Chapter 255: What Is This Thing?

After disappearing for two days, the so-called "insider" who had accurately predicted the big change at Yanzhong reappeared in the small garden, causing quite a stir.

With the advent of the internet, various stock trading schools, techniques, and securities information have been rapidly disseminated and amplified. Many new stock investors, with only two or three years of experience, have gained skills and knowledge through online exchanges and diligent study, often rivaling those of seasoned investors.

However, in 1993, the internet was still a rarity, and even computers were scarce. In Xin Rumei's trading hall, the four expensive Microsoft 3.0 systems with 386 processors were treated like treasures, and the staff meticulously cleaned them with a special cloth, fearing that anyone might accidentally damage them.

The primitive Microsoft 3.0 operating system was something Li Xian couldn't be bothered with, having never used anything beyond Windows 98.

Back then, discovering and exploring stock trading techniques was not as convenient as it became with the spread of the internet. Channels for acquiring stock market knowledge were primarily official newspapers or rigid, textbook-like techniques from Hong Kong and Taiwan. Effective information was hard to come by, and most investors, having been burned by seemingly impressive but practically useless methods in the Chinese stock market, became increasingly reliant on another shortcut—insider information.

On the telephone poles or near the newsstands around the Shanghai Stock Exchange, one could often see small ads claiming to offer "senior stock tips" or "inside secrets from the securities commission"—all of which were invariably fake. Nevertheless, a significant number of people fell for these scams each month, highlighting the problem.

The naivety of stock investors was apparent to Li Xian from these observations.

This is also why securities analysts like Jiang Yaowen could be held in such high regard by individual investors—although expensive and often unreliable, they provided a channel for credible guidance.

When a person who had accurately predicted the major event at Yanzhong on September 30 suddenly appeared, they were treated with almost reverential importance.

As soon as Li Xian showed up, Liu Jie, who had seen him in the small pavilion earlier, widened her eyes and let out a gasp, running straight towards him, pressing herself against him like an octopus.

"What happened with Yanzhong?!"

"Teacher Li! What's going on with Yanzhong's suspension? Can you reveal any insider information?"

"Yes! Teacher Li, where did you get this news? Please tell us!"

Overwhelmed by the crowd, Li Xian felt uncomfortable.

Just as he was about to speak, Jiang Yaowen suddenly sprang into the crowd, pulling Li Xian away in shock and confusion. Before anyone could react, the two of them disappeared around the street corner.

"Damn it! Jiang Yaowen wants to keep it all for himself!"

Anger and curses spread through the crowd.

When they reached the street corner and saw that Li Xian and Jiang Yaowen were no longer in sight, the crowd eventually dispersed, with Liu Jie and a few others from the small garden forum deciding to return to the trading hall to investigate the news more thoroughly.

...

After running a whole block, Li Xian finally pulled his arm away from Jiang Yaowen, panting heavily.

It had been too damn easy recently. Being dragged around by someone like Jiang Yaowen, who looked like he couldn't harm a fly, made Li Xian feel somewhat embarrassed.

Damn it, if it were for the stock, that would be fine, but if it were for my handsome face, I might have lost my virginity today!

After catching his breath and making up his mind to exercise more in the future, Li Xian complained, "What's the matter with you?"

He stared at Jiang Yaowen, full of dissatisfaction.

Jiang Yaowen was also out of breath, having exhausted almost all his strength during the chase. If he didn't think that this might be his chance to reach the pinnacle of his career, he would never have been able to muster such energy.

"Little brother, please tell me how you knew about the big move at Yanzhong on September 30? Do you know anything else? Will Yanzhong go up after the market opens? Don't worry, I won't let you work for nothing! I remember you said you didn't have the capital to enter the market, right? If your information is valuable, I can help you make a big play!"

Li Xian couldn't help but laugh inwardly at these words.

Looking around, he motioned for Jiang Yaowen to come closer and, once he did, whispered, "I heard it from my cousin who works at Baoneng Group..."

As soon as Jiang Yaowen heard this, his eyes lit up. "You mean Baoneng really wants to acquire Yanzhong?"

Li Xian nodded innocently. "Yes. My cousin said Baoneng is making a big move this time, aiming for a long-term play."

"What else did your cousin say?" Jiang Yaowen grabbed his hand eagerly. "Did he mention Baoneng's specific plans?"

Li Xian sighed. "Yanzhong's stock once reached 380 yuan per share at its peak. It has a lot of potential, and its stock structure is clear, with no major shareholders or government background—easy to operate. Honestly, my cousin wanted to make some money from this and hoped to benefit from Baoneng's influence in the Shanghai Stock Exchange. But his supervisor found out and he got fired. That's all I know."

Li Xian noticed that Jiang Yaowen's face showed a brief flash of intense joy before it quickly faded.

"Jiang Ge, if you want to make a big move, can you take me along? I don't know much about the stock market, and it would be great to have someone knowledgeable guide me!" Before Jiang Yaowen could fully process the information, Li Xian asked innocently.

"Ah, oh. Well… this information is quite vague," Jiang Yaowen said, now letting go of Li Xian's arm, which he had been holding tightly before.

Seeing Li Xian's disappointed look, Jiang Yaowen took out his wallet, pulled out all the cash, thought for a moment, and put some back before handing it to Li Xian.

"Here! Take this. I need to go contact some people right away and don't have time to treat you to a meal. Although your information isn't very useful, I'm not one to take advantage of people for nothing. I'll see if I can find a few people to make a play. Give me your contact details and wait for my news."

Looking at the 800 yuan in his hand and hearing Jiang Yaowen's vague response, Li Xian felt insulted.

Stuffing the money into his pocket, he thought to himself how nice it was, reflecting on what Xin Rumei had once said about Jiang Yaowen. Looking at the greedy pig in front of him, Li Xian gave a silly smile.

"Well, Jiang Ge, I'll be waiting for your news!"

"Sure, sure!"

Jiang Yaowen waved his hand and hurriedly left.

Damn it.

Why the rush?

Watching Jiang Yaowen's disappearing figure, Li Xian spat in frustration.

I haven't even given you my phone number!

...

Even though Yanzhong Industrial had only applied for a one-day suspension and Baoneng Group's sudden acquisition was under investigation, the Shanghai Stock Exchange would be closed for three days for the National Day holiday starting September 30.

However, during these three days, the Shanghai stock market did not fall silent. Yanzhong contacted multiple parties, borrowing over 20 million yuan from Rongyuan and other allied units, and brought in Hong Kong's Schroder Group and Baoyuan Investment Company as consultants, preparing for a counter-acquisition once the market reopened. Baoneng Group also prepared extensively, ready to go to any lengths to secure its hold on Yanzhong. Meanwhile, a small number of retail investors on the Shanghai Stock Exchange were also stirring beneath the surface.

As for Li Xian, the troublemaker, he spent his time visiting scenic spots around Shanghai with the air-headed Wang Tiecheng. Meanwhile, Xu Maoh and Xin Rumei were anxiously awaiting the unpredictable stock price movements of Yanzhong in the trading hall.

Three days passed quietly.

On October 4th, the Shanghai Stock Exchange opened.

Thousands of investors gathered outside the exchange, the scene reminiscent of the frenzied atmosphere during the previous financial boom. In fact, it was even more intense, as everyone was driven by a shared curiosity—how would Yanzhong's stock perform after the suspension?

Minutes later, the market information was released.

When the red line for Yanzhong Industrial appeared on the market screen, the stock exchange descended into chaos!