A century-old wealthy family that rose from Shanghai

In April 1966, at Yokohama Port, the gantry cranes of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries shipyard stood like steel giants on the seashore, their roar shaking one's eardrums.

Bao Yugang stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window of the dock office, watching the workers welding the keel for Huanqiu Shipping's first VLCC. His knuckles unconsciously clenched the order document in his hand—the words "delivery in the second half of 1968" on that paper felt like a thorn, making his heart ache.

“Mr. Bao, there’s really no way.” Watanabe, the shipbuilding department manager at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, bowed apologetically, beads of sweat on his forehead. “Global Shipping ordered 15 20-ton VLCCs at the beginning of the year, booking our entire 1967 oil tanker dock; Kawasaki and Ishikawajima’s schedules are also booked until mid-1968. If you want to order 3 VLCCs, the earliest you can get them launched is the second half of 1968.”

Bao Yugang took a deep breath, trying to suppress his anxiety. Last month, after receiving a "hint" from Chen Guangliang at a shipping dinner in Hong Kong, he immediately borrowed US$3750 million from HSBC and excitedly flew to Japan, thinking he could book a ship before his competitors. Little did he know that Chen Guangliang had already laid a trap. "What about cargo ships?" he asked, unwilling to give up. "If we order a 7-ton container ship, can we move it up to the first half of 1968?"

“As for cargo ships, we can adjust the schedule and put your three cargo ships in the first half of 1968.” Watanabe flipped through the order list, his tone somewhat troubled. “But there will be an additional 5% fee. Recently, Hong Kong shipowners have all flocked in. Cao Wenjin ordered three bulk carriers, Zhao Congyan ordered five bulk carriers, and even the Xu Aizhou family ordered two bulk carriers. Mitsui Shipping in Japan will have to wait until the second half of 1968 to place an order.”

Bao Yu walked to the window, his gaze sweeping over the densely packed ship sections in the dock—some with their keels just erected, others already undergoing outfitting, almost every steel plate bearing the "Global Shipping" logo. He suddenly recalled the Global oil tanker he'd seen at the Hong Kong docks last year, the 15-ton "Yangtze River," whose deck alone could accommodate three airplanes. At the time, he'd thought Chen Guangliang was "too reckless," but now he understood that the Chinese shipping magnate had long foreseen the production capacity bottleneck of the Japanese shipbuilding industry and had locked in the best available time slots in advance.

“Further fees are fine,” Bao Yugang gritted his teeth. “I’ll order both the cargo ship and the VLCC. The cargo ship will be delivered in March 1968, and the VLCC in the second half of 1968. We’ll sign the contract now.” He knew that even if it meant waiting for more than two years, it would be worth it—shipbuilding in Japan was 20% cheaper than in Europe, and only Japan could build VLCCs of over 200,000 tons. Once the Suez Canal closed, freight rates would skyrocket, and even with the VLCC being delivered a year later, he could still earn double the profit.

In mid-April in Los Angeles, the warm Pacific breeze swept across Malibu Beach, rustling the palm leaves. Chen Guangliang led Jiang Meiying into a white seaside villa. The Chinese plaque on the wrought iron gate was particularly eye-catching in the sunlight—it was specially commissioned by Chen Wenjin, the eldest son of the second wife, hoping that his parents would feel a sense of belonging when they visited.

On the villa's lawn, refreshments were already laid out under a wicker parasol. Chen Wenjin and his wife Kelly sat side by side, surrounded by their eldest daughter from their second wife, Chen Leyi, their second son, Chen Wenhua, and their third son, Chen Wenhai. Chen Wenjin and Kelly's two sons, Chen Zekang (5 years old) and Chen Zeheng (3 years old), were chasing each other across the lawn with toy cars. Upon seeing Chen Guangliang and his wife approach, the family immediately rose to greet them.

"Dad! Mom!" Chen Wenjin rushed forward, his voice filled with excitement. After everyone was seated, he eagerly approached Chen Guangliang, lowering his voice but unable to hide his joy: "Dad, Kelly is pregnant again!"

In continuing the family bloodline, Chen Wenjin and Chen Wenjie of the eldest branch share the same strong sense of mission; having a new member is of paramount importance to them. Upon hearing this, Chen Guangliang looked at Kelly and jokingly said, "You're in too much of a hurry, kid. You need to take good care of Kelly's health, don't just be happy."

Although Kelly is American, she has already mastered fluent and natural Chinese. She smiled and took over the conversation, her tone a little shy but firm: "Dad, I really love children, and my body can handle it. Jin and I have discussed it and we want to have a few more while we're still young. We need at least four children to make our house lively!"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Meiying reached out and gently took Kelly's hand, her fingertips carrying the tenderness of an elder: "Four children are a blessing, but we can't rush it. After this birth, you should rest for three or four years before getting pregnant again. A woman's body needs to be nurtured slowly; you can't overwork it."

"Yes, thank you, Mom!" Kelly nodded obediently, her eyes full of respect for her elder.

After chatting for a while, Chen Guangliang looked at Chen Wenhai, who was restless and whose eyes kept wandering to his two nephews, and said with a smile, "Wenhai, take Tianyou and Tianheng to play for a while, and remember to keep an eye on them!"

Chen Wenhai was born at the end of 1952 and just turned 14 this year. He was studying in secondary school in Hong Kong, but he took a special leave to come to the United States to reunite with his family. He had long wanted to play with his nephews, and upon hearing this, he immediately agreed, excitedly taking the two little ones' hands and running off into the distance, their clear laughter echoing in the sea breeze.

Only Chen Guangliang and his wife, Chen Wenjin and his wife, Chen Leyi, and Chen Wenhua remained on the lawn. Chen Guangliang picked up his teacup, took a sip, and looked at Chen Wenjin, slowly saying, "Wenjin, you've been in real estate in the United States for quite a few years now, haven't you?"

Chen Wenjin immediately sat up straight, his tone becoming serious: "Dad, in early 1957, under your guidance, I began investing in the Amazon Shopping Center brand, and this year marks its tenth anniversary. Currently, Amazon Shopping Center has seven projects in the United States: two mega-scale, three large-scale, and two medium-sized, with a total value exceeding $150 million. We recently moved our headquarters from San Francisco to Los Angeles, and the brand has built a good reputation; we're now considered a benchmark company in the American shopping center industry. Our next step is to steadily expand Amazon Shopping Center to the eastern United States, reaching even larger areas."

“Well done.” Chen Guangliang nodded, then changed the subject, “Have you thought about diversifying your business? For example, extending your investments into the hotel sector?”

Chen Wenjin's eyes lit up, and he immediately replied, "Dad, I've actually thought about this! I even looked up information about the hotel industry before, so I have a general idea. Originally, my plan was to use the money to start diversification after you gave me instructions to cash out the IBM and Boeing stocks. Besides hotels, I also wanted to try investing in office buildings. But without your confirmation, I didn't dare to act rashly."

When the IBM investment was mentioned, everyone present couldn't help but look at Chen Guangliang with admiration in their eyes. Back then, when Chen Guangliang advised everyone to invest heavily in IBM, many people thought it was risky. Now, this investment has multiplied several times, making the assets of the second wife in the United States more and more solid. Everyone understands that this is all thanks to Chen Guangliang's foresight.

Chen Guangliang was quite satisfied with Chen Wenjin's foresight and obedience, and slowly said, "IBM's market value hasn't peaked yet, and it still has growth potential, so there's no need to rush to cash out. However, diversification can be prepared in advance, and the most important area to focus on is the hotel industry. I'll give you two options: First, acquire the only Ritz-Carlton hotel in the United States in Boston, and then buy the global Ritz-Carlton naming rights from the British Ritz-Carlton Hotel Group. After that, position it as high-end luxury and build up the Ritz-Carlton brand; Second, Sheraton already has a hundred hotels, mainly targeting the high-end market. If we can acquire a stake or even become the largest shareholder, we can quickly seize the high-end hotel market."

Chen Wenjin listened very attentively. After Chen Guangliang finished speaking, he thought for a moment and asked, "Dad, what do you think about investing in office buildings? Especially office buildings in Manhattan. Recently, many developers have approached me to cooperate, saying they want to acquire land near Wall Street to build buildings."

“Now is not the time,” Chen Guangliang said firmly. “The United States is currently embroiled in the Vietnam War, and military spending is increasing. The economy will be affected sooner or later. The valuation of Manhattan office buildings is too high now. It’s not too late to buy at the bottom when the economy corrects in the early 1970s. In the next few years, you should focus on two things: first, do a good job in the eastern expansion of Amazon Shopping Center, and second, establish the hotel industry.”

"I understand! Thank you for your guidance, Father. I will consult you again if anything happens!" Chen Wenjin nodded quickly, keeping his father's words firmly in mind.

Chen Guangliang didn't say anything more, but he was calculating in his mind: a few years ago, he had Jiang Meiying transfer 2000 million US dollars to Chen Wenjin for the second time, specifically to invest in IBM and Boeing. The IBM stock alone increased fivefold. When IBM's market value reaches more than 1500 billion US dollars next year, he can start to cash out. Chen Wenjin can get more than 8000 million US dollars from the stock market alone, which is enough to support his diversified layout.

At this moment, Chen Leyi's eyes suddenly lit up, and she moved closer to Chen Wenjin, saying with a smile, "Brother, when you launch the hotel project, don't forget me if you need investment!"

A few years ago, Chen Leyi also received 2000 million US dollars. Following Chen Guangliang's instructions, she invested in IBM, Boeing and Texas Instruments, and now the market value is close to 7000 million US dollars.

According to the Chen family tradition, daughters inherit the family fortune upon reaching adulthood, and aside from living expenses from the family office and the second wife's trust fund, they do not receive any additional family wealth. Unlike Chen Wenjin, who has her own businesses, she naturally values ​​this investment opportunity very much.

Chen Wenjin smiled and ruffled his sister's hair: "Don't worry, you'll get your share! We'll definitely ask you to help us get investment."

Just as Chen Leyi laughed out loud, Chen Wenhua, who was standing next to her, also spoke up, his tone filled with anticipation: "Father, I want to start an investment company. I have learned a lot from Mother's investment company over the years, and I have always remembered the 'value investing' concept you taught me. I think I can give it a try."

Chen Wenhua studied business management and finance. He joined Jiang Meiying's American investment company after graduating from university last year and has been working there for almost two years. He has his own ideas about how to do things.

Chen Guangliang looked at his son and said slowly, "Wait another year. Next year, your mother's investment company will reduce its holdings of IBM stock, and then she will give you a sum of money, enough for you to start your own investment company. In this year, you should also help your mother manage the family investment company and thoroughly understand the American financial market—in the future, the family's financial investments in the United States may depend on you to take the lead."

A flicker of excitement crossed Chen Wenhua's eyes, and he nodded quickly, "Okay! Thank you, Father! I will definitely study hard!" The sea breeze blew across the lawn again, carrying the salty, damp scent of the beach. Not far away, Chen Wenhai was leading his two nephews to collect seashells, with occasional cheers ringing out; Jiang Meiying and Kelly chatted about the trivialities of raising children, their soft laughter occasionally breaking the silence.

Looking at the family reunion before him, Chen Guangliang felt a surge of warmth in his heart. While the ups and downs of the business world were important, the warmth of his family was the strongest support he had ever had.

Chen Guangliang and Jiang Meiying drove to a villa in a wealthy suburb of New York.

As soon as the door opened, Tang Feifan, dressed in a light gray suit, came to greet him. Although his hair was half white, his eyes were still bright. When he shook Chen Guangliang's hand, the strength was still as cheerful as it had been in Shanghai back then: "Mr. Chen, I should be the one going to Hong Kong to see you! You've stepped into my house first."

His wife, He Lian, dressed in an elegant cheongsam and holding a freshly wiped tea set, greeted Jiang Meiying with a familiar smile: "Meiying, come in and sit down."

Chen Guangliang walked into the living room, his gaze sweeping over the photos on the wall—there were photos of Tang Feifan on the Nobel Prize podium, photos of him exchanging ideas with colleagues in the medical field, and most striking was an old black-and-white photograph: early 1930s Shanghai, a young Tang Feifan wearing a white lab coat, holding a petri dish, standing next to an equally young Chen Guangliang. "Time flies, thirty years have passed in the blink of an eye," Chen Guangliang said, pointing to the photo, his voice full of emotion.

Tang Feifan followed his gaze, shaking his head with a smile: "If you hadn't persuaded me to come to the United States for 'further studies' back then, it seems I would have avoided quite a few troubles." He handed Chen Guangliang a cup of tea, "These past few years, people from Pfizer have been coming to invite me every day, but I haven't been idle. I just developed a new antibiotic two years ago."

“You just can’t sit still.” Chen Guangliang took a sip of tea and his gaze fell on the young man standing to the side—Tang Feifan’s son, Tang Wensheng, 28 years old, wearing gold-rimmed glasses and a white shirt, exuding a strong scholarly air.

"Hearing that, quickly say hello to Uncle Chen and Aunt Jiang." Tang Feifan patted his son on the shoulder.

Upon hearing this, Tang immediately stepped forward and bowed slightly: "Uncle Chen, Aunt Jiang, it's been a long time."

"How's it going at Pfizer?" Chen Guangliang asked with concern, remembering that the child was born in Chongqing.

"After graduating with my doctorate, I joined Pfizer's new drug research and development department. I've only been working there for a little over a year," Tang Wensheng answered methodically.

"He's following in his father's footsteps, quite promising." Chen Guangliang nodded approvingly, then joked, "You're 28 already, are you married yet?"

Tang Wensheng's face instantly turned red, his fingers unconsciously gripping the edge of the magazine: "I...I don't have a girlfriend yet."

"What kind of person do you like?" Chen Guangliang pressed.

"I like... I like us Chinese people." Tang Wensheng's voice was even lower, and his ears were turning red.

Chen Guangliang couldn't help but laugh and patted his arm: "Good eye. Take your time, you'll find the right one eventually."

He Lian, who was standing next to him, added with a smile: "This kid is completely focused on his work. We introduced him to a few people, but he turned them all down with the excuse of 'not having time'."

Jiang Meiying held He Lian's hand and said softly, "It's a good thing for a boy to be career-oriented. When the time is right, things will naturally fall into place."

The afternoon sun streamed through the window, casting its light on the living room carpet. Chen Guangliang chatted with Tang Feifan about the situation in China, and Tang Feifan's tone carried a hint of sadness: "Sometimes when I can't sleep at night, I think back to my days in Shanghai. I wonder how my alma mater is doing now."

“There will always be a chance to go back and take a look.” Chen Guangliang put down his teacup, his tone firm. “A nation with a history of five thousand years will not remain trapped forever. When it opens up in the future, we will go back together to see the Yangtze River, the Yellow River, and the Huangpu River in Shanghai.”

Tears welled up in Tang Feifan's eyes, and he nodded vigorously: "Okay, I'll wait for that day."

Two days later, Chen Leyi and Tang Wensheng met at a coffee shop near Central Park in New York.

Tang Wensheng sat down opposite her, somewhat awkwardly adjusting his shirt collar. The girl in front of him was even more beautiful than in the photos, her eyes shining like stars, and she exuded a kind of pampered composure that made him feel a little nervous.

"You're 28 and still not married, is it because you're too busy with work?" Chen Leyi spoke first, her tone direct and revealing a girl's frankness.

Tang Wensheng paused for a moment, then answered seriously, "At first I was busy with my studies, then I joined Pfizer and spent all my time in the lab, so I really didn't have time for dating. And... I haven't met the right person." He paused, then asked, "What about Miss Chen? With your excellent qualities, why haven't you found a boyfriend?"

“My parents never pressure me.” Chen Leyi stirred her coffee, her tone relaxed. “I think you can’t rush things when it comes to relationships. If you haven’t met someone you like, it’s better to be on your own.”

Tang Wensheng sensed the "unwillingness to be arranged" in her words and quickly explained, "Uncle Chen probably just thinks we're both still single and wants us to get to know each other. He didn't mean to force you."

Chen Leyi couldn't help but laugh: "You seem to understand my dad quite well. Actually, I'm not that opposed to it; it's good to make more friends." She changed the subject, adding with a touch of playfulness, "Let me tell you, when I was little, I was the only daughter in my family. My dad doted on me, my mom spoiled me, my aunt always brought me delicious food, and my buddies treated me like a treasure. Guess what kind of person I am?"

Tang Wensheng looked at her smiling face, and the tension in his heart suddenly dissipated. He thought about it seriously and said, "I think you are very sincere, and you must be very happy to be loved by so many people."

These words warmed Chen Leyi's heart. In the past, when people went on blind dates with her, they would either praise her for being "rich" or flatter her for being "lucky." Few people could see the "sincere heart that comes from being spoiled" in her bones. She looked up at Tang Wensheng and found that although he seemed dull, he was very perceptive.

"You're quite good with words." (End of Chapter)