Chapter 2: Prophecy?

After a moment of silence, Meng Lang felt that this might just be a coincidence. He hesitated, then tentatively asked again.

"May I ask what your profession is?"

"Oh! I'm a senior investment advisor at Galaxy Securities. I work over there in the Galaxy Building, and here's my business card."

Teacher Tony handed over a very exquisite gilt business card to Meng Lang, exuding the aura of a business elite.

[Niu Ben (Tony): Senior Investment Advisor at Galaxy Securities, phone number XXXXX...]

Really an investment professional?

Meng Lang looked at the business card in his hand, his expression growing even more peculiar.

A second coincidence?

He lifted his head again to look at Teacher Tony.

"That... I think what Teacher Tony just said makes a lot of sense, and I've recently become a bit interested in stock trading as well. Do you have any advice, Teacher Tony?"

Teacher Tony's eyes lit up but he understood that with a fish just caught on the hook, one mustn't yank too hard.

Feigning hesitation for a moment, he then sat down again.

"Young man, I see some potential in you, so I'll give you some analysis.

Have you been following the financial news lately? The stock market index has been lackluster for two years, but recently it has gone up for three straight days, shooting up several hundred points.

Especially tech stocks and energy stocks, there are dozens of stocks hitting limit-up, do you know why?"

Meng Lang recalled the "Miserable Life" he saw yesterday, and looked uncertainly at the other party.

"Because... the leeks entered the market?"

Teacher Tony's expression faltered.

Why isn't this guy following the script?

"Hehe, young man, you jest. What leeks have that kind of power? This is the big market makers in the country and international financial institutions bottom-picking and sweeping goods!"

"Oh..." Meng Lang nodded as if he sort of understood, "And then?"

Seeing Meng Lang act like a complete novice bolstered Teacher Tony's confidence.

"You know the saying that even a pig could fly if it stands in a strong enough wind? This is the wind!

The money in the bank right now can't outpace inflation; buying property involves macroeconomic control, and the real economy is sluggish.

So where do you think people's money will end up?

With my more than twenty years of investment experience, I can tell you that entering the stock market now is the best timing. As long as luck isn't too terrible, doubling your assets every year is a piece of cake!"

Teacher Tony then adopted a wistful expression.

"You see, in life, there are only a few choices that have the potential to change your destiny, like the college entrance exam, getting married, buying property, and for the next ten years, it's the stock market!

If you miss it, then you'll truly be working for others for a lifetime."

Truth be told, Meng Lang really knows nothing about stock trading.

After all, stock trading requires capital, and Meng Lang just so happens to have none.

If he weren't preoccupied with other matters, Teacher Tony's logical and impassioned pitch might indeed be very seductive.

Who doesn't want to earn money while lying down?

However, Meng Lang's mind was completely elsewhere at the moment, and with the image of "Miserable Life" seemingly fluttering before his eyes again, he found the speech even more irritating and immediately went on full alert.

"Mmm, mmm! Listening to your words is like hearing pearls of wisdom." Meng Lang nodded eagerly as if he were learning eagerly, then suddenly his tone shifted.

"Then, what do you think the chances are that we will have a stock market crash this year?"

Teacher Tony hadn't had the time to ponder what was different between two pearls of wisdom when he heard the words "stock market crash."

"Stock market crash? Ahahaha..." He burst into laughter as if he'd heard the funniest joke, laughing heartily.

"Young man, let me put it this way, after the stock market crash in '15, the market index hit bottom. It's only '18 now, right? The index has barely risen a few hundred points, so how could there be another crash?

Even if there were a financial crisis, it would follow a ten-year cycle. In your lifetime, how many more crashes can there be?

'No further fall is possible' refers to this moment; it's the best time to bottom pick! Do you think those big institutions are foolish?

Kid, take my advice, having the desire to manage your finances is a good thing, but as a young person, you should read more. You can't just enter this stock market by following a few nonsense public accounts."

Teacher Tony looked at Meng Lang somewhat regretfully.

"Sigh! Seeing you reminds me of myself when I was young: ambitious but too naive.

How about this, if you really want to learn, find some time, and I can explain to you how to really play the stock game."

"Hmm... Do you have anything more specific? Like any stock that you're particularly bullish on?" Meng Lang continued to dig deeper while pretending to be enticed.

"Sigh! Young people are always in such a rush!" Teacher Tony shook his head and then sighed. "However, I do understand your urgency."

He hesitated for a while before saying.

"I've been focusing on researching a stock over the last few years; it's a core energy stock with a state-owned background.

After a long period of decline and adjustment, it recently received a high-volume bullish candlestick, followed by three consecutive upward-trending small bullish candlesticks and doji stars, with transaction volume also increasing periodically. Such patterns indicate a very high probability of the stock rising in the future..."

After throwing out a series of professional jargon and confirming he had dazed the young man in front of him, Teacher Tony then looked around cautiously and whispered.

"The key point is, I have a college classmate who is a senior executive there... but I can't say more than that."

Meng Lang's breathing became a little rushed. "Then, what exactly is this stock?"

"It's... Huaxia Energy!"

Huaxia Energy?!

When those four words were spoken out loud by the other party, Meng Lang couldn't help a shiver go through his heart, his eyelid twitched uncontrollably.

Once could be a coincidence, twice could be a coincidence, but three times?

At that moment, Meng Lang's emotions were a mixture of shock with excitement, excitement tinged with barely concealed exhilaration; he was like a horse racing across the fields!

On the other hand, Teacher Tony, observing Meng Lang's changing, contorted expression of excitement, read four words in his eyes— as if finding a treasure!

He adjusted his glasses on the bridge of his nose somewhat blankly.

Did the smooth talk fall through just like that?

Since when did my "technical analysis" combined with "insider news" spiel become so powerful?

Those in the know might think I've recommended a stock with great potential, and those out of the loop might even believe you've already made a nice little profit!

They say that someone who's been single too long might, after one glance at the opposite sex, have even picked out baby names. Could this guy be one of those with an overly active imagination?

It's possible that my perfect pitch just caused a bit of skill damage overflow.

But Tony the teacher thinks that this month's performance targets are in the bag!

He glanced at the "Longines" on his wrist, subtly hinting at his "no-need-for-money" elite persona.

"Oh man, it's getting late, I've got a meeting in the morning and can't chat for long. If you need anything, you can always give me a call, buddy."

Patting Meng Lang on the shoulder, Tony the teacher left with flair.

The bait was set; now it was just a matter of time before the fish took it. Tony the teacher believed that the lost lamb would soon reach out to him again.

But Meng Lang didn't quite catch what the other man had said at the end; he was still completely engrossed in the "incredible prophecies" of the autobiography he was shocked and delighted by.

It understood him incredibly well and had even precisely predicted certain future events.

Tony the teacher, Huaxia Energy...

The events of today were clearly logged in the book he received yesterday.

If this isn't prophecy, what is it?

"Calm down! Calm down! Mustn't jump to conclusions too soon. When all that's impossible has been eliminated, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth.

But that conclusion is just too unscientific..."

Meng Lang's heart once again started to feel uncertain.

"Wait a minute! Could this be some kind of prank show?"

It's said that a man overseas bought a lottery ticket and played an edited live draw, convincing his girlfriend that he'd time-traveled and won the "jackpot."

Even though he ended up losing his girlfriend...

But this teaches us that what we see with our eyes isn't always the truth.

Could it be that someone deliberately sent me the book and then arranged for extras to "direct" a "future" based on some clues from the book?

Meng Lang immediately put on an unperturbed expression to avoid making a fool of himself.

He carefully surveyed his surroundings but didn't spot any hidden cameras or the like.

The diners around him were normally eating breakfast, and the passersby outside were hurrying along, showing no signs of being extras.

He couldn't even worry about breakfast anymore. He approached the owner to pay and asked,

"Boss, I want to ask you something."

"What's up, buddy?" Being a regular, the boss was familiar with Meng Lang and continued kneading dough as he spoke.

"The guy who was sitting next to me just now, the one with the briefcase, wearing glasses and dressed formally, have you seen him here before?"

"Oh, that guy? Yeah, I've seen him. He comes here for breakfast from time to time. He's quite a talker, seems like a friend to everyone.

He's talked to me about stocks before, but I'm a simple guy, what do I know about investing."

If he's a regular and a "serial offender" at casting the net wide, it's unlikely that he was a last-minute extra...

Meng Lang observed the boss, who seemed like a sincere fella and unlikely to be lying.

If a simple breakfast shop owner could have all award-winning actors lying in wait for years, that prank show might be spending way too much money!

This isn't The Truman Show.

"Got it. Thanks, Boss."

Meng Lang walked out of the breakfast shop and, as he saw the slowly rising Chaoyang sun, the corners of his mouth gradually turned upward...

"Hehehe..."

"Mom, look, there's a fool over there!"

"Let's move on quickly! Don't catch the foolishness."

...

"Shh~ whistling~" Meng Lang whistled as he entered the company building. Just as the elevator door opened and he saw the figure inside, his cheerful C major tune came to an abrupt halt.

If there's an awkward moment when being late for work, it's running into your boss in the elevator.

And what's even more awkward... is when it's just you and the boss in the elevator...

"Manager Wang, good morning!" Meng Lang said with an awkward smile, steeling himself as he entered the elevator.

"Meng Lang, do you even know what time it is? Weren't you aware of the morning meeting today?" A fastidious Wang Zhiping, with his slicked-back hair, asked with a stone-faced expression.

"Oh, I went to meet with a client, and I just rushed back," Meng Lang replied.

One good thing about being in sales is having foolproof reasons for not being in the office...

"Is that so? Meeting with clients so early, it looks like you won't be at the bottom this month," Wang Zhiping sneered sarcastically.

Meng Lang gave him a puzzled look; although this guy didn't particularly care for him usually, it wasn't like him to snap on meeting. Where was the fake workplace smile?

Had he replaced his morning cold jelly with gunpowder?

But none of this dampened Meng Lang's spirits.

"Yeah! The early bird catches the worm, right? I'm just following Manager Wang's lead."

So it's okay for the boss to be late, but not me?

"You..." Already irritated, Wang Zhiping's face turned even sourer from the retort.

Meng Lang turned away, ignoring him.

As if I'd let you get used to it!

If you made 100k a month, anything the boss said was right. For 10k a month, the boss can say what he wants.

And for a mere 3k... how would you talk back to dad?