Chapter 159: Capital Game

The last day before the weekend, Chen Yang had planned to rest peacefully and then wait for Liu Qingqing's volunteer team to go out for a hike in the mountains, but instead an accident occurred.

After getting up, Chen Yang opened his computer as usual, skillfully launched the stock trading software, kept his eyes fixed on the screen, and waited for the market to open.

Not long after, the pre‑opening auction began. He closely watched the price trend of Xingcheng Heavy Industry's stock and was surprised to see that capital was still heavily suppressing the company's share price, directly placing a sell order for a full one million shares at the limit‑down price of 16.65.

At first, Chen Yang thought the other side was just joking or testing the market reaction, but out of curiosity and anticipation of a low‑price buying opportunity, he without hesitation placed a buy order for the same quantity and price.

Chen Yang thought, if they didn't withdraw their order before 9:20, he would treat it as picking up a big bargain; if they withdrew, he would lose nothing.

However, as time ticked by and 9:20 drew nearer, Chen Yang was surprised to find that the other side showed no sign of withdrawing their order, but instead added another full one million shares of sell orders.

This move completely bewildered Chen Yang. He frowned, trying to recall all information about Xingcheng Heavy Industry. Clearly, the company had performed well since its restructuring, with no negative news at all!

So where did these people get the confidence to short so resolutely?

Chen Yang didn't think much more and placed another one‑million‑share buy order. At this point the other side could no longer withdraw, so he had to act before other capital reacted.

After a sell and a buy, with four million shares traded, the other side seemed a little frightened and raised the sell order price to the opening price of 18.5.

This price was within an acceptable range. Chen Yang thought it over: if he took the order and the other side then pushed the price down again, his cost would rise; if he didn't take it and the other side kept raising the price, that would suit him perfectly, allowing him to earn a dozen or so points.

So he decided to wait for the other side's next move before deciding whether to continue adding to his position.

At that moment, Su Mingyue called.

"Chen Yang, should I also buy some shares of Xingcheng Heavy Industry on my end?"

Chen Yang told her: "Don't rush; they're just testing the market's reaction. Just now I took four million shares at 16.65, which scared them, so I posted the price at 18.5. But now no one is taking that price, showing everyone is still watching and waiting for the short side's next move. At this point it's best not to take it. As long as the long side doesn't respond, they'll likely keep posting low probes. If it drops another more than five points, don't hesitate."

Su Mingyue asked again: "Can I go all‑in?"

"Sure!" Chen Yang directly agreed with her idea. At this moment, the more long‑side capital that enters, the more advantageous it is for him.

After hanging up, Chen Yang continued to watch the auction dynamics. He saw that the buy market had scattered low‑price buy orders. Even after the market opened, no long‑side capital had entered. When the short side saw that no one was taking the price of 18.5, they placed another sell order for one million shares at 18.

Chen Yang grabbed a cola from the fridge, sipping while watching the other side continue their performance. Since he had entered at a bottom‑fishing price, as long as it didn't fall to the lowest level, he stood to profit.

He estimated that many people were still glued to their computers at this moment, waiting for the other side to keep lowering the price before jumping in.

This stalemate lasted a full ten minutes; eventually the short side couldn't hold back and lowered the price to 17.5, which was already close to a five‑point drop.

Chen Yang still didn't intend to take it, but someone else could no longer bear it and placed a buy order for one million shares.

The sell side then placed another sell order for one million shares, but the buy side only took up seven hundred thousand shares.

Chen Yang calculated and guessed it was Su Mingyue who did it, because Liu Qingqing's stock‑trading account currently had less than thirty million in funds.

Not long after, Su Mingyue called, sounding excited: "Chen Yang, I bought 1.7 million shares—awesome, right?"

Chen Yang replied: "If the stock closes above your purchase price, that's definitely impressive; if it closes below your purchase price, then it can't be said you're impressive."

Su Mingyue had been happy, but upon hearing Chen Yang's words she instantly became nervous.

"Will it keep falling?"

"I don't know, let's wait and see!" Chen Yang actually also thought that after he and Su Mingyue made their moves, some capital would quickly follow suit, but he didn't expect those old foxes to be so patient.

Just as they were chatting, the sell order price dropped again, from 17.5 down to 17.

"Good heavens, what are they trying to do?" Su Mingyue began to panic. She had poured all of Liu Shijie's money into it. If it closed at 17, she would lose 850,000—this isn't just taking her life, is it!

"Don't worry, I'm still here!" Chen Yang directly placed a buy order for one million shares at 17. He had transferred twenty million to Liu Shijie and still had over a hundred million in cash on hand, so he wasn't worried about the other side suppressing the price.

After taking that one million shares, the other side placed another sell order for one million shares at 17, and Chen Yang, not being polite, continued to take it.

At that moment, Qi Yunxiang's call came through.

"President Chen, does our company need to cooperate with you to push up the stock price?"

"Thanks, I still have enough ammo!" Chen Yang replied calmly. Actually, by then he had no usable cash left, but in a financial showdown momentum must not be lost. He had to put on an air of confidence and ample ammunition to entice the already eager‑to‑act Qi Yunxiang to join the long‑side market voluntarily.

That way he wouldn't owe Qi Yunxiang a favor.

After Qi Yunxiang hung up, Yexin's call came in.

"You little punk, you're back in the market again?"

Chen Yang affected an excited tone in replying: "If there's money to be picked up, why not pick it up?"

Yexin's side fell silent for a moment, then she said: "What if they're digging a trap?"

Chen Yang said indifferently: "Even if it's a pit, I've already jumped in. Now the thing to do is just see whose patience is better."

Yexin asked again: "Do you plan to keep taking it, or stop here?"

Chen Yang said: "This question has already been asked by several big shots on the phone; I really don't want to answer."

"You little brat, you really deserve a beating!" Yexin snorted coldly and hung up.

As soon as their calls ended, Chen Yang felt a sudden relief. He knew that Xingcheng Securities and Dongjiang Securities would surely intervene immediately, and Xingcheng Heavy Industry's stock price would only follow with a rapid rise.

In capital battles, it's just a matter of which side—long or short—has more momentum. As long as the people at Xingcheng Securities and Dongjiang Securities sweep the orders without regard to cost, other bullish capital will surely follow. Meanwhile, the short‑side capital will be intimidated by the momentum and forced to shelve their original plans.

And just as Chen Yang had anticipated, whenever a low‑price sell order appeared, a flood of buy orders would immediately snap it up. In the end, the long‑side market seized the initiative, posting large quantities of high‑price buy orders waiting for the short side to unload, and the stock ultimately hit the upper limit!