Chapter 1 - Chapter1：Majestic Return, Enigmatic Origin

As the first rays of dawn peeked through the horizon, the golden beams of light, like a playful troupe of fairies, danced nimbly among the glass curtain walls of the towering Chu Group building. The curtain walls, pieced together from exquisitely transparent, specially crafted glass panels, not only provided excellent thermal insulation but also allowed for ample natural light. At this moment, the sunlight poured down unreservedly, bathing the spacious and bright lobby in a glorious golden hue. The floor of the lobby was paved with expensive marble, so polished that it mirrored the surroundings. Each piece had been meticulously selected and polished, and the joints fit together seamlessly, exuding an air of luxury and refinement. Today, an unusual atmosphere of tension and curiosity hung in the air of the Chu Group, much like the anticipation before a grand party was about to begin. During their brief breaks from work, the employees whispered among themselves, their eyes frequently darting towards the elevator entrance. Xiao Li from the Administrative Department, holding a freshly brewed cup of coffee, murmured softly to his colleague Xiao Wang beside him, "I heard that a really remarkable person is coming today. They say he's a legend in the financial world. I wonder if it's true." Xiao Wang pushed up his glasses on the bridge of his nose, his eyes brimming with anticipation. "If it is true, our company is going to be in for some excitement. There might even be some major changes." During the peak office hours, the interview room in the Chu Group building was simply yet solemnly decorated. A long, oval-shaped conference table occupied the center of the room, surrounded by comfortable leather chairs. Several interviewers, dressed in immaculate business suits, sat upright, their faces wearing expressions of scrutiny. Their gazes seemed to penetrate the facades of each job applicant, reaching deep into their innermost thoughts. Interviewer Jia, a senior supervisor in the Human Resources Department of the Chu Group with years of rich recruitment experience and having interviewed countless candidates, slightly leaned forward. A polite smile played on his lips, but behind that smile lay the professional scrutiny honed over the years. He opened his mouth and asked, "Hello, Miss Cheng. Your resume is truly outstanding, and your past achievements in major financial projects are remarkable. However, you're only 25 years old this year. At such a young age, in the highly competitive workplace, a senior management position requires not only professional knowledge but also extensive experience and strong decision-making abilities. Are you really confident that you can handle such an important position?" His tone carried both doubt towards this young woman before him, for in the history of the Chu Group, there had been very few examples of someone so young taking on a senior management role, and a hint of expectation, hoping that she could provide a convincing answer to shatter his ingrained perception. Upon hearing this, Cheng Ruo did not immediately respond. She gently raised her eyes, and her gaze, like a sharp, cold glint, swept across everyone present in an instant. There was an aura of authority without anger in that gaze, causing the previously somewhat noisy interview room to fall silent immediately, as if time had stood still for a second just for her. While everyone was left at a loss by her wordless response, Interviewer Yi, a senior investment advisor who had been in the financial field for many years and was well-versed in the industry's bigwigs, suddenly stood up as if he had discovered a new continent. His movement was so vigorous that the chair he was sitting on scraped against the floor, emitting a sharp sound. His face was filled with surprise and excitement, and he exclaimed loudly, "Hey, are you Luna Cheng, the only Chinese member of the Morse team?" His voice trembled slightly with excitement, as if he couldn't believe his eyes. You see, the Morse team was renowned in the global financial community. Every project they participated in could stir up a storm in the market, and Luna Cheng, as the only Chinese member among them, had received even more attention. Interviewer Bing also reacted immediately. His eyes widened, and his face was filled with shock as he said, "Is that the Morse who shorted one billion US dollars' worth of stocks overnight last year and created a financial miracle?" His words were filled with amazement and awe. Looking back at last year, the global stock market was in turmoil, and countless investors lost all their money. However, the Morse team, with their precise judgment and bold operations, successfully shorted one billion US dollars' worth of stocks overnight and reaped huge profits. This feat had caused a great stir in the financial world, becoming a topic of heated discussion among industry insiders during their idle time and was still being talked about with relish. That operation had caused the market value of the relevant stocks to evaporate by nearly ten billion US dollars, and many small investment institutions that relied on these stocks had gone bankrupt one after another, fully demonstrating the enormous influence of the Morse team. The corners of Cheng Ruo's mouth lifted slightly, revealing a confident and charming smile. She said softly, "Yes. Ever since last year's stock market turmoil, Morse has retired. That was also Morse's last battle." Her voice was clear and melodious, yet it carried an unwavering firmness, as if she was proclaiming the end of an era to everyone present. A flash of realization and admiration flickered in Interviewer Jia's eyes. He adjusted his sitting posture and continued to ask, "Then, Miss Cheng, you have already achieved such remarkable success abroad and gained a great reputation on the international financial stage. With your capabilities, you could have continued to make great achievements in the world's top financial institutions. Why did you decide to return to China for development?" This question was also the 疑惑 of everyone present. After all, the international financial market was huge. Just the daily trading volume of the New York Stock Exchange alone reached billions of US dollars. Although the domestic financial market had been developing rapidly in recent years, there was still a certain gap in terms of scale and maturity compared to the international market. Cheng Ruo slightly turned her head and looked out the window at the familiar yet somewhat unfamiliar cityscape. The streets of Jiangzhou were bustling with traffic, and high-rise buildings lined up in an orderly manner. A trace of nostalgia and yearning showed in her eyes, and she said slowly, "Jiangzhou is my hometown, and I miss everything here very much. No matter how wonderful the outside world is, my hometown will always be the root of my heart. Moreover, the domestic financial market has been developing rapidly in recent years. According to authoritative data, over the past five years, the scale of the domestic financial market has been growing at a rate of 15% per year, which holds great potential and opportunities. I think it's time for me to return to the place where I grew up and use what I've learned to contribute to the development of my hometown." Her words were filled with deep love and attachment to her hometown, and at the same time, they also demonstrated her keen market insight, making people unable to help but be moved. Interviewer Bing was obviously full of curiosity about Cheng Ruo's legendary experiences in the financial field. He couldn't wait to ask eagerly, "Miss Cheng, oh no, master. How did you choose Canterbury Medical among so many stocks? Do you have any tips you can share?" His face was filled with a thirst for knowledge, as if there were endless treasures hidden in Cheng Ruo, waiting for him to discover. Cheng Ruo gently blinked her eyes, and a glimmer of wisdom sparkled in her bright eyes. She said unhurriedly, "Unlike other investment banks, the Morse team has never been opportunists. Take our choice of Canterbury Medical stock as an example. At that time, most investors in the market were attracted by the company's short-term high profits and flashy financial statements and bought a large number of its stocks. But after our in-depth research, we found that it had serious deficiencies in research and development investment. Its core product was about to face the expiration of its patent, but there were not enough new product reserves. We didn't care about the immediate data at all. Instead, we thoroughly understood everything about the company in the most inconspicuous corners. We spent several months visiting the company's upstream and downstream suppliers, competitors, and even delving deep among the grassroots employees, getting closer to it bit by bit. When the market's enthusiasm for it reached its most frenzied and ecstatic peak, that is, when the stock price was pushed to its highest point, we sold all our shares at once. When the company was still immersed in its false prosperity, it didn't realize that the ant nest had already destroyed the thousand-mile dyke, and the great building was about to collapse. Later, it turned out that after we sold our shares, the company's stock price plummeted all the way, dropping by more than 80% within just one month." Her words were like heavy sledgehammers, striking hard at everyone's hearts, making everyone present deeply admire her wisdom and strategy. After listening to Cheng Ruo's answer, Interviewer Yi nodded heavily, a satisfied smile on his face. He said, "Miss Cheng, I think you're a perfect fit for the management style of our group during the current market expansion stage. Welcome to join us!" His voice was filled with enthusiasm and sincerity, as if he could already envision the limitless possibilities that Cheng Ruo would bring to the Chu Group. The Chu Group was in a crucial period of expanding into the international market and needed talents like Cheng Ruo, who had both an international perspective and a good understanding of the domestic market and possessed outstanding financial capabilities. Cheng Ruo slightly nodded her head as a gesture of gratitude. She walked gracefully out of the interview room and came to the center of the lobby of the Chu Group. At this moment, the lobby was bustling with people coming and going. Employees hurried past, holding documents in their hands, and the sounds of conversation and footsteps intermingled. However, Cheng Ruo seemed to be in a world of her own. She stood there quietly, and one after another, past images flashed through her mind like scenes from a movie. She seemed to see again that dark high school era. Chu Yi's overbearing and arrogant appearance, viciously raising her hand to slap her across the face. The burning pain seemed to still linger on her cheek. In school bullying incidents, physical violence accounted for as high as 30%, and that slap from Chu Yi was a vivid portrayal of this cruel reality. Shen Ping's smug expression, holding a pair of scissors and wantonly cutting her hair, while she could only cry helplessly. Among the means of school bullying, acts such as destroying property and insulting one's personality were not uncommon, and Shen Ping's actions were a serious trampling on her personality. Feng Tongtong's sharp and mean-spirited insults, like sharp needles, pierced into her heart. Verbal bullying accounted for more than 40% of school bullying incidents. Every insult from Feng Tongtong was like a knife, leaving deep, unhealable scars on her young heart. She was trapped in that dirty, abandoned toilet, her face covered in bloodstains. She slapped the door panel hard and shouted hoarsely, but there was no response. Only the endless darkness and despair surrounded her tightly. Finally, the cold voice of the school authorities rang in her ears, "There's nothing we can do. The Chu family is a shareholder of our school, and you know that. I suggest you transfer to another school." In reality, there were countless cases where victims of school bullying had no way to seek justice because the bullies had powerful backing, and Cheng Ruo was one of them. These voices and images, like a demon's curse, had been echoing in Cheng Ruo's heart. Countless nights, she woke up from nightmares, her pillow soaked with tears. However, it was precisely these painful experiences that had made her incredibly strong and fanned the flames of revenge in her heart even higher. According to psychological research, people who have experienced severe trauma, once they step out of their predicament, often possess extraordinary tenacity and determination. Cheng Ruo slowly closed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying to calm the surging emotions within her. She silently counted down in her heart: "5, 4, 3, 2, 1." When she reached "1," she opened her eyes again, and only determination and resolve remained in her eyes. She raised her head and looked straight at the eye-catching logo of the Chu Group. Her fists clenched tightly, and she secretly planned her first move in her heart — to get close to the core of the Chu Group and disintegrate their forces from within. She knew that the road ahead was full of thorns, but she, who had been reborn from the flames, was no longer afraid. The Ruan Ruo who once cried in the darkness was dead. Now, Cheng Ruo would, with the most imposing manner, embark on this thrilling revenge battle. She would make Chu Yi and the others pay the most 惨痛 price for their past evil deeds, making them understand that the bitter fruits they had sown back then must now be repaid one by one.