Chapter 19: Playing in Finance, All Are Big Shots

Words : 1294 Updated : Sep 10th, 2025

Chapter 19: Playing in Finance, All Are Big Shots"Sorry, Brother Kun, for making you wait." "It’s nothing, I just got downstairs." When they met downstairs, Lu Liang was about to go to the parking lot to get his car. "Take my car, it’s parked right out front. That way, you won’t have trouble finding the way," Meng Changkun suggested, dressed in shorts, a T-shirt, and sneakers, his belly sticking out, looking in a good mood. In contrast, Lu Liang seemed a bit distracted, lost in his thoughts about the "voice" and what it might mean for his future. If it had been a one-time thing, he probably wouldn’t have been so nervous, treating it like winning the lottery. But after having experienced it twice—first becoming a millionaire, and then doubling his wealth—the feeling of it had become addictive. He didn’t want to face the possibility that the "voice" might disappear. "Lu, are you alright?" Meng Changkun’s voice pulled him back to reality. "Sorry, Brother Kun, I was just thinking about work. I’m good now," Lu Liang smiled, trying to get himself back in the moment. He thought to himself, I used to have nothing and now I have over twenty million in cash. If the voice disappears, I could always just retire in a small town. It's not the end of the world. Brother Kun raised an eyebrow and asked, "By the way, I don’t think I’ve asked, what line of work are you in?" Sёarch* The NôvelFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Recently, not much—just trading stocks, keeping an eye on the market," Lu Liang answered casually. "Hidden talent, huh? People who play in finance are all big shots," Meng Changkun responded, genuinely surprised. He’d considered many different industries, but never thought that Lu Liang would be a full-time stock trader. In all industries, finance was the pinnacle. Any new trend or opportunity in society would first show up in the financial markets. However, he knew that the stock market was a deep ocean, and he had been burned once. He had lost millions in a bad investment, but in the end, he stuck to venture capital, investing in start-ups. Even though many failed, a few successful ones could earn hundreds of millions in returns. "Brother Kun, I’m no big shot. I’m just a big player among the small players," Lu Liang said with a modest smile. "Don’t sell yourself short. Everyone starts small," Brother Kun said, but he kept a watchful eye on Lu Liang, realizing that the world of finance was too deep to explore without caution. The waters were especially treacherous because scams were rampant. Meng Changkun himself had a few friends who had been scammed in the past. One of them had gotten involved with a self-proclaimed financial expert who promised easy profits with low-risk stocks. At first, they manipulated small stocks—those with a market value of only a few billion, where just a few million or even a few hundred thousand could move the market. The scammers would lure in a few "fish," lead them to make investments, and slowly coax them into taking on risky loans or buying private shares. Once the investors were in, the scammers could control the numbers—making it look like big profits while the money remained trapped in the system. One of Meng Changkun’s friends had been conned out of tens of millions, and half of that was company money. In the end, he had to sell off his assets and borrow money from everywhere to avoid going to jail. As for the lost money, there was no hope of recovering it because the scammers were all based overseas. "Brother Kun, what’s the movie called today?" Lu Liang asked, sensing that Brother Kun was being a little cautious. It was natural—after all, if someone offered you a “guaranteed” profit, it was worth asking why they were offering it to you instead of keeping it for themselves. Brother Kun thought for a moment, then replied, "I think Wu said it’s called The Battle Between the Ghosts of the Tarot and the Pen." "...?" Lu Liang raised an eyebrow, giving Brother Kun a look. "The name says it all. Must be full of beautiful women." Brother Kun burst into laughter. "Definitely! Otherwise, why would we be going?" He continued, "But the main roles are already decided. We’re just looking for actresses for the third and fourth female roles." Lu Liang casually asked, "The ones you’ve decided on, are they someone’s daughter, or someone's mistress?" "Ha ha... Lu, don’t be so blunt!" Brother Kun awkwardly chuckled, his smile faltering a bit. Lu Liang raised an eyebrow, giving Brother Kun a knowing look. "So, the second female lead, is she the one who’s close to someone powerful?" Brother Kun grinned. "Exactly. The second female lead, fresh out of the Art Academy last year. She's young, and her figure is perfect." The movie’s title didn’t sound promising. If it weren’t for trying to prop up his little lover, Brother Kun probably wouldn’t bother investing in it. Lu Liang nodded appreciatively. "You really know how to play the game." Brother Kun laughed even more, "I’ll let you pick a few scripts when the time comes. These young girls will do anything to get on the screen, so they’re very ‘motivated.’" ŕаℕÔΒÈṢ He smirked as he added, "Everyone knows that being a celebrity is the dream—fame and money come quickly. But with so many art schools in the country, looking good and having a good figure is just the basic requirement. Without connections or the willingness to ‘work hard,’ how would they catch our eye?" "And the best part is we don’t even need to spend our own money." Lu Liang raised an eyebrow in surprise. "What do you mean by that?" Brother Kun replied nonchalantly, "Investing in movies is a business. You didn’t think I’d spend my own money, did you?" Lu Liang understood immediately. "I get it now. It’s like using the company’s name to buy cars, houses, and planes—it’s the same principle. Enjoying the benefits, but having someone else foot the bill." At 10 a.m., the two of them arrived at the 16th floor of Diwang Plaza at Good Dream Productions. As soon as they stepped off the elevator, they were met with the sight of tall, slender women with impressive curves. Over twenty young and beautiful women, all around 20 years old, greeted them. The atmosphere was reminiscent of a high-end private club. "Wu Tianzheng, General Manager of Good Dream Productions. Lu Liang, my friend," Meng Changkun introduced, with the clear implication that he was the one in charge of the relationship. Wu Tianzheng’s smile was wide and welcoming. "Mr. Lu, it’s an honor. Please, just call me Wu." He clearly knew Meng Changkun’s reputation—rumor had it that ten years ago, Brother Kun was already worth over a billion. So, his friends were no ordinary people. In the entertainment industry, the more wealthy contacts you had, the more powerful you became. Wu Tianzheng was careful to lower his posture. "Hello, Mr. Wu. I’m just accompanying Brother Kun today, don’t mind me," Lu Liang said with a casual smile. "Mr. Wu, I think my friend Lu is interested. Could you prepare a list of movies that are seeking investment?" Meng Changkun was testing Lu Liang, trying to gauge whether he was a serious investor or just someone looking to scam them. "Of course, of course, Mr. Lu. Please take a seat, I’ll go get the information," Wu Tianzheng said, grinning widely. He knew that having rich contacts like Brother Kun and Lu Liang was a huge benefit to his business.

Chapter 19: Playing in Finance, All Are Big Shots

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