Chapter 40: Chapter 40 We Don’t Want to be Puppets Anymore Chapter 40: Chapter 40 We Don’t Want to be Puppets Anymore When Chen Cheng heard the words “cousin” from Tong Jialu’s mouth, his gaze naturally fell onto Xia Yubing, the “family member.”
Jinmao Mansion, Mercedes C, all the words Tong Jialu had spoken that night were linked together at this moment.
Chen Cheng scrutinized the two women, noticing that although there was a semblance between their features, their temperaments were distinctly different.
Xia Yubing was like the Talamakan Ice Glacier, calm and profound.
While Tong Jialu was like the Tulufan Flame Mountain, passionate and full of vitality.
One as ice, the other as fire, the contrast was mysterious and doubled the enjoyment.
However, Chen Cheng’s suspicions were not completely dispelled.
Despite Xia Yubing’s outstanding performance in the branch office, flourishing in her career, to buy a multi-million dollar mansion like Jinmao Mansion at around thirty years of age still seemed unbelievable to him.
Moreover, the way she shopped extravagantly at SKP last time further deepened his doubts about the source of Xia Yubing’s wealth.
“Cousin?” Chen Cheng raised his eyebrows, “Wow, Xiao Lu, I really didn’t see that you two were cousins before.”
Seeing that her relationship was exposed, Xia Yubing did not argue further.
Instead, she turned to Chen Cheng and pressed, “Mr.
Chen, what do you think about my proposal?”
Chen Cheng leaned on the sofa and glanced at her sideways, “Is this how you ask someone for a favor?”
Just as Xia Yubing was about to retort, Tong Jialu preempted her.
She knelt down in front of Chen Cheng and said earnestly, “Brother Cheng, my cousin is just like that, but she has a good heart.
I apologize on her behalf.”
Chen Cheng glanced at Tong Jialu at his feet.
Her anxious face was slightly flushed, and those eyes that should have been vibrant were now tinged with a hint of fear.
Her usually rosy lips were now pale with fright.
Seeing this, Xia Yubing stepped forward to help Tong Jialu up.
However, Tong Jialu pulled her hand away, with a tone more resolute than ever:
Right now, only Jin Baogen can save you, otherwise, once the audit this quarter starts, you’re going in!”
Chen Cheng’s heart tightened sharply, feeling like he was touching the core of the incident.
He had speculated before that the reason these two sisters were so wealthy was either because their men were rich, or their mother’s men were rich.
But from the current situation, the problem with Xia Yubing lay in herself.
“Embezzlement of office?
Or misappropriation of deposits?” These thoughts sprang into Chen Cheng’s mind.
Under the watchful, tear-filled eyes of Tong Jialu, Xia Yubing’s usual cold demeanor seemed to melt, revealing a hint of struggle and helplessness.
“I’m sorry, cousin.” Tong Jialu lowered her head, this being the first time she had objections to Xia Yubing.
Xia Yubing released her hand, her chest heaving violently.
She glanced at Chen Cheng and, after a moment’s thought, sat down.
Chen,” Xia Yubing said coldly, “Your relationship with Mr.
Jin is something I cannot compare to.”
Chen Cheng did not respond, listening to her continue.
Jin holds a pivotal position in the debt circle, his resources and connections are beyond my reach.”
Chen Cheng’s mind was both shocked and bewildered.
He had never linked the old man, who carried a birdcage in Chaoyang Park, to any influential figure in the debt circle.
But on closer thought, one who could simply transfer ten million yuan must indeed be wealthy or noble.
Before he was fired, he worked as a quant and had some understanding of bonds and investment.
Investment hasn’t been doing well these years.
But bonds have been rising like the sun.
These years, due to the re-emergence of the credit bond market, the fixed-income departments of brokerage firms in the primary market were eager to issue bonds.
Even interns and front-desk staff were sent to the front lines to grab the most benefits from this capital feast.
And the popularity of the primary market was because a vast amount of funds poured into the secondary market.
As long as one could issue bonds, there was no loss-making business; it was merely a matter of earning more or less.
Xia Yubing nonchalantly said, “The reason I approached Mr.
Jin is because I have a 40-million-yuan asset management product expiring soon, and I need his help to negotiate.”
Upon hearing these words, Chen Cheng seemed to have completed the loop of the entire event.
The so-called asset management products are publicly known as financial products.
Those issued by banks are called “wealth management plans,” those by trust companies are called “trust plans,” and those by securities and insurance companies are called “asset management plans.”
And those issued by public or private equity are funds.
In essence, they’re all vehicles for money, namely investing and managing the publicly entrusted funds.
Still, Chen Cheng couldn’t figure out what role the unguarded Mr.
Jin played in this loop.
Jin intervene in a multi-million transaction seems rather an overkill,” Cheng said as he entered the door.
Xia Yubing nodded, “Indeed, a 40-million transaction means nothing in Mr.
“But for me, it’s a life-or-death deal,” she added.
“It seems is none of our business, right?” Chen Cheng continued questioning, “It’s not about money, nor everything you’ve mentioned, the ultimate beneficiary is you, not us.”
Chen, I am not the ultimate beneficiary either.”
Tong Jialu took over, “Brother Cheng, my cousin is just a distributor in this round of asset management products.”
Chen Cheng swallowed, looking at the enigmatic sisters in front of him as if their bank employees’ identity was just their disguise to the outside world.
Chen, I was the underwriter for this 40-million product for my boss,” Xia Yubing honestly said: “I only took a small commission, most of the profits are not mine.”
Chen Cheng pondered for a moment, “So what you mean is that you want Mr.
Jin to buy the product out of your hand?”
“This idea was suggested by Xiao Lu,” Xia Yubing glanced at Tong Jialu, “By selling off the 40 million products, my accounts would be settled.”
Tong Jialu nodded firmly.
“So, the product you wanted to show me when I first entered the door today, was it real?” Chen Cheng asked back.
“Yes, Brother Cheng.”
Chen Cheng gasped, “Then why are you not following through with your plan now?”
Xia Yubing and Tong Jialu looked at each other, and upon seeing the clear yet firm look in Tong Jialu’s eyes, Xia Yubing spoke:
“We no longer want to be puppets.”
Chen Cheng’s heart skipped a beat; the word ‘puppet’ implied that there was someone else behind these sisters.
“So, we want you, Brother Cheng, to help us contact Mr.
Jin,” Tong Jialu pleaded, “Only he can completely extract me and my cousin from this money game.”