The Stepmother’s Counterattack: Raising a Child in a Bygone Era
Chapter 618 - 617: Lost Over Two Million

Chapter 618: Chapter 617: Lost Over Two Million

"I don’t have Hongmei’s financial luck; she made a hundred, while I actually lost more than two hundred."

Upon hearing her words, everyone at the table was stunned, their faces a picture of disbelief.

"You’re talking about losing two hundred yuan, right?" Pei Wenping pressed, not giving up hope.

Shen Mingzhu gave a wry smile, helpless, "If it was just losing more than two hundred yuan, would I even mention it?"

Shen Hongmei was equally incredulous, "How come I never heard you mention this before?"

"How could I bring myself to say it, but I’ve quit that thing now and won’t touch it again in the future."

Shen Hongmei quickly tried to comfort her, "Mingzhu, why don’t you join us in stock trading? We have an investment group; it includes senior financial experts and instructors who give us mini-lectures every week, analyzing stock trends and market conditions. Sometimes, they even share insider tips. I made a million solely because of this."

Before Shen Mingzhu could reply, others at the table were already showing an interest in how to join the investment group.

When they heard that it required a thousand-yuan membership fee and a member’s referral, with each member having only one referral opportunity, everyone became more reserved.

The referral opportunity was easy to deal with, but a thousand-yuan membership fee was not a small amount for a salaried family, and it needed to be considered very carefully.

Shen Mingzhu politely declined Shen Hongmei’s kind offer, "No, I’ve decided not to deal with stocks anymore."

Shen Hongmei wanted to persuade her further but heard Shen Mingzhu continue, "Hongmei, you should also be careful. Don’t get too deeply involved. The risks in the stock market are much greater than you think."

Shen Hongmei agreed verbally, but her expression made it clear that she didn’t take Shen Mingzhu’s warning seriously, obviously lost in her brief yet massive success.

"Since we’ve touched upon this topic today, let me also share my lessons from failure."

"Stock trading is a game for the rich, the playground of capitalists. For the poor who hope to get rich through it, it’s like standing blindfolded on the edge of a cliff—a single misstep can lead to a devastating fall."

"Those who are not professional investors and unaware of market trends are no different from gamblers recklessly entering the fray."

"It’s harmless to invest a small amount of money for fun, but never stake your entire fortune, and certainly don’t borrow money to enter the market; otherwise, the end result is bound to be ruin."

If it were anyone else, Shen Mingzhu would definitely let go of her compassionate instincts and respect their fate.

But Shen Hongmei was not just a close friend but also a good work colleague. She couldn’t stand by and watch her friend be manipulated and deluded by the stock market.

At the same time, she wanted to sound a warning to others, as everyone present was also her close friend or relative.

...

"Why are you feeling down even after finally getting the new car you’ve been dreaming about?"

Zhao Dafa returned home after socializing and saw Shen Hongmei sitting alone on the couch in a daze; he teased her with a smile.

Shen Hongmei didn’t pick up on his joke, got up, and went to the kitchen to ladle him a bowl of soup, placing it in front of him.

Zhao Dafa held the soup bowl, took a couple of sips, let out a contented sigh, and looked up at her with a smile in his eyes.

"Trouble at work? Or did a colleague bother you again? Come on, tell me about it."

Shen Hongmei began to talk about the incident at the Hong Kong-style restaurant at noon, "...I made money from stocks while she lost, and I even bought a new car. I don’t know if it’s just me being petty, but the things she said were really discouraging. I was actually quite happy today."

After voicing her frustrations, Shen Hongmei felt a bit more relieved.

From lunchtime until now, the feeling had been choking in her throat, with no one to share it with, almost suffocating her.

"But Mingzhu sure can keep things to herself, losing more than two million without giving the slightest hint..."

Shen Hongmei went on talking to herself for a while but saw Zhao Dafa leaning on the couch without a word, so she stood up and went behind him to massage his shoulders.

"Are you very tired recently? How about taking some time tomorrow to have Master Kang give you a massage, help you relax a bit?"

"No worries, I was just thinking about something."

Shen Hongmei said, "Then drink your soup first. I’ll go upstairs and draw a bath for you so you can soak for a while."

"Mm, thank you for your hard work," Zhao Dafa patted the back of her hand.

Shen Hongmei bent down and kissed his cheek affectionately, "Thank you for the birthday gift you gave me, I really like it."

Zhao Dafa teased with a smile, "Not feeling upset anymore?"

Shen Hongmei was a bit embarrassed, "Regardless, Mingzhu has been my benefactor, and my teacher too. She’s been having a hard time. After she said a few extra words, I couldn’t really hold it against her."

Seeing that she had come around, Zhao Dafa didn’t bring it up again.

After Shen Hongmei went upstairs, he picked up the soup from the coffee table and sipped it absentmindedly, yet his heart was not as calm as he appeared on the outside.

The warning from Shen Mingzhu hadn’t entered Shen Hongmei’s heart, but it had hit him like a ton of bricks!

Shen Hongmei was young and inexperienced; it was normal for her to be unable to handle success.

But he was an old hand at this, looking one way and thinking ten has become an instinct ingrained in his bones.

He had entered the market mid-last year.

At first, he was just dabbling. After some good luck and small profits, he began to study earnestly, learning and seeking advice while increasing his investment, yielding quite a harvest.

Now, stock trading had almost become his main business.

Every morning, he checked the financial news, paid attention to the stock and futures markets, waited for the markets to open, monitored the stocks, and discussed and exchanged ideas with fellow investors. He became so absorbed in the stock market that he neglected the company’s business, leaving it to his employees to handle.

Shen Mingzhu’s warning had made him realize that he had gotten carried away.

Trading stocks, futures, bonds – the money came too quickly and too easily.

Working hard all year might not make as much as a single day in the stock market – who wouldn’t be confused by that?

...

While Zhao Dafa was showering, Shen Hongmei took out a new slip dress from the closet.

The dress’s semi-transparent black chiffon, combined with her beautiful, curvaceous figure, was simply irresistible and tempting.

In their marital life, the two had always been harmonious. Plus, with Shen Hongmei creating little moments of romance and excitement now and then, their first year of marriage had been sweet as honey.

Tonight, however, Zhao Dafa wasn’t in the mood.

After a hasty end, he brought up the subject of stock trading with Shen Hongmei.

Shen Hongmei had also entered the market influenced by him, her initial capital being the dowry he gave her when they got married.

"I’ve thought it over seriously, and the reminder from Mingzhu isn’t without reason. Any investment can’t just make money without any losses. The share prices have been skyrocketing all year, multiplying several times over in a few months – it’s a bit abnormal," he said.

Zhao Dafa discussed with Shen Hongmei and decided to withdraw two-thirds of the money from the stock market. The remaining funds would be managed by a broker while he would refocus his attention and energy back on the company’s management.

After all, Dafa Construction was his foundation and mainstay. Neglecting his real business for the sake of trading stocks was putting the cart before the horse.

"You should also sell off your stocks, you’ve already made quite a profit anyway. It’s important not to be too greedy," he advised.

Shen Hongmei listened to Zhao Dafa’s words and immediately agreed to dispose of most of her stocks the next day.

...

The night was deep, but Pei Wenping couldn’t sleep, turning Shen Mingzhu’s words over in her mind.

She knew that Chen Yi was also trading stocks, and he was even deeper into it than Shen Hongmei.

Chen Yi was playing with leverage, which simply meant using borrowed capital to trade stocks with more funds than his actual assets would allow.

If he profited, he would get a much higher return, but if the market fell, his losses would also multiply.

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