Starting with a fully invested A-share portfolio to become a capital...

Chapter 280 The bigger the storm, the more expensive the fish.
Changtai Building A.

Financial Research Network office space.

Although November 22nd was a weekend, Caiyan.com, as an internet finance company, still had many employees working in the office, especially the editorial department, which operated on a three-shift system.

As the online public opinion surrounding Zhang Yang intensified, the dozen or so financial news editors in the editorial department began to whisper among themselves.

"Have you seen the news? Someone said our boss is a ruthless speculator on Fuchun Road!"

"Impossible, right? Our boss runs such a big company with hundreds of employees. There's no need for him to fleece retail investors."

Do you think speculative capital earns less than startups?

"Xu Xiang earned 50 billion yuan in 10 years. That's cash flow. Even Baidu and Alibaba might not be able to come up with 50 billion yuan in cash!"

"It's hard to believe, but they've exposed the leveraged contracts, transaction records, and recordings. I feel like our boss might really be a ruthless speculator like Fuchun Road!"

"Definitely. He's always elusive, leaving the company's daily operations to President Xu. He has plenty of time to run Fuchun Road!"

"Oh no, the Fuchun Road restaurant I've been paying attention to for months is actually owned by my own boss?"

As the financial editors whispered among themselves, department manager Chang Hanlin coughed twice and reminded them, "Have you finished all your tasks?"

In an instant.

The editorial office is so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

No one dared to discuss it anymore, after all, it was negative publicity about their boss, and with the end of the year approaching, they couldn't afford to get fired.

Seeing that the office area had returned to quiet, Chang Hanlin said again, "Words can be dangerous. We are all adults. Don't let a moment of pleasure lead to irreversible consequences."

In terms of employee benefits alone, Caiyan.com is definitely the industry leader.

The work schedule is 8 hours a day with weekends off, and the overtime pay is 20 yuan per hour. If the workday ends after 11 p.m., the overtime pay will be doubled. In addition, annual leave, maternity leave, and social insurance and housing fund are all provided. Moreover, Xu Zhirou has repeatedly warned that there will be a large cash bonus at the end of the year.

Of course.

High welfare benefits aren't free.

Each employee has corresponding performance evaluations. For example, financial editors will have a professional exam every month. In addition, the department manager will score each financial editor based on the content they produce. If the scores are too low multiple times, the case will be transferred to the review department. If the evaluations are consistent and the editor is deemed unable to perform the job duties, they will be dismissed.

With generous benefits and a performance-based elimination mechanism, the financial research network has built a robust departmental ecosystem.

After Chang Hanlin's reminder, no one in the financial editorial department discussed Zhang Yang's negative aspects anymore, since they didn't want to lose their jobs.

Meanwhile, in the CEO's office, Xu Zhirou felt somewhat helpless upon seeing the online public opinion: "This day has finally come, and the timing is just right, at the crucial moment of the 'public fund sales license' qualification review."

"咚咚-"

There was a knock on the open office door.

Xu Zhirou looked up and saw that the person who came was Fan Yan'en from the public relations department. He looked anxious and hesitated to speak.

"What happened?" Xu Zhirou asked knowingly.

"Mr. Xu, Mr. Zhang, he..."

Fan Yan'en paused for a moment, then continued to state the content of the online public opinion: "President Zhang has been slandered as a villain on Fuchun Road. Now there is a lot of criticism against him. I have contacted the legal department and asked them to prepare a lawyer's letter to refute the rumors."

“Okay.” Xu Zhirou approved of his actions and understood his purpose: “I will confirm the authenticity of the matter with President Zhang and notify you later. Keep your phone accessible.”

"Okay, Mr. Xu."

Fan Yan'en left quickly.

After he left, Xu Zhirou first closed the soundproof glass door of the office, and then quickly called Zhang Yang.

"Dududu-"

Not a moment.

The call was answered.

"What's wrong, Zhirou?"

At this time, Zhang Yang was unaware of the escalating online public opinion. He was camping with Liao Guopei, Lin Guangchang, Feng Weiqiang, Zeng Lingshan, and Chen Xiaoqun to relax their tired bodies and minds.

Humans are not machines; proper relaxation is essential for restoring vitality.

Furthermore, Feng Weiqiang, Zeng Lingshan, and Chen Xiaoqun are young, and Zhang Yang was worried that their long hours of trading and rigorous training would cause them psychological problems, so he organized a camping team building activity.

"As you wished, you've been posted online, and you're even trending at number one on Weibo."

Xu Zhirou kept it brief.

Zhang Yang, who was leisurely sipping coffee at the campsite, paused for a moment, then regained his composure and said, "Let's wait and see, let the dust settle."

"Let the bullets fly?"

Xu Zhirou raised her voice and asked again, "You don't want to not respond and let netizens criticize you for a couple more days, do you?"

"Hmm, that's what I mean."

Zhang Yang laughed.

"Do you have some kind of special fetish? Like, you feel really good when someone insults you?" Xu Zhirou boldly speculated.

Zhang Yang took a sip of the coffee Lin Guangchang had made and said with a faint smile, "You've reminded me that not only should we not respond, but we should also fan the flames from behind the scenes and amplify the public opinion as much as possible."

"What are you trying to do? Do you think the netizens are really enjoying criticizing you?" Xu Zhirou asked, puzzled.

"There's a saying that goes, 'The bigger the storm, the more expensive the fish.' Although negative public opinion is constantly brewing, Caiyan.com's popularity is also rising rapidly. As long as we can land safely and catch this wave of traffic, we might be able to shake Eastmoney's daily active user position."

Zhang Yang shared his thoughts.

In its early days, Eastmoney built a complete community ecosystem around its stock forum, attracting countless individual investors.

What about daily living expenses?
Eastmoney is number one in terms of market share!

Especially after adopting the free model, Eastmoney's daily active users surged again, stabilizing at around ten million.

If Caiyan.com wants to overtake its competitors, it must use the strategy that generates the most traffic.

Xu Zhirou was surprised by Zhang Yang's crazy idea. She asked in great confusion, "Aren't you afraid of being attacked by the traffic? Or have you thought of other ways to land safely and stably?"

“It’s the same old method you use: take the beating and stand up straight.” Zhang Yang took a deep breath and said, “Since they’ve exposed me, let’s go all the way. I’ll organize the transaction records of my profit path and let the whole world see who is the number one speculative investor in China.”

When the words "top speculator" were uttered, Xu Zhirou was completely stunned. She hadn't expected Zhang Yang to have this in mind.

What motivates individual investors to enter the stock market?
make money!

If a seasoned investor with a six-month return of over a million times shares their insights daily, how would you, as a retail investor, choose to participate?

Copying homework!
It's definitely copying homework!

It's like comparing a mediocre student to a top student. The top student is right next to you during the exam, and you're still pretending to be superior?
Of course, Zhang Yang wasn't 100% sure he could capitalize on this massive surge in traffic, but he was willing to give it a try if he had around a 60% chance, because fortune often comes from taking risks.

Want low risk and high returns?
Those are basically all pig butchering scams.

Anyone with a few years of investment experience knows that low risk cannot guarantee high returns, and high returns are often accompanied by high risk.

It's worth mentioning that Zhang Yang still has a backup plan.

Even if Caiyan.com fails to capitalize on this surge in traffic, Zhang Yang can still transform Caiyan.com into an internet securities company by bidding for a "securities sales license," and then attract retail investors with low commissions.

In 2009, securities transaction commissions were generally around 1%, meaning that for every 7 yuan traded, 7 yuan had to be paid to the securities company upfront. Larger funds could negotiate a commission rate of 5%, while extremely large speculative funds could negotiate a rate of 2%. Currently, the securities accounts of the "Zhangjiang gang" all have a commission rate of 3%, and they have not yet applied for a further reduction in transaction commissions.

If they really can't handle the massive influx of customers, and given that they've already acquired a "securities sales license," Zhang Yang doesn't want a commission rate of 3% to fail to attract retail investors. For larger businesses, he might offer 2% or 1.5% to see if retail investors will open accounts and trade.

Are you sure you want to do this?

Xu Zhirou came to her senses.

"OK," Zhang Yang answered decisively.

“Okay.” Xu Zhirou respected Zhang Yang’s choice, then asked, “When will you hold a clarification, or rather, a briefing?”

"No rush. Let's get our competitors to generate more traffic for us, especially Eastmoney and Tonghuashun. Let them promote our Caiyan.com," Zhang Yang said with a smile.

"okay, I get it."

"Then you get busy first."

"Ah."

The two hung up the phone.

As Xu Zhirou hung up the phone, she couldn't help but complain, "What a madman! Others have already launched a media war right at our doorstep, and he's still thinking about maximizing his profits."

When Zhang Yang confessed to Xu Zhirou that he was "Fuchun Road", Xu Zhirou called and advised Xu Zhiruo to cash out and leave, saying that she could at least make a profit of 8000 million yuan.

However, Xu Zhiruo missed the opportunity, and now it's basically impossible for her to sell.

Therefore, Xu Zhirou did not try to persuade him this time. She knew that no matter how she tried, she could not persuade that stubborn mule. Now she could only follow Zhang Yang's idea and let the negative public opinion ferment in silence.

No hesitation.

She then called Fan Yan'en.

"Dududu-"

The call is connected.

"Hello, Mr. Xu."

"Cease all public relations efforts. I will notify you of the specific response time later."

"what???"

Fan Yan'en was dumbfounded. What was going on?

Is it confirmed?
Is Zhang Yang really a villain from Fuchun Road?
Fan Yan'en is no newcomer; he is a senior public relations professional who joined Caiyan.com through a headhunting firm and is particularly skilled in handling public opinion.

How do seasoned public relations professionals handle public opinion crises?

There are only four moves in total.

1. A lawyer's letter refutes the rumors.

2. Pressure heat.

3. The defamation lawsuit was won.

4. Online trolls whitewashing.

Take, for example, a celebrity he once worked for. The moment the celebrity was exposed for soliciting prostitution, Fan Yan'en contacted a law firm and sent a lawyer's letter to the poster. He then contacted the trending topics management departments of various platforms and spent money to reduce the exposure. After a few months or even half a year, he won the defamation lawsuit to cover up the fact of soliciting prostitution. Then, he used online trolls to cover up the truth, thus achieving a safe landing.

At this point, some people might ask, is it guaranteed that you will win a defamation lawsuit?
It's true; once a case is filed, the celebrity's side almost always wins. With these four methods, Fan Yan'en has handled countless celebrity scandals, making him a "PR guru" in the industry.

However, Caiyan.com's handling of public opinion has completely overturned Fan Yan'en's understanding.

After regaining his composure, he asked again, "Mr. Xu, are you sure? Regardless of whether Mr. Zhang is from Fuchun Road or not, we can first refute the rumors and reduce the heat."

Fan Yan'en has already made it clear that even if Zhang Yang is indeed from Fuchun Road, he can first issue a lawyer's letter to refute the rumor and prevent public opinion from escalating.

"Just listen to me, don't respond." Xu Zhirou emphasized in an unquestionable tone, giving Fan Yan'en no further room for maneuver.

"That...okay then."

Fan Yan'en had no choice but to give up.

"I have things to do here, you go ahead and do yours."

"Okay, Mr. Xu."

After hanging up the phone with Fan Yan'en, Xu Zhirou immediately opened her email and sent emails to all the senior executives of Caiyan.com.

[Regarding the negative public opinion about General Manager Zhang online, everyone must remain silent and refrain from any form of response. Furthermore, everyone is responsible for monitoring their subordinates' discussions of this matter. Any violation or failure to adequately supervise will result in immediate dismissal.]
"Snapped--"

Send email.

When the senior executives of Caiyan.com saw the email, they were deeply shocked, because the email was tantamount to semi-conclusive evidence that Zhang Yang was the malicious stock manipulator Fuchun Road.

All of a sudden.

The executives were whispering to themselves.

[Yang Wei]: No wonder Mr. Zhang is often nowhere to be seen. It turns out he's been secretly trading stocks, and the famous ones at Fuchun Road no less.

[Tang Yuanhang]: Joker is Fuchun Road, Fuchun Road is Joker! My God, no wonder Boss Zhang is so rich!
[Qin Junyu]: The Fuchun Road I've been cursing for half a year is actually my boss! Damn, I'll have to watch what I eat from now on, I don't want to get fired.

[Wu Zheng]: Interesting. I thought it was a spoiled rich kid starting a business, but it turns out it's Fuchun Road. No wonder the trading technology is so amazing.

……

And at the same time.

the other side.

Hongyue Investment Building.

When Vice President Sun Yiheng saw the article revealing the contents of his company's leveraged contracts and the leaked transaction records, a rare flash of anger crossed his eyes, and he said in a deep voice, "Damn it, Zhang Xiaolong doesn't want to live anymore."

Exposure is fine, but what will other clients think if Hongyue Investment's leveraged contract details and settlement statements are revealed?
If your privacy isn't protected, why would anyone come to your house to use your services?
obviously.

will not!

This is digging into the roots of Hongyue Investment!

Just then, Meng Xu, the client department manager, rushed into the office, looking flustered, and said, "Mr. Sun... Mr. Sun, several clients with 1000 million yuan in assets want to settle their accounts with us, and it seems that they are all related to the trending topics on the internet."

"I know."

Sun Yiheng waved his hand, signaling him to leave.

Seeing that Sun Yiheng already understood the situation, Meng Xu didn't linger and quickly returned to his workstation to continue answering customer calls.

After Meng Xu walked away, Sun Yiheng suppressed his anger and called Liu Hua to explain the situation Hongyue Investment was facing.

After learning the whole story, Liu Hua called Zhang Yang, who was camping at the time.

The moment the call connected, Liu Hua said apologetically, "It's my fault for not managing things properly and causing you trouble, Brother Zhang Yang. Just name your compensation."

"Mr. Liu, you're too kind. I should thank you for keeping the secret about Fuchun Road a secret until now. I wouldn't dare to talk about compensation."

Zhang Yang responded with a faint smile.

He knew very well that if Liu Hua hadn't covered for him, the "Fuchun Road" alias would probably have been exposed online by July or August. It was truly remarkable that he managed to hold out until November.

Being grateful and repaying kindness is a fundamental principle of human nature that everyone should abide by.

"With your words, Brother Zhang Yang, I feel much more at ease. But don't worry, this matter will definitely be resolved. Zhang Xiaolong won't get away with it." Liu Hua had already decided to kill him.

Hongyue Group made its fortune in coal. It's impossible for someone to thrive in the coal industry without some tricks up their sleeve.

Moreover, and most importantly, Liu Hua later ventured into the real estate industry.

In the coal and real estate industries, money alone doesn't guarantee success, because they involve too many shady dealings.

Hearing that Liu Hua's tone was off, Zhang Yang didn't want to escalate the situation and attract uncontrollable forces, so he gently reminded her, "A small punishment is enough. We live in a civilized society now, and making money is the priority."

Before Liu Hua could speak, he added, "Besides, this matter may not be a bad thing for me."

"Brother Zhang Yang, don't be so polite with me. I will definitely find Zhang Xiaolong, bring him to you to kowtow and admit his mistakes, and then throw him into the coal mine." Liu Hua thought Zhang Yang was just being polite, so he emphasized it again.

"I appreciate the thought, but there's really no need," Zhang Yang reiterated, then added, "Oh, by the way, Mr. Liu, there's something I must remind you of."

"What is it?" Liu Hua asked hurriedly.

Zhang Yang: "Leverage in the market may be coming soon; you need to pay attention to related businesses."

"sure?"

“Basically confirmed.”

If Zhang Yang remembers correctly, the margin trading and securities lending business will be officially launched on a pilot basis in early 2010, with Huaxin Securities, Guotai Junan Securities, Guoxin Securities, Everbright Securities, Haitong Securities, and GF Securities starting to accept investor transaction applications.

With the introduction of leverage on the exchange, off-exchange leverage business will naturally be impacted.

"Thank you, Brother Zhang Yang. I will consider a strategic retreat. When you come to Hangzhou, I'll treat you to a meal," Liu Hua said gratefully.

This news is invaluable, especially since Hongyue Investment is still in the expansion phase. Without preparation, it could face serious losses.

"Haha, I'll remember this meal," Zhang Yang replied with a laugh.

"Don't worry, there will be not only food, but also women. If you need anything, I can get any of those female celebrities in the entertainment industry to come and keep you company," Liu Hua said, patting his chest.

For coal mine owners, the one thing they have no shortage of is celebrity resources. Some minor actors will even deliberately lie in a coal mine owner's bed for a role.

"Haha, okay, I've got it."

Zhang Yang responded with a smile.

After a few more polite words, the two hung up the phone.

Without hesitation, Liu Hua immediately sent someone to find Zhang Xiaolong. He hadn't hit anyone in a long time and was itching to do it.

As for Zhang Yang, he didn't want to make a big fuss because he wanted to stay in China and didn't want to get involved with too many uncontrollable forces.

……

As night falls, the city lights begin to illuminate the scene.

Twelve hours have passed since "Sunny Sun" posted the message, and Caiyan.com has not responded at all. This has allowed online public opinion to expand in a disorderly manner, and almost everyone has already accepted that Zhang Yang is the evil stock manipulator Fuchun Road.

Just as retail investors were getting tired of complaining all day, Xu Zhirou's mass email to executives was also exposed on the internet.

In an instant!
One stone caused a thousand waves!

[Eating with Big Mouths]: Not allowing a response means they have something to hide. It's confirmed. Zhang Yang is a beast! Fuchun Road!

[Old Monk Uses Pantene to Wash His Hair]: Caiyan.com has been slow to respond and even sent this kind of email to silence us, which is clearly an admission of guilt!
[Lonely Wolf]: I trusted the wrong person. I never expected that the great Joker would be the one to reap our most ruthless and vicious bookmaker, Fuchun Road!
[Loves Sunbathing]: Protecting retail investors on one hand, and reaping profits from them on the other—how dark must a person's heart be to do such a thing?

Public opinion was reignited, and Zhang Yang and Caiyan.com were trending on social media for a day. During this time, peers such as Eastmoney, Tonghuashun, Tencent Finance, NetEase Finance, and Sina Finance all chimed in, demonstrating what it means to kick someone when they're down.

As the masterminds behind providing evidence to Eastmoney, Xu Xiang, Sun Guodong, Ma Xinqi, and other members of the Ningbo Limit-Up Daredevil Team, along with their short-term girlfriends, gathered in a hotel private room, raising their glasses in celebration.

"Zhang Yang's current situation is entirely his own doing. He had no choice but to show off in the stock market instead of running a perfectly good financial research website. Come on, let's raise a glass and celebrate Zhang Yang's downfall!"

"cheers!"

"cheers!"

Everyone clinked glasses in unison and then drank their drinks in one gulp.

After drinking, Shu Yimin laughed and said, "After today, Zhang Yang's reputation will be completely ruined, worse than a rural outhouse, hahaha!"

"This is what happens when you go against us. If you had just obediently become Brother Xiang's subordinate, you wouldn't have ended up in this situation."

Sun Guodong looked at Xu Xiang, belittling Zhang Yang while praising Xu Xiang.

Xu Xiang once extended an olive branch to Zhang Yang. If the two had joined forces, they probably would have dominated the private equity field long ago.

Xu Xiang smiled faintly and said modestly, "Zhang Yang brought this upon himself. Let's not talk about him anymore. The most important thing tonight is to have fun."

“That’s right, being happy is the most important thing,” Ma Xinqi agreed.

Xu Haiou, who was standing next to him, put his arm around his girlfriend, who was only dating him for a short time, and suggested, "Let's go all out tonight. Whoever can't hold on first pays the bill, haha."

“Then Yimin will definitely pay the bill.” Sun Guodong glanced at the obese Shu Yimin and hinted, “They say fat people are more…”

"No, I wasn't fat during puberty, okay? Brother Sun, don't look down on me!" Shu Yimin defended himself.

"Haha, good, not fat, not fat," Sun Guodong said with a smile.

Anyone familiar with puberty knows that excessive obesity during puberty can cause hormonal imbalances and lead to poor development.

Seeing Sun Guodong's sly look, Shu Yimin felt insulted. He stood up abruptly, pulled down his pants, and said, "A scholar can be killed but not humiliated! Behold my prehistoric giant elephant!"

Wow, so exquisite!

Wow, how unique!

"Wow, okay... but I can't see it?"

"Hahaha--"

Laughter filled the private room.

Just as Shu Yimin was eager to prove himself, far away in a courtyard house in Yanjing, Cheng Hongfa knelt down and pleaded with Bao Xingwei, "I was wrong, Mr. Bao. I was jealous of Zhang Yang. I was bewitched and did something wrong. Please forgive me this time for the sake of these nine years. I promise there will be no next time."

"No need to say anything more." Bao Xingwei closed his eyes and said with great heartache, "With your resume, you are qualified to work in any financial institution. I can't keep you here. You should leave."

Even a dog develops a bond after nine years of raising it, let alone a person.

He wanted to forgive Cheng Hongfa, but he couldn't get past his own conscience. All he could do was cut his losses in time.

Cheng Hongfa pleaded for several more minutes, but Bao Xingwei remained unmoved.

Feeling hopeless, Cheng Hongfa stood up dejectedly. Just as he was regretting his past actions, Bao Xingwei, who was standing in the main living room, suddenly staggered and was about to fall. Cheng Hongfa reacted quickly and caught him, calling out, "Old Bao, Old Bao, what's wrong, Old Bao!"

(End of this chapter)