Lost

This was Huo Jiu's first time trying his hand at stock trading, and also his last. The losses had been catastrophic. Huo Jiu did not withdraw the remaining money either, leaving it in the account as a lesson to himself.

He warned himself never to touch fields he did not understand in the future. It was better to earn money honestly and keep his feet on the ground.

Still, Huo Jiu was fairly lucky. The stocks that had cost him ten times his investment were left untouched for years because he could not be bothered to clear his positions. Then, unexpectedly, the market surged, and the companies were acquired by major conglomerates. Their stock prices shot up hundreds of times over. Not only did Huo Jiu earn back his principal and profits, he also gained an extra half of his net worth.

But the vegetable vendor uncle who had led Huo Jiu into stock trading had gotten greedy after seeing success that year. He followed others in mortgaging his house and leveraging his investments. When the stocks crashed, his positions were forcibly liquidated, and he lost everything overnight. All four of his family's homes were taken away, and he still owed several million in external debt. Creditors blocked his doorstep every day. Unable to bear it any longer, the vegetable vendor uncle jumped off a building. His wife was left with an eleven-year-old child and millions in debt to repay.

That was when Huo Jiu learned that blindly entering an industry he did not understand could get people killed.

Later, Huo Jiu worked himself to the bone, drinking at business dinners, socializing, taking on construction projects, and making money. It took him three years to recover. He also asked around until he found that mother and son, then funded the child's education.

It was not out of kindness. He simply wanted to remind himself never to touch the stock market again.

Yet now, this domineering CEO was saying he would teach him how to trade stocks.

Huo Jiu's expression turned a little strange. He looked at Diwu Ling for a while, feeling somewhat conflicted.

The reason he had not wanted to trade stocks back then was because he knew nothing about market trends. He did not know when those damned codes would rise or fall, nor did he know why they rose or fell.

But now, he could Reload the plot. Even if he did not understand the stock market, he could at least know which days stocks would rise and which days they would fall. Just like buying lottery tickets, he could use "predictions" to pick the right timing. At the very least, he could ensure he would not lose money.

Did that mean he could trade stocks too?

Huo Jiu stroked his chin and considered it carefully. It was not that he wanted to make money from stocks.

It was simply that in his previous life, although there had been many things that had tripped him up, Huo Jiu had gotten revenge in most cases. Only stock trading was something he never understood, something he had never had the confidence to "get revenge" on successfully.

Now that he had transmigrated into a novel and had the cheating tool of Reload—even if winning through cheating was not exactly glorious, at least he could win!

Huo Jiu blinked, and suddenly felt that this could work!

Chapter 22: Lost

"How are you planning to teach me stock trading?" As Huo Jiu spoke, he suddenly picked up his phone and transferred the six million he had just received back in full. "Since you're willing to teach me stock trading, I'm willing to cook for you. Don't send me money anymore."

Just as Diwu Ling had said, Huo Jiu won more than six million from the lottery every day. There were still three or four days until Reload, and he could not even spend all the money he won from lottery tickets. There was no need for him to accept Diwu Ling's money.

Diwu Ling frowned slightly, just about to say something when Huo Jiu spoke first. "You said it yourself: friends are friends, and business is business. I only cook for friends."

Diwu Ling paused briefly, then smiled. "All right. This time, I'll listen to you."

"But in exchange, shouldn't you listen to me once too?" Diwu Ling was referring to persuading Huo Jiu to return to school.

Huo Jiu was too young. He was only of high school age at the moment. Diwu Ling did not want Huo Jiu wandering around outside for too long and wasting his best years.

Huo Jiu pursed his lips. Though they had not known each other long, he could tell that Diwu Ling was a very stubborn person. Once he had made up his mind, it was difficult for anyone else to change it.

Huo Jiu did not want to drag things out with Diwu Ling over such trivial matters. In any case, it would take time for Diwu Ling to arrange his school registration. By the time Diwu Ling chose a school and finished the enrollment procedures, Huo Jiu would have Reloaded long ago.

With that in mind, Huo Jiu said rather slyly, "Fine. Go handle it. Once you've taken care of it, I'll go to school."

At that, Diwu Ling held out his pinky to Huo Jiu and said expressionlessly, "It's a deal."

How childish!

Huo Jiu sighed inwardly. He hooked pinkies with Diwu Ling, raised their hands, and pressed their thumbs together as he said, "It's a deal."

Seeing Huo Jiu's impatient expression as he reluctantly held out his finger to make the promise, a trace of amusement flickered in Diwu Ling's eyes.

After finally placating the domineering CEO, Huo Jiu did not want to waste any more time at Turing Group. He carried his lunchbox back to the Su family home and sent all the shark fin and abalone Old Master Cao had given him to Yan Dongge.

After yesterday's uproar, everyone at First-Rank Pavilion was utterly convinced by Huo Jiu's culinary skills. Still, because of Huo Jiu's bad temper, none of them dared come over to get friendly with him.

Huo Jiu handed the shark fin and abalone to Yan Dongge. To show his sincerity, Yan Dongge opened the gift box in front of Huo Jiu and personally began soaking and rehydrating the ingredients for him.

All the apprentices in the kitchen gathered around Yan Dongge, carefully observing every step as he prepared the shark fin and abalone. Although they were only simple, basic procedures, watching the head chef do them himself still gave everyone much to learn.

One outgoing young apprentice sidled up to Huo Jiu and asked quietly, "What do you want to make?"

Huo Jiu stroked his chin. "How about braised abalone and chopped-chili shark fin?"

Then he remembered that Diwu Ling preferred sweet foods—mainly because he worried Diwu Ling could not eat spicy food—and changed his mind. "Forget it. I'll make Fish Maw and Shark Fin Soup instead!"

He remembered that Diwu Ling had ordered this dish at First-Rank Pavilion before.

Hearing Huo Jiu's words, everyone felt their hearts leap into their throats and exchanged uneasy looks.

Even Yan Dongge's expression became somewhat awkward.

This dish had practically become everyone's nightmare.

Yan Dongge looked at Huo Jiu as though he wanted to say something, but stopped himself. In the end, he said nothing.

Huo Jiu did not pay much attention to their expressions. He checked the time. It was already past seven in the evening. Still thinking about bringing pastries to his little darling, Huo Jiu casually ate a bowl of noodles at First-Rank Pavilion, then arrived at the square where he had agreed to meet the old granny and Nannan right on time.