Chapter 71

Chapter 71

To keep the fish hooked, Xie Ci picked high-risk stocks, suitable only for short-term investments. If you time it right, you could rake in big profits.

This forum was mostly filled with investors into high-risk, high-reward stocks, or more accurately, gamblers. These individuals thought they could hit it big with one lucky trade and sneered at average stocks. The riskier, the better.

As a result, the forum was filled with people bragging about their big wins every day, while many others lost it all in one go. The vibe was super divided, with heated arguments in every thread.

Every time Xie Ci posted his selected stock information on the forum, it always pulled in a huge crowd.

"Front row! This time he’s definitely gonna crash; there’s no way he’ll be lucky every time!"

"This beverage company just revealed that their ingredients contain carcinogens. It’s obvious some big players are shorting it. Now is not a good time to enter; you’ll just lose everything!"

"Popped the champagne, waiting for this guy to lose it all."

"Honestly, I also had my eye on this one, just chickened out."

"This new guy’s a beast! Is he some big-time investor or a Wall Street pro?"

"Upstairs, I think he’s just a clueless newbie."

The forum wasn’t real-name based, so Xie Ci couldn’t verify everyone’s identity. Regular gamblers weren’t who he was after; he only watched to see if Nock would follow.

Soon after posting the second set of earnings, the familiar ID appeared.

Nok: "You have insane foresight! I judged the entry point the same, but I exited a bit late, and I lost some of my gains."

Xie Ci replied: "Did you buy the same one?"

Nok: "Saw your post and threw in a little cash for fun lol."

Xie Ci posted five times in a row, each time with high returns. In the words of the forum gamblers, he hit the jackpot every time.

In just a few days, the number of followers for Xie Ci’s account surpassed a thousand, and the views on his posts doubled. However, most people were waiting to see when he would eventually crash and go bankrupt.

Instead, the returns he posted kept getting higher, totally owning these haters.

"What kind of stock trading genius is this guy? How can he make money on every junk stock?!"

"I bought the same stock a day earlier, but the volatility was too much. I couldn’t handle the pressure and exited early, losing money."

"Saw a forum big shot analyze this stock, but the returns posted weren’t as high as this guy’s. Too strong!"

"Bro, don’t just post stock info; show us the ropes."

Xie Ci replied to the last comment: "Just sharing, not advising. Be careful."

On Friday, Xie Ci saw Nock’s ID among a pile of private messages, expressing admiration for his stock selection and precise timing of entries and exits.

The two chatted all night about some promising stocks in the current market.

Xie Ci took the opportunity to cast the bait again: "I’ve seen your past posts; your professional level is astonishing, far surpassing my investment insight."

Nok: "No, no, no, you’ve been the one winning these past few times."

Xie Ci: "How about we compete?"

Nok: "How?"

Xie Ci: "Let’s pick a category and set a time frame to freely choose a stock from the market. Whoever has the highest return wins."

Nock: "Sounds good! What’s the wager?"

Xie Ci considered using the profit percentage as the wager, but he was currently using his father Xie Qian's account. If the tax authorities looked into large unexplained deposits, it’d be a hassle to explain.

Xie Ci: "The loser has to call the winner ‘Dad.’"

Nock: "Funny, lol."

Xie Ci barely won the first round. For the second round, Nock brought in three people to form a gaming group, saying they were his friends who wanted to play together.

Xie Ci had been waiting for him to recruit players, and he was all for it.

Nock’s circle consisted of either top professionals in their fields or wealthy investors.

These folks were never strapped for cash. They usually hung out in niche forums, playing harmless games, like betting on which poster would lose money or who’d get the highest returns. Sometimes, they’d dabble in high-risk stocks, seemingly no different from gamblers who stake their life savings on stocks. The difference was, they treated it as just a pastime.

Xie Ci needed Nock as a go-between to help him tap into the right crowd and identify potential clients.

Even if he had to retrace his steps, he couldn’t take the same path as before.

When the results dropped, the group chat blew up.

Jiang Ye: "I jumped five spots! My dad’s treating everyone to a hangout, and this time he’ll make sure it’s well arranged. We can decide the time ourselves!"

Chuan Chuan: "I moved up two places, hehehe. I’m free except for New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day."

Qiu Ya: "Trying to dodge family visits, huh?"

Lao Fang: "Did I miss the memo? My ranking didn’t budge."

Jiang Ye: "You’re already at the top. Where else? The moon?"

Wei Wei: "Can girls come? I’m dodging relatives too!"

Wang Hao: "Count me in!"

Jiang Ye: "@Xie Ci @Gu Yufeng, what about you? Come on, I’ll sort out the group stay!"

Xie Ci was in the meditation room of Dahuasi Temple, discussing financing projects with Lei Qiliang. Seeing the message, he replied, "I’m down."

He deliberately waited for a while, but after several screens of messages, there was still no reply from Gu Yufeng.

This guy claimed he’d always reply when busy, but after the holiday, he ghosted us.

A couple of days ago, Xie Ci had called Gu Yufeng, but after just a few words, another call came in on the other end, and they had to hang up hurriedly.

Lei Qiliang brewed some tea and placed a cup in front of Xie Ci. Seeing him constantly flipping through his phone, he asked, "Do you have something to attend to?"

"Not really," Xie Ci locked his screen, placed the phone face down on the table, and continued the previous topic, "Have you looked into this media company?"

"They are indeed looking for investment. The original investors ran away midway because the returns weren't good."

Lei Qiliang glanced at the company information on the table and looked at Xie Ci, "Small media companies like this are a dime a dozen. Why are you so high on this one?"

Xie Ci: "The boss of this company is professionally trained, capable and full of ideas. Seventy percent of the core team are his university startup partners, so the core is quite stable. What they lack is just money and time."

Lei Qiliang was taken aback by Xie Ci’s detailed knowledge. He picked up the documents and skimmed through them, realizing Xie Ci’s explanation was more detailed than the files themselves.

"Compared to the other beverage company you mentioned, which one has a higher return on investment?"

"Short-term, the beverage company’s better, but the media company’s a long-term play—it won’t lose money," Xie Ci replied honestly. "If you’re not investing, I’ll arrange for someone else to invest in this one."

Lei Qiliang studied him intently, "You’re that bullish on the media industry?"

Xie Ci: "It’s not that I’m optimistic."

It’s what he needed.

Xie Ci didn’t elaborate, but Lei Qiliang sensed he was orchestrating something big, strategically positioning his moves for a specific endgame.

A leaf drifted into the meditation room. Xie Ci picked it up and glanced out at the courtyard.

The courtyard looked different from his last visit.

Snow blanketed the well cover and the wall. The persimmon tree was bare, its fruit likely eaten by the old monk Jiekong, with only a few remaining, stark against the snowy backdrop.

He wondered how the fish in the small pond were faring in the cold.

Xie Ci recalled the day he’d run into Gu Yufeng here. Sitting with him, sipping tea and taking in the view, would’ve been nice.

Before leaving, Xie Ci snapped a photo of the courtyard and sent it to Gu Yufeng. He got a reply the moment he stepped outside.

Gu Yufeng: "You’ve got the patience of a saint, yet you’re always at the temple."

Xie Ci raised an eyebrow and shot back, "Then you should visit more."

As soon as he sent it, Gu Yufeng called. Xie Ci answered, and Gu Yufeng said, "I’m a man of the world—vegetarian food’s not my thing."

"Done with work?" Xie Ci asked, strolling down the temple steps.

Gu Yufeng: "A couple more days. Where are you for Spring Festival?"

The mountain wind was biting, icy with snow. Xie Ci shoved his hands into his coat pockets. "At home. I wanted to bring my grandma, but she gets carsick and hates traveling."

Gu Yufeng sounded annoyed: "You didn’t think to spend it with me?"

Xie Ci: "I did, but what’s the point? Would your dad even let you out?"

Gu Yufeng: "If you’d joined my family sooner, we wouldn’t have these problems."

Xie Ci laughed: "I’ll do my best."

On New Year’s Eve, Xie Ci and Xie Qian had dinner at home. The Spring Festival Gala played on TV, making the quiet dining room with just the two of them feel less empty.

Xie Hongguang had reached out, inviting them to join the Xie family, but Xie Ci declined.

Wealthy families are full of drama, and he wasn’t about to deal with those sour faces during the New Year.

After dinner, Xie Ci lounged in the living room, watching TV and scrolling through the flood of New Year’s messages on his phone.

Xie Qian came downstairs and gave him a red envelope.

Xie Ci was caught off guard—he hadn’t expected to get lucky money after turning thirty.

"Every year during the Spring Festival, I wanted to give this to you, but—"

Xie Qian paused slightly, "This year, I finally managed to give it to you."

Xie Ci gestured for him to sit down and watch together: "How did you usually celebrate the New Year in the past?"

Xie Qian: "When I was alone, the New Year didn’t feel special; it was just like any other day."

The father and son sat down, sipping tea and chatting casually.

Xiao Fang lay on the carpet, keeping their feet warm.

Around ten, Xie Qian went to bed. Xie Ci, not feeling the need for any New Year’s Eve traditions, also went to his room.

After showering, he saw a bunch of messages on his phone, one of which was from Gu Yufeng.

"Here’s some lucky money for the revamped old baby."

Xie Ci chuckled, picturing Gu Yufeng’s expression as he sent the message. His smile faded, and after a brief pause, he changed into outdoor clothes, grabbed his phone, and left.

Gu Family Hotel.

Gu Yufeng had circled the family banquet, ignoring relatives and others trying to chat, and found a quiet corner to settle in.

"What are you up to…"

Gu Yufeng checked the unopened red envelope on his screen, swiped to refresh, and made sure his connection was fine.

"Mind if I sit here?" A young woman approached with a glass of wine.

Gu Yufeng motioned for her to sit, then got up and walked off without a glance.

The woman’s next words died on her lips, her expression frozen.

They said the second son of the Gu family was aloof, but she hadn’t expected even a chat to be this hard.

As midnight neared, Gu Yufeng got antsy and wanted to call Xie Ci. As he left the hall, Xie Ci called.

Seeing Xie Ci’s name, Gu Yufeng’s gloom vanished. Holding back a smile, he answered with forced calm: "Too busy to even grab the lucky money?"

"On the road, missed it."

The sound of wind came through the phone, indicating Xie Ci wasn’t indoors. Gu Yufeng was puzzled: "Out this late? Trying to fight the crowd for the first incense?"

As soon as he finished speaking, a low chuckle came through the phone.

"First incense? I’m at your hotel."

Gu Yufeng spun around and rushed to the elevator. In the lobby, he sped up without thinking.

On New Year’s Eve, the outside was particularly lively. The buildings were adorned with festive screens, and fireworks were being set off in various places, creating a strong holiday atmosphere.

But Gu Yufeng had no time to appreciate it; his mind and eyes were focused solely on finding Xie Ci. As he reached the roadside, he immediately spotted Xie Ci standing alone in the cold wind not far away. Xie Ci was wearing loose jeans and sneakers, with a down jacket over them. Hearing Gu Yufeng’s footsteps, he turned around, and his originally cold eyes softened with a smile.

Gu Yufeng didn’t need to pay special attention to know that his heart was racing at that moment.

There was no cover outside the hotel, and the area was under surveillance.

Gu Yufeng, drawn by Xie Ci’s charm, was about to hug him, but Xie Ci pushed him back by the face.

"You won’t even let me hug you—why’d you come?"

"To give my little old honey some New Year’s money."

Xie Ci said, reaching into his pocket and handing over a red envelope.

Gu Yufeng took it, feeling a mix of touched and amused.

Two guys in their thirties swapping New Year’s money—people would crack up if they found out.

"It’s not 520 or 1314, those cheesy romantic numbers, is it?"

Gu Yufeng opened the envelope, "If it is, I’ll totally laugh."

Inside was a bunch of loose change, totaling eighty-eight.

Xie Ci opened their chat, clicked the red envelope, and saw eighty-eight too.

They locked eyes and burst out laughing.

"How’d you guess I sent you eighty-eight?" Gu Yufeng asked.

"Not hard. The limit’s two hundred, and eighty-eight’s the most likely number."

"So you went through all that trouble just for eighty-eight?"

"Feeling touched?"

"You came all this way—let’s use this eighty-eight to grab a room upstairs."

"..."

Xie Ci pulled him back, "Eighty-eight for a storage room at your family’s hotel? Really?"

"Could work."

It was freezing outside, and Gu Yufeng was in a flimsy suit. Xie Ci stopped joking and looked at him seriously, "Wishing you a safe, smooth year ahead and success in your work."

"Wow, getting all serious on me."

Gu Yufeng looked into those eyes that seemed to see through everything, the smile on his lips fading, but he said nothing, then smiled again, "I’m different. I just want you to love me so much you can’t stand being apart."

Xie Ci smiled helplessly, his words sharp, "Who was it that said, ‘I’m fine with my partner not obsessing over me’?"

"That was for everyone else."

Gu Yufeng looked at him, "For you, I’d throw my principles out the window."

Gu Yufeng’s tone was calm, but Xie Ci knew he meant it.

Ever since Gu Yufeng came back and stuck by him, it said everything.

Gu Yufeng’s career wasn’t here, but he’d rather run himself ragged traveling back and forth just to stay with him.

This wasn’t what Xie Ci wanted for him.

But he couldn’t bring himself to let go.

After a brief silence, Xie Ci brushed the snow off Gu Yufeng's shoulder and gently touched his slightly cold cheek, "Let’s head back. You’ll catch a cold if we stay out too long."

Gu Yufeng: "Not coming in for a drink? My dad would be thrilled to see you."

"No, I’m not going."

Xie Ci withdrew his hand, "I’ll come to your place for the New Year after I marry you again."

Gu Yufeng: "Who’s marrying whom?"

Xie Ci said seriously: "You just accepted my engagement gift."

Gu Yufeng laughed in exasperation: "Am I really only worth eighty-eight?"

Xie Ci: "Then tell me how much you want."

Gu Yufeng: "..."

Shit.

I walked right into that one.

After watching Xie Ci get into the taxi, Gu Yufeng headed back to the hotel.

As he entered the first-floor lobby, his phone vibrated. Assuming it was Xie Ci, Gu Yufeng unlocked his phone, but his smile disappeared when he saw the message.

Fiona: "The board rejected the acquisition proposal you submitted."