At 11:00 in the morning, the placard-holding concept sector, now propelled by this sentiment, unleashed a daily limit surge. Regardless of other held concepts, hot money ignited to sway the market. When spirits were high, action was immediate. After all, today's purchases could be sold tomorrow under the T+1 rule. Tomorrow, everyone would flee, leaving the weak and the strong to contend.
If the mood stayed positive, the placard-holding concept could dominate discussions for several days, becoming a hot speculation topic in the market.
Tiansheng headquarters.
"Senior management from Anshi Group wishes to have a face-to-face discussion with you. How should I respond? Do you want to meet?" Su Xiaoman entered Lu Ming's office and conveyed the senior management's request for a meeting.
Clearly, this was an urgent matter. Tiansheng Capital's aggressive offensive had caught them off guard. Raising cards frequently for over a month, it swiftly secured 20% equity—a situation impossible to ignore.
Lu Ming considered the situation in Ningzhou and replied, "It's okay to meet. Have them come to my location. If they are free today, inform them accordingly."
"Alright, I'll make the arrangements," Su Xiaoman nodded and proceeded to handle the details.
Lu Ming picked up the phone and dialed his girlfriend's office. After a while, An Yirou walked in, and he informed her, "In about an hour, the senior management of An's Group will likely come for a discussion."
Upon hearing this, An Yirou was surprised initially, then conflicted and somewhat uneasy.
"Your family will likely discover they've been deceived, and the blame may fall on you. They might even see you as incompetent and be angry with you..." Lu Ming calmly advised, "You need to follow my guidance to prevent this. Not only will you stay out of the blame, but your family will consider you their last hope. They won't blame you; instead, they will feel increasingly guilty for you."
As An Yirou absorbed the first part of his statement, her anxiety heightened, but the latter part surprised her, and she couldn't help but ask, "Is that really possible?"
Lu Ming assured her, "Everything is under control. The process will undoubtedly be intense and confrontational, but in the end, I aim for an outcome everyone can accept— you, your original family, me, and my investor. It's not easy, but it can be done. You need to plan and organize well. Listen to me, and everything will be arranged clearly."
Hearing this, An Yirou nodded in agreement, "Okay." She wasn't sure what Lu Ming was planning, but she trusted that he could handle it.
"During our meeting, you will..."
Lu Ming promptly began instructing her on various matters and preemptively explained what to expect.
…
Around 12:40, An Jinhong, the general manager of Anshi Group, accompanied by several management subordinates, arrived at Hualian Commercial Building and headed straight to the floor housing Tiansheng's headquarters.
Reporters lurking in the Hualian Commercial Building quickly caught wind of the news. In less than ten minutes, the story appeared on major financial media outlets and stock trading software. At this juncture, it was just a few minutes before the start of the afternoon session.
This sudden development captured the full attention of the public and investors alike. From the latest news, the situation seemed unfavorable for the senior management of Anshi Group. Previously, both sides had been ignoring each other.
Yet, meeting at this critical juncture...
The series of updates sparked widespread speculation, prompting those outside the situation to mock the fast-forward progression from "online pinches" to an "offline appointment."
Onlookers eagerly awaited the follow-up developments. Investors from various walks of life also kept a close eye on the situation, ready to swiftly retreat if the situation shifted. Those who had already cashed in on the melon drama would undoubtedly make a swift exit. Whether chicken feathers would be left behind was a concern they'd deal with later.
…
Tiansheng headquarters, in a high-level conference room.
An Jinhong and others, representing the senior management of Anshi Group, have been waiting for several minutes, and the host has yet to arrive.
Finally, the main figure made his entrance. An Jinhong took his seat at the conference table without standing up. He turned his head to look as he noticed An Yirou sitting beside Lu Ming, a flicker of recognition in his eyes.
An Jinhong harbored numerous questions about her, but he chose to set them aside for the moment. It wasn't the primary concern at this critical juncture.
With a composed smile, Lu Ming took the seat opposite, accompanied by assistant An Yirou, the company's chief lawyer Yao Yun, and others.
There were no formal handshakes or greetings. This was a real battle, and An Jinhong didn't spare a friendly look. There was no room for pleasantries when the other side was aiming to devour you.
As Lu Ming settled into his seat, he unreservedly fixed his gaze on An Jinhong. The latter was unsure of the game Lu Ming was playing, so he sat upright, locking eyes with him.
After a brief moment, Lu Ming shifted his attention to An Yirou, seated on the right. An Yirou, pretending to hesitate for a moment, caught a hint of confusion in her boss's eyes.
Observing this, An Jinhong, filled with curiosity, wondered about Lu Ming's intentions.
Finally, Lu Ming returned his focus to An Jinhong, smiling as he spoke methodically, "President An, considering your age and then looking at Xiao Yi, there's probably an age difference of eleven or twelve years between you and your sister, am I right?"
Well, well!
With these words, An Jinhong's expression immediately shifted, while An Yirou's face displayed surprise. Upon realizing the situation, she stood up from her seat in a panic.
Even Yao Yun and others were perplexed. What was happening? Was a corporate coup taking place? Or was the CEO's closest assistant involved in some mysterious power play?
The most expressive reaction came from An Jinhong. He glared at Lu Ming, who ignored him and turned to his little girlfriend, smiling, "Don't panic. I don't blame you for being my undercover, in fact, I should thank you. Without you, Tiansheng's card-holding strategy wouldn't have been so smooth."
"You..." An Yirou stared at Lu Ming, feigning shock. "When did you discover my identity?"
"Your surname Lu is truly cunning!"
An Jinhong pointed an accusing finger at Lu Ming, finally comprehending the cause and effect. Lu Ming had known An Yirou's true identity for a long time and had taken advantage of it...
No, An Jinhong reconsidered and realized it went beyond that. Lu Ming probably orchestrated everything, including promoting An Yirou to a crucial position while simultaneously creating an illusion of external covetousness to conceal the truth. A masterfully calculated strategy.
In this moment, the key figure An Yirou was flawlessly pushed to the periphery of the vortex. As long as the truth remained concealed, the An family wouldn't blame her. She might not receive direct credit, but she had worked hard.
They had all fallen into Lu Ming's trap.
At this moment, Yao Yun and others were still puzzled, their internal thoughts racing. Witnessing a real-life Infernal Affairs drama unfold before their eyes was beyond their expectations. Business is indeed a battlefield.
An Jinhong, at this moment, thought he had finally seen the full picture, only to realize his opponent was already orchestrating from the shadows.
…