Chapter 31: Recruiting Talents

Words : 1479 Updated : Sep 10th, 2025

Chapter 31: Recruiting Talents The screen was filled with English letters, making Lu Liang’s head spin. He decided to stick to the clunky method he had used the night before. For now, he planned to bet on a small upcoming rally, starting with 1 million yuan using 100x leverage to secure 100 million in financing. He purchased 100 lots to establish a base position at $1470.25 per ounce, spending $14.7025 million. For every one-point drop, he planned to add 10 lots. By 4 AM, with the American session nearing its close, the anticipated catalyst had yet to materialize. Lu Liang held 540 lots with an average price of $1468.75 per ounce, but the current price had fallen to $1459.24 per ounce. Each lot was incurring a $951 loss, and factoring in a $12,900 fee, his total loss was $526,300. As the American session ended, market activity dwindled, and trading volume plummeted. After some thought, Lu Liang invested another $2 million with 100x leverage, acquiring $200 million in funds. At $1459.24 per ounce, he purchased 1,000 lots, reducing his average cost to $1462.85 per ounce. He now held 1,540 lots, with total losses reaching $595,800. Lu Liang decided to lock his position and wait for the next day, letting things settle. --- At 9:30 AM, the Shanghai Stock Exchange opened with a 2.25% drop. The market was utterly lifeless, its past glory gone. Institutions, speculators, and retail investors alike were all trapped in the pit. The once-vibrant index now slid downward like a dull blade, slowly carving through the flesh of countless investors. --- Lu Liang woke after five hours of sleep, just before noon, and received a call from Liu Jun asking him to come to Kunqian Trading. “Brother Lu, the market’s been rough these days, hasn’t it?” Meng Changkun prepared tea, subtly probing for information. Although he didn’t dabble in stocks, the previous day’s financial upheaval had rippled across industries. For instance, several of his clients had gone missing, allegedly fleeing overseas after embezzling funds to speculate in stocks. Nearby, in one of the high-rise buildings, someone had even attempted to jump off. It was said the person had engaged in off-exchange financing, lost everything when their funds were frozen, and planned to end their life to demand the return of their principal. When stock prices soared, everyone was all smiles. When they plummeted, everyone acted as though they’d lost a loved one. “Off-exchange financing ruins lives,” Lu Liang sighed before abruptly changing the subject with a smile. “But it hasn’t affected me much. I sold everything last week and have been trading international gold lately.” Meng Changkun was shocked and couldn’t help blurting, “I heard gold prices jumped a lot yesterday.” “Not that much—around 10 yuan per gram. After all, with the stock market tanking, gold is the best hedge,” Lu Liang said casually, sipping his tea. He didn’t mind sharing this with Meng Changkun since it was no longer a secret. Last night, news of gold shortages in Shenzhen’s Shuibei district had skyrocketed to the top three trending topics on Weibo, where it remained. “Incredible,” Meng Changkun said, giving him a thumbs-up. But deep down, he was skeptical, wondering if Lu Liang was exaggerating to save face. Lu Liang smiled faintly and didn’t explain further. Before he finished his tea, Liu Jun arrived with the business registration documents and the operating license. Lu Liang chatted with Meng Changkun for a bit longer before excusing himself. “Sorry, Brother Kun, I have more to do today. I’ll be on my way.” “Go ahead. Stop by for tea whenever you have time.” Meng Changkun smiled knowingly. He understood the grind of starting a business—he himself had once worked days and nights without sleep. --- After leaving Kunqian Trading, Lu Liang headed to the International Talent Market on Meiyuan Road. Since he didn’t yet need managerial-level employees, he skipped headhunters and simply rented a booth to start hiring. A sign was put up: [Magic City Tianxing Investments] - Receptionists (2 positions): Five-day workweek, comprehensive benefits, monthly salary of 5,000 yuan during probation and 7,000 yuan after confirmation, with meal and housing allowances (recent graduates preferred). ᚱἈ????ȪβĘṡ - Finance and Auditing (2 positions): Monthly salary 15,000 yuan+, postgraduate degree or higher, with more than three years of relevant experience. The benefits of a fully paid-in registered capital company became apparent. Tianxing Investments was now listed on official government websites, making it easy for candidates to verify its legitimacy. seaʀᴄh thё Novelƒire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Within no time, a line formed in front of Lu Liang’s booth. In today’s age, verifying a company’s credibility was easy, and many schools even taught students how to evaluate potential employers as part of their first job-hunting lesson. Tianxing Investments had a registered and paid-in capital of 6 million yuan, a sign of solid backing. The fact that it received its business license yesterday and started hiring today further assured applicants of its reliability. To them, joining now meant becoming part of the “founding team.” As time passed, more and more resumes piled up. Lu Liang started feeling overwhelmed and raised his standards. Initially, he had only required receptionists to have a decent appearance and a junior college diploma. But with so many choices, he raised the bar: a degree from a second-tier university, English proficiency certification, and extracurricular leadership experience. By contrast, the finance and auditing positions attracted fewer applicants. The requirements—a postgraduate degree, three years of experience, and a 15,000-yuan salary—were standard and not particularly competitive. Still, there were some standouts. One applicant’s resume caught his eye: a Ph.D. graduate from Shanghai University of Finance and Economics, with eight years of experience at Sequoia Capital. At first, Lu Liang was shocked—how had his “little temple” attracted such a "big Buddha"? Then he noticed her age: born in 1978, she was 37 years old. A woman with a three-year career gap—likely an “optimized talent” from corporate layoffs. “Miss Tang, would you mind sharing why you left Sequoia and what you did during your three-year gap?” Tang Caidie, with her ear-length short hair, appeared spirited and professional. Judging by her looks, she seemed barely over 30. She wasn’t particularly stunning but carried herself with an air of sophistication. With poise, she replied, “I went through a divorce and didn’t feel like working, so I quit and opened a B&B in Cainan. After it went under, I returned to Magic City.” After some thought, Lu Liang smiled. “Miss Tang, welcome to our company.” He then picked up another resume and made a call. “Xiao Chen, are you still at the talent market? Come over now.” Tang Caidie was stunned. “Mr. Lu, I passed the interview?” “Yes. If you’re available, I’ll take you to the office now to handle the onboarding.” Lu Liang waved at a young girl running toward him in the distance. Tang Caidie’s credentials were impeccable. If it weren’t for her age, gender, and career gap, someone else would’ve hired her already. He had no complaints. “This is Tang Caidie, Finance. And this is Chen Jinchun, Receptionist. You’re colleagues now—get to know each other.” After introductions, he gestured to the market administrator and sent the rest of the resumes straight to the shredder. “Wait for me at the entrance; I’ll get the car.” “Miss Tang, is Mr. Lu taking us to the office now?” Chen Jinchun asked naively, her eyes wide with innocence. She had assumed Lu Liang wanted to ask a few questions, but instead, he’d asked if she had time to start onboarding immediately. As a senior student graduating next month, she had been job-hunting for over two months. Of course, she said yes. “Mr. Lu seems to be in a hurry,” Tang Caidie replied with a soft laugh, quickly sizing up the situation. Her decade of professional experience made her calm and perceptive. “Will there be any problems?” Chen Jinchun asked nervously. “Unlikely.” Tang Caidie glanced ahead, spotting a blue Bentley parked at the entrance with Lu Liang waving them over. Even if the Bentley was rented, the 6-million-yuan paid-in capital for Tianxing Investments was a fact, not a fabrication. Besides, she knew her worth. At this stage in her career, she doubted anyone would bother deceiving her. “Let’s go,” Tang Caidie said, taking the front passenger seat while motioning for Chen Jinchun to sit in the back. Although she trusted Lu Liang enough, she remained cautious, seating herself in a position that allowed her to stay alert and protect the younger girl if needed.

Chapter 31: Recruiting Talents

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