Living in a county town, starting as a stock market maker...

9:30 a.m.

The A-share market opened on time.

The red and green numbers started jumping.

Starry Sky Holdings, Chairman's Office.

Gu Ming didn't look at the news headlines.

He also ignored the congratulatory text messages on his phone.

In front of him was a computer connected to a Bloomberg terminal.

On the screen, a dozen candlestick charts are changing in seconds.

These company names all contain the words "prosperous age" or "splendid".

These are all core listed companies in Shen Guodong's cultural and entertainment media sector.

Gu Ming's fingertip swept across the screen, zooming in on a stock called "Shengshi Entertainment".

Because of yesterday's loss in court and the reversal of public opinion, its stock price plummeted to the daily limit down at the opening today.

Huge sell orders were piled up on the buy orders.

Millions of shares, worth billions, are being sold.

The bigger moves are in the offshore market.

Gu Ming opened another interface, which connected to Su Qingying's real-time data in the Hong Kong trading room.

The moment the A-share market opened.

Hong Kong.

Top floor of Cheung Kong Center, Central.

In the office, Su Qingying wore blue light blocking glasses and looked at the six screens in front of her.

She was wearing a white T-shirt and her hair was tied back.

She is now a trader.

In front of her was a row of red telephones.

Each phone is connected to an offshore fund account.

"Target company: Shengshi Entertainment, Hong Kong stock code 9527."

"Short selling order executed."

"The first batch is 500,000 shares."

"The second batch, one million shares."

"The third batch, two million shares."

Her voice remained flat.

Following her instructions, large sell orders entered the "Prosperous Entertainment" trading system through more than a dozen channels.

On Gu Ming's screen, the price curve of "Shengshi Entertainment" Hong Kong stock began to fall.

-5%……

-10%……

-20%.

The market began to see a sell-off.

Other short-selling funds followed suit.

The number of sell orders is increasing.

This is the rule of the capital market.

"Well done." Gu Ming picked up the coffee on the table and smiled.

He thought that Su Qingying usually followed rules and logic.

But she is decisive in financial transactions.

……

Beijing, China World Trade Center Phase 3.

Shen Guodong's private residence.

Shen Guodong's eyes were bloodshot as he shouted at his subordinate on the other end of the phone.

"Save the market! Use any method, we must save it!"

"Use the company's reserves to raise funds! Use as much as you have!"

"Whoever is shorting us, stop them with money!"

Yesterday's court defeat and Gu Ming's words affected him.

He wanted to win it back with more money.

But he soon discovered that he had no more funds.

"Boss... our reserves... are almost gone..." The voice on the other end of the phone was choked with sobs.

"Then pledge them! Pledge all the stocks and real estate that can be pledged! Go to HSBC! Go to Standard Chartered! Tell them I need an emergency bridge loan!" Shen Guodong shouted hoarsely.

He believed that, based on his credit, he could borrow five billion.

Five minutes later.

The call came back.

The voice on the other end was filled with fear.

"Mr. Shen... HSBC's credit manager said... our company's largest five-year corporate bond, worth 1.5 billion, was... bought out entirely on the secondary market by someone anonymously a week ago."

"What do you mean?" Shen Guodong's brain buzzed.

"What I mean is... now, our biggest creditor is no longer HSBC. And that anonymous buyer... he... he has the right to demand that we liquidate our assets at any time, or... reject any new loan applications we make."

Shen Guodong felt a wave of dizziness and he had to hold onto the table to keep from falling.

Who is behind this?

At that moment, his encrypted phone screen lit up.

It was a text message from an unknown number.

The message read: "Mr. Shen, are you short of money? — Your creditor, Gu."

Shen Guodong's pupils dilated instantly.

Gu Ming!

It's Gu Ming!

He doesn't just wage propaganda wars and lawsuits.

He also secretly became my creditor.

……

At the same time.

The atmosphere was somber at the internal board meeting of the Shen Group.

Shen Lian was dressed in a long black dress and had a serious expression.

She slammed a report on a stock price crash onto the center of the conference table.

Snapped!

"I need an explanation."

Her voice wasn't loud, but the family elders present all felt a chill run down their spines.

Why did the group's cash flow decrease by 3 billion?

"Why, Father, are you going to fight this copyright war?"

"Do you know that your decision caused the family to lose nearly 10 billion in market value in just one day!"

Shen Guodong sat in the main seat, his face pale, his lips trembling, unable to speak.

He couldn't explain why he lost to a young man and even mortgaged his family's assets to him.

His pride wouldn't allow him to say it.

Seeing her father's expression, Shen Lian'an's eyes changed.

She stood up and looked around the room.

"Starting today, I will, with all the shares I hold and those held by my mother, request the board of directors to initiate a restrictive review of the chairman's decision-making power."

Faced with the interests of her family, she chose to take action.

……

12:30 PM.

Three hours have passed since the market opened.

Su Qingying closed all trading ports and began closing out positions.

She dialed Gu Ming's number.

"Phase one is over."

"Statistical results: Using a principal of 500 million yuan, leveraged three times, through long-short arbitrage in the A-share and Hong Kong stock markets and convertible bond transactions of some related companies..."

She paused for a moment, then gave a number.

"After deducting all expenses, the net profit is 1.53 billion RMB."

"We have enough funds prepared for the expansion of short videos."

Gu Ming leaned back in his chair, looking at the sky outside the window.

"Thanks for your hard work."

1.5 billion.

In the past, this number would have excited him.

But now, he doesn't feel anything.

Money is just a number.

He enjoys the process.

……

night.

The rooftop of the Star Holdings headquarters building.

Gu Ming and Su Qingying stood side by side, overlooking the city.

The evening breeze ruffled Su Qingying's long hair; she looked somewhat tired.

"I used to work at Morgan Stanley, where I handled mergers and acquisitions worth tens of billions of dollars." Su Qingying took a sip of red wine. "I thought that was the highest level of deal."

"But I only realized today that I was wrong."

She turned her head and looked at Gu Ming.

"Those deals are insignificant compared to yours."

"I study models, analyze data, and predict probabilities. And you..."

"You decide the outcome directly."

"Gu Ming," her voice changed for the first time, "following you, I've discovered that things can work this way."

Gu Ming smiled but didn't say anything.

He knew that Shen Guodong would not give up so easily.

He will seek help outside of business rules.

AME……

Judging by the time, it should be time for them to come knocking.

Just then.

hum-

Su Qingying's phone, which was placed on the railing, sounded an alarm.

She picked up her phone and glanced at it; her pupils instantly contracted.

She looked up at Gu Ming, her eyes sharp.

"alarm."

"Shen Guodong pledged all of his 'Shengshi' group stocks to the brokerage firm in his personal capacity, but the stock prices have plummeted..."

"The liquidation line has been reached."

She licked her lips and asked:

"Should we... force him to liquidate his account now?"