In Hong Kong, we build a global business empire

After leaving Ma Shimin's office, Lin Haoran returned to his own office.

He didn't immediately return to his seat, but instead stood in front of the huge round glass window of the office, looking down at the bustling city below.

Liu Xiaoli stayed by his side without disturbing him.

In the afternoon, traffic was still heavy on the roads of Victoria Harbour.

However, upon closer inspection, one can find that many office buildings have groups of people gathered in front of their main entrances, demanding payment, demonstrating, and displaying banners, which is the most direct impact of the real estate crisis.

However, in this somewhat gloomy scene, he saw countless glittering "gold mines" waiting for him to discover.

He recalled the era before he traveled back in time, those REITs with market values ​​of hundreds of billions or trillions, and those asset management giants that controlled trillions of dollars in assets worldwide.

Now, history has given him an excellent opportunity to participate in and even lead this game.

“BlackRock won’t be established until 1988.” Lin Haoran smiled. “So, before it’s established, could I create an Eastern ‘BlackRock,’ or even surpass it?”

Turning back to his desk and sitting in his seat, Lin Haoran closed his eyes to rest, but his mind was racing.

He knew that starting tomorrow, the giant ship of the "Hong Kong Revitalization Fund" would officially set sail.

And he, the young captain, will steer it into an unknown sea full of opportunities but also fraught with hidden reefs.

But he was fearless.

Because he is a time traveler, because he possesses prophetic abilities, and more importantly, because this is just one part of his scheme.

……

Meanwhile, thousands of miles away in Singapore, a highly anticipated event is about to reach its climax.

The banquet hall of the Raffles Hotel in Singapore was brightly lit and filled with distinguished guests.

Singaporean government officials, business leaders, social elites, journalists from nearly a hundred local media outlets in Southeast Asia, and journalists from dozens of mainstream media outlets around the world gathered together.

What is taking place here is the "Inaugural Singapore Rich List Top 200 Release Conference," hosted by MediaCorp and supported by the Singapore Economic Development Board.

A year ago, before it was even established as a group, Oriental Media acquired a local media giant, The Straits Times, and a magazine company in Singapore.

Since acquiring major local media outlets such as The Straits Times, MediaCorp's influence has grown steadily.

Following the successful "rich list" model in Hong Kong, this time, the company launched a local rich list in Singapore, aiming to sort out the local wealth landscape, create business benchmarks, and also a successful brand marketing and resource integration.

More importantly, this is the first time the Oriental Rich List has been published outside of Hong Kong, which is of great significance!
At this moment, on the podium, Cui Zilong, dressed in a suit and tie, stood calmly and composed.

He has just finished releasing the list and providing a brief explanation.

Below the stage, several of Singapore's wealthiest individuals, such as Guo Henian, the recognized richest man in Southeast Asia, Qiu Deba, a Singaporean business tycoon whose wealth is no less than Guo Henian's, Guo Fangfeng of Hong Leong Group, and Huang Zuyao of UOB, all wore reserved and dignified smiles.

Being able to make it onto this list, especially into the top ten, is a symbol of strength and status.

The proceedings then moved to the Q&A session with reporters.

Local media in Singapore were the first to ask questions, which mainly revolved around the methodology of compiling the list, the basis for calculating wealth, and the impact on Singapore's economy. The atmosphere was relatively harmonious.

Cui Zilong answered fluently, demonstrating professionalism and composure.

However, when the host signaled to the international media that they could ask questions, the atmosphere subtly changed.

A Western journalist dressed in a dark suit and wearing gold-rimmed glasses was the first to raise his hand. After receiving permission, he stood up and took the microphone from the staff.

He wore a prominent press badge around his neck, for Forbes magazine.

“Good evening, Mr. Cui. I am Richard Wu, senior editor for Asia at Forbes magazine.” He spoke in fluent English.

"First of all, congratulations to MediaCorp for the successful release of the Singapore Rich List. We know that your group's rich list released in Hong Kong not long ago caused a huge reaction, especially the listing of Mr. Lin Haoran as the richest man in Hong Kong, whose asset valuation far exceeds traditional understanding."

He paused slightly, his gaze sweeping over the audience members who were listening intently, and continued, "However, after in-depth investigation and analysis, Forbes has serious doubts about the size of Mr. Lin Haoran's assets."

We believe that the valuations of some of its core assets, such as Hengsheng Group and Hongkong Land Group, may be significantly inflated, especially given the current turbulent Hong Kong property market and the revaluation of asset prices.

Its massive debt may also be underestimated; therefore, we are concerned about the accuracy of your group's Hong Kong rich list.

He then shifted his focus, getting straight to the heart of the matter: "Since even the Hong Kong rich list, which serves as the original, may be 'distorted,' how credible is this Singapore rich list that we see here today, compiled based on a similar methodology?"
Should we question its ranking and wealth figures?
Is this merely a media marketing campaign designed to attract attention and create a specific commercial icon?

The questions were sharp and unforgiving, directly questioning the foundation of the rankings and the credibility of Oriental Media.

The scene fell silent instantly, and all eyes were focused on Cui Zilong.

The expressions of Singapore's local tycoons varied; some frowned slightly, while others wore amused looks, clearly wanting to see how this media mogul from Hong Kong would respond.

Government officials, looking serious, supported the event to boost the local business image, partly because Lim Hao Ran has become the largest foreign investor in Singapore, and therefore they are particularly supportive of his business activities in Singapore.

However, while they offer their support, they don't want to get caught up in the controversy and criticism from international media.

After all, Forbes is a well-known American financial magazine, and they don't want to offend them too much.

The international journalists in the audience were excited; this was exactly the kind of scene they wanted to see.

Forbes, the long-established authority on wealth, is directly challenging the up-and-coming Oriental Media! This is sure to generate a lot of buzz!
Cui Zilong maintained a calm smile on his face, showing no sign of distress despite the other party's malicious question.

He had long anticipated that someone might use Lin Haoran's wealth as a pretext to attack him, especially Forbes.

Since the Hong Kong Rich List was released, Forbes has published articles questioning it, but it has never publicly challenged it like this before.

He was preparing to respond according to his prepared remarks, explaining the rigor of the list's compilation, emphasizing the multiple cross-validations of asset valuations, and pointing out the limitations of Forbes' own valuation methods.

Just then, the side door of the banquet hall was gently pushed open, and a middle-aged employee of Oriental Media Group, looking slightly hurried but trying to remain calm, quickly walked through the edge of the crowd and headed straight for the stage.

He held a freshly printed press release and a sticky note in his hand.

All eyes were once again drawn to this uninvited guest.

In such a formal setting, if someone comes up on stage to hand over something, it clearly means there is extremely urgent and important news.

Cui Zilong had an idea and signaled to the staff to let that employee come up on stage.

The employee quickly walked to Cui Zilong's side, leaned down and whispered a few words in his ear in a hurried but clear voice, while handing him the press release and a note.

The note contained a few key numbers and phrases written by hand.

Cui Zilong's gaze swept quickly over the notes and press release titles, his pupils contracting slightly.

Immediately, an uncontrollable smile, a mixture of shock and understanding, flashed deep in the depths of his eyes.

After the employee finished reporting, they bowed slightly and quickly stepped down from the side of the stage.

The whole process took only a dozen seconds, but it made the atmosphere in the banquet hall even more eerie and anticipated.

Everyone is speculating what news has come out.
Because the press conference of the Governor of Hong Kong started at the same time as the release of the Singapore Rich List, those present had not yet received the news from Hong Kong.

Even Cui Zilong only found out at this moment.

Richard Wu, a reporter for Forbes, frowned slightly, but then a confident smile appeared on his lips.

In his view, no matter what news there is, it cannot instantly reverse the core doubts raised about him, namely the suspicion about the authenticity of Lin Haoran's assets.

Cui Zilong did not immediately answer the Forbes reporter's question.

He took a deep breath, adjusted the microphone in front of him, and his gaze swept across the room, finally settling on the Forbes reporter and the international media colleagues behind him who were eagerly waiting.

"Thank you, Mr. Richard Wu, and to Forbes magazine for your attention and questions." Cui Zilong's voice echoed throughout the banquet hall through the sound system.

"We can discuss the methodology and rigor of the list compilation in detail later. I believe the data and professional analysis will speak for themselves."

He abruptly changed the subject, raising his voice several decibels: "However, before responding to your specific questions, please allow me to urgently insert a breaking news item from Hong Kong, which has just occurred and is absolutely major."

This news might provide a fresh and more powerful perspective on the issues we are discussing.

The entire room fell silent; even breathing seemed to slow down.

Cui Zilong picked up the press release and read it clearly, slowly, word by word: "At two o'clock in the afternoon, just as our Singapore Rich List press conference was about to begin, Sir Merrih Mahir, Governor of Hong Kong, held an emergency press conference at the Governor's House."

At the press conference, he announced a major initiative aimed at stabilizing Hong Kong's financial markets and revitalizing the real estate industry: jointly launching the HK$200 billion 'Hong Kong Financial Stability, Real Estate Recovery and Revitalization Fund' with local and international capital!

"Two hundred billion!" someone in the audience couldn't help but whisper.

Cui Zilong's voice continued, each word striking people's hearts like a heavy hammer: "The fund aims to take over high-quality assets and stabilize the financial system."

Among them, Mr. Lin Haoran and his consortium of companies, including Hengsheng Group, Hongkong Land Group, HK Electric Group, and Wanqing Group, have confirmed their commitment to inject HK$183.2 billion into the fund and to be responsible for its daily operation and management.

"183.2 billion?"

"God! He carried more than 90% of the burden alone?"

"Cash? This is a cash investment?"

The banquet hall erupted in chaos!

The gasps, gasps of shock, and incredulous murmurs mingled together, creating a scene ten times more sensational than when the Forbes reporter asked the question!
Apart from the richest man, Guo Henan, other wealthy people in Singapore could no longer maintain their composure, their faces filled with shock.

Even business tycoons like Qiu Deba and Guo Fangfeng, who usually dominate the business world, couldn't help but exchange incredulous glances.

HK$183.2 million!
They know exactly what this money represents!
The newly released Singapore Rich List shows that Guo Henan, the wealthiest person, has a net worth of only around US$15 billion, which is about HK$88 billion. Qiu Deba, ranked second, has a net worth of only about HK$68 billion, while the third-ranked person has a net worth of only HK$32 billion.

What does this mean?
This means that the combined wealth of the top three richest people in Singapore is only equivalent to the amount of cash Lin Haoran has put out this time!

Moreover, this is only a part of Lin Haoran's personal wealth, and may even only be a small portion of his liquid assets!
It's unimaginable how enormous its total assets really are!
Guo Henan, the recognized richest man in Southeast Asia, felt a mix of emotions, including pride, at this moment.

He worked hard all his life and built a huge empire of rubber, pineapple, banking and real estate, considering himself to be richer than a country.

Lin Haoran's casual investment, however, amounted to a cash sum equivalent to most of the wealth on his list. This shock made even this seasoned veteran feel dizzy and chilled.

The younger generation is to be feared, no, they are terrifying!

But Lin Haoran has another identity: he is the prospective son-in-law of the Guo family.

Soon, Lin Haoran will marry his niece Guo Xiaohan, at which point the two families will be considered one family.

Now that Lin Haoran has demonstrated such amazing strength and responsibility, Guo Henian is not only shocked, but also filled with an indescribable sense of satisfaction and pride.

His prospective nephew-in-law was far more outstanding than he had imagined; he was truly a dragon among men!

Qiu Deba's heart was in turmoil.

He was confident in his unique vision and extraordinary courage, and was known in Singapore's business circles for his daring and enterprising spirit, accumulating wealth at an astonishing speed.

But compared to Lin Haoran at this moment, he felt that his proud business operations were like children playing house.

183 billion yuan in cash to rescue the market?
This kind of action and decision-making has exceeded his comprehension.

This is not just about having a lot of money, but also about having a strong grasp of the overall situation and unparalleled confidence!

At the same time, he was secretly relieved that he had a decent relationship with the Guo family and might have a chance to get in touch with this terrifying young man in the future.

The expressions of the government officials on the stage changed from serious to solemn, and then revealed a hint of admiration and contemplation.

As one of Asia's financial centers, Singapore excels at economic development.

They are all too aware of the value of such a huge injection of funds into Hong Kong in stabilizing regional market confidence, given the current global economic turmoil and capital outflows.

Hong Kong's economy is closely intertwined with that of Southeast Asia, which not only saved Hong Kong but also, to some extent, stabilized the sentiment of the entire Southeast Asian capital market.

It seems necessary to reassess the relationship with Oriental Media Group, and even the Lin family business empire behind it.

At the same time, they also secretly noted the marriage alliance between the Guo and Lin families. This bond may become a bridge for Singapore to deepen cooperation with Hong Kong and even a wider market in the future.

The international press section erupted in a frenzy.

The rapid clicking of camera shutters nearly lifted the roof off as reporters recorded the explosive news, exchanging shocked glances.

Many of them are financial journalists based in Asia and are familiar with the name Lin Haoran, but in the past they have regarded him more as a rapidly rising, perhaps somewhat mysterious, young tycoon.

However, today's cash commitment of HK$183 billion has completely overturned their understanding!
This is no ordinary wealthy person.
This is clearly a financial behemoth that already has the ability to influence the regional economic trend!
Moreover, his marriage alliance with the Guo family in Southeast Asia further deepened the complexity and depth of his background.

This time, the Forbes Asia reporter has probably kicked a hornet's nest!

Richard Wu of Forbes looked pale and ashen, his face turning extremely unpleasant.

He stood there, his hand holding the microphone trembling slightly.

His carefully prepared questions, the attacks he thought would shake the credibility of Oriental Media, appeared so naive and laughable in the face of the opponent's sudden and irrefutable "cash bomb".

HK$183 million!
Even the most aggressive valuation model at Forbes headquarters would never dare to calculate such a huge amount of available cash reserves for Lin Haoran!

what does this mean?
This means that either Forbes' entire investigation direction and methodology were wrong, or Lin Haoran's hidden wealth and capital mobilization capabilities far exceeded everyone's imagination!
Regardless of the possibility, it is a public and painful slap in the face for him and for Forbes magazine!

Richard Wu just wanted to leave this extremely embarrassing scene immediately.

Cui Zilong was very satisfied with the effect of this "on-site teaching".

It has to be said that this news from Hong Kong came at just the right time.

Responding to the Forbes reporter with this news is far better than any other statement.

He calmed the excited noise in the room slightly, then fixed his gaze on Richard Wu again and said with a smile, "Mr. Richard Wu, I think this real, recent, and huge investment is enough to answer your questions about the authenticity of Mr. Lin Haoran's assets and the credibility of our list."

Ultimately, the measure of wealth is whether it can be translated into concrete actions that drive economic growth and stabilize society.

Mr. Lin Haoran's actions in Hong Kong today undoubtedly provide the most vivid illustration of this statement.

Furthermore, some people may think I'm exaggerating, but the media outlets represented by the reporters here today should also have reporters stationed in Hong Kong. I think you'll contact them later and get the information quickly.

He stopped looking at the ashen-faced Richard Wu, turned to the entire audience, and raised the press release in his hand.

Then he continued, “Ladies and gentlemen! This news is not only about Mr. Lin Haoran’s personal wealth, but also sends a strong signal that Hong Kong’s economic foundation remains solid and that Hong Kong’s business leaders are responsible, capable of dealing with crises and creating the future!”
The release of the rich list by MediaCorp is not just about ranking people, but also about showcasing the strength, vision, and sense of responsibility of its entrepreneurs!
We are proud to stand under the same sky as an outstanding entrepreneur like Mr. Lin Haoran!

His gaze swept intentionally or unintentionally over Guo Henian, Qiu Deba, and others in the audience, who had various expressions, and he continued, "At the same time, we also believe that Singapore's outstanding entrepreneurs also possess the wisdom and courage to seize opportunities and create new prospects in times of crisis!"

This Singapore Rich List is a tribute to their achievements and an expectation for the future!

We look forward to seeing more business leaders like Mr. Lin Haoran, who are rooted in their local community, have a global vision, and are courageous in taking responsibility!

"Let's give another round of applause to all the Singaporean entrepreneurs on the list!"

Let us also wish Hong Kong and Mr. Lin Haoran's "Revitalization Fund" great success, injecting strong momentum into the stability and prosperity of the Asia-Pacific economy!

"cheers!"

This time, the applause was more enthusiastic and longer than ever before, filled with awe, admiration, and a renewed hope for the future.

Amid the applause, the Singaporean tycoons displayed complex expressions, including amazement, comparison, and a growing sense of rivalry.

Guo Henian smiled and nodded frequently, feeling honored.

Government officials exchanged glances, already having made their plans.

Compared to Lin Haoran, who is a major investor, so what if he offends Forbes?
International journalists knew they had the most explosive material for their stories tonight.

Although the press conference continued, everyone's minds had already wandered far away.

The figure of HK$183.2 billion, and the terrifying financial power it represents, is like a giant exclamation mark and connector, imprinted on this night, and will surely shock the financial and social circles of the entire Asia-Pacific region and even the world through radio waves and newspapers.

In comparison, Singapore's rich list is not as explosive.

Hong Kong, Connaught Building, Lin Haoran's personal office.

Just as Lin Haoran was gazing at the scenery on both sides of Victoria Harbour in a daze, his mobile phone rang.

He snapped out of his daze and pressed the answer button. It was Cui Zilong calling from Singapore.

"Boss, the situation at the press conference was simply..." Cui Zilong's voice was filled with barely concealed excitement as he described in detail how Forbes launched their attack and how he used news from Hong Kong to launch a strong counterattack, especially mentioning the reactions of the top Singaporean tycoons present.

Lin Haoran listened quietly, his face showing little emotion, as if everything was within his expectations.

"Well done, Mr. Cui." After Cui Zilong finished speaking, Lin Haoran said calmly, "Forbes is just making noise. 183 billion is just to let them see reality."

"Now that the Singapore Rich List has been successfully launched, we should make good use of this platform and strengthen our connections with the listed billionaires, especially those who are not affiliated with Guo but are powerful figures such as Qiu Deba and Huang Zuyao."

Singapore is a crucial foothold in our Southeast Asian strategy, and the "Revitalization Fund" model could certainly be replicated there, given the abundance of high-quality assets available in Southeast Asia.

“I understand, boss.” Cui Zilong nodded solemnly. “I will follow up as soon as possible. Also, after today’s press conference, many international media outlets have expressed their desire to conduct exclusive interviews with you, especially regarding the ‘Revitalization Fund’ and your marriage alliance with the Guo family…”

“Let’s postpone them all for now,” Lin Haoran said decisively. “Now is not the time to be high-profile. We’ll wait until our first round of acquisitions is completed, the fund structure is initially formed, and the assets start to generate stable returns before considering moderate exposure.”

Now, what we need is to 'hunt' discreetly, quickly, and precisely. As for the marriage alliance, that's a private matter; there's no need to over-dramatize it, but neither should we deliberately avoid it. Let it happen naturally.

"Yes!"

After hanging up the phone, Lin Haoran returned to his seat.

He could almost see a vast network woven from capital, industry, and marriage alliances slowly unfolding in Hong Kong, Singapore, and the broader Asia-Pacific region, according to his will.

He was quite grateful to the Guo family.

In the past two or three years, Guo Henan has been a great help to him in Southeast Asia, introducing resources and giving advice to his companies, which has made his business in Southeast Asia more and more successful.

Of course, this kind of help is mutual.

When the Guo family needed support in Hong Kong, he also used his connections and resources in Hong Kong to help them, so it was a mutually beneficial arrangement.

In fact, Guo Henian and Qiu Deba's wealth was originally not much different, but the data released today on Singapore's rich list shows that the gap between the two has gradually widened, with Guo Henian leading by HK$20 billion!
As for why Guo Henan was able to widen the wealth gap with Qiu Deba, the reason is quite simple.

Lin Haoran helped him make a lot of money in Hong Kong, such as by hoarding real estate and then successfully selling it off at the peak, which allowed the Guo family's wealth to accumulate.

HK$183 billion is a bomb, a declaration, and bait.

What he's trying to capture is the core of Hong Kong's future for the next thirty years—the embryonic form of a financial empire spanning East and West. The powerful link of the Kwok family in Southeast Asia will add a solid foundation and broad depth to this empire.

"BlackRock, pioneering the way..."

Lin Haoran murmured to himself, a smile spreading across his face: "Your era has not yet fully arrived, but my era has already set sail." (End of Chapter)