After the Divorce, I Could Hear the Voice of the Future-Chapter 268 - 267: Second Phase Settlement, Third Phase Dividends

Serve eight or four years, then retire, write books, give speeches everywhere, and leisurely pass the second half of life.

Just like the Afro-American, graduated in '91, entered politics in '96, within 12 years of politics, he had barely paid off his student loans the year he was elected.

The interest on student loans in the United States is very high, truly turning this educational assistance project into a lucrative business, unlike back home where the focus is on "assisting education."

The top three mainstream loans in America are, first is mortgage, second is student loans, and third are various credit cards.

The student loans have a minimum annual rate of 6%, and private student loans even soar above 15%.

Graduating with a high-interest debt burden and taking ten, or twenty years to pay off, is quite normal.

People perpetually short on money can hardly be expected to serve the nation selflessly; it's clearly unrealistic.

Moreover, the Afro-American is a typical coconut—black on the outside, white on the inside.

In contrast, businessmen are not short of money; he had published autobiographies quite early and also spoken at various universities—his electoral pledge, if true, likely signifies loyal service to the nation.

If truly a loyal servant of the United States, he ought to target institutions on Wall Street.

Certainly, they couldn't be completely eliminated—after all, they are foundational to the nation—but they could be regulated to return some benefits to the people.

Yet the third rate hike was a done deal.

"I can't figure it out."

Lu Liang shook his head, too lazy to think of any deeper reasons.

Not in the position to make policy.

He should think about how to profit from this.

Suddenly, a gentle knock came at the door, and Li Manli whispered softly, "Liang, the midnight snack is ready~"

"Got it."

Lu Liang hummed in response, erased the information on the paper, tore it up, and flushed it down the toilet.

Stepping out of the study, he smelled a strong scent of sauce and a hint of rice wine.

"Wait for me."

Li Manli ran to the dining table ahead of him and lifted the casserole lid: "Ta-da~ Guangdong's famous dish, chicken and oyster pot. Just before serving, I drizzled a ring of rice wine around the lid; it's the finishing touch."

Lu Liang chuckled lightly, patted her head to flatten her cowlick, and tasted a large oyster, genuinely admiring, "Your cooking skills have really improved."

In the past, Li Manli's cooking was more of a feast for the eyes than the stomach, usually all show and no substance, but now it was flavorful and appetizing.

Lu Liang usually didn't eat carbs in the evening, but seeing this dish, he felt it would be unjust not to have it with rice.

Li Manli tilted her chin up, a proudly playful look on her face: "Humph~~ they call me the No.1 B-station little chef lady."

She squinted joyously, brought over a bowl of bitter gourd and minced meat clam soup, and proudly said, "Normally, bitter gourd clam soup doesn't require minced meat, but after my modification, adding some meat turns the soup milky white and tastier."

Lu Liang looked towards the kitchen, and noticed an aquarium fish tank that hadn't been there before; while others kept goldfish or dragon fish, Li Manli had stocked up on a variety of seafood and shellfish.

"Tell me whatever you want to eat, I'll help you fetch it now."

Li Manli, rolling up her sleeves, pointed at a large lobster: "How about having another steamed one?"

Lu Liang laughed and shook his head: "No need, one dish and one soup are enough. Aren't you eating?"

"I'm nearly 100."

Li Manli rested her cheeks in her hands, a worried look on her face; she wasn't tall, just 163 cm, while other girls were around ninety or eighty pounds, only she was heading towards one hundred.

She envied tall and slender figures like Su Wanyu's; unable to change her height, she had to work on her weight.

"You can't even tell, have some if you're hungry."

Lu Liang said smilingly, like a devil whispering temptation—there was no noticeable difference from when he first met Li Manli.

The extra pounds, seven or eight, had all gone to the right places like her buttocks and chest.

Normally, a girl her age would not have a fuller behind, but since she started practicing yoga and dance moves, her figure had improved tremendously.

A bit chubby, but comfortable to hug.

"Really?"

"Really!"

"I'll just eat less."

Li Manli was delighted and added half a bowl of rice, eating with more gusto than Lu Liang. She just couldn't control her eating, which was why she had quickly gained seven or eight kilograms.

"Eat more," Lu Liang said with a smile, serving her some vegetables.

...

The next day, Wen Chao called all the fund investors to inform them of the settlement and dividend distribution on December 1.

"It was bound to happen."

"What is the allure of public funds, really?"

"Private funds charge management fees of up to 3+25, what is Lu Liang still dissatisfied with?"

"Could it be true, as the rumors say, that Lu Liang is cherishing his reputation, considering retirement with public funds?"

The biggest difference between public and private funds lies in investment restrictions and management fees.

Private funds can set their fees however they want, even with tiered pricing, as long as the parties agree and no one intervenes.

But public funds have limitations, the product management fee cannot exceed 1.2%, even if the annual returns surpass 13%, the cap is just 2%.

That means, even if the public fund initiated by Lu Liang exceeded one hundred billion in scale and had a 100% profit for the year, the final annual earnings would not exceed 20 billion.

A management fee of 20 billion might be a lot for other fund companies because they are nibbling away at the clients' principal, with an average annual return of less than 8%, with many indeed operating at a loss, mainly profiting off the fund clients' money.

But Lu Liang was different; even as of the first of this month, a net value of 1.31 represented a semi-annual return of 31%.

Based on a standard of 60 billion dollars, it earned 18.6 billion dollars.

Taking 25% of that, which amounts to 3.72 billion dollars, as the management fee.

Moreover, Tianxing also expected additional earnings of over one billion dollars from betting on the US elections mid-month amidst market fluctuations.

With the current charging model, the company's management fee earnings were directly aiming at seven or eight hundred million dollars.

In half a year's time, collecting fifty billion in management fees, not even Tianhong Fund with assets of a trillion would compare.

"I just don't understand, really don't understand. Giving up a watermelon for a sesame seed, is it for fame?"

"Maybe that's it. I think private fund management will change hands and cool down soon. I also have some spare cash recently and could help redeem the third phase's subscription shares if anyone is interested."

"Damn, such a cunning plan; I can hear it all the way in Beijing."

"Maybe not love, but don't hurt; contact me if you want to redeem, there's a 5% premium after dividends."

Investor's curses are one thing, but talking about redeeming their principal is a different matter entirely.

Lu Liang merely wanted to exit private fund management, but that did not mean he was giving up on private funds completely.

His past achievements could at least give them confidence for two or three months.

Even if next month's net value update shows a loss.

As long as the loss isn't too severe, they would patiently wait another two or three months.

After two or three months, if he couldn't deliver a satisfactory report, they would challenge Lu Liang.

To come back or to redeem.

On December 1, the special license for new energy vehicles began its trial issuance in key cities such as Modu and Shenzhen.

Public aesthetics are unanimous, the new energy vehicle owners who just got their plates today, complained online expressing their frustrations.

All car owners conveyed one sentiment through not so subtle hints: my new car is not clean anymore; the blue background with white text looks better and better, the green background with black text uglier and uglier.

"Who the hell designed this?"

"And they want to promote new energy with this?"

"Without changing the vehicle license plate, I will never buy."

"Already losing face with an electric car, now with a green plate, it looks even more like an electric car."

Tesla owners found it hardest to accept, proclaiming that the green plate alone devalued their beloved cars by at least 20%.

"Is there a possibility that Tesla's big price drop wasn't because of the green plate, but due to Modu's super factory first phase completion, which will significantly reduce costs next year?"

"Just 20%, giggle now, by next year this time, Mao Dou 3's selling price will definitely drop to 300,000, a straight cut in half."

"Buying a new energy car now, just don't think about whether it will depreciate, you can refer to early cell phones."

"Buy early to enjoy early, buy late to enjoy discounts, the 'wait-and-see' group, once again embracing victory."

With the official rollout of the new energy green plate, there was significant online discussion, as many had already tasted the benefits of electric cars.

With the RMB appreciating, inflation gradually showing, most apparent in the oil prices, rising from 6.35 RMB to 6.65 RMB.

In comparison, electric cars consume only ten RMB per hundred kilometers, the charging stations offer a multitude of discounts for the first charge, in addition to exempting purchase tax and free licensing.

Electric cars might lose face, but these are real discounts and benefits that can make their wallets feel less deflated.

If people weren't considering buying electric cars, the green new energy vehicle plate might not have provoked so many curses online.

Cursing, after all, is a sign of care.

Meanwhile, magnates from north to south of Tianhai also received invitations, and they came to the New International Building in Modu.

Like Lei Jun, Guo Changguang, Hengtai Xu, Baidu's Old Li, even those who were extremely busy found time to come look.

After all, this time it wasn't just about the second phase settlements and third phase dividends, there were also rumors about Lu Liang exiting private funds, which hadn't been confirmed by him or the company yet.

So, they all came to see what was really going on.