Those Years When I Was Forced to Top the Forbes List

Chapter 189 Pre-match Preparations (Part Two)

"Whether it's laughter or sorrow, karaoke is always OK!"

"Even if I'm heartbroken, karaoke will still be okay!"

The following day, at noon, in an Audi A6.

Chen Xuebing hummed along to the stock market anthem "Karaoke Can Be OK," shaking his head and smiling.

Yang Qingyue, who was holding his hand, was amused by him and couldn't stop laughing.

She seemed to see Chen Xuebing from high school, carefree and full of youthful exuberance, oblivious to others' opinions.

For a moment, many concerns were relieved.

Early in the morning, Chen Xuebing picked her up from her home, accompanied her to the mall, did some pottery, and had a meal.

Chen Xuebing has always been this happy.

She asked Mengzhen what to do, and Chen Xuebing said he would handle it.

She then asked what would happen to her family, and Chen Xuebing said he would take care of it.

She preferred to be a silly person, so she didn't care and joined Chen Xuebing in having fun.

"Boss, sister-in-law, we're here. Shall we rest for a bit in the underground parking lot?"

Jiao Gui rarely saw the soldier so excited, so even though he only had an hour and a half to board, he still cautiously asked him about it.

"no need."

After Chen Xuebing finished speaking, he kissed Yang Qingyue on the cheek.

Her face was fair and delicate, with only a simple lotion applied. It felt cool and comfortable to kiss.

"Go ahead, call me when you get to Shenzhen, and I'll come find you... If you get bored, go to the company to play."

Yang Qingyue didn't bring any luggage, just some small things she bought at the mall, and he didn't plan to go in to deliver them.

Yang Qingyue felt at ease knowing that he would see her again soon.

"Ah."

Yang Qingyue really wanted to kiss him on the cheek, but with Xin Mengzhen between them, she suppressed her joy and affection, quickly got out of the car, and waved to Chen Xuebing.

"Bye-Bye!"

"Bye-bye!" Chen Xuebing blew another kiss, which was incredibly greasy.

He's an old man anyway, I'm not going to let fate decide.

Yang Qingyue walked into the airport with a bright smile, turning back to look at herself every few steps.

The music kept playing, but Chen Xuebing's smile never faded.

how to say.

He put aside all his other thoughts and spent time with Yang Qingyue, feeling a sense of relaxation he had never experienced before.

This sense of relaxation might mean not having to pretend to be profound in front of her, being able to act silly without restraint and not worrying that she'll think I'm childish, and not having to use my brain.

She would only find it cute.

This is what dating should be like!
Chen Xuebing raised his eyebrows as he thought about it.

Or perhaps... it's because he can openly show his greed in front of Yang Qingyue without having to hide it.

Is that alright?

Hmm... I think I should think about how to handle my relationship with Xin Mengzhen.

However, she doesn't contact me proactively anymore, so I don't care anymore.

He had been gradually figuring out what Old Man Xin was thinking. He wanted both things, and he wanted more. He had thought the other party was smart and farsighted, but he got lung cancer and it messed up his brain. He didn't want his promising grandson-in-law, but he wanted to tie Xin Mengzhen down. So let him tie her down.

Lao Tzu does not accept investigation.

"Boss, are we going to the company or home?" Jiao Gui asked.

Chen Xuebing raised his hand to check the time, then looked at the airport behind him.

"Let's go into the underground parking lot. We have some guests arriving soon."

……

The first day after the New Year's Day holiday.

The Chongqing Iron and Steel Group's administrative headquarters on Gangtie Road in Dadukou District is bustling with people, just as vibrant as the steel plant next door.

The company's predecessor was the Hanyang Ironworks, founded by Zhang Zhidong in 1890. Currently, only two Chinese people are alive today who have outlived it: Du Pinhua, born in 1886, and Sadiq Sawuti, born in 1887.

Led by General Manager Dong Lin, the group toured the departments, and onlookers made way for them.

"President Chen, President Lu, this is our listing committee office!"

"The legal and compliance office is right next door!"

"Asset and Liability Restructuring Office!"

"Finance Department!"

"The Audit Department!"

"Technology Patent Management Department!"

...

"Tang and I spearheaded the establishment of a listing preparation leadership group. We have mobilized all departments related to the listing plan to the third floor. Regarding the preparation work for the listing, we already have experience with listing on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. We have also cooperated with some established international capital firms, such as JPMorgan Chase, Goldman Sachs, the Government of Singapore Investment Corporation, and BlackRock. In addition, there are some industry-related capital firms, such as China Minmetals and BOC International, all of which are very eager to continue cooperating with us!"

Dong Lin appeared quite pleased with himself as he introduced the situation.

In his previous life, Chen Xuebing had been an off-exchange shareholder of dozens of listed companies. This was the first time he had actually visited a listed company. He looked around with great interest, secretly sighing that state-owned enterprises were indeed state-owned enterprises. They could set up an office for a single small task, and the staff was so bloated that there was no room to put them.

If it were him, he would have simply outsourced the matter to an accounting firm.

However, having people under my command will definitely make things easier when it comes to the disclosure of information during the listing process.

“President Lu, President Dong is here too. Please make your request.” It wasn’t easy for Chen Xuebing, who was acting as a middleman for the first time, to get the general manager to come in person. Seeing that he didn’t speak, he reminded him that time was precious.

He had Lu Xiaochun come in person to show that the level of hospitality was appropriate.

Lu Xiaochun nodded. He was here, so of course he couldn't just listen to others praising him.

He came to ask questions.

"Mr. Dong, there are some differences between A-share listings and Hong Kong stock listings. The mainland has stricter requirements on debt and shareholding structures... I heard that you submitted a listing proposal at the beginning of this year, but it was not approved? What was the reason?"

Upon hearing this, Dong Lin chuckled and said, "President Lu, you truly are an expert in this field. What you just said is the answer to the question."

"Oh?"

The secretary next to him immediately chimed in: "We are already listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and have some foreign shareholders. Listing on the mainland would be subject to the restrictions of the 'Catalogue of Industries for Foreign Investment,' and the foreign shareholding ratio in the steel industry is limited. We have been actively coordinating with our foreign shareholders for the past year. The part we are preparing to sell this time is the equity that we have brought back from foreign investors."

Lu Xiaochun smiled and asked, "May I ask how much you paid for your shares?"

Dong Lin and his secretary were taken aback for a moment, realizing that he wanted to negotiate the price.

The price they got back was, of course, much lower than two dollars.

"Mr. Lu, this year we shut down some small-capacity blast furnaces and small converters, upgraded our technology, and invested in the technological transformation of our medium and heavy plate production lines. Our production capacity for high-end steel products such as marine steel and pressure vessel steel has improved. Regarding the company's liabilities, the municipal government helped us eliminate the operational risks caused by our previous acquisition of special steel through an asset-liability package this year, and resolved some of the bad debts of our invested companies with a recovery rate of 18%. Our company's net assets per share have increased by 30%, and the price is definitely not what it used to be."

The secretary spoke fluently, clearly having prepared for this question beforehand.

Lu Xiaochun nodded slowly and looked at Chen Xuebing.

Chen Xuebing understood immediately.

In fact, based on his intuition and analysis, the series of data that Chongqing Iron & Steel Group announced to the public were somewhat exaggerated, and its investment in technological layout was far from sufficient. In the future, the advanced production capacity that will truly have premium pricing power should be in the fields of high-strength steel and special steel for automobiles and aerospace.

Given the current situation, once the steel market's heat subsides, profit levels will lack sustainability. However, he recalled that when he first started investing in stocks in his previous life, he seemed to have seen Chongqing Iron & Steel's A-shares and even traded them as short-term leaders, indicating that this listing was likely successful.

It can only be said that investment cannot rely solely on a long-term perspective; short-term factors must also be considered.

"President Lu, since there are restrictions on foreign investment in Chongqing Iron & Steel's A-share listing plan, we domestic capital should provide more support. Bosera is a leading Chinese capital firm with a management scale of tens of billions of yuan, ranking first in the country. Its market influence is beyond doubt. As a strategic investor, it is worthy of Chongqing Iron & Steel's status."

This is the only thing Chen Xuebing needs to say today.

Bosera wanted more equity, but couldn't ask for it first, otherwise it would be disadvantageous in price and terms negotiations. If he just made a suggestion, the task would be considered complete.

Lu Xiaochun has a slicked-back hairstyle and a broad face, somewhat resembling Chow Yun-fat. Today, he's wearing a light gray Shenzhen-style linen suit with a wide collar, exuding the air of an investor, and he's putting on a serious demeanor.
“We should give more support to an excellent company like Chongqing Iron & Steel, but it depends on what Chairman Dong thinks.”

Dong Lin hesitated for a moment, then raised his hand and said to a conference room, "General Manager Yu, who is in charge of the specific matters, will be here soon. I will introduce him to General Manager Lu in a moment."

"it is good."

Lu Xiaochun raised his hand and led the two people he brought with him into the conference room with a smile.

Chen Xuebing quickly said, "President Dong, I won't go. I have something I'd like to ask you. Could I have a chat with Secretary Sun for a few minutes?"

Dong Lin was taken aback for a moment, but he knew that his secretary was tactful in her speech.

"Alright, Xiao Sun, show President Chen around!"

...

Chen Xuebing had no intention of participating in the specific negotiations, but he pulled Secretary Sun aside and asked him for a long time about the municipal government's solution to the special steel issue.

……

Two days later.

Chen Xuebing invited Lu Xiaochun to dinner.

Although Chongqing these days doesn't have the magical eighteen-story buildings of later generations, where you have to go up and down several elevators to get home, it has never been a city that supports location services.

After turning east and west, climbing hills and ridges, we finally found an unnamed hot pot restaurant at the entrance of a residential area.

If I had to describe this address, it would be like this: one floor down the ancient well at Shibatidi in Chongqing, turn right at the second intersection, go up three floors of stairs, turn left, go to the end, turn right, go down one floor of stairs, and it's the third shop on the platform at the entrance of the old residential area – Erge Hotpot.

To put it simply, it's like the Erge Hot Pot restaurant outside Liang Hui's house.

Back in school, everyone lived on low floors, so we had a secret code: when we were bored, we'd go downstairs and howl like wolves to call someone out to play.

No one called Liang Hui.

Liang Hui's home is in Shibatidi, which is a very winding road, and nobody wants to go there.

That damn guy is so pretentious. Every time I call him to come out, he insists that everyone go shopping together to pick him up. We're all furious when we walk out, and when he finally comes out grinning, we're sure to get a beating from everyone.

—Unless he treats everyone to hot pot.

The hot pot restaurant near his house is really delicious.

Every Chongqing resident has a few favorite hot pot restaurants, and Chen Xuebing's favorite one just happens to be located right in front of Liang Hui's house.

The aroma of butter.

"His!"

Chen Xuebing took a deep breath and shouted inside:
"Second brother, tell me honestly, do you put poppy seeds in your broth? It smells so good!"

"Heh, you're talking nonsense! You've been eating this for so many years, and you still don't know?"

The boss's second brother, wearing an apron, came out smiling, carrying a plate of freshly sliced ​​pork belly. As he passed the shade of the tree by the door, he casually pinched the baby in the boss's wife's arms, causing the baby to cry twice. He then soothed the baby with a "oh ho ho" before placing the pork belly on Chen Xuebing's table.

"Wait a minute for the meatballs. Next time you want freshly made meatballs, come earlier. This shop is very busy right now."

"Hey, second brother, let's talk about this."

Chen Xuebing revealed a sly look: "I've opened a company in Jiefangbei now. I'll find you a shop downstairs. You can open it there. I'll pay the rent for you, and the company's employees will take care of your business every day."

The second brother was stunned for a moment.

The voice was a little louder than usual, and the air suddenly went quiet.

Before the second brother could speak, the guests at the surrounding tables all turned to look.

glare.

A pregnant woman slammed her hand on the table and stood up: "What are you saying! Second Brother's business is so good! It's not like we can't afford to eat! Second Brother, you're not allowed to leave! What will I eat if you leave!"

The crickets around us started chirping softly.

"That's right, second brother, your business is so good, he's just lying to you!"

"Are you in the same industry?"

Chen Xuebing looked sullen.

"I didn't say I'd ask my second brother to open it. I'd just hire someone to teach him how to open a branch."

Second Brother chuckled and patted Chen Xuebing on the shoulder: "You're all old customers, old customers! You've made something of yourself now, haven't you? When Second Brother's business goes out of business, I'll come and work for you!"

After saying that, he took out a bottle of beer from inside the house, had a drink with Chen Xuebing, and then went back inside to get busy.

The pot started bubbling and gurgling.

Chen Xuebing picked up his chopsticks and gestured with his chin toward Lu Xiaochun: "President Lu, eat. The pork loin slices need to be cooked for eight seconds, and the rest can be scooped out with a spoon after they're cooked."

Lu Xiaochun, dressed in a suit, had followed Chen Xuebing all this way to eat a hot pot meal. He was initially somewhat dissatisfied, but upon seeing this scene, he smiled, picked up his chopsticks, and dipped some pork kidney slices in the broth.

“I’m not very good at eating spicy food, and I don’t eat offal, but Mr. Chen brought me here because he considers me a friend, so I have to try it.”

Chen Xuebing grinned and said, "My principle in life is to show goodwill first. If others don't accept it, there's nothing I can do. There are desserts here to relieve the spiciness. I'll ask the boss to bring you a bowl in a bit. Many people from other places come to Chongqing specifically to eat hot pot, but the taste is actually just average. Since you've made it here, your trip to Chongqing has not been in vain."

"Making friends with Mr. Chen has certainly made this trip worthwhile." Lu Xiaochun picked up his beer glass: "I'll do my best to handle the financing."

Their negotiations with Chongqing Iron & Steel went smoothly, with the share price agreed at 1.95 yuan. They expect to receive 60 million shares, and the background check did not reveal any major problems. Overall, the deal has far exceeded expectations.

According to the agreement, if Chongqing Iron & Steel Co., Ltd. is listed at 5.8 yuan, even with a profit of 12%, it would still be worth 27 million yuan.

This is real profit.

Even if a fund raises 500 million, or even 1 billion, the final profit belonging to the fund may not be that much. According to the principal protection agreement given by Chen Xuebing, there is still a possibility of loss.

Chen Xuebing, however, was excessively straightforward. He didn't ask any questions at all, and after the first day, he didn't even show up at Chongqing Iron and Steel.

Chen Xuebing simply smiled and clinked glasses with him, without replying, and began to enjoy his sliced ​​pork kidneys.

He already had a plan in mind.

The final selling price of this deal may exceed 5.8 yuan. If it's 60 million shares at a cost of 1.95 yuan, he could potentially earn 40 to 50 million yuan.

But it's too early for Chongqing Iron & Steel to go public. How much impact can tens of millions of yuan a year and a half or even two years from now have?

At that point, that amount of money was no longer of any interest to him.

For him, anything that can be converted into immediate benefits and future expectations will be exchanged without hesitation.

Moreover, the expectations for BOE are much larger than that.

He is as steady as an old dog.

But Lu Xiaochun panicked when he didn't speak, fearing he might change his mind and ask for profits.

"Mr. Chen, do you have a specific plan for your financing? Could you show it to me so I can prepare in advance?"

Chen Xuebing slowly ate a duck intestine before looking at him: "No need to rush. Since President Lu is here this time, take your time to appreciate the scenery of Chongqing, get things done, and make sure the background check is thorough."

Lu Xiaochun's eyes sharpened: "What do you mean? Is there something wrong with Chongqing Iron and Steel?"

"No, not at all... It's just that I have a government meeting next week, and I specifically invited President Lu to come in person, hoping that he can lend a hand if needed."

(End of this chapter)