfulness to emotions and neglect of the family.


    After all, no one is perfect; it was understandable.


    "I just lack experience, that''s all."


    Lu Liang had Zhuo Yifan settle Xu Jiawei and others while he himself, carrying a small suitcase, followed Lu Ya upstairs to the apartment.


    Four rooms in total: one for Su Wanyu, one for Lu Ya, one for Zheng Xiaoxuan, and another just tidied up for Lu Liang.


    "We still have two hours before dawn; you can get some sleep. Yu probably doesn''t know you''ve come."


    Lu Ya yawned, tossed a set of toiletries to Lu Liang, and marched into her room without looking back.


    "I get no respect at all."


    Lu Liang sighed, suddenly missing the emperor-like treatment from Erii and her daughter back in Tokyo.


    Despite having slept intermittently for ten hours on the plane, drowsiness gradually overtook him as he lay in bed.


    Hours later, as the sun rose, Lu Liang was sleeping soundly but was woken by the chirping voices in the living room.


    He pushed open the door to see three women enthusiastically discussing, each gesturing with baby clothes in their hands.


    Without exception, all were cute and playful infant clothes, even some for girls aged three to four.


    Unlike in China where determining the baby''s gender is strictly prohibited, hospitals abroad inform the parents of the baby''s gender by the 12-week prenatal checkup.


    This allows newborn families to prepare, such as naming or preparing life essentials for a boy or girl.


    Spotting Lu Liang, Lu Ya, truly the best wingman, swiftly pulled Zheng Xiaoxuan away, "Xiaoxuan, come with me to check out the new Chinese supermarket."


    Zheng Xiaoxuan looked reluctant but, thinking Lu Ya might know her little secret, muttered, "Yu, what do you want for lunch?"


    "Anything is fine." Su Wanyu, her eyes unblinking and as if only Lu Liang existed in her world, couldn''t seem to care less about anyone or anything else.


    Zheng Xiaoxuan''s face darkened, suddenly feeling a pain in her heart, then was ruthlessly dragged away by Lu Ya.


    "What time did you get here last night?"


    Su Wanyu''s smile was radiant. Though Lu Ya hadn''t told her, she had seen a pair of men''s shoes at the door this morning.


    Firstly, excluding Zhuo Yifan, even though they had met a few times, he kept his distance and wouldn''t even enter their home.


    Besides Zhuo Yifan, no other man could possibly be staying over at their place, leaving only Lu Liang.


    "How are you so clever?"


    Lu Liang took Su Wanyu''s hand, and she raised her palm, looking pitiful, "Do I look chubby?"


    "Not at all, you look cute."


    Su Wanyu, suddenly coy, then anxious, "Then wouldn''t you be disappointed that Siqing hasn''t been born yet?"


    The 40 weeks were up yesterday. Technically, there should have been some reaction, but her belly showed no signs at all.


    After a healthy check-up at the hospital, the doctor humorously said the baby liked her a lot, wanting to stay inside a few more days, asking her to go home and wait patiently.


    She knew Lu Liang wouldn''t stay long in the UK; he had probably come to see the child.


    Unfortunately, she couldn''t grant his wish.


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but laugh, "How could that be? It''s perfect to be with you, welcoming her arrival."


    Su Wanyu''s eyes lit up with joy as she pulled Lu Liang and showed him the clothes they had recently bought for ages ranging from zero to five years old. Holding the clothes, her eyes filled with longing, "They must be beautiful."


    "After all, her mother is so beautiful," Lu Liang said.


    Su Wanyu fell silent for a moment, then suddenly said, "Summer vacation ends next week. Once the baby is born, I want to complete my credits as soon as possible and try to return home before the New Year."


    During this period, Lu Ya had talked a lot with her. They shouldn''t just consider themselves but also the child.


    She had chosen to flee, but the child was innocent. Was the child supposed to flee with her? Moreover, Lu Liang was unmarried and childless, and both his parents approved of her. Why should she run away?


    Thus, Su Wanyu came to a realization.


    Lu Liang, surprised, joked, "Coming out for a year and returning with a chubby baby, our parents would certainly be very happy."


    Su Wanyu''s face suddenly fell, the courage she had mustered up dissipating.


    With a look of despair and resentment, she said, "Jerk, do you not want me to go back?"


    The ''our parents'' that Lu Liang mentioned were certainly not his own parents, but hers.


    Having kept it secret for so long, she didn''t know how to explain it to her family when the time came.


    "By then, I''ll go with you. Is there still a need for explanations?"


    Lu Liang smiled and silently gave Ya a thumbs up, truly a great wingman.


    ...


    Lu Liang stayed in Edinburgh for three days.


    At 40 and a half weeks, Su Wanyu could still walk and run without any signs of labor.


    That afternoon, Lu Ya helped pack the luggage, "It''s hard to come by; can''t you stay a few more days?"


    "I must ask you for a favor here," said Lu Liang firmly. It was the 24th today, and he would arrive back home on the evening of the 25th.


    Just a few hours after landing, it would be the 26th, and likely on the evening of the 28th or in the early hours, the Federal Reserve was going to announce the interest rate hikes.


    He couldn''t spare any time.


    "It can only be so."


    Lu Ya sighed and suddenly took out a small packet of sticky notes from her pocket, slapped them on Lu Liang''s chest, and said irritably, "Next time be more careful. It''s good that I saw them. If Yu had seen them, it probably would have been hard to explain."


    Lu Liang''s personality was well known to her. Even with a wardrobe at home, he never used it. He proclaimed that with just two or three sets of clothes, washing them today to wear tomorrow was straightforward. Why bother complicating things?


    With his nature, he would definitely not sort his clothes and carefully label them with sticky notes. It must have been a girl''s doing.


    Only, the handwriting was quite ugly.


    Lu Liang chuckled shamelessly, "Give me a break, she just started learning Chinese, so it''s a bit ugly."


    He recalled that the sticky notes were Erii''s doing, but he still credited Miyuki for it.


    After all, he was a gentleman, but not everyone has pure thoughts. It was easy for people to suspect something inappropriate.


    "Just started learning Chinese? What, isn''t it that little internet celebrity?"


    Lu Ya suddenly realized something was off, her eyes widened, and her fingers shook with anger.


    Infuriated, she said, "Lu Liang, damn you, don''t involve me in such crappy things next time, I''m cutting ties with you."


    "Sis, I promise this is absolutely the last time."


    Lu Liang looked sincere, wiser for the experience, and swore he would never let his family find out next time.


    Moreover, if Miyuki accidentally got pregnant, Erii was there to take care of her; she had extensive experience being a mom.


    "It better be." Lu Ya''s gaze was stern as she silently picked up the sticky notes, throwing them into the trash.


    Before leaving,


    Lu Liang talked and walked with Su Wanyu in the park.


    "I''m sorry to have you here for nothing," Su Wanyu murmured guiltily, her face full of self-reproach.


    Day after day, the baby seemed to be competing with her, just not willing to come out without any signs.


    "Don''t say that; it''s not like we won''t meet again. I just feel a bit sorry that I can''t stay with you."


    Lu Liang cradled her swollen belly, his eyes filled with tenderness, "If daddy leaves, you should come out, or else dad might spank your little bottom."


    Su Wanyu fell silent, then suddenly held her belly, pretending to be in pain, "Lu Liang, I think there''s some movement."


    "Really?"


    Lu Liang was taken aback and quickly called for Fang Shiyu.


    "It''s a lie, stop calling Shiyu."


    Su Wanyu laughed and stopped him, suddenly her usual self, pulling Lu Liang close, "You just go back home without worries. The environment is so good here, and I have sister and Xiaoxuan taking care of me."


    "You, when did you learn to lie?" Lu Liang couldn''t help but laugh and cry.


    "I learned it from you," Su Wanyu said proudly.


    Suddenly, she noticed Xu Jiawei''s anxious appearance and considerately said, "It''s almost time; you should leave, or else you''ll miss the plane."


    Lu Liang nodded, didn''t say much, and waved for Fang Shiyu. They all took the car to the airport.


    "Bye~" Su Wanyu silently waved her hand, watching the car fading into the distance, suddenly feeling a bit empty.


    Lu Ya gently comforted, "Yu, don''t overthink it, Liang has just been really busy recently."


    "I know," Su Wanyu nodded, a sweet smile returning to her face, her left arm linked with Lu Ya and her right with Zheng Xiaoxuan, smiling, "Let''s go back."


    Several hours later, Su Wanyu lay in bed resting, suddenly experiencing unbearable abdominal pain and cried out.


    Lu Ya and Zheng Xiaoxuan rushed over and instantly called Zhuo Yifan to prepare the car. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Zhuo Yifan did not dare delay; he ran through three red lights and transported Su Wanyu from home to the hospital in just 7 minutes.

 Chapter 379 - 376: 60 Billion US Dollars Fund

    "That long? Is that normal?"


    At past nine in the evening, as soon as the plane landed at Pu Xin Airport, Lu Liang received a call from Lu Ya.


    About seven hours ago, at that time, he was still drifting in the sky; Su Wanyu had gone into the delivery room.


    "Don''t worry, it''s very normal for a first birth to take more than a dozen hours," Lu Ya said with a beaming smile, excited at the prospect of becoming an aunt.


    She took a photo in front of the delivery room and sent it to Lu Liang. Although Lu Liang might be falling short as a husband and father, he was very wealthy.


    Before he left, he had made all the necessary preparations, such as donating a million British Pounds to this renowned private hospital.


    The first time Lu Ya visited this hospital, she felt bewildered, as if she had walked into a luxury hotel.


    It was also then that she suddenly gained a clear understanding of capitalism as described in her textbooks.


    Here, with money, you could enjoy top-level medical services and use the best equipment available.


    From prenatal checks to assistance during delivery and postpartum recovery, there was at least a team of thirty people surrounding the expectant mother.


    Sometimes, Lu Ya felt she was rather redundant here; her own experience as a mother seemed moot.


    She was forward-thinking and didn''t believe her experience of giving birth twice could match up to a world-class top birthing team.


    To interfere without understanding would be like challenging someone''s livelihood with her limited experience.


    As a result, aside from being anxious at the door of the delivery room, she wasn''t even in the mood to go home and cook soup.


    The doctors had told her that soup could increase purine levels and that for a fast and effective recovery of her figure, she should minimize the intake of foods high in purines.


    "Emotional value is still very important. Besides, aren''t you helping me with live updates through pictures and messages?"


    Lu Liang chuckled. Although Zhuo Yifan was still there, he was a man, and it wasn''t convenient.


    Lu Ya was at a loss for words, frustrated, "Let''s leave it at that for now. I''ll inform you once the child is born."


    With that said, Lu abruptly hung up the phone.


    "Bye."


    Lu Liang laughed softly, sitting in silence inside the car for a while, suddenly feeling a bit restless and disturbed.


    Until Fang Shiyu reminded him, "Brother, where are we going?"


    "Let''s go to the office first."


    Lu Liang sighed deeply, coming to terms with the fact.


    He was about to become a father. He thought he would be excited, yet he wasn''t as thrilled as he had imagined.


    It felt important yet not particularly paramount.


    "With money to buy drinks and sweet osmanthus, yet it doesn''t feel the same, like the travels of my youth..."


    He was 32 years old this year, especially his experiences over the past two years; they were more exciting and enriching than the summation of the previous thirty.


    His perspective on things had changed, too. Before, getting married and having children seemed important; now, it seemed less so.


    Given only one choice, he would cherish it. But with more options, even precious things lose their value.


    Nighttime at New International Building''s 22nd floor.


    Sun Yutao and Wen Chao, who was far away in Tokyo, were both waiting for Lu Liang''s return to the front line, to take command.


    Seeing Lu Liang arriving disheveled, Sun Yutao had his assistant pour tea and handed over a financial leverage contract.


    On the 15th, the proceeds from the fourth private equity offering, totaling 3.09 billion US Dollars along with a 3% management fee, had all been credited to their account.


    Following Lu Liang''s instructions, he reserved 90 million and then drew out 30 billion from the third phase to make up 60 billion US Dollars.


    In the past eleven days, they had engaged with over twenty domestic and international banks on a financial level for capital funding.


    Using a leverage of ten times wasn''t exceptionally high, as the margin could be relatively low, requiring only 20 billion.


    The remaining 40 billion US Dollars were all magnified tenfold through leverage, turning it into 400 billion US Dollars.


    After understanding, Lu Liang signed the authorization and asked Sun Yutao to wait for him at the door, then returned to his office for a video call with Wen Chao.


    Wen Chao''s background was spacious and bright, clearly not in Xingheng Investment. The next second, Ota Ling appeared on screen, confirming Lu Liang''s suspicion.


    "Mr. Lu, you''ve finally returned," Ota Ling greeted with a smile, waving his hand.


    He talked about Wen Chao''s acceptance of the consulting position, coming to their Mitsui Sumitomos investment department, where, in this group, there were 120 traders, all at their disposal.


    "How much funds can we utilize?" Lu Liang asked directly.


    "5 billion US Dollars," Wen Chao answered.


    Looking at Ota Ling, Ota Ling sighed with gentle regret and mentioned they originally prepared 12 billion US Dollars.


    Unfortunately, recent gains in the Nikkei were too powerful, and another investment team planned to create a bull market with Mizuho and Mitsubishi Tokyo.


    Due to the fund''s slight shortfall, they had to divert 7 billion US Dollars, but it was absolutely not due to a lack of trust in Lu Liang.


    Lu Liang''s smile was edged with mischief, not pressing the matter, "Mr. Ota, what''s the highest leverage your side is willing to take?"


    Ota Ling seemed to have anticipated the question, simply spreading his palms, "Five times, with 20% for the margin, effectively making 20 billion US Dollars available."


    Lu Liang pondered for a moment, his mind teeming with plans¡ªit seemed this time they could mobilize over 60 billion US Dollars, the returns should be quite considerable.


    He said, "Wen Chao, work a bit harder these next few days, stay in Mitsui Sumitomo''s investment department. Mr. Ota, I need your traders on standby, working in shifts 24 hours a day. Can you manage that?"


    "No problem."


    Ota Ling hastened to nod, and before he could ask, Lu Liang said, "Let''s leave it at that for now. Keep in touch and wait for the market move."


    Unbeknownst to them, dawn was breaking.


    Lu Liang informed Sun Yutao of the plans for the day after tomorrow, 80% of the position to enter the foreign exchange of Japan, Europe, and Britain.


    For Offshore Renminbi, a 50% position was sufficient¡ªZhong, unlike his brothers, could not counter if reaped by the United States.


    The real estate market was like a massive savings pool; it was estimated that there would be another round of violent price increases to counteract capital outflow.


    The A-share market was a bit of a pitfall; after twenty years of development, it still hovered around 3000 points.


    But real estate''s gains massively outshined the stock market¡ªincreasing three to fivefold in a decade was commonplace.


    With a savings pool like this and the constant demand, it naturally retained most of the outflowing capital.


    As prices rose, so did they continue to rise, and when they fell, they continued to fall¡ª


    innumerable hot money would only flow into profitable industries.


    At past eight in the morning, after a busy night, Lu Liang returned home with the intention to adapt to the life schedule of the Western Hemisphere.


    No sooner had he lain down to rest than his phone started pinging relentlessly. In a matter of seconds, Lu Ya sent dozens of messages. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Many were pictures, one of a wrinkled, pink-skinned baby girl, fists clenched tight, eyes not yet open.


    "You''re a dad now."


    Lu Liang listened to just one message without interest in the rest, opting for a video call instead.


    "Wow, haven''t you slept, or just woke up?"


    Lu Ya was surprised, not waiting for Lu Liang''s reply she continued, "But that''s not important. Look at this."


    She shifted the camera to an incubator, excitedly saying, "This nose and mouth, look just like you, and she also has her mother''s big eyes. She''s definitely going to be a pretty girl."


    Lu Liang stared for a while, the more he looked, the uglier she seemed¡ªugly yet adorably so, he curiously asked, "Why isn''t she crying or making a fuss?"


    From the side, Zheng Xiaoxuan''s voice came through: "Not making a fuss? She wailed for a good while, such a loud cry, only just now settling down."


    She said irritably, "Want to wake her up and let her cry for you? Let her get a good look at how heartless her biological dad really is."


    Zheng Xiaoxuan harbored much resentment; in her view, how could Lu Liang be so busy he couldn''t even spare a few more days?


    Su Wanyu might not say it, but she could feel it¡ªwhat girl wouldn''t wish for the person she loves to be by her side during childbirth?


    If she accidentally went into labor one day, she''d want Su Wanyu to be there by her side.


    Lu Liang laughed dryly, replying bluntly, "You''re a lesbian, don''t entertain these unrealistic thoughts."


    "Lu Liang!" Zheng Xiaoxuan ground her teeth in anger, wishing she could leap through the screen and have it out with Lu Liang.


    She found out that aside from the naive Su Wanyu, both siblings knew she was a lesbian.


    Lu Liang didn''t bother with her further, "How''s Yu doing?"


    "She just fell asleep, it was very tough, nineteen hours."


    All of a sudden, Lu Ya also felt resentful, then sided with Zheng Xiaoxuan against Lu Liang.


    She understood the feeling, so it was inevitable for her to mentally label Lu Liang as heartless, even if he was her brother.


    "Ya, that''s the right way, just hang up on him!" Zheng Xiaoxuan said excitedly, furiously egging her on, by the side.


    Lu Liang fell silent, "Let''s just leave it at that for now. I''ll call Yu later, don''t disturb her rest."


    "Mhmm, if she wakes up, I''ll message you."


    "Hang up, hang up! Don''t talk to him."

 Chapter 380 - 377: New Friend, Unprecedented in Movie History

    "Baby is really adorable, just like you."


    "Make sure to get some rest. Modu has been a bit busy lately, but after things settle down, I''ll come over to see you."


    "Don''t worry about it, it''s just over 11 hours. Once the plane I ordered arrives, it will be much more convenient to travel back and forth. I can deal with official business on the plane and just sleep through the journey."


    In the afternoon, after waking from his nap, Lu Liang had a chat with Su Wanyu, his skill at painting grand visions becoming ever more polished.


    But not all of it was empty talk, after all, the journey back from his trip yesterday took over 11 hours and nearly left him feeling numb from sitting so long.


    Unable to bear it any longer, he had already instructed people to contact Bombardier to see if they could pay extra to purchase an order slot from someone else. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    His order number was 39, which meant they had to produce 38 planes before his turn would come.


    According to last year''s public production capacity announcement from Bombardier, they produced a total of 150 planes for the year, averaging about 12.5 per month.


    Lu Liang had been waiting for over a month, and under normal circumstances, he would have to wait another three to four months.


    But he didn''t want to wait any longer.


    Before long, news came through.


    Somebody was willing to give up their queue spot, not wanting any money, just simply hoping to befriend him.


    "Who?" Lu Liang wondered.


    Xu Jiawei answered, "Little Man from Saudi."


    The current Defense Minister and the King''s private advisor, Little Man, had a high probability of becoming the Crown Prince in the future.


    Although his father, Old Man, was the current King of Saudi, the succession in the Middle East followed the principle of "passing the throne to the brother once the reign ends."


    In front of Little Man, there were dozens of uncles and over two hundred male cousins all waiting to ascend to the throne.


    However, Old Man was ruthless. After claiming Dabao, the throne, he found an excuse to depose his own brother''s status as Crown Prince.


    He appointed his nephew as the new Crown Prince, breaking the "passing to the brother" succession tradition that had been followed since the founding of the nation.


    It was probably to pave the way for Little Man.


    After all, deposing a brother to elevate a son was too obvious and could easily provoke opposition from the conservative party. Slightly altering this to deposing a brother to elevate a nephew gave some room to maneuver, and later on, passing the throne to the son would be smoother.


    The ancestral laws are not unchangeable.


    They can be changed, but it requires gradual progress.


    Through Xu Jiawei and Sergey from the sovereign fund, Lu Liang managed to get on the phone with Little Man.


    "Mr. Lu, I''m very pleased to meet you."


    Little Man spoke with witty elegance, a picture of a complete gentleman emerging in one''s mind, which greatly conflicted with the devilish image circulated in rumors.


    He said with a smile, "This small favor is trivial. I already have four private jets, waiting a bit longer wouldn''t bother me."


    He was not only the Defense Minister and the King''s private advisor but also the chairman of the country''s Economic and Development Affairs Committee.


    It was he who advocated for an investment of 10 billion US Dollars in the Tianxing Fund, yet he hadn''t had the chance to meet Mr. Lu.


    In recent years, there''s been a saying in the international community: the most ruthless post-80s guy is him, the strongest post-80s guy is Fatty, and the post-80s guy who''s best at making money is Lu Liang.


    He didn''t really have any dealings with Fatty, nor could he afford to, but it was different with Lu Liang, who could break Wall Street''s financial monopoly and was a native-born Chinese person; Little Man had always been interested in him.


    Moreover, Lu Liang''s main business was in finance, and his side business was in an industry they were very interested in¡ªthe electric vehicles.


    If it wasn''t for the fear of displeasing Lu Liang, offering a private jet worth over 60 million US Dollars would have just been a drop in the bucket for him.


    The tagline "Under one piece of cloth, I''m the richest in the world," came with the reliance on selling oil energy.


    East Country was making an all-out effort to develop electric vehicles, which was clearly in opposition to their Middle Eastern oil countries.


    But as their nation was small and their words carried little weight, with the United States being even greedier,


    They could only comply and make investments to hedge.


    Little Man was very astute, not believing that yielding priority for personal jet order slots could buy a stake in Tianxing Technology.


    Everything has to be taken step by step.


    He made no demands whatsoever, even indicating it was to repay Mr. Lu for allowing them to invest in the mutual fund, from which they''d made a profit of 48% to date.


    Mr. Lu realized and said with a laugh, "Mr. Little Man, I still very much appreciate it and look forward to meeting you."


    "I believe that day will come soon."


    Not long after, the two concluded their pleasant conversation, and Bombardier''s exclusive client manager also made a call.


    Little Man''s order was fourth in line, due to go into production in a few days, and since they were willing to swap places, Bombardier Group had no objections.


    Lu Liang''s Global 6000 would be produced tomorrow, the assembly would be completed in a week, followed by another week for testing and inspection, with delivery expected in about half a month.


    In the evening, Lu Liang arrived at the company.


    Chen Jinchun was excited and said enthusiastically, "Mr. Lu, Wu Jing is waiting for you in the reception room."


    In the past few days, Wu Jing had actually visited the company several times, but each time Lu Liang was not there. Having learned that he appeared last night, Wu Jing had been waiting since noon until now.


    "Why didn''t anyone tell me?" Lu Liang asked, puzzled.


    Chen Jinchun replied, "Mr. Wu didn''t want to disturb you. He said if you didn''t come, he would just come back tomorrow and keep waiting until you showed up."


    Lu Liang was speechless, "What exactly is the matter?"


    "It should be about ''War Wolf 2'' breaking the 5 billion revenue milestone."


    Chen Jinchun blurted out without a second thought.


    As a loyal little sister to Boss Lu, with the company investing 52% in the film, it was essential to promote it wholeheartedly.


    For this, she had dug into her own pockets for more than twenty thousand US dollars, nearly half a month''s salary, to give away over four hundred movie tickets.


    Lu Liang could not help but smile, "Should I reimburse you?"


    "Really?"


    Chen Jinchun''s eyes widened, her face filled with delight.


    Over four hundred movie tickets had not been purchased with the shooting budget; it was purely an impulsive move she made in the middle of the night.


    Right after she sent them out, she regretted it. After all, it was almost half a month''s salary, and it would be difficult to get reimbursed by the company.


    Since it was a money transaction sent as a red packet, with 003''s clout, it could definitely pass through finance, but it would be quite troublesome.


    Lu Liang laughed and, without a second thought, took out his phone and transferred 30,000 yuan to Xiao Chen''s WeChat.


    "Thankful, Mr. Lu is so generous. Thank you for not making me eat dirt this month."


    Chen Jinchun was overjoyed; she suddenly put her hands together, full of sincere gratitude, almost wishing she could give Lu Liang three deep bows.


    Her salary wasn''t high, just average in the company, but she received substantial bonuses and belonged to the top tier, along with Tang Caide and Sun Yutao.


    In over two years since joining the company, she had received two annual bonuses as well as first and second prizes at the year-end party.


    This year, her third, after receiving her annual bonus, she would have enough for a down payment to become a new resident of Modu.


    With a bit of luck, like in previous years, winning a first or second prize would even cover the new home''s decoration costs.


    "Could you stop giving me silent tributes? Are you waiting for a family member''s thank-you gift?" Lu Liang said with a stern glance.


    "How could that be, Mr. Lu? I''m just showing my respect for you." Xiao Chen said with a face of grievance.


    "Alright, get back to whatever you were doing."


    Lu Liang walked to the reception room and pushed the door open.


    "Mr. Lu, sorry for the disturbance."


    Wu Jing quickly got up, his face showing respect as he handed over the invitation to the thank-you banquet.


    The day before yesterday, when ''War Wolf 2'' broke the 5 billion mark, he had prepared a semi-public thank-you banquet, and other investors or industry helpers could pass on invitations by proxy.


    But for Lu Liang, Wu Jing felt it necessary to visit in person, to hand deliver the invitation, and to invite him to attend.


    When he was in his most difficult time, thinking of selling his family assets, Lu Liang had extended a helping hand without asking for anything in return.


    Although now, in the eyes of the outside world, he had missed an opportunity to make a fortune, who could have been sure at that time?


    It''s possible that the movie could have flopped, and he might have lost all his savings from more than a decade in the industry, and then he would have to rely on his wife for support.


    So he was very grateful.


    "The screenings should be extended, right?"


    Lu Liang received the invitation, noting it would take place in Modu on the 1st, and smiled, "Director Wu, you''ve thought this through. If I have time, I''ll come."


    Wu Jing, who not only mingled in the Beijing Circle but was also from the Man Clan, probably chose Modu for the banquet location in consideration of him.


    Fortunately, the event was on September 1st; by then, the wave of Federal Reserve interest rate hikes should have passed, and he would likely have more time.


    Wu Jing was overjoyed and quickly said, "The movie''s key has been extended for a month, probably lasting until just before the National Day holiday."


    "Today the box office reached 5.2 billion, and in another month or so, it should reach around 6 billion."


    Lu Liang chuckled, "Director Wu, you''re destined to make history in film."


    Previously, the highest domestic box office record was ''Mermaid'' at 3.391 billion, but now there''s at least a 2 billion gap.


    One could say it''s unprecedented, and it''s doubtful there will be successors. The success of ''War Wolf 2'' needed the right time, place, and people - all indispensable.


    Last year the affairs in the south strengthened confidence, this year''s troubles in the west aroused public outrage, and mid-way through many theaters switched to 3D raising ticket prices.


    Who knows what other movies might achieve such a staggering box office in the future.


    "Mr. Lu, you flatter me."


    Wu Jing gave a shy smile, a stark contrast to the strong and forthright image he presented to the outside world, and changed the subject, "Mr. Lu, I''m curious if you''re interested in sci-fi movies?"


    He had a friend who was preparing to shoot a science fiction movie, adapted from a novel by the same name by Liu Cixin¡­

 Chapter 381 - 378: Questioning, The Fourth Rate Hike

    "Wandering Earth?" sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Is there a soil for sci-fi movies in China?"


    After seeing off Wu Jing, Lu Liang picked up the movie project proposal he recommended. The strength of the domestic industrial film was actually not bad, and they could make good sci-fi movies if they wanted.


    But after all the filming, it always ended up focusing on love and romance, and besides, Guo Fan''s first two films were romance films.


    Lu Liang was skeptical about this and didn''t plan to invest. Telling Wu Jing to consider it was just an excuse.


    However, he didn''t expect to be proven wrong so quickly.


    It was nearly midnight, and Lu Liang was still at the office, watching the movements of the Federal Reserve and various foreign exchange markets.


    They used 40 billion US Dollars, divided into four groups, quietly infiltrating the foreign exchange markets of four countries, just waiting for the market to move and except for the US Dollar, the exchange rates of other currencies to fall.


    Seizing the opportunity to close their positions and then enter the US Stock Market.


    After all, as long as the dominance of the US Dollar existed, the logic behind the rise of the US stocks would not change, and it also became a temporary refuge for a large amount of capital.


    When Lu Liang had no plans, their funds stayed in the US Stock Market, only to be pulled out when needed.


    As the midnight chimes rang, a look of surprise appeared on Lu Liang''s face: "Is there really a soil for sci-fi movies?"


    When "Wandering Earth" was taken down, with a box office of 4.687 billion RMB, it seemed like national sci-fi movies were about to rise.


    The success of War Wolf led the military and patriotic-themed films set up in the past two months to surge to triple digits, with a large number of film companies following suit.


    Although numerous poor-quality films would emerge, certainly a few good ones would benefit from this wave, and the same went for sci-fi movies.


    The future success of "Wandering Earth" was bound to cause an explosive growth in Chinese sci-fi films.


    "The estimated total production cost is 350 million RMB, and there is currently a funding gap of 150 million RMB."


    Lu Liang picked up the project proposal again and saw the investors column, China Film contributed 110 million RMB, clearly moved by the idea.


    "The concept of a shared human destiny is indeed good, similar but different from the Belt and Road initiative, except it''s like Noah''s Ark, letting the rich and powerful escape first."


    Lu Liang laughed quietly, finding amusement in his own thoughts.


    If the outcome was unknown, any speculation was unreliable, but if the outcome was known, even a piece of crap could be analyzed for its intricate benefits.


    He called Xu Jiawei and instructed, "On the night of the 1st, at Shangri-La Hotel, add Wu Jing''s thank-you dinner to your schedule."


    Lu Liang wasn''t in a hurry to reply to Wu Jing. The film project still had a funding gap of 150 million RMB, and no one domestically, except him, could likely come up with it.


    Those with money weren''t interested, those without money, even if interested, weren''t helpful, investing twenty or thirty million wouldn''t quench the thirst, but he had the financial power to fully fund it at once.


    One shouldn''t seek multiple masters for a single affair, and the same went for being invested in.


    Three to five investors were always better than seven or eight; fewer problems would arise.


    As the night deepened, the non-farm employment data was published ahead of the Federal Reserve, exciting the foreign exchange market, with US stocks looking up.


    This quarter saw an addition of 560,000 jobs, the unemployment rate falling from 4.7% last quarter to 4.15%, meeting expectations, good news for the stock market.


    Lu Liang reflected and then suddenly realized, releasing non-farm employment index before the interest rate hike was deliberate, not wanting to interrupt the bull market due to the rate increase.


    Because the interest rate hike by the Federal Reserve was bound to cause capital to flow out of the stock market, reducing the market''s liquidity and thus being bearish for the stock market.


    Upon receiving the news, Lu Liang immediately called Wen Chao, saying succinctly, "Non-farm employment data released first, 80% of funds divided into four paths into the foreign exchange markets of China, Japan, Europe, and Britain, ready to go short, waiting for the real market movement."


    Simultaneously, Wen Chao received the news and swiftly issued the latest command, "80% of all capital positions, enter the foreign exchange markets of China, Japan, Europe, Britain, prepare to go short."


    "The Labor Bureau''s non-farm employment data is clearly above expectations, Mr. Lu, why go short on these four nations'' currencies?"


    Ota Ling was taken aback, furrowing his brows. The non-farm employment data meeting expectations was clearly good news for the stock market, but why channel it into the foreign exchange market.


    The US non-farm employment index is a fascinating figure. If it''s much higher than expected, the stock market could crash, just like last time with the Dow.


    Maintaining a certain level of unemployed populace is beneficial, enjoying demographic dividends. If the unemployment rate is too low, employees lose their sense of crisis and begin demanding higher wages and benefits, thereby affecting corporate profits.


    But if it''s lower than last quarter''s expectations, it indicates a large unemployed population domestically, indicating an economic downturn, similarly crashing the stock market.


    Just like this quarter, releasing the non-farm employment data neither high nor low, perfectly meeting expectations, is the biggest boon for the stock market.


    A moment ago, upon seeing the non-farm employment data, Ota Ling felt a surge of admiration for Lu Liang, like the continuous flow of a river, thinking they were about to enter the US Stock Market to go long.


    Then suddenly, he''s told to turn the guns around and enter the international foreign exchange market excluding the US Dollar.


    He even thought he was hallucinating.


    The people who harbored this thought weren''t just Ota Ling; over sixty traders on duty that night felt the same.


    Only a few acted, most of them looked to Ota Ling for confirmation of the order.


    Most workplaces in Tokyo operate on a seniority system, and everyone here was over thirty years of age.


    Why should Wen Chao, a 26- or 27-year-old kid, and Chinese at that, be directing them?


    Agreeing to be commanded was one thing, but actually being commanded was quite another.


    After all, it involved 4 billion US Dollars and the use of five times leverage, a slight misstep could lead to losses of several billions of US Dollars.


    Wen Chao saw that of the 20 billion in the main account, less than two billion were following orders and entering the British-American foreign exchange market.


    His face was as dark as water as he said sternly, "Mr. Lu''s orders do not require your doubt, just compliance."


    Although he said this, not a single person present moved, including those few traders who had initially acted.


    At this moment, they all stopped and looked towards Ota Ling for his latest instruction.


    Wen Chao could no longer maintain his composure and shouted loudly, "Mr. Ota, do I need to consult with Mr. Lu again?"


    Having followed Lu Liang for over two years, he knew well Lu Liang''s trading methods and personality. Since he had detailed the next moves, it meant the market move was imminent.


    Lu Liang was also selfish; knowing Mitsui Sumitomo''s position, he would never let them be ahead.


    They should have entered the forex markets of the four countries the moment Lu Liang gave the order.


    To build positions at the lowest price and maximize profits.


    "Mr. Wen, don''t be upset, actually, we have absolute trust in Mr. Lu, it''s just..."


    Ota Ling quickly tried to smooth things over with a smile, in fact, intending to make Wen Chao confirm the order with Lu Liang again.


    After all, with the non-farm employment data released, and the stock market booming, entering the forex market now seemed to miss the momentum.


    Before he could finish his sentence, someone suddenly shouted, "The Federal Reserve announces a rate hike, the fourth of this interest rate hike phase..."


    As soon as the words fell, the trading room plunged into a deathly silence; they were veteran traders and understood what this meant.


    Ota Ling suddenly became anxious like an ant on a hot pan, "Quick, quick, all funds into the forex market of the four countries."


    "US-Japan broke 124..."


    "US-UK broke 0.73..."


    "US-Euro broke 0.91..."


    "US-China broke 6.68..."


    As the Federal Reserve announced the fourth interest rate hike of this cycle, from 1.50% to 2.00%, up 50 basis points,


    the rising US Stock Market was abruptly contained, and currencies worldwide fell in response by 0.09% - 0.32%.


    Although it was only the first decimal point and insignificant, taking the RMB''s depreciation of 0.095% as an example, using last year''s central bank''s total currency issuance of 168 trillion as base, it represented the evaporation of 1.59 trillion in value within just a few seconds.


    As time progressed, 18 billion US Dollars, nearly 90% of positions, surged into the currency markets of the four countries, joining this short-selling feast.


    Ota Ling breathed a slight sigh of relief, his face full of smiles and nods; if judged only by appearances, one would never guess he was the helm of a trillion-dollar group.


    He walked over to Wen Chao, warmly draping an arm around his shoulders, and complimented with a smile, "Mr. Wen, truly a man of talent and grandeur, truly deserving as Mr. Lu''s trusted belov...


    Ota Ling''s flattery was unceasing, with only one purpose: to hope that Wen Chao would let this incident slide.


    After all, they hadn''t missed the opportunity; just pretend nothing had happened. They had nearly missed the perfect entry point due to questioning Lu Liang''s decision.


    It would be best if this news stopped with Wen Chao, it absolutely must not reach Lu Liang''s ears.


    Otherwise, who knew what price would have to be paid.


    "Mr. Wen, Mr. Guishan from Beidou, is my close friend and also a long-term partner of Mitsui Sumitomo."


    Ota Ling didn''t understand Wen Chao, assuming since Lu Liang fancied women, his subordinates would probably be similar, so he decided to cater to his tastes.


    Beidou is Neon''s biggest adult video production group, owning prominent labels like S1, IP Society, among others in the industry.


    "It''s quite coincidental, they are hosting a summer celebration soon; Mr. Wen, how about we go together?"


    Ota Ling subtly observed Wen Chao''s reaction, unfortunately, the anticipatory gleam didn''t appear on his face.


    Wen Chao just smiled and suddenly picked up his phone; his call with Lu Liang had never been disconnected.


    Ota Ling was shocked and couldn''t help but say with a bitter smile, "Mr. Lu, we are truly sorry for doubting you."

 Chapter 382 - 379: Inverse Tian Gang, Earning Less Is Equivalent to Losing

    "Wen Chao, since Mr. Ota is so enthusiastic, why not accompany him on a trip to Nandu in a few days?"


    Lu Liang teased with a smile, acting as if he didn''t care about the matter.


    Mr. Ota felt a sense of unease and immediately became serious, "Mr. Lu, I hope you can give us another chance. On behalf of Mitsui Sumitomo''s rotating chairman, I assure you, this is the first and also the last time."


    Perhaps it was a bit degrading, but he suddenly hoped that Lu Liang would show some anger, or make some demands, anything at all. His indifferent attitude was as though this was going to be their last collaboration.


    Because while they were talking, the yen had already fallen below 125, dropping 122 basis points, and the usually resilient RMB was about to fall below 6.70, a decline of -0.1%.


    They had mobilized 20 billion US dollars and rapidly entered the forex market of four countries, gaining a total profit of 780 million US dollars within minutes.


    Waiting a few more hours, once the market had completely digested the impact of the Federal Reserve''s interest rate hike, the conservative estimate was that there would be a profit of about 1.4 billion US dollars.


    Earning a profit of several billion US dollars overnight was not a dream¡ªit was tantamount to robbing a bank. Not even a nuclear-powered money printing press could compare. They did not wish for this to be the last time.


    As long as they clung to Lu Liang''s coattails, perhaps Mitsui Sumitomo could soon overtake Mizuho to become the top commercial bank in Tokyo.


    Lu Liang chuckled, "Doubt is human nature, Mr. Ota, you needn''t blame yourself."


    He paused, then continued, "Mr. Ota, I have some instructions for Wen Chao."


    "Mr. Lu, thank you for your understanding. Just give me your orders."


    Mr. Ota breathed a sigh of relief, stepped aside, and tried not to interfere with their conversation.


    "Mr. Lu, go ahead," Wen Chao said, signaling that they could now talk.


    Lu Liang abruptly switched tones, his voice turning indifferent, "Take whatever he gives you, but we cannot break off cooperation with Mitsui Sumitomo just yet."


    He needed to use Mitsui Sumitomo''s funds to test the waters of the Bitcoin market and also needed the funds to continue investing in Detroit.


    Otherwise, with his temperament of old, when someone questioned him just now, he would have had Wen Chao leave without a second glance.


    Wen Chao nodded, understanding Lu Liang''s intentions.


    He inquired about when the market situation would end and when they should withdraw.


    "Wait for my notification."


    Lu Liang glanced at the account''s profit and loss; they had invested more capital, used higher leverage, and timed it just right.


    In the forex market of the four countries, the average profit per market was 420 million US dollars, the current total profit being 1.68 billion US dollars.


    Aside from the US dollar, all other currencies continued to decline; they planned to withdraw the moment the RMB fell below 6.7.


    If things went smoothly, Tianxing Private Equity''s total profit for the night should exceed 3 billion US dollars.


    It was still very important to maintain a murky relationship with Wall Street; tonight, he felt an unprecedented smoothness¡ª


    There was no resistance at all; it slid in very easily.


    Wilson was also shorting the yen and British pounds; he had just called to ask if that big movement of funds on the market was his?


    Lu Liang confirmed it was, and the other party showered him with extravagant flattery, admiring Lu Liang''s financial acumen, and that was the end of the discussion.


    Everyone understood the situation without saying it aloud, rushing to short currencies other than the US dollar, reaping global wealth en masse.


    Being in cahoots with others indeed made money more easily than going it alone.


    Wen Chao suddenly hesitated, "Mr. Lu, do I really have to attend the ''silver party'' in Nandu?"


    It was ostensibly a summer festival hosted by Nandu Group, but the performers were a group of female teachers¡ªin plain terms, a ''silver party.''


    He planned to wait until this project was over and if no other work came up, he would propose to his girlfriend and get engaged.


    Taken aback, Lu Liang chuckled and said, "Then just make sure you explain it clearly to Mr. Ota, whatever he gives you, just accept it."


    Whether or not to attend the ''silver party'' was irrelevant; the important thing was to let Mr. Ota know that Wen Chao had accepted his goodwill gesture.


    It was just like some patients back home who weren''t at ease on the operating table unless the surgeon and anesthetist accepted their red packets.


    Lu Liang added, "Congratulations in advance on achieving your goal, but there is still more work I need to assign to you later."


    Wen Chao hurriedly said, "Mr. Lu, please rest assured, you and your work will always come first."


    Although it might sound like flattery, it truly was his sincere sentiment; an engagement was just a way to acknowledge a ten-year-long relationship, but work still took top priority.


    Lu Liang cursed with a laugh, "Alright, enough with the sentimentality. Get ready, I''m planning to pull out."


    Beijing time, three o''clock in the morning, evening in Europe, afternoon in North America, was the peak of activity in the international markets.


    With the exception of the US Dollar and aside from the RMB, the currencies of the other three countries plummeted more than -1%, absorbing the surge from the recent interest rate hike on behalf of the US Dollar.


    Mr. Lu initially invested an 80% position in the Euro, British Pounds, and yen currencies, then injected an additional 10% position when driving the market.


    Now that the battle was set, their funds began a well-organized withdrawal, closing positions and securing profits. Only the RMB exchange rate remained strong, with its decline hovering around -0.2%.


    The key level of 6.7 was briefly breached before immediately correcting itself.


    The resilience of the world''s second-largest economy suddenly attracted speculators from countries worldwide.


    As the saying goes, sharpening the knife eagerly for pigs and sheep¡ª


    The fatter the pig, the more meat there is, and the more dripping fat one can relish.


    "Mr. Lu, all positions have been closed except for the Offshore Renminbi," Sun Yutao reminded in a soft voice.


    Mr. Lu pondered, "Withdraw."


    These words were intended not just for Sun Yutao but also for Wen Chao, far away in Tokyo.


    He knew the RMB was strong, but he hadn''t expected it to be this resilient, fending off global speculators.


    The fall below 6.7 was a fact, but expecting a plunge like those of the Euro, British Pounds, and yen¡ªa torrential drop¡ªwas clearly unrealistic.


    They hadn''t earned much in the RMB market, just 480 million US Dollars, but fortunately, the investment wasn''t substantial either.


    Starting with half a position and then increasing it twice, they invested approximately a 60% position, totaling 6.115 billion US Dollars, with a profit rate of 7.88% upon closing.


    At Mr. Lu''s command, 6 billion US Dollars were closed in an instant, and the RMB exchange rate returned to the 6.6 range.


    Wen Chao in Tokyo began to direct the traders of Mitsui Sumitomo to close their positions in an orderly manner.


    This time, no one had any objections.


    Because Ota Ling had said that anyone who still hesitated or doubted should directly get out of Mitsui Sumitomo.


    At this moment, Lu Liang received a call from Wilson, "Lu, have you withdrawn?"


    The tone clearly conveyed a mix of reprimand and inquiry; over a hundred billion US Dollars liquidating positions in the RMB market, was like a bucket of ice water in winter, poured over the head of every speculator who wanted to short RMB.


    The situation had been tense with the RMB exchange rate resisting all attacks.


    When Lu Liang suddenly turned deserter, it robbed the short-sellers of their desire to attack. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    What was even more fatal was the foreign exchange market, with platforms like FXCM, Jiasheng, and XM Forex, all offering up to 400x leverage.


    A 0.01% depreciation could lead to retail investors being margin called, with their funds amounting to just a few thousand or tens of thousands of US Dollars.


    Even if leveraged 400 times, that would only be a few hundred thousand or a few million, but the vast number of retail investors could not be ignored.


    At this point, with Lu Liang turning deserter, it directly triggered a wave of forced closures by retail investors, like a stab in the back.


    Lu Liang had a smile on his lips, speaking in a relaxed and casual tone, "You guys didn''t think that East Country didn''t have measures to counteract the Federal Reserve''s rate hike, did you?"


    Wilson tried to persuade with earnest and gentle words, "We know that East Country definitely has countermeasures, but if we worked together tonight, we should be able to hit 6.8."


    "Wilson, next time you guys should discuss your expectations and goals with me in advance. Otherwise, I also don''t know."


    Lu Liang showed displeasure, turning the tables and blaming, "It''s you who caused me to lose over four hundred million US Dollars tonight."


    He was indignant, considering lesser earnings as losses, if they had informed him in advance... how could he be a man to pass up the chance to earn money.


    Put simply, they hadn''t considered him one of their own.


    It pained him deeply.

 Chapter 383 - 380: Joining Requires a Pledge

    Mr. Wilson was confused,


    Who was really seeking justice from whom?


    Suddenly curious, he wondered how Lu Liang had fared in the RMB market tonight; could it be he had met his Waterloo?


    Mr. Wilson, representing JPMorgan and the fourth phase fund investors, knew that Lu Liang had already closed his positions and there was nothing that couldn''t be discussed.


    He complained indignantly, "I made a profit of 475 million US dollars, but if the exchange rate had been pushed down to 6.8 as you guys mentioned, I could have made an additional 400 million US dollars. Isn''t that a loss?"


    "..."


    Mr. Wilson fell silent.


    By this calculation of profit and loss, due to Lu Liang''s premature exit, they had lost at least 2 billion US dollars tonight.


    "Mr. Wilson, if you came here to accuse, then our conversation can end right here."


    Lu Liang''s tone grew colder, perfectly portraying the image of a selfish, self-serving scoundrel.


    Despite feeling wronged, Mr. Wilson could not help but respond with a forced smile to appease him, "Lu, calm down. Next time we have a plan, we will definitely inform you beforehand."


    Lu Liang was right; they indeed had not treated him as one of their own, especially not previously, treating their courtship more like a "protective acquisition."


    But now things were different. Aside from ethnic issues, Lu Liang had all the potential and overt qualifications to become one of them.


    Mr. Wilson asked about Lu Liang''s next trip to the United States, planning to introduce him to some good friends for a thorough discussion.


    "End of next month, Panda has an IPO roadshow in New York, and I''ll probably go along."


    "Looking forward to your visit, Panda''s IPO will definitely create a subscription miracle for Chinese concept stocks."


    After ending the call with Mr. Wilson, the smile gradually disappeared from Lu Liang''s face, his brow furrowed, "That was a bit quick."


    A beneficial ambiguous relationship for Lu Liang, but not for them.


    If he were in their position, facing someone to be courted acting like both sides were in his favor,


    the best method would be to force a decision,


    commonly known as a pledge, having the effect of giving others leverage over him.


    Like in ancient times, before undertaking a great endeavor, it was customary to kill a few people together, binding everyone to the same fate.


    How could anyone feel secure with a person who could betray at any moment and escape unscathed?


    "This little white hat is truly ugly~"


    Lu Liang sighed, looking at his computer screen which displayed an unattractive photo.


    An unsightly middle-aged man wore a small white hat, hands pressed against a wall, bowing his head in prayer.


    A very ordinary photo, but the person was Old Ma, known as the ''Internet Godfather,'' and the wall was Jerusalem''s Wailing Wall.


    Although many people tried to justify his actions with the most common reasoning being to respect local customs¡ªlike wearing beach shorts to the beach or Dai clothing to colorful clouds¡ªit ultimately had no profound meaning; it was merely a tourist visit.


    Rumors are just malicious speculations by conspiracy theorists.


    But two undeniable and indisputable issues remained,


    firstly, Old Ma was no ordinary man as head of Ali, known domestically as a business and Internet godfather. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Domestic Entertainment stars had to be careful when they went there to avoid labels that could ruin their careers, let alone him.


    Secondly, the Squid Clan was highly exclusive, and Jerusalem was the Holy City.


    An unknown heretic wearing a little white hat touching the holy wall was one thing, but Old Ma was different; given his international reputation, if not accepted, it would be considered sacrilege and he would have already been eliminated.


    "How should this situation be handled?"


    Life is tough, Liangzi sighed.


    In his plan, the pledge should not have come so soon; it should have waited at least until Panda and DiDi went public. Tearing off the facade then wouldn''t have been too late.


    Now, advancing significantly ahead of schedule, not submitting this pledge would jeopardize all subsequent projects.


    "Should we sacrifice Little Wang as an offering?"


    Lu Liang pondered, thinking of a solution.


    Sacrificing Little Wang to divert the calamity could buy him enough time.


    However, this was merely the last resort taken out of desperation.


    When the time came, he would take it one step at a time and see how things unfolded.


    Sacrificing him to heaven,


    He would then truly have to regard him as his adoptive father.


    This favor owed would be tremendous.


    At that moment, Wen Chao called: "Mr. Lu, Mitsui Sumitomo has closed their positions and taken their profits."


    "They utilized 5 billion US Dollars tonight, 20% as a margin, and used five times the leverage on the remaining 80%."


    "The current settlement is approximately 1.38 billion US Dollars in profit."


    If the dividends were distributed at 20% of the net income, just like last time, Xingheng Investment would receive 276 million US Dollars.


    "Mr. Lu, you truly are a master strategist with unparalleled foresight, possessing a unique acumen in the financial market that none can match."


    Ota Ling was euphoric, showering praises and notwithstanding missing out on the Nikkei''s surge, the profits tonight were sufficient for him to answer to his board.


    He only regretted his lack of resolve, thinking if he had also invested the previous 7 billion US Dollars, the profit tonight would have been aimed at 3 billion US Dollars.


    Lu Liang chuckled, the praise from Ota Ling seemed dubious, but since it did not involve him directly or any conflicting interests, he momentarily accepted it as true.


    He said, "Mr. Ota, make sure the dividend funds are promptly transferred. There''s a big project in a few days. When I visit Tokyo, let''s discuss it in detail."


    The project Lu Liang referred to was naturally Bitcoin, which due to its encrypted nature was inherently suited for dark and gray market transactions that could not be publicly disclosed.


    The soil in East Country did not allow any space for cryptocurrencies to thrive, at least not for now.


    Lu Liang was no longer satisfied with merely speculating; he wanted to control the market, thus needing an overseas partner.


    Mitsui Sumitomo was undoubtedly the best choice; he had already passed the obedience test by disclosing their positions earlier.


    Whatever Lu Liang said, they would believe without a shred of doubt, even if he claimed feces were fragrant, they would tentatively give it a try.


    It''s like courting a woman; sleeping with her the first time is hard, involving dates, movies, meals, but once that''s done, the next time can skip all that, straight to a hotel meeting.


    Getting Mitsui Sumitomo to put forth a billion and a half US Dollars to collectively manipulate Bitcoin prices should not be difficult.


    He could then push them to the forefront while he receded behind the scenes, still appearing pristine and untainted.


    "Yes, yes Mr. Lu, eagerly awaiting your grand arrival," Ota Ling responded effusively with a radiant smile.


    As morning dawned, the first rays of sunlight streamed into the 22nd floor of the New International Building.


    Sun Yutao also completed his calculations; tonight 6 billion US Dollars were utilized, 2 billion as margin, and 40 billion using ten times leverage.


    After accounting for all expenses, the financing cost, leverage fee, a balance of 8.988 billion US Dollars remained, earning a profit of 49.8% overnight.


    "Starting tomorrow night, funds will gradually return to the US stock market, reserving only 20% for unforeseen needs."


    The day after tomorrow, on the first, the net value of the third phase will update, and investors will likely be pleased with this grand gesture from Lu Liang''s return.


    On this month''s first, the third phase''s net value update was only 1.63, but the day after tomorrow, it will jump directly to 1.92, an increase of 29% in one month.


    The fourth phase''s net value update is even more exaggerated, shooting up from 1 to 1.498 in the first month, an increase of 49.8%.


    In just two days, time flies swiftly; currencies worldwide depreciate, digesting the Federal Reserve''s latest rate hike.


    The RMB exchange rate fell below 6.7, stabilizing at 6.72, the drop from this round of rate hikes was 0.11, which is relatively resistant.


    Due to the natural savings pool of real estate, the average price in Modu exceeded 58,000 yuan, with a 1% to 5% increase in real estate prices nationwide.


    Compared to the real estate market''s typical increases of seven to eight times, the three to five times increase of US stocks, it''s hardly worth mentioning, and naturally, domestic capital wouldn''t flow towards US stocks.


    The United States had a nine-year bull market,


    East Country also had a nine-year property market boom.


    The Federal Reserve hikes rates and quantitatively eases the US dollar with the ultimate goal of attracting global capital and blowing up the world''s economy.


    East Country''s approach is to inflate the real estate market, preventing capital outflow, and gaining enough time for industrial upgrades.


    The moment the Federal Reserve ends the rate hike cycle and begins reducing rates, it signals they can no longer sustain it.


    The moment East Country''s property market collapses and houses start to become unsellable nationwide, it also represents they can''t sustain it anymore.


    The competition isn''t about who wins, but who can endure longer.


    After all, East Country is a latecomer, able to only defensively protect itself, preventing becoming a chive field like Japan, Korea, and Europe, successfully retaining its ground without being exploited means success.


    The current prosperity of the United States, fundamentally, is rooted in plunder; once unable to plunder externally, they would begin falling into chaos internally.

 Chapter 384 - 381: The True Meaning of Wealth Secret Code

    September 1st, net values were updated.


    The net value of the third phase fund increased by 0.29, reaching 1.92, with the fourth phase fund starting its first month at 1.498.


    Lu Liang, returning to private equity in his first month, achieved a profit of about 3 billion US Dollars with a principal of 11 billion US Dollars.


    A host of investors fell silent, and even those far away in New York, like Wilson and Cruick, were engulfed in deathly stillness.


    The reason was that they knew more; Tianxing''s shares in Tesla had not yet fallen below 5% of the circulating stock.


    This meant that the 11 billion US Dollars of principal had to be significantly discounted; the actual capital available for use wouldn''t exceed 7 billion US Dollars.


    With 7 billion US Dollars in principal, achieving a return of over 43% in the foreign exchange market wasn''t difficult per se, but it posed enormously high risks, having used leverage of more than ten times.


    At least, a financing of 50 billion US Dollars had taken place without any leaks, indicating that Lu Liang had planned this for a long time.


    "Did he predict the Fed would raise interest rates based on the non-farm payroll data soon to be released this quarter?"


    As soon as these words were spoken, Wall Street fell silent, and many turned their eyes toward the East, filled with awe and admiration.


    Every time the non-farm payroll data were about to be released, various media outlets would invariably report and predict.


    Old Te fully employed his businessman traits, even blowing cold in various global regions to create many new jobs for his country, meeting or surpassing expectations in the previous two quarters.


    Mainstream media such as The New York Times and Wall Street Journal had predicted correctly, so guessing the achievement of expectations wasn''t difficult.


    Moreover, given that it was during the Fed''s interest rate hike cycle¡ªwith the last hike just before last Christmas.


    After eight months had passed, predicting that the Fed would carry out its fourth interest rate hike soon wasn''t particularly challenging.


    The challenge lay in combining these two factors to deduce the true intention behind the rise in US stocks and the appreciation of the US Dollar.


    "By mid-month, we''ll be family~"


    Wilson picked up the photograph of Lu Liang on his desk, his gaze deep, almost melting.


    To like someone is to hope they fare better, and Wall Street was the stage for him to realize his ambitions.


    After a lunch break of one and a half hours, the A-share market reopened.


    Ningde Era''s stock hit the daily limit and stabilized at a market value of 150 billion, leading Wen''s Shares by 18 billion, clearly becoming the top company of the Growth Enterprise Market.


    The net value updates of Tianxing Private Equity were secrets to the public but not to institutions and capital players.


    They all remembered Lu Liang''s prediction¡ªwith a five-year timeline initially, now reduced to just over four years.


    If in four years Ningde Era could indeed break through a trillion in market value, those entering the market now could gain six to seven times their investment.


    Lu Liang wasn''t just all talk; of all the listed company stocks that Tianxing Investment held, only Ningde Era was purchased with his own money.


    Tesla was held by private equity, essentially using investors'' money, but Ningde Era was with his own funds.


    Tianxing held 10.664%; if, as he stated, Ningde Era broke through a trillion, this stake would also be worth a hundred billion.


    "Ningde hit the daily limit? As cunning as a ghost indeed."


    Lu Liang chuckled wryly, also feeling a pang of regret; although this prediction had once caused a stir, by now, hardly anyone remembered it. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Otherwise, at the current price of 83.2 yuan per share, even the working class buying one lot bi-monthly could easily see a five to six times increase in four years.


    A real wealth code, just that most people couldn''t grasp it; they would probably be left pounding their chests, regretting it when that day arrived.


    In the afternoon, Lu Liang was invited to Shangri-La Hotel to attend the thanksgiving banquet of "War Wolf 2".


    As days passed, "War Wolf 2" continuously set new historical box office records.


    As of yesterday, the total box office had reached 5.32 billion yuan, growing by twenty to thirty million each day.


    Mainly because the summer session had just ended and National Day was approaching, there weren''t many good films being released.


    Cinemas everywhere were relatively empty, so they simply maintained 30% of screenings for "War Wolf 2".


    Every cinema hall had two to three screenings a day, resulting in relatively considerable box office receipts.


    A movie that nearly reached ten billion also made Wu Jing an unparalleled director and actor within Huayu.


    Because of this, although it was a semi-public thanksgiving banquet, nearly half the entertainment industry came to congratulate and ride on the popularity.


    A sexy and beautiful actress, dressed luxuriously, slowly walked through the hotel entrance.


    There was no red carpet on the ground, but in her heart, there was one¡ªshe paused every three steps, smiling and waving her hand.


    Suddenly, a figure dashed past her, also capturing the attention of all the journalists.


    "Lu Liang is here too?"


    "Wu Jing really has quite the pull."


    "Lu Liang''s investment makes up 52%, earning him several hundred million; he''s all smiles."


    "The Midas touch isn''t limited to finance; his film projects seem never to lose."


    Seeing this, the actress was overjoyed and hurried to speed up her steps, hoping for a wonderful encounter with Lu Liang.


    To mingle in this field is to wield influence, just like the queen of terrible films, Tiantian, who gets resources easily, all thanks to a good boyfriend.


    Tiantian''s boyfriend isn''t even worthy to carry Lu Liang''s shoes; in the world of finance, Lu Liang is at the top.


    However, due to her haste, she accidentally stepped on her gown''s hem and fell to the ground, revealing half of a silicone nipple cover as part of her dress came off.


    She succeeded, not only in capturing the attention of the journalists but also making Lu Liang, who heard the commotion behind him, instinctively turn to look.


    Little Wang popped up from somewhere, smiling and asking, "Do you like this style? Her reputation isn''t good."


    "Just one look, and you like it, Mr. Wang, you''re truly generous." Lu Liang laughed and then looked away.


    The actress looked familiar; she seemed to be the main actress in Zhou Xingxing''s Mermaid, but he couldn''t remember her name.


    He walked into the banquet hall with Little Wang, asking as they moved, "When is Panda going public in Modu?"


    "Next Wednesday, the 8th, at the Hilton Hotel, then flying to New York on the 16th, and the second roadshow is on the 18th."


    "That soon?"


    "Didn''t you want it to be fast?"


    Little Wang looked skeptical, suddenly wondering if Lu Liang had a bit of a split personality. Last time he was rushing Panda to go public like demanding a life, and now he thinks it''s too fast?


    "I just bought a plane, to be delivered on the 13th, not sure if we''ll make it in time."


    Lu Liang chuckled dryly, looking at Little Wang with a bit more affection like a senior.


    He still hadn''t figured out a way to reject the pledge, probably only able to sacrifice Little Wang to heaven.


    But he would take responsibility.


    "You don''t say, what model?"


    Little Wang looked envious. He had always thought of buying a plane, but had restrained himself for the sake of developing Panda.


    "A Bombardier Global 6000, do you like it?" Lu Liang showed a caring expression, willing to gift it to Little Wang if he liked it.


    "Global 6000? Why not buy a 787? You can afford it." Little Wang was greatly disappointed.


    The dream machine he wanted was a Boeing 787, with a length of 68 meters, a wingspan of 65 meters, and a height of 17 meters, featuring a three-story small villa inside.


    A model costing 258 million US dollars, if he ever had the money, he definitely wanted to buy one to experience the feeling of running a disco in the sky.


    "..."


    Lu Liang was at a loss for words, finding little in common with Little Wang. This squandering idea, only those who don''t manage household realize how expensive essentials are.


    At that moment, Wu Jing received a message and hurried over, all smiles, "Mr. Lu, Mr. Wang, welcome."


    "Mr. Lu, Mr. Wang, hello."


    Next to him stood a middle-aged man with a small goatee, looking excited and wearing glasses.


    Wu Jing hurriedly introduced, "Mr. Lu, this is Director Guo Fan I told you about."


    Director Guo was his friend, and a few days ago, he helped pitch the Wandering Earth project to Lu Liang.


    Thinking Lu Liang was uninterested, Director Guo was ready to return to Beijing to continue seeking investors, but suddenly received a call last night.


    He hurriedly called Director Guo, who was about to return to Beijing, to come back for today''s thank-you banquet for War Wolf 2.


    Lu Liang nodded slightly, "Director Guo, hello, I''ve seen the project, how much more funds is it lacking?"


    He then looked at Wu Jing, smiling, "I''m very willing to support domestic sci-fi films, as long as the funds are spent properly. Just let me know how much more you need to produce a high-quality film."


    Wu Jing looked delighted, nodded quickly at Director Guo; Lu Liang had spoken similarly to him before, directly adding twenty million.


    This allowed scenes that would have been cut due to budget issues to finally make it to the screen and receive unanimous acclaim from the audience.

 Chapter 385 - 382: Wandering Earth

    "Mr. Lu, how about we find a place to talk?"


    Guo Fan looked pleased, obviously having heard from Wu Jing about this issue earlier, but he also felt a bit guilty.


    Sci-fi genres are not like military genres, which mostly take place in the real world and require relatively fewer grand scenes.


    However, for a sci-fi movie, especially one depicting a future world, every frame of special effects costs money, easily consuming tens of minutes of screen time.


    Over the past few years, he had been working on the production budget and the storyboard; 350 million Yuan could only support the completion of the film without compromising the storyline.


    Despite this, from the originally planned 4000 shots, he had to cut more than 1900, and to meet the high standards, he at least needed to restore these shots.


    This wasn''t just a matter of a 150 million Yuan funding gap; the necessary funds needed to double at least, with the total production cost possibly reaching one hundred million dollars.


    "What? Is Director Guo afraid of scaring me?"


    Lu Liang smiled, noticing Guo Fan''s guilt and clearly understanding that it wasn''t a matter that could be resolved by just adding a few tens of millions.


    "Mr. Lu is joking. With projects you handle often reaching billions, how could such a small project scare you."


    Guo Fan chuckled nervously, not ceasing with his flattery, harboring high hopes for this movie.


    As long as it was made, regardless of whether it succeeded at the box office, he could make his mark in cinematic history and pioneer domestic science fiction films.


    To hell with literary pride, leaving a mark in cinematic history doesn''t apply when facing investors.


    "Director Wu, is there a reception room here?"


    Lu Liang asked with a calm smile, intending to see how much funding it would take to scare him, then turned to the curious Little Wang, "Shall we go and listen?"


    "Let''s go." Little Wang nodded vigorously.


    With War Wolf 2, his Pu Si Investment of 20 million had yielded a final box office of 6 billion, earning at least 180 million.


    A film project that intrigued Lu Liang was likely to be profitable, so how could he not be interested?


    "Mr. Lu, President, this way, please."


    Wu Jing, with a smiling face, invited them to the reception room.


    Guo Fan quickly took out his tablet, sharing with Lu Liang the over 1900 cut hand-drawn shots.


    For this movie, he had prepared for six years; it''s not an exaggeration, the complete film had 4230 shots, each drawn by artists from China Academy of Art or Qingmei based on the scenes he envisioned.


    But due to the pressure of production funds, he had to painfully cut 1930 shots.


    Making this decision, he felt like he was bleeding with every cut shot.


    From 4230 to cutting 1930, that''s like wasting over two years of a six years effort. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Because of this, he had insomnia for a long time and almost broke down.


    Fortunately, reality didn''t give him the time to break down, faced immediately with the dilemma of scraping together even 350 million Yuan for production costs.


    In the past three months, he had approached China Film, Huayi, Ali, Xinli, and other new and old entertainment giants, but could only gather 200 million Yuan.


    When Guo Fan was about to give up, Wu Jing appeared, showing great interest in the script, willing to cameo for free and recommended it to Lu Liang.


    "Mr. Lu, what do you think?"


    Guo Fan asked cautiously.


    Now, only one step remained; if Lu Liang agreed, it would be the light at the end of the tunnel.


    "These shots definitely have meaning."


    Lu Liang, who didn''t have time to go through nearly two thousand original drawings, symbolically glanced at a few dozen.


    It was clear that Guo Fan had put a lot of effort into each; every original drawing was accompanied by dense text explaining the meaning of the shot.


    Among them were sketches that looked stunning by themselves, rivaling the most elaborate thruster assemblies.


    He pondered for a moment, then smiled, "Director Guo, to meet the standard of high-quality production, how much funding do you need and how much is still lacking? You should have an idea, speak boldly, and name a figure."


    Guo Fan pinched his thigh hard, holding back his excitement, having waited a long time for this day, he almost burst into song.


    After much hesitation, he asked, "Mr. Lu, what do you think if we raise the production funds to 600 million Yuan?"


    Upon hearing this, everyone present, except for Lu Liang, including Wu Jing and Little Wang, widened their eyes in shock.


    Wu Jing truly hadn''t expected Guo Fan to dare ask for so much.


    600 million Yuan could fund two War Wolf 2 movies with some left over.


    Converted to US dollars, it amounts to 90 million, a sum that could rank it among super blockbuster movies internationally.


    600 million did not yet include post-production and marketing costs, for which at least another hundred million was needed for marketing. This meant that if the movie did not make over 2.1 billion at the box office, it would be considered a loss.


    A 2.1 billion box-office movie, to this day, including War Wolf 2, only amounts to fewer than five.


    It''s not so easy to achieve that.


    Surprised, Little Wang surreptitiously watched Lu Liang''s reaction, suddenly feeling he would agree.


    Unexpectedly, Lu Liang turned to him and asked with a smile, "Interested in investing? Contribute something to domestic sci-fi."


    "You''re in, I''m in," Little Wang replied without a second thought.


    With War Wolf 2, he had also made nearly 190 million; Lu Liang definitely wouldn''t ask him for a large share.


    So, using the money earned from War Wolf 2


    to invest in this movie would definitely be enough.


    "Alright, for the four hundred million funding gap, I''ll put up three hundred million, and you one hundred million."


    "No problem."


    The two, with just a few words, swiftly finalized the four hundred million investment.


    Guo Fan stared wide-eyed, suddenly understanding what Wu Jing meant by Lu Liang being straightforward.


    Feeling a bit guilty and thinking he should contribute something, he asked, "Mr. Lu, do you have any preferred actors in mind?"


    This film is mainly about storytelling and scene setting¡ªas long as the actors aren''t too awkward, they''re basically qualified.


    Even if the actors'' performances were awkward, under the furious funding of four hundred million from the financial backers, he had the confidence he could train them well.


    "Originally, we had Zhao Jinmai, Wu Jing, and Meng Da, all unchanged. Let''s switch the male lead though, he doesn''t look appealing."


    Lu Liang didn''t know Zhao Jinmai, but Director Guo thoughtfully provided a photo. She indeed looked like a high school girl, matching the character setting in the drama.


    There''s no need to question the acting skills of Meng Da and Wu Jing, only the male lead, whom he simply didn''t like, inexplicably unappealing.


    Lu Liang turned his head and asked, "Do you have any recommendations?"


    In the entertainment circle, he only knew a few beautiful leading ladies. He hardly knew any male actors and didn''t know what their acting skills were like, nor if they would hamper the film''s success.


    He had seen the complete plot and knew that either the male or the female lead triggered a series of events; they were tools, frankly speaking.


    So, he wasn''t worried that changing the male lead hastily could cause the film to flop.


    "Someone in their twenties, good acting, good character, let me think."


    Little Wang looked thoughtful, and suddenly Director Guo softly suggested, "Principal, what do you think about Wu Fan?"


    The film hadn''t even started shooting yet and was already carrying the pressure of a two hundred and ten million box office. He desperately needed a young fresh face to save the day.


    There were many male stars to choose from in this age group. Any of the top current Four Returning Stars would be suitable.


    "That guy, he parties harder than I do and he''ll collapse eventually. If you''re not worried about the film getting banned, then go ahead and choose him."


    Little Wang glanced over; he had worked with Wu Fan before while shooting Panda''s independent variety show.


    That jerk had tried to make moves on Li Manli, and he had ended up slapping him privately twice.


    At that time, he knew this guy was fond of hookups, always with girls under eighteen.


    Director Guo forced a grin and suddenly didn''t dare to speak.


    If the film was banned because of the actor, Lu Liang would probably drag him down to the depths of the river.


    "Let''s go with Huang Bo then."


    Little Wang suddenly looked toward Lu Liang. Lu Liang looked puzzled, "Who?"


    "You don''t know him?" Little Wang was surprised. "He was in Crown Princess Consort."


    "Who?"


    Lu Liang squinted, he knew Huang Bo¡ªa high spec body with a low spec screen.


    The cast of Crown Princess Consort was all handsome men and beautiful women; there wasn''t such a character.


    "The Principal probably means Peng Yuchang; this kid''s acting is indeed good."


    Wu Jing smiled and took over the conversation, helping him choose his ''son'', and he also thought Peng Yuchang was more suitable.


    Lu Liang was still confused. Little Wang said irritably, "The father-in-law who''s always quarreling and making trouble with Zhang Tianai in the drama."


    He doubted that this web series, which Lu Liang had invested in and conned him into sponsoring two million, had ever been watched by Lu Liang.


    "Remember now, let''s go with him."


    Lu Liang laughed, remembering his role in the drama; he certainly looked more pleasing than the original male lead.


    They confirmed the lead cast lineup. He told Director Guo, "Director Guo, come sign the contract at my company tomorrow."


    Like Little Wang, he had no intention of paying out of pocket, waiting for the box office share of War Wolf 2 to come in and then transferring it directly.


    No later than three months, Director Guo had no objections. After all, there were two hundred million in the account to use first.


    Suddenly with six hundred million in ample funding,


    he felt his back straighten as he walked.


    With the cooperation confirmed, the group walked out of the lounge, and Wu Jing went on stage to give a speech.


    "Does domestic sci-fi have a future?"


    Little Wang was skeptical; he was purely following Lu Liang''s lead. If Lu Liang didn''t invest, he wouldn''t either.


    "Can you not be so crude? What''s wrong with supporting domestic sci-fi films?"


    Lu Liang glanced out of the corner of his eye, drinking juice and bored out of his mind while appreciating the female guests present.


    He and Little Wang, like the kings of the venue, everyone stayed away within a two-meter radius. No one dared to approach.


    It was quite boring.


    "Do you believe that yourself?"


    Others might pay for sentiment, but Lu Liang absolutely would not; as he said himself, he wasn''t at that level yet.


    "I believe." Lu Liang nodded, he was a sentimental person, otherwise, he wouldn''t propose increasing the production budget voluntarily.


    Making some money while helping the rise of domestic sci-fi films, why not?


    "Fake as hell."


    Little Wang looked disgusted. Lu Liang suddenly raised his eyebrows and asked, "What about that lady?"


    Following his gaze, Little Wang''s face darkened, "Natural plain-face and ugly, scheming and manipulative."


    "Have you been with her?" Lu Liang was surprised, he remembered that lady seemed to be called Zhang xi.


    "Eh~ Less than a month."


    "What about her?"


    "Qin Lan? I''m worried she''d play you instead."


    Little Wang spoke with the tone of someone who''s been through it all, earnestly advising, "Liangzi, there''s no end to the sea of bitterness; turn back from the shore. Girls in the entertainment circle who make it big, not one of them is a pushover."


    He had seen through that long ago, hence always stuck with internet celebrities, changing one every few months, freely and easily.


    After all, internet stars just wanted to ride on popularity, but those actresses in the entertainment circle were aiming to marry into rich families.

 Chapter 386 - 383: Crocodiles Gentleness

    "Fucking hell, I invested twenty million as well, but I never see him mention me all the time."


    When Wu Jing talked about the people he was most grateful to, apart from the silent support of his wife, it was Lu Liang''s helping hand during the most difficult times, as well as his subsequent unconditional trust, which really pissed Little Wang off.


    Having to always be the backdrop to Lu Liang was one thing, but even in other people''s praises, he was still just the backdrop. When would he ever be the main character?


    Lu Liang looked at Little Wang with a suddenly ''tender'' expression, speaking softly and slowly, "There will be an opportunity for you in the future."


    "Do you have some serious illness? Your glances at me have been weird ever since you came over."


    Little Wang looked uncomfortable and suspicious, feeling not at ease with Lu Liang''s attitude towards him today, which seemed overly kind.


    Normally, calling out Liangzi made him want to strangle him, but today a call to Liangzi merely resulted in a smile.


    Even the womanizing tips he shared were met with approval and nods, without a hint of skepticism.


    He felt like someone deprived of a CPU for a long time who was suddenly receiving Lu Liang''s kindness, almost flattered by the unexpected attention.


    "What''s wrong? Can''t I be nice to you to spare you from saying you feel no respect from me at all?"


    Lu Liang chuckled, lifting his glass in a toast to Wu Jing on the stage in response to his expression of gratitude.


    "Maybe you should return to your usual self; I''m suddenly feeling a bit scared," Little Wang exclaimed, feeling alarmed.


    "People really are shitty: you complain when they insult you and you''re not happy when they are nice to you," Lu Liang said, half laughing, half crying.


    "There''s something called crocodile tears, and I feel like what you''re giving me is crocodile kindness," Little Wang said bluntly.


    Gratuitous kindness was either cunning or thieving. Now he always felt like there was a pit ahead, and Lu Liang was inviting him to a beheading feast.


    No matter how hard he racked his brains, he couldn''t figure out what Lu Liang was plotting. Couldn''t he just speak straight?


    Considering their relationship, if he had it, he would definitely give it.


    Lu Liang gave a wry smile: "Based on what you just said, I''ll make sure to let you save some face when the time comes."


    Little Wang was itching with curiosity; knowing Lu Liang wouldn''t say, he couldn''t help but ask, "Save face? What exactly are you planning?"


    Lu Liang pondered for a moment: "I might need it, or might not. Anyway, it won''t affect you too much."


    Little Wang turned pale,


    With Lu Liang putting it that way, his curiosity grew even stronger. Despite his persistent questioning, Lu Liang refused to say another word: "Fuck, I hate it when you talk like this, always speaking half-truths."


    Lu Liang spoke gravely: "Xiao Cong, just act as if it''s not happening for now. If I really need something, I''ll explain it to you in advance, you won''t be left in the dark."


    Little Wang''s eyelids twitched: "What normally comes before ''left in the dark''?"


    Lu Liang just smiled and said nothing. Once Wu Jing finished his speech and stepped down to toast, Lu Liang sipped his drink and said he had to leave early.


    He was headed to Tokyo and estimated he wouldn''t return to the country before the Panda IPO. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Then he turned to Guo Fan and said: "Director Guo, come to my company tomorrow; I have already notified Vice President Tang."


    "Mr. Lu, let me see you out," Guo Fan said, surprised. Such a huge investment was left to the vice president?


    Lu Liang was confident, but he wasn''t, worried that Mr. Lu''s instructions might be missed, forgetting about him in the process.


    "No need, stay here."


    After that, Lu Liang left, leaving Guo Fan dismayed in the wind, and Little Wang contemplating life.


    That very night, news broke out that Lu Liang had struck again with an investment of a hundred million dollars in a sci-fi blockbuster.


    "Wandering Earth" had become a hit even before filming began, riding on Lu Liang''s investment and the hundred-million-dollar production.


    "Fucking hell, could we really get to see the helium flash of the Sun in our lifetime? I hope Liangzi doesn''t let the screenwriters cut that scene."


    "Many people began to question the story of the helium flash destroying Earth, believing it to be a dictatorship ploy by the United Government to rule the surviving humans, leading to an overthrow by rebel organizations exterminating the upper echelons and scientists. Just then, the sun undergoes a helium flash¡­"


    "Just thinking about that scene gives me a brain orgasm; Liangzi better not change it, or he''ll be blacklisted for life."


    The news rapidly swept across the internet without much effort.


    The influence of entertainment works is far greater than that of any other industry, and their audience reach is deservedly the biggest across all domains.


    Domestic science fiction movies have always been a perpetual disappointment for Chinese movie fans, with too many bait-and-switch schemes over the years, all ending up focused on cheap romance.


    But this time it was different: with a source material by Hugo and Galaxy Award-winning Liu Cixin, the Midas touch of Lu Liang, and an investment of a hundred million dollars.


    Even if it turns out to be another scam,


    They are more than willing to be deceived once again.


    Adapting Liu Cixin''s novel + Lu Liang''s investment equals solid gold.


    If we can''t make a good domestic science fiction movie with this, we might as well bury it in the ground like the National Team.


    Within just a few hours, Guo Fan went from being an entertainment industry nobody, a third-rate director, to a new favorite in the business.


    His personal and company phones rang off the hook with countless people inquiring, some about investments, some sponsorships, and others begging for roles.


    "Mr. Lu, should we announce it now?"


    Guo Fan, sincerely anxious, called Lu Liang at the first chance he got. He''d lived half his life and been in the entertainment industry for over a decade, but this was the first time he had seen such a spectacle.


    To be suddenly in the spotlight without reason, to be ignored without it, he personally felt the truth behind these words.


    He also suddenly understood the meaning behind the words Wu Jing had given him just after the thank-you banquet had ended,


    "Do not forget your original aspirations, and you will be able to maintain your mission,


    cling to Mr. Lu''s coattails, and you''ll be set for life."


    Wu Jing thought this way and acted accordingly, planning to cling to Lu Liang''s coattails for a class leap.


    "Go ahead and announce it, there''s nothing to hide."


    Lu Liang chuckled. He had invested real US dollars and silver, why should he fear people talking about it; it would also put some pressure on Guo Fan.


    He''d be able to focus with six years of time just to produce over four thousand original drawings; the pressure shouldn''t crush him.


    Guo Fan understood and cautiously asked, "Mr. Lu, should we accept some product sponsorships?"


    The movie''s setting is half a century later, with almost the entire globe frozen over, and people hiding in underground cities.


    Thinking about product placement, it was actually possible to import lots of advertisements, like Xiaomi, Huawei, or even top international car brands like BBA, all of whom had extended olive branches.


    Liu Cixin''s original work, Lu Liang''s investment, one hundred million dollars in production, the first true large-scale science fiction production in the country.


    These brands all wanted to leave their mark, to show that sixty years later, they were still standing tall.


    "No need, we''re not short on funds right now, rashly inserting ads into the movie can easily create a disconnection."


    Lu Liang decisively refused. He had watched many films with Su Wanyu, and those timeless movies almost never had product placements.


    Suddenly, however, he changed his tone, "I''ll send you a car logo later, just deal with it as you see fit. Don''t deliberately arrange it, treat it as an inconspicuous little Easter egg and keep it as secret as possible."


    A logo that cost twelve million to invite top domestic and international designers to personally craft, an irregular four-pointed star, had also been registered for various brand patents early on.


    Boss Lu always had double standards: when others included product placement it created a feeling of disconnection, but when he did it, it was an exclusive Easter egg.


    "Alright, Mr. Lu."


    Guo Fan was stunned, then he suddenly remembered Lu Liang''s side business; this logo was probably for the future Tianxing cars.


    With Lu Liang''s indication, he decisively announced the good news on Weibo, tagging Tianxing Investment and the actors.


    He stated that the rumors were true, the Wandering Earth crew would start filming soon and hoped to meet the audience as early as possible.


    He knew that young fresh meat had followings, but he was more aware that the domestic audience had long suffered from the young fresh meat syndrome, indicating that the actors'' salaries would not exceed 5% of the movie''s total budget.


    With an investment of one hundred million dollars, at most only five million dollars would be allocated to salaries, which converts to 33.5 million RMB.


    This amount would cover the expenses for the lead and cameo actors as well as extras; the remaining ninety-five million would be entirely invested in the movie''s production.


    This move earned the applause of countless netizens.


    After the collapse of the "Capital with a Conscience" persona, Lu Liang had acquired the name of "Conscience of the Film Industry."


    "Is making a sci-fi movie this effective?"


    Having already arrived in Tokyo, Lu Liang saw the trending topics on the domestic internet, with at least eight out of the top ten being about Wandering Earth.


    He couldn''t help but wonder if it was because of him or the subject matter itself; he hadn''t bought any trending topics, and yet the popularity was bizarrely high.


    "Sir, are you investing in movies too?" Sakurada Miyuki knelt on the couch and reached out her slender hands to massage his shoulders and neck.


    Originally, her mother had been helping Lu Liang with a foot massage, but for some reason, Lu Liang had suddenly sent her mother away.


    "Just investing a little in my spare time."


    Lu Liang smiled and shifted his attention from domestic affairs, suddenly sitting up to open an email from Wen Chao.


    He didn''t know much about Bitcoin, so he had asked Wen Chao to investigate and understand it recently, in case he couldn''t discuss the pros and cons of Bitcoin tomorrow in the meeting with Ota Ling.


    After all, Lu Liang knew that Bitcoin was going to rise to twenty thousand dollars by the end of the year, but others didn''t; he needed to deduce why it would rise backward from the known result.


    At the very least, he needed a reason that could persuade others, even if the reason was far-fetched, but it was still a reason.

 Chapter 387 - 384: The Throne Forged by Trampling

    "Bitcoin?" sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Sakurada Miyuki, while earnestly massaging her shoulders, caught Lu Liang scanning through some related documents out of the corner of her eye and blurted out subconsciously.


    "Have you heard of it?" Lu Liang was surprised. Bitcoin''s full name is Bitcoin, also abbreviated as BTC.


    Sakurada Miyuki hesitated for a moment, nodded, and talked about how, when school started a few days ago, a student from Han Country was involved with it, and even got many classmates playing with Bitcoin.


    They even asked her if she wanted to join, but she refused.


    Manli, having been exposed to a lot of information, understood that it was a kind of anarchist form of cryptocurrency, created by someone claiming to be Satoshi Nakamoto, a person of Japanese descent.


    The currency was launched in ''08 and had been developing for nine years. In the early years, one was only worth a few cents of a US Dollar, even requiring fifty Bitcoins to buy a single hamburger.


    However, in the past two years, it had started to grow rapidly. At the end of the year before last, one was worth only 12 dollars, but by the end of last year, it had risen to 220 dollars.


    This year''s development was even more explosive. In January, it rose to 500 dollars, in March to 1700 dollars, and in May to 3200 dollars.


    This also drove the sales of international high-end graphics cards because the production of Bitcoin involved computers performing complex mathematical operations to verify the legitimacy of transactions and earning a corresponding number of Bitcoins as a reward.


    Also known as hash calculation, it required extremely high computing power, and the computing capabilities of high-end graphics cards enabled them to complete a large number of computational tasks in a short time, thus improving efficiency.


    This act was also known as electronic ''mining''.


    However, by mid-August this year, which was last month, Bitcoin underwent a hard fork and produced a new cryptocurrency called Bitcoin Cash, also known as BCC.


    Although Bitcoin Cash was a derivative of Bitcoin, it was a bit like Big A''s SSE Composite Index and the Growth Enterprise Market Index.


    Although they both belonged to the Big A market, investors'' funds were ultimately limited. If they went to SSE, they generally wouldn''t go to Growth Enterprise Market, inevitably causing a diversion of funds.


    This event triggered a significant fluctuation in the price of Bitcoin, with a one-night drop of 45%, causing over a hundred thousand people to be liquidated, losing all their capital.


    Since then, Bitcoin has also been seriously wounded, with its price falling continuously, and today, it is only left at 1340 dollars.


    Sakurada Miyuki''s eyes gleamed as she spoke confidently. At this moment, she was the talented woman of Kyoto University, not the inconsequential Nakamori Akina who came and left at Lu Liang''s beck and call.


    Lu Liang''s eyes narrowed slightly, and his mouth curved into a smile. Suddenly, he reached out and pulled Miyuki into his embrace, shattering her halo of confidence.


    Miyuki''s eyes suddenly dimmed, and she asked timidly, "Mr. Lu, did I say something wrong?"


    "There was something, but it was not too significant."


    Lu Liang laughed and pointed at the name Satoshi Nakamoto: "He''s not an individual. It''s a codename for an organization."


    Even if Bitcoin fell to 1340 dollars, because there were 21 million coins, the total market cap was still 28.14 billion dollars.


    Not to mention, it once rose to 3200 dollars, indicating it once had a market cap of over 67 billion dollars.


    Such a vast market could not possibly belong to an individual. Perhaps it originally was, but not any longer.


    Wen Chao''s investigation revealed that at least three multinational conglomerates were involved in the Bitcoin market.


    They were Korea Samsung, Neon Toshiba, and the United States'' Motorola.


    Only then could it be explained why Satoshi Nakamoto, the creator of Bitcoin, had not been found after so many years.


    If he were an existing person, as long as he was still living on earth, even the butterflies of the Amazon could be found.


    Unless he was not an individual, or perhaps it was no longer important, that''s why his identity remains a mystery to this day.


    The silhouettes of these three conglomerates couldn''t help but make Lu Liang think of the United States'' proposed Return to Asia-Pacific Strategy.


    Fighting and killing were things of the past. Now, everyone had nuclear capabilities, with submarines carrying more than a dozen giant waves lurking beneath the Pacific Ocean. Cultural and economic colonization was the current approach.


    Lu Liang cast aside the messy thoughts in his head, took Miyuki''s chin in his hand, and asked, "Is it that you don''t want to play, or that you don''t have the money to?"


    Sakurada Miyuki was silent for a long time before slowly speaking: "Maybe it''s both."


    She majored in economics and minored in finance; how could she possibly not be interested in the capital market?


    But there were two reasons. Firstly, she had no money. After all, she was still in debt and couldn''t afford to get involved.


    Secondly, her father had ended up in ruin because he had illicitly used public funds to speculate on foreign exchange.


    This made her both love and fear the market.


    Lu Liang smiled, seemingly seeing through her concerns, and said softly, "The capital market is not to blame. It''s just a tool. The key is the person who uses it."


    Although this statement sounded cruel, attributing all the fault to someone who had passed away, it was also the truth.


    Death did not mean one was free from wrongdoing. On the contrary, he knew he was wrong, but couldn''t face up to it, so he chose to escape.


    Sakurada Miyuki, upon hearing these words, remained silent for even longer. Lu Liang picked up his phone, transferred two million dollars to her, and said, "Take it and have fun. If you lose, it''s on me, but if you earn, you take 10%."


    Wen Chao was Chinese, and right now, he was directly contacting Ota Ling or the Mitsui Sumitomo Group. The disadvantages of a Chinese identity overseas had not yet fully emerged.


    Once the company expanded more overseas business, it would inevitably face difficulties adapting and integrating into the local environment.


    He couldn''t possibly stay in Tokyo forever; Lu Liang truly treated him as a successor to nurture. Sooner or later, he would have to call him back.


    Wen Chao left, and with Tokyo''s huge operation, it was unclear who would be chosen to take over, moreover ensuring the successor was a native.


    Outsiders, Lu Liang couldn''t trust.


    The only option was to distinguish from domestic options and pick someone internally.


    Sakurada Miyuki could barely be considered a candidate, because she had many important traits that traders normally didn''t possess.


    Her father misusing public funds to speculate on foreign exchange and causing the family''s downfall also gave her a heart that revered the market.


    Two million US dollars were just pocket change for Lu Liang, making money was best, but it was also fine not to. In any case, he could afford to lose.


    Two years was the limit, and it happened to be her junior year of the new semester. Should she make twenty million before graduation, Lu Liang would let her join Xingheng Investment Company for good training, waiting to take over Wen Chao''s position later.


    "Mr. Lu, do you really trust me that much?" Sakurada Miyuki stared, dazed, at the seven-digit figure in US dollars that had appeared in her account.


    This amount of money might be insignificant to Lu Liang, but for millions of ordinary people, including her, it was a massive sum.


    Transferred directly into her account, all she had to do was wait for Lu Liang to leave Tokyo this time, and she could completely withdraw the money, take her mother, and flee to an unknown country to live a good life.


    For an instant, she even thought about the city of the country she would travel to; S?o Paulo in Brazil, which had many Neon People and was also hailed by them as their second homeland.


    "Miyuki, do you know that trusting someone is like liking someone¡ªyou don''t need any reason."


    Lu Liang showed a slight smile, caressing Miyuki''s cheek. His emotional CPU, though disdainful, was very effective.


    He was also in his thirties, at the age when he could deceive a young girl into looking at the big goldfish.


    "Mr. Lu, thank you for your trust," Sakurada Miyuki spoke softly, yet her gaze was exceptionally firm.


    "It''s getting late, take a bath, and then go to sleep."


    Lu Liang gave a faint smile without saying much. Sakurada Miyuki was just like that, timid and shy.


    Although she was about the same age as Li Manli, their personalities were polar opposites¡ªone extroverted, another introverted.


    Even the ways they expressed their emotions were vastly different. One was like a storm, the fiercer it shook, the more surging and vigorous the love, no technique, all pure emotion.


    She couldn''t wait to merge with Lu Liang, to tell him how much she loved him.


    The other was like the gentle spring rain, considerate and attuned to nuances, but even with a flushed face, unless unable to restrain herself, she would only let out a few soft moans.


    The next morning, Lu Liang had breakfast at home and then went to Xingheng Investment Company.


    Although there was still an hour until the agreed time, Ota Ling arrived two hours early, eagerly awaiting Lu Liang.


    He was genuinely curious about what project could be referred to by Lu Liang as a major project.


    It couldn''t be a profit of several billion US dollars, could it?


    "Bitcoin?" Ota frowned, clearly having heard of this cryptocurrency. He pondered for a long while, then suddenly asked, "Mr. Lu, how much do you know about this market?"


    "As far as I know, Korea Samsung, Neon Toshiba, and Motorola from the United States, all have been involved."


    Lu Liang answered truthfully, as Ota''s question clearly indicated he knew something Lu Liang didn''t.


    Ota nodded, then added, "Not just them, but also BlackRock, Vanguard, and other top-tier institutions."


    "I guessed as much."


    Lu Liang smiled and nodded, the US Dollar undoubtedly being the world''s primary currency, accounting for 48.25% of global currency circulation.


    With just under half, the Federal Reserve could enjoy monetary dominance, freely raising and lowering interest rates, thereby affecting the global economy.


    Bitcoin aimed at global unification and had not been killed off by the Federal Reserve thus far, indicating that it had the Federal Reserve''s involvement.


    It wasn''t hard to guess that they wanted to use Bitcoin to achieve online payment uniformity, extend, and deepen their dominance in the currency market.


    Ota eagerly anticipated Lu Liang''s further explanation, but when Lu Liang didn''t continue, he couldn''t help asking, "That''s it?"


    "That''s it," said Lu Liang with a chuckle, and after a pause, he added, "What if I do know? Could they still stop me from entering the market?"


    "..."


    Ota gave a self-deprecating smile, suddenly remembering that Lu Liang was not one of them; he was the man who had fiercely taken on Wall Street several times.


    He had never been defeated until now and had recently been inexplicably mixing with Wall Street institutions.


    They were afraid of angering Wall Street institutions and facing their targeted hostility later on, but Lu Liang was not afraid.


    His prominent reputation in the international markets was almost built on a throne made by stepping over the heads of Wall Street institutions¡ªotherwise, they wouldn''t treat an Asian so courteously.


    The more high-end the circle, the more severe the exclusivity.


    It wasn''t that they specifically established these rules, but if there weren''t so many rigid conditions.


    Then there would be too many people and not enough cake to divide.


    Just like ordinary people, if there''s a good thing or a profitable business, they would prefer close friends and family members, and it''s only if that wasn''t feasible that they would consider welcoming outsiders.


    Lu Liang was the kind of presence that made it necessary for them to please, woo, and eventually recruit as a subordinate.

 Chapter 388 - 385: First Arrival in Han City

    "Mr. Lu, then how do you propose we cooperate?"


    Mr. Ota thought of Lu Liang''s identity; they probably wouldn''t resist him, and might even welcome him with open arms.


    For Bitcoin to penetrate the East University Market through this opportunity was a dream come true.


    Neon was a flower of the past, having withdrawn from Uncle Sam''s main course to become an appetizer.


    Harvesting the East University economy had become a primary focus for the United States; otherwise, they wouldn''t have proposed the Return to Asia-Pacific Strategy.


    "33/33/34."


    Lu Liang glanced sideways, the corners of his mouth tilting upward slightly. Mr. Ota had thought of something he naturally had considered as well.


    He didn''t intend to show up personally, and he didn''t want Mitsui Sumitomo to monopolize the market; his plan was to bring in a third party.


    Mr. Ota''s just-relaxed brows furrowed again, "Who gets 34?"


    If Lu Liang took 34, he would have had no objections, but he had guessed that Lu Liang would not take 34.


    If he took 34 and became the leader, he might actually prefer 51 instead of bringing in a third party.


    The next second, Lu Liang''s words confirmed Mr. Ota''s guess, "Your side will have 34%, Mr. Ota. In recent years, the variety of business in East University has increased. It''s hard for me to be involved in everything personally. I will have to rely on you more in the future."


    "Mr. Lu, you''re too kind."


    Mr. Ota showed a delighted expression. Although this leadership position was probably more symbolic than real, it was still a leadership role.


    Lu Liang didn''t need it, but he did. After all, he was just the rotating chairman of Mitsui Sumitomo, and the position was up for reelection the following year.


    Having a leading role in this project would greatly assist his chances in next year''s chairman election.


    Amidst his joy, Mr. Ota couldn''t help but ask again, "So who''s the other 33?" S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Hyundai!"


    Lu Liang''s smirk became even more evident.


    Initially, he had thought about a 51 to 49 ratio, but as he wouldn''t be in Tokyo for the long term, nor would Wen Chao stay in Tokyo permanently.


    If Mitsui Sumitomo were left to their own devices for too long, they would eventually become a threat. Neon completely surpassed Korea not only in terms of culture and economy but also in mindset.


    Just as Korea sincerely acknowledged the United States as its foster father, even unto death without regret, Neon was different. If given the chance, they would naturally seek to usurp their master.


    Lu Liang needed someone to rein them in during his absence, and so he thought of another good neighboring ally.


    When it came to handling Neon, apart from the United States, only Korea could do it; after all, they had been invaded by Neon, and had their semiconductor technology stolen from them.


    The relationship between the two countries was an entangled curse spanning a thousand years. Korea might not compare to Neon, but they knew exactly how to get under Neon''s skin.


    "..." Mr. Ota was momentarily speechless, his expression twisted as if he had swallowed something disgusting.


    Lu Liang asked with a smile, "Mr. Ota, do you have any problems?"


    Mr. Ota shook his head with a wry smile, "As the project is initiated by Mr. Lu, we respect any arrangements you make."


    They had already tasted success twice, each time raking in several billion US dollars.


    In the past, they were the ones being plundered, but now they had a seat at the table to share in the spoils with Wall Street.


    Let the Han Country join; as disgusting as it might be.


    It also implied indirectly that Lu Liang intended to maintain a long-term cooperative relationship, otherwise he wouldn''t have introduced a third party to act as a constraint.


    "Let''s settle on that, then. The initial investment in this project will be 1 billion US dollars, funding by equity. Mr. Ota, do you have any more questions?"


    Lu Liang dared not invest too much, as they intended to infiltrate the project quietly, waiting until the end of the year when it would rise to over 20,000 US dollars.


    From 1,340 US dollars to 20,852 US dollars in four months, the surging market could not endure any shock.


    By then, their 1 billion US dollars would become 15 billion US dollars, giving them the right to negotiate terms.


    If they were excluded from the game,


    Then they would simply overturn the table, and no one would be able to play.


    "No," Mr. Ota nodded slightly.


    "Then, let''s set a time to meet again the day after tomorrow, and we''ll sign the contract along with Li Xuanhong from Hyundai."


    "Mr. Lu, please decide on the time and place. I''ll be in Tokyo during this period, awaiting your updates."


    Nearing noon, Mr. Ota invited Lu Liang to join him for lunch.


    Lu Liang politely declined, "Mr. Ota, maybe next time. I have some matters to attend to shortly, and I''ll also be staying in Tokyo for a while. There will be other opportunities."


    No sooner had he bid farewell to Mr. Ota than Lu Liang set off, taking a flight to the neighboring Korea Han City.


    Three and a half hours later, Lu Liang was already on the road away from Han City Airport.


    "Wen Chao, have you been here before?"


    Lu Liang looked around with curiosity; it was his first time in Korea, and he felt something odd about Han City. There were tall buildings, but it was a peculiar strangeness he couldn''t put his finger on.


    "I''ve been here a few times before."


    Wen Chao seemed to catch what Lu Liang was thinking and chuckled, "A large urban-rural junction."


    The southern part of the peninsula is surrounded by the sea on three sides and covers an area of about 103,000 square kilometers.


    Such land mass, if placed in the provinces of East Country, would only rank at the very end, just a bit larger than Ningxia.


    Logically speaking, such a country could never develop. It lacked people and land, and was surrounded by powerful enemies, each looking at it covetously.


    To the north, they couldn''t wait to strangle it; to the south, just across a strait was Neon, which had invaded numerous times over a thousand years.


    Not only Han City but the entire Korea seemed like a large urban-rural junction, forcibly propped up by the United States.


    "Exactly, that''s the feeling."


    Lu Liang was at a loss for words and chuckled. No wonder he felt it was familiar; it was very much like the county town of his hometown.


    A fifth-tier small county town, keeping pace with the times, was grandly developing the real estate industry, with skyscrapers rising one after another, while not far away, people were still raising fish and growing vegetables.


    "This must be the famous Han River, rumored to be overflowing with Viagra."


    Passing a bridge, Wen Chao took on the role of a tour guide, introducing the scenery along the way to Lu Liang.


    The country was small, Han City even more so; the so-called scenic spots could be thoroughly explored after a few visits and weren''t that interesting.


    If anything special had to be pointed out, it may be that cosmetics here were relatively cheaper, and the medical aesthetics industry was unique.


    With Wen Chao''s comments, Lu Liang lost interest in sightseeing and instead asked, "What time is our appointment with Li Xuanhong?"


    Li Xuanhong was the current CEO of Hyundai Group, although the two sides had never had any business dealings before.


    However, without any exaggeration, the name Lu Liang was quite effective in East Asia and even internationally.


    As long as he intended to visit, even if the other party had no time, they would make time to meet and chat.


    After all, he was the God of Wealth.


    "Six in the evening, at Ming Tower Hotel."


    "Then let''s head to the hotel to settle in first."


    The group arrived at Yanjiang Hotel in Jiangnan District, which also was the stronghold of Hyundai Group.


    Along the way, there were Hyundai High School, Hyundai Department Store, Hyundai Hospital¡ªseveral conglomerates almost monopolized every industry in the country.


    According to last year''s data, the revenue of the top ten chaebols accounted for more than 70% of the national GDP, with some years reaching as high as 85%.


    For example, Samsung, as the largest chaebol in Korea, accounted for about 20% of Korea''s GDP, followed closely by Hyundai at 16.8%.


    Sometimes it was no wonder that in the East Asia Three Countries, Korea was known as the king of ''squeezing'', with suicide rates also far leading the other two countries.


    The place was so small, jobs so few, and the class channels were all blocked, leaving no room even for the thought of rebellion.


    They could only work frantically, and those who couldn''t keep up often found themselves in dire straits.


    "I have to say, the girls here on average are indeed very high in both beauty and figure."


    At six o''clock, as the group headed to Ming Tower Hotel for the appointment, they hit the evening rush hour and amusedly admired the street scenes they were stuck in traffic.


    Wen Chao smiled and said, "Mr. Lu, the gyms around here are open all night. It''s very common for people to go work out at two or three in the morning after drinking."


    The meaning of being the East Asia''s champion of squeezing wasn''t limited to work.


    Anything that could be compared, they would endeavor to excel in: figure, appearance, height.


    They even squeezed their sleeping hours until they diminished; for them, sleeping for only three or four hours a day had become the norm.


    "How do you even ''squeeze'' height?" asked Lu Liang, puzzled. Figure and appearance could be surgically altered, but height seemed innate.


    "Leg-lengthening surgery, it''s very popular and the techniques are quite advanced."


    "Wow, incredible."


    At ten past six, the vehicle crawled along at a snail''s pace and finally arrived at Ming Tower Hotel with great difficulty.


    From a distance, Lu Liang saw several men in suits looking around the entrance of the hotel.


    Wen Chao looked at the man in the lead, "Mr. Lu, that is Li Xuanhong from Hyundai Group."


    Following the direction of his gaze, Lu Liang saw a man in his early forties, slightly overweight, with a large nose and unnaturally thick hair.


    From afar, the two of them recognized each other and both revealed amicable smiles.


    The car came to a stop, and Lu Liang quickly got out with an apologetic smile on his face: "Mr. Li, I''m sorry. It''s my first time in Han City and I didn''t realize the traffic was so bad. Please forgive me."


    "Mr. Lu, you are too polite; we haven''t been here long ourselves," Li Xuanhong replied with a smile.


    He was only the CEO; in other words, a higher-class worker, and couldn''t compare to Lu Liang, who was the head of a business.


    Even their chairman wanted to meet Lu Liang, but unfortunately, Lu Liang''s visit was not timely, as he was not in the country at the time.


    Wen Chao took the opportunity to interject, "Mr. Lu, Mr. Li, there are many prying eyes here; why don''t we go in and talk?"

 Chapter 389 - 386: Not bt Enough and Out of Place

    "Cooperation?"


    Mr. Li frowned tightly; although Lu Liang''s reputation was well known, they had never interacted in the past.


    Why would such a good opportunity fall into their hands?


    "Mr. Li, aside from Hyundai, we have another partner, which is Mitsui Sumitomo, who have already confirmed."


    Lu Liang only mentioned bringing in the Hyundai Group to balance Mitsui Sumitomo but didn''t specify the collaborative project.


    He had clearly voiced his investment intentions to Ota Ling, mainly because they had cooperated several times before and those ventures were quite pleasant.


    However, today was the first time he was making contact with Li Xuanhong.


    The other party did not trust him, and he didn''t trust them either.


    After pondering for a moment, Li Xuanhong suddenly understood, everyone knew the sly ambitions of the little Japanese, and couldn''t help but ask again, "Mr. Lu, could you let me know the details of the collaboration project?"


    Lu Liang did not answer directly, "Mr. Li, you could consider this project as a fund initiated by the three of us."


    "I see."


    Li Xuanhong gave a bitter smile, Lu Liang was clearly saying, don''t worry about what he was investing in, just put in the money and follow along.


    That statement was arrogant¡ªhad it been anyone else, Li Xuanhong would have thrown them out along with their chair.


    Still, thinking that Lu Liang was the one who made that statement suddenly made it seem not so arrogant.


    The success of Tianxing Private Equity Fourth Phase was clearly evident; representatives from various Wall Street institutions had gathered in Modu.


    Lu Liang did not disappoint their expectations; he delivered a 49.8% rate of return after the first month.


    Thirty billion dollars, earning 14.94 billion dollars in a month, averaging 49.8 million dollars in revenue per day.


    Every hour 2.075 million US dollars, every minute 34,500 US dollars, equating to approximately 45 million Korean won.


    An average of just over two minutes amounted to one hundred million won.


    After mulling it over for a long while, Li Xuanhong inquired, "Mr. Lu, how much is the total investment in this project, and what is our share ownership?"


    "The total investment is one billion dollars, subscribed according to shareholding proportions of 34%, 33%, and 33%, with Mitsui Sumitomo holding 34%."


    As Lu Liang spoke, he casually tasted a piece of Korean kimchi and immediately put down his chopsticks, not very fond of the sour and spicy flavor.


    Li Xuanhong keenly noticed this and said with a forced smile, "Mr. Lu, does the dinner not suit your taste?"


    "It''s fine, I just prefer something lighter these days."


    Lu Liang did not continue the topic either, the conversation was going well, and suddenly shifting topics mean either a lack of interest or a lack of authority.


    Clearly, Li Xuanhong was the latter; his face showed annoyance as he scolded the assistant to hold the kitchen accountable and remake a table of lighter dishes.


    Once the assistant left, he said with a wry smile, "Mr. Lu, this project is too big for me to decide alone; perhaps you could give us some time to consider it thoroughly."


    "How long?" Lu Liang asked, the word "consider" was too vague; he needed a precise timeframe.


    "One week, what do you think?"


    "Too long."


    "Three days?"


    "I will be leaving Han City tomorrow night, one day should be enough time for consideration."


    Lu Liang thought briefly, not wanting to haggle like a market vendor, he directly fixed an exact response time.


    Li Xuanhong pretended to look troubled, "Mr. Lu, one day is indeed very short for such a large investment."


    "Is one billion dollars a lot? Some might not think so, and some might be more decisive," Lu Liang said with a nonchalant smile.


    Korea wasn''t just Hyundai and Samsung; there was also LG and Hanwha¡ªalthough these two were a bit weaker, they could still manage to muster up over three hundred million dollars.


    Li Xuanhong''s face turned bitter, and he quickly said, "Mr. Lu, just give me a moment, let me consult with the chairman."


    "Go ahead," Lu Liang said with a smile, taking the opportunity to have a little more to eat.


    He had been so busy talking that he hadn''t touched any of the food on the table, and the kimchi he had just tasted felt bland.


    Li Xuanhong nodded to his assistant and soon, four girls, all under the age of twenty, gracefully approached.


    Li Xuanhong said with a smile, "Mr. Lu, during my absence, why don''t you enjoy a few drinks with them?"


    Wen Chao hadn''t given a comprehensive introduction; Korean specialties included not only cosmetics and medical aesthetics but also their famous pop groups.


    Every member of these mixed-gender groups had to sign nearly servitude-like contracts with their companies from their trainee period to their official debut.


    Socializing was an indispensable part of it, even the hugely popular Girls'' Generation in Asia had to go through such situations.


    For big conglomerates like Hyundai and Samsung, girl groups were a special service they used to entertain distinguished guests.


    They could accompany them at meals, drinks, or even in bed. Experiencing hardship behind the scenes was essential for a grand appearance in public.


    Lu Liang nodded with a smile; when in Rome, do as the Romans do¡ªthis was a Korean specialty, and he had no reason to refuse.


    And he intentionally revealed his flaws: a person who wants nothing is terrifying.


    At this point, any somewhat familiar friend knew that Lu loved the company of women.


    This was actually a good thing as it meant that if anyone wanted to target him or curry favor, they would resort to using beauty to influence him.


    It was just like being a thief every day compared to guarding against one every day¡ªactively revealing a flaw was better than having it inadvertently exposed by others.


    Li Xuanhong smiled and turned to the girls, saying, "This is Mr. Lu. Please introduce yourselves."


    "Mr. Lu, hello, my name is Jisoo."


    "Mr. Lu, hello, my name is Jennie."


    "Mr. Lu, hello, my name is Chaeyoung."


    "Mr. Lu, hello, my name is Lisa."


    The four girls smiled and took turns introducing themselves, then together they said, "We are BLACKPINK!"


    "Fenmo?"


    Lu Liang was confused. It sounded like a group''s name. Li Xuanhong nodded, "Yes, they just debuted last year."


    Lu Liang understood and waved his hand, saying, "Mr. Li, don''t worry about me. Go talk to Mr. Zheng."


    Before Li Xuanhong left, he asked Assistant Park to stay. He turned to the girls and scolded, "What are you waiting for? Go and offer Mr. Lu a drink."


    Lu Liang glared and said irritably, "Assistant Park, why are you raising your voice?"


    Assistant Park sheepishly smiled: "Mr. Lu, these ladies seldom come out for social engagements, I was worried they might not know the proper etiquette."


    "Etiquette can be taught gradually."


    Lu Liang spoke like someone with experience. He looked at one of them, whose skin was darker, not looking like she was from East Asia: "What''s your name? You''re not Korean, are you?"


    "Mr. Lu, my name is Lisa, and I''m Siamese."


    Lisa was very proactive, smiling as she held up her glass, "Let me toast to you."


    Lu Liang sipped his drink and asked with a smile, "Who is the leader of your group?"


    Lisa turned to look behind her. The girl named Jisoo, shyly raising her hand, said, "I am the leader."


    "You don''t have to be so formal. The space in this room is ample, why don''t you play a song and show us a dance?"


    The Korean groups Lu Liang knew were limited to Girls'' Generation, and even among them, he only remembered Yun''er.


    He hadn''t seen any of these four before; the night was long, and since the official matter hadn''t been settled, there was no need to hurry.


    Old Xu''s hobbies were worth learning for Lu Liang. Rolling in the sheets was no longer a big deal; they should aim for higher pursuits.


    Like having a little drink, listening to some music, and watching a girl group''s dance performance live, to well cultivate one''s artistic sense.


    Upon hearing this, Assistant Park hurriedly said, "Mr. Lu, why don''t we go next door? There''s a karaoke room there which is more suitable."


    They chose Ming Tower Hotel not only because it was owned by Hyundai Group but also because it offered everything one could need.


    Without stepping outside, one could still experience all kinds of entertainment.


    "Lead the way."


    Lu Liang nodded, leading Wen Chao and Xu Jiawei along with Fang Shiyu following Assistant Park to the karaoke room upstairs.


    The 200-square-meter room was like a hotel suite, not only fully equipped but also with a raised stage whose purpose was unclear. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Fenmo Group seemed to have been here before; without prompting, they conscientiously got onto the 20-square-meter stage.


    As the powerful music started, they twisted and swung their heads, displaying their sizzling dances.


    Assistant Park, grinning, handed a remote to Lu Liang: "Mr. Lu, you can choose which mode you''d like."


    If cultivating a girl group was solely for entertaining guests in bed, it would be a waste of their singing and dancing talents.


    There were many guests like Lu Liang who enjoyed watching performances, which is why they specially designed this performance suite.


    Near the stage, they set up many sensual little devices, like the ''Rainforest Mode'' to watch the girls dance wet, or the ''Wonderland Mode'' where dry ice would waft up from beneath the stage.


    Or even the ''Wild Mode'', where they would feed them some stimulants that made them unable to endure but still have to dance energetically, and also allow specifying some small accessories.


    After all, some older people, though keen, were not physically able, and enjoyed watching them in desperate straits.


    That feeling was like the ice on a lake in early winter, delicately beautiful. The more beautiful something is, the more dopamine you get by personally shattering it.


    "..."


    Lu Liang was speechless; even Wen and Xu beside him couldn''t help but stare wide-eyed; they simply didn''t regard the women as human beings.


    "Let''s go with ''Wonderland Mode'', then."


    Lu Liang feigned indifference, browsing through and finally choosing a relatively mild mode.


    He often felt out of place because he wasn''t perverse enough to fit in with these deviants.

 Chapter 390 - 387: Because He Is Kind

    Korean songs, I can''t understand them.


    However, songs that I can''t understand can generally be quite pleasing if they have a good rhythm and the singers have good vocal qualities.


    Moreover, they are like four flowers each with its own unique beauty in spring chrysanthemums and autumn orchids.


    When they saw the dry ice smoke swirling below the stage, they immediately gave Lu Liang a grateful look.


    Their work demeaned them, reduced them to playthings, but they also hoped for respect, even if just a little.


    Thus, they sang and danced with even more effort.


    Their impressive figures trembled along with the music, noticeably natural, at least not padded.


    "In such a long journey, there are far distances to be traversed."


    Lu Liang expressed his admiration, and with crossed legs, he drank the beer imported from the East Country, sincerely feeling emotional.


    Having fun also requires a certain knowledge, how to have fun and enjoy oneself thoroughly, there are too many twists and turns involved.


    Becoming wealthy, just within two and a half years, compared to these wealthy conglomerates for decades, he was just a nouveau riche.


    Lu Liang thought of those in the Squid Clan in the West, they were the true financial behemoths, dominating globally following the rise of the United States.


    These Han City conglomerates were merely pawns, mutilated by military, economic, and even cultural castrations.


    They have ruled the global economy for over a century, and they must play the game even more extravagantly, even more perversely.


    Just at that moment, the door to the private room was suddenly pushed open, Li Xuanhong entered with a broad smile and in good spirits.


    Seeing the floating dry ice, he assumed Lu Liang might be uncomfortable and decisively picked up the remote to activate the ''rainforest'' mode.


    Li Xuanhong slightly swayed his body and laughed, "Mr. Lu, please don''t hold back, a drenched dance has its own charm."


    The sudden cold downpour, like a laser gun, sprayed from all directions of the stage.


    The four singing and dancing women were caught by surprise, and the lead dancer, Jisoo, unexpectedly slipped, falling with a loud thud.


    This caused the water to splash, most of it landing on Li Xuanhong, with a few droplets reaching further, splashing onto Lu Liang''s face.


    Lu Liang instinctively touched his cheek.


    Silence fell over the entire venue, the booming music was unable to revive the frozen atmosphere.


    Assistant Park, terrified, quickly took out a wet wipe to wipe it off, "Mr. Lu, I''m very sorry, extremely sorry."


    Seeing this, Li Xuanhong could not suppress his anger, "Damn it..."


    A torrent of cursing ensued, as if scolding alone wasn''t enough to vent his frustration.


    Li Xuanhong was the host today only because the chairman was away. If Lu Liang said something about this to the chairman, his career would be over.


    Overcome with anger, Li Xuanhong suddenly grabbed a beer bottle from the table and threw it hard toward the stage.


    With a crash, the glass bottle shattered.


    Several screams ensued, all four women were variously injured, but Jisoo, who was lying on the ground, was injured the most severely, with several large glass shards cutting through her arm, blood seeping out bright red.


    "Li Xuanhong, what did Zheng Xuanyi say?"


    Lu Liang furrowed his brows and called out directly; he was starting to get angry, not at the girl group''s mistake, but at their dehumanizing attitude.


    "Don''t just stand there, kneel and apologize to Mr. Lu."


    Li Xuanhong grinned, clearly misunderstanding. He thought Lu Liang was upset because of the girl group''s mistake spoiling his refined taste.


    The background music abruptly stopped, the women, terrified, did not care about the glass on the floor, they quickly kneeled and repeatedly apologized.


    With the ''rainforest'' mode still active, the women kneeling on the ground had their hair and clothes completely wet, making the shirts cling tightly and visibly outlining their figures.


    Lowering one''s head to the ground, kneeling is considered a profound disgrace, a cultural aspect unique to East Country, but in Japan and South Korea, kneeling in apology, even within a company, if one commits a mistake, is quite normal.


    "Everyone stand up."


    Lu Liang sighed, and asked again, "What exactly did Zheng Xuanyi say?"


    The incumbent chairman of Hyundai Group was Zheng Xuanyi, the eldest grandson of the founder Zheng Yongzhou.


    Li Xuanhong, with a smile plastered on his face, replied, "The chairman said to convey that he''s looking forward to working with you and Mitsui Sumitomo, he will be back in Han City by noon tomorrow and will meet with you in person to discuss in detail."


    Lu Liang slightly nodded, "I too look forward to meeting Mr. Zheng tomorrow."


    Afterward, they agreed to meet tomorrow at two in the afternoon, and he signaled Fang Shiyu to prepare the car as he was ready to take his leave.


    Li Xuanhong spoke up, trying to hold him back, "Mr. Lu, if you are not satisfied with them, let me bring a few others for you."


    The chairman had given him a strict command to keep Lu Liang with Hyundai Group until his return and to not let him meet anyone else.


    Lu Liang''s international achievements were evident to all, and inviting them to join the project was simply to counterbalance Mitsui Sumitomo.


    This also meant that they were just one choice, not the only one, as Korea had at least five other groups that met the criteria.


    High stakes and fortunes, like a duck to water, if it still flew away, then his presidency would have come to an end.


    "I''m not dissatisfied, just a bit tired."


    Lu Liang had been interested, but that interest vanished with the smashing of a wine bottle. Now, he just wanted to return to the hotel, take a bath, have a spa treatment, and then go to sleep.


    "Then let me take you."


    Li Xuanhong hesitated, not daring to insist on detaining him, and looked at the women still kneeling on the stage with a fierce expression in his eyes.


    It was all due to these wretched women, whose actions filled his future with uncertainty. Should their sure thing fly away, they would undeniably be to blame.


    Their harsh glances made the women tremble, as if they could imagine the cruel punishments they would soon endure.


    Seeing Lu Liang about to leave, Jisoo, enduring the pain, almost pleaded in her broken Chinese, "Can you help us?"


    Due to her mistake, all this had happened. If she didn''t speak up now, her whole team would suffer.


    If Lu Liang agreed, Li Xuanhong wouldn''t dare do anything to them; if Lu Liang refused, she could still draw his attention away from her sisters.


    Lu Liang stopped in his tracks, realizing they were a girl group with East Country as their biggest market, so speaking a bit of Chinese wasn''t strange.


    Beside them, Li Xuanhong, who understood through a translator what Jisoo was saying, looked incredibly upset.


    In his presence, her pleading for help from a stranger clearly made Lu Liang misunderstand what he would do to them.


    Though he was that kind of person, he couldn''t appear so in front of Lu Liang, nor could he admit to it, as it would be slanderous.


    As Li Xuanhong started to explain, Lu Liang raised his hand to cut him off, looking at Jisoo, "Come with me."


    Lisa, her face showing envy, quickly revealed her slight understanding of Chinese, "Mr. Lu, can I come with Suzy? She''s hurt and is having trouble walking."


    She had just covertly checked Wikipedia and found out that Lu Liang was a corporate tycoon in the international arena.


    Unlike Suzy''s forced choice, she was eager to climb into Lu Liang''s bed and leap social classes.


    Without hesitation, Lu Liang said, "Then come along."


    "Thank you, Mr. Lu."


    Lisa, overjoyed, picked up her bag and jacket to cover the water stains on them.


    "Mr. Lu, have a fun night."


    Under Li Xuanhong''s obsequious smile and respectful gaze, Lisa supported Jisoo as they left Ming Tower Hotel with Lu Liang.


    Passing a small hospital, the ever-silent Lu Liang suddenly said, "Stop the car."


    Turning to the two women, "Get out."


    He took them out only because of his kindness, especially to those unrelated to his interests, feeling a faint compassion.


    If he had pleaded for them, given Li Xuanhong''s exposed aggressiveness, it would certainly have been ignored.


    It was best to take them away directly, without any need for explanations.


    After all, Boss Lu''s fondness for women was an open secret within the circle; with so many lice, itchiness was no concern.


    The two women were stunned, especially Lisa, who had even been fantasizing about ruling over Korean Entertainment.


    Yet reality struck hard, now stepping out of the car without having climbed into Lu Liang''s bed, how could she ever become wildly successful?


    Gradually, realization dawned on Jisoo''s face; Lu Liang taking them was not out of affection but out of pity.


    In the confined space, she deeply bowed, sincerely saying "Thank you," opened the car door, and led Lisa out.


    The two stood by the roadside, their hair still wet, resembling two drenched chickens, watching the black Mercedes drive away. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lisa, visibly unhappy, said, "Suzy, don''t you realize? This was our chance."


    Being with one man is better than being with a group. Lu Liang in his thirties, refined and gentlemanly, must be quite a man.


    Unlike old lechers, lustful yet impotent, who satisfy their pathological psyche by constantly tormenting them.


    "Let''s go, he''s not interested in us." Suzy said bitterly.


    It''s not just Lu Liang, sometimes, she even despised herself, living a life neither human nor ghostly.


    Occasionally standing by the window, she''d think, just one step forward could end this painful life.


    "Suzy, effort must be rewarded, otherwise what was the point of all these years?" said Lisa, her eyes firm.


    She was not afraid, nor did she regret, for she had chosen this path herself.

 Chapter 391 - 388: Hydrogen Energy

    "Mr. Lu, should we contact LG and Hanwha too?"


    Wen Chao asked quietly. They were the party with the upper hand, capable of choosing among many options; there was no need to hang on to one tree.


    Before reaching out to Hyundai''s Li Xuanhong, they had also engaged with LG''s Park Yongjun, and Hanwha''s Li Zaizhi.


    "Let''s meet with Zheng Xuanyi tomorrow, see what the situation is, and then decide whether to contact them," Mr. Lu responded.


    Apart from Samsung, Lu Liang was most optimistic about cooperating with Hyundai because it was a Korean enterprise much like Mitsui Sumitomo.


    Not everyone wished to be a lapdog to the United States¡ªat least the Zheng Family wasn''t keen, otherwise, Samsung wouldn''t dominate alone.


    But they had no choice. The financial crisis of 1997 took not just wealth but also their dignity.


    From a macro perspective, looking at that financial crisis, the assets swept away by Wall Street institutions led by Quantum Fund were but a drop in the ocean.


    Back then, the Korean Won almost collapsed; nations, enterprises, and individuals all faced bankruptcy. At that time, the United States extended a helping hand, assisting in the recovery of the post-disaster economic environment.


    This help was not without cost. Leading conglomerates like Samsung, LG, Hanwha, and Hyundai were all invaded and controlled by American capital.


    Millions of Koreans seemed to be working for these conglomerates when, in fact, these chaebols were just working for American interests. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Among these conglomerates, only Hyundai still held a bit of sovereignty, qualifying as a national enterprise.


    The enemy of an enemy is a friend, and Lu Liang was more inclined to cooperate with Hyundai to avoid any leaks.


    Wen Chao nodded and started to recount his insights on that past financial danger, "If the whole country hadn''t mobilized to save Xiangjiang back then, it would have just switched from British colonialism to American economic colonialism, and Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau would not have developed so quickly."


    Mr. Lu chuckled, "Indeed, not everyone has the audacity of Golden Emperor, killing oligarchs one by one and not taking exchange rates seriously, doing whatever they pleased."


    "So now they are also tasting the bitter fruit; their domestic economy has never developed, and externally people keep singing their downfall every day."


    "Soros nearly lost his underpants that time; how could he not talk down on it?"


    Mr. Lu couldn''t help but laugh. Scholars fear warriors¡ªan apt description of the financial crisis in 1998.


    By pulling fast ones, they directly caused Quantum Fund to burst, losing 5 billion US Dollars, nearly bankrupting them.


    Wen Chao laughed as well.


    Suddenly, the car was filled with cheerful laughter.


    By nightfall, Lu Liang returned to the hotel.


    After freshening up, he picked up his phone and saw that Lu Ya had sent him a message¡ªa series of ''beauty'' photo collections.


    The baby girl had turned one week old; her red, wrinkly skin had faded, now she looked as soft and white as an egg.


    Her eyes tightly closed, her long eyelashes and her little fists clenched tight like lotus roots, it made one''s heart nearly melt at a glance.


    "Are you asleep yet? I can hardly keep it a secret anymore."


    Originally, Lu Ya used the excuse of her best friend''s divorce, needing her for emotional support, to deceive the old folks at home.


    Now nearly a month had passed, Dabao and Erbao had started school, and she hadn''t returned yet; the elders were already suspicious.


    Lu Liang dialed back, chuckling, "Mom and Dad suspecting isn''t a problem, as long as your brother-in-law doesn''t suspect, we''re good."


    "How could your brother-in-law not suspect? His wife has been out for a month, who wouldn''t inquire?"


    Lu Ya was indignant, but she shifted her tone, "But I''ve already explained the situation to him; he won''t blab about it."


    Mr. Lu laughed, thought for a moment, and then said, "Then let''s plan for before Mid-Autumn Festival. I''ll come over and take you back."


    Bitcoin and the Panda listing were small matters, the key was the unknown crisis at the Hongmen Banquet.


    Until now, he hadn''t thought of a better method than to sacrifice Little Wang to the gods.


    "That''s good, you should also rest early."


    Lu Ya glanced at the time; it should be a little past one in the morning in her time zone, so she didn''t want to take more of her brother''s rest time.


    Before hanging up, she asked with a laugh, "How is it now? Much prettier, right? Just like a porcelain doll."


    "Porcelain dolls aren''t as pretty as she is."


    Lu Liang reopened the photo, his eyes filled with tenderness; his daughter was truly beautiful, soft and plump.


    The next day at noon, Lu Liang was dining in the hotel restaurant.


    Li Xuanhong ran up, his face showing a smile that all men understood, "Mr. Lu, did you have fun last night?"


    "It was alright."


    Mr. Lu smiled; Li Xuanhong asking this meant last night''s companions hadn''t returned home.


    They might find a hotel outside to stay temporarily, planning to leverage his influence for some peace of mind.


    Lu Liang didn''t mind, because he had anticipated this possibility even before making the charitable gesture.


    "Mr. Lu, there are still a few hours left, maybe I could show you around a bit first?"


    Li Xuanhong smiled apologetically, having already succeeded last night, his only task now was to keep Lu Liang busy until the chairman returned.


    "Then let''s go check out Hyundai Motors."


    Lu Liang raised an eyebrow. He had visited BYD, and poached a few dozen employees, so he could not afford to ignore Hyundai when it came knocking.


    Li Xuanhong was delighted to hear this. His main task was to get Lu Liang out of Han City, so he quickly suggested, "Ulsan''s main plant is a bit far, on the other side of the strait. How about we go to the research center in Bright City instead?


    It''s just fifty kilometers outside of Han City, and Mr. Chairman will also be going there later.


    How about we meet there later?"


    Lu Liang smiled and nodded, "If Mr. Li has arranged it, then that''s great."


    Wang Chuanfu and Zhang Yiming guarded him like they were guarding against a thief, not even allowing him to visit the research departments, even refusing him passing by the entrance.


    Li Xuanhong was undoubtedly a very good person, bringing him over so forthrightly. It would be almost rude not to reciprocate by scouting some talent.


    Korea is small, and Han City even smaller, with just over six hundred square kilometers. Ten Han Cities put together would only be the size of Modu.


    Several cars entered the intercity highway, and after a ten-minute drive, they had already left the city and were heading southwest for a half hour, soon arriving in the neighboring Bright City.


    Bright City was even smaller than the main city of Han City, covering just over thirty square kilometers, roughly the size of Macau Island.


    Despite its modest size, the Hyundai Motor Center located here was anything but small, sprawling over 3,000 acres, and even from the elevated road, it was impossible to see its full extent.


    Li Xuanhong expressed pride, "Mr. Lu, everything you see here belongs to our Hyundai Motors."


    "Magnificent, grand. I''ve inspected General Motors in Detroit before, and they probably aren''t much different."


    Lu Liang expressed admiration, liberally praising, since he still hoped that Li Xuanhong would take him to the core department to have a look.


    "General Motors is a century-old enterprise. It''s perfectly normal that their equipment and buildings are aging. Our Bright City base, on the other hand, was built less than ten years ago."


    Li Xuanhong squinted his eyes, his tone modest, but the corners of his mouth were more difficult to restrain than even AK.


    Among the car manufacturers in East Asia, probably only Toyota could go toe-to-toe with General Motors.


    But everyone likes compliments, and Lu Liang comparing them to General Motors, even if they lost, was still a great honor.


    It took about 50 minutes from Han City to here.


    Li Xuanhong had notified the responsible person here in advance, and they had prepared flowers and a red carpet.


    Several business-class Mercedes made their way across the red carpet to the research base of Hyundai Motors.


    "Mr. Lu, this is Mr. Park Zhixun, the head of Hyundai Motors."


    Li Xuanhong introduced them, and their main business was car manufacturing and engineering construction, with other industries as secondary.


    Park Zhixun was the head of the automotive department and the second-in-command of the Hyundai Group, just behind Zheng Xuanyi.


    "Mr. Park, hello, I am Lu Liang."


    "Mr. Lu, I''ve long admired your reputation."


    Lu Liang followed the two into the research building, observing many automotive-related advanced technologies.


    Park Zhixun sighed, "Mr. Lu, East Country developing electric vehicles is truly irrational. In my view, hydrogen energy is the real clean energy and the future mainstream market."


    He knew Lu Liang''s visit wasn''t purely for sightseeing, but he also wanted to use Lu Liang to relay thoughts to the high level of East Country.


    Because Lu Liang not only invested in many electric vehicle companies but also spent a lot of money in this industry and was a board member of the World New Energy Vehicle Conference.


    His words should carry some weight.


    "The future market, which energy will become mainstream, who can say for sure now."


    Lu Liang smiled, not arguing, but also not agreeing.


    Hydrogen is indeed cleaner and more environmentally friendly, but pursuing hydrogen would be like jumping out of the tiger''s den into the wolf''s lair.


    Japan and South Korea have invested too much in hydrogen power and hold many essential technology patents.


    Developing hydrogen would mean working for them, as any investment now would later become a boomerang hitting right back.


    The best strategy was to keep them at bay. East Country is the world''s largest market. As long as they don''t develop hydrogen power, Japan and Korea, on their own, absolutely cannot succeed.


    Only when they give up on research and related patents expire, might there be thoughts of developing hydrogen power domestically.

 Chapter 392 - 389: If You Swing the Hoe Well, You Can Undermine the Foundation

    "Mr. Lu, these two are Mr. Park Chang-soo, our chief engineer, and Mr. Jin Guangzhi, our deputy director of the technical department. I have something else to handle shortly, so I will leave them to accompany you."


    Park Zhixun realized that Lu Liang was not interested in hydrogen energy and did not delve further, knowing time would prove their choices were correct.


    Within ten years at most, a large number of lithium batteries would be eliminated, and then East Country would realize that electric vehicles were not environmentally friendly at all.


    Lu Liang smiled silently and turned to get acquainted with these two new friends, focusing on Deputy Director Jin Guangzhi.


    Hyundai''s cars are probably doomed, brainwashed stupid by Westerners, still worrying about whether it''s environmentally friendly or not.


    There''s no such thing as ideology, it''s all damn business,


    shouting about ideology just for the sake of business.


    They don''t understand the cause and effect, they''ll go bankrupt sooner or later.


    But maybe, they''ve realized it but have already bet on hydrogen energy, with no way back.


    With a small country and few people, without some monopolizable technology, they will sooner or later be crushed by East Country.


    The domestic new energy market has really developed for just over a year, less than two years, and Xuanyi, Leiling, and Corolla no longer require a premium.


    In another two or three years, they will probably have to reduce prices to compete.


    If they all develop electric cars, what can they compete with?


    "Chief Engineer Jin, when will the third-generation i-GMP approximately be launched?"


    Lu Liang walked and looked around, intentionally ignoring Park Chang-soo, who was eagerly trying to please him, and focused on Jin Guangzhi.


    The deputy director of technology safety at Hyundai, although forty-four years old, had already been working there for twenty years.


    "The third-generation i-GMP is already in pilot production, and we plan to install it in the new cars by September next year."


    Jin Guangzhi glanced at the real chief engineer, Park Chang-soo, noted his gloomy face, and suddenly felt like he had fallen into an ice pit.


    He explained frantically, his expression panicked, "Mr. Lu, Mr. Park Chang-soo is the chief engineer; I''m just his assistant."


    Lu Liang didn''t care and smiled, "In our place, we often overlook the prefix ''deputy''; I''m also wishing you to become a chief engineer soon."


    Park Chang-soo forced a smile, "Guangzhi, Mr. Lu is wishing you to become a chief engineer soon, aren''t you going to thank him?"


    "Thank you, Mr. Lu."


    Jin Guangzhi, with tears welling up in his eyes, could only put on a brave face, showing a smile more painful than crying.


    Lu Liang might not know, but Korea''s social hierarchy is far stricter than Japan''s, often defined by age and seniority, requiring the younger generation to unconditionally obey the older generation.


    Not to mention he was forty-four years old, even if he were fifty-four, there would still be a fifty-five-year-old about to retire who could bully him.


    It would be remembered by Park Chang-soo for a lifetime; Lu Liang was a valued guest of their group, not just anyone casually mentioned.


    One could imagine that in the future, at every drinking and dining gathering, this incident would be brought up for ridicule and mockery, either to force him to drink or to do something embarrassing to make him lose face.


    "Hyundai''s technology platform is indeed unique."


    Lu Liang''s smile slightly lifted at the corners of his mouth, revealing an almost imperceptible smirk; Japan and Korea were the same in this respect¡ªhow could he not know that? He knew, but it was all intentional.


    The chief engineer was already the ceiling of the technical field; there was no way to poach him, only to start from the deputy director.


    Below a technical deputy director were countless senior and junior engineers.


    Eventually, pulling out the radish would bring up all the dirt, saving him the trouble of contacting them one by one.


    During the conversation, time flew by quickly.


    "Mr. Lu, the chairman has arrived."


    Li Xuanhong received a phone call and came forward to announce that Zheng Xuanyi had arrived.


    "Chief Engineer Jin, thank you very much for your explanation; I hope we will have another opportunity to meet."


    Lu Liang, reluctant to part, firmly shook Jin Guangzhi''s hand, expressing his respect for technical talents.


    "Mr. Lu, please take your time."


    Jin Guangzhi barely managed a smile, feeling numb all over as his back was already soaked with sweat.


    "Mr. Park, Chief Engineer Jin, please stay."


    Lu Liang left, walking with Li Xuanhong to the headquarters to meet Zheng Xuanyi.


    Park Chang-soo could not hold back for a moment and scoffed, "Chief Engineer Jin, that title really does sound nice, doesn''t it, Chief Engineer Jin?"


    Jin Guangzhi, sincerely frightened, explained apologetically, "Brother Chang-soo, you also heard Mr. Lu say that this was their custom."


    "Yes, it is a custom."


    Park Chang-soo''s smile returned to his face, "Guangzhi, brother was just joking with you; didn''t you realize?"


    Jin Guangzhi, taking it as truth, quickly bowed and apologized with a smile, "I knew Brother Chang-soo wasn''t that kind of person."


    Suddenly, a large hand pressed down on his head, Park Chang-soo said coldly, "Then tell me, what kind of person am I?"


    Jin Guangzhi had not started explaining when Park Chang-soo gently patted the back of his head, "Come on, it''s time for us to work."


    "Okay, Chang-soo brother."


    "When working, you should use the official title."


    "Okay, Mr. Park."


    Jin Guangzhi smirked bitterly, knowing this was not over.


    On the other side,


    Lu Liang met Zheng Xuanyi in the reception room.


    The founder of Hyundai Group, Zheng Yongzhou, had two sons, the elder one a politician, a member of the National Assembly, and chairman of the National Team who had hosted the 2002 Japan and Korea World Cup as the chairman.


    The younger son went into business, took over Hyundai Group, led it for twenty-four years, and then handed it down to his son, who was Zheng Xuanyi.


    Zheng Xuanyi, 47, didn''t look Korean, unlike Samsung''s Li Zairong, who could be recognized as Korean at first glance.


    He looked a bit like a Chinese, specifically a typical southern person from the coastal Hu Jian area.


    However, appearances can be deceiving, after all, Little Ma looks just like a twin brother to Li Zairong.


    "Mr. Lu, hello," said Zheng Xuanyi with a smile, speaking very fluent Mandarin.


    "Mr. Zheng, you really made me wait," Lu Liang teased with a smile, unsurprised that the other party spoke Chinese.


    Even if Koreans were stubborn, it could not change the fact that without learning Chinese, they couldn''t even understand their own history books.


    Although their history books were either about being invaded by Japan or supplicating to the Celestial Empire to punish the neighboring Japan, they still were a country with history.


    Having history also meant they could record the years in their own historical style, if there were no history, they wouldn''t even qualify to record it.


    "Mr. Lu, sorry for making you wait, I just came back from Europe and rushed here right after landing."


    Zheng Xuanyi sized up Lu Liang, having reviewed his detailed information before coming.


    He envied him for being born in a powerful country; if he were born in Japan and Korea, he definitely would not have been able to rise.


    East Country''s greatest advantage was its complete sovereignty. Although there were compradors, there were higher-ups monitoring them, preventing them from being as reckless as the financial conglomerates in Japan and Korea.


    Lu Liang had risen in such an environment and quickly became an international financial mogul.


    Once on the international stage, the advantage of having a strong motherland became clear again, hostile forces did not dare to act stealthily against him.


    Had he been from Japan and Korea, as soon as Wall Street set its sights on him, if someone spoke up, he definitely wouldn''t have had such a smooth ride; he would have been packed off to New York overnight.


    Lu Liang smiled and got straight to the point, "Mr. Zheng, how are you considering our collaboration?"


    "Naturally, I can''t make Mr. Lu wait for nothing." Zheng Xuanyi gestured for his assistant to bring out a funding contract.


    He said with a smile, "330 million dollars are ready, we can sign the contract, and the funds will be transferred immediately."


    "That''s straightforward."


    Lu Liang was surprised and then smiled, "Tomorrow we go to Tokyo, to sign together with Mitsui Sumitomo''s Ota Ling."


    Zheng Xuanyi said, "Tomorrow I still need to go to Busan, so I can only have Xuanhong represent the group to sign the collaboration agreement."


    "That works." Lu Liang''s smile remained unchanged, not showing special treatment due to Zheng Xuanyi''s promptness.


    As the party of the first part, he always believed it was about growing wealthy together with Hyundai Group, not begging them.


    Times had changed, and his name, Lu Liang, was a gold-lettered signboard in the international market.


    Whenever there was a chance, no questions asked, no hesitations, just buy a ticket and get on board.


    Zheng Xuanyi couldn''t help but chuckle, "Mr. Lu, you are indeed as confident as the rumors say."


    Lu Liang smilingly countered, "Do you think, Mr. Zheng, that being confident is a bad thing?"


    Zheng Xuanyi shook his head, "If one doesn''t even have confidence, how can they make investors believe that this investment will be profitable?"


    "Mr. Zheng, a true understanding," Lu Liang sincerely exclaimed.


    Some always said he was overconfident and somewhat arrogant, yet he was involved in investments of billions of dollars every time.


    If he wasn''t confident, how would investors view him,and how would they continue to believe that he could make them money?


    It''s like the saying in the venture capital circle: you can deceive, but you must be absolutely confident, because once you can deceive the first angel investor, you can deceive the second and the third.


    Until the company goes public, what''s fake also becomes real.


    In the evening, Lu Liang politely declined Zheng Xuanyi''s dinner invitation citing other engagements and left the Hyundai Research Center.


    On the way back to Han City Airport, he said, "Wen Chao, come back with me to Tokyo. Jia Wei, stay here and connect with Jin Guangzhi." S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "If he is considering switching jobs, contact Wang Xiaofeng back home to handle the follow-up."

 Chapter 393 - 390: The Disgusting Expert

    "Tomorrow, as soon as the tripartite contract is signed and the funds arrive, we''ll start buying Bitcoin."


    In the evening, Lu Liang returned to Tokyo and on the way back, he discussed the subsequent arrangements with Wen Chao.


    He wouldn''t stay in Tokyo for too long, as he was due back home the day after tomorrow. The Panda Modu roadshow was impending, and Wen Chao would be in charge here.


    "At the current price of $1,402, how much of our portfolio should we allocate?"


    Wen Chao opened the trading software; the influence of Bitcoin Cash was still fermenting.


    Bitcoin was initially set with a block size of 32M, but considering the small number of users in the early stages, to avoid wasting computing resources and to ensure the secure operation of the Bitcoin system, Satoshi Nakamoto temporarily limited the block size to 1M.


    In the past two years, as cryptocurrency became well-known to the public, the price of Bitcoin soared, and transaction confirmations became exceptionally slow.


    Therefore, Bitcoin Cash emerged, supporting an increase in block size to 8M, which was a technical route for on-chain scaling.


    Although Bitcoin Cash was an auxiliary currency to Bitcoin, the public perceived it as a fork and, eventually, it evolved into a competitor.


    Bitcoin Cash, which was initially offered at only $140, was speculated by the market to a recent price of $682.


    Everyone was hoping it would become the second Bitcoin, aiming for $1,000, even $2,000, causing the original currency to be naturally overlooked.


    "Full position, but try not to influence the market too much."


    Lu Liang had considered shorting Bitcoin Cash, but a market less than a month old was filled with uncertainties.


    Rumors suggested that Bitcoin would skyrocket, but he was completely in the dark about how Bitcoin Cash would fare.


    In their tripartite collaboration, they contributed 300 million dollars, all from Mitsui Sumitomo''s dividends; Lu Liang hadn''t spent a penny.


    However, for a money-making project, he still hoped to earn a stable profit, after all, time and energy were invisible sunk costs.


    "How long should we hold this position?"


    Upon hearing full position, Wen Chao was already accustomed to it.


    Investment funds, also known by the professional term "hedge funds", use capital leverage and risk diversification as hedging investment strategies, thereby making profits in the market.


    The most common practice is even if shorting the market, to invest a certain amount of funds in the long position.


    If one wanted to short the market with ten billion, typically only six to seven billion would be used for shorting, and the remaining three to four billion would be allocated for long positions to hedge.


    Funds with assets amounting to trillions of dollars, such as BlackRock and Vanguard, generally adopt this method.


    Although they don''t earn much, they also don''t lose much, and at most, the aggressive type would go for an eighty-twenty ratio, but only Lu Liang would go full zero.


    However, high risk represented high returns, and if it wasn''t for going full zero, he wouldn''t have been able to expand to this extent in just a few short years.


    "Let''s hold for a while and see."


    Lu Liang didn''t elaborate, at least not until Bitcoin climbed to twenty thousand dollars, only then would they qualify to compete at the high-stakes table.


    At night, he returned to the Kanzaki Apartment.


    Erii was meticulously wiping down the furniture with a cloth, carefully attending to every nook and cranny, not even noticing Lu Liang''s return.


    Miyuki was sitting at the dining table, with a laptop, tablet, and notebook in front of her. Seeing Lu Liang returning home, her face lit up with joy, and she ran up to him barefoot, pulling out her notebook.


    "Sir, do you think this will work?" She smiled broadly, her face begging for praise and detailed her investment plan.


    Three-tenths of the portfolio would be invested in East Country''s Ningde Era stocks, as Lu Liang had predicted they would be worth a trillion in the future. With its current market value of over one hundred and forty billion, it was still at a low position.


    Another three-tenths would be put in Bitcoin because she noticed Lu Liang paid close attention to this market, and the remaining four-tenths were kept in reserve.


    Although sixty percent of the portfolio was related to Lu Liang, she did not see anything amiss; after all, resources should be well utilized.


    After all, even the capital was provided by Lu Liang; to deliberately avoid Lu Liang''s influence in investment would seem rather contradictory.


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but smile and shook his head, "I won''t express any opinions. Invest as you wish."


    Indeed, such allocation was reasonable and would make a fair amount of money, but it likely wouldn''t reach the twenty million condition in two years.


    However, he didn''t voice this; without difficulty, it wouldn''t be a challenge.


    "Miyuki, the master just got back; he must be tired. Don''t bother him with business matters anymore."


    Erii gently reminded, ever since she found out that Lu Liang had given Miyuki two million dollars for market investment.


    Miyuki had agreed and promised not to let Lu Liang down; she knew her daughter had completely fallen for it.


    To begin with, for Miyuki, Lu Liang might have been a lifeline, but now that lifeline had become a lifeboat.


    As a mother and a debtor, she had no choice but to teach by example, passing on some worldly experience.


    Twenty years as a housewife taught her that men are exhausted from their work outside; at home, don''t tire them more, let alone pressure them.


    Home is a haven, a place for rest, not a source of stress; everything should be comfortable for the man of the house.


    Heeding her mother''s words, Miyuki quietly put away her notebook, draped her arms around Lu Liang''s neck, and playfully asked, "Sir, would you like a bath or a shower tonight?"


    "A bath," he responded.


    Miyuki said, "Then I''ll go run the water and prepare your clothes."


    Erii added, "Sir, once you''re done soaking, you can come out for dinner. I''ve recently learned a few Cantonese soup recipes."


    Last time, she prepared several Cantonese dishes and discovered that Lu Liang preferred light flavors, so she specifically delved deeper into this area.


    "Then I must try and see how authentic it is."


    Lu Liang''s smile gradually grew as he watched the mother and daughter, one heading to the bathroom and the other to the kitchen.


    Having an elder in the house is like having a treasure, not to mention that this ''elder'' was only old in terms of experience, and not actually old.


    The next day, Lu Liang arrived at the company.


    Ota Ling and Li Xuanhong were both there, but Ota Ling''s expression soured upon seeing Li Xuanhong.


    Here he was, the rotating president of the Mitsui Sumitomo Group, a president nonetheless, and Zheng Xuanyi had only sent a lackey to sign the contract. What was the meaning of this?


    "Now that everyone''s here, let''s all take a look at the contract."


    Lu Liang smiled, understanding but not voicing anything; it was unclear whether Zheng Xuanyi was genuinely busy or just pretending to be.


    However, it now seemed that bringing in Hyundai Group was the right choice¡ªa Korea needed to take down the Neon People.


    It appeared that Li Xuanhong was also there under orders, totally disregarding Ota Ling and, with a smiling face, he asked Lu Liang, "Mr. Lu, is it your decision to have this company listed under the Mitsui Sumitomo Group?"


    Last night, Zheng Xuanyi had spoken with him until late, putting him in full charge of this project and repeatedly reminding him to oppose any proposals from Mitsui Sumitomo without condition, and to comply with Mr. Lu''s proposals unconditionally.


    Since Lu Liang was seeking their support as a counterbalance to Mitsui Sumitomo, then they must fully accept this persona.


    To steadfastly support Lu Liang and stand in opposition to Ota Ling.


    Ota Ling''s eyes were filled with malice as he said coldly, "This is Mr. Lu''s decision. Does Hyundai Group have a problem with it?"


    Li Xuanhong turned a deaf ear and continued to wait for Lu Liang''s reply, who said with a laugh, "Mitsui Sumitomo is the major shareholder, so it''s normal for the project to be listed under their name."


    Li Xuanhong suddenly acted as though he was just made aware of this and decisively signed and stamped the contract, taking out the contract for a $330 million fund transfer.


    "Mr. Lu, this is our funding, ready to be transferred into the public account at any time."


    Ota Ling, struggling to contain his anger, called his assistant over, also presenting a contract with funds exceeding Hyundai''s by ten million dollars.


    Lu Liang remained composed and turned to Wen Chao, who, understanding the situation, also produced their $330 million, completing a billion dollars.


    Mitsui Sumitomo had given them dividends twice, the first time $308 million, with $200 million sent to Detroit for initial construction.


    The second time they had a dividend of $276 million, which meant Xingheng Investment''s account now had $374 million. Taking out $330 million left them with $44 million still.


    But the $44 million was not all there was, Lu Liang had another source of income, the 20% equity in the $300 million fund cooperatively managed with Mitsui Sumitomo and Old Ma.


    Through a round of oil and one of foreign exchange, the $300 million had risen to $523 million, and 20% of that was $104.6 million.


    Unbeknownst to him, Lu Liang''s overseas assets had come to $688 million, not even including fixed assets like cars and houses.


    Approaching noon, Lu Liang played host and organized a shareholders'' team-building event.


    With a smile on his face, he raised his glass and said, "Gentlemen, here''s to a delightful cooperation, and to our flag flying high from the start." S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Li Xuanhong''s face was all smiles as he flattered, "With Mr. Lu involved, success is surely within our reach."


    He was merely the President, not even ranked in the top five on the board of directors, so paying complements came without any burdens.


    Ota Ling''s gaze was hostile. If looks could kill, Li Xuanhong would have been slaughtered a thousand times over.


    The scoundrel, stealing his thunder, what else could he add?


    Li Xuanhong, grinning from ear to ear, basked in his advantage, "Mr. Ota, what''s the matter? Don''t you agree?"


    Ota Ling felt like he was choking on his frustrations but was nonetheless forced to reply with a smile, "Of course not. We''ve collaborated with Mr. Lu on numerous occasions, each more enjoyable than the last. We''ve long known about Mr. Lu''s capabilities; there''s absolutely no need for doubt."


    Li Xuanhong sighed, "Perhaps, it''s just a pity that Mr. Lu met with our chairman so late."


    The implication was, if Lu Liang had first made contact with Hyundai, there would be no dealings with Mitsui Sumitomo now.


    If the collaboration had been genuinely enjoyable, then why was there a need to bring in Hyundai Group now?


    "Mr. Li, say no more. Mr. Ota, don''t stoop to his level. Let''s all enjoy the food and drink."


    Lu Liang was speechless, unable to remain indifferent any longer; Li Xuanhong was a master at provoking others, and if he continued like this, Ota Ling would eventually explode.


    The status and position of the two were such that Ota Ling could not afford to be as unburdened as Li Xuanhong.


    "I apologize, it''s my first time working with Mr. Lu and Mr. Ota, and I got a bit overexcited."


    Li Xuanhong, still smiling, no longer taunted Ota Ling, and instead started chatting about the enjoyable evening they had spent at Ming Tower Hotel.


    He promised to take good care of Jisoo and Lisa, the two sisters, and even suggested that if Lu Liang had any preferred female stars, he could mention them to him.


    That night, the preparations hadn''t been enough, but next time, he would ensure Lu Liang had even more fun.


    Ota Ling sneered inwardly, feeling a bit better; Nakamori Akina was a synonym for a ''white moonlight.''


    Moreover, Sakurada Miyuki was not only a lookalike to Akina but also an academic from Kyoto University, creating an overwhelming superiority in terms of quality.


    The allure of a ''white moonlight'' could never be matched by the general run of Korean entertainment stars.


    "Next time, if there''s an opportunity, I might make another trip to Han City."


    Lu Liang chuckled. He hadn''t expected that the trouble he deflected would come back to him.


    But the tit-for-tat was precisely what he wanted to see; if they were united, then he would be the one with a headache.

 Chapter 394 - 391: Mine, Talent Recruitment

    A meal took over an hour.


    During that time, Ota Ling kept dawdling, seemingly waiting for Li Xuanhong to leave first so he could have a private chat with Lu Liang.


    But Li Xuanhong seemed to notice and didn''t want to comply with Ota Ling''s wishes, making intermittent conversation.


    They had time for idle talk, but Lu Liang didn''t as he turned to Li Xuanhong, "Mr. Li, why don''t you head back to the hotel to rest, and I can continue talking with Mr. Ota."


    Li Xuanhong frowned but didn''t want to refuse directly, "I''ll be in Minato for the next few days, Mr. Lu, just let me know if you need anything."


    "This is Tokyo!" Ota Ling couldn''t hold back any longer. When did the Koreans start extending their reach into Tokyo?


    It must have been this disgusting man, deliberately arranged by Lu Liang to counterbalance Mitsui Sumitomo.


    Otherwise, he would have shaken him off long ago, and tonight he would bag Li Xuanhong, fill the sack with concrete, and sink him into Tokyo Bay.


    Li Xuanhong sneered and continued to ignore him. Seeing Lu Liang stand up, he quickly said, "Mr. Lu, no need to see me out."


    After Li Xuanhong left, Ota Ling couldn''t help but complain bitterly, like a child aged three and five hundred months.


    Lu Liang had introduced a third party and he had no objections, as long-term cooperation required third-party oversight, and that was correct.


    He also had no objections to Hyundai Group, but could they replace Li Xuanhong, who was sarcastic and infuriating at the sight?


    "Mr. Ota, I''m really sorry, but I don''t have control over whom Hyundai assigns."


    Lu Liang consoled him earnestly, indicating he would speak with Zheng Xuanyi and see if the person in charge could be changed.


    "That would be best," Ota Ling sighed.


    He didn''t really want to replace the person, knowing that if someone else were to come, they would likely behave in the same manner, as all of Hyundai Group''s people were sent with orders.


    He mainly wanted Lu Liang to know that in this collaboration, they were the ones who had suffered unnecessary grievances.


    The saying goes, ''A crying child gets milk.'' Cooperation worked the same way; they shouldn''t have suffered like this.


    But because of Lu Liang, he had suffered and endured, hoping that Lu Liang would remember this and treat him well in the future.


    Lu Liang understood the hint and asked, "Mr. Ota, is there anything else?"


    Bitcoin differed from other markets, with no holidays or rest days, allowing trading 365 days a year, 24 hours a day.


    The funds had arrived quickly, and he needed to enter the market early to avoid missing out on sudden movements before he could establish a position.


    After this wave, there would be a 15-fold return, with a chance to engage in Bitcoin as a Market Maker.


    "Mr. Lu, I wonder if you are free tonight, I would like to invite you to dine at my home."


    Ota Ling''s eyes were full of hope; he had invited Lu Liang no less than three times already, and surely he wouldn''t refuse this time?


    A home dinner, for Neon People, represented the highest standard of hospitality; he needed to maintain a close relationship with Lu Liang, hoping to secure his reappointment next year.


    After considering, Lu Liang smiled and asked, "What time?"


    "5:30 PM, shall I send someone to escort you?" Ota Ling quickly responded.


    "That''s fine, see you tonight."


    After seeing Ota Ling off, Lu Liang let out a long sigh.


    "Though a triangle is the most stable relationship, it really tests the balance of the sharp angles; from now on, this is your task."


    He looked toward Wen Chao, "Don''t feel too pressured; both of them know what they are doing. As long as we don''t lean too heavily one way, they won''t fight too fiercely."


    Wen Chao realized, nodded, and fell into deep thought; after all, he was not Lu Liang and had much to consider.


    "Let''s go, let''s go upstairs."


    Lu Liang waited in the company until three-thirty, and at last, the one billion dollars had all arrived, deposited into an account at Mitsui Sumitomo.


    "Start buying now."


    Lu Liang and Wen Chao observed for a long time; only through hands-on experience did they know the market was as fragile as paper.


    Despite having a total volume of nearly thirty billion U.S. dollars, the seven-day average trading value was only 179 million U.S. dollars, often involving transactions as small as 0.01 Bitcoin.


    In any stock market, companies with a market value exceeding fifty billion U.S. dollars would not have such low daily trading volume.


    With their one billion dollars, they aimed to successfully establish a position without attracting the attention of Market Makers.


    At least a month was needed.


    Lu Liang chuckled, "Then let''s implement a 24-hour three-shift system, buy more when the market is active, and buy less when it''s sluggish."


    Wen Chao couldn''t help but laugh and cry, "That''s the only way."


    They say financial migrant workers, now they really became migrant workers, there was no one else to blame.


    Suddenly, Lu Liang said, "We''re not limited to market trading, we can contact some miners and buy from them."


    Bitcoin mining was a gradually releasing process, with rewards halved every four years on average.


    The total amount was set to be 21 million, which would not be fully mined until the year 2140.


    Since its launch in 2009, 18 million had been mined, leaving 3 million yet to be released.


    By directly contacting Bitcoin miners, they could quickly obtain chips without affecting the market.


    "Where should we contact the miners?"


    Wen Chao murmured to himself in a low voice while Lu Liang smiled, and both men simultaneously looked toward the Eastern Country.


    Mining required three rigid conditions: first, the mining machine, which determined efficiency; second, low-cost electricity, which determined costs.


    Third, a stable, high-speed internet to ensure that sudden disconnections wouldn''t result in lost work.


    Globally, only East Country perfectly met all three conditions.


    Inner Mongolia Erdos was the global center of Bitcoin mining because the area had abundant coal, solar, and wind energy, leading the nation in electricity generation for many years.


    The average industrial electricity price in the province was only 0.25 yuan per kilowatt-hour, not only the lowest in the nation but also the lowest average electrical cost worldwide.


    The area was sparsely populated with a severe surplus of electricity, making it a natural electronic minefield, among which Erdos was the most famous.


    After a moment of reflection, Wen Chao hurriedly said, "Then I''ll book a flight now and go there personally tomorrow."


    Last month, they had experienced a massive 45% drop, and with the market now sluggish, it was a good time to buy Bitcoins.


    Lu Liang nodded slightly, instructing, "Don''t expose yourself; if it''s a large amount, a 5-10% premium is acceptable."


    Having followed him for over a year, Wen Chao could easily be recognized; Lu Liang did not want to leave too many personal traces on this project, even if it meant deceiving oneself.


    "Understood," Wen Chao nodded.


    Approaching five o''clock,


    Xu Jiawei also returned from Han City.


    Lu Liang asked with a smile, "How did it go?"


    "Mr. Lu, Mr. Jin said he needs a few more days to consider." Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Xu Jiawei was not as forceful as Lu Liang, so he gave him a week to thoroughly consider before making a decision.


    Lu Liang wondered, "Was the money not sufficient?"


    Xu Jiawei shook his head, "No, it''s not that. He seems reluctant to work internationally, especially when Modu was mentioned, he was somewhat resistant."


    With an annual salary of three hundred thousand US dollars, they offered six hundred thousand US dollars and made him a real head of the department.


    Jin Guangzhi was excited, feeling vindicated, but the prospect of moving to Modu made him hesitate.


    He had a pair of children in middle school, and in the coming years, they would sequentially be applying to universities, which he was very concerned about.


    His children''s school, akin to the earlier legacy schools founded in-country, were all built by the Hyundai Group.


    If he were to switch jobs and moreover not be domestically present, his children might face bullying at school.


    Those unaware, Park Chang-soo''s son attended the same high school as his children, might harbor negative thoughts.


    Lu Liang pondered, "Contact Wang Xiaofeng and ask him to secure a few induction quotas from Fudan Affiliated High School."


    Over the years, the company had paid nearly one billion in taxes; it was time to enjoy some exceptional benefits.


    This was standard talent induction, reasonably extending benefits to family members.


    Lu Liang said smilingly, "Also tell Jin Guangzhi that rather than struggling endlessly in Korea, it''s better to relocate his entire family to the vast potential of the Eastern Country. As long as he moves, we''ll take care of his accommodation, car, and children''s schooling."


    "Being the first high-end technician recruited, he deserves some special treatment, and later, he''ll likely take the initiative to influence others on our behalf."


    Xu Jiawei nodded thoughtfully, and Lu Liang added, "Don''t hurry to speak now, lest he thinks too highly of his own value. Mention these matters only when he formally responds."

 Chapter 395 - 392: Tokyo Family Banquet

    At half past five, Lu Liang was invited to Shitamaku District.


    Since last century, Shitamaku District in Tokyo was known as a famous affluent area.


    During the real estate bubble of the ''90s, Shitamaku, along with Muekoku District, led the national property price increases.


    Each square meter easily cost over three hundred thousand yen, far crazier than Modu''s current housing prices.


    Back then, the saying, "Sell Tokyo city, buy the United States," was not an empty boast.


    That''s what they said, and that''s what they did, Neon People buying all over the globe.


    In those years, when college students graduated, it wasn''t companies choosing them, but they choosing companies.


    To attract talent, companies would offer thousands of US Dollars in gifts or red envelopes, regardless of interview success.


    Those with particularly clever strategies switched between various company interviews daily, earning tens of thousands in a month.


    Even housewives, in their spare time, routinely indulging in hundred-dollar afternoon teas, was nothing out of the ordinary.


    Because in those years, not only did the property market in Tokyo soar, but the stock market also skyrocketed non-stop, with a total market value of 600 trillion yen, accounting for 28% of the global financial market.


    Banks issued loans liberally every day, ordinary people could easily take out loans worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, finishing with one bank and moving on to another, never short of money or loans.


    It was a frenzy belonging to one generation, now it seems, also the last generation''s frenzy.


    Then, signed under pressure by the United States with the Plaza Accord, they had been repaying debts from the ''90s until now.


    The Ota family owned a detached house, nearly a thousand square meters in area.


    The walls were over two meters high, from outside, one could only see the pointed tops of buildings and many green plants within the courtyard.


    From afar, Lu Liang saw Ota Ling standing at the entrance, smiling, dressed in male kimono.


    The short sleeved kimono was very loose, with a belt wrapped around the waist, it looked very much like a yukata but was actually their "Chinese tunic suit."


    Beside him stood two young men, similarly bright smiles, looking around twenty-four or twenty-five years old.


    A black Mercedes just came to a stop, one of the young men hurriedly stepped forward and opened the car''s rear door.


    "Mr. Ota, I''m really sorry, I just came from the office, I haven''t prepared much."


    Lu Liang smiled back, dressed casually in sportswear, completely out of sync with the other''s formal attire.


    "Mr. Lu, as long as you honor us with your presence, what else needs to be prepared?" S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ota Ling, smiling broadly, introduced the two young men beside him, the eldest son Ota Renjun and the second son Ota Renyou.


    He said, "Renjun, Renyou, I haven''t lied to you, this is Mr. Lu Liang, Lu."


    "Mr. Lu, it''s a pleasure to meet you in person," the excitement was evident on their faces.


    The most adored post-''80s billionaire, Lu Liang had the most fans and was most affable, after all, unlike the other two who relied on inheritance, Lu won his fortune on his own.


    "Gentlemen, nice to meet you," Lu Liang smiled and bowed slightly.


    "Mr. Lu, please come in."


    Ota Ling waved him into the house, the garden with its rockery and greenery, small bridges and water, gave off a Jiangnan garden feel.


    Walking a dozen meters, through a corridor to the main building, an all-wood, single-story large villa, ancient and elegant.


    Inside, at the entrance hall, three women were kneeling, one slightly older, probably no more than 35 years old.


    The other two were of significantly different ages, one about six or seven and the other in her teens, both dressed in very formal kimonos.


    Ota Ling said, "don''t laugh at me, Mr. Lu, I''ve been married three times; Renjun and Renyou are from my first wife, the somewhat older Naimei from the second, and the youngest Yuanzi with the current one."


    He introduced just the names of the Ota children, and not his wife, merely addressing her briefly as "my wife."


    In their family view, the man of the house held the highest authority, followed by sons, then daughters, and lastly the wife.


    Children might be of help to him, but the wife, just a housewife, couldn''t help much, hence no need for introductions.


    "It''s nothing to laugh at, I too had a marriage a few years back, but later it ended."


    Lu Liang smiled, followed Ota Ling inside, the floor covered in soft tatami mats, undeniably comfortable to step on.


    "This is surely not a bad thing, after all, ''The sky is high, let birds soar; the ocean is vast, let fish leap''. You lost a person but gained the whole world."


    Ota Ling, having reviewed Lu Liang''s background, knew he prospered post-divorce and whether his wealth was the reason to leave his humble wife wasn''t his concern.


    Great achievements aren''t hampered by minor details.


    Now, whether or not, it''s no longer important.


    They arrived at the dining room, Lu Liang, looking at the low dining table, felt somewhat embarrassed, "Mr. Ota, years ago, I injured my Achilles tendon studying, kneeling might be a bit inconvenient."


    "Mr. Lu, feel at home here and sit however you like, don''t mind so much."


    Ota Ling laughed heartily, worried that Lu Liang would be embarrassed, and decisively sat cross-legged first.


    With a template set, Lu Liang also did not hesitate to sit cross-legged, but even then, it was not very comfortable.


    On one hand, sitting for a long time could cause pain in the tailbone, and on the other hand, sitting cross-legged could easily lead to hunching.


    Kneeling could avoid these drawbacks, but Liangzi had his own stubbornness, and he refused to kneel.


    "Mr. Lu, tonight we are having a blowfish banquet. They are farmed without toxins, so you can eat with confidence."


    As Lu Liang took his seat, the others also seated themselves in an orderly manner and Ota Ling, with a smile on his face, introduced tonight''s dishes.


    The best way to enjoy blowfish is raw in thin slices, but to cater to Lu Liang''s taste, they had prepared a porridge-base hotpot.


    If Lu Liang was unaccustomed to eating it, he could cook it in the broth first, and the flavor of the porridge base itself was also exceptionally delicious.


    "Mr. Ota is thoughtful, everyone, please start."


    Blowfish. Lu Liang had tried it many years ago and indeed, the taste was very fresh.


    But even delicious food required a comfortable environment and the right ambiance. Feeling on pins and needles, even dragon meat wouldn''t taste good.


    The wine passed once, and the dishes changed three flavors,


    Then he started to become uncomfortable, his buttocks hurt and his back ached.


    Lu Liang folded his hands and, with a smile, said, "Mr. Ota, thank you for your hospitality, I am full."


    Having said that, he quickly stood up and Ota Ling immediately understood, and hurriedly apologized, "Mr. Lu, I''m really sorry. It was my arrangement that caused you inconvenience."


    "Mr. Ota, you''re too kind. It''s just that I haven''t been exercising enough recently, and my muscles and bones are not very agile."


    Lu Liang light-heartedly laughed and walked with Ota Ling in the courtyard, discussing his plans to return to the country tomorrow.


    From now on, Wen Chao would be in charge, but since he was young and inexperienced, he would need much guidance from Ota Ling.


    Ota Ling smiled, "Mr. Wen is already outstanding. When I was his age, I was still running errands for my seniors."


    In their casual conversation, he mentioned his oldest son who graduated from Harvard''s economics program in July, has been idly at home since then, still undecided about what to do.


    "If he doesn''t have a clear goal, it might be a good idea for him to intern at Xingheng for a while, to further reflect."


    Lu Liang''s smile hinted that he already regarded Ota Ling''s son as a nephew, seriously considering his future.


    This time, involving the Hyundai Group, Ota Ling and Mitsui Sumitomo, whom he represented, indeed faced some struggles.


    Having suffered a setback, compensation was due. It couldn''t be all burdens with no sweeteners. Compensating Mitsui Sumitomo privately would also cost less.


    Ota Ling was thrilled internally but showed a troubled expression, "Mr. Lu, might he not be quite suitable?"


    He was just a rotating president and would eventually step down. By then, the influence he could wield to help his children would be limited.


    It might be better while he still had influence to let his children venture out on their own. After all, Mitsui Sumitomo would still be a safety net in the end.


    His eldest son went into business, the second son into politics, and the third and fourth daughters would be well-cultivated in the arts, eventually marrying into powerful families, aiding their brothers'' seamless rise.


    If two or three generations strive well, several years later, their Ota family would also be one of Tokyo''s distinguished families.


    Lu Liang glanced sideways and said with a laugh, "If a Harvard economics graduate isn''t suitable, then who is?"


    He wanted to puncture Ota Ling''s pretense. The repeated invitations to family dinners weren''t for nothing. What was there to pretend?


    Ota Ling feigned deep thought, then suddenly beckoned Renjun from inside the house, looking serious as he asked, "Mr. Lu plans to let you intern at Xingheng. Are you confident about it? If not, let it be. Don''t waste the gentleman''s kindness."


    "Father, I am confident."


    Ota Renjun was solemn-faced, as he looked at Lu Liang and bowed, saying, "Mr. Lu, thank you for giving me this opportunity."


    Lu Liang spoke with a smile, "Renjun, as long as you don''t feel aggrieved, it''s fine. We at Xingheng are just starting out and are still quite small."


    Ota Ling beamed brilliantly and flattered, "As long as Mr. Lu is involved, even the smallest sapling will grow into a towering tree."


    Ota Renjun nodded quickly and said, "Interning at Mr. Lu''s company is an honor for me."


    Lu Liang chuckled, called over Xu Jiawei, and had him take out Wen Chao''s business card, "Contact him whenever you have time, you can report at any time."


    After some more small talk, Ota Ling enthusiastically invited Lu Liang to the private hot spring in the backyard.


    "Next time, I need to make a trip back to the office soon, to have a good chat with Wen Chao about the arrangements for Renjun."


    Lu Liang''s smile lingered, Ota Ling had had grievances and would tell him; they had had grievances.


    Now that he had given a sweet date, he also needed to make it clear that with this, they were even, and there should be no more complaints in the future.


    "Mr. Lu, just let Mr. Wen direct him as much as he needs to."


    Ota Ling squinted and grinned, instantly understanding.


    Even if Li Xuanhong was unbearable in the future,


    He would endure it, considering this matter settled.

 Chapter 396 - 393: Sudden Enlightenment

    "Mr. Ota, please wait."


    The Ota family came to the door, offering the highest form of courtesy, and watched Lu Liang leave by car.


    Ota Renjun quietly asked, "Father, when do I report to Xingheng?"


    "Go immediately tomorrow."


    Ota Ling''s expression was serious as he repeatedly instructed, "No matter what you see or know, keep it to yourself, and don''t talk to anyone about it, including me."


    As his son and new to Xingheng, Wen Chao would surely suspect him of being a spy. The acceptance process might be lengthy, but perseverance would definitely pay off.


    Was Wen Chao able to manage overseas projects worth several billion US Dollars at the age of 27 because of his outstanding ability?


    Not really.


    It was just because he was at the right place, met the right people, made the right choices, and gained the trust of Lu Liang.


    Lu Liang''s company was expanding so rapidly that there was always a shortage of talent. Gaining his trust could promise a brighter future than joining Mitsui Sumitomo.


    Overseas companies can''t be led solely by Chinese executives; they wouldn''t acclimate well. Ota Ling knew this, and he believed Lu Liang knew it too.


    At eight in the evening, Lu Liang returned to Roppongi.


    Compared to the quiet, green-covered Shitamachi, this place flashed with neon lights, adding a sense of prosperity and modernization.


    No one was home. A note was left at the entryway ¡ª they had gone to a nearby supermarket and would return around 9:30.


    Lu Liang''s whereabouts were erratic, and he never knew when he''d be home, so they always left a note when they went out.


    The notes informed him of their destination and return time, allowing Lu Liang to keep track of their whereabouts even if he didn''t see them.


    Lu Liang stayed at home for a while, washed up, changed clothes, and called Wen Chao to meet at a pub in Roppongi.


    Though it was near his residence, Lu Liang had barely sat down when he saw Wen Chao looking around at the entrance. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Just out for some fun?" Lu Liang was surprised to see Wen Chao swap his usual suit and shoes for a trendy brand hoodie and shorts.


    His hair wasn''t styled in its usual slicked-back manner but was instead casually tousled, making him look like a fresh college graduate.


    "I''m heading to Inner Mongolia tomorrow, and my girlfriend has the day off, so I decided to take her out," explained Wen Chao, scratching his head, looking embarrassed.


    He and his girlfriend were shopping nearby when suddenly, Lu Liang called. He had wanted to go home to change, but ran into Fang Shiyu at the door.


    With no choice but to brave it, he entered in his casual get-up to greet Lu Liang.


    Lu Liang smiled, "Nothing much, just wanted you to join me for a drink and to mention that Ota Ling''s son will be reporting to our company in the next few days."


    "A spy?" Wen Chao frowned.


    Lu Liang chuckled softly, "Perhaps."


    It wasn''t strange for Wen Chao to think that, because Lu Liang thought the same. He planned to keep him close to observe for a while.


    After a moment of contemplation, Wen Chao said, "Mr. Lu, how about letting him spearhead the Bitcoin procurement in Inner Mongolia?"


    Lu Liang didn''t want to be seen, nor did he want to reveal his identity. He was wondering whom he could trust.


    Luckily, Ota Renjun appeared radiant. His father was Ota Ling, and as long as some secrets were kept from him, he was trustworthy.


    Their trip to Inner Mongolia to purchase Bitcoin from miners, although confidential, was not top secret and definitely not worth betraying.


    Boss Lu was no easy mark; he wouldn''t openly allow spies around him without Ota Ling paying a hefty price.


    The price paid had to be proportional to the benefits received; otherwise, it was a losing deal.


    "That''s fine, let''s do as you suggested. International friends also receive special treatment domestically."


    Appreciation flickered in Lu Liang''s eyes.


    This way, even if someone investigated, they would assume the project was spearheaded by Mitsui Sumitomo.


    After the serious discussion, Lu Liang curiously asked, "What about your girlfriend? Hopefully, you didn''t let her go back alone?"


    "Hopefully not."


    Wen Chao looked embarrassed, and Lu Liang smiled, "Then call her over to join us for some food."


    "Let me ask her," Wen Chao dialed the phone.


    A few minutes later, a 26 or 27-year-old girl wearing glasses excitedly jogged over, "Mr. Lu, hello, my name is Huang Yufei. Could I take a photo with you later?"


    Wen Chao glared at her, and Lu Liang laughed, "Sure, but remember not just to photoshop yourself, help me touch up mine too."


    "No problem."


    Huang Yufei grinned and nodded, shooting Wen Chao a glare back, "Why so fierce? Mr. Lu is easy to talk to, you know."


    Wen Chao forced a smile, Lu Liang was indeed easy to talk to, unless it involved interests.


    In his early years, when he had just started the job, he was scolded every day like a quail.


    Lu Liang chuckled softly, "Miss Huang, what would you like to eat?"


    "Mr. Lu, the grilled eel here is very good, I saw it on Little Red Potato."


    Huang Yufei called over the waiter. Although she spoke English, she specifically ordered in broken Japanese under the pretense of practicing her language skills.


    After all, she had given up the opportunity to work at a prestigious domestic law firm to accompany her boyfriend here, mainly to learn Japanese.


    As long as she passed the Japanese certification, she would be an Asian lawyer with translation certifications in Japanese, English, and Korean.


    "I have a Friend who is also very talented in languages, but she will probably become a teacher eventually."


    Lu Liang suddenly thought of Su Wanyu, she had learned the languages of four countries, seemingly Japanese, English, French, and German.


    "That''s impressive, French and German are hard to learn, especially studying both at the same time."


    Huang Yufei was astonished and speechless. She had briefly studied German before, and just like Chinese, it was a completely different system.


    She had no choice but to settle for Korean as a minor, as it too belonged to the Confucian cultural sphere and had some similarities.


    "But why would she choose to be a teacher? If one were to teach, such extensive language skills aren''t necessary."


    Huang Yufei frowned, studying four languages simultaneously, French, German, English, and Japanese without a doubt made one a top-tier language genius.


    Such linguistic perceptiveness, expressive abilities, memory, and reading comprehension would be very strong.


    A natural diplomat or spokesperson. Becoming a teacher would be a waste, like having a scientist herd cows.


    Lu Liang suddenly froze; he had never considered this matter.


    Su Wanyu had learned so many foreign languages, but who had said she wanted to be a teacher and where had it all started?


    It seemed to have been last year when her parents came to Modu, and Su Wanyu accompanied them. After they left, this notion surfaced.


    Since then, her career seemed to be set, but was teaching truly what she wished for?


    "The grilled eel has been sitting here for a while. It might get fishy as it cools down. Yufei, eat more if you like it."


    Wen Chao knew how to read the room and immediately sensed something was amiss. He quickly stuffed some grilled eel into his girlfriend''s mouth.


    Huang Yufei''s eyes widened, her mouth so full she couldn''t utter a word.


    Lu Liang sighed deeply and wiped his mouth with a napkin, "You guys take your time. I''ll be going now."


    "Mr. Lu, take care."


    Watching Lu Liang leave, Wen Chao felt relieved, but Huang Yufei''s look was unfriendly, "Dachao, do you have a death wish?"


    Wen Chao, indignant and unbending, retorted, "Eat your grilled eel, don''t talk too much nonsense, and almost got me killed."


    He knew who the language genius was; the day Lu Liang was seriously ill, he had witnessed the chaotic scene.


    Though later he was transferred to the private sector and dispatched to Tokyo, from Boss Lu''s expression, there seemed to still be lingering issues.


    "Mr. Lu, is there a story?" Huang Yufei''s eyes brightened, suddenly smelling the gossip.


    "Do you want to know?" Wen Chao glared at her.


    Huang Yufei looked aggrieved and glared back, lamenting softly, "I want to, but I shouldn''t, and you better not tell me."


    Wen Chao was only 27 this year, his annual salary and position soaring, primarily thanks to Lu Liang''s trust.


    She knew well that trust, once betrayed, would completely collapse and become cheap.


    "Sensible." Wen Chao grinned, the proximity to Lu Liang seemingly rubbing off on him.


    "Dachao, you really have a death wish. Eat my iron fist as big as a casserole."


    Meanwhile, Lu Liang didn''t go back but strolled on the streets, admiring the handsome men and beautiful women of Roppongi and the soldiers from the United States.


    He set his watch to London time, glanced at it, and called Su Wanyu, "How have you been? Does it still hurt?"


    "It stopped hurting long ago. I''ve been adhering to postpartum training; I''m already back to 120 kilograms."


    Su Wanyu, hearing that Lu Liang would visit at the end of the month, beamed with joy, "In a little while, you''ll see for yourself."


    Lu Liang teased, "Don''t train too hard, be careful not to reduce my daughter''s pantry."


    Su Wanyu fell silent, then responded after a long pause, "Big pervert."


    Their conversation lasted a few more minutes, mostly Su Wanyu sharing about the baby''s daily routines. Just as Lu Liang was about to hang up, a tender voice came from the receiver, "I miss you."


    "We''ll see each other very soon."

 Chapter 397 - 394: Lu, the Kept Man

    On the 8th, Lu Liang returned to Modu.


    Just off the plane, he was picked up by Panda''s General Manager Long Fei and chauffeured to the Hilton Hotel.


    "I don''t know what you''re so nervous about, going public is a sure win, and Panda is the first live-streaming platform in China to go public in the US."


    As soon as he arrived at the hotel, Lu Liang saw Little Wang holding a draft, nervously reciting key points for the upcoming speech.


    "How could I not be nervous? It feels like raising a child for eighteen years as both a father and a mother, and finally facing the college entrance exam."


    Little Wang was visibly indignant, Panda was his career, if it failed, he would only be able to be a rich second generation waiting to die.


    And this rich second generation wasn''t just any ordinary type, but the kind that could live carelessly, spend days in luxury and avoid becoming a target of envy.


    At the beginning of the year, Wanda was hit with a double whammy of stock and debt declines, which although was a bad thing, it turned out to be a blessing in disguise as it was a way to survive by severing an arm and solve the issues. Now it seemed like a good thing.


    Because Wanda paid a heavy price, even solving some lingering minor issues that plagued its development for over twenty years in one fell swoop.


    In other words, they are already in this state, what else do you want from them, leave a line, so we can meet again nicely in the future.


    As the only son, naturally, he could also enjoy this buff.


    Lu Liang was skeptical: "Are you bragging?"


    "Serious!" Little Wang said earnestly.


    "Come on, don''t make yourself out to be so noble, at best you''re just the Uncle Wang next door."


    Lu Liang rolled his eyes and looked at Long Fei, who was still proofreading the process. He was the one who had to act as both father and mother.


    If Panda''s success were to be divided into ten parts, Long Fei would count for four, he himself for two, Little Wang for two, and the rest would belong to others.


    During the early and middle stages of development, Little Wang had a more negative than positive impact, although it was easy for him as the son of the First Rich to secure financing.


    But because it was too easy, he spent money carelessly and was always picking fights, making enemies everywhere.


    After one internet cleanup, the capital chain was on the brink of collapse, and he even faced the Iron Fist of Capital from Tencent and pressure from investors.


    It was only with the exploding popularity of live-streaming for direct sales that Panda found a profitable model, otherwise, it would have been over long ago.


    "Would it kill you to say something nice?"


    Little Wang looked aggrieved but then magnanimously said, "Never mind, I''m in a good mood today, I won''t hold it against you."


    He tossed over a pile of documents, looking proud: "Take a good look, open your eyes wide and see clearly."


    Last quarter, Panda''s sales figures for live-streamed goods and the platform''s share of profits.


    Total sales reached 5.815 billion, with revenue at 380 million.


    "Incredible, did the old TV shopping model, just with a new cover, really work this well?"


    Lu Liang was surprised to realize he had underestimated this field, with each live broadcast generating sales in the tens of millions, and the commission never dropping below 5%, skincare products even reaching as high as 80%.


    However, it might have been a rush for volume toward the IPO, or perhaps Panda had fewer female consumers¡ªlast quarter the skincare product broadcasts only made 80 million in sales.


    When Lu Liang saw Li Xiaomeng''s name, he noticed she had done nine broadcasts last quarter, contributing 23 million to skincare products; after deducting the platform''s 50% share, she still made 11.2 million in profit.


    After nearly half was taken for taxes, she still took home 5.5 million, and with signing fees and audience tips, her annual income should reach ten million.


    No wonder every time Lu Liang went home lately, he saw so many fancy trinkets and furniture.


    Unknowingly, she had become a little rich woman.


    From a Little Li being taken care of, to an old Lu being taken care of.


    The deputy card from the bank he once gave her hadn''t seen a transaction message in a long time.


    Little Wang was triumphant: "It''s not that TV shopping works, it''s that there are too many middlemen these days."


    Merchants want to make money, platforms want to make money, and manufacturers want to profit too. These days, despite seeming information advancements, products haven''t gotten any cheaper by the time they reach consumers.


    They managed to establish direct-to-consumer sales, connecting directly with manufacturers, bargaining with quantity for low price advantages and then giving benefits back to consumers.


    Sometimes, though, he envied the two neighbors next door, especially Douyu, which struggled after the failed merger and was set free by Tencent to fend for themselves with Huya.


    Douyu did everything in its power to raise funds, and the profit from branding made him envious.


    Take the best-selling daily product, tissues, as an example: partnering with top brands like Jierou and Vinda would only yield commissions of 5%-8%, but pushing their in-house brand could reach over 30%.


    Last quarter, the total sales volume for tissue products was 380 million¡ªif they manufactured and branded it themselves, the revenue wouldn''t just be 24.7 million, it would at least reach 114 million, a dramatic difference of more than fourfold.


    Though both were tissues, different standards of production and costs applied, some were only good for wiping hands and tables, while others were suitable for wiping mouths and bottoms.


    "Money can be earned again, but without a conscience, undoubtedly one can make much more," Little Wang sighed. He always called his audiences ''buddies'' in the live streaming room, and he truly regarded them as such.


    People come to Panda, to the live room to buy things, because they trust him and also want to snag a bargain.


    Earn a little less, then just earn a little less, after all, money is hard-earned for the buddies, their money isn''t just blown in by the wind.


    "Smart kid, I''m really pleased," said Lu Liang, with a smile lifting the corners of his mouth and a look of satisfaction on his face.


    Suddenly, he understood why the second generation of entrepreneurs often fails¡ªit''s because those born into wealth don''t have a particularly strong desire for it, and their entrepreneurship is largely about reputation and proving themselves.


    In the cutthroat business world, the merciless make more money, and this is certainly not an empty platitude.


    As long as the products for consumption don''t kill people, that''s good enough, after all, people are not that fragile.


    And if they do die, it''s fine as long as it''s not happening en masse, the occasional one or two survivors'' deviation won''t cause a stir.


    "Have I ever told you? Stop looking at me with those eyes?"


    Little Wang narrowed his eyes, feeling for the 22nd time the impulse to strangle Lu Liang.


    Lu Liang smiled and didn''t provoke him further. Seeing Sun Yutao approaching, he greeted him, and the two stepped aside to talk.


    Panda was valued at 3.8 billion US dollars, with an offering price of 1.98 US dollars per share. Modu Station released 192 million shares for subscription, raising 3.8 billion US dollars.


    In order to ensure they could dazzle on Nasdaq after listing, Tianxing Private Equity planned to put up all their cash, totaling 9 billion US dollars. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    They split it into two subscriptions, 4.5 billion US dollars each, to participate in the subscription at Modu Station and subsequently, at New York Station.


    Although Little Wang could initiate another round of financing before the IPO, the funds raised would be original shares, subject to a six-month lock-up period.


    They can only acquire shares that could be traded on the very first day of listing by subscribing through the IPO and winning the allocation by lottery.


    Sun Yutao looked at the increasingly crowded venue and sighed, "It''s just uncertain how much we can win in the allocation."


    In this roadshow, there was only a 3.8 billion US dollar share available, their 4.5 billion US dollars pushed the subscription ratio up to 11.8 times.


    Inside the venue, with large institutions and small speculators present, a subscription rate in the hundreds was expected to be the norm.


    The more money participated in the IPO subscription, the lower the probability of winning an allocation for each subscription.


    "Two hundred times, three hundred times, that''s not a problem either."


    With a smile, Lu Liang considered helping Panda go public in the US and shine on Nasdaq as just a part of the process, not the result.


    Previously, they had been fighting in the international markets, akin to common battlefields, but this was their first foray into the stronghold of Wall Street.


    Success was just getting a foot in the door.


    Approaching two o''clock in the afternoon, every financial institution and individual with any currency holdings from across the straits and the three regions had come.


    The banquet hall that could accommodate five hundred people now felt a bit crowded.


    Seeing Lu Liang, Shen Peng came over to ask, "Mr. Lu, do you think it could surpass 258 times?"


    Lu Liang pondered for a moment and replied, "I feel it could be much more, what''s the scale of Ali, and what''s the scale of Panda."


    The highest IPO subscription rate to date was held by Ali, with a ratio of 258 times, freezing 450 billion US dollars for its listing in the US.


    It''s worth noting that at the time, Ali''s market value was 156 billion US dollars, and it went straight to the New York Stock Exchange with an offering price of 86.5 US dollars.


    In contrast, Panda''s market value was 3.8 billion US dollars with an offering price of 1.98 US dollars, meaning a much lower threshold and potentially more subscription capital.


    "Who would have thought Panda could make it to the listing."


    Shen Peng fell silent for a long time, heaving a deep sigh. As the biggest VC institution in the country, he rarely misjudged opportunities.


    Even when he did, he would swiftly follow up in subsequent rounds of financing to make up for the initial oversight.


    Initially, Shen Peng too had contact with Little Wang, but felt that under Little Wang''s management, Panda wouldn''t survive three years.


    When investing in a company, performance is secondary; the key is the manager''s ability, character, and knack for using people wisely.


    Ability, character, understanding people¡ªall of which Little Wang had only half, which was understanding people.


    Long Fei was a capable steward, but Little Wang shouldn''t have been pointing fingers and meddling all day, putting on airs about so-called Eastern Disneyland.


    For this reason, he had given up on investing in Panda.


    At the time, Lu Liang also opted for a laissez-faire approach to Panda, watching as it faced a netting crisis that nearly broke its capital chain without lifting a finger, further proving his decision to give up on Panda was correct.


    Unexpectedly, after two rounds of AB financing, ignoring everything, Lu Liang suddenly entered the fray in the C round of financing as live stream sales took off.


    Then Panda started to grow rapidly, and Redwood had no opportunity to enter the fray, until now.

 Chapter 398 - 395: Mr. Lu!

    "He does have some dog''s luck on him."


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but chuckle silently as he watched Little Wang walk up to the podium.


    Initially, he had indeed given up on Panda because his initial investment was simply to make connections with Little Wang.


    Every industry or enterprise he came into contact with always had a future voice, informing him of what was to come.


    Only Panda was an exception. As expected, Shen Peng''s judgment wasn''t wrong ¨C under Little Wang''s management, it totally fizzled out.


    But the future can be changed.


    Lu Liang had interfered so much that, according to Old Wang, even Little Wang''s personality was influenced, let alone Panda. In the end, he had also found a way to profitability with Panda.


    "Luck is also a form of strength."


    Shen Peng sighed, looking toward Zhu Hu, who was having a heated conversation with Zhou Hongwei, and then back at Lu Liang.


    As the saying goes, being close to Lu Zefu brings wealth, and it seems there''s some truth to it. He should get closer to Lu Liang in the future.


    Shen Peng talked about his trip to Su City the day before yesterday, passing by Lou Shui, where he saw Tianxing Technology''s production base being constructed, the land all leveled out and construction fences being set up¡ªthe fishermen were also chased away.


    "Mr. Lu, such a massive project must require a lot of capital, right?"


    If Li Bing dared to use the financing for the production base, she''d definitely face his wrath.


    But Lu Liang was different. Tianxing Technology was highly anticipated, and Redwood was willing to invest and even wait, no matter how long the process.


    Lu Liang smiled and said, "Mr. Shen, there''s currently no shortage of development funds over there. If there''s a need in the future, I''ll definitely inform you."


    They hadn''t even taken the 150 billion RMB loan offered by the Su City Government recently, so they really weren''t short on development funds.


    However, there was a project that could collaborate with Redwood, just uncertain if Shen Peng was interested.


    Shen Peng inquired, "What project?"


    "DiDi!"


    "DiDi?"


    Shen Peng frowned, puzzled, looking at Lu Liang, "Mr. Lu, are you not aware of the situation DiDi is facing?"


    In the past few years, during the battle of ride-hailing services, Redwood invested two hundred million dollars into DiDi in increments, holding a 3.58% stake.


    Now, with DiDi valuated at fifty billion dollars, two hundred million dollars has turned into 1.8 billion dollars, a ninefold increase.


    But that profit only exists on paper. Whether DiDi can go public is still a question.


    After all, having alerted National Security, their application for a US listing was outright rejected by the Commerce Department, which is a serious issue.


    Lu Liang smiled, "The best way to solve a problem is to address the person who caused the problem."


    Shen Peng raised his eyebrows, "Are you referring to Mr. Liu?"


    Lu Liang chuckled lightly, "Does Mr. Shen think that the rejection of DiDi''s IPO application is Mr. Liu''s problem?"


    Shen Peng was at a loss for words for a moment, then equivocated, "Possibly."


    Ever since Liu Qing joined DiDi, she was responsible for the company''s development, finance, and even the current IPO preparations.


    Whoever was in charge of the mistakes bore the responsibility, which was correct, but Lu Liang''s words were frightening, clearly setting a trap for him.


    "Mr. Wang is about to take the stage. Let''s discuss this matter another time; who knows, there might be an opportunity for collaboration." Lu Liang''s lips curled into a smile.


    From Shen Peng''s reaction, it wasn''t hard to deduce that investors also thought that DiDi''s listing obstruction was due to Liu Qing.


    But to deal with Liu Qing, one had to overcome three obstacles.


    First, one had to face the forces within DiDi that Liu Qing had supported. Then, confront one of the top comprador groups in the country head-on. Finally, stand up against the foreign powers supporting Liu Qing.


    This is why, even though it was obvious who was to blame for DiDi''s listing obstruction, no one dared to challenge Liu Qing.


    The first step was not difficult. Cheng Wei had always hoped someone could help him "Clear the King''s Side" and regain control.


    The third step was straightforward: foreign capital is like a mother''s milk; after DiDi had burned through more than twenty billion dollars over the years, it was time to reap the benefits.


    The hardest part was the second step.


    The older generation of the Liu family made their fortune in Xiangjiang by helping foreigners sue Mainland companies.


    The three outstanding members of the Liu family, through three generations of effort, successfully became one of the top comprador groups in the country.


    "Right right right, we should consider this matter carefully." Shen Peng laughed dryly, with a hint of confusion in his eyes.


    It was puzzling why Lu Liang wanted to get involved in this murky waters. With a market value of fifty billion dollars, DiDi had likely hit its ceiling, making it hard to grow further.


    Was he on a mission?


    "Live-streaming e-commerce has emerged as a new industry, and it took us only 283 days to break through from zero to ten billion dollars..."


    Little Wang spoke with confidence, making no apologies. Live-streaming e-commerce was the dawn of the e-commerce 3.0 era and the ultimate destination for internet traffic, with Panda being the pioneer and promoter of this model.


    While it was somewhat overstated, the roadshow was all about giving investors confidence. As long as they could talk the talk and justify it, aiming for a market cap of a hundred billion dollars was also possible.


    The ten-minute speech flew by in an instant, and alongside it, the subscription channel opened up, almost immediately resulting in long lines forming outside the subscription room.


    Quickly, the results from the first hour of subscriptions were released, with subscription funds reaching 48.6 billion dollars, a subscription ratio of 127.8 times.


    The news spread like wildfire, and the queue at the entrance to the subscription room, which had previously seen a significant decrease in numbers, grew long once again.


    The frozen capital, the greater it speaks to the future promise.


    Everyone subscribing favorably indicates that the first-day surge will be more exaggerated upon listing, and


    many are subscribing for a second time, simply to increase their chances of winning the subscription lottery.


    But the more capital subscribed, the lower the probability of winning,


    which is the same as saying more money equals lower chances.


    Soon, the second hour ended and the subscription funds broke through the 90 billion US Dollar mark, reaching 236.8 times oversubscription.


    Little Wang came to Lu Liang''s side, excitedly informing him of this news, his voice trembling: "236 already."


    90 billion US Dollars, translated to over 600 billion RMB, all competing for 192 million shares of stock.


    As long as the performance in New York doesn''t hit a snag, a doubling market cap is practically guaranteed, and breaking 100 billion isn''t out of the question.


    Once the market cap surpasses 100 billion US Dollars, his 31.55% stake would be valued at 31.55 billion US Dollars, converting to 211 billion RMB.


    Including the several billion US Dollars he invested on Lu Liang''s side, he should have around 240 billion RMB, it seems next year he could climb onto the domestic Forbes rich list.


    "Getting carried away?"


    Lu Liang shot him a glance, as if seeing right through Little Wang''s wishful thinking, and Little Wang gave a few awkward laughs: "No, I''ve contained it."


    After all, they still relied on Lu Liang for the roadshow in New York, he truly dared not get carried away, at least not in front of Lu Liang.


    Lu Liang chuckled, then after a brief contemplation, said, "Let''s talk with Cruick later and consider raising the issuing price."


    Currently, the issuing price is only 1.98 US Dollars, but even raising it by a penny would result in a profit of 1.92 million US Dollars.


    Given the current fervor for subscription, it''s entirely feasible to raise it to over two dollars; the higher the price, the more capital raised.


    An earlier stock price rise above five US Dollars could also allow earlier entry into the global select market, attracting institutional funds from various countries.


    The simplicity of listing on Nasdaq is because they divide it into three tiers: global select market, global market, and capital market.


    Like primary, secondary, and tertiary markets, Panda could only enter the third tier upon listing, akin to China''s New Third Board, yet with greater liquidity and financing volume.


    Should the enterprise have stable revenue and the stock price stays above five US Dollars after half a year, there''s a chance to directly enter the global select market, the true essence of Nasdaq.


    Conversely, if a company with uncertain revenue, even in the prime market, may gradually fall to the second tier, then the third, and finally be compelled to delist.


    Old Jia''s FF got listed in Nasdaq''s third tier, and comparing that demonstrates how diluted this market is.


    "Setting off for New York on the 16th, when does your plane arrive?" Little Wang suddenly asked, planning to bring along additional people.


    Such as streamers like PDD, Hai, MISS and others, and if Lu Liang needed, taking Li Manli wouldn''t be an issue.


    After the New York roadshow ends, one can list within 21 days, and generally, no one waits the full 21 days, the sooner, the better.


    Ringing the bell for a Nasdaq listing is a prestigious moment, like a WeChat businessperson boasting about a new car in their social circle; surely one would want to bring along big-name platform streamers to get a touch of gold.


    These streamers, through stock incentive plans, have subscribed to a good number of original shares, for instance, PDD subscribed to 800,000 shares, Li Manli has 200,000.


    Five percent allocated to the equity incentive pool, totaling 96 million shares, nearly every platform streamer and company middle and senior manager got a piece, just differing in amount.


    One''s success lifts all close to them; this adage encapsulates the IPOs of internet companies perfectly.


    "I''ve heard it''s been assembled. It should arrive in the next day or two, and after some checking and refurbishment, it should be time."


    Lu Liang gave a sharp look, signaling Little Wang not to overdo it. It''s uncertain if the lavish banquet would be a blessing or a curse, no time to look after Li Manli.


    Little Wang chuckled, thinking Lu Liang had an old flame, worried about a confrontation should they meet, so he dropped the subject.


    Two and a half hours later, Modu''s station concluded the subscription.


    Froze a total of 102.2 billion, supersubscribing by 268.9 times, breaking the IPO record set by Ali.


    "Capital Market''s New Darling?"


    "Has Spring Arrived for Chinese concept stocks?" S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "268.9 times, East Country''s YouTube?"


    "Could Livestream Sales Ownership Become the Next Flow Destiny?"


    The news spread, shocking the industry.


    Frozen capital exceeded one hundred billion; Panda, known as third in the industry hierarchy, succeeded in breaking through, becoming widely recognized.


    Little Wang, holding 31.55% of shares, was lavishly praised by all media outlets: "Wang family''s boy blossoms, no dogs born of a tiger."


    To the public, Little Wang was a commercial miracle, turning the 500 million RMB given by his dad into 1.2 billion US Dollars or more.


    But to professionals, they marveled at the man behind Panda.


    Mr. Lu!


    Insiders stated clearly that without Lu Liang''s assistance, Panda wouldn''t have even passed the listing review.


    Suddenly, countless enterprises eager to go public in the US stirred, turning their attention to Lu Liang.


    If he could assist one company in its US listing, he could do the same for a second, a third.


    Listing on Nasdaq, globally renowned stock exchange, can provide a company with broad media and investor attention.


    This helps improve the company''s prominence and visibility, attracting potential customers and partners.


    No company could resist such temptation.

 Chapter 399 - 396: Who Will Take the Lead?

    "Mr. Cheng, no rush, let the bullet fly a while~"


    That evening, Lu Liang received many phone calls and was invited to numerous dinner parties, but he only answered Cheng Wei''s call.


    Joining DiDi required finding the right moment, otherwise it would seem aimless and improper.


    "Clearing the King''s Side" couldn''t just be his or Cheng Wei''s belief, it had to be the public''s consensus.


    The right opportunity was elusive and he didn''t know when it would appear. But as they say, if the mountain won''t come to me, I will go to the mountain.


    Rather than wait tediously for the right time, it was better to create it oneself.


    For instance, at this very moment, with DiDi facing barriers to its US listing, and an individual aiding such a company in going public.


    After seven years of development, burning through over 20 billion US dollars, with no rivals domestically and nearly dominating the market, it was time for DiDi to bear fruit.


    "Mr. Lu, is it still not the right time?"


    Cheng Wei knew he shouldn''t rush, but he felt like he desperately needed to use the toilet, which was right in front of him, yet the cleaner kept on cleaning it relentlessly, causing him immense discomfort.


    With a smile on his lips, Lu Liang said in a pleasant voice, "But if you want to manage DiDi well in the future, neither you nor your people can bring this up."


    He believed a third party would eventually become restless. The attitude Shen Peng displayed at the roadshow also represented the investors'' stance.


    Lu Liang said this indeed for Cheng Wei''s benefit.


    But it was also for his own benefit; the more pressing the demand side was, the more room there was for maneuvering later on.


    Everything should be slowed down a bit; there''s always someone impatient who cannot wait and will pay more than before.


    Moreover, the true fruition would come when the Panda goes public.


    Cheng Wei was silent for a long while, the fog before him gradually clearing and the path under his feet becoming visible, "Mr. Lu, thank you, I''ve learned a lot."


    Standing beside him, Zhu Hu watched Lu Liang and Cheng Wei finish their call and couldn''t help asking, "Who would risk offending the Liu family to stick their neck out first?"


    Lu Liang smiled without a word and raised his glass to him.


    Zhu Hu widened his eyes, "Damn, you''re not planning to throw this on me, are you?"


    "Who invited me out to eat and followed me around? If not you, who else?"


    Lu Liang''s lips curved into a smile as he sipped his drink and nibbled on some snacks, looking absolutely carefree.


    Since he dared let Zhu Hu listen to his call with Cheng Wei, he was confident he could bind him to his battle ship.


    Originally, Lu Liang intended to make Shen Peng take the lead, but who knew he was as sly as a ghost, allowing no leaks.


    Fortunately, with the Panda''s roadshow ending and Zhu Hu knocking on his door, he couldn''t blame him for seizing the opportunity.


    "My Mr. Lu, we all roam in the Beijing Circle, seeing each other frequently, don''t ruin me."


    Zhu Hu was almost in tears; had he known the pit Lu Liang dug was so deep, he would have never invited him to dinner.


    "If you don''t help, I won''t bother, after all, I''m not the one losing out."


    Lu Liang appeared indifferent; helping Cheng Wei with "Clearing the King''s Side" was just a plan, not yet implemented or invested.


    So far, he''d only sacrificed some brain cells; if he defaulted, even if Liu Qing found out, she would pretend not to know.


    But Zhu Hu was different; investing in DiDi was Golden Sand River''s prideful achievement, and their greatest sorrow if it couldn''t go public.


    Zhu Hu, struggling in his expression and considering this, hesitated, "Golden Sand River isn''t influential enough; you need to find someone to help me."


    Lu Liang smiled, looking as though he had been waiting for this, "Go find Shen Peng, he has a bone to pick with Liu Qing too."


    Zhu Hu recalled that Lu Liang seemed to have been chatting with Shen Peng just now, his face darkened as he asked, "Then why don''t you target Shen Peng instead of targeting me?"


    "Because I did think of targeting him first, but he noticed and avoided it," Lu Liang shook his head, feeling regretful.


    Zhu Hu''s expression darkened further, "Can''t you just say we have a better relationship? Otherwise, it makes me look stupid."


    Lu Liang gave him a look, annoyed, "You''re over forty years old, why are you getting all sensitive with me?"


    After finishing his drink, he stood up and said, "I''m off, waiting for good news from me, and also from you guys."


    Zhu Hu and Shen Peng would surely join forces, but if they intended to target Liu Qing, they would wait until after Panda''s IPO.


    Though it was an IPO, though it froze hundreds of billions, though it was 268 times oversubscribed, as long as it hadn''t gone public, accidents could happen.


    When it came to choosing sides, it was best to delay if possible.


    Leaving the restaurant, Lu Liang checked the date; it was a working day, and he took a car to the villa in the suburbs.


    His romance with Li Manli was public, so he easily entered her studio.


    As soon as he entered the house, Lu Liang saw Li Manli live streaming, "Friends, like me who often cosplay, I use this makeup remover, gentle on the skin and not irritating..."


    The moment she saw Lu Liang, she instinctively reacted and turned off the computer, "Power outage, work''s over, and off duty."


    Li Manli, like a cat fond of its owner, rushed excitedly to Lu Liang, wrapping her arms around his, "When did you come back to the country, and why did you suddenly come here?"


    "I came back to the country at noon and just got finished this afternoon. I thought I''d come and check on you."


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but laugh silently, looking at a few people who were still dumbstruck by Li Manli''s abrupt actions.


    She only live-streamed three times a month, and having worked for over an hour tonight, she was about ten minutes away from finishing.


    Shutting down the computer meant that tonight''s efforts were in vain.


    "Why are you all looking at me? Finishing work early tonight, aren''t you happy?" sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Li Manli chuckled and suddenly remembered she hadn''t announced it yet. She picked up her phone to edit her status, "There was a power outage, not sure if the circuits can be fixed by tomorrow. Friends, go to sleep early, don''t wait up."


    "All set, let''s go home." She grabbed her small bag, looped her arm through Lu Liang''s, and hopped out of the studio.


    Walking on the road, she almost hung on Lu Liang''s arm like a sloth, smiling, "Our Panda is going public, I subscribed to 200,000 shares~"


    She took out the subscription contract from her bag, $1.98 per share, 200,000 shares, totaling $396,000.


    Since it was an employee benefit and original stock, there was no need to go through a lottery process for subscription; the amount subscribed was as requested.


    She only had to wait six months before she could sell.


    Then she took out another contract, an additional contract from the platform, to live stream three times a month. Regardless of sales volume, each session was $500,000, with half the commission.


    She even opened her mobile bank app to show Lu Liang, she had saved $3,021,500.


    She didn''t know how to manage money, nor was she interested, including the initial stock allocation of 200,000 shares Panda gave her.


    If it weren''t for hearing that Lu Liang also had shares, she wouldn''t have bothered subscribing, "Seeing those numbers just gives me a headache."


    It had been a long time since she and Lu Liang had met, both physically and emotionally, she wanted to let Lu Liang know everything, without reservations.


    "Oh, you."


    Lu Liang chuckled, rubbing her little head, "Has our Manli become a little rich lady? You could provide for me in the future."


    "What do you mean in the future? Didn''t you know? I''ve been providing for you for quite some time now."


    Li Manli wrinkled her nose, her face full of pride, pointing at Lu Liang''s outfit, "I bought all these for you."


    Her face was full of disdain; though Lu Liang was wealthy, he hardly bought clothes. If not for her, he would still be wearing frayed underwear.


    Lu Liang muttered softly, "I thought the wardrobe at home just grew bigger, and it''d automatically update with season-appropriate clothes every time the seasons changed."


    "Really, you never thought it was me who bought you those?"


    Li Manli huffed, suddenly grinned slyly, and hopped onto Lu Liang''s back, "Then I''ll punish you by having you carry me home."


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but chuckle, supporting her firmly perched behind, step by step heading towards home.


    "Liang, Liang, did you know? Every time I lay on your back, I feel so happy."


    Her arms entwined around Lu Liang''s neck, taking deep breaths, greedily inhaling his scent.


    "The weather is nice tonight, so let''s take a longer walk."


    Lu Liang''s lips curled slightly upward. He took a longer route, walking towards the central lake of the villa area.


    Li Manli hummed a sound, her arms wrapped even tighter.


    Her pair of high heels was nowhere to be found, leaving only her bare, rosy feet, the toes excitedly moving up and down, expressing their owner''s joy.

 Chapter 400 - 397: 7.2 Billion Project Budget

    The next day, Xu Jiawei called with news.


    Liang''s Bombardier Global 6000 had departed from Pennsylvania and was expected to arrive in Modu tonight.


    With a price tag of 370 million RMB, it had already been entrusted to Pu Xin Airport well in advance, with an annual management fee of 37 million.


    "Full custody then, both the technical and cabin crew will temporarily be rented from Pu Xin Airport; we''ll see how things go before making any further decisions."


    When a private plane is entrusted to an airport, it''s not simply a matter of nominal representation. Should Liang require, he could even personally go to a flight school to select his preferred flight attendants.


    However, he didn''t have the time and would have to miss this selection process.


    Because today was the 9th and he had to leave for New York on the 16th, he needed to handle some domestic matters in the meantime.


    Liang had to head to Su City today to secure the 15 billion loan offered by the city government and finalize the park''s planning blueprints.


    "Liang, did you buy a plane?" Li Manli''s eyes were sparkling, almost betraying her desire to take a ride.


    Liang forwarded the email he had received from Xu Jiawei to Li Manli: "If you''re free, help me check it out and see how it should be fitted out."


    What he''d bought was just the standard version, similar to a bare apartment, and how the cabin was to be decorated was entirely up to personal preference.


    This task was also assigned to the entrusted party, Pu Xin Airport, who had sent over various configurations for Liang to decide upon.


    "No problem, leave it to me."


    Li Manli''s eyes lit up, and she suddenly sat up straight, her chest making a snapping sound¡ª DuangDuangDuang, very elastic.


    Liang gave a strange look, suddenly reminded of Chen Jinchun; it seemed the different sizes produced different sounds.


    The thumping indicated that it was close to the heart, causing the sound of an empty cavity, while the snapping meant there was a thick cushion.


    Noticing Liang''s gaze, Li Manli stood tall and proud, smugly boasting: "Has your little treasure grown?" S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Through the layer of light-colored soft pajamas, the distinct half-circles were visible, firm, perky, with obvious points.


    Liang nodded with a smile: "Indeed, it has grown."


    Both wealth and fame nourished people, compared to two and a half years ago when they first met, at first glance, it seemed there had been no change.


    On closer observation, however, the changes in stature, demeanor, and body contours were dramatic.


    Back then, she was 19; now, 21.


    Very young indeed, and certainly still growing.


    "I''m heading to Su City soon and won''t be back tonight."


    Liang washed up and changed clothes, giving Li Manli''s head a pat, asking her to finalize the configurations before tonight.


    The private plane was going to be put to use next Thursday. If not for Li Manli''s interest, he would have settled for a simple setup.


    Taking the highway near She Mountain, passing through Kunshan, it took less than an hour to arrive at Lou Shui in Su City.


    From a distance, Liang could see the eighteen main buildings of the Lou Shui New Energy Industrial Park rising from the ground.


    Hundreds of construction vehicles moved in and out of the park, stirring up clouds of dust, covering the sparse vegetation in gray.


    The 130 billion mega-project, the pride of Su City, the sooner it was completed, the sooner it was in use, no one dared to conduct environmental inspections.


    Roads were crushed to pieces, and road managers didn''t dare to speak up; they even rationalized it as out with the old, in with the new.


    Construction began at the end of June, initially set for a 12-month timeframe, but with 50% of the funds prepaid, the period was compressed to seven months.


    It was planned to be completed after the Spring Festival, but now, it might finish even sooner, possibly before the celebrations.


    The Tianxing Production Base across the river was also fenced off, with the land completely leveled, the former desolation hidden from sight.


    Fang Shiyu drove directly onto the construction site, stopping in front of a corrugated iron shack at the entrance.


    "Mr. Lu, please be careful." Wang Xiaofeng handed him a white helmet, visibly lean and tanned.


    "Xiaofeng, you''ve been working hard lately."


    Liang said gravely, patting his shoulder.


    He remembered Wang Xiaofeng''s resume; a 1997 graduate, he had joined Procter & Gamble as a trainee, advancing to Marketing Director within eight years.


    In 2006, he joined Google, almost single-handedly establishing Google''s early search advertising channels in East China.


    After departing Google in 2009, he joined Tencent as a Vice President, responsible for the expansion and growth of their advertising business.


    In 2014, he became the General Manager at Uber, and following Uber''s acquisition by DiDi, Li Bing recruited him to manage Mobike''s operations.


    Subsequently, Mobike was acquired by Meituan, and all the original management were kicked out, with Wang Xiaofeng also following Hu Weiwei into his ranks.


    It can be said that for the past twenty years, he had been working in upscale offices, and then he was sent by Lu Liang to eat dust here.


    "It''s not hard, this is a very good experience."


    Wang Xiaofeng''s face was full of smiles, revealing shiny white teeth.


    Since 2006, he had been a professional manager, and had long ago mastered remaining calm and composed. No matter what situation the company faced, he could handle it with ease and make long-term plans.


    This was a good thing, signifying he had become an excellent and qualified professional manager, but also a bad thing, as he hadn''t felt the surging passion for many years, as if he wasn''t truly alive.


    If it hadn''t been for Hu Weiwei inviting him to join Lu Liang''s ranks, he might have gone to search for the meaning of life.


    Fortunately, Hu Weiwei invited him, and fortunately, Lu Liang didn''t treat him as a normal manager¡ªhe basically went wherever he was needed.


    Like managing a company in Beijing today, recruiting in Modu tomorrow, and building a factory in Su City the day after; the tasks were always different.


    Each day he faced unknown challenges and embraced new things, reviving his long-dormant heart.


    Wang Xiaofeng didn''t know how long he would stay with Tianxing, but at least for now, he couldn''t bear to leave.


    In the past, Google and Tencent had both tried to retain him with stock options, but none could evoke this special kind of affection.


    "How''s the planning for the industrial park coming along?"


    Lu Liang chuckled, unable to tell whether the question was sincere or not, but such matters he tentatively took as truth.


    If it was true, all the better.


    If not, it could only be said that his many years as a professional manager were not in vain¡ªthe flattery was remarkably refreshing and refined.


    Because of this, Lu Liang felt very comfortable inside.


    It was like a girl saying he was strong and amazing, but those words spoken from her mouth were useless; they had to be cried out to be effective.


    "Tongji, Southeast University, Zhejiang University and other research institutes have each put forward three proposals according to our requirements."


    Wang Xiaofeng elaborated on the strengths of the nine proposals from the three institutes; the five million reward was just the basic fee for adopting their design for the park.


    If they could secure them, the subsequent main design, factory design, and building design would all be entrusted to them.


    The total design fee altogether would be approximately 30 million, and the three institutes'' nine design teams were all working their hardest.


    After two hours of careful selection with Wang Xiaofeng, Lu Liang finally chose the scheme of Team B from Southeast University.


    If built, it would accommodate 1,600 cars coming off the assembly line and would be 1.6 times the size of a Tesla''s super factory.


    The total area of over 960,000 square meters wasn''t fully utilized, preserving 260,000 square meters for future unexpected needs.


    The preliminary budget for the project was 7.2 billion, including the plant, research buildings, office buildings, and various supporting living facilities.


    "Let''s go with this one, contact them and find a few reliable construction companies for the job, a 50% down payment, and if they pass inspection, we''ll settle the remaining payment in three months."


    Lu Liang informed that he would head to the city center in the afternoon to discuss with the Su City office about a 15 billion loan.


    With an annual interest rate of only 3.8%, he thought it practically a giveaway, considering five years of total interest would only be 2.85 billion.


    "The project budget already takes up nearly half, with equipment purchases and personnel recruitment to follow. Is the remaining 7.8 billion going to be enough?"


    "Mr. Lu, as far as I know, the company''s current account balance is also running low."


    Wang Xiaofeng frowned, having set up the division in Modu himself; he knew the price of a production line.


    Especially since they planned to adopt integrated die casting, a mature production line would cost at least 380 million US dollars or more.


    The remaining 7.8 billion RMB would barely be enough to purchase two production lines, which would mean a monthly production capacity of merely 4,000 vehicles.


    While Tesla''s super factory in Modu, although in its first phase, could produce 4,000 vehicles in just one week.


    They had only one quarter of Tesla''s efficiency, and having investigated beforehand, Wang Xiaofeng had always tried to stop Lu Liang from spending lavishly.


    Facilities like the research building and the headquarters tower, those vanity projects, could be postponed a bit and constructed in the third or fourth phase.


    After all, Beijing was constantly developing autonomous driving, and Modu was innovating new cars; daily expenses were astronomical.


    If they didn''t manage their funds well and expanded too fast, they could easily face a rupture in their financial chain.


    "Reserve ten production lines, if money''s tight, I''ll figure something out."


    Lu Liang''s face showed a confident smile as he said, "As long as it''s about money, it''s never really a big issue."


    Wang Xiaofeng was momentarily at a loss for words. He had almost forgotten that Boss Lu also had the nickname Lu Caishen; he wasn''t a typical entrepreneur.


    As he said, having prepared for this project for two and a half years, if he still lacked funds, then those two and a half years would have been for nothing.

 Chapter 401 - 398: The Wolf Comes

    Leaving the construction site, Lu Liang headed to the city government office.


    He secured a loan of 15 billion from Bank of China with an annual interest rate of 3.8%, intended strictly for the construction and development of the base.


    Going forward, the project''s engineering funds, staff payroll cards, and accounts set up for official use, all had to be through Bank of China.


    Lu Liang accepted all these terms, as after all, industry isn''t like finance¡ªyou often have to deal with banks later on.


    Cultivating a long-term partnership was essential.


    During his three-day stay in Su City, besides handling loan procedures, he hosted two press conferences, spreading the news far and wide.


    The Su City Government strongly requested it, and Lu Liang couldn''t refuse¡ªafter all, they spent the money, so he couldn''t deny them the opportunity to show face.


    Mainly, Lu Liang realized their intention; they simply wanted to proclaim their authority over him, warning others not to mess with him.


    Lu Liang was now one of Su City''s own and had been nominated for the People''s Congress.


    "Liangzi, you''ve finally entered the game!"


    "It seems like he''s playing a different game?"


    "Others lead with PPTs and, if slightly more advanced, unveil a concept car before financing and fundraising."


    "Why did he quietly secure 1,450 acres of land and sign a contract to invest 12 billion over five years?"


    "Coming from finance, playing with concepts should have been his forte. Didn''t expect Liangzi''s approach to be so traditional?"


    "It''s all because Old Jia set a good precedent. Shouldn''t real industry be like this? Having a base and production lines to produce goods."


    "Just raising funds with a fictional product, how is that different from filling your belly with an imaginary cake?"


    The news spread and sparked hot debate across the internet.


    Leverage is a good thing, not only in finance; its purpose is to accelerate business development, but its unrestricted abuse in recent years has left many messy situations.


    The most famous and widely known examples include the OFO with 18 million creditors.


    Misappropriating deposits, expanding the market, attracting new customers, then repeating the cycle.


    Each cycle was a doubling of leverage, which, if continued until market monopoly or the company went public,


    would mean success.


    However, in recent years, two notable examples have failed: OFO and LeEco.


    The former turned 18 million users into creditors, while the latter, once a leader on the Growth Enterprise Market, now has defrauded hundreds of thousands of individual investors.


    Real estate, too, has been a disaster area for leverage; they sell apartments as soon as they get the construction permits and use the money to bid on more land, repeating the cycle.


    This is fine for now as the property market is booming and prices are steadily rising, but no one knows how many people will suffer once it starts to decline.


    At this time, Lu Liang emerged.


    Originating from real estate intermediation and succeeding in finance, he surely understands this game of concepts.


    Lu Liang could have followed the new energy vehicle trend, showcasing a concept car and then going public directly.


    With his reputation in the financial market, creating a hundred-billion enterprise to rival Tesla wouldn''t be difficult.


    He could have done so, but he didn''t. Instead, he steadfastly researched vehicle computers and models, acquired land, and built factories.


    Step by step, his traditional approach was like that of old-school entrepreneurs, a rare treasure in today''s restless world where everyone wants to make quick money.


    Li Xiang and NIO''s shareholders expressed uniform opinions in their respective groups.


    "Alas, the wolf is coming."


    Lu Liang''s development plans made them, and perhaps ninety percent of the new energy vehicle enterprises, look like jokers.


    Even if Li Bing once boldly claimed in an interview that Porsche''s Munich factory certainly couldn''t compare with the Jianghuai''s Hefei factory,


    it couldn''t change some customers'' stereotypes; buying a NIO for over four hundred thousand was considered regretful.


    NIO faced a predicament, and so did Li Xiang.


    However, Li Xiang took a different approach, casting aside fashion and focusing on family use and comfort, so it wasn''t too deeply affected by branding issues.


    Tianxing Automobile, unlike these two companies, wouldn''t face the same challenges as it was starting from scratch, from nothing.


    Even if they priced their vehicles at a million in the future, as long as consumers accepted it, the price would be justified, unaffected by any external factors.


    Although they could blame the state, claiming they didn''t get a production license and had to have others produce for them,


    this was only fooling the general public.


    The state actively promotes the development of the new energy industry; getting a license is easy, it''s just a matter of willingness to invest.


    The shareholder groups, silent for a while, exploded with activity due to the two leaders'' comments.


    Lei Jun: "The Big Bad Wolf is still in the group."


    Little Ma: "No wonder Mr. Lu hasn''t been in the trending searches lately; turns out he''s been making big news quietly."


    Zhang Lei: "It still has to be Mr. Lu, a 12 billion investment on a wager, yet able to secure a 15 billion loan, with practically no conditions."


    Daqiangzi: "Speaking of which, has the new car design come out yet? What style? Sedan? Coupe? SUV?"


    Shen Peng: "Mr. Lu, so many people are looking for you, even a squeak would be nice. Not talking and playing it cool?"


    Lu Liang: "Squeak~~~"


    Shen Peng scolded with a laugh: "I knew you were peeking all along." S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "How could it be called peeking?"


    Lu Liang chuckled and sighed, "It''s just that I''m worried, once I start talking, you guys would accuse me of showing off, and then this group would go silent."


    Li Bing: "..."


    Lei Jun: "..."


    Everyone suddenly fell silent. It would have been fine if Lu Liang hadn''t mentioned it, but as soon as he did, it reminded them of Zhang Lei''s statement.


    A 12 billion wagered investment, yet getting a 15 billion loan, this matter itself was quite telling.


    This kind of treatment made them think of Tesla in Modu, which had signed a similar contract.


    Spending so much to bring in Tesla, and making it the only foreign automaker in the country.


    They wanted it to be the pike that stimulates the domestic lazy joint venture automakers.


    Lu Liang also had this treatment, was it the action of Su City, or was it national behavior? It was very thought-provoking.


    If it was the former, it''s just another Su City''s Pizza Hut, even if it developed well, the market influence would be limited.


    But what if it''s the latter?


    If the nation launched a brand to rival Tesla, who else could compete with him?


    Lei Jun had a deep understanding on this point, as such things had happened in the smartphone circle.


    If Tesla is Apple, then the nationally promoted Tianxing would be the future Huawei.


    "Damn, not speaking and I get called a show-off, and when I do speak, no one responds. Are you playing with me?"


    Lu Liang was visibly frustrated. He put away his phone, indifferent to this bunch of rascals.


    Approaching noon, after having lunch with several leaders from the city government, he was heading back to Modu in the afternoon.


    There were still two hours before the flight to Beijing, and Lu Liang arrived early at Pu Xin Airport, planning to take a look at his plane.


    Since that night he arrived, Li Manli had helped with the selection and configuration, and the plane had been parked at the airport, undergoing checks and decoration.


    "Mr. Lu, hello, my name is Sun Yali, and I am your exclusive aviation customer service manager."


    As soon as Lu Liang arrived in the reception room, a tall, sweet-looking and refined customer service manager with a great figure walked in.


    She sat next to Lu Liang. The neckline of her shirt, whether intentionally or not, was one button lower, her long legs restless, the rubbing of her stockings producing a soft swish.


    Sun Yali smiled like a breath of spring: "Mr. Lu, whether it''s flight routing, personnel transfer, or feedback, we will do our utmost to meet all your needs."


    A 37 million annual trust fee was a significant income that any domestic airline could not ignore.


    As Lu Liang''s aviation customer service manager, Sun Yali too was a direct beneficiary of this additional income.


    Even if Lu Liang made inappropriate advances, she was willing.


    But, casting coquettish glances at a blind man.


    Not only was Lu Liang unappreciative, he suddenly said coldly, "Manager Sun, can you replace me with a male manager?"


    If it were any other occasion, and the opposite party was so inviting, he wouldn''t mind having a whirl with the beautiful manager.


    To find out if the rumors about flight attendants were really true.


    But since Sun Yali was his aviation customer service manager, if she could seduce him today, she could seduce others tomorrow, or be seduced the day after.


    Involving safety and whereabouts, Lu Liang didn''t want to mix in too much personal emotion; women can be impulsive, it''s better to use men.


    "For..."


    Sun Yali was stunned, the words on her lips swallowed back, her face ever smiling: "Okay, Mr. Lu, please wait a moment."


    She dared not express dissatisfaction, as showing the slightest sign of it could displease Lu Liang, and her job would be gone tomorrow.


    In a few minutes, a male manager claiming to be Ye Zhipei arrived at the reception room, with thick eyebrows and handsome features.


    Lu Liang found him agreeable and smiled, "I''ve heard it once, no need to introduce again; just take me to see the plane."


    "Of course, Mr. Lu, please follow me."


    Ye Zhipei smiled, restraining his excitement and not sure what his predecessor did to be replaced by Lu Liang, but this bit of good fortune had landed in his lap.


    Exiting the airport through the VIP corridor, they took a shuttle bus and after another fifteen minutes'' drive, they arrived at the logistics and maintenance department.


    While walking, Ye Zhipei explained that maintenance and decoration were being carried out simultaneously, and it was expected that in three more days, it could be put into use.

 Chapter 402 - 399: Not In His Heart

    The hangar was nearly twenty meters high.


    Inside, there was a blue-and-white business jet, 30.3 meters long, with a wingspan of 28.7 meters and a height of 7.8 meters.


    Whether it was the landing gear or the cabin, maintenance personnel were entering and exiting, moving various items around.


    "Gentlemen, please take a short break and have some water. I''ll bring Mr. Lu over for a look," Ye Zhipeng cordially halted the refit team''s work and led Lu Liang up the boarding stairs and into the interior of the cabin.


    Although it was a private plane, the cabin space was ultimately limited, only 14.73 meters long, 2.93 meters wide, and 1.99 meters high.


    There were 12 standard luxury seats, and it included western-style kitchens, restrooms, lounges, and so on, making it quite comprehensive in terms of functionality.


    Lu Liang sat in the middle section of the cabin, on a sofa that had already been installed, sweeping his gaze around; Li Manli''s taste wasn''t bad.


    The interior was mainly in off-white with touches of dark blue decor, giving it a very high-class and businesslike feel.


    With only a dozen meters of length,


    Basically, a few strolls and glances and that was it.


    "Let''s go, let''s head back."


    Lu Liang had no interest in staying longer. The actual experience would have to wait until he used it, but he had already flown on Wanda''s private jet, so he thought the experience would probably be similar.


    A tool is ultimately a tool,


    Even if it''s worth several hundred million RMB, it''s still just a tool.


    Unless he mounted it on a rocket booster and sent it to space, maybe then he would find the novelty he felt the first time he rented a Bentley, with that first press of the accelerator.


    "When a person is wealthy, indeed, they lose a lot, like the look of someone who''s never seen the world before."


    Lu Liang sighed, directly boarded the shuttle bus, and embarked on the flight to Beijing.


    In the evening, the plane arrived in Beijing.


    No sooner had he landed than Lu Liang received a message from Zhang Tian''ai: "I''m home~"


    After some time of contemplation, she had made a choice.


    Yang Tianbao climbed up the ranks through Huang Xiaoming, transforming from an ordinary fresh model to one of the most popular leading ladies in the entertainment industry.


    A hundred Huang Xiaomings combined couldn''t compare to Lu Liang, even though their relationship couldn''t be exposed, but there are always rumors in the entertainment industry.


    Merely through these rumors, she had obtained countless coveted variety show spots and film and television resources that many envied.


    Lu Liang''s lips curved upward,


    He left the message as read but didn''t reply, and drove straight to Zhongguang Village.


    Zhang Tian''ai couldn''t and didn''t want to leave him, with the favor of the beloved comes unrivaled confidence.


    Forty minutes later, Lu Liang arrived at the SOHO building, but he didn''t go up to the company offices.


    Instead, he found a nearby restaurant to have dinner, waiting for Li Junyi to arrive.


    They had talked before, and there were things that could only be said in person, thus they arranged to meet face to face. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A dozen minutes later, Li Junyi hurried over.


    Lu Liang looked up and smiled in invitation, "Director Li, have you had dinner? The Italian sausage here is quite good, you should try it."


    He had an indescribable quality about him that made people think he was either a soldier or a government official.


    "Thank you, Mr. Lu. I haven''t had dinner yet."


    Li Junyi smiled and handed a document to Lu Liang, "Mr. Lu, please take a look, and try to keep it confidential."


    After that, he busied himself with eating spaghetti, unconcerned with whether or not Lu Liang had actually looked at the document.


    This meal definitely wasn''t one for Lu Liang to pay for; Li Junyi had already settled the bill ahead of time through official channels.


    Lu Liang had probably eaten his fill,


    So he decided to eat more, to avoid wasting food.


    Seeing the document envelope with the already dried red seal, Lu Liang''s eyebrows knitted tightly, and hesitation showed on his face.


    Li Junyi, with a side glance, saw the white tablecloth speckled with some red clay dots and let out a long sigh of relief in his heart.


    In the next ten or so minutes, the private room was filled only with the sound of A4 paper being turned and the sound of chewing.


    Lu Liang put away the documents, rubbing his brow, "Why go through all this trouble, we could have just arrested them."


    "Mr. Lu, DiDi''s scale is too vast, and in handling cases and affairs, we always adhere to innocent until proven guilty."


    Li Junyi put away the documents, knowing they would never seek Lu Liang''s help if possible.


    Lu Liang pondered for a moment and said, "I''ll try, but if I''m not confident, I definitely won''t make a move."


    What they call national security¡ªhonestly, he didn''t care much about it, but the sheer size of DiDi was very tempting.


    With a $50 billion valuation tied to 6 million drivers nationwide, he had a chance to take control of the company.


    This kind of temptation was truly intoxicating.


    Suddenly, Lu Liang felt like he understood Old Ma, knowing perfectly well that some things are off-limits but still choosing to touch them nonetheless.


    What if it actually worked?


    But Lu Liang was not like Old Ma, who had been photographed wearing a white cap and joining the Squid Clan.


    If his scheming with DiDi failed, at worst he''d lose some money, become a long-term shareholder in DiDi, and offend the Liu family.


    The Liu family might be a top-tier comprador group, but Lu could rally forces no less powerful with a single call.


    It was worth gambling a small stake for a potential large reward.


    Li Junyi hurriedly said, "Mr. Lu, the decision is entirely up to you."


    "Don''t worry, I won''t do something I''m not confident about, even if a knife is held to my throat," Lu Liang replied with a smile.


    He talked about having to accompany Little Wang next week to New York on behalf of Panda and the potential of facing a setup.


    Although it was for Panda, and for himself, his actions were being forcefully described as preparatory involvement with DiDi.


    Was there any way to break the situation?


    Li Junyi frowned deeply, expressing bitterness, "Mr. Lu, if you wish to get involved in dirty waters, you must first flow with them."


    Their reach wasn''t that far; the situation was unsolvable, and only Lu Liang could rely on himself.


    "That''s the only way," Lu Liang sighed.


    Ota Ling felt wronged and would come to sell his misery, telling how he had been treated unfairly.


    By doing so, Lu Liang was also employing a similar craftiness; if by chance he fell for their trap and did something excessive, leaving behind evidence.


    Then surely, his actions weren''t for his own sake, his heart was filled with thoughts of his nation and its people.


    "..."


    Li Junyi''s complexion darkened gradually, with a clot of old blood stuck in his chest, he murmured in a stifled voice, "I''ll report this to the higher-ups."


    What kind of person was Lu Liang, and how could he fool them¡ªor the people on Wall Street?


    So, setting him up would only involve using a honey trap.


    According to reports, on a small island in the Caribbean Sea, there lived many attractive young men and women who had lost their homes due to war or poverty, raised from a young age, and not released from the island until adulthood.


    Though it was like matching a pot on a pot''s mate, it was indeed Lu Liang making a sacrifice himself.


    He didn''t know what to say and could only report the truth, leaving the problem for the leaders to handle.


    "Mr. Lu, if there''s nothing else, I''ll take my leave."


    Li Junyi was ready to go, feeling a continued presence with Lu Liang could lead to a cerebral hemorrhage: "I''ve already paid the bill."


    "Thank you, Director Li. Take care," said Lu Liang warmly as he leisurely walked out of the restaurant, strolling up to the 17th floor of the SOHO Building.


    Relying on Little Wang''s offering to the heavens was just a last resort, not necessarily effective, so he needed to prepare several backup plans.


    "Good evening, Mr. Hu."


    Lu Liang passed through the office area of the company. Even though it was late, many were still working overtime.


    According to statistics, programmers at the big internet companies in Beijing worked over 60 hours a week.


    Beijing''s Tianxing Technology focused on intelligent driving and car systems, requiring countless programmers who also spent no short amount of time on overtime.


    Hu Weiwei''s office was made of transparent glass, and the blinds were not closed. She quickly came to the door upon seeing Lu Liang through the glass.


    She approached with a smile and half-jokingly said, "Mr. Lu, you really come and go like a shadow."


    While hurrying to boil the water kettle preparing to make tea, she added.


    "Don''t bother, I was just taking care of some things in Beijing and happened to be nearby, so I thought I''d come up to have a look."


    Lu Liang declined Hu Weiwei''s offer and took the stairs from the 17th floor down to the 15th.


    The 17th floor was for show; technical people like Zheng Yaowen, Li Jiahui, and Qin Siyuan generally worked on the 15th or 16th floors.

 Chapter 403 - 400: The False Anniversary

    "Siyuan, why is it only you?"


    Lu Liang arrived on the fifteenth floor, only to find Li Jiahui and Zheng Yaowen gone, leaving Qin Siyuan alone at the computer.


    Qin Siyuan greeted him with a polite smile and looked at the screen, "They went out to conduct experiments, and I''m responsible for backend monitoring."


    Suddenly, the sound from a speaker came through with Zheng Yaowen''s voice, "Siyuan, the vehicle''s algorithm needs further optimization. There were a few instances where it couldn''t recognize properly. I think we should prioritize visual technology in the future.


    Radar can only be used as an auxiliary, but it''s more sensitive than visual technology, and the feedback is more timely.


    We could develop an emergency evasion feature similar to what Volvo has."


    He and Li Jiahui were strolling nearby in a Li Xiang ONE, sending all the driving data back to the backend in real-time.


    As developers of the Tianxing Car Machine, they were more demanding than average car owners¡ªone drove while the other took notes.


    The Tianxing Car Machine had already acquired all the L2-level driving assistance features last week, and they had been continuously optimizing and perfecting it, aiming for L3-level assistance.


    "Yaowen, we''re on the same page. We''ll focus on visual with radar as an auxiliary. Perhaps we could develop two sets of built-in subsystems."


    Qin Siyuan implied that Lu Liang was at the company, and if they hadn''t gone too far, they could come back first.


    He had worked in many large factories over the years, and Lu Liang was undoubtedly the most enlightened boss he had ever seen.


    Although oftentimes, Lu Liang could be unreasonable, only caring about results with no consideration for the difficulties in project implementation.


    But Lu Liang had a significant advantage that no previous boss could match¡ªif you needed money, he''d give it, and if you needed resources, he''d find a way.


    Not like other leaders who would expect the horse to gallop without feeding it hay, always slashing the budget while raising demands.


    "Keep busy then, and be safe on the road. I''ve got something else to do, so I''ll head off first."


    Lu Liang always respected talent; before them, he was Little Lu, showing none of the boss''s airs.


    However, this respect was limited to tech talents. Turning his head, he called for Hu Weiwei, "Find a nearby restaurant to book out. From now on, besides various subsidies for overtime, we''ll also provide a free late-night meal."


    Close to eleven o''clock, there were still many people working overtime in the company. Several takeaway lockers at the entrance of the seventeenth floor were gradually becoming filled.


    Big companies had their own night canteens, but as they rented three floors for their offices, there was no place to have a canteen.


    It wasn''t a problem during the day as there were many takeaway vendors around Zhongguang Village with relatively healthy and hygienic food options.


    At night though, even though there were many 24-hour takeaway stores, if they had done better business during the day, they wouldn''t stay open overnight.


    And the taste and hygiene would definitely be a notch lower.


    What other big company programmers had, they must have as well. They wouldn''t allow others to have something they didn''t.


    "Understood, Mr. Lu."


    Hu Weiwei nodded and hurried to make arrangements.


    Ever since Lu Liang and the Su City Government co-hosted a press conference, the valuation of Tianxing Technology had soared. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It broke through 3 billion US dollars, becoming a rising unicorn company.


    She owned 3.6% of the company shares, worth 108 million US dollars, surpassing the stake she once held in Mobike.


    Hu Weiwei always felt undeserving, even if she owned shares that didn''t pay dividends.


    Therefore, she came very early and left very late every day, all to repay Lu Liang for his recognition and opportunity.


    As the night deepened, Lu Liang returned to Phoenix City by Sanyuan Bridge.


    Having too many houses was a kind of trouble. It was fortunate that Zhang Tian''ai''s address from last time hadn''t been deleted, or he probably wouldn''t be able to find the specific floor and apartment number.


    It seemed she was asleep, as it took several rings of the doorbell before hurried footsteps could be heard from behind the door.


    It sounded like she was still wearing high heels, click-clack, the heels hitting the floor crisply.


    Click, the door opened.


    A purple high-slit long dress and a pair of beige Valentino stiletto shoes dazzled with shimmering rivets on the straps.


    Her hair, in big waves that he liked, was dyed a light burgundy, with light makeup and red lipstick, exuding the glamorous allure of a mature woman.


    He pushed the door open and took off his coat, "Why are you still wearing high heels at home in the middle of the night? Practicing for the red carpet?"


    Zhang Tian''ai gave a smile, took the coat and hung it on the hanger, explaining in a word the reason for her appearance, "A woman dresses for the one who pleases her."


    Lu Liang sat by the door to change his shoes and beckoned, and Zhang Tian''ai, understanding the gesture, strode over and sat on his lap.


    Her dress was cut high, almost to the waist. Lu Liang cupped her buttocks and felt a slender string.


    Zhang Tian''ai wrapped her arms around Lu Liang''s neck and kissed his ear, "Why don''t you go shower first, and I''ll get things ready?"


    She looked towards the bay window, where on a small coffee table, two tall wine glasses and an ice bucket with several bottles of chilled white wine awaited.


    "Good times demand some preparation indeed."


    Lu Liang chuckled lightly and patted his behind, signaling Zhang Tian''ai to get up and head straight to the bathroom.


    A set of soft, short-sleeved pajamas had been prepared for him, neatly folded in the wardrobe.


    "Little Love, why have you made tonight''s setting so romantic?"


    A few minutes later, Lu Liang emerged from the bathroom.


    Seeing the sight of the bedroom, his lips curved slightly upward.


    There were no lights on in the bedroom, just a string of colored lights pasted around the bay window, casting a gentle, suggestive glow.


    The bay window space wasn''t large, just 2.5 meters by 1.2 meters.


    Zhang Tian''ai, with a beaming smile, was sitting cross-legged, gently swaying her toes in time with the rhythm of the wine glass she held, her expression serious: "Today marks the two-year anniversary of when we met."


    "Has it been that long already?"


    Lu Liang exclaimed in surprise, sitting on the other side of the coffee table.


    Even though he had paid for this apartment, it was Zhang Tian''ai who had personally chosen it. Unlike the living room which faced the direction of the residential community, the bedroom bay window looked out onto Liangma River.


    The view from the nineteenth floor was superb, offering a panorama of Beijing''s cityscape, with even the distant Chaoyang Park visible.


    "So you''ve already forgotten."


    Murmuring softly, Zhang Tian''ai continued, "Actually, it hasn''t been that long. We just missed it last year, so I''m celebrating it in advance this year."


    Lu Liang was dumbfounded: "I remembered it was sometime in October, wasn''t it?"


    Zhang Tian''ai''s eyes lit up: "So you do remember?"


    "How could I forget? The little nobody from back then has now become a highly sought-after big star."


    Lu Liang smiled. The first time he had met Zhang Tian''ai was after the wrap-up of Crown Princess Consort.


    Back then, he was shorting Tesla and faced off with Wilson for the first time, which was quite memorable.


    "Back in Hengdian, I struggled for so many years. It was my first time as a lead actress. After the crew wrapped up, the director took us to meet the investors."


    Zhang Tian''ai seemed to be reminiscing about that period. Before shooting Crown Princess Consort, her life had been tough.


    Although she occasionally landed a few supporting roles, life in Hengdian was costly, and income was unstable.


    Often, she would buy boxes of instant noodles in advance, just to have something to eat in case she didn''t get a role.


    It wasn''t until after filming Crown Princess Consort and meeting Lu Liang that her life began to change dramatically.


    Lu Liang had shielded her from the pressures of her talent agency and helped her join the Happy Mahua Team.


    Her breakout role in First Rich made her a bona fide film actress, and Zhang Chen, eager to curry favor with Lu Liang, had supported her persistently, helping her rise to become a popular second-tier actress.


    Suddenly, Zhang Tian''ai drained her glass in one gulp and extended her slender arms to hug Lu Liang''s neck tightly, breathing out the smell of alcohol: "I''m sorry."


    For the past month, she had hesitated over whether to cook up a scandal with a male star to cut ties with Lu Liang.


    Now that she had fame and fortune, she craved more, like a relationship that didn''t have to be hidden, one that could be blessed by the public.


    But after much deliberation,


    she ultimately abandoned the idea.


    Hence tonight''s celebration, which wasn''t really about celebrating their two-year anniversary in advance¡ªit was just that she felt so guilty for having thought about it and wanted to make up for it.


    "What are you apologizing to me for?"


    The smile on Lu Liang''s face remained as he embraced her slim waist, faintly feeling the developing lines of her defined abs.


    "I had a really bad idea," Zhang Tian''ai confessed, yet she didn''t disclose what it was.


    "Did you put it into action?" Lu Liang''s eyes narrowed.


    "No."


    "Then it''s as if you had no idea at all."


    "Thank you for trusting me so much."


    Zhang Tian''ai caressed him, removing Lu Liang''s overcoat, and sucking on his earlobe, releasing her emotions at that moment.


    After a while, she panted softly and mumbled unclearly, "Let''s go back to bed."


    "Don''t you think the view here is pretty good?"


    Lu Liang revealed a playful smile, kicked the coffee table out of the way, and drew the curtains closed like bed drapes of old.


    The two of them went from sitting to standing, with Zhang Tian''ai pressed halfway against the glass window.


    If the view outside the window wasn''t the Liangma River but another residential building, residents on a similar floor would be able to see it.


    Two round moons, at times large and at times small, with mist gradually filling the air, leaving palm prints one after another on the entire window.

 Chapter 404 - 401: Mutual Benefit is the Key to Cooperation

    "Tomorrow, I''ll accompany you to Mahua and have a chat with Zhang Chen."


    Lu Liang looked down and saw, clad in high heels, her tense calf muscles trembling with delight, he felt an inexplicable sense of satisfaction.


    The confined space and the unique setting truly could heighten desire and bring about an unprecedented surge of excitement.


    Afterwards, he picked up a bottle of white wine that had been chilling in an ice bucket, pulled out the cork, took a breath, and sighed, "Comfortable."


    "Aba aba, I''m thirsty too."


    Zhang Tian''ai''s big eyes were watery like ripples on a spring lake.


    Her cherry lips parted and closed, the delicate lipstick now smudged into a kiss-stained mess, even reaching her chin.


    Lu Liang handed the wine bottle to her and pulled it back as she reached for it, repeating the teasing action, provoking her to repeatedly pout in charming annoyance.


    Lu Liang chuckled, "Drink up."


    Zhang Tian''ai covertly observed Lu Liang, then pounced like a hungry tiger, taking a fierce gulp, she hooked a blanket with the tip of her shoe from the bed and draped it over herself and Lu Liang.


    Squinting, she murmured, "Sleepy, going to sleep."


    "Sleep then." Lu Liang couldn''t suppress a chuckle.


    They chose not to sleep in the bed but instead cuddle together in the small bay window, gazing at the city''s night scene, spending a lovely time together.


    The next day, woken up by the sunlight, they returned to the bed for a bit more sleep.


    Approaching noon, Lu Liang followed Zhang Tian''ai with steps one after the other to the main theater of Mahua.


    "Tianai, please wait outside for a little while, I''ll first have a chat with Mr. Lu."


    Zhang Tian''ai was left outside the office, and inside, Zhang Chen stood before Lu Liang like a schoolboy who had done something wrong.


    "Shameful Iron Fist" had been off the screens for a while, and by the time it finished showing, it had grossed 1.375 billion.


    For a movie that was invested with 70 million and had a marketing budget of 50 million, achieving this box office result was a tremendous success.


    But it actually could have been more.


    If at the beginning he had followed Lu Liang''s advice to avoid "War Wolf 2" and delayed the release until the National Day holiday, they could have guaranteed at least a 2-billion box office.


    It was only because Mahua had a strong market reputation that it wasn''t completely squeezed out by "War Wolf 2."


    A good movie impacts the box office of other films released in the same period, it''s indubitable; otherwise, they wouldn''t refer to it as a clash.


    Iron Fist was clearly the one crushed in this clash.


    If there was no prior warning, they could only blame bad luck, but Lu Liang had already informed them, advising to avoid competition as much as possible.


    A car accident could have been avoided.


    But his arrogance led to the accident, so the responsibility lay with him.


    "Mr. Zhang, Iron Fist had a total cost of 120 million, making a profit is good enough; talking more about it now is pointless."


    Lu Liang showed a slight smile, a simple and calm statement that immediately sent Zhang Chen''s heart sinking.


    Making a profit is good enough ¨C such words are only suitable for a petty trader, for a top-notch VC like Lu Liang, earning less is equivalent to a loss, and even more so when it''s an avoidable, human-induced shortfall.


    Zhang Chen wanted to explain, but Lu Liang didn''t provide time for that, "Is Little Love''s contract about to expire?"


    Zhang Chen nodded woodenly, "Tianai''s contract with Mahua was only for two years; it expires in mid-November this year."


    Lu Liang said directly, "Help her establish an independent work studio; she can be approached for suitable roles in the future."


    "Sure, sure." Zhang Chen nodded repeatedly, suddenly excited as if he had grasped a lifeline.


    Helping Zhang Tian''ai establish a studio meant it would be affiliated with Mahua; their representative relationship would remain, just needing time for slow repair.


    "Anything else?"


    Lu Liang patted the nonexistent dust on himself; Zhang Tian''ai had made him very happy, so naturally, he would lend her a bit of support in kind.


    Entertainment industry''s second-tier actresses, already having gained fame, renewing with Mahua would only mean splitting the profits due without any gain.


    Establishing a work studio and operating independently, minimizing intermediary profit-making, is an essential step for every star.


    Zhang Chen hesitated for a long time, then painfully offered a 40% stake of the project for the second half of the year, "Aunt Li Cha."


    Lu Liang responded expressively, "Mr. Zhang, just like before, a 15% investment from Tianxing Investment will suffice."


    Even if Iron Fist slightly missed the mark, Mahua, like him, maintained an undefeated record to this day.


    Every movie has made at least 200% profit.


    Now, all they have to say is that they lack filming funds, and for sure, many investors would wave their cash and line up to join.


    But Mahua is different from Tianxing, after all, Mahua is just a filmmaker, can''t afford to offend anyone, and needs to take care of the feelings of various forces like cinemas, distributors, and so on.


    A long time ago, when Lu Liang first got into the industry, Wu Tianzheng from Good Dream Production had said that for good film and television projects, investment shares would never flow out to the market because the cake was already divided internally way ahead of time.


    Previously, Lu Liang had always held a 15% investment stake, and no one should dare touch his portion, but now it had suddenly surged to 40%.


    If his share increased, it meant that someone else''s decreased.


    In the last project, including Tianxing, there were also Wanda Cinema Line, Xinli Media, and Maoyan Media as the three investors.


    They held a 60% investment stake, and Zhang Chen definitely wouldn''t dare cut into their shares, so it was very likely that he cut his own, surrendering Mahua''s investment share to him.


    Lu Liang saw this point and did not take away what others cherished. Mutual benefits and cooperation were key, damaging others for self-benefit was nothing but a tribute.


    No objections now didn''t mean no objections later, especially since investments weren''t guaranteed to yield profits.


    At the very least, he hadn''t received any news that the Mahua group might be running out of steam.


    The 40 million invested by ''Aunt Li Cha'' had a 15% stake, just 6 million, which wouldn''t matter if it went down the drain.


    "That''s it, then, I''ll be leaving."


    "Thank you, Mr. Lu, please take care, Mr. Lu."


    Zhang Chen was deeply moved, hastily opened the door, and watched Lu Liang leave.


    Lu Liang left Mahua''s main theater with Zhang Tian''ai, saying as he walked, "Your contract expires in mid-November, set up your own studio then, ask Zhang Chen if there''s anything you don''t understand, he''ll help you."


    Zhang Tian''ai was dumbstruck, her eyes widening, "Mr. Zhang, did you really say that?"


    Lu Liang replied irritably, "Are you doubting me?"


    "No, no, not at all~~" Zhang Tian''ai quickly hugged her arms and pouted, showing her one million two hundred thousand percent trust in Lu Liang.


    It was quite normal for an artist to leave a company to establish a studio, but it was quite abnormal for their former boss to help out.


    Recently, like the situation with ''Big Mimi'' and Jiaxing Media, there were lawsuits making headlines every couple of days.


    With Lu Liang as her backer, Zhang Chen surely wouldn''t make things difficult for her, but to go this far was quite generous.


    It felt a bit like a plot twist from a Neon small theater NTR drama.


    Moreover, this would also send a signal to the outside world about how significant her background was; otherwise, Zhang Chen would never let her leave and even help her set up a studio.


    Lu Liang chuckled, "He has a guilty conscience, just accept whatever he does for you in the future."


    "Okay." Zhang Tian''ai was delighted, holding onto Lu Liang''s arm, "What shall we eat?"


    "Anything''s fine, you decide."


    Lu Liang had stayed in Beijing for two and a half days, making trips to Li Xiang Automobile and Douyin Technology to understand their recent developments. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He had not followed up on DiDi''s issues and acted as if nothing had happened, waiting until Panda hit the market to take further steps.


    On the 16th, at noon, he returned to Modu.


    He met with Little Wang''s team at the airport, and Little Wang looked puzzled, "Why do you look like you''ve been completely drained?"


    "Is it that obvious?" Lu Liang couldn''t help but touch his cheek.


    He had been staying with Zhang Tian''ai these past days, their relationship was almost like mending a broken mirror, so things had gotten quite wild.


    He wondered whether it was due to a lack of exercise or if they really had played too hard, which made his back a bit sore that morning.


    "It''s kind of obvious, the dark circles under your eyes are about to show," Little Wang tried to hold back a laugh, introducing several hosts under his name.


    "Liu Mou, Jiang Tao, Han Yingying..."


    They were all major hosts with tens of millions of followers, but each one of them was as excited as a fan meeting an idol when they saw Lu Liang.


    "Nice to meet you." Lu Liang nodded and smiled, he only recognized Liu Mou among the four, Sao Pig was too famous to not know.


    "Mr. Lu, hello, I''ve heard so much about you." Liu Mou shook hands with Lu Liang enthusiastically, excitedly pig-snorting.


    Long Fei arranged the itinerary, "Mr. Lu, they''ll leave before us and we''ll meet at New York Airport."


    Lu Liang''s Global 6000 had limited seats, and since he had to bring some people with him, it was impossible to accommodate both groups.


    In the end, it was decided that he and Little Wang would take Lu Liang''s private jet, and the rest of the team would depart an hour earlier.

 Chapter 405 - 402: Showing off and Being Stolen by a Rival

    "Mr. Wang, Mr. Long, Mr. Lu, we''ll take our leave first; see you later."


    Seven or eight people chatted leisurely in the VIP lounge at the airport before Liu Mou and the other hosts boarded the plane for New York.


    After waiting a while, Sun Yutao also arrived. Panda froze 102.2 billion yuan at the Modu Station, oversubscribed by 268.9 times.


    They had invested 4.5 billion US dollars for stock subscription, and given the current rate of subscription, they ended up with just over 16 million in shares.


    Therefore, they also needed to participate in the New York Station roadshow, and put forth another 4.5 billion US dollars in an effort to secure more shares.


    "Everyone''s here, let''s get going."


    Lu Liang stood up and stretched his back, and Little Wang smiled, patting his lower back, "I say, Mr. Lu, you''re gonna be 33 next year, do you still think you''re young?"


    "I''m still spirited! Surfin'' till 80¡ªno dream."


    Joking and laughing, they passed through the jet bridge and entered the plane''s cabin.


    Although it was Lu Liang''s plane, it was the first time he had seen it since the interior was finished.


    There were 12 luxury seats at the front, a dining and conference room as well as a recreation room in the middle, and a rest area at the back.


    "Not bad, there''s even a mahjong table, just right for four players, seems like it won''t be too boring on this long journey."


    Little Wang immediately took a liking to the recreation room, giving the secured mahjong table high praise.


    "It''s indeed well-designed."


    Lu Liang also took a tour and then returned to his seat, buckled up, and waited for takeoff.


    "Wasn''t it your design?" Little Wang asked, surprised.


    "I''ve been dead busy these days; I had no time for these things."


    Lu Liang picked up his phone and took a few photos of the cabin, sending them to Li Manli, "It looks great, I really like it. I can''t bring you along this time. Next time, I''ll take you out for fun."


    Little Wang sat beside him, glancing from the corner of his eye at who Lu Liang was messaging. He roughly understood what was going on, and his face was full of disdain.


    Leaving the plane''s interior design to one girl, playing with another, and working himself to exhaustion¡ªthe dogs would shake their heads.


    "Keep looking, and your eyes will get gouged out." S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lu Liang put away his phone, rested with his eyes closed, until the plane reached the stratosphere, when he finally left his seat and went to the rest area at the end.


    "Coming to join for a game?" Little Wang called out urgently, having already summoned Long Fei and Sun Yutao; along with Lu Liang, they made four.


    Playing mahjong while discussing the upcoming roadshow arrangements.


    These past few days, Long Fei had been negotiating with institutions like Cruick and ultimately decided the share price should be increased to 2.2 US dollars.


    It seemed like a mere 0.22 US dollar increase, but it meant the overall valuation rose by 424 million US dollars, and they were slightly nervous about it.


    Therefore, Cruick asked them to see what Lu Liang thought, and if he said it was okay, they would finalize it.


    "Even at two dollars and twenty cents, it''s only a 11.1% premium, with such a high subscription rate domestically, what are you afraid of?"


    Lu Liang pondered; they still had 4.5 billion US dollars, ensuring the New York IPO''s frozen funds would be no less than ten times that amount.


    He told Long Fei to agree confidently; if the market considered it too high, they would take all the remaining shares themselves.


    When that time came, they''d let those Wall Street institutions miss out completely, and Tianxing Private Equity could soar on the Nasdaq.


    "With your word, we''re much more at ease."


    Little Wang smiled, called Xu Jiawei over to fill in, and ensured that Lu Liang could rest easy.


    "Zhong Wuyan in times of need, Xia Yingchun when there''s none."


    Lu Liang shook his head and sighed, closing the door to the rest area, and it immediately became quiet.


    Even at the back end, the soundproofing and vibration damping were so effective that, without paying close attention, one couldn''t tell they were on a plane.


    Lu Liang took a shower, changed into pajamas, switched on starry sky mode, gazed at the stars above, and slept for over five hours.


    Upon waking, he felt refreshed, the fatigue swept away, but when he stepped out of the rest area, the entertainment room was already empty.


    Little Wang and Sun Yutao had gone back to their seats to rest, and only Long Fei stayed in the conference room, working on the roadshow speech.


    Lu Liang didn''t disturb his work, felt bored, walked around, and came to the cockpit door.


    "Mr. Lu, would you like to take a look inside?" The chief attendant of this flight was a beautiful woman in her thirties.


    Different from Sun Yali''s charm, she wasn''t particularly stunning, but had a pleasant appearance and was very amiable when she smiled.


    "Can I take a look?" Lu Liang was curious.


    "Of course, you can."


    The chief flight attendant nodded with a smile, picked up the cabin phone, and contacted the pilots upfront.


    Lu Liang also noticed her name badge,


    which was incongruent with her demeanor, named Lin Yan.


    After a moment, the co-pilot agreed, the cabin door opened, and suddenly the view was clear - the sky blue, the land white, a beauty so intoxicating, so heart-fluttering.


    Lu Liang stared in amazement for a long while. He had been on private planes before, but he had never entered a cockpit. The stunning view he was witnessing alone felt like it justified 70 million of the plane''s 370 million Yuan price tag.


    Lin Yan opened the cabin''s cupboard and pulled out a small stool, "Mr. Lu, you can sit here and enjoy the view."


    "Thank you."


    Lu Liang sat on the stool and when he didn''t understand something, he would simply ask. Both the captain and the co-captain were eager to answer his questions.


    The salary for an aircraft pilot is also tiered; long-haul flights pay more than short-haul, international long-haul more than domestic, and private airplane flights more than international long-haul.


    Joining Lu Liang on his trip, no matter the destination, would net them at least a 30,000 Yuan bonus each way, so naturally, they shared everything they knew.


    An hour later, Lu Liang felt like he could fly the plane.


    Because the more high-end the mode of transportation is, under normal circumstances, the simpler it is to drive; only when faced with emergencies do the operations become difficult.


    Just like them, since the airplane had entered the stratosphere, they had engaged the autopilot mode.


    The two pilots began to take turns; one monitored the flight data while the other was free to do as they wished, be it sleeping or watching a movie.


    Ultimately, Lu Liang restrained his impulse to take the controls, patted both pilots on the shoulder, "Junhui, Chen Shuo, I better get going then, I won''t disturb you any longer."


    He left the cockpit, the cabin door was locked again, and Lin Yan stood smiling at the door, "Mr. Lu, we have been traveling for six hours and thirty minutes, and it is estimated that there are another seven hours and twelve minutes until we reach our destination. Would you like to arrange a meal?"


    "Not hungry yet, maybe later."


    Lu Liang went back to his seat and saw Little Wang sleeping like a log, so he decisively took a seat next to Fang Shiyu to chat about everyday matters.


    For example, how his online romance fraudulently cost him ninety-eight thousand, or how the construction of his family home was progressing, along with how his aunts and uncles were doing.


    It wasn''t until his cousin got annoyed with him, not able to answer one in three questions, that Lu Liang shifted his attention elsewhere.


    For instance, he complained in the NIO shareholders'' chat group, trying to stir up the previous topic: "So boring during the flight."


    Shen Peng was the first to respond, "Mr. Lu, are you going to New York to help Panda go public?"


    "Right." Lu Liang was bubbling with excitement and had just typed out a line when he was suddenly interjected.


    Daqiangzi said, "Recently, I''ve been studying at Minzhou University and have benefited greatly from some courses which offer unique insights. Mr. Lu, if you have time, you should come and take a look."


    He might be over forty, but he never stopped learning, and recently he was participating in an East America Business Administration doctoral program.


    This program stretched across the Atlantic, involving two continents, six countries, and he was currently partaking in the United States part of the course.


    The doctoral program, initiated by Huaqing University, had an average student age of 50, all of whom were industry leaders from various countries.


    For instance, Shen Hui from Weima Motors and Yu Shirong from Wei''er Group were both participants in this doctoral program.


    Not only could you meet new friends, it was also very helpful for broadening your horizons, learning new ideas, and better understanding American society and markets.


    Lei Jun: "Learning is endless, Mr. Liu is impressive."


    Little Ma: "I really admire Mr. Qiang. I looked into this program myself, but I just couldn''t make the time to join, which I have always regretted."


    Daqiangzi said, "One can always make time if they squeeze it in. Continuous learning is the only way to progress and not be left behind by the times."


    "Thanks, Mr. Liu, I''ll have a look if I find the time."


    Lu Liang deleted what he was about to post and suddenly felt lackluster, wanting to show off, but it seemed Daqiang had stolen his thunder.


    He stroked his chin, muttering to himself, "Maybe I should also sign up for a class. It seems my associate degree is a bit low?"


    Others either had graduated from 985 or 211 universities, and even if they came from humble origins, once they achieved success, they would go to domestic and international prestigious universities to add luster to their resumes.


    Lu Liang only had an associate degree. Although he had self-taught English, it was still just an associate degree. He didn''t even hold a candle to Chen Jinchun''s bachelor''s degree in his own company, let alone compete in the East Country''s business circles.


    In his entire company, the only person who had a lower educational level than him was his cousin, who had joined the military right after high school.


    "Better leave that for later. Who has time for these frivolities now?"


    Lu Liang sighed, woke up Little Wang, called over Long Fei, and with three of them sitting down, they invited Lin Yan to fill in as the fourth for a game of Mahjong to pass the time.

 Chapter 406 - 403: Little Wang Sacrifices to Heaven, His Mana Boundless

    Seven hours later, the plane was about to land.


    "They say if you win, it''s yours; if you lose, it''s mine."


    Lu Liang stretched lazily, finished the joyful Mahjong session, and returned to his seat to fasten his seatbelt, waiting for the plane to land.


    He had heard before that a man shouldn''t play Mahjong with three women, and three men shouldn''t play with one woman.


    Indeed, the old generation''s summaries were all histories of blood and tears.


    Lu Liang, Little Wang, and Long Fei had all lost tens of thousands, while Lin Yan devoured three households'' worth, just playing for one or two hundred per hand. In seven hours, she had earned nearly one hundred thousand.


    "Chief Steward Lin, keep it. This isn''t just money, but Mr. Lu''s fortune."


    Little Wang smiled radiantly. Although he had lost money, his mood was even happier than if he had won.


    Before, he always felt that Lu Liang was successful in everything, including gambling, like a chosen one.


    Because a few years ago, they had gone to Macau, and at that time, Lu Liang had also left the casino as a winner.


    Seeing him lose money was truly rare, akin to seeing pigs fly.


    Moreover, as Lu Liang''s good friend, he naturally couldn''t miss any opportunity to tease him.


    Lin Yan, just turned thirty this year, was like a ripe, juicy peach. Though her mature charm was vastly different from Li Manli''s, who knows, maybe Boss Lu''s taste has changed recently, and he prefers this style now.


    "Thank you, Mr. Lu, thank you, Mr. Wang, thank you, Mr. Long."


    Lin Yan bowed slightly in gratitude and hesitated before carefully asking, "Mr. Lu, may I handle this money myself?"


    "You can use it however you want," Lu Liang said with a casual smile.


    Lin Yan thanked him again and decided to distribute eighty-nine thousand to all the staff, including the chefs.


    This flight crew consisted of ten staff members: two pilots, five flight attendants, two chefs, and one mechanic¡ªexactly eight thousand nine hundred each.


    Lu Liang was surprised and gave her an extra look.


    Lin Yan, feeling uneasy, asked, "Mr. Lu, is that not okay?"


    "Of course, it''s fine."


    As the cabin announcement sounded, everyone returned to their seats and fastened their seat belts, waiting for the plane to land.


    Little Wang, with a smile on his lips, teased, "Lu, it seems this lady is not grateful?"


    Lu Liang glanced at him and said irritably, "Are you a teddy bear? Do you get frisky with any woman?"


    "I@#£¤..."


    Little Wang felt wronged, as if he had been unjustly accused.


    On the 16th at three o''clock in the afternoon, after thirteen hours of flying around the Atlantic, the plane successfully arrived in New York.


    "Mr. Wang, Mr. Lu, we are here!!"


    Liu Mou shouted excitedly, raising one hand high and holding a selfie stick with the other: "Guys, Mr. Wang and Mr. Lu have arrived too. That''s it for today, we''ll have a roadshow in a few days, and then a bell ringing ceremony, and I''ll livestream it properly for you all."


    Long Fei, worried about upsetting Lu Liang, quickly explained, "Mr. Lu, for this stock market listing, we expect to raise 9.91 billion US dollars. We plan to use five billion dollars to continue expanding the platform''s influence."


    Little Wang also chimed in, "Panda has been in third place for too long. Tencent has already stopped funding Huya, so this is a perfect opportunity."


    Seize the moment to strike your opponent¡ªDouyu is the leader, Huya is second; once Panda successfully lists, it must at least take down one rival.


    And PDD, as the platform''s unique top broadcaster, accompanied them with a mission, specifically to livestream the roadshow and parts of the listing.


    They would declare to the world that Panda was the first live broadcasting company to list domestically and the first to list in the US.


    From then on, anyone else who listed could only be second.


    Lu Liang nodded slightly and then looked away.


    He didn''t leave the airport with Little Wang but turned to Sun Yutao, "Yutao, you go with them. I need to make a trip to Detroit, I''ll be back on the 18th for the roadshow."


    What must come, will come.


    He couldn''t think of a good way to avoid a set-up, so he opted to visit the factory in Detroit under the pretense of distancing himself from New York and prepare well to face Little Wang head-on.


    Little Wang, sure to invoke heavenly powers, would help him safely get through this ordeal.


    "Day after tomorrow at two in the afternoon, don''t be late."


    Little Wang felt puzzled but didn''t dwell on it.


    Because Lu Liang had already clarified on the plane that he would visit the Detroit factory first.


    As for the last time he mentioned that he might trap him, Little Wang had assumed it was already in the past and had put it out of his mind.


    The roadshow team and Sun Yutao''s team had left, leaving only Lu Liang, Fang Shiyu, Xu Jiawei, and three security personnel.


    They stayed at the airport for an hour to refuel the plane, which then taxied for takeoff again.


    New York to Detroit,


    The direct distance was only over seven hundred kilometers.


    If it was domestically, driving might have been faster.


    But abroad, airspace regulations were not as strict. With a private plane, one could essentially fly at will.


    A little after six in the evening, the plane landed once again.


    The sky was clear with blue skies and white clouds, hardly showing signs of evening.


    Lin Yan smiled and explained, "Mr. Lu, Michigan''s Detroit is located between the latitudes of 42 and 43 degrees, similar to the climate of our northern Fengtian City."


    "Mid-September is still part of the summer. Typically, it isn''t until after seven o''clock that the sky gradually darkens."


    As the chief steward of the private plane, she was not merely a flight attendant; every time they traveled to a new place, she thoroughly understood it to dispel any confusions for her employer.


    Lu Liang understood and smiled, saying, "Goodbye."


    Lin Yan led the four crew members, respectfully watching as Lu Liang exited the cabin, and said, "Mr. Lu, if you have any travel plans, you can contact Manager Ye Zhipei. He will arrange the flights and notify us to prepare. Have a pleasant day."


    Lu Liang nodded slightly and walked out of the cabin. He went along the jet bridge to the reception gate.


    "It''s actually you who came."


    At the reception gate, he was surprised to see a familiar face, as it was Ota Ling''s eldest son, Ota Renjun.


    But thinking about it, Wen Chao sending him made sense.


    Although to Westerners, Asians might look similar, it was easy to distinguish between different East Asians after some contact.


    The task for which he came was a bit shady, sending Ota Renjun was absolutely the best choice.


    Just didn''t know if Ota Ling would regret it because Lu Liang had left all the dirty and tiring jobs to his son.


    Probably not, as taking on dirty and tiring jobs was the easiest way to build trust, just like carrying guns, whoring; the four pillars of camaraderie in life.


    Lu Liang smiled and asked, "Recently, did the trip to Inner Mongolia to buy Bitcoin from the mine owners go smoothly?"


    Wen Chao had prepared a report and sent it to his email. Lu Liang had only seen the result, not knowing the details.


    In three days, they bought 249,800 Bitcoins worth 378 million dollars at an average price of 1513 US Dollars, a 6.65% premium.


    Till date, with a total of 18.29 million Bitcoins released, their holding exceeded 1%, qualifying them to sit at the table.


    Although there was still 622 million dollars left from the initial one billion dollars, they could only buy slowly in the online market.


    "Not particularly smooth," Renjun said while walking, leading Lu Liang to the parking area, where three cars were prepared for him.


    Lu Liang sat in the back and, with a friendly smile, said, "Renjun, come on in. I''d like to hear about your trip to Inner Mongolia."


    "Alright, Mr. Lu."


    Ota Renjun, flattered, informed the driver of the hotel address and started explaining the difficulties encountered during the trip to Inner Mongolia. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Initially, things in Erdos went smoothly, especially since the recent mine disaster battered Bitcoin, dropping by 45% overnight.


    Most mine owners were thrilled at the prospect of selling, coming forward even before being contacted.


    They did not require a premium.


    However, when they had purchased 220 million dollars'' worth, someone suddenly had second thoughts and jacked up the price.


    At that time, Bitcoin''s market price was 1420 US Dollars, yet they demanded 1600, a more than 12% premium.


    Wen Chao did not indulge them and shifted focus from small to large mine owners who had their own power plants.


    Having stayed there for a few days, it became clear how much Bitcoin these owners possessed.


    So, they persuaded the largest local mine owner by offering a 7% premium to get him to approach other mine owners of similar standing.


    At first, it went well, but gradually, some suspected their funds were limitless, aiming to buy all the Bitcoins in Erdos.


    Suddenly, rumors that Bitcoin would soar back to its previous high of 3800 US Dollars, even possibly breaking that record, started spreading.


    Initially, they feared that the leak might cause their purchasing plan to fail, even exposing their Bitcoin hoarding.


    To their surprise, the mine owner they initially worked with contacted them, stating he had ten thousand more Bitcoins.


    He was willing to sell, but for a 15% premium.


    At that moment, Wen Chao realized this was probably a setup by the locals.


    The news of Bitcoin''s looming rise was likely also spread by this individual.


    Accepting a 15% premium would not only raise costs but, more critically, confirm the rumors of an upcoming rise.


    Decisively, Wen Chao refused, stuck to the 7% premium, and waited another two days until no one else came forward to sell.


    They then left Inner Mongolia Erdos, ending their offline purchasing prematurely and shifting their focus back to online acquisitions.


    After that, Renjun received a special assignment from Wen Chao to arrive in Detroit two days early to await Lu Liang.


    But he did not understand why Lu Liang wanted to do this, whom he aimed to target with this action, and if it would be effective?

 Chapter 407 - 404: Who Dares to Mess with My People?

    "Mr. Lu, if there''s someone you want to target, I have a better method."


    Ota Renjun didn''t know who Lu Liang wanted to target, but he thought his tactics were too gentle.


    Get a beautiful woman to intentionally seduce the target, then falsely accuse the other party of sexual assault, and what could possibly be the loss?


    Just like Old Te, though he was exposed for sexual misconduct and dating adult film stars, it didn''t stop him from becoming the leader of a nation.


    He had a better way, for example, finding a woman with intellectual disabilities would definitely make the other party spend the rest of their life in endless regret.


    "Renjun, this is the process, not the result."


    Lu Liang was startled and found himself at a loss for words, but he didn''t say more.


    The Japanese are ruthless, but his tactic of using a beautiful woman for an "immortal jump" and making a big fuss wasn''t targeting someone else¡ªit was targeting Little Wang.


    It was well-known that Lu Liang had a weakness for women, which he always exposed outwardly, although he indeed enjoyed this weakness.


    If someone wanted to lure him into a trap, they would probably use a honey trap, such as what Cruick mentioned last time¡ªJoy Island.


    Established in ''98 and having developed for 19 years, it had taken in many boys and girls from around the world, of different skin colors, due to war, poverty, and even trafficking.


    They were raised from a young age and indoctrinated with the idea that the customer is always right.


    They say it''s strictly confidential, but in this world, there''s no such thing as an absolute secret¡ªwhat''s done is done, just like there''s no perfect crime.


    Once Lu Liang went there and agreed, he would certainly leave personal traces behind, like Old Ma wearing a Kippah and pressing his hands against the Wailing Wall in mourning.


    This photo was destined to follow him for life, regardless of what he thought at the moment; to others, it meant he was part of it.


    Just like many Hollywood stars who publicly make the triangle sign with their hands in front of their eyes, forming the Eye of Providence atop the one US Dollar pyramid.


    Whether or not it''s conspiracy theory, joining the so-called Illuminati is essentially a test of obedience.


    Lu Liang didn''t want to be tested, nor did he want to be labeled, but he still wanted to maintain his ambiguous relationship with Wall Street.


    So, he could only sacrifice Little Wang to protect himself. As long as Little Wang fell for the trap, he''d be hesitant to act, and others would think he''d be hesitant as well.


    Thus, refusing the invitation to the island was within reason and simply a protective measure, understandable.


    He had passed this hurdle.


    Ota Renjun realized Lu Liang didn''t want to say more and informed the selected girl to go to New York, waiting for the next command.


    A Japanese beauty with a cute and sweet appearance, a junior at Boston University, who occasionally engaged in compensated dating.


    No matter how the investigation went, they would never trace it back to him or Lu Liang, only to some middleman.


    Lu Liang slightly nodded, "I''ll let you know when the time comes."


    On the 18th, the IPO roadshow at New York Station would conclude with a celebration banquet; he would then explain the specifics to Little Wang.


    By then, the arrow would be on the string, and in order for Panda to successfully go public, he would probably be willing to make a personal sacrifice.


    Lu Liang sighed deeply, feeling sorry for Little Wang because he pushed him to the edge.


    On the other hand, he disliked the uncertainty because there existed the possibility of failure.


    Whether the plan succeeded or not entirely depended on whether Little Wang was willing to play a part and help him get through this critical moment.


    Although Lu Liang could choose not to tell him and just get him more drunk so he''d be dazed and compliant.


    With Little Wang''s trust in him, it would be all too easy.


    But Lu Liang didn''t want to do that; after all, they had known each other for more than two years, and even with a dog, you''d develop deep feelings.


    If Little Wang disagreed, he would flee back to his country overnight, reduce his financial investments, and focus on building electric cars with peace of mind.


    In the international market, Lu Liang was just a contender, unlike Zhang Mazi, who could both dish out silver and guns; he didn''t have such a tough skull.


    Half an hour later, they arrived in downtown Detroit, at the Westin Hotel pre-booked by Ota Renjun.


    Lu Liang met with Zhuang Wei, the local leader. Three months ago, he led a team from Modu to Detroit to initiate a collaboration with General Motors.


    38 years old and a PhD graduate from South Tech, he was recruited by Tianxing Technology at the beginning of the year, responsible for chassis technology development and research in Modu.


    Three months ago, Lu Liang invested in building a factory in Detroit to learn advanced technology, which he and Sun Weiqiang co-led the team over.


    "Mr. Lu, their technology embargo against us is stringent," Zhuang Wei sighed, recounting their experiences over the past few months.


    Although Lu Liang had spent two hundred million dollars to build the Detroit factory, and Old Te had personally come over to show support,


    there''s a policy above and countermeasures below, which isn''t unique to home. The same passive-aggressive compliance is quite popular in the United States.


    They invested capital to build factories, General Motors provided the technology, and both sides worked on research and development together, but their people were deliberately excluded.


    "Even over here, there''s a saying that''s widely circulated..." Zhuang Wei mentioned this saying and suddenly seemed to have trouble speaking.


    "What''s it?" Lu Liang asked.


    "Idiots from East Country."


    Zhuang Wei''s face darkened, and anger surged in his chest.


    They had come with funding and had the support of Old Te, yet they faced such treatment.


    It was hard to imagine what those great scientists of the last century had to endure.


    Lu Liang narrowed his eyes, his gaze unfriendly, but he still smiled and reassured, "Is there a possibility that they are scared?"


    "Just as a lion never worries about a mouse, but it will be wary of a tiger, because the tiger poses a threat to them."


    Being behind means getting hit and put down; it''s inevitable.


    He could only let Zhuang Wei and the others endure for now, and he would also apply pressure through financial means.


    The two hundred million dollars had been received, but as they still held this money, they could delay payments for factory construction, delay employee salaries, force them to do unnecessary rework, and give them a hard time on purpose.


    If things escalated, Old Te would step in to help, as Michigan''s Detroit is a traditional Swing State, which is pivotal for his re-election.


    Despite the United States having fifty states, with each state having its own laws and the federal government its own, the concept of "the emperor''s power doesn''t reach the villages" is common. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But this investment of one billion dollars is tied to whether the once Industrial Jewel could resuscitate and sparkle anew, which is one of the vital factors.


    Even if it could restore one percent of its former glory, the next term would surely turn Red State, a temptation that Old Te couldn''t resist.


    The two talked until late at night, and the next morning, Lu Liang met with Zhuang Wei and the 28 team members for a face-to-face meeting and a meal.


    He made it clear to them that it was normal to be looked down upon for not understanding technology; asking questions shamelessly, one day they would sound the horn of counterattack.


    But looking down on them should be limited to the technological level; if it involves racial discrimination or character derogation, don''t be afraid, fight them hard.


    Lu Liang raised his glass, a serious expression on his face, and said, "I, Lu Liang, always help my kin, not necessarily the just. We don''t seek trouble, but we''re not afraid of it either."


    "Whoever dares to provoke us, fight back fiercely. You''re my family, so don''t fear trouble; I''ve got your back."


    "Ladies and gentlemen, the path of learning abroad will be tough. I toast to you all, looking forward to your successful return."


    Among those present, aside from two leaders, the average age was only 27 years old, primarily fresh graduates straight out of school.


    "Mr. Lu, cheers!"


    "Mr. Lu, awesome!"


    Hearing Lu Liang''s speech, each one was as if invigorated, emptying their glasses, almost wishing to throw them down as a signal of their resolve.


    This team was composed of elite scholars from prestigious schools, many of whom had experience studying abroad.


    Chinese expatriate students often have a poor reputation overseas, and being perceived as weak is one of the main stereotypes.


    This is related to the family education they received from young; almost ninety percent have heard admonitions from their elders, such as "don''t stir up trouble when you''re outside, make friends, step back and you''ll see a wider sky."


    There''s also the notion of a clap made only with one hand is seemingly inane, but if a slap strikes a face, does it not make a sound?


    Thus, keeping the peace became the action of choice for most, and over time, that created an impression of weakness.


    But Lu Liang''s words were undoubtedly like a shot of adrenaline for them, giving them support and the courage to stand firm.


    Zhuang Wei''s brows were tightly furrowed as he whispered, "Mr. Lu, is it really okay to say that?"


    From now on, they likely wouldn''t choose to concede or keep the peace when provoked.


    Even though it''s beneficial for boosting confidence, when abroad, it''s better to avoid trouble than to seek it.


    "Mr. Zhuang"...


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but chuckle; clearly, Zhuang Wei was one of those elders who would advise younger generations to keep the peace.


    He gestured for Xu Jiawei, took out a business card from a law firm, and said earnestly, "Remember his name. If anything happens, contact them first."


    The Gaowei Law Firm, one of the top ten globally, headquartered in New York, with 24 offices worldwide and over 3,000 lawyers.


    Reputed global litigators, to ordinary people, they are a gang of lawyers, but to the wealthy, they are excellent legal teams the world over.


    Since Lu Liang dared to speak out, he wouldn''t just talk without action; whoever dared mess with his people, he would take them on.


    Spending a few hundred thousand or million US dollars to fight a lawsuit wasn''t something he couldn''t afford.

 Chapter 408 - 405: Flannery

    After having a few drinks at noon and taking a two-and-a-half-hour break, Lu Liang set off to visit General Motors in the afternoon.


    "Old Zhuang, you''ve been in Detroit for a few months now, have you identified any particularly good talent?"


    As soon as Lu Liang''s words came out, Xu Jiawei knew Boss Lu was preparing to help the company alleviate its burden by scouting fresh graduates.


    Ota Renjun brought good news ¨C Jin Guangzhi from the Hyundai Group had accepted their invitation.


    He had decided to move his whole family to Modu, and his twins had been specially admitted to Fudan Middle School to become reserves of Fudan University.


    He was currently processing his resignation and was in contact with some mid-to-high level engineers at Hyundai, planning on pulling them out along with his departure.


    In terms of talent poaching, Boss Lu was always fair-minded, whether targeting friendly, cooperative, or adversarial companies.


    Whenever an opportunity presented itself, he would wield his hoe and dig fiercely.


    According to Boss Lu''s view, they were newcomers in the industry, and these old companies should ideally support and nurture the next generation, passing the torch.


    He described wall-poaching as something so noble and pure, that perhaps only a scorpion could spin a tale like that. He''s surely one of a kind.


    Zhuang Wei was stunned, then understood Lu Liang''s intention: "Mr. Lu, it seems a few engineers from the technical department are showing a keen interest in our culture."


    General Motors has been a regular amongst the Fortune 500, ranking in the top thirty for many years. Moreover, the United States'' compensation packages are naturally high.


    If they wanted to attract high-end talent, they had to start with their hobbies and interests.


    Luckily, the land of East Country boasts a brilliant civilization spanning five thousand years and was undergoing rapid development over the last decade or so.


    Western media keep under wraps and often claim they are underdeveloped, but in the households of Europe and America, nearly everything is made in East Country.


    Last year, General Motors'' total revenue amounted to 377 billion US dollars, with the East Country market comprising 18.2%, and sales exceeding four million joint venture vehicles.


    Just General Motors'' joint venture vehicles topped sales of four million units, not to mention German and globally best-selling Japanese brands, accumulating to over twenty-two million units in total.


    A market with yearly automobile sales exceeding twenty-two million units, describing a country with such consuming power as economically backward could probably fool only the children.


    It''s just that YouTube, the world''s largest video site, constantly restricts and removes videos that portray their domestic achievements positively.


    The main push of South Asian AK media, a bunch of wild, screechy monkey-like beings, gives the impression to many in the Western world of low intelligence that this is what Asians are like.


    Where there''s a demand for such content, there''s a need,


    And where there''s a need, there''s a market.


    So, online Asians live like primitives, yet the physical world is surrounded by products manufactured in East Country.


    Gradually, a veil of mystery has been cast over East Country.


    There are people who adore Japan domestically, and abroad there are those who are fascinated with East Country.


    Additionally, unlike at home, Western countries have typically experienced nation and race integrations, resulting in a rare sense of homeland and ethnic identity.


    Therefore, bringing them into the country is relatively easy.


    "Old Zhuang, I''ll leave this matter to you to handle. Raise the compensation by 70%-100%,"


    Lu Liang treated all potential recruits equally, whether they were domestic employees changing jobs for a 30-70% increase or foreigners for a 70-100% increase.


    Though indeed higher for foreigners, it''s justified given they''re moving to a foreign land, without friends or family and with language barriers.


    Just like a civil engineering buddy back home, whose monthly salary for moving bricks stands only at six to seven thousand, but would easily exceed ten thousand in some small African country.


    However, the cap is 100%; any more just wouldn''t be worthwhile.


    Zhuang Wei nodded. They were there to learn and would eventually return to China. If he could take a few high-end talents back with him, it would all be worth the tuition fees Boss Lu helped them pay.


    They were paying the funds, General Motors provided the technology, and both sides cooperated in building a factory in Detroit, all for an electric vehicle that had yet to be unveiled.


    This investment was essentially paying tuition fees.


    You could tell, Lu Liang thought far ahead. Unwilling to use Wan Guozao technology, he initiated the project for Lou Shui New Energy Industrial Park, and now he was partnering with General Motors, sending them over.


    Ultimately, he hoped that domestically produced new energy vehicles would one day no longer be synonymous with low-end, cheap, and devoid of technological substance.


    Although often joked about, the so-called new energy vehicle is just a smartphone on four wheels.


    But it''s still a vehicle that travels on roads ¨C it can be made shoddily or built to excellence.


    Lu Liang, without a doubt, preferred the latter.


    "Stop talking, here they come."


    Lu Liang whispered a warning, a radiant smile on his face as he embraced a fifty-something-year-old foreigner dressed in a well-tailored suit: "Flannery, long time no see, have you missed me?"


    John Flannery, the tenth chairman and eleventh CEO of General Motors. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The last time they met in Detroit, it was but a brief encounter.


    "Lu, I''ve missed you terribly," Flannery said with a full smile, speaking in his imperfect Chinese, which had a bit of the comedian Feng Gong''s flavor.


    "Is that so? But why don''t I feel the same way?"


    Lu Liang''s face grew cold as he suddenly took issue with how their young team member had been bullied here.


    This guy, always grinning like Maitreya Buddha¡ªjoyous and approachable¡ªwould deceive you if judged merely by his appearance, mistaking him for someone who''s easy to talk to.


    In the past, Flannery was in charge of General Motors'' financial operations, primarily responsible for corporate restructuring and capital maneuvering.


    His fame rose with the acquisition of Alstom in ''13, after which he became the CEO and chairman of General Motors.


    Alstom was known as the ''BYD of France,'' constructing the world''s fastest running trains and the most powerful fully automated metro trains, and was also a leader in the global power generation and rail transport infrastructure sectors.


    As the saying goes, a man is not guilty for carrying a gem, but it is his possession of it that''s the crime.


    Since the downfall of the last ''Frenchman,'' the once-mighty Gallic rooster withered completely. Not only was it superseded by darker forces, but even its backbone was extracted.


    Alstom''s executives were put under house arrest for three years; the entire company was dismembered, mirroring the dissection of Neon''s semiconductor industry in the past.


    While state power was employed, the United States harbors many competing forces, and the fact that General Motors secured the largest piece of the pie points to Flannery''s formidable abilities.


    Flannery''s expression remained unchanged, his smile intact, "Mr. Lu, are you referring to Meng Yifei? This oversight on our part, and we''ve decided to compensate him with one hundred thousand dollars."


    "Mike and George have been penalized by the department, losing their annual bonuses. If you''re still dissatisfied, we can revise their punishments, adjusting them until you''re content."


    "My subordinates are like my family, and I absolutely will not tolerate them being bullied here."


    Lu Liang squinted, suddenly bursting into laughter, "Flannery, you truly are a good friend."


    A scuffle happened, more precisely Meng Yifei was hit by two others.


    And it was the other party who provoked the incident first, causing trouble while intoxicated, something Lu Liang had only recently become aware of.


    No results had been reached over the past half month.


    He had just arrived, and the matter was already settled, clearly, this guy had anticipated that Lu Liang would seize the chance to create trouble, so he handled things preemptively, leaving Lu Liang no reason to lose his temper.


    "After all, we are good friends."


    Flannery still smiled, despite being forced by Old Te to enter into a partnership with Lu Liang, which displeased him greatly.


    But with the situation a fait accompli, life is like XX; if you can''t fight it, you must learn to enjoy it.


    A fifty billion dollar investment is no small sum, and while Lu Liang wanted to learn their technology, they were also hoping to kill two birds with one stone.


    A fight¡ªa foolish thing with no benefits¡ªwould only give Lu Liang a chance to cause trouble; it was by no means Flannery''s idea.


    Leaving Lu Liang empty-handed and turning the theft against him¡ªthat was his true intention.


    As the two men with their own agendas conversed, Flannery brought up the reason for Lu Liang''s visit to the United States: "Are you here to assist with Panda''s roadshow?"


    Lu Liang was surprised: "General Motors is interested too?"


    "Not just General Motors, all of America, and even the financial institutions in Europe, are likely to be interested."


    Flannery was surprised that Lu Liang wasn''t aware that ''Panda'' had become a new star in the Western financial world.


    After all, the name was so aptly chosen¡ªa globally unique Asiatic creature that is black, white, chubby, and herbivorous.


    Panda diplomacy has existed since the last century, and many who are unaware even think it''s a major corporation.


    Plus, Lu Liang holds a significant number of shares, not to mention the initial offering price was only 2.2 dollars, and the total market cap was just over four billion dollars.


    Moreover, the news of the Modu exchange freezing one billion dollars had spread across Wall Street, indicating that institutions in East University are very optimistic.


    In effect, the company Panda, like the animal, hadn''t even gone public yet and was already stacked with BUFFs.


    This stock price and market cap, perfect for speculation.


    The entire financial world was eyeing this piece of cake.


    Just waiting for it to go public to join the fray.


    "Maybe they are just looking for an excuse."


    Lu Liang was speechless, seeing the essence of the matter in an instant.


    An excuse is necessary for action, and what the financial market needs most is a gimmick.


    As for what chaos might ensue after the hype, that was beyond their consideration.

 Chapter 409 - 406: The Tempting Liangzi

    Although visiting General Motors, Mr. Lu didn''t poach any talent since Flannery was with him the whole time.


    The two conversed while they toured, enlightening him that the pursuit of electric vehicles was an unspoken consensus in East America.


    The USA had deep involvement in the Middle East, where Oke was merely a junior player controlling the pricing of International Crude Oil.


    Pursuing electric vehicles seemed contradictory, but it did not conflict.


    In the belief that fish and bear''s paw cannot be had at the same time, it only proves insufficient strength; truly powerful nations want both.


    They mobilized national efforts to promote new energy vehicles and allowed Tesla to build a wholly-owned factory to aid their development of third-generation technology; how could they possibly obstruct it?


    One executed a transparent strategy, the other followed the natural flow.


    In the political games among nations, nobody believes they will fail until the very last moment.


    Not gambling is impossible because there is only so much cake; everyone wants a bigger slice.


    Moreover, with Neon keenly eyeing hydrogen energy and harboring wild ambitions, it seemed crucial to work together to squash them.


    At nightfall, Mr. Lu bid farewell to Flannery and set off for the airport, leaving Renjun there to wait for further instructions.


    Tomorrow would be the Panda IPO roadshow; he needed to make an appearance in New York to support the event and have a good talk with Little Wang.


    Informing Ye Zhipei back home, Mr. Lu had just arrived at the airport when his flight was scheduled, and he could board directly onto the runway.


    From entering the airport to takeoff, in less than half an hour, he marveled at the freedom and openness of this capitalistic nation.


    Once the plane reached the stratosphere, where the airflow was relatively stable, Lin Yan approached with a smile and softly asked, "Mr. Lu, we expect to arrive in New York in fifty-two minutes, what would you like to drink?"


    "A cup of warm water is fine."


    Mr. Lu picked up the satellite phone and informed Sun Yutao of his imminent arrival, learning from him that New York had been bustling these past few days with celebrities from the cultural and business sectors congregating.


    This was more significant than when Mr. Lu and Little Wang first arrived in New York three months ago, with supposedly over 50 billion US Dollars prepared for the roadshow.


    The subscription lock-up funds were at least a hundred times greater; their 4.5 billion US Dollars were likely to face the same dilemma as in Modu.


    The more funds people subscribed, the lower the chances of success in the lottery, meaning fewer chips in hand.


    "It''s something that can''t be helped, let''s talk in detail after landing."


    Mr. Lu remembered his description of Little Wang; the guy did have some unusual luck.


    After the roadshow, they could apply for listing within 21 days, and with the current interest, institutions like Interactive Brokers and De Mei likely hoped for an early listing.


    With unprecedented interest, it would be an insult to the current market conditions not to double in value.


    "Thank you." Mr. Lu took the cup of water handed by Lin Yan, sipped it, and instantly furrowed his brow.


    Observing closely, Lin Yan quietly asked, "Mr. Lu, is your stomach bothering you?"


    "A bit, but some water will help."


    His last physical examination had shown a recurrence of his chronic gastritis, for which the doctor prescribed some stomach medicine.


    Having recovered a bit, he had lately grown lazy about taking the medicine. Recently, due to irregular meals and a preference for cold drinks during his travels, his stomach pain had flared up slightly.


    "If it''s gastritis, I have some spare medicine."


    Hearing this, Lin Yan hurried to the storage, pulled out a blister pack of unopened pills from a small personal bag.


    "Thank you."


    Seeing the familiar medicine, the kind he often took, Mr. Lu didn''t bother with formalities and swallowed two pills with the warm water, beginning a casual conversation with Lin Yan.


    Born in ''87, two years younger than Mr. Lu, she had joined Eastern Airline after graduation, becoming a deputy flight attendant leader in seven years and was temporarily assigned as the flight attendant leader here.


    "Temporary?" Mr. Lu asked, puzzled.


    Lin Yan explained that Mr. Lu had opted for a fully managed model, rotating the crew and flight attendants.


    It was just that their team was assigned for this maiden flight, and next time it would be a different crew.


    Mr. Lu nodded slightly, asking no further, while Lin Yan returned to the side of the cabin, waiting for the next instruction.


    He closed his eyes and asked, "Is that the case?"


    Xu Jiawei was taken aback and then realized, "Yes, Mr. Lu, because we use a full-management model, all the cabin crew are actually leased from Eastern Airline, and they handle the staffing entirely."


    Although the leasing model made for frequent personnel changes, it was cheaper and did not require them to be on the payroll unless they were flying.


    Lu Liang thought for a moment and said, "Then let''s settle with this crew to avoid having to get to know new faces later."


    "Understood, Mr. Lu."


    Half an hour later, the plane landed at New York Airport.


    As Lu Liang was about to step out of the cabin, he suddenly paused and chuckled, "You can drop the ''temporary'' from now on."


    Lin Yan was slightly dazed. Seeing that Lu Liang had already walked away, she quickly bowed and said, "Thank you, Mr. Lu, and have a pleasant trip."


    Not long after Lu Liang left, Lin Yan received a call from Ye Zhipei. From then on, their entire flight crew was set in stone.


    They would hire a few more flight attendants and pilots, and she along with Zheng Junhui were fixed as senior flight attendants and captain, responsible for arranging staff shifts.


    Several young flight attendants, upon hearing the news, nudged and winked at each other, teasing with mischievous smiles, "Yan, do you think Mr. Lu likes you?"


    "Of course he does, our Mommy Yan is so beautiful, intelligent, and gracious. Any man would fall in love with her," another quipped.


    In their hearts, Lin Yan was not just a team leader but a confidante and spiritual mentor, well-liked by everyone, who dared to joke around with her.


    Lin Yan''s face flushed slightly as she said sternly, "Xiaojie, Ziqing, do you two still want your time off this month?"


    At those words, the four women wailed, suddenly turning into affectionate little puppies, acting adorably towards her.


    They realized that with Lin Yan as the permanent senior flight attendant for the private plane, she would be in charge of their shift changes.


    "Now you know to be afraid, huh? Let''s see if you''ll continue to act so disrespectfully."


    Lin Yan was lost in her thoughts, watching the direction where Lu Liang had disappeared, face growing redder.


    Some men, when a girl looks at them a bit longer, already start thinking about children''s names. Women are the same.


    It all depends on who is seeking her attention, and releasing goodwill, like a man on the street versus Lu Liang.


    She wouldn''t feel anything towards the former, perhaps even assuming it should be that way, but Lu Liang was different.


    Tall, handsome, would pass off as ordinary in the entertainment industry, but in the business world, he was one of the most attractive men.


    At thirty-two, at the most charming age for a man, with a net worth of at least twenty billion, though he had a girlfriend, he wasn''t married.


    That kind of man could tempt any woman.


    Even though she knew that it was likely unintended by Lu Liang, she couldn''t help but wonder, what if?


    Meanwhile, at the airport reception, Lu Liang didn''t just see Sun Yutao but also Little Wang. He smiled and said, "How come you''re so free to pick me up tonight? Didn''t anyone invite you?"


    "Certainly, there''s Kristin, who also invited me to dinner. But a mere beauty pales in comparison to your importance."


    Little Wang boasted proudly, showing off the Hollywood actresses who had invited him to dinner from last night till tonight, like fishes crossing the river.


    Always staying close to Lu Liang almost made him think he was an insignificant transparent person.


    But it proved that he too was a rising star, his own light undimmed, only shadowed because he stood next to an even more dazzling star.


    However, he remembered the lesson from Lu Liang.


    Safety came first when abroad, avoiding flippant involvements, and if he couldn''t contain himself, he would handle it personally.


    Lu Liang was at a loss for words, his gaze towards Little Wang grew complex, showing a fleeting sympathy, then smiled again, "Let''s find a place to eat."


    The group headed to the Old Te Building in Manhattan.


    Under the halo of leadership, their corporation''s enterprises had become globally famous hotspot stores.


    Panda''s roadshow team and Sun Yutao''s team, all stayed at the hotel in this building.


    After changing his clothes in his room, Lu Liang joined Little Wang, Long Fei, and Sun Yutao. The four of them went to the 70th-floor rooftop restaurant.


    Long Fei brought out the list of institutions invited these past two days, totaling 129, with more than a hundred attending.


    It wasn''t hard to foresee that tomorrow would be a gala of capital, with Panda''s IPO bound to break all records for Chinese concept stocks. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lu Liang browsed the documents. He had been briefed by Sun Yutao, but the details listed by Long Fei were more extensive.

 Chapter 410 - 407: Unwelcome and Utterly Outrageous

    "West Africa, may I sit here?"


    During their conversation, a girl approached them at this moment, dressed in an off-shoulder sling top, with a head full of blonde hair.


    Her eyes were a deep blue, and her face bore a sweet smile, resembling the standard sweetheart look of an American princess like Ivan.


    At around twenty-five or twenty-six years old, for a white woman, she was on the downhill side of her youth, but her delicate features and carefully made-up look compensated for this.


    Lu Liang furrowed his brows, Long Fei and Sun Yutao exchanged glances, none of them knew whom she was addressing.


    Little Wang cleared his throat a few times and quickly introduced, "Lu, this is Emma, who has starred in American Horror Story."


    Emma Roberts, an actress and singer, hailed as the pinnacle of Hollywood''s ''bitch series'' actresses.


    Little Wang was a longtime fan of hers, and the only female star he followed on Instagram was her.


    He had just met her that morning, and she was his type.


    Although he heeded Liangzi''s advice not to mess around when traveling, it didn''t prevent him from getting to know a few girls first for deeper interaction in the future.


    Lu Liang looked at Little Wang and saw his fawning, smile-filled face, he couldn''t help but laugh, and turned his head to tell Long Fei and Sun Yutao to pack up their documents.


    "Please sit, our serious business is over." In order to make it up to Little Wang tomorrow, he decided to play wingman for him tonight.


    However, Emma ignored Little Wang and focused all her attention on Lu Liang, asking, "Lu~ Liang, that name is a bit of a mouthful, do you have an English name?"


    "He doesn''t, but everyone calls him Mr., or MR," Little Wang said with a sycophantic smile, clearly showing he was quite smitten. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Mr.? That''s a strange name."


    Emma frowned, and Lu Liang smiled and said, "You can also call me Lu Liang, but don''t mix it up with Lu Liang."


    "Lu Liang, Lu Liang, is there a difference?" Emma was puzzled and repeated it a few times, but eventually, they all turned into Lu Liang.


    Perhaps it was also related to tone, ''liang'' goes downwards, ''liang'' goes upwards, Westerners generally tend to pronounce with an upward tone.


    "Of course, there''s a difference. ''Liang'' means ''brightness'', while ''liang'' means ''conscience.''" Lu Liang explained with a smile, pointing to his chest.


    "Forget it, I really can''t tell them apart, I''ll stick with calling you Mr.," said Emma puzzled.


    She couldn''t grasp the pronunciation at all, let alone understand why ''liang'' would mean having a moral heart.


    "Mr. Lu, Mr. Wang, we''ll head back first."


    The subordinates were very understanding, knowing one boss was flirting and the other playing wingman, they wouldn''t act as third wheels.


    "Go ahead, we''ll have a meeting at noon tomorrow to review everything one last time," said Lu Liang with a slight nod, turning his head to Little Wang.


    He was playing wingman, so Little Wang should at least show some response; otherwise, people would think he was the one hitting on her.


    "Emma, will you be participating in the eighth season of American Horror Story next year?"


    Little Wang was brimming with enthusiasm talking about the TV series; he was a die-hard fan of the show, which premiered in 2011, and he never missed an episode through the seventh season.


    "I will, but I won''t be playing the same role," she replied absentmindedly, turning her head to ask Lu Liang about his recent return from Detroit.


    Her father had said that Detroit used to be glorious, but with the industrial outsourcing, it gradually declined, becoming known as a cradle of crime and dubbed ''Ghost City.''


    "A city of crime? I didn''t really notice that, but it turning into a ''Ghost City'' mainly stems from the industrial decline and the skyrocketing local unemployment rates."


    Lu Liang pondered for a moment; he had heard of this issue more than once, but he didn''t consider it a big deal.


    It''s employment that matters; East Country is at the forefront of the world in this aspect. For attracting investments, they stop at nothing.


    Because if businesses settle there, they will bring a plethora of job opportunities, people set down roots, the government gets funding, and naturally, public security will improve.


    "I believe, with an investment from Tianxing, this once industrial jewel will shine brightly once again."


    Lu Liang talked confidently, although the investment was just to partner up with General Motors, the plight of the grassroots wasn''t his concern.


    But having done something that helped revive its past glory, he rightfully attracted the glory to himself.


    Stars sparkled in Emma''s eyes, and she couldn''t help asking, "Mr., having achieved so much in finance, why are you still going through all the hardship of developing physical enterprises?"


    She had been following Lu Liang for a long time.


    With his current achievements in finance, if he continued along this path, he could at least reach a synthesis of the Quantum Fund + Berkshire Hathaway, and even reaching the heights of Vanguard and BlackRock wasn''t impossible.


    "Emma, you shouldn''t be an actress, you should have become a journalist."


    Lu Liang couldn''t help chuckling, not answering her question, and discreetly giving Little Wang a look.


    As a wingman, he shouldn''t steal the spotlight, leaving the eye-catching opportunities for the lead while being ready to go down with the enemy when necessary.


    He had figured out this woman, although she was in the entertainment industry, was more interested in business matters.


    Little Wang shouldn''t just happily chat about American entertainment.


    Talking about tomorrow''s roadshow, or about going public in a while, and the sensation that Panda caused in the financial circles of Europe and America, might be more in line with her interests.


    Emma''s eyes widened in surprise, "Mr., how did you know my childhood dream was to be a journalist?"


    She sighed, "But when I was ten, my father took me into a film set, and I officially entered show business."


    "I remember, wasn''t your debut called ''Mold Country Drug Lord''? Did you play Depp''s daughter in it?"


    Little Wang was beyond excited, clearly having lost contact with his wingman and not receiving the relevant signals, he still hoped to win her favor based on his understanding of Emma.


    "Seems so," Emma replied with a polite smile that nearly had impatience written all over her face.


    Lu Liang''s smile stiffened as if a mouthful of old blood was stuck in his chest, and a hint of confusion flashed in his eyes.


    How did he get so many girlfriends?


    Why did he feel like a raw recruit?


    Or was it that love is blind?


    Emma waved over a waiter with a brilliant smile, looking at Lu Liang, "What would you like to drink? The mojitos here and the martinis taste quite good."


    "You guys drink, I won''t. I have a video conference with back home later."


    Lu Liang glanced at his watch, his face apologetic, "I should be going; it''s about time."


    Now it was Little Wang trying to charm her, not him. Staying longer would mix up their roles, with the guest taking over the host''s duties.


    Emma stopped Lu Liang, her voice petulant, "Mr. Lu, it''s very impolite for a lady to have to ask for your contact information, you know."


    "Indeed, it''s very impolite."


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but laugh and cry as he looked at Little Wang, who appeared like a woman wronged, and reluctantly added Emma on Instagram.


    "Hope you two have a nice chat."


    Lu Liang hurried off as Little Wang let out a long sigh of relief and put on a beaming smile, "Emma, I also opened a bar back in the country, and we hired the bartender from the UK. I wonder how it compares to the bartenders here."


    Finding common topics and hobbies was a mutual accommodation.


    If Shan Ruo wouldn''t come to him, then he would go to Shan Ruo.


    Emma was utterly bored and preoccupied, seemingly eager to go back and chat with Lu Liang, but felt too bad to burn bridges after crossing.


    She could only engage in awkward chit-chat with Little Wang, and after drinking about half her drink, she hastily summoned the waiter.


    Leaving behind five hundred US Dollars for the bill, and a message:


    "West Africa, thank you, you are a good person for letting me meet Mr."


    Emma left, and Little Wang''s heart shattered to pieces.


    He went to Lu Liang''s room, and Lu Liang, who had just finished showering and was wearing a bathrobe, laughed, "How did it go? Did you have a good chat?"


    "Foreign girls are too hard to charm. I can only say it was not meant to be; no point in forcing it," Little Wang replied with a smile, showing no hard feelings.


    "Cultures differ, so it''s normal if it''s hard. Her dad is pretty much the Yuan Hua of Hollywood, a worldly man," Lu Liang said, barely holding back his laughter, seeing the situation but not saying anything.


    Suddenly, his phone on the table buzzed. Emma had sent him a message, asking how busy he was and why his Instagram showed as blank.


    Seven or eight messages came in a row, each one quite long.


    Little Wang, sitting beside him, saw it too, and his newly pieced-together heart broke again.


    That morning, he had added her on Instagram.


    They had chatted for a while, but the one sending long messages was him, and her replies were mostly non-committal "mm," "oh," and "ah."


    "Eh, should I reply or not?"


    Lu Liang felt a bit awkward. Honestly, he was somewhat interested in Emma; after all, he had never tried with an American sweetheart, and princesses were his type. But being a princess, she was also married.


    Little Wang maintained his smile, "Don''t be a chicken; I''ll think less of you. It''s all just for fun; why overthink it?"


    "I''ll introduce you to someone nice."


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but chuckle at the double entendre.


    The Japanese American Sakura Girl was his choice, handpicked by Ota Renjun, who meticulously selected from Little Wang''s past 13 girlfriends and rumored first love using big data.


    "Please, who am I? The great Mr. Wang doesn''t need your introductions," Little Wang scoffed with disdain.


    With a handsome and carefree wave, he added, "I''m off, won''t disturb you anymore, heading for a midnight snack with Old Piao."


    Lu Liang was speechless, picking up his phone again to reply, "Just finished up, I seldom use Instagram."


    "Do you always use WeChat?"


    "Yes."


    "How come you haven''t updated Twitter? I''ve been following you for a while now."


    "Don''t really feel like using it."


    "Have you seen my profile? I just did a photo shoot; you think they''re good?"


    "Pretty good."


    "Is it because of West Africa? Why do I feel like you''re always so cold to me?"


    "It''s not that."


    "Tomorrow is Panda''s roadshow, and it should go public after a while. Are you staying in New York until it lists?"


    "Still not sure."

 Chapter 411 - 408: Deep Affection and Heavy Righteousness

    The next day at noon, they met at the restaurant, and Cruick among other market institutions called; they were going to arrive shortly.


    High-end hotels around Wall Street were almost fully booked, a testament to the unprecedented and unimaginable grandeur of the New York Station roadshow.


    "How did your chat go last night?"


    Before Cruick arrived, Little Wang couldn''t contain his curiosity.


    Though he claimed not to care, she was still a goddess; how could he truly be indifferent?


    Before he went to sleep last night, he had pondered the whole affair. Though there was a 99% chance that Emma was interested in Lu Liang, what if?


    There could always be a what if.


    Lu Liang was very direct, tossed over the chat log¡ªan hour-long conversation that ended with him leaving her on read.


    "Smart boy, a man should have style, don''t focus solely on women. The ultimate fate of a bootlicker isn''t to have it all, but to lose it all."


    It''s like the Buddhist saying,


    No Buddha in the heart, I become the Buddha myself.


    It''s the same with wooing women¡ªif I bloom, the breeze comes by itself.


    Seven years in real estate showed Lu Liang all sorts of people, meeting far more than in these last few years.


    Take Li Manli for example, who went from a proud ice-princess to a docile darling.


    And then there''s Su Wanyu, who seemingly wants nothing, and Wang Chuting, the archetype of an intellectual.


    He had encountered these types of girls before but never interacted; only after he became wealthy and famous, they swarmed like bees to honey.


    Lu Liang knew how he ended up with them and didn''t expect them to stick around if he ever fell from grace.


    Little Wang fell silent. Long Fei and Sun Yutao pretended not to hear; as married men, they knew well that these words were true¡ªonly those who had lived it could understand.


    "Lu, long time no see."


    Just then, Cruick approached with a smile, accompanied by Wilson and a few other market institution representatives.


    Wilson smiled and nodded a greeting to Lu Liang, then turned to Long Fei, "How are the preparations?"


    Although Little Wang was the founder of Panda, they saw Lu Liang as the real BOSS and Long Fei as the manager.


    Long Fei grinned, "All set, just waiting to break the record for the Chinese concept stocks'' US IPO in two hours."


    "I like your confidence."


    Wilson, seeing Lu Liang paying attention to the person by his side, said with a smile, "Almost forgot, let me introduce you to Jeffrey Stan, the founder of Stan Investment, specializing in asset management services for clients with net worths over one billion dollars."


    "Hello Jeffrey, it seems we''re in the same business," said Lu Liang with a smile, extending his hand while sizing up the other party.


    Over sixty years old, with a full head of silver hair, a rosy complexion, deep-set eyes, and thin lips held tightly together.


    Lu Liang wasn''t sure if the other was from the Squid Clan until he stretched out his hand, which had a slight pink hue to the arm.


    Jeffrey shook his head with a smile, "Not quite the same, Stan investment is for individuals, whereas you are for institutions."


    "What''s the difference?"


    Lu Liang was puzzled, and Cruick exchanged glances with Wilson, sharing a knowing laugh, "Jeffrey has close relationships with various institutions, and he is deeply connected with leaders in politics, business, academia, and even the fashion and cultural sectors."


    "Across America, and even in Europe and the Mainland, there''s no issue big or small that he can''t help with, whatever you need, he can help you resolve."


    Little Wang squinted, pulling himself out of his melancholy over fallen goddesses to softly caution, "Xu Xiaojun."


    Coming from a semi-red family, he had a keener sense for these things than Lu Liang.


    Lu Liang suddenly realized, and with a smile suggested, "Everyone, please take a seat, let''s dine together."


    He was confused until Little Wang mentioned Xu Xiaojun; then he understood what the man was about.


    A white glove, moving between powers, doing the dirty and tiring work, and dealing with matters people preferred not to handle directly.


    Xu Xiaojun''s Chenyi Investment not only subscribed to Tianxing Private Equity but also invested in bars, resorts, and other entertainment venues.


    If no surprises, the owner of Joy Island in the Caribbean Sea should be none other than Jeffrey Stan right before him.


    "Lu, do you have plans tonight? We''ve prepared a grand welcome party for you."


    Wilson invited with a beam, and Cruick also made suggestive gestures, displaying a smile that all men understood.


    Last time, Lu Liang missed the chance to enjoy the two Wulan sisters, but no matter, tonight everything would be available.


    Lu Liang chuckled, showing an understanding look, and pondered for a moment, "If Panda''s IPO goes well, I should be free."


    Wilson was thrilled and quickly said, "It will definitely go well."


    Cruick added, "If everything goes as planned, Panda should be listed on the Nasdaq by next Thursday and enter the Global Select Market in six months."


    "I need to head back and get ready so we can properly welcome Mr. Lu tonight." Jeffrey smiled, his eyes crinkling. This was the first step in penetrating East Country.


    The pleasant luncheon ended among a few middle-aged men who laughed heartily and exchanged meaningful glances.


    Lu Liang and the others returned to their upstairs room, planning to give the upcoming roadshow presentation one more thorough review.


    "Don''t come in just yet."


    Little Wang, with a serious look, stopped Long Fei and Sun Yutao in their tracks and pulled Lu Liang aside onto the room''s balcony.


    "Have you lost your mind? You''re actually going with them tonight?"


    He had to air his grievances. To the wealthy in Europe and America, Joy Island might have seemed a haven of pleasure, but to the general public, it was undoubtedly an island of sin.


    Just a few days ago on the plane ride over, they had joked about how Old Ma, after wearing the white cap, would struggle to clear his name in this lifetime.


    If Lu Liang went with them tonight,


    it would be even harder for him than Old Ma to cleanse his reputation.


    At least Old Ma could claim he was respecting local customs, but once Lu Liang set foot on the island or even just the plane, regardless of what he actually did, others would assume he participated.


    "Worried about me?"


    Lu Liang''s smile was full of warmth, a hint of reassurance flickering in his eyes, and Little Wang cursed in frustration, "Can you actually still laugh about this?"


    Lu Liang sighed, "If I don''t go, would Panda still have its current popularity? Would the listing still go smoothly?"


    Little Wang was silent for a long while, then suddenly laughed, "Then take me with you tonight. Let''s go see what fancy stuff these rich Westerners play with."


    Although Lu Liang''s righteous speech seemed to suggest he risked himself for Panda, deep down he wasn''t completely selfless.


    But such words could only be half believed,


    there were reasons involving Panda, but certainly also for himself.


    However, since Lu Liang had chosen this path and was willing to take that risk, putting on a show of bravado was acceptable, and Little Wang didn''t want to burst his bubble.


    But Little Wang didn''t want to owe him that favor and truly couldn''t bear the karmic burden.


    If the two of them went together tonight, and things went south later, at least they could share the heat, and maybe even draw the main fire away.


    After all, he was known as the "discipline inspector" of the entertainment industry, always criticizing this and that, making a lot of enemies.


    This way, the impact on Lu Liang could be reduced.


    Lu Liang remained silent for a long while,


    then sighed, "Xiao Wang, I''m kind of moved, what should I do?"


    He had planned to sacrifice Little Wang, and yet Little Wang was being so considerate. Suddenly, his guilt towards him felt even greater than towards any woman.


    It was a pity and lamentable that Little Wang wasn''t a woman. If he was, and if he was beautiful, with a good figure and a gentle demeanor, perhaps Lu Liang would have married him. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "You treat me with the respect due to an honorable man, I will repay you in kind."


    Little Wang stood proudly, acknowledging Lu Liang''s leadership role in an indirect way.


    Over the years, Lu Liang had helped him a great deal. Even he had to admit that his personality and social conduct had subtly changed.


    He didn''t want to be in debt any longer,


    and it was time for him to help Lu Liang in return.


    Lu Liang pondered for a moment and decided to be honest,


    if he wasn''t, they probably wouldn''t even be friends after this.


    "Actually, I''ve thought of some countermeasures."


    Lu Liang was carefully choosing his words and was about to lay everything out.


    Just then,


    his phone rang, an unknown caller.


    Normally, he immediately dismissed calls not identified in his contacts as spam, but the caller was persistent, calling back repeatedly after being ignored.


    "You take it."


    Little Wang thought Lu Liang didn''t want him to know, so he walked directly to the living room, leaving the private space of the balcony to Lu Liang.


    "Who is this?" Lu Liang asked gruffly.


    An anxious female voice came through, "Mr. Lu, do you remember me? I''m Xiaotian. Something has happened to Dongzi."

 Chapter 412 - 409: Boundless Fortune

    "Don''t rush, take your time," Mr. Lu said with a furrowed brow, listening to Milk Tea Girl explain the whole situation. He couldn''t help feeling astonished, and also reflective.


    Born in ''93, she was only 24 years old this year, while girls her age were still worrying about finding jobs or boyfriends.


    Yet here she was, the wife of JD''s boss, representing Qiangzi at various events, clearly very astute.


    Exceedingly calm, down to the smallest detail, she narrated the events leading up to Dongzi''s kidnapping as if it had nothing to do with her.


    The person taken away by the police wasn''t her husband, nor her child''s father, but the chairman of JD.


    Mr. Lu remained silent. Unable to hold back, Milk Tea Girl asked, "Mr. Lu, are you still listening? You''re the only one who can help Dongzi now."


    Last night, Dongzi had a mishap, and she hadn''t slept all night.


    She had thought of many solutions, but with the emperor far away in the mountains, and the incident happening abroad, it wasn''t an exaggeration to say she was utterly helpless.


    To travel overseas under the guise of studying with family, only to be accused by a woman of sexual assault, and to have both person and evidence seized by the police, the incident''s impact was indeed too malicious.


    Suddenly, she thought of Lu Liang, who was currently in New York helping Panda with its listing, and with his relationships with various Wall Street financiers, perhaps he could quietly settle this matter.


    "I''m here."


    Mr. Lu, deep in thought, couldn''t help but ask, "Mr. Zhang, are you sure it''s an ''immortal jump'' and not because Dongzi offended someone?"


    Controlling a corporation worth five hundred billion, a tycoon with a fortune in the billions, getting arrested in America over a hookup.


    He wasn''t sure whether the world was too bizarre or if his imagination was simply too poor.


    Unless it was a setup,


    like his own designing of Little Wang.


    Otherwise, how could these events be pieced together?


    Wasn''t this slapping the face of capitalist nations?


    "Just now, the lawyer met with Dongzi, and he''s certain it''s not because he offended anyone."


    Milk Tea Girl gave a bitter smile, helplessly sighed, and for the first time, her calm tone wavered.


    Last night, Minzhou University held a banquet, where Dongzi met that girl at the gathering, thinking he had encountered an admiring fan. They had a great chat, and later went to a hotel together.


    After four hours of pleasant interaction, the girl suddenly turned on him, demanding a hundred thousand US dollars, threatening to expose him otherwise.


    At that moment, Dongzi refused to back down.


    Thinking it was his personal charisma that attracted a little fan, they had agreed that it was only about emotions and not about money.


    And now she was talking about money and threatening him.


    In the heat of the moment, he refused to compromise, and suddenly a group of people burst in and took him straight to the station.


    The girl claimed she wasn''t willing but had been forced by Dongzi into four hours of torture.


    Surveillance video from the hotel had conveniently gone missing.


    "Dongzi holds a high position and faces many temptations. It''s normal for him to occasionally give in, but he shouldn''t have been so impulsive."


    Milk Tea Girl sighed, sympathizing with the difficulties men faced outside. After all, when compared to Dongzi, Lu had done even more.


    She was asking him for a favor, naturally, she considered things from his perspective.


    "What time was he arrested?" Lu Liang inquired.


    "Three thirty-five in the morning."


    "Less than 12 hours ago, there''s still a way."


    Lu Liang pondered, then added, "I''ll call you in an hour; I need to find out more first."


    He couldn''t entirely trust Milk Tea Girl''s one-sided story. He needed to investigate whether this was political persecution.


    If it was, he wouldn''t get involved.


    "Okay, Mr. Lu, I''ll wait for your news."


    Upon seeing Lu Liang end the call, Little Wang walked back to the balcony to continue their earlier conversation: "Lu, what were you really trying to tell me?"


    "It''s nothing now."


    Lu Liang stared at Little Wang for a while, a strange expression on his face, "Cong, have you ever heard of boundless fortune?"


    He had reached his position today due to his abilities as if using a cheat.


    But Little Wang''s background and his experiences of turning misfortune into blessings made Lu truly envious.


    Born into a wealthy family, the sole son, he had enjoyed a smooth sailing life. At an age when most would be rash, his father became the Chinese First Rich, and he, the son, also leapfrogged to become the First Rich''s son, earning the nickname of the National Husband.


    For the second generation rich starting their businesses, it should have been a Waterloo.


    As a result, he chanced upon the cheat mode and unwittingly built the company up to the brink of going public, catching the attention of over a hundred big and small European and American capital institutions.


    Now, Lu Liang was facing a Hongmen Banquet crisis, planning to sacrifice him to buy some precious development time.


    However, far away in Mingzhou, Dongzi suddenly lost clarity, underestimated the allure of wealth, and overestimated his own charm.


    With that, Lu Liang didn''t even need to deal with Little Wang anymore.


    Dongzi got caught in an immortal jump, which was enough to serve as a warning and make people think he would be hesitant to take risks.


    Little Wang furrowed his brow, completely confused, "What do you mean by ''astronomical luck''? Weren''t you talking about yourself?"


    "I''m worth nothing."


    Lu Liang laughed at himself and went on to talk about who had called recently and what had happened.


    "Holy shit, how is that possible?"


    Little Wang''s eyes widened, unable to believe that such a thing could happen in the land of capital to billionaires worth tens of billions.


    Shocked, he suddenly sensed something amiss and looked unkindly at Lu Liang, "You didn''t just want me to learn from Dongzi''s mistake, did you?"


    The corner of Lu Liang''s eye twitched involuntarily, and he laughed dryly, "How could that be, you have to believe that I love you." sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Hastily changing the subject, "You prepare for the roadshow first, I''ll go find out what exactly is going on."


    "Heh~"


    Little Wang''s smile didn''t reach his eyes, and Lu Liang''s guilt made him even more certain of his suspicion.


    This damn guy, despite his devoted loyalty and all his heart, planned to sacrifice him.


    Feeling very guilty, Lu Liang quickly left the room, making calls as he walked, calling Wilson and Cruick one after the other.


    He asked if there had been any recent moves against JD or Daqiangzi personally.


    If there were, he would act as if he knew nothing and tell Milk Tea Girl he couldn''t help.


    If not, he would think of ways to help, after all, they were from East Country and were NIO group mates.


    "How could it be?"


    Both were shocked on hearing the news.


    Such a clumsy tactic, although high-end business wars often use simple methods.


    But... it was just strange.


    "Lu, wait a moment, let me ask around."


    Both started to take action, leveraging all sorts of contacts to inquire about the incident, given its nasty impact.


    Forget about the girl''s voluntary consent, even if it was a real assault, it wasn''t a big deal.


    A billionaire worth hundreds of billions getting arrested over a trivial matter, if it weren''t political persecution, who would dare come to the United States in the future.


    Including the plan to invite Lu Liang to the island tonight, it was likely to end in discord.


    If it was Dongzi today, could it be him tomorrow?


    That Lu Liang could call to inquire about it without fleeing on the spot was already giving them face.


    An hour later, the roadshow was about to start.


    Lu Liang arrived on the 18th floor of the building and saw Cruick and Wilson, both of whom looked upset.


    Wilson''s face was grim, "I asked, and no one is planning to target JD or Mr. Liu personally."


    Cruick also shook his head, "I''ve asked around too, and heard nothing. It''s definitely an accident."


    Lu Liang decided to help out and bowed, "Could you help him out, consider it a favor you''re doing for me."


    "Lu, your affairs are our affairs."


    Wilson nodded slightly and Cruick added, "Jeffrey will be here later, he has deep ties in Mingzhou and knows Governor Colin; perhaps he can calm this down, like nothing ever happened."


    "Thank you."


    Lu Liang bowed and after explaining to the two, he went aside to make a call to Milk Tea Girl, "Mr. Zhang, don''t worry, I''m trying to find a way to fish Mr. Liu out, like nothing''s happened."


    "Mr. Lu, I cannot thank you enough."


    Milk Tea Girl was delighted and quickly relayed the crucial factor that could sway the situation, "If we could find hotel surveillance footage proving that the girl went to Dongzi''s room voluntarily, perhaps this incident could be resolved."


    In the past hour, she hadn''t just been worrying; her lawyer had mentioned that hotel surveillance was key evidence.


    Buying off the girl''s gang, acquiring the hotel''s surveillance footage, and getting them to change their testimony were the breakthrough points; now that the incident hadn''t blown up and they weren''t forced by public opinion onto Liang Mountain, perhaps they could smooth it over.


    "Alright, keep in touch."

 Chapter 413 - 410: Who Exactly Got Captured?

    "Mr. Lu, let me introduce a few friends to you."


    Lu Liang had just finished a call with Milk Tea Girl when Cruick, all smiles, was chatting with two stunningly sexy movie stars.


    Anne Hathaway, the actress who played Catwoman in Batman, and the female lead of Transformers, known as the ''waist goddess,'' Megan Fox.


    Lu Liang chuckled, remembering how he had casually mentioned last time that these two were alright; evidently, Cruick took him seriously and really brought them over for an introduction.


    "Hello to the two friends."


    Lu Liang smiled warmly, observing their delicately sculpted features and their impressively sexy figures.


    But as age caught up, the skin grew rougher and pores became visibly larger, shattering most of the filter in his mind.


    After some small talk, seeing that Lu Liang wasn''t interested, Cruick didn''t hesitate to wave them off.


    He teasingly ribbed, "What''s the matter? Weren''t you saying last time that they were quite something?"


    Lu Liang gave a bitter smile and sighed, "Hollywood''s makeup skills are really impressive."


    Beauty that defies age is probably a concept limited to the East.


    In this regard, he had a say¡ªthe Zhang Tian''ai from two and a half years ago and the Zhang Tian''ai of today were completely different people.


    Nourished by fame and fortune, she became increasingly radiant, but the differences in ethnicity mean that European and American women reach their peak in beauty at 20, and from then on, it''s a downward slope.


    Especially after thirty, even though the facial features remain superior, thick makeup is the only way to conceal rough skin.


    No amount of wealth can change this situation because it''s a matter of genetic differences.


    "Mr. Lu, you''re so wrong. Their real peak period was around fifteen or sixteen."


    Cruick grinned slyly, seeing that Lu Liang had not tasted the true delicate features of a very young girl, so he proceeded to share his philosophy that as soon as periods start, they''re ready for ''picking.''


    But everyone''s interests are different; some like them younger, or perhaps men¡ªit''s understandable and acceptable.


    Don''t carry too much of a psychological burden since they are not the same kind of people as us¡ªthey are just tools we use for pleasure.


    "You make a compelling point."


    Lu Liang squinted his eyes and smirked before changing the subject, "What about Jeffrey? Has he not arrived?"


    It''s three o''clock in the afternoon in New York right now, and in three hours'' time, the sky will be brightening up on the other side of the ocean in East Country.


    Domestic news had already leaked that a business tycoon was accused of sexual assault during a business trip to America.


    Online, there are all sorts of rumors, with netizens particularly suspecting him and Little Wang.


    So Little Wang hurriedly had Liu Mou start a live stream, making sure to casually walk in front of the camera now and then.


    He didn''t forget about Lu Liang either, giving him a look to suggest coming over to show his face once he was done.


    "Cruick said, "Jeffrey is on his way. I''ve just explained everything to him and he''s getting someone to look into the background of that group. By the time he gets here, we should have found out quite a bit."


    "Please do, Dongzi is like a brother to me."


    Lu Liang said with a stern face, signaling the closeness of their relationship¡ªimplying that when a brother is in trouble, he has no interest in other distractions.


    Moreover, the roadshow was about to begin, and he needed to settle this matter, so Cruick''s help with the follow-up in Mingzhou was essential.


    Cruick smiled and said, "You go on and take care of your business, the IPO is a big deal. When Jeffrey arrives, I''ll get back in touch with you."


    Lu Liang said no more and went over to where Little Wang was.


    "Mr. Lu," Liu Mou excitedly gestured to him.


    The guests arriving today were all wealthy or high-status.


    Long Fei had instructed him not to shoot recklessly earlier, so he only dared to take selfies in a corner and not point his camera at anyone.


    "Hello to all of Panda''s friends online, I''m Lu Liang, and we are currently at Panda New York Station''s IPO roadshow."


    Lu Liang sat next to Liu Mou, smiling and greeting the viewers in the live stream, in effect proving his innocence.


    Even though it was three in the morning local time, there was no shortage of night owls¡ªhundreds of thousands were online simultaneously.


    Many were spamming, "Mr. Lu, who exactly got arrested?"


    The melon-eating netizens were thrilled with excitement.


    The commercial tycoon, to put it bluntly, shoot one after another and assuredly there would be no miscarriages of justice.


    If the news were true, Little Wang might be oblivious, but Lu Liang would surely know.


    "What do you mean, who got arrested?" Lu Liang looked genuinely puzzled.


    Liu Mou chimed in to explain, "Mr. Lu, I''m not too clear either, people have been spamming that since the start of the stream."


    He couldn''t help but snicker, truly unaware, "These damn... netizens were just saying that you and the principal got arrested."


    Liu Mou caught himself cursing and quickly covered his mouth several times, reminding himself that he ought to refrain from foul language at such a formal event.


    Lu Liang smiled and teased, "So now I''m on camera, does that count as ''burying my head in the sand''?"


    Suddenly, the live stream special effects flashed, and ten Buddha Jumps Wall donations came in.


    "Thank you for the donation, Sister Xiaomeng."


    Liu Mou had a perplexed look on his face, and Lu Liang could not help but chuckle softly, "Go to sleep early, don''t stay up late."


    Sister Xiaomeng mentioned by Liu Mou was Li Xiaomeng, but Li Xiaomeng was just her stage name, her real name was Li Manli.


    Li Xiaomeng: "Okay~"


    "Holy smoke, does the cute god have a story with Liangzi?"


    "Are you new here? It turned into an accident long ago."


    "An internet celebrity with a capital tycoon? What a mismatch!"


    "Do you really pity someone because love has to match?" Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "It has to be said, these two have been dating for quite a long time, almost two years, and they''re still together."


    Ever since that post that announced their relationship, Li Manli had not shared anything about Lu Liang online.


    Rumors had always circulated that they had broken up a long time ago, until this year''s spring festival, when they traveled to Tokyo together and shattered those rumors.


    More than half a year had passed, and again there were rumors of a breakup.


    Lu Liang''s "Go to bed early, don''t stay up late" once more crushed the rumors.


    As of today, Lu Liang and Li Manli were still dating.


    This also proved from the side that he was a sentimental person who did not care about differences in social status.


    The idea that he''d dumped his woman after making it big was probably also a rumor.


    As for who got caught, it was no longer mentioned.


    "I''ve got stuff to take care of, so I''ll leave now." Lu Liang glanced at the messages in the live broadcast room, patted Liu Mou on the shoulder, and left contentedly.


    Whether they could get Dongzi out was still uncertain, but since he''d decided to help, preventing the situation from escalating was in his interest.


    Paying a fine and going to court were small matters, but negative impacts on JD were a big deal, and Milk Tea Girl also paid special attention to this.


    Insiders didn''t care, but if the situation blew up and affected JD''s business, Mr. and Mrs. Liu''s gratitude towards Lu Liang would diminish.


    Although Milk Tea Girl didn''t say it explicitly, within 12 hours of the incident, she sought Lu Liang''s help immediately.


    She hoped to minimize the scope of the impact, and ideally, make it as if nothing had happened.


    Online rumors, actually, don''t matter.


    Not to mention the nationally known celebrities, but even in the village or town, those with a bit of money are subjected to rumors.


    Fear of suffering and the urge to have luxury cars are common human weaknesses; rumors are both true and false, but unless proven, they are false.


    "How''s your speech preparation going?"


    Lu Liang approached Little Wang, who was nervously muttering his speech under his breath.


    It was different from the last time he was in New York; the main focus was Lu Liang last time, and Little Wang was just a supporting role, casually going on stage and rambling.


    Long Fei and several merchants had settled on a plan, and today, Tuesday, as long as the roadshow and IPO went smoothly, the listing on Nasdaq would happen next Thursday.


    So this speech was of great importance.


    "I''m still a bit nervous." Little Wang showed melancholy, wanting to inquire about Dongzi''s case to relieve some pressure.


    Suddenly, a woman''s voice with a hint of resentment came from behind, "Mr., why don''t you reply to my messages?"


    Emma approached the two of them, not quite one meter six tall, but with delicate features, a head full of blonde hair, a beige strapless dress, and matching high heels that made her look stunningly beautiful.


    "I was just busy and didn''t notice. I don''t log into Instagram much either," Lu Liang said with a smile, surprise flickering in his eyes.


    Anne Hathaway was born in ''82, making her 35 years old this year; Emma Roberts was born in ''91, making her 26 this year, with a nine-year difference. The state of their skin was visibly very different.


    "How about it? Pretty, right?"


    Emma smiled, giving a twist to the left and right, and the breeze lifted her dress, adding, "This is my least favorite high society look, you know~"


    "Why do you dislike it? I feel like this look really suits you," Lu Liang said with a smile.


    "It''s not that I particularly dislike it," Emma pondered, her finger on her chin, and then said, "Maybe it''s because they always tell me I look like a socialite, so I''ve grown to particularly dislike this look."


    "As long as you like it yourself, that''s what matters, don''t mind others'' stares and gossip, they''re just jealous."


    Since Little Wang gave up, Lu didn''t hold back and turned on the charm full blast. Emma beamed and quickly nodded, "Exactly, that''s what I think too."


    Suddenly, Lu Liang felt as if he heard a heart shatter; Little Wang muttered, "It''s time for me to go up."


    Then, he stepped onto the podium and began the roadshow.

 Chapter 414 - 411: Accent, get it?

    Little Wang''s worries were important, yet not important.


    The popularity of Panda was sky-high with its IPO set to be a smashing success. Even if the offer price was raised to $2.5 US Dollars, it would remain the same.


    But half a year later, whether they could retain these people or even have some institutions hold long-term was another issue.


    He was aware of this, so he constantly talked about expectations and the future, about what Panda would be like in the days to come.


    "Why are you here?"


    As Little Wang was speaking on stage, Lu Liang was mingling below. Emma pointed to the corner, "I came with my dad."


    Following her gaze, Lu Liang saw a group that must be from the cultural and sports circles, including Little Lizi, Kobe, and Meimei.


    Although domestic celebrities were held in high esteem, that was only among ordinary people. In Europe and America, almost all famous figures gravitate toward capital and politics.


    The most famous of which was Terminator Schwarzenegger. His nickname as governor was not just for show ¨C he truly served as California''s governor for eight years.


    "Will you have time after the roadshow is over?"


    Emma looked hopeful, very straightforward, wanting to invite Lu Liang to her house to see her somersaulting dog.


    "I''m very sorry, I don''t have much time these days."


    Lu Liang politely declined, seeing that Jeffrey had arrived and was conversing with Cruick, waving at him.


    He nodded in response, adding, "Let''s do it another time. I''ll get in touch with you then."


    Lu Liang excused himself from Emma and quickly made his way to Cruick''s side. Jeffrey, with a smile, said, "Lu, we''ve pretty much finished the investigation. It was a premeditated team effort." S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He handed over a document and a flash drive with the identities of several people and a backup of the previous night''s elevator corridor surveillance footage.


    Lu Liang skimmed through the information and told Xu Jiawei to find a computer.


    He saw the looks of the female protagonist, an East Country exchange student, 22 years old, with a prominent nose, flowing long hair, and an air of purity.


    Dongzi was indeed just like him, a dedicated good man who chose a girl resembling Milk Tea Girl, but with one difference ¨C extremely ample and voluptuous.


    The other two were the male lead''s girlfriend, who was also the person reporting the case, and an alumnus from Minzhou University.


    Before long, Xu Jiawei brought over a laptop. There were only two video clips on the flash drive ¨C one in the elevator and the other in the corridor.


    In the first video, Dongzi was smiling, hands in his pockets, and the girl took the initiative to link arms with him and pressed the elevator button.


    In the second clip, as soon as they exited the elevator and reached the hotel room, the girl willingly opened the door, inviting Dongzi inside.


    The girl''s two proactive moves and her cheerful demeanor throughout showed no signs of inebriation.


    This was entirely different from Milk Tea Girl''s testimony, which stated that after drinking, the girl was dragged into the room and forced into relations.


    "Although there is no video from inside the room, we can''t completely rule out the suspicion of abuse,"


    Jeffrey beamed with a smile, clearly aware of the full picture of the events as he suggested a plan, "Lu, it''s been less than 24 hours since the incident occurred. You can apply for a medical examination."


    "The governor of Minzhou, Colin Modell, is my friend. I''ve already asked him to instruct his subordinates at the police department to expedite any medical examination request from you."


    "As long as the examination is approved and there are no obvious signs of abuse or once you obtain the report of the examination, you can propose a settlement with the girl. Because according to Minzhou law, if the defamation charge is substantiated, she could face at least three years of imprisonment."


    "Lu, you can tell the girl not to keep her hopes up because the flash drive was sold to me by someone named Zhao Jun, who I guess is already on a plane, headed who knows where."


    This matter was entrusted to him by Lu Liang, so he wouldn''t bypass Lu Liang and make contact with Milk Tea Girl directly.


    Who sought who out, who helped whom, and who owed whom favors needed to be clear or else the favor was in vain.


    "Jeffrey, I owe you one."


    Lu Liang showed gratitude, understanding without asking how much effort and money were spent.


    If money alone could resolve the issue, spending a few million or tens of millions, Milk Tea Girl might also be willing.


    Similarly, Jeffrey was helping him not because of money but because they had a good relationship and he wanted to cash in on a favor from Lu Liang.


    When it''s about money, the nature changes,


    Monetary debts are easy to repay, favors are hard to clear.


    "We''re all friends. It''s normal to help each other out."


    Jeffrey''s smile was bright and proud, almost as if the talents of the world were at his disposal.


    Lu Liang didn''t delve deeper into his background; if he had, he would have known that Jeffrey was not like Xu Xiaojun.


    Xu Xiaojun was someone pushed forward as a puppet; Jeffrey became one through networking with all sorts of powerful figures.


    The difference between being passive and being proactive is just one word, but the treatment is worlds apart. If there were good opportunities, he could also participate, not just on behalf of others.


    "We are friends," Lu Liang said sincerely, spreading his arms out and embracing Jeffrey tightly while holding back from the smell of body odor.


    He turned his head towards Xu Jiawei, signaling him to pack up the hard drive and the documents and contact Ye Zhipei back in China to coordinate flights.


    Minneapolis, over 1,700 kilometers away from New York, required a flight of more than three hours.


    It was as if Jeffrey had come over in person; he had to make the trip himself, otherwise, the help would be meaningless.


    Suddenly, Cruick mentioned, "What about tonight?"


    Lu Liang came to a realization, as if he had just thought of it, "I probably won''t make it back in time."


    "There''s plenty of time in the future; business matters are more important."


    Wilson squinted his eyes, staring at Lu Liang.


    Something always felt odd, but it was indescribable, a coincidence maybe? It seemed it could only be chalked up to coincidence.


    He had encountered many Chinese people and knew that to the Chinese, especially those with families, face was more important than life itself.


    Dongzi was no nobody; the head of a corporation with a market value of five hundred billion wouldn''t risk his reputation to put on a show with Lu Liang.


    Before long,


    Little Wang concluded his speech and started the IPO subscription.


    Lu Liang showed a smile, stepped forward to encourage, "You did well. I''ve got to get going because I have other matters."


    "Could you be any more insincere?"


    Little Wang looked away in disgust; he had always been paying attention to Lu Liang.


    If Lu Liang even took one of his ten sentences seriously, that would be quite an accomplishment for Little Wang.


    He pursed his lips, glancing towards Emma Roberts, still unable to forget his long-admired goddess, "And what about her?"


    No matter where Lu Liang went, her gaze would follow, like a young wife abandoned by someone.


    Standing at only 157 centimeters, even considered short in Huayu, she never let it bother her, for she believed herself to be beautiful.


    However, being overlooked by Lu Liang time and again, even when she invited him to her place to watch her puppy do somersaults and was refused, made her start to wonder if it was because she was too short.


    "Do you get the nuance?"


    Lu Liang sighed, frustrated, without even sparing Emma another glance.


    He motioned for Sun Yutao to come over and instructed him to subscribe for the full 4.5 billion US Dollars directly, then left immediately.


    "A man should certainly have nuance, but there''s also an art to fishing, a need for tension and slack. Always giving line makes it easy to lose the hook."


    On the way to the airport, Lu Liang logged into Instagram and sent a message to Emma, first apologizing, then explaining he had urgent matters and wouldn''t leave otherwise, not even the Panda IPO.


    Finally, he added, "Emma, you really are special, exceptionally beautiful today. You are the most extraordinary girl I have met in New York. I am really looking forward to seeing you again."


    "Really?"


    Emma quickly replied,


    Her few words betrayed her inner joy.


    Last night, she had also chatted with Lu Liang, but all the words combined from the entire conversation weren''t as many as this one message.


    "I don''t tell lies," Lu Liang said with a smile, taking a photo of a road sign as he rushed towards the airport.


    "When will you come to New York? Or shall I come to you?"


    Emma replied eagerly, but once again, Lu Liang left her on read and didn''t reply.


    Half an hour later, he reached the airport.


    The airplane was already on the runway, waiting only for Lu Liang''s arrival before taking off immediately.


    At the same time, Lu Liang received a message from Sun Yutao.


    In the past half-hour, for the stake of 4.22 billion US Dollars, including their own, the subscription funds reached 47.9 billion US Dollars, exceeding a hundredfold.


    It was estimated that in another hour and a half, the subscription would end, probably reaching 80 billion US Dollars; it was uncertain whether it would exceed twice the amount.


    "After the subscription ends, don''t just wait for Panda to go public; lead the team back to the country directly, and wait for my instructions."


    Lu Liang said over the phone as he made his way to the plane.


    Lin Yan was dressed meticulously, extra beautiful today, but he didn''t even glance at her, walked to his seat and continued his conversation with Sun Yutao, "Once the funds are unfrozen, just like usual, buy directly into US stocks."


    At that moment, Lin Yan approached Lu Liang, hesitating to speak, but Lu Liang nodded, "Let''s leave it at that for now, we''ll be in touch later."


    The plane was ready to take off, and calls might interfere with the radio, and he wasn''t using the in-flight satellite phone.


    Lu Liang ended the call, and the plane began to taxi, ascending into the stratosphere.


    He unbuckled his seatbelt, walked over to the minibar, and ordered a lemonade, asking, "What time are we expected to arrive in Mingzhou?"


    Lin Yan answered, "We''re scheduled to arrive at 18:20."


    Lu Liang nodded slightly, picked up the satellite phone, and called Milk Tea Girl to inform her of his exact landing time.

 Chapter 415 - 412: Enlightenment at the Dragon Field?

    On the road, Lu Liang had been paying attention to the situation in New York. An hour ago, the IPO at the New York Station had come to an end.


    Frozen capital reached 92.356 billion, exceeding by 218.85 times, breaking the record set by Ali for a Chinese concept stock''s IPO in the United States.


    The previous record-holder for a Chinese concept stock''s roadshow in New York was also Ali, which had gone to the US for an IPO under the name of the "Asian Amazon".


    That time it had caused a huge stir on Wall Street, raising 2.221 billion and ultimately freezing 425 billion in capital.


    "I understand, come back to the country soon, and be careful."


    Sun Yutao made the call; the two sites had subscribed for 9 billion US Dollars in total, and with normal probabilities, they were expected to win around 17.8 million shares, at a cost of 2.09 US Dollars each.


    The listing date was also set; in just nine days, next Thursday, a total of 384 million shares would be released, with their holding representing less than 5% of the market''s circulating shares.


    With that amount of chips, it would be difficult to corner the market, but influencing the market shouldn''t be hard. After all, not everyone was like them, able to put up 9 billion US Dollars for subscriptions.


    366.2 million shares were out there,


    held by institutions from the two countries, no less than three hundred in number.


    Their opinions would definitely not be unified, which gave them the opportunity to influence the market.


    At dusk, they arrived in Apollis, Mingzhou.


    Lin Yan greeted him with a smile, her hands crossed over her lower abdomen, "Mr. Lu, I hope you have a pleasant day."


    It was only then that Lu Liang noticed that, although she was wearing the same pink flight attendant uniform, today Lin Yan had obviously made an extra effort to dress up; her cheeks bore a light blush that added a touch of girlish charm and she wore a white and blue silk scarf around her neck.


    He smiled and said, "It suits you quite well, see you."


    "Thank you, Mr. Lu," Lin Yan said with joy, barely holding back her excitement as she watched Lu Liang quickly walk away.


    Just out of the boarding gate, Lu Liang saw a male Chinese person holding up his name.


    The other party obviously recognized him and smiled, "Mr. Lu, hello, I am Mr. Liu''s secretary."


    Milk Tea Girl was also there, but it wasn''t convenient for her to show up, so she waited in the car at the parking lot.


    On the other side of the ocean, back East, it was already daylight, and the news of a wealthy businessman being arrested in the United States for business activities spread even faster.


    If someone saw her meeting with Lu Liang at the airport in Mingzhou at this time, it would be self-evident who the arrested businessman was.


    Although she was the mistress of JD and had represented Dongzi at many events, in Dongzi''s presence, it was not her place to meet with Lu Liang, unless Dongzi was not there, or for some reason, he couldn''t get away.


    "Let''s go."


    Lu Liang nodded slightly, indicating his understanding.


    The group followed Dongzi''s secretary, Yu Zhentao, to the airport''s open-air parking lot.


    A van''s door suddenly opened, "Mr. Lu, I am really sorry to trouble you to make this trip; we have tried everything."


    Milk Tea Girl looked exhausted, with red eyes, and when she saw Lu Liang, she seemed to have found a lifesaver.


    "Mr. Zhang, don''t worry; I''ve already found a way to solve the problem," Lu Liang said with a smile.


    This was his second meeting with Milk Tea Girl, the last being at the NIO ES8''s new car launch.


    Back then, Milk Tea Girl had rendered Li Bing''s wife utterly speechless.


    Since then, he had known that this woman was no pushover.


    And indeed, this had proven to be the case.


    Milk Tea had met Dongzi four years ago; at 20 years old, she had Dongzi, then 39, utterly bewitched.


    Dongzi wasn''t just anybody¡ªa true village lad with no background before attending university, just like a country bumpkin coming to the city; everything was strange to him.


    Even though JD had lent a hand at the start of his business, his journey was marked by hardships and trials, a true business magnate who had climbed his way up from the bottom.


    For such a man, nearing forty, to be so enchanted by a young girl demonstrated just how high Milk Tea Girl''s EQ and IQ were.


    At the very least, in terms of providing emotional value, she was definitely master-class.


    Just looking at her eyes when she saw Lu Liang for a moment made him question whether he was a savior for all mankind, immensely satisfying his ego.


    Overjoyed, Milk Tea Girl hurriedly invited Lu Liang into the van, where, besides her and the driver, there was a suit-clad Asian man.


    "Mr. Lu, his name is Lin Feng, from Sidley International, and he''s also the attorney we have hired," Milk Tea Girl said.


    "Mr. Lu, hello, this is my business card."


    Lin Feng sat in the passenger seat, turned to look at Lu Liang, and respectfully handed over his business card with both hands.


    Sidley International, like Gaowei Law Firm, was among the top ten law firms in the world.


    Their most famous victory was helping a special effects company defeat the Disney company, known for having the strongest legal department on earth, in the field of copyright and obtaining a compensation of 1.2 million US Dollars.


    "Hello, Lawyer Lin."


    Lu Liang smiled and nodded, casually pulling out a USB drive, "Mr. Zhang, this is the hotel surveillance video; I don''t know if it will be of any help to the case?"


    Milk Tea Girl''s eyes widened in shock. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lin Feng, too, was stunned and couldn''t help but take a few more looks at Lu Liang.


    They had also been looking for hotel surveillance footage from the first moment but, despite offering a million US Dollars in reward, no one had claimed it to this day.


    Today was Panda''s roadshow; four hours ago, Lu Liang had been in New York, and six hours ago, he had only learned of this matter.


    The surveillance footage they had tried so hard to find, which had ended up over 1700 kilometers away in New York, had somehow come into Lu Liang''s hands.


    This is the United States, not East Country, and certainly not Su City. It would require an incredibly powerful network of connections to obtain something this quickly.


    "Mr. Lu, may I take a look?"


    Milk Tea Girl asked eagerly, even though she lacked deep knowledge of Mingzhou legal provisions, she understood.


    If the surveillance footage could prove Dongzi''s words were true, that the woman had willingly accompanied him to the motel while sober, rather than as she claimed, groggily led there after being drunk,


    Then the entire case would see a turning point.


    Lu Liang nodded, and Milk Tea Girl passed the USB drive to Lin Feng, telling the driver, "Let''s go, to the city first."


    Lin Feng was very professional, taking out his laptop, and Milk Tea Girl saw Dongzi with his hands in his pockets, the woman looking enthusiastic...


    She asked, "Lawyer Lin, are you confident?"


    Lin Feng nodded: "This is crucial evidence, but if the woman insists she was abused in the room, that would be troublesome. So, it''s still best to push for a settlement."


    Milk Tea Girl explained: "Mr. Lu, we had previously requested a medical examination, but the police refused to prevent further harm to the victim."


    Lu Liang wore a smile, appearing confident. "Let''s go straight to the police station then. Applying now, we should be able to succeed before it''s been over 24 hours."


    He added, "Think of a way to pass a message to the plaintiff, just say Zhao Jun has already left, and he provided the USB drive."


    At these words, both of them froze,


    Gazing at Lu Liang with something akin to divine reverence.


    Zhao Jun was the plaintiff''s boyfriend and the person who reported the case; they suspected he might also be the mastermind.


    Because they had already asked someone to gather information on several people from back home, and found out Zhao Jun came from a family that had recently fallen on hard times.


    With his father''s company bankrupt, there was no way to sustain his extravagant lifestyle abroad, hence the immortal jump scheme.


    Settling and pretending nothing happened,


    Was now the best option for the girl.


    If the stalemate continued, Dongzi might face public disgrace but the girl could also face over three years of imprisonment.


    "Let''s go to the police station."


    Milk Tea Girl suppressed her excitement, her expression earnest: "Mr. Lu, I can''t thank you enough. Dongzi and I will always remember this."


    "Let''s focus on the task at hand," Lu Liang said with a smile.


    Soon, they arrived at the police station.


    Lu Liang just accompanied them to the station, where the police chief greeted him with a slight smile, clearly having been alerted by the governor.


    Very promptly, the chief agreed to the examination request.


    Next was Lawyer Lin''s job. He went to speak with the plaintiff''s attorney, who in turn spoke to the plaintiff.


    By 9:30 pm, on the 18th hour of Dongzi''s detainment, the case was dismissed, and he was released without charges.


    "It''s good that everything is alright." Milk Tea Girl said with tears in her eyes, her face full of sorrow but not a single word of blame.


    Over the past eighteen hours, Dongzi probably hadn''t slept a wink inside, turning grey overnight, with a stubbly beard.


    He hugged Milk Tea Girl, a flicker of guilt flashing in his eyes as he turned to Lu Liang: "Mr. Lu!"


    "Let''s talk later. We should head back to the hotel now."


    Lu Liang saw something in Dongzi''s eyes, a smile on his face but a hint of curiosity as well.


    Blame, relief, acceptance, gratitude...


    That look, indescribably complex.


    "Mr. Lu, I''ll see you at the hotel later."


    Milk Tea Girl, pulling Dongzi, got into another car.


    Several cars drove away from the police station in succession.


    Lu Liang sat in the car, deep in thought, when suddenly he reflected on Dongzi''s experience and market reputation.


    Among the many entrepreneurs in his home country, Dongzi''s reputation was likely the best; a grassroots turnaround, marrying into wealth, reaching the pinnacle of life, and treating employees like brothers, all formally employed with the Five Insurances and One Fund, with no notion of temporary workers.


    An extraordinarily good reputation, but that wasn''t necessarily a good thing.


    Just like Mr. Lu often meddling here and there, though subjectively, it did reveal a weakness for women.


    No one is perfect, and perfection can be frightening, especially with Dongzi''s JD, which had created so many employment opportunities.


    Business development reached a certain point, just like Old Ma said, wealth accumulation to a certain extent is no longer private but held in trust for society.


    If Dongzi wanted to step out,


    This incident could be an opportunity.


    Perhaps he hadn''t thought of this before; after all, one cannot tarnish oneself to such an extent. Merely saying something that collapses one''s image could serve the same purpose.


    Probably, while inside, he had a moment of enlightenment,


    And considered that maybe he could take advantage of the current.


    "No matter, what''s done is done, and we owe a favor to this couple."


    Lu Liang wore a smile, unconcerned about the deeper implications, helping them was what mattered, and this favor, they had to accept whether they wanted to or not.

 Chapter 416 - 413: A Warning from Dongzi

    Mingzhou District, Pulisi Hotel.


    "Mr. Lu, I toast to you. If it weren''t for you, I might have taken a big tumble this time."


    Dong, returning to his room to wash away his fatigue and shave off the weathering on his chin, changed into new clothes, and then he and his wife invited Lu Liang to dinner.


    Milk Tea Girl chimed in, "Thanks to Mr. Lu with his remarkable abilities, we could quickly settle this matter."


    The couple looked harmonious, as if it was none of their personal concern and purely a matter of helping the group solve a significant problem.


    "We''re all friends here, aren''t we? When we''re out and about, we should help one another," Lu Liang replied with a smile, raising his cup in return.


    Through this couple, he could see that in a marriage among the wealthy, emotions were often the least noticeable factor.


    Apart from being a little sulky, Dong acted as if nothing had happened, showing no signs of owing anything to Milk Tea Girl.


    Milk Tea Girl was smart, realizing there was no point in settling scores after the fact, which would only drive a wedge between them.


    After all, being clever, Dong likely wouldn''t make the same mistake again. Better to be generous and let bygones be bygones.


    Three rounds of drinks passed, and they tasted a variety of dishes.


    Milk Tea Girl excused herself early under the pretense of needing to take care of the children, leaving Dong and Lu Liang with some private space.


    After all, as a married woman, there were some conversations she could not partake in; with her present, they couldn''t chat freely or enjoy themselves to the fullest.


    Seeing Milk Tea Girl about to leave, Dong couldn''t help but ask, "Mom and Dad still don''t know, do they?"


    Milk Tea Girl shook her head, "No, I just told them you went to meet a friend."


    "Be careful on your way back."


    Dong said no more, waiting for his wife to leave before picking up the bottle of alcohol and walking over to Lu Liang, draping an arm over his shoulder, and sighing, "Liangzi, I really don''t know what to say."


    "Enough''s enough, Dong," Lu Liang said, barely keeping back his laughter and quickly trying to dismiss the idea of another full cup, "I can''t hold my liquor like you. If we keep drinking like this, neither of us is going anywhere."


    Among the people he knew, Dong''s capacity for alcohol was definitely top-tier; starting at half a jin of white liquor for a warm-up and a full jin was nothing out of the ordinary.


    According to him, there''s an old saying in Suqian: even the sparrows can drink two liangs, let alone him, famously known in the business world as someone who can drink a thousand cups without falling down.


    "The main thing is, I want to drink a bit. I''ll down this one, you take it as you like."


    Dong tilted his head back and downed a couple of cups, exhaling a heavy breath.


    "This whole thing just really sucks," he said, seething.


    Hiring prostitutes, having mistresses, and affairs ¨C none of these were actually a big deal.


    Not just for him but even for the moderately wealthy in rural towns, most have done it. And for those who haven''t, ninety percent of the time, it''s only because their finances don''t allow for it.


    You could say that out of a hundred men, you wouldn''t find ten who are truly faithful, and if they have a bit of money, that number is even lower.


    But for someone of his status to be caught in an immortal jump and taken into police custody ¨C that''s an extremely explosive ordeal by global standards.


    That''s why he felt so humiliated.


    Lu Liang barely restrained a laugh.


    He was actually quite curious about what Dong had been thinking when he was looking for a hookup.


    Like the boldest encounter he''d had in recent years: that must have been with the Welfare Girl. Others, such as the car saleswoman Li Yue, the bar marketer Zhang Qian, or the internet celebrity Lin Yike.


    Because they all received benefits from Lu Liang beforehand, their goal was simply wanting more. At least he didn''t have to worry about being trapped in an immortal jump with them.


    But Dong, such a prominent businessman, how could he act so recklessly when traveling abroad with his family?


    Dong gave a bitter smile, "I was a bit down at the time, had a few drinks, and that woman was really hot."


    Even tigers nap, and last night, for some reason, he suddenly got overly excited.


    And just his luck, he ended up in this mess.


    He didn''t even understand what that woman was thinking; afterward, she suddenly threatened him ¨C if he didn''t pay up, she''d call the police.


    Dong couldn''t contain his anger, facing such an insult for the first time. All he wanted was to have fun and be satisfied.


    He wouldn''t blink at one hundred thousand US dollars, let alone ten times that, or even a hundred times.


    "Shortsighted," Lu Liang couldn''t suppress his grin.


    "Let''s not talk about this unpleasant topic."


    Dong sighed, pouring himself another two cups of white liquor, then asked how the Panda IPO roadshow was going.


    "Pretty smoothly, we''ll be able to go public next Thursday," replied Lu Liang with a smile, skilfully changing the subject. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Dong was willing to satisfy his curiosity, which was more than enough; there was no need to rip off the bandage. Whether Dong had an epiphany or was going with the flow pretending to defile himself, Lu Liang didn''t inquire.


    "Congratulations, I heard that Li Bing is also eager to make a move, striving to become the second one."


    Dongzi mentioned that some time ago, Li Bing had talked to him. If Panda went public successfully, NIO would follow suit.


    Making cars really burns through money; over the years, they had invested nearly 2.5 billion US Dollars, not everyone is like Lu Liang, wealthy, with the patience to wait.


    He also discussed it with Little Ma, Zhang Lei, Shen Peng, and Lei Jun, only Lei Jun was noncommittal¡ªthe four of them were planning to pressure Li Bing to go public sooner.


    The market changes in an instant. As for the future, no one can be sure; while Lu Liang is flourishing, NIO can be considered somewhat successful.


    Go public sooner, cash out earlier, and then let NIO rely on market financing to develop the business, so they can also exit with their achievements.


    After a long silence, Dongzi slowly spoke, "Liangzi, brother wants to tell you some hard truths, it''s too risky for you."


    Previously, Lu Liang only operated domestically; the monk can run but the temple cannot. But now he''s so close to Wall Street, even faintly becoming a part of it.


    Although he had said at the New Energy Vehicle Conference that he would unconditionally help suitable enterprises go public¡ªa financial method to promote the development of domestic new energy enterprises.


    But being so close to Wall Street institutions, as if they were in the same trousers, inevitably worries certain leaders.


    This is also why they were pushing NIO to go public soon. If Lu Liang flies too high and falls, the crash would be disastrous.


    So when they say things like rejoicing while Lu Liang is still shining like the sun, it''s because they worry about him crashing and affecting NIO.


    If it had been before, he would never have said such things, but now Lu Liang has granted him the favor of revival.


    No matter how unpleasant, he had to admonish.


    "Dong, don''t worry, I have my plans," Lu Liang squinted his eyes.


    The fact that Dongzi was telling him this suggested he wasn''t the only one with these concerns.


    The DiDi incident seemed to be unavoidable.


    Although he had made many acquaintances through private equity, those were second-level networks, not direct lines to the top.


    If he could pull off the DiDi incident, he would have a first-level direct network.


    "If you''ve got it figured out, that''s good."


    Dongzi twisted his neck and yawned.


    He hadn''t slept for over 40 hours since yesterday morning, and after having a drink, sleepiness swept over him.


    "How about a spa downstairs?" Lu Liang invited with a smile.


    "Sure, a sauna to relax sounds good."


    Dongzi thought for a moment, then called Milk Tea Girl over, saying with a laugh, "Liangzi, you have so many Weibo followers, why don''t we take a photo together?"


    Milk Tea Girl''s face changed slightly as she smiled and said, "Dongzi, I rushed over without makeup and won''t look good on camera; let''s not."


    The message had reached home, indicating that many people knew Dongzi had been arrested, but details and what followed remained unclear.


    But they could confirm Dongzi''s arrest; at such a time, he and his wife taking a photo with Lu Liang and uploading it to Weibo.


    Although it would serve to clear suspicions, it would undoubtedly inform the knowledgeable that Lu Liang was the one who helped them.


    This favor, once incurred, couldn''t be denied later.


    Lu Liang sensed the implication and saw Milk Tea Girl''s reluctance, teasing with a laugh, "Sister-in-law is naturally beautiful, but it''s not quite right for me, the single dog, to join the perfect couple, is it?"


    "Why not, it would be perfect; maybe we can even help you find a bride," Dong laughed heartily, looking at Milk Tea Girl with a determined expression.


    A favor given is remembered for a thousand years; this favor of rebuilding, he would keep in mind and repay when possible.


    "Stop trying to set me up, Mr. Lu has a girlfriend, okay?"


    Milk Tea Girl looked helpless, pulled out her phone, and said with a laugh, "How about I take the photo?"


    Lu Liang had too many fans, while hers were fewer with less influence; anyhow, as long as the message was sent.


    Dongzi frowned, but Lu Liang said, "Dong, let the sister-in-law take the shot. Just make sure to Photoshop me a bit handsomer."


    "Fine," Dongzi nodded.


    The two sat in sauna suits on the cooling benches, chatting casually, and according to Milk Tea Girl''s suggestion, not too deliberately.


    She quickly snapped a few photos and uploaded them to Weibo: "Family outing, bumped into Mr. Lu."


    Every word was chosen with care, as the news had been fermenting for almost 20 hours, and netizens were guessing all kinds of identities.


    But few netizens focused on Dongzi, who had taken his wife and children abroad for studies and sightseeing.


    Taking his family along, normal people would think the businessman wasn''t him.


    If he fooled around even when accompanied by his family, how much wilder would he be without them?


    Netizens wouldn''t consider whether it was a coincidence,


    One mistake, and they would dismiss everything.

 Chapter 417 - 414: The Unwelcome Biological Father

    "Milk Tea Girl''s Weibo update didn''t cause much of a stir in the country."


    Lu Liang was no longer as mysterious as before, conducting business activities in the US, and it was no big deal to meet with old friends.


    However, as soon as the update was posted, the news about a certain businessman being arrested in America began to subside like a rippleless wave.


    Over the years, JD had offended many people, and the news of the businessman''s arrest was also released by them.


    But now, with Milk Tea Girl''s update showcasing a photo of Lu Liang and Dongzi drinking and chatting casually,


    it was clear that she was saying Dongzi had gotten through his ordeal safely, and the person who offered assistance was Lu Liang. Those with ulterior motives should calm down, or else, if they spread rumors again, there would be consequences.


    "Liangzi, you''re that capable? I thought we''d need Old Ma''s help."


    "Even if Old Ma had that capability, he might not necessarily help out since competitors are natural enemies."


    "Liangzi is really something, to be able to calm such a big incident for Dongzi."


    "The favor Dongzi owes is enormous."


    "What exactly happened with this incident? Could it be someone set him up?"


    "Definitely, I guess he offended some villain. Taking the whole family on a trip is clearly a move to corner him."


    This event was basically classified as a setup by those in the know because the truth seemed too ludicrous and utterly off the wall.


    Along with the conspiracy theories, Lu Liang''s power overseas became known¡ªplaying an away game, yet able to pull Dongzi from the muck.


    For businessmen, this was a good thing; as strangers in a foreign land, if one day they encountered trouble, perhaps they could turn to Lu Liang for help.


    Although the cost might be high, it was better than crying for help to no avail.


    The next morning, the Liu Family couple arrived at the airport.


    "Mr. Lu, see you back home."


    As they parted, Dongzi gave Lu Liang a hearty embrace, deeply grateful, and he took the kindness to heart.


    There were still two days left in the PhD project, and leaving early to return home would undoubtedly confirm the suspicions.


    "Linda, say goodbye to uncle."


    Milk Tea Girl, holding her baby, a beautiful girl, raised her little hand to wave goodbye to Lu Liang.


    "Bye-bye," Lu Liang said with a touch of affection in his eyes¡ªhe was going to see his own daughter too. By the looks of the photos, she was definitely a hundred times cuter than Daqiangzi''s daughter.


    As the couple watched Lu Liang enter the boarding gate, Milk Tea Girl curiously asked, "What''s Mr. Lu doing in the United Kingdom? Isn''t he waiting for Panda to go public?"


    In her spare time, she had seen the news from New York; using the term ''worth its weight in gold'' to describe Panda''s stock was not an exaggeration.


    Two roadshows locked up over two hundred billion US Dollars, all for the scramble to grab the average issuance price of $2.09 for 384 million shares. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "He probably has other business to take care of."


    Dongzi, with his arm around Milk Tea Girl, felt guilty but she shook her head and chuckled, "Let''s go back too."


    "Yeah, let''s go back," Dongzi nodded.


    He knew Milk Tea Girl was quite astute, but under yesterday''s circumstances, only family would rush to help him.


    Perhaps it also had something to do with him cashing out shares before their marriage and overextending his salary to prepare a property notary, but help was help, even if not entirely pure.


    Meanwhile, a plane took off from Mingzhou Airport, heading to Edinburgh in the United Kingdom.


    "Panda going public, and you''re not coming?" Little Wang looked incredulous.


    "Going home for the Mid-Autumn Festival, then waiting for the listing... eighty thousand."


    The entire 5,300-kilometer journey required over eight hours¡ªLu Liang liked to play mahjong to pass the time on long trips.


    To avoid a losing game setup, he invited his cousin to join the card game, the two of them taking on Lin Yan and another flight attendant.


    "What did you tell Cruick over there?"


    "I just called to express my gratitude and said I had to leave early for other matters. What else could I say? Seventy thousand."


    "You''re not getting cold feet, are you?" Little Wang was suspicious.


    "What''s there to be afraid of? Seventy thousand."


    "Do you even know how to play cards? Play eighty thousand first, then a pair of seventy thousand?"


    Little Wang hung up the phone, cursing, while Lu Liang couldn''t help but chuckle softly to himself, "If not now, then when?"


    The roadshow team would stay in New York for another eight days, waiting for the listing next Thursday. Hopefully, Little Wang could hold himself together and avoid making mistakes.


    If he left, Cruick might pull Little Wang down with him.


    At one o''clock in the afternoon, after an eight and a half hour flight, the plane arrived smoothly at Edinburgh Airport.


    "Mr. Lu..."


    Zhuo Yifan nearly burst into tears when he saw Lu Liang¡ªhe had been in exile for far too long and was desperate to return home.


    Formerly, Wen Chao made waves in Tokyo, while successor Xu Jiawei always followed Lu Liang. Only he had been exiled to the United Kingdom.


    If there had been work to do it would have been fine, but there was nothing, and he just stayed in the apartment, waiting for Su Wanyu''s calls.


    Lu Ya was considerate, remembering to invite him out for a meal every now and then, but he always refused.


    After all, there were four women in the apartment: one was Lu Liang''s sister, one was Lu Liang''s girlfriend, one was Lu Liang''s daughter, and the last was a close friend.


    It was really inconvenient for him as the only male.


    Smiling, Lu Liang asked, "How have you been lately?"


    "Everything''s been smooth, no incidents."


    "That''s good."


    Leaving the airport, they arrived at a city apartment.


    Just in time to run into three women pushing a stroller, ready to go out for a walk.


    Lu Liang and Su Wanyu eyed each other across the distance,


    The former revealed a smile, while the latter showed delight.


    "When did you arrive?"


    Lu Ya picked up the child with practiced ease. She pointed at Lu Liang, speaking in a soft whisper, "This is Daddy."


    The little one, weighing about ten-plus pounds, clenched his tiny fists with his bright, round eyes curiously observing Lu Liang.


    "Hello there~"


    Lu Liang, on instinct, used a falsetto voice and reached out his index finger to gently caress the baby''s cheek.


    But the little guy was having none of it, as if he could smell a stranger, he burst into tears with a loud wail.


    "There, there, don''t cry, don''t cry."


    Lu Ya and Su Wanyu cooed to calm him, while Zheng Xiaoxuan let out a snort of laughter, seemingly mocking how Lu Liang had failed spectacularly as a dad.


    Lu Liang glared at her, unsure of what to do, standing helplessly in place, waiting for his mother and aunt to soothe the baby.


    Fortunately, a baby''s mood is like the weather in June ¡ª one second it might be storming, and the next, sunny and bright.


    Tears still streaked his face, yet he suddenly began to laugh, reaching out his arms, babbling away in baby talk.


    "Siqing, how about auntie takes you out for some sun?"


    Lu Ya placed the baby in the stroller and, without accepting any objections, pulled Zheng Xiaoxuan along, "You''re coming too."


    Zheng Xiaoxuan looked displeased and muttered reluctantly, "Fine, fine, I''ll go. It''s not like I said I wouldn''t."


    Her mother had passed away when she was young, and after her dad remarried, her stepmom, though nice to her, was cautious about criticism from others and had never dared to control her.


    That was until Zheng Xiaoxuan met Lu Ya. Lu Ya didn''t care about those things; even Lu Liang often got lectured by her, like a grandchild. So, of course, she, who also knew her secret, was easily manipulated by Lu Ya.


    "Sister, remember to help Siqing take off her jacket if it gets hot later."


    Su Wanyu hurriedly reminded, to which Lu Ya replied, "Don''t worry, we''ll take good care of her and won''t be back until after dark."


    She stealthily gave Lu Liang a look, hinting that next Tuesday was Mid-Autumn Festival, a time for family reunion. He needed to find a way to bring Su Wanyu back with them.


    Lu Liang understood and took Su Wanyu''s hand, wandering aimlessly through the streets.


    "How have you been lately?" He pinched her hand, finding it as delicate and soft as ever.


    "Pretty good, but help me check, have I recovered to my previous state?"


    Su Wanyu stood in front of Lu Liang, turning in a circle to show off her graceful figure.


    Over the past month and a half, she had been undergoing postpartum recovery training every day. However, unable to judge for herself and seeing Lu Ya and Zheng Xiaoxuan daily, she eagerly awaited Lu Liang''s opinion.


    Lu Liang looked her over carefully, genuinely admiring, "You look even more beautiful than before."


    "Really?"


    "Really."


    Su Wanyu used to be quite slender, with a 171 cm height, her weight hovering around a hundred pounds year-round. Now her face was fuller, her curves more pronounced, and she had a very special quality about her.


    "What kind of quality?" Su Wanyu asked, puzzled.


    Lu Liang thought hard but couldn''t quite put his finger on it. "Maybe it''s the radiance of motherhood."


    "Do I?" Su Wanyu looked dazed.


    Unable to help himself, Lu Liang pinched her cheek and chuckled, "There''s also an indescribable silliness."


    When Su Wanyu wasn''t smiling before, she had an aloof presence, especially with glasses on, resembling an unapproachable top student.


    Once the glasses came off and she smiled, she was endearing, but now, even without a smile, there seemed to be a hint of goofiness.


    "You''re the silly one."


    Su Wanyu huffed and swatted away Lu Liang''s hand.


    Lu Liang, instead, wrapped an arm around her waist and whispered tenderly, "Next Tuesday is Mid-Autumn Festival. Let''s go back together, and you can come back after the National Day holiday to continue studying."


    "Mm," Su Wanyu hummed, suddenly frowning slightly. Lu Liang asked with concern, "What''s wrong?"


    "It''s nothing." Su Wanyu shook her head, feeling a bit flushed.


    "Then, shall we go back?"


    Lu Liang, experienced in these matters, surmised it was probably something physiological.


    Su Wanyu nodded hastily, and upon reaching home, she hurried to the bedroom and even locked the door behind her, taking a long while before emerging.


    Lu Liang smelled a faint scent of milk ¡ª perhaps he had guessed wrong. Unsure of what to say, he hesitated, "Is it very uncomfortable?"


    "Actually, not really~" Su Wanyu looked down at her toes. Even as a mother, she was easily embarrassed.


    A blush crept from her ears to her cheeks, radiantly beautiful, with an indescribable charm.


    For a moment, Lu Liang was entranced, coughing awkwardly, "After returning to the country, will you first go back to Lu Island or home?"


    "I want to go to Lu Island first."


    "Then I''ll accompany you."


    Su Wanyu nodded,


    Propping herself up on the sofa, she swung her legs back and forth, bored.


    Suddenly, they found themselves unsure of what to talk about, the air between them heating up with an awkward tension, reminiscent of when they had first gotten together.


    She stammered, "Are you hungry? I can make you some afternoon tea."


    Su Wanyu got up, but Lu Liang caught her, pulling her back into his embrace. Her face flushed with nervousness and anticipation.


    "Did you miss me?" Lu Liang murmured softly.


    "I missed you!"


    Summoning her courage, Su Wanyu wrapped her arms around Lu Liang''s neck, her bright red lips silencing his.


    The last time had been so long ago, likely around the time she conceived their baby.


    She missed Lu Liang, and she wanted him to know that she really was recovering well ¡ª after all, she had a whole medical team that had been assisting with postpartum restoration and care.

 Chapter 418 - 415: Lucky Charm

    At dinner time, Lu Ya and Zheng Xiaoxuan came back.


    In the living room, Lu Ya was teaching Lu Liang hands-on how to hold the baby, while she instructed, "The child is young, and although her memory is limited, she''s very perceptive. Even if you''re busy, it''s best to spend some time with her, or else she might forget you. As she grows up, she might not be very close to you."


    "Am I holding her like this correctly?"


    Lu Liang gave a grunt, his arms and legs extremely stiff. The little one had just fallen asleep, so he didn''t dare to make a move.


    Lu Ya couldn''t help but laugh, "Relax a bit, just make sure you''re supporting her bottom, waist, and neck."


    Zheng Xiaoxuan came into the kitchen to help and suddenly stared straight at Su Wanyu, feeling very strange, "Where did you go this afternoon?"


    "We didn''t go anywhere, just took a walk nearby and then came back to cook." Su Wanyu was puzzled as to why she would ask this.


    Zheng Xiaoxuan touched Su Wanyu''s cheek and squinted her eyes, becoming more confused, "How come your skin looks so good all of a sudden?"


    Su Wanyu''s smile stopped abruptly, replaced by an indescribable blush. She quickly changed the subject, "Hurry and get the bowls and chopsticks, it''s time to eat."


    "Did he bring you some high-tech skincare product? With a bit of effort, I should be able to save up and afford it."


    Zheng Xiaoxuan grew increasingly curious. When Lu Ya heard it was time to eat, she quickly came in to help and caught wind of the topic of conversation.


    She suddenly laughed, teasing with a twinkle in her eye, "A timely rain after a long drought, get it, Miss Zheng?"


    Lu was quite a fierce character, not to mention a mother of two. Once she opened her mouth, it was like a winning hand in cards. The two of them immediately fell silent, busying themselves with the kitchen and dinnerware.


    "Hey, stop holding her. Aren''t you going to eat?"


    Seeing Lu Liang completely immersed in dad duties, unable to pull himself away, Lu Ya gently reminded him.


    "You all eat, I had my meal in the afternoon."


    Lu Liang was absent-minded, focusing on playing with the little one, "Doo doo doo~~taking off now~"


    Zheng Xiaoxuan subconsciously glanced toward Su Wanyu''s chest.


    Su Wanyu, blushing deeply, couldn''t help but get angry, "He already ate on the plane."


    "I didn''t say anything."


    Zheng Xiaoxuan muttered softly, quickly flattering, "The food on the plane couldn''t possibly compare to what you cook with your own hands."


    "It''s indeed not as good as what she makes." Now able to hold the baby with one hand, Lu Liang picked up his chopsticks and tried a bite.


    "That''s for sure." Zheng Xiaoxuan said proudly, complimenting Su Wanyu and basking in the glory as though it was her own pride.


    "Xiaoxuan, do you want to come back with us for Mid-Autumn Festival?" Su Wanyu had to shift the topic again.


    "Go to East Country?" Zheng Xiaoxuan''s face showed her struggle. She was of Chinese heritage but had never been there, always wanting to go.


    "Didn''t you want to go back to your roots, to see the traditional dances and songs? I''ll take you there." Su Wanyu invited her eagerly.


    "Why join the family reunion? I wouldn''t want to intrude." Zheng Xiaoxuan decisively refused, then suddenly asked, "Will you come back here again?"


    Su Wanyu nodded, "Probably after the National Day."


    She took Zheng Xiaoxuan''s arm, "Come on, just join me, I''ll show you a good time."


    After returning home, Lu Liang would probably be free for the first few days, and Lu Ya had her own family. Su Wanyu would be alone again.


    "Alright, I still have some holidays left this semester anyway." Zheng Xiaoxuan sighed, truly unable to turn Su Wanyu down.


    The favored ones have nothing to fear; perhaps Su Wanyu herself didn''t realize that she was the favored one.


    Lu Liang looked puzzled and couldn''t help but glance at Lu Ya.


    Lu Ya sighed, as if to say, you really can''t straighten a dog''s tail.


    After spending two days in Edinburgh, the day before Mid-Autumn Festival, the group set off for home.


    Several people followed Lu Liang through the VIP passage to the airport tarmac.


    Looking at the private jet nearly the size of two basketball courts, Zheng Xiaoxuan couldn''t help but ask, "Is this yours?"


    Lu Liang smiled and neither confirmed nor denied, bending over to tease the little one, "Siqing, we''re taking the plane, going home now."


    The little one smiled, revealing her tender gums, babbling and waving her arms, seeming to be very excited.


    She was less than two months old and, despite still not seeing clearly, she had come to recognize Lu Liang''s scent over a few days and no longer cried when held by him.


    Lu Liang, carrying the child, stepped onto the boarding stairs. Lin Yan saw this scene and her smile suddenly stiffened, "Welcome back, Mr. Lu."


    Not just her, the rest of the crew also felt a storm surge within. Boss Lu had a child? And she''s such a big baby?


    Lu Liang bowed slightly, standing at the cabin entrance, waiting for the women to board. He introduced, "This is Lin Yan, the head stewardess. If you need anything on the plane, you can ask her."


    "Hello."


    Lu Ya nodded, her shock no less than Zheng Xiaoxuan''s. In the blink of an eye, her younger brother had his private plane.


    Lu Liang said with a smile, "Just find a seat to sit, once we take off and reach cruising altitude, you can move around freely."


    "Change into slippers and clothes if needed, there''s a changing room nearby. Make yourself at home, no need to be so formal."


    Su Wanyu sat next to Lu Liang, silent. Lu Liang nudged her shoulder, "Nervous?"


    Su Wanyu nodded, showing a pitiful expression, "What if we don''t go back to Lu Island first?"


    In 12 hours, they would arrive at Lu Island.


    She felt a bit nervous, unsure how to face her parents.


    Having studied abroad for less than a year, she was now returning with a month-old daughter. The very thought made her scalp tingle.


    "Don''t worry, I''ve got everything prepared."


    Lu Liang grinned as he held Su Wanyu''s hand.


    He definitely wouldn''t go to his father-in-law''s place all by himself; he had long since asked someone to make comprehensive preparations in the country.


    Su Wanyu wasn''t an only child; she also had a younger brother named Su Yuchen, who, according to the investigation, resulted in a fine of 23,000 for being an extra birth.


    He graduated this year and was preparing for the civil service exam. If it didn''t bother him, he could apply for a position in Su City or Modu, or it would be fine for him to stay local too, which would just entail making an additional phone call.


    Being a younger brother himself, he knew full well the status of a brother in a family, especially in those days.


    As long as the male descendants had a good future arranged for them, for the girls, well, it probably all came down to ''let nature take its course'' in the end.


    As the plane entered the stratosphere, they were free to move about.


    Zheng Xiaoxuan sneaked around and couldn''t help but exclaim, "Luxurious~"


    Lu Ya nodded in strong agreement. This was essentially a mobile airhouse, complete with a lounge, kitchen, and entertainment room.


    "Play a few rounds?" Lu Liang laughed.


    "Let''s play," Lu Ya nodded.


    During holidays, their family would also often play mahjong. After all, there wasn''t much to watch on TV, talking had generational gaps, and conversation could easily become awkward.


    Mahjong was better; it not only passed the time but also facilitated intermittent chit-chat.


    Su Wanyu didn''t join in and focused on taking care of the child in the lounge. She suddenly saw a familiar lighter on the bedside.


    It was shiny from being handled frequently, its appearance indicating frequent use, but it no longer contained any kerosene and was now just a display piece.


    A tender smile appeared on Su Wanyu''s face as she said softly, "Baby, this is what Mommy gave to Daddy. He quit smoking, but he still keeps it."


    The door suddenly opened, and Lu Liang came in. When he saw the lighter in Su Wanyu''s hand, he laughed, "I was wondering why I kept losing at cards. It turns out I didn''t have my lucky charm with me."


    "Why keep it since you''ve quit smoking?" Su Wanyu was curious.


    Lu Liang lay straight on the bed and gently poked the little one''s cheek, "Maybe it''s just habit."


    He took the lighter from Su Wanyu''s hand, flipped it open, and the click-click echoed, "When I''m thinking, I tend to fiddle with the switch. It feels like you''re with me."


    The delight was clear in Su Wanyu''s eyes as they crinkled with her smile, "Where are sister and Xiaoxuan?"


    "We played for a few hours, got tired, had something to eat, and went back to our seats to sleep."


    Lu Liang picked up the child and patted Su Wanyu on the head, "You should sleep too. It''s technically early morning now, and when we land, it will be morning."


    Su Wanyu suddenly hugged Lu Liang''s waist, whining softly, "But I want to sleep with you."


    "Will that be a problem after pregnancy?" Lu Liang teased with a naughty smile, faintly remembering that she wasn''t this forward before.


    "Possibly."


    Su Wanyu''s cheeks reddened, her demeanor was efflorescent and alluring.


    It was said that after having a child, a woman''s skin would lose its luster. Perhaps her good care was to thank, for at that moment, her skin appeared almost radiantly tender.


    "You take a bath and wait for me. I''ll set up the little one first."


    Lu Liang, with his heart and mind in disarray, quickly took the little one to find Lin Yan, "Do you have experience taking care of children?"


    Lin Yan nodded, "Mr. Lu, we have training for special passengers, and my sister also has a child."


    "Great, I''ll leave her with you then. Her name is Siqing. If she wakes up crying, just give her to my sister."


    Lu Liang left after saying this, hoping to give the little one a younger brother or sister next year.


    If there were several children, he would prefer them to be close in age, even if the younger one might get picked on by the older ones, but when they grew up, their relationship would be strong.


    Just like him and Lu Ya, only two years apart,


    Lu Ya would scold and hit him, but when it mattered, she would always consider him first.


    With Lu Liang''s entry into the resting area, the cabin quieted down, and several flight attendants snuck over to Lin Yan''s side. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Yan, is this Mr. Lu''s child?"


    A gaggle of girls'' gossiping spirits were itching to burst.


    They hadn''t heard the news of Lu Liang getting married and yet the child was already so big. And the girlfriend rumored on the internet wasn''t Su Wanyu either.


    "Don''t ask what you shouldn''t ask, don''t gossip about what you shouldn''t discuss."


    Lin Yan whispered a reprimand, and she sent them all back to their positions; after returning home, they must be cautious with their words.


    She had just received word from Ye Zhipei that the bonuses for all staff on this flight, as well as their salaries, were to be doubled.


    For an ordinary flight attendant, this trip from domestic to back home would yield a bonus of around a hundred thousand.


    Her position and that of the captain''s being the highest would likely earn them each about one hundred eighty thousand, probably a hush money, without accidents.


    The attendants'' eyes widened, and they all shut their mouths, returning to their posts obediently.


    Whoever you disagree with, don''t disagree with money,


    Even without the doubling, there would still be a fifty-thousand bonus.


    It was three times the salary they''d earn on a regular commercial flight.


    "The ears and mouth are like Mr. Lu, the eyes like Mama."


    Lin Yan sat at the cockpit door, holding and gently rocking the child with tender affection on her face.


    The sleeping face of a child was the most healing presence, preventing her from harboring any impractical fantasies.

 Chapter 419 - 416: Arranging Work

    At seven in the morning, the plane landed at the island''s airport.


    "After more than two months, I''m finally back in the country."


    Lu Ya let out a long breath, set foot on the motherland''s soil, and felt inexplicably at peace as she smiled, "It''s not far anyway, I''ll just take the high-speed train back."


    "Sister, why not let Yifan take you?" Lu Liang called over Zhuo Yifan; their hometown didn''t have an airport, and it was faster to take the high-speed train.


    "I''m not a child. I needed guidance when I didn''t speak the language abroad, but do I still need someone to accompany me now that I''m back home?"


    Lu Ya glanced sideways. There was a direct high-speed train to Lu Island, and her husband would pick her up at the station. Lu Liang should look after himself.


    Going home, she would probably be grilled by her parents, and she would tell them honestly about her whereabouts during the past two months.


    If she couldn''t bring Su Wanyu back home by tomorrow, no matter how much she defended Lu Liang, it would be of no use.


    Lu Liang nodded with a smile, and Su Wanyu suggested, "Sister, the high-speed train station on Lu Island is outside the island. Let''s take you there first."


    She then turned to Zheng Xiaoxuan, with a beaming smile, "Is China much more developed than you imagined?"


    Zheng Xiaoxuan nodded subconsciously, unable to resist asking, "Is the development here always this good?"


    Cars and buses flowed like a stream, buildings towered into the sky, and the streets were clean¡ªquite different from what she had seen in videos.


    "Well, the environment should be similar, but as a second-tier city, Lu Island''s infrastructure is more complete."


    Su Wanyu pointed across the water to where her home was, less than two hundred kilometers from Raoping.


    They could take Zheng Xiaoxuan to visit her ancestral home for a good tour after finishing their busy schedule in the coming days.


    On the way to the high-speed train station, Su Wanyu helped her download several main apps, and she transferred some money to her.


    She said, "As long as you can speak Chinese and have Alipay, WeChat, and Meituan, you can travel anywhere in the country with just a smartphone."


    "Is it that amazing?"


    Zheng Xiaoxuan was so surprised she was at a loss for words, suddenly feeling like a cave dweller who had stepped into the future.


    No need for cards, no need for cash, as clothes, food, housing, and transportation can all be booked online¡ªit really did feel like arriving in a future world.


    "Brexit will bankrupt the United Kingdom eventually. If you want a better future, you could consider coming here," Lu Liang said with a smile.


    The vestiges of The Sun Never Sets Empire would run out one day, and when the London Bridge falls, it would be just about time.


    The rebellious hearts of Scotland, Wales, and Ireland were a secret everybody knew, now it was just the queen holding things together.


    Born in ''26, the queen was now 91, and even if she lived to a hundred, there were only nine years left.


    "I''ll take a look," Zheng Xiaoxuan sneaked a glance at Su Wanyu and her child.


    Lu Liang was very busy and flitted from one romantic interest to another, but she wasn''t without opportunity¡ªto move in while he was vulnerable.


    Seeing this, Lu Ya shook her head and sighed. She thought she could manage, but it was really too much¡ªa matter for Lu Liang to resolve himself.


    Before, she had discussed this with Zheng Xiaoxuan and had been dumbstruck by her response.


    "I''m not into women, it''s just that the person I like happens to be a woman."


    Sometimes, Lu Ya even felt she was too open-minded, actually accepting that reasoning.


    Crossing Jimei Bridge, they quickly reached the Lu Island North Station. Lu Ya, carrying her luggage, left without looking back, quite nonchalantly: "I''m off."


    "Lu, you''re so cool," Zheng Xiaoxuan''s eyes sparkled with admiration.


    Lu Liang had a hint of suspicion in his eyes¡ªdon''t tell him his sister was the object of affection now?


    Zheng Xiaoxuan, as if she saw through his dirty thoughts, snorted coldly, "Mr. Lu, what are your plans for me?"


    "First, to the hotel. I''ve already arranged a room for you. Once we finish our business, we''ll come find you."


    Lu Liang had to visit his father-in-law¡ªa scene where outsiders couldn''t be present¡ªso he left Fang Shiyu to keep Zheng Xiaoxuan company.


    "I couldn''t care less about your family drama," said Zheng Xiaoxuan with a nod, gesturing for Fang Shiyu to help with her luggage.


    "Xiaoxuan, see you later. Later on, I''ll introduce my parents and my brother to you."


    Su Wanyu waved goodbye, whispering, "I just told Yuchen to find a reason to keep mom and dad at home."


    "That''s good, then later we can all have a meal together."


    Lu Liang drove first to the front of a shopping mall, where Xu Jiawei had already prepared the threesome of offerings: cigarettes, tea, and liquor.


    Two packets of Zhonghua cigarettes, two bottles of Moutai, and two pounds of pricey tea¡ªlight gifts but full of sentiment, the thought was what counted.


    Better gifts were affordable too, but unnecessary. He, Lu Liang, still had some clout after all.


    They soon arrived at the apartment complex where Su Wanyu lived. Her family owned three properties¡ªone for the parents, one for her brother, and one for herself.


    However, both her brother''s and her own apartments were usually rented out, given that they were both studying elsewhere and hadn''t settled down.


    "Are you nervous?" Su Wanyu, with her right arm holding the little one and her left hand holding Lu Liang''s, felt his palm was a bit sweaty.


    "How could I be? You''re the one who''s nervous."


    Lu Liang gave her a look, almost laughed, he had even been to the White House and met Old Te, how could he be nervous.


    "Oh," Su Wanyu murmured with a mischievous smile. Seeing Lu Liang nervous made her suddenly not nervous at all.


    As the doorbell rang, rushed footsteps could be heard from the other side, "Sis, what''s going on?"


    As the door opened, the voice abruptly stopped.


    A young man in his twenties, eyes wide as if he had seen a ghost, exclaimed, "Liangzi?"


    Su Wanyu gave him a look, shedding her usual gentle demeanor, and scolded, "That''s no way to speak."


    "What should I call him?"


    The young man saw the baby in his sister''s arms and his head suddenly buzzed, tentatively saying, "Shouldn''t I be calling him brother-in-law now?"


    "Either is fine," Lu Liang nodded with a smile.


    "Move it, stop blocking the way."


    Su Wanyu pushed her brother aside and led Lu Liang into the house, just in time to see their parents sitting in the living room.


    A man, a woman, a baby, the expressions on the faces of the two parents were just like the young man''s¡ªbuzzing in their heads.


    They knew their daughter had dated Lu Liang, but hadn''t they broken up? How could it be that, in the blink of an eye, there was already a child?


    "Uh... Mr. Lu, please, take a seat."


    Su Jianfeng was the first to react, although it took him a moment to use a respectful title.


    Strictly speaking, Lu Liang was a shareholder of the upstream enterprise of their family''s garment factory.


    Downstream from Ningde Era there was a company called Lu Island Tungsten Industry, and their garment factory mainly produced work clothes and protective gear for this company.


    "Who is this child?"


    Su Jianfeng looked at the soundly sleeping baby, who had somewhat long hair and a delicate appearance; it must be a girl.


    "Mom and dad, this is Siqing, my and Yu''s baby," Lu Liang said with a smile tugging at his lips, his confidence returning upon seeing his father-in-law''s demeanor.


    He briefly mentioned that they had some conflicts last year, which was why Su Wanyu went abroad to study, and later they reconciled and accidentally got pregnant.


    Lu Liang intentionally omitted a lot of details, as well as the order of breaking up, reconciling, and getting pregnant.


    Unable to hold back, Su Wanyu''s mother asked, "Yu, how old is the child now?"


    "45 days, just under a month and a half."


    Learning the birthdate, the couple looked at one another, roughly calculating the time of conception.


    "Now that you''re reconciled, that''s good, that''s good," Su Jianfeng said with a smile, the first to respond again.


    Lu Liang might be hiding something, but it didn''t matter; now that he was willing to bring his daughter back and meet with them, it showed his acknowledgment.


    Su Jianfeng trembled with excitement and suddenly felt his scalp tingle. From now on, their family would have an exceptionally influential son-in-law.


    "When are you planning to get married?" Su Wanyu''s mother asked, her heart aching as she looked at her daughter.


    At that, everyone, including Su Wanyu, couldn''t help but steal glances at Lu Liang, hoping for an answer from him.


    "With the company being particularly busy these past few years and the business not being especially stable, I was thinking about waiting until things settle down before we catch up on the wedding."


    Lu Liang was sincere, having prepared his response in advance. Being busy with work was a universal excuse, and indeed, he really was busy.


    The lady''s brow furrowed, about to press further, but Su Wanyu interrupted, "Mom, Lu Liang really has been busy these past few years, plus my studies are not finished yet."


    "Right, how''s Yuchen''s exam prep going lately?"


    She quickly changed the subject, willing to wait for Lu Liang as long as necessary, if he didn''t want to get married.


    Su Yuchen was startled, enjoying the drama unfolding, wondering how the topic suddenly shifted to him. He stiffly said, "It''s alright, I guess."


    "You think ''it''s alright''? I''ve been considering sending him to teach in rural areas for a few years; the success rate might be higher that way," Su Jianfeng said with disappointment.


    "Yuchen is applying for a government job, right? Does it have to be Lu Island? Have you considered going somewhere else?" Lu Liang asked with a smile. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Before Su Family''s parents could respond, Su Yuchen blurted out, "If it''s not on Lu Island, anywhere is fine."


    He had been eager to venture out, having never left Hu Jian Province.


    Su Family''s mother was about to speak up, but Su Jianfeng patted her hand, signaling her to remain silent.


    Before, they had no money or connections, naturally preferring their son to stay close by. But now, if Lu Liang was willing to help, it was very possible to get his son a position in Modu.


    And with his support, the future seemed bright.


    "Actually, now that transportation is so developed, there is no need to stick to Lu Island. Young people should venture out more," Su Jianfeng said with a coaxing smile.


    "How about Xiang City then? That place should develop well in the coming years, and it''d be better since I''ll be there too, to look after things."


    Even as his father-in-law, Lu Liang couldn''t help but show a hint of appreciation on his face. He could arrange a position in Lu Island, but being so far, he couldn''t easily look after things.


    But in Xiang City, as long as Lu Liang was around, and as long as Su Yuchen didn''t break any laws, he''d at least be a department-level official in the future.


    "Sure, the Jiangnan Water Town, I''ve heard it has fewer typhoons, and the climate is very nurturing."


    Su Jianfeng was overjoyed, his eyes crinkling with happiness.


    "Let me ask and see if there are any departmental quotas coming up there."


    Lu Liang picked up his phone and called Zeng Shaofang at Xiang City Xiangcheng Tax Bureau to say he had a brother applying for a government position.


    "Yeah, I''ll check."


    As Lu Liang held the phone, he asked, "By the way, Yuchen, which university and what major?"


    After learning about the college and major, he said with a smile, "Fuda 211 Engineering College, majoring in Business Administration."


    "Su Yuchen, from Lu Island. Alright, excellent. Should he apply in November, right?"


    "Thank you, Director Zeng. I''ll treat you to tea in a few days, well, that''ll be all for now."


    Ending the call, Lu Liang said with a smile, "That''s lucky. In November, the Xiang City Xiangcheng Tax Bureau still has a slot open. Just get him to apply, and as long as he passes the written test, he should be through."


    "Mr. Lu, that surely seems too kind."


    Su Jianfeng''s smile was harder to suppress than an AK.


    He had only hoped for his son to get a secure government job in a local office. He wanted that iron rice bowl for him, a steady job regardless of the economic climate.


    He never imagined, Lu Liang would directly secure a position in the tax department for his son, especially in a top-six national city like Xiang City.

 Chapter 420 - 417: Full Moon, People Reunite

    Resolving the future of the sons,


    as for the girls, naturally, they''ll just go with the flow.


    After a meal at noon, Lu Liang had successfully blended into the family and become one of its members.


    However, Su Wanyu seemed clearly unhappy, and taking advantage of the elders'' inattention, Lu Liang asked, "What''s wrong?"


    Her expression complex, she hesitated for a long time before asking, "Don''t you think my dad is too opportunistic?"


    "It''s all family here, there''s no such thing as being opportunistic or not."


    Lu Liang chuckled lightly, "Didn''t we talk about this before coming? Luckily there''s the matter with your brother; I''m also lucky to be able to help a bit."


    What he was most concerned about was Su Wanyu''s parents having no desires and just wanting him to give them a status; then things would become very difficult.


    Now, this situation was the best, paying a small price¡ªor perhaps not even a price¡ªand gaining a harmonious family atmosphere.


    So, in his view, being opportunistic might not be a bad thing.


    "Lu Liang, are you leaving this afternoon?"


    At that moment, Su Jianfeng came out of the bedroom, took out a can of tea leaves that had been treasured for many years, and planned to let Lu Liang take it back for that yet-to-meet father-in-law.


    "For Mid-Autumn Festival, I''ll first take Yu and Siqing back home, then after the holiday, it looks like it''ll be busy again."


    Lu Liang gently patted Su Wanyu''s hand, signaling her to relax; the elders'' attitude didn''t represent her attitude.


    Su Wanyu held Lu Liang''s large hand, silent. While her mother was joyful holding her grandchild, her eyes were filled with reluctance: "Such a small child, always on the road with you, when will you be able to settle down."


    "It will be at the end of the year, I''ll have completed my credits and can graduate, and then we''ll settle down," Su Wanyu said.


    She looked towards Su Yuchen, adopting the tone of an older sister, "The tax service written test is very hard, study well, got it?"


    Su Yuchen guiltily asked, "What if I don''t pass?"


    Su Jianfeng, with a dark face, wished he could slap him.


    That was the tax bureau of Su City, a department so many people don''t get into even as the top scorer on the written exam; if he just passed, he would get in comfortably, yet here he was, speaking with such a lack of ambition.


    Lu Liang laughed, "It''s fine even if you don''t pass; just find a public service job for a year or two, and then we can transfer you there later."


    He had invested so much money just for a small position; if they couldn''t handle even this, the Su City Investment Office would probably feel guilty.


    Even if it meant pulling strings, they would get his brother-in-law in.


    At the moment of departure, Su Wanyu''s mother couldn''t help but cry, Su Wanyu gently consoled her, "After the Mid-Autumn Festival, I''ll be back after a few days, cheer up, it''s not like we won''t see each other."


    "Tsk tsk, don''t talk like that."


    "Lu Liang, be careful on your way."


    Leaving the Su Family''s house, Lu Liang drove his daughter and mother to the hotel where Zheng Xiaoxuan was staying.


    "We plan to visit home, are you coming with us, or will you stay here?" Lu Liang asked.


    "There doesn''t seem to be much to do in your hometown, I''ll just stay on Lu Island until Yu comes back."


    Zheng Xiaoxuan had inquired from Fang Shiyu; Lu Liang''s hometown was just a small city with no subway.


    It was an excellent time to study the travel guide, considering she had to stay at East Country till after National Day, she needed something to do.


    "By the way, can I borrow your brother for a bit?" Zheng Xiaoxuan suddenly said.


    Lu Liang instinctively looked down, and Zheng Xiaoxuan glared, "I mean Fang Shiyu!"


    "Oh~"


    Lu Liang had a strange smile on his face, Zheng Xiaoxuan, trying to hold back her anger, finally said, "Never mind, forget it."


    Su Wanyu couldn''t help but smile and told Lu Liang to stop teasing her.


    Lu Liang laughed, "Yu, you stay here then, and I''ll check on the new house at my uncle''s later."


    Fang Shiyu nodded, clearly favored by Zheng Xiaoxuan because of his honest and hardworking nature.


    After all, although she could speak Mandarin and even Chaoshan dialect, this was still a foreign land to her.


    She needed a guide.


    After bidding farewell to them, the family of three arrived at Lu Liang''s hometown that evening.


    Before reaching home, Lu Liang phoned Lu Ya, "We''re almost there, how''s everything at home?"


    Lu Ya had probably arrived at noon, and in the past ten hours, not a single phone call from the parents, certainly thanks to her doing.


    "Finally, you arrived, I''m at home."


    Lu Ya breathed a sigh of relief; if Lu Liang didn''t call soon, she might not have held on.


    Just arrived at noon and already faced a three-chamber tribunal; luckily, she mentioned Lu Liang visiting his father-in-law''s house, asking them not to call and just wait for good news.


    Waited for ten hours.


    Holding her little one, Su Wanyu was a bit nervous, "Will your parents think I''m a calculating woman?"


    Because just at home, her mother had asked her if she knew she was pregnant and thus chose to study abroad, waiting for Lu Liang to come find her; even her own mother thought so, let alone Lu Liang''s parents.


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but smile, "They won''t."


    He thought for a moment but still did not disclose the truth.


    He could guarantee that Su Wanyu had no ulterior motives because he was the one who had switched her medication to Vitamin C.


    Lu Liang usually paid much attention to self-care, managing to only go twice at most, but that day required extra exertion; luckily, his efforts were rewarded.


    Near ten o''clock at night, Lu Liang, driving a Cayenne rented from Lu Island, made his way back to the village after a long journey.


    The next day would be the Mid-Autumn Festival, and there were more vehicles parked in the village than usual, from all over the country, most commonly with Guangdong license plates.


    There were even a few green license plates, two of which were Teslas, and the other two were BYD Song and Qin.


    Among the dozens of vehicles, there were only four, but the appearance of green license plates in a rural area was definitely a good sign¡ªit represented the spread of new energy vehicles to the countryside, gradually loosening the old generation''s fixed impressions.


    As long as there were a few, there would be more and more in the future, and this market would also grow larger and larger.


    He drove for a few minutes, crossing half the village.


    Lu Liang was very low-key; he only drove a Min Plate Cayenne, and it didn''t cause a stir in the village.


    "Yu, that three-and-a-half-story building surrounded by fences is my home," he said, smiling as he pointed ahead.


    During holidays, red lanterns were lit at every household''s doorstep in the village, and their home was no different.


    Two large red lanterns, wide-open doors, where an Audi and a Volvo were parked.


    The A4 was specifically brought over by Wen Chao for Lu Ya, while the latter''s CX60 was a gift from Lu Liang to his father.


    At that time, Lu Liang already had hundreds of millions in liquid assets and could have bought better vehicles for his family, but it wasn''t necessary.


    After all, unlike in cities, it was common to run into acquaintances just a few steps away in the countryside, and there were not a few who feared the envy that driving a Land Rover might bring.


    A few hundred thousand yuan was sufficient for a family car; there was no need to drive something too fancy, swaggering through town and inviting jealousy.


    Lu Liang parked the car in front of the house, took the little one from Su Wanyu''s arms, and walked straight into the house.


    Su Wanyu, carrying some small gifts, followed by Lu Liang''s side, their roles suddenly reversed.


    In the morning, it was the son-in-law visiting, and in the evening, it was the daughter-in-law entering the home.


    "Yu, Mom missed you so much. Is this Siqing? Let Grandma hold her."


    His mother, who had previously been stern-faced, instantly brightened up and smiled joyfully upon seeing Su Wanyu.


    They had met in Modu and were very pleased with Su Wanyu; furthermore, as representatives of the groom''s side, they were the beneficiaries of the premarital childbirth.


    "Mom, Dad, these are gifts my parents asked me to bring for you," Su Wanyu said with a shy smile, her nervousness instantly vanishing. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Her biggest fear had been that Lu Liang''s parents wouldn''t accept her, possibly suspecting her of having ulterior motives, but now all her worries had evaporated.


    "Yu, you''ve suffered in this period," Lu Tiechui said, his face full of smiles, the elderly couple bustling around mother and daughter.


    Lu Liang was utterly ignored, but he didn''t mind and went over to his sister and brother-in-law: "Brother-in-law, I''m really sorry for having my sister help out for so long."


    His brother-in-law chuckled: "Ya mentioned it to me a long time ago, and I agreed then."


    "Mom, Dad, Hai and I are going to head back now."


    Lu Ya, looking indignant, said, "I haven''t been home for two months, those two little rascals are almost out of control."


    "Aren''t you going to eat something?" Lu Liang asked, patting his stomach as he headed into the kitchen and lifted the lid to see the steaming noodles.


    "I ate early," Lu Ya shook her head, now that her brother''s family was complete and harmonious, she could retire from her duties.


    Suddenly she asked, "Where''s Miss Zheng?"


    "She didn''t come, she''s traveling in Lu Island."


    Lu Ya understood and said no more: "We''re leaving."


    While their mother took Su Wanyu upstairs to see the rooms, their father quietly gave Lu Liang a look, signaling him to step outside for a chat.


    Father and son walked out of the house one after the other, and Lu pulled a soft pack of White Sand cigarettes from his pocket and offered one to Lu Liang.


    Lu Liang shook his head: "I got pneumonia last year, it was severe, and I quit since then. You should also cut down."


    "That''s good then."


    Lu lit up a cigarette himself, exhaled a plume of smoke, and after a while asked, "How do you plan to arrange things for them, mother and daughter?"


    "Let''s just keep it this way for now, we''ll see later."


    Lu Liang knew his father was asking about marriage; he hadn''t considered it yet, at least not for the next few years.


    Maybe in a few years when things were more settled, he might think about it.


    Maybe like Dongzi, doing an early property notarization, borrowing against future years of salary.


    But that was too troublesome, and it''s not like he had to get married.


    Lu hesitated to speak further, then sighed, "We don''t understand and can''t help you, but Yu is a good girl, just don''t let her down."


    "I''m aware of that."


    The next day was Mid-Autumn Festival, a time when the moon was full and people were reunited.


    It was also after a long time that Lu Liang was celebrating Mid-Autumn at home.


    His sister and brother-in-law came over with their two kids, a family of nine gathered and took a big family photo.


    After staying at home for two days, Lu Liang prepared to leave, but before that, he had to take Su Wanyu back to Lu Island.


    Then he would return to Modu from Lu Island.

 Chapter 421 - 418: Planning Together

    "If nothing comes up in a few days, you could take Zheng around Modu."


    Right after he dropped Su Wanyu off at her mother''s place, Lu Liang was ready to head back to Modu.


    Tonight, Panda will be going public with much fanfare¡ª a grand play was about to unfold.


    For the first time, Lu Liang didn''t act on the future sounds he had heard.


    The subsequent market trends were uncertain, relying solely on past experiences to make judgments.


    Missing out or getting trapped, it was still an unknown, reminiscent of that spring two years ago.


    Tonight, he needed to be present.


    He just felt a bit sorry for Su Wanyu, having said they were going to meet the parents, and that was all they did, hardly spending any time with her.


    And his daughter, he didn''t know when he''d see her next or if she would remember his scent when he held her again.


    "By then, I should be heading north with Xiaoxuan, to Modu first, then a trip to Beijing, after all, it is her first time at East Country."


    Su Wanyu struggled to keep a smile, teasingly blinking her eyes, "And when did you become so sentimental? Remember when I went to study in the United Kingdom, you didn''t even take me to the airport."


    Lu Liang was without words, "I didn''t put a tracker on you; you left so suddenly, how was I supposed to take you?"


    "Did I not mention it to you?" Su Wanyu''s eyes darted around, clearly trying to alleviate Lu Liang''s guilt.


    Lu Liang stroked Su Wanyu''s cheek, then patted the little one''s head: "Be safe while you two are out."


    Su Wanyu smiled brightly, lifting the little one''s arm, whispering softly, "Siqing, let''s say goodbye to Daddy, shall we?"


    The little one, thinking she was being playful, flashed a toothless grin, reaching out her arms and making cooing sounds.


    The innocent gaze melted hearts at a glance, and Lu Liang kissed her forehead, "Goodbye."


    Su Wanyu was right, he had indeed become a bit sentimental lately, mostly because of the little one.


    For the past week, except for at night when he was afraid of squashing her, father and daughter had been inseparable.


    Lu Liang was guarded around anyone, but not her, and gradually, even his defenses were breached.


    After all, what could she possibly be scheming? She just wanted to be with daddy, cuddling up to him.


    Hearing the crying behind him,


    Lu Liang paused, but proceeded to walk into the airport.


    "The annoying guy is finally gone."


    Zheng Xiaoxuan squinted joyfully, now it was time for their family of three''s adventure in the East: "Siqing, Little Xiaoguai, don''t cry, Auntie will take you back to Chaoshan."


    As evening approached, the plane landed in Modu.


    On the drive back to the company, Lu Liang pondered the arrangement for Zhuo Yifan. His task was done, and while there was no lack of secretaries around, Xu Jiawei was more than competent.


    After much thought, he decided to transfer him to Su City, to be an understudy to Wang Xiaofeng.


    The professional manager was competent in his duties, but not personally groomed by Lu Liang, hence prone to other intentions.


    It was just right, Tianxing Technology''s production base was in the making, interacting with industries and sectors across the board.


    Such projects were the perfect litmus tests; in just a year or half, it would be clear whether he had the talent for overall coordination.


    If so, he could be groomed for key positions, and if Wang Xiaofeng ever decided to leave suddenly, they wouldn''t be left wanting for personnel.


    Lu Liang informed him of the arrangement, and then asked, "Do you need a week of paid leave to rest?"


    Zhuo Yifan was overjoyed but quickly shook his head, feigning hardship: "Mr. Lu, I have rested for far too long, I''m almost deconditioned."


    In Edinburgh, he was benched for a long time, eagerly awaiting something to do every day, rather than just waiting for calls.


    At 24, he shouldn''t be settling for comfort at the prime time for striving; with such an open road ahead, he should fight hard to become one of Lu Liang''s most trusted aids.


    Wen Chao, galloping across Tokyo, was his role model.


    Lu Liang chuckled, thought for a moment, and said, "After a while, I''ll give Xiaofeng a heads-up. You can go report to him tomorrow in Su City, and from then on, be his work assistant."


    "Yes, Mr. Lu."


    Having been away for 11 days, there wasn''t much change on the 32nd floor of the New International Building where the two companies were located.


    The fund company on the left thrived methodically, selling high and buying low every day, already a pillar in the new energy sector.


    The most recent net asset value was 1.4220, these past days saw more declines than rises, with single-day fluctuations above 2% rare. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Zhang Jing was cursed at by hundreds of thousands of fund investors every day, but for the company, it was a good thing.


    As long as the annualized return exceeded 13%, it was considered an excellent fund.


    They had been established for over half a year, and to date, they had achieved a 42.2% gain. It was time to cool things down. It was necessary to make investors realize that if their initial intention of buying the fund was to beat inflation, they had succeeded.


    This was a single-currency public fund, not a stock, and certainly not a high-risk, high-reward private equity investment.


    To the right, most of the lights in the Tianxing Investment office area were off, leaving only the deputy general manager''s office still lit.


    Lu Liang walked to the door and knocked lightly; Tang Caide''s voice came from inside, "Come in."


    She knew Lu Liang would return today, so she had waited until now, taking out the authorization confirmation for War Wolf 2.


    From the end of July to the current date, War Wolf 2 had been released for 58 days and had officially withdrawn from cinemas after the Mid-Autumn Festival.


    The cumulative box office reached 60.58 billion, making it the first movie in film history to break through the 40 billion, 50 billion, and 60 billion box office milestones.


    They had invested in two separate funds: one was 120 million yuan for production costs, and another was 26 million yuan for promotion expenses, totaling an investment of 146 million yuan, accounting for 52%.


    From a box office of 60.58 billion yuan, after deducting cinema, distribution, film support funds, and other miscellanea, they netted 19.95 billion yuan.


    Tianxing Investment''s account received 10.37 billion yuan, with a pre-tax net income of 8.91 billion yuan, expected to be paid out over three to six months.


    "Mr. Lu, this is just the pure box office revenue. There will be additional royalty development income. Wu Jing Company is still negotiating with various platforms; there should be another ten or twenty million income."


    As Tang Caide spoke, she presented another contract, the investment proposal for Wandering Earth. As soon as the hospital made the payment, they would transfer the final payment of 300 million yuan.


    Sometimes, she had to admire Lu Liang¡ªalthough Tianxing Investment was a whole, it had teams specifically established for investing in film and television projects.


    Initially, Lu Liang allocated only 20 million yuan to this team for investments in Xia Luo, Crown Princess Consort, First Rich, Iron Fist, and War Wolf 2.


    That initial 20 million yuan had grown seamlessly through various projects, and now they were about to receive 10.37 billion yuan, with 1.18 billion remaining in the account.


    In a little over two years, it had multiplied by 57 times; the return on investment in the film industry over the years was not less than investing in a startup.


    One by one, Lu Liang signed and stamped the documents, until he suddenly saw this year''s team building project proposal. Every year their company would organize a team-building event, usually around August or September.


    Last year they went to Sanya, and this year they were planning to go to Jeju Island, with an average expenditure of 15,000 yuan per person.


    Lu Liang signed the authorization and said at the same time, "Caidie, you lead the team. I won''t be available those days; I probably won''t be going."


    Today was the 23rd, the team-building trip would last three days, departing next Monday; right after the return would be the National Day celebration, bringing a seven-day long holiday.


    But he needed to keep an eye on Panda for the next week, or even a month; the stock was bound to be interesting.


    With its current popularity, as long as it didn''t hit the lock-up period, the stock would be the capital market''s new darling.


    "Alright, if there''s nothing else, I''ll head off first."


    Tang Caide nodded, picked up her materials,


    bade farewell, and left for home after finishing work.


    Having dealt with the backlog of documents pending authorization review, Lu Liang headed to the 17th floor just past eight o''clock.


    In the trading room, twelve traders were ready to go, but the securities account had only a lonely figure of 17.21 million shares.


    The issue price at Modu Station was 1.98 US dollars, at New York Station it was 2.2 US dollars, averaging 2.09 US dollars.


    Their luck was not so good; their subscription rate was below average, at only one in two hundred and fifty.


    Subscribing for 9 billion US dollars, they only acquired 17.21 million shares worth 35.9689 million US dollars.


    As nine o''clock approached, Lu Liang received a call from Wilson, who inquired about his opinion.


    Lu Liang seriously said, "Wilson, this is a feast, and we should collaborate."


    US stocks trading hours are divided into regular trading sessions and extended trading sessions.


    Panda was a new stock and had not yet entered extended trading, so it would open alongside the normal US market hours.


    Beijing time the market opened at 9:30 PM, continuing to 4:00 AM, for a total of six and a half hours, without pause.


    Since there were no price limits set, it wouldn''t be surprising if the stock rose by 200% or 300% on its first trading day.


    But no matter how much it rose, it was just paper gains. Only by cashing out¡ªthe real profits could be secured by locking in some people at high prices, converting them into long-term shareholders.


    Wilson needed to check with Lu Liang to set a psychological price point, stir up the heat first, and then compete on their own abilities.


    If they boosted the price and Lu Liang sold, but the hype didn''t pick up, it would trash Panda''s stock as well.

 Chapter 422 - 419: No Pain, No Gain

    "What is your psychological price point?"


    Lu Liang pondered for a long while but still did not give an answer, as he did not approve of this approach.


    Firstly, market randomness is too strong, and whenever enthusiasm rises, it''s not uncommon for retail investors to fiercely beat institutions.


    Secondly, setting a psychological price point can trap one in a chain of suspicion; he didn''t know whether the other party would comply, and similarly, the other party might doubt whether he would comply.


    "Lu, you are still so cautious."


    Wilson could only give a wry smile, then after a moment of thought, he said, "Lite''s analysis, Muddy Water''s research, and predictions from many institutions like Blackstone Fund peg today''s closing at $4.11."


    Lu Liang didn''t speak, and neither did he.


    He just listed data from various research companies without revealing their psychological price points.


    "Let''s observe the situation first, then we''ll talk," Lu Liang said with narrowed eyes, silently cursing the old fox who clearly wanted to benefit without investing anything.


    "Yes, it''s true we need to observe first, so let''s take a look at the situation later and talk then."


    Both harboring their own thoughts, the two did not end their conversation on a happy note.


    Lu Liang logged into Panda, entered the official channel, and Liu Mou''s voice came through: "Brothers, I, Liu Mou, have finally made it."


    "Do you see that stage? In just over ten minutes, I''ll go up there with the president and Mr. Long to ring the bell."


    "I''ll take you guys to Times Square later to see, our Panda''s logo and code will appear on that advertising screen."


    Today was the day Panda went public. There was a roadshow team in New York, and a studio had been arranged domestically to track and celebrate the entire event live.


    Li Manli, as the host of the platform, was also invited as a guest on the hosting team, but she had been searching all the while and had not seen that familiar figure on screen.


    With a hesitant expression and a face full of concern, Liu Mou, being sly, knew exactly who Li Manli was looking for.


    He chuckled and said, "I just saw someone ask why Mr. Lu isn''t here. I heard Mr. Lu had something to attend to and went back to the country ahead of time."


    Li Manli was suddenly enlightened and proceeded with peace of mind, asking about the climate on the other side as well as market feedback.


    The minutes flew quickly, and as Little Wang, Long Fei, Liu Mou, and others went on stage, Lu Liang also turned off the live broadcast.


    Live broadcasts from overseas typically have a delay of a dozen seconds or even more, so one couldn''t rely on them to be accurate.


    Their going on stage signified the start of trading.


    "$4.3, let''s sweep up $30 million to see how it goes."


    Lu Liang had prepared ample ammunition; of the $89.64 billion returned from stock subscriptions, there was still $24 billion unutilized.


    Wilson''s words were not entirely trustworthy, but they couldn''t be completely disregarded either; various research companies had made predictions only for today''s closing price.


    Situations in the market could arise at any moment, so the best strategy was to drive up the price first and see the feedback before making plans.


    $4.3 was higher than the institutions'' predicted closing price but had not yet reached a doubling standard.


    At this price point, one would at least not incur a loss.


    At 9:30 AM, US stocks opened, and Panda went public.


    Almost in one second, the price surged by 82%,


    The stock price broke through $4 and the market cap reached $7.6 billion.


    There were only buy orders in the entire market, with no sell orders, causing the stock price to rise step by step, quickly reaching $4.3.


    "How much did we buy?" asked Lu Liang.


    "Not even $2 million," answered Sun Yutao.


    Although they were prepared to sweep up $30 million in stocks, transactions could only happen if there was supply.


    At the opening, the price surged too swiftly; everyone was trying to acquire chips at a low price, and practically no one was selling.


    "Reserve $3 million at $4.3, withdraw the rest of the funds, and wait for others to make a move first."


    Lu Liang''s face showed contemplation, then it seemed he had a sudden realization: everyone was waiting, waiting for either institutions or retail investors to sell first.


    With limited chips, if they sold now, they would miss the chance to get on board during the second wave of market action.


    As time ticked by, in a market with 382 million shares in circulation, the astonishing fact was that in ten minutes there was only a trading volume of $18.02 million.


    Those without tickets dared not buy, as with the rise to $4.3, the gain had already crossed 95%, and if the market dropped, the start would be a halving of value.


    Those with tickets were reluctant to sell, afraid of missing out on the potential second wave of market action that might follow.


    Amidst the mutual suspicions of the bulls and bears, the stock price plateaued, hovering around the $4.3 price mark.


    "Don''t fire the first shot, wait for others to initiate the action."


    Lu Liang gave a smile showing patience.


    After all, they had secured 17.21 million shares at a cost price of $2.09, and were presently profiting $2.21 per share, yielding them a profit of over $38 million.


    They were like those with grain in hand, without a worry in the world.


    Now with the market''s activity greatly reduced, those who should be anxious were the ones without tickets or those seeking to cash out.


    Because pulling one hair would affect the whole body, only when market activity increased and trading volume surged, would buying and selling become easier.


    At 11:30 a.m., the stock had been trading sideways for two hours.


    Domestic media all scrambled to report the news as soon as they could.


    "Panda goes public in the US, soars 95% on the first day"


    "The first stock in the live broadcast industry, with a market value of 8.23 billion US dollars"


    "Wang Xiaocong''s net worth surged by 2.5 billion US dollars"


    "Total net worth exceeds 20 billion yuan, the first person born after 1986"


    "From 500 million RMB to 2.5 billion US dollars, all it took was three years..."


    Back in Modu, Panda''s market director Zhang Juyuan bombarded the hot searches like they were free, creating a media blitz.


    Since the US stock market opened at 9:30 a.m. until now, platforms like Weibo, Douyin, Tieba, and Bilibili had all been stormed by paid posters.


    At least eight out of the top ten trending topics on major online platforms were related to Panda or Little Wang.


    Intentional concept blurring occurred, such as changing ''the first stock in the live broadcast industry to go public in the US'' to ''the first stock in the live broadcast industry.''


    There''re no actual roads in the world,


    but where people walk, a path eventually forms.


    The same applies to being the industry leader.


    Even if the user count is only the third in the industry, if enough people consider Panda the number one, it will gradually become the number one.


    As for whether this would violate advertising laws, a fine of several hundred thousand is peanuts; which company would really care? It''s like spending some money to let the nation help you advertise.


    Meanwhile, Lu Liang returned to the trading room from outside, bringing Chen Jinchun and a dozen cups of coffee with him.


    Coffee was once used as animal medicine because sometimes livestock wouldn''t eat due to gastrointestinal discomfort or other illnesses, so people would give them ground coffee beans to ingest, believing it would stimulate appetite.


    But then people gradually discovered that even though the animals'' appetites didn''t increase, they were spirited enough to work while sick.


    So coffee morphed from an animal medicine into a beverage for stimulation and alertness.


    "Give one to everyone," Lu Liang said as he picked up a latte; American coffee is too bitter, and he didn''t like it anymore.


    Chen Jinchun just went, "Oh," then muttered quietly, "Always pulling me into labor."


    Lu Liang chuckled, "If you don''t go home after work every day, who else should I pull into labor besides you?"


    "The company is my home, and I love going to work."


    Chen Jinchun beamed, volunteering for overtime was her business, but Lu Liang couldn''t assign her work.


    She just came to the company to collect some materials, and who knew, she just happened to run into Lu Liang in the elevator, and he dragged her along.


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but smile and asked, "What have you been busy with lately? Why are you still fetching materials so late?"


    Chen Jinchun counted on her fingers, "I''m working on two projects lately, one is documenting the construction progress of the Su City production base, and the other is recording the development progress of the new car."


    "I just received a message from Mr. Liao at home, saying that they''ve updated some videos recently and asked me to check them out, but my home computer doesn''t have access, so I had to come to the company."


    "Mr. Liao? Liao Jie?" Lu Liang asked, recalling Zhang Peiqiang''s assistant Liao Jie, a professor at Harbin Institute of Technology.


    Chen Jinchun nodded, "Mr. Liao said you''ve recently hired a new safety technology director from Korea, which has been a great help to the project and that it should soon come to a successful conclusion."


    "What videos? Let me see," Lu Liang was curious about how much Jin Guangzhi''s involvement could speed up the project development.


    Chen Jinchun pulled out a tablet and played several videos. A black car crashed into a steel post at 70 km/h, and half of the front of the car was damaged, but the A-pillar of the frame was only slightly deformed.


    The rest of the videos were similar, with different angles of collision, but the car''s A-pillar did not break, and the crash test dummies inside the car were undamaged.


    Lu Liang twitched the corner of his eye and couldn''t help but ask, "How many videos did you receive in total?"


    Chen Jinchun furrowed her brows and thought carefully, "If counting from the safety tests at the beginning of the year to the current crash tests, there should be about twenty-five or six, right?" Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Eventually, when their new cars go on sale, she''ll edit all these recordings into a short video and upload it to the internet.


    To her knowledge, among the domestic new energy vehicles, only BYD and Tesla have applied for crash tests from the China Insurance Automotive Safety Index research center.


    Most likely because the others are afraid of exposing their flaws.


    The development cycle for a car takes a minimum of two years; it''s not that easy to innovate. She believes this video will definitely boost the sales of their future new cars.


    Lu Liang fell silent. He had signed procurement contracts that afternoon; they weren''t for mass production, and there was no production line, so they had to rely on custom orders from factories.


    Each purchased car cost 2.2 million yuan, and with one crash, they had to replace it and continue testing.


    Lu Liang sighed; he needed to make money urgently as there wasn''t much on the ledger, and it really couldn''t sustain such expenses.


    But then he remembered how recently, during the PAS test, a Passat crashed at 65 km/h, resulting in severe deformation of the A-pillar and the engine ending up in the driver''s cabin.


    Their new car''s A-pillar was only slightly deformed.


    As the saying goes, you reap what you sow, and at least their R&D funding wasn''t wasted.


    Glancing at the time, Lu Liang said, "If there''s nothing else, you should go back and rest earlier. If you''re really bored, find a boyfriend, so you don''t have to run to the company in the middle of the night to receive files."


    "I want to focus on my career; men only slow down my money-making speed."


    Chen Jinchun huffed a few times, her heart not set on men, feeling more dynamic without the distraction. She''ll be able to buy a house next year, so why would she need a man?


    "Let''s go, let''s go. Don''t profess loyalty to me; it won''t get you a raise," Lu Liang chuckled, quickly shooing Chen Jinchun away as the market started to pick up.

 Chapter 423 - 420: Spring Comes and I Dont Speak First...

    "Mr. Lu, some people are starting to lose their patience," Sun Yutao hurriedly reported the latest situation right after Chen Jinchun had left.


    Just now, the share price plummeted from 4.29 US dollars to below 4.02 US dollars within a matter of seconds.


    However, the support at 4 dollars was very strong. Trading volume had surpassed one hundred million dollars, and it was still not enough to break through the price level.


    Lu Liang pondered for a moment and quickly issued an order, "Follow suit, we also sell off. To gain, one must be willing to let go."


    The price at 4.3 dollars had been stable for too long. To surge upwards would require a significant investment of funds, but institutional investors did not have enough chips in hand.


    Institutions had money but lacked chips. They weren''t willing to boost the stock price for retail traders at no cost.


    So they must sell off first, causing the stock price to fall and market panic, prompting a mass sell-off by retail traders. Then they could take the opportunity to accumulate chips. Only when they had amassed enough chips would they start pushing the price up.


    Now that someone had fired the first shot,


    Lu Liang and his team had to sell-off in response.


    Because the person who fired the shot also didn''t have that many chips ¨C otherwise, the 4-dollar price level would have been broken.


    With 17.21 million shares in hand at this moment, they were the absolute market makers and had to make their position clear.


    "Spare no expense in breaking through the 4-dollar line, then buy back below 3.4 dollars."


    Following Lu Liang''s command, twelve traders sprang into action, and the stock price plunged below 4 dollars almost instantaneously.


    Panic gradually spread, and retail investors began to wonder ¨C does Panda justify an 8 billion dollar market cap?


    With an issue price of 2.2 dollars, selling now still offered an 80% return. Delaying it would only decrease the profits.


    Once doubt set in, the blame was already assigned.


    In an instant, share prices tumbled down.


    3.9...


    3.8...


    3.6...


    The newly listed stock, due to the presence of many investors looking for profits, was as fragile as paper.


    Like gamblers who win, they are often extra cautious, afraid to give up the gains they''ve made.


    Lu Liang only needed to sell 5 million shares to set the whole market following the trend, with share prices plummeting to 3.45 dollars in an instant.


    The fluctuation of 95% to 57%, a massive swing of 38%, all happened within one minute.


    Suddenly, at a stock price of 3.44 dollars, a force, or multiple forces, began to aggressively buy up shares.


    Lu Liang narrowed his eyes and immediately ordered, "Stop selling, start buying."


    Although the stock price hadn''t reached the anticipated 3.4 dollars, someone had already beat them to the punch.


    Right now, institutions, including themselves who only had 12 million shares left, were too low on chips to smash the market violently.


    Since someone had preempted the move, they could only go with the flow, joining in to collect chips and push the price up, waiting for the next market wave.


    "The game is still too small," sighed Lu Liang.


    Watching the stock price climb higher and higher, swiftly returning to 4.3 dollars and getting ready for the next surge.


    Lu Liang turned to ask, "How many chips do we still have on hand?"


    Sun Yutao answered, "We had sold off 5.1 million shares earlier and just now bought back 2.3 million shares, leaving us with 14.3 million shares."


    US stocks, unlike A-shares, use a T+0 trading model, where shares bought today can be sold the same day, making all of them liquid stocks.


    "14.3 million shares?" Lu Liang rubbed his temples. Over 60 million chips ¨C hardly enough to pique his interest.


    Who was the short-sighted fool who launched the price surge too early, making all the retail investors aware that they were inducing a trap?


    Now, those holding the shares would probably cling to them even more tightly. Strengthened resolve would make washing them out even more difficult.


    Lu Liang pondered, looking at the 2.425 billion dollars in cold, hard cash lying idle in the account.


    Money that doesn''t circulate is a mean waste. Only when it flows does it really become money.


    "After midnight, pull it up directly. First, push the stock price to 6 dollars and see how it goes from there."


    Lu Liang thought for a moment, then decided to abandon the petty pilfering ways of the speculative traders and take on the role of a real major player.


    He too wanted to keep a low profile, but his strength didn''t allow for it. So he might as well unleash it entirely and turn Panda into a monster stock.


    Let this stock surge by over 200% on its first day, breaking past a market cap of 10 billion dollars, and leaving all others in the dust.


    "Yes, Mr. Lu."


    Sun Yutao nodded eagerly, excitement flickering in his eyes. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He had felt Lu Liang was acting strange since the market opened. They had the funds and the chips.


    Why should they act at the behest of others? They were fully capable of being the initiators of market movements themselves.


    Dealing with several tens of millions of dollars, a profit or loss of a few million, was just a drop in the bucket compared to their previous projects.


    By wielding a vast torrent of capital to force a violent price surge, they could catch institutions, speculative traders, and retail investors off guard, leading to irrational chasing after the stock.


    Finally, they found an appropriate moment to settle their profitable positions, which was exactly the kind of operation Boss Lu should have employed.


    Lu Liang smiled wryly as a hint of helplessness flashed in his eyes.


    If he had known that Sun Yutao was so knowledgeable, he would have just let him take full charge. He could have just stood by silently, posing as an expert.


    This was his true level without any external aids, always habitually keen on sneaking advantages, having forgotten that he had already become a Market Maker.


    Taking out 9 billion dollars for an IPO subscription of stock, probably a unique case worldwide, they were also currently the largest holder of tickets.


    Half an hour later, the chimes of midnight rang out.


    Lu Liang deliberately delegated power, Sun Yutao taking it as a test from Boss Lu, decisively entering the market with substantial funds.


    He was very confident, the first trade directly utilizing one hundred million dollars with the force of a hurricane sweeping away fallen leaves, violently boosting the stock price.


    Because US stocks have certain restrictions on short selling new stocks, primarily to prevent market manipulation and to provide stability.


    So now, this stock didn''t have real shorts, and as long as the market heat was high enough, no one would smash the plate.


    One hundred million dollars entered the market, swallowing up 360,000 shares at the price of 4.33 dollars, and 1.8 million shares at the price of 4.4 dollars.


    The former, 4.33 dollars, was today''s highest point during the session, while the latter, 4.4 dollars, was an important threshold for a 100% increase.


    Both were considered as insurmountable barriers in the eyes of the market, but they were as fragile as paper under the flow of capital.


    Two barriers, instantly breached,


    From that moment on, the sky was the limit, and the stock price climbed again rapidly.


    5 dollars, an increase of 127%, with a market value of 9.588 billion dollars.


    5.5 dollars, an increase of 150%, with a market value of 10.56 billion dollars.


    ...


    Funds on the account rapidly decreased, the number of chips swiftly grew, upon receiving a signal from Lu Liang, Sun Yutao once again threw in 300 million dollars.


    The funds seemed inexhaustible, repeatedly lifting the psychological expectations of numerous investors in the market, making them gradually become blind followers, not bothering to think, only wanting to get on board and not to miss out.


    A large number of investors followed suit and bought in, causing the second infusion of 300 million dollars to be accomplished with only half the funds.


    The stock price then broke through the 6-dollar barrier, an increase of 173%, with a market value of 11.531 billion dollars.


    At the same time, Xu Jiawei knocked on the door and entered, Lu Liang''s phone rang, it was an international call.


    Lu Liang walked to the door and answered the phone, leaning against the doorframe, a plaintive voice came through, "Lu, why are you in such a hurry? We haven''t even set our positions."


    "It has nothing to do with me," Lu Liang feigned innocence, the corners of his mouth lifted in a smile.


    Through this conversation, it could be inferred that JPMorgan''s investment department had missed the opportunity, becoming a victim of the violent price surge.


    "Lu, apart from you, who else could use such tactics?" Wilson sighed, but he bore no blame towards Lu Liang.


    The popularity of this stock was now whipped up, it would not be difficult for its price to break through ten dollars, or even fifteen dollars in the next half year.


    Lu Liang''s abrupt and swift price boost had left them no time to set their positions. Couldn''t he have waited a few days?


    "Wilson, opportunities don''t come twice. If we miss this one, who knows when the next will be?" Lu Liang''s tone grew colder as he shared his view on cooperation. Mutual benefits constitute cooperation; sacrificing oneself for others is exploitation.


    The only choice left to them was to buy in at a higher price. Everyone should work together to heat up the stock. It was impossible for him to bring down the stock price now just to let them in.


    Wilson chuckled awkwardly, "Lu, don''t be upset. We didn''t mean it that way. How about we change the way we cooperate?"


    "How do you want to cooperate?" inquired Lu Liang.


    Wilson quickly said, "You set a price, and if it''s reasonable, we''ll take over afterwards."


    Lu Liang already had a substantial number of chips. After the recent round of price boosting, he had absorbed at least 30 million shares.


    Conservatively estimated, he held 10% of the tradable shares. Any institution interested in Panda couldn''t possibly bypass him.


    They could only let Lu Liang make a profit first, then let them manage it. Everyone could earn together¡ªhow nice. Why bother with animosity?


    Lu Liang pondered but did not immediately respond, "I''ll give you news after the market closes today."


    "Okay, I''ll wait for you."


    After ending the call with Wilson,


    Lu Liang returned to the trading room to review the account details.


    That round of boosting had them investing 230 million dollars at a cost price of 4.95 dollars, totaling an accumulation of 44.23 million shares.


    Adding the original 14.3 million shares, they now held a total of 58.53 million shares. Considering the current market had only 382 million shares in circulation, they owned more than 15%.


    "No wonder."


    Lu Liang smirked, understanding why Wilson had called him, and couldn''t help but feel in high spirits, "When spring arrives, which bug would dare make a peep before I do?"


    Any institution wanting to get in on the profits had to go through him, and yet he was an outsider, also the most unstable factor.


    Wilson was not willing to miss out on this opportunity and didn''t trust Lu Liang; thus, he wanted to take over from him, responsible for the subsequent market performance.

 Chapter 424 - 421: Pushing His Luck

    "Yutao, what are your thoughts?"


    Mr. Lu informed Sun Yutao that Wilson planned to take the baton from them.


    Sun Yutao, at forty this year, had thirteen years of brokerage experience with Citic and Guotai before he had come over to private equity.


    His practical trading experience was tremendously rich, only before at those two companies, he had always adhered to the principle of seeking neither merit nor fault.


    At first, when Mr. Lu had set his sights on him and Zhang Jing, he valued their top-tier toolkit persona, but plans cannot always keep up with changes, and not being able to rely on external boosts to speculate on hype-driven stocks, he was somewhat apprehensive.


    So he decided to continue playing the sage in silence,


    under the guise of testing, to hear his opinions.


    Sun Yutao suppressed his excitement and pondered for a long time, "Mr. Lu, I''m not very clear on how to drum up stocks in the US stock market, but if it were A-shares, as long as the hype builds up, it''s all about the institutions and speculator capitals taking over from one another."


    "Take our cost of 4.95 US dollars and current price of 6.12 US dollars as an example, if the other party is willing to take over at a high price, we can totally let go."


    "Firstly, Panda''s market capitalization surpassing ten billion dollars is just a market overheating, the investors haven''t come to their senses yet, once they do, they will start to contemplate whether this enterprise is worth the price or not."


    "Secondly, although we have the power to manipulate the market, at the end of the day, we are still playing on foreign turf, just a newcomer in NASDAQ, we have already earned both fame and fortune, if we keep up the dominance, we run the risk of being isolated."


    "Investment is not like speculation, if no one takes over afterwards, market enthusiasm can easily die down. Especially with the lock-up period of six months, it''s like the Sword of Damocles hanging overhead, it will drop sooner or later."


    Mr. Lu did have a resounding reputation in the international market, but that reputation largely came from speculation.


    Investment is a long game, speculation is short-term, Soros may be famous, but his influence doesn''t compare to Buffett''s.


    Last year Berkshire went public, issuing shares at 210,000 US dollars each, a market cap of 320 billion was sufficient to illustrate everything.


    With his approach, if someone is willing to take over, they would get in and out quickly, treating this as a speculative opportunity.


    Today''s market trend shall remain as is, wait until the market opens tomorrow night, then pump it up by around ten percentage points before performing the handover at the peak.


    They could offload eighty percent of their holdings, cashing out the investment, and ride the waves with the remaining twenty percent, selling high and buying low.


    Although they could no longer be the dominant market maker, there was still a chance to become one of the institutions that would take over subsequently.


    By retaining a certain amount of shares, they could also reassure those taking over, keeping the spirit of shared prosperity, just with a switch in primary and secondary roles.


    Upon hearing this, Mr. Lu thought it over for quite some time.


    Executing Sun Yutao''s plan and changing hands at 6.732 US dollars per share would net a profit of 1.78 US dollars per share.


    With a total of 58.53 million shares and eighty percent being offloaded, the gain from this move was around eighty million dollars, with an initial investment of three hundred fifty million dollars, the profit rate stood at 23.5%.


    Mr. Lu looked up at the stock market chart on the wall, a first-day surge of 178%, with a market value of 11.7 billion dollars.


    He had already made his decision,


    Panda''s market debut was just a process, not the end goal.


    If due to greed, no one would play along, then the IPO of Panda would have been in vain.


    At four in the morning, the US stock market closed.


    Panda''s market value was 11.616 billion dollars, a surge of 175%, perfect figures, wrapping up the Nasdaq debut.


    Mr. Lu stepped out of the trading room and called Mr. Wilson, who picked up instantly, just like he had said, he had been waiting for the call.


    Mr. Lu said, "Open ten points higher tomorrow, then change hands."


    "Can do."


    Mr. Wilson, with a smile on his face, agreed without hesitation and then asked, "Lu, how much of a stake are you planning to keep?"


    He was willing and hoped Mr. Lu would join in, but he didn''t want him to end up turning the tables and taking over.


    If Mr. Lu completely liquidated his position, it wouldn''t bode well for subsequent speculation on Panda.


    Because the immense hype for Panda could not discount Mr. Lu''s supporting role.


    To create a market sensation, one of the elements is market enthusiasm; another is investor diversity¡ªspeculators, investors, those shorting or going long, institutions, speculative capitals, and retail investors of all sorts.


    Mystery embodies the elusive and highly active nature essential for creating sensational stocks; without whom, it simply wouldn''t work.


    "Twenty percent stakes."


    Lu Liang glanced at Sun Yutao, truly seasoned from over a decade in the industry; he still had much to learn.


    "Lu, that''s standard risk control."


    Wilson spoke with sincerity,


    Not questioning how much twenty percent of the stakes were, nor what eighty percent would amount to.


    Currently, Panda had no more than 382 million shares in circulation; even if one held more than 10%, let''s say 20%, that would be just over seventy million shares, under five hundred million dollars.


    The more shares they picked up tomorrow, the more they''d earn when it came time to drive the market.


    He just hoped that Lu Liang wouldn''t mind; for decades, this had been their way of doing things.


    Creating a sensation required both heavy costs and effort. Wilson trusted Lu Liang, but that didn''t mean other institutions did.


    Only by letting JPMorgan preside as the arbitrator of the market could other institutions feel confident to enter and become the next, or even the following, successors.


    Lu Liang said with a smile, "Mr. Wilson, I trust you, just as you trust me, no need for further words."


    Wilson also smiled, seeing this as a sign of their deepening relationship, and shared tomorrow''s plan, "Tomorrow we''ll raise the price by ten points, you just sell off, no need to worry about no one taking over."


    The two talked for over half an hour before he said, "It must be nearly dawn in East Country now, I won''t keep you from your rest, wishing you sweet dreams."


    "Thank you."


    Having ended the call with Wilson, Lu Liang returned to the trading room to inform Sun Yutao of tomorrow''s plans.


    "Alright, Mr. Lu." The excitement in Old Sun''s eyes indicated his suggestions had been accepted, passing the assessment set by Lu Liang.


    Lu Liang smiled and patted his shoulder, noncommittally, "After you finish up, head home early to rest."


    Just after stepping out of the trading room, he received a call from Little Wang, "Lu, have you seen it? The market cap is 11.6 billion dollars!"


    A smile played on Lu Liang''s lips; through the phone, he could almost see Little Wang''s excited shouting.


    Little Wang held a 31.55% equity interest, worth 3.66 billion dollars, equivalent to 24.5 billion RMB.


    Last year on the Hurun Rich List, the last place was held by the Geng Family couple from Rongsheng Real Estate with a fortune of 26.5 billion RMB.


    Panda wasn''t Little Wang''s only asset; adding investments from Plus, rounding up to 2 billion shouldn''t be difficult.


    Without any surprises, he could make it onto the list next year.


    Lu Liang opened his mouth as though to speak, but eventually smiled and said, "I''ve seen it, feeling sleepy, heading home to bed." S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He actually wanted to say that if they could maintain a market cap of 5 billion dollars in six months, it would be considered a success.


    With new stocks listed, shareholders all have a six-month lock-up period, and the ticket-holding institutions wouldn''t be generous enough to lift them onto their shoulders.


    As soon as they grew bored or the hype died, Panda would inevitably face a plunge and trap a batch of latecomers.


    The current high market value and stock prices were all a mirage, ready to vanish with the wind whenever it blew.


    But after a thought, he decided against saying it.


    Always being the wet blanket was akin to being the party-pooping parent, which wasn''t conducive to a child''s growth.


    Let him soar for a bit then.


    However, Little Wang was overstepping his bounds, basking in any ray of sunlight and said excitedly, "Sleep? Get up and live it up!"


    "I''ll attend the celebration banquet, and after that head back to Modu. Tonight, book the biggest venue for me, I''m going to party until dawn."


    "Party my foot, let''s talk tonight if there''s something," Lu Liang darkened in expression and hung up abruptly.


    It seemed tonight he''d need to find some time to give Little Wang a good talking-to, lest he wreak havoc and ruin the scheme to sensationalize the stock.


    He sighed helplessly, "I didn''t want to dampen the mood, but I can''t help it when this guy always wants to stir up trouble."

 Chapter 425 - 422: Liu Qing Cant, Maybe He Can

    As the sky dimly lit up, Lu Liang returned to his home in Block A of Sinograin Seaview One.


    Built a few years later than its neighbor Tangchen, it was a bit newer and had a slightly better environment.


    Even though, as far as he knew, tycoons lived in standalone villas, he still preferred high-rise apartments.


    After all, the location was bustling, with a broad view, and he could see Pujiang and the Sixteen Piers on the opposite shore with just a glance.


    Today was Friday, Li Manli usually wouldn''t come back on weekdays as she stayed in her studio in West Suburb.


    Lu Liang took a shower, ate a breakfast prepared by the cooking lady, and then returned to the bedroom to browse his phone.


    In just six hours, various media outlets had retracted articles written at dawn, revising and resending them.


    Panda went public today, reaching a market value of 11.616 billion US dollars, equivalent to 77.82 billion RMB.


    The long-silent phrase "national husband" was once again mentioned by the media, with endless praise.


    Saying Little Wang was better than his father was an understatement; the new saying was that the blue outshone the indigo.


    "Who wouldn''t be flattered by such praise?"


    Lu Liang was speechless, knowing Zhang Juyuan''s strategy was simply to use Little Wang and Panda''s IPO impact to quickly top Long Yi.


    Panda''s success was based on live-stream e-commerce; Douyu and Huya followed suit but were actually not a threat. The key competitors were Douyin and Kuai Shou.


    Panda, Douyu, these entertainment platforms'' base was game streaming.


    Unlike Douyin and Kuai Shou, which were about lifestyle sharing short videos, naturally fitting for live-stream e-commerce.


    Recently, Lu Liang had gone to Beijing to attend Douyin''s shareholder meeting, where Yang Zhenyuan had said they would no longer wait and introduced projects like Dou Store.


    Now that the funding was in place to directly enter e-commerce, Panda''s first-mover advantage was destined to vanish.


    Zhang Juyuan probably heard some rumors too, so he painted a rosy picture, only to buy more time for development.


    "When Dou Store starts, that''s when Panda will fall off its pedestal."


    He slept until a little past three o''clock in the afternoon.


    Lu Liang felt a bit of pressure in his chest, squinted his eyes, and saw a pair of white, silky legs.


    Alone, they looked beautiful, slim and straight with elegant lines, and through the white silk, he could see the pink soles of the feet.


    But the owner of those legs had poor sleeping posture, hugging a stuffed toy and sticking her butt out, revealing tiny bear panties under her pleated skirt.


    Lu Liang cracked a mischievous smile, slapped the tiny bear panties, and Li Manli suddenly woke up with a resentful expression, "What are you doing?"


    "When did you come over?" Lu Liang, just awake and invigorated, slapped her once and then held her in his arms.


    "Around noon. I just woke up and saw Mrs. Liu''s message saying you were home, so I came to see."


    Li Manli butted against Lu Liang''s chest, complaining, "That hurts, you know."


    "Should I rub it for you?" Lu Liang couldn''t help but chuckle.


    Mrs. Liu was the cooking lady, who had followed them from Tangchen to Sinograin No. 1.


    Whether Lu Liang was home or not, she stayed from Monday to Saturday, ensuring Lu Liang had meals anytime he returned.


    On Sundays, Li Manli would come over, and she would take over the chef duties. But now, they rarely ate at home, generally choosing to dine out.


    "Like you shouldn''t, huh?"


    Li Manli pouty, lying crosswise in front of Lu Liang, her butt in the air, "Look, did it turn red?" S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Can''t see clearly." Lu Liang, his heart moved, gently pulled, revealing the round and perky moon.


    Li Manli glared feebly at him, and gradually, Lu Liang''s gentle rub turned into a caress.


    She couldn''t help but moan, trying to free herself from her clothes.


    "Don''t, just like this."


    Striped waist shirt, gray pleated skirt paired with over-the-knee white silk stockings, Li Manli was very suited to the high school girl look.


    She looked innocent yet sweet and youthful, with a girlish yet sexy allure, charming and captivating, sparking fantasies.


    Li Manli''s head rested on Lu Liang''s shoulder, her arms around his neck, her eyes foggy, gasping, "Liang, when did you get back?"


    "Day before yesterday, I went home first, then came to Modu."


    Lu Liang cradled her waist, it had been a while since they met, and it felt like Li Manli almost had a six-pack.


    A waist to grasp, only about three and a half palms wide, like a watersnake, slippery and fine.


    Although a bit unfair to Su Wanyu, there was indeed a clear difference between a girl''s waist and a married woman''s.


    As they moved together, the pleated skirt below her waist rose and fell, stirring up breezes.


    Suddenly, Li Manli clung tightly to Lu Liang''s neck, almost choking him, and Lu Liang held her waist even tighter; after some time, they gradually calmed down.


    They lay in bed for a long time, cuddling until the alarm on the phone went off, indicating it was four ten.


    "Are you not coming back for dinner tonight?"


    Li Manli''s lips were plush and red as she lay on her bed, watching Lu Liang head toward the bathroom, his cheeks still flushed.


    Lu Liang rarely set an alarm for waking up; setting one generally meant he had something scheduled during that time.


    "I just got back and still have a few things to handle, I''ve made plans with a friend."


    After freshening up, Lu Liang opened his wardrobe to find several neatly folded sets of clothes. After some deliberation, he finally picked out a light blue sweatshirt and washed blue jeans.


    He couldn''t help but ask, "Why are the purchases getting more and more fancy?"


    Lu Liang figured out a pattern, roughly every two months, his wardrobe would automatically refresh with season-appropriate clothes.


    But since the last time, he noticed the colors and styles were becoming increasingly youthful and trendy.


    "Isn''t looking younger a good thing?"


    Li Manli giggled, her idle feet playing with her stockings, seemingly trying to use her feet to take them off.


    "Looking younger is certainly good," Lu Liang said with a smile, walking over to the bed to help her remove her stockings. He patted her head, chuckling, "Don''t be so lazy, get up soon, I''m heading out."


    "Okay, bye-bye~~"


    Li Manli waved goodbye as Lu Liang left.


    Hearing the noise outside the door, she wriggled to avoid the mess and found a clean spot to continue her lazy sleep.


    She was very lazy, always preferring to lie down rather than sit.


    Now she often exercises and does yoga, just wanting to maintain a youthful appearance to make Lu Liang love her more.


    However, just as she closed her eyes, there came a knock on the door.


    Mrs. Liu said, "Miss Li, are you awake? Mr. Lu asked me to come and change the sheets."


    "I''m awake, just a moment," Li Manli puffed angrily, wishing she could make a voodoo doll of Lu Liang and stick a thousand pins into it.


    Never mind, better not do it, what if it actually worked? She''d rather give him a few hickey marks next time.


    ...


    It was not yet five o''clock when Lu Liang returned to the company.


    Xu Jiawei seemed to have been waiting at the entrance for a long time, and hurriedly greeted him: "Mr. Lu, Golden Sand River''s Mr. Zhu, and Redwood''s Mr. Shen are both in the reception room."


    Lu Liang nodded slightly, went to his office to grab a tin of treasured tea leaves, then proceeded to the reception room with a smile and a prayer gesture, "Sorry to keep you waiting."


    Shen Peng and Zhu Hu, who had just arrived in Modu yesterday, had agreed to meet.


    The Panda''s IPO was just a process, which went extremely smoothly and achieved unexpectedly great success; it was now time to strategize their goals.


    "Meeting at five o''clock was because we arrived early."


    Shen Peng and Zhu Hu exchanged looks, and Zhu Hu laughed, "Mr. Lu, we''re all familiar with each other, let''s skip the red tape."


    "Straight talk is best, it''s not like we aren''t acquainted."


    Lu Liang smiled, busying himself with opening the tea tin and preparing the tea while waiting for good news.


    Shen Peng explained, "Cheng Wei agreed, and we''ve decided to propose it at next Tuesday''s shareholder meeting."


    The suggestion was to bring in Lu Liang, hoping to use his channels to help DiDi successfully go public.


    Panda''s achievements were evident, freezing hundreds of billions of US dollars in both Modu and New York IPOs.


    The stock listed last night, soaring 175%, and continued its strong performance throughout the trading day, finally closing at $6.09.


    Lite, Muddy Water, and Blackstone, literally had their faces swollen with inaccurate predictions giving only a close of $4.11.


    Also, Dongzi was framed in Mingzhou and found himself behind bars, only rescued by Lu Liang''s efforts.


    These examples were proving that Lu Liang''s influence was growing not only domestically but also as a significant figure in the Western world.


    Liu Qing couldn''t do it, maybe he could.


    Zhu Hu hesitated for a moment, then added, "Mr. Lu, when cooperating, we might need to sign an additional agreement to better convince the board."


    If they recruited Lu Liang as a listing consultant with a hefty salary to assist in DiDi''s IPO, Lu Liang surely wouldn''t agree, so they had to offer equity.


    And not just any equity, but Class B shares.


    Generally, Class B shares'' voting rights were ten times those of Class A, essentially making one share count as ten.


    Like Old Ma and Little Ma and many other founders of internet companies domestically, although holding only single-digit equity, they could control the group.


    Taking Tencent''s Little Ma as an example, although he only held 9.1% equity, 5.75% of that was Class B.


    It represented an absolute controlling power to exercise 57.5% of the shares, deciding the company''s key decisions and strategic direction.


    Yet, DiDi''s development up to now over five years, unified the national rideshare market, raising over twenty billion US dollars, with a valuation reaching fifty billion US dollars.


    That being said, the shares were already cleanly divided, and Lu Liang''s entry would inevitably cut into everyone else''s shares.


    Thus, Zhu Hu alongside Shen Peng and Cheng Wei decided to propose to better convince DiDi''s board, Lu Liang should sign an additional agreement when he entered.


    For example, if DiDi couldn''t smoothly go public within a year, the board would have the right to buy back the shares held by Lu Liang at the original price.


    This way, they were more assured in persuading the board and the neutral shareholder institutions to bring in Lu Liang.

 Chapter 426 - 423: Spending Money Like Water

    "Sure."


    Lu Liang pondered briefly and nodded with a smile.


    After all, if the mission failed, no matter how much effort and energy were spent, it would all be for naught.


    The agreement was reasonable and also beneficial to him.


    If DiDi could not go public smoothly, he had no intention of going down with them.


    The two exchanged glances and did not discuss the matter further; now that Lu Liang had no objections, it was their turn to exert effort.


    As for what Lu Liang planned to do to assist DiDi''s public offering after he entered the scene, they were only concerned with the results, not the process.


    Because Lu Liang''s intentions towards DiDi carried a hint of the peculiar, as if he had an ulterior motive, they did not want to get burned.


    "Just woke up, haven''t eaten yet, right? Shall we go and eat together? How about it?" Zhu Hu asked with a laugh, clearly aware that Lu Liang had been up all night.


    Sun Yutao''s successive appearances at the Panda roadshows in Modu as well as in New York indicated that Tianxing Private Equity was also involved.


    The stock price had soared 175% on the opening night, likely thanks in part to Lu Liang.


    "Let''s do it next time. I still need to visit Zhangjiang Science Park later, and I have other matters tonight."


    The speaker was unintentional, the listener attentive.


    Zhu Hu coughed a few times, "Mr. Lu, are you perhaps going to check on the progress of Tianxing Automobile? I don''t think I have visited yet."


    Lu Liang was silent; realizing Zhu Hu didn''t mention it, he almost forgot that Golden Sand River was the third-largest shareholder, holding 8%, just behind DiDi and himself.


    Old Zhu was very low-profile; initially, he had proactively approached and usually did not interfere much, so much so that Lu Liang had almost forgotten about him.


    "Mr. Lu, would it be okay if I also came to have a look?" Shen Peng raised his eyebrows and coughed a few times to remind them of his presence.


    Tianxing Technology was split by Lu Liang into two parts: software development in Zhongguang Village in Beijing, and hardware development in Zhangjiang, Modu.


    The car machine system attributed to software was continually updated in Li Xiang and NIO vehicles and was now as good as any mainstream car machine.


    It was rumored to fully possess L2-level assisted driving capabilities and was in development for even higher levels of assisted driving.


    However, it was limited by the factory hardware of Li Xiang ONE and NIO ES8, preventing it from fully unleashing its potential.


    Compared to the software-based Tianxing Car Machine, the hardware aspect was quite mysterious, with no news available in the market.


    However, in Lou Shui of Su City, the Tianxing Super Factory had already commenced construction, contracted jointly by Zhong Er, Zhong Wu, and Zhong Shier, three construction firms with the Chinese prefix and claimed a total investment of over 7.2 billion yuan, expected to be completed by next May.


    With the software ready and the production base under construction, the progress on hardware development was indeed intriguing. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Then let''s go together, you might have some useful advice," Lu Liang said with a chuckle.


    Su City provided a 15-billion loan for building the production base, with 50% of the construction payment already costing a quarter of it.


    Ten production lines had a total investment of 2.2 billion US dollars, with a 30% deposit already paid to the factory in Munich, Germany.


    Together, these two preliminary projects used up the 15-billion loan, leaving only 6.978 billion yuan.


    Production lines still required a payment of 70% of the remaining sum, and construction projects required 50%.


    For two preliminary projects, even if the funds in the account were depleted, there would still be a shortfall of 7 billion.


    For the first time, Boss Lu felt that his earning rate could not keep up with his spending.


    It was good to bring Shen Peng along for a view; in case financing was needed, Redwood could also immediately contribute.


    The trio made their way to Zhangjiang Science Park in Xinpu, the last station on Metro Line 13.


    At a linear distance of 13 kilometers from Lujiazui and just three kilometers from Disneyland, it was located in a rather remote area.


    Lu Liang had previously rented a warehouse here specifically for storing vehicles, where a dazzling array of over a dozen new energy vehicles were parked.


    NIO ES8, EP9, Tesla model Y, model X, model 3, and BYD Qin Song Tang, along with Xiao Peng and Weima models, virtually encompassing the best-selling new energy vehicles on the market, except for two models from NIO that were gifted by Li Bing.


    Zhu Hu marveled, "Mr. Lu, you could host an exclusive new energy car show here."


    "Harvest the strengths of others, compensate for our own weaknesses, so as to integrate and transcend," Lu Liang said with a laugh, not shying away from the matter of drawing references.


    Approaching a Wuling Hongguang Mini, he beckoned, "Come on up."


    The car keys were already in the vehicles, ready to drive as soon as one got in.


    The warehouse was extensive, covering an area of 12,000 square meters. The test field was further behind, too far to walk, and too tiring; he usually used the Wuling Mini as a runabout on regular days.


    He didn''t know whether Wuling had taken his suggestion to start developing a convertible version. In any case, he had done so by directly having people saw off the roof, smoothing the edges, and using it as a convertible.


    The main area is too small and lacks a production line, but they planned to develop and produce sightseeing vehicles once they moved to Su City.


    Although it hadn''t been driven for a long time, the little Wuling Hongguang still had plenty of power.


    Lu Liang stepped on the accelerator, shooting up to 50, and in the blink of an eye, they reached the test field at the far end.


    Behind the warehouse, there was a smaller warehouse where one could see densely stacked car frames through the gaps in the door.


    Lu Liang glanced inside and suddenly felt a slight pain in his eyes.


    A vehicle, custom-made with the help of friends in the industry at a cost of two million, was disassembled after experiments; parts that were usable were salvaged, while the rest was sold as scrap metal at about 0.8 Yuan per pound.


    Shen Peng and Zhu Hu noticed it too and couldn''t help but admire Mr. Lu, "Mr. Lu, you must have spent a lot of money on this over the years."


    Especially Zhu Hu, who felt it deeply.


    He thought of ofo, which had no after-sales service and had to scrap tens of thousands of bicycles every few months; everywhere were the remains of the little yellow bicycles, sold only as scrap metal.


    The little yellow bicycles, once seen even in small third and fourth-tier towns, were gradually disappearing from the public eye.


    Every time he thought of this, Zhu Hu wanted to rush to the Dai Family, grab Old Dai by the neck, and demand to know Dai Wei''s whereabouts, to hire someone to take him down.


    Though Alibaba had helped to take over, he could have made a lot more money¡ªofo could have even become a proud investment project, just like DiDi.


    But it was all ruined by Dai Wei''s lack of responsibility.


    "It''s okay, it wasn''t much."


    Lu Liang smiled, saying the funds weren''t much, but what really mattered was the effort and energy he had invested, which he couldn''t even keep track of anymore.


    At the end of the test field, Zhang Peiqiang, Jin Guangzhi, and about a dozen engineers were gathered in front of a computer, analyzing data.


    Lu Liang smiled and greeted Zhang Peiqiang, then turned to Jin Guangzhi, "Mr. Jin, are you finding it comfortable living here?"


    "Very much so. The food culture in East Country is so rich, and the variety of fruits and vegetables is more than ten times that of Korea."


    Jin Guangzhi''s smile was radiant, and he couldn''t stop singing praises, almost as if he couldn''t help writing "I love dismantling" on his face.


    On one hand, by praising Lu Liang''s homeland, he pleased Lu Liang.


    On the other hand, it was a genuine expression of his feelings. Everyone said Modu was fast-paced and expensive, but comparing it to Han City, it wasn''t even close.


    He had only visited Zhangjiajie as a tourist before and didn''t really understand the country deeply. His recent experience living in Modu had made him fall in love with it.


    Though it''s difficult for foreigners to gain citizenship, getting a permanent residence permit should be relatively easy. He discussed settling in Modu permanently with his wife.


    "It''s good that you''re comfortable. If there are any issues that you can''t resolve yourself, feel free to contact Secretary Xu."


    Lu Liang smiled and nodded, turning his gaze to a few people who, quite obviously, looked Korean.


    It was odd; they looked similar to the average pedestrians on the street, yet there was something distinctly Korean about them.


    "Mr. Lu, I almost forgot to introduce you. This is Park Su-kyung, and this is Cui Yingjun¡­"


    Jin Guangzhi hurriedly introduced several people, all of whom were his former subordinates at Hyundai, who had come to Modu with him.


    One was a senior engineer in the technical security department, and the other two were mid-level engineers in the power control department.


    There were a few others also interested in moving to Modu, but they were still hesitating and hadn''t yet decided to switch jobs.


    Since agreeing to Lu Liang''s invitation, Jin Guangzhi had committed to Tianxing Automobile as a career he could dedicate his life to.


    A kingdom treated him as a national scholar, and he would reciprocate in kind.


    Lu Liang''s face broke into a smile as he shook hands with each of them, "Now that you''ve come to Tianxing, consider it like coming home. If there''s any inconvenience, you can contact Secretary Xu."


    Secretary Xu quickly handed out his business card, explaining that he would handle any issues he could, and anything beyond his capacity would be taken care of by Mr. Lu, who placed a high value on talent.


    Everyone nodded, their happiness evident.


    To them, Lu Liang was akin to the president and Secretary Xu to the president''s secretary; they clearly felt highly regarded.


    "Mr. Zhu, Mr. Shen, feel free to look around. I''m going to chat with Professor Zhang."


    Lu Liang deliberately sent Shen Peng and Zhu Hu away, walking with Zhang Peiqiang to a nearby open space for a private conversation: "Professor Zhang, I heard this project is almost finished?"


    "Currently, it''s preliminarily successful. The next steps involve reducing configurations while ensuring safety performance is not compromised."


    Zhang Peiqiang nodded. Like many research personnel, he was not very eloquent, so he simply called over Liao Jie to speak for him.


    Liao Jie quickly brought out a tablet: "Mr. Lu, these are two sedan models and two SUV models we''ve produced. We''ve already commissioned a factory to make adjustments, and the redesigned versions are expected to arrive within a week."


    The vehicle chassis design had been finalized. The mere contours alone contained 18 patented technologies, some exclusive to them like Apple''s patents on rounded screen corners.


    They planned to fill in batteries, motors, and electronic controls next, followed by individual testing, and finally, chassis tuning.


    While the battery, motor, and electronic control were hailed as the three major components of new energy vehicles, the chassis¡ªone of the traditional three major components of fuel vehicles¡ªwas not abandoned.


    Instead, the presence of the battery meant the new energy vehicles were generally heavier and accelerated faster, necessitating advanced chassis tuning techniques.

 Chapter 427 - 424: The Newcomer Doesnt Bode Well

    "Can only ask the team now."


    Lu Liang sighed, remembering Zhuang Wei from Detroit, they had just arrived a few months ago, far away from graduation, so they had to hire a foreign team at a high salary for chassis tuning.


    However, once the Detroit factory is completed next year, the production can then be divided between domestic and foreign.


    Just like Tesla, there are factories in California and Modu, which also helps in avoiding high tariffs.


    In the future, products manufactured in the East Half Ball will be sold in the East Half Ball, and those manufactured in the West Half Ball will be sold in the West Half Ball.


    Since they are partnering with General Motors for production, they will definitely put in some serious effort, which means a learning opportunity for Zhuang Wei''s team.


    Zhang Peiqiang and Liao Jie nodded, "We can only do it this way."


    If it were another car company with Lu Liang''s setup, they would accept an inferior chassis. In the future, they could completely utilize the patriotic sentiment to bind sales.


    After all, it''s tough for national brands; if the consumers can give them some patience and some time, they will strive to improve and mature early.


    Lu Liang did not want to do that; he considered entirely from the consumer''s perspective. Having spent the money, the consumers should enjoy equivalent services.


    The so-called patience and time should be the sunk costs of the manufacturers, and should not be transferred onto the consumers.


    If the product isn''t mature yet, they should hold it off until it''s mature.


    After all, no one has a knife at their neck, forcing them to sell.


    Lu Liang looked around and said, "This place is still a bit small. Let''s wait for next year when the base in Su City is completed. It will be much larger then."


    As it neared seven o''clock, Lu Liang ended his conversation with Zhang Peiqiang and turned to Shen Peng and Zhu Hu, smiling, "Gentlemen, how do you feel?"


    Zhu Hu looked at Shen Peng. For the new energy industry, Golden Sand River had only invested in this one, with no other references, he felt it was hard to comment.


    Shen Peng exclaimed, "It is much more mature than NIO."


    He had visited NIO and seen their contract factories, but even Jianghuai''s contract factory could not compare to this place.


    Redwood had invested in many startups, including many in emerging industries. Entrepreneurs in these fields tend to have one common problem.


    Despite appearing very confident externally, as Li Bing said, Porsche''s production line is trash compared to Jianghuai''s, highlighting an arrogant conceit.


    The reality is that they try to cover up their insecurities, feeling uncertain about the future of their company and deeply concerned about the prospects of the industry.


    But the impression this place gave him was as if Lu Liang was 100% certain that new energy vehicles will eventually surpass fuel vehicles to become the mainstream in the market.


    Only with this belief could Lu Liang do everything to the best, ignoring any external negative publicity.


    Just like a banquet that doesn''t close, good dishes are worth waiting for. Even though they are only a year and a half behind Weiliao, he wasn''t worried at all.


    "After all, standing on the shoulders of giants," Lu Liang smiled, inviting them to dine at a nearby restaurant.


    There was no drinking or entertainment, just a simple meal, and then he left early.


    Leaving behind Shen Peng and Zhu Hu,


    to deeply discuss the topic they had just toured.


    "Old Zhu, you really have some luck."


    Shen Peng was full of envy. When Tianxing was still young, Golden Sand River invested in it, apparently spending just over 200 million RMB.


    More than a year had passed, and its value had increased by more than tenfold, especially since just the production base in Su City alone could secure loans of 15 billion.


    Initially, Redwood had evaluated Tianxing Technology at 300 million dollars, but after today''s tour, Shen Peng thought it deserved at least another 40% premium.


    Zhu Hu grinned, "It didn''t cost that much, and 70 million of it was old Luo''s debt, just transferred to Mr. Lu."


    Thinking about it now, he felt very fortunate that Lu Liang planned to venture into new energy with thorough preparations.


    Capital was not an issue for him; the key was resources.


    Bringing Golden Sand River was for Hammer OS, and bringing DiDi was to perfect the vehicular database system.


    If Golden Sand River did not have the shares in Hammer Technology, it likely wouldn''t have been able to smoothly invest in Tianxing Technology.


    Shen Peng sighed, "Money isn''t the issue for me; Redwood Capital has plenty of that.


    But resources, with today''s Tianxing Technology, with today''s Lu Liang, what resources can''t he get?"


    "DiDi holds 20% of the shares in Tianxing Technology; holding more shares in DiDi is also like holding shares in Tianxing."


    Zhu Hu squinted his eyes, displaying a mischievous smile, feeling somewhat intimidated about targeting Liu Qing in a few days.


    After all, he was one of the top local representatives, inheriting all the resources of the Liu family, trained abroad, and even served as the president of Goldman Sachs''s Asia-Pacific region.


    If Shen Peng was willing to lead, he was happy to assist, leaving the spotlight for Redwood.


    Shen Peng glanced sideways, entirely composed, "I don''t mind, but aren''t you worried that Redwood may not put in enough effort?"


    "We only hold less than 2%; if DiDi doesn''t go public, then it doesn''t; we still have Meituan."


    "¡­" Zhu Hu was at a loss for words for a moment and chuckled dryly, "Just kidding, let''s stick to the original plan."


    On the other side, Lu Liang returned to Tianxing Private Equity on the 17th floor, it was already nine o''clock at night.


    The pre-market trading for Panda was very active, likely laying the groundwork for the upcoming surge.


    The T+0 trading method made it impossible to manipulate retail investors into buying like in Big A.


    If it were in Big A, as long as you bought today, there was no escaping, no matter what.


    But US stocks were different, buy one second and sell the next, not only could you go long, but you could also short.


    Yesterday it had risen 175%, but it was still far from becoming a monster stock; today the market generally expected a lower opening or sideways movement.


    To prepare for the upcoming surge, warming up in extended trading was necessary so retail investors wouldn''t rush to sell, holding their tickets to wait a bit longer.


    Although it involved changing hands at a high level and JPMorgan had a lot of money, Wilson still hoped to attract retail investors with relatively less capital.


    Save where you must, spend where you should. You could spend hundreds of thousands of US dollars in a nightclub in one night, but in the financial market, if you can make an extra dollar, you should.


    "Do not place any visible orders, so as not to alert the retail investors. Start selling at 6.6 US dollars, sell more if the volume is high and less if it''s low."


    Seeing Lu Liang arrive, Sun Yutao felt reassured, gave him a glance, received authorization, and began issuing orders with his headset on.


    Lu Liang nodded his head. As 9:30 approached, he too put on a headset and began his work for the day.


    Although pre-market trading slightly increased by 1.2%, the market generally short-sold today''s situation, opening at -0.58%.


    Just seconds later, the transaction details suddenly refreshed rapidly, with buy orders of thousands, even tens of thousands, appearing in the market.


    With overwhelming force, it swept all the buy orders in the market, thrusting a bullish line suddenly skyward.


    Simultaneously, several second-tier assessment agencies suddenly issued joint statements suggesting that Panda''s stock was abnormal, overpriced, and risky.


    Lu Liang and others also received the alert immediately. Sun Yutao, thoughtful, couldn''t help but look to Lu Liang, "Mr. Lu, what''s this?"


    "Don''t worry about it. We do what we need to do." S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lu Liang paused to think, his lips gradually curving into a smile.


    Big A was still too advanced, Wilson obviously wanted to play something different this time, emulating Big A to create a monster stock.


    Like some stocks, the more you warn them, the more they are sequestered, the wilder they are when they come out.


    It was supposed to be yesterday''s closing price, slapping the assessing agencies in the face, a tactic they wanted to carry through.


    Letting retail investors mistakenly believe that institutional assessments were misleading, when institutions short-sold, they would go long.


    Little did they know, what they saw was only what others wanted them to see.


    As soon as the risk assessment reports from these institutions hit, the stock price momentarily fell below 6 US dollars.


    However, the dip did not last long; it climbed quickly again, reaching 6.5 US dollars.


    Retail investors were baffled, unable to think, they impulsively clicked to buy, pushing the stock price over 6.6 US dollars.


    85% of the 5853 million shares, about 4682 million shares, less than 300 million dollars in chips, were snatched up in an instant.


    Without Lu Liang, the tiger blocking the path, the stock price could not be suppressed and continued to break upwards until it barely stopped upon reaching seven dollars.


    At eleven thirty at night, Panda''s current stock price was 7.05 US dollars, up 16.5%, with a market value of 13.5 billion US dollars.


    Sun Yutao stiffened, displaying an uglier-than-crying smile, "Mr. Lu, there are only 11.71 million shares left in the account."


    He seemed to have misjudged, underestimated the market''s enthusiasm. If they didn''t agree to change hands at a high level, perhaps they could have made more.


    "Well done," Lu Liang smiled, not blaming him, "If it weren''t for the risk warnings from those agencies, do you think the situation could have been this crazy?"


    A masterstroke is the best description of Wall Street institutions.


    Before the armies move, public opinion precedes it; holding the channels of communication, black can be turned into white.


    Just like the past shorts on Neon, Xiangjiang, Korea, and big crocodiles, it was always the same.


    First, the institutions downgrade the national credit rating; then, Soros publicly shorts it; finally, a little shaking makes the walls seem about to tumble, naturally drawing people into the short-selling camp out of panic.


    But this time, they obviously learned from Big A''s advanced experience in harvesting leeks, planning to play something different.


    Making second-tier rating agencies, just below Moody''s, Pu''er, and Fitch, send out risk warnings for Panda.


    Then thoroughly slap their own faces in a self-directed, self-performed farce, making Panda qualify to become a monster stock.


    Sun Yutao realized this, feeling slightly better.


    At that moment, Lu Liang''s phone rang, an international call, "Lu, how is it? Enjoying the sell-off?"


    "Absolutely euphoric," answered Lu Liang, squinting his eyes.


    It''s not easy to be that newcomer with bad intentions.

 Chapter 428 - 425: Selling Grandpas Land Without a Twinge of Conscience

    "Lu, West Africa probably left around ten o''clock last night and should be close to Modu, so I''m counting on you to handle the matters there."


    West Africa was Little Wang, and Wilson hoped that if there was any situation unfavorable to Panda, Lu Liang could lend a hand.


    "No problem, he should call me soon, and I''ll mention it to him then."


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but reflect. Little Wang had really made it; even heads of Wall Street firms had to look to him before acting.


    Although fad stocks don''t make sense, don''t look at earnings, and even projections aren''t important, it''s a different story when the founder deliberately causes trouble.


    If Little Wang caused any mischief,


    it would be easy for one bad apple to spoil the whole barrel.


    What Wilson meant was that if Panda ran into any issues, they should be reported to them first.


    If it could be resolved, everyone would help out; otherwise, if it couldn''t, it was better to do nothing than to make a mistake.


    "Thank you."


    Suddenly, Wilson burst into laughter. There was a time when they had been competitors in the marketplace, but now they were shaking hands in peace.


    With Lu Liang at East Country, acting as a connector, Chinese concept stocks could become their target too.


    Lu Liang said with a smile, "There are no eternal enemies, no permanent stances; everyone is in it for the money."


    "Lu, I like your candor."


    Wilson laughed heartily, feeling great.


    Suddenly, a call came through to Lu Liang''s phone, and he glanced at it: "West Africa is calling me; he must have arrived."


    "Then I won''t keep you any longer. Feel free to stay in touch, whether you need anything or not."


    "Of course, we''re friends."


    After ending the call with Wilson, Lu Liang picked up Little Wang''s call. An excited and hurried voice came through the speaker: "I''m back in Modu, where are you? Are you free tonight?"


    "At the office, I guess I''m free."


    Lu Liang glanced at Sun Yutao. The next two days were the weekend, and he was in the midst of seeking a haven for the capital.


    Looking for a place to park the funds wasn''t new for Sun Yutao, so his oversight wasn''t necessary.


    "ojbk, wait for me on the rooftop in ten minutes; I''ll come to pick you up." After saying that, Little Wang hung up, charged with excitement.


    Lu Liang looked out the window at the night sky above Lujiazui, where occasional red lights flickered, the lights of helicopters and planes.


    He then looked at the stock price chart on the wall; it had risen 16 points today, with the market value increasing by another 2 billion US Dollars. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Little Wang''s paper wealth had increased by 600 million US Dollars. It wasn''t hard to imagine that tonight the sky would be ablaze with fireworks, marking a sleepless night.


    "Yutao, proceed as planned. Keep an eye on it; I''m heading out."


    Lu Liang said goodbye and took the elevator to the top floor.


    Several buildings near Lujiazui had helipads on their roofs, usually a tourist attraction, costing 1800 to enjoy the view of Modu from the sky.


    Having a helicopter was a mark of the wealthy, but this trend hadn''t blown in from Xiangjiang to the mainland, possibly also because the bigwigs on the mainland preferred safer travels on the well-connected roads.


    Unlike Xiangjiang, where the roads were mostly one-way, getting caught in traffic during an emergency could be a death sentence.


    Lu Liang reached the rooftop, summoned building security, and turned on the helipad signal lights to help the aircraft recognize the location.


    After waiting a while, the sound of whooshing came through the night sky as a medium-sized helicopter capable of carrying six people landed.


    "Old Lu, come aboard."


    The cabin door swung open, and Little Wang was smiling brightly, excitedly waving. Beside him were Liu Mou and Long Fei, it looked like they had just come from the airport.


    Liu Mou, a plump and agile man with a beaming smile, quickly handed noise-cancelling headphones to Lu Liang.


    Wearing the headphones, Lu Liang bent down to avoid the helicopter''s propeller wind, stepped into the cabin, and leaned in close to Little Wang''s ear, shouting, "Where are we going?"


    "Just come out, don''t ask where."


    Little Wang laughed heartily, his laugh overtaking the noise of the propellers, radiating pride and wildness.


    Clearly he knew about Panda''s stock price rise for the second day in a row, his personal stake now valued at 4.259 billion US Dollars.


    Lu Liang was momentarily at a loss for words amidst the noise; he chose to remain silent and enjoy the night view of Modu instead.


    The helicopter left the New International Building, crossing over Pujiang, passing the Bund, and in less than ten minutes, the nose suddenly dipped.


    Lu Liang saw a rooftop terrace above the high-rise buildings.


    The lights were ablaze, the lasers flashed, and men and women raised their glasses to welcome their arrival.


    "I knew you wouldn''t arrange the show for me," Little Wang said with a chuckle, "so I arranged it myself."


    He smiled mischievously as he couldn''t wait to open the plane''s door and disembark upon landing.


    Striding onto the stage with steps betraying no familial recognition, he took the microphone from the DJ''s hand.


    He shouted, "Friends, I''m back! Tonight, let''s revel to our heart''s content and party till dawn."


    The DJ, very cooperative, raised his arms and cheered, "Let''s welcome the new billion-dollar company leader, Mr. Wang~"


    The stage lit up with colorful neon lights, and Little Wang, with a beaming smile, took off the DJ''s baseball cap and put it on, the brim facing backward, becoming the midnight DJ.


    Dozens of handsome men and pretty women raised their arms, swaying with the rhythm of the music, wildly and unrestrained.


    "What''s gotten into him?" Lu Liang touched his chin, puzzled, and turned to ask Long Fei beside him.


    Long Fei glanced at Lu Liang and, with a wry smile, said, "He probably pent up too much in New York."


    During the ten days in New York, Little Wang had at least ten chances for romantic encounters, but he ended up alone in an empty room every time.


    Based on his prior knowledge of Little Wang, he couldn''t hold back, but surprisingly, he did.


    He held back all the way until he returned to the country.


    "One either explodes in silence or perishes in it," Lu Liang said with a chuckle.


    Long Fei nodded, "That''s the theory."


    He took two cocktails from a passing waiter and handed one to Lu Liang, "Mr. Lu, would you like a drink?"


    "Since we''re here, let''s have a drink," Lu Liang raised his glass, glanced at Long Fei, and then walked to a relatively quiet corner.


    Understanding the cue, Long Fei followed him and, ensuring they weren''t overheard, asked quietly, "Mr. Lu, do you have any instructions?"


    "The stock price of Panda has been acting strange these last few days."


    Lu Liang leaned against the railing, feeling the night breeze. This place should be near Jinling West Road, from where they could clearly see People''s Park.


    Long Fei nodded, then after a moment''s reflection, said, "There''s a rumor going around that you''re the one hyping up the market sentiment."


    Lu Liang chuckled lightly, "Yesterday, it was me, but not today, nor will it be in the future."


    He took a sip of his drink and said leisurely, "Whatever plans Panda has, implement them as soon as possible and further push up the hype."


    Some things were pointless to tell Little Wang; he didn''t understand them, nor did he take much responsibility. The real efforts for Panda were being made by Long Fei.


    The recent call with Wilson made Lu Liang realize that he wasn''t just a bridge from East Country to Wall Street but also a two-way bridge from Wall Street to East Country.


    Now that he had tasted some benefits, it was time for the Wall Street institutions to relish some too. Interfering with corporate operations without affecting the market was also his responsibility.


    Mutually beneficial partnerships could last, and even if something big would happen next year, it would be best to keep a close relationship with Wall Street this year and the first half of next year.


    Long Fei frowned, unable to help reminding him, "Mr. Lu, you are also one of Panda''s top ten shareholders."


    They both held original shares, which they couldn''t cash in for the next six months, even if the stock price soared to a hundred yuan a share.


    The market was currently overheating, and if Lu Liang truly had Panda''s best interests at heart, he would advocate for cooling it down.


    Feverishly hyping the market was like making a bridal gown for someone else, yielding them no benefits except draining potential.


    They referred to the company''s shareholders;


    Lu Liang was a shareholder of the company,


    But he was more than just a shareholder.


    He had obviously partnered with the Wall Street institutions, aiming to heat up Panda.


    Lu Liang chuckled to himself, glancing at Little Wang, who was still enamored with DJing, feeling more certain that Long Fei was the true backbone of the operation.


    He said indifferently, "Kuai Shou''s stores will launch after National Day, and Kuai Shou''s small shops in mid-October. In less than six months, Panda will revert to its original form anyway. All this effort now is pointless."


    In Lu Liang''s opinion, in less than six months, Panda would be back to square one.


    Since it''s going to end, might as well smooth the way for it.


    "Mr. Lu, we haven''t even tried it. How can we know it''s a meaningless act?" Long Fei finally spoke up after a long silence, clearly dissatisfied and bravely asked, "Mr. Lu, forgive my boldness, but is Panda just a tool for you to achieve some purpose? To be discarded once used?"


    From rounds A to C of funding, Lu Liang was unconcerned, but starting with round D, he showed an excess of interest.


    The plan was to go public in the spring of next year, but he rushed the process, completing the IPO three months early.


    Now he spoke as though urging Panda to exert its last bit of warmth, which made him very uncomfortable.


    It felt like selling the family fields without a second thought.

 Chapter 429 - 426: Close to Lu Zefu

    "The correct choice is more important than the correct effort."


    "Long Fei, there was no need to explain to you, but since you care so much about the company, I don''t mind elaborating."


    "Suppose, you cool down the market to bring the stock price back to three US Dollars, or four US Dollars, do you think it''s harder to climb from three US Dollars to ten US Dollars six months later, or to fall from ten US Dollars, or even higher, to three US Dollars?"


    Lu Liang still had a smile on his face, and he didn''t blame Long Fei for his frankness. Although he had his own motives, he didn''t feel this would betray the identity of a Panda shareholder.


    Old Jia had fled, but recently LeEco had tapped into the heat of the 5G concept and its stock price had returned to double digits.


    Because this stock had trapped too many people, small investors might be helpless, but large investors and institutions were constantly thinking of self-rescue, or minimizing losses as much as possible.


    If the company had very good prospects, like Ningde Era or BYD, becoming a hype stock would indeed be a bad thing.


    But Panda, although listed, was in a very bad situation, surrounded by strong competitors in the live commerce arena; just holding their own ground was a blessing.


    Becoming a hype stock and cultivating a group of long-term shareholders at a high level could also facilitate future capital raising from the market, so this wasn''t necessarily a bad thing.


    Suddenly, Long Fei''s momentum weakened, and Lu Liang, squinting his eyes, said softly, "Mr. Long, you should drink less."


    Success is 99% sweat and 1% inspiration, but that 1% inspiration is often more important than the 99% sweat; the same applies here.


    Though Lu Liang had once said that of the credits for Panda''s development so far, he and Little Wang each had two parts, Long Fei alone had four parts, and the rest had two parts.


    This was indeed true, but both Lu Liang and Little Wang were irreplaceable, while Long Fei could be replaced.


    By saying this, Long Fei showed he was more arrogant than Little Wang, attributing 90% of Panda''s success to himself.


    Just like some people always attribute their success to their own hard work, deliberately ignoring the dividends of the era.


    Long Fei looked up and saw Lu Liang''s gaze, and was suddenly so frightened that his drunkenness dissipated, "Mr. Lu... Mr. Lu, I''m very sorry, I misspoke."


    Lu Liang smiled faintly, patted his shoulder, and said no more.


    Just then, the spotlight on the stage suddenly hit them, and Little Wang, holding a microphone, said with a grin, "Lu, isn''t the atmosphere here good enough? Why are you whispering with Mr. Long?"


    Facing the crowd, he said, "They say behind every successful man stands a woman, but I disagree, behind me stands a man."


    "It''s him, it''s him, it''s definitely him, our Lu Liang, who is invincible everywhere, undefeated in battle, and unstoppable!"


    "The whole venue, with shouts, screams~~"


    Cheers and applause resounded.


    Lu Liang smiled awkwardly. Little Wang might be tipsy, but he was certainly not; his scalp tingled with embarrassment, but he could only raise his glass, "Gathering here is fate, a toast to you all."


    Witnessing this, Long Fei wished he could slap himself.


    Even Little Wang didn''t dare to speak to Lu Liang like that, and Long Fei, after a couple of drinks, didn''t even know his place?


    To put it bluntly, if Lu Liang spoke up, Panda''s general manager could be replaced tomorrow.


    After Little Wang tired of playing, he handed the stage back to the DJ and leisurely approached Lu Liang, "Watching what?"


    Lu Liang looked ahead, next to the pool slide, there was a short-haired girl, who seemed to be watching him.


    Little Wang followed his gaze, visibly disgusted, "Damn, you jerk, you didn''t forget her just because you slept with her, did you?"


    "Did I sleep with her?" Lu Liang wondered, then asked, "How do you know? Did you push my butt?"


    Little Wang was about to speak, suddenly furious, "I push your dead ass, forget it, figure it out yourself."


    He was going to warn Lu Liang, but now he couldn''t care less about his fate, directly cuddling his new girlfriend and dancing intimately.


    "Call me when you wake up tomorrow; I need to talk to you."


    Lu Liang left a message, not bothering to deal with Little Wang any longer, having held back for so long, he might as well let loose for a night.


    He circled the open-air pool and approached the short-haired girl, smiling, "Hello, do we know each other?"


    Lu Liang wasn''t the naive boy; since Little Wang said he had slept with her, it was highly likely true, and he felt she looked familiar; why fuss over it.


    "Mr. Lu, you really forget important people." Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The short-haired girl looked aggrieved, pulling a green, casino chip-like item from her bag.


    Nibbling it between her teeth, her eyes filled with a melancholic glow, she asked again, "Mr. Lu, do you remember now?"


    Lu Liang suddenly laughed, "Miss Lin, sorry, sorry, it''s been two years, and you''ve become even more beautiful; I hardly dared recognize you."


    It must have been Little Wang''s ex-girlfriend''s best friend; back then in Macau, she was specifically called over, indeed spending a night of fleeting passion.


    Miss Lin playfully scolded, "Mr. Lu, always so charming, but I wonder how many naive girls you''ve deceived."


    Lu Liang was speechless, chuckling, "Aren''t you in Yangcheng? How''s your online store doing?"


    He remembered, Miss Lin was an online celebrity, managing her own women''s fashion brand, modeling for her online store.


    Seemingly also a high-achieving graduate from Zhejiang University, that night they drank together, he even got a little educated.


    Lin Yike once said something he remembered clearly: being an internet celebrity meant being a popular figure online, not a spokesperson for grabbing attention without limits.


    It was just that the unevenness in this field prompted the public to label them with stereotypes; and in some sense, Lu Liang and Little Wang were also internet celebrities.


    "It''s going well, already developing offline stores in Modu." Lin Yike''s eyes twinkled with a smile, her gaze growing gentler.


    A fleeting romance that lingered in her memory for two years¡ªif Lu Liang had forgotten her, she would have been really sad.


    Fortunately, Lu Liang still remembered that she ran an online women''s clothing store, which meant he hadn''t completely forgotten her.


    Lu Liang signaled for a waiter and turned to ask, "Alcohol or juice?"


    "Either is fine." Lin Yike spoke softly.


    Lu Liang picked up two cocktails and handed one to her: "Did you come here alone?"


    "Sort of but not really; I''m just not very familiar with them."


    Lin Yike looked towards the girl dancing passionately with Little Wang¡ªhis new girlfriend, who was also an internet celebrity, and her classmate.


    She laughed heartily and openly said, "It must be what people consider a socialite training class."


    "You admit it quite frankly." Lu Liang was dumbfounded, remembering the recent hot search topic about socialites grouping together.


    A bag, an accessory, a high tea session¡ªall could be grouped together for a photo shoot, then shared on social media accounts to craft an image of a socialite, all originating from socialite training classes.


    Last year, Li Manli also wanted to enroll in such a class, saying she wanted to become more elegant and tasteful, only to be lectured by Lu Liang.


    Being a socialite wasn''t about pretense¡ªonly grandsons were about pretense. So-called Western dining etiquette and wine-tasting etiquette were just barriers set for those lacking in power. Even if one managed to cross these barriers and enter so-called high-end circles, they would still stand as mere underlings.


    As long as one was powerful, the barriers of these circles would be incredibly low, even rolling out the red carpet and welcoming them grandly.


    Lin Yike, pride evident on her face, said, "They need to pretend; I don''t. I''m just looking to expand my brand''s market."


    Having been an internet celebrity for three years, right when social media rapidly developed, her total assets had exceeded thirty million US Dollars.


    At the beginning of the year, she even spent two million US Dollars to fully subscribe to the Tianxing Mixed Fund.


    "Mr. Lu, netizens are saying being close to Lu Zefu really seems reasonable." Lin Yike squinted her eyes with a smile.


    Ever since meeting Lu Liang, her online store''s sales exploded after she returned home. Although the return rate was high, the profits were too.


    A typical piece of women''s clothing sold for 120, she could earn at least 100, and in just a few months, she made her first million in life.


    Lu Liang chuckled lightly, happy for her: "So are you seeking to rekindle our former relationship?"


    "Mr. Lu, don''t be so narcissistic, okay? You were the one who approached me first." Lin Yike pouted, dissatisfied.


    "Do you have a boyfriend?" Lu Liang asked.


    Lin Yike shook her head: "I haven''t found the right one yet."


    "You''re so beautiful and rich, how could no one pursue you?"


    "Perhaps I''m too outstanding, a leftover woman, you know, what''s left is only the best."


    "Lower your standards a bit."


    "I can''t lower them even a bit; maybe I''ll wait a few more years until I''m really old, then I might be able to settle down and have some fun with a few ''toy boys''."


    "Not now?"


    "Definitely not now. I''m still young and beautiful. Wouldn''t I be at a loss dating ''toy boys'' now?"


    "Seems like you have a point."


    Lu Liang naturally put his arm around Lin Yike''s waist: "Women always hope to aim higher."


    "Mr. Lu, do you remember? I once asked you a question," Lin Yike smiled broadly, offering no resistance.


    "What question?" Lu Liang was puzzled.


    Lin Yike suddenly changed the topic: "Mr. Lu, do you have a girlfriend?"


    Lu Liang was startled, vaguely recalling what that question might have been, and shook his head with a smile: "No."


    Lin Yike giggled coquettishly, a dimple on her left cheek, her beauty indescribable. She leaned on Lu Liang''s shoulder, whispering softly, "Mr. Lu, I think I''m a bit drunk."


    "Then let me take you home."


    "Mhm."


    The two arrived at the hotel downstairs, and as soon as they entered the room, sparks flew, ready to ignite.


    When Lin Yike had suddenly asked Lu Liang if she could be considered his girlfriend, Lu Liang had not responded, not even willing to deceive her.


    Although Lu Liang did not clarify, Lin Yike knew she did not even have the right to be deceived.


    Meeting again, Lu Liang had a girlfriend, yet he claimed he didn''t, suggesting that now she was eligible to be deceived.

 Chapter 430 - 427: Cunningly Advancing by Retreating

    "Lu, where are you?"


    The next day at noon, Little Wang called, and Lu Liang woke up to the ringtone, giving out his room number: "Room 1010 on the 52nd floor."


    After hanging up the phone, there was a knock on the door after just ten seconds, evidently Little Wang had also stayed at the hotel last night.


    Wearing the hotel''s slippers, he schlumped in and complained, "What''s so important? I just woke up and haven''t even had lunch yet."


    Lu Liang said, "I just want you to keep a low profile for now, someone''s got their eyes on Panda and wants to pump it into a penny stock. I hope there won''t be any slip-ups on the company''s part."


    Hearing this, Little Wang''s eyes widened in astonishment, "Damn, Panda turning into a penny stock? Doesn''t that mean we''re gonna make a fortune?"


    He hurriedly inquired, "I just took a glance, the share price climbed to 7 US Dollars, does that mean it''ll double?"


    The latest share price is 7 US Dollars, with a market cap of 13.5 billion. If it doubled, that would be 27 billion, holding 31.55% of the shares, making it 8.5 billion US Dollars, equivalent to 57 billion RMB.


    57 billion RMB; based on last year''s list, that ranks 30th on the national rich list, equivalent to the Wu family of Longhu Real Estate.


    "It might, or it might not; it all depends on how they plan to play it."


    Lu Liang was distracted, noticing several red banknotes pressed under the ashtray on the coffee table, he counted about thirty-two of them.


    Reminded of several long hairs on the white pillow and leftover condoms on the nightstand, it was clear that last night wasn''t spent alone.


    Putting all this together, it looked like he''d been solicited.


    "Smart guy, do you think I''ve got the potential to be someone''s kept man?"


    Lu Liang said with a smirk, flicking the banknotes for a crisp sound.


    Little Wang looked perplexed, "Where did this money come from?"


    "I was busy all night, woke up and the person was gone, only this stack of cash was left."


    Lu Liang laughed casually, quite content to pocket his hard-earned money.


    Having roughly grasped what happened, Little Wang looked incensed, "Have you no shame?"


    To him, this was a humiliating act.


    However, Lu Liang didn''t see it that way; he chuckled, "A hardworking farmer deserves some reward for his labor, doesn''t he? Isn''t that fair?"


    After a long silence, Little Wang suddenly scoffed derisively, "I''m ashamed to associate with you."


    His disdain was mixed with the competitive spirit of a man¡ªLittle Wang, still in his twenties, wondered why he hadn''t received such ''payment'' being in his thirties.


    "That''s the difference between us."


    Lu Liang said lightly, heading to the bathroom to freshen up, followed by a loud door shut.


    After a while, when he came out of the bathroom, Little Wang had already left. Lu Liang looked at the red notes and, without a second thought, stuffed them casually into his wallet.


    Being solicited was one thing, Cinderella''s slipper another; he was untroubled by such matters. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If fate willed it, he would pick up where he left off; if not, let it vanish with the wind.


    Both adults, neither the woman nor Lu Liang were looking to take responsibility.


    That afternoon, Lu Liang took a trip to Lou Shui in Su City.


    Though it was Saturday, the construction site was still bustling with loud noises.


    Zhuo Yifan was already on the job, acting like a personal assistant at Wang Xiaofeng''s side.


    He spoke little, observed and inquired a lot, learning about local operations in as short a time as possible.


    Across the river, eighteen factory buildings were taking shape; a few more months and they''d be complete.


    Lu Liang took a cursory look and didn''t linger, heading back to Modu early the next morning.


    Wen Chao called the previous night; Bitcoin prices had suddenly surged.


    A 7% jump overnight, climbing back to 1600 US Dollars.


    They only held a 41% position, and with almost six hundred million in liquid funds, should they keep buying in?


    "Buy, create the illusion of retail investors buying high," Lu Liang commanded without a second thought.


    On December 17th, Bitcoin closed at 20,852 US Dollars, with each having gained over nineteen thousand in value.


    Anything under ten thousand was considered a low price; they would have bought in bulk long ago if they weren''t concerned about impacting the market.


    At the end of September, on the eve of National Day.


    DiDi, following tradition, and led by Liu Qing, convened a board meeting to report September''s performance to the shareholders.


    The frequency of these board meetings, which had been quarterly, was unusual in recent months.


    The main reason was the failed listing review; they met frequently to produce the latest performance reports every month, placating the shareholders.


    It wasn''t that they couldn''t go public, they just didn''t want to yet; the company had strong cash flow and was growing each month.


    "If we go public with an IPO valuation of 50 billion US Dollars, that''s undoubtedly selling at a ridiculously low price. We should wait for a better opportunity," someone said.


    The audience exchanged glances. They had heard this rhetoric too many times, and it was as if their ears had grown calluses from listening to it.


    Whether they were unable to or just unwilling, they had long had the answer in their hearts, but no one wanted to be the first to stick their neck out.


    She was the daughter of the former chairman of the Taishan Association, who had just returned from deepening her studies at Goldman Sachs, a perfect blend of Eastern and Western expertise.


    Unless it was truly a matter of life or death, no one wanted to offend the daughter of the Liu family.


    "Mr. Liu is indeed correct," said Zhu Hu, giving Shen Peng a glance before suddenly challenging, "But I wonder if Mr. Liu has been paying attention to Panda."


    "Panda''s stock price closed at 7.12 US Dollars this morning, with a continuous rise of 224% over three days, and a market capitalization of 13.685 billion US Dollars."


    "The recent roadshow in New York was subscribed over 218.85 times, breaking the record set three years ago by Ali for Chinese concept stocks going public in the US."


    "Judging by the market''s reaction, it''s not hard to see that the winter for Chinese concept stocks in the US has passed, and spring is on its way."


    Upon hearing this, the neutral shareholders, who had been wary of the Liu family''s influence, suddenly became agitated.


    It had been five years, they were the national number one, having raised over 20 billion US Dollars, and it was time to reap the benefits.


    Liu Qing''s expression stiffened, but she was forced to say, "Whether it''s really spring is still questionable, because the presence of Lu Liang is a significant factor."


    "Maybe," Shen Peng said, lifting the corner of his mouth naturally and taking the opportunity to continue, "But to my knowledge, iQiyi, Tencent Music, Mogu Street, and 360 Finance are all accelerating their IPO plans."


    "The best opportunity has arrived. We have prepared thoroughly ahead of other companies. If we can land first, it will more than compensate for any losses of going public ahead of time."


    Liu Qing lost her focus for a moment, her gaze suddenly sharp as a knife as she looked at Shen Peng, and then at Zhu Hu.


    If it had been just Zhu Hu, she could have dismissed it as grumbling, but with Shen Peng chiming in, it was obviously a targeted move against her.


    The other shareholders also realized that Little Wang, known as the top investor in the country, was banding together to pressure Liu Qing.


    Such a good opportunity, how could they not kick someone while they''re down? To go public sooner, cash out sooner, and return capital sooner was the most straightforward wish of every investor.


    Liu Qing narrowed her eyes, looking at everyone: the executive directors, the non-executive directors, the shareholder representatives, the employee representatives, the capital representatives¡ªa total of 22 people.


    More than half were in favor of the two men''s proposal, even Cheng Wei, who always supported her and only knew how to say "yes," also showed great interest.


    Liu Qing furrowed her brows. If she excluded a few neutrals, the people currently standing with her might not even make up a quarter.


    Going public was the voice of the masses, and while those in control can use roundabout methods, they absolutely cannot directly oppose the public face-to-face.


    She was only a leader, not a dictator.


    Liu Qing pondered for a long while, already making a decision: "Mr. Shen, Mr. Zhu, do you perhaps have better ideas? Feel free to share."


    "We are all looking out for the company''s interests. If you two have better ideas, I am willing to step down from the company''s IPO advisory position."


    Although everyone knew that DiDi had not gone public not because it didn''t want to, but because it couldn''t, nobody had said it outright.


    Liu Qing was very confident in the results of her many years of management; she believed no one could replace her position at DiDi.


    This move was known as a strategic retreat.


    Only by making them realize that without her, Liu Qing, DiDi simply couldn''t function, would they give up. And in the future, they would be better able to maintain control.


    As soon as she spoke, Zhu Hu and Shen Peng glanced at each other, both seeing a fleeting joy in the other''s eyes, as if the phrase "double happiness" was about to be written on their faces.


    But none of them spoke further, and they even started persuading Liu Qing not to be rash, insisting that everyone was just discussing collectively and had not disregarded her contributions.


    Liu Qing''s mouth curled up, feeling increasingly smug, yet still spoke sternly, "DiDi should have gone public already; not having done so is indeed my neglect."


    Zhu Hu offered a placating smile, "Mr. Liu has contributed greatly to DiDi''s development to this point. You absolutely deserve immense credit. How could you belittle yourself like this?"


    Shen Peng suddenly turned to Chairman Cheng Wei, "Mr. Cheng, please also persuade Mr. Liu. We can all sit down and discuss this properly."


    They had already fired the first shot, and now it was time for Cheng Wei to take a stand. He couldn''t continue to be a shrinking turtle, reaping the benefits without showing his stance.


    Everyone turned their gaze to Cheng Wei, who had always been like the company''s mascot. But suddenly, he seemed a bit different.


    Cheng Wei pondered for a moment before slowly saying, "As for DiDi, Mr. Liu indeed deserves immense credit. Without her, there wouldn''t be the DiDi of today."


    Liu Qing''s face gradually darkened, sensing something amiss. Being praised and acknowledged for her contributions right away was definitely not a good sign.


    The next second, Cheng Wei''s words confirmed her guess.


    "But every field has its experts, and perhaps we should invite someone more professional to handle DiDi''s IPO affairs."


    "Mr. Cheng, who do you think we should invite then?" Liu Qing asked with a fierce look, feeling enveloped by a tightening net.


    Zhu Hu, Shen Peng, and Cheng Wei suddenly came together, which definitely wasn''t decided on a whim but had been planned for a long time.


    Cheng Wei appeared indifferent; he had waited for this day for a long time, ignoring Liu Qing''s piercing gaze.


    After pondering deep in thought for a long while, he said, "I''ve heard that Chen Qi from Mogu Street is interested in contacting Lu Liang, and since we have invested in Tianxing Technology, perhaps we can benefit from being close by."

 Chapter 431 - 428: Reincarnation is the Turning Point of Fate

    "Mr. Lu, he won''t be interested."


    Liu Qing''s face was frosty, her words measured and deliberate as she looked at the others with a distinctly warning gaze.


    Although she was employing a strategic retreat to advance, if Lu Liang were to intervene, her retreat might become a permanent one.


    Two roadshows had frozen funds exceeding two hundred billion US dollars, and the listing had risen for three consecutive days, with an increase of 224%.


    It could be said that Lu Liang had propelled Panda to a position it didn''t belong. Whether its current market value was a castle in the air remained to be seen, but its achievements were evident to all.


    From the perspective of assisting companies with US listings, Lu Liang could perhaps replace Liu Qing.


    This thought, like a virus, spread through everyone''s minds as they turned to Cheng Wei, hoping he could be decisive this time.


    Cheng Wei met their gazes firmly, "Mr. Liu, why are you so certain? Have you already inquired with Mr. Lu?"


    Liu Qing was at a loss for words; she couldn''t help but look at everyone, hope flickering in their eyes.


    Their gazes alone signified agreement with Cheng Wei''s proposal: to invite Lu Liang to assist DiDi with its listing.


    She maintained a cold expression and shook her head, "No, Mr. Cheng might as well try. If Mr. Lu is willing to help, that would be more than welcome."


    Liu Qing realized that Cheng Wei had long been plotting, and today''s board meeting was a trap specifically set for her.


    Zhu Hu, Shen Peng, and even Lu Liang were part of Cheng Wei''s scheme, and she was caught off guard without any defense.


    With the enemy concealed and herself exposed, it was an unfair contest. She had to avoid their sharp edges and wait for an opportunity to counter-attack.


    Cheng Wei looked at the board members, inquiring, "If no one objects, shall we approach Mr. Lu to discuss?"


    "Mr. Cheng''s proposal is indeed good. Mr. Lu''s capabilities and network are well known; we can give it a try."


    "Trying doesn''t cost us anything. If Lu Liang can help DiDi go public, it''s worth paying a price."


    Zhu Hu, maintaining a poker face, injected a precaution, suggesting that inviting Lu Liang would come with a price if DiDi successfully went public.


    Cheng Wei nodded, adding, "Of course, there''s no such thing as a free lunch, nor is there help without cost."


    Liu Qing watched coldly as the pair orchestrated their act. Now she was completely sure; this was a well-calculated scheme.


    But she still didn''t know what price Cheng Wei was willing to pay to persuade Lu Liang to get involved.


    A representative from Goldman Sachs whispered gently, "Jean, let''s wait and see."


    Liu Qing had come from Goldman Sachs; naturally, they supported all of her decisions unconditionally.


    But the current situation overwhelmed them, and they could only feign weakness to the enemy, planning their next move after returning.


    Liu Qing''s emotions gradually stabilized, as if unaffected, she watched Cheng Wei and the others perform their self-directed play.


    Cheng Wei noticed, but didn''t say anything.


    It was just that he felt a pity; he wished Liu Qing would panic and make mistakes in desperation.


    But if that were the case, she wouldn''t be Liu Qing. They had only taken advantage of the momentum to catch her by surprise.


    Next, it all depended on Lu Liang.


    "I understand. At the next board meeting, mention the demands I put forward."


    "2% of the equity, at least 15% of the voting rights. This way, our three parties will control 58% of the voting rights."


    "Based on a 50 billion US dollar valuation, I''ll put in one billion dollars to join. If the listing fails after a year, I''ll get a full refund."


    "The investor representative will be Tianxing Technology. Tianxing Investment doesn''t have enough funds to bring forth one billion dollars."


    Lu Liang thought for a moment; one billion dollars equated to sixty-seven billion RMB¡ªTianxing Investment had only twenty-four billion on its books.


    Tianxing Technology, on the other hand, had sixty-nine point five billion RMB in its accounts. After all, the engineering projects were due for completion around April or May of next year.


    The production lines could only be installed after completion; the funds lying idle in the bank could well be put to use.


    DiDi held a 20% stake in Tianxing Technology. Tianxing Technology investing in DiDi would also constitute a cross-shareholding, and it was a well-justified move.


    Cheng Wei responded, "Understood, Mr. Lu. But tomorrow is National Day, and the board meeting will probably be postponed to the 3rd."


    "That''s fine, just let me know."


    Lu Liang was dedicated to child-rearing, while Su Wanyu and Zheng Xiaoxuan were visiting Modu, returning to their alma mater. They left him to care for their child.


    The two-month-old was growing longer, cuter hair, her big sparkling eyes and soft little cheeks becoming increasingly endearing.


    "In a few days, you''ll be going to the United Kingdom with Mommy. The next time I see you, it will probably be the end of the year."


    Lu Liang lay on the bed, playfully tickling the little one with his index finger. At two months old, she couldn''t even crawl yet; her little hand could only instinctively clinch onto Lu Liang''s finger.


    "It''s been two months, and it seems your dad hasn''t given you any gifts, not even a pacifier."


    Lu Liang gently stroked her cheek, feeling guiltier the more he thought about it, and decisively called Xu Jiawei to compensate with financial means.


    The transfer of three properties was quickly arranged¡ªone in Yangpu University City and two in Green City Puhwan, with a market value exceeding 140 million.


    The baby''s pinky dipped in some red mud and pressed against nine contracts, in triple copies, totaling three properties.


    Lu Liang held her, grinning, "Wait for mommy to come back and sign, and then you''ll officially be a homeowner in Modu."


    "..."


    Xu Jia Wei forced a smile, feeling almost numb.


    A baby born two months ago now owned three apartments in Modu.


    A lifetime of striving may not bring others to the finish line, yet this little one had already crossed it three times. And when she came of age, she would even have the opportunity to choose her nationality anew.


    Indeed, the turning point of fate was not the college entrance exam, but birth itself. A right birth outweighed a hundred correct choices.


    "Wow~ Why are there so many people in Modu? I''m not going to Beijing; I want to go back to the United Kingdom," Zheng Xiaoxuan just got back and couldn''t help but complain. The streets, the Bund, the Oriental Pearl, everywhere was crowded.


    Thinking about tomorrow being National Day and their next stop being Beijing, she suddenly felt the urge to retreat and just stay home.


    "I told you there would be a lot of people, but you didn''t believe me and wanted to join the fun," Su Wanyu said with a faint smile, holding two thermoses in her hand and carrying two ladies'' coats on her arm.


    Just like before when she would go out with Lu Liang, she was always in charge of carrying small items¡ªcharging cables, power banks, water, and their wallets and phones.


    As soon as she got home, she rushed to wash her hands and sanitize, waiting to cool down before hurrying to the crib.


    "What''s wrong with her palm?" Su Wanyu suddenly noticed the baby''s palms were red, as if stained with paint.


    "Just as you''ve returned, could you sign her name for her?" Lu Liang said with a smile, stopping Xu Jia Wei as he was about to leave.


    He instructed Su Wanyu where to sign as the guardian on the contract.


    "Property registration?"


    Zheng Xiaoxuan ran over to join in, surprised, "Is it the one we''re living in?"


    If she had not visited Su Wanyu''s home and the ancestral house in Chaoshan, she might even think that the standard of living was so high everywhere in the country.


    Everywhere there were large flats of several hundred square meters with prime river views, the Bund right outside, and People Road at the rear.


    Lu Liang nodded and said, "There are actually two here, plus the one Yu used to live in at University City."


    Zheng Xiaoxuan asked curiously, "Is it very expensive?"


    "Enough to buy a manor," he replied.


    Lu Liang noticed Su Wanyu hadn''t started signing and said impatiently, "What are you dawdling for? It''s not for you."


    Su Wanyu sounded pitifully compliant, "Oh," and obediently signed her name as the guardian on all nine contracts.


    Hearing about the possibility of buying a manor, Zheng Xiaoxuan turned into a money lover, "Mr. Lu, would you mind having an extra daughter?"


    Lu Liang smirked, "Then call me daddy and see, Yu will be your mother from now on."


    "Is that incest?" Zheng Xiaoxuan muttered softly, clearly not addressing Lu Liang, but rather Su Wanyu.


    Xu Jia Wei''s eyes twitched as he quickly gathered up the contracts, "Mr. Lu, I''ll leave now if there''s nothing else."


    He feared that if he stayed longer, any startling news might make it impossible for him to leave.


    "Go ahead."


    Lu Liang gave a slight nod, glaring at Zheng Xiaoxuan, unsure if keeping her was a good or bad thing.


    Although she was a woman, the thought of her causing trouble was no longer hidden from others.


    Fortunately, Su Wanyu didn''t seem to have heard and suddenly asked in a muffled voice, "Why are you suddenly being so nice to me?"


    "When have I ever been unkind to you?" Lu Liang asked with a smile.


    Su Wanyu fell silent. Upon reflection, Lu Liang never seemed to treat her poorly.


    If not for his philandering, he truly was a thoroughly good man.


    This thought only made her more conflicted. Lu Liang and Li Manli were probably still together.


    Suddenly, a cry broke her thoughts.


    Su Wanyu instinctively checked the diaper and hurriedly took the little one to the bathroom, "She''s pooped."


    Lu Liang turned to Zheng Xiaoxuan, his tone getting colder, "Ms. Zheng, I think it''s necessary to tell you, if you don''t hide your thoughts, don''t blame me for being unwelcoming."


    Su Wanyu was an adult, and having been around so long, she likely noticed Zheng Xiaoxuan''s interests were questionable.


    She might not be able to accept it but should be trying to understand. However, Siqing was different, still an infant.


    If she grew up cared for by Zheng Xiaoxuan, her future thoughts might well be influenced by her.


    Lu Liang did not want this to happen, and to prevent it, it was best to nip it in the bud.


    Zheng Xiaoxuan snorted coldly, "Lu Liang, I''m not one of your people, you''re being a bit too controlling."


    "I''ve already spoken nicely, if you want to try me, go right ahead."


    Lu Liang''s expression remained steady, no fluctuation, as if discussing an ordinary matter.


    Zheng Xiaoxuan stared at him for a long time, clenched her teeth, and said in a muffled voice, "I get it, it won''t happen again."


    Lu Liang suddenly smiled, "Still planning to go to Beijing? I''ll be going in a few days; we can go together if you like." S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 432 - 429: Lake University

    "I''m not going."


    Zheng Xiaoxuan glared ferociously at Lu Liang, but her attitude wasn''t as presumptuous as before.


    Previously, she had always regarded Lu Liang as a deadbeat who had abandoned his wife and child and was two-timing, but his look just now reminded her that being a deadbeat was only one facet of Lu Liang''s identity.


    He was also the financial tycoon who controlled hundreds of billions in funds, who had once shorted the yen and British Pounds and dominated the international market, and who had even been invited to the White House in Washington to have an amiable chat with Old Te.


    The accumulation of wealth for most people often skirts on the edge of legality, but true capital accumulation is undoubtedly accompanied by endless blood and sin.


    Lu Liang had only been developing for a little over two years and already possessed such a vast fortune; his hands must be directly or indirectly stained with much blood. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "What''s the matter? Are you scared of me?" Lu Liang''s mouth curled into a smile, a smile with a somewhat profound meaning.


    "No. As if I''d be scared of you."


    Zheng Xiaoxuan stiffened her neck, then, catching a glimpse of the diaper on the sofa out of the corner of her eye, decisively picked it up and headed to the bathroom, "Yu, let me help you."


    Lu Liang suddenly laughed, quite cheerfully, "After all, just a little girl, so easily handled."


    In the bathroom, one of them was in charge of holding the baby, and the other of cleaning and wiping.


    Zheng Xiaoxuan suddenly said, "Yu, how about we don''t go to Beijing, it''s too crowded, let''s go back to the United Kingdom earlier."


    Su Wanyu cocked her head, puzzled, "Didn''t you always want to go and see the city wall?"


    "There are too many people; I doubt we''ll see much."


    Zheng Xiaoxuan clung to the excuse of it being too crowded, mainly because she didn''t want to meet Lu Liang again.


    She felt that only by returning to the United Kingdom, to Edinburgh, could she feel safe.


    "Then, let''s not go to Beijing. Staying in Modu is also fine; it''s very convenient for food, housing, and transportation."


    Su Wanyu glanced outside the door; during the National Day, Lu Liang would probably take a few days off, and she wanted to be with him.


    Suddenly an alarm rang; Lu Liang walked to the balcony to take a call, and when he came back, he said, "I need to step out for a bit, and I won''t be back for dinner tonight."


    "What about tomorrow?" Su Wanyu quickly asked.


    "Tomorrow depends on the situation, let''s talk about it then."


    Lu Liang patted the little one''s head and then touched Su Wanyu''s cheek, laughing lightly, "Daddy''s leaving now."


    "Bye-bye, be safe on your way," Su Wanyu smiled naively, holding the little one and waving goodbye to Lu Liang.


    She liked this scene very much; the man of the house working hard outside while she took good care of the family at home.


    Zheng Xiaoxuan sighed lightly, "Then let''s stay in Modu a few more days."


    Elsewhere, Lu Liang took a ride back to the company.


    Old Ma had been waiting in the reception room for a long time, his face all smiles, "Mr. Lu, still looking great. I hope you don''t mind my sudden visit."


    "You wouldn''t suddenly visit just to catch up, would you?" Lu Liang smiled unchangingly, not too courteous.


    Apart from the cooperation with Mitsui Sumitomo Group, he had no other business dealings with Old Ma.


    An unscheduled, sudden visit was likely about DiDi, or more precisely, about Liu Qing.


    Over the years, Old Ma had always praised Old Liu as a godfather of business, and Old Liu had also commended Old Ma for his leadership qualities.


    Their praisings of each other weren''t just business flattery; they truly handed down the torch to each other.


    Though the once-glorious Taishan Association had declined, it was succeeded by Lake University, initiated by Old Ma.


    The president was Old Ma, and the board members were Old Liu, Ma Lun, Guo Changguang, Shi Yuzhu - almost all the original members of the Taishan Association.


    He didn''t know what deal was made, but Old Liu indeed handed over all his connections to Old Ma, and both of them shared a relationship of both mentor and friend.


    Cheng Wei suddenly became assertive, making a move against Liu Qing at the board meeting, with the news spreading quickly. Everyone was waiting to see Lu Liang''s stance.


    At this time, Old Ma''s sudden visit obviously had a clear purpose.


    Old Ma chuckled and said directly, "It''s been a long time, certainly to catch up, but also on behalf of someone else."


    "It wouldn''t happen to be a certain Mr. Liu, would it?" Lu Liang teased, brewing the tea and handing Old Ma a cup.


    Old Ma took a sip and praised the excellent tea before saying, "Indeed, Mr. Lu''s eyes are sharp, nothing escapes you."


    "Cheng Wei has approached me and explained the reasons. I do have some thoughts, but I''m still considering."


    Lu Liang acted as if he had just found out about the matter, keeping himself clear of responsibility.


    Although Zhu Hu and Shen Peng wouldn''t have openly challenged Liu Qing at the board meeting without notifying him first, he still had to make the necessary appearances. He was only an invited participant, not the one who initiated the plan.


    After all, the Liu family is the top comprador group in the country, especially Old Liu, whose disciples are spread throughout the nation.


    Lu Liang picking a fight with them on his own initiative is different from doing it at Cheng Wei''s invitation and for monetary gain.


    The former''s actions were a bit too arrogant and could easily provoke the fury of Liu family disciples, while the latter, he is simply a mercenary motivated by profit.


    Today, he could target the Liu family for profit, and tomorrow, he could just as easily aid the Liu family for the same reasons.


    He has no allegiance,


    his allegiance lies wherever the profit is.


    Old Ma squinted his eyes, not quite believing Lu Liang''s words, but it was none of his concern, so he might as well take it as truth.


    He was just a messenger, "Mr. Lu, Mr. Liu would like to meet with you, do you have time available?"


    "Which Mr. Liu?" Lu Liang raised an eyebrow.


    "Old Mr. Liu."


    "When?"


    "Mr. Liu will be coming to Modu shortly, the specific arrangements depend on your schedule."


    "Then how about tonight? I probably won''t have time the day after tomorrow."


    "Alright, I''ll pass the message along."


    Old Ma gestured for his assistant, asking him to contact Old Liu''s assistant to schedule dinner for tonight at six.


    After handling someone else''s affairs, he had to take care of his own, "I heard that Mr. Lu has collaborated with Mitsui and Hyundai?"


    At the time, he felt somewhat displeased, after all, it was through him that Lu Liang had met Ota Ling from Mitsui Sumitomo.


    Lu Liang nodded with a smile, "There''s a project that I felt Mr. Zheng could help with, so I pulled him in for a bit of fun."


    He detected the dissatisfaction in Old Ma''s voice, so he deliberately soothed him, it wasn''t that he didn''t include him, he just couldn''t.


    For some projects, once they grow to a certain size, money is only a basic requirement, the key is the resources they bring.


    Like in earlier years, Lu Liang wanted to invest in Mobike; he had the money, but Mobike wasn''t interested in him.


    Because at that time, he couldn''t bring Mobike the sort of resources that would aid its growth.


    Similarly, now, Lu Liang had resources from Wall Street at his disposal; iQiyi and 360 Finance had both contacted him.


    With his mere acceptance, they were entirely willing to initiate a round of financing exclusively for Tianxing, just to invite him to join.


    Starting from Panda''s IPO to its performance after going public, it was a glaring signboard of gold.


    "What project?" Old Ma couldn''t help his curiosity about the combination of Mitsui Sumitomo, Hyundai, and Lu Liang.


    He truly couldn''t imagine what kind of endeavor this trio of forces could undertake.


    Lu Liang simply smiled and remained silent, and Old Ma didn''t press further, instead asking Lu Liang if he was familiar with Lake University.


    Last year during their second recruitment, he considered inviting Lu Liang, but Lu''s development was so rapid, the idea of him returning to being a student seemed inappropriate, so he waited a year, preparing to invite him to become a mentor and board member.


    Lu Liang chuckled, "Mr. Ma, I''ll pass, I only have an associate''s degree, I wouldn''t want to mislead the youngsters."


    When he first learned of Lake University''s reputation, he had investigated what sort of institution it actually was.


    In recent years, whenever Old Ma gave media interviews, he often stated that becoming a teacher and working in education was his ultimate destination.


    In reality, he was paving the way for Lake University, with his vision being that, in the future, at least 200 of the top 500 domestic enterprises should be Lake University alumni!


    The university''s founding intentions were admirable¡ªat least on the surface¡ªwith the goal of continuously providing entrepreneurial talent for the nation and giving new entrepreneurs the opportunity to meet industry magnates.


    But one shouldn''t ponder too deeply since Lake University required applicants to have three years of entrepreneurial experience, a company with annual revenues of thirty million, and also three sponsors.


    Recommendations from sponsors took precedence over the other strict requirements like three-year entrepreneurial experience and annual revenues.


    This meant that Lake University applicants didn''t have to be pure entrepreneurs, but if they weren''t pure entrepreneurs, how could they secure recommendations from three sponsors?


    Obviously, one could achieve this through familial and ancestral connections.


    But if someone had a sponsorship and wasn''t an entrepreneur, then what else could they be?


    There was once an academy that prided itself on study, teaching, and patriotism, vowing to serve the world and the people, to carry on the work of the ancient sages, which later turned into the Donglin Party.


    Lu Liang already had more than enough troubles and certainly didn''t need to add an unnecessary complication.


    His growth trajectory differed from Old Ma''s; they walked different paths, cooperation for mutual benefit was acceptable, but they couldn''t conspire together.


    Lu Liang always felt that Old Ma''s approach was particularly dangerous; one day, he could take a serious fall.


    Walking steadily on two legs, he saw no need to add another and risk it becoming a burden.

 Chapter 433 - 430: The Older, the More Confused

    Lu Liang didn''t accept the invitation to the lakeside,


    Old Ma was very disappointed, but couldn''t really say anything.


    After all, only having a junior college degree was indeed a significant shortcoming; he couldn''t help asking, "Mr. Lu, don''t you want to improve yourself?"


    "Go where? Mingzhou?" Lu Liang smirked.


    Old Ma was taken aback, then suddenly smiled, "There are also many business-oriented study programs within the country."


    The news of an affluent businessman from East Country being arrested in America might have disappeared completely from the internet, but that didn''t mean it never happened.


    The doctoral program initiated by Huaqing University, Dongzi never participated again after returning to China.


    He must have been dissatisfied with the program, unable to even ensure the safety of the students involved, what good was it.


    Lu Liang just smiled and did not continue the topic.


    Huaqing University was simply a scapegoat; after all, Dongzi had his reputation to consider, being framed was more palatable compared to being the victim of an "immortal jump" out of lust.


    The two chatted until past five o'' clock, Old Ma glanced at the time, "Mr. Lu, it''s about time."


    "Then let''s go." Lu Liang nodded, and in the car followed Old Ma to the mouth of the Pujiang River.


    The National Day holiday had arrived, and the city was no place for people.


    Just as Zheng Xiaoxuan said, there were people everywhere, cars everywhere, enough to make one''s scalp tingle and strike fear at the sight.


    Baoshan had a private home-style restaurant where Lu Liang ate several times and found the flavor very good, so he arranged to meet Old Liu there.


    It wasn''t long after their arrival that Old Liu hurriedly arrived, seventy-three years old, having announced his retirement several times.


    But just like Soros, he retired but never truly did, popping up from time to time to make his presence felt.


    "Mr. Lu, this must be our first meeting, right?"


    Old Liu showed a smile, suddenly sentimental, "I''ve heard in recent years a remarkable younger generation has emerged in Modu, truly outstanding among their peers."


    Lu Liang smiled modestly, "Mr. Liu, you flatter me, I grew up listening to your stories, and today I''ve finally fulfilled my wish to meet you in person."


    "Let''s take our seats, gentlemen. What shall we eat?" Old Ma said with a smile, well aware of his role at this dinner gathering.


    Purely there to keep the atmosphere going, let them talk, he would do his part. As long as the two didn''t start arguing, his mission would be considered accomplished.


    "I have no dietary restrictions, what about you, Mr. Liu?"


    Though he was the invited guest, Lu Liang took full charge as the host since this was Modu, not Beijing.


    Old Liu said with a smile, "Something light will do; I drank too much when I was younger, and now I don''t really touch anything too heavy or rich."


    Old Ma said with a grin, "I''m much the same, with certain days of the month set aside for fasting."


    "You two talk like that, making it seem as though I''m laden with deep sin."


    Lu Liang teased laughingly; he was a genuine carnivore, one could say no meat, no happiness.


    Although his digestive capacity couldn''t compare to that of his younger days, now he needed a well-balanced diet of staple foods, vegetables, and soups, or else he would feel terrible the next day ¨C yet he still loved to eat. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Old Ma smiled wryly, "Mr. Lu, I didn''t mean anything by it, I''m from the post-60s, Mr. Liu from the post-40s, how old are you?"


    "Mr. Lu is from the post-80s, born in ''85," Old Liu sighed, "Each of us is 20 years apart, precisely representing three generations."


    "Younger than Xiaoqing by seven years, time is indeed cruel. Over the years, I''ve seen many a great man''s rise and fall."


    Lu Liang squinted, chuckled lightly, "Those who rise to the top are the great men; those who sink are merely the ones eliminated."


    "Mr. Lu, isn''t that a bit one-sided?" Old Liu glared fiercely, emanating an intimidating presence without anger.


    "Oh? Does Mr. Liu have any advice?" Lu Liang replied with a smile unchanged, sipping his tea nonchalantly.


    He rose through the ranks without any assistance besides that from Meng Changkun.


    He hadn''t benefited from Old Liu''s favor, and wasn''t about to let anyone play the elder card; it wouldn''t work on him.


    To put it nicely, he was an industry senior. To put it crudely, nothing more than a relic of a bygone era.


    The Liu Family''s three outstanding members were like a microcosm of the evolution from ancient clans.


    The first generation held the second lawyer license in the country, a pioneer and improver of intellectual property rights.


    He was the creator of the national property laws, but it was also because of him that they gradually improved, creating loopholes for himself.


    The most famous cases were Wyeth AHP, gold profiteering, and Disney. Through legal avenues, exerting pressure on the relevant departments, he suppressed domestic companies, clearing trademark infringement issues for these brands and claimed to instill confidence in foreigners regarding the implementation of patent law.


    The second generation came during the time of state-owned enterprise restructuring, leveraging his father''s influence to obtain huge loans, swallowing the Chinese Academy of Sciences'' shares whole, transforming from a caretaker to the owner.


    The third generation was born at the time of the Internet boom. With the combined efforts of the first and second generations, they swiftly turned DiDi into a behemoth valued at 50 billion US Dollars.


    Three heroes of one family, partaking in all the era''s spoils since the founding of the nation, but the direction of the times does not remain unchanged.


    When DiDi submitted their IPO for review, Old Liu certainly couldn''t have not helped; he surely did, but it was of no avail.


    So in a sense, Lu Liang also considered himself to be destined, naturally unafraid of confronting the Liu family.


    "I wouldn''t dare take credit for offering advice, it''s merely sharing some experience from someone who''s been through it, hoping Mr. Lu will think things through thoroughly."


    Old Liu didn''t wish to continue posturing and practically told Lu Liang outright to meddle less in DiDi''s affairs.


    Lu Liang replied with a chuckle, "I''ll take Mr. Liu''s admonition to heart."


    Old Liu narrowed his eyes, sighing, "The times have ultimately changed."


    Having immersed himself in business for decades, how could he not discern genuine concern from mere lip service?


    Perhaps he had been inactive for too long, as even the younger generation no longer took his words seriously.


    Lu Liang hinted, "Times are always changing; if people don''t change, they''ll end up as those who sink."


    Sharp-tongued replies serve little purpose," replied Old Liu, his demeanor growing colder, clearly hearing the insinuation in Lu Liang''s words.


    Lu Liang let out a rueful chuckle, shaking his head.


    They say the older one gets, the wiser one becomes, but he felt that Old Liu was becoming less clear-headed with age.


    It was clear that Old Liu was acting arrogant due to his age, yet now he was turning it around as if Lu Liang were at fault.


    Old Ma sensed trouble and ceased to be a spectator, "Mr. Lu, this private kitchen has amazing flavors. How did you discover this place?"


    "A friend brought me here before; I''ve eaten here a few times and found it quite nice."


    The conversation was leading nowhere, and Lu Liang didn''t wish to stay longer. He drank a cup of tea as a substitute for wine to both men and said, "I''m sorry, Mr. Liu and Mr. Ma, but I have an appointment later, so I must leave first."


    Old Liu snorted coldly, and Old Ma hesitated, the words on the tip of his tongue swallowed back, "Mr. Lu, let me walk you out."


    Clearly, this conversation has gone beyond mere breakdown; calling it disastrous would be no exaggeration.


    Lu Liang lacked respect for elders, and Old Liu relied on his age; their encounter was like Mars colliding with Earth.


    "No need, Mr. Ma, please stay."


    Lu Liang couldn''t be bothered to glance at Old Liu again, who at his age, was still sulky. He certainly wouldn''t indulge him.


    Lu Liang left, decisively.


    Old Ma sighed regretfully, wishing he hadn''t gotten involved in this mess¡ªcaught between a rock and a hard place, neither in favor nor in the right.


    "Now the youth of today..." Old Liu sneered.


    With a bitter smile and no Lu Liang in the picture, Old Ma could only agree, "Mr. Lu has been too fortunate; success at a young age can lead to arrogance."


    "It''s time he took a spill."


    "..."


    Old Ma was at a loss for words and found it hard to speak.


    Wanting Lu Liang to take a fall was easier said than done. If it were that easy, he would have fallen long ago¡ªwhy would it wait until now?


    But he didn''t try to dissuade either, owing the Liu family many favors. If through this event he could repay some, it wouldn''t be bad.


    After all, he considered his relationship with Lu Liang to be quite good.


    After exiting the private kitchen, Lu Liang, too, was brimming with frustration. He calmed down a bit and called Cheng Wei.


    In a grave voice, he said, "I just met Old Liu through an introduction by Ali''s Mr. Ma."


    Cheng Wei was momentarily stunned, suddenly having an ominous premonition; surely Lu Liang hadn''t backed down¡ªthat would spell doom for him.


    Having openly challenged Liu Qing at the board meeting, he had left himself no way back. If he couldn''t completely strip Liu Qing of her power, he would become utterly redundant in the future.


    "No worries, I rejected them. Just wanted to let you know, the plan remains unchanged."


    Since meeting with Old Liu, Lu Liang had silently raised this plan to his highest priority.


    Not for a bun unsteamed, but for a point of pride.


    But since the greatest beneficiary was Cheng Wei, he still needed to inform him that all this was for him.


    Like some elders, who, although the home wasn''t too poor to feed the family, would make an egg dish for everyone except for themselves.


    Essentially, it was to instill a sense of indebtedness in others.


    Similarly, although Lu Liang was infuriated by Old Liu, his motivation to get involved with DiDi was now immense.


    But he also wanted Cheng Wei to know how much he had contributed and what he had given up, to foster a strong sense of indebtedness.

 Chapter 434 - 431: Runaway Bitcoin

    "Mr. Lu, I spoke with Mr. Xiong from IDG this afternoon, and we have their support."


    Cheng Wei, having breathed a sigh of relief, informed [them] of the current progress. Apart from Softbank still pending a stance, most institutions were already on their camp, supporting the introduction of Lu Liang to assist DiDi''s IPO.


    The top five shareholders of DiDi were respectively Softbank at 17.8%, Uber at 10.23%, Tencent at 7.55%, Goldman Sachs at 5.23%, and IDG at 4.22%.


    Next came Golden Sand River and Redwood.


    Softbank and IDG were just neutral parties interested in making money; Uber and Goldman Sachs were backing Liu Qing, and Tencent supported him.


    Now that IDG Capital had also taken a position by inviting Lu Liang to join, there was a high likelihood of success.


    "It''s all about giving it a try. If it were me, I, too, would support," he commented.


    Lu Liang smiled slightly, pondered for a moment, and knew exactly what those institutions were thinking.


    It was merely a matter of a 2% dilution of their shares, which was trivial to them.


    As for the 15% voting rights, apart from Goldman Sachs, Softbank, and Uber, Tencent and IDG wouldn''t care.


    Anyway, if they could go public, that would be best, but if not, they could also buy back the shares, so no loss for them.


    "Mr. Lu, how are things on your end?" Cheng Wei asked cautiously.


    As Lu Liang had said, inviting him to join and give it a try was a no-lose situation; the key was whether he could help DiDi go public.


    "It''s almost ready; we''ve done our humanly best, now we leave it up to fate," Lu Liang sighed; he was not particularly sure himself.


    The listing rules on Nasdaq included a clause that demanded all corporate data be provided for review by US regulatory bodies from enterprises seeking to list within the United States.


    These reviews could be lenient or strict.


    Lenient like Panda, casually submitting some irrelevant user data, which easily passed the review by the United States.


    Strict like DiDi''s previous submission for review, which was almost unreservedly planned to include extremely sensitive data such as domestic user and location mapping data in the submission to the US review agencies.


    That was also the reason for rejecting DiDi''s IPO application in the US, yet no further action was taken.


    It was unclear whether Liu Qing did this deliberately or really adhered so strictly to US legal provisions; DiDi followed the strictest standards, and the Ministry of Commerce, aside from rejecting the application, had little else to say.


    Lu Liang was unsure whether Liu Qing had an ulterior motive or was just trying to please the United States.


    If it was the former, nobody would be effective,


    If it was the latter, there was still room for maneuver.


    Cheng Wei was silent for a long time before slowly saying, "Mr. Lu, I entrust everything to you."


    He knew very well the extent of the Liu family''s influence and could guess the reason for DiDi''s IPO difficulties.


    But now, apart from standing beside Lu Liang and fervently cheering, he could not help in any other way.


    Not long after, he ended the call with Cheng Wei, and Lu Liang got into a car planning to head home.


    Suddenly, Wen Chao from Tokyo made a call.


    His tone hardly concealed his excitement, "Mr. Lu, are you currently following Bitcoin''s market?"


    "What''s up?"


    Lu Liang, puzzled, patted Fang Shiyu''s shoulder, asking him to pull over to the side of the road. Watching the market in the car could cause dizziness.


    Wen Chao hurriedly said, "Just moments ago, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange announced that on October 5th, Bitcoin will be launched in the form of a futures contract."


    Previously, cryptocurrency had not been recognized by the mainstream market, existing in forms akin to private underground markets in Southeast Asia.


    But now it was different; the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, established in 1848, is the world''s largest futures and options exchange.


    Initially, the commodities included perishable agricultural products such as soybeans, butter, and eggs.


    After over a century of development, it introduced many non-agricultural products, such as gold and silver.


    Today, the average seven-day trading volume has already exceeded five hundred billion dollars.


    For Bitcoin, this was unquestionably gigantic good news, just like Panda''s listing on Nasdaq.


    Listening to Wen Chao''s narrative, Lu Liang also took a tablet from Xu Jiawei and saw today''s market.


    A huge bullish candlestick shot up to the sky, with today''s surge at 78.5%, current price at 2766.75 dollars.


    Lu Liang asked calmly, "How much liquid capital do we still have, what''s the cost price, and how much do we own?"


    Wen Chao answered, "We still have four hundred and twenty-five million dollars available, average price is 1693 dollars, holding three hundred and thirty-nine thousand coins."


    Lu Liang immediately ordered, "Reserve fifty million dollars of capital. With the market''s current burst of activity, buy it all without consideration for cost or market impact."


    Almost 340,000 Bitcoins, if sold at the current price without affecting the market conditions, would yield about 940 million US dollars.


    In less than a month, a pure profit of 365 million US dollars was earned, with an average daily profit of over ten million US dollars.


    If Lu Liang hadn''t known what was coming next in the market, he might have sold them already, but he knew it hadn''t peaked yet.


    20,852 US dollars, that was the limit of this wave of market conditions. There was still a potential gain of over 650% to be made.


    This project might become the highest investment return of Lu Liang''s life, possibly without equal.


    Since the total issuance was only 21 million coins, and they held 340,000, they already owned more than 1%. With further investment, they were likely to reach 2%.


    Cryptocurrency is a brand-new financial derivative that hadn''t appeared before. If it was developed further, they could be considered as pioneers.


    Just like BlackRock, which spun off from the financial sector of the Blackstone Group in ''88 and delved into US stocks during their nascent phase.


    Over the years, as US stocks developed, it grew into a behemoth.


    Although supported by the Jewish consortium, there was a cause-and-effect relationship. It had the potential for development, which earned the support, not the other way around.


    In this day and age, there were numerous unsuccessful failures.


    "Alright, Mr. Lu."


    It was after eight at night. Lu Liang didn''t head home but kept his vehicle parked by the roadside, maintaining a call with Wen Chao.


    Through the earpiece came Wen Chao''s frustrated voice. The market, which was just stabilizing from positive news, erupted once again.


    375 million US dollars crashed into the market, almost in the blink of an eye. The daily gain jumped from 78.5% to 92%, pushing the price close to 3000 US dollars.


    As a large volume of buy orders swept the market, the 3000 US dollar barrier was as fragile as paper.


    The market was grossly inflated, although it had gained mainstream acceptance, it hadn''t fully entered it yet.


    Previously, the daily trading volume was only one or two hundred million US dollars, though it had broken through the one billion dollar mark today for the first time after the announcement by the Chicago Exchange.


    But they held 375 million US dollars, a sum that could increase the daily trading volume by another 30%.


    By ten o''clock that night, Bitcoin''s daily gain had surpassed 105%, nearing its all-time high of 3182 US dollars.


    In mid-August, a sudden 45% overnight drop wide-released numerous locked-in trading positions, causing another surge in trading volume.


    At the same time, on a forum in Korea, someone suddenly started boasting about their earnings from playing with coins that day.


    A screenshot showed a profit of 612% for the day, from a mere investment of 20,000 US dollars to 125,800 US dollars in one day.


    Financial products typically allow for leverage, applications like FXCM come with up to ten times leverage.


    If actively applied for, one could even get up to 125 times leverage. The person who made the post seemed to have used no less than five times leverage.


    Which is why with a market gain of only 105%, they had achieved more than 600% profit.


    As soon as the post was shared, it immediately sparked a fierce discussion among numerous netizens. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Seventy percent of the retail investors in the international market were from East Asia. East Country accounted for fifty percent, Korea thirty percent, and Neon twenty percent.


    East Country, thanks to its vast population, was far ahead. Neon''s population wasn''t small either, and Korea had the highest proportion.


    Perhaps due to the country''s small size and lack of resources, and conglomerate monopolies, one couldn''t get ahead without taking risks.


    According to a survey by Korean media, at least six out of ten young people had participated in financial investment.


    A one-day surge of 105%, the existence of cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin quickly caught the attention of this generation of Korean youth.


    A large number of retail investors from Korea rushed in.


    Almost midnight, Wen Chao had built up to 95% of the desired position, leaving only fifty million US dollars in reserve.


    The cost price had inflated to 1931 US dollars per Bitcoin, holding a total of 487,000 coins.


    "You should also head back and rest early. Leave it be; let the market adjust on its own."


    Just as Lu Liang was about to go home, he suddenly noticed that Bitcoin had launched its third wave of the day.


    Feeling perplexed, he asked, "What does the monitoring on your side show?"


    Logically, after they had completely built their position, there wouldn''t be further buying, and the market was expected to recede somewhat.


    If panic spread, it was even normal for the price to fall below 3000 US dollars.


    However, the market was bizarrely unpredictable. The price of 3215 US dollars was not low, and with today''s gain surpassing 108%, it was still surging upwards.


    Wen Chao was baffled. "Looking at the trades, it seems to be retail investors, mostly volumes of 0.1, 0.2. But can retail investors have such large volumes?"


    Lu Liang''s brow furrowed, worried that their buying had drawn unwanted attention. "Check it out, and send me a message later."

 Chapter 435 - 432: Retreat to Advance, Using Someone Else to Kill

    Late at night, Lu Liang arrived at the Skyline District.


    Since Su Wanyu returned to Modu, he had essentially set up three homes in this city.


    Although he had three homes, with Su Wanyu taking care of the child and Li Manli busy with her live broadcasts, Wang Chuting was the only one remaining.


    With her 177cm supermodel figure, even wearing a long nightgown resembled a high-slit formal dress that highlighted her impressive stature.


    It had been a while since he had seen her; her long black hair had been styled into golden waves, and her every smile and frown was enchanting.


    Wang Chuting seemed to have a bit of a cleanliness obsession; her home was the cleanest among the girls Lu Liang knew.


    Barefooted, he stepped on the floor and felt no dust or hair, as if it had just been mopped.


    Her eyes smiled as she greeted him with joy from long absence, walking to the kitchen to open the fridge, "Want something to drink?"


    "I don''t feel like beer, something non-carbonated."


    "How about white wine?"


    "Sure."


    Lu Liang first took a shower in the bathroom; when he came out, Wang Chuting was sitting cross-legged on the couch, pursed her lips, and smiled, "Your phone rang just now, but I didn''t answer."


    Late at night, she guessed it probably wasn''t work-related, so she dared not answer; it would be awkward if it were Lu Liang''s girlfriend.


    Lu Liang wasn''t married, though she could have assumed the role of a girlfriend, but she knew better.


    Being Lu Liang''s girlfriend or even wife could be rather stressful. It was better to be a lover¡ªfree and easy, at least not worried about him flirting outside every day.


    "Let me see who it was."


    Lu Liang casually lay on the couch, encircling Wang Chuting''s waist, and upon seeing the note, he immediately called back.


    Hearing Wen Chao''s explanation, he couldn''t help but express surprise, "Really a retail investor? Just because of a post?"


    "According to the investigation, that should be the case," Wen Chao said with a bitter smile, not quite believing it himself.


    All signs pointed out that the retail investors from Korea were the ones who pushed Bitcoin to $3300 to avoid a correction.


    These people seemed like they were scrambling for money; the post had only been up for two hours, had over a million views, and the comments section filled with screenshots of new accounts.


    A flood of Korean retail investors into the market further pushed the rise in Bitcoin''s value, attracting new users.


    Unexpectedly, or maybe as expected, by tomorrow morning¡ªor rather, even before morning.


    Because young Koreans tend to stay up late, almost to the point of degrading their sleep. By around 2 or 3 a.m., Bitcoin-related entries were likely to climb the charts in Korea''s hot searches.


    "Mr. Lu, should we add fuel to the fire?" Wen Chao suggested.


    They could spend some money to hire a few Korean financial experts to extensively promote the superiority and distinct features of cryptocurrencies, thereby drawing more young people in.


    The more investors participating in the market, the more stable the market''s base would be, and it would not be easily swayed by a few hundred million dollars.


    Similarly, when they sell, the market''s ability to absorb would also be stronger, colloquially known as training the next generation of investors from now.


    "That''s fine, but you shouldn''t be involved. It''s time Mitsui Sumitomo and Hyundai Group took some initiative."


    Lu Liang''s lips curved into a smile, suggesting Wen Chao could subtly inform Ota Ling and Li Xuanhong about their heavily invested projects.


    Domestically, he needed to be more reserved, but internationally, he had already arranged for Mitsui Sumitomo and Hyundai Group to cover him upfront.


    Just cause a bit of chaos.


    As for whether the Mapo Bridge in Han City would end up being swarmed like dumplings, that was none of his concern.


    How could he make a profit if others didn''t lose?


    Besides, in the next two months, the Bitcoin market was expected to surge upward until it broke through twenty thousand dollars.


    Before that happened, the more he bought, the more he earned; if he could anticipate early and cash out in time, he could achieve financial freedom.


    The consequence of being greedy was being harvested.


    "Are you finished?"


    Seeing Lu Liang end the call, Wang Chuting picked up two wine glasses from the table and handed him one, clinking their glasses together.


    Lu Liang hummed in response, not delving further into the topic, and looked at Wang Chuting''s tablet, "Already reached 8 million followers?"


    "Douyin''s user base is growing, and gaining followers has become somewhat easier."


    Wang Chuting put away her tablet, sipping her white wine, her fingertips lightly tracing Lu Liang''s face.


    Although she had not yet accepted commercial promotions, many advertisers had already contacted her.


    Just inserting a ten-second traffic directing ad was easily worth over a million.


    Many brands wanted to secure her ''firsts'', and some light luxury brands had even offered up to five million, a sky-high price. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Have you not taken on any promotions?"


    Lu Liang kissed her fingertips, smelling the scent of an unknown_brand perfume, and teased with a smile, "Are you planning to generate love, be the pure stream in the internet celebrity world?"


    Douyin had been developing for over a year, with the number of users skyrocketing past eight hundred million, its base now quite solid.


    They were planning to cut down the creators'' incentives soon, encouraging bloggers to actively seek advertising and be self-reliant.


    "I''m still considering."


    Wang Chuting let out a soft sigh. Her account had started too prominently; even the Hall of Fame series was jokingly called a collection of wealthy figures by netizens.


    Taking on commercial promotions might lower her tone, making it more difficult to invite celebrities and merchants in the future.


    She planned to expand her studio, train new personalities to manage profit-generating accounts, while her personal account would continue to maintain its high profile, leading people instead of goods.


    "It''s best to implement it soon. After the National Day, Douyin will launch its e-commerce sector, and cutting video bloggers'' creation benefits is also for promoting transactions in Dou shops."


    Lu Liang took a sip of wine, lying on Wang Chuting''s legs, looking up to see a pair of firm, bowl-shaped objects. He pulled down the neckline of the nightgown; there was nothing underneath.


    Realizing, Wang Chuting pulled up the gown and gave him a stern look, "Tomorrow is the National Day, any plans?"


    Lu Liang thought for a moment, "Probably not."


    He was waiting for Cheng Wei''s news and the Liu family''s counteraction.


    Having just offended Old Liu, the opponent would probably let him experience what top-level capabilities mean.


    He could only countermove by move, so during the National Days, he should have quite some free time, with no particular plans.


    "Shall I arrange it?" Wang Chuting asked. She hadn''t taken a vacation in a long time and wanted to travel abroad during the National Day holiday.


    Lu Liang shook his head, "Let''s skip going abroad."


    The destinations for short trips abroad were limited to Japan and Korea; even if he wanted to relax, he couldn''t.


    Long trips were too far, probably to Europe or America, and he had unresolved matters in the country, so he couldn''t leave.


    "How about we go to bed early tonight and play tennis tomorrow?"


    "Sounds good."


    The next morning, Lu Liang and Wang Chuting were sweating it out on a suburban tennis court.


    Online news was filled with reports of heavy traffic, record-breaking tourist numbers, and a Bitcoin surge.


    There was also a quiet entry about Lu Liang transferring assets that suddenly appeared on Weibo''s trending search.


    After a game of tennis, Lu Liang came to the side of the court, panting, and drank some water. Xu Jiawei was the first to inform him about the online public opinion.


    He couldn''t help but laugh, wiping the sweat from his forehead with a towel, "Is that it? Isn''t it too clumsy?"


    Xu Jiawei asked, "Mr. Lu, do we need to contact Weibo to remove the entry?"


    Last year, Weibo''s total revenue was 680 million US dollars, of which 37% of the income was from differentiated development and vertical strategy efforts.


    In simple terms, it was marketing revenue, which included but was not limited to increasing or decreasing the popularity of people and things.


    Decreasing popularity commonly involves two methods: one is to remove the relevant entries for cold treatment; the other is to expose scandals in the entertainment industry to cover the heat.


    Lu Liang smiled and shook his head, "No need, this seems to be a combo punch, let the bullet fly for a while, and see what moves they have next."


    Being targeted by Old Liu actually excited him a bit, as the saying goes, it''s better to start a fight and prevent endless punches.


    Everything had been going too smoothly these past few years.


    All the so-called officials seemed like good people.


    It always felt like something was missing.


    Now, at last, there was a high-quality opposing force, and he wanted to see if his relationships could withstand it.


    Meanwhile, his phone rang; Sun Yutao was calling, "Mr. Lu, the Silver Supervision Committee has sent us an inquiry letter."


    Lu Liang asked with a smile, "What for?"


    "Related to the transfer of funds."


    "Who is leading the investigation?"


    "A person named Zhang Haoyu."


    Lu Liang pondered, then his lips curled up, "Today''s the first, Tianxing Private Equity''s third installment should be updating its net value, right?"


    "Right."


    "Then let''s not update it."


    "If investors call to ask, what should we say?"


    "Tell the truth."


    Lu Liang squinted his eyes; he wanted to see who would crumble first.


    "What''s wrong?" Wang Chuting walked over to ask with concern, dressed in a vibrant pink tennis outfit.


    Her long beautiful legs, even after being shouldered last night, still provoked fanciful thoughts.


    She hadn''t checked her phone and didn''t know that Lu Liang was dominating the hot search topics during the busy National Day holiday.


    "It''s nothing, let''s play another round."


    Lu Liang asked Xu Jiawei to keep an eye on things, then, acting as if nothing was wrong, he enjoyed the pleasure brought by exercising and sweating.


    Time flew, and by noon, the usually punctual calls on the first of every month suddenly stopped.


    But since the investors in the third installment of the private equity were leaders in various industries domestically, he didn''t pay much attention at first.


    Until two o''clock in the afternoon, news about Lu Liang''s involvement in asset transfer exploded online, spreading like wildfire.


    Various financial and political bloggers, as if they had been paid, repeatedly mentioned it, further fermenting the news.


    Insiders like Zhu Hu and Shen Peng immediately called Lu Liang: "Mr. Lu, has the Liu family made their move?"


    Yesterday, at DiDi''s board meeting, Cheng Wei confronted Liu Qing, even bringing Lu Liang into it, and today negative news about Lu Liang burst out.


    It was no surprise; Liu Qing probably guessed or had evidence that Cheng Wei had long struck some deal with Lu Liang.


    Still, Zhu Hu didn''t understand, even if there was a war between two armies, shouldn''t there be a courtesy before the soldiers? Why did it suddenly erupt?


    The Liu family was being a bit unfair.


    Lu Liang laughed, "There was courtesy; I met with Old Liu last night, but the conversation wasn''t very pleasant."


    "What do you plan to do?"


    Zhu Hu realized that since the conversation was not very pleasant, it must''ve broken down, hence today''s events.


    Lu Liang spoke calmly, "Just now, Tianxing Private Equity Fund received an inquiry letter from the Silver Supervision Committee. We will cooperate unconditionally, decide to turn over all materials, and lock all trading accounts; it''s also a good opportunity to give colleagues a break."


    "These two years, they''ve worked hard, always busy with the international market. We''re on a National Day vacation, but they still have to work."


    Zhu Hu was speechless, after a long silence, he ruefully said, "Indeed, they''re quite tired, they should really rest for a few days."


    Lu Liang was indeed Lu Liang; he chose to confront head-on. Since the private equity fund was targeted, he simply took the opportunity to halt operations and cooperate fully with the investigation.


    Once the news spread,


    the pressure would shift to those targeting Lu Liang.


    The money-making effect of Tianxing Private Equity Fund was evident to all; as of last month, the net value was still 1.732.


    Even managing assets totaling 8 billion US dollars, there was still a monthly increase of 5%-15%.


    Take the third installment, for instance, subscribing to one installment was one hundred million dollars, and even with just a 5% increase, that was 5 million dollars.


    This profit belonged to the investors. Now, due to some people''s manipulations, the company had to halt operations.


    Although Lu Liang was implicated in using this crisis to his advantage, as investors in the private equity fund, they had the duty to help clear any obstacles to earning money besides investing.

 Chapter 436 - 433: Where It Begins, Not So Easy to End

    Before long, Sun Yutao and Xu Jiawei received calls from fund investors.


    They explained truthfully that due to an investigation by the Silver Supervision Committee, they hadn''t had time to compile this month''s data and would need to delay the update by a few days.


    However, when asked when the investigation would conclude, both of them responded that they were uncertain at the moment.


    "Where is Mr. Lu?"


    They tried calling Lu Liang, but they received a notification that he was already on another call.


    Xu Jiawei glanced over at Lu Liang, who was enjoying afternoon tea, "Mr. Lu is currently busy addressing this matter; perhaps you could call back later?"


    Boss Lu had said previously, although their intent to use others to eliminate their rivals was clear, they needed to create the illusion of being actively busy.


    Therefore, a personal phone should call the work phone to keep it engaged and temporarily block all other contacts.


    After all, investors in the third phase of the private equity fund were no ordinary people; without explicit explanations, they could gather the background of the situation through their own channels.


    Moreover, people tend to believe only what they''ve investigated themselves, so even if Lu Liang explained it to them, they would still investigate it.


    Might as well let the bullet fly for a moment.


    "Okay, let''s leave it at that for now."


    The investors contacted each other privately to inquire about the situation.


    In their search, they found Shen Peng, who vaguely suggested it might be a targeted move by the Liu family.


    "The Liu family? How did Mr. Lu offend them?"


    "It''s said to be related to DiDi''s IPO facing obstacles. Cheng Wei intended to involve Mr. Lu to see if he could help, which ended up offending Liu Qing."


    "Is that all? Aren''t the Liu family being too overbearing? If they can''t handle it, shouldn''t they let others try?"


    "Exactly, Mr. Lu is just caught in an undeserved disaster," Shen Peng sighed deeply.


    "Mr. Shen, perhaps we should also exert some effort; we cannot let Mr. Lu fight this battle alone."


    Some proposed an idea, as they were all seasoned players; there was no need for pretense.


    Whether Lu Liang was a victim or a perpetrator in this matter still remains a question mark.


    But that was unimportant.


    The Liu family targeted Lu Liang, and they didn''t mind, but they should never have caused trouble for the fund company.


    Lu Liang obviously had numerous businesses under his name; why target his fund company?


    Now that the business has been forced to suspend for restructuring, that''s their money at risk if a black swan event suddenly occurs.


    It could mean a loss of hundreds of millions or even billions of dollars.


    To cut off someone''s wealth is akin to killing their parents, prompting some to call Old Liu.


    "Mr. Liu, as a giant in the business world, how can you bother yourself with trivial matters?"


    "Even if Mr. Lu was first at fault, can''t you sit down and talk it over?"


    "What? You talked already? It didn''t work?"


    "Mr. Lu is just impetuous; being the elder, please don''t take it to heart; maybe let this incident slide?"


    "Mr. Lu started the trouble? If it wasn''t set up by him, would Cheng Wei have had the courage? That seems reasonable."


    "But why must you drag the fund company into your disputes? Between you and me, our company has a substantial amount of liquid capital tied up in this project."


    "And, as far as I know, Mr. Lu entering DiDi was not a clear miappropriation; how can it be considered stealing benefits?"


    "Mr. Liu, please think carefully before taking action..."


    Beijing, Old Liu''s office.


    The phone crashed to the floor, the screen nearly detaching.


    Old Liu''s face darkened as he muttered to himself, "Lu Liang, I''ve clearly underestimated you."


    In just one hour, he received numerous calls, almost all pleading on behalf of Lu Liang.


    Some callers were friendly, like Guo Changguang, earnestly advising that enemies should resolve disputes and not deepen them, acknowledging that Lu Liang was no insignificant figure.


    Others were hostile, such as Zhou Hongwei who nearly declared outright alignment against targeting Lu Liang.


    Qihu, as Panda''s second-largest shareholder after Xiao Wang, holding 17.25% of the shares, made a fortune after going public.


    He personally had invested in two funds, and over the years, Lu Liang had generated at least two billion dollars in returns for him and Qihu.


    If not for seeing Old Liu''s declining mobility, Zhou Hongwei would have challenged him to settle matters in Chaoyang Park.


    Suddenly, the ringing of the landline in the office broke the silence. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Old Liu''s assistant cautiously answered it, his face turning pale upon hearing the voice, "Mr. Liu, it''s that person''s call."


    "That person?" Old Liu''s brow furrowed, and he quickly walked to the phone, waving his hand for the assistant to leave silently.


    The voice on the other end said, "Old Liu, you''ve already retired; just let the younger generation handle their own affairs."


    "Old leader, I really didn''t want to do this, but Lu Liang has gone too far."


    Old Liu began to voice his grievances, but was cut off, "I won''t last many more years; next month when the US leaders visit China, Lu Liang is specifically scheduled to meet them; think over it carefully."


    Old Liu''s expression changed, "Old leader, this matter concerning Lu Liang is trivial, but your health is paramount; you shouldn''t speak like this."


    In high positions, everyone has connections; it''s just a matter of whether those connections are strong enough to protect a company''s development.


    If his old leader couldn''t hold on, life for the Liu family wouldn''t be so relaxed anymore.


    With the old leader gone, a new leader would rise, and this new leader would have their own forces to cultivate.


    "Hopefully, it can hold on for a few more years."


    ...


    Meanwhile,


    Lu Liang also ended his leisurely afternoon tea time.


    He picked up his phone and returned calls to investors one by one, "Sorry, I was just on the phone with the investigation team from the Silver Supervision Committee."


    "It shouldn''t be anything serious, just routine investigations, as soon as the investigation ends, I''ll update you promptly."


    "This month, we participated in Panda''s IPO and made a good profit, the latest net asset value should be around 1.8."


    "With everyone''s support, what difficulties could the fund company have? It''s fine as long as we cooperate with the relevant authorities."


    Lu Liang was pure like a little white flower; it seemed everyone knew he was being targeted except for himself.


    Half an hour later, seeing Lu Liang put down his phone, Wang Chuting thoughtfully brought him a glass of warm water, "For your throat."


    "Thank you." Lu Liang drained it in one gulp, Wang Chuting couldn''t help but be curious, "Is everything resolved?"


    Just now, she saw a trending topic on Weibo, and from the content of Lu Liang''s conversations, she roughly guessed the reason.


    Lu Liang shook his head and chuckled softly, "Since it''s started, how could it end so easily? What do they take me for?"


    He had already instructed Sun Yutao to give the entire company a week off, leaving just a few managers to cooperate with the investigation from the Silver Supervision Committee.


    Let them come back after the National Day; during this period, Tianxing Private Equity will be closed, and no one''s words would matter.


    Dragging it out one more day would increase the pressure on the Liu family.


    By the 5th, the net asset value for the fourth phase fund would also be delayed in updating, which would involve institutions on Wall Street.


    Old Liu was just a remnant of the old era, it was time for him to realize things aren''t like the old days.


    This way, it would also let the institutions on Wall Street know that he was interested in investing in DiDi and test their reactions.


    "What should we eat tonight?" Wang Chuting asked affectionately, her love overflowing and proud.


    She realized she really was falling for Lu Liang, facing a colossal entity like the Liu family with such calm.


    "I''m not free tonight, I have to eat at home."


    Lu Liang glanced at a message on his phone, his lips curled slightly, revealing a fatherly smile.


    Su Wanyu also had her tricks, sending a video of the little one sucking his finger, asking if he was coming home for dinner.


    For Lu Liang, no woman was closer than his daughter, without a second thought, he voice replied, "Yes, I''m already on the way."


    Wang Chuting glimpsed it from the corner of her eye, didn''t think much of it, and asked with a smile, "Is that a baby girl? She''s really pretty, your niece?"


    Lu Liang chuckled and shook his head, "Not my niece."


    Wang Chuting was startled, not having a chance to inquire further before Lu Liang openly declared, "My daughter."


    Wang Chuting''s mouth dropped open, slightly stunned, and muttered to herself, "Really? How old?"


    "Just over two months."


    Lu Liang stood up and stretched lazily, smiling at her, "What''s the matter? Feeling overwhelmed?"


    Wang Chuting nodded then shook her head, forcing a smile, "We''ve been together for over a year."


    Though it felt like self-deception, the child being two months old, combined with the pregnancy, added up to about a year.


    A year ago, she had already been with Lu Liang, so she wasn''t a homewrecker.


    She couldn''t help but ask, "Miss Li''s?"


    Lu Liang said, "You probably don''t know her."


    Wang Chuting was silent for a long while, then suddenly asked seriously, "You said you would help me with my menstrual cramps, is that still on?"


    Lu Liang laughed silently, touched her cheek, and nodded, "It still stands."


    Every time her period came, Wang Chuting would suffer terribly, going to the hospital without finding any issue.


    At that time, he had suggested that getting pregnant might help, but Wang Chuting had rejected the idea, prioritizing her career.


    "That''s more like it."


    Wang Chuting narrowed her eyes, satisfied with Lu Liang''s response, teasingly said, "When will you bring her to meet ''little mom''?"


    Lu Liang replied, "Not likely soon, she and her mother are heading back to the United Kingdom after the National Day."


    Wang Chuting puzzled, "She doesn''t look mixed."


    She was of mixed heritage, but at a quick glance, the baby seemed like a pure Eastern girl.


    "Going to study abroad."


    At night, Lu Liang returned to Green City Puhwan.


    Su Wanyu was busy in the kitchen,


    Zheng Xiaoxuan was in the living room, scrolling through her phone while tending to the baby.


    Although she had just arrived at East Country University, she had become incredibly proficient with various domestic apps in just a few days.


    Her favorites were Little Red Potato and Weibo, she suddenly asked, "Boss Lu, did you withdraw from the trending search?"

 Chapter 437 - 434: The Blade of Shame Hard to Sheathe

    National Day crowds were everywhere, so today, they just took the little guy out for a few laps around the neighborhood to enjoy the sunshine.


    After coming back, Zheng Xiaoxuan was constantly on Weibo.


    She also saw Lu Liang''s news in real time and was tasked to keep close tabs on it.


    Lu Liang, focused on taking care of the child, didn''t even look up, "News that grasps at straws comes and goes like the tide; isn''t that quite normal?"


    "Doesn''t seem like grasping at straws though?"


    Zheng Xiaoxuan looked suspicious. After all, she knew that Lu Liang had bought a high-end apartment in Edinburgh and couldn''t hide her pride, as if catching Lu Liang''s weak spot: Mr. Lu, you wouldn''t want your secrets revealed, right?


    Zheng Xiaoxuan let out a weird chuckle, suddenly stood with her hands on her hips, "Boss Lu, you better treat me with some respect from now on."


    Lu Liang was speechless, holding the little one, "Siqing, listen to Daddy''s words; in the future, play less with fools."


    An apartment worth over two million British Pounds being called a transfer of assets?


    That was not a threat, but an insult.


    "It doesn''t count?" Zheng Xiaoxuan retorted, neck stiffened.


    "Xiaoxuan, go get the chopsticks. It''s time for dinner."


    Su Wanyu smiled lightly, a hint of resignation flashing across her eyes. After living together for so long, she realized that although Zheng Xiaoxuan said smart things, she often made simple mistakes.


    If you think about it, Lu Liang, for their sake, could donate two million British Pounds to the University of Edinburgh. Buying an apartment worth over two million hardly qualifies as asset transfer.


    During the meal, Lu Liang received a call from Old Ma, who hearing chewing sounds, laughed, "Mr. Lu, having your meal?"


    "We''re eating a bit early today."


    Lu Liang hinted with a smile, "Mr. Ma, it seems we''ve been in touch quite frequently lately?"


    "It shows how good our relationship is."


    Old Ma heartily laughed, realizing the sarcasm from Lu Liang, some debts you just have to repay.


    He suggested, "Mr. Lu, the weather is getting cooler, how about finding a place to soak in the hot springs later?"


    "Hot springs are fine, but it''s best you stop meddling in this matter, there''s no end to it."


    Lu Liang quite liked Old Ma because he once said if the banks don''t change, he would change the banks. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Whatever the reason, he talked the talk and walked the walk, now you don''t get charged for interbank withdrawals.


    Even though he donned a white hat, it was for himself, just like he didn''t want to go to Heaven Island with Jeffrey.


    And choosing this path, regardless of success, from Lu Liang''s perspective, he was a brave man worthy of respect.


    If he failed, future generations might regard him as a bad person, but a bad person is better than a vile person.


    Because bad people never consider themselves bad or their actions evil; they simply failed.


    Perhaps in others'' eyes, Lu Liang was also a bad person, but Old Liu was different; he was a typical vile person.


    Lu Liang felt no psychological burden in pressuring him, even if people said he lacked proper manners or respect for elders, it didn''t matter.


    He needed to put some pressure on the Liu family in this matter; that way, there would be less obstruction from DiDi.


    Old Ma sighed deeply, "Done or not done, it''s always different."


    He called Lu Liang as a mediator, which was a favor, but whether Lu Liang agreed was not his concern.


    For Old Liu''s sake, falling out with Lu Liang wasn''t worth it, and it might not even be effective; there was no need for senseless sacrifices.


    Lu Liang was bemused, "Mr. Ma, it seems you''re not really in the mood to invite me to the hot springs, shall we just forget it?"


    "Once invited, how could I go back on my word?" Old Ma laughed.


    "I don''t have the time."


    "Then Mr. Lu, you carry on with your work. Next time, I''ll definitely treat you to a soak in the hot springs."


    Ending the call with Old Ma, Lu Liang looked at the two women and smiled, "Nothing planned tonight, how about we go soak in the hot springs?"


    Zheng Xiaoxuan eagerly asked, "Will it be crowded?"


    Ever since experiencing the National Day Golden Week at East Country, she developed a phobia of crowded places and now avoided going anywhere with more than ten people.


    "Open-air private hot spring, one house, one pool, directly fed from the spring, definitely not someone else''s bathwater."


    Lu Liang turned to Su Wanyu, "Stop thinking, let''s just go. There''s even a caretaker for the little one."


    Spur of the moment, the three of them, along with the kid, left the bustling city behind and headed to a resort at the foot of She Mountain.


    A membership club with an annual fee of 2.8 million, Japanese-style decor, one house, one pool, one butler team.


    Lu Liang, in his boxer shorts, lay by the poolside bathing as the little one was left in the care of the butler, no worries necessary.


    Suddenly, he saw two swimsuit-clad beauties, each in a similarly patterned floral dress but styled distinctly.


    Su Wanyu remained as before: fair-skinned, beautiful, tall, and slender, only now slightly fuller.


    But Zheng Xiaoxuan''s figure completely took Lu Liang by surprise; he never expected this tomboy to be so curvy.


    Wheat-colored skin, firm thighs, a wild allure, and an impressive cleavage that seemed oddly familiar to Lu Liang.


    Suddenly, he remembered Li Yue, that car sales manager from before, 36D, strong and vigorous, could rock and spin.


    But later, when Lu Liang tried to get in touch, he found out she had gone back to her hometown to get married, so he resigned to forget her in the worldly society.


    "What are you looking at?" Zheng Xiaoxuan met Lu Liang''s gaze, scolding softly, a blush of shyness on her face.


    "Beautiful things always make one want to look a bit longer," Lu Liang said with an unabating smile.


    "Jerk, go die." Zheng Xiaoxuan sneakily glanced at Su Wanyu and sighed in relief.


    She was instructing the butler to take good care of the little one, completely oblivious to what was happening here.

 Chapter 438 - 434: The Blade of Shame is Hard to Sheathe_2

    She felt it strange too, why there was that nagging anxiety about being discovered by Su Wanyu.


    Luckily, the hot spring pool was quite large, with a pathway, and even a constructed hill that divided the pool in two.


    Zheng Xiaoxuan made her way through the pathway to the other side of the pool to soak, refusing to appear in the same frame as Lu Liang.


    After a while, Su Wanyu came over as well, tilting her head in confusion, "Where''s Xiaoxuan? I don''t see her."


    "I''m over here, come on over, Yu~"


    From the other side of the hill, Zheng Xiaoxuan''s voice came through, accompanied by the occasional droplet of water.


    "It''s all the same," Lu Liang said with a smile, extending his hand in invitation.


    "Xiaoxuan, then I''ll come over to you later," Su Wanyu decided without a second thought, choosing Lu Liang decisively.


    "There''s a flat surface by the bank where you can order whatever you want to drink or eat," Lu Liang bragged.


    Suddenly, ripples stirred on the water''s surface. It was not hard to guess that, on the other side of the hill, there was probably a fit of splashing and fuming rage.


    "Shush!" Su Wanyu sighed, making a silencing gesture.


    The two of them were always at odds. Being at odds was one thing, but the key issue was that Zheng Xiaoxuan always lost the arguments, yet her fighting spirit remained high.


    With the buoyancy of the water, Lu Liang effortlessly held Su Wanyu against his chest, encircling her waist: "Later I''ll give you the supplementary card. If you have nothing else to do these days, you can come over for a visit."


    The annual fee of 2.8 million naturally covered more than just hot springs. There were also fishing, golf, and spa beauty treatments, among various other amenities.


    It was not entirely free, however. Everything was tallied up once every quarter, and all expenses for food, drinks, and entertainment were charged to the primary cardholder.


    Su Wanyu nodded, a hint of loss flickering in her eyes. Lu Liang saying this probably meant he was going to be busy again.


    "I''m sorry, I won''t be able to accompany you and Siqing," Lu Liang sighed. He was due to go to Beijing tomorrow.


    He did not know how long he would be away, but he would definitely try to make it back for the day Su Wanyu left the country.


    "Actually, just being able to have moments like these together as a family is enough for me," Su Wanyu said as she slapped the water with her legs, her feet wriggling like someone with restless leg syndrome.


    Ever since their little one was born, much of her time had been spent learning how to be a good mother. Only in Lu Liang''s presence would she let her girlish nature show.


    Lu Liang smiled, holding her hand and intertwining their fingers before suddenly saying, "You should know about her situation, right?"


    Su Wanyu glanced at the artificial hill,


    nodding lightly, but not wanting to delve into that topic.


    When she had been at her most helpless, it was Zheng Xiaoxuan who had offered a helping hand. No matter what Zheng Xiaoxuan was like or what her preferences were, Su Wanyu respected them and refrained from commenting.


    Lu Liang gave a slight nod of understanding, not pressing further.


    Su Wanyu said, "Then should I go and join her for a bit?"


    "Go ahead."


    Lu Liang looked up at the starry sky, listening to the indistinct murmurs and laughter coming from the next pool.


    In his mind gradually appeared Zheng Xiaoxuan''s stunning figure. To say he had no thoughts about it would certainly be self-deception.


    After all, there''s only so long one can be a thief, not so long one can stand guard against one. They were unlikely to part ways any time soon.


    For their little one to grow up with a healthy set of values, he, as a father, was ready to make the necessary sacrifices.


    The family of four spent the night in a log cabin...


    The next morning, Lu Liang returned to the office first.


    He met with Zhang Haoyu from the Silver Supervision Committee, a man in his early forties, wearing glasses, looking rather lean and shrewd.


    He had just heard from Xu Jiawei that Lu Liang would be coming to the office today, so he had been waiting there since just past eight in the morning.


    He had been waiting until now, 10:20 AM.


    "Mr. Zhang, hello, I apologize for troubling you during the National Day holiday," Lu Liang said with a polite smile.


    Zhang Haoyu rubbed his hands together, smiling broadly, "Mr. Lu, it''s all a misunderstanding, as long as it''s cleared up it''s all fine."


    When immortals battle, mortals suffer. The night before last he''d been ordered to investigate Tianxing Private Equity, and then last night they told him to end the investigation.


    Damn it, abrupt changes in orders are one thing, but they can''t be changed this way.


    Becoming a pawn was one thing, after all, with his low status and voice, sometimes being played was inevitable.


    But to be used to play Lu Liang? What significance did he hold? His own frame could hardly withstand it.


    Lu Liang raised an eyebrow, his tone serious and earnest, "Mr. Zhang, you must look into this thoroughly. Is it really just a misunderstanding?"


    Zhang Haoyu replied with a wry smile, "Definitely a misunderstanding. In my twenty-two years of service, I''ve never seen clearer books than your company''s." S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Though his words were complimentary, they were also true.


    The state of a fund company''s books typically depends on the company''s performance.


    Fund companies with poor performance often have messy accounts that can''t be cleared up in ten days to half a month because they lack the ability to earn money from the market and must figure out how to dip into the principal. So, they resort to cooking the books.


    But Tianxing Private Equity clearly didn''t have this issue. All expenses and incomes were traceable.


    There were no issues of ambiguity; the books were so clean they could serve as the antithesis of basket bridge case studies.


    Lu Liang suddenly laughed, questioning critically, "Mr. Zhang, coming to such a quick conclusion challenges the professionalism of your investigation."


    "Mr. Lu, this is indeed our oversight,"


    Zhang Haoyu replied with a strained smile, knowing that the inevitable had come.


    The leaders are flawless and cannot be blamed,


    the scapegoat has to be carried on his shoulders alone.


    Lu Liang narrowed his eyes, pondering for a moment before saying, "Mr. Zhang, may I have a word with you in private?"


    Zhang Haoyu, taken aback, suddenly saw a glimmer of hope and nodded hastily, following Lu Liang into the office.


    "Mr. Zhang, you probably also know the reason, don''t you?" Lu Liang exchanged his cold demeanor for a smile as he brewed a cup of tea for him.


    Zhang Haoyu, feeling unexpectedly honored, held the cup with both hands and spoke carefully, "I''ve overheard bits and pieces."

 Chapter 439 - 434: The Blade of Shame is Hard to Sheathe_3

    Lu Liang said, "This is our first meeting today, we have had no past grievances, so there''s no reason for me to blame you."


    "Mr. Lu, you truly are a magnanimous person."


    Zhang Haoyu felt a surge of joy and quickly set down his tea cup to thank Lu Liang for his understanding.


    Lu Liang changed his tone and suddenly said, "But you might have also heard the saying ''It''s hard to sheath a blade once it has been drawn.'' Once something has happened, I can''t pretend it didn''t."


    "If someone steps on me today and I dust myself off and accept an apology as if nothing happened, someone else will step on me tomorrow because the cost of making mistakes is too low, wouldn''t you agree?"


    Zhang Haoyu was silent and nodded.


    It''s like when two people are fighting and suddenly one pulls a knife, while the other taunts, go ahead and try.


    If you strike, it''s hardly worth your life,


    but if you don''t, you''re seen as a coward,


    Is that it?


    Lu Liang was facing this dilemma.


    "Actually, in my view, changing commands from morning to evening, when it gets out, also deals a significant blow to the credibility of the Silver Supervision Committee." sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lu Liang laughed and said, "Mr. Zhang, you are just following orders, I won''t blame you. Carry out the investigation as you must, but could you possibly delay it until after the National Day holiday? Could you do me that favor?"


    Old Liu suddenly balked. It was like putting the Silver Supervision Committee on the grill. If he also blamed the Committee, he would undoubtedly be pushing them into opposition.


    So, with regards to the Committee, one can be generous.


    In doing so, not only could he gain the friendship of the Silver Supervision Committee but also sever the Liu family''s influence with them.


    In the future, fund transactions would also become smoother.


    "Mr. Lu, it''s possible, but this... might be more costly than beneficial."


    Zhang Haoyu was startled, the scapegoat suddenly gone, making him uncomfortable. But this also meant that this matter would not end with the Silver Supervision Committee, nor with him.


    Instead, it would escalate to a higher level,


    Lu Liang was ready to flip the table, prepared to confront the Liu family head-on.


    Lu Liang, with a smile full of confidence, said, "It''s not for you to decide what is worth it, but for me."


    After a long silence, Zhang Haoyu said, "Thank you, Mr. Lu."


    "Mr. Zhang, let''s just say we''re making a friend."


    Lu Liang said, smiling as he extended a hand of friendship.


    "Mr. Lu, just call me Haoyu. If you need anything in the future, just say the word, and I''ll do my best to help."


    "Alright, thank you, Brother Yu."


    Approaching noon, Lu Liang had a casual lunch with his new friend and then explained his plan to Sun Yutao.


    "Continue to delay the net value situation for the fifth, fourth phase, if anyone asks, just repeat yesterday''s script."


    "Wilson and his team will probably contact me directly, so I''ll handle the investors on that end."


    After addressing some mundane affairs, Lu Liang left the company and headed to Pu Xin Airport, to board a flight to Beijing.


    At the same time, Old Liu also received news that the investigation into Tianxing Private Equity would continue.


    Old Ma sighed and said, "Mr. Liu, I''ve always said Mr. Lu wouldn''t let things go so easily."


    To show his concern for the matter and to repay Old Liu''s favor, he was personally traveling back and forth between the cities.


    "With such a big age, comes a big temper."


    Old Liu snorted, his temper flaring.


    He had given up on targeting Lu Liang, and yet Lu Liang dared to hold him accountable. Did he really think he was afraid of him?


    Old Ma chuckled, "Youth inevitably brings some recklessness."


    Just then, Liu Qing knocked and entered, greeting Old Ma before saying, "I just heard that Mr. Lu boarded a flight to Beijing, probably for tomorrow''s DiDi board meeting."


    Old Liu looked at his daughter, "Xiaoqing, if we let Lu Liang handle DiDi''s IPO, would it go more smoothly?"


    Liu Qing furrowed her brows, her words at the tip of her tongue just as she was about to speak.


    Old Ma suddenly made an unrelated remark, "Mr. Liu, President Qing, I just remembered I have another engagement, I must leave now."


    These two, not even bothering to hide their intentions, discussing matters right in front of him, clearly intending to drag him into their plans.


    He''d already made Lu Liang unhappy by passing messages; if he helped the Liu family, Lu Liang might hold a grudge against him too.

 Chapter 440 - 435: Power Can Go Unused, But Must Not Be Absent

    "Without Mr. Ma''s support, I''m afraid it would be impossible to get Softbank firmly on our side."


    Looking at Old Ma leaving, Liu Qing sighed. Old Ma''s relationship with Sun Zhengyi was not just good.


    The first round of financing for Old Ma had come from Sun Zhengyi, and Softbank''s investment in Ali had become a legend.


    If Softbank remained neutral, the situation would be very unfavorable for her, because the neutral party''s demand was an early IPO. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "As long as Goldman Sachs doesn''t switch sides, the situation will be evenly matched," Old Liu said with a contemptuous smile, still confident of victory.


    "I hope so."


    A trace of worry flashed in Liu Qing''s eyes. She had previously served as the IPO consultant for DiDi, and the application was rejected by the Ministry of Commerce.


    If Lu Liang took over as consultant and resubmitted the application to list in the US, and if the Ministry of Commerce approved, that would be very telling.


    On the other side, at Beijing Airport.


    "This time it really was much faster."


    Lu Liang put on his coat and walked out of the cabin.


    His previous trip from Modu to Beijing, including waiting for the flight, took at least five hours.


    But with a private plane and advance clearance for the flight path, the whole journey took just three and a half hours.


    Moreover, before landing, there was time to wash hair and face, maintaining a fresh and clean image.


    Very nice, the plane was bought late though.


    Led by Lu Liang, a group of people walked out of the airport and saw Cheng Wei, Zhu Hu, and others waiting in the reception area.


    "Mr. Lu, the proposal has been approved. Just attend the board meeting tomorrow, and you will be DiDi''s IPO consultant," Cheng Wei informed him immediately, because it also represented that facing investors, he would no longer be alone.


    With the addition of Lu Liang, a strong ally, he could speak louder and didn''t have to only say YES to Liu Qing.


    Zhu Hu said with a smile, "Mainly because there''s no cost to trying. Inviting Mr. Lu was just a shot in the dark¡ªif it worked, it would be a huge profit, and if not, no loss."


    "According to Mr. Liu''s original plan, DiDi wouldn''t consider filing for an IPO in the next three years."


    "Picking peaches isn''t so easy; it definitely takes some time," Lu Liang said with a smile, feeling no loss.


    He was clear about his role, a challenger, and therefore, he had to bear some cost.


    If it hadn''t been for the derailment of DiDi''s IPO journey, even if Lu Liang were richer, he couldn''t have squeezed in to share the pie.


    "Let''s go, stop standing around chatting. Let''s eat some copper pot lamb slice first, and then take a bath."


    Zhu Hu directly arranged the schedule, laughing, "Mr. Shen will also come later, on a later flight."


    "The host calls the shots, I always trust your arrangements, Hu," Lu Liang said with a smile as he entered the business car provided by Cheng Wei.


    Previously, when watching Hong Kong movies, he always wondered why those big boys liked to discuss cooperation while soaking in bathhouses.


    Later he found out it indeed was a matter of experience¡ªavoiding surveillance devices was secondary; the key was to meet face to face with honesty.


    The same goes for golf; how well you play isn''t important at all, after all, they are not professional players.


    The key lies in the time before reaching the destination, walking on the vast lawn and chatting.


    Bathing works on the same principle, a large pool of forty to fifty square meters, each person at a corner, relaxing the body and soul, and also able to talk freely.


    "Lu, have you thought about how to get DiDi to list? Is there anything we can help with?"


    After dinner, the group came to the Secret Whisper Villa in the suburbs, Zhu Hu with a wet towel on his head, comfortably sighing.


    "Do you really want to help, or just making empty offers?" Lu Liang said with a smile at the corners of his mouth, wrapped in a bathrobe, sitting by the shore soaking his feet.


    He had just soaked in the hot spring last night, got excited for half the night, and finally managed to sleep a bit on the plane.


    The sulfur smell of the hot spring here was noticeably stronger than that of Modu; he wanted a good sleep tonight.


    "What you''re saying, help that''s ''real'' or ''fake''¡ªof course it''s sincere!" Zhu Hu said with a displeased face.


    "Then help me deal with Old Liu," Lu Liang said with a smile.


    Liu Qing serving as DiDi''s IPO consultant, with the Ministry of Commerce being the biggest obstacle for the IPO, was, in fact, not an obstacle for him.


    After all, Li Junyi had shown him documents with wet ink. If he was still troubled, Lu would simply throw in the towel and quit.


    His biggest obstacle was Liu Qing, the Liu family.


    Because from Liu Qing''s perspective, Cheng Wei inviting Lu Liang to join was already a rebellion.


    If this momentum wasn''t suppressed, and Lu Liang successfully helped DiDi go public, proving Cheng Wei''s choice to be correct,


    then Liu Qing''s credibility and power in the group would inevitably suffer a major blow.


    DiDi''s IPO was important, but without her, Liu Qing, everything was meaningless.


    Zhu Hu chuckled awkwardly, "Then pretend I didn''t say anything."


    If he had the ability to deal with Old Liu, he wouldn''t be making things difficult for Liu Qing, nor would he need to pull Shen Peng into the mix.


    Cheng Wei frowned and asked, "Mr. Lu, are you saying that Liu Qing will sabotage?"


    "Isn''t that obvious?"


    Lu Liang laughed wryly, making a metaphor, "It''s like a peach tree, about to ripen, and suddenly someone wants to steal it, and as the owner, you''re powerless."


    "Do you just watch it being taken, or do you destroy it so no one gets it?"


    Cheng Wei fell silent. He was a narrow-minded person, not that magnanimous.


    "What peach tree? Did you guys think to contract a few mountains while I was away, supporting the national rural development plan?"


    Shen Peng chuckled. As men, they didn''t care about being seen, so in front of everyone, he stripped down to just his underwear.


    With a nimble leap, he jumped into the pool, splashing water everywhere, and dove under for several dozen seconds before coming back up.


    He looked towards Lu Liang and teased, "Mr. Lu, why are you making us soak in your footbath?"


    Lu Liang gave a wry smile, "I already soaked last night, staying awake till dawn, so I want to get some solid sleep tonight."


    "Youth is a beautiful thing, full of vigor."


    Shen Peng fell silent, his face filled with envy.


    Money can be earned if it''s not enough,


    But youth, once gone, does not return.


    This year he turned fifty, and with today''s advanced technology and affluent living, life spans have significantly increased; had it been ancient times, he could have called himself decrepit.


    Zhu Hu looked bewildered as he turned to Cheng Wei, "Mr. Cheng is just two years older than Mr. Lu from the Mainland, so why is it okay when he soaks?"


    Cheng Wei''s face was filled with distress, as he subconsciously swept back his thinning hair, "Maybe it''s because I''m weaker."


    At that remark,


    The air was suddenly filled with merry laughter.


    During their conversation, Shen Peng also found out what topic they had been discussing.


    He sighed, "Mr. Lu''s worries are indeed real."


    If you can''t have it, destroy it.


    Even if Lu Liang had everything arranged, Liu Qing remained the biggest uncertainty.


    Shen Peng asked, "Mr. Lu, what are you thinking? I assume you have a solution, right?"


    Lu Liang spoke lightly, "When necessary, kick Liu Qing out of the board, relieve her of all duties."


    "That''s indeed one solution."


    Shen Peng nodded; the best way to face a potential threat was to nip it in the bud.


    Zhu Hu also nodded in agreement, "But the timing has to be chosen carefully. After all, Mr. Liu led DiDi through every key developmental stage, he made significant contributions and has deep-rooted influence."


    Cheng Wei''s face went blank, as he soaked in the 41.5-degree water, feeling an icy chill in his heart. All he wanted was to regain some of the founder''s power, but to push Liu Qing out the door?


    Lu Liang, seeing the reluctance in Cheng Wei, said softly, "Mr. Cheng, if you don''t remove the roots, the weeds will grow back come spring."


    "I understand." Cheng Wei nodded, giving Lu Liang a lingering look, "When necessary, I will cooperate with all my efforts."


    He suddenly felt a shiver down his spine as Lu Liang made his plans public, revealing his true intentions.


    All negative information about Lu Liang had disappeared online, yet Tianxing Private Equity was still at a standstill, indicating the issue was far from resolved.


    Lu Liang''s decision to face off against the Liu family was not an act of petulance, but a direct challenge.


    He must have planned to kick Liu Qing out long ago; after all, offending the Liu family was inevitable, so there was no point in accepting their olive branch.


    Cheng Wei felt like he was bargaining with a tiger; if Liu Qing got kicked out, would Lu Liang become another Liu Qing?


    If that happened, DiDi might completely change ownership, and whether he could continue as chairman would be a different matter.


    But it seemed he had no choice,


    Once the arrow is shot, there''s no turning back.


    "Mr. Cheng, do you know Mr. Yang from Douyin?"


    "I''ve met him a few times."


    "Last year when Douyin merged with Watermelon, he actually planned to take the money and run."


    Lu Liang gave a smile and glanced at Zhu Hu, "Brother Hu must know about this too, right?"


    Zhu Hu said, "He wanted to leave with 70 million, fearing he''d be undervalued after the merger. Mr. Lu persuaded him to stay at Douyin for a year before deciding."


    "Now Mr. Yang is not only the general manager of Douyin but also a board executive at Byte."


    Lu Liang smiled, his feet almost turning white from the soak, got up, and played waiter, topping up everyone''s glasses of wine on the shore.


    Pausing behind Cheng Wei, he patted his shoulder, "One''s energy is always limited, and Tianxing Technology already keeps me too busy."


    "Truth be told, DiDi, Liu Qing, and you, Mr. Cheng, are not important to me, but without Mr. Liu, you are very important to me."


    Lu Liang''s face lightened with a smile, raising his glass towards Cheng Wei, who quickly picked up his own, placing it quite low, "Thank you."


    Lu Liang''s intention was to reassure him, to not worry about becoming another Liu Qing, for if he wanted to be Liu Qing, he wouldn''t just be an ordinary shareholder in Douyin now.


    "Hope everything goes smoothly tomorrow." Lu Liang smiled and looked to Shen Peng and Zhu Hu, giving an airy cheers to them.


    What he said was indeed a candid truth, just concealing a phrase.


    ''Power can remain unused, but one must possess it.''


    Back then with Douyin, it wasn''t that he wanted Class A shares with no decision-making power; he had no choice.


    Because at the time, Lu Liang was too weak compared to Byte''s strength, which possessed the crucial technology for short videos.


    Otherwise, Lu Liang would never have let Douyin go, with shares currently valued at 18 billion US dollars but cold as ice.


    "Here''s to a smooth ride!"


    Shen Peng and Zhu Hu each raised their glasses, exchanging glances, each seeing a hint of amusement flash in the other''s eyes, clearly not buying Lu Liang''s story, but they didn''t call him out on it.


    Boss Lu wasn''t running a charity. Getting involved with DiDi ¡ª now valued at 50 billion dollars and at the peak of its potential ¡ª wasn''t just for fun.


    If he wasn''t aiming for DiDi,


    Could it really be just for love?

 Chapter 441 - 436: The Human Peach

    The night grew deep, and Lu Liang bid farewell to the three of them, staggering to Phoenix City at Sanyuan Bridge.


    His tolerance for alcohol used to be quite good; half a liter of liquor was no problem, mainly because of social interactions¡ªno choice but to drink despite one''s reluctance.


    But over the past two years, as his wallet grew fatter and his social status rose, no one dared to force him to drink if he didn''t want to, which led to his decreasing alcohol tolerance.


    "Little Love, I''m here~~"


    Lu Liang got the house key from under the plants at the doorway, pushed the door open, and planned to give Zhang Tian''ai a surprise.


    However, when he saw the situation inside,


    he was completely stunned.


    There were a lot of people in Zhang Tian''ai''s home.


    She was chatting on the couch with a certain actress, accompanied by five or six people like cameramen and lighting technicians.


    The sound of the door opening


    also drew the attention of everyone in the room.


    They all turned their heads one by one, their eyes widening in shock as if they''d seen a ghost: "Lu... Lu Liang?"


    In the middle of the night, a well-known businessman visiting a famous actress''s home, it didn''t take a genius to guess the nature of their relationship.


    Lu Liang''s appearance, like a top-ranking brother suddenly showing up during a live broadcast, also confirmed the rumors circulating online.


    Zhang Tian''ai''s career trajectory always involved Lu Liang, and there were persistent rumors online that she was his lover.


    Now it was proven beyond a doubt.


    "You''re filming a show?"


    Lu Liang smiled and waved a greeting, as long as he wasn''t embarrassed, it was everyone else''s problem.


    Zhang Tian''ai got startled, jumped up from the sofa, and ran barefoot to Lu Liang, pulling him to the doorway with a look of distress on her face: "Liang, didn''t you see my message?"


    "What message?" Lu Liang subconsciously pulled out his phone, to which Zhang Tian''ai said, "For the National Day on the 2nd and 3rd, I''m participating in a reality show, to film the life of a single actress."


    Lu Liang glanced at his phone and chuckled bemusedly: "Now I see it."


    There were so many people in his WeChat, so many messages every day, how could he have time to look at them all.


    For important matters, people generally called him; messages weren''t considered important.


    Zhang Tian''ai''s face displayed disappointment, her words on the tip of her tongue only to be swallowed back, eventually turning into a sigh.


    Now he sees the message, but it was too late.


    "Then you''re busy, I''ll be off."


    Lu Liang smiled wryly, touched Zhang Tian''ai''s cheek, and decided to find a hotel to stay in for the night.


    The reason for returning to the city center was that he had to attend DiDi''s board of directors meeting tomorrow.


    Staying too far away meant having to wake up early, and that could dull his mind.


    "Actually, we''re almost done."


    Zhang Tian''ai suddenly held on to Lu Liang, not wanting to miss their time alone. If Lu Liang didn''t mind, he could stay in the kitchen and watch; it would be over in less than half an hour.


    "That''s fine."


    Lu Liang agreed, following Zhang Tian''ai inside. The show''s director was very astute; his palm rested on top of the camera, which had already been covered.


    He was all smiles: "Mr. Lu, hello, I''m Fan Yong from Mango TV, and we''re shooting the first look of ''The Flower of Youth.''"


    Out of all the satellite stations across the country, their Mango TV was the most powerful, and ''The Flower of Youth'' had reached its third season. Thanks to the success of the first two seasons, there was no shortage of sponsors or funds.


    But personally, he lacked much, as every director has dreams of becoming a director. Familiarizing Lu Liang with him early on could be important for his future career.


    "Director Fan, sorry to disturb you, carry on with your work, don''t mind me."


    Lu Liang smiled and easily made his way to the kitchen, sitting at the dining table, supporting his chin with one hand, playing with his phone.


    Zhang Tian''ai had mentioned in her message that she was participating in a self-travel reality TV show.


    In October, shooting at home on the 2nd and 3rd to capture the first look, then traveling abroad on the 28th for a 20-day trip.


    Just reading about it, he felt somewhat envious; taking home a few million in pay and having fun, enjoying exotic cultures.


    The executive director clapped his hands to grab everyone''s attention: "Get ready, we''re starting to shoot again."


    Zhang Tian''ai took a deep breath, got back into character, and resumed chatting up the actress next to her about her concerns for the trip.


    The actress, with or without intent, glanced at Lu Liang, and returned to the scripted situation, comforting Zhang Tian''ai.


    "Reality shows, in the end, are all about the show."


    Lu Liang watched them stop and start filming, checking the script, even the touchy-feely part was all acted out.


    It was well known that Mango TV was the most successful in terms of commercialization, truly a station worthy of birthing transformational shows like ''Dad! Where Are We Going?''.


    From the investor''s perspective, he agreed with this approach because improvisation involved too many uncertainties.


    Time ticked by, and before long, it was the early hours of the morning.


    With a snap, the shoot finally came to an end.


    Fan Yong beamed: "Thank you for your hard work, teachers. There''s some narration and dubbing left, which we''ll do next Saturday when we gather in Star City."


    He also smiled politely at Lu Liang and then led the crew out, leaving only Lu Liang, Zhang Tian''ai, and the other actress in the room.


    Zhang Tian''ai glanced at Lu Liang with a smile and then murmured quietly, "Mi, why aren''t you leaving yet?"


    "Ai Bao, that''s not nice, just now you said you''d treat me to a late-night meal, and now you''re rushing me out?"


    The actress came up to Lu Liang with a beaming smile, introducing herself: "Mr. Lu, hello, my name is Yang Mi."


    "Hello Miss Yang, I''ve seen ''The Three Fairies'' that you were in."


    Lu Liang nodded with a smile and served the pot of congee that had been heated on the stove onto the dining table: "How about we all have a little to eat then?"


    It seemed to be the takeout that Zhang Tian''ai had ordered in advance, prepared to dine with Yang Mi after the shooting ended.


    "Sure, thanks, Mr. Lu." Yang Mi said with a smile, not considering herself an outsider as she eagerly started to clear the dishes.


    Zhang Tian''ai puffed up her cheeks in a huff, hurriedly offering her help, "How about I stir-fry a couple more dishes?"


    "Sure."


    Lu Liang nodded and sat down at the table with Yang Mi.


    Yang Mi didn''t refuse, kindly serving Lu Liang a bowl and cautioning, "Mr. Lu, careful, it''s hot."


    Watching this scene, Zhang Tian''ai felt her head nearly explode with frustration, getting an uncomfortable sense of being reduced to a maid.


    She was supposed to simply pick out the vegetables without needing a knife, but she unconsciously grabbed the kitchen knife and furiously started chopping on the cutting board.


    "Little Love, do you have a problem with me staying?" Yang Mi couldn''t help but chuckle.


    Although her marriage was in name only at this point, she still maintained some semblance of propriety on the surface.


    Starting as a child star, she''d struggled through the years, always looking for a way to reach out to capitalists and striving to become one herself.


    Lu Liang was one of the rare few at the pinnacle of that realm, and bumping into him tonight was an opportunity she couldn''t bear to miss.


    After all, if it were any other occasion, even if she were lucky enough to meet Lu Liang, he probably wouldn''t give her the time of day.


    The higher she climbed, the deeper her insights became; despite the adulation of being a star, in the end, an actor is still looked down upon.


    "I''m not upset~~"


    Zhang Tian''ai replied in a muffled, grumpy voice, her accent slipping out.


    Lu Liang said with a smile, "Little Love is young; it''s normal for her to be jealous."


    Yang Mi complimented, "That just goes to show how charming Mr. Lu is."


    "Miss Yang, just speak your mind."


    Lu Liang drank his clay pot porridge, which had been stewing for too long and had become a bit mushy.


    There are many ruthless people in the domestic entertainment industry, and Yang Mi was definitely one of them.


    Some time ago, Little Wang sent him a video.


    As a gossip enthusiast, Little Wang had thoroughly dug into this story, and all Lu Liang needed to do was swallow it down. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The person was indeed who she claimed to be, delivered into someone else''s hands by her own husband, but restricted by her reputation and the anti¨Cgambling agreement she''d signed.


    All she could do was grind her molars and swallow the bitter pill, letting public opinion ferment, playing the game of the Crown Prince Swap.


    The authenticity of the video didn''t really matter; as long as it wasn''t proven, it was considered fake¡ªjust like Daqiangzi.


    For a mere actress to achieve this was truly remarkable, surpassing most males.


    "Mr. Lu, the thing is, last year I established my own media company, which has since produced several famous works."


    Yang Mi talked about how she wanted to register her Jiaxing World Media on the New Third Board, but had been rejected by the Securities and Futures Commission.


    Though her company had produced stars like Reba, who became a top-tier actress, it was all but name without actual capital, unlike the success of corporations like Huayi and the Wang family''s ascendancy.


    Lu Liang laughed, "I remember a while ago, Mr. Zhang from Mahua also asked me this question; they wanted to list on the Growth Enterprise Market. At that time, I had a friend inquire about it."


    Yang Mi''s eyes lit up with hope.


    Lu Liang shook his head slightly, "The entertainment industry needs rectification. Give it a few more years."


    Last year''s ban on Korean entertainment, this year''s salary cap¡ªthese were just the prelude. With something bigger on the horizon, the Securities and Futures Commission was unlikely to approve.


    If approved enterprises got embroiled in issues, it would simply be inviting trouble. It was better to wait for the tide to recede and tackle it later.


    Yang Mi fell silent; although she had heard some rumors, hearing it directly from Lu Liang was as good as confirmation.


    "Mr. Lu, thank you for enlightening me." She bowed deeply to Lu Liang, her face earnest.


    Lu Liang smiled nonchalantly, "Miss Yang, please sit down and eat. If it gets cold, it won''t taste good."


    At that moment, Zhang Tian''ai came out of the kitchen with two dishes, looking bewildered, "Mi, what are you doing?"


    "Nothing." Yang Mi''s gaze towards Zhang Tian''ai couldn''t hide her envy; having connections was indeed an advantage.


    As the night deepened, Yang Mi had only eaten half a bowl of the clay pot porridge and seeing it was getting late, she prepared to leave.


    Before leaving, she plucked up the courage to ask, "Mr. Lu, could I have your contact information?"


    "Do you want to scan mine or shall I scan yours?"


    "I''ll scan yours."


    After Yang Mi left, Zhang Tian''ai wore a look of quiet resentment, "Liang, do you like Mi?"


    "The beauty of a juicy peach is indeed very attractive."


    Lu Liang rarely used the term ''feminine charm'' to describe a woman, since every woman has it to some extent.


    But Yang Mi was different; she truly deserved the title of the earthly juicy peach. At 31, she was ripe to perfection.


    Zhang Tian''ai protested with dissatisfaction, "I''ve got peachy buttocks too, and even abs that Mi doesn''t have."


    "But you, you lack a filter," Lu Liang said with a laugh. He had not only watched ''Xian San'' but also ''Alone on a Desert Island.''


    In his eyes, Yang Mi, like Anne Hathaway and Megan Fox, had a light filter on her.


    Different from them, whose filters would shatter the moment you meet them offline, Yang Mi seemed even prettier than when she was younger.


    Some flowers, through trials and tribulations, not only don''t fade but become even more dazzling.


    That was why Lu Liang was willing to talk a little more.


    Liking her was secondary; admiration was the primary reason.


    "After this variety show ends, I''m going to take on some acting roles too. I''ll definitely leave you with a thick filter."


    "You were speaking so well, why are you crawling under the table?"


    "Without a filter, I need to put in more effort, right?"


    Zhang Tian''ai remained under the table, her frustration poorly concealed.

 Chapter 442 - 437: Tit for Tat

    On October 3, the National Day holiday was still ongoing, and many internet tech giants had taken the day off, leaving only some staff on duty.


    At 9:20 in the morning, the streets of Zhongguang Village, which should have been bustling with crowds, seemed a bit desolate.


    At the entrance of the Xinhai Building, Cheng Wei, Liu Qing, and other executives, a total of eight people, had arrived at the entrance to wait.


    The invitation for Lu Liang to serve as a consultant for DiDi''s listing had, after all, been a unanimous decision of the board of directors.


    In her heart, Liu Qing might be reluctant, but the respect that was due to Lu Liang had to be given.


    Just like that night, when Lu Liang had an unpleasant conversation with Old Liu; it was a talk full of veiled criticism and indirect jabs.


    But Lu Liang would still address him respectfully as Mr. Liu; throwing a tantrum and cursing like a fishwife was just common street vulgarity.


    They had only been waiting a few minutes and Lu Liang had not yet arrived.


    Instead, Xiaomi''s Lei Jun, Ali''s Old Ma, and 360''s Zhou Hongwei arrived.


    "Mr. Lei, Mr. Ma, Mr. Zhou, what brings you here?"


    Cheng Wei and Liu Qing exchanged glances, both completely perplexed.


    Lei Jun said with a smile, "I''m on vacation these past few days, with nothing much to do. I was thinking it''s been a long time since I caught up with the situation here, so I came to listen in, that shouldn''t be a problem, should it?"


    "What a coincidence, I was thinking the same."


    Zhou Hongwei grinned, temporarily setting aside any conflicts with Lei Jun and adopting the attitude of a spectator keen on gossip.


    Even Old Ma was in good spirits: "Gentlemen, it seems we really are of one mind."


    "Of course it''s no trouble," Cheng Wei replied with a wry smile.


    All three companies had investments in DiDi, and even though their combined shareholdings amounted to less than 1%, they were still investors.


    "Mr. Ma, hello."


    A hint of resignation flashed in Liu Qing''s eyes. She called over her assistant, planning to lead them to the reception room: "Mr. Lu hasn''t arrived yet. Mr. Ma, perhaps you''d like to rest in the reception room first?"


    As expected, the three of them had come just to observe the excitement.


    Holding only non-voting Class A shares, and being of high status dealing with countless matters every day, they normally would not attend meetings as observers.


    But the invitation of Lu Liang to join DiDi was an abnormal situation, and curiosity is a common human trait.


    If she were not a participant herself, she would also want to find a way to come and see what the situation was all about.


    "It''s no trouble; we might as well wait together here at the entrance," Zhou Hongwei remarked as soon as he finished speaking, Lei Jun and Old Ma both nodded in agreement.


    To date, few people had challenged the Liu family; this was the first clash between old and new powers.


    Even if it meant skipping breakfast, they wanted to be the first to find out and thoroughly enjoy this drama. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Moreover, through the proceedings and outcome of this event, they could also gauge the strengths of Lu Liang and the Liu family.


    If either side appeared a bit weaker, then in future collaborations, they might be able to negotiate for more.


    At 9:30, while the group was still chatting, a black Mercedes slowly drove into the park.


    "What''s bringing the wind today?"


    Lu Liang got out of the car, saw the three men Zhou, Ma, and Lei, and had an expression just like Liu and Cheng.


    It was understandable for Old Ma to come and see, but what did Lei Jun and Zhou Hongwei have to do with this?


    "It''s getting cooler, the north wind is blowing; the skin gets a bit dry, need to remember to hydrate," Zhou Hongwei said cheerily with a smile.


    Lei Jun was irritated when Lu Liang had refused his takeover of Tianxing Technology, but businessmen don''t hold grudges overnight.


    Since assisting Panda with its IPO and helping him make tens of billions of US dollars, he had let go of his resentments against Lu Liang¡ªactually he had come to like him.


    During the recent National Day holiday, A-shares suspended trading, but the US stocks did not. As of last night, Panda''s stock price reached $7.26 US dollars, giving it a market capitalization of $13.939 billion.


    Though it hadn''t gained much these past few days, the stock had significant fluctuations at high levels, trapping a lot of retail investors.


    The more retail investors trapped, the more advantageous it was for the shareholders holding the original shares.


    Unless they were prepared to take losses, they would keep buying more, becoming the foundation of the stock''s support.


    Once the lock-up period ended, the stock would become very resistant to a price drop, and it might even retain a market value of ten billion dollars.


    The current profits or losses were only on paper; only after the lock-up period would they become assets that could be cashed in at any time.


    "It''s been quite cold recently; let''s not just stand around here; let''s all go inside and warm up," Cheng Wei suggested in a low voice after informing them about the uninvited guests.


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but smile, understanding their intentions.


    The group moved to the company conference room. They took their seats in order, with Ma, Lei, and Zhou seated off to the side.


    Shen Peng, Zhu Hu, and representatives from investors such as Softbank, Goldman Sachs, and IDG also arrived gradually as it neared ten o''clock.


    Cheng Wei took the main seat, instructed the secretary to start recording, and after a few opening remarks, he began to introduce Lu Liang.


    Though they all knew him, the necessary protocol still had to be followed. He smiled and clapped his hands: "Let''s welcome Mr. Lu to join the big family of DiDi."


    Liangzi stood up, a smile appearing on his face, "Ladies and gentlemen, we will be working together from now on. If I offend anyone in any way, please forgive me."


    Soon after, with the signing of the contract, Tianxing Technology invested one billion dollars to hold a 2% stake in DiDi.


    As the representative of Tianxing Technology, Lu Liang entered DiDi''s board of directors, becoming one of the seven non-executive directors.


    It''s worth mentioning that, of the 2% stake, 1.5% are Class B shares, which come with 15% decision-making power.


    Thus, Lu Liang held 15% of the decision-making power, Cheng Wei 38%, and Zhu Hu 5%; their combined control reaching 58%.


    While they didn''t reach the absolute controlling line of 67%, they had surpassed the relative controlling threshold of 51%.


    As long as these three agreed, and the board did not have a majority opposition, any decision could be smoothly passed.


    Liu Qing was still an outsider after all, while Cheng Wei was the true master of DiDi; it was just that before, he lacked the support of others.


    At the same time, Cheng Wei called his assistant and passed a letter of appointment to Lu Liang as well, for the position of IPO advisor with full responsibility for all matters related to DiDi''s IPO, with an annual salary of 8 million.


    "This is the first time I''ve seen such a high salary."


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but smirk, as although he held positions in several companies, his annual salary was merely a symbolic 60,000.


    After all, he didn''t rely on a salary, lacking money he would simply take dividends; when wanting to purchase something, he would use a company''s name to buy it.


    Liu Qing smiled radiantly, and while still applauding, she took the initiative to strike, "Mr. Lu, I was the one who proposed this to Mr. Cheng."


    "Thank you, President Qing."


    Lu Liang smiled and bowed his hands in thanks.


    There''s no point in refusing what''s freely given, even though Liu Qing''s subtext was that a year later, if DiDi failed to go public, his shares would be bought back, and he''d be kicked off the board of directors.


    But after all, he was the boss of Tianxing, a billionaire tycoon worth tens of billions, so he couldn''t just hustle for nothing; thus, the eight million was essentially a courtesy fee.


    "Mr. Lu deserves it, I actually think it''s too low."


    Liu Qing''s smile didn''t diminish, and suddenly she launched a second attack, "Mr. Lu, you must be prepared by now. Why don''t you share your plan with us?"


    If one can''t have it, destroy it¡ªthere needs to be a precursor, when Lu Liang is about to succeed, or has a chance of success.


    For now, it''s passable; whether or not they can smoothly assist DiDi in going public can be used to apply pressure on Lu Liang.


    After Liu Qing finished speaking, representatives from Goldman Sachs Uber spoke up one after another, "Mr. Lu, please let us know if there''s anything we can do to help."


    Lu Liang smiled faintly, and before he could speak, Cheng Wei said, "Mr. Lu is new here and probably not familiar with the situation yet. President Qing, shouldn''t you forward the progress and notes from the last approval session?"


    With Lu Liang formally joining, it also represented a complete fallout with Liu Qing, leaving no room for reconciliation.


    He must show his stance, fully support Lu Liang, and try to win the support of the neutral parties through Lu Liang''s influence.


    Cheng Wei was not na?ve; despite what was said in last night''s hot spring talk with Lu Liang, he knew it could be trusted but not entirely.


    It was a great opportunity to show himself, allowing him a chance to shuffle the deck and get genuine support.


    "President Qing, why so hasty? Even if you hang, you still need to breathe, right?"


    Lu Liang squinted his eyes and beckoned Xu Jiawei to come over and take over the work from Liu Qing.


    "You jest, Mr. Lu. I''m worried you won''t have enough time,"


    Liu Qing, still wearing a full smile, gestured for her assistant to come forward and hand over the work to Xu Jiawei.


    It was a standoff, general against general; if it were soldier against general, one would inevitably seem weaker.


    Although verbal quickness was useless, if one couldn''t even engage in verbal sparring, how could their supporters believe in them?


    Lu Liang understood this as well, saying with a grin, "How long did it take for Panda to apply for listing and then go public?"


    "Having just seen the employment offer, I even want to suggest to Mr. Cheng that we convert the annual salary to monthly, I''m scared I won''t make it the full year."


    The scene with both parties locking horns was thrilling for the onlookers on the side.


    They hadn''t come for nothing.


    On the surface, it was a verbal duel between a man and a woman, but in actuality, it symbolized the new power led by Lu Liang challenging the old power headed by Liu Qing, including the stakes of a company valued at fifty billion dollars.


    It was a privilege to witness such drama up close.


    Soon, the news spread to the outside world.


    Tianxing Technology invested in DiDi, and Lu Liang joined the board as a non-executive director.


    "Liangzi, ''Liang'' as in ''conscience of the capital market,'' please raise the average order value."


    "Mr. Lu, please offer the option of female drivers; it''s too difficult for us girls out there."


    "Mr. Lu, can you start a pre-employment training class? Don''t let just anybody drive for DiDi; it''s treating passenger safety as a joke."


    Insiders understand the ins and outs, while outsiders just enjoy the spectacle.


    Lu Liang''s Weibo and his Douyin account suddenly became a wishing well.


    The netizens plainly didn''t know, nor did they care, what Lu Liang''s real intention was behind his stake in DiDi.


    All they knew was that Lu Liang had joined DiDi, so they hoped he could change DiDi''s current mode of operation.


    After all, DiDi has 6.28 million drivers, representing 6.28 million families behind them. With a daily order volume of 20 million, it concerns the safety of twenty million individuals.

 Chapter 443 - 438: Stay Grounded and Work Hard

    "Mr. Lu, hold on, how about we dine together?"


    After the meeting, Zhou Hongwei and Mr. Lei found Lu Liang¡ªthey clearly had motives beyond just catching up over food.


    360 Finance and Xiaomi both planned to go public by the end of the year or early next year, and with Lu Liang''s remarkable results in aiding Panda, now also considering DiDi''s invitation, they wanted to pick his brain.


    "Sure, just give me a moment." Lu Liang looked at Mr. Lei warily and waved Jia Wei over, whispering, "Take the documents to Mr. Hu first, I''ll come by later."


    Mr. Zhou might genuinely want to inquire about the IPO, but Mr. Lei was definitely up to no good.


    After all, Xiaomi had already decided to go public in Hong Kong next year and had even planned a 9.9 billion dividend distribution at the end of the year.


    Distributing dividends right before listing was taboo, a clear sign they didn''t care if the stock price suffered.


    Now coming to him for advice? Suddenly, Lu Liang could empathize with Zhang Yiming being wary of him.


    Mr. Lei coughed a few times, pretending not to notice, and discussed with Mr. Zhou where they would eat.


    "Lei, look at what you''ve done, even Mr. Lu is on guard against you. Maybe it''s time for some reflection."


    Zhou Hongwei looked disgusted; his relationship with Mr. Lei was like Shen Peng''s with Zhu Hu.


    Since the Kingsoft Antivirus days, they had loved and fought fiercely. Initially, Kingsoft was a paid model, but the advent of 360 shattered that model.


    And his current bad reputation was also because he agreed to meet Mr. Lei, which led to a fight.


    It was entirely Mr. Lei''s fault for boasting, prompting Zhou Hongwei to challenge him to a fight at the entrance of Chaoyang Park.


    As a result, netizens only cared about looks; Mr. Lei, who messed around and planned escape routes, seemed youthful, while he ended up the villain, more wronged than Dou E.


    Lu Liang''s expression darkened. "Mr. Zhou, what do you mean by ''even''?"


    "Nothing."


    Zhou Hongwei gave a forced laugh, then turned to discuss with Mr. Lei about going to their usual restaurant.


    At the Dongbei Wang Road Wuyi No.1 Restaurant, Mr. Lei''s assistant had reserved a private room, and dishes were served one after another as they arrived.


    Lunch was not like evening; they had things to handle in the afternoon, aiming to finish eating, finish discussing, resolve matters, and disperse early.


    "Mr. Zhou, no need to defer, you start." Lu Liang took a piece of chicken; he didn''t like the sweet Fujianese cuisine.


    Zhou Hongwei paused, being quite direct, revealing that 360 Finance had passed its review and was expecting to start its IPO roadshow in December.


    If Lu Liang was interested, he could offer 5% of the equity, exclusively earmarked for his investment.


    Lu Liang didn''t immediately refuse, considering for a moment before saying, "Mr. Zhou, you know my current situation, I really can''t spread myself any thinner. How about I introduce you to some institutions, and you can discuss with them directly?"


    Quality steel should be used for knife''s edges, and reputation-converted wealth should be similarly utilized; misuse depreciates its value.


    360 Finance was valued at only 3.3 billion US dollars, even less than Panda, and its main operation was lending, commonly known as P2P.


    Though online lending had helped Lu Liang earn his first fortune, as his horizons expanded, he had come to disdain it.


    The end of technology should not be lending.


    The P2P sector was more outrageous than new energy.


    In its early years, only a few major players were involved, but over several years of development, all sorts of riffraff had barged in.


    Compared to them, loan sharks were almost considered ethical; seven-day predatory loans, borrowing ten thousand to receive only five thousand, and repaying eleven thousand were commonplace.


    Lu Liang always felt it was a bubble waiting to burst, and with other ways to make money, he truly did not want to dabble in this field.


    Zhou Hongwei stopped mid-sentence, but said no more.


    Inviting Lu Liang was a spur-of-the-moment idea, and his refusal was expected.


    After obtaining contact information for Wilson from him and thanking him, Zhou Hongwei buried his head and focused on eating, his ears perked up.


    "Mr. Lei... sorry, I have to take a call first."


    No sooner had Lu Liang spoken than his phone rang; he walked to the doorway to answer.


    The caller was Li Junyi, arranging to meet later to discuss how to get DiDi approved.


    When he returned to the private room, Mr. Lei smiled and asked, "Mr. Lu, Xiaomi is considering entering the automotive industry, any good suggestions?"


    Ever since the World New Energy Vehicle Conference held on Hai Island in mid-July, the industry had experienced a small resurgence.


    Although the market had not fully accepted electric vehicles, the leadership had made their stance clear at the conference.


    The leadership''s attitude was their directive, and with Xiaomi reaching a developmental bottleneck, it was time to advance further.


    Lu Liang was speechless; he hadn''t expected Mr. Lei to be so direct after just taking a phone call.


    He had thought they would spar a bit before Mr. Lei revealed his real intentions.


    "We''re all feeling our way forward; what advice could I possibly have?"


    Lu Liang laughed at himself; his wealth had come quickly, and he needed an industry to invest it in. The state was promoting the development of the new energy industry, and with Ningde''s trillion-yuan market valuation forecast, Lu Liang had smoothly slid into this field. As for truly great suggestions, he had none.


    It was simply about being down-to-earth and dedicated. Come quietly, avoid making waves, and if it failed, act as if it never happened.


    Mr. Lei was speechless, "Mr. Lu, you really have a broad perspective."


    "What else can I do? I genuinely don''t understand the technology; I can only spend more money."


    Lu Liang smiled, talking about the Magic City Zhangjiang Science and Technology Park and the production base under construction in Su City.


    The company had only 690 million yuan left in its accounts, all pulled out to invest in DiDi, leaving just over 200 million.


    There were still 3.6 billion yuan in final payments for construction projects and a funding gap of 3.4 billion for the production line.


    Before a single car was produced,


    it was already burdened with a debt of 22 billion yuan.


    Both of them listened and reflected thoughtfully.


    It was known that Lu Liang had invested heavily in this industry, but there were no precise figures. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Now that the main character had spoken, they learned that 22 billion yuan, 3.2 billion US dollars, was just the initial investment.


    Zhou Hongwei scratched his head, feeling it necessary to reconsider whether to continue investing in Nezha Motors.


    Lei Jun''s eyes brightened, having worn the label of Beijing''s Cash King for too long, increasingly feeling its weight.


    After Xiaomi went public, it was time to find something to do, time for the last venture of his life.


    The lunch took over forty minutes; Zhou Hongwei and Lei Jun, after thanking Mr. Lu, went their separate ways, having obtained what they wanted or the answers they sought from Lu Liang.


    "Will I also be named a godfather of business in some years?"


    Lu Liang touched his chin in contemplation, a slight smile forming on his lips, as long as there were no conflicts of interest, he was more than willing to help others.


    Leaving the restaurant, Lu Liang arrived at the SOHO Building.


    He had previously arranged for Hu Weiwei to ready a room to serve as his temporary office in Beijing.


    He used to have an office, but it was too small and he barely visited once a month, so it was dismantled.


    Upon seeing Xu Jiawei frazzled, Lu Liang stood at the door for a while before asking, "Jia Wei, if we need to prepare the submission materials again, how long will it take?"


    Xu Jiawei managed a bitter smile, "Mr. Lu, if we reorganize, we''d need at least a team of 50 people and no less than half a month."


    DiDi was not just a company that had developed over five years, but also a rapidly appreciating unicorn valued at 50 billion US dollars.


    He just spoke with Liu Qing''s assistant and learned that they had set up a team of a hundred people and spent two months on the material submission for audit.


    Though they had now successfully taken over and many of the data collected did not need to be gathered again, organizing it would still not take a short time.


    "Stay in Beijing for this period, and when the time comes, there will be people to help you decide what needs to be submitted or not."


    Having grasped the situation, Lu Liang left the company and went to the restaurant where he had previously met Li Junyi, who had been waiting for a while.


    He cut to the chase without pleasantries, "Director Li, my intention is to take DiDi public."


    The main reason was to assist relevant departments, but joining DiDi wasn''t just for assistance.


    The implication was that DiDi must go public in the US, or he wouldn''t get involved in this venture.


    His heart was true red, but he couldn''t let others perceive it, as he still needed to make money on the international market in the future.


    While his public image could be profit-driven, it absolutely couldn''t appear patriotic or loyal to the party.


    Li Junyi smiled slightly, "Naturally, DiDi has grown to the point where it should go public."


    Lu Liang nodded and directly said, "Then let''s cut to the chase. Which materials are off-limits and which are within bounds, please list them out..."


    He didn''t want to guess those lines, nor did he want to self-censor and add to his troubles, that wasn''t his concern.


    Li Junyi''s smile remained as he took out a document, "Mr. Lu, we''ve organized the problems from DiDi''s last submission for review. As long as you delete these data or obscure them, passing smoothly shouldn''t be a problem."


    The efforts Lu Liang made were all seen, and naturally, they wouldn''t make it difficult for him, and since the listing team had changed, the problems that Liu Qing faced wouldn''t exist for Lu Liang.


    "Quick and easy."


    Lu Liang smiled as he gathered the materials, planning to leave.


    "Mr. Lu, do you need help?"


    Seeing Lu Liang about to leave, Li Junyi quickly asked.


    Domestic audit issues were not a problem for Lu Liang, but he still had to face issues from within DiDi and from abroad.


    If Lu Liang needed help, he could mention it, and they would try to assist within their responsibilities.


    Lu Liang thought for a moment, "Not right now, we''ll talk if problems arise later."


    His biggest issue was with the Liu family, but upon consideration, he knew that wasn''t something Li Junyi could help with.


    As monitors, they wouldn''t step in directly, otherwise, they wouldn''t have sought him out repeatedly.


    "Alright, you can call me anytime."


    Lu Liang left the restaurant and returned to the SOHO Building.


    Suddenly, he received a call from the Protocol Department; Old Te planned to come for a three-day state visit next month on the 8th.


    The second day''s schedule included meeting with entrepreneurs from both countries and jointly meeting with reporters.


    Lu Liang was invited, and the person in charge from the Protocol Department inquired if he was available during those days, not just him but also Old Ma, Lei Jun, Old Cao of Fuyao, among twelve others.


    Lu Liang agreed without hesitation.


    But after the call ended, he couldn''t help but wonder, "Had the quota been pre-booked, or was it only provisional before, and now they had officially settled it?"


    He had just finished meeting with Li Junyi, taking charge of the DiDi listing, resolute in not letting any information leak.


    Now receiving an invitation, becoming one of the twelve national entrepreneurs invited to the bilateral business discussion summit.


    The coincidence made it hard not to speculate.


    "It must just be a coincidence, after all, Old Te has had his eyes on me for more than a day."


    Lu Liang quickly dismissed the conspiracy theory because Old Cao of Fuyao and Old Zhang of Suning had also been invited.


    If the standard was social status and corporate influence, then they had even less right than him.


    Their only commonality was having investments in the US and having met Old Te before.

 Chapter 444 - 439: The Fox Borrows the Tigers Majesty, Waving the Big Flag

    In his spare time, Lu Liang scrolled through his phone and came to realize that the comment section of his Weibo Douyin account had turned into a wishing well.


    Last month''s status update had reached over fifty-thousand comments.


    "How did it suddenly cause such a big reaction?" he wondered to himself. After several years of work, he was no longer unknown.


    As a person who often appeared in the news, he was no longer an instant hot search topic with just any small piece of news.


    Hu Weiwei knocked on the door and entered, hearing Lu Liang talking to himself, she smiled and asked, "Mr. Lu, do you know about TMD?"


    Internet companies also had new and old forces, the old were the BAT, Baidu, Ali, and Tencent.


    To correspond with them, and as a more affectionate nickname, Toutiao became T, Meituan M, and DiDi D.


    Among these companies, two are vital to people''s livelihoods, especially DiDi, which has had one violent incident after another, pushing it into the limelight time and again.


    "What incidents?"


    Lu Liang picked up the boxed meal that Hu Weiwei had brought over. He would probably be busy tonight and just wanted to grab a quick bite.


    "There are too many, countless harassment and indecent cases, and just in the past two months there have been two particularly vicious cases."


    Hu Weiwei sighed as she recounted the stories of an air hostess and a female college student who passed away in their prime.


    At this time, Lu Liang stepped in, and netizens naturally placed their hopes on him, hoping he could make a change.


    Lu Liang was silent for a moment, then said softly, "Change will definitely come, but now is not the time."


    Change has costs, and as long as the price to be paid is lower than the cost of change, you can postpone it.


    During a company''s rapid growth phase, there are definitely areas that cannot be covered, but as long as no major trouble arises, you can pretend nothing happened.


    He suddenly looked at Hu Weiwei, "Mr. Hu, wasn''t Mobike the same back then? Weren''t there any cases of riders running red lights?"


    Hu Weiwei was at a loss for words, silent, as Lu Liang gently spoke with a hint of warning, "Having empathy is good, but as a manager, you should first think from the company''s perspective."


    He had always wanted the company to have more ''softness'', to be both rigid and flexible, to achieve harmony between yin and yang for true greatness.


    But this ''softness'' could not dominate. Instead, everything should still be considered from the company''s perspective.


    Liu Qing did quite well. After the incidents, they reformed the relevant features, but only imposed restrictions, not a total ban.


    Because if you completely ban it, you lose a significant amount of profit, and drivers, due to many restrictions, would switch to other companies.


    Although DiDi virtually monopolizes the ride-hailing market, its foundation is not stable and there are formidable competitors looking for opportunities.


    Like Meituan, or Douyin, becoming a source of joy for the whole family is the aim of every internet company.


    It''s just a pity, Liu Qing is destined not to work for him.


    "Mr. Lu, I understand." Hu Weiwei looked serious, catching the hint from Lu Liang''s implicitly severe words.


    Lu Liang smiled without saying much, picked up his boxed meal, and went to the temporary office next door.


    "Did you get all of that?"


    He handed over the materials given by Li Junyi to Xu Jiawei, instructing him to destroy them after reading.


    While reorganizing the application materials over the next half-month, they''d make cuts slowly.


    They couldn''t let others know they had come with answers in hand, otherwise, Liu Qing might get desperate.


    It was like boiling a frog in warm water, by the time she realized what was happening, it would be too late to turn the tide.


    Old Liu still seemed so defiant because his backers were still strong and resilient.


    Lu Liang didn''t actually want to have a showdown with him to the end because, after all, both had extensive assets and wouldn''t make rash all-or-nothing moves.


    When the time came when there was no turning back, the Liu family would make the right choice and would not stiffen up over something that had already become a fait accompli.


    Xu Jiawei pondered with the documents in hand and nodded, "Mr. Lu, I''ve memorized everything clearly."


    "Report to DiDi tomorrow, form the IPO team, and take full responsibility in my absence."


    Lu Liang walked over to the shredder, fed the dozen pages of paper into it, and after shredding them, he collected the scraps and flushed them down the toilet. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This temporary office was just a resting place for them; the formation of the DiDi IPO team and everyday office work should still be done at the DiDi company.


    Xu Jiawei fought back his excitement and nodded. He was finally going to follow in the footsteps of his predecessors, expanding the borders for Lu Liang and the company.


    As night deepened, Lu Liang left the company, planning on heading to the Guangqu Jinmao Mansion near Beijing East Station.


    He didn''t really want to go. In a few days, Zhang Tian''ai was off to film a show and wouldn''t return to the country until next month.


    But Yang Mi insisted their cat could do somersaults, and Lu Liang was curious to see what was going on.


    The car traveled along the road,


    Lu Liang suddenly received a call from Ota Ling.


    His tone was extremely gentle, utterly ingratiating, "Mr. Lu, how have you been doing lately? I hope my foolish son hasn''t caused you any trouble."


    "Renjun is doing quite well, his ability to handle affairs is very strong, Wen Chao often praises him to me, truly a case of ''like father, like son.''"


    Lu Liang''s face showed contemplation, he suddenly gestured and took out his tablet from his bag, and opened up the day''s Bitcoin market conditions.


    Suddenly, a knowing look crossed his face.


    Wen Chao should have followed his instructions, having Mitsui Sumitomo and Hyundai Group exert their effort in Japan and Korea, touting the advantages of cryptocurrency.


    He hasn''t checked in a few days, but Bitcoin has soared from $3,325 that night, to a closing price of $4,652 the previous second.


    Ota Ling should already know the investment product, and combining it with when they probably collaborated, it wouldn''t be hard to guess the approximate cost price.


    It should be below $2,000, possibly around $1,700 or $1,800, so by now, it has at least doubled.


    Thus, it was no surprise that he would make a call to inquire politely.


    One billion dollars, in a little over a month, with a guaranteed return of at least 100%; even if he treated Lu Liang like his own father, it would be deserved.


    Ota Ling''s smile brightened, "Mr. Lu, you''re too kind. It''s my son''s great fortune to have been able to help you in this life."


    He spoke of the real reason behind Bitcoin''s recent fluctuations, their hiring of finance experts to heavily promote it, which was just one aspect.


    What really sent Bitcoin''s prices skyrocketing was the announcement that it would be listed on the Chicago Commodity Exchange a while back.


    That day, after the news was released.


    Representatives from BlackRock, Vanguard, and others subsequently met with Mizuho Bank, Mitsubishi Japan United, and their own Mitsui Sumitomo.


    According to Ota Ling''s knowledge, neighboring banks like Han Ya, National, and Woori, which were held by Wall Street institutions, were also interviewed.


    They collectively introduced a new financial concept, emphasizing the need for a new investment channel to face the increasingly complex international situation, with requirements for decentralization, global liquidity, investment value, and technological innovation.


    At first, they didn''t understand what it meant and pondered over it for a long time.


    It wasn''t until Wen Chao explained to him that their investment project was Bitcoin, a new type of cryptocurrency.


    That''s when it clicked for Ota Ling: decentralization, global liquidity, investment value, and technological innovation.


    This was a glaringly obvious fit, wasn''t it?


    As a result, as Mitsui Sumitomo realized this, they extensively touted the advantages of Bitcoin, and other banks tasked with this also caught on.


    They all joined the camp promoting cryptocurrency and started buying Bitcoin in large quantities, completing the task set by their masters, and the market took off directly.


    "Mr. Lu, in my fifty-two years of life, there haven''t been many people I admire, but you are definitely one of them."


    Ota Ling''s admiration for Lu Liang flowed endlessly, like the surging river, like the Yellow River overflowing, uncontrollable once it started.


    Now, even if Lu Liang told him that his first love, Nakamori Akina, was a man, he wouldn''t have the slightest doubt.


    "A few months ago, I was in New York assisting Panda with its IPO and heard them talking about this."


    Lu Liang squinted his eyes and forcefully clung to the prestige, pretending that he had perfectly integrated into Wall Street and become one of them.


    After all, the fact that Ota Ling mentioned ''interviews'' showed that it was a directive sent from a superior to an inferior.


    The banks of both countries acknowledge the US Dollar as their father, so his pretending to fit in, to enjoy the godfather treatment in the future, wasn''t too much to ask for.


    Moreover, with Ota Ling''s disclosure, the context behind the Bitcoin surge became gradually clearer.


    It was as Lu Liang had initially suspected, the secret financial consortiums behind Wall Street.


    A market that was just barely over twenty billion dollars had rapidly inflated by 20 times in just a few months; it seemed only they had the capacity.


    Ota Ling''s expression grew serious, and his tone became even more respectful, "Mr. Lu, may I know when you are planning to visit Tokyo next?"


    He wanted to cling tightly to Lu Liang''s coattails, even if it meant bringing down the Moon Goddess Chang''e to his bed, he would find a way to do it.


    As a Chinese-born and bred individual who has access to Wall Street''s core projects.


    Sun Zhengyi, with his Hu Jian ancestry, a Korean-Japanese, grew up in America.


    He could rely on his identity to play both ends against the middle in his youth, but once he held a high position, others saw him as a foreigner.


    That''s why he eventually settled down in Tokyo, but it took him most of his life to barely gain acceptance.


    But Lu Liang had taken only two and a half, less than three years, truly terrifying, even more so than the Squid Clan.


    "I''ve been quite busy lately, so I''m not quite sure, but I''ll definitely inform you in advance before I go."


    Lu Liang was somewhat absent-minded, feeling like he was playing with fire, worried that one day it would burn him.


    After ending the call with Ota Ling, and before he reached Jinmao Mansion, he received a call from Zheng Xuanyi.


    It was another round of flattery, admiring Lu Liang''s foresight, and Lu Liang rolled out the same rhetoric he used to deal with Ota Ling.

 Chapter 445 - 440: Only Magic Can Defeat Magic

    "Mr. Li is too impulsive. If he doesn''t take them away, he will inevitably suffer."


    "I will definitely talk to him about it and encourage him to learn from Mr. Lu''s way of cherishing the fairer sex."


    During the conversation, the fact that Lu Liang did not sleep with those two girls also came to the knowledge of Li Xuanhong. Zheng Xuanyi thought Lu Liang was dissatisfied and repeatedly assured him that he would make sure Lu Liang had a good time next time.


    "The troubles of happiness."


    After ending the call, Lu Liang''s lips slightly curled up, his first thought was of Lin Yun''er. He knew few female stars in the domestic entertainment scene, and even fewer Korean stars¡ªshe was the only one.


    Thinking about his next visit, he anticipated finally tasting her charms, which caused a slight flutter in his heart.


    "However, the one upstairs doesn''t seem too bad either."


    Lu Liang looked up and saw Jinmao Mansion, 27th floor, a flat facing south still had its lights on.


    He drove from the parking lot, took the elevator straight up, and arrived at the doorstep of that floor.


    "Mr. Lu, I''m sorry to invite you over so late."


    The tightly closed door suddenly opened, and Yang Mi stood inside, smiling like a flower, wearing a pink polka-dotted nightgown.


    The material of the nightgown was very soft, more like a coat, with a sash tied around her waist highlighting her curvaceous figure, and black lace lining in the front that was partially visible, making her skin appear as white as snow.


    Her legs were not particularly long, but they were well-proportioned, the ratio of her legs, hips, and waist was just right; her skin was in great condition, shining brightly, and she wore a pair of Valentino high heels.


    This brand truly had a unique appeal, always managing to enhance the charm of mature women, rightfully earning its reputation as speed shoes.


    "I just finished up as well," Lu Liang said with a smile, naturally taking off his coat and handing it to Yang Mi, who hung it on the coat rack.


    He changed into slippers, walked into the house, and looked around. The d¨¦cor was similar to Zhang Tian''ai''s place but clearly larger and more luxurious.


    After all, having debuted at the age of four and been in the industry for 27 years, she definitely hadn''t earned little money over the years.


    "My parents are looking after the child."


    Yang Mi walked behind Lu Liang closely, clinging to his back, where she suddenly smelled a strong male pheromone.


    Her movements were gentle as she embraced Lu Liang''s waist, slowly unfastening his belt and pulling out the lining inside.


    She paused, then said, "We''ve been living separately for a long time, just waiting for the storm to pass before we divorce."


    Clearly, she knew some secrets couldn''t be hidden from Lu Liang, so she didn''t bother to hide them.


    Although it had been over three months since the incident, divorcing this year would still seem like an overt admission.


    Moreover, her company still had some endorsements she shared with her husband that hadn''t ended, and she needed to wait until next year.


    Though she was the victim, publicizing it would stir public opinion and might even lead to the punishment of the perpetrators.


    But what was the use?


    Decades of hard work might go up in smoke.


    She was not willing to let that happen.


    From now on, everyone would view her through a prejudiced lens, and high-end brand endorsements would slip away from her.


    She wanted to climb higher, to regain all the lost dignity, she had to endure. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Yet the road ahead would possibly bring more, possibly even worse, incidents.


    She needed a stronghold, not to skyrocket her career, but to ensure smooth sailing.


    And so, Lu Liang caught her eye.


    She knew Lu Liang was not the faithful type; he clearly had a girlfriend yet he still pursued Zhang Tian''ai.


    If Zhang Tian''ai could, Yang Mi thought she could too, hence initiating many suggestive and explicit conversations.


    Until dusk, she mentioned her cat could do somersaults, successfully piquing Lu Liang''s curiosity.


    Lu Liang turned around, embracing her waist, "That hardest period has already passed, and from now on everything will clear up and shine through, breaking through mountains and blooming thousands of flowers."


    Though the nature of their interaction was a female star seeking protection from a powerful man, that didn''t stop them from adding a romantic flair to dilute the business-like nature of their relationship.


    Sprinkling in a bit of sweet talk would make their alliance even more harmonious.


    Yang Mi responded with a soft hum, her eyes full of affection.


    She was an actress, but also a woman, preferring to render this purely transactional relationship not so pure anymore.


    Holding Lu Liang''s hand, they moved to the bedroom, where she began to help him undress slowly until neither of them wore anything.


    After two and a half years, Lu Liang was once again experiencing the taste of a mature woman, which was smooth, unlike a young girl which could be rather dry and requiring some effort.


    It was a different flavor, like being used_usec to eating light Cantonese dishes, but occasionally craving a greasy, rich pork knuckle.


    Lu Liang picked up her foot, tentatively moving closer and sniffing, "Not smelly, seems like it was just a rumor."


    Yang Mi''s face turned red, and she fiercely glared at Lu Liang, cursing that damn black goat.


    "It must be a rumor," she suddenly exerted force, as if wanting to press it against Lu Liang''s face.


    There''s no shortcut to a man''s heart,


    but there''s a shortcut to a woman''s.


    Now that the path was connected, she no longer felt as restrained as before, attempting to take the lead in their encounter.


    Lu Liang squinted, grabbed firmly, stopping this provocative act of dominance, just connected and already stepping on his face; next time she might want to sit on his head.


    It was he who should dominate the relationship, not her,


    in the future they could explore different things, but not now.


    "Itchy~" Yang Mi giggled, pulling her foot away, their first encounter ending in a complete rout.


    A night of passion, a night without words.


    "Mi, are we going to South Africa and Brazil this time? Won''t it be very sunny there?"


    The next morning, Lu Liang groggily heard Zhang Tian''ai''s voice, instinctively jolting and opening his eyes.


    "The UV intensity there is quite high, it''s best to bring more sunscreen."


    After finishing her voice message, Yang Mi mischievously snickered, reaching out to touch Lu Liang''s cheek, "Mr. Lu, you''re awake?"


    Lu Liang''s face darkened, and without another word, he scooped her up and delivered a smack to her buttocks, "You did that on purpose?"


    Yang Mi yelped in pain and retorted, "It''s our group chat, Ai Bao just happened to send me a message."


    Lu Liang snorted, not believing her for a second, suddenly his lips curling up, "You''re going on a trip for twenty days, right?"


    "Yeah, what about it?" Yang Mi lay on the bed, turning to face Lu Liang, suddenly getting a bad feeling.


    "You''re the senior, after all, take good care of the juniors, and perhaps develop some affections slowly."


    Lu Liang smiled with ill intentions; he hadn''t tried group activities before, especially with someone who was a popular young star¡ªit might be quite energetic.


    "You wish," Yang Mi decisively refused, unyielding to the scheming ploy that aimed for Lu Liang''s gullibility.


    "I was just talking, anyway. Moving on."


    Despite his maintaining a smile, Lu Liang knew convincing Zhang Tian''ai would be a breeze, the real challenge was Yang Mi.


    But still, having already slept together, with no illusions left, laying the groundwork meant her agreement was only a matter of time.


    "Mr. Lu, your phone," Yang Mi glared at him, a hint of helplessness flashing through her eyes.


    She suddenly felt overwhelmingly disadvantaged; without offering herself first, all talks and fishing for Lu Liang''s attention should be off the table.


    But having given herself up, she''d lost her most precious bargaining chip.


    Lu Liang pocketed his phone and stood by the mirror to adjust his outfit, watching Yang Mi through the reflection with a smirk, "I met Little Love at Crown Princess Consort''s wrap party, and just like that, it''s been two years."


    Normally, once a man has slept with a woman, his novelty towards her won''t last more than a year; anything beyond is merely out of obligation.


    Lu Liang genuinely didn''t consider himself a scoundrel; he was simply more universally affectionate. As long as the woman wouldn''t leave, he wouldn''t cast her aside.


    Over the years, he had his fair share of temporary companions, all of whom left on their own rather than being abandoned by him.


    And whether it was his past or current engagements, they all had promising paths ahead.


    Lu Liang never treated any woman unfairly.


    "I really envy Little Love, having landed a patron like you, Mr. Lu."


    Yang Mi''s eyes brimmed with envy as she stepped forward to straighten his sleeves, and Lu Liang chuckled, "Aren''t you encountering the same fortune now?"


    "Right~," Yang Mi lit up like awakened from a dream, her face blossoming into a wide grin, though her eyes betrayed a touch of complexity.


    True intentions reveal over time; she no longer put her faith in sweet nothings or grand vows¡ªbecoming powerful was the ultimate solution.


    "Goodbye."


    Lu Liang left promptly.


    Women are just embellishments to life, not the entirety. The moment he walked out the door, he wouldn''t dwell on them.


    Without money and power, he was just an ordinary divorced man¡ªa fact he always remembered clearly.


    Economic foundations dictate the superstructure; only by seizing the present authority and pushing even further could he indulge freely.


    Men only ever had one worry:


    Not having enough money or power.


    At ten in the morning, Lu Liang arrived at the New Chenghai Building of DiDi.


    Xu Jiawei, being a newcomer and Lu Liang''s representative, was somewhat snubbed.


    Liu Qing had joined DiDi just over three years ago, a period during which DiDi made its most rapid advancements.


    She led the transition from a singular taxi service to multiple services, including premium cars.


    She helped the company secure the largest private financing of $700 million at the time.


    She also navigated major milestones like the merger with Kuaidi Taxi, Apple''s $1 billion investment, and the acquisition of Uber.


    When Liu Qing joined DiDi, the company was valued at $2.2 billion.


    In three years under her lead, DiDi grew into a $50 billion super unicorn company.


    She represented the epitome of the new era''s independent woman, even landing on the Time Magazine 2017 list of the 100 most influential people worldwide, the sole female entrepreneur from Asia.


    She was a role model for countless professional women and an idol for many professional men, while Cheng Wei was merely a figurehead.


    Rumors within the company suggested that Cheng Wei inviting Lu Liang wasn''t for integration but for division.


    DiDi had a total of 7200 employees, with over 80% holding oppositional views, ninety-nine percent of which were women.


    Due to the company''s gender ratio of 76:24.


    76% being female staff and 24% male.


    There weren''t as many previously,


    Exceptionally two severe incidents occurred this year.


    Liu Qing didn''t want to impose on herself the high costs needed to change the current situation while also wanting to alleviate the societal pressures.


    Of course, change came with a high cost, yet trivial matters like time and funds were the least of concerns; the primary issue was it hindered the company''s growth.


    So by aggressively hiring female staff, she declared her solidarity, empathy, and care for women.


    Although it was a classic case of treating the head for a foot pain, it worked effectively, meshing well with the company''s need for expansion and hitting two birds with one stone.


    "To use history as a mirror is to identify the rise and fall."


    Lu Liang squinted in contemplation while listening to Xu Jiawei''s narrative.


    This situation illustrated that an enterprise''s executive absolutely couldn''t be a woman, at least not the representative figure.


    Even if Liu Qing herself was sensible, it didn''t ensure her subordinates were.


    At the very least, she definitely meddled in this affair.


    With just a slight provocation, plenty would readily resist.


    No wonder Liu Qing, possessing only a 2.12% stake and 20% of the decision rights, kept Cheng Wei under significant stress.


    "Mr. Cheng, our company has its fair share of issues," Lu Liang spoke with a teasing tone, looking at Cheng Wei.


    Cheng Wei responded with a bitter smile, his last scrap of sympathy vanishing, "Mr. Lu, shall we make an example of someone?"


    Previously it was all managed by Liu Qing; he was only there to say YES, never realizing the severity of the gender issue.


    If Lu Liang hadn''t joined and given the current state,


    When one day he and Liu Qing clashed, she probably would rally the staff with a wave of her hand, and he''d likely transform from chairman to mere shareholder.


    Lu Liang fell silent, glaring slightly, spoke irritably, "How would you do it? If you act now, tomorrow will bring chaos, and DiDi would kiss its IPO goodbye."


    Scratching his head, he realized the situation was indeed thorny.


    The public was hopeful that his joining DiDi would improve the safety for women passengers.


    If, however, he did the opposite by firing a batch, Liu Qing would surely exploit the situation, branding him as misogynistic.


    Would they still sell rides then?


    Suddenly, Xu Jiawei voiced an idea, "Mr. Lu, Mr. Cheng, they don''t seek equality but privilege. So, why not go with the flow and promote a few as examples? After all, it''s easy to create divisions among women."


    His father once said, only magic can defeat magic.


    Their main task now was the IPO. Once that stabilized, they could settle old scores gradually.


    A group of women together would only turn into palace intrigue, never achieving substantial influence. If they could, the wildly popular talk shows today would have been banned.

 Chapter 446 - 441: Fighting is a Process, Not the Goal

    "Let''s give it a try."


    Lu Liang''s eyes lit up, and he turned to look at Cheng Wei. Out of respect for the chairman, he still needed to wait for his response.


    He didn''t want Cheng Wei to be soft-hearted at this time. Otherwise, once DiDi was listed, he would need to settle accounts with everyone, including Cheng Wei.


    "Huang Molin is the Legal Affairs Department supervisor, and Wang Xin is the head of the Diversity and Inclusion Alliance. We can invite them to join."


    Cheng Wei pondered for a moment, already having candidates in mind.


    The former, Huang Molin, belonged to the company''s legal department. It was both sensible and reasonable to invite her to join the listing audit team.


    The latter, Wang Xin, was one of Liu Qing''s close confidants. Last year, on DiDi''s fourth anniversary, the company established the Diversity and Inclusion Alliance.


    The alliance''s mission was to create a more inclusive workplace environment, where talents from different countries, cultures, and backgrounds could receive equality and respect.


    It was also established to enter the European and American ride-hailing markets and to comply with local political correctness.


    It was purely unintended.


    This year, several egregious incidents had occurred. To quell the public outrage, this group had become increasingly powerful within the company.


    Xu Jiawei was right; they were only seeking privileges. Once they secured these privileges, no one cared about following up with the victims of the incidents.


    "A prototype of the LGBT movement?" Lu Liang was astounded.


    Indeed, it was always good to get out more. One could always learn new things. Making money at the company every day, what fun was there in that?


    Cheng Wei smiled wryly, "It hasn''t reached that extent yet."


    "I think it''s pretty close."


    Lu Liang chuckled and pulled up the profiles of the two individuals.


    Huang Molin was D8, Wang Xin was D7. At DiDi, D7 and above were considered senior employees, with a starting annual salary of 600,000 yuan, equivalent to a P6 level employee at Ali.


    Moreover, from D7 and above, employees would be granted stock options, typically vested over four years.


    "What''s the upper limit of the annual salary for D7?" Lu Liang suddenly asked. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "1.15 million yuan," Cheng Wei replied.


    "And for D8?"


    "1.95 million yuan."


    "Move both of them to the audit team and raise their salaries to the upper limit of their respective levels."


    A smile played on Lu Liang''s lips. Even though their annual salaries were increased to the upper limits of their levels, D7 was still D7, and D8 was still D8.


    Once reaching D7 and above, the amount of the annual salary became less important. The key lay in the share options and the IPO subscription quota.


    If DiDi successfully passed the audit and reached the IPO roadshow stage, D7 could only subscribe to one hundred thousand shares, but D8 could subscribe to five hundred thousand shares.


    Just like Li Manli, when Panda was listed, she had subscribed to two hundred thousand shares at a price of 1.98 US Dollars.


    Now, rising to 7.58 US Dollars, it had more than tripled, netting her a gain of 1.12 million US dollars without much effort.


    But Li Manli was different; Long Fei gave her the subscription quota of two hundred thousand shares out of consideration for Lu Liang.


    Otherwise, even mainstay streamers like PDD only had access to five hundred thousand shares. What did she do to deserve the quota for two hundred thousand shares?


    The workplace was even more merciless. If they wanted to advance further, their performance in the team was crucial.


    Cheng Wei understood and nodded, contacting them to come over.


    With nothing else pressing, Lu Liang opened the international trading software and observed the Bitcoin market.


    These days, the market had gone completely mad. Prices changed every day, and it was soon to reach 5000 US Dollars.


    Their cost price was still 1931 US Dollars, earning almost 3000 US Dollars on average per coin.


    With a holding of 487,700 coins.


    "1.5 billion US Dollars..."


    Lu Liang glanced at the date. Tonight at nine o''clock, Bitcoin would officially debut on the Chicago Exchange.


    Two months and twelve days away from the peak predicted by the forecast, he muttered, "Will there be a pullback?"


    The news of Bitcoin''s debut on the Chicago Exchange was now common knowledge, causing a surge in the market by 2000 US Dollars.


    So, when the good news became a reality, it would turn into bad news.


    Lu Liang pondered for a moment, walked to the window, and phoned Wen Chao, "Unwind 5% of our position, and you handle the rest."


    They held a 95% position, with only 50 million US Dollars of liquid funds reserved, but this sum was no small amount.


    On a normal day, with a 90% lock-up, the remaining 5% and 5% funds were left for them to arbitrage or wash trade.


    Whether they made money or not was beside the point. They were still at the market making stage; as long as they could stir the market, that was enough.


    About fifteen minutes later, Huang Molin and Wang Xin, one after another, finished their work and came to the 5th floor of the group''s building.


    This office area covers 1,200 square meters and was specifically designated by Cheng Wei for the use of the listing team.


    A 38-year-old and a 34-year-old stepped out of the elevator and instantly drew all eyes until they disappeared into the office area.


    Such news quickly reached Liu Qing''s ears. She furrowed her brows, sinking deep into thought.


    Huang Molin was the director of the legal department, so it was no surprise that Lu Liang had asked her to assess the situation.


    But why would Wang Xin, merely the head of the ride-hailing business, also receive an invitation from Lu Liang?


    Liu Qing suddenly asked, "Wang Xin, have you received any calls?"


    She thought of the Diversity and Inclusion Alliance; Wang Xin was in charge of the project and had been promoted by Liu Qing herself the previous year.


    Lu Liang had joined DiDi today and things hadn''t gone smoothly, indeed it was at her instigation. If Wang Xin was swayed by them, perhaps it would alter the current situation.


    She knew women, and she knew them well.


    The assistant replied, "No."


    Liu Qing''s face turned as dark as still water. Being invited by Lu Liang yet saying nothing to her, she realized she had placed her trust incorrectly.


    Meanwhile, in the fifth-floor office.


    "Hello to both of you, I''m Lu Liang."


    Lu Liang, smiling, introduced Xu Jiawei, explaining that in his absence, the project would be overseen by Xu.


    But Xu Jiawei, after all, was young and new to the company, unfamiliar with the different departments and personnel.


    "I''ll be counting on you both a lot."


    Lu Liang''s words made them feel valued. Though he was just a listing consultant for DiDi, he was still Lu Liang.


    Undefeated in the international markets, he was also the creator and primary promoter of Panda, the Nasdaq sensation.


    Both hurriedly said, "Mr. Lu, that''s very kind of you. We''re all here for the company. What would you like us to do?"


    "The plan is to reorganize and resubmit the listing application," said Lu Liang.


    He hoped they would join the audit team, take charge of staff redeployment, and coordinate different departments.


    The data were all from the previous quarter, they not only had to integrate it but also update it with the current quarter''s.


    Upon hearing this, Huang Molin appeared thoughtful, and Wang Xin radiated joy. Both initially demurred, "Mr. Lu, we still have some ongoing projects."


    "What project could be more important than the company listing now?" Lu Liang asked with a smile.


    Cheng Wei paused and then said, "Go back and sort out your current work. I will assign additional manpower to push the projects forward or hand them over to another group. Give me your answer this afternoon."


    He further informed them that the listing project headed by Lu Liang was now the most important one, without equal.


    The project members would receive a 0.95 wage multiplier, and successful completion would lead to a year-end evaluation.


    "Understood, Mr. Cheng. We''ll go back now. Mr. Lu, goodbye."


    The two exchanged glances, each seeing the excitement in the other''s eyes. Cheng Wei was indirect, but the message was clear.


    Joining Lu Liang''s listing team would mean an immediate pay raise with direct promotion upon project completion.


    One of them might become a D8, and the other a D9.


    "Supervisor Huang, what do you think?"


    Wang Xin was eager. She was already 34 but still only a D7. Next year, she would be 35.


    Without reaching a D8 by 35, she could never hope to be a D9 in her lifetime.


    Anyone below D9 was insignificant, even if they were management. She would face a mid-life crisis, with the risks of dismissal and demotion.


    "Manager Wang, don''t you need to discuss this with your boss, Liu Qing?" Huang Molin asked with a slight smile, clearly aware of Wang Xin''s background.


    "The company should list. I trust Mr. Lu can drive DiDi to list in the US," said Wang Xin with a serene smile.


    Boxing is a process, not an end. Women who box just for the sake of boxing are a disgrace to their gender.


    She had achieved her goal. Why cling to it and make trouble for herself?


    Huang Molin suddenly laughed, "I wonder how sad Mr. Liu would be to hear you say that."


    "So you plan to report me?"


    Wang Xin responded with a smile. She knew Huang Molin was 38 but only a D8. This was not only her chance but Huang Molin''s as well.


    If she lacked ambition, she wouldn''t have hidden her pregnancy until eight months in last year.


    She worked right up until a few days before delivery and took only half a month''s maternity leave before returning.


    Rumors said the child hadn''t been breastfed, raised on formula and nutrient solutions from infancy.


    Because breastfeeding would drain a woman''s vitality, a longer postpartum recovery is needed.


    Thus, through surgery, Huang Molin had stopped milk production altogether to return to work sooner.

 Chapter 447 - 442: Probably Falling in Love

    "Everyone is doing it for the company."


    The two women looked at each other and smiled, making the same choice.


    Mr. Liu treated them well, but Mr. Lu offered better compensation.


    They were just ordinary girls from ordinary families without a good father, and life had no margin for error; they had to consider whether this opportunity for promotion was once in a lifetime.


    "Mr. Lu, just letting them go back like this, aren''t you worried they''ll complain to Mr. Liu?"


    Cheng Wei looked through the glass window, watching the two figures gradually walking away until they disappeared.


    In his view, it was necessary to cut the Gordian knot and settle the matter quickly to avoid complications.


    Lu Liang put down the document in his hand and smiled, "Mr. Cheng, from the moment they stepped into this office, they were already labeled as untrustworthy by Mr. Liu. Why the rush?"


    Xu Jiawei took over the conversation, "Mr. Cheng, actually, those who advocate for women''s rights are well aware that the world is always male-dominated, and women have a natural reverence toward men, which breeds fear, and from fear, anger."


    Cheng Wei was taken aback, unable to help but take another look at Xu Jiawei, beating around the bush, "Secretary Xu, have you ever considered staying and developing your career here in the future?"


    This promotion of Huang Molin and Wang Xing was solely because the male-to-female ratio at the company was unbalanced, and drastic measures were needed; even poison could serve as an antidote.


    If the company could successfully go public, they should gradually adjust and return to a normal male-to-female ratio in the future.


    Xu Jiawei had proposed several times, each suggestion insightful, with deep research on opposing viewpoints, exactly what Cheng Wei needed in a strong and capable advisor.


    "Thank you for your high regard, Mr. Cheng, but wherever Mr. Lu sends me, that''s where I''ll go," Xu Jiawei said with a shy smile, not thinking twice, decisively declining Cheng Wei''s invitation without a hint of hesitation.


    His previous two predecessors had done so well, and Cheng Wei himself was hardly secure in his position; it wasn''t like he was brainless.


    Lu Liang chuckled, his gaze unfriendly, "Mr. Cheng, trying to poach people in front of me, isn''t that a bit unfair?"


    Cheng Wei, like a two-faced person, said with a forced smile, "Mr. Lu, we are all on the same team, and since it''s done in front of you, how can it be considered poaching? It''s just borrowing at most, and don''t you also hope for the company to get better and better?"


    "Let''s talk about it later."


    Lu Liang glanced casually at Xu Jiawei, and suddenly remembered that his resume mentioned a minor in psychology.


    More reading, more learning, always has its benefits.


    After this busy period, he also planned to attend a university to further his education.


    In the afternoon, Huang Molin and Wang Xin handed over their current tasks and officially joined Lu Liang''s team for the public offering.


    Lu Liang greeted them with a smile, welcoming their participation, and said, "Molin, Wang Xin, our team is currently just the four of us, and we need at least forty more support staff. Can you give me a list of personnel tomorrow?"


    This was their first test; Cheng Wei was nearly marginalized, and he and Xu Jiawei were new. They had to rely on them for selecting the team members.


    If they harbored any ill intentions or played the women''s rights card, or if they sided with Liu Qing, then they shouldn''t blame Lu Liang for putting them on the hot seat.


    After all, Lu Liang was a special consultant for the IPO under Didi, holding the ultimate authority from the board of directors with top priority; every department had to give way.


    As a leader, making things difficult for them was too simple if he wanted to, and since they had chosen to follow him, they could not have second thoughts; he disliked those who wavered.


    "Okay, Mr. Lu."


    The two women stiffened their expressions and nodded seriously.


    "That''s it for today, we''ll discuss more tomorrow."


    At three o''clock in the afternoon, Lu Liang left work early, ending his day.


    Following his departure, Didi sent out a notice to all its employees.


    Three months ago, the IPO team that was disbanded due to a failed audit was reassembled.


    Lu Liang served as an advisor, with Huang Molin and Wang Xin joining as deputy team leaders.


    The project team still lacked fifty auxiliary staff members, and any employee could apply to join.


    Inside Didi Group, the resistance against Lu Liang, which had just begun less than a day ago, dissipated as quickly as it had appeared.


    They were only seeking privileges, and now with the involvement of Huang Molin and Wang Xin in the project team.


    The two women becoming major players indicated that Lu Liang, much like Liu Qing, pitied and empathized with women, fully aware of the difficulties women faced in the workplace. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Since that was the case, whether Liu Qing or Lu Liang held the position, it seemed there was no difference; there was no need to fuss over trivial matters.


    "Indeed, such a small problem couldn''t stump you," Liu Qing said flatly, looking east.


    That direction lay the Ministry of Commerce. If the documents submitted by Lu Liang passed the review, then she would have to be cautious.


    While a successful IPO for Didi would certainly be cause for celebration, if the success didn''t come during her tenure, then the achievement was inconsequential.


    Just as he left the New Chenghai Building, Lu Liang received a call from Su Wanyu, who planned to return to Edinburgh to continue their studies the next day.


    "Are you leaving so soon? Don''t you want to rest a few more days?" Lu Liang paused for a few seconds; he had matters to attend to tomorrow and probably couldn''t make it back in time.


    "It''s okay, I''ve seen the news, you must be busy with lots of things at Didi right now, there''s no need for you to rush back."


    Su Wanyu chuckled, each word drawn out playfully, reducing the sadness of the farewell.


    "Siqing is still young, and long-haul flights are always inconvenient for her on commercial flights; let me arrange it, you cango straight to the airport tomorrow."


    Lu Liang asked Xu Jiawei to contact Ye Zhipei now to request an international flight direct from Modu to Edinburgh tomorrow.


    He would be staying in the country for some time, and even if he went abroad, it would just be to Japan and Korea; his˽ÈË·É»ú would temporarily not be needed.


    "Okay," said Su Wanyu, her voice brimming with laughter, "By the way, you know what? My heart just skipped a beat."


    "Because you said Siqing is still young, I was afraid your next sentence would be about leaving her here in the country for care."


    Lu Liang chuckled, "I was thinking about it, but Dad can''t always be with her; I can''t ask mom to leave her side either."


    Su Wanyu snorted proudly, "Wishful thinking on your part. Make sure to video call her often, or by the end of the year, she might not recognize her dad."


    "That won''t happen, she''s quite clingy to me," Lu Liang''s face softened as he thought about the times spent with his daughter.


    The little one was very fond of him. When they were together, her favorite thing was to nap on his shoulder and she even liked to drool a bit.


    Every time he soaked his shoulder, Lu Liang remembered that as a kid, he didn''t have this problem¡ªit was probably inherited from Su Wanyu.


    "How could that be possible? It must be from you. My sister told me you still wet the bed when you were five."


    "Slander, total slander. Just look at Lu Ya''s behavior, when has she ever said anything good about me?"


    The two talked for about twenty minutes, their conversation revolving around the little one, just like a family. In the end, Su Wanyu whispered, "Honey, I love you~"


    Like a shy young girl, she immediately hung up the phone.


    With a smile, Lu Liang put away his cellphone.


    Suddenly, he noticed that the ground by his feet was covered in fallen leaves, and the fortune tree at the door had suffered severe bald patches.


    At that moment, an angry cleaning lady came storming over with a broom, "Can''t you have some public decency? You''ve plucked the tree bare! Where''s the security guard, just loafing around?"


    "I''m sorry, my apologies." Lu Liang said, his face embarrassed, glancing subconsciously at the security guard at the door.


    The young guard kept his gaze forward, struggling to suppress a smile, obviously recognizing Lu Liang. Otherwise, he would have stopped the damaging behavior long ago.


    Lu Liang, half-laughing, half-crying, apologized again to the lady and quickly got in his car to flee the scene.


    Shortly after his departure, Lu Liang''s name climbed up the trending list on Weibo once again.


    "Mr. Lu is Probably in Love"


    A photo of Lu Liang on the phone, smiling, with a cringy expression and leaves scattered around, still plucking at the leaves.


    "Damn, just like me when I''m on the phone with my girlfriend, I have to be doing something with my hands, or it just feels awkward."


    "Last time I was on the phone with my girlfriend, there was only a small hole in the wall, but after two hours of talking, that hole turned into a huge cavity."


    "Kill all of these people showing off their love."


    "Mr. Lu is so adorable, Xiaomeng is really lucky."


    "I wish a domineering CEO would fall in love with me too."


    Simultaneously, far away in Modu, both Su Wanyu and Li Manli saw the trending search.


    The former revealed a silly smile, realizing that was how Lu Liang looked when speaking with her. However, seeing people envy Li Manli''s comments made her feel a bit gloomy.


    She remembered last fall; what if she had insisted on Lu Liang choosing between two options then? Would the outcome be different now?


    But that girl truly loved him a lot, and Su Wanyu didn''t want to make Lu Liang face such a dilemma.


    Li Manli, seeing the news, felt gloomy. Although she gained fame, only she knew that another woman was on the phone with Lu Liang at that time.


    "Could it be that sister?" Li Manli thought of Su Wanyu, so pretty and with great poise and figure, an amazing sister who made her feel lowly as dust.


    As night fell, Lu Liang arrived in Phoenix City.


    Zhang Tian''ai was ending her vacation tomorrow, heading to Star City to start a twenty-day variety show filming.


    "Do I have something on my face?" Lu Liang was puzzled during dinner as Zhang Tian''ai kept looking at him with a strange expression.


    "Mr. Lu, you''ve become famous," Zhang Tian''ai said giggling, discussing the most heated topic on the internet¡ªLu Liang in love.


    When she read it, she felt a bit down, but only a bit, knowing well that their relationship couldn''t be made public.


    "This generation of netizens really has too much free time."


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but chuckle, not taking it to heart, and after dinner, he took a shower and got ready to leave.


    Dongzi had returned to the country half a month ago and stayed at his hometown in Suqian. Today, he just got back to Beijing and called, inviting him out.


    "Mr. Lu, do you like her a lot?" Zhang Tian''ai picked up Lu Liang''s phone, wiped off the fingerprints with a damp wipe, and then brought him a jacket to wear.


    "Like her." Lu Liang said without hesitation; his daughter, blood is thicker than water, how could he not like her.


    Zhang Tian''ai seemed a little dazed, clearly mistaking his meaning.


    Lu Liang noticed but didn''t explain, merely saying with a smile, "Little Love, your main priority now is to be a good actress. We can talk about the future later."


    His attitude was still the same; as long as no wrongs were done to him, those who wanted to stay by his side could stay; those who wanted to leave, he wouldn''t hold back.


    Zhang Tian''ai remained silent, offering a smile and nodding as she saw Lu Liang leave. Unlike Yang Mi, she hadn''t been hurt by love yet and still harbored hopes for it.


    In the economic development zone of Yizhuang, Beijing, JD had built a new headquarters building two years ago.


    Even though Dongzi owned several villas in Beijing, he usually stayed at the headquarters building.


    Because at the top of the building was a courtyard house, which served not only as his office but also his residence.


    "Liangzi, long time no see. I just got back to Beijing and heard you''ve made big news again."


    Dongzi, all smiles, greeted Lu Liang and couldn''t wait to give him a hearty hug.


    "What big news? I just came because I was invited, at most that could only be called a mercenary."


    Lu Liang smiled; today was the fifth, not only the day Bitcoin was launched at the Chicago Exchange, but also was a day for the update of Tianxing Private Equity Fourth Phase.


    Due to the time difference between places, to accommodate investors from the other side of the ocean, they usually called at midnight to inform them of the net asset value from the previous month.


    In about four hours, they would also find out that because of Old Liu''s retaliation, Tianxing Private Equity was under investigation by the Silver Supervision Committee, causing all investment projects to come to a standstill.


    Lu Liang wanted to know if anyone would put pressure on Old Liu next.


    Would it be everyone?


    Or just a small portion?


    This information was crucial,


    helping him make more accurate decisions going forward.

 Chapter 448 - 443: The Main Force is Frightened, The Future is Promising

    "Mercenaries? That description is pretty spot on."


    Daqiangzi laughed heartily, steering the conversation to his own experience after returning to the country over the past half month.


    At the time he was arrested overseas, it actually blew the cover of quite a few clowns back home. Thankfully, the charges weren''t proven, otherwise JD might have faced some trouble.


    "Liangzi, people like us can''t afford even the slightest error. We always need to think thrice before acting."


    Daqiangzi''s tone was filled with sincerity. He wasn''t lecturing Lu Liang, but expressing how much Lu Liang''s help meant to him.


    If Lu Liang hadn''t extended a helping hand at that time, once the news of the arrest had leaked, no one could predict what would have happened next.


    Perhaps his position on JD''s board would have plummeted or he might have even been kicked out¡ªthose outcomes weren''t impossible.


    The help Lu Liang offered him was so profound it could be described as life-altering. That''s why he would spare no effort to support him if he ever asked.


    "Dong, I know you value loyalty. If I ever need help, I''ll definitely reach out to you."


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but smile, suddenly finding Daqiangzi somewhat adorable, stubborn yet genuine.


    This just showed that his efforts in helping weren''t in vain.


    He raised his teacup, "The past is behind us. We''re brothers. If you bring this up again, I''ll get mad."


    "Alright, let''s not talk about it anymore."


    Dongzi waved his hand cheerfully, then with a look of disdain, asked, "Using tea as a substitute for alcohol? Do you have plans tonight?"


    "Nothing much, I guess."


    No sooner had the words left his mouth than Lu Liang regretted it.


    Dongzi''s eyes lit up, he opened the wine cellar behind him revealing shelves stocked with Moutai and Wuliangye liquors. There had to be at least a hundred bottles.


    He carefully selected two of the older bottles, tucked them under his arm, and called his assistant to bring some appetizers.


    "I know you''re not a big fan of strong spirits, but you really have to try this one. Moutai from ''74, it''s quite different."


    Dongzi uncorked both bottles, poured the liquor into a decanter, and handed it to Lu Liang for a sniff, "Doesn''t it smell different?"


    "It seems not as strong."


    "Definitely. This liquor is about as old as I am. The alcohol content must have dropped by over fifteen percent. It''s like aged steak¡ªnormal grilling can evaporate some of the aromas, but with aging the flavors fully permeate the meat."


    Talking about aged steak made Dongzi lick his lips, like a sudden craving had been awakened. It had been too long since he had enjoyed a hearty meal with a good drink. He made another phone call.


    He wasn''t like Old Xu at Hengtai, who had a dance troupe at his HQ. Dongzi had a team of chefs at JD''s HQ.


    If you''re alive, might as well enjoy good food and drinks.


    Seeing Lu Liang''s surprise, Dongzi put an arm around his shoulders and laughed, "People like us should live lavishly. If we clutch our money tightly like a Pixiu, how will the country''s GDP grow?"


    He was proud of one thing.


    Even though Shunfeng used to contract out labor, they didn''t¡ªeveryone was a formal employee with benefits like the Five Insurances and One Fund, heat stipends, meal subsidies, service awards, and more.


    Someone once suggested that cutting these benefits would increase the company''s profits by several billion a year, but he never went that route.


    The Five Insurances and One Fund are the most basic protections for employees. If he made money, the brothers should get a cut too.


    He''d mentioned in media interviews that if he ever treated his brothers badly, it would not mean he had changed, but simply that he was no longer in charge.


    At that time, he might completely step away and live out his days carefree and unburdened.


    "Noble of you, Dong."


    Lu Liang looked at him with admiration, raising his glass. Although Dongzi was boasting, he had actually done these things, so he deserved his moment to show off.


    They ate, drank, and talked about everything under the sun.


    Time flew, and soon it was 9 p.m.


    Bitcoin officially launched on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, taking the international stage and entering the sight of global investors.


    Sakurada Miyuki in Tokyo was also constantly monitoring Bitcoin''s market movements.


    Lu Liang had given her 2 million US dollars as starting capital, hoping she would turn it into 20 million in two years.


    So at that time, she invested 600,000 dollars in Ningde Era based on Lu Liang''s predictions, and another 600,000 in Bitcoin. Her 2 million had already grown to 3.4 million.


    Ningde Era had been quiet recently, with its market value hovering around 150 billion yuan, mainly due to the continuous increase in Bitcoin''s value.


    She had built her position early, even half a month earlier than Wen Chao, buying in at a cost of 1,592 dollars and owning 376 Bitcoins. Now, with Bitcoin at 5,152 dollars, she had earned 1.338 million dollars.


    "If it were Uncle, what choice would he make?"


    Miyuki gently furrowed her brows, biting on the end of her pen. She wanted to fulfill her promise to Lu Liang ahead of time.


    But the current market trends scared her a bit. Logically, a slew of good news should lead to bad news eventually.


    Yet Bitcoin did the opposite. The second it listed on the exchange, it surged another 5%.


    Breaking through the 5,000-dollar mark,


    It kept soaring, as if there were no limit.


    In just a month, it had risen over 200%.


    She had become afraid of heights.


    At the same time, not far away in Ginza.


    Mr. Lu handed over 10% position authority to Wen Chao, allowing him to handle it himself, with a total of 25,000 Bitcoins and 50 million dollars at his disposal.


    "A constant rise doesn''t heat up the market; only massive fluctuations and a steady increase can attract enough investors."


    Wen Chao''s face showed contemplation as he looked towards Panda on the Nasdaq, his mind weighing the trading maneuvers of Wall Street institutions, worthy of his study.


    Though since Mr. Lu had handed over the reins of market-making, Panda''s stock price had risen only by 1.2 dollars over half a month.


    Yet, it had become the most dazzling new star on the Nasdaq, with a daily turnover rate as high as 25%, and a guaranteed trading volume of 2 billion dollars.


    Sometimes it would surge at market opening, only to plummet at closing,


    a fluctuation of 10 points in one day was just commonplace.


    Rumors had it that since Wilson, the investment director of JPMorgan, had become the market maker, his profits had already exceeded 1.5 billion dollars.


    Because US stocks unlike A-shares where one could only buy and not short, the more frequent the trading, the more the institutions earned.


    Like banks, with savings in the left hand and loans in the right hand, making money was natural and required no effort.


    Investment banks were the same, with financing on the left hand for those who wanted to go long, and short selling on the right hand for those who wanted to speculate.


    Thus, even if he accepted Mr. Lu''s chips at a high price and the stock price didn''t rise much, he could still earn a full pot.


    Mr. Lu knew, but there was nothing he could do about it; this was home field advantage, the advantage of a century-old enterprise.


    At 10 p.m., one hour after the market opened,


    the continuously rising Bitcoin suddenly plummeted.


    An order of over 10,000 Bitcoins, valued at over 50 million dollars, appeared abruptly.


    The bullish candlestick of the day with a 7.23% gain was suddenly truncated, and the market sharply reversed course.


    Normally, transactions were of 0.1 or 0.2 Bitcoin, but 10,000 Bitcoins was like a hundred-thousand-hand big brother in the A-shares market.


    Almost instantly, the price fell below 5000 dollars, the bullish momentum was met with nothing but air beneath, as if plunging into an endless abyss.


    Tens of thousands of high-leverage investors were too slow to react, some didn''t even manage to submit additional margin, and they were directly liquidated.


    Bitcoin, as a new product, offered 1 to 10 times leverage automatically without application in any trading software.


    With twice the leverage, a drop exceeding 35% would trigger a forced liquidation; for three times leverage, it was 23%, and for five times leverage, just 14%. Once it was ten times, the margin for error was only 7%.


    Wen Chao aggressively pressed the market right at the critical 7.5% threshold, in an instant, Bitcoin went from red to green.


    Numerous high-leverage retail investors went from surges to releasing a large number of sell orders, and he switched from short to long, aggressively buying in.


    He pushed the price back up to the 5000 dollar high and after a cycle of selling and buying, the 25,000 chips were still in play, but his liquid funds had increased from 50 million dollars to 65 million.


    "Shakeout, accumulating chips, the damn market makers, but this exactly indicates that Bitcoin will continue to rise."


    The night in Han City was filled with the howls of countless men and women.


    Their eyes were red; their judgment was not wrong, Bitcoin was the future trend, the currency at the world''s core. Their mistake was using high leverage.


    Had they reduced their leverage by even one fold, they wouldn''t have faced a liquidation and could''ve taken advantage of the low prices to buy cheap chips along with the main forces.


    They were like mad, cashing out credit cards, applying for emergency loans, regrouping for another entry into the market.


    A large number of liquidated retail investors returned to the fray, and Bitcoin''s price broke to a new historical high, reaching 5200 dollars.


    "It''s insane, where are all these aggressive retail investors coming from?" Wen Chao''s expression tensed, feeling a lingering fear.


    Fortunately, he only planned to make a quick trade, but had his reaction been just a few minutes slower, he would have been washed out by the retailers.


    "Mr. Lu, still so prescient, Bitcoin might indeed become one of the world''s mainstream currencies."


    Wen Chao furrowed his brows, setting aside his contempt; previously, he viewed Bitcoin as if it were just a private bet.


    Thinking that by holding more than 2.3% of the total amount,


    they could do whatever they wanted with the market.


    But the insanity of retail investors almost taught him a lesson.


    "The main force is scared, the future is promising."


    Sakurada Miyuki was beaming with joy, her eyes crinkling with a smile.


    Just when Bitcoin had fallen below 5000 dollars, she thought of Lu Liang.


    She decisively used the last 800,000 dollars of her reserve fund to buy the dip, and just seconds after her successful purchase, the market rebounded, breaking a new historical high.


    Thus, she earned an additional 60,000 dollars. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "When will you come to see me, Uncle?"


    Miyuki rested her chin in her palm, swinging her legs excitedly under the table.


    She had gone all in, planning to hold Bitcoin for the long term, optimistic about the future market, so the current fluctuations no longer bothered her.


    She thought of Lu Liang, wanting to share the news with him; if all went well, she should be able to fulfil their agreement ahead of time.


    She hoped to gain his approval and also looked forward to the moment when he might pat her head and say how amazing she was.

 Chapter 449 - 444: Slip Up

    At night, Lu Liang returned drunk to Phoenix City.


    Zhang Tian''ai had just opened the door only to have Lu Liang fall into her, knocking her down onto the floor.


    Just as she thought Lu Liang was trying to play out a thrilling criminal-at-night-breaks-into-female-celebrity-house drama,


    Lu Liang burped, his breath reeking of alcohol, and Zhang Tian''ai couldn''t help but laugh, "How did you get so drunk?"


    "Drank too much~"


    Liang, struggling to maintain his composure, rolled over, being careful not to crush Zhang Tian''ai, and grimaced.


    People call him Mr. Lu and he doesn''t have to drink, but with Dongzi insisting on clinking cups and calling him brother, he really couldn''t resist.


    "I''ll help you get to the bedroom to rest."


    Zhang Tian''ai pulled on Lu Liang forcefully, but was unexpectedly pulled back down to the floor by him.


    Lu Liang grunted a few times, "Too lazy to move, let''s just lie down for a while."


    "Then I''ll go get a blanket for you." sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Uh-huh."


    Lu Liang''s eyes half-closed, suddenly the phone in his jacket pocket hung in the closet started ringing.


    Zhang Tian''ai heard it, rushed back with the blanket, and took out the cell phone¡ªit was an overseas call starting with 00.


    Lu Liang glanced at the number, felt a sense of familiarity, his mind went blank momentarily, then shaking his head, said, "Throw it further away, don''t bother with it."


    Zhang Tian''ai acknowledged with an ''okay'', put the phone on silent, covered them with the blanket, and lay beside Lu Liang.


    Soon, gentle snoring sounds came.


    "Sleeps like a pig, so fast."


    Zhang Tian''ai laid her arm under her head and lay on her side, letting her hair slide back and forth over Lu Liang''s face.


    Only when Lu Liang was asleep could she exercise the rights of a girlfriend in a normal romantic relationship.


    "Tomorrow I''m off to Star City, and then directly to shooting. I don''t know when we will meet next."


    Zhang Tian''ai suddenly reached down to grab Little Lu, thinking it might be a long time before they meet again, intending on collecting some "rent" in advance.


    But he was as docile as a caterpillar, not showing his usual fierceness, and she muttered angrily, "Drunk and disorderly is a lie; truly drunk people just want to sleep."


    Meanwhile, in New York, it was 2 PM.


    "What in the world happened?"


    Wilson frowned, hearing the busy signal on the phone.


    The call that should have been made hadn''t come through, and Lu Liang''s phone was unreachable.


    He couldn''t help but worry, and immediately instructed his assistant to investigate what had been happening with Lu Liang recently.


    Quickly, the assistant found out that Lu Liang had invested in DiDi and planned to support its going public, which upset the Liu family.


    "Why would that upset them?" Wilson''s confusion deepened. Helping a company go public was supposed to be a good thing.


    Panda had done well on Nasdaq and they had a previous collaboration; if Lu Liang was the representative, there was a high chance of cooperation.


    Unlike Panda, DiDi not only gobbled up Uber but also unified the national market, owning millions of full-time drivers, making it more imaginative and hypeworthy.


    "DiDi''s situation is a bit complicated. Mr. Lu seems unwilling to just help companies go public; he also chose to support Mr. Cheng..."


    Listening to the assistant, Wilson squinted his eyes, roughly understanding that Lu Liang''s investment in DiDi was not just about assisting the IPO but also involved a power struggle.


    Seeing Liu Qing mistreated, the Liu family promptly intervened with some maneuvers targeting Lu Liang''s company, hoping to force him to back off.


    Wilson thought deeply, then set the tone, "The matter with DiDi shouldn''t involve the fund company."


    As investors, while Lu Liang helped them make money, they also had an obligation to help clear his troubles.


    The assistant quickly said, "Kamon, it''s not that simple; it also involves Goldman Sachs."


    He explained that Liu Qing was with Goldman Sachs,


    and if they helped Lu Liang, they would likely upset Goldman Sachs.


    "So what about Goldman Sachs?"


    "Goldman Sachs is very close to the CIA, and DiDi involves information security; they might be involved too."


    "Indeed, it''s a bit tricky. He should be resting now; let''s see what the situation tomorrow brings."


    Wilson suddenly smiled, looking at the display with Bitcoin currently priced at 5202.85 US Dollars, muttering softly, "My dear Lu, you truly never sit still."


    Today was the day Bitcoin launched on the exchange, as main participants, they had been closely monitoring the market.


    Around ten, there was a sudden abnormal activity in the market, over ten thousand large buy orders appeared, almost ruining the day''s trading.


    They thought it was some idiotic major miner aiming to cash out big on the day of the launch.


    They were all set to take the market, not wanting their perfect start to be wrecked by that idiot miner.


    But then, the other party cleverly bought back the chips, causing market sentiment to flare and the prices to climb further.


    This was clearly a market maker''s tactic; the opposite party undoubtedly held more than ten thousand chips, likely at least ten times more.


    Only with enough chips could one play this game; otherwise, it would help the retail market instead.


    Wilson was instantly furious; after years of careful planning for the project that was finally showing rapid growth, they found an unknown force mysteriously lurking within, and he immediately ordered an investigation.


    Searching led to Mitsui Sumitomo, and further probing showed Hyundai Group''s involvement, and eventually, they traced back to Lu Liang.


    ...


    The next morning.


    "Ready to leave?"


    "Why does your voice sound strange, are you sick?"


    "Not sick, just didn''t sleep well last night, seems to have a stiff neck."


    Having spent half the night in the foyer before returning to the bedroom, upon waking up, Lu Liang felt like his neck wasn''t his own.


    Su Wanyu suggested, "A stiff neck could be due to heatiness, you should drink some bitter melon pork heart soup; it''s very effective for clearing heat and detoxifying."


    "Alright, I''ll go check it out at noon."


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but chuckle, thinking that not only did the old folks from Guangdong love to make soup, but the Hu Jian people were even more extreme.


    During their conversation, Su Wanyu suddenly said, "We''re almost ready to board."


    "Have a safe trip, and remember to message me when you land."


    "Say goodbye to daddy." Su Wanyu made an affirming sound, and then the babbling voice of the little one could be heard.


    "Bye."


    Lu Liang showed a smile, patted the back of his hand on his shoulder, and twisted his neck. "Stop pinching, it doesn''t seem very effective, I''ll go get some acupuncture at a Chinese medicine clinic later."


    Zhang Tian''ai replied with a pitiful tone and murmured, "I''m taking the afternoon flight, I''ll make bitter melon and pork heart soup."


    She heard it, a girl with a very gentle voice, suddenly feeling a competitive stir, she considered her cooking skills quite decent.


    "Next time."


    Lu Liang saw Zhang Tian''ai looking disappointed, showed her the missed calls¡ªeight in total since last night.


    He said gravely, "There''s been an issue at the company, I need to rush over and deal with it, I''m afraid I won''t make it back for lunch."


    "Okay, next time then, you go ahead."


    Leaving Zhang Tian''ai''s place, Lu Liang saw his cousin, Fang Shiyu, in the parking lot. "Brother, did you get a crick in your neck?"


    "Is it that obvious?" Lu Liang rotated his neck, only able to glimpse his shoulder using the corner of his eye.


    "Very obvious, very stiff."


    "Then let''s head to the hospital first."


    On the way, Lu Liang returned calls to the people who had called the previous night.


    "The company is facing a bit of trouble; we might need to take a break for a while."


    Lu Liang was already cursing inside, a bunch of old foxes, all pretending to be confused.


    They had the entire night to investigate, and yet they were still pretending to be unaware.


    It seemed that the DiDi issue was more than tricky. It might have passed the Ministry of Commerce, but not Nasdaq.


    Lu Liang made his last call to Wilson, smiling as he said, "Sorry, I missed your call last night due to some issues."


    "Drank too much?" Wilson laughed.


    "It was a bit, a bit annoying."


    "The DiDi issue?"


    "Right."


    "It is indeed tricky. Goldman Sachs has close ties with the CIA, everyone knows, so they''re hesitant to make a move."


    Wilson chuckled, not feigning ignorance, and straightforwardly said, "However, the Liu family has already warned that they won''t target your company anymore."


    Lu Liang pondered and then spoke frankly, "Is there a way to solve this?"


    Wilson paused for a few seconds. "It''s difficult."


    Lu Liang suddenly laughed. "Difficult is not a problem, I''m just afraid you''d tell me it''s impossible."


    Wilson also laughed. "It can be done, but there''s a question you need to answer first. How did you fixate on Bitcoin?"


    "Found out?"


    Lu Liang wasn''t too surprised; they had already completed their positions, and it didn''t matter if it was discovered now.


    Without him, they''d flip the table in minutes. 487,000 Bitcoins being dumped would be enough to bury this burgeoning market.


    "When did you enter?" Wilson asked.


    "During the mid-August crash."


    "How did you enter?"


    "Bought directly from the miners."


    Wilson suddenly realized, murmuring to himself, "No wonder there was no sign."


    "How should we handle the DiDi issue?" Lu Liang asked.


    "However Liu Qing handles it, you assist the same way. You might even connect with the CIA."


    Lu Liang sighed, "I would like to connect with them, but I can''t get past the Ministry of Commerce."


    His tone was full of regret, as if he regretted taking on this mess.


    "Are you sure you don''t have any other ideas?"


    Wilson suddenly asked.


    The valuation of DiDi had basically hit its ceiling. Lu Liang getting involved at this time was already suspicious.


    "Ceiling? You don''t know how objective the potential of this market is¡ªurban transportation, autonomous driving, new energy vehicles. After 50 billion US dollars, there probably needs to be another zero added."


    Lu Liang, excited, recounted the grand blueprint. DiDi was the key component, and he had to keep it under his control.


    Cheng Wei had needs, and so did he, so the two sides quickly came to an agreement. Liu Qing had to be pushed out.


    "Liu Qing isn''t the key. The key is Goldman Sachs."


    Wilson pondered for a long while, somewhat tempted. The East Country was a land of miracles; anything could happen.


    He had already bet on Tesla. If he bet on Lu Liang and DiDi, he would be in an absolutely invincible position.


    He paused, then said, "You first get through the authorization from East Country. As for the rest, I''ll think of a way."


    "Okay, keep in touch," Lu Liang nodded.


    "The pressure on the Liu family should start, the fund company should be operational."


    "Let''s delay it a few more days; the traders are on holiday."


    "It''s unwise of the Liu family to offend you."


    "I think so too."

 Chapter 450 - 445: Willing to Take the Risk

    "Two million still isn''t the limit?"


    After ending the call with Wilson, Lu Liang showed a contemplative look, and Bitcoin''s importance in his mind increased yet again.


    He sensed that Wilson was noticeably hesitant, as if, compared to Bitcoin, DiDi was not at all important.


    "DiDi is, after all, just a private company."


    Lu Liang twisted his neck and patted Fang Shiyu on the shoulder, "Let''s go to the hospital first, damn it, this pain is killing me."


    Waking up with a crick in the neck is like a toothache¡ªnot a serious illness, but it''s uncomfortable and constantly reminds you how uncomfortable it is.


    At the same time, Liu Qing, who was supposed to be on her way to the company, was suddenly stopped by Old Liu.


    Old Liu remained silent for a long while before speaking in a deep voice, "Find some time, go talk to Lu Liang."


    He thought that the matter with the private fund had passed and the Silver Supervision Committee had already called off the investigation, only to receive many phone calls from international friends first thing in the morning.


    There were both overt and covert hints.


    In a nutshell, the issue with DiDi had to be resolved within DiDi itself and not involve Lu Liang''s private fund.


    Liu Qing''s brow furrowed tightly, "This is clearly deliberate on Lu Liang''s part, intending to have those people pressure us."


    "Perhaps," Old Liu''s eyes flashed with worry, "Just now, Lu Liang''s plane took off from Modu."


    Liu Qing was perplexed, "Wasn''t he in Beijing?"


    "Some say they saw two girls, one of them carrying a child, boarding that plane."


    "Lu Liang''s?"


    "It should be."


    "What is he trying to do?"


    "I don''t know."


    Old Liu let out a heavy sigh.


    Whether by coincidence or design,


    Lu Liang had already sent his wife and child out of the country, presenting a do-or-die stance.


    He was a little afraid as it was not worth risking the achievements of three generations of the Liu family for DiDi and to please Goldman Sachs, only potentially leading to a pyrrhic victory.


    Even if completely suppressed, Lu Liang still had Tianxing Private Equity, and if he were to flee, he could thrive in any country.


    Liu Qing clenched her teeth tightly, nearly spitting out two words through them, "Reckless man!"


    Her face turned shades of green and white as she fell silent for a long time, "I will have a talk with him."


    "Go on."


    Old Liu waved his hand and his eyelids drooped, aging decades in a moment.


    The first time they approached Lu Liang for a discussion, they had been on equal footing, but this time they would be at a disadvantage.


    ...


    "It seems to have improved a lot."


    Lu Liang got dressed, twisted his neck,


    a slight smile appearing on his lips.


    Having just received a few acupuncture needles, his neck no longer felt as uncomfortable as before, and he could now look over his shoulder.


    "In the coming days, try to minimize neck movement to avoid re-injuring the soft tissue."


    The old traditional doctor wrote out a prescription and reminded him, "It''s not yet heated for the fall, so be sure to keep warm and avoid drafts."


    "Thank you, Dr. Zeng."


    Lu Liang showed due respect, left Fang Shiyu at the hospital to wait for the medicine, and then proceeded to the New Chenghai Building with Xu Jiawei.


    Huang Molin and Wang Xin had already been waiting in the office; after the internal announcement from the day before, the number of applicants had surged by more than five hundred overnight.


    To reassure Lu Liang, they had decided not to communicate with each other, each coming up with an individual list detailing the usefulness of each person to the team, for Lu Liang to make the final decision.


    "You''ve worked hard." Lu Liang said with a smile and a slight nod before taking the two lists to the temporary office.


    "What are your thoughts?" Lu Liang looked at Xu Jiawei, as what followed was the tedious task of integrating information.


    He wouldn''t get too involved, as the main responsibility lay with Xu Jiawei, so Lu Liang wanted to hear his ideas.


    Xu Jia Wei flipped through the list and mused, "The overlap between the two lists is minimal, and even where there is some, it''s mostly men."


    "We could choose the people who appear on both lists, because these are unavoidable choices they have made."


    "With the idea of avoiding suspicion in mind, still ending up with the same people, they should be able to play an important role in our team."


    After thinking it over, Lu Liang''s lips curved into a smile, "Alright, let''s arrange it that way. Get the team put together as soon as possible."


    He paused before adding, "Strive to complete the organization of the materials before the 20th and submit the IPO application to the Ministry of Commerce."


    During their conversation, the figure of Liu Qing suddenly appeared at the door. She glanced at the two women and calmly knocked on the office door.


    "Come in."


    Upon seeing the visitor, Lu Liang was momentarily taken aback, then couldn''t help but say with a smile, "Mr. Liu, are you here to inspect the work today?"


    Even though Liu Qing had stepped down from the IPO team, she remained the company''s second-in-command after Cheng Wei, a joint founder, and Chief Operating Officer.


    Liu Qing''s smile was evident, "After discussing it with the board, we have specially appointed Mr. Lu as the IPO consultant, responsible for all matters concerning the IPO. Thus, whether it''s me or Mr. Cheng, we won''t ask another question and will maintain one hundred percent trust in Mr. Lu." sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She paused and then added, "Mr. Lu, how about we go downstairs to the lounge to chat?"


    "That''s fine. It''s indeed a bit disorderly since we just moved in, and we don''t even have a proper place to entertain guests."


    Lu Liang followed Liu Qing out of the office, watching Huang Molin and Wang Xin with slightly embarrassed expressions.


    They were worried that Liu Qing had come to settle scores with them, and they were also afraid that Lu Liang would turn around and sell them out.


    Lu Liang, seeing the worry in their eyes, reassured them with a smile, "I''m going downstairs to chat about something with Mr. Liu. Jia Wei is selecting team members right now; you go help and give some advice."


    Since they had defected to him and there was no sign of double-crossing for now, they were his people, and he was supposed to look out for them.


    "Understood, Mr. Lu." The two women breathed a sigh of relief, smiled at Liu Qing, and quickly headed to Xu Jia Wei''s office.


    Liu Qing''s eyes were nuanced as she watched the backs of the two women, her heart aching as if pierced by a steel needle.


    Huang Molin once belonged to Uber and also to her cousin, Liu Zhen. After Uber was acquired by DiDi and her cousin left, Huang Molin became her person.


    Her betrayal was something Liu Qing had anticipated because, after all, her cousin was essentially ousted from Uber with the assistance of Goldman Sachs.


    It was normal for old subordinates to have objections to her, but the betrayal of Wang Xin was unexpected.


    Wang Xin was almost personally groomed by her, yet faced with Lu Liang, she didn''t last even 24 hours.


    "Mr. Liu, this way, please!"


    Lu Liang''s smile remained as he followed Liu Qing through numerous offices, seen by many, including Cheng Wei.


    On the second floor, the lounge area featured a large water bar where staff could purchase coffee, tea, and other items at reduced prices using their employee cards.


    "Mr. Lu, you can use my card."


    After ordering two cups of coffee and several delicate pastries, Lu Liang listened to Liu Qing''s narrations with a flicker of amusement in his eyes.


    Su Wanyu had simply ended her vacation normally, and her child was still young, so he had offered a private jet to send mother and child abroad.


    To think that it could be interpreted in that way?


    However, it seemed to be to his advantage, because Liu Qing approaching him indicated that she was frightened.


    One would risk their neck to topple the emperor from his horse.


    After over two years of development, Lu Liang was no longer an unknown entity, as long as he had the courage to risk everything.


    Even enterprises with the Chinese character ''Zhong'' in their name wouldn''t get away unscathed, let alone Lenovo, let alone the Liu family.


    Stirring his coffee, Lu Liang squinted like a smiling tiger, "Mr. Liu, did you investigate me?"


    Liu Qing explained, "To know your enemy as you know yourself, Mr. Lu, isn''t that a very normal business practice?"


    "It''s very normal." Lu Liang suddenly laughed, "But what do you need me for?"


    "Mr. Lu, we are at fault first in this matter, so let''s resolve the issue within DiDi."


    Liu Qing''s face was the picture of earnestness; they hoped to put an end to this matter without dragging in other issues.


    "Mr. Liu, frankly, I''ve always felt the same, but if someone targets me, what can I do?"


    Lu Liang''s smile didn''t wane, first they provoke him with a ruse, and then when they can''t defeat him, they propose to let bygones be bygones?


    Liu Qing remained silent for a long time before speaking in a deep voice, "One year later, if DiDi successfully goes public, I will step down voluntarily and not cause any more troubles for you."


    Lu Liang said with a smile, "If DiDi goes public successfully with my assistance, Mr. Liu, do you think you can still cause any ripples?"


    "No major waves can be stirred up, but causing a little ripple isn''t too difficult, right, Mr. Lu? What do you think?"


    Liu Qing''s smile remained, having supported DiDi for three years, she had intimate knowledge of every department, having spent time in each.


    She was utterly confident that if she meant to cause trouble, Lu Liang wouldn''t stand a chance.

 Chapter 451 - 446: Business Concluded in Beijing

    Lu Liang smiled and took a sip of his coffee. "Mr. Liu, if you lose confidence now, how can you expect to win later?"


    Liu Qing fell silent for a few seconds before suddenly smiling. "Maybe I''m just writing you a bad check, Mr. Lu, got no confidence?"


    "Are you provoking me?" Lu Liang squinted with a smiling face.


    Liu Qing nodded, "So, are you up for it?"


    Lu Liang suddenly laughed, stood up and extended his right hand. "I hope you can save face, and won''t need me to help you do it."


    Liu Qing''s smile bloomed like flowers as she also stood up and shook hands. "It''s still uncertain who the prey will fall to!"


    The two exchanged a glance, and for a moment, let go of any grudges between them.


    After Liu Qing had departed, Lu Liang watched her retreating figure and exclaimed with sincere admiration, "Who says women are inferior to men."


    He really liked Liu Qing, liked her in a way that was full of admiration; having her on his side would definitely make his daily life much more relaxed.


    But it was not to be.


    Before he could finish his coffee, Lu Liang received two calls, one from Fang Shiyu, and the other from Cheng Wei.


    He gave them the address and a few minutes later, his tall cousin hurried over, holding a thermos.


    Fang Shiyu grinned stupidly, "Brother, I brought the medicine back, drink it twice a day for three consecutive days."


    Lu Liang nodded slightly, opened the thermos, and sipped, "It''s not as bitter as I expected."


    Fang Shiyu explained, "Because it has honeysuckle and dandelions, Grandpa used to brew it for us when we were kids."


    Lu Liang lost himself for a moment, filled with memories, "Back then, Lu Ya and I would often follow Grandpa into the mountains. You were too young to come along, and you would always cry."


    "Really?" Fang Shiyu looked puzzled.


    "Yes." Lu Liang said with a certain smile, then talked about the recent Mid-Autumn Festival at home when they went to have a meal at Uncle''s house.


    He said, "The new house is quite imposing. It''ll be ready to move into by the end of the year. I''ll buy Uncle a car for running errands then."


    Fang Shiyu nodded seriously, feeling a warm sense of emotion, having things on his mind he couldn''t express.


    His salary was high, totaling over thirty thousand a month, with a generous year-end bonus to boot.


    All year round, his clothing, food, lodging, and transportation were arranged by Lu Liang, so he hardly had to spend a penny.


    Having only graduated from high school and spent a few years in the military, he always felt he didn''t deserve such a high income.


    Seeing his cousin''s troubled expression, Lu Liang knew he was about to get sentimental again and smiled, "Go wait for me in the parking lot, I''ll call you when I''m about to leave."


    Fang Shiyu nodded and had just left when Cheng Wei came striding in, curious, "Mr. Lu, where''s Mr. Liu?"


    "She just left." Lu Liang finished his herbal medicine in one gulp, unwrapped a candy and threw it into his mouth, then said with a laugh, "It''s unrelated to DiDi, just some foundation company matters."


    Cheng Wei smiled awkwardly, hurriedly saying, "Mr. Lu, I absolutely didn''t mean to doubt you."


    Lu Liang chuckled, skipping the topic, "I''m done here for now, I will leave Secretary Xu behind. Mr. Cheng, while I''m gone, I''ll have to trouble you."


    "No problem."


    Cheng Wei asked about when to resubmit for listing approval, and Lu Liang said, "If all goes well, then by the 20th."


    He had just glanced at the documents Liu Qing had prepared for the review. Stacked from the floor, they were almost two meters high.


    All those documents had to be re-integrated, and then updated with the latest information for the quarter, a task that was bound to be substantial.


    "And what about the Ministry of Commerce?" Cheng Wei asked further.


    "We do our best and leave the rest to fate."


    After leaving DiDi''s New Chenghai Building, Lu Liang went to the headquarters of Li Xiang Automobile to attend the shareholders'' meeting.


    Half a year since Li Xiang One went on sale, its sales had broken through twenty thousand units, making a small dent in the high-end automobile market.


    Now, no one mocked fridges, TVs, large sofas anymore, nor the range extenders that were scoffed at as unnecessary at launch.


    So, Li Xiang, seizing the moment, called for a shareholders'' meeting. With Lu Liang also in Beijing, he took the opportunity to attend.


    Li Xiang beamed with delight, brimming with enthusiasm, "In the current situation where charging stations aren''t widely available, and battery capacities are limited, consumers have made their choice. The range extender is the optimal choice for now."


    Initially, he had withstood all opposition, braving the pressure from public opinion and investors, to launch the first vehicle focused on a range extender, which ultimately won market approval.


    Fuel cars lacked fridges, TVs, large sofas, and also lacked smart driving and driving assistance.


    Pure electric vehicles had range anxiety, with countless getting stuck on the roads or queuing for charges during the National Day holiday. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    They say a good wind can take you soaring to the skies.


    This National Day holiday, the pure electric vehicles stranded on the roads directly popularized the concept of range extenders in countless households.


    While others in their green license plate cars queued for charging or were stuck on highways, afraid to even turn on the AC,


    Li Xiang''s range extender vehicles, also green plated, just refueled and zoomed off. That was the difference.


    "Now is the golden time for development, so the decision-makers have decided to initiate the Hundred Store Plan."


    Of course, Li Xiang wasn''t idly calling investors from all over just to show off.


    Mostly because the company was running out of money, the seven hundred million dollars raised last time was all spent on increasing production capacity.


    Currently, there are only eight stores, located along the southern coast or in economically developed key cities.


    So this time, he planned to add 92 new offline experience stores, to plant Li Xiang''s flag all across the country.


    Different from pure electrics, which suffer half the range in cold weather, their range extender could even knock on the doors of the cold northern regions.


    This was Li Xiang''s Series C financing, valued at fifty billion dollars, planning to offer 10% equity for financing.


    "Ladies and gentlemen, this is the last round of financing before we go public."


    Li Xiang awaited with eager eyes, his previous enthusiasm seemingly vanished in an instant.


    If Li Xiang could make a profit, he''d dare to slam his hand on the table in front of investors and say, "Invest if you love it, roll out if you don''t."


    But even with sales breaking through twenty thousand units, Li Xiang was still in the red, with a net loss of 1.45 billion RMB last quarter.


    In two and a half years, losses surpassed 8 billion RMB, all of which came from the deep pockets of the investors sitting here.


    So, when it was time to admit defeat, they had to submit.


    Wang Xing from Meituan asked, "Mr. Lu, what do you think?"


    "Just follow through," replied Lu Liang with a smile. "Let''s help it go public, then talk about getting our capital back."


    Tianxing Investment had invested $390 million in Li Xiang Automobile in several rounds, currently holding 18.5% of its shares.


    The better Li Xiang''s performance, the more they stood to earn.


    However, Li Xiang was Li Xiang''s second entrepreneurial venture, much like some good film and TV projects that would never make it to the open market for amateurs to invest in.


    Born with a silver spoon, Li Xiang managed to secure an investment of one hundred million dollars early on, hence it didn''t bring venture capital firms returns of tens or even hundreds of times like other startups.


    With a valuation of five billion dollars, their 18.5% stake was worth $925 million, giving them just over a 100% return on their investment.


    After thinking for a moment, Wang Xing said with a smile, "If Mr. Lu has already said as much, then Meituan and I will also continue to follow."


    He was friends with Li Xiang, so he invested in two portions, one in his personal capacity at the establishment of Li Xiang.


    Another portion was under Meituan''s Dragon Ball Capital, recognizing Li Xiang''s potential for growth and joining in later.


    Heads of institutions like Jingwei and Ming Shi Capital nodded in agreement, following up with investments in this round once again.


    The five hundred million dollar fundraising plan concluded amid laughter.


    Li Xiang looked at Lu Liang, his eyes brimming with gratitude.


    Lu Liang''s influence in the investment circle had reached the point where it could create waves on its own.


    His approval was truth.


    At least until he experienced a major failure, whatever he invested in tended to result in a herd mentality.


    After the meeting, Li Xiang approached Lu Liang with an idea he was hesitant about. He was debating whether to focus on a single model, or to launch a new car.


    "What type?" asked Lu Liang.


    "A seven-seater large SUV."


    "No need, let''s wait another two years."


    Lu Liang thought of Li Xiang''s slogan "A Mobile Home" and surmised they were likely planning to sprint down the path of luxury family cars.


    He said, "Which of the luxury SUVs released by the major brands in the last two years has been able to outsell the Li Xiang One?"


    Although the One had been on sale for only half a year and barely matched the monthly sales of the BMW X3, it wasn''t an issue with the car itself but rather the market.


    Spending over three hundred thousand on an electric vehicle, domestically made and produced by the Lifan Factory, would undoubtedly make some consumers uneasy.


    This perception isn''t something that can change overnight. It requires time for the public to slowly accept.


    Li Xiang chuckled, "Mr. Lu, actually I feel the same way."


    Lu Liang chuckled in return, "Anything else going on?"


    "Mr. Lu, how is your new car coming along?"


    "Our new car isn''t in the same race as Li Xiang, so don''t worry about any competition."


    "Then that''s reassuring."


    Li Xiang took a deep breath. The success of the One made him so confident that he didn''t even consider Tesla a threat.


    Only Tianxing consistently seemed to be a thorn in his side; after all, Lu Liang, with his unpredictable antics, even dared to lay eyes on DiDi, and it was hard to imagine what he wouldn''t dare do.


    In the early stages, they focused on developing smart driving and investing in factories, creating a 300 billion RMB fund to support a full industrial chain, which included aid to 18 related companies, BYD among them.


    Such bold moves meant that even before Tianxing Automobile hit the market, it had become a major worry for all major new energy vehicle enterprises, and nobody wanted to compete with them in the same category.


    Lu Liang stayed in Beijing until the end of the national holiday, first visiting Li Xiang and then Douyin.


    Eventually, he went back to DiDi, checked the progress of their project, and returned to Modu in the early hours of the 7th.


    He called Little Wang and Long Fei to pick him up from the airport and went to a restaurant for a late-night snack: "Douyin''s shop goes online tomorrow."


    Last month, Douyin boldly spent one billion dollars to acquire North America''s Musical.ly, successfully turning from a pirated version to an official one.


    Thanks to a recommendation algorithm cultivated by over eight hundred million users in just over a year, their arrival in the European and American market was a textbook example of disruptive competition.


    Without the legal entanglements of TikTok, they quickly climbed to the top of the Apple download charts and stayed there.


    In just one month, the number of international daily active users grew from 89 million to 360 million and continued to rise rapidly.


    With the company virtually dominating the domestic short video market, Yang Zhen proposed in the meeting that Douyin''s shop would go live the next day, officially breaking into live-selling and e-commerce.


    Little Wang and Long Fei exchanged glances, each seeing the helplessness in the other''s eyes. This day was inevitable.


    Panda, Douyu, and Huya might stand a chance, but against Douyin, they had no power to fight back.


    Long Fei couldn''t help but ask, "Mr. Lu, do you have any good advice?"


    Lu Liang chuckled helplessly and shook his head: "Don''t know, not familiar, no advice."


    Douyin was valued at 35 billion dollars, and he held a 7.07% stake, worth 2.473 billion dollars.


    Unlike Li Xiang, Douyin wasn''t just a playground for a few domestic institutions; they had already received investments from international capitals like Temasek, Saudi Sovereign, Softbank Group, and even BlackRock, indicating their recognition of its value.


    In comparison, Panda was being hyped to the skies by Wall Street firms, but with a valuation of only 15 billion dollars, how could they compete with Douyin?


    He truly had no idea.


    Their ceilings simply weren''t on the same level.

 Chapter 452 - 447: Showing Weakness is the Original Sin

    "It''s not a sin of war, just focus on managing your own small piece of land and see if you can keep a part of the cake."


    Long Fei wanted to ask more, seeking a way to break through, but Little Wang was relaxed and appeared ready to let go.


    As a second-generation tycoon, his desire for making money wasn''t high; Panda being able to go public in the US had already exceeded his expectations.


    Even if the stock price fell back to the listing price later, he still had billions of US Dollars, and his shares were worth several billions of US Dollars.


    Knowing oneself and being content often brings happiness. For Panda, he hadn''t been to bars or shown off online for a long time.


    He always felt as if he was carrying an invisible shackle,


    which restricted his speech and behavior, his whole conduct in society.


    Knowing that Douyin had entered the realms of live streaming and e-commerce, Little Wang felt a sudden relief, as if the shackles had instantly disappeared by half.


    Hope is a scary thing because facing Douyu and Huya, he always felt he could catch up and even surpass them, which made him work desperately hard.


    But facing Douyin, as Lu Liang said, Panda wasn''t even in the same dimension as Douyin; what could they compete with?


    If you can''t compete, then don''t. The more you do, the more mistakes you make; just shrink the market, consolidate the base, and ensure it''s not eroded.


    "Chen Shaojie and Dong Rongjie, in order to make money, are desperate and have no limits; quality control is just for show, it''s bound to go wrong eventually."


    "From now on, we''ll do better on quality control. Let''s skip the slotting fees and see if we can become the JD of e-commerce."


    Little Wang, grinning as he skewered kebabs, discussed with Lu Liang plans to go to a nightclub later to have a great time and celebrate.


    "Mr. Wang, you are..."


    Long Fei was baffled, filled with a disappointment as if the minister was ready to fight to death yet the emperor chose to surrender.


    He couldn''t help but look at Lu Liang, hoping he could make Little Wang act, as surrendering without a fight was a great shame.


    "Maybe next time. I''ve stayed in Beijing too long; I need to handle some public and private affairs in Modu."


    Lu Liang smiled, picked up his jacket, and prepared to leave. In mid-October in Modu, the nights were getting chilly.


    Now that Little Wang was earning money and gaining fame,


    it was natural for him to want to slack off.


    In an era where slacking is common, being a little less slack might even be a merit.


    This choice might not be the most correct, but at least it wasn''t wrong, and he didn''t feel right to stop him.


    As night fell, Lu Liang returned to Sinograin No.1.


    It being the weekend, as usual, Li Manli had a day off and was lounging on the sofa, fiddling with her phone while her pillow spun rapidly at her toes.


    Suddenly, hearing the beep of the lock disengaging, she looked at the surveillance screen, and a smile instantly appeared on her face.


    She was like a dog that had been locked inside all day and suddenly smelled its owner, speeding to the door.


    Lu Liang pushed the door open and saw a figure pouncing towards him, accompanied by a burst of fragrance and the jingling of a bracelet.


    Lu Liang laughed and cried, "Could you not be so fierce next time? Aren''t you worried you might actually break my back?"


    "Not afraid~" Li Manli smiled radiantly, her arms wrapped around his neck, her feet almost locking around his lower back.


    "Can I change my shoes and take off my jacket first?" Lu Liang said, holding her, neither standing nor sitting comfortably.


    "No, I want a hug first." Li Manli squinted her eyes, buried her head in his neck, smelling the scent of him.


    After a long while, she reluctantly touched the ground, then suddenly ran to the bathroom, "I''ll go run a bath for you."


    Then came Li Manli''s clear voice, "Are you hungry? Should I make some late-night snacks?"


    "I just ate outside."


    Lu Liang watched Li Manli bustle about, the sound of running water from the bathroom, and then she dashed to the bedroom to prepare clothes.


    Then she took out various bottles and jars of cosmetics, "This is for moisturizing, this is for skincare... forget it, I''ll help you apply them after your bath. If I let you do it, you probably wouldn''t even glance at them before they expire."


    Lu Liang chuckled helplessly, patted the sofa, and like a small kitten, Li Manli jumped right onto it.


    Her arms wrapped around him, a substantial part of her body pressing against Lu Liang, her feet swinging left and right, conveying her excitement.


    "Have you been bored while I was away?" Lu Liang stroked her hair, the waves turning back into long black and straight.


    "Not really~" Li Manli quickly denied, then added, "It''s okay when I''m streaming live, just the weekends are a bit boring."


    To keep Lu Liang from worrying, she quickly added, "Just Saturday nights, because I sleep until noon, and I have yoga class in the afternoon."


    "I''m sorry, I''ve been quite busy recently, haven''t had much time to spend with you."


    Lu Liang sighed, the promised trip abroad had to be postponed again and again.


    "Don''t frown." Li Manli said sternly, smoothing the furrow between Lu Liang''s brows with her hand.


    Holding his hand, she said earnestly, "I am your girlfriend, you shouldn''t apologize to me."


    Her delicate features, like those of a doll, always carried an immaturity of a child pretending to be an adult.


    Lu Liang gently kissed her forehead and they enjoyed a tender moment until the sound of water splashing came from the bathroom.


    "It''s full." Li Manli dashed to the bathroom and turned off the tap, "You can take a bath now."


    Lu Liang walked to the bathroom and closed the door, suddenly Li Manli''s voice came from inside, "I''ve just finished my shower."


    ...


    The next morning, Lu Liang arrived at the office and met Zhang Haoyu from the Silver Supervision Committee. His face was full of worry, the private placement had been stalled, and he was frequently called about it.


    What should have been a splendid gold-dotted long holiday was spent in fear. The situation he faced now was the best interpretation of mortals suffering from gods'' battles.


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but grin and patted his shoulder, "Mr. Zhang, no problems with the investigation this time?"


    "Mr. Lu''s company sets an example for the industry, every fund company should learn from you."


    Zhang Haoyu hurriedly shook his head and handed over the inspection report, only Lu Liang''s signature was needed to conclude it.


    Lu Liang signed the document smiling, "Mr. Zhang, why don''t you stay for lunch?"


    "Mr. Lu, maybe next time. I need to submit the report quickly for the leaders'' approval, aiming to unfreeze the funds as soon as possible."


    "Alright then, I won''t keep you from your duties."


    After seeing off Zhang Haoyu, Lu Liang went to the 17th floor where the private equity firm was located, no one had worked there for a week, they were all cleaning.


    He called over Sun Yutao, "Send out the net value of Phase Three and Four at noon and in the evening."


    Having 5.65 billion in liquid assets, he decided to allocate 87.5 million US Dollars for additional investment in Li Xiang.


    The remaining over four billion, to remain untouched for now, he felt that Li Xiang''s financing implied that NIO would likely follow suit.


    After all, these two, with He Xiaopeng from the south, had a private group, naming themselves a mutual aid group.


    If Li Xiang had financed, Li Bing should have heard the news, NIO would then need more capital.


    There was one thing, however, that Lu Liang was trying to figure out.


    It seemed that Li Xiang had better prospects, yet its market value in 2021 was only 38.5 billion US Dollars.


    Looking at NIO, whose ES8 sales had barely exceeded a thousand, still boasting about their battery swapping plans, yet its market value had soared to 98.3 billion US Dollars.


    "Let''s invest first, and we''ll find out later."


    Lu Liang preferred not to bother, as the timespan was too long, with four years ahead and anything could happen during that period.


    Perhaps Li Bing''s battery swapping scheme might succeed, becoming a new major player, but it could also end up copied like Panda.


    After all, during that period, Tesla''s market cap reached 1.2 trillion US Dollars, if NIO branded itself as Tesla''s successor, it too might benefit from a market cap of trillion US Dollars.


    Approaching noon, investors from Phase Three finally received calls from Sun Yutao, last month''s net value increased by 12.2% to 1.822.


    Although not as lucrative as before, when profits were several times higher and became legend, they were more concerned about the war between Lu Liang and the Liu family.


    Operations of the private equity fund resumed after the National Day, indicating Lu Liang should be on the winning side, and the Liu family likely showed weakness.


    This sparked unusual thoughts in some people, considering if they could replace him.


    Shenzhou, Xiaomi, and Huawei announced massive investments in developing desktop computers in the second half of the year, to participate in municipal procurement bidding.


    Lenovo''s dominance as the national leader stemmed largely from governmental support for domestic brands.


    Government departments generally prioritized local brands, and Lenovo had seized the opportunity back then. Its market share in personal computers exceeded 80%, and the usage rate in administrative departments was also more than 70%.


    As major brands felt squeezed out and unable to penetrate the market, they simply gave up on the desktop market, allowing Lenovo to grow even larger.


    However, now with Liu family showing weaknesses in their interactions with Lu Liang, and appearing to lose their past dominance,


    They were tempted to make a move, and if successful, it could be a trillion-level super market.


    After all, although laptops are convenient, desktop computers remain irreplaceable. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "It''s really cruel, show a little weakness and others will take you down."


    Upon hearing the news, Lu Liang couldn''t help but reflect, thankful that he hadn''t yielded, or else it would not be Lenovo they were targeting, but him.

 Chapter 453 - 448: The Real Market Trend is About to Launch

    "Good or bad, will the resistance increase, or will it decrease?"


    Lu Liang, looking thoughtful, knew that Shenzhou Xiaomi''s aggressive push would inevitably distract the Liu family.


    But they had already tasted the bitter fruit of backing down once.


    If even the much-anticipated Third Generation Leader were to get kicked out of DiDi, wouldn''t that further indicate that the Liu family was on the decline and open to being manipulated by others?


    Thus, not only would there be competitors for municipal equipment procurement, but even the status of a comprador would be eyed by others.


    Though being a comprador meant serving foreign interests, many were struggling just to get such a position.


    "Could this be the key to breaking the situation?"


    Lu Liang shifted his focus to Bitcoin, thinking it better to figure out how to handle Goldman Sachs than to speculate on the Liu family''s next move.


    Just like when DiDi acquired Uber and the Liu sisters turned against each other, it all boiled down to Liu Qing bypassing the management in the Chinese District, her own cousin''s level.


    She directly contacted Uber''s headquarters in America to discuss and settle on the acquisition and their exit from the market.


    As long as Goldman Sachs was handled, the attitudes and thoughts of the Liu family actually didn''t matter at all.


    Lu Liang called Li Bing to check if he was busy lately, and if not, he planned to make a trip abroad.


    Li Bing, all smiles, said, "Mr. Lu, isn''t it just timely? I was about to call you right after hearing that you returned."


    "Pre-IPO meeting?" asked Lu Liang.


    "IPO financing round."


    As the leader among the three companies under Weiliao, NIO had been established the earliest and released new cars the earliest, and it should be first to brave the market in the US.


    Though they had sold just under a thousand cars and were in a loss of 8.8 billion yuan, the capital market is all about expectations.


    Listed in Tokyo for over three years and still recording annual losses of over twenty billion, it didn''t prevent its market value from reaching over fifty billion US dollars.


    "Mr. Shen, what did they say?"


    Lu Liang wanted to know Shen Peng''s thoughts.


    "Mr. Shen asked me to consult your opinion first," said Li Bing, with a bitter smile as everyone seemed to be passing the buck.


    They wanted to cash out their shares as soon as possible yet couldn''t bear to sell at a low price, just in case NIO really turned out to be the next Tesla, which would mean a huge loss if it went public now.


    After all, NIO''s valuation was only 4 billion US dollars during the last funding round, and it wouldn''t exceed 5.5 billion in the IPO round.


    If NIO could become the next Tesla, not to mention matching Tesla''s hundred billion US dollars, even just ten billion US dollars would mean at least doubling the return.


    "Then let''s prepare for the IPO."


    [November 1, 2021, NIO''s market value was 98.3 billion US dollars.]


    Lu Liang thought of that news, still four years away, with NIO''s financial situation, it definitely couldn''t be going public four years later.


    He had seen NIO''s financial statements; without a fresh influx of capital, surviving till the end of the year was questionable, let alone four years.


    Li Bing was also very eager for NIO to go public soon.


    Thus, it could be concluded that NIO''s push would likely come after its IPO.


    Lu Liang paused then added, "However, I won''t be available during this time, you''ll have to handle it yourself."


    "Understood, understood, just might need you to show up when necessary to help out with introductions."


    "No problem."


    After staying a few days in Modu, Lu Liang cleared up the backlog of official tasks and then headed to Su City.


    At Lou Shui New Energy Industrial Park, seventeen factory buildings were swiftly rising, with completion expected in two months.


    Across the river at Tianxing Super Factory,


    three main buildings were also beginning to take shape.


    "By next April, just half a year to go until completion, the neighbors will be two months ahead of us."


    Zhuo Yifan, wearing a red helmet and with sun-darkened rough skin, blended perfectly into the construction site.


    "Any issues with the construction?" Lu Liang inquired.


    He had just gotten off the highway and from afar, the sky was blue and the clouds white, except for their area which was covered in dust.


    In recent months, there hadn''t been much rain in Su City, even the greenery by the roadsides had turned yellow.


    In the nearby residential areas, windows and doors were tightly shut, and not a single car had a clean windshield.


    Zhuo Yifan smiled, saying, "Local leadership teams come by every now and then, and the water trucks run three times a day."


    "Though there are minor issues, everyone is working hard to overcome them, hoping both projects will proceed smoothly."


    The nearby residents had some complaints, but it wasn''t as serious as imagined¡ªthey just grumbled a bit without intervening or filing complaints.


    Because before these two projects were confirmed, the average housing price in this area was only 15,000 yuan per square meter.


    After their arrival, house prices soared.


    Now the average was more than 42,000 yuan,


    and in prime locations, it even breached fifty thousand.


    The route map for Metro Line 5 was also out, almost circling the Lou Shui New Energy Industrial Park.


    The municipal government had decided that next year, once the two projects were completed, they would allocate 50 billion yuan to repair roads and improve infrastructure.


    A brighter future awaited them; these minor problems and difficulties could be endured for the time being.


    "That''s good," Lu Liang said as he took a look around, feeling that there were no issues, and planned to leave.


    "Mr. Lu, wouldn''t you stay for a meal? District Chief Liu and Secretary Gong mention you all the time."


    Wang Xiaofeng hastily called out. The leaderships'' inspections were one thing, but they also seemed to be planning to nominate Lu Liang for the People''s Congress.


    After all, to date, Lu Liang was just an ordinary National Outstanding Young Entrepreneur and one of the Top Ten Outstanding Youths.


    At the provincial and city level People''s Congress, only one nominee can be made.


    Modu hasn''t made a move yet, they''re about to take action.


    "Just say I had to leave early because of some urgent business," Mr. Lu explained, feeling a headache coming on. He had discussed it with the leadership team, who explicitly and implicitly indicated that they wanted to strengthen the relationship further.


    In essence, they wanted him to relocate Tianxing Private Equity, Tianxing Investment, and the Public Fund from Modu to Su City.


    Though financial companies don''t offer many employment positions, the taxes they pay are not at all less than those paid by multibillion-dollar corporations.


    Last year alone, they contributed 986 million yuan in taxes. This year, with the establishment of a public fund and four more phases, the amount would only increase.


    Secretary Gong also said that if they could relocate, the first year would be tax-free, followed by a 50% reduction for the next three years, among other policy incentives.


    Mr. Lu was very tempted and almost agreed,


    but after careful consideration, he decided against it.


    They were gradually engaging with foreign institutions, trying to become a part of global capital. When he mentioned Modu, they knew the city, but Su City was hardly known to anyone.


    Moreover, Mr. Lu''s connections with the banks, the Securities and Futures Commission, and the Silver Supervision Committee were all based in Modu, which affected everything.


    It seemed inappropriate to hastily relocate just to save a few billion yuan in taxes in the early years.


    More importantly, Su City had no airport.


    How could he host international guests if they had to travel over a hundred kilometers by car after getting off the plane?


    Though these were valid reasons to decline, the leaders who heard them were almost driven to storm Modu with swords in hand overnight.


    Su Daqiang, being the sixth-largest city nationally without an airport, was deterring investors. How could that make sense?


    Mr. Lu did not know the follow-up situation, but he guessed that it hadn''t escalated since there were still differences between prefecture-level cities and directly administered cities.


    He did not want to listen to their pie-in-the-sky promises any longer, and he promptly left the scene.


    As for the People''s Congress, Mr. Lu didn''t care much about it because it was ultimately designated for him; Modu didn''t grant it due to its special status.


    At 32 years old, moving directly to the provincial level wasn''t appropriate.


    But that was soon to change. Next month, with Old Te visiting China, Mr. Lu was one of the twelve representatives from the east.


    Leaving Su City, Mr. Lu returned to Modu, driving over a hundred kilometers to Pu Xin Airport.


    He was to visit Han City first, then Tokyo.


    Wen Chao had arrived at Han City Airport an hour earlier to arrange the next part of Mr. Lu''s itinerary.


    "Why did Bitcoin crash?" Mr. Lu asked.


    As they passed over Mapo Bridge, there were police cars on the bridge, ambulances below, and a crowd gathered, taking photos and gawking.


    He had seen the news on the plane. In the last two days, Mapo Bridge had become a legendary spot.


    Since its debut on the exchange five days ago, the market had been like a rollercoaster¡ªeither soaring or plummeting.


    A 15% fluctuation was normal daily, but there was a sudden 22% crash the day before yesterday, and it had not recovered since. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Thus, the revered Mapo Bridge turned into a spot for dramatic plunges, with eleven incidents occurring in just three days.


    Most were due to cryptocurrency investors whose accounts had been liquidated.


    It had to be said, the young people of Korea were truly fierce, maxing out high-interest credit cards, buying into cryptocurrencies heavily.


    If they won, it was a life of luxury with nightclub models,


    but if they lost, they had to reinvent themselves, akin to being corporate kryptonite.


    "It wasn''t us who dumped the stock, but we did follow suit and liquidated some positions," Wen Chao mentioned, trying not to look out the window. As long as he didn''t see it, he could pretend it didn''t exist.


    Although Bitcoin had dropped from a high of 5500 US dollars to 4290 US dollars overnight, they had taken emergency measures to hedge.


    But since it wasn''t they who caused the crash, he could comfortably convince himself it had nothing to do with them.


    "Who do you think it could be?"


    Mr. Lu smiled and averted his gaze as well.


    "It could be Samsung, Toshiba or Motorola."


    Wen Chao had investigated, but couldn''t pinpoint the culprit. If they could sneak in quietly, so could others.


    After a moment''s thought, Mr. Lu suddenly said, "Let''s go back early tomorrow, go all-in, and then enter a lock-up period."


    Two more months,


    and Bitcoin would rise to twenty thousand US dollars.


    There was still a sixteen thousand US dollar upward potential. Naturally, it wouldn''t just be one straight line upward.


    It would definitely fluctuate up and down, up, up, down, up, up, up, up, up¡­


    Now there was still ample time. This round should be the last, or penultimate adjustment.


    Big capital always precipitates a plunge when entering the market, obtaining low-cost chips, and it also signifies that the real market action is about to start.


    At the entrance of the Meipres Hotel, Li Xuanhong was waiting early in the morning in a sharp white suit, smiling broadly.


    "Mr. Li, long time no see."


    Mr. Lu had met many tycoon leaders, but Li Xuanhong''s appearance, attire, and behavior


    were like those of a typical villain in modern dramas. If he could act, he would be flawlessly cast, being the perfect embodiment of degenerate elitism and beastly behavior in fine clothing.


    It was unclear whether it was an act or his true nature.


    "Mr. Lu, I''ve been looking forward to your arrival," Li Xuanhong remarked, then glanced at Wen Chao with a nod and a smile. They met often, so there was no need for excessive pleasantries.

 Chapter 454 - 449: Lonely People, All Fear Taking the First Step

    "Mr. Li, I hear that this time, I''m to be thoroughly entertained and return fully satisfied, so I came to Han City first. I trust you won''t let me down?"


    Lu Liang walked with a smile into the hotel, where Li Xuanhong greeted him with a beaming smile and hastily said, "Certainly not."


    As long as Lu Liang still had a taste for pleasures of the flesh, he was easy to please; the real fear was that he''d want nothing, leaving them no way to curry favor.


    "Mr. Lu, how about I take them to handle your check-in first, then explain some precautions? How does that sound?"


    Wen Chao looked at the two unfamiliar faces beside Lu Liang. Xu Jiawei stayed in Beijing, whereas the fourth-generation secretary, Xu Delin, and Du Yifei had just arrived.


    They didn''t seem quite familiar with Lu Liang''s pace yet; as the first-generation secretary, Wen felt obliged to explain a few things to them.


    Mainly because Wen knew both Li Xuanhong and Boss Lu very well, and he suspected the upcoming scene might be somewhat adult only.


    The reliability of the two newcomers wasn''t clear, and the best choice was to send them away.


    "Fine, off you go then." Lu Liang nodded, approval evident in his eyes.


    Of all his secretaries, he appreciated Wen Chao the most, even more than he had before.


    Only after comparing him with Zhuo Yifan and Xu Jiawei did he realize how great the difference was.


    Wen Chao was extremely attentive, not only to matters concerning Lu Liang personally but also to the people and things associated with him.


    When Fang Shiyu got scammed in an online romance, it was Wen who observed it and quietly relayed the information to Lu Liang.


    He also admired Wen''s attitude towards his own relationships; his high school romance had lasted ten years, and he was planning to make it official at last.


    Lu Liang didn''t believe in pure love for himself, but he believed pure and beautiful love existed for others.


    If it weren''t for the fact that he truly needed reliable people around him for certain tasks, he would have liked to keep Wen by his side to give him peace of mind.


    Watching Wen leave, Li Xuanhong remarked with sincerity, "Mr. Wen is outstanding, with excellent ability to handle affairs."


    As he spoke, his tone suddenly shifted, "However, normally at Mr. Wen''s age, one might still be gaining experience at the grassroots level. It''s Mr. Lu''s discerning eye that has granted him such a vast stage to fulfill his ambitions."


    "Mr. Lu, please lead the way."


    Lu Liang laughed, well aware that he was being flattered, yet sweet talk always brightened one''s mood.


    "Mr. Lu, this way please."


    The two arrived at the hotel''s eighth-floor private room.


    Inside the room, not only was Zheng Xuanyi, the chairman of Hyundai Group present, but also several beautiful waitresses dressed as maids.


    One of them looked familiar to Lu Liang, but he couldn''t quite place her at the moment. Li Xuanhong smiled and said, "Yun''er, Taeyeon, Miying, come and greet Mr. Lu."


    The women greeted him with a smile and bowed, speaking flawless Chinese, "Mr. Lu, hello."


    One was known as the National First Love, another was twice listed among the world''s most beautiful faces, and the third boasted the most perfect figure.


    The three women, each with unique features, were all former faces of a girl group that was once popular across Asia.


    Their maid uniforms, though not too revealing, with short skirts, black stockings, and white blouses, highlighted their feminine beauty and figures perfectly.


    "Mr. Lu, are you satisfied this time?" asked Li Xuanhong, with a full-faced smile, having learned his lesson from before.


    The newly debuted Fenmo Group meant nothing to Lu Liang; he didn''t even recognize them, and thus his desire was far from strong.


    Taking into account Lu Liang''s age of 32, that era ten years ago, was precisely when Girls'' Generation was a sensation across Asia.


    Back then, as he just graduated and was just another struggling worker, while Yun''er, Taeyeon, and Miying were already famous across Asia, becoming the goddesses of many dreams.


    The blue moon might be cherished, but if an unreachable blue moon came before one''s eyes, Li Xuanhong couldn''t believe Lu Liang wouldn''t be moved.


    "Hmm."


    Lu Liang''s lips curled into a smile as memories of those bygone years surged, assaulting him.


    Elevated goddesses of his dreams now turned into waitresses pouring wine beside his table, the significance of power suddenly took on a tangible form.


    Thankfully, after many battles, including a brush with Mimimi, the sight of the women didn''t stir him as much as one might expect.


    With a slight smile, Lu Liang turned his attention to Zheng Xuanyi, "Mr. Zheng, long time no see, how have you been?"


    Zheng Xuanyi replied, "Thanks to Mr. Lu, I''m getting better and better."


    "Are you talking about Guangzhi''s matter?" Lu Liang raised an eyebrow; the statement sounded sarcastic.


    After all, Lu Liang had poached Jin Guangzhi and several senior automobile engineers; how could things possibly be getting better?


    Zheng Xuanyi shook his head, "A good bird chooses a tree to nest in; whatever choice Guangzhi makes, we respect his decision."


    He was truly grateful to Lu Liang for involving them in the Bitcoin project.


    Ever since his grandfather passed away, his father was detained, and the group was split into three parts, times had been tough.


    If not for these recent events, Samsung wouldn''t dare to show its face, and if only people knew that ''The Han River Miracle'' of the last century was primarily forged by Hyundai Group.


    Back then, Korea didn''t have eight or six chaebols, just one: it was Hyundai Group.


    But those glories were from days long past; as a national enterprise, they''ve always been a thorn in the side of the United States.


    In recent years, American capital firms like BlackRock Vanguard had been steadily eroding the power of the Zheng Family''s main lineage.


    This time, being led by Lu Liang to participate in the Bitcoin project had indeed given them a much-needed breather.


    The focus that American capital placed on Bitcoin was beyond imagination, so much so that they halted their erosion of the power in their hands.


    With furrowed brows, Lu Liang pondered for a long time before digesting this news, "It''s all thanks to Mr. Zheng''s decisiveness; otherwise, we wouldn''t be collaborating."


    "Mr. Lu, I''d like to propose a toast to you."


    Mr. Zheng Xuanyi stood up, raising his glass high. He had already experienced the benefits of backing a powerful ally and wished to continue doing so.


    The reason he clarified things with Lu Liang was to make it known how great his favor to Hyundai Group was, so no matter how they reciprocated, he could accept it with a clear conscience.


    There is a social etiquette in reciprocation; if one does not reciprocate what has been given, it is considered impolite.


    If they didn''t find a reason to send gifts to convey their sentiments, Lu Liang would also lack reason to return the favor in the future.


    Interpersonal relationships are all about exchanging favors here and there, enhancing connections as time goes on.


    Lonely people are often those who are afraid to make the first move.


    "Mr. Zheng, you are too kind; collaboration is meant to be mutually beneficial, and it''s not about who is helping whom."


    Lu Liang smiled, understanding Zheng Xuanyi''s intentions, but he didn''t let it inflate his ego.


    Integrating Hyundai into the fold was to balance Mitsui Sumitomo, and doing so fulfilled his own responsibilities.


    "Speaking with Mr. Lu is indeed very enjoyable," Zheng Xuanyi said, smiling broadly, as a man in his fifties.


    His ancestors had lived splendidly, and if he had to keep a humble attitude toward Lu Liang, who took it for granted, he might not say anything, but he would certainly take slight offense internally.


    Three rounds of drinks later and an array of flavors tasted, Mr. Zheng excused himself early, claiming he couldn''t handle his liquor, leaving Li Xuanhong in charge of entertaining Lu Liang, and left behind a knowing smile that any man would understand.


    In his youth, he had been a playboy, but because he indulged a bit too liberally, his interest in sensual pleasures had greatly diminished.


    "Have fun, enjoy yourself to the fullest."


    After Zheng Xuanyi left, Li Xuanhong said with a smile, "Mr. Lu, how about we go to the next private room and sing some songs?"


    Lu Liang nodded in agreement, pretending to be overtaken by the alcohol. He put his left arm around Yun''er and his right arm around Taeyeon, basking in the company of two women.


    But on his left, Yun''er struggled slightly, her brows furrowed, her face showing displeasure, "Mr. Lu, don''t¡ª"


    As soon as the words were out, the temperature in the private room dropped to freezing.


    All of a sudden, Li Xuanhong froze, his expression darkening like the bottom of a pan, with the word "damn it" nearly slipping out.


    He had been promised a smooth event beforehand, and now suddenly being put in this position, did they really think this was just a simple formality?


    Lu Liang glanced at her coldly, released Yun''er from his left arm and turned to Meiyin, "Come here."


    Meiyin came forward with an apologetic smile, trying to explain in her non-fluent Chinese, "Mr. Lu, Yun''er isn''t feeling well today..."


    Lu Liang looked at her calmly, and Meiyin immediately fell silent, swallowing her words.


    "Mr. Li, I trust this wasn''t your intention, so let''s leave for now. We''ll wait for you next door."


    Lu Liang left with a smile on his face, escorted by a woman on each side, heading to the adjacent singing room.


    Among Girls'' Generation, he truly favored Yun''er for her beauty, but he disliked women who couldn''t distinguish where they stood.


    Dressed like this, in this private room, now suddenly giving him attitude, she must think she was some fresh radish skin. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Thank you for being understanding, Mr. Lu. Please go have fun with Meiyin and Taeyeon, and I''ll be right back."


    Li Xuanhong''s face was plastered with a grin as he nodded and bowed, sending Lu Liang off until he was out of sight.


    Once alone, a fierce expression flashed across his face. He looked at Yun''er like an enraged lion, "I need an explanation!"


    The last time he had nearly offended Lu Liang, and now this had happened again¡ªclearly someone was out to get him.


    Li Xuanhong quickly reviewed in his mind, but there were too many he had offended over the years to count.


    "Minister Li, I really don''t feel well," Yun''er hurriedly explained, her palm covering her abdomen.


    Suddenly, Li Xuanhong picked up a faint scent of blood, and, momentarily dazed with anger, he almost flipped the table.


    His mouth ran with curses, "damn it," and indeed, it was an unforeseen force. Yet, not giving Lu Liang some explanation wouldn''t look good either.


    "Come with me." After thinking for a long time, Li Xuanhong decided to take her to apologize to Lu Liang and leave the decision to him.


    "But..." Yun''er''s face flushed with embarrassment, but Li Xuanhong cut her off with an angry voice, "If you don''t want to die, follow me."


    The two headed for the private room next door, where Lu Liang was enjoying a vigorous dance performance by the two women.


    Girls'' Generation''s hit song "Gee" was playing, with the stars themselves singing and dancing live¡ªan extraordinary experience.


    Li Xuanhong whispered to Lu Liang, who glanced at Yun''er and chuckled, "Let her go back and rest early."


    His anger dissolved as long as it wasn''t intentional; he still possessed a forgiving nature, especially for someone he once liked.


    Because compared to just a beautiful face, he liked the hot ones, like Meiyin with her voluptuous figure, who really turned up the heat.

 Chapter 455 - 450: The New in New Energy

    "You should thank Mr. Lu now."


    Li Xuanhong felt as if he''d received amnesty and was thrilled to the point of almost forcing Yun''er''s head down to kowtow in gratitude to Lu Liang.


    However famous the super girl group was across Asia, even if they were Blue Dragon Award-winning actors and actresses, they were seen merely as skilled performers, making them even more fun to play with.


    Some had gotten fat, others had ruined their looks, and still others had fled overseas; from the original group of eight, they were easily replaceable.


    He performed a piece for Lu Liang on the spot:


    geegeegee~babybabybaby~


    Having chosen the path of the entertainment industry, they were caged birds and fish at their disposal.


    Yun''er bowed deeply, her waist bent at a ninety degree angle, only daring to lift her head when Li Xuanhong gestured with his hand.


    Looking up at Lu Liang with eyes full of gratitude, she approached him with a glass of wine: "Mr. Lu, let me toast to you."


    "No need for drinks, let''s go out," Lu Liang shook his head, knowing that it''s best for women during their menstrual period not to drink alcohol.


    Li Xuanhong sneaked something into the drink behind Lu Liang''s back and handed it to the two dancing girls.


    "Taeyeon, Meiyin, Yun''er isn''t feeling well and can''t drink, so please drink on her behalf."


    His eyes briefly twinkled with a smile; it wasn''t any banned substance, just a little mood-enhancing product.


    Lu Liang was too gentle and protective of women, making Li Xuanhong worried that he wouldn''t have fun tonight, so he took the liberty of giving a little push.


    "Thank you, Minister Li, Mr. Lu, we''ll drink on behalf of Yun''er."


    The two women looked at each other, happy for Yun''er, and also for themselves.


    Lu Liang was compassionate, and could also converse happily with the chairman of the Hyundai Group; it wasn''t too difficult for them to accept spending a night with them.


    Seeing the two women finish their drinks, Li Xuanhong gave a secretive smile: "Mr. Lu, I''ll take Yun''er back now. Enjoy yourself."


    Lu Liang felt puzzled but didn''t think too much about it.


    It was only after the two were gone that Lu Liang suddenly noticed the women''s faces becoming redder and they often couldn''t hit the high notes.


    He said, "If you''re tired, come down and rest, join me for a few drinks and a chat."


    Hugging them from both sides felt like being next to two big heaters, and they were constantly rubbing their legs, their red lips seductive as mist seemed to emanate from them.


    The climate in Han City was similar to that in Qingdao,


    with mid-October temperatures around fifteen degrees.


    Lu Liang felt a bit warm himself, so he turned down the air conditioning and asked with a smile, "Can''t you both handle your drink?"


    They looked as though they were allergic to alcohol just like Su Wanyu, but Su Wanyu would stubbornly say it was just her face getting flushed, not an allergy.


    Taeyeon wiped the sweat from her neck, gasping for air, her bright eyes full of confusion: "I can drink, but I don''t know what''s wrong today."


    Meiyin was fanning herself with her hand, her nose already dotted with tiny beads of sweat, a sudden insight flashing across her face but she hesitated to speak.


    Lu Liang, smiling, said, "Just say what you want to say."


    Meiyin, striding forward with long legs, sat directly on Lu Liang''s thigh, lightly kissing his neck and earlobe.


    Seeing this, Taeyeon''s


    mouth fell open slightly, her eyes wide.


    Her gaze uncontrollably darted to the door as she exhaled softly and leaned close to Lu Liang''s ear: "Sir, are you staying at this hotel?"


    She was afraid she couldn''t control herself and also feared someone suddenly bursting into the room, finding them sandwiching Lu Liang like an Oreo.


    "17th floor, Room 1002." S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The three of them couldn''t wait to leave the private room and went upstairs to the room where Lu Liang was staying.


    They slept until the next afternoon.


    Upon opening his eyes, Lu Liang saw one of them sleeping by his legs and another by his side.


    Scattered around the large bed were clothes all over the floor, as if a boss battle had been fought and equipment exploded everywhere.


    Lu Liang twisted his neck, feeling the crick was already better,


    and without turning his head, he stretched his waist and walked out of the bedroom.


    After washing up, he went down to the restaurant, greeted by Li Xuanhong with a big smile: "Mr. Lu, did you enjoy last night?"


    Lu Liang''s face was stern: "Don''t do that again next time."


    He hadn''t realized it initially, but gradually during the night, he had noticed the women''s excessive enthusiasm.


    Combining this with the mysterious smile Li Xuanhong had as he left the private room, it wasn''t hard to guess.


    Although Lu Liang disliked such methods, he had indeed benefited from it last night, so he refrained from blaming Li Xuanhong.


    "Understood, understood," Li Xuanhong chuckled and


    hastily clarified that it was absolutely harmless and environmentally friendly.


    Just like Viagra, these were medicines created to harmonize marital life.


    As people reach middle age, it''s the same for men as for women, just like lubricants.


    If it''s dry, it''s uncomfortable for both men and women.


    "Mr. Lu, do you have time this afternoon? Mr. Park would like to meet with you."


    During the meal, Li Xuanhong suddenly asked this, referring to Park Zhixun, who is in charge of Hyundai cars.


    As East Country vigorously develops new energy, although the market hasn''t fully accepted electric cars yet, the Japanese and Korean brands definitely felt the impact.


    Japanese cars are still okay, with Honda and Toyota maintaining a solid base. It''s said that the coastal regions of Guangdong have a special fondness for these two brands. Though not as crazy as before, where prices would skyrocket by thirty to fifty thousand, their sales haven''t been affected much.


    There''s a saying that goes, when the second and first fight, the third one gets killed. Korean cars are that dying third one.


    Hyundai has two main brands, Hyundai and Kia, and last year their sales in China were still 1.17 million vehicles.


    But this year, by the end of September, sales have halved to just 455,000, and it will be tough to exceed 600,000 for the whole year, which is a 50% decrease.


    This decline might not be temporary because their main sales models are priced between 100,000 to 200,000 RMB.


    In this price range, there are BYD, Weima, Xiao Peng, and those targeting the mid-end like Wuling, Chery, and Geely, as well as Honda and Toyota dropping their stance.


    This makes their already precarious market even more unstable, so Park Zhixun wants to talk with Lu Liang.


    "Please tell Mr. Park that we''ve already discussed this last time. If he''s interested in lithium energy, he can come to Modu to find me."


    Lu Liang rejected Mr. Park''s invitation. They wanted to develop hydrogen power, while East Country is pushing lithium power. They are basically incompatible and there''s nothing much to talk about.


    As the tide of the era surges, being stubborn, refusing to change, one can only be smashed dead on the beach.


    Since the development of lithium power began in East Country, it was destined that hydrogen power would fail. Without a market, what would they develop with?


    Relying on Korea''s population of 50 to 60 million?


    Or Neon''s population of over 100 million?


    Or relying on the billions birthed in India?


    Small countries have no choice,


    nor the delusion of swallowing an elephant in one gulp.


    Honestly following East Country in developing lithium power, by the time the hydrogen patents expire, they might be favored.


    Because for East Country, the development of new energy focuses on the ''new.'' New energy includes both lithium and hydrogen, it''s just that currently, the emphasis is on lithium power.


    Li Xuanhong gave a dry laugh, "Okay, Mr. Lu, then I''ll convey that to Mr. Park."


    Lu Liang slightly nodded, noticing Wen Chao, Xu Delin, and Du Yifei at the restaurant entrance.


    Wen Chao came over and said, "Mr. Lu, our flight is at two in the afternoon, we should head out soon."


    "Let''s gather downstairs in twenty minutes."


    After bidding farewell to Li Xuanhong and sending regards to Zheng Xuanyi through him, Lu Liang went upstairs to his room.


    Sounds of trickling water came from the bathroom, Taeyeon had already showered and changed, playing with her phone on the sofa.


    Startled by Lu Liang''s return, she quickly hid her phone, "Mr. Lu, Belle is in the bathroom."


    "I''m leaving Korea this afternoon and just came up to pack some stuff."


    Lu Liang smiled, pulling out a suitcase with only a few sets of clothes, tossing them in, and then he was done.


    Though it was said to be twenty minutes to pack, it actually took less than three, throwing away what wasn''t needed, to buy again next time.


    As Lu Liang was about to leave, Taeyeon walked into the bathroom to hurry Belle.


    Informed by the news, Belle hurried out of the bathroom, barely dressed in a bathrobe, her hair still foamy.


    Though Taeyeon is the leader of their girl group, Belle is clearly more outgoing and cheerful.


    She said pitifully, "Mr. Lu, you''re leaving so soon, will we be able to meet again?"


    Though they were treated as gifts for Lu Liang, if they could be dedicated to only serving him in the future, it would be a great option.


    Lu Liang is gentle and strong enough that even the chairman of Hyundai Group bows down in his presence.


    If they could turn one night into a long-term lover relationship, they could refuse others'' invitations in the future.


    "Of course, I''ve spoken to Minister Li; if you encounter any problems next time, you can ask him for help."


    Lu Liang smiled, caressing Belle''s cheek and gently patting Taeyeon''s head, showing his appreciation for Yun''er.


    If he has time, he would still visit Han City, but he hopes to meet Yun''er next time.


    Belle flashed a sweet smile and quickly took out her phone, "Look, Yun''er said last night you were very gentlemanly."


    "Let''s go."


    Lu Liang waved, pulling his suitcase as he left the room.


    Taeyeon murmured, "Belle, aren''t you worried Mr. Lu is deceiving us?"


    "If we''re deceived, so be it. There''s no harm in trying."


    Belle, unconcerned, lay on the sofa, her flawless white legs up in the air, admiring her own beauty.


    As long as there''s a sliver of hope, she wants to try, after all, serving one is better than serving a crowd.


    At least Lu Liang is still pleasing to the eye and young and strong, unlike those old men who turn perverse because they just can''t perform.

 Chapter 456 - 451: Selling High to Buy Low

    The two women were talking in the room when suddenly there was a knock on the door.


    "Taeyeon, Meeyoung, you''ve worked hard."


    Li Xuanhong''s usual demeanor had changed, and he was very respectful.


    He had already discussed with SM Economic Company that they would focus on nurturing them next, providing each with two TV or film roles, as well as two album release opportunities.


    After all, the neighboring country was both limiting salaries and restricting Korean culture, so Korean entertainment was having a tough time in recent years.


    If they could seize the opportunity, they might be able to make a comeback.


    And the price to pay was, maintain well and try to keep a long-term relationship with Lu Liang, then they wouldn''t need to engage in socializing anymore, just Lu Liang would do.


    The two women looked at each other, both seeing the surprise in each other''s eyes, and quickly bowed to give thanks, "Minister Li, thank you."


    Li Xuanhong''s smile grew wider, his expression genteel, "Ladies, then I''ll take my leave, and not disturb your rest."


    Zheng Xuanyi had emphasized more than once that Lu Liang was very important, their relationship with Lu Liang didn''t even compare to the two women''s relationship with him.


    Being nice to them was in hopes that they would have a chance to whisper in his ear, to give Lu Liang some attachment to Korea.


    Upon Li Xuanhong''s departure, the two women snapped out of their daze.


    Meeyoung slapped her own cheek in disbelief, "Was that really Minister Li just now?"


    "Should be, right?" Taeyeon also lacked confidence, how could such a violent person suddenly become so gentlemanly?


    Excited, Meeyoung let out a scream and quickly hugged her phone, tapping out messages. Taeyeon asked in confusion, "What are you doing?"


    "Building a rapport with Mr. Lu, and next time, I''ll take Yun''er to East Country to play with him," Meeyoung said, her eyes smiling.


    Li Xuanhong had already made it clear just now that the opportunity was in their own hands, not in getting film and album sales, but in maintaining a good relationship with Lu Liang.


    As she spoke, she suddenly gave a sly smile and reached out to pull down Taeyeon''s left shoulder strap, "Captain, quickly strike a nice pose, Mr. Lu, likes you the most."


    From the battle last night, it was clear that initially, Lu Liang favored her, for her ability to bring a lively atmosphere, but during the middle and later stages, Lu Liang obviously preferred Taeyeon.


    However, Taeyeon was not the proactive type, resulting in her becoming increasingly proactive, and Lu Liang growing increasingly fond of Taeyeon.


    "Stop it, Mr. Lu is busy, we can talk about it later," said Taeyeon, her face flushing as she pulled up her strap and gave a fierce glare.


    Displeased, Meeyoung huffed and jumped onto the sofa, using a grappling move from behind she cooed, "If Mr. Lu contacts you, you must take me with you."


    "Yeah yeah~ I know~~ Stop it, where are you touching? Can you not be so promiscuous~~"


    "I''m just like this, what are you going to do about it?"


    For a moment, the room was alive with the atmosphere of spring.


    At three o''clock in the afternoon, Lu Liang arrived at Tokyo airport.


    As he traveled towards Ginza, he received several photos from Meeyoung: Taeyeon nearly stripped, hugging a blanket, pointing at the camera, her face full of embarrassed anger.


    Meeyoung sent a message, her smile beaming, "Mr. Lu, you wouldn''t want Taeyeon to get hurt by me, right?"


    Lu Liang replied, "Of course not, what should I do?"


    "That''s easy, just remember to come and find me when you have time; otherwise, I can''t promise what I might do to Taeyeon."


    "Understood, don''t let anything happen."


    The Tokyo Stock Exchange closes half an hour later than Big A.


    At three-thirty, it was the busiest time of the day.


    Xingheng Investment Company was just upstairs, and there were many people entering and exiting the main doors and in the elevator.


    Wen Chao explained as they walked, "Mr. Lu, the day before yesterday, the Nikkei surpassed twenty-five thousand points, reaching that level for the first time since ''89."


    The Nikkei 225 index, during the economic bubble of 1989, had once touched a high of thirty-eight thousand points.


    Since then, it had slumped significantly, especially during the 2008 financial crisis when it plummeted to seven thousand points.


    However, this situation saw a marked improvement after Anshan served two terms, resolutely implementing Anshanomics.


    "Without the hegemony of the US dollar, they try to emulate quantitative easing, they''re bound to fail," Lu Liang said with a contemptuous smile.


    The rise of the Nikkei and the rise of US stocks,


    were similar, yet different.


    Both relied on currency devaluation, commonly known as quantitative easing.


    That is, printing more money, pumping more liquidity; when there''s more money in the market, the stock market rises too.


    US stocks operated the same way, printing more money, pumping more liquidity.


    But there''s a fundamental difference between them.


    The US dollar is stronger than the yen.


    The US dollar is a reserve currency for countries around the world, which is why the United States dares to print more.


    Suppose there''s only 100 billion US dollars in global circulation, and the United States holds 60 billion of that, then the remaining 40 billion are held by various countries.


    "If he lost 10 billion in business this year, leaving him with 50 billion, he could choose to issue an additional 10 billion to compensate.


    That would make his money 60 billion again and increase the total US Dollar amount to 110 billion, spreading the cost onto the heads of every country holding US Dollars.


    It''s despicable, but there''s no helping it.


    It''s because the US Dollar is the world''s recognized main currency; all countries acknowledge it, and holding it means you need to be prepared to be harvested.


    The yen is just the world''s fourth-largest currency, with the fifth-ranked RMB glaring covetously; how dare it mimic the US Dollar''s quantitative easing.


    It''s like setting oneself on fire, just for a brief moment of brightness.


    Lu Liang saw this clearly, which is why he had no interest in the Nikkei. If they used yen to buy Japanese stocks, maybe the stocks wouldn''t even rise as fast as the yen would devalue."


    Walking and talking, they arrived at the company on the 7th floor.


    The number of employees was almost fifty, which was more than half of what it was the last time Lu Liang had visited.


    Wen Chao called out, clapped his hands, and, already able to converse in simple Japanese, roughly meant to gather everyone in the conference room to recognize their boss.


    A few people waited in the conference room for a while.


    Wen Chao took the stage with a smile, "Ladies and gentlemen, this is our boss, Lu Liang, Chairman Lu."


    Although they had no board of directors or chairman position, Wen Chao was the president, so Lu Liang couldn''t just be another president.


    The term ''Chairman'' was perfect to plain and clearly indicate that Lu Liang was a significant level higher than him, the owner of the company.


    "Hello, everyone. I will be coming here more often because of the upcoming projects, and I hope everyone can cooperate as much as possible."


    Lu Liang''s face was filled with confidence; if it had been before, his accented English might have made him too shy to speak in front of so many people, but not anymore.


    He was the boss, and if his subordinates didn''t understand, they would need to look for their own reasons: did they try hard enough to get used to it? Did they listen carefully?


    It was definitely not his problem.


    The people below whispered amongst themselves, those who knew Lu Liang and were aware of his past achievements were quickly briefing those who didn''t.


    Soon the noisy chatter vanished, replaced by looks of admiration, almost veneration.


    Though Lu Liang hadn''t been very active in the international market in the past six months, legends about him always circulated in worldly society.


    He fought international hot money, kicked Wall Street institutions, shorted the yen, shorted the British Pounds, and went long on Gold...


    It was like he was riding on the head of Wall Street capital, using his fists to force them into submission.


    Though Lu Liang had also shorted the yen in the past, let bygones be bygones; it was like with Hiroshima.


    Lu Liang just showed his face, patted Wen Chao on the shoulder, handing over the meeting to him, then left the conference room.


    "Mr. Lu, I''ve missed you so much."


    Upon their first meeting, Ota Ling gave Lu Liang a firm embrace, smiling from ear to ear, even happier than if he had seen his late father.


    "Miss as you may, you can''t just say such things." Lu Liang chuckled and invited Ota Ling to Wen Chao''s office for a talk.


    The two exchanged pleasantries and inquired about each other''s current situation.


    Ota Ling seemed to think it was the right moment and suddenly asked, "Mr. Lu, did you come this time because you believe Bitcoin has peaked?"


    He looked bitter, having learned that Lu Liang had bet on Bitcoin, the investment department of Mitsui Sumitomo dabbled with several billions.


    The result was a total knockout; a cost of more than $5,000 dropped straight to $4,280, resulting in a loss of 19.5%.


    A loss of over 100 million US Dollars, if it weren''t for investing 340 million US Dollars in Xingheng, which should have doubled, he wouldn''t even dream of reelection next year.


    "Mr. Ota, why do you do this to yourself?" Lu Liang couldn''t help but laugh without directly answering the question. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If Mitsui Sumitomo shorted, he could understand, after all, they hedge risks by going long and short.


    But he didn''t expect them to be so greedy: investing long in their fund yet continuing to go long on their behalf.


    Ota Ling offered a wry smile, "Mr. Lu, you''re unaware, we didn''t want to, but it was a task from American capital institutions."


    The head of BlackRock Vanguard even voiced that they hoped in the upcoming years of international turbulence, they would find a new channel for capital risk aversion.


    Bitcoin almost fit the bill.


    It was a task from American capital; they had no choice but to obey.


    They had to at least start building a position, who knew that just as they moved in heavily, they encountered a silent kill, at one point making him wonder if the American capital institutions had deliberately set a trap for them.


    "Is it mandatory?" Lu Liang abruptly asked.


    "Not necessarily, but it''s almost the same."


    Ota Ling sighed and glanced at Lu Liang, then hurriedly asked, "Mr. Lu, do you have something in mind?"


    "Mr. Ota, I hope you will not inquire further."


    Lu Liang smiled with the corners of his mouth, the causes and consequences of Bitcoin''s surge gradually becoming clear in his mind.


    The catch and release strategy meant Mitsui Sumitomo Group had poured in a substantial amount of funds, so did Mitsubishi, Japan United, and even the neighboring Samsung, including Hyundai Group ¨C they would only increase their stakes, not decrease.


    Several large consortia from two East Asian countries were likely trapped inside, and their existence was meant to ignite the momentum for this wave.

 Chapter 457 - 452: Winning is the Process, Losing is the Result

    "Sorry, it was my rashness."


    Mr. Ota chuckled awkwardly to ease the embarrassment and asked how many days Lu Liang planned to stay in Tokyo.


    They were not allowed to inquire about whatever investments were made, as it had been made clear during their initial three-party collaboration.


    Indeed, it was an overstep on his part.


    "Three days, until the 19th."


    Lu Liang paused and said, "Mr. Ota, there might be something I need your help with."


    "As long as there''s something useful I or Mitsui Sumitomo can do, feel free to instruct me," Mr. Ota said.


    "It''s not so much an instruction but rather I would like to meet Mr. Sun from Softbank. Could you arrange that for me?"


    Goldman Sachs Group, which Lu Liang had not dealt with before, could only temporarily rest his hopes on Wilson.


    But Wilson was not particularly reliable either, and to oust Liu Qing, he still needed to gain the support of Softbank.


    After all, Softbank was DiDi''s largest shareholder with a 17.8% stake and held 10% of the decision-making power.


    If he could secure the support of Softbank Group, coupled with Lu Liang, Cheng Wei, and Zhu Hu, their collective decision-making power would reach 68%.


    Controlled power exceeding 67% would truly mean absolute control, allowing the implementation of any decision, including, but not limited to, amending company statutes, mergers, demergers, or even the dissolution of the board of directors.


    Mr. Ota patted his chest and said, "No problem, we also have business dealings with Softbank, and I will contact them for you."


    "Please do."


    After a brief conversation, Mr. Ota prepared to leave. Before going, he said, "Mr. Lu, please rest assured and wait. I''ll bring you news tonight."


    "Thank you."


    Having seen off Mr. Ota, Lu Liang headed to the trading room where Wen Chao had just finished a meeting, rallied his staff, and planned to go all-in on Bitcoin.


    A few days earlier, the market had plummeted, and they had sold 25,300 Bitcoins at an average price of $4,850, still holding about sixty million, now leaving them with a total of $184 million in liquid funds and 462,400 Bitcoins.


    Today, Bitcoin''s market showed a slight increase of a few dozen US dollars, reaching a current price of $4,312.


    After all, in the past half-month, it had soared 242%, from $1,620 to a high of $5,510.


    Even after a 22% crash, there were still substantial profits to be made, provided any downward trend was slightly stopped, which would inevitably prompt some to buy the dips.


    On one hand, individual investors had short memories; on the other, some believed high selling was to facilitate low buying, indicating another potential market surge.


    "Mr. Lu."


    Wen Chao turned his head towards Lu Liang, waiting for his commands.


    Lu Liang smiled and shook his head, "I''m just here to look around; keep busy, don''t mind me."


    He pulled up a chair next to him, opened an email from Xu Jiawei, and the current information was nearing completion.


    By the 20th, they should be able to recompile and submit to the Ministry of Commerce for review of DiDi''s listing documents.


    The data Xu Jiawei had been asked to keep an eye on had stealthily been reduced or obscured.


    Mainly concerning administrative regions, high-precision maps, and numerous untraveled road sections.


    Certain confidential areas, though not accessible by car or taxicab, could still be filtered through big data¡ªwhy did vehicles pass through that area?


    DiDi''s last review had failed because the data was too accurate; if submitted unchanged to the US Exchange, it would border on treason.


    Moreover, DiDi held a rare high-precision map license, capable precisely of identifying locations to a ten-centimeter level, and maps have always been critical military secrets.


    "At $4,312, buy 0.5 Bitcoin per transaction with multiple small transactions to test the market."


    Following Lu Liang''s signal, Wen Chao took over the reins, accustomed as he was to being supervised by Boss Lu.


    The current market was extremely unstable; recklessly drawing chips could easily trigger massive retail investor buy-in.


    To lower their buying price, it was best to execute a strategic retreat quietly without impacting the market too much.


    While Lu Liang perused documents, Wen Chao issued commands.


    Time slipped by unnoticed.


    Until nightfall, Lu Liang left the company and came to his home in Roppongi Kanzaki Apartment, his residence in Tokyo.


    Erii, having received a call from Lu Liang earlier, had been waiting at the entrance since morning, prepared with mouthwash and a warm towel.


    "Mr. Lu, you''re finally here," Erii greeted the long-absent Lu Liang with a joyful expression.


    Pink kitchen apron, a knee-length blue dress, just like a housewife from a Neon action movie.


    She had recently cut her hair short, seemingly to make herself look older, but it only made her look more like the ever-charming Wan Qian.


    She knelt down to help Lu Liang take off his socks and change his shoes, the kitchen apron''s ties tightened around her neck, presenting a uniquely mature allure.


    "What''s wrong?"


    Lu Liang''s smile widened as he picked up a warm towel to wipe his face and hands.


    Before this, the one who was the least stressful to be around was probably Wang Chuting because she was only interested in profits, not emotions.


    But since Lu Liang met Erii and Miyuki, they were the ones who really made him feel completely at ease, as if he was the king.


    A wife feeding him, a mother-in law lighting his cigarette,


    it must be every man''s dream of domestic power.


    Although Zhang Tian''ai, Li Manli, and Wang Chuting could also do the same, they probably felt demeaned by such acts.


    Unlike the two of them, who felt it was natural; a man was the head of the household and serving him was as it should be.


    "These past few days, I don''t know why, but Miyuki has been feeling down, locking herself in her room all the time."


    Erii, full of concern, glanced towards Miyuki''s bedroom. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It probably started about three days ago, on Saturday. Since then, other than for meals, Miyuki barely left her room.


    "Saturday?"


    Lu Liang laughed dryly, "Then I''ll go check on her."


    He probably knew what the issue was,


    that Saturday night, Bitcoin had plunged, falling by 22%.


    He had given Miyuki two million US Dollars last time, and she had said that she planned to invest thirty percent in Ningde, thirty percent in Bitcoin, with the remaining forty percent kept as reserve.


    If he remembered correctly, that night Bitcoin''s fall was in stages, first dropping by -8.6%, wiping out positions with a tenfold margin.


    After pausing for half an hour and slightly recovering, which attracted retail investors to increase their positions, it nosedived a second time, plummeting to 22.5%.


    They completely treated retail investors like pigs to be slaughtered, not just once but repeatedly.


    Because after the first drop, during the uplift, it resembled the scenario on the day it launched on the Chicago Exchange.


    First a sharp fall, then a significant rise, breaking new highs, surging by USD 300, and stabilizing at a high of USD 5500.


    Thus, causing a large number of retail investors to buy more during the first fall, only to be trapped a second time.


    If Miyuki had also bought more during the first dip, even using leverages above five times, she likely burst her position.


    "Miyuki, it''s me," Lu Liang approached the door of the second bedroom and knocked softly.


    The master bedroom was where he stayed, Miyuki was in the second bedroom, and Erii stayed in the guest room, quite far from them.


    After knocking a few times, he heard the unlocking sound, and suddenly Miyuki opened the door, silent but flinging her arms open and lunging at Lu Liang.


    "What''s wrong?"


    Lu Liang, smiling, gently patted the back of her head, and they walked into the room as if dancing a waltz.


    Seeing her daughter safe and sound, Erii heaved a sigh of relief, her anxious heart finally calming down, and quietly closed the door behind them, leaving them some private space.


    Miyuki''s room had a girly feel, with pink bear-themed wallpaper and curtains, pink kitten-themed bedding, even the computer desk was in shades of pink.


    Lu Liang remembered the many girls'' rooms he had been to, but in his stereotypical view, only Miyuki liked pink.


    Su Wanyu preferred blue, Li Manli liked light green, Wang Chuting seemed to favor purple, and Zhang Tian''ai didn''t seem to have any particular favorite color.


    "Sir, I''ve lost a lot of money," Sakurada Miyuki bit her lip, her eyes red and brimming with tears.


    Like a child bullied by others, pretending to be tough in front of strangers, but breaking down in front of her parents.


    She couldn''t hold it in anymore and burst into tears, holding Lu Liang and sobbing loudly, "I thought I could do it, thought I could surprise you¡­"


    "It''s okay if you lost. Consider it tuition,"


    Lu Liang said with a smile, patting her back to comfort her.


    Even today, he knew clearly that without extra help, he was nothing.


    In this market, out of a hundred retail investors, one might not even make a long-term profit. Even if one luckily profits temporarily, it is only a process; losing is the ultimate outcome.


    That''s why he was advancing towards becoming a Market Maker.

 Chapter 458 - 453: Madam, Dont Be Too Harsh on Her

    "Alright, stop crying."


    Lu Liang softly soothed, wiping the tears from Miyuki''s eyes, and suddenly became curious about how much they had actually lost.


    If she followed her prior investment plan, and the stakes in Ningde Era remained unchanged.


    Even if Bitcoin liquidated, and she re-bought only for it to liquidate again, they would still have at least 30% of the funds remaining.


    Miyuki curled up in Lu Liang''s arms, reaching for the tablet on the bedside to open her CITIC Securities account.


    Initially, she had spent 4 million RMB to buy into Ningde Era at 81.3 yuan per share, holding 49,200 shares.


    Now the stock price had risen to 93.14 yuan, turning 4 million into 4.58 million, equivalent to 683,000 US dollars, a neat profit of over 80,000 dollars.


    Currently, Ningde Era''s market value was 161.7 billion yuan, still 838.3 billion yuan away from Lu Liang''s projected trillion market value.


    She trusted Lu Liang deeply, so she firmly held on; if it weren''t for the end of the six-month lockdown last week causing two consecutive drop limits, the stock price would have broken 100 yuan by now.


    "What about Bitcoin?"


    When Lu Liang saw Miyuki hesitating, he was already mentally prepared to hear she had lost all 1.4 million US dollars.


    "I''m not that bad."


    Miyuki''s eyes widened in anger; she opened the trading app, holding 359 Bitcoins.


    With the current price at 4322 US dollars, her total account assets were 1.551 million US dollars, having earned tens of thousands of dollars.


    "So, you didn''t lose?" Lu Liang was briefly stunned, thinking he had seen an extra digit, but after counting several times, it was still a seven-digit number.


    "I have lost a lot." Miyuki opened the transaction history, the account peak three days prior was 3.9712 million US dollars.


    Without that crash, the two million US dollar Lu Liang gave her would now be 4.6612 million US dollars.


    Just a short distance from 5 million, if she could double it, and then double it again, she could complete the task Lu Liang had set earlier.


    Mainly, she was to blame for her excessive eagerness; that Saturday night, she thought it would follow the same trend as it landing on the Chicago Exchange.


    So, the first time it dipped, she used a quintuple leverage to buy more, resulting in a blowout.


    Directly losing all the profits.


    Lu Liang grinned, "So, you felt a blowout coming, so you only used five-times leverage?"


    Miyuki miserably shook her head, "I didn''t see it coming, I just thought even if it blew out, I could accept it."


    She knew why her father had hanged himself, so now she dared only to gamble with her profits and just happened to lose.


    "You lost, it''s just a loss, it''s only been a few months, there''s still over a year until you graduate from college, don''t rush."


    Lu Liang smiled warmly, increasingly appreciating Miyuki''s maneuvers.


    Gambling with more leverage on profits under the premise of ensuring no losses was indeed commendable; despite being cautious, there was still a palpable respect for the market.


    As the saying goes "As long as the green mountains are there, one need not worry about firewood."


    "What do you plan to do next?"


    Lu Liang propped his head with his hand while lying on the girl''s bed, the pillow emanating a faint fragrance, neither shampoo nor perfume, inexplicably pleasant.


    "Continue holding Bitcoin."


    As Miyuki spoke, she sneakily glanced at Lu Liang, hoping he would reveal some insider information, but Lu Liang had a faint, barely noticeable smile and didn''t say whether this choice was right or wrong.


    "Take it slow, there will always be opportunities."


    Lu Liang squinted and smiled, caressing Miyuki''s hair, which was soft, fine, and slightly naturally curly.


    "Mhm~"


    Miyuki pouted, like a kitten, lifting her head to rub against Lu Liang''s palm, suddenly sticking out her tongue and lightly licking his palm.


    Lu Liang chuckled lightly, extended a finger, which she suckled like a baby, occasionally making smacking sounds.


    Just then, there was a knock on the door, and Erii stood at the doorway softly speaking, "Sir, your phone is ringing."


    Miyuki bit Lu Liang''s finger, suddenly did a kip-up, and ran spiritedly to the door, "I''ll go get it for you."


    Seeing her daughter back to her usual self, Erii couldn''t help but smile, "Sir, what would you like to eat tonight?"


    "Nothing too light, let''s have spicy hotpot." Lu Liang glanced at his phone; it was a call from Ota Ling.


    He got up from the bed, walked to the bay window and answered the call; Ota Ling had already made an appointment for him with Sun Zhengyi, but only the day after tomorrow.


    "Mr. Lu, isn''t it a coincidence? You come to Tokyo, and Mr. Sun heads to Beijing," Ota Ling said with a chuckle.


    "Maybe it''s not a coincidence."


    Lu Liang squinted, thinking of Liu Qing.


    Together, the three of them owned 58% of the decision-making power; Liu Qing''s Goldman Sachs had 32%, making Softbank''s 10% crucial.


    Although with Softbank''s support, Liu Qing only had 42%, but it would prevent them from reaching the 67% for absolute control.


    Liu Qing, as DiDi''s co-founder and COO, without absolute control, couldn''t be ousted.


    "Mr. Lu, do you need any more help?" Ota Ling''s expression turned serious, thinking of Lu Liang''s recent interest in intervening in DiDi.


    He heard that the battle was ongoing, but with no victor yet, if needed, Lu Liang could speak up, and they would die before refusing.


    "Let''s see how it goes after the meeting in two nights."


    Lu Liang thanked him and temporarily turned down Ota Ling''s offer, as it wasn''t yet time to seek their help.


    If Softbank remained neutral, they should support him, as it was in all investors'' interest to have DiDi go public.


    Now, he just worried about what benefits Liu Qing had promised, or whether Softbank''s neutrality was just a show, not truly impartial.


    After ending the call with Ota Ling, Lu Liang joined Erii and Miyuki for a spicy Sichuan hotpot dinner, enjoying the fiery flavors together.


    During the meal, Miyuki suddenly proposed, wanting to take a family photo, wishing to preserve this beautiful moment.


    "Is that okay, sir?" Her eyes brimming with tears, ready to cry at a moment''s notice if Lu Liang said no.


    Erii''s expression changed slightly as she scolded, "Meixue, did you forget what Mom told you?"


    She had diligently studied Chinese, but being nearly forty, her learning ability was not what it used to be.


    She could still speak complete sentences slowly,


    but whenever she rushed, her speech mixed Japanese and Chinese.


    "Ma''am, you are just too harsh on her."


    Lu Liang smiled lightly, patted Erii''s hand, and said to Miyuki, "Then take a photo."


    "Okay, wait for me, I''ll get the tripod."


    Miyuki, overjoyed, dashed back to the bedroom. Erii sighed, "Mr., you spoil her too much."


    They relied on others for shelter, and she often told Miyuki that Lu Liang could ask them for anything, but they could never make any demands on Lu Liang. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    By staying silent and inactive, they wouldn''t make mistakes. The best way to keep a man devoted is to let him feel no pressure at all.


    For the past twenty years, she had lived this way. Even when Miyuki''s father was out at social functions, she always remembered that he had a peaceful haven back home; Jia Li had a beautiful, gentle wife and a clever, understanding daughter.


    "Ma''am, she is only 19 after all, being lively is quite good indeed," Lu Liang smiled.


    Sometimes, he felt hypocritical, enjoying the supreme authority at home while also desiring some fun.


    Perhaps that''s just human nature.


    "I''m here~~"


    Miyuki returned with a radiant smile, holding her phone tripod, and ran back excitedly.


    After setting a ten-second countdown, she stood behind Lu Liang, her arms around his neck, her face close to his, appearing very intimate.


    Lu Liang smiled and made a touristy V-sign with his fingers, except the V touched Miyuki''s chin.


    Erii sighed helplessly, adjusted herself, and sat up straight, maintaining some distance from Lu Liang.


    She didn''t want the photo to look like father, mother, and daughter; it should look like mother, daughter, and son-in-law.


    "Cheese~~"


    A flash of light.


    Miyuki took her phone back, looked at it delightedly, and suddenly curiously asked, "Mom, why are you so far from us?"


    "Is that so? I didn''t notice."


    Erii''s eyes flickered as she changed the subject, "I''m full, I''ll go run the bathwater. You two take your time."


    Watching her mother''s graceful silhouette, Miyuki leaned towards Lu Liang with her chopstick between her teeth and suddenly asked, "Mr., do you find my mom beautiful?"


    Lu Liang followed her gaze, a short-haired mature woman stood there, hints of her youthful allure remaining, a style completely different from a young girl''s.


    He exclaimed, "Beautiful, quite charming."


    "She''s only 39 this year."


    Miyuki looked sorrowful, reluctant to leave her mom alone yet unwilling to accept a stranger as a new dad.


    She suddenly turned to Lu Liang, "Mr., you''re only 32 this year, right?"


    "Ouch~" she suddenly covered her forehead, struck hard by Lu Liang''s chopstick.


    Lu Liang glared at her, annoyed, "So? You want me to be your dad?"


    "Would that be so bad?"


    She saw nothing wrong with that idea since she was related by blood to her mom, but not to Lu Liang.


    From the Warring States period, the Edo period, and even earlier, including the history of East Country, many similar cases existed.


    Lu Liang, at a loss for words, asked, "If I had a child with your mom, what would you call me?"


    Miyuki touched her chin, thought seriously, "Big sister or little mom could work. Anyway¡­"


    She didn''t finish her sentence because her mom had returned from the bathroom and quickly waved her hands saying, "Never mind, it''s nothing."


    Erii walked over with a smile, "Mr., the bath water is ready, at exactly 104 degrees Fahrenheit."


    Lu Liang glanced at Miyuki, "Let''s go together."


    "Okay," Miyuki responded, glanced at her mom, then followed Lu Liang to the bathroom.


    Erii felt puzzled but didn''t dwell on it, and focused on tidying up the bowls and utensils at the dining table.


    Family baths are quite common in Japanese culture; she used to bath with her late husband frequently, and when Miyuki was little, the three of them often bathed together, including during this time they lived together.


    Miyuki undressed, revealing the delicate softness of a young girl''s body, her pale, tender skin remaining youthful.


    She turned on the shower, took out two small stools, and finally soaked the bath ball, lathering it with bubbles.


    Lu Liang sat in front, Miyuki behind him scrubbing his back, and after they cleaned themselves, they stepped into the bath together.


    Lu Liang had a cold-soaked towel on his head, primarily to prevent congestive headaches from the hot bath.


    He let out a sigh and squinting, asked, "Shall we continue our earlier conversation? Anyway, what?"


    Miyuki paused, swam closer to Lu Liang, rubbing her chest against his, attempting to skip that topic by acting coy.


    She thought carefully and realized that speaking out might not be appropriate, as it could affect her relationship with Lu Liang.


    "Speak up."


    Even though Little Lu had deviated, but Lu Liang remained unmovable like a mountain.


    Miyuki looked troubled, hesitated a long time, and then muttered softly, "Mr., we aren''t going to marry anyway, right?"


    After all, she wouldn''t marry Lu Liang, so she and her mom could act as two independent individuals.


    Lu Liang could bring happiness to her and also to her mom, especially since she had accidentally discovered her mom had bought some little toys.


    At 39, truly still young, whenever they went shopping, men flirting with her mom were even more numerous than those flirting with her.

 Chapter 459 - 454: Madam, No Need to Explain

    "Why would you think that?"


    Lu Liang, with a smile playing at the corners of his mouth, scooped up a handful of water. The droplets trickled down between his fingers, landing on Miyuki''s collarbone.


    Although it was somewhat shameless, deceiving the young girl had now become second nature to him, and he managed to do it without his face changing color or his heart skipping a beat.


    "Then, will we get married?"


    Miyuki covered her mouth in surprise, unable to speak; her mother''s happiness was completely forgotten.


    "I will take responsibility for you," Lu Liang continued to smile, holding her hand as they intertwined in the water, caressing each other''s cheeks and temples.


    If it weren''t for playing poker with Yang Mi, there might still be a restless excitement he hadn''t experienced, but after having been with Mimimi, he realized he preferred young ones.


    Before long, the two of them walked hand in hand out of the bathroom. Miyuki, clinging to Lu Liang''s arm, had a joyous smile on her face.


    "How about we change clothes and go out for a stroll?"


    Lu Liang planned to stay in Tokyo for three days and had nothing scheduled for tomorrow, so he intended to take Miyuki out shopping.


    It had been a long time since he last rested, and now seemed like the perfect opportunity to stroll around, shop, and buy things.


    Miyuki was delighted. She nodded eagerly and swiftly ran to her room, "Sir, just wait twenty minutes."


    Girls always took more trouble to get ready before going out. Even those who were naturally beautiful wanted to look even prettier, especially since this was her first date with Lu Liang.


    Erii was still tidying up the kitchen, a loving smile on her face, "Meixue looks very happy."


    "She''s been quite troubled before," Lu Liang said with a smile, walking out of the room and changing into more casual attire.


    Sneakers, jeans, and a T-shirt. Thinking it felt a bit cool outside, he put on an extra thick jacket.


    Erii glanced at her daughter busy with makeup in the room and curiously asked, "Sir, what is Miyuki worried about?"


    "She''s concerned about your happiness," Lu Liang said with a smile, recounting the conversation they had just had in the bathroom.


    When it came to the topic of adult toys, Erii''s face turned red with embarrassment, and she quickly explained, "It was just a free trial set given by a salesperson on the way home that day."


    "No need to explain, Madam."


    Lu Liang gave a reassuring smile, clearly not interested in delving into the possibility of mother and daughter sharing his bed.


    He paused and then added, "Miyuki is quite capable. I''m thinking of nurturing her talent. After she graduates, I plan to have her come help me at the company."


    Erii looked joyful but before she could express her thanks, Lu Liang spoke again, "It''s just that you''ve taken such good care of her, I worry about her ability to look after herself in the future."


    Erii was silent for a while before finally speaking, "Once she graduates, I''ll go back to the countryside. My mother in Kumamoto still has a few old houses."


    Lu Liang gave a smile, walked to the door of the second bedroom, and leaned on the doorframe, "Ready yet? If you''re too late, I might change my mind."


    "Right away, right away, I''m ready!" Miyuki hurriedly put on a headband, biting her lipstick, and quickly applied it.


    She trotted over to Lu Liang, looking up, "Sir, how''s my makeup? Does it look good?"


    "Looks like the lipstick is smeared, like it''s been kissed," said Lu Liang, reaching out to help her even it out.


    With pouted lips and pride, Miyuki boasted, "It''s not smeared, it''s intentional. It''s a trendy ''kissed'' makeup look right now."


    Lu Liang chuckled and extended his arm.


    Miyuki, beaming with delight, took his arm, "Mom, we''re going out."


    "Be careful when you''re out and don''t trouble Sir."


    Erii stood at the entrance, watching the two leave, her smile slowly replaced with a sense of loss.


    She didn''t understand why Lu Liang wanted her to leave, but for her daughter''s happiness and future, she was willing to go.


    Kanzaki Apartment, the underground parking lot.


    On the parking spot, a Toyota Alphard and a Porsche GT were both covered, thick dust layered on their covers.


    "Do you guys not drive usually?"


    Lu Liang uncovered the Porsche GT with focused attention, revealing a nearly brand-new two-seater hardtop silver sports car.


    This apartment complex had been a gift from Ota Ling.


    There were also three cars ready to use in the parking spot, a Maybach, a Toyota Alphard, and a Porsche GT.


    The Maybach had been driven to his company immediately and usually stayed there, only being used when he came to Tokyo.


    The other two cars had always remained in the apartment''s parking lot, left for Sakurada Miyuki and her mother''s use as a means of transport.


    Sakurada Miyuki folded the car cover with care and chuckled innocently, "I don''t have a driver''s license, and Mom is not very good at driving."


    "Find some time to learn."


    Lu Liang opened the car door and ripped off the protective film on the dashboard, "It''s been parked for so long, I don''t know if it will start."


    "It should, I remember Mom started it up last month, she said it would break if not used, and let it idle for more than ten minutes."


    Miyuki beamed a radiant smile as she settled into the passenger seat. She acted like a kid with ADHD, touching and poking around curiously, her face lit up with wonder.


    With a sound akin to electricity being switched on, all the lights on the dashboard came on. Only the tire pressure indicator was a bit low, but nothing else seemed problematic.


    "Thanks to the missus."


    Lu Liang looked over the controls for a while and opened the hardtop convertible roof. He had driven a Pagani before, as well as a Lamborghini.


    These sports cars all had their quirks, being very distinctive in their ways, and without a bit of study, you wouldn''t know how to use all the features.


    Miyuki looked slightly dazed, "My father used to say the same thing, only he would say, ''Thanks to Erii.''"


    "So what, you''re thinking of me as a dad now?" Lu Liang teased with a smile, lightly pressing the gas pedal to warm up the engine a bit.


    The silver sports car shot out of the parking lot like an arrow from a bow.


    "I don''t want that anymore, not at all."


    Miyuki scrunches her nose, shaking her head as if it were on a rattle drum.


    She was willing to share with her mother on the condition that Lu Liang wasn''t personally hers. Now that she had the chance, even a little bit, she wanted to be selfish.


    Tokyo is a coastal city. Driving away from Roppongi, they took a loop around the Capital Highway Bayfront Line to enjoy the night view of Tokyo Bay, eventually arriving at the shopping paradise of Yorletown in Ginza.


    Like the shopping malls in the International Financial Center in Modu, this five-story mall gathered luxury brands from all over the world.


    A mere keychain sold for 280,000 yen, which seemed terrifying in numbers, but in reality, it was just over 2,000 RMB. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Passing by the Louis Vuitton store, Lu Liang noticed Miyuki eyeing a dress fondly and said with a smile, "If you like it, go in and try it on."


    Right now, his desire to shop was low. After all, he didn''t need to look at prices; clothes costing dozens or tens of thousands were all the same to him.


    If he weren''t taking Miyuki out, he would rather go to the seaside of Tokyo Bay, drive leisurely at forty or fifty kilometers per hour, and enjoy the sea breeze.


    He would drive towards the edge of the city until he got tired, then find a restaurant with unique flavors along the way to eat, and simply pick a hotel to sleep in after the meal.


    Lu Liang always found this very therapeutic,


    and it had been his favorite way to relax in the past six months.


    "Let''s forget about it," Miyuki said with a hesitant look, clearly taken aback by the eight or near-nine-figure price tag.


    Without further ado, Lu Liang pulled her into the store and pointed to the pink mid-short skirt she had been looking at, "Try this one on."


    He pointed to a light pink and white small crossbody bag on the counter, "Bring that one down too, please."


    "Certainly, sir." The sales associate smiled with eyes narrowed. They loved customers like Lu Liang.


    Who looked at the style and design without worrying about the price, seemingly ready to make big purchases, definitely someone who could afford it.


    The boss had spoken, and even if Miyuki disagreed, she had to agree, being half-dragged into the fitting room by the sales associate.


    The pink netted mid-short skirt on Sakurada Miyuki made her look like a fairy descended from heaven.


    Fresh and cute with a touch of playfulness, her pristine white legs exposed, enhancing the youthful vigor of a young girl.


    The sales associate praised, "This young lady is truly beautiful. Why do I feel like I''ve seen her somewhere before?"


    Lu Liang looked down at her feet, where the small white shoes, though clean from repeated washing, were starting to turn a little yellow.


    He picked another pair of white dad shoes and said with a smile, "Doesn''t she look like a certain actress from the Showa era?"


    Lu Liang needed to take back what he''d just said; he suddenly found the joy of shopping, like playing a real-life version of Dance Dance Revolution.


    Miyuki was his character in the game, and players always like to dress up their avatars beautifully.


    It had nothing to do with gender, but the appreciation of beauty.


    The sales associate''s eyes lit up, suddenly exclaiming, "Akina~ Really looks like her, the hair quality is the same as well, soft with a hint of natural curls."


    Lu Liang''s mouth curled into a smile, feeling even more like he was in a game. When the avatar was well-dressed, he would get compliments even from non-currency players, though in the past he was the one yelling ''666.''


    Feeling overjoyed, Lu Liang said, "We''ll take that set, and those few bags as well."


    Though it cost over a hundred million yen, converted to RMB it wasn''t even a million, but money couldn''t buy his happiness.

 Chapter 460 - 455: Softbank Waiting for a Good Price

    "Happy?"


    Lu Liang paid with his card and left a delivery address at the store, as they had purchased too much; just the shoes alone amounted to three pairs, and the clothes were bought in complete sets.


    The two of them only had four hands between them and couldn''t possibly carry it all, not to mention that the sports car had limited space and couldn''t fit everything.


    "Happy!" Sakurada Miyuki beamed, her eyes narrowing as she clung to Lu Liang''s arm, wishing she could hang herself on him entirely.


    She had always thought she wasn''t a vain girl, but the envious looks from the salespeople still made her very happy.


    The pair left Yorletown, and just as the sports car drove out of the parking lot, a young couple emerged from behind a load-bearing column.


    "Was that Lu Liang just now?"


    "Looks familiar, seems like it, right?"


    "Holy shit, has Lu Liang changed girlfriends?"


    "Well, he''s been so close with Little Wang, what good could he be? Did you get a picture?"


    "I did, but it''s not very clear, and it''s only a profile."


    "Send it to me."


    The girl was filled with righteous indignation and started tapping on her phone, composing a short essay on Little Red Potato.


    "Encounter with Lu Liang in Tokyo..."


    In recent days, Domestic Entertainment had been quite calm,


    with no stars getting caught, nor any artists getting married.


    Wang Feng seized the opportune moment and released his 12th album, "No. 29 Green."


    Thus, the news of Lu Liang''s date with his new girlfriend in Tokyo spread quickly from Little Red Potato, reaching the top of the trending searches.


    Li Manli was participating in the popular parachute training live: "Brothers and sisters, as long as there''s no god-like player, I''ll definitely survive to the final circle."


    She found a bush to hide in and, during her spare time, glanced at the live chat: "Did you break up with Lu Liang?"


    Li Manli was taken aback and asked, "What breakup?"


    The assistant beside her gave her a look and briefly explained that about half an hour ago, someone in Tokyo spotted someone who looked like Lu Liang shopping with a beautiful girl.


    Upon hearing this, Li Manli was shocked, her mind in a whirl, and her thoughts racing. Suddenly, she smiled at the camera: "Right, we broke up a long time ago, but it''s not a big deal, is it?"


    "Could it be that none of you have multiple ex-girlfriends? No way, no way, don''t tell me some of you have been single since birth?"


    She figured that many celebrities'' images collapsed because of cheating scandals, and the best way to protect Lu Liang''s reputation now was to admit that they had broken up long ago.


    One statement to clarify, another to mock, directly resolved the crisis of damage to Lu Liang''s reputation.


    The breakup news also quickly spread from the live stream, strongly hitting the top of the trending searches and sparking heated discussions among netizens.


    "No wonder last month, when Panda went public and several PDD and Hai streamers attended, only Li Xiaomeng didn''t go."


    "Damn, Lu Liang, this asshole always likes younger girls. That chick looks like she can''t be over 20."


    "Has anyone noticed that Lu Liang''s new girlfriend looks a lot like Showa''s number one singer, Nakamori Akina?"


    "Honestly, she''s not as pretty as Li Xiaomeng."


    "A 70% resemblance to Akina, and I''m losing my mind. How could she not be as pretty as an internet celebrity? Dude, are you blind?"


    "Give me ten minutes, I want all the information on that girl."


    "Am I the only one paying attention to Meixue''s new album?"


    Wang Feng: "I''m paying attention too..."


    Night fell, and Lu Liang returned to Roppongi with Miyuki.


    Suddenly, he received a message from Li Manli: "I didn''t want to break up with you, just didn''t want your reputation to be damaged."


    Lu Liang felt puzzled and glanced at the domestic news. After thinking for a bit, he replied, "Don''t be fooled by those online news snippets taken out of context; I''ve been at the company all this time."


    He asked Wen Chao to send over a random photo, which he then forwarded to Li Manli.


    "It''s getting colder, make sure to keep warm, and send me a message when you''re back in the country~" Li Manli sent a cute emoticon pack.


    Although she knew the news was probably true, as long as Lu Liang was still willing to deceive her, why not pretend it was fake?


    Because all she had was Lu Liang.


    "It''s getting late, get some rest soon."


    Lu Liang smiled and stroked his chin, murmuring, "It seems I have to wear a mask when I go out in the future."


    It was just an insignificant little incident, he didn''t take it to heart too much, but he couldn''t help but reflect on how Li Manli had grown.


    She had made the best choice right off the bat, no longer the brainless haughty little fairy from before.


    At that moment, several sales associates from the store arrived with more than a dozen shopping bags.


    "Thank you so much, sisters, for bringing these over so late."


    Sakurada Miyuki bowed her thanks, and once they had left, she joyfully unwrapped the packages and began trying on different outfits in front of her mother, switching between several sets of clothes.


    Not only were there clothes and hats, but also a small crossbody bag. She inquired delightedly, "Do I look good, Mom?"


    Erii smirked and nodded, "Our Meixue, you look good in anything."


    "Good looking," Lu Liang also chuckled and nodded.


    Meixue''s smile blossomed like a flower. She spread her arms wide and, regardless of her mother''s presence, gave Lu Liang a big kiss.


    Erii smiled lightly, silently gathered the shopping bags scattered on the floor, and then returned to her own room.


    With a crafty smile, Sakurada Miyuki whispered into Lu Liang''s ear, "Sir, Mommy has gone to sleep."


    "So?"


    "It''s time for us to go to sleep too."


    Suddenly, Meixue jumped onto Lu Liang''s back like an octopus. Using hands and feet, she clung tightly to him.


    "Then let''s go," said Lu Liang, his mouth curving into a smile as he carried Meixue to her girl''s room.


    Although his room was the master bedroom with a larger bed, he preferred to keep things separate for dry and wet areas; otherwise, he wouldn''t sleep comfortably.


    Meanwhile, it was five o''clock in the afternoon in London.


    Although she had returned from East Country, Zheng Xiaoxuan''s phone still retained the National app.


    She would casually scroll through Little Red Potato and Weibo in her free time, and her eyes fell on the trending topic the moment it appeared.


    She was so angry that she stormed next door to Su Wanyu''s room, intending to share the news.


    But upon opening the door, she saw Su Wanyu sitting quietly by the window reading, with the baby in the nearby crib also in peaceful silence, round eyes wide open, grabbing at the air.


    Wisps of the sunset filtered through the window, casting a golden glow over them, enveloping them in a holy light. The scene was picturesque, almost like an oil painting.


    Seeing Zheng Xiaoxuan, Su Wanyu lifted her wrist to check the time and said with a warm smile, "Is it this late already? I''ll go cook dinner. Xiaoxuan, would you mind looking after Siqing for me?"


    She picked up the baby, kissed him, and said, "Mommy''s going to make dinner, can Auntie take care of you, is that okay?"


    "Oh, sure." Zheng Xiaoxuan naturally took the child, but the words at the tip of her tongue were never spoken.


    That was just the kind of guy Lu Liang was. Telling her would only ruin Su Wanyu''s mood and seemingly serve no other purpose.


    "Bastard, you owe me a favor," she muttered resentfully. After a long contemplation, she chose to keep it to herself.


    Su Wanyu was busy trying to earn credits to graduate early and had to take care of the baby and her ''big baby,'' so she had no time to browse the internet.


    Moreover, based on her extensive internet surfing experience, although Lu Liang was famous, he was still a businessman.


    The lifespan of this news on the trending searches would definitely not exceed 24 hours. It was almost certain that as long as she didn''t tell, Su Wanyu would probably never find out.


    Suddenly, the little one burst into tears with a loud cry. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Zheng Xiaoxuan glared unsympathetically, "What? You don''t like it when I call out your dad?"


    The baby cried miserably, and no amount of comforting helped, until Zheng Xiaoxuan cried uncle, "All right, all right, I''ll stop talking about him."


    Just as the words left her mouth, the baby suddenly ceased crying, his large eyes blinking, with shiny teardrops still clinging to his lashes.


    Zheng Xiaoxuan was astonished, "Did you forget to drink Mengpo Soup?"


    Suddenly, she smelled something foul and her face darkened instantly.


    The next morning, as Zheng Xiaoxuan had predicted, the excitement surrounding Lu Liang slowly faded.


    The news didn''t last even one night. After all, breaking up and finding a new girlfriend, while not negative, couldn''t be considered positive either.


    Lu Liang was cozying up to the Liu family recently. In case he took offense and Weibo suffered an undeserved disaster, that wouldn''t be ideal.


    Little Red Potato and Douyin also downplayed the news. Both apps held stakes by Lu Liang, and they certainly weren''t bored enough to offend a shareholder.


    Especially Little Red Potato, which was in need of funds recently.


    The internet, except for Tieba which was uncontrolled, paid no interest to such gossip. Because in their eyes, it was just about changing a girl. If they had as much money as Lu Liang, they''d surely play even more extravagantly.


    On the afternoon of the 18th, Sun Zhengyi returned to his country from Beijing, and Lu Liang went to Softbank Corporation in the Harbor District with Ota Ling.


    There, he not only met the legendary investor nearing sixty but also saw Old Ma from Ali Group.


    "Mr. Sun, hello," greeted Lu Liang with a smile, then turned to the beaming Mr. Ma, "Mr. Ma, we meet again."


    "Talk about a coincidence, I had some business to discuss with Mr. Sun and followed him back. Wherever life takes you, we meet again."


    Old Ma chuckled and hurried to explain, "Mr. Lu, I''m here to help Alipay break into the Neon market. You go on with your talk, pretend I''m not here."


    He had no desire, nor would he interfere in DiDi''s affairs, which meant Lu Liang could be at ease and needn''t view him with animosity.


    Lu Liang realized, exchanged a few pleasantries, and got down to business, "Mr. Sun, I''m here to talk about DiDi, and I''m hoping for your support."


    "Mr. Lu, I''ve just come back from Beijing," Mr. Sun said with a smile, having already met with Liu Qing, "and we''ve had a discussion."


    Mr. Sun awaited Lu Liang''s offer with a smile, seemingly poised to extract a good price.


    He was aware of the situation with DiDi, and he knew the significance of Softbank''s 10% decision-making power for both parties.


    Liu Qing had made an offer to gain the support of Softbank, which was quite tempting, but he was still interested in hearing Lu Liang''s bid.

 Chapter 461 - 456: Our Goal is the Same

    "Investment is for making money, I don''t see what could sincerer than enabling a company to go public?"


    Lu Liang gave a nonchalant smile, even though he didn''t know what benefits Liu Qing had promised, he definitely wouldn''t let Softbank wait and drive up the price like Liu Qing would.


    He was the savior of all DiDi''s investors, he was there to support DiDi''s IPO, he was there to help investors reap the ultimate fruit, he stood on the side of justice.


    If Softbank only wanted to make money as a neutral party, Lu Liang truly couldn''t think of a reason why Softbank Group wouldn''t support him.


    Could the benefits promised by Liu Qing let Softbank''s 17.8% stake in DiDi turn into stock worth nine billion US dollars?


    Sun Zhengyi was momentarily stunned,


    Is this the attitude of someone asking for support? Not wanting to give anything in return but expecting Softbank''s support?


    Ma Yun focused single-mindedly on his tea, the corners of his mouth turning upwards.


    Although Lu Liang''s words made sense, he was the one visiting Sun Zhengyi without a single trace of pleading.


    It could only be said, that''s true to Lu Liang''s character.


    Sun Zhengyi sized up Lu Liang, squinting his eyes, "Are you implying, Mr. Lu, that it''s only right for Softbank to support you?"


    "You''re too kind," said Lu Liang with an unchanged smile, then added, "But I have to say, it really is the best choice."


    "DiDi should go public, now having almost unified the ride-hailing market of East University, further development can only happen after going public."


    "Mr. Liu formed the IPO team in February this year, probably with the same thought, only she failed."


    Sun Zhengyi asked, "Mr. Lu, what makes you believe that, where Mr. Liu failed, you would succeed?"


    Lu Liang shook his head with a smile, "I can''t guarantee it, but the probability of success is certainly slightly higher than Mr. Liu''s."


    "Unless Mr. Sun believes that a fifty-billion-dollar valuation isn''t worth going public for, and that we should continue to inject funds and expand the market before listing."


    Sun Zhengyi fell silent, seemingly persuaded by Lu Liang, "DiDi''s development in the East University market has peaked, continued capital injection would be a loss." Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He had seen DiDi''s market research report: there were a total of 9.85 million ride-hailing drivers in East University, with 7.49 million registered as DiDi drivers.


    With a market share of 76.2%, the remaining 23.8% was divided among Shenzhou, T3, Cao Cao, Putian, and other platforms.


    Having reached such a high market share, burning more money was completely meaningless.


    Because increasing the market share by just 1% would require ten times more capital than before.


    Lu Liang''s mouth curved into a smile, "So Mr. Sun, do you also agree that it would be good for DiDi to go public as soon as possible?"


    Mr. Sun nodded, and Lu Liang continued, "Our goals align, we both hope DiDi can go public soon, but some people''s goals do not."


    Sun Zhengyi''s smile was full of implications, "Are you perhaps referring to Mr. Liu?"


    Lu Liang waved his hand, smiling as he explained, "Over the years, Mr. Liu has worked tirelessly for the development of DiDi and should wish for DiDi to go public soon as we do, or else he wouldn''t have established the listing team in early February."


    "I''m just worried that there may be obstacles in the future, and I hope I can count on Mr. Sun''s support at that time."


    A thing yet to occur; Lu Liang thought.


    An event that hadn''t happened yet naturally wouldn''t be used to make malicious speculations about Liu Qing.


    He just used a hypothetical scenario, should there be obstacles in the future, he hoped Softbank would stand on the side of shareholder interests.


    "Of course," said Sun Zhengyi, rendered speechless with a wry smile, Lu Liang was using the interests of all shareholders to press him, what else could he say?


    Knowing Sun Zhengyi''s attitude, Lu Liang no longer dwelled on the matter. He made casual conversation with the others, talking now and then.


    But as the conversation went on, they touched upon Bitcoin, Old Ma with eyes full of envy, lamented, "Mr. Lu, this is a completely new online payment system."


    No matter the amount of funds, they could be transferred to any account within five seconds, disregarding national borders and the currency barriers of different countries.


    Since putting on the white hat and joining the United Nations organization, while also being a holder of Alipay, he was more aware of the importance of Bitcoin than most.


    Yet Lu Liang had been lurking underneath without a trace, with rumors that he held a not insignificant number of tokens, enough to easily shake the market.


    Old Ma envied him to the point of jealousy, because this could enhance Lu Liang''s say in the world financial market, even allowing him to become a creator of the new payment system.


    "Mr. Ma, you flatter me too much, it''s mainly thanks to Mr. Ota and Mitsui Sumitomo Group," said Lu Liang, attributing all merits to Ota Ling.


    The equity distribution for this project was 34%, 33%, and 33%; Mitsui Sumitomo held a 34% stake, whereas he and Hyundai Group were just tagging along.


    He was unclear about the national stance towards cryptocurrency, but by his judgment, it was probably not allowed to enter East University.


    The hegemony of US dollars was already suffocating, with another cryptocurrency to follow around, how could there be a revival.


    So, Lu Liang had already planned to just make some money and gain some influence from this project, leaving the fame to Mitsui Sumitomo.


    Ota Ling laughed upon hearing this, "This is also thanks to Mr. Lu''s assistance, otherwise our Mitsui Sumitomo project wouldn''t have progressed as smoothly."


    Lu Liang didn''t want the fame, fearing he would become the front-runner for bringing Bitcoin into the East University Market, but he wasn''t worried.


    After all, the Neon market was already riddled with holes, and there was even a US Army base; another loophole wasn''t a big deal.


    Sun Zhengyi and Old Ma exchanged glances, both seeing the envy in each other''s eyes.


    In his heart, Sun Zhengyi had already made a decision; Liu Qing''s promise was too vague and still relied on Goldman Sachs. It was better to support Lu Liang.


    Just like Mitsui Sumitomo, after only a few collaborations with Lu Liang, they earned the right to forcefully get involved with Bitcoin through him.


    If he had met Lu Liang earlier, there would be no Mitsui Sumitomo to speak of, because Lu Liang would have definitely chosen to partner with them.


    After all, every field has its specialists, and Softbank Group was more professional in payments, initially focusing on telecommunications and e-commerce before evolving into an investment group.


    If Alipay wanted to enter the Neon market, Old Ma wouldn''t have made a special trip to negotiate cooperation with them.


    At night, a few of them took a car to the outskirts of Tokyo, to a private entrepreneurs club founded by Sun Zhengyi.


    He had done this at the time of East Country joining the world scene, to invest in Sina, Yahoo, NetEase, Alibaba, and a series of other enterprises, as well as to get closer to the East Country government.


    He had more than once boldly claimed that his ancestral home was Hu Jian Putian; his ancestors migrated to the peninsula and then to Neon due to multiple wars.


    He could actually be considered Chinese.


    As a result, today the boomerang hit him right between the eyes.


    Sun Zhengyi intended to settle down in Tokyo, wanting to develop there long-term. The core circle either thought he was Chinese or Korean.


    As the saying goes, those not of our race are sure to have different hearts.


    The Neon core circle had always wanted to dissect Softbank Group.


    Sun Zhengyi could only be the generous fool, constantly throwing money around.


    Including but not limited to establishing an entrepreneurs club, charitable donations, and political contributions.


    He had to spend no less than one hundred million dollars in this area every year for the public''s opinion to slightly improve.


    Listening to Sun''s grievances, Lu Liang and Old Ma were both lost in thought.


    After dinner,


    dressed in yukatas, they came to the outdoor hot spring pool.


    "Mr. Lu, when do you plan to return home? Maybe we can share the journey," Old Ma asked.


    "Tomorrow, I guess. Head straight to Beijing because the DiDi documentation integration is complete and needs to be resubmitted for review."


    Lu Liang got out of the water after soaking for a few minutes and chose a robust-looking auntie for a massage.


    At the pure vegetarian spa, even pants are not removed; he trusted the auntie more, her fingers thick like radishes, clearly skilled.


    "Another review? Will it be successful?" Sun Zhengyi suddenly brightened up, removing the towel from his head.


    "Uh~ Do what you can~ Uh~ Leave the rest to fate..."


    Lu Liang was pulled by the auntie by his arms, doing a shoulder and neck stretch, only able to make sounds from his throat.


    Sun Zhengyi glanced at Old Ma, who smiled and said, "I believe Mr. Lu wouldn''t undertake things without assurance."


    "That is~~ not necessarily certain¡­"


    Lu Liang patted the tatami, stopping the auntie, and massaged his shoulder while wryly smiling, "This auntie is really strong."


    He went to the changing room, put on his clothes, and said with a smile, "Gentlemen, I have something to take care of later, so I''ll take my leave first."


    Old men like baths, but he really didn''t enjoy soaking with them, a bunch of men with sagging chests; it was better to go home and hold a beauty.


    Ota Ling and Old Ma both made affirming noises and waved their hands; only Sun Zhengyi couldn''t help but laugh and cry, "Mr. Lu, are you always like this?"


    Both nodded in unison, these days, those who can make money for investors are the real bosses, and Lu Liang was a boss among bosses.


    Sun Zhengyi paused, obviously thinking the same thing, and what could have been arrogance turned into, "Mr. Lu, you really have personality."


    He forgot to ask Lu Liang when the fourth installment had been initiated for a long time, when the next phase, the fifth private equity fund, would be launched.


    Softbank also wanted a piece of the action.


    Old Ma said with a laugh, "There will always be opportunities in the future, it''s just that he''s been busy lately."

 Chapter 462 - 457: Needle-tip Against Wheat Grain

    The next morning, Lu Liang planned to leave Tokyo.


    Erii was helping pack his luggage in the room while Miyuki, her face filled with anxiety, presented him with a wallet, "Sir, this is for you."


    She was quite embarrassed, although Lu Liang had mentioned that a loss of two million was on him, and if they made a profit, she could take a 10% commission.


    But after all, it was Lu Liang''s money that made the profit, buying him a gift with his own money was essentially using his money to buy his own gift. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Yet, she had no other means to make money.


    Although they had once blown up their Bitcoin position, there was still a profit of 200,000 US Dollars, so the commission amounted to twenty thousand dollars.


    She had spent eighteen thousand five hundred US Dollars to quietly buy this wallet at a Gucci store.


    "Thank you, I really like it."


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but smirk, gently patting Miyuki''s little head, "I''ve said before, you have a 10% commission of the profit, so the money you make is yours to spend without feeling guilty."


    Miyuki hummed softly, her eyes squinting into thin lines, quickly nodding her head, thoroughly enjoying Lu Liang''s affection.


    She had lost her father, and even though Lu Liang was her boyfriend, subconsciously she had come to rely on him as a father figure.


    Lu Liang fiddled with the wallet and found inside a charm with the engraved words "Guardian", which faintly smelled of sandalwood.


    He knew ''Guardian'' in Chinese, but was unclear about its meaning in Japanese.


    Miyuki explained, "This is a peace charm we got at the Inari Shrine when I went there with my mom, both my mom and I have one."


    "Shrine?" Lu Liang frowned, he knew shrines were similar to temples and Taoist temples in China, but the term always made him feel a bit uncomfortable.


    Reading his expressions, Miyuki quickly took it back from him and made up an excuse, "Sir, do you follow a religion?"


    Lu Liang shook his head, "No, but in my hometown, we mainly worship Saint Guan, also known as Guan Yu."


    "From this country too¡ªthen in the future, I will also worship Saint Guan."


    Miyuki smiled sweetly, hobbies can be compromised and so can beliefs.


    "Let''s go."


    Lu Liang picked up his suitcase and left, without mentioning when he would come next.


    The current price of Bitcoin was less than 4500 US Dollars, but it was less than two months away from escalating to 20,852 US Dollars.


    The real big market, a super bull market was coming, and in the next two months, he unavoidably had to come back to Tokyo.


    Three and a half hours later,


    the plane smoothly landed at Capital Airport.


    At the same time, Liu Qing, Cheng Wei, Zhu Hu, Shen Peng, among others, arrived one after another at New Chenghai Building.


    Today, after more than eight months, DiDi was applying for its second IPO review, everyone was looking forward to it.


    DiDi Technology, formerly Xiaoju Technology, was established on July 10, 2012, it had been over five years and three months.


    From getting 3 million US Dollars from Golden Sand River in its Series A round to now, it had gone through 11 rounds of financing, accumulating a total of 22.8 billion dollars in funding.


    Last year, after acquiring Uber and ending the costly battles, its valuation had reached 50 billion US Dollars and it was time to go public, turning investors'' expectations into reality.


    "Mr. Cheng, are you implying that I''m to blame?" Liu Qing narrowed her eyes, a hint of fierceness flashing in them.


    People say settling accounts after the autumn harvest ¨C here they weren''t even past the summer solstice and she''s being confronted with past issues?


    Cheng Wei said sternly, "Mr. Liu, you are taking it too seriously, I am merely stating a fact. Going public is the expectation of all investors and the whole staff of DiDi Group, at this point, we should join hands and give it our all."


    "Then, Mr. Cheng, please tell me, where am I not cooperating?" Liu Qing asked with a smile.


    Cheng Wei coldly questioned, "I didn''t want to bring it up, but why have you repeatedly called back Wang Xin who was clearly assigned to the review team?"


    Liu Qing laughed in exasperation, "Mr. Cheng, high up as you are, out of touch with reality, I don''t blame you, but do you know how many terrible incidents have occurred at DiDi this year, or how much public outcry they have caused?"


    "Wang Xin is the main person handling these issues, some matters have recently resurfaced that had not been fully dealt with. Is there a problem with calling her back to handle them?"


    "Yes, indeed, the IPO review is very important, but if we neglect the company''s ongoing development for the sake of going public, that would be a grave mistake."


    During the days of Lu Liang''s absence, once hailed as the business world''s phenomenal "Liu-Cheng duo," they gradually moved to opposing sides.


    Initially, they were restrained, merely brushing against each other without outright confrontation.


    It wasn''t until Liu Qing wanted to be informed about the review team''s status, and Cheng Wei intervened, that the reassignment issue with Wang Xin escalated fiercely.


    Shen Peng spoke to mediate, "Whether it''s Mr. Cheng or Mr. Liu, fundamentally, both of you act for the company''s best."


    "Since the public opinion has been pacified and the review team''s project has also been completed as scheduled, perhaps we should let this matter rest."


    Scenes like this, he had seen too many.


    Brothers turning against each other over interests were common, only because DiDi had achieved scale and they had investors backing them.


    Had such a major disagreement arisen early on, the company likely would have fallen apart, and it was uncertain how many startups had died in the struggle for control.


    "Mr. Lu, really, are you still in Tokyo, cozying up with your girlfriend and forgot about today''s meeting?"


    Zhu Hu chuckled and playfully teased Lu Liang to ease the atmosphere in the meeting room.


    Although they sided with Cheng Wei and had agreed to kick Liu Qing out of the board,


    such actions needed to be decisive.


    Just like the Xuanwu Gate Incident, it was best to execute swiftly and limit the impact as much as possible.


    DiDi''s position in the market wasn''t entirely secure, and any internal turmoil could cause issues.


    Other companies aside, Douyin and Meituan would definitely be interested in throwing large sums of money to shake DiDi''s status.


    "Mr. Lu, after all, is young and energetic."


    Shen Peng smiled,


    Such things were typically the privilege of celebrities.


    In the investment world, probably only Lu Liang could make headlines by changing girlfriend.


    "Energetic~" Zhu Hu chuckled slyly,


    emphasizing the word in a way that led the imagination astray.


    "Mr. Zhu, remember there are several women present."


    Liu Qing glared at him, and everyone burst into laughter, lightening the previously tense atmosphere.


    Suddenly, the conference room door swung open, and Lu Liang entered with a beaming smile, "What''s so fun here?"


    He strode in, followed by Xu Jiawei, Huang Molin, Wang Xin, and other members of the audit team.


    Zhu Hu grinned, "We were discussing your romantic exploits."


    "What''s there to talk about those."


    Lu Liang chuckled and waved Xu Jiawei to distribute a set of documents to everyone, "New audit documents, please take a look and give some feedback. If there are no issues, we''ll send them for review shortly."


    Although he was fully responsible for this, the necessary procedures, such as obtaining everyone''s approval and resubmission, were indispensable.


    If the audit failed this time, it would be a significant blow to DiDi, and their valuation of 500 billion US dollars could be downgraded.


    A company that can''t go public is worthless no matter how high its valuation; non-liquid assets are fictitious.


    Upon hearing this, everyone began to check the materials, with Liu Qing examining them most carefully, as she had been in charge of the project last time.


    She wanted to know which part failed last time that allowed Lu Liang an opportunity.


    Hours passed in a blink, and those on Cheng Wei and Lu Liang''s side had finished reviewing the materials.


    Goldman Sachs Uber representatives were waiting for Liu Qing''s stance and only began signing after she did.


    "Since Mr. Lu is in charge, we naturally feel reassured," Liu Qing said with a forced smile.


    "As long as Mr. Liu feels at ease, that''s the best."


    Lu Liang was all smiles, confident in the review materials he had provided openly.


    The real review documents were like a book, and he supplied only the title page.


    If Liu Qing could detect any differences from the title page alone, that would be a marvel.


    Seeing Xu Jiawei secure the confirmation letters, Lu Liang said cheerfully, "Well, if there''s nothing else, I''ll take my leave first."


    They needed to send the consolidated documents for review by the Ministry of Commerce, a process that could take up to a week.


    It''s safe to say, the real drama would unfold after that week.


    If the audit failed, Lu Liang could be ousted from DiDi''s board and lose his right to participate in decision-making.


    If successful, the next move would be up to Liu Qing, whether to cooperate wholeheartedly or obstruct.


    "Mr. Lu, have a good journey, call if you need anything."


    Liu Qing maintained her composed expression with a smile,


    A flash of concern in her eyes revealed her awareness that the review results would directly determine her future.


    "Gentlemen, no need to see me out."


    Lu Liang clasped his hands together and, along with Xu Jiawei and others, took his leave.


    With Lu Liang''s departure, the council was naturally adjourned, and they would reconvene when the review results were in.


    For the following week, Lu Liang stayed in Beijing.


    Accompanied by Xu Jiawei, he visited various important departments, met numerous leaders, and tirelessly worked towards DiDi''s public listing.


    Although the approval was supposed to be prearranged, many eyes were watching, so necessary processes were essential.

 Chapter 463 - 458: Bazaar Charity Dinner

    October 28, the eighth day of the audit.


    "A man is lonely, and he wants to seek happiness,"


    Lu Liang looked up to the sky and let out a long sigh. Zhang Tian''ai and Yang Mi were both abroad filming shows, and he no longer had a home in Beijing.


    He had to stay in hotels every day, alone.


    The thing was, Lu Liang couldn''t leave either. On one hand, he was waiting for the audit results, and on the other hand, Old Te was coming, and he needed to take part in rehearsals a few days in advance.


    There was nothing that required his attention in Modu either.


    Surely he couldn''t run back and forth just for Little Lu?


    Lu Liang decided to stay in Beijing and wait for the good news.


    "When was the result of the last audit?"


    Xu Jiawei had finished his temporary assignment and returned to Lu Liang''s side as his secretary, he said, "DiDi''s last submission was on February 17, and they received the rejection notice on the 26th."


    "Nine days? So, that would be tomorrow, right?"


    "It should be."


    Xu Jiawei was also uncertain; the efficiency of the audit depended on the Ministry of Commerce. The time taken for the last audit could only serve as a reference.


    For example, when Panda went public in the US, the audit took half a month, and for Rong 360, it took 25 days.


    There was no surety.


    After all, they had provided too much information - the IPO team of fifty-two people had taken 12 days just to organize, collect, and proofread.


    "That means tomorrow."


    Lu Liang was very certain about the timing, and knowing the specific day, he didn''t feel like going out to find happiness. He calmly stayed in the hotel.


    But while he didn''t go looking for happiness, happiness was coming his way.


    Zhu Hu was a big player too, and knowing that Lu Liang was in Beijing these days, probably bored to death, he extended an invitation.


    "Will you come to the Bazaar Charity Dinner? It''s tonight! It''s being held in Beijing."


    Upon hearing this, Lu Liang thought for a moment and looked towards Xu Jiawei, "Did they invite me?"


    Xu Jiawei nodded, "Yes."


    In Beijing, as long as Lu Liang wished, he could attend events from now until the New Year without any repeats.


    But Lu Liang had said long ago, apart from special invitations from government departments, he would decline all others if he could.


    "Alright, let''s go have a look."


    Lu Liang accepted Zhu Hu''s invitation.


    At seven in the evening, the two arrived at the International Trade Hotel.


    As soon as they made an appearance, they dazzled the crowd.


    "Lu Liang is here too?"


    "Who''s that guy with him?"


    "Looks like it''s Zhu Hu from Golden Sand River."


    "Damn, all big shots."


    "There might be some drama tonight."


    "What do you mean?"


    "Do you know who else just went in?"


    Journalists'' eyes widened as they raised their cameras high, nearly smashing the shutters in their eagerness.


    Even the female stars in their alluring dresses, despite the single-digit temperatures, were ignored.


    The two men walked the red carpet and left their names on the backdrop.


    Led by Su Man, the event manager, they headed to the front row and took their seats on leather sofas.


    The banquet hadn''t started yet, and in the first row of nine seats, only one was occupied, while the remaining eight were empty.


    Short hair, a gray ladies'' suit, and legs crossed, she played with her phone with her head down, giving off a ''keep out'' vibe.


    "Mr. Liu?" Zhu Hu was surprised. The eternal gray ladies'' suit could only belong to one person.


    Su Man said with a smile, "Mr. Zhu, Mr. Liu and I have been close friends for years. She usually comes to the banquet."


    Zhu Hu looked melancholic, glancing at Lu Liang to show he honestly was not aware. He wasn''t stupid¡ªif he had known Liu Qing was also invited, he definitely wouldn''t have invited Lu Liang.


    The two who were at odds, if they set their sights on the same auction item, might end up with a fight to the death.


    Lu Liang merely smiled, not thinking much of it, and went forward to greet her, "Mr. Liu, indeed, life is full of unexpected meetings."


    "Mr. Lu, what a coincidence," Liu Qing frowned slightly and looked up at Su Man.


    Every year at this time, as long as she was in Beijing and free, she would support the event. She had never heard Lu Liang would attend. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Su Man forced a smile, unsure how to explain. The invitation they sent to Lu Liang was more a formality.


    Just like last year, Lu Liang could choose not to come, but they couldn''t choose not to invite him. They hadn''t expected him to actually show up this year.


    But honestly, she was a bit thrilled.


    The public might not understand the situation between Lu Liang and the Liu family very well, but she was fairly aware.


    She was looking forward to them both fancying the same auction item and hoped they would break the record for the highest auction price ever, really making a name for the event.


    "Mr. Liu, did you have your eye on anything?"


    Lu Liang sat next to Liu Qing and picked up the auction catalog; after all, since he was there, he couldn''t be stingy.


    The Bazaar Charity Dinner originated in ''03, at a time when epidemic disease was rampant, and celebrities and artists volunteered to organize charity performances and auctions.


    The invited celebrities each contributed one auction item, which could be a tangible object, a song, or a performance.


    The proceeds from the auction were earmarked for charity disaster relief.


    This was the fifteenth iteration, with a total of 58 items up for grabs.


    Most were luxury jewelry and accessories, suitcases and hats, along with some antiques and calligraphy and props from movies and TV shows.


    For instance, Wu Jing had contributed a genuine bullet pendant from War Wolf 2, as well as a watch worth several hundred thousand.


    After all, although Lu Liang had made most of the money from War Wolf 2, Wu Jing had taken most of the fame. Even before the movie''s box office dividends had been paid out, there were already voices online calling for him to make donations.


    He had no choice but to grit his teeth, bleed a little, and in addition to providing auction items, he was likely to participate in the bidding later on.


    Similarly, Yang Mi, though absent, had also provided a valuable Bulgari Dragon''s Kiss necklace studded with brilliant stones.


    As for Zhang Tian''ai, it seemed her status wasn''t quite there yet, as there was no sight of any auction items she had provided.


    Liu Qing glanced at Lu Liang and said with a light laugh, "No need for Mr. Lu to go to any trouble."


    The capital she had access to might not be as substantial as Lu Liang''s, but buying up all of tonight''s auction items would be no strain on her.


    Lu Liang just smiled and said no more.


    Zhu Hu whispered, "Looking to improve relations?"


    "It''s just a courtesy," Lu Liang said with an indifferent smile. He always believed that business was not charity and that work matters like DiDi should not spill over into personal life.


    Who knows, maybe one day Liu Qing would be kicked out with nowhere to go and could come over to Tianxing for an interview.


    Just like Hu Weiwei.


    After all, Liu Qing was one of those rare individuals¡ªa woman who was extremely rational and knew how to use her femininity to seek benefits for herself and her company.


    Compared to her, Hu Weiwei was somewhat lacking.


    Zhu Hu exclaimed in amazement, "You really dare to dream. A lady from the Liu family working for you?"


    "Anything is possible."


    Lu Liang smiled and said, "Maybe one day if you can''t make it at Golden Sand River, you can come and find me, too."


    "Let''s hope that day never comes," Zhu Hu replied with a grin that was not quite a smile, as Lu Liang was simply daydreaming.


    "Desperate for talent," Lu Liang sighed, and settled in to enjoy watching the bustle of gorgeous female stars passing by.


    Each of the Double Ice Four Dan had their unique charm, and in person, they were even more stunning, a pity most were already wives and mothers.


    Apart from the absent Yang Mi, the other three of the Four Little Flower Dandies were present¡ªLiu Yifei in a faint white dress with her immortal aura, and Zhao Linning, whose round face was still highly recognizable.


    Then there was Yang Tianbao, accompanied by Huang Xiaoming, who came up to Lu Liang with big smiles, "Mr. Lu, hello, long time no see."


    "Mr. Huang, have we met before?" Lu Liang asked, puzzled. He recognized Huang Xiaoming but had no recollection of meeting him.


    "Just call me Xiaoming," said Huang Xiaoming, unable to hold back a smile, reminding him, "Last year, at your company''s team-building event on Hai Island, we met in the hotel."


    Realization dawned on Lu Liang, and he remembered. Huang Xiaoming quickly introduced with a smile, "Mr. Lu, this is my wife, Yang Tianbao."


    With an eager and flattering smile, Yang Tianbao extended both hands to shake Lu Liang''s, "Mr. Lu, hello, hello..."


    "Hello."


    Lu Liang nodded with a smile, suddenly feeling that with just a beckon, Yang Tianbao might offer herself up willingly.


    It was hard to explain; it was like the time he first confronted Wen Shanshan, feeling that it would be easy to make a move.


    He wasn''t sure if it was just his imagination.


    As the couple took their leave, brothers from the Huayi Wang family, as well as the CEO of Aston Martin and the president of Porsche Chinese District, also came over to greet him.


    In contrast to Lu Liang''s approachability, Liu Qing seemed somewhat standoffish, giving the impression of being reluctant to engage, which put people off.


    At seven-thirty, the banquet began.


    Mr. He from Fran Stage and a female star took to the stage for the opening salutations.


    Suddenly, Lu Liang''s eyes lit up as he saw the female star wearing an emerald green dress with pearls, exuding a luxurious aura.


    Even though the dress was dazzling, it could not overshadow the wearer''s beauty¡ªher waist was slender and her movements graceful.


    It was like if one''s fortune wasn''t strong enough, they couldn''t dress in imperial robes; the flashier the clothing, the higher the demands on the wearer''s figure, bone structure, and looks, or else it would draw attention to the clothes rather than the person.


    "Reba, you''ve already said plenty for the opening speech, and I believe our esteemed guests are eager, so let''s have our ceremonial sister present the first auction item," he said.


    Mr. He smiled, his command of the event excellent, offering thanks to the brands and sponsors for several minutes without inciting a hint of displeasure among the audience.


    Suddenly, he feigned shock and covered his mouth, "Where is our ceremonial sister? And the first auction item?"


    Reba, looking embarrassed, coyly smiled and pointed to the necklace around her neck, "Actually, this is the first auction item."


    "It''s all your fault for being so dazzling, Reba; I didn''t even notice if you were wearing a necklace tonight."


    Mr. He chuckled and picked up the forgotten script, "Let''s see who provided it... Oh, it''s Mimi~"


    "Hello Mimi, I don''t know if you''re watching, but thank you for the auction item you provided."


    "The Bulgari Dragon''s Kiss necklace embellished with brilliant stones, thank you Yang Mi for supporting our charity work, with a starting bid of 1.18 million!"


    At the sound of the price, the audience gasped.


    Of course, it really wasn''t cheap, and they immediately appeared thoughtful.


    They understood why Yang Mi was absent yet had donated generously, providing a necklace worthy of being the first auction item.


    Reba, being an artist from Yang Mi''s company, likely had additional conditions, such as displaying the necklace during the auction¡ªan attempt to use the fame of the charity dinner to raise Reba''s influence and shed the title of little flower dandy.


    If she could elevate her status to that of a leading lady like Yang Mi, her personal brand value would naturally rise.


    And if Jiaxing World was planning to list on the New Third Board, the value it would bring was immeasurable.

 Chapter 464 - 459: Always Just One Price More

    "Deng Chao bid 1.2 million, and it''s also close to your eighth anniversary with Li,"


    "Huang Bo bid 1.25 million, your relationship with Xiaoou is truly enviable,"


    "Wu Jing bid 1.3 million, truly worthy of being our newly crowned top box office director."


    Whether it''s providing items or participating in the auction, the primary goal is to buy their way to fame or to get fame for free. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Thus, the first item becomes particularly important, whether their intentions are genuine or feigned, as everyone wants to assert their presence.


    Mr. He, an enduring figure in the entertainment industry, could joke with anyone participating in the bidding.


    In the blink of an eye, the price reached 1.5 million.


    But those with discerning eyes knew it was far from over, as the tycoons sitting on the front row leather sofas hadn''t made a move yet.


    "Mr. Liu, interested?"


    Lu Liang noticed Liu Qing seemed eager to join. Liu Qing smiled and nodded, "Indeed, I do have some thoughts."


    Lu Liang raised an eyebrow, his expression one of annoyance, "What to do? I''m also kind of tempted."


    "Since Mr. Lu likes it, I''ll let¡­"


    Liu Qing chuckled, about to give up mid-sentence. Although she didn''t get along with Lu Liang, it wasn''t worth being petty over.


    However, Lu Liang looked at her with a very strange expression and then glanced at the gorgeous female star on stage.


    Though he didn''t say it, Liu Qing could feel that this damn Lu Liang was comparing how they dressed.


    The result was obvious; she was utterly outmatched.


    Liu Qing admitted she wasn''t as attractive as the female star on stage, but by what right did Lu Liang judge?


    Even if she couldn''t outbid him, she planned to make him pay a "tuition fee."


    Liu Qing raised her hand, directly raising the bid to two million.


    The Wang brothers from Huayi, who originally intended to bid, turned into quails upon seeing Liu Qing''s bid.


    Because regular auction attendees knew that raising the bid once might indicate interest or mere participation.


    But skipping directly to a higher bid by several hundred thousand showed a determination to win the auction item at all costs.


    If they continued bidding then, they''d have to consider if it might offend the other party.


    Huayi was indeed powerful, claiming to be the top capital in entertainment, but compared to the Liu family, it was like a frog at the bottom of a well.


    "What did you do?"


    Zhu Hu, with a look of eating melon, noticed Lu Liang''s interest in the female star, guessing he might bid.


    But why was Liu Qing interested in this item too, and showing such intense determination?


    Even if they didn''t get along, there was no reason to throw money away over pride; such conflict is the least useful.


    Lu Liang licked his lips, unsure of what to say, slightly embarrassed: "No idea."


    He raised his hand, adding to the bid.


    "Tianxing''s Mr. Lu bids 2.05 million!"


    Mr. He, surprised and having hosted many charity auctions, couldn''t help but understand Liu Qing''s attitude.


    With Lu Liang choosing to increase the bid at this moment, it meant an exciting scene was about to unfold.


    Unlike with his celebrity friends, he didn''t dare to tease Lu Liang casually, suddenly turning serious.


    The previously noisy venue quieted down, everyone''s eyes turned to Liu Qing, anticipating her next move.


    If there''s drama, everyone becomes an eager spectator.


    They only regretted not being able to take out their phones to record, as the legendary business warfare was about to unfold before their eyes.


    Liu Qing did not disappoint,


    raising her hand, she added another half a million.


    "DiDi''s Mr. Liu bids 2.55 million¡­"


    Mr. He, struggling to contain his excitement, watched as Lu Liang raised his hand again to add to the bid: "Tianxing''s Mr. Lu bids 2.6 million!"


    Tick, tock, tick, tock~


    As time ticked away,


    Reba could hardly manage her expressions anymore, Mr. He''s smile also stiffened, and everyone in the crowd dared not breathe.


    For the past few minutes, it was Liu Qing adding half a million each time, and Lu Liang always just one step ahead of her.


    When the camera panned to them, both appeared calm, whether it be half a million or fifty thousand, as if it were inconsequential.


    Round after round, a dozen times, a necklace originally priced at just 1.18 million soared to 8.1 million.


    It had even surpassed the record from ''09 when Giant Group''s Shi Yuzhu fiercely bid 7.8 million for the painting "Garden Sisters."


    That year, Shi Yuzhu became the highest bidder, setting the record for the highest single item price in the fourteen years since the Bazaar Charity Dinner was founded.


    The record held for eight years was broken tonight by Lu Liang.


    Liu Qing again raised her hand, adding another half a million.


    Her usually calm demeanor finally showed a ripple, as she looked at Lu Liang with a smile, her intent clear.


    If Lu Liang continued, she would stop playing with him.


    Lu Liang also had the option to give up, and then she would obtain the necklace for 8.6 million, making a fool of herself.


    Lu Liang smiled casually,


    without a second thought, he just made a gesture,


    but this time, it was not a mere bid.


    Mr. He was slightly distracted, hesitated for a few seconds, then suddenly shouted excitedly, "Mr. Lu from Tianxing bids 10 million."


    With these words, the whole room was in uproar.


    Even Yang Tianbao, who was married, nearly drooled over the sight of Lu Liang.


    They were all sitting in the back seats, unable to clearly see the expressions and facial details of Lu Liang and Liu Qing.


    But they knew that this move by Lu Liang undoubtedly meant, whether it was 500,000 or 50,000.


    Such boring little tricks, he was already tired of playing them, and Lu Liang was ready to start using his financial power to crush.


    A wave of curious glances once again focused on Liu Qing, expecting her to raise her hand again.


    Even if they switched roles, and she shouted out the bid herself, after all, she was a Liu family woman, she couldn''t lose face, could she?


    Liu Qing was dumbstruck, not expecting to be outmaneuvered by Lu Liang, she snorted coldly, "A meaningless battle of egos."


    Lu Liang heard her, but his face still wore a smile, he had nothing else, just a bit of spare cash.


    Anyway, to bid again would be just 8.65 million, Liu Qing wouldn''t continue competing, might as well round it up.


    Mr. He noticed that Liu Qing did not want to continue, so this time he counted down especially fast.


    Creating the illusion, not that Liu Qing didn''t want to continue, but that the countdown was too quick.


    After all, she was a big shot, and with a deep background, he couldn''t deliberately dawdle and let her lose face.


    Mr. He smiled brightly, bowed deeply, and said, "Congratulations to Mr. Lu from Tianxing for successfully winning the Dragon''s Kiss dazzling stone necklace, and thank you for your contribution to charity. I, on behalf of the Bazaar Charity Association and the beneficiary children from impoverished mountain areas, express my utmost gratitude to you."


    Liu Qing''s face had to be saved,


    and so did Lu Liang''s.


    Though anyone with eyes could see that it was a battle of egos, he once again talked about the significance of tonight''s charity auction.


    Intentionally guiding the guests present, Lu Liang spending money was not for other reasons, it was fundamentally because he had a love for charity.


    Lu Liang, with a smile on his lips, also appropriately stood up and waved to the crowd saying, "Thank you all for giving way."


    Just then, a ceremony lady holding a delicate jewelry box approached, and Reba also came in front of Lu Liang, intending to take the necklace off.


    "Just keep wearing it, it looks better on you."


    Lu Liang revealed a barely noticeable smile, seemingly speaking to Reba, but also seemingly speaking to a certain competitor.


    After all, making him spontaneously spend several million more, he had to let out the words in his heart that hadn''t been said.


    Liu Qing glanced sideways, said nothing,


    Folded her arms, and crossed her legs.


    Reba thought Lu Liang was only speaking to her, her face went red, and she became flustered, "Mr. Lu, how could I?"


    She wanted the ceremony lady to help take the necklace off, feeling the necklace heating up and making it uncomfortable to wear.


    "Keep it on."


    Lu Liang did not say more and returned to his seat.


    Reba, bewildered, nearly burst into tears.


    Seeing this, Mr. He quickly came to her rescue, "Reba, come up quickly, we need to introduce the second item for auction, otherwise, we might have to work overtime today."


    The sudden burst of Mandarin eased Reba''s awkwardness, she glanced at Lu Liang then went back to the stage.


    Due to the effects of the first auction item being so impressive, the subsequent items seemed somewhat dull, except for the last few key items, the highest price for the others was no more than one million.


    Lu Liang and Liu Qing also intermittently made a few bids, but these few times they tacitly avoided competing with each other and perfectly missed each other''s bids.


    An hour and a half long auction, in the blink of an eye.


    If there hadn''t been a fake donation incident, then this edition of the Bazaar Charity Dinner would have raised a total of 78.52 million.


    "Mr. Lu, we need to pay 12.82 million," Xu Jiawei softly informed.


    He had been keeping track, Lu Liang had bid on four items including a necklace, a stone sculpture, a painting, and a high-end crocodile skin suitcase.


    "The necklace, just say it was a gift for her, and for the stone sculpture, the painting, and that suitcase, have them delivered to the company in Modu."


    Lu Liang nodded slightly, swiped his card to pay, and instructed Xu Jiawei to stay behind to handle the follow-up, while he and Zhu Hu left first.


    Liu Qing cast another glance at Lu Liang, her eyes full of resentment, and her heart raced with ten thousand thoughts.


    This bastard Lu Liang, had probably already planned to bid for the necklace to gift to that girl.


    Because of her involvement, it drove the price up and correspondingly, the sentiment too.


    Critically, Lu Liang could also use the name of competing with her to give the necklace naturally, it would spare him gossip and make the girl accept and remember his kindness.


    Afterwards, Reba took off the necklace, returned it to the organizers, and planned to leave.


    "Mr. Lu, are you leaving? Did you pay? Did you give me the necklace?"


    She was bewildered, her head as if stirred by a big iron stick, turned into a mess, "Why?"


    Mr. He, drinking water, came over smiling and said, "There are two reasons, one is that Mr. Lu likes you, and the other is that the necklace is not important to him, but winning it from Mr. Liu is very important, which do you think it is?"


    "I don''t know~" Reba was dazed, muttering to herself, "Didn''t they say Mr. Lu already had a girlfriend?"


    "Are you talking about that internet celebrity?"


    "Yes."


    "They broke up a while ago, but..."


    "But what?" Reba suddenly curious.


    Mr. He said, "Rumors say he has a new girlfriend, but that photo was very blurry, and hasn''t been confirmed by the person himself."


    He then asked, "Do you have his contact information? If so, it''s better to ask him directly, make it clear."


    "Thank you, Mr. He."


    Reba quickly thanked him, lowered her head and stealthily glanced at the business card in her hand, she had Lu Liang''s contact info, given to her by someone claiming to be Lu Liang''s secretary.

 Chapter 465 - 460: If Force Wont Work, Resort to Softness

    "Million King"


    "Liu Qing Didn''t Win, It''s Just That Lu Liang Stopped Playing"


    "Lu Liang and Liu Qing''s Complicated Love and Hate"


    The dinner party ended, and related news circulated online.


    Over a hundred guests attended, including those from the entertainment industry and outsiders as well.


    Despite the lack of video footage, words were exchanged, and stories pieced together, so much so that even the detail of Lu Liang wearing gray socks was accurately restored.


    The always unyielding aura, raising the price just once, became well-known. It gave off the impression of "let the storm rage on, undisturbed am I," enough to make people sigh with envy at the power of wealth.


    They believed that Liu Qing could produce ten million, but if the battle had continued, the sure winner would have been Lu Liang.


    There''s a fundamental difference between someone from the third generation and someone from the first.


    Lu Liang was a league of his own, leading his way, and if things really heated up, he had the authority to risk it all.


    But Liu Qing didn''t have that kind of authority, after all, Old Liu was still alive, and the Liu family wasn''t hers to control.


    At the same time, Lu Liang and Zhu Hu left International Trade and went to a street-side stall to drink and eat skewers.


    "A necklace worth tens of millions, and you just gave it away?"


    Zhu Hu had braced himself to be on his own, never expecting Lu Liang to come along.


    If Lu Liang had thrown away a necklace worth ten million just like that, he would definitely mock him.


    "Brother Hu, when was the last time you chased a girl?" Lu Liang asked with a smile on his lips, eating grilled kidney, believing in "like cures like."


    "I''ve got a kid about to enter high school, I don''t bother chasing girls anymore, just tasting something fresh is good enough," Zhu Hu said with an expressive face. He still loved his wife dearly, but over the years, his lover had become a family member.


    "Then let''s forget I asked," Lu Liang said with a wry smile.


    He''d just glanced at Reba''s file - a girl with looks, talent, luck, and who was hard-working.


    Honestly, even without Lu Liang''s support, she could have been overwhelmed with all the offers she received.


    So, wooing her would require extra effort.


    Lu Liang treated it like a casual hobby; if he managed to get her, they''d book a room, if not, he''d take his time.


    Suddenly his phone rang, a friend request notification, which he accepted.


    "Are you Mr. Lu? This is Reba. I got your mobile number from your business card, so I took the liberty of adding you."


    Reba was visibly nervous, the chat window constantly showed "typing," and there were cute emojis at the end of each message, perhaps to ease the awkwardness.


    "I''m Lu Liang. Do you still like the necklace?"


    Lu Liang looked up to see Zhu Hu with a look of disdain, he slightly curled the corners of his mouth and decisively sent a voice message.


    After hearing the voice message, Reba sent one back, which also served to confirm her identity, "I like it, but the gift is just too expensive, maybe you can take it back."


    However, Lu Liang didn''t respond for quite some time.


    At some hotel, Reba looked at the necklace in front of her, hands cupping her cheeks, and a worried look on her face, "What should I do now?"


    Her phone suddenly rang, Yang Mi was calling: "Reba, I''m back. How did the auction go?"


    The Flowers Youth Group had finally finished their twenty-day filming and had just returned from Namibia.


    "It went well, except the necklace is still with me."


    "What happened?"


    "Mr. Lu won the auction and then said it was a gift for me."


    "Okay, got it."


    Meanwhile, Lu Liang returned to his hotel, and after freshening up, he received a call from Yang Mi: "Are you back in the country? How was your filming trip?"


    "There were some hiccups, but overall it went well. Little Love''s flight is a day later; she''ll return tomorrow."


    Yang Mi chatted with Lu Liang for a bit and suddenly asked, "Where are you staying? I''m already at the Third Ring Road."


    "Zhongguang Village, Shenzhou International, Room 2008," Lu Liang replied with a smile, guessing Yang Mi''s intention.


    "Leave the door open, I''ll be there soon."


    "Alright."


    After ending the call, Lu Liang opened a bottle of white wine and sat by the window, enjoying the city''s night view.


    Swirling the wine in a high-heeled glass, he opened the trading app to check today''s Bitcoin market.


    The crash had passed, and the market sentiment had been stabilizing over the past few days.


    The price was slowly climbing to 4,800 US Dollars.


    "No divergence yet..."


    Lu Liang opened an email from Wen Chao, according to Wen Chao''s analysis, if there were to be a market movement, it might start at 5,200 points.


    Then, a divergence was expected around 5,500. If it surpassed the historical high, it''d be a leap into the vast ocean, with no limit to the rise.


    If it doesn''t break the historical high point, there will be a new round of pullbacks, and it could well sink into oblivion, never to recover.


    Now, Bitcoin is a bit like Big A''s mythical stock, with retail investors, hot money, and even institutions okay with sharp rises and falls, but absolutely not with mediocrity.


    If it fluctuates by three to five percentage points in a day, then what''s the point? Retail investors don''t care about high risk; they just seek high returns.


    "Will next Thursday be the opportunity?"


    Lu Liang took a sip of his drink, thinking about Old Te''s visit next week when 26 businessmen from East and West will gather.


    On their side, there''s him, Ali, Old Ma, Old Cao of Fuyao, Xiaomi, Suning''s Mr. Zhang, and others.


    On the other side, there''s Blackstone Group''s Su Shimin, Berkshire''s Buffett, and Flannery from General Motors, among others.


    [On November 9, 2017, the two countries signed trade cooperation agreements totaling 253.5 billion US dollars]


    "253.5 billion US dollars, could it be related?"


    Lu Liang''s brows were tightly knit, his face contemplative, when suddenly, a door left ajar was quietly closed.


    A shadowy figure tiptoed to the window and suddenly embraced Lu Liang from behind, "Why are you drinking alone here?"


    Lu Liang''s hand trembled, nearly spilling the drink in his cup. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He saw Yang Mi fully armed, with a hat, mask, and scarf revealing only her bright eyes.


    "I also wanted to invite a beauty to drink with me, but it seems she''s not interested, and she''s been wanting to return my gift."


    Lu Liang''s gesture was natural as he reached through the down jacket and gripped her waist. On the outside, it looked warm, but it seemed rather cool beneath.


    "Don''t even think about her; Reba is our company''s cash cow." Yang Mi glared, her gear scattered on the floor.


    Hat, mask, scarf, outerwear ¨C all taken off. What she wore underneath was indeed cool: a black tube top and straps, bulging and very full.


    The spicy denim shorts, paired with glossy stockings and black Dr. Martens boots, added a touch of youthful sweetness without losing sex appeal.


    "Everybody desires beauty, and a 25-year-old lady should date, too."


    Lu Liang''s smile played at the corners of his mouth as he suddenly picked up Yang Mi and sat her on his lap, pouring her a glass of wine.


    The two glasses clinked, a clear sound ringing out.


    "Don''t be too greedy, with one in your arms and who knows how many others out there, you''re still eyeing another in front of me?"


    Yang Mi''s glance was unfriendly; her makeup tonight was heavy yet exquisite. Her red lips lightly touched the rim of the glass, leaving a faint lipstick mark.


    Then, changing her tone, she said, "The artistes in the company are of age and want to fall in love, I don''t oppose, but is that love? You clearly covet her body; I don''t even want to punch you."


    "A fair lady, a gentleman''s good match."


    Lu Liang lifted Yang Mi''s chin, smilingly saying, "So Mr. Yang isn''t planning to lend a hand? Maybe I''ll become your company''s son-in-law."


    Yang Mi showed a look of helplessness, finding that being tough won''t work, so she had to be gentle, "Mr. Lu, please don''t be like this, Reba is a particularly pure and simple girl."


    Reba, who debuted in ''13, though she has only been developing for just over four years, became a first-tier popular actress with "Clara Lovers" and "Pretty Li Huizhen."


    Her popularity is no less than hers,


    and audience affinity is even better.


    After all, she''s had no shortage of scandals over the years, but by comparison, Reba has had almost none, her appeal to the general public is frightening.


    If she had developed to this stage back then, she would have already fallen out with her old company, but Reba has always been humble, not vying or snatching.


    During the recent contract renewal, Yang Mi made arrangements, and she didn''t object to any, sensible and amiable, making people feel pity for her.


    She considered Reba the company''s cash cow, but Reba always treated her like a big sister one can rely on.


    That''s why at tonight''s auction, she gave up several film and TV resources, just to let Reba be the host of the dinner, and to wear the first auction item provided by her.


    She planned to grab a torrent of attention, aiming for the title of super-girl next door.


    The attendees of Harper''s Bazaar dinner were either rich or noble, and you can tell from Mr. Lu. Many luxury brand CEOs will attend; getting familiar with them will make endorsement deals easier later.


    The effect was excellent; the first auction item became the highlight of this charity auction. Both Yang Mi and Reba won big, becoming the biggest winners of this event.


    However, a wolf had set his sights on her.


    Lu Liang smiled, "Dare to call me a wolf?"


    "Do we need someone to say it when you are a ''horny wolf''?" Yang Mi snorted, faintly sensing the revival of an unspeakable presence.


    "But by saying that, you make me even more interested in her, what should I do?"


    Lu Liang''s smile remained as he picked up his phone, opened the chat with Reba, and replied, "The necklace is for you, keep it or throw it away, it''s up to you."


    It seemed Reba had been waiting for his message, quickly replying, "I wouldn''t dare throw away something so valuable."


    She also added a sticker of a bear bowing to express thanks.


    At the sight, Yang Mi was so angry that she bit Lu Liang''s ear, mouthing "Stop it~"


    Reba can help the company make money and trusts her so much; she should also protect the world''s best Reba.


    The old saying goes well: thirty is like a wolf and forty is like a tiger; there are no fields worn out by plowing, only oxen worn out by labor.


    She was going to drain Lu Liang dry and rid him of any ideas.

 Chapter 466 - 461: Wealth and Power Are the Best Tonics for Men

    As Yang Mi transformed into Juice Girl, Reba had been waiting for a long time but still received no messages from Lu Liang.


    "What kind of person is he?" she asked, pocketing the necklace and listlessly typing Lu Liang''s name into the search bar.


    She had heard of Lu Liang and had a general idea of what he looked like, rumored to be a very formidable person, but she never had an in-depth understanding.


    Reba read a lot of news; Lu Liang first appeared in public view two years ago at number 88 Punan Road.


    At that time, he was an obscure speculative investor but took part in the financial battle of shorting the yen. Since then, he became famous in one battle, climbing the ladder to the pantheon, participating in international financial wars like shorting British Pounds during the Brexit vote and defending the RMB against the yen.


    Not only did he earn the name "Financial Butcher" internationally, but he was also named the best investor domestically last year, successively investing in enterprises such as Mobike, Panda, Douyin, NIO, and Li Xiang.


    Even though OFO went under, leaving more than ten million creditors, Lu Liang pulled out before the critical round B financing; it''s rumored that he invested one million and earned a hundred million.


    There was also the entertainment industry, where he invested in ''Crown Princess Consort,'' Xia Luo, ''First Rich,'' ''War Wolf 2,'' and ''Wandering Earth,'' which was hailed as the first great homegrown sci-fi.


    "So impressive~"


    Reba was lost in thought as if witnessing the rise of a legend, murmuring to herself, "It''s not like, he is a legend!"


    However, when she turned to Lu Liang''s personal life, she became conflicted. Initially, Lu Liang was called Lu Shimei, and according to rumors, after he became wealthy, he abandoned his long-suffering wife.


    She saw the online celebrity that Mr. He talked about too, called Li Xiaomeng, who had been in a relationship with Lu Liang for over two years.


    It was probably last week that Lu Liang was suspected of dating a new girlfriend in Tokyo, and Li Xiaomeng stepped forward to clarify that they had already broken up.


    Lu Liang had not made any statements, but he is not a star or celebrity; hence, the heat of that incident had gradually faded.


    "Is he busy? Why hasn''t he replied to my messages? Should I send another emoji? But would he find me annoying?"


    Reba felt a sense of loss, holding her phone, lying in bed, and tossing and turning, unable to sleep.


    ¡­


    The next morning, Lu Liang got up and picked up his phone, seeing the cute emojis sent by Reba.


    He turned his head towards the pillow beside him; it was empty, save for a few strands of light red hair that told him someone had been there.


    "Busy."


    After sending the message, Lu Liang paid it no more heed.


    He knew this was Yang Mi''s scheme, but he truly had no interest whatsoever. If he encountered an able-bodied person begging on the street, he might even consider scanning for 100 RMB.


    Nothing more than the belief in carrying out his evil and doing his good; he was just short of renouncing worldly desires to achieve enlightenment.


    "A thirty-year-old entertainment circle madam is indeed as terrible as one fears; who could stand it~~"


    Lu Liang sighed and slowly got ready, washing up and getting dressed before going downstairs to the dining room, where Xu Jiawei had been waiting for him for a long time.


    A smile was on his face, clearly there was good news.


    Lu Liang asked with a smile, "Did the approval come through?"


    "It did," Xu Jiawei nodded. He had just received a call from the Ministry of Commerce to bring all the paperwork for processing.


    The domestic review had passed, and next was the exchange''s review. If that passed too, DiDi could list in the US by next April at the latest.


    Lu Liang finished a glass of milk, adding some protein to his diet, feeling it to be more reliable than grilled kidneys¡ªafter all, it was all protein.


    His mouth curved into a smile, "Contact Mr. Cheng to get people, three o''clock in the afternoon, meeting at the New Chenghai Building."


    While Lu Liang was off to the Ministry of Commerce to handle paperwork, back in Beijing, the Liu family, Old Liu, and Liu Qing also received the news.


    "Lu Liang''s submitted review materials have passed," Liu Qing said with a furrowed brow, like a volcano ready to erupt at any moment.


    "Yes, it passed," Old Liu sighed. They couldn''t make it, but Lu Liang could, and that was very telling.


    The father and daughter were silent for a long time, each with their thoughts. Old Liu asked, "Qing''er, what do you think?"


    Liu Qing said with a heavy voice, "I''m not satisfied. Goldman Sachs Uber all support me, why should Lu Liang get the prize?"


    With DiDi''s domestic review passing, the time left for her was short, a month at the least, or two at most.


    Because the next step was the US review, if that passed as well, Lu Liang would certainly target her before the listing.


    This was Lu Liang''s best opportunity; if both domestic and international reviews passed, then DiDi''s listing would be set in stone.


    At that point, whatever demands Lu Liang made, as long as they didn''t harm the collective interest, would get approved without opposition.


    That included framing her with a baseless crime, then kicking her out of the board of directors and gradually taking back the power she held in her hands.


    Old Liu exhaled deeply and suddenly mentioned something apparently unrelated, "Ah Qing told me that this year''s government procurement orders might be reduced by 20% compared to previous years."


    He was getting old and did not want to take a big tumble in his old age but, ultimately, everything is fate, beyond human control.


    They had only given up a small step before, and Huawei, Xiaomi, Shenzhou had swooped in like a pack of wolves, overwhelming them.


    If they retreated again, it would be an announcement that the Liu family was past its prime, weakening day by day.


    Meanwhile, after a busy morning, Lu Liang left the Ministry of Commerce and came to the DiDi Building.


    Cheng Wei greeted him at the door with a smile on his face, "Mr. Lu, have you had lunch?"


    "I just finished up, no time for that." Lu Liang had Xu Jiawei bring out the documents for Cheng Wei to look over.


    "How about we order something simple for lunch in the company''s restaurant?" Cheng Wei''s smile was radiant, as he''d taken a significant step towards regaining control of the group.


    "Whatever works."


    They went to the restaurant on the second floor.


    Lu Liang focused on his meal while Cheng Wei flipped through the documents, becoming more and more pleased as he gazed at the bright red official seal. He asked, "Mr. Lu, when are we going to the US for the inspection?"


    Lu Liang thought for a moment and said, "Let''s postpone it a bit."


    Cheng Wei was taken aback, hesitated for a moment, and said, "If we delay, she''ll also have ample time to prepare."


    ''She'' was naturally Liu Qing, and as the saying goes, it''s best to pursue the enemy with the triumph of the moment, not to rest on one''s laurels and emulate overconfident kings. They should strike while the iron is hot.


    Lu Liang rolled his eyes and said irritably, "I need some time to get ready too."


    Next up, he had two matters to deal with, both likely to aid in DiDi''s US inspection proceedings.


    The first was naturally attending the dress rehearsal, the second was the big Bitcoin market; cooperation between countries could affect Bitcoin, and the higher Bitcoin''s price, the more influence he would have.


    As long as he could use Bitcoin market leverage in negotiations with Goldman Sachs, Liu Qing could have the skills of a goddess yet still fail to turn the tide.


    If the king commands the death of his minister, the minister has to die,


    Facing Goldman Sachs, Liu Qing was that minister.


    "Mr. Lu, about when would that be?" Cheng Wei chuckled awkwardly as he always thought of Lu Liang as an omnipotent figure.


    After all, the stock listing inspection that even the Liu family couldn''t handle, Lu Liang managed to do so, and he had so many friends on Wall Street.


    "Early December, I guess."


    When exactly the Bitcoin market would start, Lu Liang was unclear, but he knew the peak would be on December 17th.


    By that time, with such high prices, there would certainly be more than just speculators and individual investors, there would be sizable international institutions pouring in real money to boost Bitcoin''s soaring prices.


    Getting that US inspection done before then would be most advantageous to him.


    Throwing $5,000 at a stock market crash compared to $20,000 would have incomparably different effects.


    As for anything related to DiDi''s inspection that displeased Lu Liang, he was ready to flip the table. To hell with the new financial system.


    Anyway, he hadn''t spent a penny so far.


    Just by hinting at this approach, if Goldman Sachs didn''t want to lose face, naturally, someone would help him save face.


    As three o''clock in the afternoon approached,


    the same conference room, the same people.


    "True to form, Mr. Lu, success follows wherever you go."


    As soon as Lu Liang appeared, the sound of flattery was endless.


    What Liu Qing and the Liu family couldn''t accomplish, whatever means Lu Liang employed, he accomplished it, and that made him impressive.


    Even Zhang Manlin, a staunch supporter of Liu Qing and representative of the staff shareholders, revealed to Lu Liang a smile she had never shown before.


    In the struggle between factions, she supported Liu Qing unconditionally, but the company going public was a good thing for all the shareholders.


    Because a company of DiDi''s size going public could create dozens of billionaires and hundreds of millionaires overnight.


    Being able to sit on the board of directors means she held some shares too, owning 0.012%, a reward for her years of hard work.


    After some idle chatter, as Liu Qing arrived and all were present, the doors of the conference room closed. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "To regroup for over a month?"


    Liu Qing was surprised; she had been prepared for Lu Liang to seize the moment and had her countermeasures ready.


    So, she had prepared for nothing since Lu Liang had backed off?


    "The US inspection is the final hurdle; we must be fully prepared to ensure nothing goes wrong."


    Lu Liang still wore a smile as he explained that a lot of documentation needed translating and that the team needed more members. He looked at Liu Qing and asked with a smile, "Mr. Liu, do you have any questions?"


    Liu Qing pondered for a long while and slowly shook her head: "We truly should be fully prepared; it wouldn''t hurt to double the team size appropriately."


    She didn''t know what Lu Liang was scheming, but if they had a month or two, she could prepare even more fully.


    "Since there are no objections from everyone, let''s settle on this decision for now," said Cheng Wei with a beaming face; he looked like he had become ten years younger today, his hair seeming much fuller.


    Wealth and power are the best beauty treatments for a man. Previously, he had wealth without power, which led to his gradual balding.


    Lu Liang was his Viagra, allowing him to incrementally take back power from Liu Qing''s hands and successfully revitalizing his vigor for a second spring.

 Chapter 467 - 462: The Constant Trouble

    The meeting lasted until five in the afternoon, during which Lu Liang contacted De Mei City businessman Cruick to ask him to send a few people over.


    Just as with Panda''s listing on Nasdaq, listing on the New York Stock Exchange also required at least three market dealers to act as underwriters, but DiDi was different due to its much larger scale.


    At that time, Panda was valued at 3.8 billion US Dollars, and its initial offering price was only 1.98 US Dollars, allowing it only to enter the third-tier capital markets.


    But DiDi was different, valued at 50 billion US Dollars, and if it passed the listing review, it was expected to see a premium of about 10%.


    The offering price would also be above five US Dollars, allowing it to directly enter the global select markets and catch the eye of investors from all countries.


    In this aspect, Lu Liang was not familiar.


    So, he planned to find professionals to come over; if they could pass the audit in the United States, De Mei would be the lead underwriter.


    With Panda''s listing, the three underwriters made several tens of millions of US dollars by issuing stocks. With DiDi''s listing, becoming the lead underwriter to manage more issuance rights would mean even greater profits.


    For the sake of smooth cooperation in the future, they had no reason to refuse.


    "Jia Wei, if there''s anything you don''t understand, ask Director Huang and Manager Wang for more advice."


    After the meeting, Lu Liang planned to leave, but he left Xu Jia Wei here and Cheng Wei chimed in, "If you encounter any insurmountable problems, you can also contact me."


    Lu Liang gave Xu Jia Wei a slight nod, and just then, Zhu Hu approached and said, "Mr. Lu, I''m afraid I won''t be able to dine with you this evening. I just heard that Su Shimin and Flannery and a few others have arrived early and have gone to visit Huaqing University."


    Although he was not one of the invited twelve, Blackstone Group was an investor in Golden Sand River Venture Capital , holding a 12.5% stake.


    Su Shimin, the American delegate at the roundtable, was the co-founder, global chairman, and CEO of the Blackstone Group.


    Also, as the financial backer of Golden Sand River Venture Capital, he needed to go and say hello, likely to act as a local guide.


    Meanwhile, Shen Peng stepped out to take a call at the entrance, then came back and said, "Mr. Zhu, let''s go together."


    It was not only Golden Sand River, not only Redwood, and not only venture capital firms; almost every well-known domestic company had received investments from Blackstone, BlackRock, or Vanguard.


    The three managed assets exceeding 20 trillion US Dollars, with direct and indirect assets spread across the globe.


    However, due to East Country''s backing by the state with absolute sovereignty, the three groups'' invasion into East Country was not as severe as in Japan and Korea.


    Whether it was Shen Peng or Zhu Hu, they were united co-founders and executive partners with significant autonomy.


    Lu Liang nodded but did not accompany them.


    They were going to pay homage; he didn''t need to, and he would meet with Su Shimin sooner or later, so there was no rush.


    As several people left one after another, Liu Qing also received news that the US delegates had arrived early and had gone to visit Tsinghua University.


    A contemplative look crossed her face, and an unusual emotion arose in her heart.


    If capital were to be graded, Goldman Sachs would only fall in the second tier, probably not even at the forefront.


    Blackstone, BlackRock, and Vanguard¡ªthe three giants¡ªwere the undisputed leaders of the first tier.


    The relationship among the three was complex, not so much competition as an intertwined interdependence.


    The first and second largest shareholders of Blackstone were BlackRock and Vanguard, respectively.


    BlackRock''s predecessor was actually an investment division under Blackstone, which later became independent, with Blackstone still holding a certain stake.


    Vanguard''s founder was John Bogle, the father of the index fund, idolized by Buffett, and originally named Wellington Fund.


    In the 1920s, Wellington Fund underwent a split, becoming Vanguard and Lehman Brothers.


    The founder of Blackstone, Su Shimin, had left Lehman Brothers to set up Blackstone.


    One could say that the three giants shared common roots¡ªif compared to a family, their relationship wouldn''t extend to a fifth degree of kinship.


    If one could secure support from any one of them, DiDi''s situation may completely turn around, and the Liu family would restore its former glory under her leadership.


    Liu Qing''s thoughts quickened, and she decisively set off for Huaqing University, hoping to create a chance encounter.


    At nightfall, Lu Liang arrived at Phoenix City near Sanyuan Bridge.


    Zhang Tian''ai had just landed in Beijing that afternoon and was resting for the day, preparing to leave for Hengdian tomorrow to join a film crew.


    "Look, these are our pictures from Australia. Mi is so nice, she doesn''t put on any airs at all."


    Zhang Tian''ai, never tiring, shared odd tales and amusing stories from recording the show with Lu Liang.


    She was about to delve into two new TV dramas tomorrow, which meant she wouldn''t be able to see Lu Liang for at least three months.


    "It does look quite nice."


    Lu Liang''s brows were tightly furrowed, his mind elsewhere.


    Because just now, Zhu Hu had sent him a message that Liu Qing had attended a welcoming dinner for Su Shimin uninvited, and the two seemed to have enjoyed quite a pleasant conversation.


    Without a doubt, it must be because she felt Goldman Sachs wasn''t aggressive enough and was trying to see if she could get Blackstone to join forces or become part of the Squid Clan.


    Zhu Hu also said that when talking with Flannery, she mentioned him, curious why he hadn''t come and saying that she planned to visit Su City in a few days.


    Lu Liang glanced at the message but didn''t reply, pretending to be very busy.


    Liu Qing had gone; it wouldn''t be right for him to follow suit. It would be like picking up leftovers, a sure way to devalue oneself.


    "My head hurts~" Lu Liang sighed, hoping that Bitcoin might bring him enough of a surprise.


    Liu Qing was indeed trouble¡ªnever resting for a moment. His desire to get rid of her was at an all-time high.


    Because for old-timers like Su Shimin who had been immersed in the market for decades, you couldn''t let them see a profit opportunity.


    Otherwise, even if they didn''t accept Liu Qing''s invitation, they might have other ideas, like forcing their way in or demanding protection money.


    It''s like a business opportunity that no one knew about until suddenly, someone mentions it, and then they start considering whether they could be involved.


    The more people Liu Qing sought help from now, the more uncertainties there would be later, and the more resistance Lu Liang might face in the future.


    "Headache? Let me give you a massage."


    Upon hearing this, Zhang Tian''ai hurried over to Lu Liang''s back, her slender fingers kneading his temples. She said with a smile, "I''m very professional, you know. Just last week, while filming in South Africa without enough budget, I even took a part-time job as a massage girl."


    Lu Liang''s head suddenly leaned back, landing right between her breasts, and he asked with a laugh, "Is this massage girl reputable?"


    "To others, yes, but definitely not to you."


    Zhang Tian''ai hugged Lu Liang''s head, her body swaying and rubbing against him.


    Suddenly, a faint scent of perfume filled his nose, and Lu Liang chuckled, patting Zhang Tian''ai''s hand: "Alright, stop playing."


    Last night, Yang Mi had been quite demanding, which meant a longer ''cooldown period'' today. Now, he just wanted a hug, a kiss, to share the bed without going any further.


    "Alright~"


    Zhang Tian''ai obediently sat on Lu Liang''s lap, and he asked, "What drama did you take on? Need any investment?" sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "One is Yu Zheng''s ''Yanxi Strategy'', and the other is Li Jun''s ''Peace Restaurant''. They shouldn''t be lacking funds; they''re paying me a good salary."


    Zhang Tian''ai grinned¡ªshe was the second lead in the former and the lead in the latter. The total number of episodes for both TV dramas exceeded 110, and the total salary was 18.4 million yuan.


    Both dramas would take about three to four months of filming, and she would likely only get a break during the Spring Festival. Even then, she''d probably need to take part in some activities or shows.


    Zhang Chen had been trying to mend relations with Mahua and Lu Liang, which is why he had allowed her to go solo and had helped with the studio establishment. The role in ''Peace Restaurant'' was also something Zhang Chen had secured for her.


    "If he''s offering it to you, then accept it. Moreover, it seems our company has also invested."


    Lu Liang laughed bitterly. Lately, he had received quite a few messages about upcoming popular film and television projects.


    Such as ''The Name of the People'', ''The Demon Child Comes to the World'', and ''Peace Restaurant'' featuring Zhang Tian''ai, which were all about to be hits.


    But he really didn''t have the time; he would only mention them casually to Tang Caide whenever he thought about it. If he could invest, he would; if not, he wouldn''t worry about it. The pressing matter at hand was still DiDi.


    The company had developed for over two years by now, and many projects no longer required Lu Liang''s direct involvement.


    He would bring them up when they crossed his mind.


    If he happened to forget and miss out, chances were Tang Caide would have already made the investment on his behalf.


    After all, a man''s reputation was like a tree''s shadow; any film and television project short on funds would find their way to them.


    Tang Caide and the other hundred or so people in the company weren''t there for nothing; like finding needles in a haystack, they would always manage to pick a few hits.


    As long as the major projects Lu Liang was responsible for didn''t go wrong, a small investment failure wasn''t a big deal.


    "Wow~ does that mean I had funding backing me joining the crew?" Zhang Tian''ai squinted her eyes with a smile, suddenly feeling very confident.


    Lu Liang laughed dryly, "When have you ever joined a crew without funding? ''Crown Princess Consort''? ''First Rich''?"


    Zhang Tian''ai pouted proudly: "Doesn''t my talent account for anything?"


    Lu Liang thought for a moment, then nodded with a smile: "By your talents, you''ve won me over."


    "That seems right."


    Zhang Tian''ai really wanted to, especially since she wouldn''t be able to see Lu Liang for at least the next three months.


    By her own abilities, she managed to cut short Lu Liang''s ''cooldown'' period.

 Chapter 468 - 463: The Tsundere Liangzi

    After sleeping with Lu Liang, Zhang Tian''ai left the next day.


    It left him feeling like he''d been used for sex. It was the same with Yang Mi, with Zhang Tian''ai, and even more so with the last one, Lin Yike, who outright gave him money.


    "Winter sown, autumn reaped~"


    Lu Liang had a vague premonition that his second child was about to be born, he just didn''t know who the mother was.


    The next day, the news continued to report that the Blackstone Group''s chairman Su Shimin and General Motors'' Flannery, among others, initiated lectures at Huaqing University, successively donating one hundred million dollars to establish the Su Shimin Scholars Program and Flannery''s doctoral research project.


    This also reminded Lu Liang of an interesting news story.


    More than a decade ago, Professor Watson, the discoverer of the double helix structure, initiated an intelligence research project on different human races.


    By collecting a large amount of data, he came to believe that the average IQ of black people was lower than that of Caucasians and East Asians, and he thought it was determined by genetic factors.


    The conclusion drawn was that East Asians had a notably higher average intelligence, followed by indigenous Europeans and Americans, with Africans ranking last.


    However, this assertion sparked massive social controversy, and as a result of accusations of racism, he was stripped of all his positions and honors.


    Although the problem of addressing issues was solved, the facts indeed spoke louder than words; there were a large number of Chinese in Silicon Valley and on Wall Street, the centers of technology and finance.


    Unlike Indians who tended to form supportive groups, the overseas Chinese who achieved success abroad were almost all self-reliant.


    That''s why there is a saying: when a company''s senior management has one Indian, more and more will follow, but if there''s one Chinese, there will only ever be that one.


    Though it''s a sarcastic comment on the lack of solidarity among overseas Chinese, who only care about their own interests, the quality of individuals is indeed outstanding.


    Therefore, Qingbei and Huaqing University, especially their Chinese departments, are particularly favored by foreign capital, which often donates funds to establish various research and development projects.


    Like Liu Qing, who graduated from Beijing University with a bachelor''s degree and then went to Harvard for a master''s degree through a research project initiated by Goldman Sachs.


    Even without the Liu family''s assistance, with her capabilities, she could have independently completed this process and ultimately joined Goldman Sachs.


    After all, every boss loves a self-sufficient employee, just like Tang Caide, who always played the role of the grim-faced King of Hell in the company.


    Only Chen Jinchun had a relatively good relationship with her, and Tang Caide did not deliberately avoid this relationship.


    Because she knew, and so did Mr. Lu, that the difference between Chen Jinchun and a Husky was nothing more than sticking out a tongue and drooling.


    Employee number 003, managing the company''s social media account with more than twenty million followers, using the public account for personal matters, commenting and leaving messages everywhere, and always liking to lead the company''s female employees in house dances.


    If Mr. Lu had the slightest dislike for her, Chen Jinchun would have been sent back to her hometown to raise pigs long ago.


    At noon, Lu Liang received a phone call from Zhu Hu, asking if he had time to come to Qingbei University for a gathering and to go to the Great Wall later in the evening.


    "I''m a bit busy," Lu Liang declined, but Zhu Hu immediately understood his intention and had Shen Peng make another call.


    Having known each other for several years, Zhu Hu had also noticed that, in addition to being a bit malicious, Lu Liang was also somewhat aloof.


    If Liu Qing hadn''t come forward proactively, perhaps just one phone call would have brought Mr. Lu over.


    But with Liu Qing taking the initiative, it required repeated invitations, differentiating the treatment between Mr. Lu and her.


    Sure enough, after Shen Peng''s call, Mr. Lu went from being "a bit busy" to "I''ll try to finish up early and come over."


    Flannery curiously asked, "Neil, Mr. Lu, will he come?"


    Su Shimin was all ears as well. At the time of the Panda review, Mr. Lu''s welcome dinner, he wasn''t in New York.


    Later, during the Panda''s IPO, he also wasn''t in New York, so he never had the chance to meet Mr. Lu.


    He was very curious about this ''Miracle Boy.'' Ever since he became famous for shorting the yen, no matter what projects they were involved in, Mr. Lu always managed to be one step ahead of them, even making more accurate judgments.


    For instance, the British Pound crashed when Old England left the EU, and then there was the tense situation in the south, defending the RMB by short selling the yen, which acted as a flood relief.


    After all, at that time, although the US Army was forced to retreat, various funds were eagerly ready to strike, and they had to act.


    It was Mr. Lu who actively shorted the yen, guiding them to the yen market.


    They kept the mentality that since they had come all this way, and since they couldn''t get a piece of the RMB, cutting a slice off the yen would mean they hadn''t come for nothing.


    And then there was the recent Bitcoin phenomenon. According to their investigation, Lu Liang held over 300,000 bitcoins, accounting for more than 1% of the market share, which simply made it impossible to push him out of the game.


    Wilson had also approached him several times to discuss strategies.


    "Mr. Lu is indeed a very busy man, and usually, it''s impossible to meet him without an appointment in advance."


    Liu Qing, seeing everyone''s expressions, couldn''t help but feel a twinge of jealousy and subtly tripped up Lu Liang, hoping to leave a bad impression.


    She took the initiative to create opportunities and engineer chance encounters, thereby joining the accompanying group. Although she knew taking initiative could seem cheap, she was still annoyed.


    Why should she, who had slaved away tirelessly, not receive as many invitations as Lu Liang, who even had the luxury of turning them down repeatedly?


    Shen Peng smiled and said, "Mr. Lu agreed. He said he would finish up his work as quickly as possible and come over to Huaqing University for a get-together."


    "That''s great. I look forward to meeting Mr. Lu," Su Shimin said with a broad grin, while Flannery commented, "While the anticipation is welcome, the experience may not be as pleasant."


    He had met with Lu Liang in both Detroit and New York, which is why he warned Su Shimin in advance not to take him for a humble Chinese, or he would suffer a great loss.


    Just like one should not treat Old Te as a regular politician.


    Su Shimin raised an eyebrow and said with a smile, "You really have a high opinion of him."


    "He''s worth it," Flannery replied.


    Zhu Hu and Shen Peng exchanged glances,


    Both could see the surprise at the bottom of each other''s eyes.


    Rumors on Wall Street were that the bigwigs held Lu Liang in high regard and said that, had he not been Chinese and had a bit of the Squid Clan bloodline, he would already have been canonized and made a patriarch on Wall Street.


    It seemed that was indeed the case.


    Around two o''clock in the afternoon, having finished lunch and taken a nap to rejuvenate his spirits, Lu Liang leisurely made his way to Huaqing University.


    Zhu Hu had been calling repeatedly to urge him on; receiving foreign guests in Beijing was like entertaining country relatives¡ªvisiting a prestigious university, climbing the Great Wall, and touring the Forbidden City comprised the three main activities.


    They were currently stuck on the second step; if Lu Liang didn''t show, they would set off for Badaling to catch the evening glow of the sunset.


    At ten past two, the luxury coach had already been waiting at the university gate for some time and finally saw Lu Liang''s Maybach arrive.


    "Flannery, long time no see. How have you been?"


    Lu Liang boarded the coach with a beaming smile.


    He greeted a few familiar friends, including Liu Qing, and finally turned his attention to an old man with white hair.


    He looked like an Eastern European Caucasian, with rather dry skin and age spots, but his neck had a faint pink color, a very typical trait of the Squid Clan.


    "Lu, this is Mr. Su Shimin."


    Flannery greeted Lu Liang with a warm embrace and proceeded to introduce the two men to each other.


    "Is Su Shimin a transliteration?" Lu Liang asked curiously, sizing up the head of the Blackstone Group, one of the three giants of capital. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Yes, it''s a transliteration, but I also have a deep interest in the history and culture of East Country, especially Li Shimin," Su Shimin said with a smile.


    The strongest carbon-based lifeform of the 7th century, the overlord of Asia, the decision-maker of the East Half Ball, and one of the most powerful contestants for the title of Earth''s ruler.


    "Indeed, ''Second Phoenix'' was impressive, but among China''s historical figures, I prefer Cao Mengde," Lu Liang said with a twinkling in his eye.


    Cao Mengde, or Cao Cao, as he is widely known, actually had quite the bad rap¡ªrecruiting talent from across the land without particular factional bias. However, subsequent eras left him with the reputation of a cunning hero and a lover of other men''s wives.


    Whether he was a cunning hero or a real hero remains a question, but the label of wife lover was definitely a slander¡ªafter all, in the time of the Three Kingdoms, there was no internet, and who knows where any beautiful women might be hidden away in the mountains.


    The best strategy was to let others choose first, and then make a selection from their choices.


    Like going to the supermarket to buy fruit when you can''t tell if it''s fresh or not; you simply take some from someone else''s shopping cart to avoid any duds.


    "Cao Cao? Quite a resemblance indeed," Liu Qing said meaningfully, as if Lu Liang was Cao Cao, then Cheng Wei would naturally be Emperor Xian.


    "Alright, everyone, it''s time to depart. If we delay any longer, we''ll miss the chance to enjoy the twilight on the Great Wall."


    Suddenly, the tour guide in the front row called out, and a look of surprise flashed in Lu Liang''s eyes¡ªit was Xu Xiaojun''s cousin, Xu Huiqi.

 Chapter 469 - 464: Incompetent, Scrambling Away

    "Mr. Lu, hello, I am the guide for Mr. Su Shimin and others this time."


    Xu Huiqi smiled, she was in her senior year and planned to study abroad in America the following year. The opportunity to be a guide was hard-won by her family.


    If she could get a recommendation letter from Su Shimin, her journey to Princeton University would be much smoother.


    Lu Liang nodded slightly but said little, continuing to make small talk with Su Shimin. A girl who aspired to be the next Milk Tea Girl didn''t hold much interest for him.


    The group conversed about the merits and demerits of emperors and generals of old, while Liu Qing couldn''t get a word in, bored, she looked over at Xu Huiqi: "Xu, do you know Mr. Lu?"


    Xu Huiqi set aside her disappointment and replied with a smile, "Yes, Mr. Liu, we met a few times at school before, and my brother is also friends with Mr. Lu."


    Although she wanted to be the next Milk Tea Girl, it didn''t stop Liu Qing from being her idol, after all, one of the three most influential female entrepreneurs in the country.


    One was Lao Ganma, another Miss Dong, and then there was Liu Qing. Even though compared to the first two, Liu Qing relied a bit on the Liu family.


    But why not use the family connections if you have them? Besides, the Liu family wasn''t lacking in male successors. Liu Qing''s ability to stand out was enough to prove her excellence.


    Liu Qing asked with curiosity, "Who is this?"


    "Xu Xiaojun of Chenyi Investment."


    "Oh, Mr. Xu."


    Liu Qing understood then and also realized why Lu Liang, who had a reputation for lechery, was so lukewarm toward Xu Huiqi.


    She had heard of Chenyi Investment, a white glove for the second and third generations.


    Both Lu Liang and she could have a direct conversation with their families'' elders.


    Naturally, they had little interest in currying favor with the younger generation, and getting too close might even result in being labeled with a faction, better to be closely connected with the government.


    The minibus traveled from the bustling city towards the north, through scenic gardens with clear mountains and waters, arriving at the foot of the Great Wall.


    "Our Great Wall at Badaling is divided into the South Line and North Line. If we depart at dawn to see the sunrise, it is best to start from the North Line."


    "For the sunset, the best choice is the South Line. Starting from the South 1st Floor, we can appreciate the winding magnificence of the Great Wall all the way to the South 7th Floor."


    Most of the passengers on the bus were honored foreign guests, and the scenic area''s leaders had been notified early on and had doubled the number of security personnel.


    "Mr. Lu, haven''t you been here before?" Zhu Hu asked with a smile, sensing that Lu Liang looked like it was his first visit.


    "I came here many years ago, but it was too crowded then, so I didn''t go up."


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but smile as he remembered that about seven years ago, he and Liu Mingxuan had visited during the National Day holiday.


    Leaving from Beijing, they had been stuck in traffic for hours. Once they arrived, the place was packed with people. At that time, there was only a little more than an hour before the scenic area closed.


    With thousands of people ahead of them, it was unlikely they would get their turn, so they just took a photo at the base of the towers to say they had been there, posted it on QQ Space, and left.


    Later at the hotel, Lu Liang felt relieved they had left early when he watched the news. The visitor service center had been overwhelmed that evening, with several kilometers around under traffic control, making it impossible to get a taxi.


    Thousands of tourists had no choice but to walk seven or eight kilometers back to the North Sixth Ring at night.


    But compared to Lu Liang''s relief, Liu Mingxuan felt quite regretful.


    With so many young and pretty girls, it would have been a good opportunity to nurture relationships as they walked; who knows, maybe back in the city, he could have had a beautiful encounter and wouldn''t need to share a room with a dog of a man like Lu Liang.


    Turning left at the ticket checkpoint led to the South Great Wall, where the South 1st Floor offered a panoramic view of the North Great Wall.


    "It''s hard to imagine this was built more than two thousand years ago." The foreigners marveled at the feat of constructing the Great Wall on top of mountains.


    Even more than two thousand years ago, the transport and logistical conditions were extremely harsh, and the scope of the work was unimaginably vast.


    "Back then, nomadic tribes from the north often invaded, so to protect agricultural production and the safety of the country and its citizens."


    Lu Liang acted as an impromptu tour guide; although he had never been here, he had read enough in textbooks to know this, and saw a certain similarity between the Great Wall and the border wall currently advocated by Old Te.


    "Mr. Lu, how do you see this cooperation between our two countries?"


    The group chatted as they walked, akin to playing golf¡ªin golf, playing isn''t the goal, but the conversation while walking is.


    "To further deepen relations between the two countries is of great significance for the development of both nations and world prosperity."


    Lu Liang responded with a smile on his lips, uttering platitudes, because judging by next year''s events, as well as Old Te''s character,


    he had an idea of what was happening. Zhong had been bamboozled, swallowing up the bait of more than 200 billion dollars in economic and trade cooperation.


    Turned out, it was a backstabbing move, similar to withdrawing from the World Health Organization, the Paris Agreement, and the Global Compact on Migration.


    For Old Te''s government, unilaterally tearing up treaties was a regular practice as long as there were profits to be made.


    The group arrived at the South 4th Floor, the highest point of the South Great Wall at an altitude of 803 meters, boasting beautiful scenery.


    After admiring the breathtaking view, Su Shimin asked, "I heard, Mr. Lu, you''ve also dabbled in Cryptocurrency?"


    "With the progress of times, and the development of an era, it doesn''t hurt to try out new things." Lu Liang squinted his eyes in amusement.


    Shen Peng, Zhu Hu, and Liu Qing were all taken aback. Since joining the tour group, they had heard more than once about Cryptocurrency.


    Through Su Shimin''s demeanor, it was clear that cryptocurrency seemed to be of great importance, and Lu Liang appeared to be involved in it as well.


    Su Shimin added, "Mr. Lu, it doesn''t seem to be just a casual attempt. I''ve heard that you invested one billion dollars several months ago."


    "The emerging market, the new system, cannot withstand any shocks. That''s why we can only invest so much."


    Lu Liang handed his phone to Liu Qing, asking her to help him take a photo, as he hadn''t posted on his circle of friends in a long time.


    He still struck a V pose, embodying the classic tourist mentality.


    Su Shimin said, "The emerging market needs everyone''s joint effort to maintain."


    "That''s a given. First, we establish the market, then we make money."


    Lu Liang took the initiative to talk about Mitsui Sumitomo''s Ota Ling, planning to find time to discuss the future development and planning with them.


    Although everyone guessed that this project was led by him, he couldn''t admit it and still had to let Ota Ling be the frontman.


    Because the nation probably wouldn''t allow Bitcoin to circulate domestically, he couldn''t be the one to stick his neck out.


    You have to make money and secure rights, but he would not be the spokesperson for Bitcoin in the East University Market.


    "Mr. Ota from Mitsui Sumitomo probably can''t make that decision, right?"


    Su Shimin squinted his eyes, a hint of chill flashing in his gaze.


    He picked up on the subtext of Lu Liang''s words, always pushing Mitsui Sumitomo to the forefront - wanting to avoid direct association while still enjoying the profits and rights.


    "It should be possible. I''ve spoken with Mr. Ota and Mr. Zheng from Modern, both of whom are quite optimistic about the development of cryptocurrency."


    Lu Liang''s smile remained, like a brazen hunk of beef ¨C he had squeezed his way onto the table and without him, no one else could play.


    As his words fell, Su Shimin''s expression turned icy; the once warm atmosphere of the tourist group plummeted to freezing point.


    All the seven foreign guests looked to Su Shimin for the lead;


    If he wasn''t happy, no one dared be cheerful.


    "Up ahead is South 7th Floor, have we already reached the end of the Southern Line?"


    Zhu Hu hastened to break the tension, and Shen Peng also said with a laugh: "The Southern Great Wall is easier compared to the North; Xu must have considered our older comrades."


    Walking in the lead, Xu Huiqi was unaware of the change in the group''s mood, quickly explaining, "The sunset view from the Southern Line is regarded as a unique beauty in Beijing."


    "Last year I visited the Southern Line, and the evening glow scene is unforgettable to this day," Liu Qing said, smiling, but there was an undercurrent of gloom in her eyes.


    Her knowledge of cryptocurrency was limited, but a market that even the leader of Blackstone was paying attention to certainly wasn''t a simple project.


    Though she looked down on Lu Liang and would have loved to curse him every day, she didn''t dare question his investment judgment.


    Because of this, Liu Qing felt an inexplicable pressure, especially if Lu Liang held chips that even Su Shimin feared.


    Her plans to attract him, or even join him, only seeking assistance, might completely fall through.


    At 5:10 p.m., the remaining sunshine of sunset bathed the peaks of the Great Wall in a golden hue, as if the whole world were covered in gold.


    The voices of Zhu Hu, Shen Peng, and Liu Qing, along with the beautiful scenery in the distance, gradually repaired the group''s ambiance.


    The sunset rapidly approached, and in less than five minutes, the sun had completely sunk behind the peaks.


    Xu Huiqi, waving a small flag, called out, "Everyone keep up, it gets dark quickly, we need to go down through the passage from South Fifth Floor."


    Unlike the way there, the team was close-knit and full of laughter, perhaps due to the conversation between Lu Liang and Su Shimin, or maybe just from fatigue.


    On their way back, everyone split into small groups, forming several factions.


    Liu Qing gravitated towards the foreign guests'' group, while Zhu Hu and Shen Peng wanted to chat with Lu Liang about what had just happened, but out of respect for their patron, Su Shimin, they had to remain neutral.


    Only Lu Liang walked alone at his own leisurely pace at the back of the group, still taking photos as he strolled.


    Xu Huiqi deliberately slowed down and came alongside Mr. Lu, "Mr. Lu, tired? Want to take a break?"


    "No need, I just can''t bear to leave behind such beautiful scenery right now."


    Lu Liang said with a smile, taking a photo of the horizon.


    He collected enough photos for a nine-square grid,


    And simultaneously posted them to his circle of friends and Weibo.


    "If you want to come here, you can do it anytime. I can also be your tour guide~"


    Xu Huiqi bent down slightly, looking up at Lu Liang with a playful twinkle in her eyes.


    Although she was rejected by Lu Liang last year, especially after the dinner when he let her go home alone without even a courtesy ride, making her quite angry,


    This year, Lu Liang''s growth had surpassed that of the past.


    Like a space elevator, soaring a thousand miles in a second, she suddenly found herself able to accept Lu Liang''s ungentlemanly actions. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 470 - 465: Can This Collaboration Succeed?

    "Let''s talk about it later, I''ve been quite busy recently."


    Lu Liang offered a wry smile as he declined Xu Huiqi''s invitation.


    Xu Huiqi felt a momentary daze, almost wanting to pull out a mirror from her bag to see if she really looked that unappealing.


    Because not long ago, Xu Xiaojun had brought a few friends home for drinks, and in their idle chat, Lu Liang''s name had come up.


    Lu Liang was not as faithful as people outside said, having dated an internet-famous girlfriend for over two years.


    On the surface, he had a girlfriend, but behind the scenes, he was ambiguous with many other girls, even with female celebrities.


    The number of women he was involved with long-term was certainly not less than three.


    Xu Huiqi couldn''t understand; she was even willing to be one of those three, but why simply wouldn''t Lu Liang accept her?


    As night fell, the tour group returned to Beijing, and Xu Huiqi had finished her work, full of grievances, reluctantly heading back to school.


    After dinner, as the foreign guests all returned to their hotel for rest, Zhu Hu and Shen Peng found Lu Liang: "How about we go have a drink?"


    "Just a little then," Lu Liang laughed, following them to the Jade Lake Club in the outskirts.


    It so happened they met Lei Jun, Lin Bin, the second in command of Xiaomi, and He Xiaopeng from Xiao Peng Car, who had just finished dinner and seemed to be heading for a soak in the hot springs.


    Upon seeing Lu Liang and his group, He Xiaopeng''s eyes twinkled with delight as he asked, smiling, "Mr. Lu, why don''t you join us?"


    Xiao Peng Car had been having a rough time recently, Li Xiang and NIO were busy with financing, preparing for IPOs.


    Even Weima Car was selling like hotcakes, leaving Xiao Peng Car, one of the ''Weiliao'' trio, at risk of falling out of the top tier.


    Therefore, he had come to Beijing, hoping to get support from Lei Jun, conveniently meeting three giants of the investment world, a wonderful coincidence.


    "Let''s do it together then, it''s more fun with more people," Lu Liang smiled, knowing why Zhu Hu and Shen Peng had sought him out.


    It was simply to understand the situation with cryptocurrency and see if they could grab a piece of the pie.


    But this project was not something Lu Liang could openly discuss, nor could he bring others in on it.


    Because he was like a mouse in the warehouse, not eating much, but defecating, potentially ruining a lot of food.


    Zhu Hu and Shen Peng exchanged glances, understanding Lu Liang''s intention, it seemed they would have to do their own investigation.


    Six men, all in big shorts wrapped in bathrobes, made their way to the outdoor hot spring pool.


    Winter was coming, and soaking in the hot springs was the best and most fatigue-relieving health activity.


    "Mr. Lu, you were accompanying Mr. Su Shimin and the others to the Great Wall this afternoon, how was it?" Lei Jun asked, having just returned to Beijing that day, and planning to find some time to visit Su Shimin the next day.


    Blackstone Group and Vanguard were respectively the fifth and sixth largest shareholders of Xiaomi, jointly owning 7.85%.


    Next month Xiaomi decided to distribute 9.9 billion US dollars in dividends, and then to start full preparations for an IPO, needing to give them a heads up.


    "The scenery was beautiful, and the views pleasant; the South Line can be completed in just over two hours, we should go more often in the future."


    Lu Liang soaked in the water, sighing in contentment, eyes squinting comfortably, his face filled with pleasure. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lei Jun couldn''t help but laugh, "Seems like it wasn''t that enjoyable."


    It was like the coded language of diplomacy, where the two parties have a frank conversation¡ªsaying a lot, but not agreeing. The two sides exchanged views¡ªsticking to their own points, no agreement reached. The two sides fully exchanged opinions¡ªwe argued a lot, but no cups were thrown.


    Zhu Hu smiled bitterly and nodded, and Shen Peng sighed; on the way back, and during the meal, they had played the role of the ''atmosphere group'' all night. If they could have a pleasant conversation after that, it would be really surprising.


    Lei Jun was surprised: "Are the differences really that big? Is it about the next economic and trade cooperation?"


    Lu Liang suddenly spoke up: "It''s about something else."


    He looked at He Xiaopeng: "Mr. He, how has Xiao Peng Car been doing recently? I haven''t followed this industry for a while."


    He Xiaopeng was taken aback, not expecting to be suddenly called upon, and quickly said, "We''re planning to release the G3i, a modified model of the G3."


    The sales of the Weima EX5 were too good, even the BYD Song was affected, let alone the Xiao Peng G3, which shares the same price range and is also an SUV.


    They planned a model upgrade, to improve the interior, exterior design, and the assisted driving features of the car machine.


    He Xiaopeng suddenly asked, "Mr. Lu, I heard the Tianxing Car Machine has reached L2 level; can our new G3i also be outfitted with your company''s car machine?"


    Under Lu Liang''s frantic investments and poaching, Tianxing OS had successfully broken into the top tier of the market.


    Although everyone knew Lu Liang''s ambitions, he wanted to make Tianxing Car Machine the domestic Apple, making car manufacturers and users familiar with their ecosystem, so when the market scale increased in the future, it would be time to reap the benefits.


    Any ambitious car manufacturer would not let Lu Liang have his way, but the current situation was compelling, whether it was Xiao Peng, NIO, or even the well-selling Li Xiang, the immediate priority was survival before considering other issues.


    NIO had earned a name for itself, Li Xiang had secured sales, but Xiao Peng, targeting the mid-market, was still outflanked by Weima Cars.


    The redesigned G3i, if not accepted, could mean Xiao Peng might disappear from the market for quite some time.


    They were in desperate need of a selling point, and also needed a fresh injection of blood; Lu Liang happened to perfectly satisfy both needs.


    Lu Liang was all smiles, swimming up to He Xiaopeng, bare-chested, and putting an arm around his shoulder: "Mr. He, if the company has any difficulties in management, just let me know. As you know, I''m very optimistic about the prospects of this market and your capabilities."


    The two chatted amiably, shoulder to shoulder, and Lu Liang learned that Xiao Peng Car planned to conduct a Series B+ financing round, with an estimated valuation of 1.8 billion US dollars, seeking 180 million US dollars in funds.


    After some thought, Lu Liang waved his hand grandly and decided to invest 90 million US dollars, leading this round.


    He didn''t know whether Xiao Peng Car''s future would merge into obscurity, but it didn''t matter. He had invested in all three¡ªNIO, Xiao Peng, and Li Xiang¡ªand even if Xiao Peng lost money, he could make it back on NIO.


    The main thing was to increase the market share of Tianxing OS. As long as the market grew, the customers got used to it, and the car companies became dependent on it, wealth would naturally flow in thereafter.


    Lei Jun frowned slightly, sensing that Lu Liang was changing the subject. He turned to look at Zhu Hu and Shen Peng.


    But the two were preoccupied¡ªone looking up at the night sky, the other gazing down at the bubbling spring water.


    There were many cryptocurrencies currently, but it would generally refer to Bitcoin, as it had the largest trading volume.


    Even if Lu Liang didn''t tell them, they had decided to invest a little. When it came to making money, naturally, they wouldn''t bring others along.


    As the night deepened, people gradually left the spring pool and returned to their hotels in the city.


    The time swiftly advanced to the afternoon of the eighth. Old Te, accompanied by his wife, arrived in Beijing for a state visit.


    What was discussed on the first day nobody knew, but Old Te was clearly very pleased, frequently breaking into childlike grins.


    On the second day, Lu Liang, Lei Jun, Old Ma, Cao Wangde, and others were invited to the square outside the East Gate to attend the welcome ceremony.


    When Old Te saw Lu Liang, he was all smiles, as though an annoying fly had found a cracked egg, giving him a royal treatment.


    Others just shook hands, but with Lu Liang, he gave a hefty hug: "Lu, how''s the project in Detroit going?"


    "Thanks to your blessings, it''s going very well."


    With a forced smile, Lu Liang glanced at the cameras, guessing what the front page of the newspapers would be.


    After all, it was quite normal for others, but extraordinarily special regarding him, which could easily lead to wild speculations about the closeness of their personal relationship.


    "As long as it''s going well. On behalf of the once industrial jewel, I thank you." Old Te''s weathered face broke into a broad smile. He intentionally hugged Lu Liang''s shoulders again for the cameras, fearing that Lu Liang was not noticeable enough.


    Lu Liang, enduring the discomfort, pulled away. Old Te chuckled, patting him on the shoulder before moving on to Lei Jun.


    Old Ma''s eyes glistened with a smile that couldn''t hide his schadenfreude: "Mr. Lu, he seems quite taken with you."


    In the past, he was always the most noticeable one, but ever since Lu Liang appeared, he had felt slightly neglected.


    Though he felt some loss, the pressure was much lighter.


    After all, this guy was not like the typical politician; he didn''t follow the usual rules, and it was easy to fall into a pit if you weren''t careful.


    "A blessing or a curse, a curse that cannot be avoided," Lu Liang sighed, inquiring about the economic and trade cooperation that Ali planned to offer later.


    The morning was the welcome ceremony, and the afternoon was for discussions.


    As far as he knew, Sinopec was going to cooperate with General Motors on liquefied natural gas, with contracts exceeding 56 billion US dollars.


    The Energy Department was also going to sign a strategic cooperation memorandum with the state of West Virginia, pledging a total investment of 83.7 billion US dollars over 20 years, given the right technological and economic conditions.


    Sinograin was also poised to sign a memorandum of understanding with ADM to strengthen cooperation in the field of soybean trade.


    Even Aviation Industry Corporation of China was set to cooperate with Boeing to order 300 aircrafts, with a total worth exceeding 37 billion US dollars.


    But the most crucial was the central bank, which appeared ready to engage in in-depth discussions and cooperation with the US Treasury and Su Shimin in the field of financial payments.


    Their conversation,


    would likely affect the future direction of Bitcoin.


    The cooperation between the two countries was very sincere, and as invited entrepreneurs, Lu Liang and his peers naturally had to show some sincerity.


    Old Ma pondered for a moment before whispering: "Mr. Lu, do you think this collaboration will be successful?"


    Lu Liang was surprised, and that trace of surprise was exactly what Old Ma captured. His eyes twinkling with amusement: "Then let''s talk it up big."


    Clearly, Lu Liang shared his perspective; the cooperation seemed smooth on the surface, but implementing it would definitely not be so straightforward.


    Hollywood''s main villains had changed, and they had been neglected too long. Now, deep cooperation would be tantamount to aiding an adversary.


    Old Te had not even been in office for a year before he unilaterally terminated nine international treaties¡ªadding one more economic and trade cooperation down the line wouldn''t be out of the norm.

 Chapter 471 - 466: A New Page for the Family Tree

    Old fox~


    Liangzi silently cursed to himself, he only knew through a cheat that the economic and trade cooperation was very likely going to fall through.


    But Old Ma was different; his tone was very certain, almost outright stating that this cooperation was definitely doomed.


    Lu Liang glanced at the responsible person from the Ministry of Commerce, originally wanting to remind them, but it seemed unnecessary now.


    The think tank surely wasn''t made up of incompetent people; they likely also adhered to the principle of not releasing the hawk until they saw the rabbit.


    It was best if the two countries could cooperate, but if they couldn''t, there was no need to accommodate and force the cooperation.


    After lunch, there was a short two-hour break.


    At half-past two in the afternoon, a two-hour meeting with journalists from Eastern and Western enterprises was held.


    During the meeting, both sides signed a total of 34 cooperation projects, involving an amount of 258.5 billion dollars.


    That was 5 billion dollars more than predicted, the extra fifty billion dollars was the amount Lu Liang promised to additionally invest in states like Michigan and California over the next five years.


    Anyway, it was included in the economic and trade cooperation orders, so if Old Te unilaterally breached the agreement next year, the current promises would naturally become void.


    Just like Old Ma said, the promises would probably be void anyway, so why not talk big? Gaining reputation for themselves and leaving the infamy to Old Te, why not do it?


    That same night, the news broadcast continued to report, and the major media platforms also forwarded the news one after another. This was the first time Lu Liang appeared on a significant state visit, which also sparked heated discussions among countless netizens.


    "Holy shit, Liangzi''s made it!"


    "One of the twelve Eastern representatives?"


    "Why does he seem to have such a good relationship with Old Te?"


    "Don''t call him Liangzi outside; show some respect and call him Mr. Lu."


    "Is he your dad? Just calling him Liangzi, what''s it to you?"


    Meanwhile, back in his hometown, Lu Liang''s parents saw the news and were overjoyed, rushing to share it with everyone.


    Although the current Lu Liang could be said to be well-known, his parents back home never really understood what their son did.


    In their eyes, finance equaled capital, and capitalists should just pick a street lamp they liked and hang from it.


    Although Lu Liang had been investing in the new energy industry, they didn''t understand much about it and only knew they couldn''t even see the tyres nowadays.


    They had always been worried that one day Lu Liang would end up like the owner of the largest Gome Electrical store in town, directly going in to depend on the state.


    But now it was different, Lu Liang had appeared on the news broadcast, and it was a very important state visit at that.


    That same night, the wise elders of Luhe Village gathered, thinking that it was necessary to dedicate a new page in the family record.


    "Tiechui, what do you think?" the 88-year-old elder asked, looking at Lu Tiechui, who was always puffing away.


    Lu Liang had previously donated five million to the village, built a leisure center for the elderly, and provided new equipment for the school playground, making Lu Jiancheng one of the respected wise men of the village.


    Old Lu chuckled and said, "Anything is fine, just let me know if you''re short on money."


    Two months ago, during the Mid-Autumn Festival, Lu Liang had brought Su Wanyu and his daughter home, leaving several million with Lu Ya at that time.


    Personal money was subject to the situation and relationship; one could borrow if they wanted, but it required Lu Ya''s approval.


    For public matters, it depended on the budget; if it was a 1 million project, they would contribute over half a million.


    If it was 10 million, they would contribute 5 million; if there wasn''t enough money, they just needed to get Lu Ya to contact him.


    After all, even Baidu Encyclopedia had documented that Lu Liang was born in Luhe Village.


    With a conservative estimate of personal wealth over 20 billion, he was without a doubt the richest person in the city.


    If there were projects or events in the village, it was only right that they should bear the name and contribute the bulk of the funds.


    Spending money for everyone was better than spending for just the small home, after all, biting the hand that feeds one, in the end, was still the act of a few.


    Meanwhile,


    Lu Liang had just finished the state banquet and was leaving the State Guesthouse.


    He didn''t really enjoy Huaiyang cuisine, but he could understand; after all, the plating was delicate and there were no bones.


    If it were like Cantonese cuisine, presenting a bloodied plate of cold chicken with bones, it wouldn''t only look unappealing, but gnawing on bones was also indelicate.


    "Mr. Lu, where are you rushing off to in such a hurry?" Old Ma quickened his pace, approaching with a beaming smile to inquire.


    Lu Liang stopped and said, "I haven''t been back to Modu in a long time; I have a flight at nine. Mr. Ma, would you like a ride?"


    The signing of the over 200 billion dollars trade contract caused the A-share market to surge during the day, and the US stocks were probably going to explode later.


    Even the Bitcoin market was stirring; he needed to rush back to Modu to delegate some tasks and then head to Tokyo to take charge firsthand.


    Liu Qing had been absent from Su Shimin''s side these days, which gave Lu Liang a sense of crisis, feeling that things were ominously quiet, as if mischief were afoot.


    The foundation of the Liu family''s three generations was indeed substantial; it was best to make a quick decision to avoid complications.


    As soon as DiDi went public, Lu Liang could focus on making electric vehicles, and the next year was sure to be fraught with battles.


    Once Xiaomi went public, Huawei was restless to join, not to mention the two major companies OV, joining hands with Weima Automobile.


    Even Miss Dong quietly acquired Yinlong New Energy and set up Gree New Energy Technology Co., Ltd.


    Nowadays, those in real estate and air conditioning were gearing up to enter car manufacturing; it wouldn''t be surprising if a Lao Ganma luxury electric car brand emerged in the future.


    Next year was definitely going to be a year of pandemonium, the more chaotic the market, the more value the emerging Market Maker held.


    As the herald of the new energy market two years ago, Tianxing Technology was not going to be content falling behind.


    "No need, I am planning to stay a few more days in Beijing."


    Watching Lu Liang''s departing figure, Old Ma''s brows were tightly knotted; he really wanted a piece of Bitcoin.


    Not for the money, but for the power.


    But now, it was a bit late to enter the market; Bitcoin had reclaimed a lofty position at $5,000.


    At this point, even investing one billion dollars could only buy 200,000 coins, less than 1% of the total market supply.


    One billion dollars for 200,000 coins was just theoretical; as aggressive buying would inevitably drive up the price.


    Once it broke through the $5,500 historical high, subsequent rises to ten or twenty thousand dollars would not be surprising.


    So even with money, purchase was not guaranteed; with Lu Liang''s successful quiet move, the real Market Maker would definitely be on guard.


    If anyone dared to get involved, their head would be chopped off; the only way to enter the fray was through Lu Liang.


    "Mr. Lu, why the hurry, where are you off to?"


    At this moment, Lei Jun also walked out from the State Guesthouse.


    "It''s said he''s heading back to Modu to take care of some official business."


    Old Ma replied absentmindedly and bid farewell before leaving.


    In the early hours of the morning, the plane smoothly arrived at Modu Airport.


    Leaving the airport, Lu Liang wanted to return to Sinograin No.1 to properly "teach" Li Manli a lesson for the inexplicable breakup.


    But en route, he received a message and had to turn around to head to Skyline Garden in Xujiahui.


    As he opened the door, Lu Liang saw the room filled with a pink, ambiguous light, and the air was perfumed with the scent of aromatherapy.


    Wang Chuting wore a purple long dress, holding a wine glass, half-reclining on the sofa with her seductive demeanor and her long legs restless.


    "What''s the matter?" Lu Liang casually turned on the room lights and saw her face adorned with exquisite makeup.


    Whether from drinking or something else, her cheeks were exceptionally red, like the flush after consummation.


    Lu Liang chuckled dryly: "You told me you were sick? Does this look like you''re sick?"


    Wang Chuting stretched her long legs, picked up a cigarette from the table, took a drag, and with a wine glass in hand, approached Lu Liang.


    The room filled with the clicking sounds of her high heels, taller in heel than Lu Liang by a bit.


    Her palm rested on Lu Liang''s body as she exhaled smoke, her voice low and magnetic, "Isn''t lovesickness a disease?" S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Why do I think you seem feverish?" Lu Liang took the wine glass and emptied it, encircling her waist, his hand venturing down.


    Her silk dress was soft, but he felt no lining beneath; Lu Liang was amused: "I think you are really feverish."


    "Mhm." Wang Chuting giggled foolishly like a lovestruck girl, eager to help Lu Liang shed his coat and relieve him of his restraints.


    "You''re so hot~"


    Lu Liang suddenly remembered the other two times Wang Chuting had a fever; once in Wuzhen, once in Boao.


    Wang Chuting''s excitement was unlike other girls who were physiological; hers was psychological.


    She became exceptionally excited at every event where he made a mark, as she had said, unconsciously tightening.


    "Do you like that?" Wang Chuting extended her tongue, lightly flicking Lu Liang''s earlobe serpentinely.


    She also felt she was perhaps sick; the same Lu Liang who appeared in the evening news was now lying in her bed tonight.


    The sensation was indescribably thrilling.


    "Can I say no?" Lu Liang smiled, suddenly urging to tease her.


    After all, he had been deceived into coming here; Wang Chuting told him she was sick, her tone desperate and lifeless.


    He came because of worry, only to be met with such a performance.


    "No~~" Wang Chuting''s drawn-out tone preceded her tackle of Lu Liang, unconcerned with the surroundings.

 Chapter 472 - 467: The Leek Field Cant Be Without Chinese Retail Investors

    "Do you really not smoke anymore?"


    "No, I''ve quit, and besides, your cigarettes are too thin and weak."


    As the night deepened, a flicker of firelight lit up the dimly lit living room.


    Wang Chuting''s gaze was hazy as she sat on the carpet in the living room, her red lips clenching a cigarette. The smoke slowly exhaled from her mouth, creating a kind of dreamy beauty.


    Her smoking posture was beautiful and elegant.


    Lu Liang wasn''t put off by it. He leaned against the sofa, idly swiping on his phone. He suddenly tapped on Li Manli''s chat window, which continually showed "typing."


    But after a while, no message came through.


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but smile, imagining Li Manli holding her phone, her face full of indecision.


    Because he had told her in the evening that he would probably return to Modu around midnight, she should have been waiting at home.


    "Are you hungry? Should we order some takeout?" Wang Chuting pinched out her cigarette and picked up her phone, ready to order something.


    "I''m not hungry, just eat by yourself," Lu Liang replied as he picked up his clothes from the floor and put them on one by one.


    Wang Chuting looked surprised, "Aren''t you staying here tonight?"


    "Mhm, I still have some things to take care of."


    After saying that, Lu Liang touched Wang Chuting''s cheek, kissed her forehead, and then left.


    Wang Chuting appeared thoughtful, a touch of melancholy on her face, "Running around all night, you''re killing yourself, you bastard."


    A woman''s intuition told her,


    Lu Liang''s sudden departure was definitely not because of work.


    If there had been work at night, given her understanding of Lu Liang, even if she told him she was sick, at most he would have told her to drink more hot water. He definitely wouldn''t have come over so promptly.


    The more Wang Chuting thought about it, the angrier she became. She lay straight and stiff on the ground, vacant of all possessions, as if she had been violated.


    She glanced from the corner of her eye at the small pill beneath the coffee table and picked it up, throwing it directly into the trash can.


    Her mood was terrible, and she didn''t want to eat it.


    If she got pregnant, she''d just consider it a treatment for menstrual cramps.


    After all, Lu Liang had also said he would cure her.


    In the wee hours past two a.m., Lu Liang returned to Sinograin No.1. The home was dimly lit, with only one lamp on in the living room.


    Li Manli hugged a stuffed animal, lying on the sofa fast asleep, her mouth slightly open, with a trickle of saliva glistening at the corner.


    Lu Liang was about to approach when he subconsciously sniffed himself and detected a faint scent of flowers and sandalwood.


    The floral aroma was probably Wang Chuting''s usual perfume, and sandalwood was her hobby; she liked to play with scents and would always light a stick of handmade incense if prepared in advance.


    Wang Chuting also said that she used to like it because it was pretentious and improved her temperament, making it easier to meet big shots.


    Indulging in the art of incense and tea had no limits, plus it gave off a sense of elegance and character.


    But later, she genuinely enjoyed it because she had the time and the money to slowly savor the process of making and burning incense.


    Lu Liang felt slightly guilty as he tiptoed into the bathroom. After showering and changing clothes, he approached Li Manli''s side.


    Looking at her sleeping position, he couldn''t help but laugh, still so difficult, half of her body suspended in the air, yet not falling.


    Lu Liang sat beside her, pulled out his phone, and opened the trading app to see that the Bitcoin market was quite agitated.


    Transactions exceeded five hundred thousand dollars in just a second, with those short-selling and going long creating a significant divide in the market.


    After all, five thousand dollars was just 10 percent away from the historical high of five thousand five hundred dollars.


    Wen Chao was still too optimistic, underestimating the market sentiment. The disagreement emerged two hundred points too early.


    "Old Te will return home tomorrow, and the day after, he goes back to New York. The good news should come out then."


    Less than 40 days left until December 17, the peak of this market trend, there was no time for another correction.


    The only big international event lately was the East-West trade cooperation. The turnaround would probably also emerge from there.


    It was just unclear how it would appear, leading to a wild phase in the Bitcoin market, with a continuous rise to twenty thousand dollars.


    In the early hours past three a.m., Lu Liang yawned, planning to carry Li Manli back to the bedroom to sleep.


    Suddenly, he turned his head and discovered that Li Manli was staring at him with her round eyes wide open.


    Lu Liang chuckled, "When did you wake up?"


    "It''s been a while, I saw you deep in thought, so I didn''t disturb you." Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Li Manli beamed with a smile, and suddenly lunged into Lu Liang''s arms, holding him tightly.


    She wasn''t highly educated and wasn''t the sharpest tool in the shed, and could only use this way to tell Lu Liang.


    She really, truly still loved him, but for the sake of Lu Liang''s reputation, she had claimed that they had broken up a long time ago.


    Lu Liang patted her back, reassuring her, "I didn''t take it seriously."


    "But I''m afraid..."


    Li Manli''s voice grew softer and tears started to swirl in her eyes, but suddenly her face broke into a radiant, flower-like smile, "Right, have you finished your work?"


    "I have," Lu Liang nodded slightly, then suddenly swept Li Manli into his arms and carried her to the bedroom.


    Li Manli looked hesitant, as bashful as she was that first time, squirming slightly, "That time of the month has come, should I use..."


    "It''s past three o''clock already, aren''t you going to sleep?" Lu Liang said irritably as he made room for her on the left side of the bed.


    Li Manli''s face immediately lit up with joy, and in a second she changed her outfit, leaving only her panties on before diving under the covers, constantly adjusting her sleeping position, "It should be over the day after tomorrow."


    "Stop thinking about it, just sleep." Lu Liang also took off his shirt, feeling the delicate softness of the young girl''s body without any hindrance.


    Apart from her feet feeling a bit cold, everything else was warm, possessing a tenderness that married women do not have.


    ...


    The next morning, Old Te ended his state visit, boarding his private plane to leave Beijing.


    Various media outlets expressed their views on this, all with an optimistic outlook.


    The cooperation of the two most powerful countries on this planet was good news for all industries.


    "Su Shimin didn''t leave but instead came to Modu?"


    At noon, just as Lu Liang arrived at his office and hadn''t even settled in his seat, he received a call from Shen Peng.


    Early that morning, he and Su Shimin visited Modu to pay a visit to a company named Bijie Technology.


    Shen Peng was merely in charge of leading the way while Su Shimin had a two-hour conversation with Bijie''s founder, Zhao Changpeng.


    Not knowing the content of their chat, after their talks, Su Shimin boarded a plane and left Modu, as if he had come expressly for Zhao Changpeng.


    "What does this company do?" Lu Liang''s brows were tightly furrowed.


    "Bijie Technology set up a digital currency trading platform two months ago called Binance," Shen Peng explained.


    Lu Liang was silent for a long time before he suddenly said, "Thank you for letting me know, Mr. Shen, but let''s find another time. It''s difficult for you to get involved this time."


    Shen Peng laughed, "Mr. Lu is too polite. I just thought this matter could help you, nothing more."


    "It''s indeed helpful. Once I''m done with DiDi, let''s find time for tea and tennis."


    "I''ll be waiting for the good news."


    Ending the call with Shen Peng, Lu Liang let out a long sigh, "I should have known, is a market without Chinese retail investors still a proper leek field? Relying on investors from just the two countries in East Asia, how much money can there really be?"


    He could already imagine what would happen next - the head of an international top group, Su Shimin, visiting Bijie Technology in Modu.


    Cryptocurrency, the Binance platform, and the recent surge of Bitcoin in the last month were naturally entering the purview of domestic speculators.


    The market would then be ripe for a violent boost breaking historical records, and naturally, a large number of speculators would join the chasing army.


    An hour later, Lu Liang obtained all the information about Zhao Changpeng and Bijie Technology.


    At 40 years old, Zhao was born in Lianyungang before emigrating to Canada with his family at age 12. He graduated in ''97 and worked at the Tokyo Stock Exchange developing software. In ''01, he joined Bloomberg and participated in developing futures trading software.


    In ''05, he returned to China, successively founded Fuxun Information and Bijie Technology, making his first fortune.


    He started getting involved with cryptocurrency in ''13, against his family''s objections, he sold his house in Modu to get a million US dollars, which he invested entirely in Bitcoin.


    The average price of Bitcoin that year was probably about 160 US dollars, conservatively estimated to hold more than six thousand Bitcoins.


    To date, it had increased thirty-two-fold.


    In September this year, he founded the Binance trading platform, receiving a fifty-million-dollar investment from the New Horizon Fund.


    The New Horizon Fund was just a shell; its parent company was the Huaxia LeForte Investment Fund, the Lightfoot Fund was also a shell, with the real controlling party being the BlackRock Group.


    Lu Liang did not want to be a pawn, nor did he wish to become the spokesperson for cryptocurrency in China''s market, hence he had the Mitsui Sumitomo Group stand in front.


    But not everyone gets the chance to be a pawn,


    Though he considered it beneath him, some people treasured such an opportunity.


    "It turns out it has nothing to do with trade and economic cooperation. What a waste of analysis."


    Cursing under his breath, Lu Liang decisively left the office and went to the investment firm on the 17th floor of the building.


    He beckoned Sun Yutao over, instructing him to pull together as much capital as he could by 10 o''clock that night.


    There were no more funds to use from Wen Chao''s end, but that didn''t mean Lu Liang was out of resources.


    Between the third and fourth phases of the private equity fund, except for the 5.08% of Tesla''s floating shares which couldn''t be touched, there were nearly ten billion US dollars worth of notes.


    If he didn''t mind a few points of loss, he could short-term wrap up several billion US dollars and then go all-in on Bitcoin.


    The spread of Bitcoin within China was just a matter of time, better to be harvested by him than by others.


    He already understood how this market trend had come about and was ready to set it off himself.


    The private equity fund had not seen significant profits in a while.


    The current price of Bitcoin was 5110 US dollars, with room to grow another fifteen thousand dollars, nearly a 200% increase.


    Large funds entering the market wouldn''t be able to capture the full surge.


    Because as the funds enter, they will lift the price, and they will cause it to plummet when they leave, but with the proper maneuvering, a seventy to eighty percent return could still be anticipated.

 Chapter 473 - 468: I Bought a Super Sexy Nightgown~

    "How much liquid capital do we have now?"


    Although Lu Liang was anxious, he could not change the fact that US stocks opened in the evening.


    Moreover, with the end of the last weekend of October, New York had also entered daylight saving time.


    The time difference changed from 12 hours to 13 hours, which would last until the end of the last weekend in March next year.


    Tonight, US stocks would not open at 9:30 PM but at 10:30 PM, and trading would end at 5:00 AM.


    Sun Yutao immediately began to compile the statistics, then answered, "Mr. Lu, currently there are 323 million US dollars available in the account."


    "First, withdraw all the funds, be ready to enter the market and explode the situation."


    In the afternoon, Lu Liang stayed in the company handling official duties and monitoring market trends.


    Everything was developing as he had anticipated¡ªfinancial media had already reported Su Shimin''s visit to Zhao Changpeng.


    It felt like two and a half years ago when Lu Liang, just having acquired the office at 88 Punan Road, received a visit from Buffett.


    The globally recognized god of investment visiting the folk stock god, just thinking about it felt incredibly explosive.


    It wouldn''t be long before Zhao Changpeng accepted a media interview, extolling his own rags-to-riches story.


    This would bring Bitcoin, the emerging financial product, into the view of domestic speculators.


    With an appropriate aggressive surge, people would inevitably give in to temptation and dabble a bit.


    At eight in the evening,


    Lu Liang browsed Douyin, waiting for the US stock market to open.


    Wang Chuting''s social media account suddenly updated a video, the invited guest for this issue was Zhao Changpeng.


    Lu Liang was momentarily stunned, then hurriedly called her, "When did you interview Zhao Changpeng?"


    "In the afternoon, what''s up?" Wang Chuting was puzzled.


    In the afternoon, Zhao Changpeng had suddenly contacted her, requesting to be interviewed with only one condition¡ªto quickly release the video.


    Just when the news of Su Shimin, head of the Blackstone Group, making a special trip to Modu to visit Zhao Changpeng was beginning to brew.


    She had someone check on Zhao Changpeng, found no past inappropriate remarks, and cryptocurrency was not explicitly banned.


    So, after a bit of consideration, she agreed¡ªafter all, she had recently established an MCN agency, always wanting to foster new talent through experienced ones, but she was lacking in material.


    In the future, for interviewing persons of Lu Liang''s level, she would take charge personally, and for the next tier like Zhao Changpeng, the studio''s newcomers would handle it.


    Once the audience became a bit more familiar with the newcomers, she could open social media accounts for them, build up a certain volume of followers, and then join the impressive live-stream sales force.


    This way, Wang Chuting''s personal account''s value wouldn''t decline, and the studio also had a revenue channel.


    "Could it be that you''ve taken a fancy to Jiaying?" Wang Chuting said with a scowl, for all the videos she had published before, she hadn''t seen Lu Liang show any interest, but now with a change of interviewer, Lu Liang came knocking.


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but chuckle, teasing her, "What if I have? Would you help me?"


    Wang Chuting glared, teeth clenched, nearly grinding out her words, "Then come over now, if you satisfy me, I''ll help you."


    "Next time, I''m busy tonight." S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lu Liang smiled, suddenly shifting his tone, speaking earnestly, "Be smarter from now on, don''t you think this is a kind of promotion?"


    Wang Chuting blinked, pondered and also spotted the anomaly, her face turning sour, "Zhao Changpeng using the interview to promote Bitcoin?"


    Lu Liang laughed, "Not bad, not too stupid."


    "Could it be that cryptocurrency will be explicitly banned later?"


    Wang Chuting panicked for a moment, realizing that Lu Liang wasn''t interested in the studio''s newcomer, but was specifically reminding her.


    "Personal ownership is legal, but not encouraged; financial institutions also cannot engage in operations like buying, selling, or clearing."


    Lu Liang smiled indifferently, Tianxing Private Equity was a dual-currency fund, as long as they didn''t settle in RMB, it wouldn''t be illegal.


    Wang Chuting pondered for a long while, inquiring, "Should I take down the video now, and then release a clarification announcement?"


    As long as Lu Liang didn''t fall, her career would eventually flourish; there was no need to rush for success and take unnecessary risks.


    Besides, since it was promotion, there should be promotional fees; she hadn''t received any promotional fees, and if left with a stain, wouldn''t it be a wronged loss.


    "Up to you, bye."


    Lu Liang laughed lightly, although Wang Chuting had been foolish about this matter, once she calmed down, she remained rational.


    The saying goes, "Where there''s life, there''s hope"; her followers and credibility were her base, as long as the base remained, sooner or later she could make money.


    "I bought a super sexy nightgown~~"


    "How sexy? Let me see."


    "Wait a moment, I''ll get ready and send it to you."


    After ending the call with Lu Liang, the video that had just surpassed 50,000 views in less than half an hour suddenly was taken down.


    Wang Chuting thought again and again, an unfounded charge was really not suitable, but she couldn''t think of a sufficient reason to request the take down.


    Her only choice was to call Ren Jiaying, a newcomer in the studio, and explain the situation: "Jiaying, this time you might need to take the blame. I''m planning to use your interview mistake as the reason to take down and review the video again, and I''ll double your bonus this month."


    The review was just an excuse, it could last a day, or even a lifetime.


    After all, others couldn''t identify the error in the video, and if someday it was discovered, they would be amazed at her foresight.


    "Miss Chuting, whatever you say, I''ll follow," Ren Jiaying said with a forced smile.


    Although a bit disappointed, since it was her first interview, and it happened on an account with 15 million followers, taking the blame for the boss could surely promise a brighter future.


    After outlining the matters to tend to, Wang Chuting posted a clarification notice in black and white, then started rummaging through her closet.


    She had bought several very sexy nightgowns, planning to shoot a sexy nightgown photo collection, thankful for Boss Lu''s kind reminder.


    "Why not just have a baby with him? After all, I''ll be 28 next year," Wang Chuting murmured to herself, her father unknown and born in Ganxi, a city that favored boys over girls, she had a deep-seated distrust of men since she was young.


    Although she had remained chaste growing up and developed various elegant hobbies that seemingly aimed to please men, the essence was to snag a wealthy and powerful husband, using his influence to advance her own interests.


    Lu Liang perfectly fit the criteria for such a husband, and indeed helped develop her career, providing her with a stable foundation.


    However, she wasn''t like Lu Liang, who acted like a master key, wanting to try unlocking every lock he encountered.


    Girls were naturally more devoted, especially to the first man in their lives and the most important one.


    Suddenly, her cellphone on the bedside table rang.


    Zhao Changpeng called urgently, "Miss Wang, why was my video suddenly taken down?"


    Two months ago, Bijie had accepted New Horizons'' investment and thus founded Binance, preparing to become a leader in the domestic coin circle.


    Su Shimin''s visit was a signal that a new market trend was about to start, so he approached Wang Chuting, known as the unofficial top social media influencer, the most beautiful, and the one with the best network among the ten million follower bloggers.


    Wang Chuting had advantages other video bloggers didn''t possess. Not only did she have over ten million followers on Douyin, but she also had three million followers on TK, with over a million concentrated in Xiangjiang.


    As long as she could help spread his story, allowing more people to learn about Bitcoin, the task would be 99% successful, sparing him the need to interface with other media.


    An even more crucial factor was Wang''s beauty. Her mixed-race heritage endowed her with the creamy complexion of an Eastern beauty and the big eyes and high nose bridge of a Western beauty, making her features both sharp and exquisite.


    At a height of 177 cm, resembling a top-notch fashion model, those legs, if hoisted onto someone''s shoulders, could be deadly.


    Zhao Changpeng dreamed of tasting her charm, and completing this task would undoubtedly increase his fortune by at least a billion.


    Getting her into bed would certainly be easy.


    "I''m terribly sorry, Mr. Zhao, this interview was an oversight by our company, and I apologize for wasting your time," Wang Chuting responded, absent-mindedly pairing nightgowns, planning to dazzle Lu Liang and distract him from work, wishing he would just run over to her place and have his way with her.


    She brought up to Zhao Changpeng that the interview content about Bitcoin was excessively promotional, which led her to decide to take down the video.


    Zhao Changpeng pondered for a long while then suddenly said with a hint of mockery, "Miss Wang, perhaps we can discuss this matter."


    He neither acknowledged nor denied.


    Instead, he subtly suggested that if she wanted to treat it as a promotional video, then they could discuss the promotional fee at his place, and three to five million was not a problem.


    Plainly, he had just realized he could make some money out of it.


    Money was easy to talk about,


    giving Wang Chuting a taste of the benefits was also fine.


    The long night stretched ahead. First, repost the video, then they could have a lengthy discussion about the promotional fees.


    "Mr. Zhao, please behave yourself. That''s all," Wang Chuting said coldly, not hesitating to hang up the phone and block all his contact details.


    "These disgusting men, not a single decent one among them," she gathered her emotions and continued focusing on shooting her sexy nightgown photo collection. "Lu Liang might be an exception."


    Meanwhile, as Zhao Changpeng heard the busy signal and tried to contact Wang Chuting, he was informed that she was out of service area, clearly having been blocked.


    "Damn it, that bitch dares to trick me."


    He immediately panicked, as the market trend depended on his initiative. If something went wrong,


    Zhao Changpeng dared not think about the consequences.

 Chapter 474 - 469: The Lion Must Use All His Might to Capture the Rabbit

    "If we''ve offended someone, so be it. It''s not a big deal."


    At 10:30 in the evening, Lu Liang received some pajama photos from Wang Chuting, the corners of his mouth turning up slightly.


    She really knew how to take pictures and understood that a hint of hazy beauty, implying more than revealing, could be more alluring.


    One photo was like a snow-white silk scarf draped over her body, covering the necessary parts, as if to ensure it passed censorship, resolutely avoiding any exposure.


    Another shot featured a pure black robe with a deep V-neck plunging to her belly, revealing her navel and making it apparent she wasn''t wearing anything underneath.


    Then there was a picture where she was not wearing anything at all, but she was hidden under the bedclothes, lying prostrate to take the photo, her body pressed and deformed, but still concealing everything necessary.


    The styles varied greatly, but each photo was extremely aesthetic, showcasing the charm of the female form.


    "He''s smitten," Lu Liang said to himself with a mix of laughter and tears, putting his phone away and focusing his attention back on the market fluctuations to prevent distraction.


    At that moment, Sun Yutao asked, "Mr. Lu, we''ve already bought 150 million dollars'' worth of chips. Should we continue to sell off US stocks?"


    While learning and actively managing, he had gained a preliminary understanding of the Bitcoin market over the course of the afternoon.


    This market was exhilarating, with prices often surging by seven or eight percent at any hint of movement.


    But it was also very fragile, like the first time, where one must squeeze in slowly, easily causing pain.


    It just seemed unnecessary to prepare so much capital, feeling like using a cleaver to kill a chicken - a waste.


    After all, Old Te had just returned to the United States, announcing trade orders worth more than 200 billion dollars.


    Among them, the order for three hundred Boeing aircraft, which had sent the stock prices soaring 11.23% at the opening.


    They managed two private equity funds with a current total online asset scale of 13.166 billion dollars.


    The Tesla chips had not been moved, and about 6 billion dollars were lurking in various blue-chip stocks.


    With shares in Apple, Boeing, Microsoft, and Coca-Cola, the current market looked promising. Bitcoin didn''t require so much capital, and pulling out everything might be a bit wasteful.


    "The lion uses all its strength even when catching a rabbit. The market is quiet now because the momentum has yet to ignite."


    Lu Liang''s lips curved with a smile. He had advised Wang Chuting partly out of concern and also as a way to buy time.


    If Wang Chuting had not taken down the video, allowing it to spread and ferment, the market could have been triggered as early as tonight.


    Like now, by pulling down the video and curbing the spread, they were given time to reallocate their funds.


    They could use this opportunity to hold as much profit as possible and to build up their positions at low prices.


    Because Zhao Changpeng would surely have a contingency plan, and Wang Chuting''s account was not the only channel of dissemination.


    Sun Yutao nodded and asked no further.


    He instructed the traders to sell at high prices, aiming to complete the 6 billion dollars reallocation task within the day.


    After watching for a while and knowing that the Bitcoin market would not erupt tonight, Lu Liang returned to his upstairs office.


    As soon as he set foot in the company''s entrance, he heard a burst of laughter, and without a second thought, he knew Chen Jinchun was up to something again.


    During the day, with people coming and going at the office, since they were not a professional self-media company and didn''t rely on posting videos for their livelihood, such antics could disrupt the work of other colleagues. Therefore, Tang Caide usually restricted office video shooting to the evening.


    Seeing Chen Jinchun, Lu Liang was slightly stunned. She shone like a bright boiled egg with a perfectly shaped head, exuding an indescribable delicate charm.


    "Mr. Lu!" Chen Jinchun''s eyes widened in shock, her expression like she''d seen a ghost. A red flush quickly spread from her ears to her cheeks, as she hurriedly picked up a wig from the ground and put it on her head.


    Not only had she turned into a boiled egg, but the two male members of the filming team were boiled eggs as well, and another girl also seemed to be wearing a wig.


    But unlike Chen Jinchun, they didn''t share her boldness and looked like school children caught doing something wrong.


    After greeting Mr. Lu, they lined up and waited to be dealt with.


    Lu Liang hummed in acknowledgment, glanced at Chen Jinchun, and motioned for her to follow before pushing the door into the office.


    Chen Jinchun obediently followed behind,


    and casually closed the office door as well.


    Lu Liang sat on the coffee table, looking down at her from above, and couldn''t help but laugh, "Take it off; I want to have a closer look."


    Chen Jinchun uttered an acknowledgment, dawdling and reluctantly removed the wig to reveal her shiny bald head.


    Lu Liang was caught between laughter and tears, struggling to resist the urge to rub that shiny "hard-boiled egg" of a head, "What''s going on? What kind of act did you pull off this time? Did you really need to go this far?"


    "No act was pulled off." Chen Jinchun looked wronged.


    "Then what''s up?" Lu Liang asked.


    "Last week, Mr. Tang allocated another thirty million, which was transferred to the charity fund that we manage; aside from caring for impoverished children, we started a new project."


    "Go on."


    Lu Liang nodded slightly; he was aware of the project and had authorized it with his signature, but he hadn''t looked into the details. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Every year, the company would allocate thirty to fifty million to the charity fund directly managed by them.


    Lu Liang didn''t want the Red Cross to embezzle the money. As for where the money went, he actually wasn''t particularly concerned.


    "This project is called the Micro Light Plan, mainly focusing on caring for children with leukemia, delivering the donations to them in person, and carrying out a one-day routine filming."


    Since Lu Liang asked why they became "hard-boiled eggs," Chen Jinchun knew that the boss definitely hadn''t watched their latest video, so she explained in great detail.


    As long as the children met the criteria of being poor and ill, they would personally deliver a donation of 15,000 yuan to them, with no middlemen making a profit, the full amount given was the full amount received.


    During the day spent with the kids, Chen Jinchun realized many of them envied their hair, and many also were bald due to chemotherapy, becoming introverted and unwilling to see people.


    Therefore, to better integrate, connect, and understand this special group, she shaved her head bald, and her team members followed suit.


    Once Lu Liang understood the backstory, he didn''t feel like teasing. He picked up his jacket, "It''s late. Gather them up for a late-night meal. We can talk about work tomorrow."


    "Mr. Lu, would you like to join us?"


    Chen Jinchun wasn''t heartless; she knew the subject was heavy, and even Lu Liang was powerless to change anything.


    So she deliberately tried to lighten his mood, making a goofy expression and touching the top of her bald head, "It''s quite refreshing, you know~"


    However, all she got in response was a cold look.


    Chen Jinchun grinned awkwardly, not daring to goof around anymore, and dutifully followed behind Lu Liang, walking out of the office.


    She gestured to her companions and whispered, "Pause the shooting for tonight; Mr. Lu has invited us for a late-night snack."


    Fearing her companions'' cheers might unsettle Boss Lu, she even made a gesture to keep silent, hushing them.


    However, she received another cold look in response.


    "Tidy up your work; we''ll meet downstairs in ten minutes."


    Lu Liang forced a smile, no longer wanting to speak. Initially bringing this one on board had been a mistake.


    As he left, he glanced at Chen Jinchun out of the corner of his eye, noting her bristling with triumph, her smile smug.


    It was as though storming into Lu Liang''s office was a grand, epic journey, or as if the tiger had left, and the monkey was king.


    Lu Liang shook his head and chuckled.


    Having such a character around didn''t seem too bad.


    Ten minutes later, two men and two women gathered downstairs. Lu Liang drove one car, and Fang Shiyu drove another.


    They arrived near the New World at a Western-style hotpot house. It was nearly dawn, and Lu Liang only knew that this place was still open.


    The five of them ordered more than ten thousand worth of food casually. Lu Liang just tasted a few bites before paying the bill and leaving. Not everyone was Chen Jinchun; they wouldn''t enjoy their meal with him there.

 Chapter 475 - 470: Public Opinion Explosion

    "Let''s go to Sinograin."


    On the way back, Lu Liang opened the company''s official account and saw the video that was updated yesterday at noon.


    The medium-length video had been online for less than 15 hours yet had garnered over ten million views, over a million likes, and more than five hundred thousand comments.


    Lu Liang fell silent and watched it through.


    This time, 428 child patients were funded, with 15,000 yuan of real money donated to each, not just paper vouchers.


    The content of the video merely followed two children and their families who were willing to be filmed, documenting a day spent with them.


    There was no special filming of their haircutting, just a scene where they went out to buy some things at noon, and when they came back, there were four bald heads.


    Lu Liang then opened the comment section, glanced at it briefly, put away his phone, and couldn''t help but laugh at himself sarcastically.


    If he hadn''t seen Chen Jinchun''s bald head that evening, he wouldn''t have even known something like this happened.


    If he put aside emotions and viewed it rationally, from a marketing perspective,


    the effect brought by the six million plus yuan far exceeded one hundred million.


    It wasn''t just about the money, but also Chen Jinchun''s attitude¡ªnaive, foolish, innocent.


    Which made people believe that she was sincere and genuinely liked doing these things, not just for show or fame.


    So much so that many netizens took a liking to everything associated with it, flooding the comment section and tagging Lu Liang: "Liangzi, after holding out for two years, have you finally developed the car? If it launches, I''ll definitely buy it in droves."


    Before long, Lu Liang returned to Sinograin No.1. It was a workday, and Li Manli had a live broadcast, so he was left alone in an empty apartment.


    As the night deepened, the news online continued to ferment, and many netizens, after watching the video, found themselves unable to calm down for a long time.


    Feeling deeply moved, they concluded that only someone from humble beginnings like Lu Liang truly knew what those in need required.


    Patients needed funds for treatment, but they also needed respect; they did not like nebulous paper vouchers or pretentious photo shoots.


    Paper vouchers eventually require someone to exchange them, and there have been instances of passing the buck.


    Red cash is the most direct way after all.


    The Red Cross was once again dragged out for public lashings by netizens, followed closely by Shuidi Crowdfunding.


    Yet even so, some netizens still felt dissatisfied, feeling that they ought to do something for Lu Liang.


    A grass-roots entrepreneur as conscientious as him deserved to grow bigger and bigger, so the battle spread to DiDi, Lenovo.


    Gradually, the voting incident at 3GPP in August last year was dug up by Internet users.


    3GPP, the third-generation partnership project, initially had the goal of achieving a smooth transition from 2G to 3G networks and evolved into a standardization organization, leading the way in the customization of 4G and 5G standards.


    The 5G network signal standard had been under discussion since last year, with a total of 83 international meetings and three voting sessions.


    Back then, there were two proposals, L and P, from Huawei and Qualcomm, respectively. During the third vote, Huawei lost by a single vote to Qualcomm, giving up the qualification to custom the 5G standard.


    The key vote for Qualcomm''s victory came from Lenovo, also the only domestic company that voted for Qualcomm.


    Contrarily, the Taiwan Company, the Singapore Company, Xiaomi, and other competitors had all thrown their support behind Huawei.


    "Damn, did it really go down like that?"


    "Don''t talk nonsense, isn''t Lenovo a national brand?"


    "With 27 executives, 14 of them foreigners, whose national brand is this?"


    "4G is still in its infancy, barely two years in, and it seems fast enough. Letting 5G go is just making a mountain out of a molehill."


    "This is making a mountain out of a molehill? I''m starting to wonder if you have cerebral atrophy. From 1G to 4G, it''s all about communication between people, but 5G isn''t just about human communication. It''s also about communication with objects, machines to machines, involving the internet of things, vehicle networks, industrial automation, and other large-scale infrastructure projects."


    "For example, in some areas, 4G is like high-speed rail, or places with dense crowds or buildings, where you could lose signal."


    "But it''s not the case with 5G, which has stronger penetrability, the difference is even greater than that between ethernet cables and fiber optics."


    "Once you become the customizer of the 5G standard, all countries developing 5G signals will have to follow our standards."


    "If it had been a fair loss to Qualcomm because we were not as skilled, then we would have accepted it, but losing by a single vote is a betrayal!"


    Deep in the night, public opinion continued to ferment online.


    A few hours later, as the sky gradually brightened, cities woke up, and the people sleeping within them slowly roused from their slumber.


    Just past 9 AM, the related news hit the top of the trending search lists on the entire network, with the topic quickly reaching over two hundred million clicks.


    "My God, Lenovo actually committing treason?"


    "How is that possible? They''re a government-designated procurement supplier."


    "How is it not possible? The rumors online have gone crazy, those trending searches on Weibo, I bet you can''t even pull them down." Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At the reception of a certain company, several young ladies were passionately discussing this when an engineering guy came over and sneered, "What''s so strange about that? Knowing the Liu family background, it''s not surprising at all."


    Pairs of eager and curious eyes turned toward him, and he suddenly felt rather smug, starting from how Old Liu helped foreign enterprises suppress mainland companies.


    When he passed away, for this very issue, Old Liu delivered a eulogy basking in reflected glory, ostensibly to help foreign capital groups better realize the domestic departments'' determination to implement patent law.


    Although it seemed like rough speak with solid reasoning, one had to consider the context; every country that has developed, including neighboring Neon and Korea, initially relied on piracy to get started.


    Old Liu gained favor with foreign capital by destroying countless companies, paving the way for this generation.


    This generation''s Old Liu was even worse, not only embezzling state assets but also dismissing academicians and choosing Wan Guozao at a time when the country most trusted him and should have been focusing on independent research and development.


    Then there was Liu Qing, who joined Goldman Sachs straight after graduation and went from intern to regional manager in five years before parachuting into DiDi.


    To say there weren''t any under-the-table deals, he wouldn''t believe it if you beat him to death, "So, considering the family background, it makes perfect sense for them to backstab Huawei at a crucial moment. I just didn''t expect last year''s incidents to blow up this year."


    "Could it be Lu Liang?"


    "High probability, can''t rule it out, especially since I heard he was getting cozy with the Liu family recently."


    "Oh, by the way, you seem to be late."


    The engineering guy was startled and hurried to punch the clock; looking at the time, he wanted to cry without tears; it was already 9:30 AM.


    He had said so much, not even offered a glass of water, was late by thirty minutes, and they didn''t even remember his name.


    Such braggadocio tidbits were performed throughout the country, and the online public opinion spread offline to a full-blown eruption.


    At the same time, at Sinograin No.1,


    "Who the hell is calling me so early?"


    Lu Liang squinted, felt a slight vibration, and fumbled for his phone under the covers, accidentally pinching something soft and bowl-shaped, instinctively squeezing it, feeling somewhat bouncy.


    Suddenly, a soft grunt.


    Li Manli, still drowsy, emerged with her hair exploding like a lion''s mane, visibly charged with static electricity.


    "You disappear and appear like a ghost every day."


    "Not at all, I told Mrs. Liu, as long as you return, send me a message."


    Li Manli stretched lazily; she always preferred to sleep naked, perhaps not out of preference but due to her restless sleeping habits.


    Sometimes, even if she went to bed fully clothed, she would wake up with nothing left on her body. Lu Liang asked, "Did you see my phone?"


    "I have a vague recollection." Li Manli reached under the covers, giggled foolishly, "It''s under my butt, no wonder I kept feeling like someone was patting it."


    She pulled out a phone that was hot from use. Lu Liang was speechless but glanced at the missed calls and frowned deeply, "You go back to sleep."


    He stepped out of the bedroom, greeted the nanny Mrs. Liu, and walked into the living room to return the call, "What''s so urgent?"


    "Mr. Lu, please check the online news first." Xu Jiawei from Beijing called him, sounding extremely anxious.


    "Hmm, let me see."


    Lu Liang logged onto Weibo and went straight to the top of the trending search list.


    His eyes suddenly widened, and he murmured to himself, "Is this a blessing, or is it a curse?"


    The Liu family was completely ablaze with such titles as ''Three Outstanding Members of One Family'', ''A Whole Family of Loyal Martyrs'', and ''Conscience of the American Empire''.


    "The Liu family did so many things on the sly?"


    Lu Liang grimaced; he had never even heard of 3GPP, but it seemed this black mark was destined to be on his back.


    If it was just public opinion fermenting on its own, that was one thing, but if it was a case of using others to do one''s dirty work, then he had to admit, the move was especially ruthless.


    Last year''s incidents in the south, this year''s troubles in the west, and the Middle of the year creating the biggest hit in history, War Wolf 2, raking in 6 billion at the box office,


    All of this was proof that nationalism was surging like never before; now, with this scandal breaking, it was clear someone wanted the Liu family dead without a place to bury them.

 Chapter 476 - 471: The Big Shots Three-Headed Armor

    Approaching noon, public opinion was continuously fermenting.


    Related entries on Weibo''s trending searches had reached a level of heat that they could not be removed.


    If it had only been a small-scale incident, they could have simply pulled it from the trending searches and played dead for a cold treatment.


    But the situation had spread to the point where it was like having a dead body lying at home¡ªeven if you can''t see it, just staying inside the house felt chillingly cold.


    Seeing public opinion spiraling out of control and spreading like wildfire, Lenovo swiftly stepped out to clarify, issuing a related announcement.


    Regarding the 5G standards vote held by 3GPP, about Huawei''s proposed Polar proposal, both Lenovo and its subsidiary, Motorola Mobility, cast their votes in favor.


    "We strongly condemn any behavior that spreads rumors and hope everyone will not believe in rumors to avoid being used by some malicious people. For those who maliciously spread rumors, we reserve the legal rights to pursue them to the fullest extent of the law."


    The implication was that they were being framed, the online messages were all rumors, full of groundless allegations and out of context interpretations.


    As for who was framing them, they believed in the law, believed in the nation, to give them justice and vindication.


    "Yu, what exactly happened at that time?"


    When Lu Liang returned to the company, apart from instructing Xu Delin to collect materials, he also casually called Yu Dazui to inquire about the insider.


    He didn''t care whether it was public opinion fermenting on its own or someone using this incident to stab him in the back, either way, he was set to take the blame.


    Since the blame was set, why not kick them when they''re down and see if he can deal a heavy blow to the Liu family in the process.


    The last thing he needed was Liu Qing creating trouble with DiDi''s IPO in the US, and the Bitcoin card could also be kept hidden for now.


    Having learned the full story, Lu Liang''s lips curved into a smile: "Thank you, Yu. Remember to treat me to a meal next time you''re in Shenzhen."


    Yu Dazui was taken aback: "Mr. Lu, you must be joking, right? It should be you treating me to a meal."


    "No mistake, the server market has been monopolized for too long. Isn''t this an opportunity?"


    Lu Liang smiled, his only conflict with the Liu family had been over the management rights of DiDi¡ªit shouldn''t have extended to Lenovo.


    Because damaging Lenovo wouldn''t bring him any benefits, but now that the situation had evolved to this point, he could only attack head-on.


    The one exerting effort was him, but the beneficiaries would be Huawei, Xiaomi, Shenzhou, and other friendly competitors. Wasn''t Yu Dazui supposed to treat him to a meal?


    Yu Dazui couldn''t help but laugh: "Well, if you say so, I hope Mr. Lu you can achieve a great victory."


    After ending the call, Lu Liang closed his eyes to rest, and after a while, he finally received Xu Delin''s investigation report.


    He couldn''t fully trust Yu Dazui''s words, as being an insider, his expressions might be somewhat biased.


    Lu Liang trusted third-party investigations more. After reading the report, he couldn''t help but be astonished: "I thought only celebrity studios would do such foolish things."


    Initially, he had some faith in the clarification announcement; after all, for so many years, such a large conglomerate had been standing steadfast, its public relations department should have had some intelligence, unlike some celebrities, who even when caught by the police station, would still stubbornly deny wrongdoing.


    But now he realized he had overestimated Lenovo''s public relations; in fact, they were all the same, not much brighter.


    Lu Liang smiled and squinted his eyes, decisively logging into Weibo and started searching in the comment section of the topic, soon finding a suitable mouthpiece.


    "Yes, you did indeed vote for Huawei."


    "But last year there were three vote sessions, and you voted for Qualcomm, abstained, and then voted for Huawei."


    "The time you voted for Huawei, they already had a significant advantage and didn''t need your vote."


    "But when you voted for Qualcomm, that was the key reason Huawei lost to Qualcomm by one vote."


    Lu Liang happily reposted the comment with three smiling emojis, indicating he was about to fan the flames.


    The most foolish part of Lenovo''s clarification announcement


    was the attempt to shift the blame.


    If they had candidly explained that Qualcomm''s solution had a longer history in the telecommunication industry and a broader patent accumulation,


    while Huawei had some issues and deficiencies in data channel coding, and their system wasn''t mature enough,


    they had thought it through deeply and chose to vote for Qualcomm in the interest of the industry''s long-term development.


    If they had said that, the direction of public opinion would have been completely different. But they should never have tried to muddle through.


    Upon Lu Liang''s repost, Little Wang, as Lu Liang''s most loyal supporter, decisively backed him up fiercely: "Where do they get the face to call themselves a national brand?"


    With the addition of these two, it was like pouring oil on the fire¡ªthe public sentiment regarding Lenovo completely spiraled out of control, and the Liu family became a target for everyone.


    While Lu Liang was busy fanning the flames, he suddenly received a call from Liu Qing: "Mr. Lu, why do you have to be so aggressive?"


    Lu Liang chuckled: "When the drum beats, all hands strike, when the wall falls, everybody pushes, Mr. Liu, this is perfectly normal."


    If he were facing this predicament, would the Liu family show him any mercy?


    Clearly not!


    Liu Qing remained silent for a long time before leaving a message, "Mr. Lu, we will meet again on the proverbial winding path."


    Then a busy tone came from the phone, and Lu Liang chuckled with a hint of irony, "They''re starting to talk tough now."


    Humming Xiao Qu''s tune, he was in a good mood,


    irrefutable evidence left no room for choice.


    Night fell, and online public opinion had been fermenting all day, with news of the 5G vote sweeping friend circles, Weibo, and Douyin.


    Just as netizens were indulging in the spectacle, condemning Lenovo, and blaming the Liu family, it was about to morph into a prevailing sentiment.


    A storm began to howl through the entertainment world as the famed host Xiao Cui, tore into International Fan by exposing their sky-high Dual Contract incident.


    Not only a four-day 60 million piece rate but also one big one small, one for internal use, one for public display ¨C two contracts in total.


    Normally, an artist''s piece rate is taxed based on personal income tax and business tax; a 10 million piece rate often means paying 4.2 million in taxes.


    Thus, the Dual Contract came into being, the ''Yang'' contract with a lesser amount for tax declaration, and the ''Yin'' contract with a larger amount for actual engagement.


    Officially giving her 10 million, they''d normally pay 4.2 million in tax, but in reality, they quietly give her 60 million, evading 21 million in taxes.


    International Fan''s studio quickly issued a clarification, but Xiao Cui, as if commanded, directly uploaded the detailed contracts and declared they had been sent to the State Taxation Administration.


    "Everyone, have a look. This is the star you all adore."


    "Earning 60 million in four days, yet still thinking of evading taxes."


    "It seems it isn''t an isolated case, but a common practice."


    "The domestic entertainment industry is utterly corrupt; it''s high time for a clean-up, Old Cui is a true warrior."


    "Tsk tsk, the entertainment industry once again serves as a big shot''s scapegoat."


    The entertainment industry, after all, has a broader audience base,


    and with Xiao Cui furiously shredding International Fan, things escalated.


    Netizens, loving a big story, joined Old Cui''s charge, no longer focusing solely on International Fan.


    Post-85''s Four Big Flower Dandies, Post-90''s Four Little Flower Dandies, the Four Returning Stars, lead actors and actresses, none escaped the difficulty; comment sections were completely overrun.


    As a result, topics related to Lenovo, the Liu family, 5G voting, Goldman Sachs'' foreign influences, and supported compradors saw a steep decline in popularity. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Gradually, they fell from the hot search rankings.


    The Tax Bureau issued a notice stating they were highly concerned about the tax-related issues in "Dual Contracts" within the entertainment industry as reflected online, and the relevant departments would conduct investigations according to law. If any violations of tax laws and regulations were discovered, they would be dealt with sternly according to the law.


    After that, unless actively sought out, there was virtually no news about Lenovo''s 5G issue to be found online.


    Nighttime came, and Little Wang asked Lu Liang out for drinks and late-night snacks.


    By mid-November, Modu''s weather was getting cold, and he was dressed in a down jacket, wrapped up like a brown bear.


    "What''s up? Someone''s come looking for you," Lu Liang spoke with a smile and profound meaning as he took a sip of beer.


    When Little Wang went out, he was always surrounded by girls eager for fame, striving hard; he never lacked the company of ambitious young women.


    Little Wang responded with a serious nod, preemptively shielding himself, "Lu, rest assured, no matter what, I''m firmly on your side."


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but chuckle, cutting off Little Wang mid-sentence, "I''m heading to Tokyo tomorrow. I won''t interfere with domestic affairs for now."


    Little Wang brightened up, hurriedly saying, "Actually, people do take you seriously, at least no one''s been calling you, right?"


    "Moreover, look at such a big conglomerate; it can''t just be wiped out because someone says so."


    "Now the heat is gone, but the impression remains in the hearts of numerous netizens; it''s just a matter of time before it fades."


    "Letting it go is undoubtedly the best choice."


    Lu Liang glanced over and said, "Who said I''m letting it go? As long as Liu Qing doesn''t withdraw from DiDi, it''s absolutely impossible to let it go."


    With such a huge storm already brewing in the entertainment circle, there was no point for him to make any statement or to fan the flames.


    He would at least wait for the entertainment circle''s current tempest to pass,


    to avoid offsetting the heat and diminishing the impact.


    Little Wang forced a dry laugh, paused to ponder for a moment, and with a demeanor of ready to lay down his life for his friend, he declared directly, "If there is anything I can help with, just say the word, and I will not shy away from death."


    Over the years, following Lu Liang, he''d been marked; if Lu Liang suffered, his own days wouldn''t be easy either.

 Chapter 477 - 472: The Cash King of Shanghai

    "I get it. We''ll talk later."


    Lu Liang wasn''t looking down on Little Wang, but if he really needed Little Wang''s help, he''d be close to being done for.


    Seeing Little Wang staring at him with a grievance, Lu Liang didn''t have the heart to crush his self-esteem, since his intentions were good, after all.


    With a smile, he changed the subject, "So, after feasting on gossip all day, do you know how the entertainment industry plans to deal with the aftermath?"


    "I asked a friend this afternoon. International Fan is probably done for, but the others should be able to settle things by paying more money."


    Little Wang, bored to death, started making calls to stir people up. Drinking with another guy, this setup was too dry.


    Right then, Lu Liang''s phone rang too,


    He glanced at the message, the corners of his mouth slowly curving upwards.


    Reba had sent him a WeChat message, saying that her boss, Yang Mi, wanted to meet with him.


    The sisterly concern seemed to have been just lip service, and now, to save her own skin, she''s ready to throw the little lamb into the tiger''s mouth.


    Little Wang glanced over and his face was a picture of disgust, "Why the hell are you suddenly grinning so lewdly?"


    "If you can''t speak nicely, shut up."


    Lu Liang''s eyes darkened, giving him a cold look, he picked up his phone: "Just drink on your own."


    "You''re off to seduce which innocent girl now?" Little Wang squinted his eyes, lost in thought.


    Leaving the Bund, Lu Liang took a ride to the Marriott Hotel in Lujiazui, the elevator whizzing directly to the luxurious suite on the 82nd floor.


    Reba was waiting at the door, looking different from her glamorous stage getup, in a pink tracksuit brimming with youth.


    "Mr. Lu, I''m so sorry to disturb you this late." She was very nervous, bowing continuously in gratitude for Lu Liang coming over.


    Yang Mi stood beside her, all smiles on the surface, but underneath her eyes was a bitterness, "Hello, Mr. Lu, I''m Yang Mi."


    "What''s the deal?" Lu Liang nodded slightly, his smile ambiguous, pretending he didn''t recognize her.


    "Why don''t we talk inside?"


    Yang Mi invited Lu Liang into the suite, where the table was laden with delicacies and a bottle of properly decanted red wine.


    Reba, seemingly instructed beforehand, acted as the hostess, pouring wine for them both, then sat quietly to the side.


    Yang Mi asked, "Mr. Lu, if you don''t mind me asking, how familiar are you with the recent actions of the Broadcasting and Taxation authorities?"


    Lu Liang gave her a meaningful look, "Since Miss Yang asks, I assume she''s involved?"


    As the words fell, Reba looked curiously at Yang Mi, who nodded with a forced smile, "It''s the environment. When everyone else is doing it, it''s very hard for one person to resist."


    Out of the people she knew, ninety out of a hundred had signed Dual Contracts, and at least half of the remaining ten hadn''t hit the tax threshold with their fees.


    Money being enough is one thing, but how much is enough? Make a million and you want ten million, make ten million and you want a hundred million.


    And even if you make a hundred million, wanting to make a billion, or even ten billion, in Modu just buys you a few more luxury homes.


    Stardom is a profession that feeds on youth,


    Being red-hot gets you everything, fading into obscurity gets you nothing. Why should a ten million fee get slashed by 4.2 million in taxes?


    With everyone harboring this mindset, even some of the veteran artists were not exempt, such as Chen Mingdao, Zhang Liguo, and Zhang Lintie, all got involved.


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but smirk, "Miss Yang, I''m not here to listen to your woes."


    Yang Mi''s gaze filled with silent reproach, as she was on the brink of saying outright, ''men are dogs, they forget who you are once their pants are back on.''


    She took a deep breath, realigning her thoughts, and asked respectfully, "Mr. Lu, what do you think will happen next?"


    Lu Liang pondered, "Miss Fan will likely be made an example of with severe punishment. The rest probably just have to pay back taxes and fines."


    "I thought as much."


    Yang Mi''s face revealed a knowing look, as she''d been pulling strings and asking around all day, reaching a conclusion not far from Lu Liang''s.


    Knowing was one thing, but she didn''t have that kind of money. Otherwise, she wouldn''t have pretended not to know Lu Liang and asked Reba to set up a meeting with him.


    Based on her estimates, together with the studio and including fines, she needed to pay about five hundred million RMB.


    Over the years, making movies and TV shows had earned her a lot, but she''d also spent and invested heavily.


    Even selling off some properties would net her only four billion RMB, leaving a one billion RMB shortfall.


    And if she liquidated assets during this period, it would be a clear signal to the public that she too had evaded taxes and signed the now universally condemned Dual Contracts.


    Mid-year, to avoid impacting her career, she had even appeared on a reality show with her nominal husband, feigning sweetness, as if nothing had happened.


    She couldn''t bear to see her efforts crumble, so she turned to Lu Liang.


    But just herself wasn''t enough leverage. Obviously, she couldn''t seduce Lu Liang, so she decided to use Reba as well.


    "Miss Yang, quit beating around the bush. Just say what you want to say." Lu Liang yawned, tired of listening.


    "Mr. Lu, I''m currently short by 1.8 billion RMB, but I have four properties, currently valued at 2.5 billion RMB."


    Yang Mi quickly spoke up, proposing to mortgage the properties to Lu Liang for two years, with interest-only payments and a 7% annual interest rate.


    As long as her career wasn''t affected, she was confident she could earn two billion in two years, maybe even less, to repay him with interest.


    Like last year''s Wang Bao, whose closest confidants and agents had failed to dig up any dirt, and after that, the resources kept rolling in; even a super flop movie had plenty of support.


    She could follow Wang Bao''s path and become the first in the industry to willingly pay penalties.


    Even if she was exposed later, she could still play the White Lotus, using the excuse of being a victim of circumstances.


    After all, being the first to pay up, whatever she''d say, the fans would forgive her.


    And moreover, having taken the initiative to confess, the state would certainly treat him with special consideration.


    In short, as long as one still wants to mingle in the domestic entertainment circle and become the best, the benefits are endless.


    Because friends have said this matter isn''t all bark and no bite, with the limit on Korean content from last year, the salary cap this year, and Lu Liang''s previous reminders about regulating the entertainment industry, these decisions are definitely not made on a whim.


    It just so happens that the scandal with the Liu family burst out, and they were directly used as lightning rods to divert public attention.


    We can only say it''s a coincidence, not an undeserved disaster.


    After all, Lu Liang, the Liu family, both are entities they couldn''t and wouldn''t dare to provoke.


    "I''ll consider it."


    Lu Liang smiled, understanding Yang Mi''s intentions.


    Normally, mortgage loans are based on 70% of the market value, with annual interest rates between 5% and 8%.


    If the property''s market value is 2.5 billion, a mortgage of 1.8 billion is fair, even at a 7% annual interest rate.


    Even with a normal mortgage, Yang Mi could get money from a bank, but there''s a key point she doesn''t want people to know.


    She wants to get this money quickly and discreetly, so Lu Liang is her best and only option.


    Lei Jun has the reputation of being the ''Cash King'' of Beijing, and now Lu Liang is gradually earning the title of ''Cash King'' of Shanghai.


    With Tianxing Investment in his left hand and Tianxing Private Equity in his right, he could deal in public or private, as he wished.


    A mere 1.8 billion mortgage loan, even 18 billion, he could authorize with a signature, and the amount could be transferred to an account tomorrow.


    If it were a corporate investment, one could even add a zero to the 18 billion and double it without much difficulty.


    They had just cashed out 6 billion US dollars in US stocks, preparing to bullish Bitcoin, which is more than 40 billion RMB in conversion.


    Seeing Lu Liang about to leave, Yang Mi looked towards Reba with eyes full of pleading; only she could persuade Lu Liang now.


    Reba nodded silently, made up her mind, quickly got up, and chased after Lu Liang: "Mr. Lu, let me take you back."


    Lu Liang paused slightly, turned his head to look at Yang Mi, and the corners of his mouth curved upward, sketching a hint of a smile.


    After all, being a professional actor means being able to change one''s expression at will, waving fists while the face is full of resentment.


    One after the other, they left the private room. After deliberating for a while, Reba asked softly, "Mr. Lu, will you help Mi?"


    "What do you want me to do?" asked Lu Liang with a smile. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Of course, I hope so," Reba replied without hesitation, blissfully unaware of what the hope might cost.


    Lu Liang suddenly smiled: "Then I''ll help her."


    "Really?" Reba beamed with joy, surprised that Lu Liang agreed so readily; she had been ready to sacrifice her self-interest for her boss.


    "As long as you hope for it, I will try my best to help you achieve it."


    With a smile on his face, Lu Liang lightly lifted Reba''s hair and pushed aside a corner of her collar: "I just hope that next time I see you, you''ll be wearing the necklace I gave you."


    Reba''s face turned red, and her ears burned hot,


    Her voice as soft as a mosquito''s, she murmured an agreement.


    "Stay here, it wouldn''t be good for you to be seen by others."


    Lu Liang smiled and without any inappropriate action, took the elevator by himself, leaving the floor.


    "Bye, see you next time." Reba grinned sweetly, her eyes squinting into crescents, as she waved goodbye to Lu Liang.


    She bounced back to the private room, joyfully embracing Yang Mi, and exclaimed excitedly, "Mi, Mr. Lu agreed to lend you the money."


    "Really? That''s great."


    Yang Mi smiled, but a trace of confusion flickered in her eyes.


    Wondering why Reba had returned,


    Logically, she should have left with Lu Liang.


    After a brief conversation, Yang Mi made an excuse to send Reba away and left the hotel alone.


    As she stepped out of the hotel, she immediately called Lu Liang. Lu Liang seemed to have anticipated the call: "Jinmao Hotel, room 6601."


    "I''ll be right there," Yang Mi stated, looking up instinctively after searching¡ªJinmao Hotel was just next door.


    Within three minutes on foot, she arrived at the Jinmao Hotel and saw Lu Liang, bursting with questions: "What exactly are you playing at?"


    Just now, there was such a good opportunity, with a mere beckoning finger, Lu Liang could have had his way with her, yet he had let it pass.


    Lu Liang, very serious, with a stern face, said, "Because I realized, I think I''ve fallen in love with her."


    "Can you take your hand down before saying that?"


    Yang Mi looked down at the male palm resting on her chest.


    Such affectionate words,


    But coming from Lu Liang, she just couldn''t believe them.


    "Holding it feels more real."


    Lu Liang squinted his eyes: "Anyway, the result is as you wished, so don''t worry about the process. Find time tomorrow, bring all the required documents to my company, and I''ll have a word with Mr. Tang."


    "Can''t you just tell me what you''re really up to?" Yang Mi''s brows furrowed lightly.


    Lu Liang replied with a smile, playfully moving his hands up and down around her waist.


    Now was indeed possible, but there was no need, as Reba was here for Yang Mi, not for himself¡ªit just wasn''t enough.


    After all, he preferred the feeling of total devotion, not just seeking out a hole to crawl into.

 Chapter 478 - 473: Draw the Sword to Attack, Show Off Military Power

    Over the next few days,


    Headlines across the internet were once again dominated by Xiao Cui''s big show.


    It was like drinking fake alcohol, continuously exposing various insider news. Starting with International Fan, then Feng Kuzi, Huayi Brothers couldn''t escape either, as their stock price plummeted, hitting three consecutive limit-downs, erasing ten billion yuan in market value.


    Everyone in the entertainment industry felt threatened, and even the fans didn''t dare cause any trouble, fearing it might affect their beloved idols, resulting in an unprecedented calm across the Chinese internet.


    Netizens went from initially enjoying the spectacle to now worrying on his behalf, fearing Xiao Cui might suddenly go off the grid, leaving them without any gossip.


    To the extent that the original cause of the whole matter, the head-to-head confrontation between Lu Liang and the Liu family, followed by the exposure of the 5G vote, was no longer of any concern.


    "One clever move defeats all," as the saying goes.


    Lu Liang had left Modu long ago and arrived in Tokyo.


    Through the conversation with Little Wang that night and the trend of public opinion over these past few days, he realized that this was not a countermeasure from the Liu family but the will of the higher-ups.


    They wanted to shift the public''s focus and reform an entire industry.


    The Liu family couldn''t do this, nor did they have the capability.


    It was just that things coincidentally came together.


    The Liu family could perish, but not be driven to death by public opinion; they had to die in the throes of business competition.


    Just as a county chief could die fighting bandits, but certainly shouldn''t perish helplessly at home.


    "Sir, your tea."


    As the sun set, on the balcony of the apartment, Lu Liang squinted his eyes, facing the sunset, the master''s chair beneath him rocking slightly.


    Sakurada Miyuki, dressed in plain servant clothes, quietly brewed tea beside him, dissipating the steam before handing the cup to Lu Liang.


    A chill breeze blew, and a sip of warm tea slid down his throat.


    Lu Liang asked, "Has it gotten colder? Will it snow in Tokyo?"


    "Sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn''t. If it does snow, it normally happens in January or February of the next year."


    Suddenly, Miyuki crouched beside his leg, looked up at Lu Liang with a smile, "Sir, let me massage your legs."


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but grin, "Out with it, what do you want?"


    Miyuki was obedient and sensible, but only nineteen after all, not completely passive like her mother.


    Occasionally, to achieve a certain goal, she would still act coquettishly and playfully, showing her youthful side.


    "It''s nothing big~~ just worried you might be tired of sitting, your legs a bit numb, I thought I''d give them a rub."


    "Really nothing else?"


    "Um~~ well, there is a little something."


    Miyuki embarrassingly touched the back of her head and stuck out her pink tongue, "Have you been paying attention to the Bitcoin market recently?"


    Lu Liang chuckled, affirming with a sound.


    He was here for Bitcoin; how could he not keep an eye on it?


    After being abandoned by Wang Chuting, Zhao Changpeng had contacted Beijing News, Pengpai News, and Finance Net the next day.


    Emulating a time-tested formula, he extensively shared his legendary success story, bringing Bitcoin into the eyes of countless domestic investors.


    The hubbub in the entertainment circle was, after all, just a carnival for a minority of fun-seekers.


    It was only because the population was so vast that it seemed more significant; most people were still focused on making money.


    Zhao Changpeng''s evangelical efforts eventually reflected in the market, with some fluctuations noticeable in recent days.


    On one hand, a large influx of newcomers, on the other, the price reaching 5320 points caused a divide.


    If it climbed upwards, breaking through the historical high of 5500 points, the path forward would be wide open, with no ceiling in sight.


    If it declined, it could face the most disastrous collapse.


    Just as the saying goes, strike while the iron''s hot, then exhaust, and finally decline.


    Since August, Bitcoin had first experienced a hard fork, plummeting 45% overnight.


    After listing on the Chicago Exchange, it then faced a sell-out, plunging 22% in a day.


    The first dip was sudden and painless, but the second was a piecemeal dive, leading to eleven jumps off the Mapo Bridge.


    The boy who cried wolf, effective once, effective twice, but not necessarily a third time¡ªthus, the direction taken this time was particularly pivotal.


    "I''ve decided to hold long-term. I''m optimistic about the future of Bitcoin. Cryptocurrency will have its place in the world to come."


    Miyuki quietly observed Lu Liang''s expression, "Recently, the price adjusted, and total assets came to 2.68 million dollars."


    "Sir, so I want to take another risk, take out 600,000 dollars of profits, and use leverage to go long on Bitcoin."


    "Just not sure which level of leverage would be better."


    Lu Liang smiled, continuing to look at her, his expression calm, revealing no signs of emotion.


    Miyuki pouted, suddenly leaning on Lu Liang''s thigh and crying out, "Sir, please, just give me a hint."


    The two-year agreement had passed one-fifth of its time, and she had only made 680,000 dollars, still 17.32 million dollars short.


    She really, really didn''t want to disappoint Lu Liang, and she truly wanted to achieve the tenfold profit target.


    With a smirk, Lu Liang thought for a moment and asked, "Have you ever watched ''Journey to the West''?"


    "Does ''Dragon Ball'' count?"


    Seeing Lu Liang''s face darken, Sakurada Miyuki quickly counted on her fingers, recalling her impressions of ''Journey to the West,'' "I remember there''s Wukong, and there''s a pig, a river monster, and oh, a white horse."


    Lu Liang rubbed his temples. "That''s not a river monster, it''s a river demon, and the measure for horses is ''a horse,'' not ''a.''"


    "Oh~," Sakurada Miyuki nodded seriously, but her eyes still looked confused, wondering what Bitcoin had to do with ''Journey to the West.''


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but chuckle ruefully, sighing, "This market trend probably won''t be short, just do what you can manage."


    He had originally wanted to mimic Bodhi Patriarch: tapping his head three times, hands clasped behind his back, closing the middle door to hint something.


    But since Sakurada Miyuki hadn''t watched ''Journey to the West'' and didn''t get the reference, Lu Liang didn''t bother to act mysterious.


    "Hehe~~ I knew you liked me best," Sakurada Miyuki chirped joyfully, hugging Lu Liang and biting him playfully. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Not denying her strategy meant that leveraging was possible, and the medium-to-long-term market outlook indicated that the operations shouldn''t be too aggressive.


    In other words, leveraging was possible, but it shouldn''t be high, ideally three to four times to ensure that market fluctuations wouldn''t lead to a margin call.


    "Sir, Meixue, dinner is ready. We''re having Sukiyaki tonight."


    Erii showed a loving expression, watching the two getting intimate until the sky gradually darkened, before calling them back inside.


    After dinner, Lu Liang went upstairs to Xingheng Investment Company on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.


    Bitcoin trading operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, all year round.


    Generally, exchanges use the local time from midnight to midnight to calculate a day''s K-line.


    It might be due to East Asia''s habits, or because it''s morning in America and afternoon in Europe.


    In the past few months, the most active trading period was from 9 PM to 2 AM, just like the trading hours for London Gold.


    "How many large transactions occurred today?" Lu Liang, carrying two cups of coffee, came next to Wen Chao and handed him one.


    "Thank you, Mr. Lu."


    Wen Chao took a sip and brought up the day''s trading details, "At ten in the morning, a continuous transaction of ten thousand coins was completed within half an hour. Judging by the method, they were likely accumulating stocks."


    "6 PM 12.5 thousand coins, 8 PM 11.2 thousand coins. Total day calculation should show more buys than sells, with net capital inflow exceeding two billion US dollars."


    Wen Chao furrowed his brows, noting the toughest part about observing Bitcoin trends was determining capital flow. He could only estimate each transaction.


    After all, real trades were possible, but there was no turnover rate or volume ratio¡ªonly the selling and buying prices, a true equality of all beings.


    "The market should be activated," Lu Liang said with a smile, not indicating "soon" but "should" as it was also time to make their presence felt.


    Lu Liang walked over to the window and dialed Sun Yutao''s phone, whispering, "Begin."


    Before coming to Tokyo, Sun Yutao had already built positions with one third of their assets, investing five hundred million dollars and achieving expectations.


    Everything was ready, just waiting for the right moment. Since those jerks on Wall Street hadn''t acted yet, it was his turn to ignite the market.


    Pretending to be a pig to eat a tiger was good, but one couldn''t keep pretending¡ªafter too long, even oneself would start to believe it, as would others.


    It was time to strike with the sword and show off his power.


    Let others know he had the capability to influence the market: if he wanted it to rise, it would rise; if he wanted to crash it, he could crash it.


    This market allowed for unrestrained actions, partly due to its scarcity, but also because of its freedom.


    Unlike US stocks, also unlike Big A,


    No worry about being disconnected or taken to a little dark room.


    As he spoke, the first batch of five hundred million dollars of pioneering funds surged into the market, pulling off a drastic rise.


    It instantly broke through the 5400 point mark, causing numerous short-sellers to be margin called, launching an assault towards the all-time high of 5500 points.


    A minute later, a critical divergence occurred.


    It only took 1.5 billion dollars to fuel the rise, with the remaining 3.5 billion used to attempt breaking a new record high.


    Fear of heights was human nature, especially so when approaching the all-time high¡ªmassive amounts of small investors couldn''t hold onto their chips and sold them, reversing to short, just to grasp this pullback trend.


    Even Wen Chao looked towards Lu Liang, wondering if they should seize this chance to make a T, Lu Liang shook his head slightly, signaling to hold steady, "Let''s observe for a while."


    Minutes later, the market saw increasing short-sellers, numerous bullish small investors felt the major players were insufficient and abandoned their long positions for shorts.


    "If you''re not acting yet, don''t blame me for flushing you out," Lu Liang squinted his eyes, preparing to launch the second wave.


    Suddenly, a rapidly vibrating K-line executed a rocket booster-like second surge.


    Enormous amounts of capital crazily flooded the market, sweeping up all buy orders like autumn wind clearance of fallen leaves.


    The historic high of 5500 US dollars, as fragile as paper, punctured with a stab.


    A multitude of short-selling small investors stared blankly, looking at their now-empty account balances, but they didn''t even have time to grieve.


    Desperately, they pulled out all they could afford, ignoring costs to leverage up and join the bullish main force.


    Having broken the high, from now on the seas were wide enough for fish to leap, the skies high enough for birds to fly, with no limits to rising¡ªBitcoin''s super rally had arrived.

 Chapter 479 - 474: The Original Intention Was to Make Money

    Four hours later, at 2:30 a.m.


    The market''s activity had sharply decreased, and the overall situation had gradually stabilized, no longer as wild as before.


    Tonight was a feast for speculators in the coin circle, and it should have created thousands of millionaires, if not multimillionaires.


    Since Bitcoin broke through its historical high at 10:30 p.m., its price had been on the rise.


    Now, the going rate was $7,870,


    In just a few hours, it had surged 48.5%.


    Lu Liang''s two trading teams, with sufficient funds and no leverage employed, had profited as much as the market gained.


    But for speculators in the coin circle, a three-fold leverage was the entry level, five-fold was for the timid, and ten-fold leverage was the norm.


    Anyone who, having gone through several rounds of market shakeouts before the uptrend started and remained steadfast without changing from long to short, had made a killing tonight.


    Approaching three o''clock, the market was stable without any pullbacks, even slowly rising and breaking past $7,800 several times.


    "I''m going to head out first. Make sure everything is set for the shift, and call me if there''s any change."


    Lu Liang said with a smile, patting Wen Chao''s shoulder and giving a few instructions before intending to leave.


    With the 24-hour trading model in place, they had to maintain shifts with at least four teams on rotation to ensure that traders were always present in the trading room in case of sudden market movements.


    "No need to see me out. It''s only three o''clock, and tonight''s market may not be over yet."


    Lu Liang waved his hand hurriedly and strode out of the trading room, not lingering and leaving the company straight away.


    Late at night in Tokyo, there was an indescribable sense of desolation, perhaps related to the drunk office workers seen everywhere on the streets.


    Each in their suits, but disheveled, arm in arm, staggering as they walked, singing incomprehensible Japanese nursery rhymes.


    Lu Liang saw a lit pork bone ramen shop and suddenly craved a hot soup, so he asked the driver to stop at the roadside.


    He, Fang Shiyu, and Secretary Fourth Generation Xu Delin, set out together, and the business Mercedes, filled with burly men, also stopped at the roadside.


    Security personnel wouldn''t normally appear unless Lu Liang went to a crowded area and was out of their sight, presenting a security risk, in which case they would closely follow.


    "Let''s all have a bite. Order a few more side dishes while you''re at it."


    Lu Liang entered the small shop and sat down in a clean spot.


    Upon hearing this, Xu Delin went to the counter to place their orders.


    Previously, Lu Liang hadn''t known that he would visit Tokyo every so often, so he didn''t have strict language requirements for his secretary.


    But since Xu Jiawei became stationed in Beijing, and with the impending arrival of the Fourth Generation secretary, Lu Liang added a new condition to the recruitment criteria, demanding fluency in Chinese, Japanese, and English.


    It didn''t matter if he didn''t understand Japanese; having someone who did was enough. Moreover, as the company''s fame grew, even with demanding recruitment standards, there was no shortage of job applicants.


    Lu Liang suddenly thought of Wen Chao, already dispatched overseas to hold the fort, who wouldn''t dare slack off for a moment. His Japanese had become quite proficient, enough for everyday communication.


    His attitude was a reflection of the attitude of most in the company: a rapidly growing enterprise indeed brimmed with opportunities. By seizing them, one could soar high and save years of struggle.


    However, as the company grew larger and attracted more and more talented individuals, if they remained complacent and lacked a sense of crisis, they were at risk of being eliminated at any time.


    Lu Liang then thought of Chen Jinchun and unexpectedly chuckled.


    She must be the only person through and through who exuded an air of resignation.


    Having been at the job for over two years, her resume remained unchanged, with no new skills or certifications added.


    Logically, she should have been let go long ago, but Lu Liang''s tolerance for her was, for some reason, higher than for others.


    Suddenly, his phone rang. Lu Liang received a call from Wilson, "Lu, you''re still up this late?"


    Having interacted with Lu Liang for some time, he had also learned to exchange pleasantries first, even though Lu Liang probably knew his intention, and he was aware of why Lu Liang had not yet rested.


    "Just finished up. About to rest soon."


    Lu Liang replied with a smile, picking up a crispy fried pork cutlet and placing it in his mouth, the crunch resounding.


    Hearing this, Wilson immediately asked, "Was that capital movement at 9:30 p.m. in the Bitcoin market yours?"


    "Yes," replied Lu Liang, a smile on his lips, realizing from Wilson''s phrasing that he did not know he was in Tokyo.


    There was a one-hour time difference between China and Japan, and if Wilson had known his whereabouts, he would have mentioned 10:30 p.m.


    This was good news; it meant he was not under surveillance yet. It also indicated that Wilson still hoped to bring him into the fold.


    Wilson didn''t seem surprised but sighed, "Why the rush? Why not wait a few more days?"


    "Now isn''t the best time?" Lu Liang retorted with a smile and suddenly brought up Zhao Changpeng, the founder of Binance.


    Through his proselytizing, many new people had been attracted to the market: "They''ve got to have a taste of the sweet too, right?"


    Wilson was taken aback, then suddenly burst into a delighted smile, "What''s that saying you have over there? It''s like describing how we''re on the same wavelength."


    Lu Liang knew Su Shimin had visited Zhao Changpeng, and also realized that he intended to attract Chinese retail investors through Zhao Changpeng''s evangelism, to give the market a greater sense of solidity.


    After all, it was the world''s second-largest economy, and it couldn''t do without the participation of Chinese retail investors, no matter who else was missing.


    However, Lu Liang didn''t try to stop him. Instead, he went with the flow, helping them ignite the market frenzy, which showed that even if there were differences, they weren''t insurmountable. Everyone''s main goal was to make money, without any other political intentions.


    "Great minds think alike, I guess."


    "Yes, yes, that''s the one."


    Wilson continued, "If you find some time, come to New York. I can set up a meeting with Goldman''s David for you."


    Lu Liang wasn''t in a hurry to reply, pausing for a few seconds: "Then let''s do early next month. The review materials should be mostly translated by then."


    David Solomon, who was Goldman Sachs'' investment banking head until July, became the CEO of Goldman Sachs Group after July.


    "Bring those over then." Wilson was straightforward, wanting to get the two to meet to discuss DiDi''s situation.


    It''s better to resolve animosities rather than letting them fester. Sit down for a chat first, because even if relations were currently fiery, a solution could always be found.


    Having finished the call with Wilson, Lu Liang was in high spirits, finding even the pungent tonkotsu ramen increasingly appealing as he ate.


    Returning to Roppongi, it was already 4 a.m. There was a desk lamp on in the living room, so it wasn''t pitch black everywhere.


    Sakurada Miyuki''s room door wasn''t closed, leaving a small gap.


    Inside, the bed showed a large lump with only two bare feet sticking out, occasionally wiggling their toes.


    Lu Liang''s lips curled into a mischievous smile, he tiptoed to push the door open, approached the bed, and suddenly dived under the covers.


    Miyuki was engrossed in her tablet, focusing on the Bitcoin market, counting over and over how much money she made that night.


    In the tranquil depths of the night, the sudden emergence of a human head from under the covers felt like a scene of Zhenzi crawling out of the TV.


    Startled, she screamed, flinging away the covers, and jumped up shouting, "Mom~"


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but laugh, sitting on the bed, digging at his ear: "Was that really necessary?"


    "Sir, scaring people can scare them to death," Sakurada Miyuki complained with a woeful face, still in shock, patting her chest.


    Sudden hurried footsteps followed as Erii was also awakened, looking panicky with sleep marks still visible on her face: "What''s wrong?"


    "It''s nothing, just the sir giving me a scare on purpose," Miyuki huffed, clinging onto Lu Liang''s back with arms and legs.


    Lu Liang glanced at the feet pressed against his waist without ceremony and took hold; Miyuki, feeling like she was electrified, laid back on the bed laughing and yelling.


    Seeing this, Erii didn''t know whether to laugh or cry, glanced at the clock on the wall, then looked to Lu Liang: "Sir, you must be hungry after just getting back, shall I make you breakfast?"


    "I''ve already eaten outside."


    "It was tonkotsu ramen, wasn''t it? No wonder there''s a funky smell."


    Miyuki, much like a puppy, was on the brink of laughing tears the second before and clinging to Lu Liang the next.


    Looking towards her mother, she stuck out her tongue, her face expressing embarrassment: "Mom, I guess I won''t have breakfast later either."


    She hadn''t slept all night, and it was already past four. She didn''t want to be woken up in just over two hours for breakfast.


    In her mother''s opinion, the importance of three meals a day should only rank just behind Lu Liang, ahead of herself.


    Even going back to bed after eating was acceptable, but she had to get up, something she could never understand.


    With Lu Liang home, she could also indulge in some extra sleep.


    "Alright, you two should get some rest too."


    Erii left, and it wasn''t until the soft sound of the closing door echoed in the empty house that Lu Liang, smiling, turned to the tablet: "How much did you earn tonight?"


    Miyuki''s smile bloomed like flowers, eagerly opening two financial accounts as if presenting treasure. One, which she never touched and served as the principal, had turned $1.5 million into $2.24 million. The investment in Big A''s Ningde Era, combined with the other funds, surpassed $3 million US dollars.


    Another account was for her trading that night.


    The initial funds were merely $680,000, but she had utilized triple leverage, ballooning it to $2.14 million.


    "Sir, you gave me a goal of 20 million US dollars, and I''ve completed a quarter of it~" Sakurada Miyuki squinted happily, swinging back and forth while holding Lu Liang.


    "You went short before?" S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With just triple leverage, Miyuki made $1.46 million, and Lu Liang had to do the math a few times as it didn''t seem quite right until he opened the trade details page.


    "Yeah, I took a little capital to go short. After all, there''s always a minor pullback before a rise."


    Miyuki acted as if it was a given. She had accurately predicted there would be a few minutes of pullback before breaking the high, so she seized that critical timing to short and then immediately covered her position.

 Chapter 480 - 475: Chain Reaction, Far-reaching Impact

    "Truly impressive."


    Lu Liang marveled, gently patting Miyuki''s little head, generous with his praises.


    In poverty, one employs tactics, while in wealth, one dominates with firepower¡ªthis saying also applies to the financial market.


    Lu Liang now rarely thinks about how to operate because as long as the timing of involvement is right, he can shape the market however he wishes.


    Moreover, with something like Bitcoin, which is scarce and an emerging market, even if they held 2% of the market share, they could still do so.


    Lu Liang caressed her soft hair and said softly, "Don''t take leave tomorrow, you should go back to school."


    Every time he came to Tokyo, Miyuki would take leave to keep him company until he left, only then returning to continue her classes.


    She had some talent in finance and was worth nurturing.


    Lu Liang continued, "Forget the goal of 20 million, from now on you should focus on your studies. I hope that after you graduate, you can come and help me in the company."


    "Mr., being with you doesn''t hinder my studies," Miyuki replied, barefoot as she ran to the study room and took out this semester''s exam results: "See, even my worst subjects are Bs~"


    Confident in her learning across different financial markets, she needed at least a C grade in each of the eight subjects per semester to pass.


    But she had six As and the remaining two were Bs; if calculated by percentage, her composite score exceeded 85.


    Though there was a gap compared to those scoring above ninety, it was still an above-average level.


    You see, last year, Tokyo University ranked 21st worldwide and third in Asia in higher education global rankings, only behind Hong Kong University and National University of Singapore, and Qingbei of East Country also ranked below her school.


    "Truly impressive, but you should still cherish your time at school."


    Lu Liang held Miyuki in his arms and whispered softly, "Flowers may bloom again, but a person will never be young again, money can always be earned."


    "Hmm," Miyuki hummed, offering no further objection. She squinted her eyes, growing sleepy, and muttered, "Mr., you''re different from mom. If it were her, she would definitely ask why those two subjects weren''t As, and whether I wasn''t trying hard enough."


    "People have their strengths and shortcomings, and all-rounded genius top students are ultimately few."


    Lu Liang smiled lightly, and like stroking a cat, he gently soothed Miyuki to sleep before he silently left.


    The next morning, the battle of tearing within the domestic entertainment grew fiercer.


    It started when Yang Mi aggressively promoted her new movie "Brotherhood of Blades 2," which seriously displeased the Cui Family Army.


    After all, the Wuxi Tax Bureau had announced an investigation into International Fan''s tax evasion, thus declaring a phased victory for Xiao Cui.


    With the leader of Double Ice Four Dan almost confirmed, and the top post-85-generation actress Yang Mi daring to provoke¡ªdid she really think she was clean?


    Thus, the onlookers who loved a big scene turned their barrels around and began charging at Yang Mi.


    According to netizens, clapping for the downfall of any of these celebrities was gratifying, the more who suffered, the better.


    As the uproar boiled, news of Bitcoin surging by 48.5% quietly appeared at the bottom of the trending searches.


    Instantly, Zhao Changpeng''s name echoed throughout the financial realm, crowned as the Domestic Coin Circle Godfather, also dubbed ''Little Luliang''.


    Media interview invitations poured in like raindrops, even dropping into major brain game shows as a flying guest.


    As Zhao Changpeng rose to fame, encrypting cryptocurrencies and Bitcoin became familiar terms.


    Transformed into a type of free, unfettered, decentralized, rapidly growing financial investment product.


    Domestic Bitcoins emerged in response, like Litecoin, Ripple, Dogecoin, and Unlimited Coin¡ªall rallying to the cause.


    Coinciding with Double Eleven, a massive number of high-end graphics cards were swept off the shelves, and even with continuous price increases, they sold out immediately upon listing.


    Mining suddenly became one of the hottest industries, with many manufacturers seizing the opportunity to launch corresponding mining machines.


    Capital, like a group of blood-smelling sharks, rushed into the market frantically, boosting the development of cryptocurrencies.


    Giving rise to stocks based on digital currency themes momentarily surpassing new energy as the market''s new darling.


    The various domestic fervors directly or indirectly reflected back onto the leading cryptocurrency.


    Bitcoin prices soared higher day by day, pushing upward by about four hundred dollars each day.


    A week later, crossing the ten thousand dollar mark, both the market''s size and value expanded swiftly.


    The higher the price, the broader the reach, attracting more speculators, which in turn drove market prices higher.


    "It''s insane."


    Wen Chao, who had followed Mr. Lu for so long and seen him earn billions of dollars overnight and invest tens of billions, considered himself worldly.


    But the madness of the Bitcoin market was beyond his imagination; he had witnessed firsthand how this market grew from a valuation of over thirty billion dollars to swiftly expand to two hundred and ten billion dollars.


    He also witnessed the daily trading volume rising from less than one hundred million dollars to now likely exceeding ten billion dollars.


    Unfortunately, this market has no records, otherwise the daily turnover rate would definitely exceed 30%.


    "It''s crazy," Lu Liang reflected, filled with emotion.


    He already knew the outcome and also knew that by the middle of next month, the market size would double again.


    But what he didn''t realize was that the development of this market would trigger so many chain reactions¡ªan influx of hot money into domestic knockoff currencies, a rise in graphics card prices, and mining becoming a popular profession.


    Unlike Bitcoin, which requires a lot of time to compute, he suspected that these domestic knockoffs might just be manipulating data in the background, issuing an unlimited number of coins, just like a Ponzi scheme.


    With hot money flooding in, retail investors would surely follow the trend, and eventually, they would all turn into leeks, ready to be harshly harvested.


    The rise in graphics card prices was closely tied to mining becoming a popular profession, both contributing to the development of Western tech companies.


    Like NVIDIA, whose market value had increased by over twenty billion US dollars in the past week, breaking a historic high of 150 billion US dollars.


    All of these indicated a loss of assets.


    "Once the harvesting starts, Zhao Changpeng will probably find it hard to survive domestically."


    Lu Liang gave a wry smile, powerless over the loss of assets, only able to admire his own foresight.


    The price of Bitcoin might rise again in the future, but the mid-month peak of twenty thousand was likely a short-term top.


    With the current crazy rise, a downfall by half was inevitable by then, and it was hard to know how many would perish under the scythe.


    "Mr. Lu, should we start to secure some funds first?" Wen Chao spoke, interrupting Lu Liang''s thoughts.


    He was a bit afraid of heights, after all, their cost price was still less than 2000 US dollars per Bitcoin, earning them eight thousand dollars each.


    Holding 95% of their position with more than 480,000 Bitcoins, their current earnings were about 3.84 billion US dollars.


    A slight reduction in their position could free up some funds, just in case there was a pullback, they could buy back in.


    "Wait a little longer, I''ll let you know," Lu Liang said.


    With so many Bitcoins in their possession, they definitely couldn''t sell at the peak, as that would easily cause a stampede.


    But the current price was only ten thousand dollars, still within the safety margin, waiting until seventeen thousand wasn''t too late.


    Plus, in Tokyo, they planned to hold onto them long-term, becoming one of the Bitcoin market makers.


    When the time came, Lu Liang wanted Wen Chao to coordinate with Sun Yutao to cover the private fund''s withdrawal. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Upon hearing this, Wen Chao didn''t ask further, "Mr. Lu, are you heading back to China?"


    "Almost, I''ll go next door with Ota Ling to visit Mr. Modern Zheng, then I''ll head back."


    Lu Liang chatted with Wen Chao as they walked, just as they ran into the coming Ota Ling, whose smile was as bright as spring flowers.


    "Mr. Lu, the weather''s getting chilly, please take good care of your health, Mr. Wen, you too."


    Ota Ling, beaming, beckoned to an aunty, who brought out a carefully prepared winter soup.


    This was a very ancient Chinese medicinal recipe, women drink it to nourish and beautify, men to strengthen and invigorate.


    His enthusiasm was puppy-like.


    With the Bitcoin price breaking ten thousand, it represented at least a threefold profit, turning 334 million US dollars into a billion.


    In less than three months, this speed of making money was beyond what he could describe.


    Lu Liang was not short of money,


    Only with deep concern, could he express his sincere heart.


    "What''s brewed in here?" Lu Liang smiled wryly, carefully examining the medicinal herbs in the thermal flask.


    "It''s stuff like seahorse, codonopsis, deer antler, and donkey-hide gelatin," Ota Ling laughed, "Actually, it''s also good with alcohol, but boiling it into a soup enhances the effects."


    He poured three bowls outright, toasting first, but Lu Liang and Wen Chao''s bowls were not as full, "Young people have strong fire inside, can''t drink too much."


    "Drink up," Lu Liang tasted it, it was a bit sweet, with a strong herbal flavor.


    Wen Chao didn''t think much, gulping it down quickly, "Mr. Lu, Mr. Ota, you talk, I''ll get back to work."


    Lu Liang slightly nodded, Ota Ling quietly asked, "Mr. Lu, does Mr. Wen have a girlfriend in Tokyo?"


    "He came with his girlfriend," Lu Liang nodded, Ota Ling sighed in relief, "Good to know."


    Lu Liang raised an eyebrow, "Very potent?"


    "Very potent!" Ota Ling explained, "This is a nourishing formula, usually fine during the day, but if one''s internal fire is too strong, it might cause restless and unbearable heat at night."


    Lu Liang cleared his throat a few times, smacking his lips, "It tastes a bit sweet."


    Understanding, Ota Ling handed over a Chinese medical prescription, "This formula was originally transferred from the East to our country, now returning it to you is like returning it to its rightful owner."

 Chapter 481 - 476: Little Sweet Becomes Mrs. Niu

    In the afternoon, Lu Liang was still in Tokyo, but by evening, he had arrived at Han City in the neighboring country with Ota Ling.


    Zheng Xuanyi had already prepared a banquet, and as soon as the two arrived, they were invited to a hotel belonging to the Hyundai Group.


    "Mr. Lu, let me toast to you," Zheng Xuanyi said with a radiant smile, lifting his glass to drink first as a mark of respect.


    He seldom admired anyone in his life, and Lu Liang was certainly among the few he did admire.


    The 1 billion US Dollars from before had now turned into at least 3 billion.


    To earn so much money in such a short time was difficult, but not entirely impossible.


    The key question was where to earn it and whose money to earn.


    "Mr. Zheng, you are too kind," Lu Liang said, lifting his glass towards the two, smiling, "It is I who should toast to both of you, thanking you for your trust."


    Hearing this, Ota Ling hurriedly raised his glass and said, "Mr. Lu, your words weigh too much. On this ship, you are the helmsman, you are the captain."


    After some pleasantries, once the drinks had circulated thrice and various dishes had been tasted, Lu Liang saw the timing was right and spoke about the purpose of this gathering.


    He planned to hold his shares long-term, paying dividends appropriately in the future but not settling the capital. If there were any objections, they could be discussed further.


    The importance that Western capital attached to this market far exceeded Lu Liang''s imagination. Since they valued it so much, he was determined to stick around.


    "We will follow Mr. Lu''s plans as the main course of action. We at the Hyundai Group have no objections," Zheng Xuanyi immediately clarified his stance without a second thought.


    Having a feast today and every day, he could clearly discern the benefits. Not settling, but only sharing dividends, could not be better.


    Should the Hyundai Group fall on hard times one day, the Zheng family offspring would still be able to live without worry thanks to the dividends from this project.


    After all, as a genuine Korean national brand, Hyundai had always been thorn in the side of American capital.


    In recent years, times had become increasingly tough, and it was not impossible for them to be swallowed up by groups like Samsung or LG one day.


    Ota Ling, dissatisfied, glanced at Old Zheng, and said, "Mitsui Sumitomo also unconditionally supports Mr. Lu''s decision."


    Before Lu Liang could respond, Zheng Xuanyi said with a smile, "Mr. Ota, it''s easy for you to say while you''re in office, but if someone else takes your place, that''s a different story."


    Zheng could speak for Hyundai, but Ota Ling couldn''t speak for Mitsui Sumitomo; as a rotating chairman, his position could be replaced at any time.


    "Mr. Zheng, no need to worry about that," Ota Ling said with an unfriendly look, snorting coldly, adding that as long as he was in office even for a day, he would unconditionally support Lu Liang.


    If the day came when he wasn''t in office, it would trigger a hidden clause in the contract, transferring 1% of the shares to Xingheng Investment Company.


    With this move, Lu Liang''s shares would increase from 33% to 34%, turning him into the true master of the project, both overtly and covertly.


    At that point, if he wanted to kick out Mitsui Sumitomo and bring in the Softbank Group or someone else, he could do so.


    "Since everyone agrees, let''s decide on this for the future. Now, let''s drink and eat," Lu Liang said, calming the atmosphere. While the hidden clause seemed to his advantage, in reality, the biggest beneficiary was Ota Ling.


    On the surface, it seemed he only trusted Ota Ling, so if Mitsui Sumitomo still wanted to be involved in the project, they would have to ensure Ota Ling kept getting re-elected.


    Lu Liang saw through this but did not point it out.


    Ota Ling was a good man, his son performed well, and the effects of the medicine were excellent.


    On the plane that afternoon, he had dozed off, and upon waking, he felt fully aroused, something he hadn''t felt in a long time.


    "How could we have fine wine without the company of beauties?"


    Zheng Xuanyi, full of smiles, clapped his hands, and Li Xuanhong, understanding his cue, stepped out and returned with a troupe of dancers from the Western Regions.


    Yun''er, as well as Taeyeon and Meiyin from last time, along with several unfamiliar but exquisitely beautiful young women with graceful figures.


    "They have been practicing a new dance routine, said to be based on ''The Phoenix Dance of Nine Heavens'' from Dunhuang. Mr. Lu, please enjoy."


    Li Xuanhong, all smiles, clapped his hands, and the lights in the private room dimmed as the ethereal music started to play. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Suddenly, it seemed as though one was transported to the vast wilderness where the sky was blue, the land yellow, and endless.


    Lu Liang was transfixed, his mind taken back to that night when he was suddenly kidnapped by Boss Xu from Shenzhen to Yangcheng.


    Beat upon the drum eighteen times, each squat takes a life away.


    This dance troupe clearly wasn''t professional enough, more like a brothel dancer than a Dunhuang performer.


    Yet with beauty and graceful figures, they could barely cover for their lacking dance moves.


    Suddenly, as the music grew more intense, eight dancers dressed as Hu Ji descended from the stage, circling around the tables.


    Three raised their glasses to pour wine, while five danced lightly, their silken sleeves grazing past Lu Liang''s head, carrying a faint scent of flowers.


    Boss Xu''s version was still too avant-garde, and Lu Liang suddenly realized why he was so delighted.


    When the dance ended, Yun''er approached Lu Liang with a glass in hand, kneeled slightly, and bowed.


    Her face bloomed like peach blossoms, her smile touched her dimples, and her eyes sparkled like autumn waters while her eyebrows curved like willows. She said, "Mr. Lu, Yun''er offers you a toast."


    A decade ago, Girls'' Generation, which had swept across Asia, had become remnants of the old days in the ever-changing Korean Entertainment.


    The biggest market next door implemented a ban on Korean stars last year, followed by a salary restriction this year, and the recent Dual Contract.


    Korean stars were having a tough time, especially the idol groups at the bottom of the chain of scorn. Yet Taeyeon and her American peers managed to revitalize their careers after that certain night.


    Delighted for her friend but also envious, she anticipated Mr. Lu''s next visit.


    Lu Liang accepted the glass, clinked it against hers, and complimented, "Your Chinese is very standard."


    "Thank you for the compliment, Mr. Lu. I spent some time in East Country a couple of years ago."


    Yun''er grinned, downing the wine in one gulp, but the spiciness made her stick out her tongue involuntarily.


    "Have some water," Lu Liang couldn''t resist but smile. His attitude towards Yun''er was clearly noticed by Taeyeon and her American colleague.


    Jealousy filled their eyes. In terms of popularity, neither had been as sought after as Yun''er at their peak, and even less so now.


    Taeyeon''s face showed thoughtfulness; in Mr. Lu''s eyes, they were just insignificant passersby. Having had their attention once, they wouldn''t hope for a second time.


    The American, unwilling to accept this, bit her lip and stepped forward for affection, her smile blooming, "Mr. Lu, I also offer you a toast."


    She blinked playfully at Lu Liang, surely he hadn''t forgotten their fiery interactions on Instagram?


    "No more for me, I''ve already had enough tonight. Any more and I''ll be drunk."


    Lu Liang waved his hand with a clear stance. The once Little Sweet was now Mrs. Niu.


    The American wanted to say more, but Li Xuanhong interjected, "Come, pour a drink for Chairman Ota."


    Mr. Lu''s mood mattered immensely; they couldn''t afford to displease him. What was a minor girl group idol compared to him?


    If Mr. Lu liked her, she was a treasure; if not, she was a weed. She had to accept this disparity.


    Ota Ling glanced at Li Xuanhong, sensing someone always out to get him.


    He was not blind and would not accept a woman whose relationship with him was ambiguous, especially in front of Mr. Lu.


    Choice made without hesitation, he looked towards a girl who had no connection to Mr. Lu, wrapped his arm around her waist, and bellowed a laugh, "No need to trouble yourself, Minister Li."


    With a "Wilderness Prison Heaven Finger", the Hu Ji dressed girl in his arms whimpered delicately, flushed with charm, and softly cried, "Don''t~"


    Zheng Xuanyi smiled and called a Hu Ji dancer over, touching her hand like a caring father, earnestly inquiring about her age and family.


    Each man preoccupied with their thoughts, the drink gathering ended without cheer.


    Leaving the private room, Lu Liang took the elevator to the room upstairs.


    Yun''er was wrapped tightly in an oversized down coat, revealing only a pair of eyes.


    She followed closely behind Mr. Lu, and as she saw him enter the room, she quickened her pace to follow him in.


    However, she bumped straight into Lu Liang''s back, her nose instantly reddened and tears nearly fell from the pain.


    "What''s the rush?" Lu Liang couldn''t help but laugh, and Yun''er muttered under her breath, "I''m not rushing."


    Lu Liang removed his jacket and headed straight for the bathroom, turned his head to look at her, and gestured her over.


    Yun''er hummed in acknowledgment and followed him into the dressing area of the bathroom.


    Lu Liang sat on a wooden stool, smiling broadly with interest as he watched the beauty shed her armor.


    Her bleached blonde waves were crowned with a turquoise headpiece with a distinct Western Regions flair, a recognizable face without a trace of artificiality, indeed the visual highlight of the girl group.

 Chapter 482 - 477: A Little Preferential Treatment

    "Are you leaving tomorrow?"


    Yun''er lay on Lu Liang''s chest, drawing circles aimlessly on his belly.


    Afterwards, they didn''t know what to talk about.


    The night was long, and it couldn''t be just about doing it; she could handle it, but Lu Liang might not be able to endure.


    "It should be tomorrow afternoon''s flight." Lu Liang sat at the head of the bed, scrolling through his phone, joining the onlookers.


    Once the authorities got serious, International Fan didn''t even dare to resist and got a new nickname of eight hundred and eighty million.


    Individuals and studios needed to pay back taxes of 255.3 million and fines of 596 million, with an average multiple of 2.33 times.


    Maybe because she received the notice, once it was confirmed, she immediately admitted it, expressing her cooperation and willingness to pay the taxes as soon as possible.


    The officials, considering it was her first offense and her good attitude and cooperation, waived criminal responsibility.


    Once the news broke, the internet went wild.


    Netizens applauded and praised the efficiency of the relevant departments; thus, the great crackdown in the entertainment industry began.


    It was rumored that a large number of celebrities, under the guise of secrecy, lined up to go to the relevant departments to cooperate and pay the respective fines and taxes.


    "Will you still come to see me after that?"


    Yun''er hesitated for a long time before asking softly, recalling Lu Liang''s attitude towards Taeyeon and Miyoung.


    Last time, Miyoung had praised Lu Liang to high heavens, indicating that their night together must have been pleasant.


    Miyoung had always been looking forward to Lu Liang''s visit, but his attitude was really disheartening.


    "You are different from them; I really like you." Lu Liang''s eyes were full of tenderness as he gently pinched her earlobe.


    At this moment, sharing a bed, he could say any sweet nothings, but what would happen afterwards depended on his mood.


    "I''m serious, let''s pinky promise." Yun''er looked up, her eyes bright, extending her pinky finger.


    She had been a trainee since she was 12 and debuted at 17, already a veteran in the industry for fifteen years.


    She was well aware of the affairs in Korean Entertainment; previously, she was popular enough to be the company''s cash cow, having bargaining power and avoiding most entertainment responsibilities, but not entirely.


    But she didn''t want to go anymore, so she needed a promise, hoping that the next time they met, Lu Liang wouldn''t ignore her.


    A smile, a greeting would suffice.


    With this, given Hyundai Group''s regard for Lu Liang, they would surely protect her and shield her from harassment.


    "Sure, pinky promise."


    Lu Liang smiled and nodded, willing to give her that promise.


    Ota Ling had been a big help to him, even sending his own son to be his hostage.


    In contrast, Zheng Xuanyi and Hyundai Group hadn''t interacted much regularly, and he had no interest in investing in Korea.


    Even the only potential area for cooperation between them was in developing hydrogen energy, which was the opposite direction from lithium energy.


    In this partnership, Hyundai''s role was dispensable; it could be replaced by LG, Hanwha, or any large corporation.


    Thus, Lu Liang wasn''t worried that this promise would cause him any trouble. In fact, Zheng Xuanyi would probably welcome any trouble from Lu Liang to deepen their relations.


    Yun''er smiled brightly, overjoyed, nuzzling against Lu Liang''s chest, "Mr. Lu, Yun''er wants to try liking you."


    She explained, "We''ve met once before, and it wasn''t very pleasant, so starting now, I want to get to know you and then gradually fall in love with you."


    Lu Liang laughed dryly, asking, "Should I feel honored then?"


    Yun''er quickly explained, "It''s Yun''er who feels honored because Yun''er knows you''re a very capable person."


    "Which aspects?" Lu Liang asked with a smile, suspecting a performance but feeling somewhat curious as he hadn''t interacted with this type before.


    "Your business!"


    Yun''er smirked.


    The next day at noon, Lu Liang was refreshed, dining in the hotel restaurant with Ota Ling.


    The old man''s prescription really had something; it seemed they had faced their mid-life crises a step ahead.


    When you reach middle age, having money and power, life would be less fun without the adornment of beauties.


    So, he also found a solution beforehand, and Lu Liang effortlessly shared their results.


    Ota Ling giggled, his face showing a smile that men understand, "Mr. Lu, my flight is at three o''clock in the afternoon."


    "See you next time in Tokyo." Lu Liang smiled and nodded.


    His flight was at two in the afternoon; after lunch, he could head to the airport.


    Lu Liang waved over Li Xuanhong, saying with a smile, "Minister Li, please give my regards to Mr. Zheng."


    Then, looking at Yun''er who walked into the restaurant, he added, "If it''s not too much trouble, take care of her for me."


    Li Xuanhong, all smiles, hurriedly responded, "Rest assured, Mr. Lu, it''s no trouble at all."


    Neither Taeyeon nor Miyoung had received such treatment, which clearly showed Yun''er was especially favored by Lu Liang.


    Even if it cost him his life, he would protect Yun''er and shield her from all evil spirits. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At the same time, Taeyeon and Miyeong arrived at the restaurant.


    Seeing Lu Liang before he left, he specifically glanced at Yun''er and smiled at her.


    Yun''er immediately beamed with joy,


    and secretly made a goodbye gesture.


    Miyeong, feeling jealous, said faintly, "Yun''er, Mr. Lu seems to really like you."


    "It''s okay."


    Yun''er smiled broadly, inviting the two sisters to take a seat¡ªthey were all born in ''89, while she was born in ''90.


    In the strict world of Korean Entertainment, even being a day older might make someone eligible to be a father, let alone a year.


    "What are you pretending for here? Remember how Taeyeon and I protected you last time?"


    With a darkened face, Miyeong walked away without turning back. Taeyeon sighed, "Yun''er, don''t be angry, she''s always like that, you know that."


    Yun''er nodded with a bitter smile, Taeyeon added, "As long as you understand, then I''ll go check on her."


    Yun''er watched as the two women walked away and sighed; she herself was in a precarious situation and couldn''t afford to worry about others.


    She probably knew why Lu Liang came to Korea this time and why he ignored Taeyeon and Miyeong.


    Three people and two people, after all, are different¡ªat least they definitely didn''t chat that night.


    Even if there was time for casual conversation, there was no scenario with just the two of them to talk deeply and thoroughly.


    However, it was purely Yun''er overthinking, her own CPU processing.


    The reason for the special treatment was nostalgia; seven or eight years ago, Lu Liang had used her photo as his wallpaper for a long time.


    Given his nature, even for a pet dog at home, he would have wished it could become a police dog. So, giving a little preferential treatment to a once-loved actress was nothing.


    At four o''clock in the afternoon, the plane arrived in Modu.


    Lu Liang''s Bentley left the airport and headed directly onto the freeway, heading to the Su City District, eventually stopping in front of the Seven Days Hotel.


    A young man with a square face was squatting at the door, playing with his phone. Lu Liang chuckled, rolled down the window, and shouted, "Yuchen."


    Su Wanyu''s brother, Su Yuchen, had arrived in Su City a few days ago to prepare for the civil service exam the day after tomorrow.


    It happened that tomorrow at the Lou Shui New Energy Industrial Park, the first of seventeen companies would complete its ceiling completion.


    Lu Liang planned to have him by his side, giving local department leaders a chance to familiarize themselves with him.


    "Brother-in-law," Su Yuchen exclaimed happily and then snuck into Lu Liang''s car like a thief.


    In recent days, Su City''s law enforcement, environmental, and tax departments were continuously conducting exams.


    Nearby hotels were filled with exam candidates, and he was worried about being seen with Lu Liang.


    "What? Is knowing me that embarrassing?" Lu Liang suddenly said sternly, a glint of amusement in his eyes.


    "It just doesn''t feel right."


    Su Yuchen explained, after all, Lu Liang had invested so much money in Su City, almost single-handedly creating an industrial park.


    Even the exam materials included this industrial area, discussing the impact and future development of Lou Shui New Energy Industrial Park on Su City.


    If people knew he knew Lu Liang, they would certainly think he had been pre-selected.


    "Isn''t that so?"


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but chuckle and patted his shoulder, "Don''t feel pressured."


    "This year so many departments in the city are hiring, and the city district departments alone have only 45 spots."


    "The number of applicants might exceed thirty thousand; without connections, how smart would one have to be to get in?"


    Lu Liang, though he had never taken the civil servant exam, knew the ropes well: city key department''s 45 spots for candidates without connections probably wouldn''t even fill half, most need to pull strings.


    Though being a civil servant signifies stability, the income isn''t high, but it depends on the place¡ªSu Daqiang, standing strong as the sixth in national GDP ranking right behind Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen, civil servants'' treatments are not inferior to those of average elite white-collar workers.


    Su Yuchen was momentarily at a loss for words as Lu Liang laughed and didn''t say more, "Shiyu, drive; let''s find a mall first, help Yuchen buy some clothes."


    He said, "Dress up a bit, and tomorrow you will come with me to meet some friends."


    Su Yuchen looked down at his outfit, "Brother-in-law, it should be fine, right?"


    Lu Liang laughed, "Buy a suit, dress maturely and steadily, the leaders will also feel reassured."


    Su Yuchen looked at Lu Liang, who was dressed similarly to him in youthful hoodie, jeans, and sneakers.


    "You''re comparing yourself to me?" Lu Liang said irritably.


    Su Yuchen quickly laughed it off, "Not at all."


    He then whispered, "Brother-in-law, try not to buy anything too expensive, I didn''t bring much money."


    Lu Liang didn''t even bother to look at him again, just closed his eyes without saying a word.


    When you''re out with him, no need to worry about money.

 Chapter 485 - 480: There Will Always Be People Who Create Difficulties on Purpose

    "You look much more spirited now."


    It was past eight o''clock when Lu Liang arrived at the hotel restaurant for breakfast and upon seeing Su Yuchen''s dress, a satisfied smile appeared on his face.


    He glanced over and felt like something was still missing, so he took off his own watch, but then he thought better of it and put it back on.


    Lu Liang said with a smile, "You should go buy yourself a watch that costs eight to ten thousand instead; this one doesn''t suit you."


    He forgot when he bought this watch, it seemed to be from the Vacheron Constantin Patrimony collection, worth either over four million or five million, he couldn''t remember the exact amount.


    Su Yuchen would eventually hold a public office position and wearing a nice suit is acceptable because there isn''t any brand logo; at most, it just looks more textured.


    But a watch is different. With the internet so prevalent, if someone took a photo of it and it got out, it would inevitably lead to a lot of trouble.


    "Alright, brother-in-law."


    Su Yuchen nodded hastily, nervously realizing that it wasn''t that Lu Liang was reluctant to give the watch, but he genuinely wanted to give it to him. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Eat quickly, after breakfast, we''ll head out."


    Having finished his milk, Lu Liang gestured to Xu Delin: "This is Xu Delin, Secretary Xu, you''ll follow him later. If anyone asks, just say you''re his assistant."


    It wasn''t appropriate to introduce Su Yuchen in public, the main goal was to get him known by just being around, easing future interactions with leaders and their secretaries.


    These leaders might not remember Su Yuchen''s face, but their secretaries were masters at remembering people.


    A tour today could lead to recognition when he officially started the job, and if a chance meeting occurred, the secretaries would certainly remember him.


    Following this, they may initiate a background check, and upon learning of the relationship, would not make things difficult, and might even offer a helping hand at the right time.


    At nine-thirty in the morning,


    Lu Liang arrived at Lou Shui New Energy Industrial Park.


    The transformation of this area could only be described as rapid, with 17 factories springing up from the ground.


    Each was not just a single building, but a complex of three to five structures.


    The entire park already had a bit of the vibe of Zhongguang Village in Beijing and Magic City Zhangjiang Science and Technology Park in Modu.


    It took eight minutes by car from the park''s future main gate to reach the construction site that was completed.


    The completed project belonged to the Special Motor Group, specializing in new energy motors and wind power generation, not only a level two supplier for Tesla but also a level one supplier for Jianghuai and Lifan.


    Lu Liang''s decision to invest in the construction of a new energy industrial park here and the full support of Su City Government were partly due to the across-the-river Tianxing Technology, and also the desire to integrate the new energy industry of the Yangtze River Delta.


    The Yangtze River Delta had unparalleled advantages, not only its prime geographical location and convenient transportation, but also its developed economy and clear industrial and demographic superiority.


    But as new energy was a new industry, all suppliers were scattered across the length and breadth of the country, with no concentration of industry clusters.


    Lu Liang was willing to lead, to invest the money, and even went as far as to acquire stakes in 17 companies on the trading market, so of course, Su City Government supported it strongly.


    Even if Tianxing Technology failed to grow, the new energy industry cluster had already formed and settled in their Su City.


    Jianghuai in He Fei, Lifan in Changzhou, Weima in Wenzhou, and Tesla in Modu would all prioritize sourcing parts from this area.


    The short distance meant further cost reduction, and everyone needed a one-stop shop for centralized purchasing.


    It could be said that Lu Liang had invested real silver to build a stage where anyone could step up and perform.


    Everyone approached with the intention of usurping the position, which is why the implementation of this project was so smooth.


    Moreover, regardless of who won, Su City was the steady winner, already wearing the crown of the city of new energy technology.


    The land across the river was their gesture of reciprocity, a welcoming gift for Lu Liang.


    After all, there was a clause that required an investment of no less than 12 billion within five years, or else the land would have to be returned, but they countered by offering a 15 billion loan instead.


    Such treatment was rare in the entire country, with only two cases: the first was Tesla, actively introduced by the country, given land and loans in the hope that it would act as a stimulating force to develop the new energy industry.


    Lu Liang had put his heart and soul into initiating this project, and Su City hadn''t treated him poorly in return, offering him exceptionally favorable treatment, akin to that offered to foreign investors.


    Just before ten, leaders from the city and district had arrived, and various media had gathered. The other construction sites also paused for half a morning, with strings of firecrackers running for hundreds of meters.


    "This is just the first one; there will be seventeen more factory districts completing in succession..."


    "Our plan is to become the largest new energy industry hub in the nation within five years..."


    ""


    "To provide no fewer than one hundred thousand direct high-paying jobs for the local area..."


    Leaders from various departments, including Lu Liang, took the stage in an orderly manner to speak, discussing expectations, envisioning the future, and bolstering confidence.


    After all, it was the first factory to be completed. In the future, aside from the full opening of the park and the completion of the Tianxing base, it would be hard to see such a grand scene again.


    Standing among the crowd, Su Yuchen suddenly felt insignificant, as if he were a grain of sand in the era, witnessing a historic moment.


    Lu Liang was only ten years his senior, yet he was the initiator of this moment. Su Yuchen couldn''t help but secretly record it on his phone and send it to various groups.


    Not minding that it was the middle of the night in London, he specially recorded a short video and sent it to Su Wanyu: "Sis, did you see that?"


    Soon, Su Wanyu replied: "I saw it. He''s always been so outstanding. You, following by his side, can''t cause him trouble, okay?"


    "I''m not a kid anymore. Don''t always think that I''m going to be a bother. Besides, my brother-in-law is leaving this afternoon. Oh, it should be three o''clock by now, right? Why aren''t you resting?"


    "This little guy simply won''t let me sleep."


    In a short video, the little one with big bright eyes gazed unblinkingly at the hanging windmill.


    Suddenly Xu Delin tugged at his sleeve, signaling Su Yuchen to keep up. He hurriedly said, "That''s it, I''ve got to go busy myself."


    The two approached Lu Liang and followed him and several other leaders out of the park to Tianxing Technology across the river.


    Zeng Shaofang asked with a smile, "Mr. Lu, this place should be close to completion too, right?"


    "It''s just a few months behind."


    Lu Liang called over Wang Xiaofeng and Zhuo Yifan from the construction site. Zhuo Yifan said, "The specific time should be around April of next year."


    Wang Xiaofeng added, "The production lines will be completed overseas in March of next year and should arrive by May."


    A group of about a dozen people walked and talked, while the media reporters followed in real-time, capturing the scene.


    Approaching noon, Lu Liang saw off several leaders and was also preparing to leave Su City to head back to Modu.


    At this time, Liu Pei, the financial director with a grim face, found Lu Liang: "Mr. Lu, the company''s account funds are about to run out."


    With the 15 billion yuan loan provided by Su City, they were supposed to be very wealthy. Even if the base project was under construction and technology was being developed in both Beijing and Modu, they should have had more than enough funds.


    But because of the diversion of one billion dollars to invest in DiDi, there was only 2.88 billion yuan of liquid funds left in the account.


    In Beijing, the monthly payroll expenses for more than a thousand programmers wouldn''t be less than 40 million, not including other expenditures.


    Modu was even more outrageous. Although the R&D team was not large, their rate of spending money was no less than in Beijing.


    Starting with the project to test vehicle safety performance alone, the internal frame numbers broke through from zero to three digits.


    In the beginning, there were just frames, customized for a few hundred thousand yuan each to test compression resistance. But later, it became whole vehicle testing, with customization for a single vehicle costing two million, and that was at a discounted price.


    Even if a compromise cost of 1.5 million yuan per vehicle was taken, 100 vehicles would amount to 1.5 billion yuan.


    Lu Liang laughed bitterly, unable to help but sigh, "How long do you think the funds in the account can last now?"


    "Normally, it should be enough for two months'' daily expenses."


    Liu Pei glanced at Lu Liang subconsciously: "If there are no unforeseen circumstances."


    Their company''s development was actually going very smoothly. After all, they were born with a golden key, starting with a 15 billion yuan loan¡ªit was hard not to be successful.


    Even after advance payments for the construction and the production lines, 15 billion yuan in loans left only 69.78 billion yuan, considering that there were originally 5.5 billion yuan in liquid funds, summing up to over 75 billion yuan, which was enough to last until the end of the two projects.


    But there were always people who intentionally made things difficult.


    Originally there was only a sum of 75.28 billion yuan, and then they abruptly diverted 67 billion to invest in DiDi.


    It was only because of Lu Liang. If it were any other company where the CEO dared to do this, the financial director would have clashed with him long ago.


    Lu Liang blushed with an embarrassed look: "There shouldn''t be any more unforeseen circumstances. By January, I''ll go sort out some more money."


    In the company now, the only person who could really challenge him was Liu Pei, even though Liu Pei was personally recruited by him to serve as the financial director.


    It was because he represented the entire company, the interests of all shareholders, not just Lu Liang''s personal interest.


    Unlike Tang Caide, because Tianxing Investment was wholly owned by Lu Liang, the company was effectively his personal asset.

 Chapter 484 - 479: Regard as Ones Own

    "First, let him lean against the tree and throw up for a while."


    Lu Liang squatted by the roadside, letting Fang Shiyu support Su Yuchen as he vented under the tree.


    Until the surging sounds of vomiting turned into dry heaving, he passed over a bottle of water with a smile, "This time, you''re with the leaders, so being honest is fine, it can leave a good impression on people.


    If you drink with colleagues later, don''t be that honest, cheat if you need to, refuse if you have to. Drinking isn''t the goal, don''t drink for the sake of drinking."


    He saw a reflection of his younger self in Su Yuchen, just entering the workforce, first at the drinking table, almost never saying no.


    His alcohol tolerance wasn''t great either, just relied on being young, with a strong body, and drank stubbornly, but in hindsight, some drinks were unnecessary.


    Like with coworkers, everyone''s a worker, if a coworker urges you to drink, it doesn''t matter if you don''t, or if you pretend you can''t handle it, it''s not a big deal.


    If you don''t refuse, it''s fine if you can handle your liquor, but if you can''t, it only satisfies others'' schadenfreude.


    After all, there are always people unhappy with their lives, who take pleasure in seeing others embarrassed.


    "Do I still need to drink in the future?" Su Yuchen looked as if he wanted to cry without tears, sitting by the road, staring blankly in a trance, beginning to doubt whether deciding to take the civil service exam was the right choice.


    Unable to suppress a laugh, Lu Liang helped him pat his back, "Not often, but if Mr. Zhang really appreciates you, he might take you out to dinner in the future. Then you should pay attention and observe, who is respected and who isn''t."


    "Be straightforward and honest with superiors to make a good impression, but pull rank as appropriate with others, drink less or not at all whenever possible."


    Lu Liang didn''t say too much, teaching through words won''t work, but teaching through actions does, some things can''t be learned through words.


    He asked with a smile, "Can you walk now? Or should Shiyu carry you?"


    "No need, brother-in-law, I can still stand."


    Su Yuchen waved his hand, wiped his mouth, and climbed into the car, leaning his head back with a long sigh, looking like he was running out of steam.


    Lu Liang''s upturned smile hadn''t faded as he took him back to the hotel and straight to the spa on the fifth floor, "Let''s go soak in a bath and get a massage."


    "Brother-in-law, I just want to go back to my room to sleep." Su Yuchen''s face was red, whether from the alcohol or embarrassment.


    For a student fresh out of graduation, even getting a foot bath was extravagant, let alone a massage, a completely taboo subject.


    "It''s just a quick soak and a rub down, you''ll wake up feeling much better tomorrow."


    Lu Liang laughed, Su Yuchen wasn''t heartbroken, he certainly wouldn''t corrupt the other''s pure soul.


    A bath and massage were just simply relaxing treatments, even the most ascetic monk could partake, and the Buddha wouldn''t fault him for it.


    Su Yuchen gave an "Oh," and followed Lu Liang to the changing room. Lu Liang teased with a smile, "Disappointed?"


    "No, not at all," Su Yuchen hurriedly replied.


    Perhaps because the young man was full of vigor, or maybe it was due to the high-quality services of the upscale hotel''s masseurs, skilled and fairly good-looking, he ended up pitching a tent.


    "Your alcohol tolerance is indeed not bad," Lu Liang squinted and smiled, Su Yuchen had drunk well over half a liter tonight and could still get it up, which meant he hadn''t reached his limit.


    Because a truly drunk person is lifeless, like a caterpillar. The so-called drunken shenanigans are just an excuse for misbehavior.


    The massage continued and the tent was dismantled, soft snoring began to echo beside him. Lu Liang couldn''t help but chuckle, called for Fang Shiyu, and directly carried him back to the room.


    For a big guy nearly two meters tall and almost 200 pounds, carrying a slim 170 cm, 130-pound kid was quite simple.


    The next morning, as dawn barely lit the sky,


    Su Yuchen awoke from his bed, subconsciously shook his head, feeling no post-drunk headache.


    He had arrived in a hurry the previous afternoon and had no time to look at the layout of the hotel room.


    Now he found that the room was more luxurious than he had imagined, over a hundred square meters, with a kitchen, a study and a living room.


    The living room had three French windows facing Jinji Lake, the water shimmered, and a sliver of morning sun cast a glow like the coming of the Purple Qi from the east.


    The view was too beautiful to describe, he picked up his phone to take photos and record the moment, then saw several missed calls, his parents had each called several times last night.


    Then, there was a message in the family group chat, Su Wanyu said that he was likely too busy to answer the phone with Lu Liang.


    Su Yuchen glanced at the time, knowing that although it was only 6:30 am, his parents would have woken up.


    They would buy groceries and make breakfast. After eating, they''d drive over forty kilometers to the garment factory; they woke up at six every day.


    "Last night, I went out to dinner with some district leaders with my brother-in-law, including the director of the Investment Office, and leaders from the tax and environmental protection departments."


    Old Su was thrilled, their family finally had a potential official, he eagerly said, "Dad transferred another twenty thousand to your Alipay, spend it if you need to, don''t skimp."


    Su Yuchen smiled wryly, "You keep it, there''s no need for me to spend money with my brother-in-law."


    "That''s true, but your brother-in-law also has his own business to take care of. Keep the money, buy a few clean sets of clothes, and maybe rent a place. Once you''ve settled down, your mom and I will come to visit you."


    As father and son talked, the room phone in the living room rang. Su Yuchen felt puzzled, then learned that his clothes had been delivered to the hotel and could now be brought up if convenient.


    "Then send them up, thank you."


    Old Su was overjoyed, even through the phone, his happiness was evident, "Your brother-in-law bought you clothes?"


    "A few suits, because my brother-in-law said there''s a project completion today, leaders from both the city and district will be there, and he''s taking me to see."


    "Your brother-in-law is good to you. Make yourself presentable, make a good impression, dad won''t keep you any longer."


    As Old Su spoke, suddenly his wife''s voice chimed in from the side, "Remember to take a picture for mom later. Aunt Hui said, she wants to see you."


    "She wants him to start dating right after graduation? Now it''s about career first, put romances on hold." S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Just because I''ve just graduated? I''m already 22. When I was his age, Yu was almost born."


    "Can you add a little less chaos? These days, people advocate free love."


    Su Yuchen couldn''t help but laugh and cry, and he took the initiative to hang up the phone. After a while, the doorbell rang.


    The sales associate from yesterday stood at the door with a broad smile, "Good morning, Mr. Su. I''m sorry to come by so early and disturb you."


    "Not at all, not at all."


    Su Yuchen was at a loss because he had received the clothes, but the sales associate showed no sign of leaving.


    She covered her mouth with a light laugh and explained, "Mr. Su, why don''t you try them on first? I''ll wait outside the door. If there''s anything that doesn''t fit right, you can let us know immediately."


    Su Yuchen blushed, just as he was about to close the door, he thought about the fact that a girl was waiting right outside his door, which might lead to misunderstandings, "Why don''t you come in and sit for a while?"


    He hurriedly explained, "I don''t mean anything by it. It just doesn''t seem right to have a lady waiting outside."


    "Mr. Su, you are so considerate."


    The sales associate smiled lightly, took out shoe covers, put them on, and bent slightly to apologize, "Sorry for the intrusion."


    "No intrusion." Su Yuchen didn''t dare to close the door and quickly picked up a set of clothing and shoes, rushing into the changing room.


    "Take your time, no need to hurry." The sales associate couldn''t help but laugh, suddenly curious about what the relationship between him and Lu Liang really was.


    "Lu Liang is my brother. I''m from Hu Jian, and I''m here to take part in the public service exam in Su City."


    Su Yuchen was changing clothes, chatting intermittently with the sales associate through a door.


    For the first time in his life, such a beautiful and elegant girl took the initiative to show interest in him, and he couldn''t hide his excitement.


    After all, he never found his sister to be particularly beautiful, just a little prettier than the average girl.


    "Wow, that''s impressive. The exams in Su City are tough. I''ve tried a few times myself but ended up giving up."


    The sales associate knew just how to provide emotional value, deliberately ignoring the factor of Lu Liang and lavishing praise on Su Yuchen instead.


    "It is quite tough. I''ve been preparing for months, and I still don''t have much confidence."


    Su Yuchen emerged from the changing room wearing a suit that fit him perfectly in length and tightness, and his charm soared.


    "Mr. Su, that suit looks great on you. Move around a bit to see if any part feels too tight or too loose."


    The sales associate''s eyes lit up with a mixture of flattery and sincerity; mainly because Su Yuchen was not overweight and he stood at 174 cm tall.


    As long as someone has a decent face and isn''t particularly overweight or short, suits are one of the best ways to enhance appeal.


    Especially high-end custom suits¡ªvisible luxury. The only downside of an expensive suit is that it''s expensive.


    "It fits quite well." Su Yuchen moved his limbs around, then stood in front of the full-length mirror, looking at himself from different angles.


    Even he felt that he had suddenly become more handsome; if he combed his hair back in a side part later on, he would definitely look even better.


    "Your cufflinks aren''t fastened. Let me help you."


    The sales associate picked up a pair of spare cufflinks and personally showed Su Yuchen how to wear them.


    She said with a smile, "They make the shirt cuffs fit more snugly, and a good pair of cufflinks can add a unique charm to a man."


    Su Yuchen blushed as the sales associate''s hair was less than twenty centimeters from his nose, and he could smell the faint scent of flowers.


    "Does it look much more professional?"


    The sales associate looked up to find Su Yuchen staring at her in a daze. As their eyes met, he quickly averted his gaze, "Uh, it does seem a lot better."


    Her smile bloomed again as she bowed slightly, "Mr. Su, if there''s nothing else, then I''ll be on my way. I hope you have a pleasant day."


    "Oh, okay."


    Su Yuchen felt a sense of loss as he watched her leave and couldn''t help but ask, "My name is Su Yuchen, what''s yours?"


    "Li Aiyue. You can call me Little Li, or Aiyue." Li Aiyue gave a cheery smile, ready to depart.


    Su Yuchen mustered the courage to ask for contact information, adding, "Miss Li, just in case I have any questions, I might ask for your advice."


    Li Aiyue smiled and left her contact information, and Su Yuchen then asked, "Miss Li, how much do these suits cost?"


    He hadn''t been blinded by her beauty¡ªhe wanted to know how much Lu Liang had spent on him.


    Even though he might not be able to repay it now, or perhaps ever, he didn''t want to be ignorant and shameless or think that it was his due.


    Li Aiyue thought for a moment, unsure how to put it, "Mr. Lu is really good to you."


    "How much?"


    "Three suits, including shoes and a belt, come to less than half a million."


    Su Yuchen gave a wry smile, "So, nearly that much?"


    Li Aiyue nodded and added, "Don''t worry, there are no logos visible anywhere; they just look a bit more upscale."


    "Thank you."


    Su Yuchen watched Li Aiyue leave, realizing that the average cost of a suit was over a hundred thousand, weighing heavily on him.


    Lu Liang had indeed been very good to him, treating him as his own; suddenly, he felt he might also understand his sister''s perspective.

 Chapter 485 - 480: There Will Always Be People Who Create Difficulties on Purpose

    "You look much more spirited now."


    It was past eight o''clock when Lu Liang arrived at the hotel restaurant for breakfast and upon seeing Su Yuchen''s dress, a satisfied smile appeared on his face.


    He glanced over and felt like something was still missing, so he took off his own watch, but then he thought better of it and put it back on.


    Lu Liang said with a smile, "You should go buy yourself a watch that costs eight to ten thousand instead; this one doesn''t suit you."


    He forgot when he bought this watch, it seemed to be from the Vacheron Constantin Patrimony collection, worth either over four million or five million, he couldn''t remember the exact amount.


    Su Yuchen would eventually hold a public office position and wearing a nice suit is acceptable because there isn''t any brand logo; at most, it just looks more textured.


    But a watch is different. With the internet so prevalent, if someone took a photo of it and it got out, it would inevitably lead to a lot of trouble.


    "Alright, brother-in-law."


    Su Yuchen nodded hastily, nervously realizing that it wasn''t that Lu Liang was reluctant to give the watch, but he genuinely wanted to give it to him. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Eat quickly, after breakfast, we''ll head out."


    Having finished his milk, Lu Liang gestured to Xu Delin: "This is Xu Delin, Secretary Xu, you''ll follow him later. If anyone asks, just say you''re his assistant."


    It wasn''t appropriate to introduce Su Yuchen in public, the main goal was to get him known by just being around, easing future interactions with leaders and their secretaries.


    These leaders might not remember Su Yuchen''s face, but their secretaries were masters at remembering people.


    A tour today could lead to recognition when he officially started the job, and if a chance meeting occurred, the secretaries would certainly remember him.


    Following this, they may initiate a background check, and upon learning of the relationship, would not make things difficult, and might even offer a helping hand at the right time.


    At nine-thirty in the morning,


    Lu Liang arrived at Lou Shui New Energy Industrial Park.


    The transformation of this area could only be described as rapid, with 17 factories springing up from the ground.


    Each was not just a single building, but a complex of three to five structures.


    The entire park already had a bit of the vibe of Zhongguang Village in Beijing and Magic City Zhangjiang Science and Technology Park in Modu.


    It took eight minutes by car from the park''s future main gate to reach the construction site that was completed.


    The completed project belonged to the Special Motor Group, specializing in new energy motors and wind power generation, not only a level two supplier for Tesla but also a level one supplier for Jianghuai and Lifan.


    Lu Liang''s decision to invest in the construction of a new energy industrial park here and the full support of Su City Government were partly due to the across-the-river Tianxing Technology, and also the desire to integrate the new energy industry of the Yangtze River Delta.


    The Yangtze River Delta had unparalleled advantages, not only its prime geographical location and convenient transportation, but also its developed economy and clear industrial and demographic superiority.


    But as new energy was a new industry, all suppliers were scattered across the length and breadth of the country, with no concentration of industry clusters.


    Lu Liang was willing to lead, to invest the money, and even went as far as to acquire stakes in 17 companies on the trading market, so of course, Su City Government supported it strongly.


    Even if Tianxing Technology failed to grow, the new energy industry cluster had already formed and settled in their Su City.


    Jianghuai in He Fei, Lifan in Changzhou, Weima in Wenzhou, and Tesla in Modu would all prioritize sourcing parts from this area.


    The short distance meant further cost reduction, and everyone needed a one-stop shop for centralized purchasing.


    It could be said that Lu Liang had invested real silver to build a stage where anyone could step up and perform.


    Everyone approached with the intention of usurping the position, which is why the implementation of this project was so smooth.


    Moreover, regardless of who won, Su City was the steady winner, already wearing the crown of the city of new energy technology.


    The land across the river was their gesture of reciprocity, a welcoming gift for Lu Liang.


    After all, there was a clause that required an investment of no less than 12 billion within five years, or else the land would have to be returned, but they countered by offering a 15 billion loan instead.


    Such treatment was rare in the entire country, with only two cases: the first was Tesla, actively introduced by the country, given land and loans in the hope that it would act as a stimulating force to develop the new energy industry.


    Lu Liang had put his heart and soul into initiating this project, and Su City hadn''t treated him poorly in return, offering him exceptionally favorable treatment, akin to that offered to foreign investors.


    Just before ten, leaders from the city and district had arrived, and various media had gathered. The other construction sites also paused for half a morning, with strings of firecrackers running for hundreds of meters.


    "This is just the first one; there will be seventeen more factory districts completing in succession..."


    "Our plan is to become the largest new energy industry hub in the nation within five years..."


    ""


    "To provide no fewer than one hundred thousand direct high-paying jobs for the local area..."


    Leaders from various departments, including Lu Liang, took the stage in an orderly manner to speak, discussing expectations, envisioning the future, and bolstering confidence.


    After all, it was the first factory to be completed. In the future, aside from the full opening of the park and the completion of the Tianxing base, it would be hard to see such a grand scene again.


    Standing among the crowd, Su Yuchen suddenly felt insignificant, as if he were a grain of sand in the era, witnessing a historic moment.


    Lu Liang was only ten years his senior, yet he was the initiator of this moment. Su Yuchen couldn''t help but secretly record it on his phone and send it to various groups.


    Not minding that it was the middle of the night in London, he specially recorded a short video and sent it to Su Wanyu: "Sis, did you see that?"


    Soon, Su Wanyu replied: "I saw it. He''s always been so outstanding. You, following by his side, can''t cause him trouble, okay?"


    "I''m not a kid anymore. Don''t always think that I''m going to be a bother. Besides, my brother-in-law is leaving this afternoon. Oh, it should be three o''clock by now, right? Why aren''t you resting?"


    "This little guy simply won''t let me sleep."


    In a short video, the little one with big bright eyes gazed unblinkingly at the hanging windmill.


    Suddenly Xu Delin tugged at his sleeve, signaling Su Yuchen to keep up. He hurriedly said, "That''s it, I''ve got to go busy myself."


    The two approached Lu Liang and followed him and several other leaders out of the park to Tianxing Technology across the river.


    Zeng Shaofang asked with a smile, "Mr. Lu, this place should be close to completion too, right?"


    "It''s just a few months behind."


    Lu Liang called over Wang Xiaofeng and Zhuo Yifan from the construction site. Zhuo Yifan said, "The specific time should be around April of next year."


    Wang Xiaofeng added, "The production lines will be completed overseas in March of next year and should arrive by May."


    A group of about a dozen people walked and talked, while the media reporters followed in real-time, capturing the scene.


    Approaching noon, Lu Liang saw off several leaders and was also preparing to leave Su City to head back to Modu.


    At this time, Liu Pei, the financial director with a grim face, found Lu Liang: "Mr. Lu, the company''s account funds are about to run out."


    With the 15 billion yuan loan provided by Su City, they were supposed to be very wealthy. Even if the base project was under construction and technology was being developed in both Beijing and Modu, they should have had more than enough funds.


    But because of the diversion of one billion dollars to invest in DiDi, there was only 2.88 billion yuan of liquid funds left in the account.


    In Beijing, the monthly payroll expenses for more than a thousand programmers wouldn''t be less than 40 million, not including other expenditures.


    Modu was even more outrageous. Although the R&D team was not large, their rate of spending money was no less than in Beijing.


    Starting with the project to test vehicle safety performance alone, the internal frame numbers broke through from zero to three digits.


    In the beginning, there were just frames, customized for a few hundred thousand yuan each to test compression resistance. But later, it became whole vehicle testing, with customization for a single vehicle costing two million, and that was at a discounted price.


    Even if a compromise cost of 1.5 million yuan per vehicle was taken, 100 vehicles would amount to 1.5 billion yuan.


    Lu Liang laughed bitterly, unable to help but sigh, "How long do you think the funds in the account can last now?"


    "Normally, it should be enough for two months'' daily expenses."


    Liu Pei glanced at Lu Liang subconsciously: "If there are no unforeseen circumstances."


    Their company''s development was actually going very smoothly. After all, they were born with a golden key, starting with a 15 billion yuan loan¡ªit was hard not to be successful.


    Even after advance payments for the construction and the production lines, 15 billion yuan in loans left only 69.78 billion yuan, considering that there were originally 5.5 billion yuan in liquid funds, summing up to over 75 billion yuan, which was enough to last until the end of the two projects.


    But there were always people who intentionally made things difficult.


    Originally there was only a sum of 75.28 billion yuan, and then they abruptly diverted 67 billion to invest in DiDi.


    It was only because of Lu Liang. If it were any other company where the CEO dared to do this, the financial director would have clashed with him long ago.


    Lu Liang blushed with an embarrassed look: "There shouldn''t be any more unforeseen circumstances. By January, I''ll go sort out some more money."


    In the company now, the only person who could really challenge him was Liu Pei, even though Liu Pei was personally recruited by him to serve as the financial director.


    It was because he represented the entire company, the interests of all shareholders, not just Lu Liang''s personal interest.


    Unlike Tang Caide, because Tianxing Investment was wholly owned by Lu Liang, the company was effectively his personal asset.

 Chapter 486 - 481: A Member of the Federal Reserve

    "Study hard for the exam, and I''ll come to see you when I''m free."


    After greeting Liu Pei, Lu Liang let Su Yuchen take a taxi back to the downtown area without giving any further instructions.


    Such a grown person should have a sense of what they can and cannot do, and talking too much is pointless.


    Lu Liang didn''t arrange for a trailer for him either; starting out at the base level in society for a while could also benefit one''s physical and mental health.


    After leaving Su City, he arrived at New International in Modu. The journey between the two places wasn''t too far, and it just took over an hour to reach.


    On the 32nd floor of New International, as soon as Tang Caidie learned of Lu Liang''s arrival, she brought the files that needed his signature and authorization for processing.


    Included among them was the mortgage contract for Yang Mi''s property, two locations in Beijing, two in Modu, a villa with a courtyard, and three large apartments, with a market value of 252 million RMB.


    The amount of the mortgage loan was 180 million RMB, which had already been transferred, with a term of two years; interest first and principal later, at an annual interest rate of 7%.


    After one year, 12.6 million would need to be repaid; after two years, another 12.6 million, in addition to the 180 million principal.


    The latest extension was fifteen working days; in the event of default, the mortgaged properties would become the company''s assets.


    "Lending really is a lucrative business," Lu Liang remarked with a laugh as he signed and stamped the mortgage contract.


    Upon hearing this, Tang Caidie said, "Actually, in the past few days, a lot of celebrity studio managers have come to visit you."


    The tax audit of the entertainment industry had officially started. Among first, second, and third-tier celebrities and idols, at least nine out of ten needed to pay additional taxes.


    These people made money quickly and spent just as quickly. Those who were fined more than double had to sell off their properties to pay in full.


    It was rumored that the tax bureau could collect around 15 billion in new taxes, and Lu Liang, known as the "Cash King" of Shanghai, was one of their prime targets.


    Just International Fan alone had visited twice; close to nine billion in taxes and fines, an amount which ordinary publicly traded companies with a market cap of hundreds of billions might not even have in cash reserves.


    "Don''t bother with them; it''s just talk."


    Lu Liang could not help but laugh silently. Although he was somewhat interested in the top "Double Ice Four Dan" group, he wasn''t about to risk several hundred million yuan.


    The loan to Yang Mi was prioritized because she was expected to be able to repay it, and even if she couldn''t, the collateral wouldn''t lose value.


    On the other hand, International Fan was at the storm''s center, singled out as a typical case, with little hope of a comeback, likely unable to even pay the interest in the future.


    Unlike Yang Mi, who wanted to keep things quiet, International Fan no longer cared about her reputation, having probably approached every bank''s lending department.


    After being screened by banks, the quality assets were already picked over; what remained were just scraps.


    "War Wolf 2 has started profit sharing," Tang Caidie said with a light smile, not dwelling on the topic as she took out another contract.


    The cumulative box office was 6.058 billion RMB. After deducting various expenses for theater distribution and film support, the profit-sharing amount was 1.876 billion RMB.


    With revenue of 32 million from copyright exploitation, the producer''s unique earnings amounted to 1.908 billion RMB. They held a 52% stake, making their profit 992 million RMB.


    Lu Liang pondered, thinking of Guo Fan''s Wandering Earth, "Transfer all three billion of the funds to him." Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Despite an expenditure of another 300 million, the balance in the film investment department was still 925 million RMB. Initially, he had only invested 3 million RMB.


    A return of over three hundred times; film investment indeed was massively profitable, but it also had reached its peak and would be difficult to advance any further.


    The industry''s ceiling dictated that there was only so much profit to be made.


    The afternoon passed by in a series of questions and answers.


    In the evening, after a quick bite to eat, Lu Liang headed to the private equity firm on the 17th floor.


    In the Bitcoin project, they had invested 6.32 billion US dollars, currently holding a 40% position.


    With 353,500 coins and counting Wen Chao''s side, they held over 900,000 of the total 21 million supply in the market, a share of 4.28%.


    Unlike Wen Chao, who had quietly infiltrated, Sun Yutao was responsible for igniting the market trend, bearing a high cost of 7150 US dollars per Bitcoin.


    Fortunately, although Zhao Changpeng realized that further promotion of Bitcoin could draw attention from the authorities and had stopped public speaking, the market''s profit-making effect had taken shape, and the massive profitability of cryptocurrency was well known to the public.


    Since breaking through the historic high of 5500 points, Bitcoin had seen eleven consecutive days of price gains, with the current price exceeding 11,000 US dollars.


    Although their costs were high, they could still profit 3850 US dollars per Bitcoin; currently, their profit-taking would amount to over 1.3 billion US dollars.


    "This market is too crazy."


    Sun Yutao couldn''t help but echo Wen Chao''s sentiment.


    Back to 1992: the mad buying and selling, with a host of madmen waiting.


    While it''s said that breaking new highs means there''s no telling how high it can go, this level is simply too much.


    Only retail investors are frantically shouting that 30,000, 50,000 isn''t a dream, and that 100,000 is within future reach.


    However, as a financial professional, every time he watched prices rise, his heart would race.


    Three months before, the lowest point was 1357 US dollars, an increase of nearly tenfold.


    Such fast rises meant it could fall as fast. If the bubble were to burst, there''s no telling how many would perish.


    $230 billion market, converted into RMB, exceeds 1.54 trillion, almost equal to Su City''s annual GDP.


    "Unlike domestic stocks that merely thrive on speculation, this market has its supports."


    Lu Liang opened several international news articles, Bitcoin was gradually gaining favor from foreign drug lords, arms dealers, and smugglers.


    The dark forces abroad have always kept pace with the times, capable of transferring funds globally in five seconds¡ªa natural fit for transactions.


    Combining efforts from BlackRock and Vanguard, nearly appointing all conglomerates from two East Asian countries, seeking new channels for risk-averse fund management.


    Moreover, the relentless promotion by the West, if Bitcoin were to become the designated digital currency of the US Dollar, it wouldn''t be surprising.


    "Mr. Lu, should we hold for the long term then?"


    Sun Yutao''s face was filled with excitement, contemplating that if things continued to progress this way, they might even become a member of the ''Federal Reserve.''


    Although the Federal Reserve is a government institution, it is privately owned, operates outside the government, and is not subject to oversight, auditing, or control.


    The right to issue US Dollar currency, which should belong to Congress¡ªthat is, the citizens of the United States¡ªwas granted to the Federal Reserve, which, like a financing institution, represents the government for financing purposes.


    Since its establishment in 1913, the real owners of the Federal Reserve remain a mystery, just like Bitcoin''s Satoshi Nakamoto.


    There are too many similarities between the two; if the Federal Reserve can, it seems Bitcoin might also take its place.


    "The pain of ''Monetary Dominance,'' we''ve already had more than enough, how could we go through it a second time?"


    Lu Liang fell silent, Sun Yutao was taken aback, then gave a wry smile, also recalling the nation''s stance on Bitcoin.


    Lu Liang laughed and said, "We''ll trade short-to-medium term where there''s market movement, holding long-term domestically isn''t very realistic."


    "Indeed," Sun Yutao nodded slightly.


    Unawares, he had missed a critical condition for long-term holding¡ªit can''t be done domestically.


    "The price is fifteen thousand for now, set as the caution line, message me if it gets there."


    "Okay, Mr. Lu."


    Night fell, and Lu Liang left the office.


    After a brief rest at home,


    He set off for Beijing the next morning.


    There was still half a month to go before the Bitcoin market reached its peak; it didn''t need too much attention for the time being.


    The pressing matter was to resolve the DiDi issue; Liu Qing was no longer important, he planned on having a direct dialogue with Goldman Sachs.


    At one-thirty in the afternoon, the plane arrived in Beijing.


    From a distance, he saw the arrival gate teeming with people, not lacking young boys and girls screaming at the top of their lungs.


    Lu Liang was surprised, "When did I become so popular that I even have fans coming to meet me?"


    Although he had tens of millions of followers online, people would mostly just call out to him when sighted.


    Such a frenzied scene, with security personnel linking arms¡ªit was the first time he''d witnessed it.


    "The netizens these days really have taste," Lu Liang chuckled, ready to raise his hand in preparation for cheers and applause.


    Suddenly, the airport manager came hurrying over from the boarding gate, a smile plastered on his face, "Mr. Lu, I''m Little Xu, maybe you should wait before going out."


    Lu Liang furrowed his brow, then heard a familiar voice behind him, "Mr. Lu, long time no see~"


    The temperature in Beijing at the beginning of December was already below zero.


    But the incoming person wore tattered jeans on the lower half and was wrapped in a thick down jacket on the upper half.


    Such cold weather, yet dressed like this,


    It had to be a female celebrity otherwise no one else would.


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but smile, "I thought the taste of the fans had changed this time around, but it turns out to be Miss Reba."


    The airport manager also timely spoke up, "Mr. Lu, why don''t you let Miss Reba go out first?"


    The airport sees countless celebrities every day, and while he couldn''t care less about their safety, he only cared about Lu Liang.


    Now, with a crowded and chaotic situation at the arrival gate and Lu Liang being a public figure himself, any mishap would leave him accountable.


    "Mr. Lu, then I''ll go out first and draw the fire for you."


    Reba winked playfully at Lu Liang, and there was a hint of resentment in her eyes.


    Ever since that night, she had been actively trying to chat with Lu Liang, but he was like an outdated customer service bot.


    Not just often replying with simple "Mhm, oh, ah," but the majority of the time appearing to be offline, not responding at all.


    "Thanks," Lu Liang chuckled, his eyes suddenly drawn to the necklace at her neckline¡ªthe one from that night''s photo.


    "Bye~" Reba noticed Lu Liang''s gaze, tilted her head with a hum, her face all haughty, and began zipping up her jacket.

 Chapter 487 - 482: The Most Stable Triangular Relationship

    Reba had barely exited the arrival gate when she instantly took with her 99% of the crowd, exposing Xu Jiawei''s figure.


    He hurriedly signaled to Lu Liang, who gave a slight nod. A line of people followed him out of the airport and into a private car.


    Lu Liang pulled out his phone and saw a message from Reba from two minutes prior, "You can''t possibly ignore me now, can you?"


    Lu Liang replied, "I''ve been abroad the last few days and didn''t get to check my messages. How about dinner tonight?"


    "Mmm~~~ I have a press conference this afternoon and will probably be busy until about seven. I won''t be free until after eight."


    "That''s perfect, by that time, I''ll about be done too. I''ll send you the location where we''ll meet later."


    "Mhm."


    Finally, Reba responded with an emoji package. It was quite vain because the emoji was of herself¡ªwith rosy cheeks P''ed on, topped with virtual pink cat ears¡ªquite cute and cheeky.


    "How''s the translation of the materials coming along?"


    Lu Liang put away his phone and turned to ask Xu Jiawei.


    Xu Jiawei said, "Smoothly. In another day or two, we''ll finish the third round of reviews."


    "What about Liu Qing? Is she making any moves?"


    There''s an old saying that you should disdain your enemies strategically, but take them seriously tactically. As long as Liu Qing remained at DiDi, Lu Liang couldn''t afford to lower his guard for a single day.


    Xu Jiawei found it strange, "Mr. Liu inquired about the project''s progress a few days ago and hasn''t brought it up since."


    "It looks like she hasn''t given up," Lu Liang frowned deeply.


    Now the roles of offense and defense had switched; they were in the light, while Liu Qing was in the dark. They could only respond to her moves as they arose.


    After leaving the airport, Lu Liang arrived at DiDi''s New Chenghai Building and met with Cheng Wei.


    Cheng Wei had a new hairstyle and looked much more vibrant than before.


    With a smile, Lu Liang teased, "Mr. Cheng, you seem to be in a great mood lately. It seems like even your hair is thicker."


    With a face full of spring, Cheng Wei touched his now slightly thicker hair and said with a laugh, "It''s all thanks to Mr. Lu."


    Ever since the 5G voting scandal came to light, although Liu Qing still participated in every board meeting, her decisions merely followed the crowd, taking on the role she once held.


    As the saying goes, "A man in a happy occasion is spirited." With success coming his way so smoothly, even his wife said he''d improved a lot lately and was planning for a second child.


    Lu Liang couldn''t help but chuckle as he discussed the next steps in the plan.


    The materials would be compiled within the next two days at the latest, so he planned to depart for New York in three days.


    Cheng Wei thought for a moment, then suddenly asked, "Mr. Lu, what are your plans for me and Mr. Liu?"


    If DiDi were a ship, he''d be the captain and Liu Qing would be the first mate.


    For the US audit, one of them would have to represent the company and accompany Lu Liang.


    "Just let Mr. Liu come with me and you stay at the company."


    Lu Liang pondered a long while, feeling that Liu Qing was up to no good. He couldn''t leave her at the company as it might lead to unwanted surprises.


    It would be best to also take her to meet David from Goldman Sachs, to utterly dash her hopes and make her concede defeat honestly and sincerely.


    Cheng Wei nodded, "Thank you for your trouble, Mr. Lu."


    "We''re all in this together. What trouble is there to speak of? It''s just that there''s something I might need your help with."


    "Please don''t hesitate to ask, Mr. Lu."


    Lu Liang stayed in DiDi for the afternoon until at five o''clock, the board members had all arrived, and the board meeting was convened.


    At the meeting, he announced that at noon three days from now, or December 2nd, they would head to New York.


    Cheng Wei would remain at the company, and Liu Qing would join them. Lu Liang then asked, "Mr. Liu, do you have any thoughts on this?"


    Liu Qing smiled faintly, "I have entrusted all matters concerning the company''s IPO to Mr. Lu. If the board has a need, I will naturally comply with the arrangement."


    Lu Liang squinted his eyes, staring at her for a long while before slowly saying, "Since nobody has any objections, let''s tentatively decide on this."


    After the meeting, the board members gradually left, leaving only Lu Liang, Cheng Wei, and Liu Qing in the vast conference room.


    Liu Qing said with a smirk, "Mr. Lu, Mr. Cheng, why haven''t you left? Could it be that you''re waiting for me?"


    "I have an appointment tonight; I can''t wait for you."


    Lu Liang''s face showed a smile as he spoke deliberately, "The IPO is crucial to everyone''s interests. I hope Mr. Liu will prioritize the bigger picture."


    Liu Qing suddenly laughed, quite delighted, "Mr. Lu, are you worried I still have something up my sleeve?"


    In the meeting room, just the three of them,


    besides, once the facade has been torn down, she couldn''t be bothered to hide anything.


    "It''s not worry, just a heads up. Of course, if you want to interpret it as a warning, that''s not unreasonable either."


    Lu Liang gave a faint smile, gathered his materials, and bid farewell to Cheng Wei, "Mr. Cheng, no need to see me out, please stay."


    "Mr. Lu, please take care then," Cheng Wei quickly stood up, his face full of obliging smiles, respectfully watching Lu Liang leave.


    Only two people remained in the conference room.


    Liu Qing, looking at Cheng Wei''s ingratiating manner, mocked, "Mr. Cheng, do you know what you look like right now?"


    "Perhaps I''m just missing a tail?" Cheng Wei replied with a candid smile.


    Liu Qing was surprised, "So you knew?"


    "Mr. Lu did it to help me."


    "Didn''t I help you too?"


    A ripple appeared on Liu Qing''s otherwise calm face. Over the past three years, they had spent every day together, sharing their dreams for the future, struggling for the company''s sake.


    Yet, the affection of three years was as fragile as paper mache, easily punctured by Lu Liang and quickly escalating to a fierce rivalry: a fight to the death.


    "It''s actually not about Mr. Lu."


    After a long silence, Cheng Wei said, "You''ve helped me so much that now I don''t even know if you''re helping me or helping yourself."


    Liu Qing laughed in anger, "Cheng Wei, oh Cheng Wei, how can you be so petty? To cooperate with Lu Liang is like seeking skin from a tiger. Don''t you worry that he''ll become another me?"


    "Maybe it''s not that I''m petty, but rather you''re too greedy. DiDi shouldn''t be your tool."


    Cheng Wei remained unmoved because he knew very well that cooperating with Lu Liang was like seeking skin from a tiger, but it was an opportunity that Liu Qing had created.


    If Liu Qing hadn''t monopolized so much power, he wouldn''t have become rebellious, and if DiDi''s IPO had gone smoothly, Lu Liang wouldn''t have found an opportunity to step in.


    And whether Lu Liang would become the next Liu Qing was still in doubt, but Liu Qing had already been monopolizing power.


    Seeing Liu Qing fall silent, Cheng Wei then said, "Mr. Liu, let it go. We''ll also welcome the harvest season when we list."


    "Mr. Cheng, more words are useless. If there''s nothing else, I''ll be leaving first," Liu Qing sneered and stood up to leave the conference room.


    The conference room was left with one person. A sigh was heard as Cheng Wei called Lu Liang, "Mr. Lu, I couldn''t find anything out."


    "We''ll just have to cross that bridge when we come to it," Lu Liang said with a wry smile, not too concerned. It would have been best to find some leads, but it was normal to find none.


    After ending his call with Lu Liang, Cheng Wei sighed again. He didn''t want Liu Qing to win, but he also didn''t want her to lose too badly.


    Three years of being together must have created some affection, but that wasn''t the main factor; only a triangle was the most stable relationship.


    At nine in the evening, Reba slipped quietly into the hotel at the International Trade Building, heading straight to the luxurious suite on the 77th floor.


    Every few steps, she would look around like a thief, fearing being seen by anyone.


    In a swift move, she slipped through the door crack into the room, where only a table of food awaited, no one in sight.


    "Hello, hello, anyone here?"


    Reba asked cautiously.


    Suddenly feeling someone behind her, she turned around and nearly fell to the ground in fright.


    "How did you get here so quickly?" Lu Liang hastened to catch her, still holding a bottle of red wine in his hand.


    He had sent a message only ten minutes earlier, thinking she couldn''t have arrived so soon, and went downstairs to pick a bottle of red wine.


    "Because I''m staying at a nearby hotel," Reba whispered, her head lowered, not daring to meet Lu Liang''s eyes.


    Who would meet at a hotel for the first time? And the key point was that she actually came, which was most critical. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lu Liang, as if seeing through her thoughts, smiled and said, "It''s too late to reserve. Famous restaurants in Beijing couldn''t be booked privately; we can only be in the room. You don''t mind, do you?"


    Reba shook her head and walked with Lu Liang to the dining table.


    "Aren''t you hot?"


    Lu Liang glanced at Reba, who was draped in a hat, mask, scarf, and her body almost completely wrapped in a knee-length down coat.


    If not for the black stockings and mid-calf leather boots, it would have been hard to tell her gender.


    But it was normal. If she hadn''t paid, given the scene at the airport at noon, her popularity was indeed booming.


    "I''m sorry, I almost forgot," Reba chuckled awkwardly, quickly shedding her incognito disguise.


    She wore a white wide-necked long shirt with English lettering, accompanied by a knee-length black skirt, a black-and-white match that was both sexy and full of youthful vibrancy.


    "Would you like a drink?"


    Lu Liang opened the red wine, poured into two stems up to one-third, and brought them over to Reba.


    "Thank you, Mr. Lu," Reba held the glass carefully with both hands, while Lu Liang chuckled, "I can see you really like this necklace."


    If wearing the necklace for tonight''s meeting was intentional, then the casual encounter at the airport at noon was surely accidental.


    Reba nodded with a blushing face and whispered softly, "Because you said you hoped I would wear it the next time we met, but I didn''t know when that would be, so I usually wear it."

 Chapter 488 - 483: Lets Play a Game

    "You look good wearing it."


    Lu Liang smiled, sitting next to Reba, clinking glasses, his other hand naturally around her waist.


    Evening, hotel, invited!


    It just showed their attitude, she playing the innocent young lady, he acting the old gentleman, which wasn''t awkward.


    Reba quivered, a blush creeping from her ears to her cheeks, but she didn''t resist and sipped her red wine in small gulps.


    "Miss Yang''s company, how is it being handled? You weren''t implicated, were you?"


    Lu Liang''s lips curled up as he reached forward, sneaking his hand into her coat. The skin of this border girl was different from that of the Han people, and not quite like a Western woman''s either.


    Not too delicate nor too rough, somewhere in between. The feel was nice, somewhat like a finer grade of matte car paint, but not hard, very soft and very warm.


    "I''ve been signed with Mi''s agency ever since I debuted. If Jiaxing is fine, I should be fine too."


    Reba''s gaze turned hazy, her lips slightly parted: "Mi told me to say thank you to Mr. Lu if I was lucky enough to meet him."


    "Did Miss Yang really say that?"


    Lu Liang whispered softly, walking slowly behind Reba, no longer satisfied with one hand, he placed both hands on her shoulders, sliding them down her neckline to replace her undergarments.


    Suddenly, he thought of an old Hong Kong movie line he had seen before, women''s undergarments are actually an imitation of a man''s hands.


    "Mmm~" Reba breathed lightly, it was unclear whether she was confirming or moaning softly.


    "Is it just a ''thank you''?"


    Lu Liang playfully teased, leaning close and breathing into her ear.


    Gradually, he felt the clothes were a bit restrictive and desired more freedom to move his hands.


    Thus, clothes began to pile up on the carpet beside the dining table, leaving only a pair of socks and shoes on the body.


    Sometimes, leaving one or two pieces of clothing on can have a stronger visual impact than being completely bare. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Especially since the attempt to cover due to embarrassment resulted in neither upper nor lower parts being properly covered.


    ...


    Lu Liang thought of the internet-famous lady from Route 318, who wore nothing, compared to the few items on this one.


    "Now what? Is it more than just thanks?"


    Reba murmured half-heartedly, visibly annoyed, a stark contrast to her demeanor before entering the room.


    "Don''t make our relationship sound so vulgar."


    Lu Liang chuckled, always wanting to remove those few remaining items. That only got his hand slapped.


    "What are you trying to do?" Reba glared, her eyes wide while Lu Liang grinned: "Nothing much, just think you look extra adorable."


    A girl''s true nature often reveals itself after sleeping together once, and if it hasn''t yet, one might need a few more sleeps unless she''s really good at acting or genuinely consistent¡ª otherwise, her true colors will show.


    "Don''t let your thoughts wander about them."


    Reba turned her head, leaving Lu Liang with a smooth back and swiftly changed the subject: "I''m hungry."


    "What would you like to eat?"


    Lu Liang picked up the bedside phone. Even though there was a table full of dinner outside, it probably went cold, so he decided to order again.


    "Roasted lamb ribs, stewed beef shank, grilled eel, and would be great with some lamb meat bun... I''m drooling already."


    Reba swallowed dryly, her eyes watery, already imagining how wonderful it would be to eat them.


    After Lu Liang placed the order, he hung up, teasingly commenting: "Aren''t you worried about managing your figure?"


    "Tonight''s special, I''m not worrying about my figure," Reba said pridefully, having decided to feast to her heart''s content.


    "Is it the person that''s special, or the occasion?"


    "Both, I guess."


    Half an hour later, the doorbell rang.


    Reba darted into the bathroom like a startled squirrel, hunching over.


    Lu Liang, bemused, donned his bathrobe and went to open the door, greeted by lamb ribs, beef, eel, and lamb buns.


    Only after he closed the door again did Reba peek out from the bathroom, whispering, "Is he gone?"


    "He''s gone," Lu Liang nodded.


    Reba rushed out in a bathrobe, grabbing lamb ribs with her left and eel with her right, then sipping lamb soup, nearly blurting out in her comfortable hometown dialect.


    "Take it slow, no one is competing with you."


    Lu Liang laughed lightly, initially not hungry, but feeling slightly peckish after watching her ''mukbang'' from close range.


    "Let me borrow a lamb rib to try."


    "You said you weren''t competing with me."


    "I''ll return it tomorrow."


    "Tomorrow? Aren''t you busy?"


    Reba suddenly slowed down her eating, stealing a glance at Lu Liang.


    "I have to go to New York in a few days, probably free till then."


    Lu Liang, phone in his left hand, lamb rib in the right, idly browsed Bitcoin news.


    After a surge, a significant drop was inevitable. He planned to play the bull first to tackle the bears, and then switch to be a bear to take down the bulls.


    So recently, he had been looking for an opportunity for the big drop, because the current market was so hot that regular negative news couldn''t possibly kill this trend.


    It either needed significant bad news or consistent negative pressure.


    "How coincidental~ I start my three-day vacation tomorrow too~ I haven''t really had a proper break in over two years."


    Reba suddenly began counting on her fingers; she had been on a relentless path in the entertainment industry following Yang Mi''s fierce steps, becoming the hardest working younger sister of the three.


    "So what? Are you asking me to take you out for a few days?"


    "I didn''t say that," Reba mumbled softly, "but if you invite me, maybe I''ll agree."


    "Aren''t you afraid of being recognized?"


    "In winter it''s okay, we can go to colder places, wear hats, masks, and scarves, no one will recognize us."


    She clearly wanted to go north of Beijing, to see the goose-feather like heavy snow.


    Lu Liang thought for a moment, then suddenly his lips curved into a sly smile, "How about we play a game?"


    "What game?" Reba looked confused. They were having a normal conversation, how did it suddenly turn to a game?


    She just wanted Lu Liang to take her out for a stroll. Why all the unnecessary complications?


    Lu Liang smiled slightly, "Nothing fancy. Have you watched ''Journey to the West''?"


    "Of course."


    "Then do you know the story of Guanyin giving the monkey three life-saving hairs?"


    "So?"


    "The monkey only had three, but you have a few more. Each one can fulfill a small wish."


    "..."


    Reba''s expression darkened, and suddenly her eyes turned red with anger as she lunged at Lu Liang, "You jerk, Mi was right, you''re full of tricks!"


    ...


    The next morning, Lu Liang''s private plane took off from the Beijing airport, heading to Mohe Guli''an Airport at the northernmost part of the country.


    As the plane reached the stratosphere, Lu Liang unbuckled his seatbelt and walked over to the bar and ordered two cups of warm milk tea.


    He handed one cup to Reba, leaned back in his seat, took a sip, and made a gesture representing the number eight.


    Reba suddenly smirked, "Mr. Lu, can I wish for anything?"


    She wanted Lu Liang''s money, his stocks, and also for him to cut off all his girlfriends.


    Reba giggled to herself, imagining a wonderful life, "Right, if I''ve got your money, why would I need you?"


    "The final interpretation right stays with me," Lu Liang replied unhurriedly, blowing on his hot tea before taking another sip.


    "That''s not fair~" Reba pouted, complaining because they also had several verbal additional agreements.


    Usually, breaking them counted, but adding more could only maintain the original number, and if the last eight were used up, there could be no more afterward.


    "If you don''t want to play, we can turn around and go back to Beijing now," Lu Liang said cheerfully, his face confident.


    People shouldn''t only focus on work. It was fortunate that he had nothing much to do for a few days in Beijing, which was a good opportunity to spice up his life a little.


    "Play, why not play?"


    Reba stiffly held her neck, huffed coldly, although Lu Liang held the final interpretation right, she still had eight wishes.


    The first wish alone had made Lu Liang leave Beijing, taking her 1500 kilometers to the northernmost part of the country. It showed that the wishes were indeed effective.


    Two days passed in a flash,


    The plane took off from Mohe Airport, heading back to Beijing.


    These two days, Reba had enjoyed herself immensely and experienced some of the happiest moments of her life, perhaps only comparable to her vague childhood memories.


    They bathed in an outdoor hot spring on a snowy night, skied on the outskirts of Xing''an Ridge, barbecued in a log cabin, and were incredibly lucky to witness the Mohe aurora.


    But with eight wishes, more than half were already used up, leaving only the last three. She couldn''t help asking, "Mr. Lu, what if I use them all?"


    "Then, not a single one will be left."


    Though Lu Liang was laughing and teasing, Reba could tell by looking in his eyes that it would signify the end of the game, and potentially the end of their relationship.


    "I still have three little wishes left. Once I think of them, I''ll tell you. Mr. Lu, a promise from a great man is hard to retract, right~"


    As they prepared to leave the cabin, Reba dressed cautiously, fearing Lu Liang might forget and renege at the last minute, she emphasized it several times before leaving.


    "Don''t worry, the final interpretation right stays with me."


    Lu Liang smiled and let Reba leave first. He decided to leave later to avoid being seen by others.


    Once Reba was gone, he too took out his phone and replied to Yang Mi''s message from two days ago: "She was indeed with me, and we''ve now returned."


    "You''re such a jerk. I was almost about to call the police. Where did you guys run off to?" Yang Mi instantaneously replied.


    "We just took a detour to Mohe for a few days."


    "Had enough fun?"


    "I''ve had enough, but she seems a little unsatisfied."


    "What do you mean?" Yang Mi was puzzled.


    "Just as it says."


    Lu Liang''s lips gradually curled up, having had his fill of excitement in just a few days; however, Reba seemed to have just gotten into the swing of things.

 Chapter 489 - 484: Feigning Ignorance?

    "It''s time to get to work."


    In the following few minutes, Yang Mi sent several sixty-second voice messages, none of which Lu Liang bothered to open.


    After leaving the airport, he arrived at DiDi''s New Chenghai Building. On the way, Reba kept messaging him, her mood shifting from delighted to resentful.


    There were many messages, but Lu Liang had no interest in browsing through them. He saw the last one, "I knew it, you''ve become like this again. Forget it, I don''t want to waste my wishes. I have to join a film crew now. Bye, have a smooth journey and an easy workday, mua~"


    Shortly after, he arrived at DiDi''s corporate building.


    Lu Liang saw Xu Jiawei downstairs and nodded slightly as they walked and talked, "How''s everything, all set?"


    "Mr. Lu, the self-review is completed. All documents are ready and can be submitted to the New York Stock Exchange anytime," Xu Jiawei answered.


    "What about the personnel?" Lu Liang asked further.


    "Everyone from the audit team except Mr. Liu has completed their exit paperwork and can leave at any time."


    Hearing Xu Jiawei''s words, Lu Liang stopped in his tracks, his eyebrows furrowed, "Is Liu Qing restricted from leaving the country?"


    "Mr. Liu hasn''t submitted his documents; we don''t know the reason yet. Mr. Cheng said he went to inquire about it."


    "When did this happen?"


    "This afternoon."


    Upon hearing this, Lu Liang immediately turned around and headed for Cheng Wei''s office.


    Just as he knocked and entered, he saw Cheng Wei on the phone, looking extremely anxious.


    Lu Liang patiently waited for the call to end. Before he could speak, Cheng Wei, looking grim, said, "Mr. Lu, we can''t contact Liu Qing."


    "When did this happen?" Lu Liang asked.


    "It must have been today."


    Cheng Wei wasn''t certain. Liu Qing, being a high-level executive and a substantial presence, wouldn''t report her whereabouts to him.


    "Playing tricks?" Lu Liang asked again, "Quickly check, see if anything is missing from the company?"


    High-level corporate battles were often plain, such as unplugging network cables, stealing company seals, or pouring hot water on a money tree.


    Cheng Wei immediately went to check. Lu Liang didn''t stay idle; he called Sun Zhengyi in Tokyo, from Softbank Group, to report the current situation.


    From a moral standpoint, he strongly condemned Liu Qing''s irresponsible behavior, which had severely damaged the company''s interests.


    "Mr. Lu, what do you plan to do?"


    Sun Zhengyi asked, noting that Softbank Group was DiDi''s largest shareholder, participating in nearly all rounds of financing.


    Having invested at least three billion dollars in silver, if DiDi couldn''t go public smoothly, they would face the greatest loss.


    "Mr. Sun, I think Liu Qing is no longer suitable for any position within the group."


    The first strike before the listing was to cut off a partner. Lu Liang initially wanted to do this after auditing in the US.


    But Liu Qing''s calmness the other days and her disappearance lately made him lose patience; he decided to proceed first with the dismissal.


    Sun Zhengyi pondered for a long time, hesitant to support Lu Liang''s decision, "Mr. Lu, what does Goldman Sachs think?"


    Softbank Group only wanted to make money, and they genuinely didn''t want to meddle in DiDi''s internal disputes.


    He dared not support Lu Liang''s decision because of Goldman Sachs; offending them could jeopardize the listing in the US.


    "If Goldman Sachs agrees, will you agree?" Lu Liang asked again, needing a definite answer.


    "If Goldman Sachs agrees, so does Softbank," Sun Zhengyi replied without hesitation.


    "Wait for my word."


    Lu Liang called David Schindler, the President of Goldman Sachs Asia-Pacific, also a board member, to ask about Liu Qing''s whereabouts.


    A man in his fifties who took over all of Goldman Sachs'' Asia-Pacific operations after Liu Qing left:


    "Mr. Lu, we are also actively contacting Miss Liu," said Schindler.


    "Mr. Schindler, Liu Qing''s actions clearly show she doesn''t want DiDi to go public. I want to know if Goldman Sachs also doesn''t want DiDi to go public?"


    Lu Liang''s expression grew cold. By tomorrow noon, his audit team was set to depart for New York, so he had no time for ambiguity; he wanted a clear stance.


    At this point, he didn''t care what Liu Qing was hiding; since she dared take this chance, Lu Liang was now determined to remove her by any means.


    "Mr. Lu, our goal at Goldman Sachs aligns with all shareholders'' objectives; we very much want DiDi to go public."


    Schindler was very much considering Liu Qing''s perspective, perhaps she had urgent matters or an emergency arose.


    He suggested that Lu Liang should keep calm and suggested convening a board meeting at nine tomorrow morning; if Liu Qing still doesn''t appear, they could discuss further.


    Lu Liang remained silent for a long time before he coldly said, "Fine."


    After the call ended, Cheng Wei also entered the room and shook his head gently, "Nothing was lost."


    Lu Liang said, "Tomorrow at nine, before we depart, hold another board meeting. If Liu Qing doesn''t show up, kick her out directly."


    Cheng Wei nodded. He had no thoughts of dissuading him, as what had once been a great aid had now become the greatest obstacle.


    "If it''s meant to rain, let it rain. If a woman is to marry, let her marry. If Liu Qing cannot produce a proper reason, she will fall on the eve of the trip to the US for the review."


    Lu Liang went to the caf¨¦ downstairs and, after waiting a while, saw Zhu Hu looking around and waved him over.


    "What would you like to drink?" Lu Liang asked. Since Zhu Hu was a local heavyweight in Beijing, he had called him to find out more about the situation.


    "An Americano, please." Zhu Hu was very surprised, "Liu Qing suddenly can''t be reached?"


    Lu Liang nodded, then Zhu Hu asked further, "The company''s important documents, official seals, and the like weren''t lost, were they?"


    Lu Liang shook his head, and Zhu Hu, puzzled, stroked his chin and wondered, "What on earth is this woman playing at?"


    Lu Liang shook his head again, and Zhu Hu squinted his eyes and suggested, "What if we pretend the official seal was lost?"


    "Recently, all such items have been in Cheng Wei''s care."


    Lu Liang sighed. He had not ruled out framing and entrapment, but Liu Qing, as if she had planned everything, had kept herself aloof from the company and the review team for some time and had had no opportunity to access these things.


    It was thus impossible to frame her.


    Lu Liang asked, "Has the Liu family made any moves lately?"


    Zhu Hu shook his head, "With the 5G vote rigging scandal being so big, they just managed to divert attention. They wouldn''t dare make any moves."


    Suddenly, Lu Liang''s phone rang; it was Cheng Wei calling, "Mr. Lu, Mr. Liu has made contact¡ªshe says she seems to have returned to the company."


    "When?" Lu Liang asked.


    Suddenly, crisp footsteps approached, sounding like high heels tapping on the floor.


    Lu Liang instinctively looked up, only to see Liu Qing approaching quickly. He told Cheng Wei, "Got it, we''re all at the caf¨¦ in Zone E."


    "May I join in what you two are discussing?"


    Liu Qing, dressed in a black wool coat, approached and removed the sunglasses from the bridge of her nose.


    She wore a smile on her face, "Sorry, I just stepped out, and the signal wasn''t very good over there."


    "Ms. Liu, I''m glad you''re unharmed. We were just about to call the police," Zhu Hu said, smiling as if nothing had happened.


    "Ms. Liu, your files are the only ones missing. We''re departing tomorrow noon, and I hope you can hand them over to Secretary Xu as soon as possible."


    No sooner had Lu Liang finished his sentence than Liu Qing smilingly produced the documents, "I was just going to process them; my previous documents had expired."


    Lu Liang nodded slightly and called Xu Jiawei to receive the documents, and Cheng Wei also received the message and hurried over.


    "It''s just an afternoon without answering the phone¡ªwhat, is this an inquisition?"


    In the face of the three men, Liu Qing did not flinch and maintained a confident smile on her face.


    "We were very concerned about your safety," Lu Liang informed her of his subsequent contacts with Softbank and Goldman Sachs and their attitudes.


    He also detailed the schedule for the next day. They''d depart at noon, land in the afternoon, and at four, he had an appointment to meet with David and asked if Liu Qing was interested.


    Liu Qing had been inactive for half a month, then suddenly played disappearing today.


    Lu Liang seriously doubted her sincerity and decided to throw a stone to attract the jade¡ªto test her depth.


    "Mr. Lu is truly well-connected."


    Liu Qing''s face changed slightly, then she lightly laughed, "Since Mr. Lu has invited me, I might as well join, especially since it''s been a long time since I''ve seen David."


    "Okay, let''s settle on that then."


    Lu Liang smiled, took his leave from Liu Qing, and Cheng Wei and Zhu Hu also took their leave and followed him.


    As the three walked, Zhu Hu asked, "Playing mysterious?"


    "We can''t rule out that possibility," Lu Liang answered.


    Cheng Wei frowned tightly, "Liu Qing isn''t usually like that. I always feel she has something up her sleeve."


    "What does it matter what tricks she has? In the face of absolute power, all cunning plots are just paper tigers."


    Lu Liang revealed a confident smile, deciding it was better to simply overpower Liu Qing rather than worry about what she might be planning. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Liu Qing might have something up her sleeve, but so did he. Neither Liu Qing nor DiDi mattered much compared to Bitcoin.


    Anyway, Old Te was retiring next year. He probably wouldn''t be going to Europe or America anymore; worst comes to worst, just threaten and tempt, and if necessary, tear off the face mask.

 Chapter 490 - 485: A Little Bet to Lighten the Mood

    The next morning, after the regular meeting ended, Lu Liang led his team to the Beijing airport.


    "Mr. Liu, why not take my plane?"


    Lu Liang said with a smile, extending an invitation to Liu Qing.


    Including security personnel, the audit team had 23 members, but there were only 12 seats on the plane.


    Just like the last Panda IPO in the United States, part of the group would take a private jet, and the rest commercial.


    "Thank you, Mr. Lu. However, I need to bring two more people, is that okay?" Liu Qing responded with a smile.


    Lu Liang nodded slightly, looking towards the other two individuals, one was Uber board representative Liang Jing, and the other he did not recognize.


    "Mr. Gao Jinhua, an honorary professor at Huaqing University, has advised several conglomerates on US IPOs and might be helpful for our trip."


    In his early fifties, tall but slender, wearing gold-rimmed glasses, he gave off an air of gentle and courteous scholarship.


    Gao Jinhua smiled and extended his hand, saying, "Mr. Lu, it is good to meet you at last, after having heard so much about you."


    "Professor Gao, good to see you, thank you for coming. It''s almost time; we should head out." Lu Liang paced ahead.


    As he walked, he instructed Xu Jiawei, "Contact Zhu Hu and find out more about this Professor Gao."


    Xu Jiawei nodded, deliberately slowing his pace to let Liu Qing and his two companions go ahead while he hung back and made a phone call.


    "Xiaoqing, Mr. Lu is indeed cautious," Gao Jinhua''s eyes twinkled with sharpness, though his smile remained.


    "If he weren''t cautious, he wouldn''t be Lu Liang."


    A hint of concern appeared on Liu Qing''s face, "Professor, what are our chances of victory?"


    Gao Jinhua thought for a moment and made a three with his fingers, "It also largely depends on whether Mr. Lu''s chips are heavy enough."


    He was not only an honorary professor at Huaqing University but also a lecturer at Harvard University and Liu Qing''s mentor.


    Old Liu was his mentor, and this generation''s Old Liu was his good friend; Liu Qing was his student. He had deep ties with the Liu family.


    Meanwhile, Lu Liang reached the front seat; while waiting to enter the runway, he also received a call from Zhu Hu.


    "Lu, Professor Gao has quite the reputation both in domestic and international academic circles. For instance, David from Goldman Sachs, Jones from Morgan, and Pier from DuPont have both a mentor-mentee and friendly relationship with him¡­ Also, he has deep ties with the Liu family..."


    Zhu Hu regretted not realizing earlier, especially after the 5G voting scam incident tarnished the Liu family''s name.


    If Liu Qing were forced out of DiDi, it would spell the end for the Liu family. Given his ties with the Liu family, Gao Jinhua couldn''t just stand by.


    There''s a saying: the pen for the scholar; the sword for the warrior.


    Merchants, intent on making money, need to create momentum, but because of their identity, whatever they say tends to come off insincere, causing people to wonder if they have ulterior motives.


    Thus, spokespersons are needed¡ªexperts and scholars¡ªand Gao Jinhua was a prominent figure among them.


    He had participated in the World Economic Forum, Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, Tokyo Forum, G20, and was also a committee member of the BRICS Summit.


    "The plane is about to take off; let''s leave it here."


    After ending the call with Zhu Hu, Lu Liang''s smile widened, easing the furrowed brow of worry.


    His major concern was the unknown, but now knowing Liu Qing''s cards, he felt more at ease. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Although Professor Gao had significant connections, his role was mainly to mediate and smooth things over.


    The United States, more so than the East, values personal relationships, but when it comes to interests, not even one''s father can be considered.


    As everyone took their seats and the plane taxi and took off, getting into the relatively stable stratosphere, they also embarked on a 13-hour journey.


    Lu Liang unfastened his seat belt, stood up from his seat, and with a full smile approached Mr. Liu and others, "Mr. Liu, does Professor Gao play mahjong?"


    Liu Qing glanced at Gao Jinhua, who nodded slightly, and she said with a smile, "Since Mr. Lu is interested, let''s go along with the host."


    Gao Jinhua said, "Mr. Lu, a little gambling adds to the fun, just don''t play too big; I''m not as wealthy as you guys."


    "You are too modest, Professor Gao. Your annual dividend income is probably higher than Mr. Liu''s salary."


    Lu Liang kept a cheerful face; in a collaboration between businessmen and scholars, if a businessman could take the lion''s share, the scholar would naturally get the smaller share.


    Zhu Hu had just sent a document showing that Gao Jinhua held stakes in eight listed and non-listed companies, accruing at least five million in annual dividends.


    Though it might seem a bit stereotypical, a scholar who has taken money is no longer pure; Lu Liang could finally lay his worries to rest completely.


    Gao Jinhua squinted his eyes, a cold gleam flickering, "Mr. Lu, depending on how big you want to play, I might dig out some old reserves to join you."


    Lu Liang led the group to the middle section''s entertainment room, opened a wall drawer, and took out various colorful chips.


    He grinned and said, "Each stack is 1,000 points, let''s say each point is ten thousand, just for a small game, so as not to lose all of Professor Gao''s capital."


    Once he finished speaking, Gao Jinhua looked unpleased, "If you can make me lose all my capital, that would be a feat for Mr. Lu."


    "Then let''s see the truth under our hands." Lu Liang said joyfully, turning his head to Liu Qing, "How about it?"


    Liu Qing smiled lightly, "I''m fine with it, but we are one short, seems like we still need one more."


    Everyone turned their eyes to Liang Jing, and she quickly waved her hands apologetically, "Mr. Liu, Mr. Lu, you play, I can''t."


    Although she was the General Manager of Uber China, after DiDi acquired Uber, Liu Zhen left, and all members withdrew.


    She was the only one left in the company''s China department, her job was to unconditionally support Liu Qing in board meetings.


    With an annual salary of only six hundred thousand, a ten-thousand-per-point game was out of her league. If luck was not on her side, she might go bankrupt before the game even finished.


    "We''re still short one person."


    Lu Liang scanned the cabin, and Xu Jiawei was immediately ruled out; he still had business to attend to, and besides, he was male.


    Having two men and two women for the card game was best, as it balanced out the workload; it would be ideal to find someone prettier than Liu Qing.


    Suddenly, Lu Liang looked towards Chief Steward Lin Yan and called her over with a smile, "Chief Steward Lin, we are one short, come help us out quickly."


    Knowing the stakes were high, Lin Yan quickly waved her hand, "Mr. Lu, you play, I only know Guigang Mahjong."


    Guigang Mahjong, also known as Cantonese Mahjong, only has chicken wins; you can pong but not chow, you must self-draw, and there are no multipliers.


    "How about Guigang?" Lu Liang looked at Liu Qing and Gao Jinhua, both nodded, "Guigang''s rules are simple and not brain-burning."


    "Let''s start then, all the winnings are in one, five, nine."


    Lu Liang looked towards Lin Yan and said with a smile, "Sit down quickly, just consider it a favor, it''s the same as last time, the wins are yours, the losses are mine."


    "Okay." Lin Yan looked at the two of them, nodding firmly.


    She felt the mood was a bit off when she boarded the plane, and now playing large stakes confirmed there was tension.


    Although she didn''t know why Lu Liang had asked her, since Boss Lu had said to help, she couldn''t refuse in front of others.


    With the sound of mahjong tiles clashing, the first hand officially began.


    Playing cards seemed a bit metaphysical,


    Those who didn''t want to play often were especially lucky.


    Lin Yan self-drew on her first hand and even had a concealed Kong, drawing six one-five-nines.


    In less than five minutes,


    the first hand earned her 240,000.


    Lu Liang squinted his eyes happily, even though he lost money, he was still very cheerful, "Continue."


    As long as Liu Qing and Gao Jinhua lost money, he didn''t care about winning or losing.


    Liu Qing also gradually put away her underestimating spirit, winning or losing didn''t matter to her, the key was not to lose to Lu Liang.


    A flicker of pain crossed Gao Jinhua''s eyes, but his demeanor remained light and breezy, different from the spirited competition between Liu and Lu.


    His annual income wasn''t even ten million, and losing eighty thousand a hand was still slightly painful for him.


    Joyful times always pass quickly,


    In a blink, five hours had passed.


    Some people''s chips had nearly hit 3,000 points, while others'' chips were almost depleted, and some had barely moved.


    Lu Liang opened his drawer, took out two chips representing 100 points, and clinked them a few times, smiling broadly at Gao Jinhua, "Professor Gao, out of chips?"


    Although he had lost eight hundred points, Gao Jinhua had almost lost everything; Liu Qing might have made a small profit, but most of the winnings went to Lin Yan.


    "Don''t bother on my account, Mr. Lu."


    Gao Jinhua struggled to maintain his smile, his previously gentle and refined aura had vanished almost completely.


    Lu Liang gestured to call over a flight attendant standing at the door, "Help Professor Gao get another stack, we play to enjoy ourselves."


    Liu Qing frowned tightly, speaking out, "Mr. Lu, we''ve been playing for so long, why not take a break first?"


    "Come on, I''ve lost more than eight hundred, and Professor Gao is close to a thousand. A few more rounds and the luck might turn," Lu Liang''s smile remained.


    Liu Qing stealthily kicked Gao Jinhua under the table, and he took a deep breath, pulling out a chequebook, and signed for ten million, "Let''s not play anymore today, I''m a bit tired. Next time."

 Chapter 491 - 486: The Nouveau Riche and the Aristocrats

    Gao Jinhua left behind a check and departed; Liu Qing, who had made over a hundred thousand, was too lazy to ask for it, and they left the entertainment room one after another.


    "Visitors harboring ill will, what bad ideas are they concealing?"


    Watching their retreating figures, Lu Liang fiddled with the chips in his hand, and suddenly the chips exploded like a goddess scattering flowers over his hands.


    "Mr. Lu, then I''ll get back to work."


    Lin Yan hurriedly pushed all her chips toward Lu Liang.


    If it were just a few tens of thousands, she might have let it be, but the key point was that she had earned more than seventeen million. With so much money, she really didn''t dare to accept it.


    "What are you giving this to me for?" Lu Liang stopped Lin Yan, who was about to leave, and also wrote a check worth eight million.


    Picking up the ten-million check from the table, he solemnly handed both to her: "You wouldn''t want me to break my word, would you?" S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Mr. Lu, I really can''t accept this." The enormous wealth was right in her hands, yet Lin Yan felt as if she were holding a hot potato.


    Whether she didn''t want to accept it or didn''t dare to accept it, the sheer size of the funds with an unclear source would not pass the bank''s scrutiny.


    Lu Liang thought about it for a moment and realized it was indeed a problem. If he truly intended to give her the money, he would have to help her resolve it.


    He suddenly asked, "Have you bought a house in Modu?"


    Lin Yan subconsciously shook her head. In recent years, housing prices had soared, and the average price in the entire city had broken through the sixty-thousand barrier. There was no way she could afford it.


    Fortunately, as Lu Liang''s exclusive chief attendant, every business trip came with a minimum of ten thousand extra in bonuses. In less than a year, she could gather enough for a down payment.


    "Let''s do it this way then." Lu Liang called over Xu Jiawei, handed him the check, and said to Lin Yan, "I''ll hold onto this money for you. When we return from New York, I''ll get you a set."


    "That settles it, then."


    Lu Liang clapped his hands and left the entertainment room to head to the restaurant in the middle of the cabin. "Fix me a serving of Zhajiangmian, will you?"


    Lin Yan stood dazed, while Xu Jiawei looked at her with envy. "Yan, do you have any requirements for the house type or location?"


    Even though it was eighteen million, since Boss Lu had spoken, naturally they added a bit, raising the cap to twenty million.


    A twenty-million housing allowance could buy a ''large'' seven to eight hundred-square-foot apartment even in Xiangjiang, let alone Modu.


    "Just make sure it''s convenient to get to the airport," Lin Yan said, looking toward Lu Liang as unusual feelings stirred in her heart once again.


    Lu Liang had been kind to her more than once, yet whenever she saw Su Wanyu holding a baby, her thoughts would dissipate with the wind.


    But now, the thought emerged again because Lu Liang had always been ambiguous with other girls; just a few days ago, he had even traveled to Mohe with Reba.


    "Professor Gao, let''s play a few more hands, shall we?"


    Lu Liang asked, his mouth curved into a smile, signaling his request to Gao Jinhua.


    Gao Jinhua looked at him with an unfriendly gaze and said in a cold voice, "Mr. Lu, a casual gamble is refreshing, but being too addicted isn''t a good thing."


    "Life does not offer many opportunities for bold plays. How can I win if I don''t gamble?"


    Lu Liang smiled, his eyes, however, were fixed on Liu Qing.


    Liu Qing gave a light smile and picked up a napkin to wipe her mouth. "Take your time, Mr. Lu. I''m going to rest."


    With more than half the flight behind them, they would be landing at noon.


    She needed to be fully rested to face the upcoming crisis.


    "Professor Gao, wait," Lu Liang suddenly called out to Gao Jinhua, who was also about to leave.


    He took a bite of pickles and asked with a smile, "What do you think about last year''s 5G vote and its impact on Lenovo?"


    For the sake of profit, brothers could turn against each other, fathers and sons could become enemies¡ªLu Liang did not believe in lasting friendships, only in lasting interests.


    Although the public storm had shifted to the entertainment industry, the memory of the 5G vote scandal was deeply etched in the memory of every witness.


    Now, when referring to the Liu family, netizens would think of ''loyal martyrs'' and the ''conscience of the American Empire.'' With the people''s hearts lost, decline was only a matter of time.


    The wise should seek benefits and avoid harm.


    Although Lu Liang did not know what kind of ace Liu Qing had up her sleeve, he thought, why not deprive her of any chance to use it.


    "Justice lies in the hearts of the people, Mr. Lu. Enjoy your meal," said Gao Jinhua with a proud face, turning and leaving. He saw Lu Liang''s attempt to court him, but his refusal did not hesitate for a moment.


    Lu Liang and the Liu family were like the speculative stocks and blue-chips of Big A. The former might have a strong momentum, but they would always come to an end, while the latter endured with Big A.


    Besides, how could a nouveau riche who had only emerged in recent years compare to the foundations laid by three generations of the Liu family?


    Lu Liang squinted his eyes, biting off a piece of the firm noodles. "It''s only been a few years, and now the so-called gentry want to make a comeback?"


    Gao Jinhua, if it were for profit, even if it were for sentiment, his refusal Lu Liang could not comprehend, but would accept.


    However, it seemed that Gao Jinhua''s refusal was out of a sense of identity, a disdain from the heart, which really irritated Lu Liang.


    Counting back a few generations, they all came from humble beginnings, so now that they''ve been doing well for a few years, did they truly see themselves as somebodies?


    After finishing their meal, Lu Liang headed to the rest area.


    Time slipped by unnoticed.


    In a drowsy state, he heard a knock at the door, "Mr. Lu, are you awake? We are about to land."


    "Alright, I''ll be right out."


    Lu Liang quickly washed his face and changed his clothes.


    Lin Yan handed him a cup of warm water, whispering softly, "Mr. Lu, the average temperature in New York is between 3 and 8 degrees Celsius. It''s warmer than Beijing, but be sure to keep warm and add layers."


    "Thank you." Lu Liang drank the cup of water in one gulp and then headed straight for the seats at the front.


    "You''re welcome." Lin Yan suddenly felt a sense of loss. Despite how well Lu Liang treated her, why didn''t he give her even a hint of encouragement?


    At one-thirty in the afternoon, the plane landed at New York Airport.


    Two Mercedes S-class cars, along with a minibus, and the rest of the members had been waiting for a long time.


    The group got into the cars one after another and set off for the Trump Hotel in the Manhattan district.


    Since Old Te took office, all of his properties were enveloped in a halo of prestige, with especially high security.


    Fans, out of devotion to their idol, would protect his related brands and properties as if they were their own and would admonish others not to damage them.


    "I have no intention of contending, yet the populace suffers."


    This phrase was too significant, otherwise, it wouldn''t have defeated Larry, who had sixteen years of political legacy.


    Before long, the cars arrived at the building''s entrance, where a tall, blonde beauty stood smiling at the door.


    Lu Liang was momentarily stunned. He hurriedly opened the door and quickly stepped forward. Miss Ivan greeted him warmly with a hug, "Mr. Lu, it''s been so long since we last saw each other."


    "Miss Ivan, how have you been?" Lu Liang was surprised; he hadn''t expected the great princess to personally greet him.


    After all, things were different from half a year ago. As Old Te''s term neared the one-year mark, the status of the great princess had risen significantly.


    But Lu Liang wasn''t the only one surprised. Liu Qing and Gao Jinhua were as well, especially the latter, whose expression mirrored that of seeing a ghost.


    In his mind, Lu Liang was just new money, markedly different from their old money aristocracy.


    However, the new money knew the royal lineage and seemed to have a good relationship with them, which was hard for him to accept.


    "I was just upstairs handling some business and heard you were coming, so I came down to say hello."


    Miss Ivan''s smile was as warm as a spring breeze. She looked at the few people behind Lu Liang, "Are these your friends?"


    Lu Liang nodded, introducing them, "They are members of our team, here to submit the materials for a stock listing approval."


    "Hello," Miss Ivan said with a slight nod, having heard that Lu Liang was in charge of a group''s stock listing efforts.


    "Miss Ivan, hello," Gao Jinhua said with a grin plastered on his face, his enthusiasm reminiscent of an eager, tail-wagging puppy.


    In his Beijing Second Ring home, he prized a photograph in the living room, a handshake with Little Bu at a Harvard guest lecture on April 16 of ''02.


    Yet, just like with Lu Liang, his warm approach was met with an indifferent reception.


    Although Miss Ivan''s smile remained on her face, her perfunctory attitude was as apparent as if dealing with someone insignificant.


    She turned to Lu Liang and said, "Mr. Lu, I have to get back to work, but feel free to contact me anytime if you need something."


    "Take care."


    Lu Liang nodded and watched Miss Ivan leave, then turned to Liu Qing, "Mr. Liu, Shall we meet downstairs in an hour?"


    He had an appointment with Wilson and David from Goldman Sachs at four in the afternoon. Now it was two, so after freshening up, they''d leave at three.


    "Sure."


    Liu Qing was preoccupied. She believed any woman would feel ashamed standing next to Miss Ivan.


    The more exceptional and talented a woman was, the more intense her insecurity in Miss Ivan''s presence.


    Miss Ivan wasn''t just a pretty face; she was a remarkable woman of beauty, intelligence, and capability, instrumental to Old Te''s successful inauguration.


    Liu Qing deliberately avoided Lu Liang and joined Gao Jinhua in an elevator up to their room. Gao Jinhua was puzzled, "Why is Miss Ivan so close to Lu Liang?"


    "Michigan is a traditional swing state, and Lu Liang''s investments in Detroit are substantial."


    Liu Qing sighed deeply, "His participation in the state visit last month must also be due to this."


    "It''s become a bit troublesome."


    Gao Jinhua went silent for a while before starting to regret.


    On the plane, he shouldn''t have been so inconsiderate towards Lu Liang, who clearly wasn''t just any ordinary new money.


    "Professor, we''ve done our part, leave the rest to fate."


    Liu Qing''s expression darkened, feeling more powerless than ever.

 Chapter 492 - 487: This is Not a Good Sign

    An hour later, at five past three.


    A few people met downstairs and set off towards 200 West Street in the southern part of Manhattan.


    Goldman Sachs was only three hundred meters in a straight line from Wall Street, adjacent to the Hudson River, covering an area of 11,000 square meters, and stood 44 stories tall.


    Today being Wednesday, a workday, the building was bustling with people coming and going, and Wilson sat in the lobby''s rest area, fiddling with a lighter.


    Suddenly, the assistant''s phone rang. Wilson turned his head back and upon seeing a familiar face, his expression immediately brightened into a broad smile.


    He hurried forward, opened his arms wide, and gave Lu Liang a heavy hug: "Lu Liang, I''ve missed you so much."


    "Kamon, is that the only sentence you know?" Lu Liang, trying hard to endure his discomfort, quickly let go after the embrace.


    Old white men have a strong body odor; countering the sting to the eyes with perfume is one thing, but he also suspected this guy might be bisexual. Several times his gazes seemed a little too expressive.


    "Was it not standard?" Wilson smiled, barely able to resist pinching Lu Liang''s arm again.


    "It was too standard, it reminded me of one of our comedians back home."


    Lu Liang dodged smoothly and changed the subject by introducing Liu Qing and Gao Jinhua: "These two are..."


    Wilson interrupted with a smile: "Jean, and John, right? I know them."


    "Mr. Wilson, the last time we met was at the BRICS Summit in South Africa, wasn''t it?"


    Gao Jinhua responded with a smile, feeling like he was regaining some footing. He had a bit of a reputation in the international finance community.


    "It''s been over three years in the blink of an eye." Wilson turned to Liu Qing and asked with a smile, "Jean, do you remember?"


    Liu Qing responded with a polite smile: "About seven years ago, I visited you at JPMorgan Chase with Lao Te."


    "We''re all friends here, let''s go to the reception room upstairs, David should have finished his meeting by now."


    Wilson turned his attention back to Lu Liang, asking as they walked: "The Bitcoin funds, have you no plans to withdraw them yet?"


    During this period of investigation, they found out that Lu Liang had two teams, one in Tokyo and one in Modu.


    The Tokyo team''s funds had already been laid out early on, with a very low cost base, likely aiming to hold Bitcoin for the long term.


    The Modu team was responsible for igniting the market this time around and probably planned to make a quick profit and run, which was what they were most concerned about.


    Making a small profit was fine, but don''t crash the market,


    A nascent market couldn''t withstand any blows.


    Lu Liang laughed: "The market is so hot right now, if I were to withdraw at this point, I''m afraid even God wouldn''t forgive me."


    "Do you guys really want me to leave that badly?"


    A smile on his face, his tone suddenly more meaningful.


    It was as if he was suggesting negotiations were possible.


    Wilson squinted his eyes and raised an eyebrow, "Aren''t we negotiating right now?"


    Through the elevator''s reflective walls, Lu Liang caught sight of Liu Qing''s reflection and laughed: "Right, we''re negotiating."


    Liu Qing''s face suddenly appeared troubled, not understanding the riddle they were playing at, but feeling an uneasy premonition.


    Once on the 43rd floor in the reception room, a man around fifty years old arrived belatedly. First, he greeted Liu Qing, then gave Gao Jinhua a hug, calling him ''teacher''.


    Finally turning his gaze towards Lu Liang: "Mr. Lu, it''s a pleasure to meet you, and I''ve been apprised of your intentions."


    "To push DiDi onto the New York Stock Exchange and complete the investment expectations is a unanimous goal for all shareholders, including Goldman Sachs."


    David Solomon wore a smiling face as he set the tone for the conversation; DiDi''s listing was inevitable and a common goal for everyone.


    Liu Qing''s expression grew even worse, Gao Jinhua''s brows furrowed tightly, and he said hastily: "David, DiDi is indeed ready to go public, but the company''s success has much to do with Jean."


    David waved his hand, smiling: "Jean worked at Goldman Sachs for a long time, her capabilities are excellent, and I''m sure Mr. Lu has no doubts about that."


    "Mr. Liu has always been a goal for me to aspire to."


    Lu Liang smiled and didn''t speak ill of Liu Qing at this juncture, waiting patiently for Dawei''s ''but''. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Mr. Lu, your business empire doesn''t seem deeply connected to DiDi. We could actually sit down and have a really good talk."


    David wanted to know Lu Liang''s motives and what Cheng Wei had promised. If Liu Qing could offer it, certainly she had the capability.


    It didn''t matter that Cheng Wei wasn''t present and was inconsequential; if he could facilitate reconciliation between Lu Liang and Liu Qing, any sacrifice would be worth it.


    He looked at Liu Qing with a smile: "Jean, why don''t you make a statement first, to show Mr. Lu your sincerity?"


    Liu Qing clenched her teeth tightly and after a long pause spoke in a low voice: "If this is Goldman Sachs'' idea, then I have no objections."


    She knew this might be the best solution, but Lu Liang was still around which meant she had lost, just not everything.


    David looked towards Lu Liang with a smile, Liu Qing had made her stance clear, and now it was Lu Liang''s turn.


    Wilson also chimed in with a chuckle: "Lu, there are no permanent enemies, only permanent interests."


    Having reviewed DiDi''s share structure, swallowing up Cheng Wei''s portion of the cake could allow Lu Liang and Liu Qing to coexist.


    Lu Liang smiled wryly, and slowly said: "Mr. Solomon, if Goldman Sachs maintains that attitude, then we have no need to talk."


    After all this effort on the project and just when he finally had the upper hand, why should he settle for coexistence?


    "Just kick Liu Qing out, and DiDi will be his to mold however he wants."


    Lu Liang was very clear that he was an outsider and could only control DiDi by controlling Cheng Wei. Cheng Wei listened well to him, whereas accommodating Liu Qing now was like nurturing a potential threat.


    "Do not act on impulse, Mr. Lu," Gao Jinhua said, his face growing colder, "Liu Qing has already made significant concessions." Lu Liang was being shameless by being unwilling to compromise.


    Lu Liang sneered, not even deigning to look at him directly, "Do you even have a say here?"


    In public, he might respect the professor title, but in private, who was he to command any respect?


    Gao Jinhua was so furious his vision blurred with stars, but David gestured with his hand, cutting him off, his smile unwavering, "Mr. Lu, what do you think would be an appropriate arrangement then?"


    Lu Liang skirted the question, countering, "Mr. Solomon, as shareholders and directors, isn''t our common goal to assist DiDi in completing the audit for going public?"


    Since Goldman Sachs was siding with Liu Qing, his plan remained unchanged: let DiDi complete the audit, then boot out Liu Qing afterward.


    "That is indeed our common goal."


    David squinted his eyes, pondering for a moment, then signaled his assistant, "George, these next few days, you''ll follow Mr. Lu''s team and help DiDi submit the audit documents."


    George nodded, stepping up to Lu Liang, extending his hand, "Mr. Lu, hello. If there''s anything you''re unsure of, feel free to ask me."


    Lu Liang nodded slightly, gesturing to Xu Jiawei, "Exchange contact information. Communicate frequently to ensure the audit is completed promptly."


    Mr. Wilson sighed, a smile on his face, "Gentlemen, it''s getting late. Shall we find somewhere to dine?"


    "Kamon, you make the arrangements," Lu Liang said with a small smile.


    In diplomatic speak, this meant they had exchanged views, talked, but hadn''t reached an agreement.


    However, it was still early. The audit would take at least seven working days at the fastest, and during this time, they could continue exchanging views.


    As the sun set in the west, the group headed to a neighboring Wall Street, to a very famous Italian restaurant.


    They split into two tables, David, Liu Qing, and Gao Jinhua at one, and Lu Liang with Mr. Wilson at the other.


    "Mr. Lu, what plans do you have next? Staying in New York until it''s done?" Mr. Wilson inquired.


    He subtly implied that the negotiations with Goldman Sachs hadn''t gone well, and that the journey with DiDi''s audit was destined to be choppy.


    Originally, when DiDi''s Ministry of Commerce audit failed, they turned to Lu Liang for assistance.


    Now, it seemed they might have to reverse that decision.


    Lu Liang laughed, "Kamon, I''ll be depending on you. Have you negotiated a result?"


    Mr. Wilson couldn''t help but laugh and cry, "Let''s find another time, and I''ll meet David again separately."


    Liu Qing was, after all, the spokesperson for Goldman Sachs. If she was kicked out by Lu Liang, it meant Goldman Sachs'' influence would decrease.


    If he could help Goldman Sachs regain its influence, it wasn''t entirely impossible to reach an agreement.


    "Which kind of influence?" Lu Liang asked, unflappably.


    If it was about who had more East Country secret intel as a measure of influence, then he might have to result to threats and temptations.


    Mr. Wilson took a long time before he replied, "You could think of it as a form of market influence."


    "It''s like why I helped you meet David, because you already have that influence."


    Lu Liang realized then, and couldn''t help but chuckle, "I can''t believe you''d place such emphasis on this market."


    "Don''t you value it too?"


    Mr. Wilson looked disdainful. Lu Liang had invested so much money into this market, clearly optimistic about Bitcoin''s future, yet he still played coy with him.


    "I value it too."


    Lu Liang laughed nervously, feeling guilty. He knew only that short-term, twenty thousand US Dollars was the limit; long-term, he was unsure.


    But Mr. Wilson''s attitude just made him more determined to hold Bitcoin long-term. After all, the money from Tokyo hadn''t cost him a penny; it had all been accrued through compound interest.


    He wouldn''t feel the loss even if it all went down the drain,


    But if he made a profit, he would invest it in the United States.


    Meanwhile, at another table in the same restaurant, David was also conversing with Liu Qing and Gao Jinhua.


    "Jean, prepare yourself mentally. Lu Liang has a trump card I can''t refuse," David said calmly.


    Liu Qing''s heart sank, remembering Lu Liang''s conversation with Su Shimin, and asked, "Is it Bitcoin?"


    David nodded, "As long as he''s willing to pay the price, we''ll abandon you."


    Liu Qing gave a bitter laugh, and Gao Jinhua couldn''t help but ask, "Is there really no other way?"


    Liu Qing felt having him along would be useful, he also thought he could be significantly useful, but each time things turned out contrary to his wishes.


    He felt like a bronze player who had wandered into a high-level game, scolded by Lu Liang like a child, which left him feeling very frustrated.


    "Teacher, it''s not that I don''t respect you, but in the future, it''s better to stay out of these kinds of matters."


    David smiled, a hint of helplessness flashing in his eyes. When East Country first integrated into the world, they needed scholars to help them shout from the rooftops.


    But he found that Gao Jinhua attributed the benefits of the era to his own abilities.


    This was not a good sign.

 Chapter 493 - 488: Threshold

    As night fell, Lu Liang was invited to East Hampton.


    At the eastern end of Long Island, New York, many politicians, magnates, socialites, and superstars have set up mansions here, and it is also the top affluent area in New York.


    Last year at the trade fair, a mansion was sold for 147 million US dollars, becoming the most expensive in the history of the United States in one fell swoop.


    Upon arriving at the neighborhood, limited edition sports cars and luxury cars, which are rarely seen on the streets on ordinary days, suddenly became commonplace, even the patrolling police cars seemed to be unusually numerous.


    The cleanliness of the streets was almost comparable to Lujiazui, and not a single homeless person could be seen.


    "Have you ever thought about buying a mansion here to occasionally come and vacation?" Wilson looked out the car window, and Lu Liang followed his gaze, "Since I''ve got time, I''ll take a look tomorrow."


    Not far away, there was a mansion''s second floor that appeared to be hosting a party, with good-looking men and beautiful women, dazzling lights, flowing wine, and an atmosphere of drunken joy.


    Not just this one, since entering the East Hampton neighborhood, there had been mansions hosting similar events every now and again.


    After all, with the existence of American-style "stand your ground" laws, playing recklessly in bars could easily lead to trouble, just like Little Wang ¨C if he had been flaunting his title as the son of the foremost wealthy individual in the United States daily in American bars, it would not have been surprising if an accident had already happened.


    So unlike in China,


    house parties are more popular in the United States.


    And the atmosphere, or rather the custom, is different from that in China too. Even if they do not know each other and have no money, as long as a friend is invited, they can also tag along. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Wilson paused to think and said, "I remember that there''s a mansion for sale next door. The layout is good; I''ll go ask about it for you tomorrow, maybe you''ll even get a discount."


    "Then I''d appreciate that." Lu Liang smiled, not declining Wilson''s kind gesture.


    Without discussing the future relationship between the two countries for now, he had property in China, property in Tokyo, property in Edinburgh, how could he miss out on New York.


    It is nothing more than thirty or fifty million US dollars. If he capitalizes fully on this big surge in Bitcoin, just a casual dividend could be several hundred million US dollars.


    Acquiring a bit more real estate is all right. After all, only the land remains as eternal as the sun and the moon; every American tycoon is a big landlord.


    Like Gates, who has bought 269,000 acres ¨C the land area he holds is only slightly smaller than the Pudong New Area.


    Ten minutes later, they arrived at a large seaside estate, which was so vast that it resembled a holiday resort.


    It was dark and hard to see the full picture, but Lu Liang saw a sign by the road indicating that a golf course was just one hundred meters to the left.


    A standard 18-hole golf course generally covers 60 hectares, about the size of a small district with a population of six thousand households.


    "This one was last year''s auction king, sold for 147 million US dollars and was snapped up by Broadway''s Schubert Management Company," Wilson said with a smile on his face, having been here many times before. Schubert acquired and transformed it into something akin to a holiday resort.


    The main reason was to provide a venue for nearby tycoons and celebrities to pass the time, because not everyone enjoys hosting parties.


    Some tycoons both fancied a tranquil atmosphere and disliked being alone, so the resort came into being naturally.


    As long as they kept the rich and famous content, Broadway''s title as the world''s number one opera house would remain unshakable.


    That would also lead to a continuous harvest of middle-class pretenders trying to ingratiate themselves with and feign sophistication.


    Wilson chuckled and said, "I actually do not understand opera, don''t even like it, including many of my friends. But they''ll all pretend to be fond of it, thereby raising the barrier to entry into our circle."


    "An obedience test," said Lu Liang with a light chuckle.


    "You could say that," Wilson nodded, opened the car door, and beckoned a bellhop to come over and check in Lu Liang.


    "If you live around here and want to come over when you''re free, you can. I''ve already recommended you for membership."


    The so-called proof is also a kind of barrier, but those recommended by him could go straight in with a face scan.


    "There''s not much money in playing with art. They need to please us to get donations, which helps them maintain day-to-day operations."


    Wilson said beamingly, being candid and treating Lu Liang as one of his own, explaining the ins and outs.


    It could basically be summed up in one sentence ¨C in the world of capital, everything exists to serve capital, revolving around capital.


    Without the support of capital, no industry could survive; even if self-sufficient, it would still die an untimely death.


    He wanted Lu Liang to understand why, although Jack Ma was already so popular at East Country University, he still donned the white hat of Xiao Bai.


    Their power was unlimited and could spread endlessly, expand, and even command armies and change constitutions. The only ones who could restrain them were they themselves.


    Lu Liang fell silent for a long while, sincerely expressing, "That feeling must be very wonderful."


    Wilson immediately burst into hearty laughter, "It''s more wonderful than you can imagine."


    Walking into the estate, Wilson had a smile on his face, waving as he walked, as if he knew everyone.


    Because he was the Chief Investment Officer at Morgan, the sharpest spear, the CEO was just in charge of affairs; he was the one who mobilized the funds.


    Lu Liang also saw a few familiar faces, such as Ivan''s husband, Jia Li, De Mei City businessman, Cruick, and the island owner, Jeffrey.


    "Lu, long time no see, how have you been, care for a few drinks?"


    They waved and greeted him with a hint of surprise in their eyes.


    Seeing Lu Liang here meant he had one foot in the core circle of Wall Street already.


    "Later perhaps, I still have to meet a friend first," Lu Liang declined politely with a smile.


    Amidst the laughter, he noticed that the comers and goers were all white, with only a small number of Asians and, fundamentally, no Africans.


    Perhaps in their eyes, an African chimp setting foot in such a setting was a desecration of the place.


    But the status of Asians wasn''t much higher than that of Africans; they were basically seen in the roles of female companions or manservants.


    This realization extinguished the small flame that had just begun to flicker in his heart, leaving behind only a wisp of lingering smoke.


    They were so friendly to him now, probably like courting, where you''re Little Sweet before sleeping, and Mrs. Niu after.


    Passing through the bustling hall, Lu Liang followed Wilson to an opera house inside where suddenly, uplifting music erupted.


    The main melody of the organ sounded, the minor chords as thrilling as a roller coaster ride, thundering into the eardrums with overwhelming force.


    David squinted his eyes, a glass of wine in hand, his head bobbing to the rhythm of the stirring music, seemingly lost in it.


    Wilson said, "Most people don''t like it, but there are exceptions, like David. He really enjoys opera, and this one seems to be ''Phantom,'' almost at its finale now."


    "Thanks, see you in a while."


    After temporarily parting ways with Wilson, Lu Liang went to sit next to David, signaling to a server, he ordered a cocktail.


    The two exchanged glances, nodded slightly, and shared polite smiles, appreciating the opera that was about to end.


    Different from the promotional posters seen in front of Broadway, there wasn''t a single black actor on this stage.


    It made sense; Phantom told a story from over a hundred years ago when blacks were either in the sea or in the fields.


    Ten minutes later, the actors took their bows, and the red curtain fell.


    David couldn''t help but clap his hands in applause, his admiration undisguised: "It''s magnificent; there is something new to discover every time."


    "Perhaps," Lu Liang chuckled, sipping his drink.


    The music was good, and the costumes and sets quite opulent.


    Beyond that, he found nothing remarkable.


    "If you have the time, you should watch the whole show; I believe you''ll come to love it," David recommended earnestly, sharing his own fondness for the opera.


    Unable to help a smile, Lu Liang suggested, "Mr. Solomon, why don''t we find a different place to chat?"


    "Let''s step outside for some air then," David proposed.


    "After you."


    Lu Liang followed David out of the opera house and into the garden for a walk.


    "Mr. Solomon, what will it take for Goldman Sachs to give up Liu Qing?" Lu Liang asked bluntly.


    David chuckled lightly, "Mr. Lu, you should know that Liu Qing is someone I personally promoted. Including her placement in DiDi, she is my right-hand woman."


    "Kamon told me that Goldman Sachs missed the best timing to build a position for certain reasons."


    Lu Liang went on, speaking about his two teams, holding more than 2% of the total amount of Bitcoin.


    David raised an eyebrow, laughing, "Mr. Lu, as far as I know, isn''t it over 4%?"


    2% represents 420,000, and Lu Liang was clearly bluffing; he held over 800,000, maybe even more.


    "Mr. Solomon, I really want to make friends with you sincerely, so don''t make it too hard for me."


    Lu Liang''s smile remained, but sacrificing all his ''weight'' for Liu Qing and DiDi was clearly a bad deal.


    Moreover, he could tell from David''s recounts that his sentiment towards Liu Qing was profound, which was a tactic to ask for more money.

 Chapter 494 - 489: Best Newcomer of the Baihua Award

    "Mr. Lu, do you know why DiDi failed its first review session with East Country?"


    David suddenly turned around, his eyes fixed on Lu Liang, trying to discern something else from his demeanor.


    Because at that time, Liu Qing had told him that there were several factors that could have led to DiDi''s failed review.


    However, once Liu Qing left the listing review team and was replaced by Lu Liang, the review process went smoothly.


    It also made him suspect that Lu Liang was not as sinister as he appeared on the surface; instead, his heart was ablaze with passion.


    "The son of a general can only be a general, not a marshal, because the marshal has his own son."


    Lu Liang let out a long sigh, living up to his Best Newcomer nomination from the Baihua Award, with an explosive performance worthy of an acting award.


    He knew that this business negotiation was coming to an end, and Goldman Sachs just wanted to confirm one thing, whether he was acting for himself or for his country.


    Lu Liang made his stance clear: the reason DiDi''s review failed was simply because of Liu Qing.


    The sudden outbreak and rapid fade of the 5G voting scandal was the best proof.


    If the Liu family was still powerful, the voting scandal would never have erupted, even if it had occurred.


    After all, it happened last year.


    Clearly, someone was making a mountain out of a molehill, bringing up past events, it could be Huawei, or it could be Xiaomi.


    With the fall of one giant, life thrives for the rest.


    And he was but a pilferer, stepping forward at the critical moment to capture this achievement.


    Because his status was suitable and somewhat respectable, him stealing it didn''t provoke much opposition from others.


    David stared at Lu Liang for a long time before scoffing, "After all, it''s East Country; the cycle is destined to repeat."


    Lu Liang sighed deeply, feeling melancholic, "Perhaps only by breaking free can one find redemption."


    David''s eyes twinkled with amusement, reflecting his thoughts for a long while, "3%, I believe you can come up with that."


    Just as Lu Liang was about to speak, David added, "Don''t hurry to refuse, first listen to the terms of the deal."


    "Go ahead."


    "At the current market price of 13,500 US dollars, we can offer to buy at a 10% premium," David said.


    Lu Liang thought for a long time because even at the premium that''s only 14,850 points, there''s still nearly a 6,000-point increase to go.


    Because they could cash out at least at 18,000 points, if not at the peak of 20,000.


    Missing out on 3,000 US dollars per unit, 3% is 630,000 units, which also means losing out on 1.89 billion US dollars.


    David showed displeasure and added, "Mr. Lu, the current price is already very high, and we have to bear the risk of a downturn; you know this market and how sharply it can rise and then fall."


    "I understand," Lu Liang replied with a smiling nod, then suddenly asked, "David, what do you think of my market sense?"


    David was slightly taken aback, raising an eyebrow, "Including myself, no fund manager on Wall Street would question your acumen."


    "3% is no problem; indeed, I can afford it, but a 10% premium for the acquisition is too low."


    Lu Liang said with a smile on his lips, "I plan to stay in New York for seven days; how about we discuss this again after seven days?"


    David''s brows furrowed and he said sternly, "12%."


    He had said it, no one would question Lu Liang''s judgment, including himself.


    If Lu Liang said so, this market trend was not likely to end in the short term.


    Lu Liang shook his head slightly, "Still too low."


    "15%."


    "Still too low."


    "Lu, don''t be so greedy, surely you''re not going to ask for a 17% premium from me?"


    Lu Liang smiled slightly and held up two fingers, "I want 20%."


    "You''re absolutely mad," David''s face grew colder, a 20% premium meant 16,200 US dollars.


    It meant for each unit, they had to pay an extra 2,700 US dollars, and for 630,000 units, that was 1.7 billion US dollars.


    Lu Liang said, "A 20% premium, and if this market cycle doesn''t rise to 19,000 US dollars, I will give back 10% directly."


    David narrowed his eyes, "I''ve heard from Kamon that you are very confident. Signing such a contract, aren''t you afraid someone will purposely crash the market?"


    "This wave, even Goldman Sachs can''t cut it short by saying so. If you can convince others, I''d admit defeat without complaint."


    Lu Liang''s smile widened with confidence, he actually had some leeway left, not boasting recklessly that the peak would be above 20,000.


    Institutions are not as fervent as retail investors. According to many research institutions including Muddy Water HP, the boldest prediction was only 16 to 17,000 points.


    Being half a step ahead is genius,


    But a full step ahead, and you get dissected by onlookers.


    So Lu Liang didn''t dare to speak too confidently, and by mentioning 19,000 points, he could leave Goldman Sachs some room for expectations.


    Because at a premium of 20%, 2,700 points away from 19,000 points equals a profit of 1.7 billion US dollars.


    If they intentionally crashed the market to make Lu Liang spit out a 10% premium, they''d only gain 850 million US dollars in profit and their holding value would decrease. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    They would naturally make the right choice when weighing their options.


    After pondering for a long time, David suddenly smiled, "Lu, I finally understand why Kamon likes you so much."


    Lu Liang, with a look of disdain, cracked an appropriate joke, "The kind of liking Kamon has, I can do without."


    David immediately burst out laughing, clearly aware of Wilson''s dual nature.


    He paused and then asked, "When should we make the trade?"


    "Anytime."


    "Tomorrow at noon, Tokyo Time, in Tokyo, would that work?"


    "Yes."


    Lu Liang walked aside to call Sun Yutao, instructing him to prepare, and then made another call to Wen Chao.


    3% represented 630,000 bitcoins, and the private equity''s holding wasn''t sufficient at only 475,800 bitcoins, so he had to get more from Wen Chao.


    Though it went against his initial intent, he considered it high-level hedging for cashing out. After the market cooled down and corrected itself, he could buy them back without Ota Ling and Zheng Xuanyi raising any objections.


    By the time Lu Liang finished his call, David also wrapped up his conversation with the Tokyo manager and said with a smile, "10.2 billion US dollars, how do you plan to arrange it?"


    Such a large sum was no small matter, and entering any market would cause significant fluctuations.


    "In the coming years, the rise of US stocks is the major trend."


    Lu Liang said with a smile, making no attempt to hide his views.


    He typically didn''t take action, as he diversified funds into US stocks, due to the vastness of that savings pool.


    "Won''t you go into Big A? Isn''t that market severely undervalued?" David probed.


    Words reached the tip of Lu Liang''s tongue but then he swallowed them back, sighing, "It is undervalued, but once the money goes in, it''s hard to get it out. US stocks have stronger liquidity. After all, I don''t have much capital and need to maintain high maneuverability."


    He had planned to deride Big A, such as mocking that even after 26 years of development, it still returned to the same youthful 3,000 points, or the idea that you want to invest with value, but they want to sell their company, and other similar remarks.


    However, on second thought, a dog does not scorn its impoverished home. Letting Goldman Sachs, accustomed to being a harvester, become the harvested in Big A was appealing, and he considered it contributing to the domestic financial markets.


    "Ten billion US dollars is indeed not a lot. You need more funds to make a real impact," David glanced at Lu Liang, knowing they hadn''t participated in the fourth-phase fund.


    With only 3 billion US dollars at hand, was Lu Liang too cautious? He could certainly be bolder, even more so.


    "After this busyness is over, the fifth-phase fund will be almost ready to launch. This time, its scale will be unprecedentedly vast."


    Lu Liang narrowed his eyes, confident as if he had a detailed plan, "Does Goldman Sachs have any interest?"


    David nodded with a smile, adding, "You can make a personal appearance, no need to have Wilson step in for you again."


    Even brothers under the same roof have conflicts, let alone so many capital institutions, big and small, on Wall Street.


    With finite resources, the stronger JPMorgan Chase becomes, the weaker others become. Once weaknesses are shown, they''ll end up like the Liu family.


    The fourth-phase private equity must have earned quite a bit from the Bitcoin surge, Lu Liang could distribute dividends to make a name for himself before launching a new private equity fund. If needed, Goldman Sachs would be more than happy to help.


    Lu Liang''s mouth curled into a smile, "Of course, after all, we are friends."


    "Friends." David, with a full-faced grin, draped his arm around Lu Liang''s shoulders and they walked back to the house together.


    Wilson, bored to death, was flirting with a Latina woman discussing nail polish colors. Seeing how well the two men got along, he asked with a smile, "Did you work everything out?"


    Lu Liang nodded with a smile, and David patted his shoulder, "Lu, I have matters to attend to, I''ll take my leave now."


    "Take care." Lu Liang sat opposite Wilson, gave the Latina woman a slight smile, and downed the cocktail on the table.


    Wilson asked, "How much did you let go?"


    "3%," Lu Liang replied truthfully.


    "That much?"


    Wilson''s brow furrowed, recalling the past pitfalls he had stepped into. He waved the Latina woman away to prevent her from overhearing.


    Then he asked softly, "Do you think this wave is about to end?"


    Lu Liang shook his head, "Not so soon, it''s just that the premium matched my psychological price."


    "How much?"


    "20%."


    "David must be crazy."


    "Not crazy, we just signed some additional clauses."


    Wilson wanted to continue asking, but Lu Liang wouldn''t say more.

 Chapter 495 - 490: Whoever Wins, They Help

    The night deepened, Lu Liang returned to the Trump Hotel.


    Liu Qing had just left her room when she encountered the formally dressed Lu Liang, which made her frown involuntarily.


    Lu Liang seldom dressed so formally¡ªin the few years that she knew him, he had worn a suit no more than a handful of times.


    The last instance seemed to be when Old Te visited China for a state visit, and Lu Liang was invited as one of the twelve representatives from the East.


    Returning in the middle of the night in formal attire?


    Liu Qing suddenly had a bad premonition because she remembered her cousin, Liu Zhen.


    Originally, they had agreed to compete fairly to grow the market¡ªone representing DiDi, the other representing Uber, vying for the ride-hailing market.


    But to ensure a swift victory, she bypassed Liu Zhen and contacted Uber''s head office directly, acquiring all of Uber''s operations in the Chinese District through a merger.


    This led to Liu Zhen''s departure and the sisters turning against each other.


    That afternoon, David had also told her that if Mr. Lu offered the right price, she could be the one abandoned.


    Liu Qing forced a smile, about to greet him, when suddenly at the end of the corridor by the elevator, she saw a blonde girl.


    It looked as though the girl had some grudges against Lu Liang, though she only complained a bit before entering his room.


    Emma Roberts, one of Hollywood''s Four Little Flower Dandies, not even reaching five foot three, but well-proportioned and considered the epitome of a leading lady, known for her bewitching face.


    Lu Liang turned his head and saw Liu Qing, offering a faint smile.


    The puzzlement in Liu Qing''s eyes turned into mockery.


    With a mutual glance, they went about their own business.


    Entering his room, Lu Liang joked with a smile, "I thought you wouldn''t come."


    The program at the seaside mansion was magnificent, featuring not only grand opera shows but also erotic strip teases.


    Some even went on stage, embraced, and went at it together, which, according to Wilson, was all to vent the day''s stress.


    Lu Liang was a traditional man; he couldn''t accept such uninhibited scenes and came back early.


    But the lust that had been stirred was hard to quell.


    So, he logged onto his long-unused Instagram to see if he could find a companion for the night.


    There, he saw Little Wang''s goddess, Emma Roberts, with whom he had a passing acquaintance. But because of the last time Dongzi got involved in an immortal jump case, which required his urgent attention, he was unable to keep the fair lady''s company.


    He sent her a symbolic message, without much hope, yet she replied immediately: Where are you, I''m in New York.


    With feigned arrogance, Emma quipped, "A summon from a mysterious Eastern tycoon¡ªif I didn''t come, I feared I might be blacklisted."


    "Still angry?" Lu Liang couldn''t suppress his amusement. "Didn''t I just explain that last time, due to an emergency, a friend was in trouble and needed my help?"


    "And afterward?" Emma glanced at Lu Liang. She had been keeping an eye on his itinerary for those few days.


    After he left that day, Lu Liang went silent. Then she heard that he was already back in his country.


    "Let bygones be bygones, we should focus on the present," Lu Liang said with a smile, embracing her waist.


    Emma snorted, skipping over the topic. She had come tonight, which meant she''d already forgiven Lu Liang''s abrupt departure.


    Playing the blame game later seemed pointless, it would just displease the man, just as Lu Liang said¡ªthey should focus on the present.


    "So how long are you planning to stay in New York this time?"


    "About a week."


    Lu Liang said, gradually getting dressed and resting his chin on her shoulder, blowing air on her earrings, "Do you have time tomorrow? Accompany me to East Hampton to look at some houses."


    Having met only twice, if she were to claim it was due to affection or admiration that she surrendered herself, it would be utter nonsense¡ªit was either for money or for resources.


    They were adults and should be straightforward.


    His insinuation was that he was buying a mansion in New York to visit often, and the current investment would surely pay off.


    "Do you think I''m that kind of opportunistic woman?"


    Emma retorted playfully, then suddenly wrapped her arms around Lu Liang''s neck, laughing like a carnivorous woman, "Mainly, I wanted to see what''s different about Eastern men."


    "I''m sure it won''t disappoint you."


    Traditional Chinese medicine is actually excellent; it''s just that men rather than women have inherited it, it has been looted, it has been through destruction, it''s too slow to show effects, to the extent that it''s gradually considered feudal superstition.


    Pure herbal ancient formulas do have their merits.


    Lu Liang delegated all authority, letting Xu Jiawei and David''s assistant, George, handle the submission procedures.


    He and David agreed that Goldman Sachs would buy 630,000 bitcoins at a premium of 20% over the price of 13,500 US Dollars, in exchange for approval from DiDi''s review and the support of DiDi''s board of directors.


    Your destruction has nothing to do with you; the attitudes and small actions of Liu Qing had already been in vain; it was time for her to face reality.


    Near noon, David arrived at the hotel.


    Upon seeing Lu Liang and Liu Qing dining, along with the unrelated Gao Jinhua and DiDi''s Liang Jing,


    he first gave Lu Liang a slight smile, then turned to Liu Qing and sighed, "Jean, on behalf of Goldman Sachs, you''re always welcome."


    Liu Qing''s heart sank. Forcing a smile, she looked up and asked, "David, what do you mean by that?"


    David sighed again, "After the board meeting this morning, Goldman Sachs decided to grant its 5.23% shareholding and 15% voting rights in DiDi to Mr. Lu, who has full authority to use them on our behalf."


    As long as DiDi operated normally, they would no longer participate in any major decisions or personnel changes, Lu Liang would be their spokesperson.


    Liu Qing felt as if an invisible hand was gripping her heart, her fingers white-knuckled around her cutlery. She glanced at David, then back at Lu Liang.


    As expected, Lu Liang had offered Goldman Sachs a chip they couldn''t refuse, and she had become a disposable pawn. She would be the helpless fish on the chopping board.


    Once Lu Liang secured 67% of the voting rights, he could remove her from all her positions and even kick her off the board.


    After mulling over it for a long time, Liu Qing, pondering a solution, finally managed a bitter smile and said, "Mr. Lu, well played."


    Now that Goldman Sachs was no longer backing her, and Uber only followed her because they followed Goldman Sachs, it was a checkmate.


    Lu Liang held 15% of the decision-making power, had the backing of Goldman Sachs'' 15%, Zhu Hu owned 13%, and Cheng Wei held 30%.


    With more than two-thirds of the votes, totaling 73%, he could even decide to dissolve the board.


    "Mr. Liu, I''m sorry," Lu Liang said softly.


    Liu Qing laughed at herself. The words were on her lips, but she swallowed them, "I accept my loss, Mr. Lu. Don''t worry, I''ll honor my promise."


    She was silent for a long time before saying, "I have one request."


    "Spare me the details, if possible, I will accommodate."


    "I hope to stay until the day we go public."


    With Goldman Sachs turning its back, DiDi was now fully under Lu Liang''s control, and there was no point for Liu Qing to stay any longer.


    But she wanted to witness DiDi''s public listing, to see the unicorn company she had built reach that milestone.


    Lu Liang thought for a while then rejected her, "Mr. Liu, indecision leads to disaster. It''s better to be free from it¡ªfor everyone''s sake."


    It wasn''t that he didn''t want to agree; he couldn''t. It was necessary to remove Liu Qing before the listing, not afterwards, as it would affect the stock price.


    And it allowed him to shift the blame; DiDi''s failure to list before could now be pinned on Liu Qing, with Lu himself positioned as the protagonist.


    "I understand," Liu Qing chuckled, then left a final word before she departed, "I''ll return home tomorrow to begin the handover process."


    She left, not looking back.


    Gao Jinhua glanced at Lu Liang, offering a forced smile, "Mr. Lu, shall I see what''s wrong with Mr. Liu?" Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Before yesterday, he might not have even greeted Lu Liang and would have just followed Liu Qing, but now, Lu Liang deserved attention and respect.


    "Go ahead, Professor Gao," said Lu Liang with a smile.


    He liked Gao Jinhua''s rebellious nature, but his current sycophancy seemed just as good.


    The pride of intellectuals exists in very few; the majority side with whoever wins.


    Liang Jing offered a smile and extended her hand, "Mr. Lu, let''s reintroduce ourselves. I''m Liang Jing, the Uber representative in China."


    She was from Uber, which backed Goldman Sachs, and with Goldman Sachs now backing Lu Liang, she too had no burden switching sides to Lu Liang.


    "Chairman Liang, if I offend you in the course of our work, please forgive me," Lu Liang said, his face breaking into a friendly smile as he shook hands.


    Liang Jing heaved a sigh of relief, replying with a smile, "Mr. Lu, should you need any assistance, just say the word, and I''ll do my utmost."


    David watched Liu Qing''s retreating figure and sighed, "Jean''s actually very talented."


    Lu Liang nodded in agreement and exclaimed, "It''s precisely because of her talent that she refuses to bow to others."


    Unlike with Hu Weiwei, he didn''t extend an invitation to Liu Qing because that could be seen as an insult to her.


    David shifted his gaze away and asked, "What''s the plan for the afternoon?"


    "Wilson helped me find a house in East Hampton. I should probably go check it out and then wait for the approval to come through."


    Feeling the vibration of his phone, Lu Liang picked it up. Emma had sent a half-naked photo, saying pitifully that she was hungry.


    David caught a glimpse and chuckled, "The funds are all set. When can we make the transaction?"


    "Tokyo time, two o''clock in the afternoon, on the seventh floor of the Tokyo Stock Exchange, Xingheng Investment Company," Lu Liang replied after a pause.


    That morning, he had received a call from Sun Yutao who had prepared the paperwork and flown to Tokyo overnight to meet with Wen Chao.


    Tianxing contributed all their chips of 478,000 Bitcoins, and Xingheng Company added 152,000 Bitcoins, totaling 630,000 Bitcoins.


    David smiled and extended a hand as a gesture of friendship, "Here''s to a successful partnership. DiDi''s review materials will pass by next Wednesday at the latest."


    "A pleasant partnership."

 Chapter 496 - 491: The First Sword in Going Public, Beheading the Founder

    After sending David away, Lu Liang pushed the cart upstairs and rang the doorbell, purposely lowering his voice: "Room service~"


    With girls he had just met, he enjoyed playing this kind of little prank because he was rich, so it could be called witty and humorous.


    After calling out several times, suddenly the door opened. Emma stood in the doorway, stretching lazily, her tempting figure fully on display: "My dear sir, don''t you know there are cameras here?"


    She didn''t have any clothes to change into and could only wear Lu Liang''s shirt. The men''s shirt was very long, just covering the upper thighs and revealing half of her perky bottom, exuding a kind of indescribable sexiness.


    Her hair, still tousled from sleep, was like a thick cloud. Although not fluffy, it had a layered look.


    "I almost forgot."


    Lu Liang, pushing the cart past her, gave her bottom a firm pat and said with a laugh, "After a few more calls, my work will be done, and then we can go look at houses in East Han."


    "OK, wait for me downstairs." Emma said joyfully, hurried into the bathroom and then suddenly ran out to make a call: "Someone will deliver clothes later, remember to collect them for me."


    Lu Liang nodded slightly, walked to the balcony, and called Sun Yutao: "Old Sun, you''re with Wen Chao, right?"


    "The people from Goldman Sachs will be there for the trade at two o''clock this afternoon, and the contract will be as we discussed last night."


    "When the funds are credited, allocate them as agreed upon, and after confirmation that there are no errors, you can return to the country, keep a short position, and wait for my notice."


    "Hand the phone to Xiaochao."


    "Xiaochao, if Ota and Zheng Xuanyi haven''t asked, keep it from them. Once I''m done here, I''ll take a trip to Tokyo."


    Lu Liang spoke while he opened the trading software to check the current Bitcoin market.


    Compared to last night, the price had risen by 122 US Dollars, reaching a new price of 13622 US Dollars.


    There were 13 days left until the market close on the 17th.


    "There''s nothing more painful in this world than suddenly becoming rich only to lose it all just as suddenly."


    Lu Liang sighed, seemingly envisioning the millions of retail investors getting liquidated, plunged into despair.


    But this market surge was ignited by him, so naturally, he wouldn''t be absent when the curtain fell.


    Next, Lu Liang called Cheng Wei, informing him that they had secured Goldman Sachs'' support and that victory was imminent.


    "Mr. Lu, are you saying Mr. Liu is preparing to return to the country?"


    Cheng Wei was stupefied, his face filled with disbelief.


    Even if they started counting from the moment they boarded the plane, it wouldn''t add up to more than 36 hours.


    The defense Liu Qing had prepared for so long collapsed like paper at the mere poke from Lu Liang?


    "The afternoon flight. He should be back in the country by tomorrow." Lu Liang said.


    "Mr. Lu, about the COO position, whom do you think would be suitable for the role?"


    Cheng Wei carefully broached the subject, suddenly realizing that perhaps it wasn''t that Liu Qing was too weak, but that Lu Liang was too strong.


    Because Liu Qing surely knew that her defeat meant the Liu family would start to decline.


    She must have tried, resisted, and attempted to prevent it, but in the end, it was all in vain.


    He suddenly felt the sorrow of watching others fall while fearing for his own fate.


    Lu Liang asked, "Who do you think is suitable?"


    "How about Zhang Bo?"


    Cheng Wei inquired, and Lu Liang shook his head: "He comes from a technical background; how can he manage well?"


    "That''s true," Cheng Wei chuckled ruefully, resigned that the person taking over Liu Qing''s duties would likely be one of Lu Liang''s people.


    "Let''s go with Zhu Jingshi then, call him back from the international division. It''s a good time before the IPO to properly address the company''s internal gender issues."


    Lu Liang''s lips curled into a smile, thinking of the current Senior Vice President and CEO of International Business, Zhu Jingshi.


    At 41, a graduate of Shanghai Jiaotong University with a Management Ph.D. from Cambridge, he was also the only executive personally recruited by Cheng Wei.


    But perhaps because he had been personally recruited by Cheng Wei, he had been exiled years ago by Liu Qing to frontier markets, tasked with overseas expansion. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Mr. Zhu..." Cheng Wei paused, slightly stunned.


    Lu Liang asked with a smile, "Is Mr. Zhu not suitable?"


    Cheng Wei hastened to respond: "There''s no doubt about Mr. Zhu''s capabilities. He is not inferior to Mr. Liu, it''s just that..."


    "Old Cheng, do you remember what I told you before?"


    Lu Liang said earnestly, "DiDi and Liu Qing are not important to me, but having no Liu Qing is very important to me."


    He wanted to reassure Cheng Wei to focus on making money in the future without getting caught up in power struggles.


    "I understand, Mr. Lu," Cheng Wei said solemnly.


    "Let''s leave it at that."


    Lu Liang was about to hang up but then added, "Press down the news of Liu Qing''s departure. Wait until after the IPO review is through and the stock incentive plan is ready. Announce it then, and the impact can be minimized."


    The first move in the IPO, cut down the founder.


    Although it was the founder that caused the previous audit to fail, the public opinion generally tends to sympathize with the underdog.


    Not to mention Liu Qing was a woman, seen by many as a contemporary leader among young women.


    "Mm-hmm, okay." Cheng Wei suddenly said, "Mr. Lu, thank you. I really, really appreciate it."


    "Hang up, saying too much is just sentimental."


    Lu Liang''s mouth curved upwards, revealing a slight smile.


    He had withstood such tremendous pressure and had managed to push Liu Qing out of DiDi, let alone Cheng Wei, especially with DiDi about to go public.


    The capital market was where he truly excelled. Should Cheng Wei dare disobey, Lu Liang wouldn''t mind replacing him.


    "Girls from any country are the same."


    After waiting for a while, Lu Liang sighed. With his legs crossed, his raised foot suddenly began to shake, a sign of his growing impatience.


    Suddenly the doorbell rang. He went to the door and saw from the monitor a middle-aged woman carrying a tote.


    Lu Liang opened the door. The woman, upon seeing him, immediately nodded and bowed: "Mr. Lu, hello. My name is Susan, Emma''s agent. She should be in the room. I''m here to bring her some clothes."


    "She''s in the room." No sooner had Lu Liang finished speaking than Emma suddenly poked her head out from the bathroom, hastily waving, "Susan, come quickly and help me with my eyeliner. I just can''t seem to get it right."


    "Mr. Lu, may I go in and help?"


    Susan''s face was wreathed in a smile. Without Lu Liang''s permission, she didn''t dare to enter on her own.


    The scene that evening remained vividly in mind; countless celebrities and dignitaries were desperate to meet Lu Liang.


    A Chinese concept stock with a market value of 4.2 billion US dollars, its roadshow subscription funds actually reached a staggering 100 billion US dollars.


    As it turned out, things that were in high demand, just like expensive items, had no drawbacks other than their high price.


    The first day saw a staggering 95% increase in stock price. Two months later, the share price had soared from 2.2 US dollars to as high as 9.45 US dollars, bringing its market value to 18.2 billion US dollars.


    As the second largest shareholder after the founder, with an 8.235% stake, Lu Liang''s net worth skyrocketed by 1.5 billion US dollars.


    But this was just one of the many industries he was invested in. His true identity was that of the highest-yielding mid-sized fund manager and owner in the world.


    Rumors had it that two months earlier, Lu Liang had launched a private equity fund that had Wall Street''s countless institutions competing fiercely for a piece. He was a legendary financier comparable to Soros and Buffett.


    "Come on in." Lu Liang moved aside to let her in and walked to the balcony to continue waiting while Emma put on her makeup.


    With Susan''s help, Emma''s makeup was done with incredible speed, and in just a few minutes, she emerged from the room neatly dressed.


    In a light blue velvet mini dress and patent leather high-heeled boots, she achieved a visual height of 175 cm despite actually being 157 cm tall.


    "You look especially beautiful today."


    Lu Liang was all smiles, magically producing flowers he had plucked from the balcony.


    "Thank you." Emma, grinning, took hold of her skirt hem, curtsying like a medieval princess.


    Just as the two were about to leave, Susan suddenly said, "Emma, aren''t you going to the ''Avengers 3'' audition?"


    Emma, with a look of disdain, said, "It''s just a supporting role anyway; I won''t go."


    "Even as a supporting role, there''s a chance to make your own standalone superhero movie later on," Susan suggested with a wink.


    Known as "little Scarlett," Emma once auditioned for Black Widow but ultimately missed out due to insufficient industry clout and resources.


    But now things were different since she was involved with Lu Liang.


    If Emma played a certain role in ''Avengers 3'', and with Lu Liang speaking on her behalf, and perhaps investing a bit of money, Marvel would certainly carve out a new storyline for her.


    After all, the top three shareholders of Marvel are BlackRock, JPMorgan Chase, and De Mei Capital.


    She wasn''t clear about BlackRock, but Wilson from JPMorgan and Cruick from De Mei were close friends of Lu Liang.


    Even if she didn''t go through the connections of JPMorgan and De Mei, many in Hollywood were keen on becoming friends with Lu Liang.


    Emma was embarrassed and didn''t really want to ask directly, but with Susan putting it so plainly, Lu Liang had probably picked up on the subtext.


    Then, Lu Liang suddenly asked, "James Gunn, isn''t he the chairman of DC?"


    Susan was startled and quickly nodded, "Yes, that''s right."


    "We''re about to meet him to see if we like his mansion in East Hampton¡ªif we do, we might just buy it."


    Lu Liang smiled, lifting Emma''s chin with his finger and planting a kiss on her right cheek: "If we''re going to do it, we should aim for the leading role."


    The meteoric rise of superhero franchises was also the beginning of Hollywood''s decline.


    After all, accustomed to making sequels and always turning a profit, no one seemed to give much thought to those strange and marvelous storylines anymore.


    Marvel was doing okay because of its many well-known superheroes, but DC was having a tougher time. Its owners were starting to sell their mansions, hoping for a turnaround.


    This time, Lu Liang''s meeting with James Gunn was only partly about seeing the house. If the price was right, he also intended to make a modest investment in DC.


    A mere 100 million or a few hundred million US dollars would give him a stake in Hollywood, which would undoubtedly make wooing women even easier.

 Chapter 497 - 492: Playing with Princes for the Smile of a Beauty

    In the afternoon, Lu Liang drove his sports car to East Hampton.


    Initially, he had planned to take a car provided by the hotel, but on the way, he passed by a Ferrari dealership and impulsively bought an F12.


    The price wasn''t high, less than $1 million, making it the first sports car Lu Liang had bought himself.


    Speeding along, he headed east from Manhattan and arrived at his destination in an hour and a half.


    The scenery along the way was beautiful, as if filtered; blue sky, clear water, lush greenery¡ªit truly lived up to the name of the most beautiful countryside.


    The location where James was selling his mansion was even further than the Broadway Manor they had visited the previous night.


    About five or six kilometers apart, Lu Liang could see Wilson''s assistant Evel, standing at the intersection with a middle-aged man.


    "Mr. Lu, Kamon had to deal with something urgent, so he asked me to take care of you today."


    When she saw Emma in the passenger seat, she recognized her as the actress who had starred in American Horror Story, but she merely smiled slightly.


    It was common for wealthy old men with large families to change girlfriends daily, especially since Lu Liang was still unmarried.


    "Thank you, where can I park?" Lu Liang looked to the middle-aged man beside him, DC''s CEO James Gunn, who was also the screenwriter and director of Dawn of the Dead and Guardians of the Galaxy.


    "Mr. Lu, please follow me," Gunn said with a beaming smile, leading Lu Liang by jogging toward the mansion''s parking lot.


    Originally, he just wanted to sell his mansion and borrow a few more years from heaven to launch Justice League, aiming to rival the Avengers.


    But after hearing that Lu Liang from the East showed some interest in DC, he flew overnight from Los Angeles.


    "Mr. Lu, Miss Emma, let me show you around first."


    Gunn, all smiles, started from the parking lot, introducing the entirety of the house. It covered an area of 3,200 square meters, had two stories, six bedrooms, seven bathrooms, a lawn, and a pool.


    The house was equipped with a Swiss security system, all windows were bulletproof, and there was also a 120-square-meter basement.


    Past the rooms, the backyard opened onto a vast expanse of green water and silver sands, an unending beach that stretched for dozens of miles.


    Even though it was winter and bitterly cold, many families still enjoyed playing by the seaside with their children.


    Gunn took out a bottle of grape juice and several wine glasses, leading Lu Liang to his favorite balcony on the second floor.


    "When I lacked inspiration, I would come here to rest and relax for a few days." He poured half a glass for everyone.


    The balmy summer afternoons consisted of sea breezes, fine wine, scenic views¡ªeven just lying down felt therapeutic.


    Lu Liang clinked glasses with Emma and took a sip, immediately savoring the fruity taste, "What do you think?"


    "If it were up to me, I wouldn''t even hesitate."


    Emma, without a second thought and a face full of longing, seemed enchanted by the sea, which always had a way of inspiring desire.


    Unfortunately, although she was born into a wealthy family and her family could easily afford several million dollars, they would never spend it on a mansion.


    Mansions were luxurious but impractical, especially those by the sea; they were great for occasional stays but no one lived in them permanently.


    Lu Liang chuckled, turning to Gunn, "Let''s talk about the price."


    James said, "Mr. Lu, the market price is $32 million, but I am eager to sell it for just $28 million."


    Lu Liang turned to Evel, who gave a slight nod, and he smiled, "That''s fine, go prepare the contract."


    He hadn''t researched the market or known the prices, but Evel was Wilson''s assistant and definitely wouldn''t cheat him over such a petty matter.


    If there were to be any cheating, it had to be on a much bigger deal; just a couple of million dollars would be beneath his dignity.


    Gunn, delighted by the response, hurried to prepare the contract, while Emma stood on the balcony, gazing dreamily out at the sea.


    Lu Liang walked up behind her, embraced her waist, and whispered softly, "If you like it, we can stay here tonight."


    "Mmm-hmm," she responded like the protagonist of Titanic, spreading her arms wide, feeling the ocean breeze, humming the tune of "My Heart Will Go On."


    Soon, Gunn came with the contract, which Lu Liang photographed and sent to Huang Molin, who was in the city center. She was the legal director and very professional.


    While waiting, Gunn suddenly looked at Emma as if he had just realized something and exclaimed, "Miss, didn''t you once star in Rosen''s Fake Family?"


    Rosen Marshall was his good friend and a very famous comedic director in Hollywood.


    Emma said with a bitter smile, "Director Gunn, I once auditioned for the role of Gamora."


    Gunn suddenly realized and quickly explained, "Since the protagonist is white, Marvel required that the role of Gamora could only be played by someone of African descent,"


    Worried that Lu Liang might not understand, he seemed to be explaining as well as mocking, "In recent years, film and television works must be diversified in terms of race; otherwise, it would hurt the fragile and pitiable self-esteem of black people."


    Every director who wanted to make a good movie absolutely despised this unspoken rule.


    It wasn''t that black people couldn''t play certain roles, but it had to be appropriate. The balance between black and white had to be achieved without the fear of being accused of racial discrimination.


    Lu Liang smiled and did not delve deeper into the topic, because all conflicts essentially boiled down to class struggles.


    Just like DiDi, unless something particularly severe happened, they always managed to shift the conflict between the driver and the passenger.


    If DiDi represented the micro level, then at the macro level, most social conflicts were intentionally created.


    He changed the subject and asked, "Director Gunn, wasn''t DC acquired by Warner? Why do you still need to sell your property?"


    "Although it was acquired, the only franchises that can compete with Marvel are Batman and Superman, and even these are far behind Iron Man and Spider-Man."


    Gunn sighed, driven by capital, Warner Brothers was not like Disney, which could use box office failures to fill Disney Parks.


    Facing failure, Warner would hardly give another chance, just slashing the budget repeatedly until there was no profit, effectively shelving it.


    DC wanted to rise again and had to rely on launching the Joker and Joker Girl series.


    Because Justice League had already been done, but the results weren''t good, they shifted the concept to develop the villain series.


    "The character of the Joker is indeed iconic, especially in the Batman trilogy directed by Nolan."


    Lu Liang hadn''t seen many DC movies, but he had watched the trilogy, and what stood out the most was the Joker.


    Chaotic, disorderly, wreaking havoc without reason, as long as he could plunge the world into chaos, he was willing to die with a smile.


    Seeing Lu Liang hesitate, Gunn quickly pressed on, targeting Emma, "Emma, are you interested in playing Joker Girl? I feel you would be very suitable. We start with a prequel web series, and if the reaction is positive, we''ll make a film."


    Emma was stunned, suddenly facing an unexpected opportunity; she instinctively looked towards Lu Liang, who smiled and said, "If it''s suitable, give it a try."


    He then looked at Gunn, "DC is launching these two series; how much more funding do you need? Let me see if I can help." S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Gunn, squeezing his thigh and restraining his excitement, said, "Warner is only willing to invest 280 million US dollars, but a reboot needs at least 550 million US dollars. I personally plan to invest 50 million US dollars, currently, there''s still a funding gap of 220 million US dollars."


    Lu Liang smiled, "220 million US dollars is no problem, but the key is how many shares can Warner give me?"


    He wasn''t just investing in these two franchises, but entering the DC studio in the form of a capital shareholder.


    However, Warner being DC''s largest shareholder, whether he could enter and how much shares he could hold, Gunn couldn''t decide.


    "Mr. Lu, please wait a moment, I''ll contact them right now." Overjoyed, Gunn walked aside to make a call.


    Evel kindly reminded, "Mr. Lu, DC is valued very low; according to our research, it currently lacks profitability."


    JPMorgan Chase had invested in Marvel Group and Disney Group; naturally, they wouldn''t miss DC, Marvel''s old rival.


    However, they abandoned investing after their survey. Warner, like a playboy, had acquired it, shot a few movies, all failing to perform well, and was very resolute in adopting a laissez-faire policy towards DC.


    Until good results were achieved, the budget would be gradually reduced each year, and if the money was insufficient, DC had to attract investment themselves.


    "Investing in DC isn''t necessarily about making money; we have a saying, ''creating a spectacle to make a beauty smile.''"


    Lu Liang smiled, gently squeezing Emma''s hand, "I''m really looking forward to seeing you as Joker Girl."


    Emma, touched, didn''t care about the presence of others, embraced him by the neck, and drew close to Lu Liang.


    She whispered in his ear, "I''m going to style twin ponytails soon, one dyed blue, the other dyed red."


    Lu Liang laughed silently, holding his beloved for a moment, then looked towards Evel, "What is your valuation of DC?"


    King You of Zhou wasn''t foolish; he was like Li Longji, both had specific goals. The best outcome was success, but failure allowed them to place all the blame on women, leaving behind a reputation for profound love.


    "It should be 4.2 billion US dollars, Mr. Lu, please hold on, I''ll contact a colleague to send you the research report."


    Evel sighed, no longer advising; after all, Lu Liang had money to be capricious if he wanted.

 Chapter 498 - 493: Win-Win, Winning Twice

    Huang Molin soon called,


    saying that the contract had no issues and could be signed.


    It''s just that Lu Liang, wanting to purchase a luxury house overseas, would be better off not using his personal name because it was likely to cause gossip.


    It was entirely feasible to establish a company, to purchase the property in the company''s name, and round it up to be considered a real estate investment.


    After all, the events of War Wolf 2 and the 5G voting incident had made people realize that domestic national self-confidence was growing stronger.


    They didn''t know that Lu Liang had enough money to buy a luxury house in every country in the world with plenty to spare; they would only think that Lu Liang was planning to flee.


    "Once you are done with your things, help me establish an investment company. Let me know once it''s set up, and I''ll arrange for the money to be wired."


    Lu Liang thought about it; Huang Molin''s suggestion wasn''t without merit, and after all, it was more convenient for a company to act than an individual.


    Gunn also finished his call with Warner, his expression was odd: "Mr. Lu, Warner is willing to give up a 10% stake, and you only need to invest $220 million, but you need to visit the administrative headquarters and participate in a press conference."


    He couldn''t understand; perhaps Warner had had their brains squeezed by a door, lowering their dignity and directly reducing the valuation of the DC studio to $2.2 billion, literally cutting it in half.


    Lu Liang pondered for a while and then suddenly laughed, understanding Warner''s intention: "Emmerich is very clever; he must be thinking of spinning off DC for a separate listing."


    "Mr. Lu''s investments only show their greatest power when taken to the capital market," Evel nodded, taking over the conversation: "This also shows that he doesn''t hold expectations for DC''s future, only wanting to earn more money while he can."


    "Going public is good; at least this investment won''t incur a loss."


    Lu Liang smiled contentedly; he was indeed interested in the US leeks.


    Making money and womanizing without missing out on either, his heart held none for himself; it was all for avenging a century-old grudge.


    "Mr. Lu, shall I relay this to Emmerich for you?" Gunn''s complexion was a bit sullen, and he felt quite depressed inside.


    It seemed that aside from himself, no one was optimistic about DC''s future. Lu Liang was in it for Emma, Morgan didn''t hold it in high regard, and even Warner just wanted to go public to raise funds.


    "Set a time for us to meet later."


    Lu Liang also informed that his company was in the process of being established, and the property contract would be signed a few days later.


    Gunn quickly expressed that it was not a problem; he even called in the community''s security company, cleaning company, changed the security system, did the cleaning, allowing Lu Liang to move in early.


    That evening, Lu Liang settled into the mansion and hired a team of chefs, planning to have some barbecue and beer.


    Emma went out to buy some living supplies and came back as the Joker Girl.


    Twin ponytails, one red, one blue, fiery red lips, and the cheeks adorned with the signature hearts and spades.


    In single-digit temperatures, she wore a red and white figure-hugging crop top, with denim shorts that couldn''t cover her curved bottom, and purposely torn fishnet stockings.


    With various personality-exuding accessories on her wrists and neck, she looked as if Harley Quinn had stepped right out of the comic.


    "Do you think I play the Joker Girl properly?" Emma''s lips curled up, she strutted an exaggerated catwalk to Lu Liang, and with a smooth, carefree spin, sat directly on the dining table.


    "Are you playing a role? Isn''t this just you?" Lu Liang smiled warmly, waving away the other people in the room.


    A light of delight shone in Emma''s eyes as she squinted: "Why do your words always sound so good?"


    Lu Liang seriously replied, "Because they''re truths."


    "I don''t believe you."


    "How about I take it out and show you?"


    "No need, I can see for myself."


    Emma completely immersed in her role, very dominant, directly began to undress Lu Liang¡­


    A few days later, news from the other side of the ocean spread back to the country, sparking heated discussion among netizens.


    Lu Liang, in partnership with Warner, became a major shareholder of DC, becoming DC''s second-largest shareholder, while DC announced the relaunch of the Joker series.


    For netizens who were tired of feasting on tax evasion in the entertainment industry, this was a fresh talking point.


    At the same time, Zhang Tian''ai, Yang Mi, Reba, and numerous other actresses associated with Lu Liang all started to harbor peculiar feelings.


    DC, despite not rivaling Marvel, was still DC, one of Hollywood''s two major superhero universes, producing no less than ten film, television, and comic works each year, and a stage countless actors dreamed of performing on.


    If one could play a role in the DC universe, even just a supporting character, and maintain a long-term presence, it would be exceedingly helpful for future career development, akin to going abroad for a gilt-edged education.


    The humiliations of a century ago left countless nationals longing for recognition of their people, events, and objects by the world.


    Just like Lu Liang''s recent shareholding in DC, he spent less than a quarter of his investment in DiDi, yet it caused a far more intense sensation.


    "At that moment, it was just like now, similar to Neon thirty years ago acquiring European and American enterprises, puffing up with pride, becoming the objective of every local enterprise."


    When Lu Liang received the news, he glanced at it and then dismissed concerns about public opinion.


    On the day of signing, he had a chat with Warner''s Emmerich, who had lowered their valuation indeed for the sake of going public independently.


    Lu Liang agreed and allowed them to plan on their own, promising to step in when necessary to help drum up attention.


    Because today, the review result for DiDi came out, very, very smoothly, with no obstacles whatsoever, passing directly.


    "Liu Qing was really not innocent, and it served her right to die."


    Lu Liang''s mouth curved up in a mocking smile.


    This result also showed that Liu Qing''s provision of high-precision mapping data and domestic road information secrets was all wishful thinking on her part.


    It was like a fawning dog, daily fussing over his goddess without ever considering whether she cared about his attentions.


    However, there was another possibility, that the authorities intended the Liu family to exit the market to make way for a "new force."


    Wan Guozao and the remnants of the old era were making way for national products to strengthen, with Lu Liang merely being used as a tool for someone else''s ends: "Huawei? Or Xiaomi?"


    "It''s none of my business; time to leave." sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    On the 11th in the afternoon, Lu Liang bid farewell to Emma at the hotel and led his team to New York Airport, intending to depart.


    "Lu, I''ll miss you. The next time you come to New York, you must contact me immediately."


    David came to the airport personally to see him off, his eyes smiling and lips upturned more than an AK could suppress.


    Over the past week, Bitcoin had gone mad, spawning seven inconsistently sized bullish candles.


    The price had soared from $13,500 that night, breaking highs without any talk of a ceiling.


    An hour ago, the price broke through $17,500, and their premium acquisitions had started to profit.


    At a purchase price of $16,200 per Bitcoin, they earned $1,300 each, amassing over eight hundred million US Dollars in profit.


    Such a large holding could only be dealt with through private transactions; if they had been acquired on the market, the price would have been pushed to $20,000 long ago.


    To the point that now, looking at Lu Liang, he felt an almost transcendent fresh clarity, his interests nearly shifting, showing signs of bending.


    "Off I go; don''t act smug after getting a bargain," Lu Liang said flatly, turning to leave, pretending to be very angry.


    A peak of $28,000, sold at $16,200, might seem a loss of over $4,000, but in reality, the tops were perhaps only $2,000.


    Such a large volume of sales could easily crash the price, something private transactions avoided.


    Moreover, he was able to secure enough funds to prepare for a massive short-selling spree a week later.


    This deal was a double win, and Lu Liang won both times.


    But Goldman Sachs wasn''t particularly at a loss either, for they intended to hold long-term, with their brokerage business as well.


    No matter the subsequent size of the price fluctuation, they wouldn''t be too disappointed; being ready to profit requires having the chips at hand.


    "Goodbye~" David''s smile beamed, watching as Lu Liang and his team boarded and departed.


    Lu Liang stepped into the aircraft doorway, looked back subconsciously, and saw a figure in the terminal who had promised not to come say goodbye.


    Blonde pigtails, one blue, one red.


    Lu Liang''s mouth bore a smile as he waved to the distant Emma, then turned and walked into the cabin without looking back, knowing that properly timed charm is irresistible to women.


    After all, she still believed that Lu Liang pouring 220 million US Dollars into DC Studios was to secure the role of Joker Girl for her.


    What a lovely misunderstanding~

 Chapter 499 - 494: Each Family Earns $2 Billion

    On the afternoon of the 12th, Lu Liang arrived in Tokyo.


    He met Wen Chao at the airport reception area, dressed in a suit with a corner of a warm scarf showing at the collar, increasingly exuding the aura of a business mogul.


    "Let''s go to the company, we can talk along the way." Lu Liang nodded slightly, following him out of the airport and heading to the city.


    Perhaps it''s because this butterfly flapped its wings again; during the dozen or so hours spent flying in the sky, Bitcoin rose by 7.5%.


    The current price is 18,812 points, five days away from reaching the peak, and less than two thousand points away from the short-term highest price.


    "Mr. Lu, the market enthusiasm for Bitcoin has exploded across the Three Kingdoms of East Asia."


    Wen Chao quickly walked to the front of the car, opened the door for Lu Liang, instructed the driver to head to the company, and took out two documents: "Mr. Lu, one is from Mitsui Sumitomo, the other is from Hyundai Group."


    These days, the market sentiment is strangely positive.


    Wen Chao is a bit worried, so he immediately sent someone to investigate the specific reasons.


    Because only by knowing why the market sentiment is high can we know when this trend will likely end.


    In the past half month, the search engines in Japan and Korea have seen a surge in searches related to Bitcoin.


    Not only that, most banks in the two countries have seen an increase in loan disbursement funds by 150%-220% compared to last month.


    Most of the borrowers are young people aged 18-40, and nearly ninety percent of the loan funds have flowed into the Bitcoin market.


    Everyone seemed to be rushing to grab money, and although there isn''t news from East Country, it should be about the same.


    "It''s almost the same situation domestically," Lu Liang nodded slightly.


    He often browsed Douyin, and recently, finance bloggers reporting on Bitcoin have been increasing, with more and more comments in the commentary area.


    Previously, there were comments but most of them questioned legality and security, but now they are basically boasting about how much they''ve earned or asking how to buy and trade. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Mr. Lu, is this trend going to reach the peak?" Wen Chao couldn''t help but ask, with a hint of worry flashing in his eyes.


    When everyone knows something can make money, it means it can no longer make money.


    Lu Liang sold so many chips at a 20% premium, proving this point''s correctness.


    "It should be soon,"


    Lu Liang chuckled, not hiding anything from Wen Chao.


    He just couldn''t think of what factor would end this trend.


    Market sentiment is like ocean waves, with inertia.


    Just broke through the $20,000 mark, which is the biggest bullish news, yet the trend was immediately cut short, with $20,852 becoming the short-term historical high.


    It''s possible to lure more, but the probability is small because the market sentiment is seriously overloaded, and if you try to lure more, you''re likely to miss out.


    There should be huge negative news directly cutting this trend in half.


    Lu Liang looked towards his hometown; he had entrusted Yang Zhenyuan from Douyin to contact him at the first notice if there was any news.


    This trend started with East Country,


    and it''s likely to also end with East Country.


    If cryptocurrency grows to become the second US Dollar, East Country''s management will definitely not sit idly by.


    The two arrived at the company,


    Wen Chao took out the trading contract signed with Goldman Sachs.


    A total of 630,000 Bitcoins were sold at $16,200 each, with a total transaction amount of $10.206 billion.


    Tianxing Private Equity provided 478,000 chips, earning $7.7436 billion, Xingheng provided 152,000 chips, earning $2.4624 billion.


    Unlike Tianxing Private Equity, which sold all its chips, Xingheng only sold about one-third of its holdings.


    There are still 341,500 Bitcoins and $2.482 billion of available funds on the account.


    The current total assets have reached $8.912 billion, $1 billion in capital, earning 8.9 times.


    "Seems like we made quite a bit." Lu Liang smiled with raised corners, each of the three companies made $2 billion.


    Wen Chao found it laughable and exasperating,


    Where''s the ''quite a bit,'' it''s clearly ''very much.''


    Even Ota Ling would come every now and then to express concern, gifting him a car, and gifting him a luxury mansion.


    Wen Chao followed Lu Liang''s command and accepted everything, because if he didn''t, Ota Ling would feel the money is burdensome.


    And there''s Li Xuanhong next door, who, knowing he has a girlfriend and is about to get engaged, still wants to invite him to wild parties.


    Wen Chao couldn''t stand the harassment and had to inform Lu Liang of his upcoming visit to Tokyo so the invitation was directed at him.


    "But who would ever complain about having too much money?"


    Lu Liang smiled with squinted eyes and instructed: "For the 300,000 or so Bitcoins on account, reserve 210,000, and sell as many of the remainder as possible without affecting the market."


    He pondered for a moment and then said: "Also, help me contact Ota and Zheng Xuanyi; let''s meet for dinner tonight."


    Selling short requires chips; they still have over 2 billion in available funds and chips worth over 2 billion waiting to be sold.


    This short sale will utilize over $3 billion in funds, requiring more investment banks to undertake it and blow them all away.


    Boss Lu is kind-hearted, a great man indeed; such bad people and bad deeds require the help of Ota and Old Zheng.


    After all, with at least $2 billion in profit and long-term income, you can''t let them keep benefiting for nothing.


    At night, Lu Liang and Wen Chao arrived at the Futago Resort in the Shitamaku District.


    Wen Chao said he had been here a few times before, the hot springs here were quite good, and soaking in them when it''s cold is just right.


    Upon receiving the news, Ota Ling and Zheng Xuanyi immediately dropped everything and came here.


    The two of them together are over a hundred years old, but when they saw Lu Liang, they were like old trees sprouting new buds, smiling brightly: "Mr. Lu, how was your trip to New York? If there''s anything you need help with, we would be absolutely willing to die for you."


    "Thanks to both of you, it went quite smoothly."


    The group changed into big shorts, wrapped in bathrobes, and went to the outdoor open-air hot spring.


    Half their bodies immersed in the water, they felt the slightly hot temperature.


    Lu Liang squinted his eyes, took a deep breath comfortably, and said leisurely, "A few days ago, we cashed out a third of our position at the price of 16,200 US dollars."


    "Mr. Lu must have his reasons for doing so, we unconditionally support your decision." Ota Ling was all smiles and was quite the sycophant.


    Even if it''s now surging towards 19,000 points, taking profit early and securing the gains is always a good thing.


    Because according to his estimate, cashing out a third of the position should have recovered the principal of one billion dollars, and now the remaining two-thirds are all profit.


    To ensure that there''s no loss of principal, using the profit to make money is the smart approach.


    Zheng Xuanyi glanced sideways, his eyes full of disdain, thinking that the leader of such a large group acting like a cowering dog every day, wagging his tail was beneath him, and he was ashamed to associate with him.


    With a smile, he said, "Mr. Lu, your vision is as sharp as an eagle; wherever you set your eyes is the direction we advance. Is this wave of the market about to peak?"


    Ota Ling also looked disdainful.


    Seeing their expressions, Lu Liang couldn''t suppress a smile and said, "It feels about right, so I called you two here because there''s something I might need your help with."


    "Mr. Lu, just say the word."


    "No problem, leave it up to us at Mitsui Sumitomo."


    The two rushed to express their support, afraid of falling behind the other and making Lu Liang feel they were dispensable.


    Lu Liang chuckled, scooped up a handful of water, watching the droplets flow through his fingers, and softly said, "After a big rise, there''s a big fall. If handled properly, the earnings might not be less than before."


    He wanted to short, but he needed a lot of chips. This was also a good opportunity to settle old scores and avenge past grievances.


    If any adversarial forces that he disliked had a lot of chips, he could find a way to trap them.


    Shorting is essentially hedging against currency-holding institutions, as it''s their chips that are taken and then sold off.


    So the only losers would be the institutions.


    Lu Liang planned to use not less than 30 billion US dollars, with at least three times the leverage, which is 90 billion US dollars.


    If the Bitcoin price is cut in half, then the institutions providing the short would lose at least 4 to 5 billion US dollars.


    "30 billion US dollars?"


    The two looked at each other, they could see the shock in each other''s eyes, and even their breathing became a bit rapid.


    Lu Liang just said he cashed out a third, if a third is 30 billion, then the entire position is 90 billion?


    80 billion earned in two months?


    But they quickly dismissed this idea.


    Because Lu Liang felt the Bitcoin market was nearing its end, naturally he wouldn''t hold onto two-thirds of the position, and would probably continue to reduce positions later.


    Shorting would be after the reduction of positions, so the 30 billion US dollars prepared for shorting might not necessarily be a third of the current total profit.


    But one thing they could be sure of was that the initial 10 billion had now turned into at least 30 billion.


    Their minds began to race; the opportunity to trap adversarial forces doesn''t come often.


    Zheng Xuanyi squinted and immediately expressed his support: "Mr. Lu, as far as I know, Samsung Group holds over a million Bitcoin, it should be capable of underwriting a 30 billion US dollars short with triple leverage."


    He didn''t like the Li family, and it wasn''t just a day''s annoyance, so taking this chance to make the other party suffer was indeed a good thing.


    Not only making money himself but also making his old rival lose money, perhaps nothing could be more satisfying in life.


    "Can this be done secretly? I don''t want too many people to know about this," Lu Liang asked.


    If it''s a one-on-one contact, then it''s exposing his intention to short to the market.


    In that case, there would be an additional kind of resistance to contend with.


    Because although investment institutions earn interest, if faced with huge losses and divergent opinions about the rise and fall, they would certainly intervene to save the market.


    The T+0 trading model is designed to allow every investor to enjoy fairness as much as possible, with long and short positions decided in a moment, the key lies in the profit and loss.


    Unlike Big A, which directly traps you, buying today, selling only tomorrow.


    Sometimes, one encounters rare Sky Floor situations, thinking they''ve made a spectacular gain when buying at the opening, only for the stock to suddenly plunge before the market closes.


    All one can do is watch helplessly as what seemed like a brilliant operation turns into emptiness.


    Zheng Xuanyi pondered for a moment and then asked, "Mr. Lu, how many days do we have to prepare?"


    "No later than three days," Lu Liang replied.


    Today is the 12th, three days later, it will be the 15th.


    The market will peak on the 17th.