novelinnhs Chapter 5 | Puppy Tattoo
Chapter 5 | Puppy Tattoo
The real danger is never the first time you cross the line.
Instead, it was discovered that it could actually be overwritten.
Ethan Chow didn't immediately realize that he was already "fixing" the mistake.
He only vaguely sensed one thing:
The last large investment, although it resulted in a win, wasn't structurally perfect.
That hedge was too hasty.
Moreover, a trace was left when the positions were switched.
He knew very well that if someone analyzed the deal afterward, they would see that it shouldn't have been done that way.
It's not exactly a mistake, but it's not perfect either.
He can no longer accept results that are "not perfect".
The solution, however, came to him quite naturally:
As long as the next stroke is clean enough.
As long as the next victory is big and clear enough, the flaws of the previous one will be completely "smoothed out".
New opportunities come quickly.
The market is digesting a macroeconomic news item, with significant disagreement and no clear direction yet.
This is the most suitable environment for him.
Ethan spent the entire night recalculating the relationships between all the relevant assets.
He discovered something exciting—if this point were lost, the chain reaction would be very swift.
He sat at the table, staring at the deduction result, without moving for a long time.
This time, if his model is followed, the required funding will far exceed his current "reasonable" authority.
But he also knew something else—if it succeeded, it would be a perfect deal. So perfect that no one would ever look back at the previous one.
He opened the system.
The first time, he didn't place an order immediately, but instead glanced at the risk control page.
The threshold was still there, and the red line was clearly visible. He stared at that line and pushed the lever to a height he'd never used before. Not the limit, but dangerous enough.
The system finally popped up a notification.
But it was just to confirm the information.
"Is this a confirmation of increased risk exposure?"
Ethan's finger hovered over "Cancel" for a few seconds.
Then, I moved to "Confirm" and clicked it.
The market did not react immediately after the first transaction.
When the second follow-up order was placed, unusual activity began to appear in the order book.
The third stroke is pressed up.
It wasn't written in the plan. He added it subconsciously the moment he saw his opponent hesitate.
At that moment, he was perfectly aware of what he was doing.
The market started to move, as if someone had given it a push.
Prices plummeted below key levels in an instant.
The stop-loss order was triggered, and a wave of passive selling ensued.
Ethan's account underwent a dramatic change within minutes.
The unrealized profit jumps directly, and the change in those numbers is no longer just a matter of "looking good".
It was breathtaking!
He neither closed his position immediately nor added to it.
He just stared intently at the screen, as if trying to confirm whether the world was really operating according to his predictions.
Yes.
Everything was perfect.
Half an hour later, the market completely reversed.
The news started to follow.
"Risk aversion is rising."
"Risk assets are facing selling pressure."
Ethan felt surprisingly calm as he looked at the headlines.
He knew that this moment had passed.
He slowly began to leave.
This time, he left very cleanly.
Every time I close out a position, I do so at the most ideal point.
When the final transaction was confirmed, he leaned back in his chair and, for the first time, revealed a genuine smile.
This is a perfect deal.
The profit on paper directly covered all the previous anomalies.
The curve has become smooth again, and the risk indicators have returned to a favorable range.
From any perspective, this is a textbook success.
The news quickly reached the higher-ups. The partner didn't ask for details.
He only sent one sentence:
"That was a beautiful move."
There were no additional conditions, and no further questions were asked.
Looking at that sentence, Ethan suddenly felt a sense of complete confirmation.
It's not luck. It's because I've already reached this level.
That night, when he got home, his phone was lit up on the table.
There is an unread message from Winter.
The time was a few hours ago.
Are you still busy?
Ethan glanced at it but didn't reply immediately.
He walked to the window and looked at the New York night view.
The amount in his account was enough to stop him from worrying about "what to do next".
He realized that he was already proving everything to himself through victory.
He picked up his phone and replied to a message.
"It just finished."
It took them a long time to get back.
"oh."
There is only one word.
Ethan put down his phone.
At that moment, he felt no unease.
They didn't even feel guilty.
He simply drew a conclusion in his mind:
As long as I keep winning, no one will care how I win.
This conclusion, however, is closer to the abyss than any previous heavy investment.
Everyone later said that that deal was Ethan Chow's peak.
Only he knew—that was his last time.
When you can use "success" to cover up everything.
-----------------------------------------
Years later, Ethan Chow was rarely referred to as a "young trader."
On Wall Street, his name is more often mentioned with two words—
Funding and channels.
Not just in public.
Others occur in private phone calls.
His relationship with Winter has always been kept very low-key.
So discreet that it left almost no trace.
No group photos were released.
There was no social interaction.
Even the timelines were deliberately staggered.
On stage, she is an idol who is becoming more and more mature;
In the world of capital, Ethan no longer needs to prove any of his judgments.
Their relationship was more like a long-standing tacit understanding.
Each stands at the center of the system, yet they share a hidden exit.
That trip to Japan was originally planned very carefully.
Departing in batches.
Different flights.
Different hotels.
Even the assistant didn't know the full itinerary.
Ethan arrived in Tokyo a day early.
She landed two days later, following the itinerary.
Everything was very professional.
However, the problem lies in a very small detail.
It's too small, no one would have thought of it.
The first thing to go wrong was a post that almost no one paid attention to.
A Japanese fan account posted several photos taken at the airport.
The angle is very low, like a candid shot.
In the photo, she is wearing a hat and walking quickly with her head down.
A small section of her wrist was visible.
It was a very simple tattoo.
Several small dogs with very clean lines.
The post itself didn't get much attention.
Several hours later, someone posted another picture.
He was photographed on the streets of Japan a few days ago.
The same location.
The same angle.
The same puppy.
It was initially just speculation.
"like?"
"Could it just be a coincidence?"
Then comes the comparison.
Line proportions.
Ear curvature.
The slight bend in the tail.
It's becoming clearer and clearer.
In the early hours of the morning, Ethan's phone rang.
It wasn't Winter, but someone from the public relations team.
"There's a situation."
The other person's voice was very low.
"What level?"
"It's still very young."
The other party said, "But the speed of transmission is not slow."
Ethan didn't ask for details immediately.
He already knew which situation it was.
He sat up and opened his tablet.
On social networking sites, the keyword hasn't entered the trending list yet.
However, several core accounts have already started referencing each other.
The fans are doing what they do best—puzzling together clues and following the slightest hints.
Ethan finished reading and turned off the screen.
"What's the solution?" he asked.
The other party answered almost immediately:
"The old plan."
The so-called "old solution" is not complicated.
The first step is to reduce the weight of the account.
Keywords should not be included in recommendations or trending topics.
The second step is to divert traffic.
Release other entertainment news to dilute the discussion.
The third step is to address the root cause.
The first few accounts to post were quickly warned, had their traffic limited, or even frozen.
The fourth step is media suppression.
Several newspapers that were preparing to follow suit were temporarily suspended.
The reason is simple.
"The manuscript is unstable."
"Insufficient evidence."
"There are potential legal risks."
There was no heated exchange throughout the entire process.
There were no threats, and no orders.
It was just a series of operations that I had already mastered.
It's like cleaning up the aftermath of a failed deal.
By dawn, the hype had died down.
The related entries have disappeared completely.
It's as if it never happened.
Ethan leaned back on the sofa and took a sip of water that had gone cold.
For him, this matter wasn't even a source of anxiety.
What truly brought him to a halt was Winter's message.
"Is there some noise?"
Her tone was very flat.
Ethan replied:
"It's already been dealt with."
A few seconds later, she sighed and typed back:
"I knew you would."
These words, however, did not reassure him.
In the following days, aespa's trip to Japan continued.
They did not continue to meet.
It was as if nothing had happened.
The stage, announcements, interviews—everything remains the same.
Only the puppy was covered by them at the same time.
Back in New York, Ethan was brought up the matter at a private gathering.
The tone was very casual.
"Your method of suppressing the heat is quite fast."
Ethan smiled and did not deny it.
"Capital is easy to use, isn't it?" the other person said half-jokingly.
Ethan did not answer.
That night, he stood alone at the window of his Lower Manhattan apartment.
The city lights are very bright.
He suddenly remembered a snowy night in Seoul a long time ago.
She chased after him just to get his number.
The person who said "I'll pay you back when the time comes".
At that time, he hadn't even thought about the word "suppression".
Now, he can easily make something disappear from the world. And he no longer doubts whether it's the right thing to do.
On the last day of his trip to Japan, Winter sat in the car on the way back, watching the street scenes receding outside the window, and suddenly felt a little tired.
It's a feeling that's hard to put into words—like you've just weathered a storm and are then told:
Nothing happened.
She looked down at her phone.
The fan group is discussing the new stage. The staff is confirming the next schedule.
There are no cracks in the world.
At that moment, she suddenly wanted to ask a question:
What was I afraid of just now?
She didn't tell Ethan about it right away.
It's not because I'm angry.
It's because she knows what he's saying.
"It's all taken care of."
"Nothing will happen."
"Leave it to me."
He's always been like this.
Rationality, calmness, and efficiency are like a wall that can always stand in front of you.
A few days later, she stayed in the practice room until very late.
The lights were half off, and only her shadow remained in the mirror.
She looked at herself in the mirror for a long time, then suddenly pulled her sleeve up a little.
The puppies were visible. The lines were still clean.
For the first time, she found them somewhat dazzling.
That night, she took the initiative to call Ethan.
He answered very quickly.
"What's wrong?"
His voice remained as steady as ever.
"That matter..."
She paused for a moment. "Did you already have a plan in place?"
Ethan did not deny it.
"This is necessary."
He said.
"What if one day, it's not about tattoos."
She asked softly, "Is it something else?"
There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone.
"I'll handle it too."
Ethan said.
This statement was made very naturally.
But it made her heart sink.
"Have you ever thought about," she said slowly, "what if I didn't want it to be disposed of?"
This time, Ethan did not answer immediately.
It wasn't because he couldn't understand. It was because he suddenly realized—
This is a question he cannot answer using procedures.
"It's not that I don't thank you."
She said, "I know you're protecting me."
"But sometimes..."
She paused, as if searching for the right words.
"I feel like I don't have to do anything."
"You don't have to bear any responsibility."
"They don't even deserve to be discovered."
Her voice trembled slightly as she said those words.
It wasn't crying; it was emotions that had been suppressed for a long time.
Ethan stood by the window, gazing at the night sky.
He suddenly thought of—
He never asked her if she wanted to be protected like that.
In his world, "dealing with risk" is part of love.
But in her world, that might mean being erased.
"I didn't want anything to happen to you."
Ethan finally spoke, "I just..."
"I know."
She interrupted Ethan, "You've always been like this."
This statement is not gentle.
It's more like a conclusion.
They didn't mention it again in the following days.
The message will be sent as usual.
Greetings were given as usual.
It's as if there's an invisible layer of glass in between.
She began to deliberately avoid certain topics.
Ethan also started subconsciously saying "I've already taken care of it" less often.