A century-old wealthy family that rose from Shanghai

At the beginning of December, Chen Guangliang arrived in California, USA.

His first destination was the first Amazon shopping mall, accompanied by his son, Chen Wenjin.

“Father, this project is quite successful. The bank has valued it at as much as 5000 million US dollars,” Chen Wenjin said with some pride.

Amazon Mall in San Francisco is the largest shopping mall in California.

More importantly, this 'shopping mall' has a lot of innovation.

For example, in the past, shopping malls were purely for consumption—the central area of ​​the shopping mall revolved around a department store, and other shops were distributed around the department store, connected by sidewalks. Parking spaces surrounded the entire central area, creating a complete shopping and consumption environment for pedestrians.

Meanwhile, shopping malls in San Francisco have gradually transformed from simple consumer spaces into integrated entertainment and shopping areas, with fast food restaurants, cinemas, and other entertainment facilities appearing in them; at the same time, department stores that were introduced have been transformed into supermarkets after cooperation.

Looking at the bustling shopping mall, Chen Guangliang said, "Shopping malls are not a static business model. The Southvale Shopping Center appeared in the United States in 1954 and was very successful at the time; now, less than ten years later, the history of shopping malls has been rewritten. So you need to learn from this and make Amazon Shopping Center a brand, not just a single project that is a great success."

"Hmm," Chen Wenjin said calmly, "The models of shopping malls will be somewhat different in different areas. We have gained some experience from the three small and medium-sized shopping malls we have recently developed."

Chen Guangliang then said with satisfaction, "In short, we need to build a shopping mall brand!"

I will definitely remember my father's words.

Speaking of which, it was my father who helped me come up with the ideas and plans that led to the success of the Amazon Shopping Center in San Francisco.

Therefore, Chen Wenjin always listened to her father's words.

Chen Guangliang did not push things too hard; his and Jiang Meiying's support for Chen Wenjin was limited to US$2000 million, which was roughly the cost of building the first shopping mall.

In his plan, the 1960s were the era in which Chen Wenjin, as a real estate developer, laid the foundation. Chen Wenjin needed to have an increasingly deeper understanding of the industry.

By the 1970s, Chen Wenjin would be able to develop shopping malls while also investing in commercial office buildings, hotels, and other comprehensive development projects.

After the visit, Chen Guangliang and Chen Wenjin returned to a villa in San Francisco, where Jiang Meiying was with her daughter-in-law Kelly and her mixed-race grandson Chen Zekang.

"Dad," Kelly, the daughter-in-law from Yang, happily greeted him.

The longer Kelly stayed with the family, the more she admired the greatness of its founder.

Chen Guangliang smiled as he took his grandson, picked him up, played with him for a while, and then handed him to the servant.

Actually, he doesn't have much of a connection to his grandchildren, since he already has children of similar age. Chen Guangliang only cares about the outcome—the normal birth of his third-generation offspring. Therefore, he's putting pressure on his son, Chen Wenming, to get married and have children normally, and to stop messing around!

"Wenjin, you are steady and progressive in your work, which is commendable!" Chen Guangliang praised Chen Wenjin as they sat down.

Since 1957, Chen Wenjin has worked independently, investing in Amazon Shopping Center and securities, all with satisfactory results. While doing these things, Chen Wenjin also developed some residential properties.
Chen Wenjin said somewhat excitedly, "Father, you flatter me. Actually, if it weren't for you managing the overall situation, I wouldn't have achieved what I have today. In fact, Wenming and the others are all more capable than me."

Seeing that he was speaking up for his brother, Chen Guangliang waved his hand and said, "You shouldn't get involved in this matter."

Chen Wenjin then said no more.

He knew that his younger brother, Chen Wenming, had already chosen to compromise, so returning to the Global Group would be a natural progression, and he wasn't too worried about it.

Later, Chen Guangliang said, "The index has now reached 700 points. I plan to have you cash out 30-50% of your securities holdings to withdraw some funds. Specifically, starting from the middle of this month, you will cash out 20% of your funds each month."

The reason for this pullback is that there will be a "Kennedy Drop" in the first half of next year (1962), and the index should pull back by about 25%, with IBM's stock price also falling from 600 to 300.

Chen Wenjin nodded, and then said, "Leyi can be of great help to my mother's investment company now, and I only need to give him some pointers. This time the withdrawal of funds is relatively large, so I will be more careful."

The eldest daughter, Chen Leyi, has been working at her mother's investment company for a year and a half as the president's assistant. Chen Wenjin has her own business and only needs to oversee her mother's investment company, serving as a director.

Chen Guangliang said, "Take another 20 million US dollars from this pullback and use it for your own investment company. After this round of index adjustment is over, I will let you buy stocks. This investment should not be used to subsidize real estate. Real estate can be developed steadily in the 1960s using the current capital."

Chen Wenjin owns his own investment company, which has invested in a lot of securities and also venture capital in fast food chains such as McDonald's and KFC.

“Father, I’ve actually made my business successful, and I don’t need you and Mother to give me any more money!” Chen Wenjin said sincerely.

He was already very satisfied to have his father personally guide the business of 'Amazon Shopping Center'.

Chen Guangliang waved his hand and said, "Take it. Your mother's investment company has exceeded 1.5 million US dollars. It's divided among your four children, so you should get this amount too. Besides, my idea is to diversify some investments. We're all family, so don't be so calculating."

"Yes, Father is right!"

Jiang Meiying did not express any opinion from beginning to end; she simply held her husband's arm to show her support.

Soon, Chen Guangliang arrived in New York.

He first went to Jiang Meiying's investment company. Because this company was not a 'fund company', although it held securities worth 1.2 million US dollars and had a very high annual return, it was not well-known.

Of course, that's not entirely true. Jiang Meiying also enjoyed the reputation of being a "wealthy Chinese woman" in American business circles, but in reality, her fame was only similar to that of Yu Fengzhi in Zhang Xueliang's early years. In terms of wealth, Yu Fengzhi couldn't even come close, and hers was not even a fraction of Jiang Meiying's.

"Dad, when did you arrive?" Chen Leyi, dressed in her office uniform, lost her 'strong woman' demeanor upon seeing her father and reverted to her clingy daughter self.

Chen Guangliang laughed and said, "You live in a Manhattan apartment now, so naturally you don't know that we arrived in New York last night."

Chen Leyi linked arms with Chen Guangliang and said sweetly, "Dad, it's for work convenience. I'll be at the Long Island villa tonight!"

Chen Guangliang said, "Aren't you going to invite me to stay at your place for the night?"

Whether his daughter was dating or not was a topic of concern for him. It wasn't that he was afraid his daughter was dating, but rather worried that she might date a white or black man, because Chen Guangliang hoped he would find a Chinese woman.

Chen Leyi generously replied, "Sure, as long as you don't mind!" Deep down, she was still a conservative Chinese girl and would never live together before marriage, and she also adhered to her father's teachings.

At this moment, Jiang Meiying said somewhat jealously, "Alright, hurry up and report to your father!"

"Hehe, Mom's jealous."

"No respect for elders"

Before long, the information about Jiang Meiying's investment company was presented to Chen Guangliang.

As a top student with a year and a half of work experience, Chen Leyi can also give her father a detailed introduction.

Since the 1930s, Jiang Meiying's returns on securities investments have been very high and stable, at around 20% per year. This rate of return is not actually high compared to those Wall Street stock market gurus, after all, there is a recent "Chinese stock market guru on Wall Street" named Cai Zhiyong, whose annual return rate can be over 50%.

However, Chen Guangliang and Jiang Meiying had never studied stocks; Chen Guangliang made decisions based on the companies he was familiar with and the overall market conditions.

So this rate of return is already very good!

During that period, the annual dividends were used to cover the expenses of Jiang Meiying's household, or to purchase some properties.

"This time, we'll see a 30-50% pullback in securities. Your second brother will also come to help you."

Chen Leyi exclaimed with delight, "Father, you stock market genius are up to something again! I love watching you pontificate, then the stock market crashes next year, and everyone suffers, hehe!"

"You silly girl!" Chen Guangliang couldn't help but shake his head.

Chen Leyi said with a smile, "Isn't this what you taught me? If others don't lose money, how can we make a profit? Leeks, you know, they always grow back after you've harvested them!"

Chen Guangliang felt ashamed. In order to put on a good show in front of his daughter, his parenting style was completely different from that in front of his sons.

“I will have your mother give you $2000 million of the funds raised this time as your dowry. Of course, as I promised before, you should receive the same amount as your brothers; but you should know that my investment company will become a ‘trust fund’ for your branch of the family in the future, and all four of you children will be the beneficiaries.”

Chen Leyi quickly hugged her father's arm, her face full of reluctance, and said, "Dad, I'm not married yet, I don't want a dowry!"

Whether he meant it or not is unimportant; what matters is that Chen Guangliang will not neglect his daughter.

He patted Chen Leyi's hand and said, "Actually, your older brother received another 2000 million US dollars this time, and since you've been working for a year and a half, you're taking 2000 million US dollars. You can't spend this money recklessly. You should also set up your own investment company, and under your father's guidance, look for opportunities to buy US stocks next year. The annual dividends will be your pocket money. Of course, I'm doing all this not so that you'll get married early, but so that you can have an independent career and wealth."

When Chen Guangliang discussed this with Jiang Meiying in private, he actually hoped that the wealth of Jiang Meiying's family would be 'divided' more evenly, which would also be in line with the principle of 'not putting all your eggs in one basket'.

When it's time to buy at the bottom next year, the stocks that Chen Wenjin and Chen Leyi invest in will definitely be those with greater long-term value; while Jiang Meiying's investments will be in stocks like IBM and Texas Instruments, which have seen their value surge several times over.

In this way, Jiang Meiying's wealth could quickly reach its peak by the end of 1967, easily increasing from 8000 million to 2 million US dollars. Since the index had risen from over 500 to 1000, reaching 3 million US dollars would have been a given.

Chen Leyi then said, "Then Father, you mustn't abandon me. Whatever stocks you tell me to buy, I'll buy!"

Their children worship their father as if he were a god. Even Wall Street stock market gurus pale in comparison, after all, their father was a perennial winner for over thirty years.

"Do not worry!"

Chen Leyi was relieved, then became excited. This was 2000 million US dollars, it seemed her father really treated all his daughters equally.

In the following days, Yan Renmei also came to the United States. Chen Guangliang accompanied her to meet some friends and relatives, including Kong Lingyi, as well as her two aunts and other family members.

When I met Kong Lingyi, she was alone, but she took the initiative to say, "I've met a new boyfriend. He's a military attaché stationed in the US for Taiwan. What do you think?"

Her gaze first fell on Chen Guangliang, then on Yan Renmei, as if their opinions were very important!
Yan Renmei said, "Whatever you choose, I will support you!"

The two have been best friends for almost forty years!

Kong Lingyi nodded, then glanced at Chen Guangliang. Seeing that he remained silent, she said with emotion, "What I envy most is not your wealth, nor your large family, but your more than thirty years of relationship. And neither of you seems to age much; you could truly be called a match made in heaven!"

Seeing Kong Lingyi's expression, Yan Renmei deliberately said, "Don't be envious. My husband has more than just me. How could you possibly accept that?"

Kong Lingyi blurted out, "If it were him, I might not be unable to accept it."

Chen Guangliang couldn't help but cough. Something seemed off about these two best friends today.

Kong Lingyi blushed and immediately added, "Of course, I definitely couldn't accept it when I was young, but over the years I've seen you two like a perfect couple, completely unaffected by this. Especially Renmei, every time she comes to America, her happiness is palpable, which is enviable."

Yan Renmei then smiled and said, "Happiness is a personal feeling. I just accept some realities and don't let myself be bothered. For example, I endured for a long time when I couldn't travel on the same plane or go abroad with him."

Before her son turned eighteen, she found it difficult to travel and explore the world with her husband. During that time, she often felt disappointed.

But as time went by, she didn't age, her children grew up, and she had a good relationship with her husband. She finally made up for her past regrets.

Now, she has many opportunities to travel abroad with her husband every year.

At this moment, Chen Guangliang said, "Alright, everyone has their own life. Now that you've found your Mr. Right, don't keep thinking about the past. Living well in the present is the most important thing."

Kong Lingyi nodded; she trusted Chen Guangliang and Yan Renmei quite a bit.

Afterwards, everyone talked about everything under the sun, sharing their close friendship.

Next, Yan Renmei hosted a banquet at her villa on Long Island for her two aunts and their families. Because her father, Yan Zhiduo, had also come out, the Yan family would hold regular gatherings to unite around Yan Zhiduo, the 'eldest grandson'.

The Yan family has been wealthy for five generations, as Yan Zhiduo's eldest son, Yan Zuhe, also has two sons. (End of Chapter)