The next day at work.
Dong Xuebin was in an exceptionally good mood today. He had made a small contribution, and his back seemed a little straighter.
This month's salary had just been paid, so Dong Xuebin was a bit better off. Making an exception, he splurged at the breakfast stall in front of the dumpling restaurant by the office entrance. He ordered a bowl of lamb offal, a sesame flatbread, and a tea egg. They said good fortune lifted the spirit, and Dong Xuebin's appetite was especially large today. Still not full afterward, he bought a pancake without a crispy cracker from the pancake stall, spending nearly all the loose change in his pocket and eating his fill.
Burping, Dong Xuebin happily walked through the Chengxi Branch Bureau's battered iron gate.
"Oh, the hero is here." Tan Limei grinned and waved at him.
Dong Xuebin felt smug inside, but he could not show it on his face. He hurriedly said modestly, "What hero? I just happened to be there yesterday. When it comes to writing, I can't compare to any of you."
Chang Juan applied lip gloss. "Hehe, Little Dong, stop being so modest."
Lao Yan chuckled and shook out the morning paper. "That's right. I heard Director Li Qing even praised you after finding out yesterday."
Dong Xuebin gave an awkward laugh. "Please don't flatter me. I really don't have that much ability."
No one knew what Guo Panwei wrote all day long. He was currently bent over his desk, scratching away at something. When Dong Xuebin returned to his own desk, he deliberately glanced at Guo Panwei's. To his surprise, he saw several stock K-line charts, along with words such as "breaking below the five-day moving average" and "capital accumulation." Only then did he realize that Zhou Changchun was probably an experienced stock trader. Guo Panwei was trying to curry favor with Director Zhou through stocks. After all, no matter how much work a leader assigned you, it was still part of a clerk's duties. But if you had common ground with a leader in private matters, or even helped him handle personal affairs, that was different. It could greatly close the distance between them.
Around nine-thirty.
Guo Panwei took the sheet with the K-line charts and knocked on Deputy Director Zhou's office door. He did not come out for half an hour. A little after ten, Guo Panwei finally emerged from the small office with a broad smile, backing out and closing the door as gently as possible. When he turned around, his face was glowing as though he had just been praised by a leader.
Over by the fax machine, Tan Limei was sorting documents. "There's a document that Director Zhou needs to sign. Who'll take it in?"
Guo Panwei instinctively reached out to volunteer, but perhaps remembering that he had just come out, his hand paused.
"I'll go." Dong Xuebin seized the chance, strolled over, and took the document. He turned and knocked on the small office door.
"...Come in."
Dong Xuebin pushed the door open. "Director Zhou, there's a document for you to sign."
Zhou Changchun held several A4 sheets in his hand. As he read the document, he watched the daily chart of a stock on his computer screen. If this had happened some time ago, Zhou Changchun would definitely have minimized the stock software first so Dong Xuebin could not see it. But now that they were more familiar with each other, Zhou Changchun thought Dong Xuebin was obedient and sensible, so there was no need to hide it. "Hehe, Little Dong, the director gave you verbal praise over the phone yesterday. Keep working hard and continue your efforts."
"Yes, I definitely won't disappoint the leaders' trust..." Dong Xuebin could clearly feel that Zhou Changchun's attitude toward him had changed from before. Secretly delighted, he hurriedly rattled off a string of assurances.
After he finished, Zhou Changchun nodded slightly and gestured amiably. "Sit, sit."
Dong Xuebin cautiously sat on the sofa. Not knowing where to look, he glanced at the stock on the monitor.
The stock was Da Qin Railway. Director Zhou had probably bought it, or he would not be staring so intently at its daily chart.
Dong Xuebin had heard on the news yesterday that there was some favorable domestic development. Railway and automobile stocks had collectively risen since yesterday and had been climbing for two days. Judging from the chart, Da Qin Railway had also risen sharply today. It had jumped from 8.59 yuan to 9.03 yuan right at the opening, then pulled back to 8.89 after surging higher, before rising sharply again to 9.25 yuan, nearing the limit-up price.
This was a good stock.
Dong Xuebin looked at Zhou Changchun's profile and saw a faintly self-satisfied smile on his lips.
Not long afterward, Zhou Changchun signed the document and smiled kindly. "All right. Hehe, take it."
Dong Xuebin took the document with both hands and prepared to leave. Zhou Changchun, meanwhile, happily fixed his gaze on the stock, which was still climbing.
But before he could be happy for even two seconds, Da Qin Railway suddenly plunged without warning. An enormous sell order of more than twelve thousand lots crashed down, wiping out most of the buy orders below it. Then came sell orders of more than eight thousand and five thousand lots. In an instant, Da Qin Railway fell back below 9 yuan with lightning speed.
Zhou Changchun cried out and slapped his thigh in regret. "The market maker is unloading! I should've sold earlier!"
Dong Xuebin, who was about to open the door and leave, froze at his words. He turned back to look at the daily chart on the computer and keenly sensed that this was another opportunity.
Back
The scene before his eyes abruptly changed.
His perspective suddenly shifted.
Zhou Changchun swiftly signed the document and smiled kindly. "All right. Hehe, take it."
Da Qin Railway was still fluctuating around 9.26, seemingly about to challenge the 9.30 resistance level.
Although Dong Xuebin felt that it was somewhat abrupt and presumptuous, he did not want to miss this rare opportunity to get closer to a leader. He hurriedly pointed at the monitor. "Director Zhou, if you have this stock, you need to sell it quickly. Automobile and railway stocks already rose a lot yesterday. Once good news is exhausted, it becomes bad news. I think this daily chart is very dangerous. It's about to fall."
Zhou Changchun frowned, unconvinced. "Is that so? I think it can hit the limit-up."
Dong Xuebin urged, "I don't know what will happen this afternoon or over the next few days, but before noon, Da Qin Railway will definitely fall below 9 yuan."
Zhou Changchun was slightly displeased. He shook his head, turned back, and said nothing more.
After being tempered in the government offices for so long, Dong Xuebin had improved somewhat. He knew that if he stayed here and watched Da Qin Railway fall bit by bit exactly as he had said, the leader would definitely not look good. Everyone cared about saving face. Zhou Changchun might think Dong Xuebin was mocking him, or develop some other grudge. That would only make things worse.
Dong Xuebin steadied himself, quickly pushed the door open, and left. Then he watched Deputy Director Zhou's door anxiously.
Five minutes...
Ten minutes...
Twenty minutes...
It was not until the noon break, when Dong Xuebin was about to go to the cafeteria with Tan Limei and Zhuangzi, that Zhou Changchun pushed open the door and came out of the small office. His expression was no different from usual. He smiled and chatted idly with Chang Juan and Guo Panwei. When everyone was about to leave for lunch, Zhou Changchun suddenly called Dong Xuebin over alone. "You know how to trade stocks?"
Here it came.
Dong Xuebin answered, "Yes, I know a little about short-term trading."
Zhou Changchun nodded heavily and patted his shoulder. "Go eat. Help me look at some stocks tomorrow."
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