Hong Kong Film: Short mules have no future, I am in charge of Hong Kong

Chapter 259 The last bargaining chip!

Su Hanze finally spoke in a low voice: "Look at this data. Although there were many tourists last week, our operating costs soared by more than double. In addition, with the incident in Dongwan, although they smashed the signboard, we didn't actually gain much advantage. Although there are many tourists, their consumption is not high. Many people just take a few photos, eat a dozen yuan worth of fish balls and leave. If this continues, we will have to lose money."

When Xiaolong heard this, he immediately became anxious: "Boss Su, so many people came, how can we lose money? Didn't the stall owner's rent also increase?"

"It's true that the prices have gone up, but these stall owners only signed temporary contracts and can withdraw at any time. Xiwan is hot now, but we don't have any long-term guarantees." Su Hanze rubbed his temples, "If this continues, our food festival can only last for two months at most, and then it will quickly cool down."

Ah Liu was stunned for a moment, then gritted his teeth and said, "Boss Su, we have to find a way to keep these stall owners. Otherwise, once they leave, our place will be empty!"

"Retaining them is only the first step." Su Hanze stood up and walked to the window to look at the night view outside. "The problem is, we have to find a long-term profit point. We can't just rely on night markets and food festivals. If there is no long-term signboard, Xiwan will be replaced sooner or later."

Xiaolong frowned and asked, "Boss Su, what are your plans?"

Su Hanze did not answer immediately. He stared at the lights outside the window for a long time before slowly saying, "First, we need to integrate the surrounding properties and then find some capital partners. We need to build a real commercial complex, like the one in Central, integrating hotels, shopping malls, and entertainment. The night market is a transition, but it cannot be everything for us."

Ah Liu was a little embarrassed when he heard this: "Boss Su, can our current funds support such a large investment?"

Su Hanze turned around, his eyes firm: "Funding is not a problem, as long as there are good projects, we can attract investment. The problem is that this step is too big, we have to be careful and not let anyone catch us."

"What about Dongwan?" Xiaolong couldn't help asking, "Although Young Master Jin has been unlucky recently, he is the son of the gambling king after all, and he may make a comeback at any time."

"Mr. Jin?" Su Hanze sneered. "He is now a toothless tiger, unable to jump up. But we cannot underestimate his power. If he goes completely crazy, he might do something irrational."

Ah Liu nodded: "I understand, Boss Su, I will go and keep an eye on the people in Dongwan."

Xiaolong also said: "Boss Su, I will go talk to a few capitals and see if I can attract some investors."

Su Hanze waved his hand: "Go get busy, we don't have much time."

After the two left, Su Hanze sat alone in the office. His eyes fell on the documents on the table, and his expression became more and more solemn. He knew that if he was not careful, he would lose everything.

At the same time, in a shabby tea restaurant in Dongwan, Jin Shao was sitting in a corner, holding a cigarette in his hand. He looked much more haggard than a few days ago, but his eyes revealed a fierceness.

Sitting next to him were several old friends, including his confidant Zhang Hai and a middle-aged man in a Tang suit, who was one of the "leaders" of Hong Kong's underground money houses, known as "Seventh Master".

"Mr. Jin, the recent events in East Bay have caused quite a stir. Even some of my clients have asked me if our territory is about to collapse." Mr. Qi drank his tea leisurely, with a hint of tentativeness in his tone.

Young Master Jin snorted coldly and put out his cigarette in the ashtray: "Seventh Master, if you had said this to someone else, I would have turned hostile on the spot. Something did go wrong in Dongwan, but do you think my Jin family will really go bankrupt?"

Qi Ye smiled and did not respond. Instead, he turned to look at Zhang Hai: "Zhang Hai, what do you think?"

Zhang Hai lowered his head and thought for a while before speaking: "Seventh Master, Young Master Jin does have a lot of resources, but the situation is a bit tense right now. Su Hanze in Xiwan is making too big moves. If we don't fight back quickly, we may really lose more."

"So what?" Mr. Qi put down his teacup and asked calmly.

Young Master Jin raised his head with a cold look in his eyes. “So I need funds, a large sum of money. I have found several international teams to work with. They are willing to invest in the reconstruction project in East Bay, but the prerequisite is that I have to take out some start-up capital first.”

Upon hearing this, Master Qi raised his eyebrows slightly and said, "Young Master Jin, do you want to borrow money from me?"

"That's right." Young Master Jin looked straight at him, "I know that you, Master Qi, are not short of money, but you also know that as long as Dongwan can get back on its feet, the future profits will definitely satisfy you."

Qiye pondered for a moment and said slowly: "Mr. Jin, borrowing money is not a problem, but I only want to ask you one question, are you sure you can win?"

Jin Shao clenched his fists and said through gritted teeth: "As long as I have money, I will definitely win."

Qiye nodded and slowly stood up: "Okay, then I will trust you this time. However, Master Jin, if you lose again this time, no one will be able to help you."

Young Master Jin watched the back of Master Qi leaving, and his heart was churning. He knew that the stakes this time were bigger than any other time, and if he lost, he would have no chance of turning things around.

A few days later, the reconstruction plan of East Bay was launched. Jin Shao personally led his team to spread the word in major media, claiming that he would build the most luxurious entertainment and commercial center in Hong Kong.

He even brought up the name of his father, the gambling king, saying that this was the first step for the "Jin family to regain its glory."

When the news reached Xiwan, Ah Liu came to report immediately: "Boss Su, Dongwan has really made a move, and the move is very big. Young Master Jin has also found several international investors. I'm afraid it will be difficult for us to deal with it this time."

Su Hanze put down the teacup in his hand, his eyes became deep: "It is indeed Young Master Jin. He is going all out."

"Then what should we do?" Ah Liu was a little anxious. "If he starts doing this, our food festival will definitely be affected!"

Su Hanze was silent for a moment, then slowly said, "Tell Xiaolong to keep a close eye on Jin Shao's source of funds. The bigger Dongwan's actions, the tighter the funding chain will be. If he makes even the slightest mistake, the entire plan will collapse."

=The night market in Xiwan is bustling again. The vendors are busy greeting tourists, and the aroma of food mixed with the sea breeze fills the streets.

Although the atmosphere was still lively, the vendors kept talking among themselves, especially about the "business plan" that suddenly emerged in East Bay. Everyone was a little uneasy. A fat man selling egg waffles muttered as he flipped the egg waffles in the pot: "I heard that East Bay hired a foreign team and made it look very fashionable. Will our business be taken away?"

The young man selling fish balls next door curled his lips and said, "Stealing business? Even if Dongwan puts up a sign of Young Master Jin, it's useless. This is the 'Celebrity Night Market'. Even Xia Yan comes here to check in. Where do you think tourists will go?"

The fat uncle sighed, "Young man, you don't know Young Master Jin's background. He is the son of the gambling king and has great power. If Dongwan really succeeds this time, we small vendors may not be able to hold on."

As he was talking, Ah Liu squeezed through the crowd with two cups of milk tea. He was wearing a wrinkled T-shirt and had a worried look on his face: "Oh, stop worrying. Boss Su has been eyeing Dongwan for a long time. Young Master Jin wants to turn the tables? I don't think it's possible!"

The fat uncle looked at Ah Liu and shook his head. "Brother Ah Liu, your boss Su is indeed powerful, but Young Master Jin is not ordinary after all. This time he has found big capital, and I heard that there are several foreign construction companies backing him up. This is no joke."

Ah Liu took a bite of the pearls in his milk tea, chewed them for a few times, and said nonchalantly, "It's useless no matter who backs him up. Do you know how capable Boss Su is? He has already sent people to keep an eye on Young Master Jin, just waiting to see when he makes a mistake!"

The fish ball boy next to him looked at him with admiration: "Brother Liu, can we rest assured now?"

Ah Liu nodded and said vaguely: "Of course I'm relieved. As long as our boss Su is here, Xiwan will not fall!"

Meanwhile, in the back alley of the boxing gym, Xiao Long was standing next to a van, staring at a pile of photos he had secretly taken back from the East Bay.

These photos all showed the construction sites of Jin Shao's new projects, as well as some design drawings. A gangster in a black jacket squatted on the ground, holding a camera and explaining: "Brother Long, I tell you, they are really serious this time. Look at this photo, the machines on the construction site are imported from abroad! And this photo, look at the blueprint, they are going to build a theater!"

Xiaolong frowned, picked up a photo and looked at it carefully, and said in a deep voice: "Are you sure these pictures are real? Are they not released by Young Master Jin to scare people?"

The gangster nodded repeatedly: "It's absolutely true, Brother Long, I risked getting caught to take these photos. Look at this construction site, it's making a lot of noise!"

Xiaolong's frown deepened. He raised his hand and called to another brother beside him: "Hurry up and send these things to Boss Su. I have to find out where Young Master Jin got his money from. This scale... doesn't seem like something he can afford."

The brother nodded and immediately ran into the boxing gym holding the photo, while Xiaolong took out his cell phone and dialed a number: "Hello, is this Ah Sheng? Help me check the recent bank statements in East Bay to see where Young Master Jin got his money from."

Ah Sheng on the other end of the phone was a senior bank insider. Although Xiaolong's words sounded a bit abrupt, Ah Sheng did not ask any more questions. He just whispered, "Okay. Give me two days. I'll give you news after I find out."

Xiaolong hung up the phone, leaned against the wall and lit a cigarette. He knew that the Dongwan incident was a big deal, but his intuition told him that there must be something wrong. Even if he had the background of a gambling king, it was impossible for Jin Shao to suddenly take out so much money to start such a big project.

In a high-end restaurant in East Bay, Jin Shaozheng and Qi Ye were sitting at a round table covered with a white tablecloth. He was wearing a well-tailored suit today, and his expression seemed relaxed, but there was a hint of gloom in his eyes.

"Master, I heard that Xiwan has been a little restless recently." Master Qi took a sip of tea slowly, with a tentative tone, "They seem to have noticed the source of your funds."

Young Master Jin sneered, "So what if they noticed? Even if they found out, they can't do anything to me. Master Qi, do you still not believe in my methods?"

Master Qi put down his teacup, his eyes revealing a hint of amusement: "Mr. Jin, of course I believe in your methods, but now that your business is so big, if the funding chain is broken, it will not be a joke."

Jin Shao's expression changed slightly, but he quickly regained his composure: "Seventh Master, don't worry about this. The people behind me have already given me a guarantee that it will succeed this time."

Qi Ye didn't say anything more, just nodded gently. He knew the source of Jin Shao's confidence, but he had no idea how long this confidence would last.

At the other end of the restaurant, a woman wearing sunglasses sat quietly, holding a half-filled glass of red wine. Her eyes inadvertently swept in the direction of Jin Shao, and a faint smile appeared at the corner of her mouth.

This woman is Xia Yan. Recently, she has frequently appeared in the media because of her endorsement of Xiwan's food festival, and has become the "spokesperson of Xiwan". But in fact, she always has a bigger picture in her eyes.

"Mr. Jin, Mr. Jin, you are nothing special." Xia Yan murmured in a low voice, then took out her cell phone and dialed a number: "Mr. Lin, you know everything about Dongwan, right? I think it's time for us to take action."

Lin Qiming's lazy voice came from the other end of the phone: "Miss Xia, you are so anxious, do you think Young Master Jin will threaten Xiwan?"

Xia Yan chuckled: "It's not a threat, but this game of chess would be too boring if there were no new highlights."

Lin Qiming chuckled softly: "Okay, then it depends on how you play. I'll watch the situation for you in Central."

Meanwhile, in the boxing gym, Su Hanze was rubbing his brows with a tired look on his face. He had hardly slept these past few days. He was busy with the project during the day and had to deal with various emergencies at night. Xiaolong ran in with a stack of photos, saying hurriedly, "Boss Su, the money in Dongwan is not Young Master Jin's own. It was transferred from the underground bank by Master Qi. They also found several foreign banks for financing, which was quite a big deal."

Su Hanze took the photo and looked at it for a few seconds. He was silent for a moment before speaking: "Seventh Master has chosen a side. That is Young Master Jin's last bargaining chip."

Xiaolong nodded: "Seventh Master is only looking at the results now. If Young Master Jin messes up, he might withdraw his hand."

Su Hanze threw the photo on the table and looked up at Xiaolong: "Go check if there are any weaknesses in the cooperation between Qi Ye and Jin Shao. If we don't hit the target this time, we will be passive."

Xiaolong agreed and turned to leave, while Su Hanze sat back in his chair and lit a cigarette. He looked up at the ceiling, his brows furrowed tighter and tighter.

The lights from the street shone on the wet ground, like a layer of broken gold.

Xiaolong sat in a tea restaurant on the corner, stirring a cup of steaming lemon tea. The cigarette in his hand was half burned, but he had completely forgotten to smoke it. Opposite him sat a tall and thin young man wearing a wrinkled shirt that looked like he had just bought it from a street stall. The young man looked down at his hands, rubbing them constantly, looking very nervous.

(End of this chapter)