Chapter 64

"Big Brother Ming, do you remember that yesterday you asked Du Peng to inquire about the stocks of the Nanjiang Development Bank?"

Faced with Tang Ran's question, Zhou Ming was momentarily stunned, because in his impression, although Tang Ran was somewhat naive, she had always been a well-behaved and sensible little girl. She knew she didn't understand his business, so she rarely interrupted him when he talked about it. He didn't expect that when he came to pick her up after work today, she would ask about this matter as soon as she saw him.

Zhou Ming nodded and said, "That's right, I did ask Du Peng to look into it. Why are you suddenly bringing this up, Ran Ran?"

"Because a person who claimed to be the manager of the Nanjiang Development Bank came to our office today to promote the stocks you mentioned," Tang Ran said.

"Is that so?" Zhou Ming was surprised. "Where is he now? How did the promotion go?"

Tang Ran thought for a moment and shook her head. "His promotion didn't go well. Everyone in our office didn't believe him and called him a fraud. Later, our boss had the security guard escort him out. He didn't sell a single stock. I didn't say anything because Big Brother Ming said these stocks could make money, and I didn't want them to make money off you. As for that person, he left a while ago, and I don't know where he is."

Zhou Ming rubbed Tang Ran's little head and said, "You were right not to say anything. It doesn't matter whether I make money or not, but if you had, they would have laughed at you for being a fool!"

"As long as I can help Big Brother Ming make money, I don't mind being a fool," Tang Ran said.

"Let's not talk about this anymore. Let's go," Zhou Ming said, taking Tang Ran's hand and leading her to the roadside. As Zhou Ming was about to hail a taxi, Tang Ran suddenly pointed in the distance and said, "Big Brother Ming, look, the person who came to promote the stocks today is over there."

Zhou Ming followed Tang Ran's finger and saw a young man talking to two passersby. His bank shirt was soaked with sweat, and a bulging bag was at his feet, giving him the appearance of a street salesman.

"Ran Ran, why don't you come with me to see that person? We can go eat later, okay?" Zhou Ming asked for Tang Ran's opinion.

Tang Ran loved Zhou Ming and had no objections, so Zhou Ming and Tang Ran walked hand in hand toward the man. According to Tang Ran's memory, this person was named Li Hong and claimed to be the manager of the Nanjiang Development Bank.

"Comrade, I am really the manager of the Nanjiang Development Bank. Our stocks are open to the public for fundraising. If you buy our bank's stocks today, you will have a certificate. When our bank makes money in the future, you will receive dividends."

"Make money? What guarantees do you have that you will definitely make money? I've never even heard of the Nanjiang Development Bank. If your company goes bankrupt in the future, who will I get my dividends from?"

When Zhou Ming and Tang Ran arrived, Li Hong was promoting the bank's stocks, but the results were not good. The other person didn't believe the bank's stocks could make money and was afraid of losing their money.

This situation made Zhou Ming sigh. Although he had heard in his previous life that the Nanjiang Development Bank faced some difficulties when it first issued stocks, he didn't expect it to be this bad. Thinking about how the Nanjiang Stock Exchange would open a year later and how the Nanjiang Development Bank would become the first listed stock, with everyone scrambling to buy it, who would have thought that the bank's stocks would be unsold on the street? The name "Nanjing Development" seemed to predict the bank's difficult development.

While Zhou Ming was lost in thought, the person Li Hong was talking to had already left. Li Hong was disappointed again. As he was about to pack up and find someone else, he suddenly saw Zhou Ming. He said to Zhou Ming, "Comrade, do you want to buy stocks? I am the manager of the Nanjiang Development Bank. These are our bank's stocks. If you buy them today, you can participate in the bank's future profits."

As Li Hong spoke, Zhou Ming saw no enthusiasm in his eyes, only disappointment and confusion. Looking at the bulging bag of stocks at his feet, it was clear that he had been struggling all day.

"Ah! It seems you don't plan to buy. Sorry to bother you."

Li Hong was about to leave when Zhou Ming called him back, "I didn't say I wouldn't buy. How can I trust that you are the manager of the Nanjiang Development Bank and that these stocks are real?"

Faced with Zhou Ming's question, Li Hong turned around in a daze and said, "I'm wearing the bank's uniform, and these stocks are unwanted items. Could they be fake?"

At this point, Li Hong seemed to remember something. His eyes suddenly lit up, like a person who had struggled in hardship for a lifetime suddenly seeing the Bodhisattva Guanyin. He asked Zhou Ming with shining eyes, "Comrade, what did you just say? You will buy these stocks, right?"

Zhou Ming nodded and took out a thousand yuan to give to Li Hong, "I don't have much money on me, just this much."

Li Hong took the money from Zhou Ming in disbelief, standing there in a daze, staring at the money in his hand as if he were petrified.

"Comrade, now that you've taken the money, you should give us the stocks," Zhou Ming reminded Li Hong.

Li Hong came to his senses, thanked Zhou Ming profusely, and then carefully counted the stocks for him, "Each share of the Nanjiang Development Bank is twenty yuan. I'll take a thousand from you, so you should get fifty shares. But our bank has a promotion, so I can give you fifty-five shares."

Zhou Ming waved his hand and said, "That's not necessary. You can keep those five shares. But I have some questions about these stocks that I need you to answer."

Li Hong nodded eagerly, "No problem. Whatever questions you have, I will answer them. I will tell you everything. And those five shares are a policy of our bank, so I will still give them to you."

Zhou Ming looked at Li Hong in surprise but didn't say anything. He took the fifty-five share certificates and gave them to Tang Ran to put in her bag. Then he took Li Hong to a teahouse by the roadside and chose a good seat.

After they sat down, Li Hong looked around the teahouse. When Zhou Ming ordered tea, snacks, and fruit, Li Hong cautiously asked, "Are you a big boss?"

"More or less. I've made some money from business," Zhou Ming said casually, then asked Li Hong, "Can you tell me what position you hold at the Nanjiang Development Bank?"

Li Hong knew Zhou Ming was knowledgeable and had to be honest, "I am the business marketing manager of the Dongmen branch."

"Are you, a branch business marketing manager, personally running the market and promoting stocks on the street? Is the sales situation of your stocks that bad?" Zhou Ming asked in surprise.

Li Hong lowered his head in embarrassment, "It's out of necessity. The Nanjiang Development Bank has just been established, and we lack staff. The leadership requires all employees to go out and promote the stocks. I'm doing this to respond to the leadership's call."

"What about the results?" Zhou Ming asked again.

Li Hong shook his head, "The results are very poor. As you saw, no matter how we promote, no one believes us. And the people I approached are relatively well-educated and should understand what stocks are, but even so, the promotion of our stocks is still slow."

Zhou Ming nodded silently and then suddenly asked a very pointed question, "Is it that all the stocks of your bank are like this, or is it just that your sales are poor?"

This question made Li Hong pause, and he then said seriously, "Of course, people don't understand our bank's stocks. My sales are the best in our branch. As a business manager, I have to set an example for others!"

Zhou Ming could sense the anger in Li Hong's voice from being misunderstood, so he said, "I understand. Don't get upset. I didn't mean to provoke you."

Li Hong also realized that everyone in the teahouse was looking at him and felt that his emotions had gotten out of hand. He blushed and sat down to apologize to Zhou Ming. Zhou Ming waved his hand and said, "It's okay. You don't need to apologize to me. I was actually trying to provoke you. I was prepared for your reaction. As long as you don't hit me, I won't hit back. If you dare to hit me, I will really fight back!"

Faced with Zhou Ming's teasing, Li Hong said, "How could I? I won't."

After chatting with Li Hong for a while, Zhou Ming let him go. After Li Hong left, Zhou Ming leaned back in his chair and thought for a moment. When he came to, he saw Tang Ran looking at him with concern. Zhou Ming asked in surprise, "Ran Ran, why are you looking at me like that?"

"Big Brother Ming, is it that the bank's stocks are not good, and you lost money?" Tang Ran asked.

Zhou Ming shook his head, "Of course not. I was just thinking about something else."

But Tang Ran didn't believe him, "If you didn't lose money, why did that person say no one wanted them?"

"That's because others don't have the right perspective. Some people don't understand stocks and don't know what they are for. Others have been cheated by fake companies and fake stocks, so they are afraid to buy," Zhou Ming said. Seeing Tang Ran hesitating to say something, he deliberately asked, "Do you doubt my judgment?"

Tang Ran said, "No, I just don't want Big Brother Ming to lose money."

Zhou Ming laughed and said, "Don't worry, my silly girl. I'm sure I'll make a profit."

Tang Ran exclaimed in surprise, and Zhou Ming playfully pinched her little nose and said, "It doesn't matter. I just need to contact Du Peng and adjust our strategy."

Tang Ran suddenly understood, "So you were just teasing me. These stocks will definitely make money, right?"

Zhou Ming said, "Definitely, for sure, and absolutely."

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