Chapter 14: Playing Something Quite Novel

“Good that you didn’t sell; just hold onto it for now.”
Lu Liang didn’t ask Zhang Qian how much she had bought—after all, it wasn’t much and wouldn’t affect the market in any meaningful way.
After all, such a shrewd woman would surely only invest a few tens of thousands to test the waters, not pouring in too much capital.
Lu Liang glanced at the daily limit price of 19.25 yuan and the 588,800 shares held in his account.
He sold 3,800 shares, cashing out 73,100 yuan.
Although he knew there was still room for the stock to rise another hundred percent, with a peak price of 39.82 yuan, after paying for the gym membership and upgrading to a high-performance computer, he was left with only a few thousand yuan in his account.
If he didn’t cash out some money now, he might not even be able to afford gasoline.
“Mm-hmm, I’ll listen to you,” Zhang Qian responded obediently, then cautiously asked, “What have you been busy with lately, Liang? You haven’t come to support the stock.”
From Lu Liang’s tone, it seemed the stock still had room to rise.
She wanted to know when the market would peak and whether she could invest more, especially since she still had 500,000 yuan available.
Working in marketing at Wanli Palace, her monthly salary ranged from ten to eighty thousand yuan, but it was all hard-earned money—not as quick as stock market profits.
Opportunities like this must be seized.
“I’ve been busy moving,” Lu Liang replied with a slight smile, sensing the underlying meaning, and then invited Zhang Qian to visit his new home.
“Sure, I’m off these days, so I can come by and help you decide if you need anything else.”
When Zhang Qian got the address of Lu Liang’s new residence, she couldn’t help but be amazed—it was Tangchen Yipin in Lujiazui Financial District, one of the most prestigious addresses.
But then she thought, with Lu Liang driving a Bentley worth several million, living in a top-tier luxury apartment was only natural.
After ending the call, Zhang Qian quickly dressed up and drove her small car across the Pujiang River to Tangchen Yipin.
Since it was her first visit to this community, the owner had to personally escort her inside.
Lu Liang was still watching the market fluctuations when he suddenly received a call from Zhang Qian: “Wait for me, I’m coming out now.”
He glanced at the bottom right corner of the screen—it was not yet 11:30 a.m., and the morning session wasn’t over.
“Money is a wonderful thing,” Lu Liang chuckled, wearing slippers and humming softly as he headed toward the community’s west gate.
He still remembered where Zhang Qian lived; the drive between the two places was at least forty minutes, and with time to get ready and put on makeup, it would take at least an hour.
Less than an hour and a half had passed since their call ended, which showed she dared not waste a moment—she was eager.
Lu Liang arrived at the west gate and saw Zhang Qian, who seemed like a different person from when she was working.

Wearing a pale green long dress that accentuated her slender waist and graceful figure, the hem fluttered in the breeze, revealing white high-heeled sandals. Her toes were adorned with soft pink nail polish, delicate and enticing like a blossoming bud.
She wore a fisherman's hat, light makeup, and a beauty mark at the corner of her mouth, exuding a fresh and refined charm—seductive but not overly so.
Though not very young, the years had left no harsh marks on her; instead, they added a mature elegance.
“You look truly beautiful today,” Lu Liang said sincerely. If a nine-tailed fox could become a spirit, she would surely look like this.
Zhang Qian’s style was ever-changing—she could be glamorous, alluring, or dignified like a noblewoman whenever she wished.
Several real socialites passed through the gate, but compared to Zhang Qian, they seemed a bit lacking.
Lu Liang’s mind drifted to Li Manli; if compared to Zhang Qian, Li Manli seemed to only have youth on her side.
“Was I not beautiful before?” Zhang Qian covered her mouth with a light laugh, clearly proud—it was worth the effort she put into her appearance.
Though she had no formal training, her accumulated experience taught her how to dress for the occasion and audience—sometimes plain, sometimes bold.
“You were beautiful before, but today you’re especially beautiful,” Lu Liang said as he signed in and had the guard grant them access.
Then he got into Zhang Qian’s Volkswagen Beetle and guided her to a public parking space in the underground garage.
He had only one parking spot, occupied by his Bentley, so they had to walk a bit further to reach the private elevator.
The elevator had only one button, going directly from the underground parking lot to the 28th floor.
It was Zhang Qian’s first time here, one of the country’s most elite residential complexes; her eyes were full of wonder, but she controlled herself well, showing no sign of nervousness.
However, stepping out of the elevator and walking down a long corridor, Lu Liang opened the door to reveal an unbeatable riverside view from the balcony.
Zhang Qian was momentarily stunned.
At this location, with such a river view, if one isn’t born into it, they might never have such an opportunity in their lifetime.
Her gaze toward Lu Liang grew more earnest—he belonged to those not born into wealth but who now possessed it.
Though the room was newly decorated and upscale, a pile of cardboard boxes in the corner spoiled the aesthetic.
“Liang, your place seems a bit... casual,” Zhang Qian said with a conflicted expression after much thought.
“If it’s not useful, just pile it over there. I’ll have the cleaners take care of it in a few days.”
Recently, Lu Liang had bought many things, leaving many empty boxes. Too lazy to take them downstairs, he simply stacked them in a corner.
He planned to hire cleaning help once a week to tidy up, so they would clear everything then.
“But it doesn’t look nice like this,” Zhang Qian couldn’t help herself. She took off the sheer shawl from her shoulders and swiftly gathered the boxes, placing them neatly in a corner of the balcony.
“Just a simple tidy-up like this makes all the difference, and it’s no trouble at all,” she smiled.
“That’s true—a home is different when there’s a woman around,” Lu Liang said, wrapping his arms around her slender waist—about two and a half palm widths.
He buried his head in her slightly naturally curled wine-red hair and inhaled deeply.
“New perfume? It smells different from last time.”
“Do you like it?” Zhang Qian placed her hand over Lu Liang’s and looked at the empty, lifeless room, a strange feeling stirring within her.
Neither married nor engaged, perhaps...
But just as the thought arose, she pushed it aside.
She had suffered losses years ago and now focused solely on making money—nothing else.
“I like this scent,” Lu Liang whispered softly, gently lifting her skirt.
He invited Zhang Qian to lie on the sofa, facing the river, enjoying the river breeze—it must feel quite special.
“It’s noon already. Shouldn’t we eat first?” Zhang Qian laughed sweetly, bending her knees and slipping away like an eel.
Men are all the same—things easily obtained are often not cherished.
Sometimes, refusal is a form of temptation, like a spring: the more it’s compressed, the more powerful the release.
If Lu Liang got his way at any time, he would quickly lose interest, and her advantage would vanish.
“What would you like to eat for lunch?” Lu Liang smiled, exhaling to suppress the mischievous fire within.
“Don’t worry. I’m all yours these days,” Zhang Qian said tenderly, rising on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek.
Then she ran off like a little girl to the semi-open kitchen, fully equipped but spotless and grease-free.
Zhang Qian checked around. “Liang, how long has it been since you last ate at home? I’m a great cook—want to give it a try?”
Lu Liang had clawed his way up from the bottom and was a divorced man; ordinary tactics probably wouldn’t work on him.
She planned a different approach—not investing feelings but acting, letting Lu Liang experience the warmth of home again.
“You’re so confident, how can I refuse?” Lu Liang smiled, touching the cheek kissed moments ago.
“I’ll check the nearby grocery stores that deliver fresh ingredients—there’s a lot we need to buy,” Zhang Qian said as she placed orders on her phone.
Lu Liang leaned against the kitchen wall, eyes half-closed, watching Zhang Qian, noticing she was playing a new kind of game—or rather, employing a new tactic.
But he didn’t mind; in fact, he looked forward to her performance because he knew what Zhang Qian wanted, and the initiative remained firmly in his hands.