Chapter 151: Hitched to the Chariot

Zhao Cheng and the others stood up, ready to leave, when suddenly, Sun Xin and a few others exchanged glances. They stopped and looked at Xia Yu with some hesitation.

"Sun Xin, if you have something to say, just say it. Don't beat around the bush," Xia Yu said, having noticed their exchanged looks. He raised an eyebrow and spoke.

"Um, Boss, is the Huizhong No. 1 Fund of Jiu Ding Securities under your management?" Sun Xin hesitated for a moment before making up his mind, giving a sheepish smile and cautiously asking.

Zhao Cheng and Sun Changfa also perked up, their eyes fixed on Xia Yu, eagerly awaiting the answer.

Xia Yu raised an eyebrow, his gaze sweeping over their faces as he smiled slightly. 

Even though it was just one question, Xia Yu already guessed what Sun Xin and the others were thinking.

It seemed that before the company was officially established, Xia Yu had promised them that if they performed well, he would lead them in stock trading. However, after making that promise, there had been no follow-up. Now, Sun Xin and the others were subtly bringing it up.

Since he had made the promise and Sun Xin and the others had indeed performed well, Xia Yu smiled and said, "That's right. Although the Huizhong Fund will be managed by Ai Le Wen, I will guide the investments. The returns won't be lacking."

Upon hearing Xia Yu's words, Sun Xin and the others showed delighted expressions.

Sun Xin asked cautiously again, "Then Boss, we want to invest. Is it possible for us?"

"No problem. Not just you, but other employees of the company who are interested can also participate. Hmm… 50,000 Hong Kong dollars per share might be difficult for you to come up with. So…" Xia Yu said, frowning slightly and falling into thought.

Sun Xin and the others stared at Xia Yu, waiting for his further instructions.

It was indeed challenging for each person to come up with 50,000 Hong Kong dollars. They couldn't even meet the threshold, but since the fund was from the boss's other company, they hoped the boss would help.

However, asking the boss to make an exception was bending the rules. Still, missing out on this opportunity was unacceptable to them, so despite their inner turmoil, they gathered the courage to ask.

After a moment, Xia Yu's frown eased as he seemed to come up with a solution. Sun Xin and the others, who were closely observing Xia Yu's expressions, held their breath.

Xia Yu smiled and said, "Here's what we'll do. Those who have the funds can subscribe directly. I will inform Ai Le Wen that for you, there's no need to queue or draw lots; you can subscribe internally as soon as possible."

"For those who don't have enough money, you can pool funds together. To ensure the security of the funds and proper allocation without disrupting the rules of the Huizhong Fund, the subscription will be done under the company's name. The company's finance department will open a separate account, and everyone's money will be deposited into this account with proper records. The returns will then be distributed according to the proportion of funds."

"Thank you, Boss!"

"Thank you, Boss!"

Sun Xin and the others expressed their gratitude with joy.

"Go ahead and share this news with the other employees. Participation is voluntary, and make sure to tell everyone to act according to their means, understood?" Xia Yu instructed sternly.

"Understood!"

Sun Xin and the others replied in unison.

"Go on!"

Once Sun Xin and the others had left, Xia Yu smiled and shook his head.

Opening a special channel for the company's employees wouldn't affect the fund since it would still operate under the standard 50,000 Hong Kong dollars per share. The unified account would maintain the rules.

Removing the 50,000 Hong Kong dollar threshold was advantageous for employees, especially since most of them couldn't afford that amount.

Allowing employees to invest had several benefits. The most apparent was that it would tie them more closely to the company, increasing their loyalty.

Investment returns, coupled with their basic salaries, would improve their lives, boosting Xia Yu's prestige and aiding his control over Jiu Ding Media.

However, there were risks. If the investment failed and employees lost money, their morale could suffer, causing significant issues for the company and damaging Xia Yu's reputation.

Despite the risks, Xia Yu was confident the fund wouldn't lose money. He believed that failure was impossible.

At least within the next five years, there wouldn't be any losses!

If risks became significant after five years, Xia Yu could disband the fund in advance. He had plenty of solutions.

---

After Xia Yu's instructions were passed on to the department heads, Jiu Ding Media Company was abuzz. Xia Yu could hear the cheers from outside his office.

The employees were extremely excited!

Actually, after the investment conditions for the Huizhong Fund were announced by Jiu Ding Securities the previous afternoon, the employees of Jiu Ding Media, as part of the same boss's empire, were already aware of it. With such impressive performance, how could they not pay attention?

Unfortunately, the investment threshold was too high, requiring a minimum of 50,000 Hong Kong dollars. Few could afford that, and even fewer could contribute 10,000. 

They had a strong belief in Xia Yu and wanted to be part of the investment, but the conditions were a barrier. Many employees felt frustrated but had no way around it.

They were thrilled when they learned that the boss hadn't forgotten them and had come up with a solution. How could they not be excited?

Many immediately went to the finance department to sort out their finances, hoping to profit alongside the boss.

The news spread to other industry peers, making them envious and eager to join Jiu Ding Media for such benefits.

Indeed, they saw it as a benefit—having a stock god leading them, how could they lose?

At that moment, they wished their own bosses were stock gods too!

Some companies and individuals were inspired to pool funds for subscription.

However, despite the allowance for this, the initial 1,000 shares were limited, and Ai Le Wen would select high-quality investors. The chance of being selected was slim.

---

In the following two days, Xia Yu shuttled between Jiu Ding Media and Jiu Ding Securities, closely monitoring the situation at both companies.

After two days, Huizhong No. 1 Fund had already completed 50 million Hong Kong dollars in subscriptions. The progress and enthusiasm boosted Ai Le Wen and others' confidence, eagerly anticipating the upcoming wine party.

With half of the funding already subscribed, many with funds but no subscriptions hoped to secure shares at the wine party or wait for any remaining shares to be made available.

The news of the wine party held by Jiu Ding Securities spread rapidly, with invitations being sent out. Many eagerly awaited their invitations.

Receiving an invitation to Jiu Ding Securities' wine party was considered a status symbol, as most invitees were believed to be capable of investing over 1 million Hong Kong dollars.

Some minor tabloids reported who received invitations, and each time a wealthy individual or large enterprise owner received an invitation, it caused a stir.

In the midst of the external excitement and anticipation, a week quickly passed, and the day of Jiu Ding Securities' wine party arrived.