Chapter 9 | The Last Trump Card

At four in the morning, the city lights, reflected through the rain, seemed coated with a cold, metallic sheen.

Shen Zhiyi sat at her desk, reviewing the contracts and construction plans for the C7 project. Her fingers occasionally tapped the surface, but sleep eluded her. Each heartbeat was accompanied by the tension of fluctuating stock prices.

Her phone vibrated; it was Lu Chenzhou calling.

“Awake?” His voice was deep and steady.

“Yes.” Her voice was slightly hoarse. “And you?”

“Awake too.” He chuckled softly for a few seconds. “There are some things that need to be dealt with now.”

Shen Zhiyi took a deep breath and sat up straight. She understood that this early morning, their battle had reached a crucial stage.

An hour before the market opened, in the Chenzhou Capital trading hall.

The latest market data flashed on the large screen, making stock price fluctuations clear at a glance.

Lu Chenzhou stood before the screen, his gaze cold and stern, his fingers lightly tapping the surface, as if each tap was measuring his opponent's rhythm.

The finance, legal, and public relations teams below the stage held their breath, so tense they almost dared not breathe.

“Sheng Yuan plans to force us out by manipulating the stock price,” Lu Chenzhou said in a low voice, his tone utterly calm, as if he were merely stating a weather report.

He paused, looking at Shen Zhiyi.

“There’s something I didn’t tell you yesterday.”

She frowned slightly. “What is it?”

He took a deep breath, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes.

“I’ve already made hidden arrangements regarding C7’s shareholding structure.”

“Hidden arrangements?” Her heart skipped a beat. “What do you mean?”

He explained slowly, “We’ve partnered with an overseas fund on a secret pledging scheme. If the stock price is suppressed and the funding chain breaks, they won’t be able to directly access C7’s shares.” Shen Zhiyi’s pupils contracted, her mind instantly calculating all the possible consequences.

“So…you anticipated every move Sheng Yuan made?”

“Not just anticipated.” Lu Chenzhou’s gaze was resolute, as if the world were under his control. “I prepared my final trump card.”

“The final trump card?” Her breath quickened; she could hardly believe her ears.

He moved closer to her, his voice low and powerful: “If C7 suffers a fatal blow, I will activate overseas funding to immediately replenish liquidity. At the same time, I will lock up the equity; no one can easily interfere with our project.”

Her fingers trembled slightly, almost reaching out to grab him.

“Lu Chenzhou…you…really…prepared everything for this?”

“Not just for you.” His gaze was deep and gentle. “It’s for our future together.”

The air froze in the hall. The light reflected on his face, like rain-washed light between skyscrapers, cold and resolute.

Shen Zhiyi whispered, “You never let me worry, yet you silently bear everything.”

“I never wanted you to worry,” he said.

Tears welled in her eyes. "But I'm worried about you."

He reached out and gently took her hand, his grip tender yet firm. "Then stand with me on this line."

Outside, the opening bell rang slowly. The numbers on the large screen surged like a tide, the stock price fluctuations that Sheng Yuan Group had tried to exert pressure on were stabilized, and the equity of the C7 project remained as solid as a rock.

Shen Zhiyi stared at the screen, her heart pounding with each beat.

She finally understood that Lu Chenzhou's ultimate trump card wasn't just money, but his comprehensive consideration for her, the project, and the future.

A storm was brewing, but at this moment, she knew—as long as they stood together, nothing could easily destroy them.

Lu Chenzhou whispered in her ear, "No matter how strong the storm, we won't fall."

She squeezed his hand and softly replied, "Mm."

At this moment, for the first time, they not only completely trusted each other emotionally, but also became each other's strongest support in their careers.

The neon lights outside the window reflected on the wet street, like a luminous trail tracing the city's path.

They both knew the real danger wasn't over, but at least now, they had a trump card to turn the tide.

Only at this moment did Shen Zhiyi truly believe—as long as Lu Chenzhou was there, she was willing to weather any storm alongside him.

The night was deep, the storm raged, but it couldn't shake their resolve to stand together. Four in the morning.

Shen Zhiyi couldn't sleep.

The neon lights outside the window shone brightly, washed clean by the rain, as if coated with a cold, metallic sheen.

She sat at her desk, reviewing the contracts and construction plans for the C7 project.

The phone vibrated.

It was Lu Chenzhou.

"Awake?"

"Yes," she replied softly.

"Can't sleep?"

"What about you?"

"Awake too." His voice was low and calm. "There are some things that need to be dealt with now."

—

One hour before the opening.

Inside the trading hall of Chenzhou Capital.

Lu Chenzhou stood calmly in front of the large screen, his fingers lightly tapping the table.

Below him were the finance, legal, and public relations teams, so tense they barely dared to breathe.

“Shengyuan plans to force us out by manipulating the stock price,” Lu Chenzhou said in a low voice.

He paused, looking at Shen Zhiyi.

“There’s something I didn’t tell you yesterday.”

She frowned.

“What is it?”

He took a deep breath.

“I’ve already made hidden arrangements regarding C7’s shareholding structure.”

“Hidden arrangements?” Her heart tightened.

“We’ve partnered with an overseas fund on a secret pledging scheme.”

“If the stock price is suppressed, causing a break in the cash flow, they won’t be able to directly access C7’s shares.”

Shen Zhiyi froze.

“You mean… you’ve anticipated every move your opponent makes?”

“Not just anticipated.” His gaze was firm. “I’ve prepared my final trump card.”

“Your final trump card?” Her heart raced.

He drew closer to her, his voice low and powerful.

“If C7 suffers a fatal blow, I will activate overseas funding to immediately replenish liquidity.”

“At the same time, lock up the equity stake; no one can easily interfere with our project.”

Her fingers trembled slightly.

“Lu Chenzhou…you…you did this for me…really…”

“Not just for you.” He looked at her, his gaze deep, “It’s for our future together.”

The air froze in the hall.

The light reflected on his face, like the light washed by rain between skyscrapers.

She whispered, “You…you never let me worry, yet you silently bear everything.”

He smiled slightly.

“I never wanted you to worry.”

Tears welled in her eyes.

“But I worry about you.”

He reached out and gently took her hand.

“Then stand with me on this line.”

The opening bell rang outside.

The numbers on the screen flickered.

Shengyuan Group’s stock price fluctuated slightly, but the equity stake in the C7 project remained rock solid.

She stared at the large screen, her heart pounding with every fluctuation.

He had one last trump card—not just funds, but his complete consideration for her and the project.

The storm was brewing.

But she understood now—

As long as they stood together, nothing could easily destroy them.

Lu Chenzhou whispered in her ear:

"No matter how strong the storm, we won't fall."

She gripped his hand tightly.

"Mmm."

For the first time, they not only completely trusted each other emotionally, but also became each other's strongest support in their careers.