A Conversation Between an Idiot and a Bastard
"The food tastes great."
"I was going to..." Tang Boqi thought for a moment, then suddenly gave a self-deprecating laugh, "Never mind, actually I don't know what to say to ease the tension, let's just eat something."
As Song Tianyao savored his dessert, he casually remarked, "You're interested in running a real business? Not planning on going to Wall Street?"
"How can I get there? My dad treats stockbrokers and swindlers the same way. The fact that he's even letting me come to Hong Kong is already a favor; otherwise, he'd be planning to open another laundromat for me to manage." Tang Boqi sipped his mistletoe tea, his tone somewhat frustrated. "If I had known that Ah Yuan and his son did business this way, I would have preferred to upset my dad rather than come to Hong Kong in the first place."
"Actually, you can do some business in Hong Kong on your own, instead of having to make wigs with the Tang family. There are many other businesses you can do in Hong Kong." Song Tianyao winked at Tang Boqi: "You're very interested in finance and stocks, so you should know a little about the Hong Kong stock market."
"Of course." Although Tang Boqi didn't know why Song Tianyao had steered the conversation to finance and stocks, he nodded frankly. "The Hong Kong Stock Exchange Limited is practically a carbon copy of stock Stock Exchanges in some British and American countries. Although most people in Hong Kong are China person, the exchange's trading language and documents are all in English, excluding most potential Chinese investors. What's worse now is that foreign stockbrokers are leaving Hong Kong because of the possibility of a subsequent war in Hong Kong following the Korean War, choosing to return to London or go to other Britain colonies. Stock trading volume has plummeted, and the stock market is stagnant."
"It's no longer stagnant. In 1948, the total trading volume of the exchange was Hong Kong dollars 159 million. In 1949, the People's Republic of China was founded, and panic gripped the Hong Kong financial market. The trading volume of the Stock Exchange plummeted by half to only Hong Kong dollars 80 million. In 1950, which was last year, the Korean War broke out, and the annual trading volume of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange was Hong Kong dollars 60 million, the lowest point since World War II. At the beginning of 1951, the United States stated that it would not harm the interests of its allies. Asia is an important part of the United States' global strategy. Thanks to the United States attitude, the trading volume of Hong Kong securities reached HK Hong Kong dollars 83 million in the first half of the year, exceeding the total trading volume of 1950. However, the Hong Kong Embargo Order was subsequently strengthened, and the United States clearly supported Japan in suppressing Hong Kong, leading to a further decline in trading volume in the second half of the year. The annual trading volume finally settled at Hong Kong dollars 140 million. Many analysts believe that this year's trading volume will not exceed Hong Kong dollars 100 million," Song Tianyao said to Tang Boqi.
Tang Boqi was immediately intrigued by the series of data Song Tianyao presented. With an economics background, he didn't think like an ordinary investor. Even when the stock market was stagnant or in a slump, he could still keenly spot the bright spots.
Just as Tang Boqi was about to ask further questions about the numbers Song Tianyao had mentioned, his expression suddenly changed. He gave Song Tianyao the middle finger again and, mimicking a Cantonese accent, cursed at Song Tianyao, "Damn it! Again? Trying to bait me again? Last time you tricked me into thinking I was a fool by talking about stocks and going to negotiate with United States distributors, making me fall so far behind you. Now you're trying to distract me by making me focus on the stock market and researching data, then sneakily sabotage my fake hair business?"
Seeing that the other party had realized what was happening, Song Tianyao immediately showed a disappointed expression and sighed, "See? What's so great about being smart? I clearly introduced you to a way to make money, but you insisted that I was trying to trick you and harm you."
Tang Boqi felt sweat almost beading on his forehead. Damn Song Tianyao, this guy was too good at understanding people's hearts. He knew Tang Boqi was interested in stocks and immediately started talking about the Hong Kong stock market environment and some data. When those data were mentioned, Tang Boqi had to admit that he was very interested in the stock market and had the urge to learn more about the Hong Kong stock market.
Even an idiot, instead of buying stocks, could spend money to buy a brokerage seat on the exchange now. As long as he holds onto it through this downturn, he could sell it and make a small profit once the stock market recovers slightly.
However, the stock market is extremely energy- and time-consuming. If one makes money early on, one will naturally and unconsciously tend to invest more energy and time in it. Meanwhile, Tang Jingyuan and his son Tang Wenbao are left to manage the fake goods business, facing off against Song Tianyao?
Tang Boqi thought that when the father and son were penniless in the end, they wouldn't even know how Song Tianyao had driven them to bankruptcy.
"There might be some opportunities in the stock market, but I think the opportunities in the wig business are greater right now." Tang Boqi relaxed himself and said to Song Tianyao with a smile, "Trying to drag me into this mess? I'll keep an eye on you. Forget it."
"Alas, I offered my heart to the bright moon, but the bright moon shone on the gutter." Song Tianyao swallowed a candy and said to Shiwen in an irritating tone, "Sooner or later you'll find out I never intended to scheme against you."
Chapter 264 A Dialogue Between an Idiot and a Loser
Lou Fengyun stood nervously in front of the life-sized dressing mirror, watching Meng Wanqing smooth out the wrinkles at the back of her fiery red cashmere suit. Even the soothing jazz music playing from the record player next to her couldn't ease her tension.
Whether she was the owner of Gambling den or now managing Song Tianyao's wig factory, Lou Fengyun always wore traditional China clothing. In the factory, she wore a comfortable jacket, trousers, and wooden clogs, and when she needed to go out, she would change into a proper cheongsam and high heels. Even now that the factory is making money, she has never worn this cashmere suit, which is said to have been bought from a Britain department store as a sample and personally imitated by Meng Wanqing's father, Meng Chengzhi. It is said that only women working for large Britain companies wear it.
"Here's another brooch." Meng Wanqing took a silver rose brooch from the jewelry box on the dressing table next to her and pinned it to Lou Fengyun's blouse.
After helping Lou Fengyun pin the brooch, Meng Wanqing took two steps back, looked at Lou Fengyun in the mirror, and said in a calm voice, "It seems like something is still missing."
In the mirror, Lou Fengyun's hair was styled into a simple yet elegant updo. The gold earrings she previously wore had been replaced with crystal studs. Her fiery red cashmere suit perfectly accentuated Lou Fengyun curvaceous figure. The skirt hem covered her knees, revealing only a section of her snow-white calves covered in sheer stockings and a pair of high heels on the floor.