Chapter 347: Misappropriation of Public Funds for Stock Trading

Liu Jianghua never expected Wu Junhui to be so obstinate. A mere few-hundred-person food company, even if Chen Yang had snatched its credit, could not compare to the provincial automobile manufacturer with several thousand employees.

"Old Wu, I'm giving you five days. If you don't produce results within five days, get lost to the Dongjiangsheng Automobile Manufacturing Factory right away."

"Okay, Governor Liu, I guarantee I'll finish developing the new sausage product for Xingcheng Food Ltd. within five days." Wu Junhui saw Governor Liu agree to his request, was overjoyed, and immediately made a solemn promise.

He secretly gloated: "Damn Chen Yang, you want to steal my peach? Not a chance! I'll not only develop a better sausage, I'll crush the prestige of the people's sausage."

Chen Yang saw Wu Junhui's smug, self-satisfied look and couldn't help laughing.

Wu Junhui, seeing that, immediately jeered: "You Chen kid, you still have the mood to laugh. After a few days, when Xingcheng Food Ltd.'s new sausage hits the market, you'll want to cry but have nowhere to do so."

Chen Yang sighed, looked at Wu Junhui somewhat sympathetically, and said: "Chairman Wu, you're up there in age—how can your thinking still be so childish? Even if Xingcheng Food Ltd. develops a better sausage, are you sure it will definitely sell big?"

Wu Junhui snorted: "Xingcheng Food Ltd. has a professional marketing team. As long as the product is good, it will surely retake Xingcheng's market."

"Fine! Then I'll wait and see." Chen Yang didn't want to waste words on meaningless issues with Wu Junhui. He told Governor Liu: "Governor Liu, since Chairman Wu has taken over the work at the provincial automobile manufacturer, I'll go back to rest first."

"Don't keep thinking about resting." Governor Liu, having finally waited for Chen Yang to return from leave, couldn't let him idle. "Since Old Wu is concurrently managing the provincial automobile manufacturer and Xingcheng Food Ltd., I'll assign you to assist Lu Guojie with the Dongjiangsheng Textile Factory."

Lu Guojie was a selected graduate from the Provincial Finance Department; he had previously been placed in the same group as Wu Junhui. But Wu Junhui was busy looking for a sausage R&D expert for Xingcheng Food Ltd., so he had no time to manage him.

As a result, the bold and talented Lu Guojie took the 20 million yuan fiscal allocation from the Provincial Finance Department to the Dongjiangsheng Textile Factory and entered the stock market.

His goal was to double the 20 million yuan in funds within one month, then in one fell swoop resolve the Dongjiangsheng Textile Factory's 40 million yuan fiscal deficit.

The ideal was beautiful, reality was bleak. A few days had passed, and his stock account had only increased by 100,000 yuan. That amount is astronomical for an ordinary family, but it's still far from enough to solve the Dongjiangsheng Textile Factory's fiscal problem.

Governor Liu had previously been unaware of Lu Guojie's violation; upon receiving the news, he immediately criticized him severely and demanded he withdraw the funds from the stock market at once.

Lu Guojie had earned 100,000 yuan yet still been scolded, feeling aggrieved; he was now venting his emotions in the office of the Provincial State-owned Enterprise Reform Group.

Chen Yang had long known about Lu Guojie's stock trading, but since it didn't concern him, he also couldn't be bothered to inquire.

And Governor Liu handed this trouble of Lu Guojie over to Chen Yang, obviously with an ulterior motive.

After leaving Governor Liu's office, Chen Yang went straight to the Provincial State-owned Enterprise Reform Group office. Even before entering, he heard Director Huo scolding Lu Guojie.

"Little Lu, the stock market is unpredictable; your ability and stock market experience are insufficient to handle such a sum. If something goes wrong, how will you explain it to Governor Liu and Director Zhong?"

"Director Huo, the stocks I picked are all blue-chip; there won't be any mistakes. If you don't believe me, you can have professionals evaluate them!"

Director Huo herself is a professional, so she naturally knows Lu Guojie's selected stocks carry little risk. But she also knows that the safer the blue-chip stocks, the harder it is to make quick money. Lu Guojie's conduct not only violates relevant regulations, but also seriously delays the reform process of the Dongjiangsheng Textile Factory.

However, compared to Lu Guojie, Director Huo is even more dissatisfied with Wu Junhui. She asked him to help young people, yet faced with Lu Guojie's obvious violation he neither stopped it nor reported it—he has no sense of responsibility at all!

The more she thought about it, the angrier she got, and she couldn't help wanting to go complain to Governor Liu. Then she saw Chen Yang walk in from outside.

"Chen Yang, you came at just the right time—help me talk sense into this blockhead. Let him assist the Dongjiangsheng Textile Factory's reform, yet he took the funds the province allocated to the textile factory to play stocks. It's sheer nonsense!"

Chen Yang walked over and said to Lu Guojie: "Old Lu, you're too impulsive. For the textile factory's sake, are you willing to sacrifice your own future? No matter how much money you make in the stock market, it all has to go to the province. Besides, you have no merit and will face disciplinary action. Is it worth it?"

Director Huo and Lu Guojie, hearing this, were both stunned.

Director Huo had sent Chen Yang to persuade Lu Guojie, but after hearing his advice she felt something was off. It seemed Lu Guojie's actions were righteous, while she and Governor Liu had become the villains who discard the donkey after grinding the mill.

And Lu Guojie, reminded by Chen Yang, also realized the seriousness of the problem.

"Director Huo, Chairman Wu said that as long as the news doesn't leak out, after making money we can come clean to the superiors and offset merit against fault..."

"Who told you merit could offset fault? Governor Liu? Me? Or the Director Zhong of your Provincial Finance Department?" Director Huo wished she could kick Lu Guojie hard. Misappropriating public funds for stock trading is a major taboo within the system; although Lu Guojie's conduct hasn't caused major fiscal losses to the province and could be dealt with leniently, his future is basically over.

What gave Director Huo a headache was that Director Zhong of the Provincial Finance Department thought highly of Lu Guojie, and before sending him to the Provincial State-owned Enterprise Reform Group for training, he had specifically instructed her to take good care of him.

Unexpectedly, she not only failed to look after him, but also let Lu Guojie's future be ruined here. Just thinking about having to face Director Zhong's inquiry gives her a headache.

Director Huo summoned Chen Yang to her office and then said to him:

"Chen Yang, you're a stock‑market expert—can you find a way to double Lu Guojie's funds in the short term?"

Chen Yang didn't grasp Director Huo's intention and frankly said: "Doubling is a bit difficult; a fifty percent gain I can try."

"Then I'll give you one week. Whatever happens during this week, I know nothing about. After one week, the money in Lu Guojie's account must all be transferred to the textile factory's public account."

"Okay!"

After accepting the order, Chen Yang quickly returned to the Provincial State-owned Enterprise Reform Group office. Since Director Huo wants to protect Lu Guojie, it shows their connection is solid.

For someone like that, if he can make them owe him a big favor, Chen Yang would certainly be willing to step in.