“That’s right. Thank goodness Yuanming is all right.” Xiao Yun let out a soft sigh. When he’d heard the report, he’d broken out in a cold sweat himself.
They’d been watching Yuanming for a whole month already, and Xiao Yun had still been in Shanghai at the time, completely unaware that anything like this could happen.
Society had been relatively peaceful since the 1983 strike hard campaign, and with the two sessions underway, who could have imagined that a vicious kidnapping like this would happen in Great Shanghai?
“But you can’t stay in Shanghai anymore. I heard from Xiao Yi that you’ve been working on an industrial project in Anhui lately. Why don’t you leave for a while and wait for things to quiet down?” Xiao Yun turned to Chen Yuanming and suggested.
No matter how tightly the news was kept under wraps, rumors were bound to surface. Who could feel at ease with a child worth over a hundred million yuan traveling alone?
Chen Yuanming hesitated, then answered honestly. “Actually, I came back this time to move the assets in my stock account. I was planning to go to the United States and see how things are…”
Xiao Yun slapped his thigh. “Going abroad is even better. You can come back once things have died down.”
“But there’s still quite a bit of money in your stock account, right? I’ll send someone to help you handle it. And look at you. Go get cleaned up and get some sleep. I’ve got Xiao Junyi here.”
Chen Yuanming stood up hesitantly. “But…”
Xiao Junyi smiled and cut him off. “No buts. If I’d let them take you yesterday, my uncle should’ve broken my legs. Go get some sleep. I’ll be fine after a few days of rest, so don’t worry.”
The two of them were of one mind. Chen Yuanming blinked, unable to think of anything to say, and could only nod before opening the door and walking out.
After the boy disappeared from the doorway, Xiao Junyi suddenly asked, “The family won’t find out about this, will they?”
“Now you’re worried?” Xiao Yun glared at him with annoyance.
“Your grandfather and father know already, but your grandmother and mother are still in the dark. Your father’s saying you should come back to Shenyang with me right away, recuperate, go through rehab, and take care of some company business while you’re at it.”
“He wants you to get your head straight. Your grandfather would rather toss you back into the military and put you through training again. Don’t bring shame on the Xiao family.”
“Uncle!”
“All right, what do you think?”
Xiao Junyi fell silent for a moment. “I want to go back to Shenyang too. There are things I need to hurry up and take care of, or I’ll fall far behind…”
“Did it hurt your pride?” Xiao Yun smiled faintly. “I was surprised too when I heard about what Yuanming’s been doing in Hefei.”
“He’s got what it takes to become a major figure, but he’s still too young and can easily get tripped up by things. Now that he’s connected to our family, we can’t let little problems hold him back…”
Watching Xiao Junyi nod with effort, Xiao Yun smiled to himself. His nephew had been badly hurt this time, but he also seemed to have matured a lot.
The Xiao family came from a military tradition, and “cowardice” had never been part of their family motto.
They could bleed, but not cry. Plenty of people in Xiao Yun’s generation had seen combat, but the next generation had become increasingly disappointing.
They couldn’t even bring themselves to join the military, and their backbone was questionable.
Xiao Junyi’s performance this time had eased the minds of several elders. Smart, but no coward. That was the kind of talent the Xiao family was worth investing in.
The Xiao family had also come to a consensus about Chen Yuanming: he was a rare talent. Whether he became an ally or a source of support, he was well worth protecting.
And the positive influence he had on Xiao Junyi was an even greater relief.
Their relationship had grown closer and closer, and his wealth wasn’t the most important thing anymore. Since they’d decided to protect him, they had to see it through, so such a rare talent wouldn’t go to waste.
After chatting for a little longer, Xiao Yun saw his nephew’s eyelids drooping again and stood up with a smile. “Get some rest. Once I’ve taken care of things here in a few days, you’ll come back with me.”
Blood loss and the effects of surgery made it hard for Xiao Junyi to stay conscious, but he still struggled to move his shoulder. “Yuanming needs some protection too. The criminals are still…”
“All right, stop worrying about it.” Xiao Yun pressed his nephew back onto the bed and gently patted the top of his head. “You’ve already played the hero. Leave the rest to us professionals.”
Embarrassed, Xiao Junyi’s cheeks reddened slightly. He rubbed his head against the pillow and mumbled, “But I was the one who rescued him…”
“That kid…” Xiao Yun laughed in spite of himself. He straightened up and watched his nephew slowly close his eyes before finally letting out a soft sigh and walking out.
There was still plenty to worry about from here on…
45 Chapter 44
The next day, the Shanghai Municipal Government issued three red-header documents in a row, announcing further measures to crack down on improper practices by securities firms.
They specifically warned against serious issues such as brokerages setting up private Big Player Rooms, traders violating regulations, and the arbitrary disclosure of client information.
As soon as the documents came out, the three major securities firms sprang into action, and the market was gripped by fear.
The bear market was already in a downward trend, and many people had lost faith in the stock market.
After hearing the news, some sold at a loss and left the market outright. The Shanghai Stock Exchange index plunged that day, and gloom settled over the entire stock market.
But none of this was a problem for Chen Yuanming anymore.
After a day of rest and recovery, he arrived at Shenyin Securities’ headquarters the next day, escorted by a military vehicle and wearing sunglasses that covered most of his face.
He’d contacted Shenyin the day before, and today he was there to close his account and withdraw all his funds from the stock market.
As soon as he entered the lobby, a lobby manager hurried over to greet him. Shenyin Securities had been under a cloud these past two days. Several directives had left everyone on edge. Not only the Big Player Rooms, but even half the traders had been questioned by the police.
On top of that, the market was awash in red, making matters even worse. But no one dared slight the young man in front of them. Only the company’s senior management knew that this whole operation had been launched because of this young master.
A kidnapping in a busy urban district. Three seriously wounded, one lightly wounded.
The people involved had taken part in a major hostage-taking incident in Hong Kong, and the victim was a rising star in the stock market.
Shanghai had never seen such a vicious crime before. News from the upper levels always traveled fast. In the blink of an eye, Shenyin’s reputation had hit rock bottom, and many major investors had started moving their money to other brokerages.
But no matter how much they hated the informant and those damn kidnappers, they still had to put on a good face for this esteemed client.
In the current stock market, clients with over a hundred million yuan in funds were extremely rare, and clients who withdrew every last cent without mercy were rarer still.
With tangled emotions, several tellers began settling the account.
They sorted through the transactions one by one, until the final figure came to a staggering sum: over 180 million yuan. Under their resentful gaze, Chen Yuanming signed the paperwork and closed his stock account.
The money was then divided into two parts and deposited. Sixty million yuan, for venture capital in the VCD industry, went into China Construction Bank.
The remaining 120 million yuan was deposited in full at the Shanghai branch of Citibank, as funds for his operations in the United States. After finishing with his assets, Chen Yuanming returned to the hospital.
He hadn’t chosen to stay at another hotel these past two days. Instead, he’d taken a private room beside Xiao Junyi’s hospital room under the pretext of recuperating. The incident had caused too much of a stir, and it made sense for him to be more cautious.
Even so, the pent-up frustration in his heart wouldn’t fade.
The helplessness of being on the verge of death with no way to fight back, along with his guilt at watching his companion get hurt protecting him, burned inside Chen Yuanming like an unending flame.
Had anything like this ever happened to him in his previous life? Of course not. An ordinary person might get into a group fight or take part in a beating, but those were just disputes fueled by anger.
He’d never truly awakened to the change in his status, and he’d never treated the nearly 200 million yuan in his account as real money.
The stock market’s profits had come too easily, making him forget the terrifying dangers that came with such wealth.
Now he had learned his lesson, but it only made him more anxious. Making money wasn’t the only goal. Using it for the right things and protecting himself and everyone around him were what mattered most.
It looked like he’d have to delay his plan to tell his family the truth again. He had to establish a firm footing first, strengthen his position, and build a foundation no one could covet or take away.
He had to get stronger! That fire burned fiercely in Chen Yuanming’s aging heart. Not just physically, but in his social standing and sphere of influence as well.
His old plans had become urgent goals he needed to achieve, and the only things that could give him peace of mind.
Chen Yuanming took a breath and pushed open the hospital room door. Two faces, similar in appearance, turned toward him.
“Did you take care of the paperwork?” Xiao Yun tossed the apple in his hand to Xiao Junyi, who grimaced in pain.
Chen Yuanming nodded. “It’s all taken care of. I also called Hefei. Once the agreement is signed, I can head to the United States as planned.”
“What are you planning to do in the United States?” Xiao Yun asked casually. Xiao Junyi immediately perked up his ears. It might’ve been inappropriate for him to ask, but it was only natural for his uncle to do so.
“See the world outside.” Chen Yuanming paused. “And take in the sights of Wall Street.”
“Planning to enter NASDAQ?” Xiao Yun asked in disbelief. These days, the domestic stock market was still a brand-new thing. How many people even knew what the American market was like? This kid sure had guts!
Chen Yuanming walked over to the chair beside the bed and sat down.
“Yes. Not just NASDAQ, but the Hang Seng, Nikkei, and others too. The world is so big. I should go out and see it. And with VCD manufacturing involving more and more electronics lately, I’d like to visit Silicon Valley with Professor Yan.”
“Those are ambitious goals.” Xiao Yun smiled and asked, “Planning to make a move on Wall Street too?”
Chen Yuanming nodded.
Xiao Yun’s eyes lit up at once. “Oh, you’re serious. I’ve got 20 million yuan in savings. Take that with you too. You won’t lose it, will you?”
“No.” Chen Yuanming answered without hesitation, his confidence enough to make anyone stare.
Xiao Yun was taken aback for just a moment, then laughed. This kid. It seemed the kidnapping hadn’t only affected his nephew… Still, it was good that it had stirred Chen Yuanming’s fighting spirit.
He was just too reserved. Though mature and capable, he’d lacked the drive of a young man, making him a little dull.
After thinking it over, Xiao Yun suddenly changed the subject. “Since you’re planning to travel, Mr. Chen, how about hiring someone? My older brother has a battalion commander under him who recently retired from the front lines because of an injury.”
“His military-to-civilian conversion salary isn’t enough to support him, so he’s looking for an opportunity. Would you be willing to give him a hand?”
There was a strong note of teasing in his voice, but Chen Yuanming wasn’t ungrateful. How could he not understand what Xiao Yun meant? After a moment of silence, he moved his lips. “Thank you, Brother Xiao…”
“Haha, don’t mention it. Helping our old brothers find a steady job is the right thing to do. I should be thanking you. Just don’t skimp on his pay!”
Chen Yuanming didn’t waste any more words. He simply nodded and agreed.