Vol. 1 - Ch. 18 - Being Prepared In Advance

Li Han's eyes darted to where Zhang Jing and Manager Hu were standing. There was a clear air of intimacy between them, and their body language indicated something more than just professional interaction.Zhang Jing's reputation as someone flirtatious was well-known in the dealership. When Yang Hualin was part of the team, she would often jest boldly with Manager Hu. Now, it seemed those playful jibes had evolved into something more tangible

Feng Shaobo leaned in closer, his voice barely above a whisper. "Rumour has it that our sales supervisor will be on maternity leave soon. I think Zhang Jing sees that as her opportunity."

Memories flooded back as Li Han remembered a chat he had with Manager Hu a few weeks prior. The supervisor's impending maternity leave had been brought up. Naturally, her temporary replacement would be someone competent and experienced.

By any measure, Li Han was the ideal candidate. He was, after all, the top-performing sales agent at the dealership.

However, observing Hu Chengrong's evident fascination with Zhang Jing, Li Han realised the decision might not be so straightforward.

Feng Shaobo continued, "On merit alone, you should be the one promoted. Zhang Jing does alright, but her numbers are nowhere near yours. If Hu goes ahead and picks her, there's going to be a lot of unhappy people around here."

Li Han muttered, mostly to himself, "He wouldn't be that naive, would he?"

But just in case, Li Han had to be prepared for this.

He mentally played out the potential scenarios. If Zhang Jing was chosen for the supervisor position, it would be a blatant disregard of Li Han's contributions and abilities. Resigning would become the only option he'd seriously consider. His self-respect demanded it.

'It's one thing not to promote me, but it's another to overlook me for someone else.'

If Zhang Jing was promoted, it would feel like a slap in the face. To Li Han, it would imply that all his hard work and dedication was merely a stepping stone for others to climb.

'Work tirelessly only for someone else to enjoy the fruits of my labor? Why would I settle for such a raw deal?'

Yet, leaving the dealership came with its own set of challenges. The invaluable data points he had collected over time would be lost. For his future endeavours, he'd need to devise new strategies to gather those essential data points. He had to stay ahead of the curve, no matter what.

Knowing that the sales supervisor would soon be on maternity leave, he would have to be ready for any turn of events in June.

On his day off, his first stop was the bank.

His investment, a financial product he'd recommended, was maturing today. It was time to cash in and discuss further with the bank advisor.

"Morning," he said, nodding towards the bank manager as he walked up.

The manager's face lit up, "Li Han! Fantastic results again! A whopping 90% success rate on those investments. Whatever big data magic you're working with is nothing short of impressive. I bet there's a line of people ready to pay big bucks for it."

Li Han tapped the side of his head with a grin, "All stored up here."

The bank manager paused, realising he'd ventured too close to probing into Li Han's proprietary methods. "Of course," he acknowledged, nodding.

The room was silent for a moment before Li Han broke the ice. "You know, we've had a number of these meetings, and I still don't know your name."

Raising an eyebrow in mock surprise, the manager replied, "You never asked." Then, with a friendly grin, he reached out his hand, "I'm Wang Zhenyu."

Li Han greeted Wang Zhenyu with a handshake, "Li Han. We've worked together long enough for you to trust my 'big data' insights, correct?"

Wang Zhenyu nodded in agreement, and Li Han continued, "I've identified several other potential financial products. However, my analysis suggests they'll only be profitable if they hit their investment thresholds. Unfortunately, I don't possess the capital for..."

"You're suggesting we co-invest in these ventures?" Wang Zhenyu interrupted with an anticipatory gleam in his eyes.

Li Han elaborated further, "More than that. I'd like you to actively promote these products in your capacity as a financial advisor. It's essential they meet their investment targets to ensure profitability. Given your role and connections, I'm confident this is within your reach."

Wang Zhenyu's expression turned sly, and without him having to say anything, Li Han quickly added, "As a show of faith in these ventures, I'll be making initial investments in each one."

"Although it's a bit challenging, but...I'll figure it out."

Seeing Wang Zhenyu's feigned look of struggle, Li Han internally chuckled. Clearly, the bank manager wanted assurance in the form of Li Han's own investment.

It was only fair. After all, the mysterious "big data" magic resided solely in Li Han's mind.

Li Han extended his phone, "Let's make it official then. We can exchange details on WeChat. I'll forward the specifics of these financial opportunities to you."

Wang Zhenyu quickly pulled out his phone in response, "Absolutely, partner. Here's to making great profits and facing any challenges head-on."

Although Wang Zhenyu made it sound like a mutually beneficial collaboration, it benefited him more.

Financial projects boasting a staggering success rate of over 90% were magnets for potential investors. This high rate of return was hard to resist for most, promising them significant gains.

Additionally, Wang Zhenyu's position as a financial advisor at a bank provided an added layer of credibility to these projects. His endorsement could vouch for the legitimacy and potential of the projects, which would inevitably elevate his stature at the bank with every successful recommendation.

On the other hand, Li Han had his gains well charted out from this collaboration. By utilizing Wang Zhenyu's established identity in the financial realm, he could effectively market these projects. This was not just about the monetary benefits but more so about amassing the data points he so coveted.

To put things into perspective, a short-term investment project capping at one million might demand an outlay of 100--200 data points, depending on the anticipated returns. If Li Han decided to pitch in a hundred thousand, and inspired others to cover the remaining nine hundred thousand, he stood to gain significantly. His earnings in data points would correspond to the profits made by these investors. S~ᴇaʀᴄh the NʘvᴇlFire.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of nøvels early and in the highest quality.

For instance, with an 80% return rate, he could net seven hundred and twenty thousand, translating to 720 data points.

This income could free Li Han from his current role as a sales agent.

However, this strategy had its constraints.

The availability of profitable financial projects was finite. The Big Data app might pinpoint profitable investments, but it didn't magically generate them.

Consequently, if too many investment projects were pushed in quick succession, the success rate would decline, potentially falling short of expectations.

However, after a while, as new financial projects surfaced, the success rate would bounce back. This acted like a refresh interval for making investments.

Regarding the stock market, it was teeming with seasoned players who often used specialised language. The moment Li Han made a move, they'd spot him as a newcomer. Even if he profited from stock investments, these veterans would likely dismiss it as beginner's luck.

Winning over these seasoned traders was no easy task. Gaining expertise through time was essential...

Or seizing the right moment.

After departing from the bank, Li Han made his way to the stock exchange.

Upon entering, he immediately observed a significant gathering. At its center was a seasoned trader, speaking with assurance.

"This stock might have shown a recent deceleration in growth, but its potential for sustained rise is undeniable. And the reason? It's linked to a pharmaceutical enterprise!" He energetically endorsed the stock, adding, "Only last month, they pioneered a drug believed to be highly effective against Alzheimer's disease. It's groundbreaking on a global scale!"

Li Han examined the stock in question and saw its steady ascension over the prior month. At first, it had consistently reached its daily peak, but its surge had since decelerated.

Activating his "curve calculation" function, Li Han assessed the projected trajectory of the stock for the upcoming month...

"In a matter of days, this stock will take a downturn," Li Han casually noted.

Actually, his voice was soft, meant only for himself. However, by sheer coincidence, he voiced his thoughts during a brief lull when the seasoned trader took a pause, allowing everyone in the vicinity to hear him.

Suddenly, all attention shifted to him.

A sinking feeling hit Li Han. He quickly understood he'd inadvertently drawn unwanted attention.