Those Years When I Was Forced to Top the Forbes List

Chapter 169 First Hearing About Fosun
Xin Mengzhen slept very soundly.

When I woke up, the room was still dark.

Only a desk lamp was lit a few meters away, and there were some slight noises.

Seeing the figure gently tapping on the laptop keyboard at the table, eyes narrowed into crescent moons, a sense of peace washed over me.

She stretched a hand out from under the covers and said softly:
"BB, I want some water."

"woke up."

Chen Xuebing looked up, a smile on his face, took a bottle of mineral water from the table, walked to the bedside, opened it for her, and handed it to her.

Xin Mengzhen sat up, covering her exposed chest with the blanket, tossed her hair, took the water bottle, and gulped down more than half of it in one go.

Chen Xuebing quietly admired the newly opened flower.

At this moment, Xin Mengzhen's hair was a little messy, covering half of her face and hanging down to her shoulders and back, revealing her collarbone and showcasing her perfect skin and figure.

This side of her is unlike her usual aloofness; she has a wilder, more untamed quality.

After finishing her water, Xin Mengzhen stared intently at him.

"I want to take a shower."

"Didn't you shower before going to sleep?"

"…uncomfortable."

"Uh, then go ahead and wash it."

Since it was their first time, there was still a stain of crimson on the sheets under the covers. Chen Xuebing felt he had been somewhat disregarding Xin Mengzhen's feelings last night. He stroked her hair and said with a touch of heartache:

"Take a shower and rest a bit more, it's still early."

But after he finished speaking, he didn't leave; he remained sitting by the bed.

Xin Mengzhen's eyebrows and eyes gradually turned aggrieved.

"How am I supposed to get dressed if you're here?"

"It's not like I didn't see it yesterday." Chen Xuebing chuckled and reached his hand under the covers, wanting to embrace the spring scenery inside and cherish it again.

Xin Mengzhen quickly shrank back inside, covering herself with the blanket as a dividing line, and shouted:
"No, yesterday is yesterday, you're not allowed to look!"

"Okay, okay, I won't watch."

Chen Xuebing smiled and raised his hands in surrender, feeling a great sense of accomplishment at melting a block of ice into spring water. He returned to his desk, stared at the computer, and worked with a serious expression.

Xin Mengzhen was somewhat frustrated, but when she arrived at the Jinmao Hotel last night, there were no suites available, only double rooms. With nowhere to go in the room, she could only raise her hand and wave at Chen Xuebing to test him. Finding that he didn't move, she grabbed her blanket and tiptoed around looking for clothes to put on.

They only found underwear, no clothes or pants.

I searched everywhere, but couldn't find it.

She was too embarrassed to ask Chen Xuebing to help her find it.

Fortunately, she had worn her underwear to bed last night, and there was also a small bath towel left over from last night's shower on the bed, which she wrapped around herself to cover part of her slender body.

She chose to completely cover her upper body, leaving her thighs exposed.

Xin Mengzhen wrapped herself in a bath towel and jumped out of bed as fast as she could, not even bothering to put on her shoes, and ran barefoot to the bathroom.

Chen Xuebing kept his eyes straight ahead, but out of the corner of his eye he took in Chunguang's beauty. Only after she entered the bathroom did he smack his lips.

Damn it, that was a miscalculation.

I was hoping to see a lingerie show, but there was a bath towel on the bed.

I got up, took out the clothes and pants that I had folded and hidden in the desk drawer, and put them on the bed.

...

When Xin Mengzhen calmly emerged, drying her slightly damp hair with a washcloth, she was already wrapped in two bath towels, covering everything except her straight calves.

Seeing the clothes neatly folded on the bed, she gave a helpless smile, rolled her eyes at Chen Xuebing, and took the clothes back to the bathroom.

"Salty (colorful) worm!"

Chen Xuebing picked up a mineral water bottle, took a sip, moved the mouse, and pretended to be focused on his work and not hear.

A man looks most handsome when he's working hard.

After a night of passion with even the most beloved woman, there's bound to be a period of calm before one's sexual desires waning. It's hard to get much aroused during this time. But Xin Mengzhen's words last night revealed her confusion and uncertainty about the future of their relationship, making him want to completely conquer her.

A man wants to sleep with a woman for pleasure.

But after enjoying himself, he still tries to sleep with another woman to satisfy his desire for conquest.

He was very eager to conquer last night.

However, just relying on effort in bed isn't enough. Xin Mengzhen isn't that age yet. Her initiative last night was initially due to being moved, but later it was the excitement of her healthy body, which had been exercising for a long time, experiencing pleasure for the first time.

An 18-year-old girl's infatuation with a man will not be based on just one night or a few times. Most men in their twenties have this ability, it's not special, it only becomes truly precious when a woman is over 35.

Xin Mengzhen is very enthusiastic about her work, and what she does is her forte, so he plans to give her some guidance in her work.

"looking at what?"

Xin Mengzhen came out after getting dressed and walked behind him.

Chen Xuebing raised his chin towards the computer screen: "Watch the market."

"Oh."

Today is the weekend, so the market is closed. However, those who work in funds will still review individual stocks and collect information released over the weekend in order to prepare for future actions. Xin Mengzhen didn't find it strange; she just observed the market that Chen Xuebing was watching with great interest.

She was stunned when she suddenly noticed a webpage title in the taskbar at the bottom of her desktop.

Why would you pay attention to Guo Guangchang?

Chen Xuebing looked up and saw her surprised expression, and his heart skipped a beat.

But still feigning profundity, he smiled and clicked on the webpage, pointing to the section on "The Rise of Fosun" and tentatively asking:

"Is that the senior you mentioned who's much better at business than me?"

"how do you know."

Chen Xuebing frowned, and instead of answering, asked, "How did you manage to get in touch with him?"

If Xin Mengzhen hadn't confirmed it herself, Chen Xuebing wouldn't have dared to guess it was Fosun Group.

His current achievements far surpass those of his peers. The businessman who makes Xin Mengzhen so certain that he is far more capable than him is definitely not a student.

It doesn't exist in China, at least not domestically.

He just checked and confirmed that.

Then they found the names of several Fudan University graduates who became famous businessmen.

Wang Changtian, chairman of Enlight Media, was a name he remembered. In his previous life, he had worked as a producer on animated films such as "Love is Not Blind," "Lost in Thailand," "Man Jiang Hong," and "Nezha." However, he was not considered successful at the moment, having only produced one entertainment television program, which he had turned down.

Shen Jun, pen name "Qishi", is the founder of Eastmoney. This is an acquaintance. Chen Xuebing later used Eastmoney's software and the [Stock Bar] forum for stock trading. Eastmoney is also known as a bellwether for the market, but it is still in its early stages and is not large in scale. Most of the online reports are about his personal experience in the financial information industry, which I have also crossed out.

These two are currently no match for him, and it will be difficult for them in the future either.

Chen Tianqiao, founder of Shanda, became the richest man in mainland China last year after the company went public in the United States.

He's temporarily backing down, but that's just a temporary stunt. He'll soon fall behind, and it's only a matter of time before he catches up.

Another one is Guo Guangchang. In 02, he was ranked ninth on the Forbes China Rich List. He had heard about the story of his competition with Zhou Zhengyi for the title of Yu Garden and Shanghai's richest man in his previous life.

He was also a very active business figure in later generations, a veteran of the Taishan Club, a representative of Zhejiang merchants, and a "social butterfly" in the business world. In the domestic business world for 30 years, he had more or less contact with the names of the people who were mentioned. At its peak, the group's scale reached 8000 billion.

More than a decade later, most of the top private enterprises exist in the form of diversified financial groups. They invest not in a single company, but in a complete upstream and downstream industry chain. Such companies often have the word "group" added to their names. The famous Fosun Group is one such group.

At that time in Shanghai, real estate developers were growing wildly, and people from all directions were showing off their skills. The fact that Yuyuan Holdings, one of Shanghai's eight old stocks and a land king company, was acquired by Fosun is enough to demonstrate Fosun's power.

Moreover, they still have the capacity to engage in other industries at the same time.

Fosun, the star of Fudan University, has five founders who are all graduates of Fudan University, and the company has a special affection for Fudan.

Xin Mengzhen calling him "senior" is perfectly fine.

Moreover, the names Chen Tianqiao and Guo Guangchang appeared in the web search bar just now, and Xin Mengzhen spotted Guo Guangchang immediately.

Chen Xuebing was somewhat surprised that Xin Mengzhen, a lowly financial worker, had managed to get in touch with him.

"Hmm... there's an investment project, Nanjing Iron & Steel, which is related to Fosun. Tomorrow there's a government-sponsored business conference at the Shanghai Exhibition Center, and Mr. Guo from Fosun will be attending. Our company has also received an invitation and plans to go and make some connections."

Xin Mengzhen's lips curled up slightly when she talked about this.

This was her first time participating in front-desk external affairs and directly contacting business owners.

Throughout the year, Chen Xuebing shared his business experiences with her, which she found very appealing. Now that she could finally participate in such a large case, she was understandably excited.

“Nanjing Steel, I know it.” Chen Xuebing suddenly realized.

Nanjing Steel Union is the stepping stone for Fosun and Nanjing Iron & Steel Group to enter the steel industry through cooperation. Its subsidiary, Nanjing Iron & Steel Co., Ltd., is listed on the A-share market.

This stock is also currently in Long March Capital's portfolio.

"What do you think?" Xin Mengzhen asked.

"That's good." Chen Xuebing nodded. "Those listed in the 40th to 50th batches of share reform should be fully tradable in the second half of next year. What's their market capitalization situation right now?"

"The current share price is 2.7 yuan, with a total share capital of 950 million shares. The news is roughly confirmed, and the share reform will be completed in August or September next year."

Xin Mengzhen said with some surprise, "You've been following Nanjing Iron & Steel? You even remember their share reform batches?"

Chen Xuebing's lips curled up slightly.

Fosun acquired 60% of Nanjing Iron & Steel for over a billion yuan, and then sold it for 14 billion yuan in 2023, a tenfold increase in 20 years. During that time, the two buyers had a dispute and went to court, which was quite famous. For him, he had only heard about this recently, and he had paid attention to it when screening his stock portfolio a while ago, so of course he remembered it.

However, his memory did improve considerably after his rebirth. This was probably because many changes in this world had become intertwined with his interests, and he would think more carefully when receiving information, thus making a deeper impression.

He discovered that he was not stupid at all, and was even quite smart; it was just that he was not good at analysis in his previous life and was more passive in receiving information.

The brain really does get better the more you use it.

"Besides stocks, I also work on construction sites. Nanjing Iron & Steel ranks fourth in market share in the mainstream steel market. Paying attention to them means paying attention to steel prices."

This statement can actually be reversed for Chen Xuebing. He understands the price trend of building materials and can also use this information to trade stocks in the corresponding industries.

Domestic steel prices have always been subject to policy regulation and are greatly affected by economic cycles; it wouldn't be an exaggeration to describe them as rollercoaster-like.

He recently built a steel structure factory, with the overall steel price around 2700. In the next few years, steel prices are expected to continue to rise, reaching a high of 5000 yuan/ton. In addition, Nanjing Iron & Steel's share reform next year will coincide with a major bull market, making this an excellent target for medium-term investment.

"Then... do you want to come with me tomorrow?" Seeing his interest, Xin Mengzhen put her hands on the back of the chair, leaned closer, and asked in a slightly tempting tone.

Chen Xuebing turned to look her over: "Nanjing Iron and Steel Group is quite large. How much money did you invest that you need to contact the controlling shareholder? And why would you send a newbie like you?"

When it comes to work, he never minces words. He almost blurted out "newbie," but quickly corrected himself, managing to retract the murderous intent that was about to emanate from his lips.

Given Xin Mengzhen's personality, calling her unattractive is less accurate than calling her ugly.

"A newbie?" Xin Mengzhe found the term a bit strange.

"Uh... I'm a new employee." Chen Xuebing said, trying to save his own face.

"A colleague was with me; he's a senior researcher."

Xin Mengzhen said, frowning slightly, "He just talks a lot and likes to tell others what to do."

Chen Xuebing grinned: "Wouldn't it be a bad idea to take me along?"

"It's okay, we're in the back row, there are staff and media seats behind us, there are plenty of empty seats... That researcher is at the same level as me, don't be afraid of him."

Xin Mengzhen still had some naiveté about job titles when she first entered the workforce.

Chen Xuebing wanted to teach her, but he didn't want to be categorized as someone who "talks too much and teaches her how to do things."

The boyfriend's job is simply to vent with her and not be too objective.

Newcomers, after making a few mistakes, will eventually learn their lesson.

"Direct contact with shareholders...is it a private placement or a negotiated transfer? What can I do for you?"

Chen Xuebing's attitude was very proper.

If you dare to say it, I dare to agree; whether I can actually do it is another matter.

Xin Mengzhen looked at him, pursed her lips, and hesitated to speak.

Chen Xuebing then realized what was going on: "Oh... so the local female financial tycoon is taking her boyfriend from the countryside out of town to broaden his horizons, right?"

Xin Mengzhen looked dejected.

"What are you saying! You're the one who said you wanted to develop your career in Shanghai. I just wanted you to get familiar with the industry, okay? It's not easy for a lowly employee like me to get an opportunity like this..."

The more I spoke, the more aggrieved I became.

Chen Xuebing was shocked to discover that she had learned to play the victim and shift the blame without any interruptions.

With this trick, she can survive in the workplace.

Not coming to Shanghai?
Did he say that?

Perhaps he did say it, but he doesn't remember.

But Xin Mengzhen seems to remember it very clearly; it must have been a rather important matter for her.

"You want me to come to Shanghai to develop my career?" Chen Xuebing asked earnestly.

Xin Mengzhen hesitated for a moment, then her expression softened, and she said gently with a smile, "No, just do your job well in Chongqing and Shenzhen."

During a late-night phone call, she overheard him say that he might visit Shanghai, the financial center, someday, and she made a note of it.

Last night, after hearing Chen Xuebing say that he wanted to buy his first house in Shanghai, she started to have some fantasies.

But given the challenges of starting a business, she didn't want to put any pressure on Chen Xuebing.

Chen Xuebing smiled; he already knew the answer.

"I will come to Shanghai, but the idea of ​​introducing me to big shots is too silly. Networking isn't about constantly trying to reach higher levels. Forcing yourself to get to know people you can't reach and make an impression is useless. If I want to build connections, I'll only ask big shots at the same level to introduce me, or wait until one day they come to see me on their own initiative."

He shut down his computer and stood up.

"I'll go with you tomorrow. You just take care of your own things and don't worry about me. I'm just your boyfriend who'll wait for you to get off work so we can have dinner together."

Chen Xuebing's heartfelt yet confident declaration secretly pleased Xin Mengzhen.

But she raised her eyebrows slightly, looked away, and said casually, "Boyfriend... you haven't confessed yet."

Chen Xuebing took her hand and smiled, "Do you think it's better to confess here, or in our own house?"

(End of this chapter)