Chapter 74: Reversals Upon Reversals in the Market
Lu Liang felt that it was highly likely the consumption tax hike would be approved.
The current leader, Anshan, was serving his third term as prime minister. Last year, he had dissolved the House of Representatives early, two years ahead of schedule, and secured re-election, achieving the remarkable feat of three consecutive terms.
Just last month, he had ignored the massive outcry of over a million protesters and, against all opposition, forcefully pushed through the New Security Law. This allowed Japan to exercise collective self-defense, tearing apart the pacifist clauses of Article 9 of its constitution, which prohibited Japan from maintaining a military or producing war-related materials as a defeated nation in World War II.
Anshan was a figure of bold decisiveness, and this trait led Lu Liang to believe that raising the consumption tax was inevitable.
“What are you thinking about?”
As 6 p.m. neared, most employees had clocked out. Su Wanyu, resting her chin on her hand, gazed absentmindedly at Lu Liang, who was deep in thought.
“I’m thinking about where to take you for dinner,” Lu Liang replied, glancing outside at the setting sun.
“How about a hot pot restaurant with a revolving conveyor?”
For over 60 years, U.S. forces stationed in Japan had operated under the guise of maintaining regional peace, exploiting the country financially.
Restoring self-defense rights would inevitably upset the U.S.—not just because of lost profits, but because of the loss of face.
“Thinking of forming a new coalition? Do you think I can’t control you?”
A rebellious “son” would certainly be disciplined by its “father.”
Such actions couldn’t set a precedent. If one ally rebelled, others might follow, undermining U.S. dominance.
The more Lu Liang thought about it, the more plausible it seemed. This would lead to a cycle of reversals in the forex market.
He logged into his brokerage account, withdrew 64 million yuan, and exchanged it for $10 million based on the day’s rate.
He took a quick look at Teli A—it had finally broken its three consecutive limit-downs but was still down 7.6% at the open.
Satisfied that his main rivals, Li Jianlin and Wu Junle, had likely offloaded their shares, Lu Liang shifted his focus.
He split the $10 million into two portions, injecting $5 million into his margin account and using 10x leverage.
Entering the forex market at 108.12, he built a 5% base position with $2.5 million.
Each point would now equate to a $23,100 profit or loss, with transaction fees at 0.08%. His margin account could withstand a 151-point drop without liquidation, even if Japan sank into the sea.
Over the following days, Lu Liang continued researching Japan’s domestic situation. Su Wanyu’s N2 Japanese certificate proved invaluable.
While international outlets provided English translations, smaller local publications often didn’t bother due to resource constraints. These smaller outlets often provided more authentic reflections of Japan’s reality.
Through Su’s translations, Lu Liang learned that some Japanese banks had begun capping foreign currency exchanges to prevent capital flight.
Storm clouds were gathering, and history’s wheels were in motion. The consumption tax hike seemed more certain than ever.
Massive protests erupted as citizens took to the streets, waving banners in opposition.
“You’ve been a tremendous help,” Lu Liang said one evening, seizing a quiet moment to plant a kiss on Su Wanyu’s cheek, leaving her blushing furiously.
After dinner, as he dropped her off, she pulled a delicate little box from her bag. “For you.”
“What is it?” Lu Liang was taken aback. He couldn’t remember the last time he had received a beautifully wrapped gift—it might have been 10 or 20 years ago.
As he unwrapped the butterfly ribbon and packaging, a shiny silver lighter with a green four-leaf clover design came into view.
Engraved on the front were English words symbolizing eternal love, likely pre-made, while the back bore custom Chinese characters: Smoke less.
The handwriting was elegant, bold yet graceful—undoubtedly Su Wanyu’s.