Chapter 16 - Spank her little bottom

"Second, or third?" Lu Liang pondered, then suddenly smiled. He had already liquidated all his positions; his securities account held 20.38 million yuan in available funds, with nearly 10 million yuan in profits. No matter if the market manipulators chose the second or third option, there would definitely be another small rally ahead. Because the institutional investors still had hundreds of millions locked in the stock—they wouldn't dump their shares before cashing out. Lu Liang wasn't running a big operation. Having made a killing on this major rally, he could exit quickly if he wanted; there was no way he'd lose money. With that realization, he stopped hesitating and deployed half his capital—roughly 10 million yuan. He bought back shares at 30.98 yuan, helping the stock price break through the 31-yuan resistance level once again. The time was now 2:50 p.m. No. 129 Huanghe Road was just an address to most people, the location of Southwest Securities' Shanghai Exchange. But in the financial markets, it was the name of an institutional player—a firm that controlled several funds and managed over 30 billion yuan in assets. "Who the hell is this guy?!""Back again? Does he really think we're just stepping stones?!" The fund manager of HP No.3 was livid. He had joined forces with the teams at No.12 Banquan Road and No.24 Wenzheng Road. The three fund managers had pooled over 600 million yuan to engineer this massive rally for Zhongwen Online. Yet just as they were about to reap the rewards, someone had cheated the game and cashed out early. Ten or twenty million yuan might not seem like much, but it had disrupted their original plan and sent their costs soaring. They'd barely patched up the hole and gotten the plan back on track, only to watch the same culprit charge right back in. "Old Zheng? Or Old Zhou?" He suspected an insider leak. Otherwise, the timing of the sell-off was too perfect—it was like someone had been monitoring their positions. But on second thought, an insider was unlikely. After all, it was just ten to twenty million yuan, a drop in the bucket compared to their total 600 million investment. If they failed to exit in time, it could trigger market panic and a stampede of sell orders, trapping their entire 600 million yuan. They couldn't possibly be that stupid. "Damn vultures." Eliminating all other possibilities, the culprit's identity was now crystal clear. In the stock market, retail investors with deep pockets were called "large traders"—but to the institutions, they were nothing but vultures. Scavenging scraps behind them on normal days, yet now this one had the gall to snatch the first bite of fresh meat—and wasn't even satisfied with that. At that moment, he received calls from No.12 Banquan Road and No.24 Wenzheng Road. Their suspicions matched his exactly, and the mutual distrust faded away. "What do we do?" asked the voice from No.12. "Dump our shares now? Trap him inside?" suggested No.24. The manager at No.129 was seething with rage, but he could only shake his head. "Ignore him. Stick to the original plan." He was furious, yet powerless. The intruder had already sold once before, and this time, the amount he'd bought was even smaller—probably less than 10 million yuan. They couldn't afford to alter their plan just for this guy. They'd have to push the stock price higher later to make up for the losses. "Each firm inject another 20 million yuan. Drive the price above 40 yuan..." ... At exactly 3:00 p.m., the stock market closed. The miraculous late-day rally that countless retail investors had been praying for never materialized. Zhongwen Online closed at 31.30 yuan, down 1.55% for the day. "So it's the second option?" Lu Liang muttered to himself. Barring any surprises, tomorrow would either see a gap-down opening or a steady decline, followed by a compensatory rally next week before the entire trend came to an end. He felt a twinge of disappointment. The institutions behind this stock were clearly nowhere near as bold as those who'd backed Baofeng Technology. If they'd staged a violent late-day surge—or even a dramatic swing from limit-down to limit-up—the stock could've become the next "Baofeng." But obviously, they lacked the courage. Most likely, they were afraid of being summoned for a "chat" with the China Securities Regulatory Commission. Lu Liang tidied up his notes and walked out of his study, catching a whiff of sweet, freshly baked bread. On the dining table sat several plates of just-out-of-the-oven pastries. "I knew you'd be coming out soon." Zhang Qian walked over to the kitchen counter and smiled. "Tea, coffee, or a drink?""Coffee, please." Lu Liang walked up behind her, wrapped his arms around her waist, and kissed her cheek. "Is there anything you can't do?""To keep a man, you have to win either his heart or his stomach—preferably one of them.""Why do I feel like you've won both?""If only that were true." Zhang Qian handed him the coffee with a bright smile. "My vacation's over. I have to go back to work tonight.""So soon? Can't you stay a few more days?" Lu Liang felt a pang of reluctance. These past few days, he'd been spoiled with good food and company; the thought of returning to being alone left him feeling a little lost. "If I don't work, will you support me?" Zhang Qian joked. "Of course I will. It's not like I can't afford it." Lu Liang meant it. He'd actually considered the idea—supporting her would only cost him seventy to eighty thousand yuan a month, a trivial sum for him now. "Save the sweet talk for those young girls," she said, shaking her head with a laugh. Zhang Qian smiled warmly, but there was a hint of melancholy in her eyes. She knew her own situation all too well. If she were a few years younger, she might have said yes—but now, it was impossible. "Young girls don't hold a candle to you," Lu Liang said, dropping the subject. Being long-term friends with benefits wasn't such a bad deal, after all. "What about Lili, then?" Zhang Qian asked with a playful smirk. Last night, Lu Liang had accidentally put his phone on speakerphone. She'd recognized Li Manli's voice—the girl's sweet tones asking, "Brother, when will you be coming home?" were still fresh in her mind. "She's nice. So are you." Lu Liang replied earnestly, making no attempt to defend himself. "Men," Zhang Qian sighed, rolling her eyes at him. Suddenly, her phone rang. She answered it, and her expression instantly turned grave. "Brother Liang, I have to go. Something's come up." Lu Liang's smile faded. "Do you need help?" He'd caught a glimpse of the caller ID: Teacher Lin. From spending time together these past few days, Lu Liang knew that Zhang Qian had a seven-year-old daughter in first grade. If she hadn't mentioned it, he would've never guessed—she didn't look a day over thirty. Zhang Qian hesitated for a moment. "If you're not busy... I could use a favor.""Let's talk on the way." Lu Liang grabbed his car keys and followed her out the door. Zhang Qian nodded. "First stop: the Affiliated Primary School." Her mother usually helped pick up the child from school. But just now, the teacher had called to say that her mother had slipped and fallen while picking up the girl, and had already been taken to the hospital. In the chaos, no one had been able to pick up Zhang Yun, so she was still waiting at the school. Zhang Qian spent the entire car ride on the phone, frantically asking about her mother's condition and saying she'd be there soon. Lu Liang pressed down on the accelerator, even running a red light in his haste. At the school gate, a delicate little girl who bore a striking resemblance to Zhang Qian stood timidly beside her teacher, tears streaming down her face. Zhang Qian jumped out of the car. When the little girl saw her, she immediately ran over and clung to her legs, sobbing. "Mommy! Is Grandma okay?!""Don't cry, sweetie. Grandma's fine. We're going to the hospital to see her right now," Zhang Qian said softly, wiping her daughter's tears away. She turned to the teacher and thanked her profusely. She'd just gotten off the phone with the hospital—fortunately, it was only a fracture. The news lifted a huge weight off her shoulders. "Don't mention it. Hurry to the hospital," the teacher said, waving them off. Zhang Qian lifted Zhang Yun into the car and fastened her seatbelt. Before she could speak, Lu Liang asked, "Which hospital?""The Third Municipal Hospital," Zhang Qian replied, holding her daughter close. "Yunyun, say hello to Uncle Lu.""Hello, Uncle Lu. My name is Zhang Yun. I'm seven years old, and I'm in first grade," the little girl said politely, her big eyes still glistening with tears. "You're such a good girl. Don't cry anymore," Lu Liang said, reaching over to gently pat her head. "I was in such a hurry I didn't have time to get you a gift. How about I buy you something nice later, huh?" The little girl's eyes lit up with curiosity. "Uncle Lu... are you Mommy's boyfriend?""Yunyun!" Zhang Qian exclaimed sharply, her cheeks flushing bright red. "Is that such a bad thing?" Lu Liang shot her a playful glance, then turned back to the little girl with a warm smile. "Yes, I am. If Mommy ever scolds you again, just tell me, and I'll spank her little bottom for you.""Lu Liang!" Zhang Qian gasped, equal parts flustered and annoyed.