Reborn in America, I am a legendary short seller on Wall Street.

Chapter 181 There's no reason to spit out a steak you've already eaten.
Railroad stocks remained sluggish until the morning close. Larry was slightly annoyed, but this annoyance stemmed primarily from the overall weakness of railroad stocks, rather than solely from the decline in New England railroads.

For lunch, Larry accompanied Mr. Porter to a nearby steakhouse, with Mr. Dunbar also joining them.

However, Mr. Dunbar did not eat with the two of them. Instead, he deliberately found a seat by the window, ordered his own food, and ate by himself, not wanting to disturb their conversation too much.

Mr. Potter was very curious about Dunbar's identity and casually asked, "Is he really your uncle? He doesn't seem like it to me."

Larry smiled faintly and explained Dunbar's role as a bodyguard to Mr. Potter, but he didn't mention the Metropolitan Casino's involvement. He simply said that he was afraid someone would covet him, so he hired a bodyguard.

Mr. Potter nodded and said, “That’s right, Larry. You’re in a different position now, so you need to be extra careful about your safety. Regardless of whether anyone is after your wealth, just in case, you should hire bodyguards.”

Larry nodded in agreement, then asked, "Sir, have you received any recent news about railroad stocks? I see that railroad stocks are generally falling."

Mr. Porter raised an eyebrow, his tone becoming serious. "There really is news. Europe is currently in an economic slump, and British banks recently poured a lot of money into filling the hole to bail out Barings Bank. Now they are significantly reducing their investments in New World."

“I knew it…” Larry said, looking at Mr. Potter with sudden realization.

"Since this morning, railroad stocks have been falling non-stop. Railroad stocks are among the most valuable investment assets in the United States. If they are even selling off railroad stocks, then their own asset situation must not be very good."

Mr. Potter nodded, and just as he was about to say something, the steak was brought over by the waiter.

The two stopped talking and waited for the waiter to serve the food.

The steak sizzled on the hot plate, the waiter's hands were very steady as he served the food, and his manners were impeccable. Mr. Potter nodded his thanks to the waiter.

Larry's thoughts were still on the previous topic, but thankfully he had Mr. Porter to consult. Mr. Porter was always on the upper echelons and had an unusually keen sense of information; it was precisely because of this ability that he was able to make a name for himself in New York.

After the food was served, Mr. Potter picked up a glass of wine and said with a smile, "So that I can live on Fifth Avenue!"

Larry laughed and quickly raised his glass to clink with Mr. Porter's. "Yes, for Fifth Avenue."

Mr. Porter has been all smiles lately because he felt incredibly lucky to have bought a property near the Waldorf Hotel with Larry's help. Before, no matter how well he did, he was still just a high-level employee, but after casually doing some business with Larry, he was able to buy his own house in the heart of New York City – how could he not be overjoyed?

Larry chatted with Mr. Porter for a few minutes, then steered the conversation back to the decline in railroad stocks.

"Mr. Porter, why do you think British financiers are secretly reducing their investments in the United States? If they sell their railway stocks, will they invest in other assets, or will they withdraw their capital back to Britain?"

Mr. Porter pondered for a moment, “The news that the British are reducing their holdings of American assets is circulating in small circles, but I can assure you it’s definitely happening. And according to headquarters, today’s reduction in railroad stocks was indeed done by brokerage firms commissioned by the British. But whether they will withdraw the capital from these reductions back to Great Britain, I don’t know…”

Larry frowned, poking at his steak lightly with the knife in one hand, but he was preoccupied and had no appetite.

"Why are they sticking with railroad stocks? Is there something wrong with railroad stocks themselves?" Larry muttered.

Just then, a sudden voice broke in, "The British are after gold! They're not just targeting America; they're plundering gold all over the world!"

Larry paused, then turned to look at the person who had spoken. He saw a young man with a neatly trimmed beard and dark hair standing by the table, his body upright, maintaining impeccable manners and posture.

When Larry and Mr. Porter looked over, the dark-haired youth nodded slightly and smiled at them, "Excuse me, sorry to bother you!"

Dunbar, who was some distance away, saw someone approaching and silently stood up, his expression full of vigilance.

But Mr. Potter frowned, glancing at the top-tailored suit the man was wearing. The materials were exquisite, and the cut was impeccable. Knowing this was no ordinary person, he quickly stood up, a smile unconsciously spreading across his face.

"Sir, may I ask what brings you here? If it's alright, I'd like to ask your name!"

The black-haired youth gave a humble smile and pointed to the chair next to the table, saying, "...Is that alright?"

That means he wants to sit down and talk to the two of them again.

Mr. Potter quickly replied, "It's an honor, please have a seat!"

The man sat down, first thanking Mr. Potter for the invitation, then turned to Larry and continued the conversation.
“Young sir, are you curious about the British bankers withdrawing capital back to London? I have just returned from England and I can answer your questions.”

Larry smiled, but inwardly he couldn't help wondering who this person was and how he had suddenly appeared at his dining table...

Despite his doubts, Larry smiled and said, "I'd like to hear more. Of course, as a token of my hospitality, may I treat you to a steak?"

The black-haired youth nodded slightly. "I am honored."

Larry then called over a waiter and turned to ask, "What would you like?"

"Filet mignon, please." The dark-haired young man said casually to the waiter, then smiled and said to the two men, "Oh, since you've treated us to the meal, then according to New York custom, I'll take care of the drinks."

As he spoke, the black-haired youth clapped his hands lightly, and a follower dressed in a smart tailcoat came up carrying a basket. He then placed the ice bucket and Burgundy wine from the basket on the table.

Before the man could give any further instructions, the henchman skillfully opened the wine bottle and poured a glass of Burgundy red wine for each of the three men.

The black-haired youth picked up the red wine, swirled it, and said, "We came in a hurry and didn't prepare a decanter. Let's 'decant' it by glass."

Larry narrowed his eyes, increasingly sensing that the visitor was up to no good. He then smiled and nodded, glancing at Mr. Potter.

Mr. Potter frowned slightly, clearly realizing that the other party had definitely come prepared.

"May I ask your name?" Mr. Potter asked again.

The black-haired youth waved his hand, "Let me answer this young gentleman's question first, as a way of getting some of his steak. Well, it's like this, Britain paid a heavy price during the Barings Bank crisis in 1890. One particularly troublesome point was that the crisis made them all realize a problem: with the expansion of colonies and the global reach of the British Empire, its capital was severely insufficient, especially its gold reserves."

Larry nodded, signaling the other person to continue.

"You should know that if they want to maintain an empire as vast as the British Empire, they need a huge amount of funds. However, gold is limited compared to the huge expenditures of the pound. If they cannot attract funds from various countries to increase their gold reserves, then another Barings Bank crisis could make it very difficult to maintain the current fixed exchange rate between the pound and gold."

The man spoke eloquently, swirling his wine glass in one hand. In just a few words, his gaze had already slickly swept back and forth between Larry and Mr. Porter twice.

Larry got the impression that this person was very confident, shrewd, and had a subtle aristocratic elegance that was something that ordinary people could not imitate. He must be a person of great status.

Larry thought for a moment and realized who he might be... "...So, the Bank of England is now desperately replenishing its gold reserves because during the Barings Bank crisis, they suddenly discovered that in a crisis, they couldn't even come up with £2100 million in gold... As far as I know, during the Barings Bank crisis, the Bank of England only had £1081 million in gold reserves in its vaults!"

After the other person finished their long explanation, feeling that their red wine had decanted properly, they raised their glass to the two of them – it was time to clink glasses!

“Thank you very much, sir. Your guidance has enlightened me greatly!” Larry smiled and gently clinked his glass against the other man’s. Mr. Potter quickly raised his glass as well.

With a "clink," the three clinked glasses and each took a small sip.

"Fantastic red wine!" Mr. Potter exclaimed.

"My dear friend, I hope this glass of red wine suits your taste..." The dark-haired youth glanced at Mr. Potter, then continued to focus his gaze on Larry, and said with a smile.

"Young sir, I have a small business proposal. May I describe it to you?"

Larry smiled and said politely, "Please feel free to say whatever you want, I'm all ears... but please forgive my bluntness, I'm not selling that house!"

The black-haired youth was ready to launch into a long speech, but upon hearing Larry's last sentence, his face grew serious, and his smile faded.

After a few seconds, he said calmly, "...How did you know?"

Larry's smile became genuine as he continued, "I'm a country bumpkin from Boston, and I don't have many friends in New York. I recently bought some properties, and only the Astor family might show me any interest! Am I right, Mr. Astor?"

Upon hearing Larry's words, the black-haired youth smiled again and looked at the two of them frankly, saying, "Alright, I am the one who was planning to invite you two this morning, John Jacob Astor IV!"

Although Mr. Potter had some suspicions, he still panicked a little when the other party actually revealed his identity. He almost stood up from his chair and subconsciously said,

"Oh, hello, Mr. Astor... about your appointment..."

King Astor IV waved his hand, his smile impeccable, and said again, "It's alright, I understand... Please sit down. Oh, by the way, my steak has arrived too. Don't just listen to me, the steak is getting cold!"

King Astor IV then stepped back, had the waiter place the steak in front of him, laid out a tablecloth, picked up his knife and fork, cut off a piece, put it in his mouth, and murmured a word of praise.

This is a kind of dining etiquette. Even when high-ranking people are chatting at the table, they have to eat and talk at the same time, pretending that they don't care about anything.

Larry and Mr. Porter each took a sip, then picked up their wine glasses to see how the man, who was determined to buy the property, would offer.

The other person took another sip of red wine, then smiled and said...
“Mr. Livingston, since you guessed who I am just now, I won’t beat around the bush. I’m willing to offer a figure far above the current market average—$56! And this is an offer that can be cashed out immediately without you bearing any risk. You can use this money to find options that better suit your life plan, or more secure investments.”

Larry raised an eyebrow. The other party had immediately offered a high price, making it easy to get the feeling that refusing to cooperate with him was like "giving up a sure-fire fortune."

Seeing that Larry remained silent, King Astor IV sensed an opportunity and continued speaking on his own.

“On behalf of the Astor family, I intend to integrate and develop the surrounding land to create a larger and more comprehensive community. Your property, or more precisely, my uncle's former property, is a crucial piece of this grand plan. I believe this is an extremely beneficial proposal for both parties, and the Astor family's reputation is the best guarantee. What do you think?”

As he spoke, King Astor IV looked at Larry, the red wine in his glass continuing to swirl in the stemmed glass.

Mr. Potter also turned to look at Larry, his eyes seeming to urge him on, but also showing a hint of hesitation.

Larry paused deliberately for a few seconds before looking into King Astor IV's eyes and said, "Sir, your generosity and vision are always impressive. I am deeply honored by this offer and your sincerity in coming in person."

King Astor IV nodded slightly, his smile becoming even more gentle.

"However, after careful consideration, I regret to inform you that I must decline your offer. This is not due to dissatisfaction with the price, nor is it a strategy of waiting for a higher bid. Rather, it is a matter of personal principle. As you can see, I am not here simply to make money, but because your cousin's hotel is located here, which is why I purchased this property nearby..."

Larry spoke, placing his wine glass on the pure white linen tablecloth to indicate that this was the Waldorf Astoria Hotel, before saying...
“Your cousin has the same idea as you. He may need to include nearby properties in order to design a larger and more complete hotel. Perhaps our property is also a piece of the puzzle in his grand blueprint, isn’t it?”

Asta IV's face immediately darkened. Larry's words made it clear that he had likely acquired these properties on behalf of Waldorf.

Mr. Porter turned to Larry, a slight look of confusion in his eyes, but Larry ignored him and said, “Of course, I am only a temporary guardian of this land, not its absolute owner. Selling it would be a betrayal of trust for me, and I believe that with your knowledge and taste, you can understand this value that transcends commerce.”

King Astor IV nodded, his gaze returning to calm. He frowned and said, "I understand... Well, I hadn't considered that my cousin was involved here. It seems I'm not the only one eyeing this land!"

Larry laughed and said, "I was just following an agreement; I had no choice."

King Astor IV waved his hand. "Alright, that's settled then. To be honest, I have a good impression of you, but since you've already received my cousin's request, I won't say anything more. Farewell!"

Having said that, King Astor IV stood up, nodded and smiled politely at the two men, and then left the steakhouse with his entourage.

Mr. Dunbar breathed a sigh of relief after seeing the black-haired youth leave, then turned his face to his food.

Larry raised an eyebrow, smiled, and picked up the Burgundy wine from the ice bucket, saying to Mr. Porter, "Oh, this bottle of wine of his is quite expensive, probably worth more than all the steaks and dishes on our table."

Mr. Potter gave Larry a deep look, then asked hesitantly, "Larry, is this really a good idea?"

“There’s nothing wrong with that!” Larry said with a laugh. “$56, what a load of rubbish… He just thinks we’re country bumpkins and wants to pay us off. That land is worth far more than that; we wouldn’t sell it to them for even £56, let alone $56!”

Mr. Potter paused, then asked, "Are there really that many?"

Larry laughed, still pointing to the wine glass he had just used as a substitute for the Waldorf Hotel's.

“Mr. Porter, although our three buildings are not a large area, the location is right in the heart of the entire business district. Anyone who wants to redevelop the hotel or build a larger community will inevitably have to acquire our property... It's not that we absolutely won't sell, but the land hasn't yet shown its true value. We won't consider it until we get a good offer!”

Mr. Potter nodded, then said, "Why would King Astor III sell such a good property? And for such a low price?"

Larry frowned and looked out the window, casually remarking, "I reckon he's sending a signal to his family that they need to split up quickly, or the rest of them will sink with him..." He then turned to Mr. Porter and said, "First-generation entrepreneurs always want their family assets to be secure forever, wanting the family to stay together indefinitely, so they commingle assets. Little do they know, this family will have to split up sooner or later, otherwise there will only be constant discord."

Mr. Potter nodded heavily, staring blankly at the red wine, and suddenly said, "Do you think the Waldorf might also send someone to discuss buying the land..."

“Of course! We’ll pretend to be John Astor IV’s men and just wait for them to make their bids. They’re the ones who’re anxious in this whole affair, and they’ll get even more anxious as the land price goes up!” Larry said, laughing as he forked a piece of steak.

"I've already started eating the steak, so I'll savor it slowly. Mmm, the aftertaste is wonderful!"

(End of this chapter)