005 The Storm Approaches, the Wind Fills the Tower

“Investing in stocks? Are you crazy?” Song Dahai was taken aback and quickly advised, “I heard the stock market is crashing terribly right now. Do you still want to jump in? This isn’t the bull market from a couple of years ago.”

“You can still make money in a bear market... I’ll lend you 200,000 yuan, and you can pay me back in three months at most. If you don’t trust me, I’ll even mortgage my salary card to you. How about that?” Fang Qingye said.

“Alright, alright... What do I need your salary card for? Fine, when do you need it?” Song Dahai asked.

“It’s not urgent, just in the next few days.”

“Okay.”

Fang Qingye borrowing money from a friend to trade stocks wasn’t a whim. Although his salary working at the bank wasn’t low, it was still far from achieving financial freedom.

Running a business was out of the question—too exhausting.

Stock trading was simpler. With over a decade of experience in investment banking from his past life and a renewed insight into capital market trends after his rebirth, reaching financial freedom or accomplishing a small goal was quite feasible.

They continued eating hotpot until eight in the evening. When Song Dahai suggested going to karaoke, Fang Qingye decisively refused.

“With your duck-like voice, forget about those hostess girls; just hearing you gives me goosebumps.”

“I’m heading home. Don’t drive—better if I ride my bike and take you back,” Fang Qingye said before leaving.

“No need, I’ll just leave the car here and take a taxi back since you’re going the opposite way,” Song Dahai replied, waving his hand and heading to the street.

Indeed, their routes diverged. Song Dahai lived in a self-built villa in the west of the city, the opposite direction from Fang Qingye’s home.

After seeing Song Dahai get into a taxi, Fang Qingye rode his scooter back.

The door opened to reveal the lights on at home. His mother had already returned and was relaxing in the living room, munching on sunflower seeds while watching TV.

She didn't ask anything upon seeing him and just glanced briefly before returning her attention to the screen.

His mother had always been like this—indifferent since childhood, uninterested in what he did. Sometimes Fang Qingye wondered if she was really his biological mother.

But today, just as he was about to enter his bedroom, his mother called out.

“Xiao Ye, I heard your bank lost 20 million yuan of depositors’ money. Is that true?”

“Mom, how did you find out about this?” Fang Qingye was surprised. His mother wasn’t one to gossip. Aside from teaching, she had little interest in anything else.

“Chen, a teacher from my office, her husband works at the Qianjin Road Savings Bank. She knows you transferred to Dongfang Bank, so she mentioned it to me privately... Tell me, are you involved in this?” Zhang Meili asked.

“What do I have to do with it?” Fang Qingye found it odd. “I’m still an intern, not involved in core operations. Besides, I never interned at the Qianjin Road Savings Bank.”

“If you’re not involved, that’s good.” His mother said, returning to her TV watching.

“Mom, what else did Chen tell you?” Fang Qingye asked, curious.

“If it doesn’t concern you, it’s not important.” His mother picked up some seeds, eyes glued to the screen without turning.

Fang Qingye sighed and returned to his room.

Too early to sleep, he turned on his desktop computer on the desk.

He had built this during his junior year in college with his own savings: an AMD Athlon X2 5000 processor, a 5000ATi Radeon 9550 graphics card, 2GB DDR2 Kingston RAM, a 22-inch LCD AOC monitor, and a 320GB Seagate hard drive. It was high-end back then but seemed obsolete now.

He had to make do.

He wasn’t online to read web novels or chat but to open the Tonghuashun stock market software, mainly to monitor the stock he had his eye on recently.

Fortunately, the major stakeholders were still quietly accumulating shares; it would take some time before it launched.

After watching the market trends for a while and browsing some financial news, he took a shower and went to bed.

This lifetime, no more night owl habits—health was important.

The next day Fang Qingye went to work on time, and it was another chaotic day. The investigation team shifted their focus from the savings bank to the branch office building. Anyone remotely connected to the case at work was summoned for questioning.

Of course, Fang Qingye was not involved.

Two days later, posts exposing the incident appeared on the Nanjin online forum, instantly accumulating hundreds of replies filled with accusations of the bank’s negligence. Some even suspected an insider leak.

Reporters had come specially to Nanjin to cover the story; local central bank officials, banking regulators, and county leaders were all inquiring in various ways, growing increasingly concerned. The atmosphere grew tense.

From the bank president to ordinary employees, the entire Nanjin branch was shrouded in a heavy, oppressive mood.

Xia He, who was in charge, maintained her usual punctual schedule but looked visibly haggard and had lost her usual brightness.

It was understandable—facing this crisis right at the critical moment before her promotion, who wouldn’t feel anxious?

Even worse, according to the leadership division of responsibilities, the Qianjin Road Savings Bank fell under her supervision. If anything happened, she alone would be held accountable, while Vice President Zhao Wenjun would be unaffected.

Trouble was brewing ominously.

That weekend evening, feeling bored, Fang Qingye wandered the streets alone. He planned to find an internet café to play some Warcraft, but when he entered, he was met with a crowd all sporting non-mainstream styles: Shamate haircuts, batwing sleeves, harem pants... The heavy smoke made him frown.

Forget it. No need for this weary old man to join the party.

Strolling along the main street of the county, he passed the Dingcheng Hotel on Wenhua Road and saw a petite girl in Dongxing Bank uniform hurriedly leaving.

It was Chen Meimei.

She mounted a small scooter parked by the hotel entrance, seemingly heading home.

“Chen Meimei,” Fang Qingye greeted.

She looked tired but smiled upon seeing him.

“Fang Qingye, out shopping alone?”

“Yes,” Fang Qingye replied, then glanced at the hotel. “Finished work for today?”

Chen Meimei understood his meaning and nodded. “Yes, it’s over. Tomorrow the investigation team returns to the city.”

“Have they figured out the whole story?”

Chen Meimei smiled bitterly, shaking her head. “Not yet. They’re just going back temporarily. Director Liu has to report to the main leaders in the city.”

“Is it that complicated?”

“Yes. Let’s walk and talk.” Clearly, Chen Meimei had a lot on her mind.

Fang Qingye nodded.

She pushed her bike along the roadside silently as he walked beside her without speaking at first.

After a while, Chen Meimei spoke. “Fang Qingye, don’t you find it strange?”

“Strange about what?”

“The 20 million yuan worth of bills supposedly transferred from Tenglong Industrial bear exactly the same seals—company stamp, legal representative’s seal, and company’s reserved seal. The investigation team even brought in experts from the city for verification. After multiple checks, they confirmed no forgery. Plus, transferring from a corporate account requires company passwords, USB keys, all controlled by their finance staff—not bank employees. How could the money have been transferred out?” Chen Meimei spoke as they walked.

“Also, the 20 million was transferred to a company in Zhejiang Province that hasn’t had any business dealings with Tenglong in five years—not just at Dongfang Bank, but at other banks too. In other words, Tenglong never interacted with this company before.”

“Even stranger, recent news from Zhejiang says the actual controller of that company, a certain Sun, is now missing. The investigation team suspects he has fled.”

“Oh...” Fang Qingye responded softly.

It was exactly the same as what happened in history.

But instead of commenting, he asked, “How has Tenglong Industrial reacted to this?”