Who's going to be the female lead's simp? Aren't the supporting female characters mor

The A-share market closed at 3 PM.

DeepBlue Technology's stock price was firmly locked at the daily limit, and that bright red line was like an insurmountable chasm, blocking all the short sellers.

A long-suppressed cheer erupted from the conference room on the top floor of the DeepBlue Technology Building.

"We won! Mr. Bai, we won!" The CFO's hands trembled with excitement as he pointed at the data on the screen, his voice hoarse. "Quantum Fund has been liquidated! In the last five minutes before the market closed, they were forced to liquidate their positions. This time, they've lost at least three billion US dollars!"

Three billion US dollars is a figure that can cripple any international investment bank.

Compared to the jubilation of those around him, Bai Jingyou appeared unusually calm.

He leaned back in his chair, staring at the glaring red on the screen, as if he were watching a movie whose ending he already knew.

"Calm down." Bai Jingyou unscrewed his thermos, took a sip of water, and said calmly, "This is just the beginning. How's Uncle Feng doing?"

Chen Mo pushed up his glasses, concealing the excitement in his eyes: "President Feng just sent me a message. He had a great time buying up stocks. Because of the Quantum Fund's panic buying and liquidation, the stock price was pushed to its peak. President Feng took advantage of the high price to sell some of his shares. In this wave, Hongye Capital made at least a billion yuan."

"Old fox," Bai Jingyou said with a laugh, "Tell him not to rush to sell everything, to keep a portion of his holdings. Deep Blue Technology's market value hasn't peaked yet."

At this moment, Jiang Mengyao, who had been standing next to him, gently tugged at his sleeve.

"What's wrong?" Bai Jingyou turned his head, his eyes softening instantly.

"Did you already know this would happen?" Jiang Mengyao looked at him, her beautiful almond-shaped eyes filled with admiration and a hint of lingering fear. "I was so scared just now. I really thought something was going to happen to the company."

Bai Jingyou reached out and flicked her nose, laughing, "The business world is like a battlefield, full of deception. If I don't act convincingly, how will that big fish take the bait? But..."

He changed the subject abruptly, took out his car keys from his pocket and handed them to Chen Mo: "Get the car ready, let's go to the market."

All the executives in the room were stunned.

Shouldn't such a resounding victory be celebrated with champagne or a wild party at one of Beijing's most exclusive clubs? Why go to the vegetable market?

"I promised someone I'd have sweet and sour pork ribs for lunch. It's a bit late, but I can't go back on my word for this dinner." Bai Jingyou stood up, straightened his suit, and took the hand of Jiang Mengyao, who was still a little dazed. "Let's go, Chef Jiang. I won't be talking business today; I'll just be your assistant."

Watching the two figures disappear into the distance, the executives in the conference room exchanged glances, then burst into good-natured laughter.

"Our CEO Bai, he loves beauty more than power!"

……

At the same time, in a private club in the western suburbs of Beijing, the atmosphere was like an icebox.

The floor was covered in red wine stains and shards of glass. The ten million dollar projection screen had been smashed with a large hole and was still sizzling and sparking.

Li Zifeng slumped on the sofa, his tie askew and his once meticulously combed hair now a mess, as if his soul had been ripped away.

"It's over...it's all over..."

He muttered to himself, his eyes vacant.

Just now, the president of Quantum Fund's Greater China division made him his last phone call—his biggest asset on Wall Street. The other party roared on the phone, announcing the termination of all cooperation and threatening to sue him for providing false business intelligence, demanding compensation for all losses.

That's billions! Even if you sold him, you couldn't afford to lose that much!

"Brother..." Li He huddled in the corner, broom in hand, cautiously peeking out. "Um, shouldn't we go home? Grandpa called three times just now, and I didn't dare answer..."

Upon hearing the word "grandfather," Li Zifeng trembled violently.

He jumped up like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, rushed over and grabbed Li He by the collar, his eyes bloodshot: "Who told you not to answer! Who told you not to answer! Are you trying to get me killed?!"

Li He's face turned red and his neck bulged from being strangled. He cursed Li Zifeng's ancestors for eighteen generations in his heart, but on the surface he still had to pretend to be about to cry: "Brother, I'm scared... I'm scared Grandpa will scold you..."

"Insult me? He probably wants to kill me right now!" Li Zifeng let go, slumped to the ground, and buried his head in his hands. "Half of the funds mobilized this time were misappropriated working capital from the family business... If Grandpa finds out about this..."

Just then, the cell phone lying on the coffee table suddenly rang.

The ringing of the bell sounded particularly jarring in the deathly silent private room.

Li Zifeng glanced at the screen, which displayed only two words: "Father".

His hands trembled, and he hesitated for a full half minute before pressing the answer button.

"Hello, Dad..."

"Don't call me Dad." A cold, middle-aged male voice came from the other end of the phone, devoid of any emotion, yet sending a chill down one's spine. "Li Zifeng, you've disappointed me greatly."

Li Zifeng's tears instantly welled up: "Dad, let me explain, it's that bastard Bai Jingyou..."

"Shut up." The man interrupted him. "A loss is a loss. The Li family doesn't tolerate useless excuses. The board of directors has just passed a resolution to suspend all your positions within the group. Your so-called assets overseas will also be frozen to cover this loss."

"Dad! You can't do this! I'm the heir of the Li family!" Li Zifeng roared hysterically.

"The heir?" The man sneered. "Look at yourself now, like a stray dog. From today onwards, you're going back to the old mansion to reflect on your mistakes. You're not allowed to step out the door without my permission. As for that mess, I'll send someone to clean it up."

Beep, beep, beep...

The phone hangs up.

The phone slipped from Li Zifeng's hand and landed on the expensive carpet with a dull thud. He seemed to have all his strength drained away, collapsing onto the sofa and staring blankly at the ceiling.

It’s over.

It's completely over.

His initial high spirits upon returning to China, and his ambitious determination to crush the business community of Beijing, now seemed like a complete joke.

In the corner, Li He lowered his head, seemingly cleaning up the debris on the ground, but in reality, the corners of his mouth were wildly upturned.

Using his body as cover, he quietly took out his phone and sent a WeChat message to Bai Jingyou:

[Brother Bai, Li Zifeng's finished. I just got a call from home; they've dismissed him and told him to go back home and reflect on his actions. That kid's like a dead dog now, it's so satisfying to see him like that!]

After sending the message, Li He quickly put away his phone, put on a heartbroken expression, walked to Li Zifeng's side, and said in a tearful voice, "Brother, let's... let's go back. As long as we're alive, we can always make a comeback."

Li Zifeng turned his head blankly, looking at his cousin whom he had always regarded as a good-for-nothing, and suddenly gave a bitter laugh: "Li He, are you laughing at me in your heart?"

"No way, brother!" Li He was startled and quickly waved his hands. "Do you think I'm that kind of person? We're family!"

"Family..." Li Zifeng chewed on those three words, a venomous glint in his eyes. "Fine, so-called family. Bai Jingyou, I'll remember this. As long as I'm alive, I won't let you get away with this!"

At that moment, Li Zifeng had no idea how pale and powerless his harsh words would seem in the face of his impending fate.

……

The night in Beijing is still as vibrant as ever, but the winds of change have completely shifted within the entertainment circle tonight.

If everyone was still observing at last night's party, then after the stock market closed today, Bai Jingyou's name has already become a new generation of business legend in Beijing.

Inside the Jiang family villa's kitchen, however, there was a warm and inviting atmosphere.

"Oh no, the fire's too high! Turn it down!" Jiang Mengyao, wearing an apron and holding a spatula, stamped her feet in frustration.

Bai Jingyou stood by the stove, frantically trying to turn the gas stove knob: "Turn it off! Turn it off! This thing is harder to manage than managing hundreds of billions of dollars."

The sweet and sour pork ribs sizzled in the pot. Although they looked a little burnt, the sweet and sour aroma still filled the entire kitchen.

Jiang Mengyao ladled out the ribs, looked at the few dark pieces on the plate, and couldn't help but chuckle: "Young Master Bai, it seems your talent in cooking is indeed not as good as your talent in business."

"This is called caramel color, you know? High-end cuisine emphasizes this." Bai Jingyou shamelessly picked up a piece and put it in his mouth. After chewing it a couple of times, he gave it a thumbs up without changing his expression. "Delicious! Crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, this is exactly the taste I wanted."

Jiang Mengyao rolled her eyes at him, but her heart was filled with sweetness.

She knew Bai Jingyou was just trying to cheer her up. Even after such a huge incident today, he remained calm and collected in front of thousands of people, yet at home he was willing to spend time with her in the kitchen preparing this plate of ribs.

This feeling of being cherished made her feel more at ease than winning any amount of money.

The two carried the dishes to the restaurant, and just as they sat down, the doorbell rang.

"Who could it be so late?" Jiang Mengyao asked, getting up in confusion.

"They're probably here to freeload a meal," Bai Jingyou sighed helplessly, as if he had expected it.

As soon as the door opened, a fragrant breeze wafted out.

"Oh, it smells so good! Looks like I've arrived just in time!"

Ye Lingqing, dressed in a smart business suit, carrying two bottles of red wine, walked in on high heels. Behind her followed the boisterous Zhang Yi.

"Young Master Bai, Mengyao! Congratulations!" Zhang Yi laughed heartily, immediately changing her shoes as she entered. "Today is a joyous occasion, how can we just eat ribs? Lingqing and I specially brought some wine to celebrate!"

Jiang Mengyao was a little surprised, but she still politely welcomed them in: "Please come in, we've just started eating."

Bai Jingyou sat at the dining table, looking at the two uninvited guests, and raised an eyebrow: "President Ye, you're quite well-informed. What, are you afraid I'll renege on your renovation payment?"

"That's small change." Ye Lingqing placed the wine on the table, pulled out a chair and sat down without any ceremony. "I came here today mainly to see if the man who drove the eldest son of the Li family to the brink of suicide is hiding at home and secretly enjoying himself."

"Li Zifeng brought this upon himself." Bai Jingyou placed a piece of the best spare rib on Jiang Mengyao's plate and said calmly, "But since President Ye is here, I also have something to discuss with you."

"I knew it." Ye Lingqing poured herself a glass of wine, swirled it, and said, "So, is it about the Li family's frozen assets?"

Bai Jingyou laughed: "It's so much easier talking to smart people. Li Zifeng embezzled a lot of public funds this time, and the Li family will definitely sell off some non-core assets to fill the hole. I've got my eye on a few plots of land and two logistics parks."

"You want to swallow it whole?" Ye Lingqing took a sip of wine, her eyes sharp. "Quite an appetite. But although the Li family has suffered a setback this time, even a centipede doesn't die easily; they might not be willing to sell it to you."

"They will," Bai Jingyou said confidently, "because besides me, no one in the capital dares to take on this project right now. And..."

He paused, then looked at Zhang Yi, who had remained silent, and asked, "Sister Zhang, I heard you have a good relationship with that second aunt of the Li family?"

Zhang Yi, who was gnawing on ribs, paused for a moment, then gave him a flirtatious wink: "Oh, Young Master Bai even knows that? That's right, she and I are card-playing buddies. What, you want me to be your go-between?"

"I'm not a lobbyist, I'm a businessman." Bai Jingyou tapped his long fingers lightly on the table. "If you can close this deal, I'll give you three percent of the commission."

Zhang Yi's eyes instantly lit up like two searchlights. Three points! That's tens of millions!

"Deal!" Zhang Yi tossed the bone aside, patted her chest, and assured him, "Young Master Bai, don't worry, I've got this covered! That old woman is incredibly greedy; I just need to put in a little effort, and I guarantee it'll be done for you!"