Meng Fei watched Wang Qiqi and the other two leave the transaction hall and was just about to head to the cafeteria when she spun around, startled by the group standing behind her. “Wait, didn’t you guys say you were going to eat?” Meng Fei knew that the moment lunchtime hit, these people would bolt for the cafeteria like hungry ghosts. But it was already a quarter past the start of the lunch break, and they hadn't moved. This struck Meng Fei as odd.

“Eating can wait. We’ll still have food reserved for us.”

“Exactly. Feifei,” Peacock Man asked with intense concern, “did those three really deposit one hundred and fifty thousand? If that’s true, you’re almost done with your target. If you haven’t hit it by the end of the month, I can ask my mom to open an account and cover the shortfall?”

Peacock Man thought that if it were over two hundred thousand, he couldn't help, but if it was only a shortfall of a little over a hundred thousand, he could think of something. If he could help Feifei keep her job, would she look at him differently in the future? The more Peacock Man mused, the more delightful the image became—he could already picture himself pushing Meng Fei down.

Those standing nearby overheard Peacock Man’s words and observed his expression. Though their faces showed clear disdain, one could only guess how envious they were internally. They knew how much they earned annually at the front desk; they had to eat, they had to buy clothes, and they couldn't afford to look shabby working here. While the salary seemed decent on paper, once expenses like food and drink were deducted, little was left to save. This was why Peacock Man held a certain level of dominance in the front-desk area—it was largely because he often used his family’s slight wealth to treat people to meals. Otherwise, given his perpetually abrasive attitude, who would indulge him? Of course, Peacock Man was also popular for another reason: he was responsible for causing trouble whenever people preferred not to be the target themselves. A little gentle fanning of the flames near his ear, and he would surely jump into action. Furthermore, everyone was unconcerned about any repercussions from management, as his family was rumored to have some influence, enough to secure his position at the front desk.

Meng Fei smiled faintly. “Thank you. My task is already complete.” With that, she turned and headed off to find Nuannuan for lunch. Though she desperately wanted to treat Nuannuan, she knew that securing such a significant client today was largely thanks to Nuannuan’s help.

Meng Fei drifted away in her pleasant haze, leaving the remaining group stunned into silence. “No way. How much more did Meng Fei have left on her quota?” They were flabbergasted that those three young women had managed to help Meng Fei complete her assignment so effortlessly.

“Over two hundred thousand, shy of three hundred thousand,” Peacock Man clicked his tongue. Good heavens, he hadn't taken those three poor students he’d dismissed seriously, and they had just completed Meng Fei’s target. “If I’d known, I would have made my move myself. Those girls just now found me quite charming, you know.”

Feng Xuanxiang was also quite surprised. He had expected the three girls to deposit a combined total of perhaps one hundred and fifty thousand, but he hadn’t anticipated such a large sum. This sparked a thought in Feng Xuanxiang’s mind: this money must have come with parental approval; otherwise, how could they possess so much? However, concerning the one with the remarkably good temperament, Feng Xuanxiang chuckled inwardly. Even if he had made a move, those girls wouldn't have chosen him, given his own questionable character. But if only he knew what the little wildcat thought of him, perhaps he’d have the urge to charge out right then. Feng Xuanxiang packed up his things with a smile and headed upstairs. Most people were accustomed to his non-smiling demeanor, but seeing him genuinely smile now was like watching a horror movie for the few remaining people at the front desk. Feng Xuanxiang never smiled at the office—or rather, when he did smile, it usually meant someone was about to suffer.

“Heavens, he actually smiled. I wonder who’s going to be unlucky this time.”

“It’s past work hours.”

“But he was sitting right there the whole time. He must have seen how we treated the clients. What if…”

“Didn’t Meng Fei handle them?” Peacock Man felt a chill run down his spine, but he quickly recovered. “Alright, let’s go eat. My treat today.”

In normal circumstances, hearing this invitation would have elicited enthusiastic agreement. While the cafeteria food was decent, it was mass-produced, and certainly not as flavorful as dishes cooked à la minute. But given the current atmosphere, they didn't dare suggest eating out. “Forget it, another day. Let’s just go to the cafeteria.” They all started walking toward the dining hall, consciously or unconsciously leaving him behind.

Peacock Man knew their general opinion of him wasn't high, but he hadn't expected their attitudes to shift so rapidly. Standing there watching their retreating backs left him feeling thoroughly disgruntled.

Wang Qiqi and her friends, elated, carried their bags and found a reasonably clean small restaurant to begin their meal. “Cheers,” Shi Man said, stars in her eyes, “to achieving our dreams soon.”

“Cheers.” Zhu Lina’s ambitions were more grounded. “I just hope to buy a house with money I’ve earned myself.” She might test the waters a bit too; although the old man warned her about the risks of the stock market, Zhu Lina knew that trading wouldn't necessarily ruin her main career—it all depended on the trader’s skill.

“Cheers! I hope… I hope to buy property in the capital and live off the rent—become a landlady!” Wang Qiqi declared happily. “Of course, the main thing is that I can finally shake off my family’s dreadful relatives.”

“Speaking of which,” Shi Man took a sip of her drink, “are we going in this afternoon to buy stocks?”

Wang Qiqi nodded. “I’ve done my research. I plan to buy in this afternoon.” Wang Qiqi had reviewed several stocks and selected one that, in her memory, seemed poised for a massive surge around late September, potentially multiplying its value four or five times by year-end. She was worried she might have misremembered, so she bought a lot of materials at home to study this particular stock. The more she researched, the more it aligned with the data she remembered. Wang Qiqi felt increasingly confident about her very first investment move.

Shi Man and Zhu Lina murmured their acknowledgment. Shi Man lowered her head to eat; she’d been so busy setting up the account early that morning she hadn't eaten anything. If she didn't eat now, her stomach would revolt. Zhu Lina, meanwhile, asked Wang Qiqi which stock she intended to buy.

When Zhu Lina heard the company name Wang Qiqi mentioned, she paused. “That company has some minor dealings with my family, but their performance might not be that great.” Of course, stock picking required researching more than just performance. “Still, it could be decent if they launch a new project.”

“I heard they might be launching a big project soon,” Wang Qiqi whispered.

A big project? Zhu Lina was stunned. “I’ll ask my dad later, but I hadn't heard they were close to a breakthrough on whatever they’re researching. If they really develop something with a good market outlook, it would naturally boost performance, and the stock price would rise, that’s normal. But…” Zhu Lina continued, “if they have results, fine. If not, it’s a junk stock. And how many listed companies are researching new projects? If that were the only criterion, countless stocks would be soaring.”

“True. But my gut tells me this one will go up. I’m definitely buying it.” Wang Qiqi argued with Zhu Lina for a long time but couldn't convince her, ending only with that statement, tinged with a hint of complaint.

Zhu Lina looked at Wang Qiqi pouting and felt an urge to tell her she was inviting disaster. But after a moment’s thought, she conceded. Fine, she’d follow along. She didn't have any stocks she was particularly keen on anyway, and in the current market climate, the losses couldn't be too severe. At worst, if the stock showed no promising trend after three months, she’d sell for a small gain; if it did well, she’d hold. “Okay, I’ll trust Qiqi this time.”

“Me too,” Shi Man chimed in, focusing intently on finishing her food in support of Wang Qiqi.

After finishing their meal, the three girls browsed around the area for a bit before heading to the brokerage firm. They settled at the computer terminals assigned to Wang Qiqi and Zhu Lina. Since it wasn't trading hours, the small-to-medium client room wasn't crowded, though Wang Qiqi couldn't tell if it was usually this empty or if everyone else was out to lunch.

The three of them sat down, booted up the computers, and started examining stocks. Their entrance surprised the middle-aged people already in the room. Entering this place usually required a certain level of wealth. Younger kids had been in before, but always trailing behind an adult. They expected Wang Qiqi and the others to be the same, but instead, the girls sat down, powered up their machines, and began discussing stocks seriously.

“Little ladies, are you trading yourselves, or are you here with your parents?” a middle-aged man with a warm smile asked.

“Our parents asked us to open the accounts, but they are too busy with work to come, so they asked us to operate them for them,” Wang Qiqi replied. She knew saying they were trading themselves sounded too preposterous, so she claimed they were acting on their parents’ behalf.

The middle-aged men and women present breathed a collective sigh of relief; in their view, this sounded much more plausible. “You’re operating for your parents? Do you know which stocks you want to buy? We could exchange ideas,” a man said, his eyes darting around before he cleared his throat.

Shi Man looked at him and felt an inexplicable discomfort, as if the man wasn't trustworthy.

“Our parents didn't specify. We’re just here to get familiar with the system today. Do you uncles happen to have any good recommendations?” Wang Qiqi thought to herself, This is clearly trying to fool kids, right? Hah, as if they think everyone is stupid. If you really had good insider information, would you share it with everyone? Of course, you’d go in solo.

The man was surprised that these young women were harder to handle than expected. “I don’t have any news right now, but I often share hot tips with people here.”

“Yeah, tips where nine out of ten stocks go down,” someone responded coldly. While some were indifferent, others stepped forward. “Old Hu, stop trying to trick people into sharing information just because new faces walk in. Besides, you think these little girls look easy to fool? Have you considered that they might actually have their own inside track?”

Wang Qiqi listened to the person who spoke up to defend them and almost retracted her earlier thought about people being generally good. So, it turned out they were looking down on and despising her. “We’re just going to study the operating procedures here, so it’s easier for them when our parents ask us to trade later.” (To be continued)