"Hello, Mom, I already had lunch."
"Wenjing? She's been quite busy with work lately, I'll find time to talk to her."
"I won't be coming back for May Day, please tell Dad for me, and you both take care too..."
After a noon walk, Lu Liang got a call from his mother, asking why Lin Wenjing hadn't been answering the phone.
He barely managed to fend off the question, when soon after, he received another call from his father.
"Are you two having a conflict?" Lu Jiancheng's weathered voice came through from the other end of the line.
"We got divorced last month."
Lu Liang hesitated for a moment, then revealed the truth.
Among all familial relationships, the one between father and son is the most unique and contradictory.
Admiration in childhood, estrangement in adolescence,
But as age grew, so did understanding.
Thus, Lu Liang often told the truth to his father and lied to his mother.
"It still came to this step." Lu Jiancheng sighed, although he didn't live with his son and daughter-in-law, he understood through the years what kind of person Lin Wenjing was.
Their family temple couldn't accommodate this great Buddha.
Lu Jiancheng didn't ask why: "What do you plan to tell your mom?"
"I've been really busy lately, I'll visit next month-end."
"Let me know when you're back."
After a long silence,
Lu Liang softly said, "Dad, I have some other things to attend to."
Speaking the truth didn't mean they had much to say to each other, Lu Jiancheng said, "Go on then, take care of yourself."
"You too."
Ending the call, Lu Liang walked out of the stairwell, just as he ran into Li Manli, who was going out to pick up a delivery.
She had been standing there for a while, seemingly having heard something, and was startled by the suddenly appearing Lu Liang.
"Go... good afternoon," Li Manli said, flustered.
During this period, although they hadn't been in close contact, living opposite each other, they had gradually figured out the timing of each other's comings and goings.
She felt that Lu Liang likely didn't have a job, as she could always hear him moving around his room in the afternoon.
Now learning about the divorce, a middle-aged man divorced and jobless, she really didn't want any involvement.
Lu Liang glanced at her,
said nothing, and returned to his room.
...…
Time flew, and after another fourteen workdays, Baofeng Technology's 'Demon God' had become a sensation across the entire financial market.
Twenty-nine consecutive neat and extravagant limit-up closings.
Setting the longest streak of consecutive price limit surges in Big A history, the stock price also broke through to an astonishing 113.26 yuan.
Lu Liang's portfolio value had risen to 3.85 million.
But this, wasn't enough to satisfy him.
Taking advantage of the upcoming Saturday and Sunday, Lu Liang paid off all his loans for this month, with 250,000 still in hand.
He had been holding onto over 300,000 in funds over the past month, waiting for today.
From his observations, the stock was likely to break from the price limit surge in the next few days, but there was still a tripled profit margin to the peak at 327 yuan.
He wanted to get rich quick, not taking for granted the boon from above.
That evening, Lu Liang invited Zhao Haisheng out for a late-night meal.
Zhao Haisheng was full of emotion, "Liang, congratulations, you've made a fortune overnight."
He had helped Lu Liang with the allocation, knowing he had won 68 bids.
Many participated in each new share allotment, and many won, but Lu Liang was the one he envied most.
Because he won the 'Demon King' allotment, specifically from the Growth Enterprise Market, a smaller market, better suited for speculation.
As of yesterday, it had surged 15.86 times.
"Just good luck, there's no way to win so many lots every time."
"True, I've been in the business for many years, with 5000 applications the most I've gotten was 76 lots, usually it's just over thirty."
Hai Sheng envied such luck, but ultimately it was because the Growth Enterprise Market had a smaller turnover and a threshold of 300,000.
Had it been a mainboard stock beginning with 60, getting even 5 lots out of 5000 applications would be a cause for celebration.
Since there's almost no subscription threshold for the mainboard market and there are many people participating, the chances of winning are only five in ten thousand.
"Hai Sheng, I always feel this stock will rise."
After a few beers, Lu Liang slowly revealed his intention, he wanted to open a margin account.
Zhao Haisheng was surprised, "Liang, you have that much confidence in Baofeng Technology?"
Lu Lian smiled and said, "Not much confidence, really, just feeling lucky. Made some money, losing a bit doesn't matter."
"That's something only those who have made money can say." Zhao Haisheng chuckled helplessly, "How much capital do you have?"
He didn't try to dissuade Lu Liang from his idea. After all, he relied on this to make money, and their relationship was merely that of a client and an agent.
It had just reversed from when they were buying a house before; he was the client and Lu Liang was the agent.
Lu Liang answered, "Not much, only 250,000. How much can you match for me?"
Zhao Haisheng thought for a bit: "Then I'll match you two times that, which is 500,000, with the securities account provided by us."
"Okay."
Lu Liang initially considered private lending, but decided against it. Illegalities aside, what mattered most was safety.
After all, Zhao Haisheng was from the regular army of Guotai Securities, though with a low leverage rate, the reliability and safety were preferable.
On Monday morning, Lu Liang went to a Guotai branch.
Before nine o'clock, he had completed financing of 500,000, with 750,000 available for use.
The securities branch was packed, as after eight years, Big A had stabilized again at 4000 points.
Countless people believed that the bull market had begun,
and this time it would surge to 5000, 6000, or even 7000 points.
Lu Liang thought the same.
He found a seat and quietly waited for the pre-market bidding at 9:15.
As expected, warnings from the Securities and Futures Commission and a risk notice issued by the company itself had fermented over the weekend.
Baofeng Technology's stock broke, and pre-market bidding plummeted from a limit-up to limit-down in just three minutes.
Every price bid fluctuated over three percent as various institutions took turns on stage, each outshining the others.
Had this been a month and a half earlier, perhaps Lu Liang, not yet familiar with the rules, would have felt anxious with each rise and fall.
But now, he understood that the first eight minutes of pre-market bidding were just drivel, bearing no reference significance.
What truly determined the stock's opening price were the two minutes from 9:24 to 9:25.
Since pre-market bidding ended at 9:25, every transaction in the last two minutes could potentially close.
Bidding institutions became more cautious because they weren't sure if retail investors would maintain their enthusiasm from last week.
Under many influences, pre-market trading meant nothing for ten minutes, and finally, the market opened at last Friday's closing price.
113.26 yuan, last Friday's closing price and today's opening price.
Lu Liang went all in.
He bought an additional 6600 shares, bringing his position to 99.5%, with just over 3000 remaining in his account.
6600 shares, minute compared to the tens of thousands typically traded, seemed like a drop in the ocean.
But it seemed as if the market maker was specifically targeting Lu Liang; no sooner had he transacted than the stock price plunged by 5%.
Zhao Haisheng received a risk warning from the margin account and hurried over: "Liang, did you go all in?"
"I was worried about not being able to buy later if it hit the limit, so I went all in at the opening."
Seeing Lu Liang's nonchalant attitude, Zhao Haisheng couldn't help but warn, "Liang, if Baofeng Technology hits the limit-down today, it's likely to open limit-down tomorrow too."
A demon stock that had consecutively hit the limit for 29 sessions would definitely not stop falling without at least three to five limit-downs.
Although a 30% loss is the margin call line, to protect company interests, they often cut losses early.
"I understand."
Lu Liang kept his eyes fixed on the hall's screen, suddenly laughing, "But it seems, there's no need to worry now."
While the two were talking, a long bullish candlestick shot up to the sky, as large buy orders swept across the market.