Chapter 421: Do You Regret It?

Seeing Han Xinyan’s eager and puzzled gaze, Shen Fei smiled faintly and directly said,

“That’s because I want to use this opportunity to remind Qian Kun Group’s Chairman, Zhai Dashing, that I, Shen Fei, am entering the entertainment industry! In the future, when Qian Kun Group really can’t keep going and needs to sell off its entertainment sector, they’ll have to think of me first!”

At this point, Shen Fei’s smile widened, clearly confident about the matter.

As for the Jie Xing Media, it was just an information leak to Zhai Dashing!

What he really wanted was Qian Kun Group’s entertainment sector.

Under Qian Kun Group’s large company structure, the entertainment division was extremely vast and mature, with a considerable scale.

Even though Qian Kun Group hadn’t made much profit or built up much fame with it, Shen Fei was confident that, if he acquired the entertainment sector, he could turn it into an unprecedented entertainment empire.

All the best works would come from his company, and all top-tier artists would belong to his company. Even if the profits were smaller compared to his other businesses, the company would be famous both domestically and globally.

And all he would need to do is sit back and watch the money roll in.

This was Shen Fei’s real plan, with the advantage of foresight in this second life.

Han Xinyan gasped in disbelief, “You’re already eyeing their entertainment sector, even though Qian Kun Group hasn’t shown any signs of moving yet?”

Isn’t that too greedy?

Considering their current situation, they were nowhere near being able to acquire Qian Kun Group’s entertainment sector. And Shen Fei had already started scheming about their media company…

“Well, there’s no harm in taking a look, right?” Shen Fei raised an eyebrow and said meaningfully.

“But still, given the current situation, this plan seems too risky, doesn’t it?” Han Xinyan replied directly.

Shen Fei didn’t intend to continue discussing this with her.

“Xinyan, I’m just imagining the future business blueprint! As for the media sector of Qian Kun Group, that’s something that will take time to materialize! For now, we can’t afford it, and Qian Kun has no intention of selling!”

However, Han Xinyan, hearing this, furrowed her brows.

“So, what you’re saying is, Qian Kun Group is really about to run out of steam soon?”

“Yes! With Qian Kun Group’s Zhai Dashing going all-in, it won’t be long before they hit rock bottom!” Shen Fei nodded, then paused and smiled while adding some food to Han Xinyan’s plate.

“Alright, let’s stop discussing this. Eat before it gets cold!”

After Shen Fei and Han Xinyan ended the conversation, little Shen Jiayue finally spoke in a soft voice,

“Mommy, Daddy, why can’t I understand what you’re saying? I want to talk to you… but I’m so sleepy after finishing my meal… Can you eat quickly, then I can sleep? I want to ride the carousel this afternoon…”

During her speech, the little girl kept blinking her eyes, her head drooping as a clear sign of sleepiness.

“Jiayue, hang in there a little longer. After you eat, you can sleep. This afternoon, I’ll take you to ride the carousel, okay?” Shen Fei gently reassured her.

“Okay…”

After a brief rest, when the little girl woke up, Shen Fei and Han Xinyan took her to the amusement park.

They spent the entire afternoon enjoying the romantic atmosphere of the park as a family, only returning home after the grand fireworks show at night.

Meanwhile, what happened at the hotel that day had been captured by nearby tourists.

The conversation between Shen Fei, Jie Xing Media’s director, He Xi, and the director Bai Runqi was clearly recorded.

Once uploaded online, it immediately sparked heated discussions.

For most netizens, the first thought that came to mind when they heard Shen Fei’s name was “rich country bumpkin.”

Now, with news of Shen Fei attempting to acquire a small media company and sign a director, his actions again made him the hot topic of online discussions.

Late at night, various short-video platforms were filled with that hotel footage.

Soon, everyone, regardless of age or gender, knew who Shen Fei was.

With the video circulating, Shen Fei’s name was quickly linked to various trending topics and topped the hot search lists across platforms.

As for Shen Fei, he couldn’t care less.

It was as if today’s events hadn’t happened at all.

After a pleasant weekend, a new week began.

Han Xinyan and Shen Jiayue returned to their respective routines—Han Xinyan to work and Shen Jiayue to school.

Only Shen Fei stayed home at Yunhe Villa, happily playing the “Tianjue” mobile game.

At the same time, in Z.G.C restaurant,

Hu Yuantai called Duan Guxiang and Jiang Tiancheng over.

Soon, the international crude oil futures market was about to open.

According to Hu Yuantai’s expectations, once it opened, the price of international crude oil futures would surge to over a hundred dollars per barrel.

During the recent stock market closure, there were no changes to the situation Shen Fei had anticipated. In fact, many capital tycoons used this time to push crude oil prices even higher.

If this trend continued, once the market opened, oil prices would skyrocket.

“Tiancheng, do you regret pulling out of the market now?”

Duan Guxiang suddenly asked, sitting quietly at a corner of the restaurant.

Jiang Tiancheng shrugged indifferently, “What’s there to regret?”

Although Duan Guxiang didn’t directly say it, Jiang Tiancheng understood that Duan Guxiang was referring to their decision to pull out of the international crude oil futures market alongside Shen Fei.

“The situation in the Middle East and with the U.S. is still tense. Many capitalists are waiting for a war to break out between the two. If there’s even the slightest momentum, a full-scale war could break out at any moment! Given this, once the futures market opens today, oil prices will undoubtedly surge. So, are you really not regretting your decision?” Duan Guxiang continued.

Jiang Tiancheng shook his head, “No regrets. This investment was made because of Brother Fei’s suggestion. Even if we make a little profit, that’s enough for me!”

But, deep down, Jiang Tiancheng still felt some regret.

After all, during the stock market closure, there were no developments in the Middle East or with the U.S., and crude oil prices continued to rise.

But no matter what, he had followed Shen Fei’s lead and pulled out.

No matter how much they provoked him, he wouldn’t share his true thoughts.

“Brother Fei was just being overly cautious with his analysis of the situation! Although the U.S. side is unpredictable, with the Middle East already declaring retaliation, if the U.S. backs down hastily, how will they save face?”

Having spent so much time with Jiang Tiancheng, Hu Yuantai could easily see the fleeting trace of regret in his eyes.

But no matter what, he didn’t mock or ridicule him.

—————- END —————-

Chapter 422: Are You Sure About What You’re Saying?

When Hu Yuantai said those words, there was a hint of pride in his tone.

At the time, when Shen Fei made that statement, he was truly shaken.

But fortunately, he held firm and did not withdraw prematurely as Shen Fei had suggested. Otherwise, now he might be feeling regretful too, not just Jiang Tiancheng.

Even though the price of international crude oil futures was only around thirty dollars when they bought in, and even though when Shen Fei and Jiang Tiancheng sold, the price was only raised to sixty dollars, there was still a lot of money to be made. But knowing that the price of international crude oil futures would continue to rise, Hu Yuantai could never have been satisfied with such a small gain.

Not just him, but even the capital giants who were more powerful than him couldn’t bring themselves to pull out just yet.

“Now, things have developed to this point, and it’s all thanks to Fei Ge’s reassurance to us back then! Otherwise, we definitely wouldn’t have dared to buy into international crude oil futures. Even if we did, we’d have only made a small move, not the hundred billion we’ve invested now!”

After a brief moment of pride, Hu Yuantai then spoke in a clear voice.

“Fei Ge’s caution isn’t wrong. After all, we’ve already made nearly two hundred billion this week. That’s enough,” Duan Guxiang said in agreement.

“That’s true! Or maybe we were a bit impulsive and dissatisfied with what we’ve earned. In just two days, a lot has changed! So, Fei Ge’s caution is understandable! On the other hand, we were a bit irrational in our attitude towards this matter,” Hu Yuantai said in a low voice.

“But do you know that Fei Ge is being hotly discussed online now? It’s because Fei Ge plans to acquire some company called Jiexing Media and enter the entertainment industry. The comments from netizens about Fei Ge are mostly insults, although some do understand his actions, but they are in the minority. The people defending Fei Ge have been squeezed out! Now, the majority are criticizing him!” Duan Guxiang suddenly said.

“Tsk, I don’t get it. Why do these netizens always feel the need to criticize? I mean, how does what others do affect them?” Jiang Tiancheng said angrily.

“Alright, Fei Ge hasn’t said anything, yet you’re here getting worked up! But seriously, do you think Fei Ge’s sudden move into the entertainment industry is for real?” Duan Guxiang asked with a frown.

“Fei Ge has his own reasons for doing things. But whatever he does, it always turns out for the best! This move can only mean that Fei Ge has already considered it, and when the time was right, he made his move! Based on Fei Ge’s previous operations, every project that was initially overlooked always ends up surprising everyone!” Jiang Tiancheng said with a smirk, continuing, “And come on, do you really think Fei Ge is impulsive? Jiexing Media is a small, mediocre company, and Bai Runqi’s reputation in the industry is terrible. If Fei Ge were impulsive, wouldn’t that be a huge mistake? But I’m sure it’s not like that! I don’t know if Fei Ge had his eye on that company for a long time, but I’m certain he’s been planning to bring Bai Runqi under his wing for a while!”

At this, the other two were left in a daze.

They knew how fervent Jiang Tiancheng’s admiration for Shen Fei was.

Not just Jiang Tiancheng, but they too had blind faith in Shen Fei’s abilities. But to say that so confidently was a bit too much.

“What do you mean by that?” Duan Guxiang asked, confused.

Now it was Jiang Tiancheng’s turn to be smug. He glanced at the two of them and said with full confidence, “Not to say, but didn’t you notice? Take the ‘Tianjue’ mobile game for instance. Dragon Light Media was a small company on the verge of collapse. The former owner was begging for investments everywhere, but everyone turned him down! But once Fei Ge acquired them, they’ve reached their current success!”

“And there’s another example. Take Fei Ge’s current product, Scar Healing! After Tang Xingwen was kicked out of his previous company, he was constantly hitting walls. But the product, which others thought was impossible to launch, came to life once Fei Ge brought him in!”

“So, do you still not understand what Fei Ge is doing?”

After listening to Jiang Tiancheng’s analysis, Duan Guxiang was stunned. Then, with a puzzled look, he asked, “You’re saying the company that developed ‘Tianjue,’ Dragon Light Media, is actually Fei Ge’s company?”

“Yeah, didn’t you check? It’s easy to find out! Fei Ge is the majority shareholder of that company! Given what happened before, I want to know now, how can I convince Fei Ge to let me have a share of the entertainment sector?” Jiang Tiancheng raised an eyebrow, looking troubled.

Clearly, his analysis made perfect sense to the other two.

Because both Duan Guxiang and Hu Yuantai began to consider it eagerly.

But as Jiang Tiancheng thought and thought, he couldn’t come up with a solution. When he saw their expressions, he immediately regretted speaking too much.

He had gone too far.

Originally, he could have gotten a big share, but now, the share had shrunk. Who could accept that?

Just then, Hu Yuantai’s phone rang.

When he saw the number on the screen, Hu Yuantai’s heart skipped a beat.

It was fifteen minutes before the international futures market opened.

But he suddenly felt uneasy.

After all, the person calling was someone who could immediately know about the war situation between the two countries on the other side of the ocean.

He wasn’t sure what they were going to say now.

“What is it?” Hu Yuantai asked, swallowing hard.

Less than two minutes later, his previously steady emotions collapsed once again.

The usually calm Hu Yuantai was now visibly shaken.

The last time he was like this was when he first heard about the bombing of the Middle East by the U.S.

But last time, when he heard the news, he was overjoyed.

This time, however, he was weighed down by a deep sense of dread.

“Are you sure about this?” Hu Yuantai took a deep breath and asked again.

Seeing Hu Yuantai in this state for the first time, Jiang Tiancheng and Duan Guxiang were both startled.

After hearing a firm answer on the phone, Hu Yuantai nearly went mad. He shouted loudly, “How could this be? How is this possible!”

His exclamation made other diners at nearby tables turn around, looking at him with curiosity.

—————- END —————-

Chapter 423: A Fatal Blow!

When Hu Yuantai hung up the phone, Duan Guxiang immediately asked with concern,

“Yuantai, what happened?”

Even Jiang Tiancheng, who was beside him, stared at Hu Yuantai with a tense expression. After all, they had been friends for a long time, and this was the first time they had seen Hu Yuantai so shaken.

“Currently, the news is that the U.S. has given up on confronting the Middle East. They are willing to stop the confrontation and talk for the sake of peace, while there’s still a chance!”

Hu Yuantai said bitterly.

“Huh? Does that mean they stopped fighting?” Duan Guxiang exclaimed in surprise.

“Yes, the U.S. has issued an official statement! If that’s the case, then the situation is definitely calming down!”

Hu Yuantai’s brows furrowed deeply.

“But… this is the U.S.! Aren’t they supposed to be so powerful? Now they’re backing down? And as for the Middle East, they lost an excellent officer because of the U.S.! How can they talk about peace?” Duan Guxiang said, indignantly.

If Hu Yuantai’s news was true, then once the international crude oil futures market opened, the price of oil would plummet rapidly. At that point, he wouldn’t even know if they could offload their stocks.

If no one was willing to buy, it would just sit there, worthless.

Under the premise of peace talks between the two sides, the price of international crude oil would not just stay at sixty dollars; it might even drop to forty-five, with no buyers in sight!

Ignoring Duan Guxiang’s outburst, Hu Yuantai pulled out his computer and opened the futures trading screen.

At this point, there was still a while before the international futures market opened.

Hu Yuantai couldn’t afford to be distracted or careless. He focused completely on the computer screen.

The entire international media had already reported that the U.S. was no longer confronting the Middle East and was eager to reconcile. Meanwhile, the Middle East side had said they were ready for peace if the U.S. wasn’t willing to fight, for the sake of world peace.

These were the latest updates.

With both countries’ representatives saying as much, it was clear that a war wouldn’t break out.

In just three minutes, the tension between the two countries completely vanished, and the large-scale conflict that major capitalists had been anticipating was now off the table.

“If this is true, then the price of international crude oil won’t rise anymore?”

Hu Yuantai also saw the news on his screen. After quickly translating it, he said with disbelief, “I can’t believe it.”

His mood was like riding a roller coaster.

Just a few minutes ago, when Duan Guxiang asked him, though he didn’t show it on the surface, he had some regrets inside. After all, the rise in oil prices was just too tempting.

“Heh, I was just saying Fei Ge was too cautious! Now, I look like a fool!”

After realizing the current international situation, Hu Yuantai forced himself to steady his emotions.

Even so, he couldn’t stop trembling.

This time, for him, it was an unprecedented experience. It was a fatal blow.

And this “fatal” blow wasn’t about money.

While one hundred billion wasn’t a small amount, it wasn’t a huge sum for him either.

What mattered most was that all these funds were essentially picked up behind Shen Fei.

Even if he lost everything, he would just have to accept that his previous moves were in vain.

Besides, it wouldn’t be a total loss.

This “fatal” blow was about his misplaced confidence.

After Shen Fei’s repeated advice, he still doubted what Shen Fei had said.

When he saw the international situation unfold, he had even dismissed Shen Fei’s warnings.

He had believed that Shen Fei was wrong.

And this blind confidence was the root cause of his heavy losses.

In that moment, a wave of regret surged from the depths of his heart.

If he had listened to Shen Fei’s advice and didn’t pull out, the three hundred billion Shen Fei had invested would have resulted in a loss of over one hundred billion.

Hu Yuantai sucked in a cold breath.

It was fortunate that this didn’t happen, otherwise, he would have truly regretted it.

“Yuantai, don’t scare yourself. Things haven’t gotten that bad yet!”

Jiang Tiancheng, who was never one to offer comfort, patted Hu Yuantai’s shoulder to reassure him.

“Not that bad? Tiancheng, this is worse than we thought! I’m such an idiot!”

Hu Yuantai panicked instantly.

“The market’s opened!”

As soon as the international futures market opened, Duan Guxiang handed the computer to Hu Yuantai.

Hu Yuantai followed the sound and started operating his own computer without hesitation.

His movements were fluid, not one bit sluggish.

Sure enough, as soon as the market opened, the price of international crude oil dropped sharply.

The price had risen so quickly before, and now it was falling just as rapidly.

The hundred-dollar-per-barrel target that had been hoped for was no longer even worth mentioning.

At this point, if they could hold the price at forty-five dollars per barrel, they would be lucky.

“Yuantai, can’t we sell faster?”

Seeing the price fall, Duan Guxiang anxiously asked.

“I know, but rushing won’t help!”

Hu Yuantai frowned.

Even so, he obediently listed all of his oil futures for sale.

But as he had feared, no one was buying.

“Sigh, we were really blinded back then! This is the result of greed. If we had just followed Fei Ge’s advice, we wouldn’t be in this situation now! If we really can’t sell, we’ll just be stuck with it!” Duan Guxiang said, disheartened.

“Looking at the situation, we’re not the only ones who can’t sell. The big capitalists are more eager to sell than we are! For us, with one hundred fifty billion, how much can the small investors even take?” Hu Yuantai also frowned.

“Are you saying we should just give up?”

Duan Guxiang’s face dropped.

“Don’t panic yet. It hasn’t dropped below fifty dollars yet. When we bought in, it was thirty-two dollars, so there’s still a chance to recover!”

Jiang Tiancheng took a deep breath and tried to comfort them.

After a pause, seeing the two of them panicking, he continued,

“I think you two should stop freaking out. Call Fei Ge and see what he says. You can figure out the next steps together after that!”

—————- END —————-

Chapter 424: Did You Know Already?

Seeking Brother Fei’s Opinion?

This suggestion is undoubtedly the best solution right now.

After all, compared to aimless speculation and panic, asking Brother Fei for his opinion on the matter would clearly help them stay calm.

Even so, who would make the call to Brother Fei?

“Uh… I’m a bit embarrassed to make the call…”

Hu Yuantai casually ran his hand through his hair, feeling very agitated.

“Sigh, you two should make the call yourselves; that shows sincerity!”

Seeing that both of them turned their gazes toward him at the same time, Jiang Tiancheng quickly waved his hands.

Hearing this, Duan Guxiang sucked in a breath.

“Let me handle this!”

He took out his phone, opened the contacts list, and stared at Brother Fei’s number, scrolling over it again and again.

After several deep breaths, he finally mustered the courage to press the call button.

Not only that, he turned on speakerphone and lowered the volume so that all three of them could hear Brother Fei without others overhearing.

The dial tone didn’t last long.

“Mm? Guxiang, why are you suddenly calling me?”

Inside Yunhe Villa, when Duan Guxiang’s call came through, Shen Fei spoke in a puzzled tone.

He knew why the call had been made.

The last time, on Friday, only Jiang Tiancheng and he had discussed withdrawing from the market.

Now two days had passed since the international futures market had reopened.

If his memory served him right, by now, both the Ugly Country and the Middle East should have already sent signals indicating a willingness to negotiate peace.

So, Duan Guxiang calling him now likely meant that he and Hu Yuantai’s futures positions had been locked in.

Although he knew the reason for the call, Shen Fei wasn’t about to point it out bluntly.

“Brother Fei, what are you doing?” Duan Guxiang asked in return, his tone even more humble than before.

“Hm? Me? I’m playing a game, ‘Tianjue’! When you’re free, we should all play together,” Shen Fei replied with a smile.

Play games together?

He and Hu Yuantai weren’t in the mood for that at all.

“Brother Fei, we were ignorant!” Duan Guxiang suddenly changed the subject.

Shen Fei, with a slight smirk, still feigned ignorance and asked, “What do you mean? How were you ignorant?”

“Brother Fei, stop teasing us! We should have closely followed you on the international crude oil trade! Back then, we were overconfident and didn’t know our limits,” Duan Guxiang said bitterly.

“Hm? The price of international crude oil fell? Your positions can’t be liquidated?” Shen Fei asked.

“Yes! Brother Fei, the situation is just as you predicted—Ugly Country and the Middle East have both signaled a ceasefire, and the two countries won’t go to war! This information was released before the futures market opened, and the Middle East is willing to accept this face-saving exit! As soon as the market opened, crude oil prices plummeted!”

“If it were just a drop, it would be easier to solve. We bought at over thirty dollars, so as long as we can sell, we’d still make some profit. But now, the problem is, even if we want to sell, no one is buying! We’re stuck, aren’t we?” Duan Guxiang quickly explained.

Now that Shen Fei was addressing the issue, Duan Guxiang hurried to clarify.

“So? Does this mean I should buy more?” Shen Fei teased.

“Brother Fei, are you kidding? How could we dare to do that?” Duan Guxiang shook his head seriously, even though he knew Shen Fei wasn’t being serious.

Hearing Duan Guxiang’s response, Shen Fei understood that the two were genuinely anxious.

He became more serious.

“Alright, let’s not go off-topic. What did you want to talk to me about with this call?”

“Brother Fei, with this situation in the futures market, at the time, we were at a loss! So, we called you because we want to hear your opinion! Now, even if we make less profit or lose a little, we won’t complain! We just need some guidance. Looking at the price drop, and not being able to liquidate, we’re as anxious as ants on a hot pan. It’s really frustrating!” Duan Guxiang said, furrowing his brows.

“Alright, I understand! But given the current stock price, it’s still somewhat difficult to sell. However, neither the Ugly Country nor the Middle East wants to see crude oil prices collapse. So for now, the only thing we can do is wait! Wait until the price reaches a reasonable level, and the futures market will stabilize.”

Shen Fei didn’t beat around the bush and directly provided his analysis. After a brief pause, he continued,

“If you’re looking for a morale booster, I think forty dollars is a reasonable price!”

In the trajectory of events from his past life, crude oil prices did indeed fall to forty dollars.

Even so, many large capital players still took significant losses.

After all, when tensions rose between the Ugly Country and the Middle East, those capital giants pushed oil prices up to sixty dollars.

A twenty-dollar difference was something those giants couldn’t easily absorb.

“Hm? Brother Fei, forty dollars? Does that mean Hu Yuantai and I can still make a small profit from this?” Duan Guxiang asked in surprise.

Having bought in at thirty-two dollars, Duan Guxiang thought that if they could sell at thirty-five dollars, he’d be grateful.

But now Shen Fei was suggesting they might still be able to sell around forty dollars.

That was quite surprising.

“Yes, theoretically, that’s how it should work, or at least that’s my analysis. But this price won’t drop to forty dollars so quickly, so you should wait, or set your price at forty dollars and see if anyone buys!” Shen Fei said loudly.

Upon hearing this, Duan Guxiang went silent.

After a long pause, he finally spoke.

“Brother Fei, thank you! Even though I didn’t want to see this situation, I’m relieved to hear what you said. If only I had listened to you earlier… but now, hearing you say this, I feel more at ease.”

After hearing Duan Guxiang’s words, Shen Fei didn’t comment further.

There was no response from the other side either.

“Alright, is that all? Should I hang up?”

“Sigh, alright, alright!”

Just as Duan Guxiang finished speaking, the voice on the other end suddenly said, “Wait.”

Hu Yuantai adjusted his phone and directly said,

“Brother Fei, I was wrong before! I was overconfident and didn’t heed your advice!”

“That’s a good thing, you should have your own opinions! I just analyzed things based on the information I saw! If you all just followed me, I’d feel a lot of pressure!” Shen Fei laughed.

“Brother Fei, regarding this matter, I really want to ask you—how were you so sure that the Middle East and the Ugly Country wouldn’t go to war? Even though you gave your analysis before, I still feel like it’s not that simple! The timing of their ceasefire, right before the futures market opened—doesn’t that seem strange? So I just want to know, did you already know that this would happen?”

Hu Yuantai took a deep breath and quickly asked the question that had been bothering him.

—————- END —————-

Chapter 425: Do you think I’m stupid?

When Shen Fei exited the market earlier, he did so decisively, immediately unloading over 30 billion in oil futures.

Before the international futures market went on break, Shen Fei had repeatedly advised him about the situation.

But at the time, Hu Yuantai hadn’t taken it seriously.

Now, upon reflection, the developments seem somewhat suspicious.

More than the fluctuations in oil futures prices, what truly perplexes Hu Yuantai is Shen Fei’s unhesitant attitude toward selling off his holdings.

The excuse that Shen Fei gave about the “crazy” behavior of the U.S. simply didn’t have much convincing power.

This is precisely why Hu Yuantai feels so confused.

After hearing Hu Yuantai’s question, Shen Fei remained silent for a while.

Then he cleared his throat and said directly,

“Actually, I didn’t notice anything unusual. It’s just that I analyzed the international situation, and that’s why I concluded that the price of international crude oil wouldn’t exceed $100 a barrel. When you look at the bigger picture, this whole operation seems more like a setup.”

Shen Fei’s reasoning was based on speculations from people in his previous life.

In his past life, both the U.S. and the Middle East acted in a similar manner: the operation came quickly and vanished just as fast, leaving everyone unable to figure out what their true goal was.

Even global political and intelligence organizations couldn’t predict the real motive behind the U.S. and Middle East actions.

It wasn’t until much later, when the event was revisited, that people began to put together clues and speculate on what had actually happened.

This time, Shen Fei was merely echoing those speculations.

But Hu Yuantai was still unclear.

“Fei Ge, what do you mean by this operation being a setup?”

“It’s easy to understand. Before the U.S. president was elected, what was his occupation?” Shen Fei asked in a low voice.

“He was a businessman!” Hu Yuantai replied immediately.

“Yes, a businessman! And what is the ultimate goal of a businessman? To make money! His position as president gives him the convenience to make money,” Shen Fei said loudly.

This left Hu Yuantai feeling lost.

Before he could say anything, Shen Fei continued,

“Although he is the leader of the U.S. now, his entire life has been about business, maximizing profits. So, in this matter, compared to previous leaders who tried to create conflicts and pick fights with other countries, this person’s approach is more in line with a peaceful mindset. He values harmony above all. Do you still think this person would go to war with another country?”

After hearing Shen Fei’s analysis, Hu Yuantai fell into deep thought, quickly running through what Shen Fei said in his mind, comparing it with what he already knew.

After a long pause without any reply, Shen Fei continued,

“I don’t think he would. And if he started a war, I suspect two main reasons: one, to profit from both the U.S. and Middle Eastern countries, and two, for his family’s benefit. But the first reason is unlikely, because war wouldn’t benefit the U.S. So the second reason is more probable!”

“For the benefit of himself and his family, they’re willing to use the war to raise oil prices, buying low and selling high. Once they have made enough profit, they’ll lower their stance and appear ready to negotiate for peace, maximizing their profits. This is my analysis, so when the war started, I remained rational, thinking the time was almost right. I was satisfied with the profits, so I told you to sell!”

“But you two didn’t listen to my repeated warnings… It doesn’t matter now, since this is just my guess. As for what the leader’s true intentions are, we’ll never know, and they won’t tell us!”

At this point, Hu Yuantai finally began to understand everything.

Had Shen Fei not said this, he would never have connected the dots.

Now, thinking about it, things started to make sense.

Even though the reasons for starting this war seem unbelievable, this strategy fits perfectly with the way the U.S. operates. Even if they suddenly announce peace with the Middle East, it will provoke outrage, but there won’t be any suspicion.

What shocked Hu Yuantai more was how Shen Fei, based on the initial actions of the U.S., could make such an accurate prediction about how things would develop, and then quickly sold off all his oil futures at the critical moment.

It’s incredible!

If the U.S. does indeed end the war like Shen Fei said, then this is truly extraordinary; no one in the world could have predicted it like he did!

“Fei Ge, if what you say is true, why wouldn’t the U.S. continue the war? Why not drag it out and wait until the big players invest more money before pulling out?”

After a long silence, Jiang Tiancheng, who had remained quiet, suddenly asked.

Hearing Jiang Tiancheng’s question, Shen Fei almost lost his patience and wanted to scold him directly.

At this moment, even Duan Guxiang and Hu Yuantai gave him an annoyed look.

“What’s wrong? Why are you looking at me like I’m an idiot?” Jiang Tiancheng hesitated.

“Alright, I’m not going to explain it to you! If you don’t understand, ask Hu Yuantai or Duan Guxiang!”

After saying that, Shen Fei hung up.

At Z.G.C Restaurant.

Jiang Tiancheng, looking confused, turned to Hu Yuantai and Duan Guxiang.

“Hey, what’s going on with you guys? Do you think I’m stupid?”

“Of course!” Hu Yuantai replied without hesitation.

“Hey, what are you…”

Jiang Tiancheng didn’t like this.

Before Jiang Tiancheng could complain, Hu Yuantai spoke up first.

“If, as you said, the U.S. stretched out the war and there was no major move from the Middle East, could it have ended? When that happens, their intentions would be exposed! But the situation is different now. They’ve used the war to raise oil prices, buying low and selling high. Once the profits are enough, they can announce peace. With two more days of market closure, they can wipe away any signs of this plan. Then, before the market opens, they can announce peace with the Middle East, which fits perfectly with their unpredictable behavior!”

Seeing Jiang Tiancheng still frowning, Hu Yuantai sighed.

“Let me explain it like this: do you think the U.S. could keep the Middle East on edge for longer? Even if they wanted to, could the Middle East endure it? Once the war starts, the entire plan will collapse. The consequences won’t be something they can control. So, stopping the war before things escalate further was the best move!”