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Chapter 688: The Gulf War
Chapter 688: The Gulf War
Nie Zhan returned and shared a piece of news with Lu Jiaxin, "The negotiations between Iraq and Kuwait have halted, and Iraq has deployed a large number of troops at the Kuwaiti border. Next, the Iraqi leaders will likely continue discussions with the Americans. However, I believe this war is inevitable."
"What do you think about it?" Lu Jiaxin asked.
Nie Zhan replied, "Once the Gulf War breaks out, property prices in the coastal city will definitely take a hit."
Lu Jiaxin shook her head after some thought. "The coastal city is a crucial gateway for imports and exports from the interior, and it serves as an essential link between the domestic and international markets. Even if the war causes a dip in property prices, it will recover soon enough."
Nie Zhan wasn't surprised by Lu Jiaxin's reaction, as he shared a similar view. "Wan Sheng Real Estate currently has a debt-to-asset ratio of 53%. Even if there's a significant drop in the real estate market, we don't have to worry. Jiaxin, I'm thinking of selling some stocks and investing in crude oil. With the outbreak of the Gulf War, oil prices will surely skyrocket, and buying now will definitely yield a profit."
"It's your money. If you want to buy, go ahead; you don't need to ask me," Lu Jiaxin said.
Nie Zhan was taken aback by her response. "You're not buying?"
Lu Jiaxin didn't have much information about this matter and thus lacked the urge to invest. "No, we made a good profit from shorting the ruble. I don't understand politics and military affairs, so I'd rather stay out of it."
Seeing that she wasn't interested, Nie Zhan didn't push further but reflected on her uncanny intuition. "Since you're not buying, I'll purchase less—maybe 50 million green dollars' worth."
Upon hearing this, Lu Jiaxin interjected, "Since you're so confident that a war will break out and oil prices will surge, why don't you go for a billion?"
"Alright, I'll listen to you. But let's keep it at 50 million green dollars publicly," Nie Zhan suggested.
"Okay." Lu Jiaxin agreed.
Hu Zhifeng hadn't spent the money he had on hand yet. Upon receiving the news, he immediately consulted Nie Zhan. Hearing that he had already made a move, Hu Zhifeng felt assured and promptly invested all his available funds in crude oil futures.
Su Heyuan also felt tempted to join in, but being a superstitious man, he called Lu Jiaxin first to inquire about her investment.
Lu Jiaxin smiled and told him that she hadn't invested. "I don't have much funds on hand, so I'm not buying. But Nie Zhan bought 50 million green dollars' worth."
Su Heyuan was astonished. He hadn't expected her to refrain from investing. "Why aren't you buying?"
Lu Jiaxin chuckled, "I just told you, I don't have the money. Besides, if Nie Zhan earns a profit, it's the same as me making money."
Compared to their net worth, 50 million green dollars wasn't a substantial amount. Su Heyuan hesitated, wondering if he would miss out on profits this time since Lu Jiaxin wasn't buying.
Lu Jiaxin steered the conversation in a different direction. "It's already been a week past your sister-in-law's due date, and there's still no news, right?"
Hu Huihui's due date was at the end of July, but now it was already August 3rd, and there were no signs of the baby arriving. Everyone joked that the baby was taking its time. Of course, these were just lighthearted remarks, as it was normal for births to occur before or after the predicted date.
Su Heyuan also hoped for the baby to arrive soon. On the due date, he had even taken a day off work, but there were no signs of labor. As they couldn't pinpoint the exact time, he returned to work the next day. However, they ensured that someone was always by the expectant mother's side so that she could be rushed to the hospital if needed.
"No, we went for a check-up this morning, and both mother and baby are doing well," Su Heyuan replied.
Lu Jiaxin saw her secretary entering the room and smiled as she hung up the phone.
That evening, Su Heyuan chatted with Hu Huihui. They initially discussed mundane topics, but Hu Huihui suddenly brought up the topic of the Gulf War.
"My eldest brother bought two billion dollars' worth of oil futures. I called him to ask, and he said that oil prices would definitely rise if the war breaks out. Heyuan, I have 18 million on hand. Can you help me invest in oil futures as well?"
Hu Zhifeng had originally intended to sell all his stocks and scrape together four hundred million to invest in crude oil. However, Zong Shimeng felt the risk was too great and suggested that they shouldn't put all their eggs in one basket, hence the decision to invest only two hundred million.
Su Heyuan shook his head and said, "I didn't buy any, and I don't plan to."
"Why not?"
Su Heyuan replied, "Jiaxin didn't buy any either. She's made profits from both real estate and stock index futures; her financial luck is incredible. But if she's choosing not to invest this time, I feel that it might be too risky."
"Maybe she just doesn't have that much money."
Su Heyuan didn't believe that for a second. "Even without considering the valuable assets of Xin Xin Realty, she could easily get a substantial loan from the bank by using her stocks as collateral. So when she says she doesn't have money, she's probably just telling that to outsiders. I don't buy it."
Hu Huihui grew anxious. "Do you think they'll lose money this time?"
Su Heyuan dared not make such a prediction; he wasn't a fortune teller, after all. "Since Jiaxin isn't investing, I don't feel confident about it either, so I'm not buying. You should hold onto your eighteen million as well. If any good investment opportunities come up, I'll definitely let you know."
Hu Huihui asked, "Did Nie Zhan buy any?"
"Yes, he bought fifty million green dollars' worth."
Upon hearing this, Hu Huihui decided she wanted to buy too. "Nie Zhan hasn't lost money in stock or futures trading all these years. If he's buying, he must be certain that a war will break out."
As soon as the war starts, crude oil prices will soar. It's a surefire way to make a profit.
Seeing her insistence, Su Heyuan stopped trying to dissuade her. Besides, everyone believed that investing in crude oil would be profitable, and with his wife about to give birth, he didn't want to deny her request in case it caused her any stress or affected the baby. If she really lost that eighteen million, he could always make it up to her later.
The next evening, Nie Zhan mentioned the matter to Lu Jiaxin. "Su Heyuan didn't buy any oil futures this time, but his wife bought eighteen million green dollars' worth."
"How do you know so much about it?" Lu Jiaxin asked, amused.
Nie Zhan laughed. "Zhifeng told me. Looks like Su Heyuan really believes in financial luck now. Everyone thinks they can make money this time, but he's able to resist the temptation."
Lu Jiaxin shook her head, feeling that their secrets were an open book. "I hope you all make a killing this time! Otherwise, if everyone starts following his lead, I'll be in trouble."
Nie Zhan smiled. "Don't worry, everyone has their own judgment. We're only investing our extra money in financial products. If we make a profit, we'll be famous, and if we lose, we'll just tighten our belts for a while."
Lu Jiaxin teased, "You'd have tight finances if you lost a hundred million green dollars? If others heard that, they'd think I was controlling all your money!"
"If you want to manage it, I'll give it all to you."
Lu Jiaxin wasn't interested in taking on that burden; she had enough trouble managing her own finances. Sensing that Nie Zhan's hands were getting restless, she changed the subject. "I'm on my period."
Thanks to the treatment she'd received, her periods were now pain-free, though she still experienced some bloating, which wasn't too bothersome.
Nie Zhan stopped his advances and pulled her into his embrace, planting a kiss on her. "Jiaxin, let's have a baby after we get married! I want a daughter who's as beautiful and adorable as you."
Lu Jiaxin smiled. "What if it's a mischievous little boy?"
"I'll love him no matter what he's like. Don't worry, I'll take care of him when he comes along."
Lu Jiaxin wasn't worried about childcare. With their financial resources, they could hire a nanny and a housekeeper to help out when they were busy, and take care of the child themselves when they had more time.
(End of Chapter)
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