Chapter 1165 - 1162: The Storm Is Coming
It's past five in the afternoon now, and the stock market has closed. Zhou Rui let the CFO leave early and said they'd discuss it tomorrow.
After the CFO left, Lin Chuan asked, "Xiao Rui, what's the current situation with our group's stock price?"
Zhou Rui turned her computer screen towards Lin Chuan and said, "Based on the past two days, our group's stock price has dropped from seventeen dollars and fifty cents to twelve dollars and eighty cents, a decline of over twenty percent."
Although Lin Chuan wasn't very knowledgeable about the stock market, he knew some basics. He looked at the Sichuan University Group's stock price chart on the computer, all green.
"What should we do now?" Lin Chuan furrowed his brow and asked Zhou Rui.
Zhou Rui contemplated for a moment and said, "If what the CFO said is true, someone might be deliberately suppressing our stock price, causing panic among shareholders of Sichuan University's stock and trying to take over the Sichuan University Group."
Lin Chuan found himself confounded, realizing the seriousness of the problem. The Sichuan University Group was not only his own effort but also the collective endeavor of the Jvyi Gang brothers, affecting the livelihood of many Jvyi Gang brothers.
Zhou Rui continued, "Our only way to respond right now is through a counter-takeover, but I'm afraid our funds are limited and may not suffice for this counter-takeover."
Lin Chuan asked, "If we proceed with a counter-takeover, approximately how much capital would we need?"
Zhou Rui thought for a while and said, "Our group has issued a total of sixty-four million original shares. Based on the current stock price, it would take at least seven to eight hundred million in capital for a buyback."
Seven or eight hundred million — Lin Chuan was astonished. Such a massive amount of funding was indeed a problem.
Staring at the Sichuan University Group's stock price on the computer screen for a long time, Lin Chuan suddenly had a bright idea and said to Zhou Rui, "Xiao Rui, see if we can do this…"
After talking with Zhou Rui for a while, Lin Chuan left her office, took out his phone, and made another call.
On the twenty-first, the weather was a bit gloomy, and it seemed a storm was looming.
At eight-thirty in the morning, Lin Chuan and Zhou Rui both appeared in the conference room of Sichuan University Group, almost all of the major managers of the group were present.
Zhou Rui first said a few simple words, and then Lin Chuan spoke.
Lin Chuan cleared his throat and said loudly, "All of you are main management personnel of Sichuan University. I believe you all understand the current situation. To resolve this crisis, Mr. Zhou and I have decided to allocate all funds from the group's subsidiaries to the main group for a stock market rescue. Does anyone have any objections?"
Over sixty percent of the managers present were former members of the Jvyi Gang, they naturally wouldn't oppose Lin Chuan's plan. The remainder also had shares that were freely assigned to them by Lin Chuan, so they raised their hands in agreement as well.
Since everyone agreed, Lin Chuan gave the order directly. Subsidiaries, including those in Japan's Fukuoka and the United States' Washington, were to reserve a small portion of operating funds, while the remainder should be transferred to the headquarters before the market opens at nine-thirty.
At nine-fifteen, all subsidiary funds gradually arrived on the group's books. The CFO made preliminary verifications, totaling four hundred and twenty million transferred funds, adding up to five hundred and seventy million with the group's existing funds.
In order to handle this counter-takeover, Lin Chuan specifically instructed the CFO to arrange a room with a dozen computers, and gathered seven or eight financial staff familiar with stock operations.
At nine-thirty, the stock market opened.
As soon as the stock market opened, Sichuan University's stock price began to fall steadily. After just five minutes, it dropped from twelve dollars eighty cents to eleven dollars eighty cents, a decline of already nine percent.
Lin Chuan kept his eyes on the Sichuan University's stock price without any response.
The seven or eight financial staff stood by solemnly. They were all watching Lin Chuan, waiting for his command to start the counter-takeover. But seeing Lin Chuan unresponsive, they all looked at each other in confusion.
Zhou Rui and the CFO were also present, watching Lin Chuan as well. Seeing Lin Chuan's lack of response made them a bit anxious; if it continued to fall, it would directly hit the lower circuit limit.
In our country, the stock market operates under the T±1 policy, meaning all stock prices have a daily price limit. You can only sell the next day, after buying on the current day.
At nine-forty, Sichuan University's stock price broke eleven dollars seventy cents, about to hit the down limit.
Lin Chuan took a deep breath, suddenly saying to the nearest financial staff member, "Buy one million shares."
One batch equals a hundred shares, one million batches equals one hundred million shares.
The financial staff didn't dare hesitate, immediately tapping away on the keyboard, purchasing one million shares of Sichuan University's stock in a very short period, priced at eleven dollars sixty-nine cents.
Everyone thought Lin Chuan was about to fight back, but after buying this one million shares, Lin Chuan said nothing further.
After purchasing this one million shares, Sichuan University's stock price was immediately pulled up by about 1.73 percentage points, reaching eleven dollars eighty-six cents.
Just two minutes after pulling the stock up, tens of thousands of large orders suddenly appeared out of nowhere, instantly pushing the stock price back down to eleven dollars and seventy cents.
At this moment, Lin Chuan suddenly ordered the financial personnel to buy another ten thousand shares.
With this purchase, the stock price started fluctuating again, jumping from eleven dollars and seventy cents to eleven dollars and eighty-three cents.
Immediately following, a large sell order pushed the stock price back down to eleven dollars and seventy cents. At this point, Lin Chuan continued to buy another ten thousand shares.
After a few rounds back and forth, it was evident that someone or an institution was maliciously manipulating Sichuan University's stock price. The opponent seemed to run out of patience, placing a heavy sell order of thirty thousand shares at eleven dollars and seventy cents.
Lin Chuan did not buy again this time. He silently stared at the stock price, watching it carefully. By 10:20, Sichuan University's stock was pressed down to the limit-down position.
The morning closing time was at 11:30, with one hour and ten minutes left until closing.
Lin Chuan revealed a slight smile and said to all the financial personnel, "Everyone, there is still an hour left until the morning closing. Buy one thousand shares every ten minutes until the close."
Although Zhou Rui knew Lin Chuan's strategy, she was still a bit worried. With Lin Chuan's pace of anti-takeover, she feared that Sichuan University's stock would completely crash before the anti-takeover succeeded.
By the closing time at 11:30 in the morning, Sichuan University's stock remained at the limit-down position, completely still.
In Zhou Rui's office, Lin Chuan smiled easily, while Zhou Rui's pretty face showed a bit of anxiety.
"Xiao Rui, let's go, I'll treat you to lunch. How about we have some seafood?" Lin Chuan said with a smile.
Zhou Rui rolled her eyes at Lin Chuan and said, "At a time like this, you still have the mind to eat seafood."
Lin Chuan laughed out loud and said, "Xiao Rui, the sky won't fall, even if it does, there's me, this tall guy, to hold it up for you. Let's go, people are made of iron, food is made of steel. If you don't eat for a meal, you'll be hungry."
Zhou Rui had no appetite for food at this moment and said, "You go ahead, I'm not hungry."
Lin Chuan knew what Zhou Rui was worried about. Although he had told her his plan yesterday, he hadn't revealed a certain secret to her. He stood up, walked to her side, hugged her shoulder, and whispered a few words in her ear.
Upon hearing Lin Chuan's words, Zhou Rui's eyes instantly brightened, and her pretty face showed a slight hint of anger. She playfully scolded, "You scoundrel, why didn't you tell me earlier?"
Lin Chuan deeply inhaled the fragrance emanating from Zhou Rui's dark hair and didn't answer her question. Instead, he chuckled and said, "So fragrant."
Upon hearing Lin Chuan's irrelevant answer, Zhou Rui was filled with annoyance. She scolded, "Scoundrel! I'm hungry, take me to dinner. I want braised ribs..."
Before Zhou Rui could finish speaking, Lin Chuan pressed his mouth against Zhou Rui's red lips, kissing her while saying, "Let me kiss you first, then we'll go for dinner."
Zhou Rui struggled immediately, but it was to no avail. Lin Chuan, the rascal, had already slipped his tongue into her mouth.
Zhou Rui unwillingly made a sound of protest, but couldn't resist Lin Chuan's persistent advances, and she let him have his way.
The two didn't dare to go too far in the office, just kissing for a while. Then, noticing it was almost twelve o'clock, they went out to find a nearby restaurant and ate something casually.
At one in the afternoon, when the market reopened, Sichuan University's stock was still at the limit-down position. Lin Chuan ordered several financial personnel to start buying heavily, and by 1:30, the limit-down situation was finally broken.
The opponent obviously didn't expect Sichuan University's stock's limit-down to be breached, so they ferociously threw in large orders.
Lin Chuan seemed very confident, regardless of how many large orders the opponent threw in, he ordered to devour them all. Throughout the two hours of afternoon trading, nearly two billion in funds was used for the acquisition. Yet, Lin Chuan forcefully led Sichuan University's stock from the limit-down to the limit-up, with the stock price firmly standing at fourteen dollars by closing.
Since hearing Lin Chuan's words, Zhou Rui's expression became relaxed, with the worry on her face completely gone. She didn't enter the office all afternoon, going about her business as usual.
Some gloomy weather in the afternoon started to clear up, and a seemingly impending storm dissipated into nothing.
After the closing in the afternoon, Lin Chuan left Sichuan University Group and called Tang Yumeng.
Tang Yumeng was attending a meeting, so upon receiving Lin Chuan's call, she asked him to go home first, saying she'd return after work.
The two little ones, Xiao Ling and Xiao Hei, were at Tang Yumeng's place. Lin Chuan had the keys to Tang Yumeng's house and arrived in a few minutes by car. Upon opening the door, a bit of gold and a shadowy figure shot towards him.
These two shadows that shot like lightning were none other than Little Snake, Xiao Ling, and Xiao Hei.