When the morning sunlight streamed through the blinds into the hospital room, Qiyue had already been staring at his phone screen for a full two hours. The stock trend chart of NT Technology shifted continuously before his eyes; every candlestick was like a riddle, and he held a corner of the answer in his hand.
"Mr. Qi, you should rest more." Zheng Xue pushed the door open, holding a cup of hot coffee. "The doctor said concussions require quiet recuperation."
Qiyue took the coffee, the bitter liquid sliding down his throat and bringing a brief moment of clarity. "Zheng Xue, how much liquid capital does the company have available right now?"
Zheng Xue's expression turned instantly guarded. "Less than five million, but this money is meant to pay employee salaries and supplier invoices. If we use it—"
"I need three million," Qiyue interrupted. "Just three days."
"That's impossible!" Zheng Xue nearly jumped. "The financial director won't agree, and Director Zheng specifically instructed that any capital transfer must be signed off by him."
Qiyue narrowed his eyes. Zheng Mingyuan was already trying to hollow out his authority.
"Listen," Qiyue lowered his voice. "I know this is risky, but I have definitive information that NT Technology's stock price will surge within three days. If we buy in now, we can make at least a million."
Zheng Xue widened her eyes. "Are you crazy? NT Technology already rose 15% today, and analysts are all saying it's a short-term bubble!"
"The analysts are wrong," Qiyue said firmly, even though he wasn't entirely certain that string of numbers truly predicted the future. "Give me three million, and I'll return four million to you in three days."
Zheng Xue bit her lower lip, her gaze conflicted. Finally, she sighed. "I can help you bypass Director Zheng, but we'll need Manager Wang from the finance department to cooperate. He was promoted by you personally; he should help."
"Great." Qiyue let out a breath. "Execute it today, and make it fast."
After Zheng Xue left, Qiyue looked at his phone again. NT Technology's stock price was climbing once more, with gains already reaching 18%. If his "premonition" was accurate, then in three days—June 15th—the increase would reach 37.5%.
The thought left him both thrilled and terrified. If he was wrong, the company's situation would go from bad to worse; but what if he was right?
At three in the afternoon, Zheng Xue sent a message: "NT Technology shares purchased per your instructions, average price 42.5 yuan, shares acquired."
Qiyue stared at the message, his fingers trembling slightly. Three million, the company's last remaining liquid capital, had been staked on a single stock in a desperate gamble. If he failed, not only would the company go bankrupt, but he might also face charges of embezzlement.
As night fell, Qiyue's headache flared up again. This time it was more severe than before, feeling as though someone were pounding on his skull with an iron hammer. He curled up on the hospital bed, cold sweat soaking through his hospital gown. In a daze, new numbers surfaced before his eyes: 2023-06-17, -12.3%, followed by the four characters "Tianyue Financial".
What did this mean? On June 17th, Tianyue Financial's stock price would drop by 12.3%? Qiyue struggled to write down the information before slipping into a heavy sleep.
Early the next morning, Zheng Xue rushed over, her face pale. "Mr. Qi, this is bad! Director Zheng found out that the funds were used, and he's contacting the board members!"
Qiyue forced a calm demeanor. "How is NT Technology trending today?"
"It's up another 5%, but that's not the point!" Zheng Xue stamped her foot in anxiety. "Director Zheng says you misappropriated company funds without authorization, and he's calling an emergency board meeting to depose you!"
"Tell him I'll be back at the company by this afternoon." Qiyue yanked the IV needle out of his arm. "Help me with the discharge procedures."
"But the doctor—"
"There's no time!" Qiyue was already standing, though the pain in his left leg made him nearly stumble. "If I don't go back now, I really won't have anything left."
When Qiyue stepped into the Tianyue Financial building leaning on a cane, every employee's gaze focused on him. Whispers spread behind him like invisible waves. In the elevator, Zheng Xue told him in a low voice, "The board is already waiting for you in the 35th-floor meeting room. Director Zheng has contacted all the directors, including Chairman Zhou, who is currently on a business trip abroad."
Qiyue nodded, his heart pounding like a drum. The suit jacket he wore over his hospital gown felt ill-fitting, and the cast on his left leg looked ridiculous, but he couldn't care about his image right now.
Pushing open the meeting room doors, a dozen pairs of eyes turned toward him simultaneously. Zheng Mingyuan sat in the main seat, dressed in a sharp suit with the confident smile of a victor. Lin Yaru was actually there as well, sitting in the corner and watching with cold detachment.
"Old Qi, you haven't even recovered yet; why rush to leave the hospital?" Zheng Mingyuan's tone was solicitous, though his eyes were icy. "We were just handling some routine matters."
Qiyue walked up to the conference table leaning on his cane. "I heard you want to depose me?"
The meeting room fell instantly silent. The smile froze on Zheng Mingyuan's face. "I am merely acting in accordance with company articles. You misappropriated three million in funds without board approval, which already constitutes a serious violation."
"That money was used to save the company." Qiyue swept his gaze across the assembled directors. "I have definitive information that NT Technology will surge tomorrow. Putting three million in will bring back at least a million in profit."
A white-haired director sneered, "Mr. Qi, we all know NT Technology has risen for two consecutive days, and the risk of a correction is extremely high. Where did this so-called 'definitive information' of yours come from?"
"Business secret." Qiyue looked the man straight in the eye. "Give me 24 hours. If NT Technology hasn't reached a 37.5% increase by tomorrow's close, I will voluntarily resign from my position as CEO."
An uproar broke out in the meeting room. A flash of surprise crossed Zheng Mingyuan's eyes before he regained his composure. "Old Qi, do you know what you're saying? NT Technology has already risen 23%; climbing another 14.5% is practically impossible."
"Care to make a wager?" Qiyue looked at him provocatively. "If I win, the board must authorize me with full discretion to handle the company crisis; if I lose, not only will I resign as CEO, but the shares under my name will also be transferred to you at market value."
This bet made everyone draw a sharp breath. Zheng Mingyuan narrowed his eyes, clearly assessing where Qiyue's confidence came from. Finally, he nodded slowly. "Fine, let's put it in writing."
After the agreement was signed, Qiyue returned to his office—to his surprise, his nameplate had already been removed, clearly showing Zheng Mingyuan had prepared to take over long ago. He sat exhaustively on the sofa, the pain in his left leg growing increasingly severe.
"You shouldn't have gambled so much." Zheng Xue closed the door, saying with deep concern, "There's no way NT Technology can rise that much more."
Qiyue didn't answer. He wasn't certain whether that "premonition" was accurate either, but there was no way out now.
Around dusk, as Qiyue was preparing to leave the company, the elevator doors opened, and a strange woman stepped out. She was around thirty years old, dressed in a minimalist, capable dark blue suit, with her dark hair twisted into a neat bun. Her facial features were exquisite yet unadorned, and she held a briefcase.
"Mr. Qi, I've heard a lot about you." The woman extended a hand. "I am Su Muqing, chief analyst at Stellar Investment."
Qiyue shook her hand politely. "Is there something I can help you with?"
"I'm very interested in the bet you made today." Su Muqing's voice was calm, but her gaze was as sharp as a blade. "NT Technology's fundamentals do not support a 37.5% increase. Why are you so certain?"
Qiyue missed a heartbeat. This Su Muqing meant trouble. "Analysts can misjudge things too," he maintained his composure as best as he could.
"Of course." Su Muqing smiled slightly. "But my margin of error is usually within ±3%. And the 37.5% you predicted is 22 percentage points higher than the market's average expectation. That kind of precision... is very unusual."
The two looked at each other for a moment, and Qiyue felt as though the other person could see right through his thoughts. "Is Miss Su here to question me, or to discuss cooperation?"
"Observation." Su Muqing's reply was unexpected. "I am interested in all abnormal phenomena. After the market closes tomorrow, I will come to visit again."
She turned and left, her high heels tapping crisp sounds against the marble floor. Qiyue watched her retreating figure, alarm bells ringing in his heart. This Su Muqing was no simple person; she seemed to have noticed something.
That night, Qiyue returned to the original host's luxurious mansion—a duplex apartment on the top floor located in the city center. The fingerprint lock recognized his print, but the interior was as desolate as a hotel. There were no couple photos, no signs of daily life, and Lin Yaru's clothes in the master walk-in closet were pitifully few.
In the study, Qiyue found detailed company data and personal documents. Tianyue Financial primarily dealt in venture capital and asset management, once boasting a market value of five billion, which had now shrunk to less than two billion. Furthermore, the personal assets under the original host's name had been heavily transferred away, leaving only some real estate and a small amount of shares.
Even more shockingly, he found a draft divorce agreement in the safe, dated the day before his "car accident." The terms of the agreement were extremely harsh, with Lin Yaru set to walk away with 70% of their marital property.
Qiyue sat at the desk as his headache struck again. This time it was accompanied by brief blurred vision, flashes of more fragmented information passing before his eyes: stock codes, percentages, dates... He frantically wrote down the information, though he had no idea which parts would come true.
On June 15th, NT Technology opened with an 8% surge, and Qiyue's wager caused a sensation within the company. All the executives stared at the stock market trends, and Zheng Mingyuan even came to Qiyue's office personally to "spectate."
"Old Qi, it's not too late to admit defeat now." Zheng Mingyuan sat on the sofa, leisurely sipping coffee. "I can plead with the board of directors to let you retain a portion of your shares."
Qiyue stared at the computer screen, ignoring him. NT Technology's stock price continued to climb like a rocket, reaching 28% by 10:00 AM. Whispers began to circulate around the company, and Zheng Mingyuan's smile gradually faded.
At the midday market close, the increase reached 31%. Zheng Xue was flushed with excitement. "Mr. Qi, we're only 6.5% away!"
Zheng Mingyuan left the office with a dark expression. Qiyue noticed him making a phone call, his tone fierce, though the content was inaudible.
After the afternoon market opened, NT Technology's stock price briefly retraced, falling back to a 29% increase. Qiyue's heart leaped into his throat. Could his premonition have been wrong?
Right at that moment, a breaking news alert popped up: NT Technology announced a strategic cooperation agreement with an American tech giant to jointly develop next-generation artificial intelligence chips. The stock price skyrocketed in response, breaking through a 40% increase in just ten minutes!
Gasps erupted throughout the office. Zheng Xue rushed into the office, incoherently excited. "Mr. Qi! It's up to 42%! You are simply miraculous!"
Qiyue let out a long breath, leaning back in his chair as he realized his shirt was soaked in sweat. The premonition was real! He really had gained the ability to foresee the future!
When Zheng Mingyuan appeared again, a forced smile hung on his face. "Old Qi, it seems you had inside information all along. However, this kind of gambling operation carries too much risk; the company cannot always rely on luck."
"This isn't luck." Qiyue looked straight into his eyes. "Starting today, all major company decisions must go through my approval. This is a resolution of the board of directors—don't forget that."
A trace of malevolence flashed in Zheng Mingyuan's eyes, but it quickly returned to calm. "Of course, you're the CEO." He turned to leave, but stopped at the door. "By the way, Yaru asked me to tell you that she's coming home for dinner tonight. It seems your 'good luck' has made her change her mind."
Qiyue narrowed his eyes. Lin Yaru suddenly showing goodwill was definitely no coincidence.
After the market closed, Qiyue immediately ordered the sale of the NT Technology shares, netting a profit of 1.4 million. Just as he was preparing to leave the company, Su Muqing arrived as promised.
"Congratulations, Mr. Qi." She stood at the office door with an unfathomable expression. "A 42% increase, 4.5 percentage points higher than your prediction. That kind of precision... is impressive."
Qiyue gestured for her to enter and closed the door. "What exactly does Miss Su want to say?"
Su Muqing took a document from her briefcase. "Over the past three years, Tianyue Financial's investment success rate has been only 34%, lower than the industry average. But the operations of your personal account have been unusually precise, especially over the past half year, with a success rate as high as 89%."
Qiyue's heart accelerated. This woman had investigated him! "So?"
"So I'm wondering," Su Muqing stepped forward, her voice lowering, "did you suddenly have an enlightenment, or... did you acquire some kind of unusual assistance?"
Standing inches apart, Qiyue could smell the faint jasmine fragrance on her and see the hunter-like sharpness in her eyes. She was no ordinary analyst; she had another agenda.
"I don't understand what you mean." Qiyue took a step back.
Su Muqing suddenly smiled. "It doesn't matter, we will have plenty of time to get to know each other. After all..." She took a business card from her pocket and placed it on the desk. "Stellar Investment has just become Tianyue Financial's second-largest shareholder."
Qiyue stared in shock at the information on the business card. Stellar Investment held a 15% stake, second only to him and Zheng Mingyuan!
"I look forward to our cooperation, Mr. Qi." Su Muqing turned and walked away gracefully, leaving Qiyue standing in place, realizing the situation was far more complicated than he had imagined.
That night, Lin Yaru indeed returned home and even cooked a table of dishes herself. She had changed into casual home wear and wore light, elegant makeup, making her a completely different person from the cold woman at the hospital.
"I heard about the company matters; congratulations." She poured a glass of red wine for Qiyue. "I always believed you could turn the situation around."
Qiyue observed her without a ripple of emotion. Lin Yaru's acting skills were top-tier, and the tenderness in her eyes was enough to pass for the real thing. But he noticed that the trace of the wedding ring on her ring finger had vanished, even though she was wearing a ring again now.
"Didn't Zheng Mingyuan tell you?" Qiyue asked suddenly. "I found the divorce agreement you hid in the safe."
Lin Yaru's hand shook, and the red wine spilled onto the snow-white tablecloth, striking as fresh blood. "Th-that was just an initial thought, I've already given up on it." She forced herself to remain calm. "With seven years of our relationship, how could we just break apart?"
Just as Qiyue wanted to press further, his phone rang suddenly. It was an urgent message from Zheng Xue: "The company's servers have been attacked by a hacker, all transaction records are locked, and the hacker is demanding a 500-bitcoin ransom!"
Qiyue stood up immediately. "Something happened at the company, I need to go right away."
Lin Yaru's expression instantly turned complicated. "Now? Can't this wait until tomorrow to be handled?"
"It seems someone doesn't want me to continue investigating the company's accounts after winning this bet." Qiyue said with deep meaning, then left home without looking back.
The moment the elevator doors closed, Qiyue's headache flared up again, accompanied this time by intense vertigo. He grabbed the wall as a flurry of chaotic images flashed before his eyes: Zheng Mingyuan conspiring with a faceless person, a specific location in the company's server room, a complex IP address...
When the elevator reached the first floor, Qiyue was already drenched in sweat. He realized this precognitive ability was growing stronger, but also increasingly difficult to control. And even more terrifyingly, the latest image he had seen contained a blurred vision of himself lying in a pool of blood...