Professor Wang Seeks Stocks

When Lin Qiye reached the podium, Professor Wang took a slip of paper from his briefcase.

"Lin Qiye, torn meniscus, needs leave to rest and recover. The way you look right now, you don't look like someone with a torn meniscus at all."

Wasn't it obvious? His excuse for taking leave had been exposed.

Lin Qiye gave an apologetic smile. "Professor Wang, something came up at home. I really wasn't trying to fool you. Please cut me some slack."

Jiang Dabao and Li Nanguang also spoke up from below. "Professor Wang, just give him one chance." "He really had something going on."

Not just the two of them—all the boys in class had gone to the Internet Cafe last night too, and they chimed in one after another. "Give Big Lin a chance."

In the end, even the girls in class joined the petition, leaving Professor Wang completely baffled.

Professor Wang smiled. "What's the rush? I never said I was going to fail him. Lin Qiye, come to my office with me after class. I have something to discuss with you."

Then Lin Qiye returned to his seat. Tian Nina whispered playfully, "You're in big trouble."

Lin Qiye was puzzled. "Who wrote that medical note?"

Tian Nina instantly looked guilty. She took out a little notebook, lowered her head, and began scribbling, saying nothing more.

It was obvious. It had been her. Lin Qiye was speechless. Was a meniscus something that could just casually tear?

He listened with zero interest to the dry lecture, able only to await judgment forty-five minutes later.

Time passed quickly, and Lin Qiye followed Professor Wang to his office.

Inside the office, Professor Wang became even more amiable.

"Student Lin Qiye, I heard you're very good at stock trading. Could you help me look at a stock?"

Lin Qiye was stunned. "Professor Wang, who did you hear that from?"

"Li Xiongye. He was showing off in the group chat. Now everyone around University Town knows you're a stock-trading expert."

As Professor Wang spoke, he took out a laptop, opened it, and entered a ticker code into the trading software.

"This stock here, Star Chemical. I went all in on it last month, but it still hasn't risen. It just keeps drifting down every day."

"I was just guessing blindly."

"I know. So guess blindly one more time."

"I really can't."

"You can. For the sake of your credits this semester." Professor Wang smiled as he threatened him.

Fine. In order not to fail, Lin Qiye could only agree.

"All right. Can you tell me why you bought it?"

Every stock investor had great confidence in their own research, and Professor Wang, who taught finance, was even more so.

The moment he opened his mouth, it was a whole pile of reasoning.

"After long-term tracking and research, Star Chemical's price-to-earnings ratio, price-to-book ratio, and return on equity are all higher than other stocks in the same industry, showing its growth potential is excellent. Its debt ratio is also very low. This kind of stock is absolutely a golden stock sitting in a value depression."

Lin Qiye touched his Bluetooth earbud.

"I need to research it before I can make a judgment."

"Go ahead. I'll wait." Professor Wang took his teacup and walked to the other side of the office, chatting idly with his colleagues.

Seizing the chance, Lin Qiye asked in a low voice, "Do a full analysis of Star Chemical Industry's stock."

After a short while, an electronic voice sounded in his Bluetooth earbud.

[Star Chemical Industry belongs to the petrochemical industry. The basic petrochemical products it produces are mainly used for export, and its main clients are world-famous chemical enterprises.]

[The company's profitability is constrained by oil prices. Since last October, the European debt crisis has broken out again, market demand has fallen accordingly, and oil prices have also dropped.]

"So, its stock price fell because oil prices fell?"

[Strictly speaking, it's because Star Chemical Industry purchased a large amount of crude oil at a high price. Now that oil prices have fallen from 110 US dollars per barrel to 80 US dollars per barrel, its production costs are inverted. Every ton of product it sells is a loss.]

After hearing this, Lin Qiye looked again at the financial data in the trading software on the laptop.

During this period, it was not as if he had learned nothing. He already understood the underlying logic behind this stock's decline.

When Professor Wang came back over, Lin Qiye replied, "Professor, this stock of yours is very risky. Its mid-year financial report hasn't been disclosed yet. I suggest you sell and exit."

"Why?" Professor Wang asked, not understanding.

"The indicator data you mentioned just now all came from last year's financial report. They only have reference value, but they can't determine the future. At the end of last year, Star Chemical bought a large amount of crude oil when oil prices were high. Now, because of the European debt crisis, global demand has fallen, causing the prices of all kinds of basic petrochemical raw materials to plunge. With the company's production costs, it's very likely to post a heavy loss in its interim report."

Professor Wang froze, and the hand holding his teacup could not help trembling.

He opened last year's financial statements and sure enough discovered that the company's inventory had increased sharply in the fourth quarter, perfectly confirming Lin Qiye's words.

He was still hesitating.

Lin Qiye pushed a little harder. "Once the announcement of a loss in the interim report comes out, it will definitely trigger panic selling. By then, you'll lose a lot."

"Is that so?"

Professor Wang felt a little thirsty. After taking a big gulp of water, he took out his phone and dialed a number.

Clearly, he was asking acquaintances for information.

After several calls in a row, with acquaintances referring him to acquaintances of acquaintances, Professor Wang obtained the information he wanted through layer after layer of connections.

Clearly, this information was more or less the same as what Lin Qiye had said.

In the end, Professor Wang still made his decision. "I also think the risk is too high. I'll just take it as paying for a lesson."

Immediately afterward, he cleared out all the shares in his account.

The moment all the stocks were sold, Professor Wang felt light all over.

He looked at Lin Qiye appreciatively. "You really do have talent when it comes to stock investment. I can't do it. I clearly felt something was off, but I just couldn't overturn my original judgment. How about this—give me your QQ number. I'll pull you into a group."

"What group?" Lin Qiye was unwilling from the bottom of his heart. A group Professor Wang invited him to would definitely be a middle-aged and elderly stock-friends group. He was a fresh young guy right now—how could he go to such a gloomy, twilight sort of place?

"Mm." Professor Wang's expression changed. "What I hate most is falsification, especially falsifying leave notes. Looks like I'll have to reconsider your matter."

"My QQ number is 3445****," Lin Qiye decisively admitted defeat.

Under Professor Wang's operation, the group invitation was sent. Lin Qiye had no choice but to open QQ and join the stock-trading group.

The group name was: "Spring Flowers Autumn Moon Stock Friends Home."

So low.

As soon as Lin Qiye entered, forced by Professor Wang's tyranny, he even introduced himself.

"Hello, everyone. My name is Lin Qiye. I'm a newcomer just entering the stock market. Please give me your guidance."

The user named "Super Handsome Second Generation Rich" immediately popped up:

"Little Lin, I'm Li Xiongye. You came in too."

"Old Man Wang is just being fussy. I wanted to pull you in, but he refused."

Professor Wang took the laptop and typed, "Li Xiongye, do you even know how to respect your teachers? Keep babbling and I'll kick you out of the group."

It seemed Li Xiongye was also Professor Wang's student, which made him Lin Qiye's senior. Lin Qiye secretly laughed and said goodbye to Professor Wang. "Professor, I'm heading back."

Professor Wang waved his hand and continued chatting, no longer paying attention to Lin Qiye.

After Lin Qiye left, another teacher from the other side of the office walked over.

"That kid's pretty good. He has talent in investing. Why didn't you ask him for a good stock?"

Professor Wang raised his head. "He's sharp as a ghost. Even Li Xiongye couldn't get anything out of him. If you want him to say it, there has to be mutual benefit."

That teacher was clearly more interested in money. "How about we have Li Xiongye start it off, make another trade, and we each chip in for a share?"

Professor Wang was tempted. He clicked on Li Xiongye's QQ avatar and typed a message.