Chapter 37: Request to Serve You

"Mr. Zhou, after these few days of the stock market crash, apart from a few fund companies supported by large financial groups, most of the medium and small-sized funds have encountered significant problems with their capital chains. According to your instructions, I've conducted a comprehensive assessment of these fund companies. Several of them meet your requirements, and I believe their fund operations and management models are quite scientific. Should I now initiate contact with these fund companies?" 

In the luxurious sea-view room of the Victoria Hotel, Zhou Ming was listening to Wang Yunlong's report over the phone, appearing quite irritated. He replied, "No need. The Hang Seng Index hasn't bottomed out yet, so we're in no rush."

"But Mr. Zhou, as I understand it, these fund companies are frequently in contact with major banks. If they secure loans from the banks, it will be difficult for us to acquire them later," Wang Yunlong said. "So I think it might be wise to make some preliminary contact with them now to gauge their attitude and maintain our advantage."

"I've said no!" Zhou Ming retorted. "Think about it. Given the current dire economic situation in Hong Kong, even large financial groups are struggling to manage their own funds. They don't have the energy or financial resources to worry about the survival of unrelated fund companies!"

Wang Yunlong cautiously said, "But their contact with banks…"

Zhou Ming interrupted sharply, "That's just for show, meant to reassure their investors and maintain the credibility of their fund companies!"

"Mr. Zhou, you don't seem to be in a good mood?" Wang Yunlong asked.

"No," Zhou Ming replied. "Manager Wang, what you need to do now is keep a close watch on these fund companies and gather as much information as possible. When the time is right, I'll have you handle the acquisitions. For now, focus on this, and I have other matters to attend to."

After ending the call, Zhou Ming glanced at Lin Muqing, who was smirking at him, and his mood darkened even more.

Zhou Ming couldn't help but be annoyed. Lin Muqing had suddenly become affectionate with him, but just as his hand touched her chest, she had regained her composure. Zhou Ming sensed that her struggle was not very strong and understood that it was just her way of hesitating. With a little more effort, things could easily progress.

Just then, Lin Muqing's pager went off, causing her to decisively push Zhou Ming away.

The pager was from Wang Yunlong. Being interrupted during such a moment left Zhou Ming quite displeased, although he knew that even if Wang Yunlong hadn't paged, Lin Muqing's reluctance might have prevented anything from happening. Still, being interrupted was never enjoyable.

"You little rascal, who would have thought you'd be so lustful?" Lin Muqing said with a giggle, clearly more pleased than upset.

"There's nothing I can do. With you being so beautiful, even someone like Liu Xia Hui would find it hard to resist," Zhou Ming replied.

Lin Muqing gave Zhou Ming a playful look and said, "Stop shifting the blame to me. I think it's because you have improper intentions all the time that you act this way."

Zhou Ming thought to himself, with such a beautiful woman in front of me dressed so seductively, if I still had proper intentions, I'd either be physiologically or psychologically deficient!

Seeing Zhou Ming's helpless expression, Lin Muqing walked over, crouched in front of him, and looked up. "You're going to be a big shot in the business world, and you must have the strongest resolve. You know what you should and shouldn't do, and when you should do it. If I hold you back, I'd feel guilty for a lifetime. You wouldn't want me to feel that way, would you?"

Zhou Ming knew that Lin Muqing was comforting and encouraging him. Mature women are different from naive girls; they know how to capture a man's heart.

Looking at Lin Muqing, Zhou Ming suddenly said, "Muqing, you're showing."

Lin Muqing gasped and quickly covered her chest. However, when she looked down, she realized that her buttons were not undone and knew Zhou Ming was teasing her. Lin Muqing shot him a glance and said, "You little troublemaker, always so improper!"

**---

On the fourth day of the stock market crash, the Hong Kong Stock Exchange announced a suspension to clear the large number of unfinished trades during the crash.

Upon hearing the news, Wang Yunlong immediately contacted Zhou Ming. Zhou Ming, along with Lin Muqing, met Wang Yunlong in the Victoria Hotel's third-floor restaurant. Before Wang Yunlong could even sit down, he excitedly told Zhou Ming, "The market is suspended. I didn't expect the Stock Exchange to actually announce it!"

Zhou Ming signaled Wang Yunlong to sit down. After Wang Yunlong took a sip of water, he couldn't contain his excitement and said admiringly to Zhou Ming, "Mr. Zhou, you're truly prophetic! The Stock Exchange indeed couldn't withstand the financial pressure and announced the suspension. Chairman Zhang Zhaofu of the Stock Exchange is really a fool. Doesn't he know that this will not only fail to stabilize the financial situation but will actually exacerbate market panic? The whole world is experiencing a stock market crash, and others are not suspending their markets. Why is only Hong Kong doing so? Is his brain filled with water?"

Zhou Ming smiled and said, "Actually, I don't see anything wrong with it. Hong Kong's economy was already full of holes. Now, taking this opportunity to burst the economic bubble and let Hong Kong's economy return to its true state is better than maintaining the false prosperity."

Zhou Ming didn't know the real intention behind the suspension, but it was undeniable that the stock market crash had directly led to the establishment of the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission and had gradually put Hong Kong's financial market back on track.

Lin Muqing said, "Regardless of why the Stock Exchange announced the suspension, it's not a bad thing for us."

"It's not just not a bad thing; it's a huge benefit," Zhou Ming said. "As Manager Wang mentioned, the suspension will increase market panic. Once the market reopens, the panic accumulated during the suspension days will likely explode, and it's possible that the index could drop more than a thousand points in a day."

"A thousand points? That… that's unbelievable!" Wang Yunlong exclaimed.

Zhou Ming didn't explain further. After all, the Hang Seng Index had dropped less than five hundred points during the crash so far. Even with his pessimistic forecast, it was hard to imagine that the index could fall more than double its previous total on the first day of reopening. That would be an extraordinary drop.

**---

"This Hong Kong stock market crash is just a chain reaction of the global financial crisis. The suspension is only to clear some unfinished transactions, not a sign of collapse. Please do not speculate unnecessarily. Currently, after urgent consultations among the Stock Exchange, Hong Kong government, and major banks, the Hong Kong government will use the foreign exchange fund, and major banks will also contribute, totaling over twenty billion Hong Kong dollars to stabilize the market. So, please have confidence in the Hong Kong market…"

This was the statement from Zhang Zhaofu, Chairman of the Stock Exchange, at a press conference. In the private dining room of the Victoria Hotel, Zhou Ming, Lin Muqing, Wang Yunlong, and Sun Wei were watching this on the room's TV.

Hearing Zhang Zhaofu say that the government and banks would invest twenty billion to stabilize the market, Sun Wei couldn't help but worry, "Mr. Zhou, won't there be any problems?"

Zhou Ming shook his head confidently and said, "Hong Kong's economic bubble is inflated severely. Twenty billion is far from enough to fill this hole. If I'm not mistaken, when the market reopens tomorrow, it will likely drop more than a thousand points. The Stock Exchange will need to invest forty billion just to barely cover the gap."

A drop of a thousand points and a forty billion hole?

These numbers left Sun Wei in shock. Since the establishment of the Hang Seng Index, he had never heard of such a drastic drop, even in the crisis twenty years ago.

"How is this possible?" Sun Wei muttered.

Zhou Ming looked at him with interest and asked, "Don't you believe my prediction?"

Sun Wei hurriedly shook his head and said, "Of course I believe Mr. Zhou's judgment. I only hope that the Hang Seng Index falls even more than you expect, so Mr. Zhou can earn more money!"

After a moment's thought, Sun Wei cautiously asked Zhou Ming, "Mr. Zhou, I heard from Wang Yunlong that you are considering acquiring some fund companies affected by the stock market crash. Are you planning to start a fund? Can I join your fund company and serve you?"

Zhou Ming bluntly refused, "No. My fund company needs to ensure returns, and your temperament is not suitable."

Sun Wei, feeling anxious, said, "Mr. Zhou, I was wrong before. I shouldn't have been so stubborn. I truly didn't recognize your worth, but I sincerely want to serve you. Please give me a chance to work for you. I will work hard to analyze market data for your fund company and ensure its returns. I beg you!"

Zhou Ming glanced at Wang Yunlong, who said, "Mr. Zhou, I think it's better to have more of your own people in the newly acquired fund company."

Wang Yunlong continued, "Moreover, Sun Wei graduated with a major in economics from Hong Kong University and has worked at a major futures company like Fenghui for several years

. He's certainly advanced in market analysis."

Zhou Ming agreed, "Alright. I can allow Sun Wei to join, but let me be clear, due to his previous issues, he can only do market data analysis and must not be involved in any operational processes."

Having received Zhou Ming's approval, Sun Wei was overjoyed. He immediately said to Zhou Ming, "Thank you for your trust, Mr. Zhou. Once you acquire the fund company, I will work hard for you!"