The Eve of the Dream of a Good Group Shattered

The Hong Kong stock market opened on the fifth day of the Lunar New Year, which also happened to be the day people traditionally welcome the God of Wealth, making it quite fitting.

Lin Yuan didn’t go back to his hometown for the Spring Festival, although he had originally planned to take Xia Ye with him.

However, Xia Ye wasn’t very enthusiastic, saying, in her own words, “I don’t feel like a daughter-in-law meeting her in-laws.”

So, Lin Yuan didn’t insist.

Once the Hong Kong stock market opened on the fifth day of the Lunar New Year, Lin Yuan no longer had time for romantic matters.

Every morning, he would leave early, even while the festive atmosphere hadn’t completely faded, rushing to the Lanbiao Factory Zijin Branch Company, where a group of people would monitor Good Group’s stock price and discuss their next plan.

With Lin Yuan not being home, Xia Ye also lost interest, so she simply went with Song Xiaoxiao to the school to request a dance studio, preparing for next year’s Purple Arts postgraduate entrance exam.

Although Lin Yuan had vouched for both of them, Xia Ye genuinely wanted to achieve something in her professional field now.

As for Song Xiaoxiao, she was also very diligent now, because she was worried she would embarrass Lin Yuan.

Song Xiaoxiao’s professional foundation was truly poor; after all, she hadn’t focused on her major at all during her four years of university.

Now, she was making up for lost time.

Thus, the two girls would be drenched in sweat in the dance studio every day.

Soon, news spread throughout Zijin Aviation School’s Art Department—two senior students would come to practice dancing every day.

Although there weren’t many people at school during the New Year, there were always some who stayed on campus.

As busybodies spread videos of Xia Ye and Song Xiaoxiao dancing, they reluctantly became popular online again.

Unlike last time, Song Xiaoxiao was now wary of becoming popular online again, saying, “I never want to chase traffic for money again; it’s too terrifying.”

But sometimes, fate loves to play jokes.

This time, Song Xiaoxiao didn’t want to chase traffic, but traffic relentlessly pursued her.

As a result, she helplessly complained about it at the dinner table.

Lin Yuan also saw Xia Ye and Song Xiaoxiao in the local trending videos on Douyin, and the comments below the video fully reflected the characteristics of the internet.

“It’s obviously a deliberate hype.”

“There must be a team behind it.”

“I must find a girlfriend who studies dance in this life.”

.

.

Lin Yuan was utterly exasperated; he wasn't the kind of person who would use his own wife as bait.

“I don’t know which scoundrel secretly filmed this; they have no boundaries and just post everything online.

I’ll go to the school and ask them to discipline him.”

But then Lin Yuan realized the awkwardness, because both of his teachers now thought he had already broken up with Xia Ye.

If he were to bring this up because of this matter, how would he explain it?

He couldn't possibly say, “Your disciple is currently juggling two relationships.”

Lin Yuan could only swallow this silent grievance.

“Forget it,” Song Xiaoxiao comforted him, “these things will pass quickly.”

Lin Yuan didn’t pay attention to it, instead focusing his thoughts on Good Group.

After the Hong Kong stock market reopened, Good Group’s stock price continued its previous strong momentum, hitting two consecutive daily limits.

The capital market generally believed that a large amount of capital had received insider information, and that Good Group was about to dominate the food delivery market.

Given the size of the entire Dragon Country’s food delivery market, it was possible for Good Group’s market value to reach three trillion.

Because a monopoly is not simple linear growth; there’s so much more that can be done once a company dominates.

Even more exaggerated rumors circulated, with a popular saying that Good Group was about to participate in the Dragon Country’s poverty alleviation special project, providing ample employment to a large population through the food delivery industry.

As a result, Good Group’s stock became even hotter.

After the Spring Festival, Zhang Yan finally escaped from home.

On the tenth day of the Lunar New Year, she scrambled back to Lin Yuan’s place early in the morning, not even having breakfast.

Besides complaining to Lin Yuan, Zhang Yan brought news—Director Wang wanted to see Lin Yuan.

Director Wang was currently the Director of the Su Province New Era Network Information Construction Office, specifically responsible for work related to network public opinion prevention and network employment promotion.

He had only one purpose in seeking Lin Yuan—because Good Group’s recent abnormal stock price movements had triggered their internal early warning mechanism, and his superiors wanted him to provide an analysis report.

After all, Good Group’s strong rise originated from Zijin City, Su Province.

Director Wang had previously gained a lot of achievements by ostensibly guiding Good Group’s work, and now he couldn’t shake off this task.

Although Lin Yuan had warned him long ago that allowing Good Group to monopolize the market was very dangerous, Director Wang was used to being a leader and actually didn’t understand how to carry out these technical tasks involving specific operational details.

And his subordinates only knew how to apprehend people; they didn’t understand these new-era things at all.

As a result, Director Wang sighed, “Why doesn’t Lin Yuan just join the system and work?”

Lin Yuan just smiled and brushed it off; he didn’t want to join the system at all.

Joining the system would bring a lot of restrictions; although he had considered it last year, he no longer wanted to.

Because being free outside was simply too good.

If he really joined, his personal conduct would be a major problem first and foremost.

“Lin Yuan, help me analyze the current situation.”

In a simple tea room, Director Wang asked Lin Yuan.

Zhang Yan, meanwhile, pretended to drink tea to hide her boredom.

She had been bored at home all through the Spring Festival, and just as she reunited with Lin Yuan, the latter was called out by her mentor.

“What you’re concerned about should be that Good Group’s stock price fluctuations will lead to instability in the food delivery market, which in turn affects the employment of a large number of delivery riderss.”

Director Wang picked up his teacup and took a sip.

“You’re right.

And there’s another crucial layer here: my promotion last year was based on that wave of momentum from Good Group.

If Good Group has problems, then I’ll definitely be criticized too.”

Director Wang’s words were quite direct.

Lin Yuan, on the other hand, slowly said, “You are Zhang Yan’s mentor, and I trust your character.

Your initial valuing of Good Group was entirely out of public interest; you wanted to alleviate employment issues through the food delivery industry.

Well, the food delivery industry isn’t just Good Group.

You just continue to act selflessly, and that would be fine.”

Director Wang’s expression showed that he was very pleased.

“No wonder Xiao Zhang took a liking to you.”

The implication was: You, young man, know how to pretend to be confused when you’re actually clear-headed.

“How is your company doing?

I heard you just released your financial report, and it looks like you’re about to go bankrupt.”

“Don’t worry about that, we won’t collapse even if Good Group does.

We just lack a little bit of momentum.

The benefits Good Group can offer to delivery riderss, we can also provide.

But one thing I must make clear: our company has no intention of fleecing investors in the stock market, so we can only operate based on actual business conditions.

We can’t subsidize losses like Good Group.”

“Haha~~” Director Wang laughed, “You didn’t scold Good Group at all, but it seems you’ve said everything.

Don’t worry, our government certainly hopes for a stable and healthy food delivery market.

The people also hope their jobs are more secure.”

Lin Yuan showed a troubled expression, “That’s natural.

But there’s a saying: ‘No destruction, no construction.’

It will take a process to calm the troubles caused by Good Group, and this process will inevitably be turbulent.

We can only try our best to shorten this period of instability.”

Director Wang thought for a moment, “That’s no problem; I’ll go back and write a report to warn my superiors.”

Lin Yuan continued, “To prevent such instability from recurring in the future, I believe the logic of capital should be stripped away from the food delivery industry.

We cannot let them use the livelihoods of tens of millions of people as bargaining chips to put on a show in the stock market.”

Director Wang suddenly looked at Lin Yuan with new respect, “Your words are very pertinent.

Industries involving major public welfare like this should be strongly intervened.”

Lin Yuan continued, “Not just food delivery, but also the ride-hailing industry.

The profit margins of these industries should be controlled at a reasonable level.

We cannot allow capital to mess around with algorithms in there.

Just look at all those full-reduction coupons nowadays; even I get confused by them.”

“You’re very right.

But it’s a long and arduous journey.”