Chapter 3: Wonder

Zhang Lizhen was intimidated. Zhang Long's attitude and tone were full of confidence. Anyone who trades stocks hopes for a surge; those who can profit from skillful trading would never choose to stir up trouble and behave like a shrew. Anyway, the results would be clear by the afternoon. Wait and see. If the three stocks didn't move as Zhang Long predicted, the plan would remain unchanged—she’d raise hell to the end.

...

"Have you sorted things out?"
"Ahem, yes, I have."
Zhang Long was sweating slightly, realizing that Liang Xue knew about his broken engagement. She had advised him before, saying, "There are plenty of flowers in the world; why obsess over just one?"

From Liang Xue's perspective, seeing Zhang Long focused at work today, he seemed to have moved on. Good, that's how it should be.
"It's really nothing..."
Liang Xue composed herself and scoffed, "It's just a breakup, not the end of the world. Being a servant for the girl's family would be miserable for life; it's better to have split."
"Work hard, make money, and someday buy a house and get married in the metropolis. That'll slap them in the face."

Zhang Long wiped his brow again. Making money isn't so easy. Even outside the Lujiazui area, the average price per square meter at the Bund is 45,000 yuan. Not eating or drinking, he’d only afford one square meter in a year.
Still, there’s hope. Yesterday he deposited half a million but transferred 300,000; now his card totals 3.52 million. It’s not much, but with his “golden finger” open, even if he’s not perfect, he can do much better than before. At least paying the down payment and mortgage should be manageable.

"Enough, let's talk business."
Liang Xue said no more, and summoned the team to the conference room. A new month demanded new goals. Even in a bleak market, there’s still food to be found—though less than in a bull market, at least enough not to starve.

Today was Monday, September 3rd.
Exactly four weeks until the National Day holiday. The “Golden September, Silver October” theme gave them topics for maintaining old clients or developing new ones. Time to work hard.

Most importantly, the investment department would be slimming down, judging by September’s performance.
Eight teams—to be cut to six.
Not only the investment department, but administrative and HR would also gradually be trimmed. Performance is king; those who can’t create value, goodbye before the holiday!

...

"Today is a good day..."
Zhang Long didn’t need to develop new clients; after two years at Shengxin, he was a veteran. His main job was assisting the team in maintaining client transactions. If a departing team member left behind clients and didn’t submit them to the company’s shared pool, the accounts would be transferred to Zhang Long for salvage.

Similarly, if current team members lacked the energy to help clients trade, accounts could be handed over to Zhang Long, with commissions split fifty-fifty.
But nowadays, the stock market was full of trapped investors, and new clients were hard to develop. It was tiresome.

With the company slimming down, Zhang Long’s ranking among the eight team supervisors had always been low. If his performance still ranked at the bottom by month’s end, he was finished.

"Tsk tsk."
At his workstation, Zhang Long’s eyes gleamed.

After some careful exploration, he had roughly figured out the rules for using his eye’s ability to predict stock trends.
First, he could foresee stocks held by clients under his name. Second, Liang Xue’s clients were also accessible. Other colleagues’ clients, if not shared for commission, didn’t work—likely because direct profit linkage was required. Why Liang Xue’s clients were accessible was unclear.
But it didn’t matter.

Also, random stocks on the market didn’t trigger any reaction, but stocks recommended in the daily diagnostic report provided by the company’s analyst team did.
The company forbade random recommendations to clients; all suggestions must be based on the daily report.
It seemed the “golden finger” had to work within company rules and couldn’t break them.
So, effectively, there were no limits.

"Brother Long, Brother Long..."
Suddenly, a voice exploded beside him.
A colleague had noticed Zhang Long’s glowing eyes and drooling, looking as if he was staring at a beauty in the market screen—had he lost his mind?
Wow, breakups are scary and exhausting.

...

"Good appetite today."
At Shengxin, Zhang Long had few friends. His reserved nature and recent heartbreak meant he usually ate alone in the basement cafeteria.
Liang Xue occasionally joined him.

"Not bad."
Zhang Long smiled faintly.
Liang Xue usually ate with other managers. Despite working together for a year and a half, their relationship was never close. Zhang Long hadn’t started in Liang Xue’s team; after his original team dissolved six months in, he was transferred to hers and stayed there.
He survived and became a supervisor.

Earlier in the year, the company restructured team management, adding supervisors to assist with client trading. Zhang Long’s personality suited the analyst role, and with Liang Xue’s recommendation, became supervisor—thus their relationship improved.
But the title was just that; his base salary was the same as ordinary employees, so there was no real value. No commissions meant no share.
He lived on his base pay alone, scraping by each month.

"Let’s cheer each other on."
Liang Xue blinked, saying little but her meaning was clear. If their performance ranked at the bottom this month, both would likely be out. Even if transferred to other departments, prospects were dim—leaving the company and changing careers wouldn’t be polite.

The market’s winter was harsh, but every company was the same. If they could hold out until the bull market, their careers could take off—then, as the company expanded, management like them would soar.

If they left and joined another firm, the bull market would come and they’d still be basic staff—painful.
So, they had to rise to the occasion.

Seeing Zhang Long’s spirit today, as if he was a new person, Liang Xue was actually pleased. At least he was no longer passive and indifferent, ready to resign at any moment. Now he had drive—good.
United, they could weather the storm.

...

"Wow, he really guessed it."

At lunch, Zhang Lizhen ate Shengxin’s custom premium set meal, anxiously waiting for the market to open at 1:00 p.m. Soon, she clicked her tongue in astonishment—Zhang Long was not bluffing.

"Longpeng Technology" broke through its support level, though it quickly rebounded, but it really did drop.
Market sentiment was testing the support level.

Not long after, within ten minutes, another supported stock, "Weiyuan Biotech," also tested its current price support—testing the strength.
The trend was just as Zhang Long had predicted: prices tugged up and down near the support.

Holding support didn’t necessarily mean a big rally would start.
But if it decisively broke, a bloodbath would likely follow, just like "Tuohai Energy" crashing from twenty to five yuan, shrinking by seventy-five percent.
Far too risky, truly frightening.

Amazed: Could he really have guessed right?

But not everyone can bring themselves to cut losses, especially stubborn types like Zhang Lizhen who only recognize gains, never losses. She hoped the support would hold and a rally would start; missing out would break her heart.

"Sister Zhang..."
In the reception room, Zhang Long shrugged. "You’ve seen the trend—it’s roughly as I forecasted. Watch till the close at three; there’s no real danger."

"But if you don’t decide by tomorrow morning, and support breaks, there’ll be no more chance."
"The more it falls, the less you want to sell."

Zhang Lizhen frowned in deep conflict. Zhang Long’s analysis was sensible, but selling meant a real loss—too painful.
But if it really broke support, it would hurt even more.

"Sister Zhang, look..."
Suddenly, Zhang Long smacked his lips. "Tuohai Energy is slowly recovering. If, after an 8% drop at the open, it manages to reverse and close up in the afternoon, it’ll prove the market doesn’t want to break the five yuan threshold and is bullish."

"Downside is small, upside is big—this is an excellent opportunity to buy at the bottom."
"Whether you seize it is up to you."

The final decision and action were up to Zhang Lizhen; Zhang Long could only analyze and advise. Whether she listened or not, he couldn’t force it.

Time passed, the atmosphere silent.

"Xiao Zhang, wait till market close."
Zhang Lizhen’s expression was uncertain, but she wasn’t one to be indecisive if she could come to Shengxin to raise trouble. "If Tuohai Energy closes at the limit today, I’ll trust you."
"I’ll follow your advice tomorrow morning."
"For me and my unborn child..."

PS: The resignation is postponed, first because the golden finger’s permissions will open gradually as described in the synopsis; second, to avoid rapid uncontrolled development, so the protagonist will cultivate himself, build reputation and connections in the workplace first.

Also, pacing will slow down to allow for a longer middle and late stage, aiming for over two million words.

Wishing everyone a pleasant reading experience—much love!