Heartthrob, Your Image is Crumbling!

Chapter 488: Brother Dong Is Here

Vipshop had been surging wildly since late June. In less than a month, it had soared from 120 dollars to over 200 dollars, yielding a profit of nearly fifty percent. In other words, during this single month, Zhou Yuwen had raked in a cool sixty million dollars.Of course, Zhou Yuwen had not been idle during this month either.

Even though he had not yet sold his two percent share of the stock, with Shen Ya backing him up, the initial funds Zhou Yuwen used to purchase the shares had already been withdrawn. Furthermore, being on Wall Street with substantial collateral to his name made securing a loan incredibly easy.

Over the past month, Zhou Yuwen went on a massive shopping spree, taking out loans to buy cars and real estate. He purchased three or four estates and villas alone. The detached house he bought on the Manhattan Upper East Side covered an even larger area than Liu Dongqiang's. Not only did it feature a private swimming pool and a backyard garden, but its architectural design was also completely unique. It was exceptionally modern, and rumor had it that it was crafted by a renowned designer.

If the previous owner had not lost a fortune playing the stock market, he never would have sold it.

Thinking about this made Lu Wanting somewhat anxious. After all, the money had not technically landed in their pockets yet. Was it really okay to spend like this?

Zhou Yuwen simply told her to do as the Romans do. America was a highly credit-based society where everyone spent their money the day they got it, and once that was gone, they just borrowed against tomorrow to keep spending.

In any case, Zhou Yuwen was highly optimistic about Vipshop. According to his plan, he could completely liquidate his shares after holding them for another month. But since he had maintained a long-term holding alongside Shen Ya, he still had to keep up appearances for a little while.

During this month, Zhou Yuwen did not just buy Vipshop stock. He also acquired small holdings in JD.com and Yiche.com. With his spare cash, he even purchased some Apple shares as a long-term investment.

Lu Wanting felt that any woman who stayed by Zhou Yuwen's side would inevitably fall madly in love with him.

He possessed a unique and indescribable charm. For example, when it came to buying stocks, it seemed like every single stock he picked would surge insanely.

It was worth noting that for the past month, excluding days off, Zhou Yuwen easily had millions of dollars pouring into his accounts every single day. What woman would not feel her heart stir at such a sight?

But then again, Lu Wanting was secretly quite a vixen herself.

It had not been apparent back in China. When she was with Peng Xiaoyong, she seemed like a very quiet and gentle girl, relatively conservative in how she interacted with others.

However, ever since she got together with Zhou Yuwen, it felt as if she had completely dropped the act.

It could not be helped. Who could blame her when Zhou Yuwen was so wealthy and generous? He bought her all sorts of designer clothes and luxury goods, meaning she no longer had to wear those awkward, stiff office suits.

Every day in front of Zhou Yuwen, she would wear high heels paired with suspender stockings. On top, she wore a collarless white off-the-shoulder top that beautifully exposed her bare back.

Those black suspender stockings seemed to hold some kind of magic whenever Lu Wanting slipped them on.

They made her beautiful legs look incredibly long and slender.

Naturally, Zhou Yuwen was not one to be affected or overly reserved. He did not know what exactly was going through Lu Wanting's mind, but his own thoughts regarding her were quite simple: pluck the flower while it is in bloom.

And so, right there inside the grand villa he had just bought, they ended up on the living room sofa.

A laptop computer sat on the coffee table, its screen displaying stock indices that were jumping wildly.

Zhou Yuwen pressed Lu Wanting directly against the sofa, pulling her white sweater down past her arms to reveal her smooth back.

Her slender, black-stocking-clad beautiful legs were raised high. Zhou Yuwen knelt on the sofa behind her.

As the stocks continued their upward climb, Zhou Yuwen's movements found a steady, rhythmic pace.

Lu Wanting's face soon flushed a deep red, glistening with fragrant sweat. Supporting herself on the sofa with her hands, she watched the stocks continue to rise. Genuine joy bubbled up inside her as she repeatedly cried out, "It's rising! It's going up!"

Already in a state of extreme excitement, she found it hard to control her voice, letting out soft moans and breathless whimpers.

Zhou Yuwen, too, had his eyes locked on the trend chart flashing across the computer screen.

Experiencing immense satisfaction both physically and psychologically, his enthusiasm only intensified.

Over the course of the month, Zhou Yuwen and Lu Wanting did not just stay cooped up at home. After all, they were not far from where Su Qing was studying. He naturally visited her at school from time to time, keeping her company and sharing meals together on campus.

However, it was obvious that the events back in China were still affecting Su Qing.

Whenever Zhou Yuwen wanted to be intimate, Su Qing would not refuse him, but it was clear that her focus was no longer on romance. Instead, she spent this period relentlessly cramming and improving her English.

Even though her English was already excellent, one could easily tell she genuinely wanted to pour her energy into other pursuits—or, at the very least, not solely into Zhou Yuwen.

Zhou Yuwen felt that this was perfectly fine for Su Qing.

Their relationship had never been that of simple lovers; it leaned more toward family. In Zhou Yuwen's heart, Su Qing was entirely different from all the other girls.

This was simply a matter of course. The two of them were a true community of shared interests.

As Su Qing continued to mature, she would eventually realize this as well.

Therefore, when Zhou Yuwen brought Lu Wanting along for meals, Su Qing acutely noticed a subtle shift in their dynamic. For one, the way Lu Wanting looked at Zhou Yuwen had lost its former respectfulness, replaced instead by a trace of enigmatic affection.

It was a look Su Qing was all too familiar with.

Yet Su Qing did not say a word about it. She merely minded her own business, casually chatting with Zhou Yuwen about recent happenings at school before mentioning the things she needed.

She told him which tutoring classes she wanted to sign up for and that she needed money to do so.

Zhou Yuwen simply handed her a new credit card, telling her it had no limit and that she should feel free to use it however she pleased.

Su Qing hummed in acknowledgment and accepted the card without standing on ceremony.

To be honest, a person's attitude tends to shift alongside their position in life.

For instance, when Lu Wanting previously noticed Zhou Yuwen having so many women around him, she would only whisper complaints about him in her heart, or perhaps feel a little bad for Su Qing.

But now that Lu Wanting had become Zhou Yuwen's woman herself, things were different.

Seeing Zhou Yuwen so generously hand Su Qing an unlimited credit card, especially given Su Qing's nonchalant attitude toward him, changed her perspective.

Lu Wanting felt quite dissatisfied.

Perhaps because she had been thoroughly conquered by Zhou Yuwen, Lu Wanting was somewhat unwilling to share him with other women. When she was being meticulously cared for by him, she would even entertain a certain delusion.

That delusion was: 'Could it be that Zhou Yuwen loves me a little more than the rest?'

'Is it possible that Zhou Yuwen might give up all those other girls just for me?'

Of course, these were merely thoughts bubbling in Lu Wanting's mind; she never let them show on her face.

After pocketing the credit card, Su Qing asked Zhou Yuwen to take a stroll with her around the school.

Zhou Yuwen nodded and told Lu Wanting to wait for him where she was sitting.

"I'm supposed to stay here by myself?"

If it were the old Lu Wanting, she definitely would have just said yes. But now, she actually blurted out a complaint. Ultimately, she was acting spoiled because she knew she was favored. However, the moment the words left her mouth, Lu Wanting regretted it.

She realized she had spoken out of turn.

Zhou Yuwen looked at her and asked plainly, "Is that a problem?"

Lu Wanting was left feeling wronged, but she ultimately nodded in submission.

And so, Zhou Yuwen and Su Qing walked off together.

It was July in America, a day graced with gentle breezes and a clear, bright sky.

The heavens were an exceptionally brilliant shade of blue, dotted with a few scattered clouds that looked as though they had been deliberately painted on by a master's brush.

The entire campus basked in the tranquil and harmonious glow of the afternoon, the athletic fields covered in a lush blanket of green grass.

A group of blonde girls dressed in sporty jerseys and long white socks were sweating profusely as they played a spirited game of soccer on the field.

This was a women's college, and men were normally not allowed to enter.

But since Zhou Yuwen had donated a generous sum of money to the school, he was free to come and go at his leisure.

Su Qing knew that Zhou Yuwen had been playing the stock market recently, but she felt his spending had become a bit too extravagant and hoped he would exercise some restraint. Zhou Yuwen assured her that he knew exactly what he was doing.

"I made eighty million dollars from Vipshop, and though the other stocks yielded a bit less, that's still nearly twenty million dollars. All in all, we now have nearly one billion in assets."

Zhou Yuwen explained as the two of them walked along the edge of the field.

Su Qing asked him what his plans were.

Zhou Yuwen revealed his intention to establish a private equity fund and have her manage it, adding that how well it performed would be entirely up to her.

"Besides, all the money made over here will be left to our children in the future anyway," Zhou Yuwen added at the end.

Su Qing froze for a moment, turning her head to shoot Zhou Yuwen a complicated look.

Zhou Yuwen asked her what was wrong.

Su Qing shook her head and replied that it was nothing.

Then, she smiled. Zhou Yuwen was always like this, casually flirting and tugging at her heartstrings when she least expected it.

Zhou Yuwen asked Su Qing how she knew he had been making money in the stock market.

Su Qing was utterly speechless as she replied, "Vipshop quite literally listed your name on their shareholder registry. How could I possibly not know?"

"Tian Tian was the one who told me."

"Tian Tian?"

"Zhang Tianze."

Zhou Yuwen finally understood. Chuckling, he said, "It seems you two have a pretty good relationship. You're already calling her Tian Tian so soon?"

Su Qing pouted her lips. "I had no choice. I'm all alone and helpless over here, and you never come to keep me company."

"Tian Tian really is a wonderful girl," Su Qing praised sincerely.

Zhou Yuwen agreed with this assessment. Just by looking at Zhang Tianze, one could tell she was a girl with incredibly high emotional intelligence. If she actively wanted to befriend someone, she could undoubtedly make that person feel as comfortable as a gentle spring breeze.

Moreover, the more Zhou Yuwen's reputation soared in the outside world, the more Zhang Tianze—who certainly kept her ear to the ground—would naturally gravitate toward Su Qing.

Of course, it was not fair to view people with such cynicism. Perhaps Zhang Tianze simply wanted to make a friend. After all, they were both navigating life in a foreign country.

Speak of the devil, and he shall appear.

Just as they were chatting about Zhang Tianze, Su Qing's phone suddenly rang.

The caller ID displayed the name Tian Tian.

Su Qing connected the call.

"Hello? Su Qing, where are you? Didn't we agree to do speaking practice together this afternoon?" Zhang Tianze's sweet voice drifted through the receiver.

Only then did Su Qing remember. "Oh, Tian Tian, I might not be able to make it today. My boyfriend came to the school to visit me," she explained.

Zhang Tianze let out an "oh" before asking with genuine surprise, "Zhou Yuwen is at your school?!"

"Yes, that's right."

"Okay! You two go ahead and catch up. I'll look for you a bit later, then."

"Alright."

The two exchanged a few brief words before hanging up.

Zhou Yuwen chuckled once more. "Not bad at all. You've made a new friend so quickly."

Su Qing just smiled, not yet speaking.

Right at that moment, her phone rang once more.

It was Zhang Tianze again. The moment the call connected, an embarrassed voice sounded from the other end. "Um, Su Qing... how about I come find you right now? Actually, well... Brother Dong just got here. He heard that Zhou Yuwen is around, and he wants to invite you both out for a meal."

A hint of awkwardness laced Zhang Tianze's voice. Wife diplomacy was, after all, one of the most common forms of networking.

The year 2014 marked the period of fastest wealth accumulation for Brother Dong. JD.com had just listed on the NASDAQ with a valuation of forty billion dollars. Using a dual-class stock structure, Brother Dong held a minority of JD shares. Nevertheless, his personal net worth still hovered around twenty-four billion.

Compared to Liu Dongqiang, Zhou Yuwen's current scale was nothing to brag about. Even adding in his stock market profits, his total net worth was only around one billion, which did not even amount to a fraction of Liu Dongqiang's fortune.

However, Zhou Yuwen was currently riding a massive wave of fame as the 'Little God of Wall Street.'

Since Zhou Yuwen had largely kept to himself recently, he was entirely unaware that news of his exploits had already spread like wildfire through the upper-crust circles. The first people to catch wind of it were naturally heavyweights like Liu Dongqiang.

In truth, it was not a hard puzzle to piece together.

A while ago, rumors had surfaced about someone aggressively buying up Vipshop stock.

Then, shortly after, Zhou Yuwen had suddenly emerged as a major shareholder.

Even an idiot could connect the dots and figure out the gist of it.

Liu Dongqiang harbored a profound interest in this figure known as Zhou Yuwen.

He himself had achieved fame at a relatively young age, but when he was Zhou Yuwen's age, he was still peddling computers in Zhongguancun. Yet this Zhou Yuwen was already a shareholder of a publicly traded company like Vipshop.

Coincidentally, JD.com had just gone public as well, and he wanted to consult Zhou Yuwen about the intricacies of the stock market.

Upon hearing from Zhang Tianze that Zhou Yuwen was at Barnard, he immediately dropped everything he was doing and rushed over.

Zhou Yuwen had originally wanted to chat with Su Qing a bit longer, but he had not expected the other party to arrive so quickly.

The first to appear was Zhang Tianze.

The girl was dressed quite modestly in a pink hoodie paired with jeans. From a fair distance away, she waved and called out, "Su Qing!"

Su Qing and Zhou Yuwen had been enjoying a pleasant chat in the garden. Seeing the girl approaching, they walked over to meet her.

"I'm so sorry, Brother Dong will still be a little while, so I came over first. I'm not disturbing you two, am I?" Zhang Tianze asked with a bright smile.

Zhou Yuwen chuckled lightly. "You're already here, yet you still feel the need to ask that?" he teased.

Su Qing tugged sharply at Zhou Yuwen's clothes, silently warning him to watch his mouth.

Zhou Yuwen just smiled and did not say anything more.

Zhang Tianze did not mind his teasing in the slightest. Instead, she playfully stuck out her tongue and said, "I just wanted to get a quick glimpse of the 'Little God of Wall Street' who has been dominating the market! Master, could you take me under your wing when you trade stocks in the future? I want to earn some extra pocket money, too!"

Recently, the drama 'Love O2O' had been airing to immense popularity.

Acting like an absolute fangirl, Zhang Tianze really did resemble the female lead from the show.

Zhou Yuwen retorted, "You must be joking, Sister Tian. Do you really need me to guide you? When it comes to making money, who could possibly out-earn Brother Dong?"

"Oh please, how is that the same thing? His money is his, not mine. Even if we were to get married in the future, I could never ask for Brother Dong's money," Zhang Tianze declared.

Zhou Yuwen scoffed inwardly. 'Even if you wanted it, you wouldn't be able to get it. In the future, Brother Dong will only take a salary of one dollar a month. How would you even ask for that?'