Chapter 70: Preparing for What Comes Next

The last time in the trading hall of the Hong Kong City, Zhang Tianfeng had single-handedly challenged a dozen seasoned stock analysts, earning instant fame and slapping faces with immense satisfaction. Zhang Tianfeng had enjoyed himself thoroughly, but he wasn’t the only one; the man in front of him, Ding Yan, had also shared in the thrill.

After coming ashore, Ding Yan had sought business advice for the first time, asking how to preserve and grow his wealth in the long term. The answer he received was stocks. But with the two mainland stock markets crashing that year, Ding Yan had no choice but to speculate in Hong Kong.

He happened to witness the scene of Zhang Tianfeng wagering against Jason. Hearing Zhang Tianfeng’s bold words, Ding Yan’s blood surged and he watched from the sidelines, quietly making up his mind: if that gang dared to use force, he’d bring his men and start a brawl to rescue this patriotic young man.

In the end, no violence broke out. After Zhang Tianfeng left, Ding Yan returned to the exchange with his men and bought up a large amount of Chinese-concept stocks. The reason was simple: to support the country, even if it meant losing money.

When the market opened, Zhang Tianfeng made a small profit, but Ding Yan, who had followed his lead, made a fortune. By the time he wanted to thank Zhang Tianfeng, the man was already gone.

Later, reading more about Zhang Tianfeng in the Hong Kong media, Ding Yan came to revere him as a living legend.

With such a stock market genius by his side, why would he ever need to consult the Chen family? Let them go their own way!

Ding Yan climbed the steps, positioning himself just a head shorter than Zhang Tianfeng, and grinned. “Little Stock God, I’ve been searching for you everywhere. Look at me—I've lost weight from the effort! I used to be 199.99, now I’m 188.88.”

“Uh… I can’t really tell,” Zhang Tianfeng paused and asked, “You’re here to collect a debt, aren’t you?”

“That was the plan, but not anymore.”

Ding Yan chuckled. “Little Stock God, as long as you give me a couple of pointers, I’ll write off the toy factory’s debt to me. In the future, whatever materials you need, I can get for you.”

“What’s going on, boss?” Red Hair felt his mind had jammed. Weren’t they here to cause trouble? How did it turn into handing out money?

“Didn’t you hear? He’s my devoted fan.”

Muttering, Zhang Tianfeng said, “There’s air conditioning inside. Shall we talk slowly?”

“Of course, of course. Let’s talk at our leisure.”

Ding Yan told his men to wait in the car and followed Zhang Tianfeng into the lounge.

Once inside, Ding Yan introduced himself and got straight to the point. “Stock God, I don’t ask much—just give me a tip on a stock that will yield steady profits.”

“I’d rather just pay you for the materials. I was planning to do so anyway.”

“No, no—let’s negotiate,” Ding Yan insisted.

“I’ve spent over thirty years at sea,” Ding Yan continued. “I’m blunt and straightforward, don’t like beating around the bush. If I offend you, please don’t mind.”

“Let’s make a deal. The toy factory you now run owes me 263,152.56 in materials. All I want is for you to give me a stock that can net me a 50% profit. Our debt will be cleared, and I’ll source whatever materials you need in the future. Even if you fancy Southeast Asian beauties or curvy foreign blondes, I have the connections.”

“I have no interest in those!” Zhang Tianfeng retorted.

Not into experienced women? Well, he’s only eighteen—he probably doesn’t understand the allure of mature women.

After a moment’s thought, Ding Yan said, “How about I arrange a pair of twin secretaries for you? Don’t worry—they’re both adults but have never had boyfriends.”

“Can your imagination get any wilder?” Zhang Tianfeng’s face darkened.

Ding Yan really was blunt to the point of excess—couldn’t he be a bit more tactful? And by ‘wilder,’ did he mean more? Did he think Zhang liked older women?

Seeing Ding Yan grin, Zhang Tianfeng could guess what he was imagining and quickly interrupted, “Stop! Don’t let your mind wander. I truly don’t need that kind of comfort right now.”

“Alright, Little Stock God, if you ever need anything, just say the word. I have extensive connections at sea and endless resources—you might find something to your liking.”

“I do need people, but this time I want men.”

“What? Men?” Ding Yan, holding a stool in both hands, unconsciously took a few steps back.

“I need a group of technical engineers from Southeast Asia or Japan—mechanical equipment experts,” Zhang Tianfeng said with exasperation. “Can’t you think of something practical?”

“I’m old, I’ve seen too much, and most of the people I deal with are tangled up in such nonsense. I can’t break the habit,” Ding Yan said sheepishly, scratching his head. “Stock God, what skills should these mechanical engineers have?”

“EDM machines, milling machines, grinders, drill presses, electric sewing machines…” Zhang Tianfeng listed a few. Seeing Ding Yan’s puzzled face, he clarified, “Whatever machinery is needed to run a toy factory, I need people skilled in operating those. If you can put me in direct contact with equipment manufacturers, even better.”

The previous toy factory had cost tens of thousands a month just for equipment maintenance. If he could train his own team, it would be much better—not only saving money, but possibly enabling future growth, maybe even launching a machinery factory. After all, in high-precision mechanical industries, the country was still lagging behind.

“Give me a few days. I’ll make some calls.”

“No rush. As long as it’s done within a month, that’s fine.”

“Stock God, could you give me more time? Those Japanese machinery manufacturers are all big shots.”

“That’s fine too, but there’s a stock next month that’s about to skyrocket. I’ll only help you make money if we reach an agreement. Think it over.”

Ding Yan hesitated, then quietly asked, “How much can I make?”

“About… at least 50% profit.”

“Alright, I’m in!”

That was Ding Yan, a man shaped by decades at sea—once he made up his mind, he never looked back. Unlike others who, even when faced with a golden opportunity, still hesitated and deliberated. There’s nothing wrong with caution, but the stock market is all about luck and timing; miss it, and you’ll regret it for life.

In the past, this very habit had saved Ding Yan innumerable times. This time, it was about to double his fortune.

“Little Stock God, I’ll get to it right away. Could you give me your phone number? I’ll contact you once I find the people you need.”

“I don’t have a phone,” Zhang Tianfeng replied. He truly didn’t; he wasn’t used to the big, bulky mobiles, nor did he care for pagers. When he needed to make contact, he just borrowed Gao Ran’s.

“Take mine, then. I’ll reach out to you.” Ding Yan shoved his cell phone into Zhang Tianfeng’s hand, opened the door, and called over his shoulder, “Wait for my good news.”

With that, Old Ding strode away.

A moment later, a cute little head poked through the door.

“What were you guys talking about? I heard something about twins and men,” Gao Ran asked.

“If you don’t break that eavesdropping habit, it’ll get you in trouble sooner or later.”

“Hmph! It’s not like I enjoy eavesdropping. If it were anyone else, I wouldn’t listen even if you paid me,” Gao Ran pouted, shutting the door.

Looking at the black mobile phone in his hand, Zhang Tianfeng couldn’t help but laugh and shake his head. Was this the villain handing him resources?

He knew very well that Ding Yan had definitely been sent by Xu Kuangdao, but Xu could never have anticipated this outcome.

With Old Ding’s maritime connections, things would be much easier from now on!