novelonline Chapter 1525 Acting?
Chapter 1525 Acting?
Chapter 1525 Acting?
The next day, as soon as Qin Hao arrived at the company, he went straight to Director Lü's office.
The door was open, and Director Lü was leaning back in his chair, drinking tea and flipping through a document. Qin Hao knocked on the doorframe, and Director Lü looked up. Upon seeing him, a smile immediately spread across his face.
"Little Qin is here? Come in and have a seat."
Qin Hao walked in, sat down in the chair opposite the desk, and got straight to the point: "President Lü, I have something to report to you. Our team is currently short of a team leader, and I'd like to promote Yao Xiaohui. What do you think?"
Director Lü squinted at him, looking at him with a half-smile.
“It’s nothing,” he said slowly. “You can just write an application; there’s no need to come all the way here in person.”
Qin Hao said seriously, "President Lü, you definitely have the final say on matters concerning our business department. We are all your subordinates."
That's a very apt statement.
Director Lü's smile immediately softened, and his eyes showed more satisfaction. He put down his teacup, leaned back in his chair, and said in an elder's tone, "Well, Xiao Qin, I could tell from the day you joined the company that you were a talent."
He paused for a moment, then continued, "From now on, let's communicate and exchange ideas more often. As for business matters, feel free to go for it; I'll always be your strong support."
Qin Hao immediately put on a grateful expression: "Thank you for your guidance, President Lü. I will definitely work hard and not let you down."
Director Lü nodded in satisfaction and waved his hand: "Okay, go ahead. Submit the application as soon as it's written, and I'll approve it."
Qin Hao got up to say goodbye and left the office.
The smile vanished the moment the door closed behind him.
A strong support?
He sneered inwardly. This old fox really underestimated him, treating him like a greenhorn. What does "strong backing" even mean? If something goes wrong, this old fox will definitely be the first to push him out to take the blame. Just listen to those words; taking them seriously is a recipe for disaster.
He had only taken a few steps when he ran into Yao Xiaohui.
When Yao Xiaohui saw him come out of Director Lü's office, he paused for a moment, and was about to greet him when Qin Hao gave him a wink. Yao Xiaohui understood, didn't say anything, and followed him into the office.
Qin Hao closed the door and sat down behind his desk.
"Your application to become a team leader has been approved." He looked at Yao Xiaohui and said calmly, "Starting today, you will be in charge of Team Four. Communicate with me promptly if anything comes up."
A hint of joy flashed across Yao Xiaohui's face, but she quickly suppressed it and nodded solemnly, "Thank you... thank you, Supervisor Qin."
He had intended to say "Old Qin," but changed his mind. From today onward, Qin Hao was no longer his classmate Old Qin, but his direct superior, Supervisor Qin. He had to be careful about this distinction.
Qin Hao seemed oblivious to the change in his wording, only instructing, "Keep a close eye on Junxin's side, and make sure nothing goes wrong. This project is very important to the company, and it's important to you and me as well."
Yao Xiaohui nodded solemnly: "Okay, I'll go and follow up right away."
He turned and left, gently closing the door behind him.
Qin Hao leaned back in his chair, turned on his computer, and opened the brokerage software.
The original owner had a habit of investing in stocks, but he didn't have much money in his account, just over 20,000 yuan. He had been stuck with the stock for more than half a year, and now he only had 15,000 yuan left. Last night, Qin Hao checked all his savings—his salary card savings, plus some loose change, totaling more than 63,000 yuan.
He kept 3,000 yuan for daily expenses and deposited the remaining 60,000 yuan into his stock account.
Adding the original owner's 15,000, the account now has a total of 75,000.
The stock market opened on time at 9:30.
Qin Hao stared at the fluctuating numbers on the screen, calmly opened his holdings, and sold all the stocks that the original owner had been stuck with. Losses were losses, and keeping them was just a waste of time.
After clearing out the inventory, there are 75,000 yuan available in the account.
He entered the stock code: 300431.
Baofeng Technology.
This was the most volatile stock in the A-share market in 2015.
It's already April, and Baofeng Technology's stock price is hovering around 34.8 yuan. Compared to its IPO price in March, it has increased nearly ninefold. However, this price is still almost ten times higher than its peak of 327 yuan.
Of course, not everyone can see the future.
Just a few days ago, Baofeng Technology experienced a trading suspension, triggering market panic. Many retail investors, fearing something serious was about to happen, sold off their shares, causing the stock price to plummet. It was precisely for this reason that Qin Hao was able to enter the market at this price.
I bought in with all my funds at 75,000.
Transaction.
The screen showed that 2100 shares were purchased at a price of 34.82 yuan.
Next, there was no need for much operation in the short term. Qin Hao remembered that the highest point of this stock appeared in late May—327 yuan.
Qin Hao closed the brokerage software and began to handle the work at hand.
To live a decent life in a first-tier city like Guangzhou on salary and bonuses alone, it would take at least ten years of hard work. Buying a house, a car, getting married, having children—each of these costs astronomical sums. Moreover, what he wants isn't just a "decent life," but true financial freedom.
He wasn't obsessed with money, but in modern society, a certain economic foundation is still needed to live comfortably.
For the next month, Qin Hao was extremely busy.
Although he had just secured a major contract with Junxin, his performance targets had also increased significantly after being promoted to supervisor. He had a fixed quota each quarter, and failure to meet it meant dismissal.
Fortunately, Junxin's case helped him gain recognition.
The advertising slogan "Love only one person in a lifetime" began to circulate in the industry as Junxin promoted its products. Junxin's sales increased by nearly 30% in just one month, its brand awareness soared, and Qin Hao's name began to spread throughout the industry.
Many companies came seeking Qin Hao's help, specifically requesting him to develop optimization plans. These included businesses in the catering, clothing, home furnishing, and even internet sectors. Qin Hao's schedule was packed; he was constantly meeting clients and working on plans, so busy that he often forgot to eat lunch.
Within a month, he signed three big deals worth millions.
This was only because he didn't want to overwork himself, and he postponed several projects to next month under the pretext of being too busy. Otherwise, his sales would have exceeded ten million in just this month.
Of course, Qin Hao didn't keep it all to himself.
For these three million-dollar deals, he only created an outline, clarifying the core ideas and key directions. He delegated the rest of the follow-up work, such as data collection, market research, and analysis reports, to his subordinates.
Yao Xiaohui led four groups to one project, while the other two group leaders each took on a project. As for the remaining group leader—the one who had ignored him at the morning meeting—Qin Hao completely ignored him.
You didn't get along with him before, and now you want to take advantage of him? Dream on.
It's good enough that they didn't make things difficult for him.
Seeing this, the two team leaders immediately understood. Within two days, they proactively approached Qin Hao, reporting on their work and asking questions, their attitude incredibly attentive. Qin Hao knew perfectly well what was going on, but didn't expose them; he used them when necessary and guarded against them when appropriate.
Furthermore, Yao Xiaohui was someone he had personally promoted, so Group Four was naturally one of his men. Of the four group leaders, three were on his side, leaving the remaining one isolated.
During the routine meeting, the other three people chatted and laughed, discussing project progress and exchanging client information. He sat to the side, no one spoke to him, and no one asked for his opinion. When he tried to interject, they just smiled politely and continued with their own conversations.
This feeling is even worse than being directly scolded.
After two months, this person's performance simply couldn't keep up. With no projects to complete and targets unmet, their monthly performance was consistently at the bottom, resulting in significant deductions from their bonuses. Finally, unable to cope any longer, they had no choice but to resign.
Qin Hao approved it without saying a word.
After the team leader left, Qin Hao promoted the former deputy team leader to the position. Having witnessed firsthand how his predecessor had been isolated, this new leader naturally understood what to do. On his first day in office, he proactively came to Qin Hao to report on his work, his attitude incredibly humble.
Qin Hao offered a few words of encouragement, which was considered an acceptance.
At this point, he had complete control over the entire department.
Time flew by and it was already late May.
That afternoon, after finishing his work, Qin Hao opened his brokerage software and glanced at Baofeng Technology's stock price.
320 yuan.
It was just a hair's breadth away from the high of 327 yuan that he remembered. He remembered very clearly that after Baofeng Technology reached its peak in late May, it would plummet all the way down.
Without the slightest hesitation, Qin Hao entered the sell order.
Sell all holdings.
Transaction.
He looked at the numbers on the screen: total account assets 630,482 yuan.
The initial investment of 75,000 yuan grew to 630,000 yuan in less than two months.
Qin Hao leaned back in his chair and let out a long breath.
This feels really good.
Of course, 630,000 yuan isn't much in Guangzhou. In a good location, you couldn't even afford a toilet. But at least, it's the first step.
Next, it's time to find the next target.
He rummaged through his memory and focused his attention on a stock: Terui A.
This stock hit rock bottom during the 2015 stock market crash. However, it subsequently surged starting in July due to the market's discovery of the concept of state-owned enterprise reform, becoming another "monster stock" of 2015.
It's mid-June now, the height of the stock market crash. Terui A's stock price has plummeted, falling by more than half from its peak. Retail investors are crying out in despair, selling at a loss and leaving the market.
But for Qin Hao, this was the perfect time to enter the game.
He stared at the candlestick chart on the screen, silently calculating the time. He went all in at the end of June, waited for the right opportunity in July, and then sat back and waited for the price to skyrocket.
perfect.
He was about to close the software when there were two knocks on the door.
Qin Hao casually closed the brokerage software, looked up, and said, "Go in."
The door opened, and Yao Xiaohui walked in carrying a document.
"Manager Qin." He placed the documents on the table. "This is the plan we prepared according to your requirements. Please take a look and see if there is anything we need to add."
Qin Hao nodded and picked up the document to look through it.
This is a market analysis proposal for a restaurant chain brand. The project wasn't large; after he gave out the outline, the specific work was completed by Yao Xiaohui and four teams.
The office was quiet, with only the sound of turning pages.
Yao Xiaohui stood aside, waiting for Qin Hao to finish reading. He assumed Qin Hao was just going through the motions, flipping through it a couple of times before saying "okay." After all, leaders usually didn't read these kinds of reports carefully.
But Qin Hao stopped abruptly when he turned to the third page.
He frowned, stared at the page for a few seconds, then looked up at Yao Xiaohui.
“This data,” he pushed the file towards him, pointing to one line, “how did you calculate it?”
Yao Xiaohui was taken aback, then took the document and glanced at it.
Just one glance, and sweat began to bead on his forehead.
It was a market share figure, with a series of calculation formulas listed next to it. He only glanced at it before spotting the problem—the denominator was wrong. Using the wrong denominator would result in a figure several times worse than the given value.
“This…” His voice was a little hoarse: “It should be the section that Lao Li is in charge of… I’ll have him change it later.”
Qin Hao didn't speak, he just looked at him.
That gaze was calm, yet it sent chills down Yao Xiaohui's spine.
After a few seconds of silence, Qin Hao slowly spoke: "Are you planning to explain this to the client like this?"
Yao Xiaohui was speechless.
Qin Hao leaned back in his chair, his tone still calm, but every word pierced Yao Xiaohui's heart like a nail: "Do you think the client will accept this explanation?"
Yao Xiaohui lowered his head, not daring to speak.
Qin Hao's tone turned serious: "Old Yao, if you want to continue working in this industry, you absolutely cannot make this kind of basic mistake. A single data error could cause immeasurable losses for your clients. At best, it could lead to a flawed decision; at worst, it could cause the company to go bankrupt."
"By then, will the client listen to your explanation of whose responsibility it is?"
Yao Xiaohui broke out in a cold sweat.
He knew Qin Hao was right. In the consulting industry, resumes are paramount. An impressive resume can significantly increase an analyst's value. But if a resume contains a record of client losses due to data errors, then it's basically a no-go for them in this industry.
No company would dare hire someone who has made such a basic mistake.
"I'm sorry, Supervisor Qin." He took a deep breath and said solemnly, "I promise I will never do it again."
Qin Hao looked at him, and after a few seconds, nodded slightly.
"Okay, go ahead and get busy. Show me when you've finished revising."
Yao Xiaohui took the documents and left the office.
He returned to his workstation, called Lao Li over, and gave him a severe scolding. Lao Li knew he had caused trouble and didn't dare to argue back, nodding repeatedly in apology.
After approving the document, Yao Xiaohui asked him to recalculate all the data, while he sat aside, staring blankly at the document.
He recalled how Qin Hao had flipped through the documents earlier. So many pages of data, densely packed with numbers, yet Qin Hao had only glanced through them once before accurately pointing out the error.
Is it a coincidence?
Or...did he really memorize all the data?
Yao Xiaohui shook his head, banishing the thought from his mind. Impossible. So much data, who could remember it all? It must be a coincidence.
……
At six o'clock in the afternoon, Qin Hao turned off his computer and was about to leave work when the phone on his desk rang.
He picked up the phone: "Hello?"
The voice of Director Lü came from the other end of the phone: "Xiao Qin, are you free tonight?"
Qin Hao's internal alarm bells were ringing, but his tone remained calm: "Mr. Lü, is there something you need?"
"I have a client meeting tonight, you'll have to come with me," Director Lü said. "It's at that bar on Huanshi Road, you went there last time. Eight o'clock, is that alright?"
Qin Hao paused for a second, then said, "Okay, Mr. Lü, I understand."
He hung up the phone, leaned back in his chair, and seemed lost in thought.
……
8 PM, Huanshi Road.
It was the same bar as last time, with the same deafening music and the same dim, ambiguous lighting. Director Lü put a hand on Qin Hao's shoulder, leaned close to his ear, and loudly instructed, "Today's client is a second-generation heir who just took over this year. His ideas are quite different from those of the old-school bosses."
He patted Qin Hao on the shoulder: "You're young too, you'll definitely have more in common with him. Talk to him more in a bit and try to close the deal."
Qin Hao quickly waved his hand: "Director Lü, I'm just here to lend a hand. If you can't close a deal, how could I possibly have the ability?"
Director Lü chuckled awkwardly, his tone tinged with a hint of probing: "That's not how it works. Xiao Qin, your recent performance has been remarkable. Everyone in the industry is saying that there's no client you can't handle. Don't be so modest."
Qin Hao wasn't buying it.
"Hey, don't listen to their nonsense." He said sincerely, "If I really had that ability, I would have started my own business long ago. Why would I be working for someone else? You agree, right?"
Seeing that he wasn't buying it, Director Lü had no choice but to withdraw her hand and said awkwardly, "Fine, then you'll have to watch my expression later."
Qin Hao nodded without saying anything.
Led by the bartender, the two easily found their way to a booth. The bartender quickly brought out the drinks and snacks, and Qin Hao glanced at them and noticed something was off—this time, no girls were invited.
He glanced at Director Lü, who then revealed the truth: "This client is a young woman who just returned from studying abroad, and she also chose the location."
Qin Hao frowned slightly.
A female client? Or a second-generation returnee from overseas? Coming to a place like this to discuss business?
He had a vague feeling that something was wrong, but since he was already there, he could only play it by ear.
A few minutes later, a girl walked over.
She had dreadlocks, wore jeans and a crop top, and sported a pair of Doc Martens boots, looking very avant-garde. She swaggered over to the booth, glanced around, and then sat down directly next to Qin Hao.
A strong smell of shampoo and perfume wafted over.
Qin Hao subconsciously moved to the side, but the booth was only so big, and he couldn't move it much.
The girl didn't seem to care at all, and looked at him with a smile: "This must be Manager Qin, right? I've heard about your deeds before."
She leaned closer, her eyes sparkling: "Junxin's proposal was absolutely brilliant, 'Love only one person in a lifetime'—that advertising slogan is amazing! How did you come up with it?"
Qin Hao felt a little uncomfortable under her gaze and subconsciously looked at Director Lü.
Director Lü turned his head away and pretended to watch the people dancing on the dance floor.
Qin Hao cursed inwardly: This old bastard, he sold him out!
He could only bite the bullet and reply, "Ms. Liu, you flatter me. It's just a simple marketing idea."
"Just a regular marketing idea?" Ms. Liu laughed: "Manager Qin is too modest..."
As she spoke, she moved closer to Qin Hao.
Qin Hao could almost feel the warmth emanating from her body. His mind raced, trying to figure out how to escape.
At the same time, Zhao Mei, holding a tray of drinks at the bar, suddenly brightened up.
"Hey, isn't that Qin Hao?"
Liang Danning stood next to her and gave a listless "Oh".
She felt like she and this person were incompatible. Every time she ran into him at a bar, nothing good ever came of it. The time before last, he was drunk and made a complete fool of himself. The time before that, he got into a fight with a salesperson from another brand, and that was also a very embarrassing incident.
This time, she didn't want to get involved.
But Zhao Mei had already pulled her that way.
“Let’s go, let him help us achieve some sales targets,” Zhao Mei said excitedly.
Liang Danning tried to break free, but Zhao Mei was too strong and she couldn't. She had no choice but to be dragged along.
The two arrived at the booth. Zhao Mei, with practiced ease, began her sales pitch: "Mr. Lü, we meet again! Did you enjoy the wine from last time? Would you like another bottle?"
Director Lü stared at her for a while, then recognized her: "Hey, I was wondering which beautiful lady it was. Oh, it's you. Still selling wine here?"
Zhao Mei immediately put on a pitiful look: "Of course we have to sell alcohol. We're from out of town, with no education or connections, what else can we do besides this?"
As she spoke, her eyes drifted towards Director Lü, trying to get this innocent victim to pay the price.
Liang Danning stood to the side, but her gaze involuntarily fell on Qin Hao.
Only then did she realize that the person who had been sticking close to Qin Hao was a girl. And a rather beautiful woman at that, dressed in a very avant-garde style; her long, white legs were so alluring in the dim light that it was impossible to look away.
Qin Hao's expression was somewhat subtle. He seemed to be looking at her, yet also seemed to be giving her a meaningful look.
Liang Danning paused, then looked closer. Indeed, Qin Hao was looking at her, and his eyes held a... pleading look?
She couldn't help but feel a little smug. "So, you've got a moment when you need my help?"
But, do you want her help?
No way.
Liang Danning remained motionless, her eyes downcast, like a Bodhisattva in a temple. No matter how Qin Hao tried to signal her, she pretended not to see it.
Qin Hao had to figure out a solution himself. But before he could come up with a plan, Miss Liu beside him had already noticed something amiss.
"You know her?" Miss Liu followed his gaze and saw Liang Danning.
Qin Hao's mind raced, and he blurted out, "Yes, we'll live together."
Liang Danning was enjoying the gossip when she heard this, and her eyes widened as she glared at Qin Hao.
Upon hearing this, Miss Liu crossed her arms and looked Liang Danning up and down with a disdainful gaze. Her eyes swept over him, clearly scrutinizing and contemptuous.
"Are you his girlfriend?" she asked.
Liang Danning originally wanted to explain that she had no relationship with Qin Hao; they were just ordinary friends who lived in the same urban village.
But Miss Liu's attitude made her very unhappy.
What does "you are his girlfriend" even mean? The look in his eyes, the tone of his voice, it's as if she's not good enough for him.
A surge of anger welled up inside him.
Without saying a word, Liang Danning walked over and sat down next to Qin Hao, leaning against him. She looked up at Miss Liu and said with a smile, "Yes."
Miss Liu's expression changed.
Seeing this, Director Lü forgot all about flirting with Zhao Mei and quickly explained to Miss Liu, "Miss Liu, please don't misunderstand, this person is just a sales promoter, selling alcohol at the bar..."
He then shouted at Qin Hao, "Little Qin, what are you up to!"
Qin Hao ignored him.
He glanced down at Liang Danning, who was leaning against him, and then at Miss Liu, whose face was pale, and quickly began to make plans in his mind.
Then, he made a decision.
He casually put his arm around Liang Danning's waist, raised his head, and calmly looked at Miss Liu.
“Ms. Liu, thank you for your kindness,” he said sincerely, “but I already have a girlfriend.”
Liang Danning's pupils dilated.
She just wanted to make that woman jealous, but she never expected it to become real!
But now, she was being held in Qin Hao's arms, nestled in his embrace, with everyone around them staring at them. It would be too embarrassing for her to jump up now and say, "I was just kidding."
They had no choice but to grit their teeth and continue acting.
She leaned stiffly against Qin Hao's chest, her smile almost fading.
Qin Hao sensed her stiffness, lowered his head, leaned close to her ear, and whispered, "Just cooperate, and I'll treat you to dinner later."
Liang Danning gritted her teeth and replied in a low voice, "One meal isn't enough, at least three."
"make a deal."
Miss Liu watched the two whispering to each other, her expression shifting several times. Finally, she stood up and said coldly, "Since Manager Qin has a girlfriend, I won't bother you any longer."
She turned and left without looking back.
Director Lü froze for a few seconds, then quickly chased after her: "Miss Liu! Miss Liu, please don't go! This is all a misunderstanding..."
The two disappeared into the crowd.
Only Qin Hao, Liang Danning, and Zhao Mei, who was standing to the side in a daze, remained in the booth.
There was a few seconds of silence.
Zhao Mei finally came to her senses and couldn't help but laugh when she saw the two of them in their current positions.
"You two..." she covered her mouth, "What kind of show are you putting on?"
Liang Danning then realized that she was still leaning against Qin Hao's chest, and jumped away abruptly, her face turning as red as a ripe shrimp.
She stammered as she explained, "That woman is so annoying, I just wanted to make her angry!"
Zhao Mei laughed even harder: "So you ended up getting yourself involved?"
Liang Danning was speechless.
Qin Hao straightened his clothes, stood up, looked at Liang Danning, and a slight smile appeared on his lips.
"Thank you. Three meals, put it on your tab."
Liang Danning stared at him, wanting to say something, but not knowing what to say.
Zhao Mei was laughing so hard she couldn't stand up straight.
Qin Hao glanced at the time; it was almost ten o'clock. He nodded to the two of them, "I'll be going now. You two continue working. I'll treat you to dinner another day."
After saying that, he turned and left.
Liang Danning stood there, watching his figure disappear into the crowd, and didn't move for a long time.
Zhao Mei leaned over and nudged her with her elbow.
"Hey," she said with a smile, "Didn't you say you weren't interested in him?"
Liang Danning snapped out of her daze, her face turning red again.
"Whoever is interested in him, I'm just so angry about that woman..."
"So you just snuggled into someone's arms?" Zhao Mei smiled meaningfully.
Liang Danning was extremely embarrassed and immediately started pulling at Zhao Mei.
"Okay, okay, I won't laugh anymore." Zhao Mei raised her hands in surrender, but she couldn't hide the smile in her eyes.
The two carried their trays of wine and continued to weave through the crowd.
But Liang Danning's mind kept replaying that scene.
She leaned against Qin Hao's chest, and he put his arm around her waist, whispering in her ear.
Even though it's fake, it sounds...
Liang Danning shook her head, trying to clear those chaotic thoughts from her mind.
It's all fake, all fake.
It's just acting.