On Friday, a minor stock disaster struck.
Since last year’s four days and two circuit breakers, followed by swift policy changes, something seemed off with the Big A market.
Every now and then, there would be a drop. The highest point from the year before last, at 5178.19 points, felt like a dream that could only be reminisced.
With the overall market situation not looking great, stocks that hit the daily limit would decisively band together, especially Ningde Era, which was at the heart of the whirlwind.
The funds sealing the price ceiling soared from 125 million to 358 million. Major players, institutions, and retail investors were all exceptionally resolute in defending the price ceiling.
After all, there were still three hours of trading left today, and instead of picking uncertain stocks out there, it was better to stick with Ningde.
Ningde pooled together the hottest topics and personalities of the moment, its only downside being its physical manufacturing sector, but this was a minor flaw in comparison to its merits.
Moreover, as a new stock with a small circulation, it was even more suitable for speculation.
"Damn it, I sold too soon."
"Fuck, the market manipulators are inhuman!!!"
Retail investors were caught off guard, suddenly realizing that the chips they had spent half their lives lucky to get were successfully swindled by manipulative dealers.
Whether Ningde could hit another two days of price limits and challenge for the top spot on the Growth Enterprise Market remained uncertain.
But it would probably break through a market cap of one hundred billion next week.
Because of the drop on Friday and the strong closing on the price ceiling by Ningde, the news after fermenting over the weekend would likely heat up even more.
Once the market cap broke one hundred billion, it could at least bring about two hot topics. One was joining the one hundred billion clubs, becoming the 70th stock on the market with a valuation over one hundred billion. The other was whether it could surpass Wen’s Shares to become the top stock of the Growth Enterprise Market.
"Look, you were all anxious, and you got tricked by the manipulators, didn’t you?"
"One may question Liangzi’s character, but not his foresight."
"Lucky I stood firm, will not leave unless it hits a limit-down."
"Hurry up and break the limit; I wish it would hit a few more limit-down. Just sold two properties in Yangcheng, with twenty million ready to go, preparing to buy at the low and hold for five years, waiting for the day when the market cap breaches one trillion."
"Landlord, do you really believe in Liangzi’s prediction? Go check out the top ten shareholders of Ningde Era."
"Liangzi, you’re raking it in."
At three o’clock in the afternoon, the stock market closed, ending the week’s trading.
Ningde Era became the most dazzling star among the more than three thousand stocks in the entire market.
With a market cap close to breaking one hundred billion, people started to wonder how many new millionaires this company would create.
Upon a closer look, it was quite a shock. Among individual shareholders, Lu Liang held 186 million shares, amounting to 10.664%.
Trailing just behind the founder Zeng Minqun’s 21.85%, and another founder Huang Shilin’s 12.85%.
"If we go by the current market value, holding 186 million shares of Ningde alone, the total value is 10.19 billion yuan."
"And there’s Douyin with 9.25%. After acquiring Musical.ly and entering the European and American markets, it’s already valued at over one billion dollars."
"The value of Panda’s stock is negligible, as is Tianxing Technology’s; just Ningde and Douyin alone, Liangzi’s wealth has already surpassed 16 billion."
"Did he ride a rocket or what? I remember back in January, on the Forbes billionaires list, wasn’t Liangzi only worth 8.7 billion yuan?"
A week after Ningde Era was listed, its market value was about to break the one hundred billion mark, but it was Lu Liang who became a sensation.
No matter how much Panda was overlooked, it still had a valuation of 1.5 billion dollars. According to public information, Lu Liang held a 12.2% stake.
Not to mention Tianxing Technology, in which Lu Liang personally invested one hundred million dollars. The Golden Sand River spent 1.606 billion yuan in cash and Luo’s 70 million in debt rights to exchange for a 10% stake.
A conservative estimate already puts it at 2.3 billion in valuation, with Lu Liang holding a 90% personal stake. The two combined exceed 3.1 billion yuan.
Just a few months ago, he was mocked for his investments, which often amounted to several billion dollars overnight, scooping up several billion dollars and launching a 300 billion public offering.
But as soon as Forbes published the billionaires list, Lu Liang’s personal wealth was less than ten billion, only 1.335 billion dollars.
In the blink of an eye, a few months passed, and his wealth more than doubled, surpassing ten billion on his way to twenty billion.
"19.1 billion, thanks to the netizens."
These past few years, Lu Liang’s investments were so scattered that sometimes he couldn’t even keep track of how much money he had.
But netizens, one after another like Holmes reincarnated, debated back and forth, directly saving him the time to tally it up.
Lu Liang just needed to count the one billion from the Xiangjiang Trust Fund and nearly four billion dollars in assets in Tokyo.
To come up with exactly how much wealth he had.
22.5 billion, not a penny less.
"Still short by 260 billion. Everyone says it’s First Rich’s turn, but when will it be my family’s turn?"
Lu Liang sighed, feeling that his pace of making money was already not slow, averaging 11 billion a year over two years.
But looking at Old Xu’s 283.1 billion and Old Ma’s 252.7 billion, suddenly he couldn’t feel happy.
Even if their fortunes stopped growing, chasing them at this rate would take 23 years.
Not to mention the world’s richest man, Bill Gates, who has 567.6 billion yuan, more than twice that of Old Xu.
"Man, your name is greed."
Wang Chuting couldn’t help but roll her eyes; having worked at Forbes for five years, she was very clear about the exponential growth of wealthy people’s fortunes.
It’s not simply adding tens of billions each year; just like five years ago, the country’s First Rich had only 68.2 billion.
Today, five years later, it has become 283.1 billion, partly due to inflation and the rapid development of society.
If Lu Liang didn’t make any major mistakes and kept developing methodically , he would, at the latest, reach the summit within ten years.
"Ten years?" Lu Liang muttered to himself.
"But for you, there’s a faster way."
Wang Chuting then talked about Buffett, who owns a fortune of 68 billion dollars and is ranked second in the world, known as the ’Omaha Prophet.’
His developmental path is very worthy of Lu Liang’s emulation, especially as Lu Liang is not only exceptionally good at investment but also famed as the Soros of East Country.
If he did not engage in public funds or new energy industries and focused solely on the financial sector, Lu Liang’s future achievements would only be higher than theirs.
"The national conditions are different," Lu Liang said with a slight shake of his head, standing up and heading to the bar to pour a glass of beer.
Wang Chuting paused for thought, "True, they are quite different."
Over the past ten years, six First Rich have emerged domestically, some in technology, some in real estate, and some in beverages, but none in finance.
That’s because finance is directly linked to capital, and although East Country has reformed and opened up for many years, the term capitalist is still taboo, hence the term entrepreneur arose.
Industry is king, and finance is just rootless duckweed; no matter how many assets one has, they are just a string of numbers on an account.
Just like when Lu Liang visited Su City a few days ago, the leadership team of one of the top six cities in the country swapped out people every day to accompany him on tours.
If Lu Liang were just a manager of a public or private fund, he would definitely not receive such treatment.
After all, a fund company can, at most, create three to five hundred high-paying jobs.
Even if everyone in the company earns a million a year, can they buy ten houses? Can they eat ten breakfasts?
If there are two enterprises, one creating three thousand jobs with salaries of one hundred thousand a year and the other creating three hundred jobs with salaries of a million a year,
Any city leadership truly wishing for the development of their city would choose the former.
Not to mention Lou Shui New Energy Industrial Park, which is conservatively estimated to generate thirty thousand jobs with salaries over one hundred thousand a year.
Lu Liang squinted, a satisfied smile spreading across his face as he wrapped an arm around Wang Chuting’s neck and asked, "Want a drink?"
Wang Chuting glared at him irritably,
Lu Liang came back to himself and laughed, "You haven’t left yet?"
Her body was uncomfortable, and she couldn’t drink, "How could it be so fast? I just arrived yesterday and can leave today; didn’t I tell you? I was even wondering why you would come over."
"I heard, so I came to see how you were."
Lu Liang drank his beer, caressing Wang Chuting’s hair, "You wouldn’t think I reached out to you just for that, right?"
He was actually a bit lonely; the people he could talk to, he couldn’t talk much with. And those he could talk a lot with didn’t understand his thoughts.
Wang Chuting was the only one who was knowledgeable, able to have a good conversation with him without any conflict of interest, and she was on his side.
Wang Chuting huffed proudly, "At least you have some conscience."
Lu Liang asked, "Didn’t you say yesterday you were at death’s door? How are you feeling now?"
"Much better, I’ve gotten used to it."
Wang Chuting sighed; for 15 years, every time the first day came, she was in so much pain she wanted to hang herself but could only suppress it with some painkillers.
Lu Liang questioned, "Is it normal to be in so much pain?"
"It shouldn’t be normal, but I’ve had many check-ups, and they all show nothing." Wang Chuting’s words reached her lips and then she swallowed them back.
Lu Liang, puzzled, "What were you going to say?"
Wang Chuting shook her head, "Nothing."
Lu Liang’s eyebrows raised, even more curious, "Can’t you tell me?"
Wang Chuting hesitated, stammering, "The doctor said I should have kids earlier, that might solve the problem."
Lu Liang pursed his lips, trying not to chuckle, "Sounds like something I’ve heard before. It does seem to be a theory."
"You sure know a lot," Wang Chuting said sarcastically.
"Maybe try harder next time?"
"Aren’t you afraid I’ll hold you to it?"
Wang Chuting was delighted, squinting her eyes; there’s a difference between not wanting to take responsibility and not daring to take it.
She was satisfied with Lu Liang’s response, but her career was just getting started, and she really hadn’t thought about that aspect yet.
Wang Chuting, hugging Lu Liang around his waist, cooed, "Could you get me in touch with Mr. Wang from Wanda?"
For her interviews in the Hall of Fame, she currently only had Zeng Minqun, and for the second one, she planned to interview Old Wang from Wanda. As for Lu Liang, she’d wait a bit longer—as they say, save the ace for last.
"Old Wang? What’s up with him?" Lu Liang was confused.
"You haven’t heard?" Wang Chuting was more puzzled. A big event happened in the business world, and Lu Liang hadn’t heard of it.