For this day, Qin Chuan had waited a very long time, and had also prepared for a long time.
No one outside knew that Qin Chuan's account currently held a staggering one hundred and fifty million.
Thirty million of this came from his elder brother-in-law, Yang Conglong, and twenty million from Huang Qi.
Last time, Huang Qi had missed an opportunity, and this time, he absolutely could not afford to miss it again, and he was investing heavily.
Originally, Qin Chuan only wanted to make some money with his elder brother-in-law. After all, leading others in stock trading was an absolute taboo. If they made money, it would be fine, but if they lost, friends could become enemies, which was extremely unadvisable.
However, Huang Qi had provided significant help in his second brother's car dealership business and had taken good care of him. After much thought, he had agreed.
But for anyone else, Qin Chuan had unhesitatingly refused, including the two young masters, Ye Huai'an and Zhong Dongyao.
In his words, you can follow my trades, but profit or loss is not my responsibility. Everyone makes money based on their own luck.
On Monday morning, March 13, 2000, Beijing time: seven o'clock.
The Nasdaq futures had already opened, and it was the most anticipated day for all new and old retail investors.
This thing could be traded for 23 hours a day, which was a very long time.
As early as the closing of last Friday, Qin Chuan had already instructed professional traders to transfer his funds into the account and make all the necessary preparations.
Under everyone's watchful eyes, the futures opened, and everyone held their breath, their expressions filled with nervousness and excitement.
"Boss Qin, should we short right at the opening?"
At the computer, a professional trader asked.
"Yes, short it directly. Let's put out twenty million first, with ten times leverage! Test the waters!"
Qin Chuan's voice carried an unprecedented determination, and the trader quickly began to operate.
But to everyone's surprise, the Nasdaq seemed unfazed by the various negative news from last week, and at the opening, it rapidly surged. The index rose again. In just a few minutes, the Nasdaq had soared to over 5100 points, a gain of one percent.
With ten times leverage, twenty million became two hundred million. A one percent rise in the market meant Qin Chuan had lost a full two million.
In less than five minutes, two million was gone. Seeing the clearly marked loss on the account, everyone standing around widened their eyes and breathed rapidly.
This was too damn exciting! Losing two million in less than five minutes. Indeed, the stock market is vast, and turning back is the shore!
Such exhilarating experiences were truly not for ordinary people; it was better to go home and honestly do one's own business.
Those standing nearby secretly observed Qin Chuan's expression, only to find that Qin Chuan's face was as calm as still water, not the slightest ripple, as if the lost two million was not his at all.
Not only Qin Chuan, but even Yang Conglong, who sat beside him, was very composed, smoking a cigarette and smiling as he watched the red and green indexes on the market.
Only Huang Qi, participating in such an event for the first time, showed a trace of nervousness on his face after seeing two million disappear in just a few minutes.
"Invest another twenty million, keep shorting!"
Seeing the market still rising, Qin Chuan's eyes were fixed on the computer screen as he issued the operational command.
The trader was indeed professional, not asking any questions, and simply obeyed the instructions.
"Qin Chuan, isn't this approach a bit too aggressive!"
Seeing Qin Chuan instructing the trader to invest another twenty million to continue shorting, Zhong Dongyao, who was standing nearby, couldn't help but speak.
Due to his upbringing, he was not unfamiliar with stocks and futures. Many people around him played them, and he occasionally dabbled himself, purely for amusement, though the results were naturally losses.
However, he had never seen such an aggressive approach as Qin Chuan's. Even with money, one shouldn't squander it like this, as if it were waste paper.
After all, this was ten times leveraged trading. Whether making or losing money, it was magnified tenfold, which was a terrifying concept.
Unexpectedly, Qin Chuan seemed not to hear Zhong Dongyao's words, his eyes fixed on the computer screen, motionless.
According to his memory, the Nasdaq's highest point was just over five thousand. It had now reached five thousand one hundred. This was clearly the market maker dumping their holdings, deliberately raising the index to lure retail investors in.
Under such circumstances, the initial losses could be ignored; they were merely a string of numbers. If one couldn't withstand even this level of fluctuation, then what was the point of trading futures? One might as well go home and play with women.
At this moment, with Qin Chuan's second additional investment, the attention of everyone in the large trading room was fully captured, because Qin Chuan had now invested forty million, which, with ten times leverage, amounted to a full four hundred million.
Four hundred million! With such a sum, anyone with even a little stock knowledge knew that a mere one or two percent fluctuation would mean millions in losses.
With so much money, a tiny mistake could wipe out millions, and a principal of forty million, besides the margin, could not withstand many losses.
Elder brother-in-law Yang Conglong could at least maintain his composure, but Huang Qi had already stood up, fully focused, his eyes fixed on the computer screen, his breathing becoming rapid.
Even for a rich second-generation like him, he had never experienced this level of play in his twenty-odd years.
As for the others, their expressions were similar. Their hearts pounded, their breaths quickened, and they anxiously watched the computer screen and Qin Chuan, who sat there as steady as Mount Tai.
Lu Xiaoshu, Ma Wenbo, An Nuo, Fang Rumei—all held their breath, afraid of disturbing Qin Chuan's train of thought.
Even Yang Zimo's delicate little face was tightly drawn, her fists clenched, filled with tension.
Since learning that Qin Chuan was going to seriously trade stocks, many people had come to watch the spectacle.
At this moment, everyone finally witnessed how big Qin Chuan's game was, and how strong his heart was. Compared to him, they were like infants who had just learned to walk and kept stumbling, the gap between them not being a small one at all.
At the very least, no one could casually dismiss millions as if they were nothing, yet Qin Chuan sat before the computer, as steady as Mount Tai, his expression as calm as still water, showing no signs of nervousness.
Time ticked by, and the Nasdaq continued to rise, but more steadily, oscillating at a high level.
Everyone stared intently at the fluctuations of the numbers on the account. Qin Chuan was now showing a loss of just over three million.
"Look, the market is falling!"
Suddenly, someone shouted, and everyone's attention was immediately drawn. They truly saw the red line, which had been rising, turn downwards, like a waterfall plunging three thousand feet.
Correspondingly, the numbers on Qin Chuan's account began to move wildly, but with a difference: the losing numbers were rapidly decreasing.
Three million!
Two million eight hundred thousand!
Two million two hundred thousand...
In less than a minute, the loss had decreased to one million six hundred thousand.
"Holy crap, this is too exciting! In less than a minute, the loss is halved!"
Ye Huai'an clutched his chest, his face flushed, clearly stimulated.
The others had similar reactions.
Qin Chuan heard this and couldn't help but turn back and smile, saying, "Just this little fluctuation, and you're all so stimulated. If the market really rose or fell four or five points, and we were all in, then any fluctuation would mean tens of millions. Wouldn't you all have heart attacks and end up in the ICU?"
The crowd was collectively speechless, with embarrassed expressions.
"Qin Chuan, do you trade stocks or futures often?"
An Nuo couldn't help but ask.
Qin Chuan shook his head. "No, I rarely play these things!"
"Since I played once with my elder brother-in-law last time, I haven't played since. This is the second time!"
"The sea of stocks is boundless; turning back is the shore!"
"Stocks and futures are definitely not something ordinary people can touch. We should stay as far away from these things as possible."
"Honestly doing our own business is the right path!"
In the large trading room, everyone looked confused. Qin Chuan was advising everyone not to touch stocks and futures, yet he seemed to be playing them, and playing them big?
"Look, it's green! It's green! The market is green!!"
Just as everyone was lost in thought, Yang Conglong suddenly let out a yell, his face filled with excitement and thrill.
Everyone turned to look and saw that the once red market had indeed turned green, the index falling all the way down.