Courtyard House: Time Traveler Not Yet a Ghost

"It's Mr. Lin's business to sell, but I won't sell my shares," Mr. Chen said firmly on the phone. "Yoo Lian is something we friends built together. I'm not willing to sell it just when it's starting to do well."

Lawrence patiently persuaded him, "Mr. Chen, my client is very wealthy. After he takes control of Union Bank, he will invest a lot of money to support the bank's development. This is much better than the current situation where the shareholders are spreading their efforts thin. You can still retain a portion of your shares and share in the bank's growth. Why not?"

"Hmph, that sounds nice," Mr. Chen said unmoved. "When the board of directors is all your people, what say will we minority shareholders have? I'm not stupid."

The first attempt at communication failed. Lawrence was not discouraged; he knew these things couldn't be rushed. On one hand, he had Mr. Lin continue to work on Mr. Chen, and on the other hand, he began to contact the third shareholder, Mr. Huang.

Mr. Huang is a typical businessman, shrewd and pragmatic. Unlike Mr. Lin, he is not eager to cash out, nor is he influenced by "emotional" factors like Mr. Chen. He is more concerned about the acquisition price and future security.

"Attorney Lawrence, my requirements are very simple," Mr. Huang said while sipping tea in a Cantonese teahouse. "First, the price must be fair, not lower than the market valuation. Second, if I am willing to sell a portion of my shares, I require that I retain at least 5% of the shares and have a board seat to ensure that I can understand the bank's operations."

Lawrence was delighted. Although Mr. Huang's conditions weren't harsh, they pointed him in the right direction. He immediately reported to He Damin.

"Mr. He, Mr. Huang is willing to talk, but he requests to retain 5% of the shares and one board seat."

He Damin considered it for a moment. Union Bank was a new bank, and it needed to stabilize morale and retain people familiar with the business. "We can agree to his offer. 5% of the shares isn't much, and a board seat is within our control. The key is to acquire controlling interest as soon as possible."

Following He Damin's instructions, Lawrence approached Mr. Huang again, clearly stating his acceptance of his terms. Mr. Huang was pleased and immediately agreed to sell his 20% stake. Combined with Mr. Lin's 25%, this brought the total to 45%, still 6% short of the 51% controlling stake.

Now, the biggest obstacle is Mr. Chen. Mr. Lin and Mr. Huang took turns persuading him, explaining the reasons and appealing to his emotions, analyzing the pros and cons. They told Mr. Chen that if he insisted on not selling, after Mr. Lin and Mr. Huang sold their shares, the new major shareholder would inevitably seek the support of other minority shareholders. At that time, Mr. Chen's shares would also be diluted, and he might not even be able to keep his current position.

Mr. Chen hesitated for a long time. He was indeed optimistic about the banking industry, but he also understood that he couldn't fight against the powerful. If Lin and Huang both sided with the other, he would be left alone and might end up with nothing.

"Alright," Mr. Chen finally relented a few days later, "I can sell my 10% stake. But the price will be 10% higher than Mr. Lin's and Mr. Huang's."

This was blatant profiteering. Lawrence was somewhat displeased, but in order to finalize the deal as quickly as possible, he still consulted He Damin.

"Sure," He Damin replied decisively. "As long as the total budget doesn't exceed 2500 million, agree to it. Time is more important than this price difference."

Ultimately, Mr. Lin acquired a 55% stake in Union Bank for HK$25 million, valued at HK$1100 million for his 880% stake, HK$520 million for his 20% stake, and HK$2500 million for his 10% stake. Although Mr. Chen only sold 10%, he retained 15%, becoming the second-largest shareholder after Mr. Ho. Mr. Huang also retained 5% of the shares and a board seat as agreed.

This outcome is acceptable to both sides.

Three days later, Lawrence returned to Victoria Peak.

"Mr. He, we've received a response from Wing On Bank." His face was filled with barely suppressed excitement. "The Kwok family has finally agreed to sell 51% of the shares for HK$3400 million. The audit has been completed, and there are no major issues with the assets."

He Damin nodded. "That's acceptable. But the conditions need to be clear—they will retain the main operational control, but major decisions must be approved by the board of directors, especially those involving large loans, investments, and personnel changes. I want to send people to the board, and our people must be involved in oversight within the finance department."

"Understood, Mr. He. I will specify these terms in the contract." Lawrence noted it down and added, "The progress at Union Bank is even faster. Shareholders Lin, Huang, and Chen have signed a letter of intent for the share transfer, totaling HK$2500 million for a 55% stake. Mr. Chen and Mr. Huang will each retain some shares and board seats, as they hope to play a role in the new board."

He Damin thought for a moment. "Okay. Tell them I agree to retain their board seats. But the chairman must be someone appointed by us, responsible for the bank's overall strategic direction. Day-to-day operations can be handled by the general manager they recommend, but the board of directors has the final say on the appointment of key personnel."

Lawrence nodded and continued, "I visited Mr. Zhang, the general manager of Kangnian Bank. As you requested, I opened an account there and deposited HK$100 million. Mr. Zhang was very polite and expressed his gratitude for your 'investment,' but when the topic of selling the shares came up, he evaded the question and his attitude was very firm. It seems that there is indeed no intention of selling within the family."

He Damin wasn't surprised. "It's alright, take it slow. Kangnian Bank operates conservatively and won't undergo any major changes in the short term, nor will it pose a threat to us. Just leave it for now and keep an eye on it."

He went to his desk and wrote out another check.

"This is the second commission prepayment, 500,000. Once the acquisition officially begins, all legal, auditing, and registration fees will be reimbursed on an actual cost basis. In addition, as agreed, a commission of 5% of the transaction price will be paid upon successful completion of each acquisition."

Lawrence accepted the check, his heart filled with emotion. In less than a month, he had already earned a million Hong Kong dollars, something he had never dared to dream of before. "Mr. He, rest assured, I will handle this matter flawlessly, ensuring all procedures are legal and compliant, leaving no hidden dangers."

He Damin nodded. "I trust you. Next, we'll establish 'Star Glory Investment,' an offshore company, to serve as the main entity for acquiring Wing On Bank and Union Bank. You'll be fully responsible for the specific operations."

"Yes, Mr. He."

For the next month, Lawrence's team worked tirelessly. Registering an offshore company, handling equity transfer procedures, obtaining approval from Hong Kong's financial authorities, coordinating relationships between old and new shareholders, arranging board members… every task was tedious and meticulous. They also encountered some minor troubles, such as inquiries from the financial authorities about the background of "Star Shine Investment." Lawrence, relying on his professional legal knowledge and prepared explanations, resolved these issues one by one. He presented "Star Shine Investment" as an investment company jointly funded by several anonymous wealthy overseas Chinese businessmen, with a mysterious background but substantial financial strength.

Finally, a month later, all the procedures were completed.

Wing On Bank was the first to issue an announcement, stating that the Kwok family had transferred its 51% stake to an offshore company called "Star Investment" for HK$3400 million. The announcement mentioned that the Kwok family would continue to participate in the bank's management, and the new board members included representatives from the original Wing On Bank and representatives appointed by "Star Investment"—Ho Ta-ming and Chan Suet-yu.

Union Bank followed suit with an announcement that its 55% stake had changed hands for HK$2500 million, with the acquirer also being "Star Investment". The new board elected Ho Ta-min as chairman, and representatives of the original shareholders, Mr. Chan and Mr. Wong, also joined the board.

The two transactions, totaling HK$5900 million, caused quite a stir in Hong Kong's financial circles. People were eager to find out who was behind this mysterious "Star Shine Investment" and who this suddenly appearing Ho Damin was.

Some speculate it's a Chinese conglomerate in Southeast Asia, while others guess it's mainland Chinese capital, but there's no concrete evidence. Lawrence's secrecy is excellent; "Star Investment" is registered in the Cayman Islands, with a layered shareholding structure that makes it difficult to trace the actual controller.

The name Ho Ta-min appeared in the Hong Kong public eye for the first time, but apart from knowing that he lived on Victoria Peak, was very rich, and kept a low profile, no one could find any more information about him.

That's enough. That's exactly the effect He Damin wanted—to make a fortune quietly and then reveal his hand at the crucial moment.

A gentle breeze blew across Victoria Peak at night. He Damin and Chen Xueru stood side by side in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, overlooking the dazzling night view of Hong Kong below.

"Two banks," Chen Xueru said softly, "cost nearly 60 million. This was something I wouldn't have dared to even dream of before."

"Hmm," He Damin responded calmly. This sum of money was just a drop in the ocean for him.

"Is it worth it?" Chen Xueru leaned on his shoulder and asked softly. She knew what this money meant; it was enough to buy property on half of Hong Kong Island.

He Damin turned around, gently embraced her, and looked into her eyes.

"Xue Ru, do you know how much these two banks will be worth in thirty years?"

Chen Xueru shook her head, her eyes filled with curiosity.

He Damin didn't answer directly, but gazed at the bustling lights outside the window, his tone full of confidence: "You'll see when the time comes. This isn't just about money; it's the foundation of our future."

He paused, then added, "But before that, we need to teach them how to survive, how to thrive in the cracks between HSBC and Standard Chartered. The road ahead won't be easy."

Chen Xueru nodded firmly, her eyes shining with determination: "I believe in you. No matter how difficult it is, we'll face it together."

As night deepened, the villa on Victoria Peak was brightly lit. He Damin knew that acquiring the banks was only the first step; the more important thing was how to manage them well and make them the true "heart" of his business empire.