Short Selling Henglong (4)

November 21, Monday.

The morning mist in Shan City was lighter than usual. Sunlight struggled through the clouds, scattering broken flecks of gold across the river.

Zhao Chen sat before the floor-to-ceiling window in his hotel suite. On the laptop screen in front of him, the A-share market had just opened.

He entered Sanjiang Shopping's ticker code and pressed Enter.

The screen refreshed.

12.71 yuan.

That had been the closing price before trading was suspended.

13.99 yuan.

That was today's opening price—a limit-up from the opening bell, up 10%, with more than 800,000 lots queued to buy.

The order book did not budge.

Just as Zhao Chen was about to close the market software, the phone on the edge of the table began vibrating continuously. Its screen lit up as WeChat messages popped up one after another.

He picked up the phone and unlocked it.

A WeChat group called "Future Rich Wife Health Tea Party" was flooding with messages—Shen Zhiyi had added him to this dorm group after last Friday's hotpot night.

The group name was supposedly Zhou Xiaowen's creation. She claimed that as long as they clung tightly to Zhao Chen's thigh, all four of them would become rich wives in the future.

The group had five members: Shen Zhiyi, Chen Shuhua, Zhou Xiaowen, Li Jing, and him.

Less than three minutes after the market opened, the group had already exploded.

[Zhou Xiaowen: This is insane, insane, insane!!! It hit limit-up! A real opening limit-up!!! (Screenshot: Sanjiang Shopping at its 13.99-yuan limit-up) I can't buy in! I literally can't buy in! (Emoji: rolling around on the floor)]

[Li Jing: (Emoji: shocked with hand over mouth) It... it really hit limit-up... Oh my god, my hands are shaking... Zhiyi really... bought the right stock?]

[Chen Shuhua: There are 820,000 lots in the buy queue. Based on this volume and market sentiment, it will most likely open at limit-up again tomorrow.

"The Ali + New Retail" concept is clearly the market's absolute main theme right now. No other sector can compete with it. @Zhao Chen Your judgment has been perfectly validated by the market.]

[Zhou Xiaowen: Shuhua, you still have time to analyze that right now?! (Emoji: shaking wildly) Zhiyi! Zhiyi, get out here! How much is your Twelve Thousand Seven worth now? Hurry up and calculate it! Let me be jealous!]

[Shen Zhiyi: ... (Screenshot: holdings profit and loss, unrealized gain +10.46%) My unrealized profit is over thirteen thousand. Honestly, I'm a little dazed right now.]

[Zhou Xiaowen: Thirteen thousand! In one day?! (Emoji: calculator) Wait, my living expenses for next semester are only eight thousand! Zhiyi, you made more in one day than I get for an entire semester! (Emoji: warped with envy)]

[Li Jing: My mom's monthly salary... seems to be about that much too. (Emoji: worldview shattered) Zhao Chen... is seriously incredible.]

[Chen Shuhua: More accurately, that is unrealized profit. It only becomes actual profit after you sell and cash out. But given the market's current enthusiasm for this main theme, as well as the benchmark effect of Ali taking a stake, there is indeed room for further gains.

@Zhao Chen Teacher Zhao, based on your judgment, is there a need to set an initial profit target or observation indicator? Or should we simply hold and wait?]

[Zhou Xiaowen: Right, right, right! @Zhao Chen God Zhao! Give us some instructions! Does our Zhiyi just lie back and wait to count money now? When do we need to run?]

[Li Jing: Um... can I ask quietly? If I scrape together the yasuiqian I saved up and the money I earned from part-time work, and it opens up tomorrow, would I still... have time to get in? (Emoji: small, pitiful, and longing)]

As Zhao Chen watched the messages scroll rapidly across the screen, he could clearly sense the very different emotions behind the words of the girls.

Zhou Xiaowen's undisguised ecstasy and impatience; Li Jing's cautious shock and eagerness to try; Chen Shuhua's rational analysis and questions, forced down beneath her excitement; and behind Shen Zhiyi's seemingly calm "a little dazed," an overwhelming sense of unreality.

This pure impact and joy brought by turning knowledge into profit was completely different from the cold, calculating capital games in his memories. It carried a vivid, living energy.

His fingers tapped across the screen.

[Zhao Chen: Just lie back. No need to watch the market every day. Go to class when it's time for class, eat when it's time to eat. I'll let you know ahead of time when it's time to sell.]

The message landed like a stabilizing anchor.

[Shen Zhiyi: Understood! (Emoji: sitting obediently)]

[Chen Shuhua: But Zhao Chen, I have another question—when you judged that Ali would choose Sanjiang, aside from regional synergy and the value of its Offline Network, did you also consider its relatively simple Equity Structure and the original Major Shareholder's willingness to bring in a Strategic Investment to improve operations?

Compared with other potential targets on the market, such as certain regional supermarket chains with complicated ownership structures, did that constitute a key advantage?]

[Zhou Xiaowen: Shu—hua—! (Emoji: going crazy) Can you save your business analysis class for later?! @Zhao Chen Don't pay attention to her!]

[Shen Zhiyi: (soft laugh) Let her ask. Otherwise, she'll keep going on about it all day. @Zhao Chen But... I'd like to know too.]

Zhao Chen looked at Chen Shuhua's question, a trace of approval flashing through his eyes.

Even in the midst of such extreme excitement, she could still grasp the crux of the matter. Her angle of approach was highly professional.

After a brief moment of thought, he gave a concise reply.

[Zhao Chen: @Chen Shuhua It was an important factor. With a state-owned background, they were not seeking absolute control and were willing to use outside forces to upgrade themselves, clearing away the biggest obstacle to the deal. What Ali needed was a controllable Experimental Field, not a quagmire that would require enormous effort to integrate.]

[Chen Shuhua: I understand. Thank you! (Emoji: clasped fists) This lesson was more vivid than any textbook.]