"Wake up~ wake up~”

The next morning, Lu Liang was sleeping soundly, only to be woken up by a chubby little hand.

He opened his eyes to see the little one sprawled out on the pillow, big eyes sparkling as she gazed at him.

"Alright, alright, I’m getting up.” Lu Liang chuckled helplessly, rubbing his eyes as he got out of bed, holding the little one while sitting at the head of the bed in a daze.

He tried to start his day, vaguely remembering Su Wanyu’s instructions from half an hour ago; she went back to Lu Island for her brother’s wedding.

Since it’s inconvenient to manage two kids alone, she took the younger, more needy sister with her, leaving the relatively well-behaved older sister with Lu Liang.

"Do you want to stay at home, or come with me?” Lu Liang looked down at the little one, planning to leave her at home.

Although his parents were still back in their hometown and wouldn’t be coming to Xiangjiang anytime soon, the home was full of helpers—maids, a housekeeper, even a private doctor. More than a dozen people looking after one child was no problem at all.

"Daddy.” The little one looked up at Lu Liang, her round eyes clear and bright, full of innocence.

"Alright then, Daddy will take you out to play today.”

Lu Liang smiled, got up to wash and eat, and waved to the maid to prepare the little one’s essentials for going out.

He didn’t dislike taking the little one out; it was just that if she got hungry or had an upset stomach, he might struggle a bit, so he decided to bring the maid along just in case.

At half past ten in the morning, Lu Liang took the little one out, heading to the company.

Fang Shiyu suddenly froze, momentarily not reacting, and asked dumbfoundedly, “Bro, is Siqing going out with you too?”

Lu Liang laughed and said, “Yu has something to go home for. I can’t just leave her at home alone, can I?”

The little one seemed to understand, nodding earnestly and looking at Fang Shiyu, calling out in a crisp voice, “Shushu~”

She knew Fang Shiyu, her mom had taught her how to address him. Fang Shiyu was Lu Liang’s cousin, so calling him uncle was suitable.

"Hey.” Fang Shiyu’s face broke into a smile, and he instinctively raised his voice, “Off to the company?”

"Yes.” Lu Liang couldn’t help but laugh.

On the way to the company, he suddenly asked, “How are things going with Xiao Chen?”

Fang Shiyu replied glumly, “Not bad, I guess.”

Lu Liang frowned and said, a bit annoyed, “Either it’s good or it isn’t. What’s ‘not bad’ supposed to mean?”

Fang Shiyu said, “The Tianxing Automobile department is off for seven days for National Day, and Sister Xiao Chen already came to Xiangjiang last night.”

Lu Liang was surprised, “You asked her to come?”

Fang Shiyu said, “She said she got the pass sorted out but never used it, so she wanted to come during the holidays.”

Lu Liang chuckled, teasing, “Not bad, Casanova.”

Fang Shiyu’s face turned red, and he shyly asked, “Bro, if I’m not busy these days, I’d like to take some leave.”

"Approved.”

Lu Liang thought for a moment and said, “Drop me off at the company and then go pick her up. Take my car and have fun.”

This customized A8, with license plates from three regions—black, yellow, and blue—was convenient wherever you went.

After all, when visiting Xiangjiang, it’s only natural to visit Macau as well. This car also had free passage on the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge, awarded during its trial operation by the Bridge Administration.

"Okay.” Fang Shiyu replied, quietly swallowing the words “thank you,” because Lu Liang’s kindness couldn’t be summed up with just a thank you.

Upon reaching the company parking lot, Lu Liang took the exclusive elevator to his office upstairs.

Sun Zheyuan saw the little one in Lu Liang’s arms and was momentarily stunned, but quickly snapped back, “Mr. Lu…”

He hadn’t finished his sentence when Chen Jinchun exclaimed from behind, “Wow~ this little darling is so adorable~”

Chen Jinchun hurried over to Lu Liang, extending her index finger and teasing the little one with a smile, “Zuzu~ call me sister.”

The little one huffed, seemingly annoyed at being teased like a puppy, turning her head away and burying her face in Lu Liang’s arms, indicating she wasn’t responding.

Lu Liang asked with a smile, “Aren’t you going on a date with Shiyu, what are you doing here?”

"When in Rome, do as the Romans do. Coming to Xiangjiang, of course, I should visit the pier first…”

Chen Jinchun suddenly felt something was odd and exclaimed indignantly, “That rascal Fang Shiyu, I told him not to say anything, and he still did.”

"If he hadn’t told me, how would he have asked for leave? If I hadn’t approved it, how could he have taken you out?” Lu Liang laughed, walking towards the office.

"Uh… putting it that way, it does make sense.” Chen Jinchun nodded instinctively, following Lu Liang into the office like a shadow.

Seeing no one else around, she shifted her focus back to the little one, teasingly asking with a gossiping look, “Onii-chan, whose child is this?”

"Can you not ask such thoughtless questions?”

Lu Liang shivered, saying with frustration, “During work hours, address me by my position.”

"You’re working, I’m not.”

Chen Jinchun said with a grin, hands on her hips to indicate that she was currently with the Tianxing Automobile division and was on holiday.

She then added, “Lu, of course, I know she’s your daughter, it’s just…”

In front of the child, Chen Jinchun dared not say too much, considering that the father was undoubtedly Lu Liang, but who the mother was, needed a question mark.

"Su Wanyu,” Lu Liang said, and Xiao Chen paused, unsure, “That young Mrs. Su back then?”

She remembered clearly because she was responsible for selecting Lu Liang’s English tutor.

Lu Liang responded with a nod, handing the little one over to Chen Jinchun to care for, “Call her aunt.”

The little one reluctantly complied, calling out “aunt” as she was cuddled like a doll in Chen Jinchun’s arms, though she wasn’t happy about it.

"Hey, darling niece.” Xiao Chen smiled with eyes squinting, just like treating his own child, as he touched her head, played with her lips, and poked her cheeks. That smile was harder to suppress than an AK, and he couldn’t help but exclaim, “Kids are just too cute.”

"If you like them, go have one yourself.”

Lu Liang distractedly pored over the funding monitoring data submitted by Wen Chao.

Last night, the offshore Renminbi and the Golden Dragon Index showed a faint upward trend, but were quickly suppressed by an invisible force.

East Country’s unprecedented military parade and the update of a large quantity of new military equipment, scenes of national jubilation, seem to have no impact on the capital market.

This is not a good sign, indicating that short-selling foreign funds have infiltrated the market once again, lying in wait for the next cycle of bearish news to capture massive profits.

"I won’t have any.” Chen Jinchun made a funny face, entertaining the little one: “Look at how nice this is, happy moments you can play with them, unhappy times you just toss them back to their parents.”

Just then, Chen Jinchun’s phone rang, seeing Fang Shiyu calling, she said, “I’m in Mr. Lu’s office with the kid, how about you come up and join in the fun.”

"Let’s go, don’t be the third wheel.”

Lu Liang glanced over, walked over and picked up the little one, saying to Xiao Chen, “Go on your date if you have one planned, don’t act silly in front of me.”

Saying that, he left the office, and the little one on his shoulder also made a funny face at Chen Jinchun: “Bleh bleh bleh~~”

"Little rascal.” Chen Jinchun stomped angrily, while shouting at Lu Liang’s back: “I’m leaving now.”

Lu Liang waved without turning his head, took the elevator down to the trading room.

Seeing the boss bringing a kid to work, the trading room staff were momentarily taken aback, including Wen Chao who was reporting for duty.

But they just took a few extra glances during work, and made funny faces to amuse the little one, without showing any other emotions.

After all, it’s Lu Liang, not to mention just bringing a kid to work, even if he showed up naked, no one would dare say anything.

Lu Liang asked, “Did we find the source of the funds?”

Wen Chao shook his head, “They used at least three funds transfer stations, traced to a joint bank in Brazil, and then the funds scattered completely.”

"If you can’t find them, don’t bother, anyway it’s those same institutions.” Lu Liang contemplated briefly, then asked, “How much usable funds do we have left in our accounts now?”

"Less than 30 billion US dollars, with 5 billion dollars in untouchable contingency reserves,” Wen Chao said.

The offshore Renminbi trapped too much liquidity, while real estate and offline financial projects were constantly demanding funds.

Even if they became the only unofficial channel for funds flowing out of the mainland, the usable funds are stretched thin.

"Only 28.9 billion US dollars.” Lu Liang furrowed his brows deeply, suddenly turned his gaze to the US-listed Chinese concept stocks.

Suddenly he said, “Short sell, prepare to short Chinese concept stocks.”

Once the upcoming black swan event erupts, offshore Renminbi, Chinese concept stocks, Big A, or even Xiangjiang’s Hang Seng Index, will all face a round of plunging.

They need enough funds to last until the black swan event spreads from one country to the globe, and then sound the charge for a counterattack.

At this time, compassion should not get in the way, if others are short-selling Chinese concept stocks, they have to do it too, even more brutally, taking their path, leaving them no alternative.

Lu Liang mumbled, as if justifying himself, “Rather we harvest than being harvested by foreign capital.”

Wen Chao nodded silently, “I’ll reach out to holding institutions to apply for short selling.”

Lu Liang suddenly added, “And yes, also contact Saudi or Qatar, ask if they need capital custody?”

Currently, Tianxing Finance is facing a cash crunch, and they shouldn’t only look domestically but also internationally.

The nation cannot charge protection fees, but they can, if the invaders come, then why can’t they, it could also be said as taking them along for prosperity.

"Yes, Mr. Lu.” Wen Chao showed a slight smile on his face, before leaving, he suddenly stretched out a finger to tease the little one, provoking her into an impatient expression, satisfied, he went back to work.

Lu Liang couldn’t help but smile,

Roaming with the little one around various departments in the company.

The little one didn’t mind the boredom, smiled at everyone she met, already exuding the aura of the group’s little princess.

The seven-day National Day holiday swiftly passed by.

During this time, the hottest global topics were none other than East Country’s grand parade, and several newly unveiled military equipments.

Although the international capital market was indifferent to East Country’s show of force, a snowstorm of foreign trade orders poured into East Country’s factories.

The foreign trade association also released an industry barometer, indicating the first rise since the trade dispute began.

After all, most countries are quite willing to do business with East Country, mainly due to its openness, tolerance, and policy support, and even they can provide loans, but due to the United States’ dominance, they had to shift focus to the substitute, India.

However, India’s place had been consecutively rated by the United Nations as the least suitable country for human habitation over multiple years.

Even producing electronics detected excessive E. coli, and they particularly liked to default.

Now East Country has completely risen, possessing strength to contend with the United States, capable of protecting the Maritime Silk Road business, naturally, they no longer fear the United States’ dominance.

At the same time, Tianxing Finance also accepted the invitation from the Saudi Sovereign Fund Company, managing an institution with approximately 80 billion US dollars assets under their authority, with an annual 2% management fee, and 20% profit-sharing dividend.

Also, news broke out revealing an agreement between Saudi and China using Renminbi for petroleum trade settlement, increasing the ratio from the previous 28% to 48%, accelerating the internationalization of Renminbi.

These two news only circulated within domestic boundaries, not yet widely spread internationally, then the Saudi government also announced a 124 billion US dollars military cooperation agreement with the US.

30% of the amount in the procurement agreement was allocated for consultants’ ‘technical guidance fees’, 20% for ‘logistical services’, the rest was only for weapon procurement.

"Small resource-rich countries’ helplessness, flattering both sides, just hoping nobody targets their valuables.”

"But Liangzi seems to have grown quite capable, this should be not just a matter of dining at tables, right?”

"Still okay, after all, Liangzi dared to participate in next year’s election, collecting protection fees from Mr. Rich isn’t surprising either.”

While netizens were airing their views on this matter, in Fred City, Maryland, United States, a little known eighteenth-rate media outlet claimed that a local bio lab was suspected of virus leakage…