Chapter 18: The Famous Stock Commentator Wu Xuan

  "I want a life that bursts forth like flying in the vast sky, like galloping across the endless wilderness, with the power to break free from everything. How many times have I lost my way? How many times have my dreams been shattered? Now, I no longer feel lost. I want my life to be liberated..."

  Li Xiaoteng was eating his spicy hot pot while singing a song. Zhao Pangzi was by his side, running back and forth, adding dishes. Listening to Li Xiaoteng's song, he shouted: "Teng brother is mighty! Teng brother is carefree! Teng brother has the best voice in China!"

  Zhao Pàngzi's words were like a loud shout, almost making Li Xiǎoténg bite his own tongue while singing "Unleash Life"! Coughing, Li Xiǎoténg asked in surprise: "Dōnggē (brother), what did you say?" Zhao Pàngzi said strangely: "Ténggē (brother) is mighty, Ténggē is carefree! Ténggē, the best voice of China!" Li Xiǎoténg's face turned bright red from holding his breath, and he weakly asked: "The best voice of China?" Zhao Pàngzi looked puzzled, while collecting money from a customer who bought spicy rice balls, saying: "Big brother, 38 (yuan), I owe you 12!" Turning to Li Xiǎoténg, he said: "It's just that your singing sounds good! What's wrong?"

  Li Xiaoteng was speechless and thought to himself: "Damn, Zhao Baozi won't have also traveled back in time, will he?!"

  Mr. Liu, sitting at the entrance of Dongxing Restaurant, looked at Li Xiaoteng and Zhao Baozi who were making a noise by the roadside, and shouted: "Boss, bring ten strings of vegetarian waist flowers, five strings of fish tofu, and five strings of big white vegetables!" Zhao Baozi hurriedly shouted: "Ten strings of waist flowers, five strings of fish tofu, and five strings of big white vegetables will be ready soon!"

  Wu Xuan sat still in his seat, but his hand secretly touched the big red envelope that Teacher Liu had handed over. He secretly estimated it to be around 10,000 yuan or a bit more. He nodded and smiled at Teacher Liu: "Teacher Liu, you're too polite! And you're treating me to dinner again!"

  Teacher Liu, although his face wasn't very good, still smiled and said: "Teacher Wu, don't be polite! You're a busy person! Many people want to invite you out for dinner but can't get the chance. You're doing me, old Liu, a favor by coming here! Originally I wanted to treat you to something good, but recently this family's hot pot started getting popular. My buddies and I all say that their hot pot is one of the most characteristic in Beijing. Although the conditions are a bit rough! But I'm still inviting you over to try it out, haha!"

  "Wu Xuan nodded and said, 'Yeah, I've had my fair share of spicy hot pot in Beijing too. This place's hot pot is really unique, you can't find it in big hotels, but street stalls don't have this authentic flavor either! Look at the crowd! If we hadn't come early, I reckon we'd be eating on the sidewalk now! Haha...'"

  Teacher Liu was actually quite annoyed in his heart, he really wanted to take advantage of this big rebound to make some more money! However, his chart analysis skills were not working, originally buying what would lose what! As soon as he bought, it would drop! Selling what would rise! He had even mortgaged his own house deed! Until now, his wife and children still didn't know that he had mortgaged their school district house! He couldn't help but scold himself: "Still a professor of finance at Central University! If the students found out, I'd be speculating in stocks, almost losing my house. Who knows what they would think of me!"

  "Liu teacher, recently Wu Xuan has been on fire with his stock comments. He says a stock will fall and it does! It's like he's the commander of an air force. Now everyone in our department listens to his comments every day. If he says a stock will fall, they immediately short sell it and the price drops! I'm so impressed! My neighbor's dog's original owner's younger son is even Wu Xuan's colleague! I feel like I know Wu Xuan, this great god, and basking in his divine light makes me feel incredibly honored!"

  Teacher Liu's eyes widened in surprise, and he stared at his brothers with a worshipful gaze. He quickly begged: "Then introduce me to Wu Xuan, let's get acquainted!" Teacher Liu's brothers: "This... this..."

  Actually, Wuxian is not that great! The market has plummeted so much! The stocks asked about in the previous episode were all already on a downward trend. Short-selling and cutting losses are things that anyone with common sense can see clearly, but those who are caught up in it are often confused. They keep fantasizing and comforting themselves, thinking "Maybe, perhaps, possibly! Tomorrow will definitely rebound!" But they just get deeper and deeper into trouble. By the time they want to cut their losses, they've already been boiled alive like a frog in warm water, and they're left with huge losses. They thought that whether they sold or not didn't matter anymore, so they waited. But who knew that beneath the floor was hell, and inside hell there were 18 layers!

  The big households selling off Wushuang's stocks are not Wushuang's credit, it's just a matter of fame and influence. With Wushuang's reputation growing, naturally there will be people following suit. However, in such a sluggish market environment, buying 50 or even hundreds of blue-chip stocks, the stock price can still drop by one point if several big households sell at the same time! It would be a miracle if the stock price didn't drop! Of course, Wushuang still has some substance to him, and it's not like he doesn't have any redeeming qualities.

  Teacher Liu, today I finally got to sit at the same table as Wu Xuan. But it wasn't because those old brothers who think they're basking in the glory of the great Wu Xuan introduced us...

  Mr. Liu's purpose today is very clear, hoping that Wu Xuan would recommend a profitable stock for himself! As the wine and dishes were served, of course, it was the five-flavor spicy hot pot... Mr. Liu started asking for advice!

  "Teacher Wu, which stock do you think is the most promising recently?" Wu Xuan heard Liu's words and smiled: "Liu teacher, as a financial professor at Central University! You're actually asking me something different from others! Are you testing me?" Liu hurriedly said: "No, no, Teacher Wu is now a celebrity! Many of my students admire you, and I also appreciate your ability, so I came to ask for your advice!" A smile flashed across Wu's face: "You're really different from others! Everyone knows I'm the commander of the air force, what can I say about stocks going up? Haha haha"

  Mr. Liu hastily said: "You are also a stock market expert! Stocks are just a matter of repetition, looking empty is good, and naturally looking up is no problem! Mr. Wu, you are being modest with me!"

  As they spoke, Li Xiaoteng walked over with a plate of spicy hot pot, shouting: "Two of you, ten waist flowers, five fish tofu, five big white vegetables! Please enjoy slowly!" He turned to leave, but when he saw Teacher Wu, he exclaimed and suddenly smiled: "Isn't this Teacher Wu?"

  Wu Xuan smiled and said: "Do you know me?" Thinking to herself, even a spicy hot pot seller recognizes her, it seems that her popularity is really quite high!

  At that time, Wu Xuan was still not well-known in society, and having an audience who recognized him made his heart surge with pride.

  Li Xiaoteng immediately said: "Haha, how can I not recognize you! Aren't you Teacher Wu who often appears on TV to comment on stocks?" Wu Xuan laughed upon hearing this: "Little brother also invests in stocks?" Li Xiaoteng nodded and said: "I pay attention to the stock market, want to do it, but haven't opened an account yet! But I often watch TV, and often see your famous mouth!"

  Wu Xuan burst out laughing: "Little brother is too kind! Come, let's have a drink together!" Li Xiaoteng hastily picked up his cup and had a drink with Wu Xuan. They exchanged some polite but insincere words before taking their leave.

  Li Xiaoteng actually knew Wu Xuan in his past life, but at that time Wu Xuan had already become the deputy general manager of their company's brokerage business department. He was quite appreciative of Li Xiaoteng. Every time Li Xiaoteng saw Wu Xuan, he would always flatter him excessively. Just now, when he came over to serve dishes, he unconsciously patted his back twice again. As Li Xiaoteng turned and left, he was still scolding himself in his heart for being so sycophantic even after transmigrating. Alas~~~~

  Wu Xuan watched Li Xiaoteng leave, and he also seemed to be lost in thought, feeling as if he was very familiar with this person. He shook his head and looked at Liu Laoshi's flattering expression. Sighing, he said in a low voice, "Liu Laoshi, I want to tell you something!"

  Mr. Liu took a look and hurriedly leaned in, listening seriously. Wu Xuan looked around at the noisy crowd, making sure no one was paying attention to their conversation. He then said in a low voice: "The Shenzhou 6 spacecraft is scheduled to launch from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Western China around mid-October 2005 Beijing time. The Chinese government has selected two more astronauts who will be sent into space, with an expected flight duration of 5 days, including spacewalks..." Mr. Liu seemed to understand and nodded: "This matter was reported by the state, but not in such detail. I don't know, Teacher Wu, what impact does this have on the stock market?"

  "This message's clear time point has not been released yet!" Wu Xuan said mysteriously. Teacher Liu felt a bit dizzy and didn't know what it meant. Just as he was about to speak, Li Xiaoteng, who happened to be passing by the two of them, said: "So, Teacher Wu, you think Huaxia Satellite's main force will start laying out in June, complete the pull-up in August, and sell off with good news in September or October?"

  Wu Xuan, sitting in the chair, almost fell to the ground with a big lean, and saw Li Xiaoteng who was silent and invisible. He exclaimed in surprise: "You heard it all? ... You heard it all?"

  Li Xiaoteng smiled and said: "Teacher Wu, I was just serving dishes to the guests next door, and happened to walk over here. I overheard your conversation with this old man, purely by coincidence, purely by coincidence!"

  Wu Xuan was speechless: "You're really a hot pot seller? Little brother, you don't trade stocks?" Li Xiaoteng shrugged and said: "I don't even have a stock account! Otherwise, I'll give you my ID card copy, you go to the securities counter to check if I've opened an account. Enter my ID number, and the counter can find out! It can be known whether I've opened an account or not!" Suddenly Li Xiaoteng stopped talking, feeling that he had said too much. He sighed secretly, "Alas, it's all because of his own mouth, many things are ruined by his own mouth!"

  Wu Xuan's face turned slightly cold! He looked at Li Xiaoteng without saying a word. Everyone fell silent for a moment. Li Xiaoteng heard someone shouting: "Boss, twenty strings of duck blood are coming!"

  Li Xiaoteng hastily shouted: "Twenty strings of duck blood! Coming right up!" and then quickly ran off. Teacher Liu looked at Wu Xuan's face, which didn't look too good, and asked: "Teacher Wu, are you okay?" Teacher Wu weakly shook his head and asked: "Teacher Liu, do you think this kid really doesn't understand stocks? Is he really just a seller of spicy skewers?"

  Mr. Liu looked at Li Xiaoteng's back and said, "He also opened a spicy hot pot here just a few days ago, but in just a few days, the spicy hot pot has become popular in the surrounding area. Recently, a famous blogger even uploaded an article about his experience eating at this spicy hot pot restaurant on their website."

  Wu Xuan gazed at Li Xiaoteng's back and murmured: "This child... why does he give people such a mysterious feeling?"