A century-old wealthy family that rose from Shanghai

Victoria Harbour Plastics.

Zhou Qianhe rushed into the factory and anxiously said to Li Jiacheng, "Mr. Li, Boss Fang said that the plastic toys we produce have quality problems and he is demanding a refund and compensation."

Like a thunderclap, it sent chills down Li Jiacheng's spine.

"how so!"

Zhou Qianhe said, "Mr. Li, our machines are too outdated, and the workers were put to work in a hurry."

A prophecy.

Li Jiacheng had to calm down and admit that there was a problem with the quality. He realized that he had been too impatient, pursuing quantity at the expense of quality.

He personally squatted beside the machine to supervise the quality, but how easy is it to ensure quality with these outdated and obsolete machines!

Furthermore, most of the workers are trained only briefly before being used as skilled workers. It is already quite good that they can operate the machines to shape the products.

He then went to the machine that produced plastic flowers and found the same thing, and a bad feeling immediately arose in his heart.

"Mr. Li, Boss Zheng is urging us to ship the goods as soon as possible; we need to work overtime to keep up with the demand!"

Startled, Li Jiacheng quickly said, "Don't rush. Take the product samples over first, and we'll talk after the customer confirms! Stay calm!"

"That's good!"

Victoria Harbour still has a bunch of orders in hand, and customers are calling to urge delivery.

Li Jiacheng was in a dilemma. Delaying delivery would result in fines and even deplete his capital. However, if the delivered products were substandard, he would lose money and suffer a severe blow to his reputation.

soon.

The feedback from the customer brought back by the salesman sent chills down Li Jiacheng's spine—the customer refused to accept the product and demanded compensation from the Victoria Harbour factory for the losses!
Customers are all intermediaries; they either wholesale products to retailers or export them to overseas distributors. The heyday of plastic products, where "even an emperor's daughter doesn't have to worry about finding a husband," is long gone, and users have become more discerning about the style and quality of the products.

With the increasing number of plastic factories, competition is naturally becoming more intense. The law of competition is survival of the fittest, and inferior products will inevitably be driven out of the market.

The situation is dire. Quality is reputation, and reputation is the lifeline of a company. The ship of our business, having just set sail, has already encountered raging storms.

During the crisis, Li Jiacheng truly experienced the difficulties of being a boss.

He once served as the general manager of a plastic belt company, in charge of all daily affairs, but major decisions were still made by the boss.

Now, as the owner of a property, one must bear the responsibility for all risks. "Walking on thin ice, proceeding with extreme caution"—this is the mindset of many property owners even during periods of economic prosperity.

Li Jiacheng is too young, has too much courage to spare, and underestimates the difficulties he faces.

The owner of a company is like the captain of a ship; decisions are the course, and any mistake could lead the ship to its doom.

Li Jiacheng is once again facing a major ordeal in his life.

Before this, the hardships he had experienced were irresistible natural disasters and man-made calamities; this time, however, it was caused by his own mistakes.

For those who persevere through hardship, adversity can be incredibly beneficial, but it can also utterly destroy a person.

The warehouse was piled high with finished toys returned due to poor quality and delayed delivery. Some customers came to demand compensation, while some new customers came to inspect the production scale and product quality, only to turn around and leave upon seeing the situation.

Customers are the lifeblood of a business. Li Ka-shing was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan. People in the industry often say: "I'm not afraid of not having business, I'm afraid of losing business."

The Victoria Harbour factory is in the latter scenario.

Despite product backlog and no revenue, raw material suppliers are still coming to collect payment for raw materials in accordance with the contract.

Where was Li Jiacheng going to get this money? When he was cornered, he said, "I really can't come up with the money. Take me away."

The raw material supplier laughed and said, "You wish! What would we need you for? We want money!"

Raw material suppliers threatened to stop supplying raw materials and to publicize Li Jiacheng's "scandal of defaulting on payments" among industry peers.

This is yet another trump card.

The wall fell and everyone pushed.

Upon learning of the crisis at the Victoria Harbour factory, the bank sent staff to urge them to grant the loan.

Completely overwhelmed and distressed, Li Jiacheng had no choice but to fawn over the bank and plead for an extension of the deadline. The bank held the power of life and death over the company, and the Victoria Harbour factory was on the verge of liquidation.

The Victoria Harbour factory had only half of its product lines remaining without quality issues, resulting in insufficient production and necessitating layoffs. Some laid-off employees' families came to their homes crying and protesting, while others refused to leave the offices, creating constant unrest in the workshops and factory premises. The remaining employees were filled with anxiety, worried about the future of the Victoria Harbour factory and, more importantly, their own livelihoods.

During those days, Li Jiacheng was inevitably irritable and would often scold his employees.

Morale was low and people were restless throughout the factory.

Li Jiacheng returned home, forcing a smile, worried that his mother was losing sleep over his situation. No one knows a son better than his mother. From Jiacheng's haggard face and bloodshot eyes, his mother discerned that the Victoria Harbour factory was in trouble. His mother didn't understand business, but she understood the principles of interpersonal relationships. A devout Buddhist, she was always deeply concerned for Jiacheng as he entered society, going to the Buddhist temple morning and night to offer incense and pray for her son's safety. She also frequently used Buddhist anecdotes to guide her son.

The mother calmly recounted: Long, long ago, on Sangpu Mountain outside Chaozhou City, there stood an ancient temple. The monk Yunji, nearing the end of his life, knew his days were numbered. He summoned his two disciples—Yiji and Erji—to his abbot's quarters, gave them two bags of grain seeds, and instructed them to sow and transplant the rice. He told them to return when the grain ripened, and whoever harvested the most would inherit his mantle and become the abbot. Monk Yunji spent his days chanting scriptures in his quarters. When the grain ripened, Yiji brought a heavy load of grain to his master, while Erji returned empty-handed. Yunji asked Erji why, and Erji shamefully replied that he hadn't tended the field properly, and the grain hadn't sprouted. Yunji then gave Erji his robe and earthen bowl, designating him as the future abbot. Yiji protested, but the master said, "The grain I gave you both was cooked."

Li Jiacheng realized the profound meaning in his mother's words—honesty is the foundation of being a person and the only way to overcome everything.

Li Jiacheng shed tears of regret for what he had done.

The following day, Li Jiacheng returned to the factory, which was still shrouded in gloom. Li Jiacheng called a meeting with the employees and frankly admitted his management mistakes, which not only dragged the factory down and damaged its reputation, but also implicated the employees.

He apologized to the employees he had unjustly reprimanded over the past few days, and stated that once the business improved, all dismissed employees could return to work, and if they found better opportunities, they would not be forced to stay. From now on, he guaranteed to stand with his employees through thick and thin, and would never sacrifice their interests for his own benefit.

Li Jiacheng spoke about overcoming difficulties and seeking development, which stabilized the employees' anxiety and reduced their morale.

Following this, Li Jiacheng visited banks, raw material suppliers, and customers one by one, admitting his mistakes and apologizing, begging for forgiveness, and promising to repay the debts within the extended deadline and to pay the fines and compensation in full.

Li Jiacheng made no attempt to conceal the unprecedented crisis facing his factory—the possibility of bankruptcy at any moment—and earnestly sought advice from the other party on how to save the crisis.

Li Jiacheng's honesty earned the understanding of most of them, who were all business partners. The closure of the Victoria Harbour Plastics Factory would also be detrimental to them.

That day, Li Jiacheng went to Ping An Bank, seeking help from the largest Chinese-owned bank.

This company is no less influential than HSBC in Hong Kong's industrial sector, and many factory owners have benefited from its influence. After these companies grew, they became Ping An Bank's most valued clients.

However, given the significant problems with Victoria Harbour Plastics, the loan officers at Ping An Bank also heard about it and hoped he could have a 'guarantor'!
guarantor?
He did want to ask his uncle, but Li Jiacheng knew that his uncle had always looked down on him. If he went to ask again now, not only would he fail, but he would also be lectured.

"Young man, what difficulties have you encountered?"

Just as Li Jiacheng was about to leave Ping An Bank, a voice pulled him back.

"Sir, there's a slight problem with the loan!" Chen Guangliang said to Li Jiacheng with a smile, "If you don't mind, please tell me!"

Li Jiacheng glanced at Chen Guangliang. Although he didn't know his identity, he already understood that this person must be someone extraordinary.

Recalling his past experiences, which involved meeting a benefactor, he quickly shared his troubles with her.

Chen Guangliang said, "You're the boss who was the second in Hong Kong to produce plastic flowers, I've heard of you!"

Li Jiacheng quickly replied, "You flatter me! And who are you?"

The owner of this bank

"Mr. Chen, I'm so sorry, I didn't expect it to be you!"

Li Jiacheng was overjoyed. This was more than just an extraordinary identity; this was a god in Hong Kong!
Chen Guangliang glanced at Li Jiacheng a few times, then said, "How about this, I'll be your guarantor and you can get a loan from Ping An Bank. Plastic flowers are in a good period of development, and you're the second person in Hong Kong who can produce plastic flowers, which shows that you have good learning ability, but you lack some experience."

Thank you, Mr. Chen.

Chen Guangliang then summoned a manager from Ping An Bank and asked him to take Li Jiacheng to the bank again to apply for a loan.

Watching Li Jiacheng's retreating figure, Chen Guangliang smiled and stepped into the elevator.

We're not even in the same league, so why bother considering him an opponent?

Give Li Ka-shing a hand so that he doesn't disappear from Hong Kong's business world.

If I don't help Li Jiacheng this time, he might miss the opportunity to develop the plastic flower industry. After all, by the time he recovers, there will already be hundreds of plastic flower companies in Hong Kong. No matter how capable he is then, what can he do?

In this lifetime, at best I'll be a small business owner, and I won't even be qualified to enter the real estate industry.

Back at the Victoria Harbour Plastics Factory, Li Jiacheng excitedly announced to everyone that the factory was saved.

“Ping An Bank has agreed to give us a loan of HK$50 and will guide us in setting up a production workshop for plastic flowers.”

Everyone was surprised; other banks wouldn't even lend 100,000, let alone 500,000.

Zhou Qianhe said with surprise, "Mr. Li, could it be that your uncle is willing to vouch for you?"

Everyone suddenly realized that if the boss's uncle guaranteed it, not to mention 500,000, even 1 million wouldn't be a problem.

Li Jiacheng said with a wry smile, "My uncle certainly won't vouch for me!"

Changing the subject, he said happily, "But I met a benefactor, and you'd never guess who he is. I went to Ping An Bank for a loan, and I had already been rejected, but I happened to meet Mr. Chen Guangliang. After hearing about my situation, he thought I was the second person in Hong Kong to make plastic flowers, so he kindly guaranteed my loan. After that, the project department of Ping An Bank was very enthusiastic towards me, not only granting me the loan but also providing guidance on the construction of the plastic flower production line."

Everyone was overjoyed and their confidence soared.

"Mr. Chan Kwong-leung, that's a very high-ranking figure. In Hong Kong, only the Governor of Hong Kong can compare to him, right?"

"Mr. Chan Kwong-leung is a 'knight' appointed by the British Royal Family, and the Governor of Hong Kong is also a 'knight,' so they are essentially the same. However, in the minds of overseas Chinese, Chan Kwong-leung is naturally superior to the Governor of Hong Kong."

No need to worry about being fired, the atmosphere immediately became excited.

Li Jiacheng then calmly said, "We can't be too happy yet. I hope everyone will be fully focused and get out of this predicament completely."

On this day, Chen Guangliang and Zhuang Zhujiu came to Nathan Road in Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon for inspection.

Zhuang Zhujiu pointed to a plot of land behind the Peninsula Hotel and said happily, "Mr. Chen, the land price here has increased by more than 30% since we bought it at the end of last year, from HK$150 per square foot to over HK$200. My idea for this site is to build a 17-story commercial and residential building, as our first real estate development project as part of our Times Film Group's side business!"

Era Films owns a large number of properties in Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, Japan and other regions.

Of course, these properties are currently used for purposes such as theaters, shops, and amusement parks, mainly for the development of the cinema industry.

Last year, Era Films sold its Kowloon Bay production base to Cheung Kong Holdings for HK$12 million for more than 360 square feet; shortly after, it bought this 2.8 square foot commercial site in Tsim Sha Tsui for a total price of HK$420 million.

At that time, Times Pictures owned two properties in Tsim Sha Tsui:

One is the Times Theatre, also located at 87 Nathan Road. This property was purchased in the 1930s and covers an area of ​​36,600 square feet. It was rebuilt after the war at a cost of HK$1.2 million and has always served as the flagship theatre of Times Cinema.

One of them is the site at 23-25 ​​Nathan Road that has now been purchased.

Of course, this is only the property in Tsim Sha Tsui.

Era Films also owns two valuable cinema properties in Mong Kok and Yau Ma Tei, which can be developed into commercial buildings in the future.

This is just the tip of the iceberg of Times Pictures' properties. After all, the company has accumulated considerable wealth over 25 years of development, to an extent that is impossible to quantify in detail. It owns more than a dozen expensive properties on Hong Kong Island alone.

Chen Guangliang looked at the plot of land at 21-23 Nathan Road and then said, "Two underground floors and 17 floors above ground. The bottom five or six floors can be used as a shopping plaza, and the top floors can be used as an office building and apartments."

At that time, Hong Kong's commerce was not very developed, and it was common for commercial land to be used for residential purposes.

The 'hybrid model' is quite normal here, just like the later 'Chungking Mansions' is a hybrid building.

The location of 21-23 Nathan Road is undoubtedly ideal, so a small shopping mall is certainly possible. Tsim Sha Tsui is also the most prosperous area in Kowloon, so there is a large demand for office buildings. As for apartments, they are of course high-end apartments, designed for wealthy people.

Zhuang Zhujiu immediately said, "Mr. Chen is indeed a real estate expert. He has come up with a general plan so quickly. I think this plan is very good. I will find Poly Construction to cooperate later. You can take a look at the specific plan later."

This in-law entrusted him with the management of Era Films, so he was naturally familiar with Chen Guangliang's style: report important matters, don't bother him with minor ones, and talk more when they get together.

"Okay. In the 25 years since its establishment, Times Pictures has indeed faced the necessity of some diversified development. Besides, it is just making full use of its own property reserves."

Zhuang Zhujiu nodded. Times Pictures' accumulation of so many properties does indeed give it a significant advantage!
"By the way, Yuanzhen is going back to Hong Kong next year. Has she thought about what kind of job she wants? If she doesn't have a target yet, ask her if she'd be willing to work at Ping An Bank?"

"Alright, I'll ask her. Thank you, Mr. Chen, for still remembering this girl!"

"Haha, isn't this my future daughter-in-law!"

The two families have already agreed on the marriage, but given that the two will only be 23 and 22 years old next year (1956), there is no need to rush into marriage and having children.

Most importantly, Yan Renmei believes that she hopes Zhuang Yuanzhen can work for a year so that she won't miss this experience when she gets married and has children later.

Chen Guangliang is not in a hurry to have grandchildren, after all, his four youngest children are only a few years old.

It's reasonable that the eldest son, Chen Wenjie, got married and had children at the age of 25.

The third generation of the Chen family began to be born in the late 1950s, and by the 1980s they were gradually able to join the workforce.

The fourth generation of the Chen family were born one after another starting in the 1980s, and they were able to join the workforce gradually after the turn of the millennium.

With Chen Guangliang's physical condition, he is still capable of training a fourth generation. (End of Chapter)