Chapter 108: We need to black ourselves up

'I think this is the first time, and I'm afraid it will also be the only time, that I don't want to see the stock price of my company rise.

Tong Gang said with a self-deprecating tone. At this moment, he was sitting on the sofa in the living room of Zhou Ming's suite at Hotel No. 1. Next to him, Zhou Ming, Su Han, Du Peng and Li Cheng had also taken a seat. However, everyone's mood was not high. Li Cheng's expression was as awkward and helpless as Tong Gang's. Next to them, Tong Hua had just put down the phone. The news about the stocks in the Chelf market being traded and skyrocketing in various securities companies was what he received the phone call to tell them.

After hearing the news, their expressions were so entangled. But it's no wonder. Generally speaking, as the owner of a joint-stock company, everyone hopes that the stock price of their company will rise all the way, preferably to the sky.

Because in simple terms, a stock is a ticket to a company's assets. It has been proven that each shareholder pays money to support the company's development. This is the case with the stocks of the Cherf market. Since these stocks are bought with money, which company owner would not like to have more money in their company's control? I'm afraid they all hate not being able to control more money.

If this is not the case, in later generations, no listed company boss in China would say that the company's issuance of shares for listing is to make money for the company.

Of course, this remark is actually very disrespectful to finance when examined in detail, and it is not the true meaning of stocks. However, to some extent, it also explains the basic role of stocks in raising more funds for the company.

But I have never heard of a company going bankrupt and worrying about it because its capital chain has broken, that is, because it is short of money. I have never heard of a company going bankrupt and worrying about it because it has too much money.

In fact, many companies will even deliberately manipulate the market to raise their stock prices in order to gain control of more capital and attract retail investors with hot money. However, now, the stock price on the Cherv market has risen by more than 20% in just one morning. Instead of being happy, Zhou Ming and the others are deeply worried.

Zhou Ming and the others were not worried about the law. Not to mention that the financial market in Northern Russia was in a more primitive stage than the domestic market, and the relevant laws were almost a blank. Even if there were clear provisions, this stock price manipulation had nothing to do with them, so what was there to worry about?

This was true, but since it was not Zhou Ming and the others who manipulated the stock price, there was a big problem.

The stock price has risen, but the actual company is nowhere near that level, which shows that the stock price is an inflated situation. Then when this hot money suddenly withdraws, all that will be left is a huge mess.

You have to know that stocks are not something that will be fine once you collect the money. Every time a fixed period of time comes, the joint-stock company needs to distribute dividends to the shareholders. And if the market value of the company suddenly rises by so much, then not to mention anything else, this dividend alone is a huge problem. Because the rise in stock prices was something that Mr. Meta did, and the money was also made there, there was almost no money coming in on the Cherv Market side!

In that case, once Mr. Meta suddenly withdrew his money, there would be a big problem with the assets on the Cherv Market side. In this regard, Zhou Ming still remembered that in the future, foreign hot money would short China, and the central government would resist desperately. In the final analysis, this was also the reason. Only steady progress step by step was the right way. And apart from this, there was actually another, more crucial point.

'They created the momentum in the stock market, made all the money, and then made us take the consequences. Mr. Maita is truly a financial warfare expert from the United States, and his moves are truly extraordinary,' Li Cheng continued, 'but this is also our oversight. We really didn't expect that there would be such a rule in Northern Russia, that unlisted stocks could also be sold on the stock exchange.'

Li Cheng felt very annoyed and powerless when he said this, and not only him, but also the father and son Tong Gang and Tong Hua.

'Yes, this Northern Russia is really strange. Since the securities company is the local stock exchange, shouldn't all stocks be listed with certificates, but just any stock can be traded here? Isn't this a mess?' Tong Hua said very puzzled.

As people from Gangcheng, they know the Western financial rules best, but it is precisely this understanding that has caused them to overlook this point. They have forgotten that this is Northern Russia, not Gangcheng; that all the rules here have been made from scratch; that the people here do not have such a strong sense of rules compared to Western culture, let alone the situation here is still unstable, so anything is possible.

Tong Gang waved his hand and said, 'This is not the time to blame anyone. Negligence is negligence. It is useless to dwell on this. How to solve the problem is what we should do now.'

The older generation is still the most experienced. Although Tong Gang also couldn't understand the system of the North Russian Securities Company, he also believed that the stock exchange was not only a trading place, but also had the responsibility to supervise listed companies. It should not be like this, where stocks that have not been applied for listing on the Chelf market can still be traded on the stock exchange.

However irresponsible this is, it has happened. No matter how angry you are, it is impossible to turn back the clock. Only ordinary people would be petty about it, but anyone with a little awareness and foresight would choose to let go and move on.

After finishing speaking, Tong Gang turned his attention to Zhou Ming and asked, 'Zhou Ming, I remember that after initially rejecting Mr. Meta's request for capital injection, you predicted this situation today. I presume you must already have a countermeasure?'

With these words from Tong Gang, everyone turned their heads to look at Zhou Ming. This situation made Su Han feel very happy for Zhou Ming, because Tong Gang and Li Cheng were both famous business tycoons in Gangcheng, and Tong Gang was especially the world-famous second ship king. But now they were all relying on Zhou Ming to make the decision for them. Doesn't this prove Zhou Ming's abilities?

In fact, Li Cheng and Tong Gang, as famous business tycoons in Hong Kong, should not have acted like this. It was just that Mr. Meta's approach was so unexpected that it made them a little at a loss.

Facing the gaze of everyone in the room, Zhou Ming let out a long breath and said, 'There's no other way. Since Mr. Meta thinks so highly of us, we can only self-blacken ourselves a bit.'

'Self-blacken?'

Everyone said in unison, obviously not understanding what Zhou Ming meant by this sudden phrase.

Zhou Ming did not explain to them, but just said to Katerina, 'Please call Mr. Il'yadov for me and ask him to help us arrange an appointment with the media.'

Katerina nodded with a smile and said okay, then picked up Zhou Ming's phone and dialed. Soon, there was an answer from the other end. Katerina said to Zhou Ming, 'Mr. Il'yadov said that he is currently in Siberia and cannot come back in the short term. He said that if you are in a hurry, he can help contact Mr. Kholodov.'

Zhou Ming had heard of this Mr. Kolkhodoy and knew that he was a media tycoon in Northern Russia. He controlled more than half of the media in the country, and even the president had to pay him for his televised speeches.

Zhou Ming said, 'No problem, we can go find him ourselves.'

Katerina helped Zhou Ming convey his words. Zhou Ming stood up and said with great confidence, 'Chairman Tong, Li Dong, don't worry, there is nothing in this world that we can't overcome!'

Time's up. The next day, Zhou Ming and Katerina arrived at a villa on the outskirts of the city, because Zhou Ming had made an appointment with Kolkho to have lunch together at his manor.

Zhou Ming was still riding in the ordinary Volga, but despite its ordinary appearance, Kolkho, a media tycoon from northern Russia, personally came to the door to greet him.

'I am very happy to welcome Mr. Zhou Ming to my manor, and I will definitely give Mr. Zhou Ming a very unforgettable memory.'

In the face of Kolkhod's enthusiasm, Zhou Ming just casually and politely replied, and then introduced his accompanying translator, Katerina, and bodyguard ** to him before following him into the villa.

'I know you Chinese like these small, square tables, so I've specially prepared one,'

Kolkho told Zhou Ming, and indeed the table he was dining at today was not an unconscionably long Western-style table, but a square one, but despite this, it was covered with a white tablecloth and neatly laid with cutlery.

Kolkhodas sat Zhou Ming down, and while he was having the villa servants serve the food, he said to Zhou Ming, 'Today I have prepared the best caviar and the most expensive beef for you, Mr. Zhou Ming. I also specially invited your Chinese chef to come over and make a bear's paw. This bottle of Lafite is from the year before last, and the grapes that year were hailed as the best in Bordeaux in a hundred years. It is most suitable for entertaining a distinguished guest like you, Mr. Zhou Ming.'

Zhou Ming first thanked Kohlhordo, and then said to Kohlhordo after the dish was served, 'But Mr Kohlhordo, I actually came here today because I hope you can help me with something.'

Upon hearing Zhou Ming say this, Kohlhordo put down his wine glass in the first instance and made a gesture of listening attentively. Zhou Ming continued, 'I believe Mr Kohlhordo has heard about the news yesterday that the stock price of the Cherf market skyrocketed at the securities company?'

'I heard about it,'

Kolhodo said with a look of sudden enlightenment on his face, and added, 'I understand. Mr. Zhou Ming, you want me to help you promote the Chelf Market to go with this rise in stock prices, right? This is completely fine. In fact, I don't mind telling you, Mr. Zhou Ming, that I have long had plans to interview the Chelf Market. After all, this market is currently the most well-known commodity centre in the entire Krisco, which is very meaningful!'

But when Kolkho spoke with great enthusiasm, Zhou Ming shook his head and said, 'I think you must have misunderstood, Mr. Kolkho. I did want you to help me promote the Chelf Market, but not positive news, but negative news, as bad as possible.'

Kolkho was stunned. He looked at Zhou Ming in disbelief. At first, he thought he had heard it wrong, but only when Zhou Ming repeated it did he confirm that this was what Zhou Ming had said.