Chapter 4: The Soft-Hearted Lizhi

“Why are you taking me to the Stock Exchange?”

Lizzy tried to break free from Chen Hao, but his grip was too strong; she simply couldn’t escape.

“I’m really good at stock trading!”

“I borrowed 100,000 Hong Kong dollars from you precisely to invest in the stock market!”

“I can make a lot of money in a very short time!”

As Chen Hao pulled Lizzy toward the trading plaza, he explained eagerly.

“You’re good at stock trading?”

“If you’re so good at it, why did you borrow money from me to trade stocks?” Lizzy retorted.

Chen Hao’s eyes darted nervously as he hastily concocted a reason. “I’m just out of cash because of some personal issues.”

“Hmph! Who believes your nonsense?” Lizzy scoffed coldly.

Since the trading plaza wasn’t far, Chen Hao quickly led Lizzy there.

Nearby, several securities firms clustered around the plaza, each offering brokerage services.

Chen Hao picked one at random and walked in with Lizzy.

The firm was called Prosperity Securities.

“Hello, sir, miss! How may I assist you today?” a pretty receptionist greeted them politely upon seeing them enter.

“We’d like to open a securities account,” Chen Hao said.

“Certainly! Please present your ID,” the receptionist smiled.

“Can I use your ID to open the account?” Chen Hao asked Lizzy.

He had no legal identification for Hong Kong Island, so naturally, no local ID card.

“No,” Lizzy said firmly.

Chen Hao quickly pulled her aside.

“Miss Lizzy, I’m really desperate right now. Since we’re both from the Mainland, please help me out. I promise I’ll make Zhou Runfa apologize to you. I swear I’ll make the people of Hong Kong stop looking down on us.”

With nowhere else to turn, Chen Hao played the sympathy card.

He and Lizzy were both from the Mainland, where many locals in Hong Kong looked down on them. He hoped this common ground would bring them closer.

Lizzy hesitated.

She was kind-hearted, and Chen Hao’s words struck a chord.

Despite her tremendous efforts to integrate into Hong Kong’s entertainment industry, many still viewed her with prejudice.

Not long ago, while filming a fight scene with Zhou Runfa, he treated her cruelly because he looked down on her—forcefully shoving flour into her mouth as if she were less than human.

She nearly suffocated and died.

That traumatic experience haunted her with nightmares.

Regardless of whether Chen Hao could really make Zhou Runfa apologize, Lizzy found herself feeling a bit sympathetic toward him.

After a moment’s hesitation, she took out her ID card and handed it to Chen Hao.

“Thank you, thank you!” Chen Hao gratefully accepted it.

He then approached the receptionist with Lizzy’s ID.

“Please help me open an account,” he said.

“Of course,” she replied, taking the ID and beginning the process.

Moments later, the receptionist informed them the account was set up, and Lizzy signed the necessary documents.

“Hello, sir and miss! Your account is ready. How much would you like to deposit?”

Chen Hao asked, “What’s the minimum deposit your company accepts?”

“Ten thousand Hong Kong dollars,” she responded.

Chen Hao looked at Lizzy anxiously. “Could you lend me ten thousand to start?”

“Ten thousand? No way,” Lizzy replied without hesitation.

“Please, help me out. I promise I’ll pay you back!” Chen Hao pleaded helplessly. He only had a few dozen dollars on him. If he had ten thousand, he wouldn’t be borrowing from her.

“Forget it, forget it! Even if I’m unlucky today…” Lizzy finally relented.

She thought Chen Hao’s character was quite decent.

In fact, she had plenty of money in her bag. Last night, when Chen Hao could have easily stolen from her while she was drunk, he didn’t. That alone spoke well of him.

She took out ten thousand Hong Kong dollars from her bag and handed it over.

“Thank you!” Chen Hao beamed, quickly handing the money to the receptionist.

“We’ll deposit ten thousand for now.”

“Certainly, sir,” the receptionist took the money politely.

Though her face wore a professional smile, inwardly she looked down on Chen Hao. A grown man who couldn’t even produce ten thousand Hong Kong dollars and had to rely on a woman for money? And judging by his accent, he was clearly a Mainland Chinese, which made her disdain him even more.

Still, professional courtesy prevented her from showing any disrespect.

With a few swift keystrokes, she deposited the ten thousand into the account.

“Deposit complete,” she said, handing Lizzy’s ID back to Chen Hao.

“Thank you,” he said, taking the ID and returning it to Lizzy.

Then, he led Lizzy out of the securities firm and into the trading hall of the Stock Exchange.

There was no denying that Hong Kong was thriving and prosperous at this time.

The Stock Exchange’s trading hall displayed the latest stock prices on electronic screens.

Meanwhile, on the Mainland, there wasn’t even an official securities exchange.

In Shanghai, there was only an informal trading spot on Xikang Road, where stock prices were handwritten on a blackboard.

Inside the trading hall, many investors gazed up at the market ticker.

Some wore worried expressions, their stocks as green as their faces.

Others were elated, watching their shares climb steadily.

Their emotions varied—some happy, some anxious.

Such was the nature of stock trading: most retail investors relied on luck, with few making money and many losing it.

The real profits went to the big players—the institutions.

With their massive funds and insider information, they greedily raked in wealth.

Ordinary investors could only helplessly watch their hard-earned money slip into these pockets.

Yet, these retail traders clung to hope, believing they might strike it rich in the market.