A century-old wealthy family that rose from Shanghai

Chapter 489 Takeoff
Inside the shipyard on the shores of Tokyo Bay, colorful ribbons fluttered and drums and music filled the air.

The 28.7-ton VLCC (Very Large Crude Carrier) lies quietly on the slipway like a steel whale, about to be launched – this is the 50th VLCC of the Chen family's Global Shipping, which is of great significance.

The Japanese organizers, well aware of its commercial significance, not only invited cabinet ministers to the event but also prominent female guests. Hundreds of young women sang and danced, creating a lively and extraordinary atmosphere, demonstrating their goodwill towards the "world's shipping magnate."

In the crowd, Chen Guangliang, dressed in a dark suit, stood calmly, seemingly out of place amidst the surrounding noise.

Someone nearby whispered, "If Tung Chao-yung were here, he would definitely enjoy this kind of entourage, but Mr. Chen seems to be here just for an ordinary meeting."

He had no interest in the details of the ceremony; his gaze was already fixed on Yamamoto, the president of the Japanese shipping company not far away—this partner who was about to charter the oil tanker was the core target of his trip.

After a brief pause in the ceremony, Chen Guangliang stepped forward, shook hands with Yamamoto, exchanged pleasantries, and got straight to the point: "President Yamamoto, regarding the lease for this ship, we propose a five-year term."

A hint of surprise flashed in Yamamoto's eyes, followed by confusion: "Mr. Chen, in the past, the charter contracts of Worldwide Shipping were mostly short-term contracts of one or three years. Why the sudden proposal of five years? Is it because you are worried that the oil shipping business will shrink after the Suez Canal reopens?"

These words voiced the concerns of many present—after the Middle East war in 1967, the Suez Canal was closed, and oil tankers had to detour around the Cape of Good Hope, which spurred a surge in demand for VLCCs; if the canal were to reopen, the value of large oil tankers would likely be greatly reduced.

Chen Guangliang chuckled upon hearing this, his tone resolute: "The Suez Canal is unlikely to open within five years. Israel occupies the Sinai Peninsula, and Egypt and Israel are constantly locked in a standoff on both sides of the canal. Unless war reignites in the Middle East and Egypt achieves a complete victory, the stalemate will be difficult to break."

He then shifted his tone, explaining the core considerations: "With global shipping prices stable now, 3-year and 5-year charter contracts won't have much impact on either party, but the average charter rate for a 5-year contract will be significantly lower, which is beneficial for your company; for us, a long-term charter contract will give Japanese banks more peace of mind—they see a stable partnership and no longer need to worry about our repayment ability. It's a win-win situation!"

These words made Yamamoto realize something, and he nodded repeatedly: "Mr. Chen is indeed wise! We have also done the internal calculations. If we build a ship now, it will take a year and a half and we will have to spend a lot of money. It would be better to just rent an existing ship and put it into operation immediately."

He frankly admitted that the Japanese shipping industry has long been plagued by the strange phenomenon of "chartering as the main method":

Firstly, seafarers' wages and benefits remain high, and the cost of maintaining a ship is too high;
Secondly, shipbuilding requires a large investment and carries high risks, while chartering ships allows for installment payments, reducing the financial burden considerably.
More importantly, Global Shipping has secured a large number of orders from Japanese shipyards in recent years, leaving local companies with long waiting lists for shipbuilding. As a result, they have given up on building their own ships and instead started leasing Chen Guangliang's vessels.

"Moreover, the Bank of Japan offers more favorable treatment to overseas ship owners."

Yamamoto couldn't help but complain: "When our local companies build ships, the down payment is more than 30%, and the interest rate is half a percent or one percent higher than yours; when you Global Shipping orders ships, the down payment is only 20%, and the interest rate is lower—clearly you are supporting the shipbuilding industry, but you are forcing us to only be able to rent ships."

Chen Guangliang had heard about this before, but he just smiled and replied, "Business is about trade-offs. As long as it's profitable for both parties, it's a good collaboration."

He knew perfectly well that the "helplessness" of Japanese shipping companies had precisely created the advantage for Worldwide Shipping – with its massive shipbuilding capacity and stable charter contracts, Worldwide Shipping not only monopolized the Japanese VLCC leasing market, but also continued to expand its fleet size with the help of low-interest loans from Japanese banks, gradually consolidating its position as the "world's shipping magnate".

At this moment, cheers erupted again in the shipyard as the VLCC, towed by tugboats, slowly slid into the water, splashing up huge waves.

Yamamoto pointed to the oil tanker and said with a smile, "Mr. Chen, this ship will soon be put into service on the oil route from Japan to the Middle East. With it, we can keep up with the pace of Japan's economic take-off."

Chen Guangliang looked at the steel behemoth, a ripple flashing in his eyes—this 50th VLCC is not only a milestone for global shipping, but also an important step in his layout of the global oil shipping market.

The noise of the ceremony will eventually fade away, but the tacit business understanding behind this five-year lease will further strengthen the bond between the Chen family and the Japanese shipping industry.

He turned to Yamamoto and said, "The team will handle the follow-up details. I hope our cooperation can help both of us stay more stable in this ever-changing shipping market."

"Great, we really enjoy working with Worldwide Shipping."

Later, Chen Guangliang returned to his villa in Tokyo and reunited with his fourth wife and her family.

Si Yezi still chose to wear a kimono and wooden clogs, accompanying Chen Guangliang as a traditional Japanese woman. Their eldest son, Chen Wenying, has grown up and will be starting university in the fall. Unbeknownst to them, they have been in this household for 18 years.

In the courtyard, Si Yezi reported to Chen Guangliang on the progress of 'Art Electronics Company', while Chen Wenying sat quietly listening.

After listening to Si Yezi's report, Chen Guangliang commented: "The gun can also be made into a medium-length wooden gun, which would feel even better. When exporting to Europe, you need to distinguish between toy guns and real guns. After all, gun ownership is legal in Europe and America, and carrying a laser gun can easily lead to misunderstandings. There's still some time before it hits the market, so you must strengthen the hardware improvements to avoid any malfunctions. By the way, this system definitely needs an upgraded version. Before exporting to Europe and America, shooting pigeons can be transformed into shooting ducks. It can even be developed into a showdown with cowboys."

Although some of these points had already been covered, Si Yezi listened very attentively and even took notes, clearly treating them as gospel.

"Yes, I'll emphasize these points at the company later!"

Chen Guangliang said with satisfaction, "If this product succeeds, Electronic Arts will gradually develop into a global entertainment and gaming company. We'll invest all the product profits into research and development. The gaming industry is as massive as the television industry, especially with the increasing sophistication of integrated circuits. Video games will become the future trend. For example, our Hong Kong-based company, Wah Tai, is developing a new video game device, which we call an arcade machine. This is just the beginning. What will future video games look like? I think they will probably have visuals and be controllable."

Chen Wenying stood by, barely daring to breathe, afraid of missing such a wonderful moment. He was deeply shocked, realizing that his father's understanding of technology was so profound.

Si Yezi felt much less. Of course, she knew her man's abilities. He managed to arrange four wives and concubines so well, which showed that he was not only physically strong, but also had wisdom and foresight.

"Wenying, did you understand?"

Chen Wenying straightened his back and said, "Father, I understand. Electronic Arts' development originated from laser design systems, then extended to the field of video games, and gradually rose to become a global giant."

Chen Guangliang placed his hand on his shoulder and said, "Yes, you're no weaker than your brothers. From now on, you'll be involved in EA's affairs while studying. You need to learn what you need to know at school, and you also need to understand the company's affairs."

Chen Wenying said excitedly, "Father, my brothers are very outstanding, and I can definitely do it too, because we are all your sons and have inherited your excellent genes. I know that you had already developed a successful career when you were 17 years old; now I am also 17 years old, and I hope to gradually share some of the pressure on my mother. Next, I will study electronic hardware knowledge while getting familiar with the development of Electronic Arts."

Both being Asian, Chen Wenying inherited Chen Guangliang's intelligence, ranking among the top five among his brothers. Could this be due to some Japanese genes?

Of course, Chen Guangliang didn't mind the Japanese genes; what he wanted was for his fourth wife to earn a lot of wealth from Japan.

A month later, a former bowling alley in Shibuya, Tokyo, had been completely transformed.

The dusty fairways have been demolished and replaced with rows of laser tag equipment, where "virtual pigeons" and "virtual ducks" appear lifelike on the screens. This is the first light gun arcade transformed by Electronic Arts, and many others will open soon. On opening day, the entrance was packed with reporters and game enthusiasts, with camera shutters clicking incessantly.

Hideo Kojima, vice president of Electronic Arts, stood at the entrance, impeccably dressed in a suit, but his excitement was barely concealed. Shinji Mikami, the person in charge of the laser gun system, weaved through the crowd, occasionally demonstrating how to use the equipment to reporters—a red laser flashed, and the "duck" on the screen turned into specks of light and disappeared, the crisp "whoosh" sound eliciting gasps from the onlookers.

"This is simply a revolutionary form of entertainment!" a reporter exclaimed, his pen flying across the paper. "Compared to traditional games, laser shooting is more immersive, and both children and adults can find enjoyment in it."

Hideo Kojima's smile widened upon hearing this. He knew that if this arcade was a hit, the arcades that opened next would be just as successful, and then the next step would be to sell equipment and promote the games throughout Japan.

Electronic Arts was able to gain a foothold in the Japanese gaming equipment industry, and the starting point for all of this was the guidance Chen Guangliang gave to Si Yezi in his villa a month ago—from equipment details to market positioning, every step was spot on.

Shinji Mikami recalled Yoko Tsukasa's instructions at the R&D meeting: "We must ensure zero equipment failures; this is the key to making a name for ourselves."

He looked down at the laser gun in his hand, his heart filled with confidence—after repeated testing, the equipment's stability had already met the standards, and now he just had to wait for the market to give him the answer.

Inside the arcade, the first group of participants had already picked up laser guns, their faces beaming with excitement. Some were aiming at the "pigeons" and firing continuously, while others were trying out the "cowboy duel" mode, with cheers and exclamations filling the air.

Reporters at the entrance rushed to report, their cameras focused on the virtual targets jumping on the screen, as well as on the sign of "Electronic Arts Entertainment"—this company, built by the fourth branch of the Chen family, is stirring up a "game revolution" in Tokyo in a completely new way.

Meanwhile, Chen Guangliang had returned to Hong Kong, but after learning about the grand opening of the arcade through an overseas phone call, he simply smiled faintly.

For him, this is just the first step in the business of the fourth branch of the family, and also the beginning of the Chen family's global entertainment industry layout. In the future, the wave of video games will sweep the world, and Electronic Arts may become one of the most dazzling names in this wave.

at the same time.

In August, the summer heat lingered in Hong Kong, but the shop windows of "Kidswant," a chain store under Huatai Toys, became the most bustling sight on the street. As Huatai's exclusive chain brand of toys and baby products, "Kidswant" has 12 stores in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Macau, and Singapore. The launch of DIAKRON and MICROMAN caused all 12 stores to fall into a "buying frenzy" at the same time.

Long queues formed in front of the "Kidswant" store in Causeway Bay, Hong Kong, as early as 6 a.m.

Some adults bought the items for themselves, while others brought their children with them.

As soon as the store opened, a crowd surged in, heading straight for the shelves displaying Diaclone and MSI Superman figures.

Inside the shop window, blue and red Diaclone toys were quietly displayed. When the clerk pressed the silver button on top, the body, which originally resembled a sports car, instantly unfolded its wings, and a mini pilot popped out of the cockpit. The ingenious mechanical structure drew gasps of amazement from the children.

On the adjacent shelf, the MSI Little Superman series "Okro Alien" transforming robot, with its rounded lines and vibrant colors, has become a favorite among children. Many parents also picked up the maternity and baby products next to the shelf, truly realizing the synergistic consumption of "toys + maternity and baby products".

"Our five stores in Hong Kong sold out their first batch of 1000 sets in just three days!" The head of Kidswant excitedly reported to Su Dongsheng (General Manager of Huatai Toys) on the other end of the phone.

"We've also received news from our Ximending store in Taiwan and our Orchard Road store in Singapore that our stock is running low. Parents are asking when we'll restock, saying they want to buy these as gifts for their children before the start of the school year."

Su Dongsheng clenched his fist, knowing that they were about to launch another best-selling product.

"Don't worry, the factory will keep restocking!"

"well"

In the production workshop at Huatai Toys' headquarters, the machines hummed incessantly.

The workers worked in three shifts to rush the production, and piles of plastic parts waiting to be assembled were stacked up next to the assembly line.

Standing at the entrance of the workshop, Su Dongsheng looked at the bustling scene before him and couldn't hide his smile. The "Kidswant" launch strategy had indeed worked. As Huatai's self-operated channel, "Kidswant" not only understood the needs of the maternal and infant consumer group, but also increased the average order value through the combination of "toys + maternal and infant products". The hot sales of Diaclone and MSI Little Superman far exceeded expectations.

Diaclone's "transformation" design breaks the limitations of traditional toys' "fixed form"; Microstar Superman, with its "alien invasion" story background, allows children to be full of imagination while playing.

More importantly, Huatai printed a brief story synopsis on the packaging and also included a mini comic book published by "Manga World," firmly binding the toy with the IP. This is exactly the "toy + content + own channels" three-drive strategy that the boss had previously set.

DIAKRON and MICROMAN have become bestsellers through the "Kidswant" chain stores under Huatai Toys (covering 12 stores in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Macau and Singapore), quickly gaining popularity in the Chinese-speaking world and Southeast Asia.

To this end, Chen Wenkai, deputy general manager of Yangtze River Industrial Group, convened a globalization strategy meeting for Huatai Toys, which was attended by Su Dongsheng (general manager of Huatai) and other management personnel.

On the conference table, sales data from 12 Kidswant stores, a report on the European and American toy market, and inquiry letters from distributors were neatly arranged.

Chen Wenkai got straight to the point: "The two toys have already gained a foothold in the Southeast Asian and Chinese markets. The next key step is to break into the European and American markets. I hope to complete the 'overseas version' as soon as possible and try to catch up with the New York Toy Fair next spring."

He knew that these two toys were probably very important, otherwise his father wouldn't have personally been involved in the planning.

Su Dongsheng nodded and said, "There's enough time. We will put it on sale in major toy stores and department stores in Europe and America by Christmas. We have a mature overseas sales channel. As for the overseas version, we have been working on it simultaneously from the beginning."

Chen Wenkai said with satisfaction, "This toy is very important. For Huatai Toys, it is a major work that opened the door to the 1970s. I hope everyone will work hard on globalization."

"Yes"

Throughout the meeting, Chen Wenkai didn't waste any time with idle chatter; he seemed more like he was there to encourage everyone.

(End of this chapter)