Capricious Wager

To Yuan Jiancheng, Shen Qiong was the only "lifeline" he could grasp right now. The moment Shen Qiong looked up, he saw the burning desire in the client's eyes.

Yuan Jiancheng (within 100 meters) Age: 45 Health: 76 Luck Value: 5

His highest life skill was Teaching: 43, followed by Communication: 40. Most of the others hovered around 30, with a few exceptions being very low.

Before the client could speak, Shen Qiong asked first, "Sir, are you in the education industry?"

Yuan Jiancheng was immediately delighted, "That's right! Master, you truly are as wise as a god."

The skill value for Teaching was quite special; it wasn't commonly used by most people, which led Shen Qiong to guess the man was likely a teacher or something similar.

Shen Qiong glanced at Ren Tianxue, who was peeking, and raised an eyebrow, signaling, "See? This Master's power is unfathomable."

Ren Tianxue was indeed very surprised, but she didn't show it, forming the word "Oh" with her lips.

Although Shen Qiong was young, after this small display of skill, Yuan Jiancheng completely disregarded his age, his mind solely focused on the fact that he was saved.

"Master Shen! I came specifically to see you today because I want to know about my fortune. I've been losing money in the stock market lately and feel like my luck is terrible."

Shen Qiong glanced at the client's profile. The man's Luck Value wasn't low. As for the stock market, while Shen Qiong wouldn't claim to be an expert, he understood it. Stock trading was highly risky and different from gambling. Gambling relied heavily on luck, but stock trading emphasized the investor's mindset and skills, or rather, their financial management ability.

He found the client's financial management ability value amidst a pile of data. Upon seeing it, he was shocked: Financial Management: 19?

Keep in mind that the average ability value for ordinary people was around 30. This 19 was pitifully low. He immediately spoke, "Speaking of fortune, your luck is actually quite good, not bad at all."

Yuan Jiancheng said nervously, "Then what's going on? I've been trading stocks for five years. I understand everything I should, and I can do some data analysis, but I always lose money."

Shen Qiong frowned and asked, "Are you investing a lot?"

"Sigh, to be honest, Master, I've invested quite a bit. I don't even dare tell my wife because all my money is tied up. Recently, my child is preparing to go to high school, and the family is thinking about enrolling him in some cram schools. I can't tell them the money is stuck in the stock market, so I've been worried sick every day," Yuan Jiancheng said with a troubled expression.

"How can this be!!!" Shen Qiong's expression changed instantly.

Yuan Jiancheng looked up at Shen Qiong, "So please, Master, is there any way to turn my luck around? I believe you can definitely help me."

Turn his luck around? Setting aside the fact that Shen Qiong didn't have that kind of ability, even if he did, it wouldn't help. The client wasn't unlucky; he was simply completely unsuited for investment and financial management.

"Turn things around? You want to rely on the stock market to turn things around?" Shen Qiong asked, taken aback.

Yuan Jiancheng nodded, "Of course. All my money is invested; I can't get it out."

Shen Qiong decisively shook his head, "Impossible!"

Impossible? Yuan Jiancheng looked at Shen Qiong, somewhat bewildered, and asked, "Why?"

"I already did a fortune telling for you before you came in. Your luck isn't bad. If I have to explain why you keep losing money in the stock market, the only explanation is that you are simply not suited for stock trading." Shen Qiong tried to persuade him to give up the idea.

"I'm not suited for stock trading? How is that possible! I've been doing it for five years! Master, you might not know, but there's a lot to stock trading! You have to look at the technicals, the capital flows, and even contend with major players. These things don't happen overnight."

Yuan Jiancheng explained, "While I wouldn't say I'm an expert, I do have some insights. I think it must be bad luck. Could someone be sabotaging me?" He tried to shift the blame for his failures onto others.

Shen Qiong frowned deeply, "Aren't you afraid of getting deeper and deeper if you continue trading? Your child needs to go to high school now, and family expenses will gradually increase. In another three years, when he goes to college, it will be even more so."

"That's why I asked Master to help me! The stocks I bought today fell again. What do you suggest I do!" Yuan Jiancheng said anxiously.

Shen Qiong didn't hesitate, "Sell! Then clear your positions. Never touch the stock market again, nor any other financial products. You are not suited for investment and financial management."

Yuan Jiancheng's eyes widened, clearly unable to believe what Shen Qiong was saying.

"You... on what basis do you say I'm not suited for financial management?" he asked angrily.

Shen Qiong retorted, "Then tell me, are you currently losing or profiting?"

"Of course, I'm losing! If I were making money, would I be here looking for you?" Yuan Jiancheng said indignantly.

Ren Tianxue felt the atmosphere between them was getting a bit tense. She thought the client might be stuck in a rut.

"Then listen to me, lest you get deeper and deeper and unable to extricate yourself," Shen Qiong insisted on his stance.

Yuan Jiancheng immediately became displeased and raised his voice, "I came to you to divine my fortune, not to be lectured on how to live my life. Whether I'm suited for stock trading isn't up to you to decide."

Shen Qiong said coldly, "I can guarantee that if you continue, you will lose even more, and there will be no possibility of winning back what you've lost."

As soon as he said this, Yuan Jiancheng stood up abruptly, pointed a finger at Shen Qiong, and cursed, "Nonsense! I see you don't understand anything at all, yet you claim to tell fortunes! All you do is spout empty words."

Ren Tianxue saw that things were not going well and quickly leaned over to Shen Qiong's ear and whispered, "Why don't you just go along with him? Just fool him a bit and say your luck has turned."

"No!" Shen Qiong refused decisively.

She pouted and looked at Shen Qiong helplessly.

Other businesses tried all sorts of ways to please their customers, but he was the opposite, constantly going against the client.

Yuan Jiancheng sneered, "I bet those online reviews were all bought by you, right? Praising yourself to the heavens."

Ren Tianxue also felt Shen Qiong's approach was lacking and kept giving him signals.

Unexpectedly, Shen Qiong ignored her completely and said coldly, "You don't need to judge my abilities. I'll remind you again, you are simply not suited for stock trading."

Yuan Jiancheng had placed all his hopes on Shen Qiong. Now that his illusions were shattered, he felt immense pain. He hadn't expected Shen Qiong not only to not help him but to tell him he wasn't suited for stock trading.

"I think you two are a pair of scammers. One attracts customers with her looks, and the other pretends to be a god and deceives people, hiring paid commenters online to build a reputation."

"What kind of so-called 'Master Shen'! You're just a charlatan who hasn't even grown up!" After Yuan Jiancheng cursed, he turned and left.

Shen Qiong chuckled coldly, "When you lose your family and everything else, you'll regret this."

"What did you say?" Yuan Jiancheng turned back furiously, shouting loudly, "Say that again if you dare."

Shen Qiong stood up, his imposing aura no less than the other's, and said, "I, Shen Qiong, will put it on record right here: if you can make money in the stock market within these three months, I'll pay you double."

Yuan Jiancheng pulled out his phone, turned on the recording function, and mocked, "Come on, say it again. Let's see if you dare."

"I, Shen Qiong, promise that if Yuan Jiancheng can make money in the stock market, after three months, whatever he earns, I'll give him double. If he wins ten thousand, I'll give him twenty thousand," Shen Qiong said with full confidence.

Ren Tianxue stared at Shen Qiong with wide, astonished eyes, thinking, It's just a bit of a spat, do you really need to go this big?

"Fine!" Yuan Jiancheng actually recorded the statement and said sarcastically, "I hope your shabby shop doesn't go bankrupt in three months."

"Don't see me out..." Shen Qiong sat back down.

After returning to school, Yuan Jiancheng borrowed twenty to thirty thousand yuan from a few colleagues he was close to, accumulating eighty to ninety thousand.

At this moment, he was wearing headphones, but what he was listening to wasn't music, but Shen Qiong's voice.

He sneered, "I refuse to believe it. Do I, Yuan Jiancheng, really not have the fate for this? I'll invest a few more tens of thousands, and I'll show him in three months."

Naturally, Shen Qiong had no idea that his well-intentioned advice and casual bet had completely plunged Yuan Jiancheng into the abyss.