A century-old wealthy family that rose from Shanghai

In early April, as the price of the second and third tiers fell to around 60 yuan, Ping An Bank began to absorb the corresponding claims, totaling 5 million yuan, 500,000 yuan more than expected.

Ping An Bank's profit this time was as high as 160 million yuan, plus Jiang Meiying's profit of 50 yuan, for a total profit of more than 210 million yuan.

Is there anything more profitable than speculation in this world?

Chen Guangliang couldn't help but think.

Of course, he would not give up investing in real industries; his ideal was to serve the country through industry, even though he preferred speculation.

Although the matter of the "second and third gates" has basically come to an end, the impact of Seven Star Company on the Shanghai Stock Exchange is far-reaching. Countless people secretly curse them for exploiting others.

Shen Baochang was not the only one to die tragically in this financial crisis. Twenty-three others suffered the same fate. Nine of them were pre-existing conditions that suddenly worsened due to the shock, leading to their deaths. Fourteen committed suicide by jumping into the Huangpu River, lying on railway tracks, falling from buildings (towers), or taking poison. Others, who were previously in good health, fell ill as a result of the shock. Among them was Jiang Lufu, the director of the Public Debt Department of the Ministry of Finance, who developed heart disease, which ultimately claimed his life.

The scene was a complete mess, and at this critical moment, the South Korean government did not blame Seven Star Company at all, instead believing it was within the normal scope of business. Little did they know that the Ministry of Finance spokesperson and H.H. Kung both played a role in fueling the fire.

Ping An Bank.

Chen Guangliang was in a good mood as he flipped through the financial statements. Ping An Bank had made a profit of 160 million yuan this time, and he owned 92.5% of the shares in Ping An Bank. His father-in-law owned 2.5%, and the remaining 5% belonged to some scattered shareholders, including Fang Jiaobo and others.

Ping An Bank's capital has exceeded 600 million yuan, which is higher than some established banks.

In fact, a normal commercial bank, relying solely on loan interest and deducting deposit interest and bank operations, might only make a profit of around 10 silver dollars a year. For example, the Tongshang Bank had nearly 4000 million silver dollars in deposits, but its profit was only 9 silver dollars.

For this reason, Siming Bank invested in real estate and built thousands of new-style lane houses, with a total investment of up to 15 million yuan. This money was basically depositors' savings, and Siming Bank's capital was estimated to be only about 3 million yuan. However, now that the housing supply exceeds demand and rents have plummeted, Siming Bank is destined to be taken advantage of by the Nanjing government.

The two banks mentioned above, along with the National Products Bank and the Industrial Bank, will all be exploited by the South Korean government to create a new "mini-four banks" (i.e., the four smaller official banks below the four major banks).

Of Ping An Bank's 6 million yuan capital, one headquarters building each in Hong Kong and Shanghai, valued at 2 million yuan, will generate annual rental income for the bank; and 50 villas on Avenue Joffre, valued at 2 million yuan, will also generate rental income for the bank. The remaining 1.6 million yuan, which was recently earned, will be invested in Hong Kong real estate.

Since it's the bank's own money, it's primarily intended for overseas investment.

Of the depositors' 2300 million, besides 600 million in loans, they also invested 300 million in Xinfeng Textile Factory, which is equivalent to a full 1400 million in cash reserves; if their own funds are included, then it is nearly 1600 million in cash reserves.

Of the 2300 million yuan in deposits, Yan Renmei had 500 million yuan in fixed deposits, Jiang Meiying had 200 million yuan in deposits, and Chen Guangliang only had a few hundred thousand yuan left (300 million yuan of which was invested in Xinfeng Textile Industry).

Based on this, the funds that are 100% guaranteed not to be withdrawn are these 800 million.

As for the remaining 1500 million, there are about 500 million in funds. Considering Chen Guangliang's position, they probably won't withdraw it.

In this way, Ping An Bank is very stable.

Chen Guangliang was calculating this because he felt that Kong Xiangxi might not want to annex Ping An Bank, given how well the bank was doing. Although its deposits were not yet as high as the later "Four Little Banks," he was certain that they would surpass them in a year or two.

"Boss, it's time for the meeting."

"Okay, I'll come right away"

Soon, Ping An Bank's main management team gathered together, including the managers and assistant managers of its Hong Kong, Wuhan, and Guangzhou branches. In addition to the four branches, Ping An Bank also has eight offices, which has basically formed a nationwide network.

"The reason I've gathered everyone here today is to discuss the next steps for Ping An Bank's development. Japan has been frequently creating trouble in North China, and I've always believed that a full-scale Japanese invasion of China is not far off. While concessions can provide stability, we also need to consider multiple factors. Therefore, I've decided to purchase land and properties in Hong Kong and develop a real estate trust in Chongqing, all using our own funds."

By the end of 1937, land and property prices in Chongqing had increased at least fivefold. The influx of people into the mountain city inevitably led to a housing shortage.

Now, Chen Guangliang has decided to have Ping An Bank and Yangtze Real Estate enter the Chongqing real estate market to develop properties for rental.

Then, Xia Gaoxiang asked, "Does Chongqing need a headquarters building?"

As early as 1932, the Commander-in-Chief had already planned to take over Sichuan, indicating that the Southern Whale government also knew that it needed an alternative capital.

After thinking for a moment, Chen Guangliang said, "It shouldn't be too large. A three-story building would be sufficient as a backup headquarters."

Xia Gaoxiang nodded and said, "Okay, I'll immediately arrange for the real estate trust department to go to Chongqing and Hong Kong for investigation and come up with a plan for you!"

Chen Guangliang added, "This operation is a joint effort with Cheung Kong Properties, who also plan to invest in Hong Kong and Chongqing."

"Yes"

This year, the legal tender was to be issued, and all the gold and silver would become paper. However, the legal tender remained strong for more than a year until the full-scale outbreak of the War of Resistance against Japan.

So after another month or two, Chen Guangliang decided to transfer Yan Renmei and Jiang Meiying's savings to Hong Kong and exchange them for Hong Kong dollars.

As for Ping An Bank's other deposits, they will naturally comply with the law and be converted into legal tender; after all, even HSBC and Citibank will hand over their silver reserves (i.e., Chinese deposits) and then convert them into legal tender.

On this day, Chen Guangliang went to Citibank and found his old acquaintance, McCann.

Chen Guangliang, the man involved in this case, is a major client of Citibank, with deposits totaling $300 million at Citibank's New York headquarters. Even if McCann doesn't know the details, he would likely know that Chen Guangliang transferred a significant amount of assets to the United States.

In addition, as a financial and industrial tycoon in Shanghai, his identity was enough to attract the attention of Citibank.

After the two parties met, Chen Guangliang proposed that Citibank's Hong Kong branch lend him a loan of HK$200 million.

1英镑=4美元=16港币，1英镑=4美元=7.5两白银=12大洋.
200 million Hong Kong dollars, which is roughly 150 million silver dollars.

This is a result of the surge in silver prices. In fact, in April, silver in New York reached as high as 80 cents per ounce, but this was only temporary. It is more normal for it to remain at 60-70 cents per ounce thereafter.

McCann asked, "What does Mr. Chen need Hong Kong dollars for?"

He was genuinely puzzled. Could it be that this young man had sensed something?
Impossible! There really is such a miraculous person!
Chen Guangliang said with a smile, "I am planning to purchase land and properties in Hong Kong, but unfortunately, the domestic credit is tight. If I use my deposits in Ping An Bank, I am worried that I will be taken advantage of."

McCann asked curiously, "Who would be so calculating?"

Chen Guangliang said: "Official bank"

McCann suddenly realized that this young man was really thinking ahead. If someone were to target his Ping An Bank, all he had to do was spread rumors to cause a run on depositors, and then the government-run bank could take advantage of the situation.

He admired Chen Guangliang's foresight and then said, "Lending you the money is no problem, but the collateral must be valued at 70% of its original value. Also, you're a banker now, so the loan interest rate is..."

Chen Guangliang immediately said, "Mr. McCann, this is a private loan, and I am a VIP client of your Citibank. I will continue to cooperate with Citibank in the future."

McCann had naturally heard about this from his American colleagues. After thinking for a moment, he said, "We can go against the bank's interbank rate, but as you know, loan interest rates are already high, so I need an annual interest rate of 12%."

This interest rate is already very good; interbank lending rates are now likely to be as high as 21%. Even loans in the Shanghai Stock Exchange are at least 15% or higher.

Of course, things aren't much better in Hong Kong either; there will be bank runs this year as well.

“Okay, then I’ll only borrow it for six months, and I’ll use 55% of the Shangri-La Hotel’s shares as collateral.”

Although real estate prices have fallen, the Shangri-La Hotel is doing well and its value has not dropped much.

"Well, what can I do? You're a VIP customer of Citibank!"

"Thank you"

Only after settling this matter could Chen Guangliang confidently invest in Hong Kong and Chongqing; otherwise, he would still worry about Kong Xiangxi betraying him.

Because of these concerns, Yan Renmei and Jiang Meiying have not yet dared to transfer their savings to Hong Kong.

After securing a loan commitment from Citibank, Chen Guangliang immediately convened the entire management team of Cheung Kong Real Estate, which made everyone sense something was amiss.

In recent years, Cheung Kong Property has basically stopped development, and its main sources of income are only: rental income from Cheung Kong Property, rental income from construction management, property rental income, supervision and consulting, etc.

However, the team still consists of about 10 to 20 people. Although the work is relatively easy, Chen Guangliang encourages everyone to take this opportunity to learn.

The current general manager of Yangtze Real Estate is Yan Kuan, who was originally Lu Yuantai's assistant architect (and also a founding employee). The deputy general manager is Lin Hongying, who joined more than a year later.

Guo Deming and Lu Yuantai, the original general managers of Cheung Kong Real Estate, both went to the United States for further studies in 1934.

At the start of the meeting, Chen Guangliang said, "I will immediately inject 50 yuan and 200 million Hong Kong dollars back into Cheung Kong Properties. Then we plan to invest in real estate in Hong Kong and Chongqing. In Hong Kong, we will mainly purchase land and develop five-story tenement buildings for long-term rental, not for sale. The same will be true in Chongqing. This time, we will only rent and not sell."

Within two years, I want to own a large number of rental properties in Hong Kong and Chongqing, and then collect rent.

Even if Hong Kong were occupied at the end of 1941, it could be taken back after the victory of the War of Resistance against Japan.

As for the investment in Chongqing, take as much as you can, and if you sell some at the peak, you can quickly recover your principal, since this is extremely profitable (at least five times more than in 1938).

In fact, Chongqing had been under Liu Xiang's rule for more than a decade, making it one of the safer places.

Yan Kuan immediately said, “We, Cheung Kong Real Estate, have been in Hong Kong for two years (supervising the Ping An Bank Building), and we have a certain understanding of the environment there. My personal suggestion is to focus on the Kowloon area, especially Tsim Sha Tsui and Yau Tsim Mong, to build Cantonese-style tenement buildings and arcade buildings, mainly for overseas Chinese and people from the mainland who have taken refuge in Hong Kong.”

Chen Guangliang nodded and said, "That's feasible, but I'll make a decision when I get to Hong Kong."

He went to Hong Kong twice, but his younger brother and sister-in-law have already settled there permanently.

Lin Hongying then added, "We've also visited Chongqing many times and found that land prices there have been steadily rising in recent years, although they've started to fall a bit this year. Take Chongqing's commercial street 'Duyou Street' (which is now the Jiefangbei Pedestrian Street area) as an example. In 1926, the local land price was 1920 silver dollars per mu, while this year the price is 8000 to 10000 silver dollars per mu, with the highest increase reaching seven or eight times. However, it has now fallen back a bit."

Chen Guangliang planned to have Ping An Bank purchase commercial land in this area, expecting it to appreciate to the equivalent of 60,000 to 70,000 silver dollars by 1937 (at which time it would already be legal tender).

Chen Guangliang immediately said, “In Chongqing, we mainly build mid-to-high-end rental housing, so we need to choose the right location for the land. With 50 silver dollars, plus a little over 10 silver dollars from the Yangtze Real Estate account, I believe we can build a batch. Hongying, you will take the lead in this matter. Leave the relevant personnel in Shanghai for the time being, and the rest of you will move to Hong Kong and Chongqing to rent offices first. We need to act quickly.”

"Ok"

Ping An Bank and Cheung Kong Property will now serve as the 'vanguard' in developing real estate in Hong Kong and Chongqing.

The fourth floor of the Shangri-La Hotel is a trendy afternoon tea spot for Shanghai's elite, and it is also the most ideal place for wealthy Shanghai women.

First, I wanted to keep up with the trend; second, I liked these kinds of delicate pastries; and third, I also liked the scenery here.

It was afternoon, and the ladies of leisure once again came to the fourth floor of the Shangri-La Hotel, meeting in twos and threes to chat about the latest fashion clothes and jewelry, their tone always full of boasting.

"What do you think of this jade bracelet of mine?"

"Wow, this is pretty good quality, isn't it? It must be worth a lot of money, right?"

"My husband bought it for me. I don't know how much it's worth, but I think it's a small gift with a lot of meaning."

"Tsk tsk, you've been married for ten years and your relationship is still so good. I'm so envious. But no matter how good the relationship is, it can't withstand a man's philandering. He has one at home and another outside."

"Pah! Even if it's someone from outside, it's just for fun, like going to a brothel! Besides, you even married her into your family, why don't you mention that!"

"Once she's married into the family, she has to bow to me and treat me with utmost respect. Look over there, isn't that Mr. Chen Guangliang? Doesn't he also have someone else on the side?"

"It really is Mr. and Mrs. Chen."

The wealthy women leaned against the windows on the fourth floor, enjoying delicious snacks, drinking coffee and tea, gossiping about all sorts of things, and scheming against each other.

On Jiangning Road, some drivers were waiting on both sides of the road for guests of the Shangri-La Hotel. They would occasionally look into the glass with envy on their faces, thinking to themselves, "When will I be able to go in and enjoy a meal?"

Thinking of this, their stomachs rumbled with hunger, even though they were already malnourished, but they could only endure it.

Nowadays, although rickshaw drivers have all switched to tricycles (as mandated by the Nanjing government), the competition is fierce (there are many rickshaws and many drivers), unlicensed rickshaws are rampant, and rental companies charge high fees, resulting in an average monthly income of only 10 silver dollars for rickshaw drivers in Shanghai.

After Changjiang Auto Rental implemented measures such as "rent-free after four years" and "sons inheriting the father's business," it stopped lowering rents. As a result, the average income per person at the auto rental company was just over 10 silver dollars, which was about the same as outside.

But at least everyone had hope. By the spring of 1937, the current 2000-plus rickshaw pullers would be able to use the service free of charge, though they would have to pay a 10% management fee.

Chen Guangliang had already calculated this step. Even if the War of Resistance against Japan broke out, rickshaw drivers would not disappear. On the contrary, their business would be even better because taxis would run out of fuel.

This can be considered as securing a future for these two thousand brothers.

"Changjiang Tricycle Company is really good. I heard that in two years, their two thousand drivers will be able to use tricycles for free without paying any rent. No wonder they're all so energetic!"

"Work them to death, let's see if we can still use it for free!"

"You don't know this, they're exhausted. As long as they have sons or brothers, they can inherit, even their wives can inherit." "Chen Guangliang is really stupid. Everyone else is raising rents, but he's planning to give the rickshaw drivers free use. Why can't I find a boss like that?"

"You don't know anything. They're not short of money. A 1000-yuan tricycle plus license plate is only 800,000 to 900,000 yuan. If they just leak a little, it'll be more than that."

The drivers also discussed it amongst themselves, but their tone was always filled with envy and indifference.

On the fourth floor of the Shangri-La Hotel.

Chen Guangliang and Yan Renmei were indeed having a gathering with Zhuang Zhujiu and Sheng Qi, and they had also chosen to have afternoon tea.

Yan Renmei took a bite of the strawberry cake and immediately praised it, saying, "In recent months, this strawberry cake has been the most popular, and it's the only one of its kind in Shanghai."

Strawberries were introduced to China in 1915 by Russians, who planted 5000 plants in Heilongjiang. Three years later, a French priest introduced another batch for cultivation in Hebei.

The strawberries in Shanghai were imported by the Agricultural Bureau on behalf of the Shangri-La Hotel, and were exclusively supplied to the area.

To grow strawberries, Chen Guangliang even invented a greenhouse. Of course, since plastic film was not yet widely available, the walls were made of cement pillars and straw stacks, and the roof was made of glass, which was quite expensive.

Greenhouses are not a novelty; they have existed in Europe for a long time.

Sheng Qi laughed and said, "Do you prefer sour or sweet food? I feel like you're going to have another son!"

Yan Renmei is more than two months pregnant, which is a blessing for Chen Guangliang.

Yan Renmei said nonchalantly, "I like them both. Besides, it's the same whether it's a boy or a girl."

Sheng Qi immediately looked at Chen Guangliang. She seemed to think that Chen Guangliang favored sons over daughters, after all, his family business was so large.

Chen Guangliang immediately stated: "First of all, eating sour or sweet foods has absolutely nothing to do with having a boy or a girl. From a scientific point of view, it is completely unfounded. Secondly, having a boy or a girl is a man's business and has nothing to do with women. Finally, I absolutely have no preference for boys over girls."

Having two sons already, there's naturally no need to panic.

"Pfft," Sheng Qi chuckled, "You do know how to pamper your wife."

She has now forgotten about Chen Guangliang's affairs, since her goddaughter has forgiven him, and she still hopes the couple will be happy together.

Zhuang Zhujiu stood to the side, merely smiling, his gaze always fixed on Sheng Qi.

Perhaps this is why Sheng Qi doesn't want to see Song Ziwen again; after all, she might be satisfied with her current life.

Just as they were having a lively private conversation, Chen Guangliang spotted a familiar face—Ruan Lingyu. This woman was still alive!
It's not that Chen Guangliang cursed her to die, but historically, she did die in March of that year.

However, it makes sense when you think about it. After Ruan Lingyu and Zhang Damin had a falling out, Chen Guangliang introduced her to a lawyer named Wu Kaisheng, who became Hu Die's "personal lawyer" and later helped Hu Die win her divorce case.

However, when Chen Guangliang looked at the man next to Ruan Lingyu, he knew that he was indeed 'seeking death everywhere'.

The man beside Ruan Lingyu was named Tang Jishan, a major tea merchant and also a shareholder of the Star Company. He was a playboy, and it was likely that Ruan Lingyu had just escaped one danger only to fall into another.

Sure enough, after the two had been together for a while, Tang Jishan turned and left. Ruan Lingyu immediately burst into tears and hurriedly tried to cover them up.

"Seventh Miss, could you please invite Ruan Lingyu over for a seat? I need to speak with him about something!"

Sheng Qi and Yan Renmei were taken aback, and Chen Guangliang immediately explained, "I want to recruit her to our Hong Kong branch to film a movie."

"Um"

When Ruan Lingyu saw Sheng Qi, she forced herself to speak and said, "Miss Sheng."

Sheng Qi said with a smile, "Don't be nervous, Mr. Chen wants to talk to you!"

Ruan Lingyu's gaze fell upon the long-lost Chen Guangliang, and her heart fluttered. Before she met Tang Jishan, she had liked Chen Guangliang; however, Chen Guangliang was not very interested in her, and the matter was left unresolved.

Then she said, "Okay, please wait a moment."

Ruan Lingyu touched up her makeup, then suppressed her emotional turmoil and went to Chen Guangliang's table.

Chen Guangliang extended an invitation: "Miss Ruan, it's been a long time."

Ruan Lingyu said ladylike, "Yes, Mr. Chen is a very important person; he's not someone we can easily meet." Then she immediately said to Yan Renmei, "Miss Yan, you are so beautiful!"

Yan Renmei wouldn't hit someone who's smiling, and besides, she felt that since Chen Guangliang dared to invite her directly, he naturally wouldn't have any ulterior motives.

She then said, "You are very beautiful too."

Next, Chen Guangliang said, "Miss Ruan, I see that your face is dark. Are you thinking of doing something drastic?"

These words shocked everyone, as they came as a complete surprise.

Ruan Lingyu immediately said, "Mr. Chen, it's a real pity that you don't have your fortune told. But why would I be so upset? Don't joke with me."

Deep down, she was truly amazed by Chen Guangliang's brilliant strategy, and at that moment, she felt utterly hopeless.

Chen Guangliang continued, "I don't know you, but I know men. The man you were with earlier is called Tang Jishan. He's a playboy, and I heard he has another woman in America. Besides, I don't think he intends to marry you. He's probably just gotten out of one trap only to fall into another. Of course, I've also seen on the news that Zhang Damin is still harassing you. All these signs indicate that you're indeed having some suicidal thoughts, which is why I invited you here to give you some advice. If you're willing to listen, I can speak; if you're not, I won't force you."

If you're willing to help, then help is unnecessary; if they remain unrepentant, then there's no saving them.

Ruan Lingyu hesitated for a moment before saying, "Mr. Chen is a very important person. It would be my honor to hear your advice!"

Chen Guangliang laughed and said, "That's right! In fact, as China has developed to this point, men and women are also moving towards equality. For example, this Miss Sheng won her family property lawsuit. And that Hu Die also resolved the 'Butterfly Snow Contract Termination Case' back then. You are a movie star, why do you value men so much? You should focus on your career. The more outstanding you are, the more humble men will be; the more you are attached to someone, the less men will take you seriously, especially since Tang Jishan has no intention of marrying you."

Ruan Lingyu said with self-consciousness, "I'm already twenty-seven years old."

Chen Guangliang said, "What's wrong with being twenty-seven? If you were to propose in the newspaper now, you'd have hundreds of thousands of fans in Shanghai. So don't be so pessimistic. I have a job here. I hope you can leave your star company and go to Hong Kong's Era Film Studio. Change your environment, and I guarantee you'll have success in both your career and love life sooner or later."

Hope appeared in Ruan Lingyu's eyes!
Seeing this, Yan Renmei also said, "Yes, compared to ordinary women, you are already a successful woman. What is there to be upset about? If a man doesn't want to marry you, just leave. Besides, isn't Tang Jishan a playboy? He's not worth your time."

After saying that, he glanced at Chen Guangliang, intentionally or unintentionally, which immediately made Chen Guangliang feel guilty.

Well, I've gotten myself into this mess!
Sheng Qi also advised, "Come to Times Pictures. We're doing better than Star Company. We've made a lot of good movies these past few years. Focus your energy on your work first, and maybe you'll forget about these things. We women shouldn't become appendages of men, or we'll really suffer."

Good heavens, now it's Chen Guangliang and Zhuang Zhujiu's turn to be embarrassed!

Ruan Lingyu looked at her 'life mentor' Chen Guangliang and said, "I'll reconsider changing jobs. I'm worried that the entertainment company will object."

Chen Guangliang stated directly, "As long as you are willing, legal issues and public relations issues will all be handled by our Times Pictures."

"Ok"

Then, Chen Guangliang gestured for Sheng Qi to give him a business card, since Sheng Qi was now a director of Times Pictures and was also responsible for some public relations matters.

After Ruan Lingyu left, Yan Renmei calmly asked Chen Guangliang, "How did you know she was going to commit suicide?"

Chen Guangliang immediately replied, "It was all a fluke. It was mainly about poaching people; it was something I did on the side."

Sheng Qi added from the side, "You don't seem to be guessing, and Ruan Lingyu actually admitted that she was feeling down."

Chen Guangliang stated bluntly, "Anyway, I have absolutely no ulterior motives towards her."

Yan Renmei blushed, then said shyly, "Who told you to say that?"

After all, her godmother and godmother's husband were there, and she didn't want to become a jealous person.

“You didn’t think of it, but I want to make it clear.”

Fortunately, Sheng Qi stopped there, as she didn't want to ruin their relationship.

Then, Sheng Qi mentioned something else: "The Gu family's Paramount Ballroom is being offered for sale. It is said that their business is doing quite well and they have a great reputation, but they have always been losing money."

Chen Guangliang asked, "Transfer, doesn't that mean selling the property along with it?"

Sheng Qi shook his head and said, "The Gu family is not powerful enough to sell property."

Chen Guangliang decisively replied, "I have no interest in that."

The next day, Chen Guangliang brought Yan Renmei to the Ping An Bank Building. Yan Renmei is now a director of several companies. Chen Guangliang's subordinates understand their boss's meaning and regard Yan Renmei as "the boss who is not in Shanghai." They will inform her of important matters and seek her advice.

Who says women of this era can't wield power? After Khatun's death, his wife inherited most of the assets and was able to keep his adopted sons and distant relatives in Iraq in check.

In many large families, after the death of the head of the family, whose children happen to be minors, the family business is usually taken over by the legal wife.

"Boss, Miss Yan."

Xia Gaoxiang and Ye Ximing walked in together and saw Yan Renmei sitting next to the boss. They knew that this was to train Miss Yan to take charge of affairs.

Chen Guangliang nodded and then said, "Times Pictures' stock is sluggish, and I want Ping An Bank to take advantage of this opportunity to buy some shares. I've calculated that Times Pictures' assets are worth over 350 million, but the stock is only 150 yuan, which is equivalent to a market value of about 200 million. It's a very good deal."

Banks holding 'securities' is a normal investment. The main point is that Chen Guangliang hopes to establish a 'trust organization' with 'Ping An Bank' at its core.

Ping An Bank currently controls 50% of the shares of 'Xinfeng Textile', and Times Pictures is the second investment target.

Times Pictures issued 13500 shares, each worth about 150 yuan, while the Chen Guangliang family currently holds only 3000 shares, accounting for only 22.22%. If it weren't for the fact that their 'ally' Sheng Qi also holds 22.22%, Chen Guangliang would be worried about the instability of his shareholding and the possibility of someone taking it over.

Of course, at this time, Ping An Bank took the opportunity to acquire shares in order to stabilize the position of the major shareholder.

Ye Ximing immediately said, "This is a good investment. The main assets of Times Film Industry are currently concentrated in the concessions and Hong Kong, and in recent years they have brought Chinese films to new heights. It is a good asset. In the past six months or so, due to the 'outflow of silver,' government bonds and stocks have fallen sharply, so the opportunity is just right."

Chen Guangliang added, "But don't absorb too quickly. Absorb at least 20% over three or four months. This pace won't alarm the market."

"Ok"

Chen Guangliang is quite adept at this high-buy-low-sell strategy.

After the two left, Chen Guangliang said to Yan Renmei beside him, "Renmei, I plan to go to Hong Kong later this month, and I'm afraid I won't be able to take you with me this time!"

Yan Renmei said coquettishly, "Oh, right? You promised to take me with you, but you've changed your mind this time. I guess you're planning to take me instead!"

She used a relatively gentle voice to express her concern and anxiety about this matter.

Chen Guangliang immediately said, "I won't take anyone with me. If you weren't already pregnant, I would have taken you to Hong Kong. Moreover, I have a feeling that the Ministry of Finance, which is under Kong Xiangxi's control, and the 'two bureaus and four banks' will continue to target private banks. Although I have taken precautions, I still hope that you will stay in Shanghai to oversee things, just in case."

Yan Renmei nodded seriously and said, "Don't worry, Ping An Bank's cash flow is enough to cope with possible risks. Besides, they're not as smart as you. The second and third trials this time are the best example."

"I am truly honored to receive your praise, Madam!"

"Stop being so cheeky. I'm a little nervous myself. You've put me through so many things all at once, and I'm afraid I'll disappoint you!"

She is currently a director of five companies: Yangtze Real Estate, Yangtze Taxi, Shangri-La Hotel, Global Shipping, and Ping An Bank. When Chen Guangliang is not in Shanghai, the senior executives report to Yan Renmei on various matters.

"Silly girl, don't feel pressured. I've done the main work. You're more like my anchor."

"Um"

Yan Renmei is a perfectly qualified wife. Although she is modest in managing the company, she has many qualities that Chen Guangliang praises. For example, when he went to the United States for three months last year, Yan Renmei handled some matters quite well.

Moreover, Chen Guangliang's subordinates respected Yan Renmei for three reasons: first, her family background; second, her resilient character; and third, her composure in handling matters.

With a wife like this, what more could a husband ask for!

With more than two years left in the War of Resistance, Yan Renmei's growth was a crucial part of the Chen family's development. After all, Chen Guangliang could not escape the war by hiding in Hong Kong, Macau, or the United States.

For a businessman to support the war effort carries some risk. (End of Chapter)