In Hong Kong, we build a global business empire

After chatting with Guo Xiaohan on the sofa for a while, Lin Haoran was about to go out to the Kangle Building, where Bao Yugang had arranged to meet him to discuss some matters.

Before even stepping out the door, they saw Mr. and Mrs. Lin's Mercedes parked outside.

During this period, Lin's mother would come to the villa on Shi Xun Road almost every other day, and occasionally she would also take some time to visit Guan Jiahui and her granddaughter Lin Leyi at the villa on Old Peak Road.

As for Mr. Lin, he would always send Mrs. Lin over and then go to Media Asia Film Company in Tseung Kwan O, which was formerly Shaw Brothers Studio.

Media Asia Films had previously purchased a very large plot of land in Tseung Kwan O and is currently building a new film production base.

At the same time, Lin Haoran injected HK$5 million into Media Asia Films, letting his father play with it as he pleased, and he would give more if needed.

In Hong Kong's current film market, HK$5 million is a very large sum.

After all, many small film companies can start film production with just a few hundred thousand Hong Kong dollars.

With HK$5 million in cash at his disposal, Lin Wan'an is already considered one of the top financial backers in the entire Hong Kong film industry.

Even for Golden Harvest, coming up with HK$5 million in cash would be quite difficult.

After all, Golden Harvest operates on a flexible "satellite system," collaborating with independent production companies to jointly invest in and produce films.

This model reduced Golden Harvest's financial pressure and expanded its film production and market share, but it also showed that Golden Harvest's cash flow was not abundant.

Lin Wan'an has a full 5 million yuan in cash on hand, which is real money, not valuation, not assets, but real cash.

This is absolutely unprecedented in the Hong Kong film industry.

Moreover, now that the Lin family has acquired Shaw Brothers Studio, coupled with their enormous financial strength and Lin Haoran's extensive network of connections, maintaining their leading position in the Hong Kong film industry is not difficult at all, provided they manage it well.

Lin Wan-an is very confident about this.

With sufficient funds, Lin Wan'an naturally planned to make a big splash.

After all, he's spent most of his life in the business world and is only in his sixties. He certainly wouldn't want to just retire like this.

Having spent most of his life in the real estate industry, he had lost interest, after all, his son had far surpassed him as a father.

The film industry is his hobby, and now that Lin Wan-an has connections and funds, he naturally wants to make a name for himself in this industry.

Therefore, Lin's father is now just like a young man, full of energy.

Of course, to ensure his health and prevent him from developing health problems due to his busy work schedule as before, Lin Haoran specially arranged a professional nutritionist and a private doctor for him, and also instructed him not to work more than six hours a day.

Lin Wan-an had some reservations about this, feeling that he wasn't old enough to be considered that way, but he couldn't withstand the pressure from his son and wife, so he had no choice but to obediently comply.

After playing with his grandson for a while, Lin Wan'an handed the grandson to his mother, got into the car, and headed towards Tseung Kwan O.

Lin Haoran also took the opportunity to say to his mother and wife, "Mommy, Xiaohan, you two chat first, I'm going to the company."

Perhaps because they don't live together, Lin's mother and Guo Xiaohan don't have any conflicts as mother-in-law and daughter-in-law; on the contrary, they get along very well.

Lin's mother became more and more satisfied with this well-educated and reasonable daughter-in-law. Every time she came over, she would chat with Guo Xiaohan for a long time, from parenting experience to family matters, and even gossip news from Hong Kong. She had a great time chatting.

Lin Haoran watched this scene with a slight smile on his lips.

Harmony in the family brings prosperity in all things.

Each of the lovers lived in their own place and was protected by a female bodyguard, so they had no worries.

He was content with this kind of life.

Lin's mother held her grandson in her arms and said without looking up, "Go on, go on, be careful on the road."

Guo Xiaohan saw him to the door and said softly, "Brother Haoran, come back soon."

Lin Haoran nodded, planted a kiss on her forehead, and turned to get into the car.

The car slowly drove out of Shek Shun Road and headed towards Central.

Lin Haoran leaned back in his seat, watching the street scenes rushing past the window, feeling extremely happy.

Hong Kong's city center changes every year. Take Central, for example; compared to a few years ago, there are now many more high-rise buildings.

While it may not be as good as New York, it is far ahead of Tokyo and Singapore in terms of urban development.

Among them, the most dazzling is the world's tallest building, which is currently under construction.

At the beginning of the year, the building was already over 200 meters tall, and now, six months later, it has reached 300 meters, making it stand out in Central and even the entire Hong Kong area.

After all, among the Hong Kong Towers that have been completed so far, the Hopewell Centre is only 216 meters tall.

The second tallest building, Kang Le Building, is only 178.5 meters high.

This project, currently under construction, is designed to be the world's tallest building, reaching a height of 500 meters!
Looking at the building that was rising from the ground, Lin Haoran felt a surge of pride.

That's his building.

The world's tallest building, a new landmark in Hong Kong, is Lin Haoran's pride.

This building is not just a structure, but a symbol of his power to the world.

The building has now reached a height of 300 meters, and is only 200 meters away from its final height of 500 meters.

In a little over a year, when this building is completed, a new landmark will be born in Hong Kong.

He will set up a private club on the top floor to receive only the most distinguished guests.

Lin Haoran snapped out of his thoughts; the car was already parked in the underground parking lot of the Kang Le Building.

Upon reaching the 51st floor and exiting the elevator, I encountered Liu Xiaoli.

"Boss, Mr. Bao is already waiting in the meeting room," Liu Xiaoli reported to him.

"Okay, I understand. Prepare me a cup of West Lake Longjing tea." Lin Haoran nodded, but did not stop walking, heading straight for the reception room.

Liu Xiaoli responded and turned to prepare tea.

Pushing open the door to the reception room, Bao Yugang was sitting on the sofa reading a newspaper.

Hearing the noise, he looked up and smiled, "Haoran is here."

Lin Haoran walked over with a smile, sat down opposite him, and explained, "Uncle Bao, I'm sorry to have kept you waiting. I originally planned to leave earlier, but my parents came to visit their grandson, so I was a little late."

Bao Yugang waved his hand: "It's alright, it's alright. I just arrived too, I understand."

At this moment, Liu Xiaoli knocked on the door and came in, bringing Lin Haoran a cup of hot tea.

After she left, Lin Haoran asked with a smile, "Uncle Bao, how's the business development going at Harbour City?"

The second phase of Harbour City was completed this month. Although it has not officially opened yet, the leasing process is proceeding in an orderly manner.

Harbour City is very large. Even though some of the better locations have already been selected by Lin Haoran's companies, there are still a lot of shops that need to be rented out.

However, given Harbour City's location and the reputation of Lam Ho-yin and Pao Yu-kang, attracting businesses has never been a problem.

Bao Yugang smiled and said, "The progress is going very smoothly. Currently, 70% of the shops have been signed, and there are quite a few potential customers in talks for the remaining 30%. We expect to officially open on schedule in November."

Lin Haoran nodded: "That's good, Uncle Bao, thank you for your hard work."

Bao Yugang waved his hand: "What's the big deal about hard work? This is my duty. By the way, Haoran, I learned from relevant channels in the UK that Margaret Thatcher will officially travel to Beijing for a state visit to the mainland the day after tomorrow, which is the 22nd."

During the visit, there is a possibility of key meetings with high-ranking mainland officials, and the outcome of this visit could have a profound impact on Hong Kong's future.

Lin Haoran nodded; he already knew all this, but he didn't interrupt Bao Yugang.

Given Bao Yugang's status, it wouldn't be difficult for him to know these things.

After all, before he became the richest man in Hong Kong, Bao Yugang was the big brother of Hong Kong's Chinese business community and a world-renowned shipping magnate.

Bao Yugang continued, "I heard that Margaret Thatcher took a very tough stance this time, wanting to take advantage of the momentum of the Falklands War victory to bargain with the mainland on the Hong Kong issue, and even wanted to use sovereignty in exchange for governance to allow Britain to continue to maintain its influence in Hong Kong."

The Falkland Islands, located in the South Atlantic, have been under British control for centuries, but Argentina claims sovereignty over them, a dispute that has lasted for over a century.

In April 1982, Argentina suddenly launched a military operation to retake the Falkland Islands. Britain then dispatched a task force that traveled more than 10,000 kilometers across the South Atlantic and finally defeated Argentina in June, regaining control of the Falkland Islands.

The victory in this war greatly enhanced Margaret Thatcher's prestige and also boosted British national sentiment to an unprecedented level.

It was with this confidence that she prepared to confront the mainland head-on on the Hong Kong issue.

Lin Haoran picked up his teacup, took a small sip, and chuckled inwardly.

Falklands War?

That was merely the last gasp of the British Empire. Argentina's military government was corrupt and incompetent, its army was poorly equipped, its soldiers were undertrained, and with the United States supporting the war effort, Britain was able to win.

But China is not Argentina.

Margaret Thatcher's attempt to use the same tactics against the mainland was a miscalculation.

"Haoran, what do you think?" Bao Yugang asked.

Lin Haoran put down his teacup and said slowly, "Uncle Bao, you're right. Margaret Thatcher did want to do that, but she underestimated the determination of the mainland."

Hong Kong is not the Falklands, and the mainland is not Argentina; sovereignty issues have never been negotiable.

Bao Yugang nodded: "That's what I think too, so I'm afraid this meeting won't have a good outcome."

Lin Haoran smiled and said, "For us, it may not be a bad thing."

Bao Yugang was slightly taken aback: "What do you mean?"

Lin Haoran stood up, walked to the window, looked at the world's tallest building under construction in the distance, and said, "Hong Kong's real estate market has gone crazy in the past few years. Many people have forgotten that housing prices cannot rise forever."

This meeting is just the trigger. When the market panics, those who can't hold on will frantically sell off their assets, and that's when we'll be able to buy at bargain prices.

Bao Yugang's eyes lit up: "You mean..."

Lin Haoran turned around, looked at him, and continued with a smile, "Uncle Bao, you've been to Beijing far more often than I have. Surely you know better than I do about the future of Hong Kong?"

Bao Yugang was stunned for a moment, then laughed.

He certainly understood the mainland's attitude and whether there were any concerns about the future after the handover better than Lin Haoran.

In recent years, he has frequently traveled between Hong Kong and Beijing.
He was well aware that the mainland's stance on Hong Kong's sovereignty would never waver.

In fact, many people in Hong Kong could see that the negotiations would not yield any good results for Britain.

Their main concern is whether Hong Kong can maintain its current prosperity and stability after the handover.

This is what wealthy businessmen and capitalists are truly worried about.

Therefore, those who are going to flee will find a way to do so.

However, a large part of the population still held onto hope, believing that Britain was still very powerful and would be able to secure the most favorable terms for Hong Kong in the negotiations.

At the very least, it allows Britain to maintain a certain presence in Hong Kong.

Lin Haoran shook his head inwardly.

These people still can't see the situation clearly.

Britain is no longer the empire on which the sun never sets.

The Falklands War was nothing more than a last gasp before the flames died down.

And the mainland is no longer the Qing government of yesteryear.

"Haoran, how much of an impact do you think the outcome of this negotiation will have on Hong Kong?" Bao Yugang asked.

Lin Haoran thought for a moment and said, "In the short term, the impact will be huge. The real estate market and the stock market will plummet, capital will flow out, and the economy will decline."

In the long run, it may not be a bad thing. Those who lacked confidence have left, and those who remain are the ones who truly believe in Hong Kong's future. Once the dust settles, Hong Kong will be even better.

Therefore, Wharf Holdings should be prepared; this is an opportunity for them!

Lin Haoran owns 49% of Wharf Holdings. Although he does not have a controlling stake, the two are practically splitting the profits equally. Given Lin Haoran's current status and wealth, he is not worried about whether Bao Yugang is engaging in any underhanded tactics in managing Wharf Holdings.

Therefore, he naturally hopes that Wharf Holdings can develop.

After all, this also relates to their own interests.

“Haoran, actually, this is the main reason I came to see you this time, to ask for your help,” Bao Yugang continued.

Lin Haoran was somewhat surprised to hear this. "You're asking me for help?"

He asked curiously, "Uncle Bao, what kind of help are you referring to?"

"Do you think Wharf Holdings can take this opportunity to acquire Wheelock & Co.?" Bao Yugang revealed his purpose.

Lin Haoran was slightly taken aback, then smiled.

Wheelock & Co., one of the oldest British-owned trading companies in Hong Kong, is considered one of the four major trading companies in Hong Kong, along with Jardine Matheson, Swire, and Hutchison Whampoa.

Now Hutchison Whampoa has been acquired by him, as has Hongkong Land, a subsidiary of Jardine Matheson. Jardine Matheson has been forced to withdraw from Hong Kong and move to the UK.

Swire has always been law-abiding, but Wheelock has been on a downward spiral in recent years.

The shipping industry began to decline in 1981, which was last year.

Paul Y. Gang had long been aware of the crisis in the shipping industry and began to reduce his fleet on a large scale in the late 1970s, shifting his funds to diversified sectors such as real estate, retail, and hotels.

However, John Madden, the head of Wheelock, failed to keep up with this transformation in time.

In addition, John Madden was getting old, and his children had no interest in running the trading company and had long wanted to cash out their shares and leave.

He remained committed to the shipping industry, and in fact, many of the ships sold by Paul Y.'s Worldwide Shipping Group a couple of years ago were sold to Wheelock.

As a result, the shipping industry plummeted, and Wheelock's performance also declined sharply.

The stock price has fallen from tens of yuan at its peak to just a few yuan now, and its market value has shrunk by more than half.

On the other hand, the Worldwide Shipping Group, thanks to Paul Y.'s advance planning, not only avoided losses during the shipping crisis but also minimized its losses by selling its fleet at high prices.

Originally, many people were very puzzled by Bao Yugang's actions, after all, the shipping industry was still at a high level at the time, and everyone thought that the prosperity of the shipping industry would continue for a long time.

At this time, Bao Yugang significantly reduced his holdings in the fleet, and many people laughed at him behind his back, saying that he was old, timid, and didn't even dare to make money anymore.

But now, the shipping industry has plummeted, and those who laughed at him back then have all lost their fortunes, while Bao Yugang is holding a lot of cash and calmly looking for new investment opportunities.

That's vision.

Not everyone can see through the crisis behind the prosperity, nor can everyone remain clear-headed in the face of temptation.

Over the years, there have been rumors that Wheelock & Co. was going to be sold, but nothing has ever come of it.

Lin Haoran wasn't surprised that Bao Yugang had taken a liking to Wheelock.

After all, he knew from his previous life that this shipping magnate had also successfully acquired Wheelock in 1985.

The reason is simple: Wheelock's business is similar to Wharf Holdings', mainly engaged in real estate investment, shipping, and trade.

Once Wharf Holdings successfully acquires Wheelock, it will be able to make up for some of the shortcomings in Wharf Holdings' business, making Wharf Holdings a diversified and comprehensive large enterprise group.

In another world, Pao Yu-kong used a lot of connections and funds to acquire Wharf Holdings, and was also heavily indebted, so he has been recuperating and building up his strength in recent years.

In 1985, Bao Yugang finally found the right opportunity and acquired Defeng in one fell swoop.

Now, because of Lin Haoran's presence, this timeline may be brought forward.

After all, Lin Haoran has a large amount of cash on hand, as well as an investment network spanning the globe, and is the second largest shareholder of Wharf Holdings.

With his help, Bao Yugang naturally felt more confident.

"How's Uncle Bao's debt repayment going?" Lin Haoran asked with a smile.

In fact, Bao Yugang's creditor was Huifeng Bank.

It was with the help of Huifeng Bank that he was able to successfully acquire Wharf Holdings, with a loan of HK$22 billion to Bao Yugang.

Now, Huifeng Bank has become part of Hengsheng Group, and the owner of Hengsheng Group is Lin Haoran.

Therefore, the relationship between Bao Yugang and Lin Haoran has become even closer.

Aside from Guo Henan, Bao Yugang was arguably Lin Haoran's best partner in Hong Kong.

Hearing Lin Haoran's question, Bao Yugang, though not understanding what he meant, honestly replied, "Currently, including interest, I have already repaid HK$15.8 billion. In at most two more years, I will be able to pay it off!"

Lin Haoran nodded to himself. As expected of the world's shipping magnate, even though his most profitable industry, shipping, was in a slump, he was still able to pay back so much money in three years.

After all, besides repaying the money, he also needs to maintain the normal operation of Worldwide Shipping, support so many employees, deal with various expenses, and focus his energy on Wharf Holdings.

To be able to repay 15.8 billion in three years under such pressure—such strength is rare even in the entire Hong Kong market. (End of Chapter)