2003: Starting with Foreign Trade

Chapter 40 Stock Trading in 2004
During the day, relatives from both sides called to congratulate her after learning of the successful delivery, and some who lived nearby went to the hospital to visit her.

Zhang Xupeng's parents also came to visit during their lunch break.

Just as the family was immersed in joy, Zhang Xupeng called.

The final payments for both orders have been received!

The remaining balance of the two orders, totaling $6.45, arrived in my account last night and this morning, respectively, thus completing the first order transaction.

Converted to RMB, that's 53 yuan, which thrilled Zhang Xupeng.

"Xiao Tan, we've already started making money?"

"Yes, you've made money. Have you decided how to spend it?"

"Ah, I hadn't thought of that. Didn't you say there wouldn't be any dividends this year?"

"No dividends, but you can still pay my salary. Have the accountant prepare the payroll as soon as possible and transfer my salary to me. I'm waiting to spend the money."

"Oh right, but what kind of money do you need? Your sister was born?"

"Yes, she was born this morning. Your parents just came to see her, they only left a little while ago."

The birth of his younger sister naturally didn't cost much money. As for gifts, they had already been bought before. Besides legally avoiding taxes, Tan Jincheng also had another purpose for paying salaries to himself and Zhang Xupeng.

That means investing in Moutai liquor company through a fixed-amount investment plan, setting aside 2 yuan each month to buy Moutai liquor company stock.

These past few days, when he's been at home with nothing to do, Tan Jincheng has been checking the stock price of Moutai liquor. For some reason, the stock price of Moutai liquor has been falling every day this month.

The price has fallen from nearly 40 yuan to just over 36 yuan, but it has risen a little in the last two days and returned to above 37 yuan.

Tan Jincheng didn't know why the price was falling, and he was too lazy to care; he'd prefer it to fall every day.

Based on a share price of 40 yuan, 2 yuan can be used to buy 500 shares every month through regular investment. By buying several hundred shares every month while the share price is cheap, it is more cost-effective than investing in a house.

If the stock price goes from 40 yuan to 2000 yuan, plus dividends, that's more than 50 times the initial investment. The appreciation potential is phenomenal.

2 yuan cannot buy a house now or in the future; but there are ways to buy a house with 2 yuan.

Although he hadn't been trading stocks for long, Tan Jincheng was aware of the bull market that occurred between 2006 and 2007, as well as the financial crisis in 2008 and the plasticizer scandal that followed the liquor industry.

It doesn't matter if you can't remember all the stocks, as long as you can remember some key time points and major trend changes, trading stocks with a cheat is that simple!
Zhang Suzhi was discharged from the hospital on December 1.

Obstetrics and gynecology beds are always in short supply. If it weren't for being an older mother and having some connections, you wouldn't be allowed to stay for so long.

For some women who have a natural birth, as long as the baby is healthy, they will be discharged from the hospital on the same day.

These days, there aren't many postpartum care centers. People usually go home to recover after childbirth. If they have better financial means, they can hire a nanny. If they don't have much financial means, their mother-in-law or their own mother can help take care of them.

Tan Jincheng wanted to find a nanny.

However, the two old ladies were not happy. They had taken care of so many daughters-in-law during their postpartum period. Did they really need to hire a nanny? Wouldn't that be a slap in their face?
As a junior, Tan Jincheng didn't dare to say anything; well, that's how it was in his previous life too, so if they didn't invite him, they didn't invite him, it's not a big problem.

In Yicheng, there is a ceremony called "Da San Chao" after a child is born, which is similar to a full moon celebration. However, many relatives in the countryside are working away from home, so it has to be postponed until after the New Year.

Tan Jincheng has been back for ten days now, and staying at home all the time isn't a good idea.

After being discharged from the hospital, Tan Jincheng realized he couldn't fit any more room at home, so he decided to get his driver's license as soon as possible and return to work in Beicang.

Tan Lihua had been practicing driving for over a week, and the instructor said there were no problems, so she couldn't continue.

The main problem is that I'm annoyed. My son is very opinionated now, and he has a whole set of theories about postpartum recovery, which makes me, his father, lose face.

Besides, now that he had a daughter, his son was no longer important; it was better for him to get out of there as soon as possible. The next day, Tan Jincheng, who had spent the night sleeping on a makeshift bed on the living room floor, contacted his coach and began preparing for the exam after getting his father's permission.

The coach readily agreed, telling Tan Jincheng that he could just go for the exam this Saturday, and he would take care of everything else.

This Saturday, a group of students will be taking the exam together.

It's only Thursday today, we still have to wait two more days!

With nothing to do at home, Tan Jincheng decided to open a securities account, since his salary was due to be paid in the next couple of days.

"Mom, I'm going out for a bit. I have something to take care of."

He shouted into the room and ran off. He couldn't say he was going to open a securities account, because in the eyes of his elders, stock trading was no different from gambling.

It's strange, but when you lose money in business, people will advise you and even comfort you, saying that you will have a chance to make a comeback in the future.

But if you say you lost money in the stock market, you'll only be called an idiot.

In 2004, securities companies were still very high-end. Opening an account at the counter in the securities hall felt somewhat similar to doing business at a bank.

Looking back, the procedures were indeed quite cumbersome, and the small city lacked a service-oriented mindset, with the staff being arrogant and overbearing.

Of course, if you are a wealthy person, then the situation is quite different.

Shareholder account card, fund account card, transaction card—these were all things Tan Jincheng had never seen before, and it took him a long time to get them set up.

After completing the formalities, Tan Jincheng was not in a hurry to leave. He wanted to observe up close how stock market investors traded in this era.

The next day, Tan Jincheng came over again, and the money had already been transferred into the account.

You know what, trading stocks these days is quite interesting. Unlike in later generations when you could trade anytime, anywhere, although you can also place orders online, most people don't have that option.

The securities trading hall had rows of chairs and a large screen, a layout similar to a high-speed rail station in later times.

When checking stock prices, we usually just stare at a big screen, and all we can see on that screen is some basic information.

It cannot be represented by later candlestick charts or technical indicators.

As for the operation, it also takes place in the lobby.

The lobby is filled with rows of computers. You swipe your trading card to activate the machine and buy or sell stocks. The most bizarre thing is that this thing also has time restrictions for trading.

Even so, you still have to fight for these computers to operate them.

The hall was bustling with people, mainly elderly men and women, and arguments would occasionally break out.

After two days, Tan Jincheng couldn't help but exclaim, "This is truly eye-opening! To be able to break even like this is just lucky."

Knowing nothing, just staring at a few strings of numbers on the screen, and having to fight over a few broken computers—that's what you call exploiting people!
In other words, it caught up with the development of the times; if it were left in later generations, even bitter tea seeds would be gone.

To deceive these retail investors, securities companies have even started night schools to teach novices how to operate. Can you believe that?

Today, Tan Jincheng also managed to snag a computer and tried out the operation for the first time. He bought 500 shares of Moutai liquor at an average price of 36.80 yuan. Moutai liquor closed at 36.74 yuan today.

The handling fee was 0.3%, and the stamp duty wasn't cheap either. In one round trip, Li Jinglan lost her entire day's wages!
Thankfully, I have memories of the future. If I were to use the stock trading method like the old folks in the lobby, I would lose everything no matter how many clothes I sold.

"After being reborn, I started my own business to make money and replenish my reserves!" The buff is fully stacked, isn't it?
After witnessing such a brutal way of operating these days, Tan Jincheng decided that he couldn't tell anyone about buying stocks; he couldn't afford to lose face.

"Even a dog wouldn't touch this stuff!"

(End of this chapter)