That’s just how the stock market works. Everything changes in an instant. Because no one can predict what will happen next, some people will inevitably make money, and others will lose it.

Ye Ling wasn’t reading his book anymore. Instead, he was focused on the news online.

Another short half-hour passed, and Bauhinia Energy’s stock price had already fallen by nearly ten percent compared to its opening price.

What was most damning was that even in this situation, Bauhinia Energy remained silent. Not a single person had come forward to make a statement.

And so, the entire market grew even more panicked. In an instant, all the buy orders vanished, while the sell orders flooded the system!

With things escalating to this point, could it be that Bauhinia Energy’s upper management hadn’t noticed?

That was absolutely impossible!

This only meant one thing: the revelations online were all true. The majority of investors weren’t fools, and many who had been watching from the sidelines now scrambled to sell.

After all, stocks weren’t the same as cash. They could turn into worthless paper at any moment. Only the cold, hard cash in hand was real!

This situation was clearly a showdown between major players. Ordinary people like them wouldn’t dare get involved. If they stuck around, they would most likely end up getting fleeced.

The stock market’s morning session typically runs from 9:30 AM to 11:30 AM. After a one-and-a-half-hour break, it resumes at 1:00 PM and continues until the market closes at 3:00 PM.

By the time the market broke for recess at 11:30 AM, Bauhinia Energy’s stock price had shockingly fallen by twelve percent from its opening price.

In just half a day, its market value had evaporated by nearly one hundred billion!

It couldn’t be helped. The scandal that had erupted was simply too big. Something like this would likely even attract the attention of Xia Country’s top leadership. It was safe to say that Bauhinia Energy was finished!

The new energy sector had been a hot topic recently, and many people had their eyes on this big piece of cake. However, in such an immature market, many problems were bound to arise.

And the resolution of these problems would require certain conflicts to be instigated and exposed. Unfortunately for Bauhinia Energy, it had become the fuse!

And once that fuse was truly lit, the flames would spread to the entire market!

Then again, if a problem like this wasn’t resolved, it would only lead to much bigger issues down the line.

Ye Ling glanced at the time. It was about time for lunch. He stood up and headed toward the School of Arts, planning to find Ning Ruoxi and eat first.

He wasn’t worried about the stock market at all. It had only been half a day, and Bauhinia Energy’s stock had already plummeted so much. The moment the market opened in the afternoon, the atmosphere of panic would definitely intensify.

And Bauhinia Energy’s stock price was bound to take a second dive!

When Ye Ling arrived at the School of Arts, Ning Ruoxi’s classes hadn’t ended yet. He waited for about fifteen minutes before a crowd started to emerge from the academic building. 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

Ning Ruoxi was quite tall, and with her unique aura, Ye Ling spotted her at a glance and gave her a wave.

Ning Ruoxi was also searching for Ye Ling in the crowd. When she saw him, she immediately jogged over.

"What do you want for lunch today?"

Because of the situation with Bauhinia Energy, Ye Ling was in a good mood and smiled at Ning Ruoxi beside him.

"Mmm... I’m kind of craving boboji."

Ning Ruoxi licked her lips as she spoke, having suddenly thought of something.

Boboji wasn’t actually chicken cooked in a pot. It was more like skewers served in a spicy broth, with the main ingredient being sliced chicken. It’s considered a type of Sichuan cuisine.

"Yueyue told me that Cafeteria Number Two has boboji recently. It’s a new dish, and I want to try it," Ning Ruoxi added as an explanation.

"Alright, I’ll take you."

Ye Ling ruffled Ning Ruoxi’s hair, his eyes filled with an adoring smile.

Although Ning Ruoxi came from a particularly prominent and wealthy family, she wasn’t especially picky about food. She could adapt perfectly well to the cafeterias at Modu University.

The School of Arts was one of the last to let out for the morning. By the time Ye Ling and Ning Ruoxi arrived, the place was already packed.

"Looks like this boboji is pretty popular."

Ye Ling sighed helplessly, shaking his head as he looked at the long line.

"Maybe we should eat it some other time?"

Ning Ruoxi didn’t throw a fit; instead, she said considerately.

"Ye Ling?"

Just then, a voice called out from behind Ye Ling. He turned and saw it was Zhou Xing.

"Hello, Teacher Zhou."

Ning Ruoxi had met Zhou Xing the other day when she was looking for Ye Ling, so she naturally knew who he was and greeted him respectfully.

Zhou Xing’s status at Modu University was now quite high. In the field of computer science, he was basically the university’s leading figure.

"Are you two here for the boboji?"

Zhou Xing chuckled. He didn’t have the slightest air of a professor about him and gave off a very approachable vibe.

In truth, this was mainly because the extreme computer skills Ye Ling had demonstrated last time had thoroughly earned his admiration.

That was why he treated Ye Ling entirely as a peer.

"Yes, but the line is too long."

Ye Ling couldn’t help but give a wry smile.

"Follow me."

Zhou Xing waved his hand dismissively, then turned and headed for the second floor of the cafeteria.

Ye Ling was momentarily stunned. Though he didn’t know what the professor meant, he took Ning Ruoxi’s hand and followed him.

Next to the dining area on the second floor, there was a small, separate room. This was usually where professors and associate professors ate.

The moment Zhou Xing led Ye Ling and Ning Ruoxi inside, Ye Ling understood what he was doing and couldn’t help but reveal another wry smile.

"Teacher Zhou, isn’t it a bit inappropriate for us to eat here?"

Ye Ling thought for a moment but couldn’t stop himself from saying it.

After all, no matter how you looked at it, he was still just a student.

"Don’t be so quick to refuse. I happen to have something I need to talk to you about."

But Zhou Xing just waved his hand, walked up to the counter to get food for Ye Ling and Ning Ruoxi, and then ordered a plate of fried cold noodles for himself before finding a place to sit down.

It had to be said, the place where the professors ate was indeed different from the outside. The portions were much larger.

"Teacher Zhou, what was it you said you needed to talk about?"

Ye Ling didn’t eat right away, asking tentatively instead.

"Eat first, eat first. We’ll talk after we’ve had our fill."

But Zhou Xing just chuckled, picked up his chopsticks, and started eating.

His table manners weren’t particularly elegant; he ate just like an ordinary person. Seeing this, Ye Ling and Ning Ruoxi couldn’t help but exchange a glance, both seeing the helplessness in each other’s eyes.

"Let’s eat."

Ye Ling prompted Ning Ruoxi, and they began to eat as well.

The boboji was indeed delicious. It was savory, aromatic, and spicy, giving a very satisfying feeling.

However, it seemed they had considered their audience, as it wasn’t overly spicy. Even someone like Ye Ling, who didn’t handle spicy food well, found it quite acceptable.