Siheyuan, Shazhu: I have both parents in this life

Chapter 375 Black Monday
Director Yang nodded and tapped the script cover lightly with his finger: "I'll take the script back and take a look. Don't worry, I won't pass it on casually. At most, I'll ask my old friends at the August First Film Studio to help me see if it's suitable for filming. After all, if we want to film a military story, they have to take the lead, and they also have to be involved in mobilizing the troops. As for joining the project, let me think about it some more."

Seeing this, the He family father and son knew that their goal had been achieved, so they stopped mentioning the franchise and started talking about lighter topics.

After the family dinner and seeing Director Yang off, He Yaozong asked somewhat nervously, "Dad, do you think Director Yang will agree?"

He Yuzhu looked out the window: "She's interested. Especially in that military script of yours. However, it will be difficult for her to make up her mind to leave the unit she's spent half her life in. If it doesn't work out, she can go back to China to film it, but the process probably won't be that smooth. You should be prepared for that."

Ho Yiu-cho patted his brother on the shoulder: "At least the script caught her eye, which is a good start."

Back at his lodgings, Director Yang began to carefully read He Yaozong's script that very evening.

The simple authenticity of military stories and the intense dramatic conflicts in police and gangster stories gave her a long-lost creative impulse.

She realized that what He Yaozong offered might be the new direction she had been looking for, one that could break through the limitations of existing themes.

This discovery made her realize that the domestic perspective was indeed too limited. The perspective that this young man from Hong Kong wrote was something that couldn't be written in China, and there wasn't as much melancholy or resentment.

A few days later, TVB broadcast a special interview program produced for the two production teams.

The recording venue was decorated in an antique style, with a backdrop of a replica of the Grand View Garden and a "Heavenly Palace" shrouded in mist.

The experienced host guided the actors who played Baoyu, Daiyu, Sun Wukong, and Tang Seng to talk about interesting anecdotes from filming and their understanding of their roles.

When discussing the hardships of filming, the actor playing Sun Wukong spontaneously performed a monkey fist routine, which was incredibly lifelike; while the actress playing Daiyu softly recited a few lines of poetry, displaying a graceful and gentle demeanor.

The program was surprisingly well-received, and its ratings soared after it aired.

Hong Kong residents showed great interest in these mainland dramas, which are full of cultural heritage, and discussions about the plot could be heard everywhere.

Seeing the enthusiastic response from the audience, the senior management of the TV station immediately convened a meeting.

"It seems our previous assessment was too conservative." The program manager flipped through the ratings report. "High-quality dramas produced in mainland China can also find a market in Hong Kong, provided they have the right packaging and promotion."

"Requests for rebroadcasts of 'Journey to the West' have also increased significantly," another person added. "Many viewers have said they didn't watch the whole thing or want to rewatch it."

After a moment's thought, the person in charge made a decision: "In that case, before we officially broadcast 'Dream of the Red Chamber,' we will arrange a rebroadcast of 'Journey to the West' to warm up the market and solidify our audience base. We will schedule it for prime time next month."

At this time, He Yaozu also saw off the two film crews who came to promote their films. With nothing to do for the time being, his father put him into the finance team.

April arrived quietly, and the battle of the Yellow River financial sector began when the exchange rate between the Japanese yen and the US dollar broke 150:1.

This is another world.

Unlike the hustle and bustle of the film and television industry, a restrained tension permeated the trading center.

A huge projection screen occupies the entire wall, displaying exchange rates and indices of major global markets.

The sounds of keyboard typing, telephone ringing, and hushed commands blend together to create a unique background noise.

He Yaozu was led to a location where he could have a panoramic view of the entire situation while avoiding the main flow of transactions.

He saw his mother standing in front of the curved glass curtain wall, talking quietly with Qian Hao.

She was dressed in a smart suit, her eyes focused intently on the screen, occasionally raising her hand to signal, and Qian Haozheng would quickly issue instructions over the phone, much like a composed general commanding on the battlefield.

At this moment, the USD/JPY exchange rate displayed in the corner of the screen has broken through the key level of 150:1 and is still slowly declining.

"Begin closing out positions, in batches, and pay attention to market liquidity." Xiaoman's voice was clear and calm.

The instructions were quickly transmitted to each trading desk. Traders' fingers flew across the keyboard as they typed in the orders.

On the screen, the number representing the Yellow River Group's holdings began to scroll and decrease.

He Yaozu held his breath and concentrated.

Although he had studied finance, he was still shocked to witness such a large amount of money flowing in the ever-changing market.

He saw the exchange rate curve fluctuate slightly due to the sell-off from the Yellow River, but it was quickly overwhelmed by larger market forces.

The whole process was like a silent battle, without gunpowder, but it involved the transfer of enormous wealth.

"Second batch, continue." Xiaoman's voice rang out again.

As the liquidation process progressed, CFO Wu Yanyan was calculating profits and losses in real time on her computer.

An irrepressible excitement gradually spread across her face.

After several days of negotiation, when the exchange rate reached around 140:1, the last short positions were successfully closed.

A soft, relieved sigh echoed through the trading room.

Qian Hao strode up to Xiao Man and He Yaozu, his voice filled with suppressed excitement: "President Qiao, Young Master He, all positions have been closed. Preliminary calculations show that this round of operations, after deducting capital costs and various expenses, has yielded a net profit of over 300 billion US dollars."

“300 billion!” He Yaozu felt his heart leap.

He knew his family business was large, but such a huge number presented in this way was still beyond his expectations.
It was beyond his imagination.

He looked at his mother, Xiaoman, who simply nodded slightly, her face showing little emotion.

"Have the funds been withdrawn yet?" Xiaoman asked.

"The funds are being transferred to the designated account in batches and are expected to arrive within 72 hours," Wu Yanyan replied.

Xiaoman turned around, her gaze sweeping across the trading hall before finally settling on He Yaozu. Seeing the undisguised shock on his face, she smiled slightly and said to Qian Haozheng, "Prepare for the next phase. The chairman has instructed that once the funds are in place, we should immediately begin establishing a US stock position, focusing on the technology and financial sectors. Specific targets and proportions will be executed according to the plan."

"Understood!" Qian Hao's spirits lifted, and he immediately turned around to make arrangements.

Xiaoman walked to He Yaozu's side and whispered, "See? This is the battlefield of capital. Your father judged that the appreciation of the yen would severely impact the exports of a certain country, and funds would seek new low-lying areas, with US stocks being the next target. We are simply following the trend."

He Yaozu took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down: "Mom, this is too, too exciting."

Xiaoman patted his arm: "This time the operation is quite large. We've been preparing for two years. You only saw the final scene. Come on, go and report to your father. You should know more about these things. The responsibilities ahead are not light."

He Yaozu followed his mother out of the trading center, glancing back at the still bustling scene.

For the first time, he directly felt the unfathomable power of his family, as well as the impact of his father's strategic planning and his mother's decisive command.

A new kind of pressure, accompanied by an unprecedented perspective, quietly took root in his heart.

At this time, the US stock market did indeed start a strong rise after a large influx of international speculative capital, just as He Yuzhu knew. Huang He's team in North America had repeatedly requested to increase investment, but He Yuzhu had suppressed the requests.

It's not that we don't want to give it, it's that we don't have that much; it's all tied up in foreign exchange futures.

Not only are funds going to Huanghe, but a group of people are also going. Qian Hao is leading the team. He Yaozu originally wanted to go with him, but He Yuzhu stopped him, saying that the situation there was too complicated and not safe.

"You can stay in Hong Kong with your mother, that's enough for you to study. Going over there won't affect anything."

"Got it, Dad."

At the same time, He Yuzhu also notified Bai Yifeng to have the North American security company assign personnel to be responsible for the security of the financial team.

"Old Bai, you absolutely must ensure the safety of the finance team this time. There can be no mistakes."

"Understood, boss. A 'Wolf Fang' squad from Hong Kong has gone there, and I will try my best to send people over there as well."

"Okay, you need to keep an eye on it."

"Yes."

In North America, Bai Yifeng directly transferred 60% of the security company's personnel there. The rest couldn't be transferred because AMD also needed people, and there were some existing businesses that couldn't be pushed back.

The massive inflow of funds into the Yellow River Group, no matter how dispersed or disguised, could not completely escape the keen senses of Wall Street.

The market quickly sensed the powerful buying force from this unknown consortium.

“Someone is building positions heavily, with a clear focus, mainly in technology and finance,” Goldman Sachs’ trading department was the first to warn.

"Have you figured out the source? Is it Middle Eastern petrodollars, or funds flowing back from Japan?" Morgan Stanley analysts asked anxiously during the conference call.

"It doesn't seem like it. The operating style is somewhat unfamiliar, yet it carries a seasoned rhythm. Account tracking shows some origins in the Cayman Islands and the Virgin Islands, but the ultimate source is uncertain."

"If it's uncertain again, then let's investigate whether it's the same force that won in the yen foreign exchange market." Someone immediately thought of the force that had stirred up trouble in the yen foreign exchange market not long ago and ultimately withdrew unscathed.

"Yes."

"We used every means to find out that they had just finished a major battle and were coming with plenty of ammunition."

"clear."

Market speculation is speculation, but those who want to follow the trend will still follow it, after all, there's profit to be made.

Some speculative funds began to follow Huang He's buying trajectory, pushing up the price of the target stock.

Some conservative funds believe the market is already at a high level and choose to take profits, thus exchanging positions with Huanghe's buyers.

The battle between bulls and bears has intensified imperceptibly, leading to a significant increase in market volatility.

The traders at Yellow River kept receiving instructions to fine-tune the purchase price and quantity, aiming to both achieve their position building targets and control costs.

"Mr. Qiao, there are quite a few copycat projects, and the cost has increased by three percent compared to the estimate." Qian Hao was reporting over an overseas phone call, his voice tinged with fatigue.

On the other end of the phone, Xiaoman said, "As expected, proceed as planned. Don't worry about minor price differences; the important thing is position size. Time is on our side."

"clear."

At the same time, He Yaozu was also assigned a specific task: to manage the trading of a certain technology stock.

Xiaoman directly arranged a master for him, who was actually Xiaoman's apprentice.

At the same time, He Yaozu also began to study the group's capital allocation and risk management in depth.

Every day, he looks at the trading records and market analysis sent back by the North American team, witnessing firsthand the thrilling game behind the numbers.

He gradually realized that what his father and mother did was not simple speculation, but a strategic layout based on a deep understanding of the global economic landscape.

"Mom, so much money is being bet on US stocks. What if... what if the judgment is wrong?" After understanding the intention, He Yaozu finally couldn't help but ask the question that was on his mind one day.

Xiaoman put down the report in her hand and looked at her son: "Your father never fights a battle he can't win. He sees further than most people. What we need to do is trust and execute. Even if something goes wrong, Huanghe can afford to lose. But more importantly, learn to make your own judgments from every operation. After all, your father only cares about the big picture; he doesn't care about the details."

He Yaozu nodded thoughtfully.

As time went by, US stocks continued to climb, driven by capital inflows, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average constantly breaking historical records. The market was filled with optimism, as if there was no end in sight.

Huang He's holdings yielded huge floating profits. On Sunday, October 11, 1987, He Yuzhu personally spoke with Qian Haozheng by phone.

"Haozheng, remember, start closing out positions as soon as the market opens on Monday."

"Boss, the market is doing so well right now? We..."

"Don't assume you'll find out later. Close your positions without hesitation. Don't fantasize about making the last penny. Our goal has been achieved. Execute the order!"

"Yes, boss! I guarantee I'll complete the task!"

Monday, October 12th.

Inside the North American trading center, the opening bell rang like a starting gun.

Huanghe's trading desk was the first to release huge sell orders, targeting those technology and financial stocks that had seen significant gains.

Initially, the market did not react immediately, and there were still buyers trying to take over.

But the dumping of Yellow River shares was like opening a floodgate.

"IBM, 5,000 sell orders!"

"Morgan Stanley, eight thousand hands!"

Commands echoed throughout the North America Financial Company in the Yellow River Basin.

Qian Hao was staring intently at the screen, his face serious, meticulously carrying out He Yuzhu's orders.

Soon, other large organizations noticed something amiss.

"It's them again! They're retreating!" a Goldman Sachs trader exclaimed.

"Why? There's no negative news at all!"

Doubts spread like a virus.

The funds that had rushed in earlier began to panic, scrambling to join the sell-off in an attempt to lock in profits or minimize losses.

Selling pressure increased exponentially, causing the index to turn downwards and the decline to widen rapidly.

The charts for the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the S&P 500 show a steep downward trend.

The ringing of telephones, shouts of alarm, and urgent instructions were all mixed together, and the trading hall was in complete chaos.

The constantly flashing red numbers signaled a sharp decline in assets.

"Mr. Qian, panic selling has started! Liquidity is drying up!" his subordinate reported to Qian Haozheng.

"Continue to close positions as planned, ignore the price." Qian Hao was trying to calm himself down before issuing the order. At this moment, a moment's hesitation could mean utter ruin.

"Yes."

Meanwhile, in Hong Kong, Ho Yiu-cho looked at the almost vertical downward curve on the screen, his palms sweating profusely.

He only learned about Huang He's plans early this morning, witnessed the consequences of the order, and saw the cruelty of the capital market. Assets that were hot commodities the day before had become unwanted hot potatoes in the blink of an eye.

The sell-off in Huanghe lasted for a full day, and because the action was swift enough, most positions were closed out at relatively high levels.

When the market was in complete panic selling, Huang He's account was almost entirely in cash, with no positions left at all.

After completing all of this, the North American financial team slumped in their chairs, completely exhausted. It was so incredibly exciting! If they had been even a step too slow with any stock, the losses would have been more than they could ever make in a lifetime.

At the close, major North American stock indexes all recorded one of their biggest single-day drops in history, far exceeding any previous correction.

The exchange was in a mess, with scraps of paper flying everywhere (trading orders were still partially used at the time), and the traders looked dejected.

In the following days, the market continued to fall sharply. Unexpectedly, a strong rebound occurred on Friday, recovering some of the lost ground, leading many to believe that it was just a false alarm and that it was all caused by those damned speculative funds.

However, on Monday, October 19, 1987...

When the New York Stock Exchange opened, sell orders poured in like a burst dam, but there were not enough buy orders to absorb them.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average plummeted as if in freefall.

Panic spread at lightning speed, and the stampede-like sell-off spiraled completely out of control.

At this moment, everyone at Yellow River Financial became an audience member, watching this grand spectacle unfold.

On the other end of the phone, Qian Haozheng's voice was hoarse with excitement and nervousness: "Boss, my God, the market has completely gone crazy! Buying has disappeared! Thank goodness I listened to you."

“If you don’t listen to me, I’ll replace you,” He Yuzhu said calmly.

Qian Haozheng shuddered, cold sweat streaming down his forehead. He knew that if he had said a few more words back then, he would probably have been forced to leave Hong Kong for the rest of his life, and how well he would fare would depend on his boss's decision.

"I won't offer advice recklessly anymore," Qian Haozheng said.

"Suggestions should still be made. You did a good job this time, and you'll all be rewarded when you get back." He Yuzhu was giving a stern warning followed by a sweet treat.

"Yes, I will lead the team back after all the funds have been invested."

"Yes, I'll be waiting for you to come back so we can celebrate your success!"

"thank you boss!"

On October 12, 1987, the sell-off of Huanghe triggered a chain reaction, leading to a collapse in market confidence and ultimately becoming a preview or direct trigger for what is now known as "Black Monday."

October 19, 1987, was that Black Monday.

After the funds arrived, Xiaoman brought He Yaozu over to report: "Brother Zhu, we made a profit of 60 billion from US stocks, and with the foreign exchange funds from before, we now have a total of 120 billion US dollars."

Even if He Yaozu knew in advance, his heart still pounded wildly after hearing it again. How long had it been? Half a year. It would take the Yellow River Group many years to earn this much money.

"What, you're still not awake?" He Yuzhu picked up a crumpled piece of paper and threw it at He Yaozu's forehead.

"Ah, yes, it feels a bit like a dream."

"Wake up quickly, there are still things to do."

"A-any more?"

"Nonsense, the US stock market has crashed, what do you think will happen to other markets?" He Yuzhu said irritably.

"What about us?"

“This is a global event. Xiaoman, you can decide what to do next,” He Yuzhu said.

"No surprises?"

“No!” He Yuzhu said.

"Which markets should we target, and what are the bottom lines?"

"Besides North America, we can also look into London and Tokyo. I'm not sure where the bottom line is; we'll see how things go." He Yuzhu spoke the truth; he really didn't know what would happen after all this fuss.

"Oh, then we can't do anything large-scale; we can only operate conservatively."

"Yes, the biggest one has already been secured. We can just make a little more money from the rest," He Yuzhu said.

"Did you hear that? Your dad's getting more and more arrogant," Xiaoman said, patting her son on the shoulder with a laugh.

He Yaozu's face was frozen, and he couldn't smile at all.

"Oh, right, there's one more thing," He Yuzhu said.

“You say it,” Xiaoman said.

“We’ve had our teams outside start looking for cutting-edge technologies, and this time we’re going to acquire some of them,” He Yuzhu said.

"Like last time?"

"Well, it should go more smoothly than last time, but we need to be more discreet, otherwise if we get targeted, our future will be bleak," He Yuzhu said.

"Okay, can we give this task to our son?"

“If you think he’s capable, let him come. You have to keep an eye on him; this kid is impulsive,” He Yuzhu said.

"You! Yaozu, hurry up and thank your dad for giving you such a great opportunity. This might be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity." Xiaoman nudged her son.

"Thank you, Dad. I will try my best!" He Yaozu said.

Then Chen Sheng also called.

"Boss, if you hadn't foreseen this, we would have been in danger!"

"How is the situation now?" He Yuzhu asked.

"AMD's stake has reached a safe level, but the company has several billion dollars more on its books."

“Don’t touch this money yet. You’ll need to repurchase it once the stock market stabilizes a bit,” He Yuzhu said.

"clear."

"Does that company have enough working capital?" He Yuzhu asked.

"That's enough, our products have always sold well."

"That's good. However, the economy will be sluggish for the next few years. As long as the hotel can recover its operating costs, that's fine. AMD's software and hardware R&D should not stop. This is very important," He Yuzhu said.

"Understood, I'll keep an eye on things in North America for the boss."

“Yes, Yaozu might be involved in acquiring technology later, so you should mentor him,” He Yuzhu said.

"it is good."

"Then let's leave it at that for now. Be careful in North America; the economy is bad and safety is also a concern," He Yuzhu said.

"thank you boss!"

(End of this chapter)